Cincinnati City Council voted 7-2 Wednesday to keep the property tax at 5 mills for 2005. Council members David Crowley and Jim Tarbell cast the dissenting votes. Council's decision came just a day after voters narrowly defeated Issue 4 - a measure that would have phased out the property tax by half a percentage point a year over 10 years. Councilman Christopher Smitherman said it would have been "incredibly disrespectful" to the voters who helped defeat the issue not to continue the current rate.

'Wheel of Fortune' features jumper

Tune in tonight to see how high Beth Collins can jump. The 37-year-old single mother from Hamilton appears as a contestant on TV's Wheel of Fortune game show - and while the show was being videotaped, Collins said host Pat Sajak whispered in her ear: "I've never seen anyone jump that high." The show airs at 7 p.m. today on WCPO-TV. A receptionist for the Butler County Prosecutor's Office, Collins was selected from among hundreds of people at an audition in Cleveland in May. Last year, more than 1 million people asked for a chance to audition for the show, but fewer than 600 were chosen to appear, according to the show's Internet site. Would-be contestants are selected after they play simulated versions of the game, Collins said. She felt well-prepared because she and her mother, Barbara, are avid Wheel-watchers.

Garage sale funds Thanksgiving

Mr. Bubbles car detailing shop at 512 East 13 St. will host its 16th annual Garage Sale fund-raiser to feed needy families at Thanksgiving. The sale will take place from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. All proceeds will go toward buying Thanksgiving dinner certificates from Kroger that will be given to needy families throughout Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky. Donations are still being accepted for the garage sale. Info: (513) 369-0064.

Mega Millions grows to $77M

The multistate Mega Millions lottery jackpot is growing to $77 million for Friday's game after they was no big winner in Tuesday night's $66 million drawing. Twenty-three tickets, including one sold in Ohio, matched four of the five lotto numbers, plus the Mega Ball, and pay $5,000. The winning numbers Tuesday's were: 24, 32, 42, 49 and 50. The Mega Ball number was 3.

TRAFFIC WATCH

The high-speed lane of both north- and southbound Interstate 275 will be closed between Ohio 28 and Ohio 131 in Clermont County from 9 a.m. until 3 p.m. today.