2 men sought after chase in stolen car

        ANDERSON TOWNSHIP — Police are looking for two men who led them on a chase in a stolen car in two counties beginning late Monday.

        The men escaped and there were no known injuries.

        The incident began just before midnight when a Hamilton County sheriff's deputy tried to stop a 1995 Buick Skylark for a traffic violation at Beechmont Avenue and Five Mile Road.

        The driver took off down Five Mile onto Interstate 275, to U.S. 52.

        The car was driven east on U.S. 52 into Clermont County, and police slowed it with tire-deflating devices at U.S. 52 and Ohio 232.

        The car continued about a half-mile, ran into a ditch and hit a tree, police said.

        Speeds during the pursuit reached 85 mph.

        The two men fled from the car, and police dogs were unable to locate them.

        The car was reported stolen from Pike County, Ohio.
       

Counseling program for families OK'd

        LEBANON — A program approved 2-1 by the Warren County commissioners Tuesday will seek to keep unruly children out of the courts by providing counseling and other support for them and their families.

        “These kids get labeled and it gets one foot in the door to putting them in the system,” Children's Services Director Jeff Centers said.

        Most cases are brought by parents who can't control their children, Mr. Centers said, and that's not the purpose of juvenile court.

        Under the new program, parents will be referred to the diversion program for help.

        The Warren County Educational Service Center will get $164,212 in federal money to operate the diversion program, which is required by new General Assembly legislation.

        The money will be used to hire two caseworkers and a therapist.

        Commissioner Mike Kilburn voted against the program.

Conservationist to talk on rainforests

       Daniel Katz, a conservationist and 1979 graduate of Walnut Hills High School, will appear at 7:30 p.m. today at the eighth annual “Speaking of Success” lecture series at the school.

        Tickets are $15 for the lecture, “Going Mainstream: Making Rainforest Conservation Everybody's Business.”

        Mr. Katz, who co-founded the Rainforest Alliance in 1986, served as its executive director/president until 2001. The Rainforest Alliance is an international nonprofit conservation organization.

        A reception follows the lecture.

        To purchase tickets, call 569-5582.
       

Ex-astronaut Bean at lecture, slide show

        INDIAN HILL — Alan Bean, Apollo 12 astronaut, commander of Skylab II and artist, will present a lecture and slide show 7 p.m. Friday at Cincinnati Country Day School, 6905 Given Road.

        The event is a fund-raiser to benefit the Tri-State Education & Technology Foundation.

        Tickets are $10, $7 for children and students. There is no reserved seating.

        For tickets, call 396-5578 or visit www.drakeplanetarium.org.

        As part of the Apollo 12 crew in 1969, Mr. Bean became the fourth of only 12 men to walk on the moon.

        During training and between missions as a test pilot and astronaut, he took private art lessons.

        His space voyages enabled him to capture images of the moon and space that he later transferred to canvas.

        Mr. Bean resigned from NASA in 1981 to devote more time to painting and motivational speaking.

        The Wheeler, Texas, native will also appear 10 a.m.-1 p.m. Saturday at Row House Gallery, 211 Main St., Milford, which is exhibiting and selling his limited-edition prints and canvases.

        Information: 831-7230 or www.rowhouse.com.
       

School district offers mammograms

        DEERFIELD TOWNSHIP — The Kings Local School District is cooperating with the Health Alliance of Greater Cincinnati to offer mammograms to all district female employees, spouses and retirees, and community members over the age of 35.

        The screenings take about 10-15 minutes and will be available at Kings schools according to the following schedule:

        Monday, Feb. 25, South Lebanon Elementary, 7:30 a.m. to 11 a.m.; Kings Mills Elementary, 12:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.

        Feb. 27: Kings Junior and Senior high schools: 6:45 a.m. to 2 p.m.

        March 1: Columbia Elementary, 7:30 a.m. to 11 a.m.; J.F. Burns Elementary, 12:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.

        Call the Alliance Women's Health at 585-1000 to schedule an appointment and get a registration form, which should be brought to the screening along with the participant's insurance card.

        Information: Eva Garchar at 398-8050, Ext. 10038.

Bicentennial project reaches every county

        A year before Ohio's 200th birthday, the Ohio Bicentennial Commission is ready to celebrate in each of Ohio's 88 counties.

        Shelby County's bicentennial bell casting, to take place July 27-28, marks an important milestone — having at least one significant bicentennial project in each county, spokesman Fred Stratmann said.

        The commission has undertaken about 400 projects, including barn paintings and historical markers and exhibits, to build awareness of Ohio's birthday in 2003.

        Stephen George, the commission's executive director, said having projects in each Ohio county is still the No. 1 priority.

        “There will be significant statewide celebrations, but it is also important that counties take a moment to celebrate and reflect on what is important to them during this once-in-a-lifetime moment,” he said.
       

Judge orders change in phone call policy

        A federal judge Tuesday ordered the Hamilton County Sheriff's Office to permit pretrial detainees held in the Justice Center to make free phone calls to the Public Defender's Office.

        U.S. District Judge Susan J. Dlott granted a permanent injunction against the sheriff's office inmate telephone policies at the justice center.

        The decision came in a suit filed by former pretrial detainees challenging the policies, claiming they violate the constitutional rights of indigent people accused of crimes.

        Sheriff Simon L. Leis Jr. and Louis F. Strigari of the Hamilton County Public Defender's Office were named as defendants.

        Under the policy, indigent detainees who were booked and unable to make bond were allowed to make only collect local calls and long-distance calls.

        But the court found that in practice the Public Defender's Office “accepts the (collect) charges on only a negligible percentage of collect calls made by inmates and pretrial detainees.”

        The office represents indigents in 20,000 to 30,000 cases a year.

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