The Cincinnati Enquirer from Cincinnati, Ohio • Page 1

Reading ousts Wyoming from boys sectional Sports, PI THE CINCWMTI Copyright, 1999, The Cincinnati Enquirer All rights reserved Saturday February 27, 1999 Final EditionEast 50 cents YOvTT DRER ML I TT Ohio fails sctoooMmdta gtest Core Issue Local educators take issue with funding formula. A12 Background, timeline. A12 Highs and lows The five districts in Southwest Ohio with the highest and lowest adjusted spending per pupil in 1996-97 school year: HIGHEST LOWEST School Adjusted School Adjusted (County) spending per pupil (County) spending per pupil Princeton (Hamilton) $8,931 Mason (Warren) $4,628 Indian Hill (Hamilton) $8,190 Lebanon (Warren) $4,629 Lockland (Hamilton) $7,504 W. Clermont (Clermont) $4,706 Mariemont (Hamilton) $7,270 Oak Hills (Hamilton) $4,771 Sycamore (Hamilton) $7,391 Springboro (Warren) $4,844 Famer Yogi Berra. Judge Lewis' original decision was upheld by the Ohio Supreme Court in a landmark 1997 decision that found the state's school funding system unconstitutional.

The supreme court gave the state a year to fix it and for Judge Lewis to conduct the first legal review. Because the state will appeal, Friday's ruling will have no immediate impact on Ohio's 611 (Please see SCHOOLS, Page A12) The decision will be appealed to the Ohio Supreme Court. But as it stands, it means Ohio's public education officials and the state legislature will have to start anew to come up with a way to bridge the financial gap between rich and poor students by the end of this year. Judge Linton Lewis the Perry County common pleas judge who declared the state's school funding system unconstitutional in 1994, said the state's efforts to comply have thus far State hasn't complied, judge rules BY HOWARD WILKINSON The Cincinnati Enquirer Ohio's school funding system is as unconstitutional now as it was when state officials were ordered to fix it five years ago, a state judge ruled Friday. lead state meet Ursuline Academy swimmprsTami Ransnm failed to cure the inequities the court found in the school funding system the state has' used since the 1970s.

"It's like deja vu all over again," the judge wrote in his decision, using a line once attributed to baseball Hall of above, and Erin Phenix each won individual state titles Friday night and the Lions 200 medlev-relav team took the top spot to nut ITrsitlirw in tnp Uar1 1 114-111, going into today's Small Airports final seven events. SL I jferll Butler Co. Jwarren Co. Xavier is poised to win the boys state championship. Details in Sports, 1)1 cater to Miiiiiniw 11 I IK Source: Ohio Department of Education, Information Management Services (IMS) U.S.

growth in overdrive; '98 a sizzler Rise in the gross domestic product The GDP measures all the goods and services produced by workers and capital in the United States, regardless of ownership. Percent change from previous quarter (Ohio gSJfr BIG BUSINESS jx -J js 1 rr sr. .7 J' 'iPfl ft (1 i It tT 1998 1996 I 1997 Quarterly at annual rate Source: Department ot Commerce BY MARTIN CRUTSINGER The Assoicated Press WASHINGTON Despite the global financial crisis, the U.S. economy grew at its fastest pace in almost 15 years last quarter, closing a year in which Americans enjoyed the best combination of rapid growth, low unemployment and low inflation in at least three decades. The na- Signs here Local manufac- product, the turers signal pos- total output of sible slowdown, goods and Business, B16 services, shot up at a sizzling annual rate of 6.1 percent from October through December, the Commerce Department said Friday.

That was even better than the 5.6-percent rate the government reported a month ago. Updated statistics pointed to more strength in trade and consumer spending than originally thought. Even with the newfound growth, inflation was nowhere to be seen. An inflation measurement tied to GDP was up just 1 percent for all of last year, the smallest increase in 49 years. "We had an incredibly good performance last year," said David Wyss, chief financial economist at Standard Poor's DRI.

"How long can the United States survive as this oasis of prosperity?" For all of 1998, the economy Associated Press grew by 3.9 percent, the third straight year of 3 percent-plus growth, the strongest such stretch since the mid-1980s. The U.S. performance last year was all the more remarkable given the severe financial turbulence at midyear after the Asian economic crisis spread to Russia and threatened Latin America. On Friday, Robert Parry, president of the San Francisco Federal Reserve Bank, said, "Frankly, after three years of underestimating the U.S. economy's ability to grow, it wouldn't surprise me to see it exceed expectations for a fourth year." The Cincinnati EnquirerGlenn Hartong Hamilton-Fairfield Airport a beneficiary of the growth north of Cincinnati lengthened and widened its runway last year and built a new taxiway.

Managers would like to build four more taxiways this year. Parking crisis suddenly worsens City shuts down crumbling garage BY PERRY BROTHERS The Cincinnati Enquirer Structural defects in a downtown parking garage led the city to close it suddenly on Friday, pushing more than 350 commuters into the hunt for a diminishing number of parking spaces. Patrons of the city-owned Parkade garage at 123 W. Sixth St. found notices on their cars Friday afternoon saying the garage had permanently closed.

The notice said parkers who paid $80 for a Parkade space for the month of March will receive a spot in the city-owned 650-space Fountain Square garage on Vine Street. After Match, however, patrons are on their own. This is unfortunate and it's, not something that we planned on' said Andi Udris, the city's economic development director. "I had no choice." Engineers hired by the city discovered design defects likely there since the building was built in the 1950s that "have raised concerns about its ability, to safely support the weight of parked vehicles," according to memo to council from City Manager John Shirey. Downtown retailer Gary B.

Gerwe said the closing likely will push the 350 Parkade parkers into garages used by retail customers, making it harder for shoppers to find a spot downtown. These days of parking shortages because of closing riverfront lots are tough times for retailers. 'Z "We need all the parking we can get," said Mr. Gerwe, owner of Bromwell's at 117 W. Fourth; St.

"Hopefully they'll build something (at Fifth Race) real fast." The garage had been slated for demolition later this year as part of the redevelopment of (Please see PARKING, Page A10) Parkade garage Location: 1 23 W. Sixth St. Total spaces: 358 Monthly parkers: 215 Monthly parking fee: $80 Built: 1950s Ownership: The City of Cincinnati bought the garage in 1988. Last inspected: 1995. No structural defects were found.

Suburbs fuel expansions says new diaper prevents, treats rashes patented, hypo-allergenic skin protectant with the same active ingredient found in many lip balms and ointments petrolatum. "This is a patented tech BY RANDY TUCKER The Cincinnati Enquirer Procter Gamble Co. has introduced a new line of Pampers diapers designed to help prevent and treat diaper rashes. Regional airports compared rf and be a corporate center for this area." Business growth and airport expansion seem to feed off each other. Public officials believe the expansions will not only benefit the airports financially, but also will help communities recruit, businesses.

The four men who bought the Warren County Airport near Lebanon three years ago spent $1.5 million last year on improvements, including new hangars, a 24-hour automated fuel system, pavement and new signs. "A lot of different businesses like to have a local airport at their disposal," said Bob Craig, a Warren County regional planner. "An airport is certainly a useful recruiting tool," said David Spinney, assistant Clermont County administrator. The expansion of general aviation airports in Greater Cincinnati to obtain more corporate business reflects a BY STEVE KEMME The Cincinnati Enquirer Local airports are riding the coattails of the business boom that's taking place in Butler, Warren and Clermont counties. The airports in those three counties, as well as Cincinnati-owned Lunken Airport, are expanding and, like the areas they serve, have plans to continue growing.

Business people who use them say they are a convenient, lower-stress alternative to large, international airports, and help give them a competitive advantage. And the airports are eagerly touting those assets to lure more corporate aircraft business. "We're in a good position to serve a lot of the new business development in Union Township and Hamilton's new industrial park," said Doug Hammon, manager of the Hamilton-Fairfield Airport. "We think this airport will be able to thrive The Cincinnati company is calling new Pampers Rash Guard the biggest innovation in diapers since patented leak-proof elastic cuffs. "This is the first and only diaper especially designed to help treat and prevent diaper rash," spokesman Scott nology that is consistently transferred onto the baby's skin," Mr.

Stewart said. "It protects the skin from moisture and other irritants." latest diaper innovation was spurred by its consumer research, he said, which shows that two-thirds of all babies experience diaper rash each month, and one-third Based aircraft Takeoffs and landings Airport (corporate craft) 1995 1998 Lunken 268 (60) 116,000 120,000 Hamilton-Fairfield 100(30) 42,000 60,000 Warren County 60(5) 16,000 20,000 Middletown Municipal 100(10) 30,000 40,000 Blue Ash 130(4) 30,000 35,000 Clermont County 79(4) 30,650 30,650 Comair Aviation at (12) 14,950 22,730 Greater CincinnatiN. Ky. Int. 'estimated 3-4 Stewart said of new Pam- "le pers Rash Guard.

The new diapers, which sell for between 14 cents and 16 cents more per diaper than Pampers Baby Dry, baseline diaper, will hit most stores early next month, he said. A Jumbo package of 36 Rash Guard diapers costs about $13.25, or about 37C each. Rash Guard products use a of all parents say their babies suffer from diaper rash frequently. The U.S. diaper market is dominated by Kimberry-Clark's Hug-gies brand the No.

1 seller. Pampers is No. 2, followed by private-label diapers, No. Luvs diapers, No. and Drypers, No.

5, according to Brandweek magazine. the larger corporate aircraft," she said. "That's one of the big revenue generators at most of the smaller (Please see AIRPORTS, Page A10) statewide trend, said Jane Mclntire, manager of the Ohio Department of Transportation's aviation program. "Certainly, corporate business is where the money is, in terms of selling fuel to INSIDE Weather Warmer, with rain High 60low 42 Becoming breezy and warm with afternoon showers and maybe an evening thunderstorm. Al 8 Metro Tanner must still see a psychologist Raymond Tanner, who beheaded his wife, then was released from a mental institution two years ago, must continue to see his psychologist and his case manager, a judge ruled Friday.

Bl Wheels Saab's 9-3 SE wants to be driven Saab's 9-3 Series is a car for people who value individualism. Add the SE package, and it's a car for those who enjoy the act of driving as participants, rather than spectators. El nr.J li Tempo Home, garden show springs to life The Fifth Third Bank Cincinnati Home Garden Show opens today and runs through March 7 at die Albert B. Sabin Convention Center. More than 350 landscapes, retailers, remodelers and artists participate.

CI Business Banks profiting from consumer fees Double-digit gains in consumer fees for everything from automated-teller machines to cashing a check at a teller line are increasingly helping banks to boost their bottom lines. B16 Five sections, 1 58th year, No. 324 Abby C2 Obituaries B8 Comics Puzzles C14 Editorial A1 6 Stocks B10 Lotteries A18 The Talk. C2 Movies C10 TV C8 Classifieds E1-42 1 Portions of today's 3 Enquirer were printed on recycled paper. Online 0 httpSenquirer.com.