Compiled from staff and wire reports

LOVELAND - About 1,000 firefighters, EMTs and police officers are expected to attend a commemoration of the second anniversary of the attacks on the World Trade Center on Thursday.

The event - which includes Loveland, Loveland-Symmes and Milford Community fire departments - begins with a memorial march from Castle Skateland on Loveland-Madeira Road to Nisbet Park at 7 p.m. A ceremony at the firefighters' memorial in the park begins at 8 p.m. and fireworks will follow at 9 p.m.

"We promised the nation to never forget,'' Loveland-Symmes Battalion Chief Andrew Knapp said. "This is (something) that we in public safety care about, taking care of our own.Things like this are of national importance to make sure they get celebrated properly.''

Garage for Kroger wins committee vote

Cincinnati City Council's Finance Committee approved the plan to build a $12 million garage for the Kroger Co. on Monday, with Republican Pat DeWine becoming the sixth councilman to voice support.

The committee rejected Vice Mayor Alicia Reece's competing proposal to shuttle Kroger employees from a parking lot in the West End.

Kroger management promised to drop any conditions on its pledge to give College Hill Urban Redevelopment Corp. $20,000 for a marketing study for the corner of Hamilton Avenue and West North Bend Road where Kroger abandoned a store last year.

The full City Council votes Wednesday on the garage, which Kroger has said will keep it from moving.

Man indicted in elderly woman's rape

A 19-year-old Springfield Township man is accused of breaking into an elderly woman's Mount Healthy home last month as she unloaded groceries from her car, then raping her when she walked inside.

A Hamilton County grand jury indicted Jason Turner on Monday on charges of aggravated burglary, kidnapping, attempted rape, rape and aggravated robbery for the Aug. 14 attack on the 78-year-old woman.

Turner has been held in the Hamilton County Justice Center since his Aug. 27 arrest.

Warren begins its United Way drive

MASON - Warren County United Way kicked off its annual donation drive Monday, setting the goal about 5 percent higher than what was collected last year.

The agency wants to raise $2.45 million during the eight-week drive, campaign Chairman Steve Foster announced during a movie-themed kickoff at the Kings Island Resort and Conference Center.

"I've seen some United Ways have scaled back goals this year," said Foster, chief financial officer for Lebanon Citizens National Bank. "We're going to be a little more ambitious. As Warren County grows, so do the needs of our 31 member agencies."

The agency nearly met its $2.35 million target last year, collecting $2.32 million.

United Way of Greater Cincinnati, which began its drive last week, set its goal at $60.5 million, about $1.5 million less than last year.

Great Miami canoe trip has new date

COLERAIN TWP. - A canoe trip down the Great Miami River sponsored by a conservation group that's trying to obtain state scenic river status has been rescheduled for Sunday.

The Friends of the Great Miami River canoe trip, originally scheduled for this past weekend, was canceled due to river conditions.

Drop your canoe off at the put-in point, 2350 Ohio 128, by 1 p.m. Then meet other canoeists at the Southern Ohio Dog and Game Association, 10630 East Miami River Road in Colerain Township. The float will start at 2 p.m.

For those needing a canoe or a canoe partner, Friends of the Great Miami will provide them. Call Rob Sanders or Mike Fremont at 761-4003 to sign up.

Organ network to give award

LifeCenter Organ Donor Network, the Tristate's nonprofit organ recovery agency, is accepting nominations for its first "Champions for Life" awards.

The awards recognize outstanding individuals who have done great work in the health care and/or transplant arenas.

Nominees may include medical professionals, organ transplant recipients, donor families, volunteers and/or community advocates.

Three nominees will be chosen and recognized at the network's "Celebrate Life" Community Breakfast Nov. 11.

Nomination forms may be obtained by calling TyrhaLindseyat 961-5262. Forms are due Oct. 15.Theft of jobless benefits alleged

LEBANON - Kenneth L. May collected $5,484 in state unemployment compensation while he was not jobless, prosecutors say.

May, 41, of Carlisle, faces four counts of theft in connection with four pay periods between September 2001 and August 2002, according to a Warren County grand jury indictment released Monday.

May changed jobs three times during those periods, while signing documents that asserted he was unemployed, Prosecutor Rachel Hutzel said.