Letter carriers pick up food on Saturday

HAMILTON - Butler County letter carriers encourage all residents to participate in the 12th annual national Stamp Out Hunger food drive Saturday.

"This is the largest one-day food drive in the world," said Don Hershner, AFL-CIO community services liaison.

Members of the National Association of Letter Carriers collected more than 50,000 pounds of nonperishable food last year in the county for the Shared Harvest Foodbank in Fairfield, said Tina Osso, Foodbank executive director.

Nationally, 61.7 million pounds of food was collected last year, the National Association of Letter Carriers says.

Yard-waste pickup resumes in Mason

MASON - Now that warmer weather has arrived, residents no longer have to call the city to have yard waste collected.

Rumpke has restarted its regular yard waste collection. Grass clippings, leaves, weeds and ornamental grasses should be put in paper yard waste bags, a Rumpke yard waste container or reusable containers up to 35 gallons in size.

Do not use plastic bags or leave items loose.

Residents can purchase the service on an as-needed basis. Residents should attach the necessary turquoise sticker on each container. Stickers cost $1.50 and can be bought at the municipal center, 6000 Mason-Montgomery Road, or at Kroger and Thriftway stores.

Legion planning Memorial Day parade

MOUNT CARMEL - The American Legion post here welcomes entrants to march in its Memorial Day Parade, which begins at 10 a.m. May 31.

The day before the parade, the Sons of the American Legion will decorate more than 1,500 veterans' graves at two cemeteries, one in Union Township and another in Newtown.

Lineup for the parade begins at 9 a.m. at Withamsville Park.

It will travel west on Ohio 125 to Mount Moriah Cemetery.

Anyone interested in joining the parade should contact Mike Wilver at 528-6874.

Pfc. Keith Matthew Maupin, the 20-year-old reservist from Union Township who has been held hostage in Iraq since April 9, joined the Mount Carmel legion Post 72 in March.

Two condo projects going up in township

COLUMBIA TWP. - Within a month, construction of two condominium projects will begin in the township/

Indian Hill Place Condominiums will be built on Indian Hill Road near Plainville Road. The 15-unit complex, with units costing at least $450,000, will be adjacent to Indian Hill's greenbelt.

The second project is Gatewood Gardens, a 25-unit complex on Whetsel Avenue near Wind Road. Those condos, which will have a hilltop view, will sell for $325,000 and higher.

This housing will be among the most expensive in the township.

News briefs