Kritsky to discuss cicadas May 27

Dr. Gene Kritsky, a biology professor at the College of Mount St. Joseph and cicada expert, will give a lecture on the periodical pests at 7:30 p.m. May 27 at the Cincinnati Museum Center. The talk is free to the public. Kritsky, who has a new book on cicadas called The Plague and the Puzzle, will talk about the history of periodical cicadas, why some appear every 17 years and why they emerge in swarms. Brood X, the largest of the cicada generations, will begin emerging this month and is expected to number in the billions in Greater Cincinnati alone. There will be a book signing after the lecture. Anyone wanting to meet Kritsky can attend a dinner and cash bar beginning at 6 p.m. for $25. Dinner reservations must be made by May 21. Call 287-7021.• Cicada Q&A. C6

ICU expansion at Mercy Clermont

Mercy Hospital Clermont has completed a $1.2 million dollar expansion of its intensive care unit. The project expanded the unit from seven to 12 beds and includes upgraded monitoring equipment that allows patient data to be transmitted from the emergency room to the intensive care unit. "This expansion was really needed," said Gayle Heintzelman, vice president of patient care services. "We saw a 23 percent increase in our ICU patients last year and the unit was running at high capacity."

Letter carriers collect food

Letter carriers in the Greater Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky region will be collecting non-perishable food for local United Way-funded agencies on Saturday for distribution to area families and individuals in need. The effort helps stock food pantries for the summer, a time when donations are typically low. The National Association of Letter Carriers national food drive has become the largest one-day food drive in the nation. To make a donation, residents simply leave non-perishable food donations in a bag next to their mailbox on Saturday. Last year, the food drive received more than 142,332 pounds of food in Greater Cincinnati.

TRAFFIC WATCH

Look for lane restrictions in both directions on Interstate 275 north of Beechmont Avenue because of bridge painting. The project is scheduled for completion at the end of June.