Staff/Wire reports

GREEN TWP. - The rank and file of the fire department is pushing for a tax levy in November to help alleviate the township's staffing problems and to avoid cuts in fire service for residents in one of Ohio's largest townships.

According to a Web page launched Monday by the union representing full-time firefighters in this suburban west-side community, recent cuts in fire department staffing - from 17 personnel to 15 personnel working at any one time - will hurt response time.

The Web site promises to post comparisons between the cost of Green Township's fire services and other communities'.

Green Township has not voted to increase taxes to help fire and emergency services since 1994.

The Green Township Professional Firefighters' new Web site can be found at www.iaff2927.org.

Deerfield to discuss Wal-Mart Supercenter

DEERFIELD TWP. - Trustees will evaluate the long-discussed plans for a Wal-Mart Supercenter on Wednesday and Thursday.

Both meetings will be 7-11 p.m. at the North Cincinnati Community Church, 6170 Irwin-Simpson Road.

The meetings were originally to be in the trustee meeting room but have been moved to the church to accommodate the large crowd expected.

The township zoning commission has recommended conditional approval of the preliminary plans.

Chamber's new name reflects membership

MASON - The Mason Landen Kings Chamber of Commerce has changed its name and logo to better represent its membership and mission.

The organization will now be known as the Northeast Cincinnati Chamber of Commerce. It has members from five states and 62 zip codes.

A chamber ad-hoc committee has been discussing a name change since last year.

Symmes Township trustees had said in February that they would join the chamber if they were included in the chamber logo.

The organization can be found online at www.necchamber.org.

Springfield offering emergency training

SPRINGFIELD TOWNSHIP - Township police officers and firefighters will conduct a Citizen Emergency Response Team training course for residents beginning next month.

The seven-week course begins at 6:30 p.m. April 7.

The course is free.

Applicants will be requested to submit to a criminal background check. Applications can be obtained at the Springfield Township Police Department, 1130 Compton Road, and are due today