Dayton Daily News from Dayton, Ohio • 4

LOCAL, REGIONAL STATE NEWS 3 BUSINESS INSIDE WEATHER Five-day forecast fromWHIO's Brian Orzel Alan Oeensnan 7 says more interest', I rate cuts ahead ij PAGE 7B PACE 12B THURSDAY, MARCH 1, 2001 SECTION ft lis ifl t2 The delay is not 'a financial thing, he says Couch said. Monroe city officials said Couch has not approached them for the necessary construction permits but Couch said he would do so soon. The delay is not "a financial thing," Couch said. He said millions of dollars have been invested in the park, but Couch declined to say how much. He pointed toward the uncertainty of which final routes were considered for the Ohio 63 extension project late last year as a reason for the delay in reopening Americana.

He said two of the proposed routes would have cut across the open sometime in 2002. "Timing is everything and the timing isn't now," Couch said. Couch bought the park near the Warren-Butler county border last year after the previous owner announced plans to close Americana. Couch said Americana would reopen last August and then he moved the date back to April. When it does reopen, the park will be renamed Americana at Le-Sourdsville Lake, a reference to an 81-year history as an amusement park, beach and summer resort.

Restoration of the Stardust Gardens dance hall, destroyed in a 1990 fire, will also begin this summer, 68-acre amusement park, but that is no longer a threat. Couch, owner of Couch's Campers Inc. near Hamilton, purchased Americana in May from Park River which had owned the park since 1996. Couch placed higher fencing around Kiddie Land, replaced concrete and completed landscaping. A building around the log flume was constructed and brush that obstructed a view of the Great Miami River has been cleared, he said.

Improvements to the park will continue, with much activity to occur this summer, he said. The front of the park will be developed and Crouch plans to locate a part of his recreational vehicle business there. He said other businesses will be able to "set up shop" on the park's grounds. "Having more than one business pay for this will be the success to the park," he said. Monroe Development Director Jay Stewart said the delayed opening of the park is a disappointment, but not a financial blow.

"In terms of income tax, it does not significantly affect the city," Stewart said. "But what it does for the city is bring in tourism. It is another thing that puts Monroe on the map." 'f' By Melanie Panton Cox Neuv Service MONROE Those looking forward to spending an afternoon at the historic Americana Amusement Park will have to wait a little longer. Jerry Couch, the park's new owner, said Wednesday he will not open this year as previously announced but may have Americana Ash Wednesday celebrant Where I cuts cost 5 bucks 5 I HE LATEST TREK TO A real, dow7n-toearth, no- f'--m nHceu.otiifF tha.vuav.tha. Bood-Lord-meant-it-to-be barber shop went up Salem Avenue to free Pike, then hung a left Then It hung a U-turn.

I had driven right by the free Pike Barber Shop the first time, but I've got an excuse. A lot of old-fashioned barber shops are just holes-in-the-wall, but this is the first one I've seen where the wall if g'a hole in belongs to a VFW Post and comes complete with a huge painted American flag. Inside, the shop looked like it had all the right things going for it Two barber chairs, but one used just to stack stuff. Only one item for sale and that display empty. A big woodsy print on the wall.

I did spot two potential problems. For one, there's a plant and it's alive. Not only alive, but huge. A schefflera, said owner Joe Gehring. giving plants come off a little too fehpy for my taste, but it could tiafe been worse.

It could have teen a yuppified fern. Gehring says fhs first shop where he worked had a fern so big they couldn't get it out rif fca ohnn uhnn namorehin Phanaon Mart re mir if infn maraa Then there's the magazine selec-hot. Too new; too varied. All are the latest editions, some dated way off in the future. Fortunately, Gehring had an excuse they all1 come free with some waiting room subscription service" that contacted him through his veterans' memberships.

Despite being in a VFW building, Gehring is actually an American juegiuu guy. ux-pusi tummanuer and honor guard member and all. The plaques on the walls are from the Legion. The trophies are for bowling. They're a trifle dusty Gehring quit bowling after his team won its league in 1977.

Good to see a guy who knows how to go out on top. There's an old TV, no cable, which makes up for the schefflera and shiny magazines. The radio was on, tuned to a Cincinnati talk station. Gehring is only 55, but he's been In the same shop for 34 years. Came in as a vacation sub in 1967, took over when the old owner refused to put up with a $10 rent hike in '69.

E' With his Legion and VFW conations, it's no surprise his clientele is on the senior side. He figures 70 fercent of his customers are retirees. Some are dying off these days, but Gehring still has about 20 men who've been coming in from the start There used to be quite a few who'd just sit and visit but he Kays age caught up with them, f.cjohn Harvel is one of the old timers. Says after all these years, he has no complaints. Can't complain about the price flve bucks a cut.

But while I was in the chair, a mother called to see if there's a discount for kids. There isn't Monday's chat included NASCAR and Dale Earnhardt but Gehring says the main shop topic is his favorite baseball. That really makes up for having a living plant. a- There's a Dragons cap on a shelf, Reds stuff in a cupboard and a bat on display. The bat's a Louisville Slugger with Gehring's signature, Which is not that hard to come by, fend the Presidential Seal, which is.

He got it from his stepson, who was assigned to the White House through three presidents while in the Air Force. But the decorative proof of real barbershophood is in the bathroom, firmly attached. "Guy who made that and gave it to me said to anchor it in," said Gehring, "because most of them get stolen." It's one of those red-circle- with-a-lihe-through-it jobs. Shows a stream falling short of its goal. Contact Leigh Allan at 225-73 1 7 or leighallancoxohio.com Kir Man pleads guilty in rape case By Lawrence Budd Warren County Bureau LEBANON A Carlisle man facing 11 felony sexual abuse charges pleaded guilty to four charges Tuesday, a day ahead of schedule, to avoid media scrutiny.

Jeffrey D. Hitte, 37, was found guilty of two counts each of rape and gross sexual imposition by Judge Neal Bronson in a hearing scheduled -for Wednesday in Warren County Common Pleas Court certainly wanted to avoid any significant press' coverage," said Christopher Cornyn Hitte's lawyer. Court officials said they were not swayed by the media reports. Instead, they said the plea was made Tuesday because Cornyn and the prosecutor handling the case were already in Branson's court on another case. Warren County Prosecutor Tim Oliver said his policy is to accept guilty pleas whenever defendants are ready.

Hitte was arrested in July on charges accusing him of sexually abusing an 8-year-old girl He was indicted Aug. 21 on five counts of rape and six counts of gross sexual imposition. Cornyn filedanot guilty byreason of insanity plea on Hitte's behalf and asked for a psychiatric evaluation. In November, Bronson found Hitte competent to stand trial, prompting Cornyn and prosecutors to reach the plea bargain at a hearing scheduled for Wednesday. Last week, WDTN-TV, Channel 2, broadcasta story emphasizingHitte's height 3 feet 4 inches tall.

People prompted by the news show harassed Hitte's family in telephone calls, Comyn said. To avoid more exposure, Cornyn said he decided to enter the plea a day early. On Wednesday, Hitte remained in the Warren County Jail with bail set at $100,000. He will be sentenced in April and faces up to 10 years in prison on each rape charge and five years in prison on each gross sexual imposition charge. Contact Lawrenct Budd at (5 1 3) 743-5303 or e-mail him at Kim Delaney pulls double duty in Treason on Wednesday and NYPD Blue on Tuesday.

For updated local news, weather and community information: www.actlvedayton.com i i .1 r. 1 S- I II 111! TIIIIMI il On the air TY GREENLtESDAYTON DAILY NEWS The Rev. Lou Hohlmayer places a cross of ashes on the forehead of St. Francis DeSales student Courtney Heilman, 1 2, during an Ash Wednesday service at the Lebanon church. The ashes are a sign of repentance to mark the beginning of the Lenten season before Easter.

Soft soil adds $250,000 to library's price tag A The test borings were done by Bowser-Morner, a Dayton area geo-technical engineering firm. The same company did test borings during the summer to check the soil to comply with environmental regulations. Novak said the engineers told her the problem often arises when construction is done on river bottom land. "The soil is a combination of gravel and silt, and sometimes there is just a whole lot of silt on top," she said. liposlBriefing OTHER NEWS FROM THE MIAMI VALLEY Discussion to include Indians, students Elders and youths from a South Dakota Indian reservation will be part of an "unbroken circle" of discussion with Miami Valley students today at the University of Dayton.

Story, 3B. I Customer strvlco: 222-5700. News tips and questions: (513) 743-5301. Newt fax: (5 1 3) 743-53 1 0. Newsroom e-mail: chris celekcoxohio.com Postal address: 853 W.

Central Springboro, OH 45066. library will be built indicate the ground is too soft to support the weight of the building. The cost to correct the foundation wUl be about about $250,000, Novalisaid. "What they will do is pour concrete piers about 14-feet deep around the perimeter of the building site," Novak said. "Then something like a steel bridge will connect all those piers and that is what the library will rest on.

They say it will be a very sturdy foundation." lay off employees The new library, which will be about twice as large as the current one, will be bounded by Riley Boulevard and Fourth and Anderson streets. It is across the street from the current building. Voters passed a 0.72-mill tax levy in November to pay for the library, which will cost about $5 million. "We did have some extra money built into the budget for contingencies, and we're still OK. We won't have to cut back anywhere, but we can't have any more surprises like this," Novak said.

Warren said. "We've had a balanced budget for the last four years, which is a major accomplishment for Antioch College." Antioch endured financial problems through the 1970s, and did not make its payroll in 1979. In 1996, Jim Crowfoot was removed after two years as Antioch's president after the college ended the fiscal year with a deficit of $600,000 to $800,000. Enrollment prospects may brighten for next fall: Warren said the school has received 13,000 student inquiries this year, more than double the amount during the same period last year. Contact Mark Fiihar at 225-2258 or e-mail him at markfishercoxohio.com Concrete piers joined by steel must be added to foundation Br Dan Darragh Car Neuv Service FRANKLIN The price tag of the new Franklin Public Library just went up.

Library Director Mary Novak said test borings made about two months ago on the site of where the Antioch to By Mark Fisher Dayton Daily Newt YELLOW SPRINGS Antioch College will lay off a handful of employees and reduce the hours of more than a dozen others to help make up a projected $300,000 budget shortfall, college officials said Wednesday. The college will permanently lay off one full-time and one part-time administrative employee, temporarily furlough four staff employees during May and June, and reduce the hours of 15 other full-time staff employees to half-time for the same period, according to Scott Warren, the college's dean of students. Those moves will save about $110,000. Additional savings will come from cutting operating expenses and postponing some repair and construction, Warren said. The university has an operating budget of about $13 million and employs 181, the dean said.

Faculty are not part of personnel cutbacks. The primary cause for the projected shortfall, Warren said, is less-than-expected enrollment, which stands at 650. Though up slightly from last year, it's "not growing as fast as we had hoped," the dean said. The college's comparatively low endowment of million hampers the college's ability to absorb such short-term budget crunches, he said. "We refuse to run a deficit,".