The principals of all four of the College Hill public schools attended a recent College Hill Summit meeting to tell community leaders about the progress being made in our local schools. Those present reported feeling much more optimistic about our schools than they had been previously.

Aiken University High School Principal Virginia Rhodes ( rhodesv@cpsboe.k12.oh.us, 513-363-6800) reported that Aiken University High School has moved up one category in the state report card rankings. Discipline has significantly improved while suspensions have been cut in half. Fighting and skipping have largely been eliminated. Both attendance and grades have improved and teacher morale and school spirit have risen.

In 2005-2006, Aiken College and Career High School Principal Eric Thomas ( Thomaer@cpsboe.k12.oh.us, 513-363-6760) focused on positively impacting climate and culture, increasing academic achievement and attendance and on marketing and recruiting. As a result, discipline violations and physical violence have been cut in half and there have been no weapons violations. A campus-wide no-cell phone policy was implemented and all students are now wearing uniforms. His school met the state attendance goal of 96% and 18 students became GE Scholars. Students selecting Aiken C&C increased by 300% and thirty 9th graders attended Summer Orientation this summer, up from zero the previous year.

Pleasant Hill Academy Principal Cherese Campbell- Clark( clarkch@cpsboe.k12.oh.us, 513-363-4300) and College Hill Fundamental Academy Principal Barbara Gordon ( gordonb@cpsboe.k12.oh.us, 513-363-1600) also reported.

College Hill is home to many fine performing and visual artists, some of whom will be featured this Saturday's Pumpkin Patch Fall Festival on the grounds of the College Hill Town Hall. Dave Hawkins of the Arts Revival in College Hill (ARCH), says, "We’re also fortunate to be joined by our talented friends from surrounding neighborhoods."

Here's the lineup:

• 11:00am: Omope Carter Daboiku (College Hill). An educator at heart, Omope's stories illustrate the common cultural traits of humankind. An advocate for arts-based learning, Omope is affiliated with the Kentucky and Ohio Arts Councils, the Urban Appalachian Council and Cincinnati State College. See more about Omope here.
• 12 noon: Tom and Missy Strothers (College Hill). From "Rock of Ages" to Rock 'n Roll, Tom and Missy Strothers have entertained audiences from Bourbon Street to Friday Harbor as a mountain dulcimer duo. Read more about them here.
• 1:00pm: Steve Hayes (Northside). One of the founders of Cincinnati’s “Drums for Peace,” Steve is also a longtime member of the Cincinnati-based supergroup The Modulators. His years of experience in many genres, his “other job” with the Cincinnati schools and his daughter Sylvie have helped immensely in his ability to weave great stories and get the whole family singing and dancing.
• 2:00pm: wild carrot (Oakley). Pamela Temple and Spencer Funk are the award-wining Cincinnati-based duo "wild carrot." Rooted in traditional American music, their repertoire branches in diverse directions: award-winning originals, traditional folk songs, not-so- traditional folk songs, show tunes, jazz and blues. Read more about wild carrot here.
• 3:00pm: Lagniappe. Lagniappe is Cincinnati's only traditional Cajun band, featuring lots of other kinds of music, too. Besides two-steps, waltzes and stomps, they play a little Zydeco, gypsy, blues, and a crazy, spicy musical jambalaya of Johnny Cash, Gershwin, Beatles, Juan Reynosa, along with some originals.
• Master of Ceremonies: Dave Hawkins (College Hill). Dave has recorded and shared stage with performers as diverse as Sam Bush and Ian Anderson (Jethro Tull). His 2005 CD Manchester Mornings and 2002 CD Hotel Deville were under consideration for Grammy nominations. Read more about Dave here.

The Pumpkin Patch Fall Festival also features arts, crafts, food and a scarecrow contest. It'll be fun for folks of all ages.

City Council's Vibrant Neighborhood, Environment and Public Service Committee will meet at the College Hill Recreation Center on Tuesday, October 17 at 7:00pm. All are invited to meet with committee chair Laketa Cole, vice chair David Crowley and committee member Cecil Thomas.

St. Theresa's Textile Trove opened this past weekend with a bang--or rather, with a song. Local musicians including College Hill residents Dave Hawkins, Brian Deyo and Mark Messerly (pictured) performed both days for customers of the eclectic store, which specializes in fabrics and beads from around the world.

One long-time shopper was Vickye Payton (see photo), who followed the store from its original Over- the-Rhine location. She brought along a quilt she had finished as a gift for her 18-year-old son. "I learned to quilt here," she said, "and I bought all the fabrics here. So I thought I should bring the finished quilt." Staff and customers all exclaimed over the wall quilt made of Japanese fabrics and with Japanese sewing techniques, which took her two years to complete.

Shoppers talked and compared projects, whether this was their first visit or their fiftieth. Many people from the neighborhood came to see the new store, joining devoted "Trovettes" in enjoying the colorful wares. "I almost never got downtown," one shopper said, "but this is five minutes from my house so what more could I ask for?"

Another St. Theresa regular was Ericka (see photo), a belly dancer with Gypsy Rhythm, a performing troupe of students from the World Rhythms and Movement Studio in St. Bernard. She dropped in an hour before the troupe's scheduled performance to do some shopping. "I heard they were going to close, and I was so disappointed," she said. "And then I heard that they were moving to College Hill, and I said, 'We have to dance at the grand opening!'"

Owner Becky Hancock reports that a steady stream of customers kept her staff busy. Shoppers used to Over-the-Rhine are happy with the new store, she said, especially the abundant, safe parking. In coming months the store will offer classes in beading and quilting.

St. Theresa Textile Trove is open Wednesday through Sunday. For information call 513-333-0399.

Article contributed by Gail Deibler Finke.

Got an old moving traffic ticket, parking ticket or minor misdemeanor criminal charge that dates back to before May 31 of this year? If so, Operation Clean Slate gives you the chance opportunity to clear it up at the lowest possible cost without the need to appear in court.

Operation Clean Slate started Monday and will continue until 11:59pm Sunday, October 8. The program includes the following offenses for which citations were issued before May 31, 2006: moving traffic offenses, minor misdemeanor criminal charges and non-moving traffic offenses. See below for exceptions and details on how to pay for your offenses.

The Enquirer recently ran an "Other Voices" opinion piece by College Hill resident Glenn A. Ray Ed.D., former executive director of the Arts Consortium of Cincinnati. In the article, Dr. Ray called for increased support "for world-class artistic development devoted to encouraging African-American and other non- European artistic cultures."

Bruce Soldano, manager of the College Hill LaRosas's, asks to to mention that "folks might like to try our new Stuffed Crust Pizza. The best description is Panero bread stuffed with our ingredients."

Since September 15, 2003, The Dapper Dog Sitter has provided pet owners in College Hill and surrounding neighborhoods an alternative to boarding their pets in a kennel or relying on friends and neighbors for pet care while away from home.

Marilyn Dapper, a member of Pet Sitters Associates, LLC, operates a professional pet-sitting service that provides half-hour visits for daily walks or potty breaks and pet sitting for dogs and cats. Dapper, a longtime owner of Cocker Spaniels, extends her own dedication to pets to other people's pets.

"In-home pet care offers many advantages to pet owners and their companions," says The Dapper Dog Sitter. "Owners can leave home knowing that their pets will remain comfortable in familiar surroundings, that the pets won’t be exposed to illness and disease from strange animals and that they will receive tender loving care and personalized attention during each visit."

As part of her pet-sitting service, The Dapper Dog Sitter provides other personalized home services, such as turning lights on and off, retrieving mail and newspapers, and giving a home a lived-in look. For information, contact Marilyn Dapper (513-591-0107, dapperdogsitter@fuse.net).

The annual Turkey Classic Senior Volleyball Tournament is coming to the College Hill Recreation Center on Saturday October 28. The games begin at 10:00am.

Men's and women's teams comprised of seniors in their 50's, 60's and over 70 will compete. The registration deadline for teams is October 16. Call Southwest Ohio Senior Olympics Coordinator Dina Hanks at 513-421-5222 for more information.

Have you ever wondered what was beyond the winding trails at LaBoiteaux Woods? Have you ever wanted to see the old narrow gauge railroad, or the remains of the old stone quarry? Sunday afternoon is your chance!

In "The View From Afar," a guided hike, a naturalist will lead you off the paths and back into history. Wear long pants and hiking boots--there's plenty of off-trail exploration on this challenging 2-mile hike. The group will leave from the nature center at 1:00pm and return around 3:00pm.

For newcomers to College Hill, LaBoiteaux Woods can be hard to find. Coming north on Hamilton Avenue, turn right at the light on Hillcrest (Grace Episcopal Church will be on your left). The first right will take you directly to the Nature Center. On the way you'll pass a dozen houses on a narrow, twisty road. Don't turn around! Those lucky folks live right next to one of our neighborhood's hidden treasures.

Beside the Nature Center, which hosts children's nature and art classes throughout the year, there are several wonderful trails open during park hours. Upcoming special events include Native American Stories and Games (November 17), an interactive family evening, and on the Holiday Craft Workshop (Dec. 8), a popular annual event that you'll leave with several completed projects.

For information on these and other programs check the College Hill Calendar or call LaBoiteaux Woods at 513-542-2909.

Contributed by Gail D. Finke.

Here's a test of your knowledge of College Hill. Can you tell where this artifact is to be found? Check your answer by clicking the link below, or on the image.

You may remember that two weeks ago P. Ann Everson-Price celebrated her 20th anniversary in radio broadcasting with a three-day bash. Two events were here in College Hill. The third, a fundraiser gala at Landmark Baptist Temple in Evendale, raised more than $5000 for the SuperChoir, a citywide choir directed by Ms. P. Ann that rehearses at the College Hill Presbyterian Church.

Months of renovation are almost finished at Sonshine House, the bright yellow building at the corner of Llanfair and Hamilton, soon to be a children's consignment store. Last weekend work crews hung signs, finished floors and got ready for this Saturday's Grand Opening.

Formerly the Gumbo Spirit House, the little building has had many uses before its purchase by the College Hill Presbyterian Church. Now volunteers will sell used children's clothes and toys to benefit the popular 3Cs preschool held at the church. Eventually, outbuildings will become workshops for craft classes and other programs. Unlike The Lord's Bounty up the street that sells clothes and household goods outright, Sonshine House will take things on consignment and pay consigners part of the selling price.

Grand Opening hours are 10:00am to 2:00pm, so that families can make a day of it and attend the Pumpkin Patch festival.

To volunteer at the store or make an appointment to bring in consignment items, call the church at 513-541-5676.

Story contributed by Gail D. Finke.

Tina Stoeberl at the College Hill Coffee Shop tells us that she's "looking for a College Hill mom to join our team during the week." She needs someone to help out about two days per week--12-16 hours--Tuesday through Friday. She says it's fun, "You get to see your neighbors and serve great food and drinks."

See Tina or Theresa at the Coffee Company.

In an encore performance, Jen Reid and Dave Sams are back at the College Hill Coffee Company on October 7. They call their duo “Bittersweet” because they sing about life's bitter and sweet moments. Their music is fundamentally acoustic folk, but the sound bends in a variety of directions, from more contemporary folk, to pop, to country, to jazz and back. The evening will be a mix of songs that are slow and soulful as well as songs that are upbeat and fun.

All Coffee Company concerts are on Saturday nights from 7:30pm TO 9:30pm. There’s no charge, but tipping the performers is welcomed!