Compiled from staff and wire reports

ROSELAWN - A $38 million project to rebuild most of the Summit Behavioral Healthcare psychiatric hospital is expected to start in December after a two-year delay.

Summit is one of five hospitals run by the Ohio Department of Mental Health. The current 240-bed hospital is a collection of buildings that date to the 1950s.

The project would rebuild nearly all the patient care and residential units in a much tighter cluster of buildings, said Dan Moles, operations administrator.

Patient capacity will not change. But the new "treatment mall" design will better reflect modern treatment programs, Moles said.

The 265,000-square-foot facility will be about one-fourth smaller than the existing scattered buildings.

But it will offer bigger bedrooms, better designed spaces and more recreational services for residents, Moles said. A new administrative building was completed in 1999.

Clermont crash kills 14-year-old girl

UNION TWP. - A 14-year-old girl was killed Monday afternoon in a single-car wreck on what officials describe as a dangerous stretch of Roundbottom Road in Clermont County.

Union Township police had not released the identity of the girl as of late Monday, and few details of the crash were available.

The girl was a passenger in a car driven by a 16-year-old Covington boy who had recently received his license. Police said the boy, a former resident of Union Township, lost control of his car shortly after 4 p.m. and crashed into a utility pole in the 800 block of Roundbottom.

A 15-year-old boy, the second passenger in the car, was taken to University Hospital along with the driver. The two were treated for what police described as minor injuries.

Police said they believe speed might have played a role in the wreck but that the investigation was not complete. No charges had been filed late Monday.

Church manager arrested in theft

The business manager of an East Walnut Hills church was arrested Monday for allegedly making thousands of dollars of unauthorized charges to the church's credit card.

Daniel Woods, 44, of Florence, is charged with felony theft. He is to be arraigned in Hamilton County Friday. Woods, who worked for New Thought Unity Center at 1401 E. McMillan St., used the church's credit card to buy $5,884 worth of merchandise, according to court records. Detective Ike Roberson wrote on the citation that Woods admitted to making the unauthorized charges from April 25 through July 26 of this year.

Woods did not return a phone call left Monday evening at his home.

Woman pleads guilty in stabbing death

A 29-year-old Avondale woman pleaded guilty Monday in Hamilton County Common Pleas Court to a charge of voluntary manslaughter for stabbing Donte Clay in the chest June 28.

Clay, 24, of Avondale, was stabbed to death with a knife at about 3:30 a.m., according to Cincinnati Police.

In exchange for the guilty plea, a charge of murder was dropped.

Taxpayers to benefit from lower bond rates

Cincinnati taxpayers will save a little money each year, thanks to lower interest rates Cincinnati Public Schools gained on bonds funding its $1 billion school construction and renovation projects.

The firms handling underwriting and financial services for the local portion of the projects - $775 million - told the board Monday they were able to issue most of the bonds at an average annual interest rate of 4.8 percent, much lower than the 6 percent rate they had earlier projected.

The better interest rate means the district will save $23 million over the 28-year life of the bonds.

And homeowners will pay only 4.12 mills instead of 4.61. That makes the tax on an $100,000 home $120 instead of $135 a year, said Lynn E. Goodwin, of Seasongood & Mayer LLC, one of the firms handling the bond issue.

Butler opens center for 2-1-1 phone service

OXFORD - The Community Counseling & Crisis Center will hold an open house on Nov. 13 to celebrate the opening of the Butler County 2-1-1 Call Center.

The 2-1-1 is a national 3-digit phone number for accessing community services. It's free, confidential and available 24 hours a day.

The Community Counseling and Crisis Center built an addition to its building at 110 South College Ave., Oxford, to house the 2-1-1 call center and its staff.

The open house is from 4 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. There will be tours, food and door prizes. For information call (513) 523-4149.

Three moored boats damaged by barges

SAYLER PARK - Three boats were damaged by barges being pushed by the towboat Butch Barras Monday night on the Ohio River.

The boats were in Mariner's Landing off U.S. 50 when they were dislodged.

Two of the boats were dragged into the river by the barges. One of them, a 32-footer, had a damaged rear swim platform, said boat owner Jim Jostworth of Bridgetown.

A third boat stayed in the marina.