Bowdeya Tweh reports:

The Jason Bowman team and Re/Max Elite in Mason have earned Angie’s List Super Service Award.

“It is truly the highest compliment to receive positive feedback from our clients,” Bowman said. “We are thankful for all the kind comments and reviews that our clients have posted to the Angie’s List community. We are inspired to discover new ways to implement our mission of service excellence.”

Angie’s List said award winners for 2013 meet strict eligibility requirements, including an “A” rating in overall grade, recent grade, and review period grade, being in good standing, have a complete online profile, pass a background check and abide by Angie’s List operational guidelines.

Re/Max Elite is located at 5720 Gateway Boulevard in Mason.

The Enquirer

Lakota West’s boys’ basketball team upset host Mason 48-46 Friday night. Lakota West, ranked No. 3 in The Enquirer Division I coaches’ poll, overcame a 21-19 halftime deficit to hand No. 2 Mason (7-2, 3-2 Greater Miami Conference) its second consecutive loss.

Lakota West (7-1, 5-0) outscored Mason 29-25 in the second half. The Firebirds had three starters in double figures, led by Tyler Williams with 14 points.

Mason’s Spencer Cline also had 14 points off the bench.

Lakota East 59, Hamilton 58: Lakota East’s Dylan Lowry hit his only field goal, a runner in the lane with 1.1 seconds left, that secured a road win for the Thunderhawks.

Alex White led Lakota East with 13 points and seven rebounds.

Hamilton’s Christian Jones led all scorers with 22 points.

Mike Dyer reports:

Mason senior track and field standout Jordan Horning verbally committed to compete to run track and field at NKU, according to Mason coach Tony Affatato.

Horning was an Enquirer Division I all-area selection last spring for the Comets. She also considered Kent State and Bowling Green. All three offered scholarships.

She was the Division I regional champion in the 100 hurdles and ninth at state last spring.

Angela Vettikkal of Deerfield Township, who hails from William Mason High School, is a National YoungArts Foundation finalist in dance for her entry in the classical Indian dance form Bharatanatyam.

Angela Vettikkal of Deerfield Township is a finalist in the annual YoungArts Week in Miami Jan. 6-12. Provided

Angela is among the 171 finalist winners out of 11,000 applicants nationally across 10 arts disciplines. Finalists  will come together for the annual YoungArts Week in Miami from Jan. 6-12.

Caroline Hennekes of West Chester is a finalist in the dance category. Zoe Cheng of Cincinnati is a finalist in writing.

Throughout the week,  finalists’ work will be further adjudicated to determine additional award levels including a monetary award of at least $1,000, with top-level awardees receiving $10,000 and for nomination as the U.S. Presidential Scholars in the Arts, the highest honor that can be awarded to any artistically talented graduating high school senior.

During YoungArts Week, finalists will participate in a week of intense master classes and workshops with internationally renowned artists Frank Gehry, Zaha Hadid, Irving Sandler, Rita Moreno, Andrew Rannells, Shelly Berg, Shalita Grant, Lourdes Lopez and Judith Hill.

Students will also have the opportunity to share their work with the public through performances.

All winners become part of the YoungArts alumni network of 17,000 artists, some of whom have gone on to become leading professionals in their fields including actresses Vanessa Williams, Viola Davis, and Kerry Washington; actor, musician, and filmmaker Adrian Grenier; four-time Tony Award nominee Raúl Esparza; CEO of American Ballet Theatre Rachel Moore; recording artists Nicki Minaj, Chris Young and Josh Groban; Metropolitan Opera star Eric Owens; musicians Terence Blanchard and Jennifer Koh; choreographer Desmond Richardson; visual artist Hernan Bas; and internationally acclaimed multimedia artist Doug Aitken.

Scott and Kathy Michelich. Provided

You may be familiar with the concept of “pay it forward” as it has been around for many years, gaining mainstream popularity after the 2000 movie by the same name. Essentially, it is performing an act or gesture for someone else with the expectation of nothing in return. What the giver desires is for the recipient to perform a good deed for someone else, big or small.

Mental Health Recovery Services of Warren and Clinton Counties (MHRS) and the Suicide Prevention Coalition of Warren and Clinton Counties (SPC) recently acknowledged some of these good deeds which promote mental wellness in our community.

According to Patti Ahting, MHRS associate director and SPC chair, “These folks have given of their time, energy and talents to prevent future problems, to be a good friend, to expand community awareness, to offer hope, and to be a helpful neighbor. There are many, many stories we could tell about great things happening in our community, but these are a few extraordinary ones.”

Kathy and Scott Michelich are survivors. Through the unexpected and tragic loss of their daughter, Apphia, they have channeled their grief into endeavors to positively impact the community.

The Michelichs established the Apphia Memorial Fund and have provided thousands of dollars to the Suicide Prevention Coalition of Warren and Clinton Counties to carry out awareness efforts and train individuals who work with those affected by suicide. This foundation also provides funding to the national Brain & Behavior Research Foundation.

The Michelichs have donated their talents and knowledge to many other community organizations including the Family and Children First Council, the Human Rights Committee for Warren County Board of Developmental Disabilities, Community Correctional Center governance board, Head Start and Early Learning Centers, and Warren County Community Services.

The Michelichs have resided in Morrow for 25 years. Kathy is employed at Warren County’s Ohio State University Extension and Scott is employed at Afidence IT Consulting in Mason. They are members of Antioch Church at Countryside YMCA.

The Waynesville High School’s REDO group includes, from left, Molly Keeton, Evan Crichton, Cathy Joefreda-Wells, Carissa Stamm, Emily Wells Carly Allen and Brittany Bellar. Provided

The REDO Group at Waynesville High School was created after the school’s first “Respect Everyone Despite Odds” (REDO) day last school year.

This group of six enthusiastic and energetic teens led by guidance counselor Cathy Joefreda-Wells saw a need for increased awareness surrounding suicide in their school and community.

For September’s Suicide Prevention Week, the group carried out a series of school-wide awareness activities. These included large banners posted in the school and at the tennis courts, signage in the halls, and awareness exercises at lunch and throughout the day. For five days, the students led activities, unveiling a new approach each day. Suicide is not an easy topic to talk about but these youth took on the challenge offering up hope, friendship, kindness and help to fellow students in need.

The Michelichs and Waynesville High School’s REDO Group were given the Power of Prevention Award by the Suicide Prevention Coalition of Warren and Clinton counties. This award began in 2011 with the purpose of recognizing individuals and organizations who have shown leadership or opened doors above and beyond their job duties.

“Suicide prevention can be a difficult topic due to stigma and fear, however it is an issue many people are faced with – whether it be through an interaction with a family member, a co-worker, a friend, or even an acquaintance. It is important for everyone to feel comfortable having a conversation with individuals expressing suicidal thoughts and directing them to help. The Michelichs and Waynesville High School’s REDO Group have brought the topic to the forefront. We would like to publicly acknowledge them and express our genuine appreciation for their leadership and dedication to the prevention cause,” Ahting said.

To learn more about Mental Health Recovery Services, the Suicide Prevention Coalition and local resources, visit www.mhrsonline.org. For 24-hour assistance, call the Toll-Free Crisis Hotline for Warren & Clinton Counties at 1-877-695-6333 OR 1-877-695-NEED.

Want to help influence vocational education in Warren County?

Residents of the Kings Local Schools now have that opportunity due to a change in Ohio law.

Kings residents with business experience now have an opportunity to represent the district on the governing board of the Warren County Career Center.

Under a change in state law, each participating school district no longer has to appoint a member of its school board to sit on the vocational school’s governing board.

Local boards may appoint members of their community who have experience as chief executive officers, chief financial officers, human resource managers or other business, industry or career counseling professionals who are qualified to discuss the labor needs of the region.

Toward that goal, the Kings Board of Education will consider requests from community members to represent it on the governing board.

Superintendent Valerie Browning will accept inquiries, letters of interest and a completed questionnaire through 5 p.m., Jan. 6.

The board will consider candidates and make a selection at its Jan. 7 organizational meeting which begins at 6:30 p.m., at the Kings Education Center, 1797 King Ave.

Those interested in applying may email Browning, who will send out the questionnaire: vbrowning@kingslocal.net

Information: 513-398-8050 or www.kingslocal.net

Five Kings High School graduates and one former coach will be inducted into the 2013-14 Kings Athletic Hall of Fame next month.

The program and ceremonies will be held Jan. 18 dinner at the Kings Island Inn Resort and Conference Center. Festivities begin at 6:30 p.m.

Tickets are $25 per person and can be purchased by calling the school’s athletic office, 513-459-2937 or email Judy Sichterman at jsichterman@kingslocal.net.

All proceeds benefit the Kings Athletic Hall of Fame and the Kings Athletic Booster Club.

Inductees are:

• John Allare, Class of 2005, tennis
• Matt Allare, Class of 2007, tennis
• Ra’ees Ismail, Class of 2005, tennis
• Doug Matthews, Class of 2005, tennis and basketball
• Brad Maurer, Class of 2003, football and basketball
• Steve Contardi, tennis coach from 1992 through 2005

Therapy dog ‘Gabe’ nuzzles special needs students at Mason Intermediate School in Warren County. Gabe and other dogs help relax and entertain students, often serving as a bonding classroom visitor by bringing students together. The Enquirer/ Michael D. Clark

Michael D. Clark reports:

Sometimes, the best classroom aides for young students are those who are attentive, non-judgmental – and maybe even overly affectionate.

To the point of licking faces.

Reading or therapy dogs are being seen more frequently in area kindergarten and elementary classrooms because the help they provide students, say local school officials. A decade ago, the specially trained dogs were a rarity in Greater Cincinnati schools, said Glenna Mockbee, founder and executive director of Therapy Pets of Greater Cincinnati, one of the area’s largest providers of reading and therapy dogs.

“When we started in 2004, we had four dogs. Now we have 250 dogs that visit schools,” said Mockbee. The dogs also visit local hospitals, nursing homes and libraries.

Canine reading programs vary, but in general they take advantage of the natural affinity between children and dogs. The dogs are screened for health and temperament around children and trained to be sensitive to the body language and moods of children, some of whom may be shy or nervous about reading to another human being.

Bellevue school parent Hilary Dungan sees what reading dogs have done for her second-grade daughter, Paige, when she comes home from Grandview Elementary School.

“It’s the first thing she talks about,” Dungan said. “She gets so excited about reading to a dog, and it has made her a more frequent reader. Since the program started I don’t have to prompt her to read.”

The dogs “have a special way about them, and they are just there for the kids,” she said.

It’s a sentiment echoed nearly universally by educators who say they see increased aptitude and more enthusiasm for books among students who read to dogs.

Grandview media specialist Debbie Langguth says that, for some students, there may be no one outside of school paying as much attention. “Some of them don’t have anyone at home to read to,” said Langguth, who came up with the idea last school year and named it LEASH – Learners Experiencing Animals and Stories in Harmony.

“This gives those kids a positive reading experience,” she said.

Exactly, said Mockbee.

Her organization’s other animals – cats, rabbits, gerbils – also visit schools, hospitals and nursing homes. But none gets the same effusive reaction as dogs.

“Dogs are definitely the most popular because dogs are the only ones that give unconditional love. Cats can be sweet, too, but a dog will give you more attention,” explained Mockbee.

That is especially true, she said, for special needs students.

A recent day at Mason’s Western Row Elementary School saw Gabe, a blond Labrador retriever, happily wagging his tail, sniffing and licking amused special needs students.

Ben Russo, 8, is a Mason special needs student. Wheelchair-bound after more than 20 surgeries, Ben’s spirit rises noticeably around Gabe.

For his part, Gabe gladly allows himself to be leashed to Ben’s wheelchair, towing the boy down the school hallway for a short stroll.

His mother, Amy Russo, said Ben’s condition doesn’t allow them to have pets at home. “But he loves big dogs, and he even holds on to the leash himself,” Russo said. “These dogs help him become comfortable with things he isn’t familiar with.”

Karen Vome, a Western Row science teacher who also instructs special needs students, said that, when the all types of students are playing with the dogs, the canines “act as a bridge” between youngsters who may not normally interact during the school day.

“The kids get excited and react more so than with anybody else,” Vome said. “The dogs seem to really bring out the emotions in our special needs kids.”

The short answer, say educators, is “yes.”
But that widely held opinion is based on personal observation, experience and little else.
Gail Melson, professor emerita in Purdue University’s department of human development and family studies, has specialized for years on children’s development and relationships in the field of human-animal interaction.
“Rreading-to-dogs programs draw on research showing the calming effects of friendly dog presence,” said Melson, author of “Why the Wild Things Are: Animals in the Lives of Children

A number of local organizations train and supply reading and therapy dogs to area schools, hospitals, nursing homes and libraries. Dogs are selected based on temperament, obedience and certified by a veterinarian as healthy.
Glenna Mockbee, founder and executive director of Therapy Pets of Greater Cincinnati, says their policy allows only one dog and dog handler at a time in a school building.
For more information go to: www.therapypetsofgreatercincinnati.org or call 513-604-9108.

Catch therapy dog “Gabe” in action with special needs students in Mason.

Owner Ron Greene is photographed in The King’s Mills General Store and Christmas Shop on Monday, December 16, 2013. Owners Ron and Mary Greene are celebrating the shop’s 30th anniversary this year. The Enquirer/Leigh Taylor

For one Kings Mills store, Christmas isn’t just a day in December. It’s a state of mind.

That’s the motto of Ron and Mary Greene, who run the Kings Mills General Store and Christmas Shop at the corner of Wilson and Columbia roads. The business is celebrating its 30th anniversary this year.

• Photos: Every day is Christmas for Kings Mills shop-0wners

While the official headquarters of Christmas is probably up north, the Greenes do their best to compete.

Owner Mary Greene helps Scott and Kathy Rosenow (cq), from Fairfield Township, find an ornament at The King’s Mills General Store and Christmas Shop on Monday, December 16, 2013. The Enquirer/Leigh Taylor

The 3,000-square-foot white clapboard house features thousands of Christmas ornaments and trimmings from floor-to-ceiling and wall-to-wall. Even the shop’s bathroom doubles as storage space.

From Santas to nutcrackers, the shop features a variety of ornaments to suit every taste — no matter how eclectic.

Looking for green glass Christmas pickle ornaments? You’ll find them here. Spongebob and Elvis? They’re there, too, alongside rows of sports- and pet-themed trinkets and baubles with military, nature and Western motifs.

“We try to literally have something for everybody,” said Mary. “There’s no place in the whole Tristate area that has the selection we do.”

Ornaments range from $2 to more than $200 for exclusive lines like hand-painted Patricia Breen glass ornaments, which are sold in less than 20 stores nationwide and have a wait list. Most items are under $10, said Ron.

For the Greenes, the most magical time of the year begins in mid-April when the shop opens. November and December are the shop’s busiest months, but Augusts ranks a close third thanks to tourists visiting nearby Kings Island and Great Wolf Lodge.

Ron got the idea for the shop after working in his uncle’s Christmas Shop and Island Art Gallery in the Outer Banks of North Carolina.

It was there, in 1977, that he met Mary at a picnic on the beach. Emboldened, Ron asked the attractive West Side native to dinner.

“I’m a nice Catholic girl from Cincinnati. I wouldn’t have gone off with him if I hadn’t been going to the Christmas Shop for six years,” remembered Mary with a laugh.

Christmas ornaments at The King’s Mills General Store and Christmas Shop. The Enquirer/Leigh Taylor

When Mary returned to Cincinnati, Ron followed. The couple celebrated their 35th wedding anniversary Dec. 9.

In September 1983, the couple purchased the Kings Mills General Store and began selling general gifts and holiday items.

The building, which had operated as a general store from the early 1920s, featured the warm and nostalgic ambiance the Greenes had been looking for.

The couple fixed up the deteriorating building and spent years searching for the antique cabinets and pieces upon which to display their trove of Christmas treasures.

“We wanted to make it safe, but we also wanted to keep the creaking floors,” said Ron. “There’s just something about being in a nearly 100-year-old building that’s kind of neat.

Thirty years later, the shop has become a retail attraction for tourists and a holiday tradition for locals.

“We have people who say they’ve been here with their parents and now they’re bringing their kids,” said Mary. “Once you come here, it becomes a destination.”

For Ron, 73, and Mary, 65, theirs is a business that’s all about spreading cheer and making spirits bright.

“It’s a pleasant atmosphere,” said Ron. “People come in here and even if they’re not so wonderfully happy when they walk in, you can’t help but feel lighter. It’s a feel-good place.”

If you go

Kings Mills General Store and Christmas Shop is at 5687 Columbia Road, Kings Mills. Contact: 513-398-1677; www.kingschristmas.com.

A man died in a fire in this Mason condominium on Country Ridge Drive early Monday morning. / Jennifer Edwards Baker / The Enquirer

Jennifer Edwards Baker reports:

A man died after fire ripped through a Mason condominium early today, fire officials said.

Crews were called to 5230 W. Country Ridge Drive just before 2 a.m.

When they arrived, they found heavy flames shooting from the back of the first and second floors, said Lt. Tom Wentzel.

The victim was found on the first floor. His name and age were not released.

The cause of the fire remains unknown.

Investigators with the State Fire Marshal’s Office are on scene, assisting Mason firefighters.

Initially, there was a report that a small explosion sparked the fire. The explosion, if there was one, occurred before fire crews arrived, Wentzel said.

The condo is destroyed. A damage estimate was not available.

Neighbors in an adjacent condo were displaced. Their unit suffered smoke damage, Wentzel said. He did not know how many people in that unit were impacted.

One of the victim’s relatives declined comment at the scene.

Neighbors said they were advised by authorities not to talk to the media until Tuesday.

The Enquirer will update this story.

Holiday shoppers at the Deerfield Towne Center. File photo

Deerfield Towne Center, one of Greater Cincinnati’s premier shopping destinations, sold this week for $97 million.

Ramco-Gershenson Properties Trust Thursday announced its purchase of the 461,000-square-foot open-air shopping center at the intersection of Mason-Montgomery and Irwin Simpson roads.

The Farmington Hills, Mich.-based company owns and manages 79 shopping centers nationwide. The Deerfield Towne Center is one of 17 shopping centers purchased by the company this year for $567 million.

The 45-acre open-air market built in 2004 is anchored by one of only two Whole Food Markets in Greater Cincinnati, along with retail powerhouses Dick’s Sporting Goods, Bed, Bath & Beyond and the 16-screen Regal Cinema.

The “lifestyle center,” which is 92 percent leased, also includes dozens of upscale apparel stores, specialty retailers and eateries.

“Cincinnati/Mason is a robust market where we expect to see continued strong growth in population and business over the next several years,” Dennis Gershenson, president and CEO, said in a press release. “Combined with our Columbus properties, Deerfield Town Center provides a substantial foothold in a very attractive market.”

Developed by Jeffrey R. Anderson Real Estate, which also developed Rookwood Commons, Deerfield Towne Center was among the first to deliver chic shopping to northern Cincinnati’s affluent suburbs.

The shopping center serves a demographic mix of about 225,000 households that boast an average income of $99,000, according to Ramco-Gershenson.

The thriving two-mile retail corridor along Mason-Montgomery Road is one of Warren County’s most explosive commercial growth spots. About 32,000 cars travel the stretch daily.

Traffic generated from the shopping center contributes to more than 80,000 vehicles that travel each day through the nearby Fields Ertel/Mason-Montgomery interchange off Interstate 71.

County officials broke ground there earlier this week on a new loop ramp project expected to reduce traffic flow in the area by as much as 50 percent.

The project ranks among the top five most important transportation projects in Greater Cincinnati, said Warren County Commissioner Dave Young.

Clubhouse at Palmera Apartments in Deerfield Township. Provided

Crews from Lifetime Television’s “Designing Spaces” show will be filming in Deerfield Township today.

The home improvement show will be filming this morning and afternoon at Hills Properties’ Palmera Apartments for a segment on apartment living, said Maria Lashells, Hills’ marketing manager.

Interior shot of a model unit at Palmera Apartments in Deerfield Township. Provided

Hills completed construction on the $36 million, 360-unit gated apartment community in September 2012. In June, the National Apartment Association named the upscale development the Apartment Community of the Year.

The complex features luxury one, two and three bedroom apartments with high-end finishes in a wooded setting. Other amenities will include a 7,000-square-foot clubhouse, swimming pool, health and wellness center, tennis courts, pet-friendly walking trails and an outdoor fireplace and lounge area.

Palmera has a wait list of about 70 prospective residents for units that average about $1,000 a month, said Lashells.

The complex was one of four nationwide recommended for filming by the NAA, she said.

“It’s big not just for Hills, but because they’re spotlighting a community in the Midwest,” said Lashells. “I think it puts Cincinnati and Mason on the map.”

Show producers say the segment is expected to air on Lifetime TV at 7:30 p.m. Jan. 29 and re-air Feb. 20, but add these dates could be subject to change.

By Jennifer Trepal, City of Mason Public Information Officer

City of Mason offices will be closed on Christmas and New Year’s Day. Offices will be open with limited services on Christmas Eve.

Mason residents who receive trash collection service on Wednesday through Friday will have their collection delayed one day for both weeks. Friday customers will have their trash picked up on Saturday.

Mason Community Center will be open from 5 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Dec. 24 and 31. On Christmas, the fitness center, gymnasium, track, and locker rooms at Mason Community Center will be open from noon to 4 p.m. There will be no scheduled activities on Dec. 25. On New Year’s Day, all areas of the center will be open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.

The Mason City Council meeting scheduled for Dec. 23 has been cancelled. The next regularly scheduled meeting of Council is at 7 p.m. on Monday, Jan. 13.

Brush pickup, including Christmas trees, will begin the week of Monday, Jan. 13. Please remove all decorations from the tree and place it at the curb with the cut end toward the street.

Mason Schools this week honored the district’s first alumni to be named a Rhodes Scholar.

Courtney Wittekind, a 2009 Mason High School graduate, was recognized at the board’s Tuesday meeting.

The 2013 Carnegie Mellon graduate is one of 32 Americans and 80 people worldwide to win the prestigious scholarships, announced in November.

The program covers the full cost of attending the Oxford University in England for two to four years.  Wittekind, 23, plans to pursue a doctorate degree in anthropology, with a geographical focus on Burma, also called Myanmar.

“Rhodes really stood out to me for its goal of funding scholars who will fight ‘the world’s fight,” said Wittekind. “That was a concept that really struck a chord with me and continues to parallel my own vision for the work I hope to do in the future.”

Wittekind said she was inspired to study the conflict-plagued region after she arranged to graduate early and then traveled to Thailand for nine months, where she volunteered at a school serving Burmese refugees and migrants.

Wittekind is currently interning with the Brookings Institution, a Washington D.C.-based think tank.  She’ll begin her studies at Oxford in the fall of 2014.

She is the daughter of Tom and Jill Wittekind of Mason.

Mike Dyer reports:

Mason junior pitcher/first baseman Rodney Hutchison verbally committed to North Carolina on Sunday morning, according to Mason coach Curt Bly.

Hutchison, one of the state’s top players in the 2015 class, also had offers from UC, Miami University, Ohio State and Kent State.

“Rodney is a big, physical prospect with a high ceiling,” said Chris Valentine, director of Ohio scouting for Prep Baseball Report.

“While he has shown the ability to swing the bat, most schools have viewed him as a pitcher at the next level. Over the past year, he has been a mid to high 80s (miles per hour) type arm, but given his frame and arm action, he could easily be a low 90s by the time he reaches UNC.”

Hutchison, who was second-team all-Greater Miami Conference last season, hit .359 with five doubles, four home runs, 38 RBI and two stolen bases for the Comets (26-1) last season. He was 3-0 with 26 strikeouts and 1.00 ERA last season on the mound as primarily a weekend starter last season as Mason had three top senior pitchers to open the season.

“Obviously Rodney had many terrific opportunities and schools and programs to choose from,” Bly said. “He really weighed everything. I think North Carolina’s tradition and where they are as a program was really attractive for Rodney. I think UNC was too strong of a pull for him to say no to.”

Warren County’s alternative school has been renamed after its founder, John Lazares, superintendent of the Warren County Educational Service Center. Provided photo

Fifteen years after Warren County’s alternative school opened its doors, it has a new name.

The school was recently renamed the John K. Lazares Warren County Alternative School, after its founder.

The gesture comes in the final months of Lazares’ tenure as superintendent of the Warren County Educational Service Center, sponsor of the alternative school.

“I had no idea this was coming,’’ said Lazares, 64, a former superintendent of the Kings Local Schools. “I was shocked. They really got me good; I didn’t expect this.”

Lazares’ contract with the ESC board expires at the end of June 2014. He said he wants to leave the ESC by the end of his contract, but he hasn’t set a definitive date to leave yet. Assistant Superintendent Tom Isaacs will replace Lazares as superintendent.

Isaac and others say it is like Lazares to not set a date in order to deflect attention away from him. It’s one of the reasons the decision was made to rename the school after him now, instead of later.

Lazares agreed he would have kyboshed any plans for a party or recognition.

“I didn’t want any parties, I just wanted to leave, to sneak out,” Lazares said. “It was very flattering; I was very humbled.”

The unveiling of the name came just a few weeks ago when the alternative school traditionally gathers with supporters – Warren County commissioners, juvenile court officials, prosecutors, students and staff – for a lunch.

“Hundreds of high school students have finished high school and graduated because of John Lazares,’’ Isaacs said.

“He is creative, innovative and always focused on helping children. I view him professionally and personally as the role model every school leader should follow.’’

Since the alternative school opened in 1998 about 1,500 students have been enrolled.

“It benefits every one of our existing school districts to decrease the dropout rate and better serve unruly kids that disrupt classrooms,’’ said Warren County Commissioner Pat South, who was also a commissioner on the board that allocated money toward its construction.

“Placing students in the alternative school gives them more one-on-one (instruction) that allows them to succeed. It has made a dramatic improvement in the dropout rate…in the lives of some of the graduates who never would have graduated without it.”

South said the testimony given by students each year is emotional, compelling and proves over and over again why the school is a success.

She said she is glad the school now bears Lazares’ name despite his wishes to the contrary.

“John still hasn’t forgiven us for naming it after someone alive. He knows it came from the heart, but he still hasn’t forgiven us,” South said.

“I don’t think he had any clue it was going to be named after him. Very rarely does he accept accolades himself. He’s the one who always makes sure other people get recognized.”

Warren County Commissioner Dave Young holds up the cocktail napkin on which he drew rough plans for the loop ramp project at the Fields Ertel/Mason-Montgomery interchange off I-71 seven years ago. Area officials held a groundbreaking ceremony for the project on Dec. 17, 2013. Construction is expected to begin in March 2014 and complete in 2015. The Enquirer/Rachel Richardson

An idea originally sketched on a cocktail napkin to reduce daily traffic jams at the Fields Ertel/Mason-Montgomery interchange off Interstate 71 broke ground Tuesday.

State, regional and local officials gathered at the busy interchange to kick off construction of a “loop ramp” project expected to reduce traffic flow in the area by as much as 50 percent.

The plan, drawn seven years ago over lunch by Warren County Commissioner Dave Young, will add an exit-only lane from northbound I-71 that will circle through a Metro park-and-ride at the northeast corner of Mason-Montgomery and Fields Ertel.

Traffic from the new loop ramp will flow directly onto Mason-Montgomery Road, allowing motorists heading north to bypass Fields Ertel completely, explained Joe Vogel, a planning and engineering administrator with the Ohio Department of Transportation’s District 08 in Lebanon.

The $12 million project is the centerpiece of several planned improvements to the traffic-clogged interchange, which has long been a source of frustration for residents and commuters.

“We think it’s the piece that will have the most positive impact,” said Vogel.  “By taking traffic out of that very congested intersection and allowing people to make that shortcut should help tremendously.  It will still be congested, but it will function a lot better.”

About 80,000 vehicles travel through the intersection each day, with about half of those motorists headed north on Mason-Montgomery Road, said Young.

The loop ramp represents Warren County’s “single most important infrastructure improvement” and ranks among the top five most important transportation projects in Greater Cincinnati, he said.

The area is a key economic engine for Warren County. Within miles of the interchange are, among others: Procter & Gamble’s Mason Business Center, Deerfield Towne Center shopping center, Kings Automall and Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center’s Mason campus.

Several projects have already been completed: A $1.6 million project built an additional northbound lane from Fields Ertel to Parkway Drive and a $1.4 million project coordinated 22 traffic signals in the area.

In November, crews completed work on a $1.4 million project that added an additional right turn lane from southbound I-71 onto Mason-Montgomery Road.

State, regional and local officials break ground on the loop ramp project at the Fields Ertel/Mason-Montgomery Road interchange off I-71 on Dec. 17, 2013. The Enquirer/Rachel Richardson

Wrapping up next fall is a $2 million project to expand the exit lane at the northbound Fields Ertel/Mason-Montgomery exit to allow vehicles to exit I-71 and move onto an expanded off ramp sooner.

Preliminary work on the loop ramp is expected to begin within several weeks with construction to begin in March and complete by late 2015.

Because much of the work is set to take place outside the roadway, traffic disruptions will be minimal during construction, said Vogel.

Uncorking the bottleneck has been a 20 year focus for county transportation planners.  Previously, officials delayed proposed fixes for the interchange that would have cost as much as $75 million and taken 15 years to complete, said Young.

“We’re doing it in about half the time it could take at a fraction of the cost,” he said.  “I made one campaign promise when I came to office nine years ago and that was to fix Fields Ertel.  This is the greatest day of my political life.”

Information: www.advancingfieldsertel.com; call 513-804-8033.

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Michael D. Clark reports:

More Mason and Kings students are toting their own learning technology in their school backpacks.

Both Deerfield Township school systems have expanded their BYOT (bring your own tech) programs that allow students to bring computer tablets, smartphones, laptops and other personal electronic devices to use in their class work.

It’s recognition of how “screenagers” are already wired to learn on the devices and that schools are finally catching up, education experts say. And, they say, it’s a sea-change reversal from years when schools banned such devices.

“Many students already use digital devices on a daily basis in their personal lives for exploring interests, self-directed learning, entertainment and communicating with others,” says Anika Anthony, assistant professor at Ohio State University’s College of Education and Human Ecology Department of Educational Studies. “BYOT is an opportunity to allow students to use personal devices in a school setting and learn more about how such tools can support their academic learning.”

School systems across America deviate widely in what electronic devices they use and how. But the sweeping numbers of teenagers embracing personal electronic devices is fueling the BYOT trend.

According to a Pew Research Center study, 23 percent of American teens have a tablet computer like Apple’s iPad or Amazon’s Kindle, 47 percent have smartphones (up from 23 percent in 2011) and 78 percent have cellphones.

Mrudu Datla works with her iPad at home with her father, Srini Datla. The Mason High School sophomore uses it and other new tech devises more then paper books and note pads. The Enquirer/ Tony Jones

Schools will still offer computer labs and other district-supplied learning technology for students whose families may not be able to afford hundreds of dollars for a smartphone or computer tablet.

Amy Spicher, associate superintendent for Mason Schools, says “technology is no substitute for an inspiring teacher. But, we believe that students should be able to use the device that works for them in order to help think deeply about complex issues, to evaluate sources of information, to persist when work is hard, and to confidently communicate the rationale behind their answers.”

“Bring your own tech helps enrich learning because students need productivity tools that work for them, and that help them collaborate, write, read, communicate, and organize their assignments. A student’s life is not much different from today’s employees, and they need similar tools,” says Spicher.

At nearby Kings Schools the district has also expanded its BYOT program, says Kings Assistant Superintendent Tina Blair, to all school buildings this school year.

“We spent the summer upgrading and expanding our wireless infrastructure to ensure maximum coverage for all students. The district has updated its acceptable use policy to include the use of these technologies allowing the teachers to use their discretion when allowing the students to use in the classroom. The addition of BYOT has given students greater access to technology for instructional and research purposes,” says Blair.

Mason Schools ran a test program with 200 students using their own tech last school year that proved so successful the district is now scrambling to install expanded wireless access for all students at its middle and high school buildings.

In Butler County, Fairfield City Schools are rapidly expanding their buildings’ wireless capabilities, while nearby Lakota Local Schools loosened its policy last school year and now seeks a new tax levy in part to pay for wireless and other tech upgrades.

This school year, Mason High parent Yasmeen Allen’s son Benjamin, a sophomore, has been taking his iPad and iPhone to school for the first time for both learning and personal communications. “They might as well get used to it now, because you don’t want them to be disadvantaged for not being tech savvy,” she says.

Students say they like the easy accessibility of research on personal devices they are comfortable using. Mason sophomore Mrudu Datla says, “It’s not that new to us because we grew up with technology.”

For students, technology an expectation, not a luxury

Things are changing in other districts, though, in no small part because the adults in charge are finally learning how useful electronic devices can be in classroom learning.

“Tech is not a luxury among kids, it’s expected by them,” says Karen Mantia, superintendent of Lakota Schools, which is pushing hard to incorporate more tech-based learning.

Matthew Kollsted, a sixth-grade science teacher at Fairfield City Schools, likes having tech options for his students. “We don’t use it on daily basis, but it’s great for them to use for research or projects we do in and out of the classroom,” he says.

Benjamin Allen says some of his teachers already allowed him to use his iPad for assignments. “I used it last school year in my history and language arts classes because I could download my books,” he says. “And for a research project it’s a big advantage because you don’t have to go to the school computer lab. You can just look it up on your phone.”

Changing BYOT policies means little to families who can’t afford such devices. That worries OSU’s Anthony, who researches and teaches courses at Ohio State in “technology integration and instructional change.” “Students who do not bring a personal device to school may feel excluded during learning activities that require the use of such devices,” she says.

Mrudu’s mother, Shailaja Datla, mentions other concerns, like putting the responsibility on teens to keep the devices safe from damage or theft.

“Recently,” Datla says, “my daughter dropped her iPad in the sink. It can be expensive, but it’s the future.”

A Warren County grand jury Friday indicted a man police say robbed an elderly woman.

Zachary Davidson faces charges of robbery, a second-degree felony, and two fifth-degree felony counts of theft from an elderly person in the Nov. 8 incident.

Davidson, 23, of Lockland, allegedly crouched between cars in the parking lot of the Deerfield Towne Center and then approached a 79-year-old woman and threatened to hurt her unless she gave him her purse and jewelry.

The victim handed over her purse and wedding ring to Davidson, say Warren County Sheriff’s officials.

Davidson faces up to 10 years in prison and a $20,000 fine if convicted on the charges.  He’s being held at the Warren County Jail.

Dr. Atiq Durrani

Lisa Bernard-Kuhn reports:

A Mason spine surgeon facing federal health care fraud charges has fled the country, federal officials confirmed Friday afternoon.

The U.S. Attorney’s office for the Southern District of Ohio was alerted Friday that Dr. Atiq Durrani – who is accused of fraudulently billing Medicare millions of dollars for unnecessary surgeries – was no longer in the country, said Fred Alverson, a spokesman for the office.

Durrani was arrested by federal agents at his Center for Advanced Spine Technologies on Reading Road in July, and charged with one count of health care fraud and one count of making false statements in health care matters. At the time he surrendered his passport, and terms of his bond stipulated that he remain in the Greater Cincinnati area.

In August, Durrani filed a request with federal courts to leave the U.S. to visit Pakistan to see his terminally ill father, according to court papers.

The court declined the request in September.

In the filing, Durrani’s attorney Glenn Whitaker said that his client was not a flight risk. Whitaker could not immediately be reached for comment.

Durrani is scheduled for trial in August of next year.

“We’re trying to figure out the best course forward here in terms of court proceedings,” Alverson said. ”There are cases on the books now of people who have been fugitives for years – and those charges are still active.”