State money will be flowing to this suburban Clermont County township during the next 12 months for eight "Traffic Safety Enforcement Blitzes" through the end of 2005.

The Ohio Department of Public Safety awarded $38,649 to the township to encourage more people to wear seat belts and to reduce crashes caused by drivers who follow too closely, fail to control their vehicles or fail to yield the right of way.

The enforcement blitzes, held for 12 years under this grant program, will be on the following dates: Oct. 31 for Halloween; Feb. 1-15, 2005 for Child Safety Seat Observance; Feb. 6, for the Super Bowl; March 17, for St. Patrick's Day; April 15, for high school proms; May 23 through June 5, for safety belt enforcement; July 4, for Fourth of July festivities; and Aug. 26 through Sept. 11, for the National You Drink/You Drive/You Lose blitz.

Fire department wins funds for generator

MIAMI TWP. - This suburban Clermont County township fire department has received $56,000 in federal funding to buy an emergency generator.

It is one of 132 fire departments nationwide to receive Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program funds last week.

The Miami Township Fire and Emergency Medical Services department will use the grant, one of a half-dozen given to fire departments in Ohio, to buy an emergency generator for the township's North Safety Services building, as well as replace the department's old breathing air compressor.

The federal grant program will ultimately lead to nearly $750 million awarded to 8,000 fire departments across the country.

Indiana Wesleyan branch opens today

WEST CHESTER TWP. - Students and administrators will move into Indiana Wesleyan University's new education and conference center today.

Since August, 89 students have been attending evening and weekend classes at a Forest Park hotel, said Brad Grubb, Cincinnati regional director.

The school, based in Marion, Ind., offers degrees in education, business, accounting, nursing, marketing, management and computer information systems.

The two-story, 30,000 square-foot building has 17 classrooms that can be rented for business conferences, Grubb said.

In five years, the university projects that 1,000 adults will be enrolled at the campus at 9286 Schulze Dr., along Interstate 75, Grubb said.

Indiana Wesleyan has eight other regional campuses, including Cleveland, Louisville and six in Indiana.

Annual coat drive gets under way today

The Cintas Corp., the Society of St. Vincent dePaul and WLWT Channel 5 are launching the annual "5 Cares Coat Drive" today, through Nov. 21.

Greater Cincinnati residents are asked to take new or gently used coats to participating fire departments and Meijer stores or any Shoe Carnival location. St. Vincent dePaul will distribute the coats to those in need throughout the fall.

Cintas will donate 1,000 new coats valued at more than $45,000 to jump-start the collection, and City Dash will provide pick-up and delivery service.

A list of coat collection sites is available online. For information about donating a coat or helping with the drive, call (513) 562-8841 ext. 26; to receive a coat, call (513) 421-0602.