Participants should meet in the vacant lot at Hamilton and Llanfair avenues. Volunteers are asked to bring brooms and rakes; garbage bags and gloves will be supplied. Organizers will provide breakfast and give away T-shirts and door prizes. There will be a collection drive for new or gently used coats, canned goods and non-perishables that will be distributed to needy residents. Information: Tina at (513) 681-4377.

Dean here to help Harris' campaign

Former Democratic presidential candidate Howard Dean will be in Cincinnati Thursday to speak at a fund-raiser for fellow Democrat Greg Harris, who is running for the 1st Congressional District seat against Republican incumbent Steve Chabot. The program will begin at 4 p.m. at Integrity Hall, 2081 Seymour Ave., Bond Hill. Cincinnati Vice Mayor Alicia Reece also will speak. The event is free, but the Harris campaign suggests a donation of $20.

Breast cancer study sign-up

The Breast Imaging Center at the University of Cincinnati is seeking women older than 25 to participate in a clinical trial to evaluate breast ultrasound as a screening tool in women at high risk for developing breast cancer. To be eligible, women must have breast tissue that appeared dense on a prior mammogram or have never had a mammogram, and be at high risk for breast cancer. Women in the study will have a mammogram and an ultrasound each year for three years. For information, call (513) 584-5338 or (513) 584-2179.

Football game tickets limited

About 8,000 tickets will be available for Lakota's annual football battle that typically draws 10,000 between East and West high schools at 7:30 p.m. Friday at Lakota West. There will be about 4,000 seats, with the rest standing room. Tickets went on sale Monday at the two high schools. This is the first time since the two schools began playing each other in 1998 that the game will be played in the district. The first four games were at Galbraith Field, the last two at Miami University. However, the schools are staying home this year for budgetary reasons. Lakota is Ohio's largest suburban school district with 17,000 students. Going into Friday's matchup, the two teams have their best combined record yet.

Student's repeated 911 calls annoy police

OXFORD - A Miami University senior faces charges after repeatedly calling 911 dispatchers to complain about his car being missing.

Benjamin Hughes, 22, of Urbana, was cited after allegedly harassing Oxford and Butler County 911 dispatchers.

Hughes made seven calls about his car early Saturday, suspecting it had been impounded, police said. When dispatchers told him to call a non-emergency line, he began cursing and became verbally abusive, according to police.

He was taken home by police and cited for misuse of 911, obstructing official business and disorderly conduct. Police say Hughes appeared to be intoxicated and that his car was later found where he had left it parked.

Man found dead in creek was concert-goer

ANDERSON TOWNSHIP - The body of a man found Sunday in a creek at Kellogg Avenue and Four Mile Road has been identified as that of Robert T. Marrs, 37, of Anderson Township.

Marrs was last seen Oct. 7 at the Toby Keith concert at Riverbend. He was reported missing by his estranged wife Oct. 11, Hamilton County Sheriff's deputies said.

There were no signs of foul play.

Anyone with information is asked to call the Hamilton County sheriff's office at (513) 825-1500. Man admits 24 thefts from cars downtown

DOWNTOWN - A man caught breaking into a car Saturday admitted to 23 more thefts from vehicles as police drove him around so he could point out the other incidents.

Vehicle break-ins are consistently one of the biggest crime problems downtown, District 1 commander Capt. James Whalen says. And often, what seems like a huge upswing is really the work of one person.

Police arrested Robert Foster on Saturday when officers said they saw him breaking into a car on Plum Street. Court records say he used a rock to break the window.

So far, Foster, 41, who police described as homeless, was charged with theft, criminal damaging and possession of criminal tools. Officers said they found pliers and two screwdrivers in his gym bag. He pleaded no contest Monday to two of the charges and was sentenced to 270 days in jail on those.

Whalen said Det. Jeff Dunaway is looking at similar cases, including some around the Fourth and Plum apartment building, to see if those could be the work of Foster.

In March, Foster was sentenced to 180 days in jail after pleading no contest to stealing a radar detector from a Subaru.

One driver killed, another hurt in crash

BATAVIA TOWNSHIP - An Amelia man was killed when the car he was driving crossed the center line and touched off a four-vehicle crash early Monday, police said.

Douglas Shouse, 48, died at the scene, Ohio State Highway Patrol troopers said. Another driver, Paul Rich, 23, of Bethel was in fair condition at University Hospital.

Police say Shouse was driving a 1987 Honda Civic east on Ohio 125 near Lindale Mount Holly Road about 6:30 a.m. His car hit the left rear of a 1993 GMC Safari being driven west by Larry Flynn, 53, of Bethel. Shouse's vehicle then continued in the west lane and hit Rich's westbound 2004 Mazda RX-8 head-on, police say.

Police say James Shouse, 21, of Bethel was driving a vehicle west behind the Mazda, failed to stop and struck it. James Shouse is not related to Douglas Shouse, authorities said.

Neither Flynn nor James Shouse was injured, troopers said.

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