One dead, one hurt in interstate crash

FLORENCE - A head-on collision on southbound Interstate 75 near Florence Mall early Thursday left a Cincinnati man dead and an Erlanger man seriously injured.

Scott Lane, 38, of Cincinnati, was traveling south in a 1998 Honda about 3 a.m. when his vehicle collided with a 2002 Volkswagen driven by Thomas Jewell, 23, of Erlanger, that apparently was heading north, according to Florence police.

Lane died after being taken to St. Luke Hospital West in Florence.

Jewell was flown to University Hospital with injuries described as not life threatening.

No charges have been filed. The accident remains under investigation.

Police ask any witnesses to call (859) 647-5400.

Man who gave drugs to kids pleads guilty

A Delhi Township man pleaded guilty Thursday to charges that he gave his girlfriend's children and their friends wine coolers and marijuana.

Hamilton County Common Pleas Judge Steve Martin convicted Chris Drescher, 33, on four charges of corrupting another with drugs. At sentencing June 30, Drescher faces up to six years in prison.

Drescher and his girlfriend, Melony Wikette, are accused of giving the woman's 12-year-old twins and five other sixth-graders nitrous oxide, marijuana and alcohol in January and February. The children passed out, felt dizzy and said they heard voices after using the drugs, authorities said.

Wikette, 28, pleaded guilty in April and Martin sentenced her to spend a year in prison on charges of endangering children, corrupting another with drugs and abusing harmful intoxicants.

Secret videotapes could bring 48 years

A 35-year-old Springfield Township man charged with secretly videotaping children and adults who used the bathroom in his home - a popular neighborhood hangout - pleaded guilty Thursday.

Hamilton County Common Pleas Judge David Davis convicted Robert Wolsefer on six charges of illegal use of a minor in a nudity-oriented material or performance.

One victim was 5 years old, according to court documents.

A couple visiting Wolsefer in November discovered a videotape, prosecutors said.

Recognizing a woman and some of the children, the man and woman reported Wolsefer to the Springfield Township Police Department.

Authorities said Wolsefer had a motion-sensitive camera in the soap dish of his bathtub and a camera inside the toilet paper roll. The cameras captured the victims in various states of undress, according to prosecutors.

Davis will sentence Wolsefer July 14.

He faces up to 48 years in prison.

Groups offer support to military families

ANDERSON TOWNSHIP - To address the concerns of families who have relatives serving overseas or headed there, Beech Acres has formed two support groups that will meet Monday. Both a children's group and an adult group will meet from 6:30-8 p.m. at Beech Acres, 6881 Beechmont Ave.

Facilitators will lead both groups.

Speakers will discuss topics such as stress, time management, parenting alone and helping children cope.

Children will engage in activities to help them identify their concerns and will work on projects that can be sent to their relatives overseas.

Another program will help returning service men and women and their families readjust.

For information, or to attend the free meetings, call 231-6630 ext. 298.

Peace Bell to ring for Reagan

To honor President Reagan, the 40th president, the World Peace Bell in Newport will toll 40 times at 1:15 p.m. today. The tolling of the bell will mark the end of the funeral at the National Cathedral in Washington.

Bunning, Bush hold big leads

U.S. Sen. Jim Bunning, a Southgate Republican, leads Democrat Daniel Mongiardo 53 percent to 34 percent, according to a new Survey USA poll. The poll of 669 likely voters was conducted June 7-8 for TV stations WHAS in Louisville and WLEX in Lexington. It carries a margin of error of plus or minus 3.9 percent. Bunning is seeking a second term in the Senate in November. Mongiardo is a state senator from Hazard. The poll also found that President Bush leads Democrat John Kerry 52 percent to 39 percent in Kentucky. And 74 percent of voters favor the constitutional amendment that would ban gay marriages in Kentucky while 21 percent are against it.