Blue Ash drive benefits victim of Hodgkin's

BLUE ASH - A bone marrow drive in honor of a man battling Hodgkin's disease will be held Saturday at the Wellness Community.

Stephen Spriggs, 29, was diagnosed with Hodgkin's disease three years ago. Doctors say he can be treated with a blood stem-cell transplant, but so far, no matching donor has been found through the National Marrow Donor Program.

The bone marrow drive seeks to register volunteers to become marrow donors, regardless of whether they wind up a match for Spriggs.

Would-be donors sign a consent form to be registered with the donor program and have a vial of blood drawn for patient-matching tests.

Appointments are required. A donation of $15 is requested. Information: 348-9610.

Cannon marks Pearl Harbor in Liberty Twp.

LIBERTY TOWNSHIP - A decommissioned World War II-era howitzer cannon will be dedicated at Wetlands Park on Sunday, Pearl Harbor Day.

Veterans groups have been invited to the ceremony at 1 p.m., which will be 8 a.m. in Hawaii, the hour of the surprise Japanese air strike on the U.S. Pacific Fleet in 1941.

The 42-acre park is on Van Gordon Road, just south of the Michael Fox Highway (Ohio 129).

Mason to vote on changing city charter

MASON - Voters will get the chance to change their city's charter during the March primary.

City Council voted recently to put on the primary election ballot a charter amendment that would allow a full credit for earnings taxes Mason residents pay to other cities where they work.

That means Mason residents who work in another municipality and pay earnings taxes to that city could be credited for those taxes when filing their Mason taxes, according to city spokeswoman Jennifer Trepal.

Mason's earning tax is 1 percent, so residents could take up to a 1 percent credit if the change is approved, she said. Election Day is March 2.

Grant assists garden school in Loveland

LOVELAND - Granny's Garden School recently got a helping hand from the Ohio Environmental Education Fund with a $3,512 grant.

The money will be used to help buy supplies for the 2-year-old program developed by Roberta Paolo, called Granny in the community.

"We're turning the school grounds into teaching gardens," Paolo said.

The program has been incorporated into the curriculum on the joint campus of Loveland's Primary and Elementary schools.

Of the 50 classrooms, 37 have their own class gardens, Paolo said.

Deveroes headquarters going to Fairfield

FAIRFIELD - Deveroes, which operates 10 apparel and shoe stores in Cincinnati, Dayton and Columbus, is moving its headquarters from Over-the-Rhine to Seward Road in Fairfield.

Deveroes will invest $2 million in a new 30,000-square-foot warehouse and office that can be doubled in size, Fairfield City Council was told Monday.

Council approved a 50 percent tax incentive on real property for 10 years Monday.

The company also agreed to pay Fairfield City Schools $1,200 a year for 10 years as part of the deal, said Council Member Jeff Holtegel.

Deveroes employs 13 full-time and eight part-time staffers at its Cincinnati headquarters. It plans to add up to 12 full-time positions and 15 part-time positions.

Westwood Concern meeting is canceled

WESTWOOD - The citizens' group Westwood Concern will not meet in December because of the holidays.

Regular meetings take place on the fourth Tuesday of the month at Westwood First Presbyterian Church, 3011 Harrison Ave., except for July and December. The next meeting is Jan. 27.

For more information: 481-0761 or http://home.fuse.net/WestwoodConcern.