DEERFIELD TWP. - Trustees have pegged KZF Inc. of Cincinnati to look into the township's long-term facility needs.

The firm will be studying renovating Landen Station for office space or whether a new building could be built at either Cottell Park or on undeveloped township property on Montgomery Road.

Trustees are expected to approve a contract this month.

Some bus riders are paying higher fares

DOWNTOWN - Riding the bus will cost a bit more todayfor some Metro customers as fare increases that began Sunday kick in for weekday commuters.

Zone fares outside the city of Cincinnati have gone up to 50 cents, according to Metro. Also, a weekday charge of 50 cents has been added to Access trips for the disabled that cross a Metro zone boundary or are outside the city.

For all Metro customers, transfer charges are now 15 cents.

Other changes include expanding MetroCard monthly passes to seven days a week from weekdays only, and offering a new Express MetroCard for $80.

Informtion: (513) 621-4455, or www.sorta.com.

Two more area radio stations acquired

GEORGETOWN - A Texas radio investment group bought two more area radio stations after purchasing Oxford's popular alternative rock station.

Country stations WAXZ-FM (97.7) in Georgetown and WAOL-FM (99.5) in Ripley were purchased last week by First Broadcasting LLC of Dallas, Texas for $4.06 million.

Besides those two radio stations, formerly owned by Plessinger Radio Group, First Broadcasting bought Oxford's alternative radio station WOXY-FM (97.7).

By owning both stations at 97.7, First Broadcasting could increase the broadcasting power to cover all of the Cincinnati area with a single station, though a publicist for the radio investment firm said format decisions have yet to be made.

Lebonan raises trash collection fee

LEBANON - Taking out the papers and the trash just got a little more expensive.

The city of Lebanon raised its monthly garbage collection fee from $9.57 to $10.59.According to city council, the increased cost will offset an increase in Rumpke collection fees, as well as support street sweeping operations.

New dates for zone change hearing

GREEN TWP. - The Hamilton County Regional Planning Commission has moved back the hearing dates until March for a zoning change on Harrison Avenue.

The commission now will review the zoning change from residential to commercial for a proposed 75,000-square-foot big-box retail building on March 4, said Todd Kinskey, a senior planner for the county. The rural zoning commission set its hearing date for March 18, after which the county commissioners will make a final decision.

Residents of the nearby Chateau Lakes neighborhood have protested the zone change, saying a big-box retailer wouldn't be compatible to the area and would bring unwanted traffic, lights, noise and storm run-off to their woodsy development. Residents say that if commissioners approve the zone change, they would fight the big-box development by gaining enough signatures to get a referendum on the ballot to block the development.