People from all over Greater Cincinnati will be coming to College Hill to learn how to form their own Quality of Life Committees. On Thursday, November 30, the College Hill Forum Quality of Life Committee and Councilman Chris Monzel will present QOL Training from 7:00pm to 9:00pm at the Twin Towers Gulden Center.

There are several reasons a community benefits from having an active Quality of Life Committee. A QOL team can help a community survive in this transition time and it can keep a community viable as it faces future changes. It can create a sense of pride and community ownership while holding city services accountable for action.

One by one, street by street, the QOL Committee identifies properties and property owners that are in non-compliance of any City ordinance that is causing disorder in a community. Then, using an established process, the committee follows up persistently until the issues are resolved.

The presentation will describe the process that has been used in College Hill effectively for the past three years to deal with many issues in an organized, persistent and accountable way. Here's a chance for College Hill people to learn more about their own QOL Committee.

Please RSVP by November 22 to Christa Criddle (513-352-3640, christa.criddle@cincinnati-oh.gov).

The College Hill Forum website describes the Quality of Life Committee as "The heart and soul of our community’s efforts to improve the appearance, maintenance and beauty of our homes, our streets and our neighborhood. Adopt a street or a block to monitor adherence to city regulations, agree to keep your area litter-free, work with the committee to advise neighbors who need help keeping up their properties. Work with City departments to make sure owners are aware of building and property issues – and more. It’s a tireless, great group to belong to – and they have fun get-togethers, too!"

In a recent note to the Committee, Forum President Elizabeth Sherwood said, "I believe QOL's work is undoubtedly the most important and effective way to improve our neighborhood.

"I'm not surprised that QOL has become the model project for the City of Cincinnati. Your work makes a positive impact with its comprehensive community- based approach: improving property appearance, reduction and prevention of crime, addressing safety issues, increasing property values, attracting new homeowners (and condo-buyers), helping low-income residents find financial assistance for improvements, elimination of blighted properties, and ensuring that vacant properties do not fall to ruin.

"The increased collaboration with the city Buildings & Inspections Department is exactly what we need to make QOL even more effective. The strong police support for your efforts speaks volumes about the QOL project."

If you're interested in working with the QOL or in having these folks help with some problems you're experiencing on your street, contact Phyllis Schoenberger (513-542-3498, phylmark@fuse.net).

Cincinnati City Council adopted a "Chronic Nuisance Premises" ordinance on October 11. Under the ordinance, landlords could face fines and jail time for failing to deal with recurring problems such as loud music, truancy, disorderly conduct, drug dealing and firearm discharges. The ordinance is slated to take effect January 1.

Cincinnati Councilman Jeff Berding proposed the chronic nuisance ordinance in March, based on a program that targeted some 300 problem properties in Milwaukee from 2001 to 2004. Berding said he's confident that the city can develop a program that withstands legal scrutiny and eliminates problem properties.

"Without question, there are some properties that are magnets for criminal behavior," said Berding. "There are steps that a landlord could take to eliminate this behavior. In Milwaukee, 80 percent of the property owners contacted worked with the police to correct the problems."

According to QOL Committee member Phyllis Schoenberger, this is how the new law will work:

• The police send a letter to property owners notifying them that three or more nuisance activities have occurred at the property within a thirty-day period, or that the property has exceeded the annual average number of calls for service. Nuisance activities included discharge of a firearm, illegal drug activity, curfew violation, disorderly conduct and excessive noise.
• The owners are instructed to submit a plan to the police describing changes they will make to stop the nuisances from recurring in the future.
• If the owner does not respond or implement their plan, the cost of all future calls for service related to nuisance activities at that property will be added to the property's tax bill as a lien.

The College Hill Forum Luminary Team is again taking orders for Luminaria to be used on December 16 to Light Up College Hill.

The Luminary Project celebrates the festivity and joy of the season. Residents are invited to share the glow of the Luminaria with their neighbors close by and through the streets of College Hill. As the Team says, "Together, we are growing community pride!"

Kits cost $5 and include the makings of ten Luminaria. Figure one Luminary every five or ten feet of frontage. Order your kits by November 29 and they'll be ready for pickup on Saturday, December 3 from 10:00am to 3:00pm at the College Hill Recreation Center's Holiday Bazaar. Make checks payable to "College Hill Forum" and send along with your name and phone number to College Hill Forum, P.O. Box 24160, Cincinnati, OH 45224.

If You are interested in distributing flyers, putting kits together and /or distributing kits at the bazaar please call Juanita at 541-8506. This will ensure a beautiful outcome on December 16.

More than 200 children and their families came to the College Hill Recreation Center's first Halloween Extravaganza. Here are some photos:

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Photos contributed by Sarah Mann.

Members of the newly revived College Hill Historical Society met on North Bend Road last Sunday for a walk to historic Gard Cemetery in College Hill. There was nothing anyone could see but woods and vines and fallen leaves at first. Then slowly, stark, grey monoliths seemed to emerge against the foliage.

Most of the headstones were lying down on the ground under myrtle and ivy. With the help of a list from Betty Smiddy's book on College Hill A Little Piece of Paradise, the "history detectives" discerned what must have been the 13 or 14 original rows that made up the graveyard. The latest burial was in the 1860s, after which time a Village ordinance prohibited burying bodies in College Hill corporate limits.

CHHS is hopeful that many of the stones that could not be located are buried in the soil. The group plans to come back after winter to do a clean-up and search for more stones. For more information email collegehillhistory@yahoo.com.

Story contributed by Sarah Mann.

With their fifth annual fall festival on October 7, the College Hill Gardeners marked the close of the Farmers Market and celebrated the harvest season. The Pumpkin Patch Fall Festival has grown increasingly popular, with most folks made aware by simple word-of-mouth.

Llanfair Retirement Community's "The Grove" won the Blue Ribbon in the Scarecrow Contest with "The Happy Couple."

Deb Finlay, CHG festival chairperson, and Dee Pittinger, CHG president, thanked all those groups and individuals involved with making this year's event the best yet. There were more than seventy volunteers, twelve scarecrow contest entrants, more than thirty farm, craft and food vendors, plus a terrific variety of entertainers and musicians. The Gardeners could not have presented the event without their significant contributions.

Deb says, "Well over 300 children participated in fall- themed crafts and games and were treated to storytelling and folk music. Craft and farm vendors provided a festive atmosphere, and everyone worked up an appetite for the fantastic food provided by some of our favorite local restaurants."

Special acknowledgement goes to Becky Tossey, CHG volunteer coordinator; Karen Hartman of CHBA and Mary Cinquina, craft vendors; Mary Kaufmann, Kathy Farfsing, Beth McLean, Kevin Corcoran and Susan Osborn of CHG, children's crafts, games and activities; Dave Hawkins of Arts Revival of College Hill, entertainment; Tina Stoeberl of the Forum, food vendors. CHG also thanks PNC Bank, College Hill branch, for the children's treat bags, Riemeier Lumber, Lord's Bounty, Invest in Neighborhoods, Aiken High School, McAuley High School, and finally, the Cincinnati Recreation Commission for the use of a beautiful venue, Town Hall Park.

Article contributed by Beth McLean, College Hill Gardeners.

The Internet Portal to College Hill is a work in progress that continues to improve. Its purpose is to portray College Hill in its best light to visitors as well as to be a source of information for residents and others with some relationship to College Hill.

Webmaster Tom Strothers, with a little help from your editor, put up a new "Play" page this week, and we'd like your help to make it better.

Take a look at the Play Page and let us know what's missing. We're especially interested in getting more information about the recreational opportunities for people of all ages right here in College Hill. If someone wanted to step forward and be the focal point for providing that information, that would be wonderful. Send your ideas and information to webmaster@collegehilloh.net.

Chris Collier returns to the College Hill Coffee Company for an encore performance on Saturday, November 4. Critically acclaimed Cincinnati song writer and modern folk artist Chris Collier brings her very special sound to this performance. Her music is sophisticated and her lyrics personal. Her unique voice and songwriting skills have gained her a wide and loyal following in this area and throughout the Midwest. Chris's new CD, Over 20, has garnered praise and rave reviews. Chris performs from 7:30pm until 9:30pm.