Howard Jackson works at the Butler County Sheriff’s Office Communication Center. / The Enquirer/Cara Owsley

Michael D. Clark reports:

A new Ohio grant program is allowing school districts throughout the state to beef up their emergency communications – in some cases, with nothing more radical than a simple panic button.

Since the December 2012 shooting deaths of 26 people – 20 students and six adults – at Sandy Hook Elementary in Newtown, Conn., Ohio and Kentucky schools have ramped up their security measures.

Most schools are fully prepared to call 911.

But the newest radio models also feature silent calls – panic buttons –to alert first responders, allowing instantaneous verbal communications with local police.

An Enquirer analysis of the Ohio Facilities Construction Commission’s new $12 million grant program, approved by the Ohio Legislature last fall, found that so far 34 of Southwest Ohio’s 49 school districts including the Mason and Kings school districts have ordered either security radio devices or secured doors, which are also available through the program.

Many schools have already enhanced school entrances to make it more difficult to access the buildings. The emergency radios, however, are a new tech twist in school safety.

Once installed, the Multi-Agency Radio Communications System, or MARCS, desktop radios will be tuned to dedicated emergency frequencies monitored by local police or county sheriff departments.

“When seconds count, immediate, timely communication with the schools through these radios can be crucial,” said Butler County Sheriff Richard Jones, who last year grabbed national media attention announcing his proposal to improve school security through arming retired police officers and having them substitute teach.

“The direct linking of school buildings with first responders through these radios can obviously be a great tool” in protecting schools, said Jones.

Most of Butler County’s school districts, in fact, have already taken advantage of the new state grants, which are $2,000 per building for school radios and $5,000 for better doors, joining more than 1,200 schools in Ohio recently applying for the security radios.

MacKenzie Curt, a mother of a Mason student in the nearby Warren County school system, is also glad the radios, which will be installed in all the district’s schools, are beefing up their protective measures.

“I worry every day when my kindergartner rides away on the bus since Sandy Hook,” she said. “As a parent, I understand that I cannot control everything that happens to my child as they grow more independent, but it certainly can’t hurt to add another layer of protection.”

Gina Gentry-Fletcher, spokeswoman for Butler County’s Fairfield Schools, which will soon have the radios, said “the tragedy at Sandy Hook reminds us that we can never be too careful.”

Cincinnati Public Schools, the largest in the region, is also considering applying for the radios.

Bill Moehring, director of school services for the city district, said “radio communication in a crisis is especially important because there are emergencies when cell phones and land-line phones, are ineffective or unavailable.”

“Direct communication to emergency responders allows for efficient and real time emergency communication,” said Moehring.

Rick Savors, spokesman for the Ohio Facilities Construction Commission, said Sandy Hook revealed the deadly deficiencies in emergency communications at many other schools elsewhere.

“The tragic events of Sandy Hook and other school shootings around the country made the legislature very aware of the need and it’s very much on everyone’s minds,” said Savors.

The radios can be placed on a desktop in a centralized location such as the school’s main office where there are always school staffers nearby during school hours “so anyone can hit the emergency panic button,” he said.

Punching the button immediately opens an emergency radio frequency directly to local police, who then can dispatch the closest police officers, firefighters or other first responders to the school.

“It’s not a cure-all, but it will certainly augment what schools already have,” said Savors.

Butler County Sheriff Sgt. Monte Mayer said “we can communicate with the schools directly and bypass the phone system. And we can also use the radios to communicate with schools during lockdowns, tornadoes or other emergencies.”

So far, 426 of Ohio’s 613 school districts have been granted $6.5 million of the total grant fund.

Kentucky has had a different program for its 172 school districts, said Jon Akers, director of the Kentucky Center for School Safety.

Each district receives $9,000, plus an additional $3.25 per student, from the state to enhance school building safety, said Akers.

Local school officials, he said, may decide to use some or all of that money to set up their own radio communications in cooperation with local or county law enforcement.

Jones would like to see more done in his county but admits there is no single solution.

“The radios still aren’t as good as putting actual law enforcement resource officers in every school, but even that can’t guarantee to eliminate all school tragedies.”

Staff writer Jessica Brown contributed.

SOUTHWEST OHIO SCHOOL DISTRICTS USING STATE GRANTS FOR NEW RADIOS, SECURITY DOORS

Of Southwest Ohio’s 49 school districts in Hamilton, Butler, Warren and Clermont counties, 34 have already taken advantage of a new state grant to enhance school building security through purchasing emergency radios and security doors, said officials at the Ohio School Facilities Commission.

HAMILTON COUNTY: Deer Park; Finneytown; Forest Hills; Madeira; Norwood; Oak Hills; Reading; Southwest; St. Bernard-Elmwood Place; Sycamore; Winton Woods and Wyoming.

BUTLER COUNTY: Fairfield; Hamilton; Madison; Middletown; Monroe; Talawanda.

WARREN COUNTY: Carlisle; Kings; Lebanon; Mason; Springboro; Warren County Career Center, Wayne.

CLERMONT COUNTY: Batavia; Bethel-Tate; Clermont Northeastern; Felicity-Franklin; Goshen; Milford; New Richmond; US Grant; West Clermont, Williamsburg.

(Source: Ohio School Facilities Commission)

Mike Dyer reports:

Mason wrestling coach Craig Murnan said Wednesday night’s Division I, Region 7 title was a significant stepping stone for the Comets program.

The Comets are just one of the area teams going to Columbus next week for the state dual tournament Feb. 8 at Ohio State University’s St. John Arena.

“Our kids, coaching staff and community have been working towards this type of success for a number of years,” Murnan said. “We are excited to represent our community and school.”

Underclassmen helped Mason late in matches on Wednesday against Centerville. Murnan said freshman Colin Schuster (126 pounds) provided the biggest win of the night when he defeated a state caliber individual in Centerville’s Cameron Castro.

“The environment at Centerville was tremendous, the crowd was electric,” Murnan said. “The support from our Mason community and kids made this night a special experience for our student-athletes.”

The state dual pairings are expected to be released today.

In Division I, Region 8, Moeller defeated Harrison 49-21.

In Division II, Region 15, Wilmington defeated Ross 35-32 in the regional final.

In Division III, Region 22, Blanchester defeated Reading 48-27. Blanchester set a school record for most wins (22) in a season, according to athletic director Bryan Pennix.

Blanchester coach Scott Nicely said pins in lower weights were key on Wednesday night.

Junior Dan Peters (145 pounds) and senior Brandon Breezley (170) had key wins in their respective matches.

Other sports

GIRLS’ BASKETBALL: Mason plays at Princeton at 2 p.m. Saturday with the Greater Miami Conference title on the line. Mason (18-0, 10-0 GMC), which is ranked No. 14 nationally by USA Today, is ranked No. 1 in the Associated Press Division I state poll. Princeton (16-2, 10-0) is ranked No. 6 in the state poll.

United Way of Warren County is seeking volunteers to assist in a wide variety of community service programs and projects.

The independent nonprofit organization supports 53 nonprofit programs that help Warren County residents in areas like education, income and health.

The need for volunteers is ongoing through the year.  All volunteers receive training and support from United Way of Warren County staff.

For more information or to apply, call Jerry Langworthy at 513-932-3987 or email her at jlangworthy@wcuwl.org.

From left: Sam Epstein, George Clooney, John Goodman, Bob Balaban and Matt Damon in “The Monuments Men.” Provided

John Kiesewetter reports:

(Former Mason resident) George Clooney did an Ask Me Anything Q&A on Reddit during a break from shooting his new “Tomorrowland” sci-fi film on Tuesday with Judy Greer, Hugh Laurie and country singer Tim McGraw.

• George Clooney developed star power in Mason
• Win a day with George Clooney for $10

He was asked about his infamous pranks (and being pranked by Matt Damon), his movies and co-stars, motorcycles, basketball (“I’m sneaky fast”) and Tina Fey’s Golden Globes joke about starring in “Gravity” with Sandra Bullock (“It’s the story of how George Clooney would rather float away into space and die than spend one more minute with a woman his own age.”)

He started the session by saying: “Hello reddit, George Clooney here. I’m a filmmaker who’s worked on films you may know. I was also a guest star on The Golden Girls. I’m talking with you guys today from the set of Tomorrowland. And so sorry I am late, I was literally hanging from a wire as we were supposed to start this.”

It’s a lot of fun to read. Here’s the link. Enjoy!

Mason attorney Adam C. Sherman was named partner at Vorys, Sater, Seymour and Pease this month.

As a member of the Cincinnati law firm’s litigation group, Sherman’s practice include commercial litigation, contract disputes, dealer terminations, trade secrets, copyright, privacy issues and fiduciary duties, among others.

His achievements include representing multiple defendants in one of the largest patent infringement multi-district litigation cases in history, involving 200 defendants and more than 50 patents in the field of automated call center technology, according to the law firm.

Sherman received his law degree from the New York University School of Law and his bachelor’s degree with high honors from the University of Michigan.

Warren County’s Area Progress Council is accepting nominations for its annual Project Excellence that recognizes educators from each school district in the county.

Since its 1988 start, 588 educators have been honored during at a spring banquet, this year set for May 7 at the Warren County Career Center. Each receives a cash award.

The program is funded through individuals, industries and businesses. The current endowment is valued at more than $1.2 million and the program has awarded $426,400 to date.

The awards honor those who demonstrate excellence in instruction, or teachers who have pioneered a teaching method. All nominees must hold a teaching certificate and work for the public school system.

Nominees will be judged on criteria determined by Miami University. All nominations are reviewed and evaluated by selection committees at each school district.

Nomination forms are available at the superintendent’s office of each district, any public school building, any public library in Warren County or any branch of the LCNB National Bank, National Bank and Trust, First National Bank or U.S. Bank. They can also be downloaded at www.OhioInfo.org

Completed nomination forms are due Feb. 28 and can be sent to Project Excellence, P.O. Box 802, Lebanon, OH 45036-0802 or apcpe@OhioInfo.org

Previous Project Excellence honorees are not eligible for the 2014 award.

Michael D. Clark reports:

State education officials have notified a former Kings schoolteacher accused of abusing special needs students that her teaching license may be revoked.

Amanda Kitcho, who was sued last week in U.S. District Court in Cincinnati by the students’ parents, has been told by officials at the Ohio Department of Education that she may lose her license as a result of the state’s investigation.

Their accusations include that she physically and emotionally abused students while employed by the Warren County school system.

In the notification sent to Kitcho and obtained Monday by The Enquirer, state officials accused her of shoving a student out of a wheelchair, shoving a classroom table while a student’s mouth was on the edge, taping a screaming student and leaving her in a bathroom and lying to the students’ parents.

Sent by certified mail to Kitcho on Jan. 24, the letter from officials states that the “State Board of Education intends to determine whether to limit, suspend, revoke or permanently revoke your five-year professional intervention specialist teaching license issued in 2009” based on the department’s investigation.

Kitcho, who taught at Columbia Elementary until she negotiated a resignation agreement with district officials in March 2012, did not answer calls Monday to her home.

In the federal lawsuit, attorneys for the parents said Kitcho “intentionally provoked and startled students into escalating behaviors … walled students behind dividers in the classroom, took food from the children’s lunches and deprived them of snacks.”

And Kings officials knew of the mistreatment but didn’t report it to law enforcement or inform parents that the district was investigating Kitcho, the suit states.

As required by law, Kings notified state education officials about Kitcho’s suspension and then resignation.

Valerie Browning, superintendent of Kings Schools, said “we just received notification from the Ohio Department of Education. We are happy that the Ohio department is following up on our complaint and conducting a thorough and fair investigation.”

Students at Kings Junior High will bring the story of Cinderella to the stage for three performances beginning Thursday.

The fairy tale story of how Cinderella meets her Prince Charming will be retold on stage at 7 p.m., Thursday through Saturday.

Watch as Cinderella, played by Ajah Tasker-Moore tries to get to the ball only to be foiled by her stepmother, portrayed by Gracie Bloomfield; and stepsisters, Portia, played by Shelby Malburg; and Joy, played by Addie Collins.

Cinderella’s fairy Godmother, played by Sabrina Sharpe, helps her get to the ball but issues a warning that her magic coach will return to a pumpkin at midnight.

When Cinderella leaves just before midnight, she loses a slipper that the prince, played by Dane Doebereiner, goes through the kingdom, door-by-door looking for Cinderella.

Other key characters are the herald, played by Shawn Render; the queen, played by Amber Mitchell; the King, played by Alec Freeman; and the chef, played by Calvin Meeker.

The townspeople, palace staff and ball guests are played by: Corrine Baber, Crissy Chavez, Maggie Engelhard, Maddie Feltner, Zoey Fitzgerald, Eliza Hammond, Jessica Harmon, Shelby Harvey, Amy Helms, Brooke Howard, Shannon Jelley, Nicole Klepcyk, Mallory Marchal, Haley Olberding, Grace Pansch, Hannah Robinson, Darby Schussel, Katelyn Sevier, Faith Shields, Bella Spleen, Shannon toggle, Megan Wagner, and Jessica Wright.

Tickets are $8 for adults and $6 for children under the age of 12. They can be purchased at the door or in advance at the junior high school office, 5620 Columbia Road.

Advance tickets can be also be purchased by sending the amount of tickets requested, and a check made out to Kings Junior High School, to Kings Stagelighters, c/o Donna Griffen, 9043 Oak Dr., Loveland, OH 45140

Advance tickets will be available beginning at 6 p.m. at the will call table. Doors will open 15-20 minutes before the play begins. There are no assigned seats.

Information: 513-476-2483 or stagelighters@gmail.com

Mike Dyer reports:

Two Warren County football players have made college commitments:

Kings senior wide receiver Jamison Williams committed to Robert Morris Wednesday, according to Kings coach Andy Olds. Williams, who is 6-3, pounds, also had offers from Sacred Heart and Butler. Williams , who is 6-3 and 190 pounds, was the leading receiver in the Eastern Cincinnati Conference this season with 687 yards on 52 receptions.

Lebanon senior guard Erich Leichliter committed to Mount Union, according to Lebanon coach Shawn Lamb. Leichliter is 6-2, 290 pounds.

Swimming:

Brandon Mohaupt reports:

The Turpin girls’ swimming team took home first place honors at this year’s Eastern Cincinnati Conference Championship, finishing with nearly 100 points more than the second place Walnut Hills. Anderson rounded out the top three.

Turpin’s Shaylynn Spelman finished first in the 200 individual medley with a time of 2:15.55. Teammate Audrey Mooney finished second with a time of 2:17.07.

Turpin also finished first in the 400 freestyle relay with a time of 3:44.72.

Eastern Cincinnati Conference Championships

At Anderson

Team scores: 1. Turpin 352, 2. Walnut Hills 253, 3. Anderson 215, 4. Kings 200, 5. Loveland 194, 6. Milford 123, 7. Loveland 24, 8. Turpin 18, 9. Anderson 16.

200MR-Loveland 1:56.94; 200free-Randall (Loveland) 1:56.26; 200IM-Spelman 2:15.55; 50free-Etter (Kings) 25.52; 100fly-Sichterman (Kings) 58.59; 100free-Etter (Kings) 55.76; 500free-Martin (Anderson) 5:09.45; 200FR-Turpin 1:43.75; 100breast-Day (Loveland) 1:02.65; 100breast-Cashell (Walnut Hills) 1:10.56; 400FR-Turpin 3:44.72.

The Anderson boys swimming team took home the ECC Championship Saturday night edging out second place Turpin 349-317. Host team Anderson rounded out the top-three with a score of 290.

Walnut Hills cleaned up in the relays; edging out Turpin by .8 seconds to win the 200 yard medley relay and placed second in the 200 yard freestyle relay. They placed third in the 400 yard freestyle relay.

Walnut Hills’ Cooper Keener won the 100 yard backstroke with teammate Juan Mougan finishing in second place.

ECC Championships  at Anderson

Team results: 1. Walnut Hills 349, 2. Turpin 317, 3. Anderson 290, 4. Kings 187, 5. Milford 125, 6. Loveland 60, 7. Anderson 43, 8. Loveland 12, 9. Turpin 10

200MR-Walnut Hills 1:43.64; 200free-Carroll (Anderson) 1:46.71; 200IM-Hamilton (Turpin) 2:00.1; 50free-Matheus (Kings) 22.61; 100fly-Norton (Turpin) 54.74; 100free-Matheus (Kings) 48.87; 500free-Carroll (Anderson) 4:53.15; 200free-Anderson 1:31.43; 100back-Keener (Walnut Hills) 54.60; 100breast-Hamilton (Turpin) 1:02.58; 400free-Anderson 3:19.95.

Jennifer Edwards Baker reports:

 Winds are howling and temperatures are falling like a rock this morning as an arctic cold front pushes into Greater Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky, bringing the coldest air yet in what already is one of the most brutal winters in recent years.

The front will throw the mercury into the deep freeze over the next 48 hours, pushing the morning low to minus 13 by Tuesday with wind chills ranging from minus 10 to minus 35 degrees, according to the National Weather Service in Wilmington.

The blustery, polar air will stick around through Wednesday morning.

Watch for gusting winds this morning. A wind advisory up early today was dropped at 5:30 a.m.

Winds whipped up to 49 mph just after midnight at Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport, the weather service reports. More than 2,000 people were without power in Clermont County, and nearly 300 more were out in Hamilton County earlier today, according to Duke Energy’s website. Those outages have mostly been restored.

It was 15 degrees with a wind chill of minus 3 at the airport at 6 a.m.. It’s 10 degrees with a wind chill of minus 4. We should slip to 5 degrees by lunchtime.

A winter weather advisory runs until noon for most of the region due to the likelihood for blowing and drifting snow, along with a strong chance that a flash freeze could lead to black ice forming on roads.

Some school districts closed today, including Cincinnati Public, which has about 6,000 students who walk to schools.

“We are really concerned about the falling temperatures,” said Janet Walsh, district spokeswoman. “When we made the call, it was int the 20s but dropping rapidly and predicted to drop more throughout the day with some pretty serious wind chills. So we we decided to really take those into account. We have to be concerned about not only getting kids to school but getting them home.”

With the forecast predicting even colder temperatures Tuesday, she said is it likely school could be canceled a second day in a row.

“It is not looking good for tomorrow,” she said. “We have not officially made the call yet. If we do have to close school, then we are in a situation of makeups. Today is our fifth and final calamity day. So we would be looking at making up a day at the end of the school year if, in fact, we have to close tomorrow.”

Light snow flurries could blow around this morning, accumulating to about half an inch.

A wind chill warning will go into effect noon through 10 a.m Wednesday for Bulter, Warren and Hamilton counties in Ohio and Ripley and Dearborn counties in Indiana as winds gust up to 39 mph and wind chills fall to negative 25 to negative 35.

In Northern Kentucky, Boone, Kenton, Campbell, Grant and Pendleton counties will be under wind chill advisory from noon Monday to 10 a.m. Wednesday. Wind chills there are expected to hit 20 below zero Monday night and Tuesday morning.

By 5 p.m. tonight, the temperature will be at 4 degrees – and then it will plunge overnight anywhere from minus 9 to minus 13 by daybreak Tuesday.

Wind chills will fall as low as minus 35, making this the coldest night so far this winter, according to the weather service.

As cold as that seems, it will not break any cold weather records today or Tuesday, the weather service predicts.

Those records likely will remain intact with minus 11 recorded on this date in 2003, and minus 18 recorded as the low on Tuesday in 1963.

The coldest temperature on record in Cincinnati was 25 below zero in 1977.

Tuesday will dawn sunny but brutally cold. The high temperature could squeak up to 7 degrees. Wind chills will feel as low as minus 20.

We’ll stay in the deep freeze Tuesday night as the low falls to minus 7 with wind chills as low as minus 18.

By Wednesday afternoon, the mercury will begin to rebound with a daytime high near 21 degrees. It will be mostly sunny.

The overnight low will fall to the lower teens.

Thursday will bring a welcome return to the mid-30s and more seasonal temperatures for this time of year. Daytime highs will remain in the 30s with overnight lows in the 20s the rest of the week.

Our next chance of snow will come this weekend. Snow is in the forecast Friday through Saturday and Sunday, when it could mix with a bit of rain.

By Jeff Wallner, Enquirer contributor

Balanced scoring and aggressive defense lifted the Mason Comets boys basketball team to an impressive Great Miami Conference victory Friday night.

Junior guard Cameron Arminio and junior center Rodney Hutchinson each scored 13 points and senior guard Adam Thomas added 10, lifting Mason, ranked No. 8 in the Enquirer Division I coaches’ poll, to a 59-46 victory at 5th-ranked Lakota East.

Lakota East guard Alex White led all scorers with 18 points and 12 rebounds. He was 8-for-11 shooting.

“They’ve got so many weapons out there,” said Mason coach Greg Richards. “We talked about our defense the past two weeks. For the most part we took care of the ball when we had to. It was two good teams. In the GMC you better be ready to play.”

Mason had difficulty defending White during much of Friday’s game, beginning with the first quarter in which the 6-foot-7 junior scored eight points for the Thunderhawks.

The Mason student section was relentless with junior G Mitchell Mays, who led all scorers with 20 points when the teams met in December. He silenced them with a pair of 3-pointers in the first half Friday and finished with eight points.

The Comets had eight different players in the scoring column in the first half. Just three players scored for the Thunderhawks including White who scored 10 of their 21 points.

“We passed the ball nicely, and found a lot of open looks,” said Arminio. “Coach stressed defense in practice. We got out on their shooters.”

Senior forward Matt King hit a 3-pointer from the top of the key, putting Mason ahead 32-24 early in the second half.

Arminio hit four consecutive free throws after a personal foul and subsequent technical foul call on East to put the Comets ahead 38-26 late in the third quarter.

He added a 3-pointer from the right corner to make the score 45-30 early in the fourth quarter.

STAR OF THE GAME: White had a big night, albeit in a losing cause. In addition to being 8-of-11 with 18 points, he also was 2-for-2 from the free throw line and had three blocked shots.

VIEW FROM THE SIDELINE: Richards said White might’ve had a similarly big night in the first meeting had it not been for foul trouble. He scored 10 points in the December matchup before fouling out. “He’s a tough matchup no matter what you try on defense,” Richards said.

ODD AND ENDS: The Comets defeated Lakota East 60-51 on Dec. 10. … The Thunderhawks have won four of the previous seven meetings. … Mason shot 60 percent in the first quarter Friday night and didn’t cool off much after that, finishing 20-of-42 for 48 percent. … the Comets forced 13 turnovers and had nine steals.

Mason (10-3, 5-3 GMC) – Thomas 2 5 10, Rice 3 1 7, Orlando 1 1 3, Arminio 4 4 13, Hutchinson 5 3 13, King 3 0 7, Beebe 10 3, Cline 1 1 3. Totals: 20 16 59

Lakota East (11-5, 6-3 GMC) – Bah 1 4 6, Mays 3 0 8, Lowry 2 2 6, White 8 2 18, Blount 2 2 6. Totals: 17 10 46.

3-pointers: M 3 (Arminio, Thomas, King), LE 2 (Mays 2).

A worker operates a game at Kings Island. The Mason theme park is hiring for its 2014 season. Provided

More than 4,000 summer jobs are up for grabs at Kings Island.

The Mason amusement park is now accepting applications for its 2014 season, which opens in April.

The park is hiring in all areas of park operation, including admissions, call center, cash control, entertainment, food and beverage, fire and safety, games and rides, guest services, lifeguards, security and warehouse, among others.

Applicants must be at least 15 years of age. The park will contact qualified applicants to schedule an on-site interview.

More than 25,000 people apply each year for seasonal park positions, 44 percent of which are filled by teens ages 15-18, according to park spokesman Don Helbig. Job perks include free, unlimited access to rides, flexible schedules, a scholarship program and discounted merchandise, he said.

For more information, call the park at 513-754-5748 or go to www.visitkingsisland.com.

Submitted by Jennifer Trepal, City of Mason

During the last cold spell, the City of Mason received a dozen or more reports of water lines freezing in residential and business buildings. With sub-zero temperatures in the forecast, Mason Fire Department offers these tips to keep your pipes from freezing and what to do if they do freeze.

To prevent freezing at outdoor hose bibs, close the inside valves that supply water to them and then open the outside valves. That will allow any remaining water to drain if it’s not already frozen. Keep the valve open so any water remaining in the pipe can expand without causing the pipe to break. (Remember to close the valve before you turn the water on in the spring.)

Be sure you know where the main water shutoff is in your home in case you need to access it quickly. Look around your home for any unheated areas that have water lines in them. Check the basement, crawl space, attic, garage, and inside kitchen and bathroom cabinets. Hot and cold water pipes in these areas should be insulated. Pipe sleeves, heat tape, heat cable, or other insulating products can be installed on the pipes to help prevent freezing. You can even use newspaper. As little as one quarter inch of newspaper can provide significant protection in areas that don’t have frequent or prolonged temperatures below 32 degrees F. If basement and crawl space walls are insulated, make sure any water lines are on the warmer side of the insulation.

Keep your garage door closed if there are water supply lines in or adjacent to it. Open your kitchen and bathroom cabinet doors to allow warmer room air to keep the plumbing warm. If you do this, remove harmful cleaners and chemicals and move them out of the reach of children. Letting the cold water trickle from the faucet will help prevent freezing. Keep your thermostat set to the same temperature both day and night. Otherwise, the dip in temperature may be just enough to allow your pipes to freeze during the night.

What if you get up in the morning and turn the faucet on and nothing comes out? It could be the pipe is frozen, especially if the faucet is on an outside wall. Freezing may also occur where the water service enters your home through the foundation. Open an interior faucet to see whether the outage is isolated to the one faucet.

If you think the pipe is frozen, keep the faucet open. Apply heat to the section of pipe that is frozen by using an electric heating pad wrapped around the pipe, an electric hair dryer, a portable space heater (keep it away from flammable materials), or by wrapping the pipes with towels soaked in hot water. Do NOT use a blowtorch, kerosene or propane heater, charcoal stove, or other open flame device.

Keep applying heat until full water pressure is restored. Once water begins to flow, it will help melt the ice in the pipe if you’ve kept the faucet open. Check all the other faucets in the house to see if they need thawing as well.

If a pipe has already burst, turn off the water supply to your home and call a licensed plumber for repairs. Also call a plumber if you can’t locate the frozen area or can’t get to it, or if you can’t get the pipe thawed.

“Frozen pipes can be a serious issue and costly to repair,” said Mason Fire Chief John Moore. He advises everyone to take precautions in their homes and to add extra layers and minimize their time outdoors if they must go out in frigid conditions.

The February/March edition of Our Town is available online.  Here’s a sampling of what you’ll find in this edition:

• That Championship Season: Banner year for Mason sports programs
• Five Questions with Mason Athletic Director Scott Stemple
• Mason band married to success
• Mason Senior Pep Club like “surrogate grandparents”
• Mason family share field and faith
• Restaurant review: Piada Italian Street Food
• New Our History column: Kings Island pays tribute to ammo factory

Read online here or catch up on past issues.

Our Town is published six times per year and is distributed by mail to residents in Mason and Deerfield Township.  Not receiving Our Town?  Email Our Town editor Nancy Daly at ndaly@cincinnati.com and include your name and address. 

The Enquirer reports:

Thursday prep scores:

BOYS’ BOWLING

Lakota West 2599, Summit Country Day 1989

High series: L–Fix 490; Crauth 445; Lawson 436. S–Harris 338. Records: L 7-4, S 5-7.

Goshen 2218, Kings 2116

High series: G-Singleton 404. K-Thomas 337. Records: G 14-4, K 2-11.

 GIRLS’ BOWLING

Goshen 1978, Kings 1894

High series: G-Schafer 341. K-Manne 291. Records: G 12-4, K 1-11.

Dr. Atiq Durrani faces dozens of suits by former patients as well as federal charges of fraudulent billing. / Enquirer file

Lisa Bernard Kuhn reports:

The insurer of Dr. Atiq Durrani – the Mason spine surgeon alleged to have botched hundreds of surgeries – wants a federal judge to rescind the doctor’s multimillion dollar medical malpractice policy.

Fort Wayne, Ind.-based Medical Protective Co. filed a lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Ohio earlier this month arguing Durrani breached conditions of his policy when he fled the country in December. The lawsuit also names as a defendant Durrani’s practice, Center for Advance Spine Technologies Inc. (CAST), which operated out of Florence and Evendale.

A win in court for Medical Protective would mean the firm would be off the hook for paying for Durrani’s defense and potentially tens of millions of dollars in payouts to hundreds of patients with lawsuits against the surgeon.

“It’s very typical for an insurer to go through a policy with a fine-toothed comb to find any reason to get out of the contract or say a person was not truthful” says John Metz, a Cincinnati malpractice lawyer.

Durrani faces more than 170 lawsuits in Hamilton and Butler counties from former patients who claim he performed unnecessary surgeries that left many of them worse off. He also is accused of fraudulently billing Medicare millions for unnecessary procedures – a federal crime that carries up to 25 years in prison.

Federal officials issued a warrant for Durrani’s arrest in December after they were alerted he had fled Greater Cincinnati to Pakistan. Medical Protective says its contract with Durrani requires him to “fully cooperate” with any claims brought against him, and he must “attend and assist in the preparation and trial” related to any claims.

But in a Dec. 23 email from Durrani to Medical Protective, the doctor wrote: “I will not be able to return back to the U.S. and unfortunately will not be able to assist in any way in defense of these civil cases.”

A Hamilton County jury found Durrani negligent in the first of the civil claims to go trial earlier this month, in which Durrani was tried in absentia. A jury awarded former patient Crystal Pierce of Green Township $750,000 in damages for her pain and suffering from an unnecessary surgery Durrani performed in 2009.

Medical Protective claims Durrani’s absence from the trial violated terms of his contract. The insurer also argues Durrani lied on his initial application for malpractice insurance in 2008 when he claimed that he wasn’t involved in any malpractice lawsuits. Durrani was actually “a defendant in seven medical malpractice actions” at the time, according to court papers.

In addition to asking the federal court to rescind Durrani’s policy and relieve it of its duty to defend the doctor, the insurer wants to recover court costs and lawyer fees, according to the lawsuit. Lawyers for Medical Protective could not be reached for comment, nor could lawyers for CAST.

If Durrani doesn’t hire a lawyer to defend him in the Medical Protective case, it could result in a default judgment against him, said Michael Lyon, the lawyer hired by Medical Protective to defend Durrani, who lived in Mason, in the civil cases.

If the policy is rescinded, Durrani would be personally responsible for any financial penalties levied against him in court.

Lawyer Eric Deters, who represents more than 400 former Durrani patients, plans to object canceling the policy. His clients are also considered third party defendants in the insurer’s cases against Durrani because they stand as potential beneficiaries of the insurance plan.

“It’s going to be very difficult for a judge that knows all the circumstances to allow Medical Protective to benefit from Dr. Durrani’s flight from the U.S.,” said Deters. “I can’t imagine a court not looking out for the rights of third party beneficiaries in this case.”

At least 17 civil cases against Durrani have been scheduled for trial through 2015.

Looking north at State Road 741, where Otterbein’s plans could include 3,500 new homes, restaurants and grocery stores, medical offices, arts and cultural shops, a performing arts center and a regional sports complex. / The Enquirer/ Tony Jones

Rachel Richardson reports:

One of the last undeveloped areas between Cincinnati and Dayton would see two new interchanges along Interstate 75, more than 3,000 new homes, an equestrian center and a zoo facility under a plan to develop Warren County.

It could form the blueprint for development in northwest Warren County, officials say.

The proposal, which encompasses about 20 square miles in Turtlecreek and southern Franklin townships, is the brainchild of a 25-member advisory committee representing three counties and five municipalities, made up of residents, business and property owners and developers.

Regional planning officials presented their preliminary “I-75 Area Plan” to Warren County commissioners earlier this month, outlining the proposed development along the east side of I-75 from Liberty Township in Butler County to Franklin Township in Warren County.

The final draft plan is expected to be completed by May, after which it will be submitted to county commissioners for review.

“It really is the last remaining piece of the puzzle,” said Matt Obringer, a planner with Warren County working on the project.

“If you go north from Cincinnati, it’s development and development and then you get to Turtlecreek Township and it’s a dark spot. If you go south from Dayton and get to Centerville and Springboro, it’s another dark spot.”

At the project’s helm is Jonathan Sams, an attorney serving his second term as Turtlecreek Township trustee. The group’s goal, he said, is to manage growth while preserving the area’s rural character.

“I live on a farm. When you have real estate, you get crops if you plan for it and weeds if you don’t,” he said. “I want a highly livable community that respects our rural traditions and has a fundamental cultural impact on the people with long-term economic viability.”

New interchanges at Greentree and Manchester roads would open up hundreds of acres for commercial, light industrial and residential development while areas along Union Road and State Route 122 could see commercial and mixed-use development.

Other proposed developments include:

• A 90-acre park in Hunter, a community in Franklin Township, which planners hope draws more than 126,000 visitors each year;
• A 294-home community on State Route 63 between Ohio 741 and Lebanon in Turtlecreek Township;
• A Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Garden cheetah breeding center on zoo property north of Mason;
• •The widening of Union Road from two lanes to five between Liberty and Franklin townships.

Many of the proposed developments center on Otterbein Lebanon’s 1,200-acre property at State Route 741 and State Route 63 in Turtlecreek Township. The 900-resident retirement community leases much of its 1,000 undeveloped acres to farmers, said Gary Horning, Otterbein’s vice president of marketing.

Otterbein is working with developers to decide the evolution of its property over the next 10-30 years, Horning said.

Envisioned there is a “new urbanist” community, a philosophy built around walkable neighborhoods with mixed socioeconomic commercial and multi-generational residential development.

Otterbein’s concept could include 3,500 new homes, restaurants and grocery stores, medical offices, arts and cultural shops, a performing arts center, a regional sports complex and YMCA, equestrian center and trails and a college branch.

“Over the last 10 years, as Dayton and Cincinnati started to grow closer and closer together, we’ve had a lot of requests to buy parts of our land,” said Horning. “We’re building that detailed plan so if those opportunities come along, we know how they would fit together. This is a planned family atmosphere, and we want to be exceptionally choosy.”

Planners say it’s not a matter of if the area will develop, but how. A confluence of factors – a major transportation artery, new development, a returning economy and a rapidly growing population – make the Warren County I-75 corridor ripe for development, they say.

Warren County’s population more than doubled from 1980 (99,276) to 2010 (212,693), making it the second-fastest-growing county in Ohio. At 66 square miles, Turtlecreek Township is one of Ohio’s largest townships in size yet remains largely undeveloped, said Sams.

“We have open and accessible land on the busiest highway in America,” he said. “It’s a great advantage. When you walk in with a blank slate of paper, it allows you to decide who you’re going to be.”

The opening of Miami Valley Gaming in Turtlecreek Township last month – the region’s first racino and Ohio’s third – represents the latest regional attraction for the area, which already boasts the popular Cincinnati Premium Outlets mall.

Others, such as the nearby Solid Rock church, which boasts the second-largest statue of Jesus in the nation, and the Atrium Medical Center are also regional draws.

“You can’t just be a bedroom community,” said Warren County Commissioner Dave Young. “I’m very pleased that we’re being proactive in trying to encourage certain types of development as opposed to a city mayor holding up a catcher’s mitt saying, ‘Whatever happens, happens.’ ”

Officials from Turtlecreek, Franklin and Liberty townships, Monroe, Middletown and Warren County began collaboratively developing the I-75 plan in May. The impetus, in part, stemmed from a controversial proposed Interstate 71 truck stop that has drawn opposition from residents.

In March, Warren County commissioners voted 2-1 to approve the Pilot Flying J Travel Plaza near I-71 and Ohio 123 in Turtlecreek Township with a list of conditions. While Commissioner Pat Arnold South said she didn’t like the truck stop idea, the area’s industrial zoning code bound her to approve it. A group of residents appealed the decision, but it was upheld in November by a Warren County judge.

“All of our attention shifted to the I-75 area, and we wanted to make sure we have a plan in place so that we don’t have another situation where we have another truck stop or another undesirable use activity happening at that corridor,” said Obringer.

While some projects could get underway as early as 2015, planners say the study lays the groundwork for officials to get ahead of what is poised to become the center of a booming Cincinnati-Dayton megalopolis.

“The planning of this corridor is critical,” said Young. “You’re almost going to have Cincinnati and Dayton merge over time into one metropolitan area. It’s going to happen.”

Attend a meeting
The I-75 Citizens Advisory Committee will next meet at 9:30 a.m. March 5 at the Warren County Administration Building, 406 Justice Drive, Lebanon. The meetings are open to the public. For more information, go to www.co.warren.oh.us/I75AreaPlan or call the Warren County Regional Planning Commission at 513-695-1174.

Lindner Family Tennis Center in Mason / Enquirer file photo

Mike Dyer reports:

COLUMBUS – Ohio High School Athletic Association commissioner Dr. Dan Ross announced today the OHSAA recommended the state boys and girls tennis tournaments to be at the

in Mason starting in fall 2015.

Ross informed the statewide media of the news at annual media advisory meeting at the OHSAA office. The tennis tournaments are held annually at Ohio State’s Stickney Tennis Center.

Ross said the move isn’t finalized but will likely be approved at the OHSAA at the Board of Diectors meeting in April.

“It’s a beautiful facility,” Ross said. “They are very tickled to have us there.”

Girls tennis is a fall sport and boys tennis competes in the spring.

Aman Kumar, far right, was honored Jan. 4 for attaining the Eagle Scout award, the highest honor for Boy Scouts. He’s featured with, from left, sister Aarti and parents Pawan and Rita. Photo provided

Aman Kumar was honored this month with the rank of Eagle Scout, the highest achievement offered through the Boy Scouts of America.

Kumar, a senior at Mason High School, is a member of Troop 500, based at St. Susanna Church in Mason.

To become an Eagle Scout, a candidate must first earn at least 21 merit badges and complete a community service and leadership project before his 18th birthday. Only about five percent of Boy Scouts earned the Eagle Scout award, according to the Boy Scouts of America.

Kumar, a 10-year Scout, spent more than 350 hours planning and raising almost $4,000 for the installation of three 25-foot flags (U.S., India and Ohio) and landscaping in front of the Hindu Society of Greater Cincinnati’s temple in Clermont County’s Union Township.

In addition to scouting, Kuman also serves as co-founder and president of his school’s Science National Honor Society and has presented his original science research at several state, national and international conferences.

He is the son of Rita and Pawan Kumar of Mason.

Photo of senior guard Jenna Gunn/Enquirer photographer Leigh Taylor

Mike Dyer reports:

The Mason girls’ basketball team moved up to No. 18 nationally the USA Today Super 25 rankings this week.

The Comets (16-0) were No. 24 nationally last week. Mason remained No. 1 in the Assocated Press Division I state poll and in The Enquirer Division I area coaches’ poll.

Mason, which defeated Canton McKinley and Toledo Notre Dame this past weekend at the Classic in the Country, plays at McAuley tonight in a makeup of Tuesday’s postponed game.

Mason plays at Sycamore at 2 p.m. Saturday