A first-ever concert at the newly re-opened Laurel Court sold out last weekend.

College Hill resident Dave Hawkins teamed with British singer/songwriter Michael Weston King for "Bridge Across the Water," an informal house concert in a very formal setting. Audience members of the limited-seating event also enjoyed refreshments and tours of the Belmont Avenue mansion.

The concert was sponsored by Arts Revival of College Hill (ARCH). Volunteers included Juanita Canfield, Helen and Paul Poppleton, Bev and Bob Croskery, Peg Bell-Lohr, Beth and Tom McLean, Wendy Hawkins, and Kate and Marty Weldishofer.

Laurel Court's owners Larry and Judy Moyer have begun hosting tours and events of the Belle Epoque mansion. For information on upcoming events, click here www.laurelcourt.com.

A 14-month collaboration between state, local, and federal law enforcement agencies broke up a dog fighting ring last weekend, making College Hill streets safer.

Authorities named Terry "Original Gangsta" Hendrick of Lantana Avenue the ringleader of the "OG Posse," which raised and trained pit bulls in Cincinnati, Trotwood, and Dayton.

The dogs were taken to Over-the-Rhine and Dayton for illegal fights. Eighteen other people were also arrested, and 64 dogs had to be destroyed.

Cincinnati Police have long known that Hendrick was training pit bulls, which are illegal in Hamilton County, in the basement of his home. They kept a close eye on his movements. And it payed off: According to the Cincinnati Enquirer, officials call the sting, dubbed "Operation Dog Bite," the federal government's largest-ever animal fighting bust.

College Hill is not a neighborhood where criminals can hide. If you suspect any illegal activities on your street, call Cincinnati Police District 5 at 569-8500.

The College Hill Forum's Quality of Life Team reminds you that a neighborhood problem doesn't have to be a crime before you can seek help.

Using a proven strategy to address problem properties and their owners, QOL can help with both houses and apartments. The QOL process is a model program for the city, and team members have presented it to leaders of other neighborhoods.

Often, according to QOL founder Phyllis Schoenberger, property owners respond quickly to requests when they know neighbors are bothered. But when they don't, QOL can help with legal action.

QOL's volunteers have already helped litigate several cases and clean up numerous properties. With more volunteers, Phyllis says, they can do even more work for the community.

For help with a problem, or to volunteer for Quality of Life, call 588-6465.

McAuley High School Latin Club students brought home a string of ribbons from the Ohio Junior Classical League State Convention in Columbus.

Forty schools competed in four competitions. McAuley scored tops for all-girls' schools, and ninth overall. The McAuley Latin Club also came in second for club spirit, and the Latin I team won a silver medal.

Pictured with McAuley's ribbons and teacher Rachel Ritchie are three of the four members of the Latin I team: Kelly Schmidt, Megan Whitacre, and Nikki Partin. The fourth, not pictured, is Abby Witzgall.

Story provided by McAuley High School

Last week's story about students modeling hats for charity should have featured this photo of Renee Kohl, Mary Boeddeker, Jacqueline Wurzelbacher and Amy Smith.

Six CPS high schools are competing to recycle the most waste in a challenge launched by the Mayor's Young Prfoessional Kitchen Cabinet (YPKC) and Rumpke Recycling.

Mayor Mark Mallory launched the program last week when Rumpke set out dumpsters and recycling bins at Aiken, Clark, Hughes, Taft, Walnut and Withrow high schools. The Mayor's Youth Council will work to promote the recycling program.

According to Virginia Rhodes, principal of Aiken University High School, Aiken is currently in the lead! "Our student leader on this project is sophomore Baba Hughes, who has done a lot of work and rallied his fellow students," she says. "He's working with Ms. Jean Jencks to coordinate the effort."

You can help by bringing common recyclables (the same things acceptable for Rumpke's green curbside bins) to the Aiken parking lot. You'll find the receptacles behind the Aiken buildings.

The competition, which ends May 21, will net the winning school $500 for use in an environmental project or program.

With the gorgeous weather and branches left over from the ice storm, folks have been doing lots of yard work. But regular yard waste pickup won't begin until the week of April 9.

If you can't wait, call the city services hotline at 591 -6000 to arrange a special pickup on your regular trash day.

That's the same number you call to report potholes, arrange for large trash pickups, and request other services. So keep it handy!

Five engines responded to a Sunday afternoon fire on North Bend Road, just east of the A&S Wholesale store at the corner of North Bend and Hamilton.

A detatched garage caught fire, sending black smoke billowing over the neighborhood and flames shooting into the sky. Homeowners were able to retrieve one car, but lost a second.

The fire spread to a second, adjacent garage, although firefighters arrived quickly and put out the blaze. No one was injured, and no homes were damaged.

KidQuest Unlimited, a new company run by a College Hill woman, is teaming up with the College Hill Recreation Center to offer parents a night out.

"The core of my service is to the professional meeting and convention planner," explains KidQuest president LaDonna Wallace Smith, whose business provides trained childcare providers, games, and activities to tradeshows and other events.

"However, I am working with the City of Cincinnati's Recreation department to possibly bring Parent's Night Out to city community centers throughout the school year."

The first Kids Night Out will be April 20, from 7 to 11 pm. Children ages five to thirteen will enjoy supervised, age-appropriate activities including games, music and crafts. A uniformed security guard will be on site throughout the evening.

Cost for the evening is $25 for the first child, $15 for each additional sibling up to three. Walk-ins are welcome, LaDonna says, but because of space limitations reservations are recommended.

For information or reservations, call 885-6935 or click here. www.kidquestunlimited.com

The Rock Cafe recently expanded after director Scott Engle acquired the adjacent barber shop.

A cooperative project run by the College Hill Presbyterian Church and House of Joy Christian Ministries, The Rock is intended as a place for the College Hill community to get together. Particularly aimed at youth, The Rock is a comfortable, living- room style alternative to bars and restaurants.

The expansion will allow The Rock additional computer space for a teen homework program, as well as other projects in the works.

Junior and Senior youth at CHPC loaned their muscle to demolishing the basement wall between the two stores, which had been added by tenants over the years.

The teens had to wear face masks to tear out four layers of drywall and sixteen studs. They sent the mounds of debris up through an old coal shoot and into a dumpster, restoring the space to its original condition.

A new schedule for The Rock is firming up -- it will be open five days a week with activities and fun for youth, families, and adults. Look for an update here in the next few weeks.

Photo provided by CHPC

Hilltop United Methodist Church invites College Hill and surrounding communities to a Seder celebration April 3. Rev. Rebekah Simon-Peter, a Jewish Christian, will present the traditional Jewish Passover meal from 6-9 pm.

She will also do two other open presentations at Hilltop. "Was Jesus a Christian?" will be at 7 pm on April 1, and "Did the Jews Reject Jesus?" at 7 pm. April 2. The church suggests a love offering of $6 for each of these presentations.

Story contributed by Hilltop UMC

Apparently they don't read the eNews. Two thieves were caught on the new crime camera before robbing a woman behind Bacall's last week.

Fox ran a story on the robbery, and interviewed several College Hill residents. To read a transcript and see the video, go to http://www.foxreno.com/ news/11311129/detail.html.

If the boys in the photo look familiar, call Cincinnati Police District 5 at 569-8500.

Last week's story on the vocal concert at St. Clare Church should have featured this photo of the church's Music Director, Darin Art, and singer Kearstin Piper Brown.

The intersection of Hamilton Avenue and North Bend Road will again be the site of a sobriety checkpoint tonight.

Approximately 30 Cincinnati Police officers and Ohio State Highway Patrol are expected to work at the intersection and surrounding streets. Officers will be checking for impaired drivers, seat belt use, and use of baby seats and child safety seats.

"On average, more than 16,000 alcohol-related traffic crashes kill more than 450 people each year in Ohio," Lt. Brian Rhodes, commander of the Patrol's Georgetown Post, said.

"These checkpoints are designed to not only deter impaired driving, but to proactively remove these dangerous drivers from our roadways."

Story contributed by the Ohio State Patrol and the College Hill Forum