The Journal News from Hamilton, Ohio • 11

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 16, 2013 HAMILTON JOURNALNEWS COMPLETE. IN-DEPTH. DEPENDABLE. B3 HAMILTON Early morning destroys vacant home Fire destroyed a house at 924 Heaton St. just before 5 a.m.

Tuesday, Hamilton investigator Tom Angst said. probably a total loss because no roof on he said. A Hamilton police on patrol saw smoke coming from the rear of the house. The road was closed, and went defensive on the according to immediately it went defensive for safety reasons there were vacant home, already Angst said. Investigators still sure how the started, but have not ruled out arson.

The homeowner, Bryant, said still kind of numb. I know what to said Bryant. Bryant said he live at the house on Heaton Street, but he said it has been vacant for about two months while he makes repairs so that he can put it on the market for rent. According to Bryant, thieves have been breaking into the house and stealing copper. go in and tear it up.

We go back in and them up I think Bryant said. LOT TAN MIDDLETOWN United Way nearly halfway to goal With just two weeks to go in the 2013 campaign, United Way of Greater Cincinnati-Middletown Area has raised $575,738 46.9 percent of the $1.225 million campaign goal. Daniel J. Picard and Tammi E. Thompson, co-chairs of the United Way of Greater Cincinnati-Middletown Area annual campaign, said the progress is thanks to the commitment and generosity of Middletown area companies and individuals, but there is still work to do as companies continue to wrap up their United Way campaigns.

Individuals can donate by going to uwgc.org/give. The campaign is a fundraising partnership of United Way and Cincinnati Area Chapter of the American Red Cross. United Way of Greater region includes Hamilton, Clermont, Brown and Butler counties (Middletown area) in Ohio; Boone, Campbell, Grant and Kenton counties in Northern Kentucky; and Dearborn and Ohio counties in Indiana. The campaign ends Oct. 30 with a noon event at Middletown Area Senior Citizens Sycamore Banquet Center.

For tickets, call 513-705-1160. STAFF REPORT HAMILTON 2013 yearbooks are available at school The Hamilton High School 2013 yearbooks have arrived and are available for pick up 7: 30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. in the main and 2:30 to 3:30 p.m. in Room 870 during the school day.

Yearbooks may be picked up by a graduate or the parents. STAFF REPORT MIDDLETOWN Prosecutor to speak at neighborhood meeting Butler County Prosecutor Michael Gmoser will be the guest speaker at a Neighborhood Watch meeting to be held at 6:30 p.m. Thursday at the Mid dletown Senior Center, 3907 Central Ave. Gmoser will speak on Theft and Protecting The public is invited to attend. STAFF REPORT WEST CHESTER TWP.

Recycle your electronics Saturday The public is invited to drop unwanted household electronic equipment for recycling from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Saturday at the St. John Church parking lot at 9080 Cincinnati- Dayton Road. Acceptable electronic equipment for recycling includes computers, keyboards, cables, speakers, laptops, CD-ROM drives, telephones, CRT mfo ronitors, DVD players, fax machines, LCD monitors, mainframes, mice, microwaves, PDAs, personal copiers, printers, scanners, tape and disk drives, telephones, televisions, VCR players and other items.

A complete list of acceptable electronic equipment is avail able at www.2trg.com. Appliances, ballasts, batteries, and light bulbs will not be accepted. STAFF REPORT FAIRFIELD Dancing with the Choraliers returns City version of With the returns this weekend. Dancing with the Choraliers is held by the award-winning Choraliers show choir, where members of the Cho raliers dance with local This competition will take place from 2 to 5 p.m. Sunday, Oct.

20, at the Middle School gymnasium. Tickets are $5 each and can be purchased at the door. Among guest this year include: Mayor candidates Steve Miller and Mitch Rhodus City Schools Superintendent Paul Otten North Elementary teacher Eddie Thompson West Principal Kim Wotring Assistant High School Principal Kari Hansee Middle School Principal Kristilynn Turney business owner and real estate agent Patrick Cannan Middle School is located at 1111 Nilles Road. All proceeds from the event will go to travel costs for the Choraliers. The Choraliers plan to travel to Alabama, Wisconsin and West Virginia for competitions.

STAFF REPORT HAMILTON Partners in Prime hosts Harvest Moon dance The Hamilton Prime Club will host its annual Harvest Moon Ball from 6 to 9 p.m. Friday at 140 Ross Ave. The night will include snacks and beverages as well as entertainment from the Country Junction Band. All members of the community are invited. Tickets are $10 and attendees are encouraged to purchase them ahead of time, though some will be available at the door.

For more information about the ball, call 513-8671998. STAFF REPORT LIBERTY TWP. Volunteers needed to lend hand at parks Liberty Twp. is looking for people to help out during its Give a Hand to the Parks work day from 10 a.m. to noon Saturday at Dudley Memorial Park, 5700 Yankee Road.

No experience is needed. Dress appropriately by wearing long sleeves, gloves, suitable footwear and safety glasses, and be willing to help. Hand pruners and loppers are useful. For more information, call 513-759-7500. ERIC SCHWARTZBERG MIDDLETOWN Miami athletic director to speak Thursday Miami University Athletic Director David Sayler will be the keynote speaker at Jocks meeting at Wildwood Golf Club.

The luncheon begins at noon and is free and open to the public. Lunch can be ordered the menu. Sayler was named 16th athletic director on Dec. 13, 2012, and he came to Oxford after two years in a similar role at the University of South Dakota. STAFF REPORT Butler County Esther Price Candies manager Dixie White sells a box of chocolates to Arline Gayhart of Twp.

in the new store in West Chester Twp. on Oct. 1. The store is located at 8621 N. Pavillion Drive, near the intersection of Union Center Boulevard and Ohio 747, and occupies a space that used to be a bank.

The store will also sell chocolates, gifts and cards. GREG LYNCH STAFF Dandy candies WEST CHESTER TWP. LOCAL FOCUS CONNECTING WITH YOUR COMMUNITY Cincinnati CINCINNATI Police: Patient had bag of guns at hospital Police in suburban Cincinnati are investigating why a hospital patient had a bag full of guns and other weapons. Montgomery police have released little information on what happened on Oct. 10, when they responded to a report of a patient threatening Bethesda North Hospital workers with a gun.

No injuries were reported. seized one pistol, two pistols, ammo, bear-deterrent spray, a gun holster and belt, scissors, nail clippers and a copy of American magazine, according to a police report. Police said they are consulting with the Hamilton County about charges. They declined Tuesday to discuss any other details, saying they want to jeopardize their investigation. Police said they are consulting with the Hamilton County about charges.

They declined Tuesday to discuss any other details, saying they want to jeopardize their investigation. The patient remained hospitalized Tuesday. The name been released, and no other information was available. A spokesman for hospital- owner TriHealth said privacy laws prevented him from discussing the patient. was a very unfortunate incident and luckily no one was spokesman Joe Kelley said Tuesday, adding that the TriHealth system considers the safety of patients, and visitors ASSOCIATED PRESS HEBRON, KY.

Airport adds nonstop service to Florida Las Vegas-based Allegiant Air will start nonstop service from the Kentucky International Airport to two Florida locations in February. with the leisure-focused passenger airline made the announcement Tuesday at the airport in Hebron, across the river from Cincinnati. say nonstop service to Orlando Sanford Airport will begin Feb. 12. Nonstop service to Ft.

Gorda Airport will begin Feb. 14. The carrier says it will provide service on a 166-seat jet two days a week from the Cincinnati airport to Orlando, on Wednesday and Saturday. It will two-day-a-week service to Ft. Gorda on Monday and Friday.

The Cincinnati chief executive says Orlando and southwest Florida have been popular destinations for area passengers. The airline is a unit of Allegiant Travel Co. ASSOCIATED PRESS CINCINNATI Girl recovering from surgery a er shooting A southern Ohio toddler shot in the head seven weeks ago in an unsolved attack that killed her pregnant mother is recovering from her fourth surgery. Mary Dodson, of Ripley, says her 16-month-old granddaughter, Aubree, is doing well after her latest surgery. She says the surgery was meant to relieve pressure on brain and help her wounds heal.

Meanwhile, investigators have made no arrests in the shooting death of mother, 22-year-old Brittany Stykes. Police thought they were responding to a car crash on Aug. 28 when someone reported seeing yellow Jeep Wrangler the road in a wooded area. Instead, police found Stykes dead and Aubree bleeding from a gunshot wound to the head, still strapped in her car seat. Stykes was months pregnant.

ASSOCIATED PRESS CINCINNATI Murder suspect arrested a er standoff A SWAT Tuesday that led to the lockdown of two schools ended with the arrest of a murder suspect. Seton and Elder high schools were put on lockdown after police received a call that an armed man wanted for murder was spotted in the 1000 block of Seton Avenue at about 11:15 a.m. Hamilton County courts issued a murder warrant for Al Rashid last week after Rashid was as a suspect in the shooting death Michael Howe, 37 Howe was found with a gunshot wound to the head in Bond Hill on Oct. 3, according to Cincinnati police Lt. Col.

James Whalen. Rashid surrendered to cers on the scene at about 12: 30 p.m. after being held up in a common area at Cedar Grove Apartments. Seton and Elder high schools were put on lockdown while the unfolded. Beech Avenue was also closed as police attempted to locate and take the suspect into custody.

The lockdown for the high schools was lifted and Beech Avenue reopened shortly before 1 p.m. WCPO CINCINNATI rail installed A major milestone took place Tuesday for the Cincinnati streetcar project. Mayor Mark Mallory gave the signal to a crane operator to install the streetcar rail. Construction crews installed the rail into the track bed on Elm Street between 12th and 14th streets near Music Hall. About 12 pieces of rail were scheduled to arrive at the site Tuesday morning.

City said the pieces are 80 feet long and weigh about 9,000 pounds each. While the rail is being set in place, crews will work on utility and track bed preparation throughout Over-the-Rhine and the Central Business District. The streetcar project is scheduled to have 17 stops and will travel from Over-the-Rhine to the Banks. say the loop will be completed by June 2015. WCPO.