Compiled from staff and wire reports

Car tires slashed; man, 19, arrested

NORTH COLLEGE HILL - Police say a Mount Airy man may be responsible for slashing tires on dozens of cars.

Enrico Estrada, 19, was charged with multiple counts of misdemeanor criminal damaging after officers say he damaged tires on more than 40 cars early Wednesday. He was arrested about 5:30 a.m. near the area where most of the damage had occurred.

"He was found with a cut finger and a knife was found in his possession,'' North College Hill Police Sgt. Daniel Davis said. "As we are taking reports we're going to charge him with each and every count we find. We'll add charges as we find them."

Officers noticed most of the damage in the early morning hours, Sgt. Davis said. At least two tires were slashed on most of the cars, and at least one had all four tires ruined. The damage was primarily confined to the southwest quadrant of North College Hill.

"Most of the cars were parked on the street," Sgt. Davis said.

World AIDS Day being marked here

Several organizations are planning events Sunday to commemorate World AIDS Day.

1:30 p.m. at Hamburger Mary's, 909 Vine St. A "Celebration of Life" tree will be unveiled. For $5, ornaments can be personalized to remember a person with AIDS to benefit Caracole, AIDS Volunteers of Cincinnati and One Human Family.

3 p.m. at First Lutheran Church, 1208 Race St., Over-the-Rhine, a candle lighting ceremony, testimonials from people affected by AIDS, a speech from Dr. Nita Walker of University Medical Associates, music and HIV testing information offered by the Minority AIDS Prevention Alliance.

5 p.m. at Christ Church Episcopal Cathedral, 318 E. 4th St., an interfaith service of prayer and healing, music, and a speech by AIDS activist Dr. Louie Crew.

6 p.m. A documentary produced by AIDS Volunteers of Northern Kentucky airs on Northern Kentucky Insight Communications cable channel 22.

All day. A fund-raiser at Borders Books & Music Store's Northgate, Eastgate and TriCounty locations. Stores will feature musical performances by various artists. A percentage of book sales will be donated to AIDS Volunteers of Cincinnati.

Woman's fire death ruled arson/suicide

SPRINGFIELD TWP. - The Sunday morning house fire that killed a 51-year-old woman has been ruled an arson/suicide.

Fire officials said Wednesday they believe Sharyl Mulford, who owned the residence at 10130 Hamilton Ave., intentionally set the fire in the two-story home. Other evidence corroborates the arson/suicide determination, officials said.

The two-alarm blaze was discovered at 5:15 a.m. by an Enquirer newspaper carrier. Ms. Mulford was discovered in bed in a second-floor bedroom.

Fire damages were estimated at $200,000.

Driver indicted on failure to stop charge

A Fairfax man was indicted by a Hamilton County grand jury Wednesday on a felony charge of failing to stop after a Nov. 11 accident that killed an elderly man.

Rickey L. Carter, 36, faces up to one year in prison if convicted in the traffic death of James Dixon, 84, an Alzheimer's patient who was struck and killed by a vehicle on Madison Road.

Hamilton County Prosecutor Mike Allen said Mr. Dixon was not in the crosswalk when he was hit. Mr. Carter allegedly gave police a statement admitting he left the scene of the accident, knowing he had struck someone, because he was scared, according to Mr. Allen.

Woman critical after car-truck collision

BATAVIA - A 19-year-old woman was critically injured Wednesday afternoon in a two-vehicle crash on Main Street..

Jamie A. Ervin, of Milford, was in critical condition late Wednesday at University Hospital in Cincinnati.

The crash occurred at 2:55 p.m., said the Ohio State Highway Patrol. Ms. Ervin was turning left off College Drive onto westbound Main Street when her car was struck by a tractor-trailer rig traveling east.

The truck driver, Gary Hamblin, 45, of Winchester, was not injured.

The crash remains under investigation.

Grant to beef up security at Seton

Seton High School soon will be equipped with a new warning system, complete with fire alarms, strobe lights and possibly sprinklers.

The improvements, to be installed next summer, will be paid for with a $100,000 grant from Fifth Third Bank. The Price Hill Catholic high school received the check Monday.

"Depending on where you are in the building, you might not hear (the alarms) as well," said Tim Brainard, Seton's executive director of development and community relations. "You'd hear something, and you'd have to go into the hallway to figure it out.

The school had been making announcements when the warning system went off for drills or emergencies.

Mr. Brainard did not know how old the current alarm system is, but said it had been updated and brought up to code since the main building was built in 1957. The money came from the Charlotte R. Schmidlapp Fund, of which Fifth Third is a trustee.

Cheviot's Nativity dedication Sunday

CHEVIOT - The city's Nativity dedication and lighting ceremony will take place at 6:30 p.m. Sunday. The creche has a 39-year history in the city's business district, the last 25 at its current location, at Harrison and Washington avenues.

Mayor J. Michael Laumann will speak and the St. Martin of Tours choir will perform.

Thanksgiving Day closings

Postal Service: No delivery

Library: Closed

Banks: Closed, except the Fifth Third Bank Terminal 3 Concourse B location in the Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport. That location will be open from 1-9 p.m. Thanksgiving Day, but a plane ticket is required to access that area.

Trash collection

Cincinnati: One day delay

Rumpke: Regular collection

CSI: Regular collection

Metro and TANK: Holiday schedule

Parking meters: No coins required

Courts: Closed

Government offices

Federal: Closed

City and county: Closed

State: Closed

Stock markets: Closed

Ohio E-Check: Closed

Northern Kentucky E-Check: Closed