Clerk shot during robbery in Mt. Healthy

MOUNT HEALTHY - A West Chester man was recovering Tuesday after he was shot in the right leg during a robbery late Monday at the Ameristop store where he works.

Chirag Patel, 35, was treated and released, police said.

Officers were called to the Ameristop at 1363 Compton Road at 11:46 p.m. for a robbery and found the wounded clerk. Preliminary investigation shows a man armed with a handgun entered the store, pointed the weapon at Patel and demanded money. Patel backed away from the man and was shot.

The man then fled and ran north out of the parking lot.

The assailant is black, about 5 feet tall, wearing all-black clothing and carried a black semiautomatic handgun.

List of infected teens may get longer today

COLERAIN TOWNSHIP - Police may have new information today on the number of students who became ill after visiting an unlicensed tattoo/body-piercing studio.

Police are still receiving calls and making follow-up checks with parents and students, said Sgt. Dan Meloy.

Two high school students were confirmed sick last week. At least 150 students are thought to have visited the establishment this spring, police said.

The students all got tattoos or tongue piercings at an apartment in the 2900 block of Banning Road in Colerain Township, police said. Sterilization procedures were lax, authorities said.

Police arrested 30-year-old Tony D. Pippin, the man who lived there.

Officials at the Hamilton County General Health District are advising the students to see a doctor about possible exposure to blood-borne illnesses such as Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C and HIV.

Teen driving forum attendance sparse

WEST CHESTER - While teen drivers continue to be involved in high-speed crashes around the area, a forum to discuss solutions to the problem again failed to bring out the public.

The teenage driving forum, the third of five scheduled around Butler County by state Rep. Gary Cates, drew only 15 people Monday at West Chester's Township Hall.

"Some people aren't taking it serious enough still," said Lt. Michael Black of the Ohio State Highway Patrol, who attended the meeting.