At the last College Hill Forum Community Council meeting, Officer Governor Williams dispelled rumors claiming gang graffiti was rampant in College Hill. The rumor apparently stemmed from a discussion about a single incident of graffiti at the corner of Hamilton and Marlowe at the May meeting of the College Hill Business Association. 

Officer Williams and other Community Liaison officers discussed ways to identify graffiti and tagging.  This discussion included mention of possible gang activity in District 5 but affirmed that there is no known gang activity in College Hill.  In fact, College Hill has minimal graffiti of any kind. 

If you do see graffiti, report the location to the 24 hour/7 day a week Public Service Hotline 513-591-6000 so that it can be investigated and removed by the "Graffiti Patrol."

At first glance, the sign makes it look like Schwartz Jewelers might be closing. Not true!  They are simply making room for some remodeling work that will take place this summer. 

Sandy Schwartz says that in addition to new carpeting and paint, there will be more jewelry counters, something that's certain to please those who like to gift themselves or their spouses with beautiful things.

 

After some years of presenting motorists and bicyclists with a bit of an obstacle course, Belmont Avenue is virtually bumpless!  The city has resurfaced it as part of an intensive 2007-2008 Street Rehabilitation Program in College Hill. 

Other streets that have been, are being or that will be resurfaced as part of this program are:

• Amberwood Court East of Edwood.
• Belleair Place.
• Birchwood Avenue from Hamilton to Cary.
• Connecticut Avenue from Oakwood to North Bend.
• Connecticut Court.
• Edwood Avenue from North Bend to Amberwood.
• Grayview Avenue East of Argus.
• Kenneth Avenue from Groesbeck to Cedar.
• Laurelwood Circle.
• Lynnebrook Drive.
• Marlowe Avenue from Hamilton to Cary.
• Oakwood Avenue.
• Palmwood Court East of Edwood.
• Pawnee Drive.
• Pearton Court
• Salvia Avenue South of Marlowe.

For more information about the Street Rehabilitation Program, you can contact Dick Cline (dick.cline@cincinnati-oh.gov, 513-352-6235)

Summer Youth Camp 2007 is 7 weeks of summer fun for youth in grades 1 through 8.  It  will run daily Monday through Friday June 18 to August 3 from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm.

Our summer camp fee is $400 per child.  We have family plans if needed. We offer payment plans and limited scholarships.

The Camp offers a variety of activities:

• Swimming,
  
• Arts and crafts,
  
• Library trips,
  
• Values of Life (sessions dealing with topics important to today's youth),
  
• Camp Olympics,
  
• Fire and Police Department safety presentations and
  
• Field trips that are both recreational and educational.
  

Here are a few of this summer's field trips:

• The Fun Factory
  
• The National Underground Railroad Freedom Center
• The Beach Water Park
• Sharon Woods and Winton Woods
• King's Island
  
• A Cincinnati Reds baseball game.
  

To register come by the office of Christ's Community in College Hill, located  at 5819 Salvia or call 513-541-0303 between 9:30 am and 2:00 pm Monday through Thursday.

Core Behavioral Health Centers recently hosted their 7th Annual Gourmet Gala to raise funds for local mental health care.

Guests at the Gala enjoyed dinner and dancing at the Hilton Cincinnati Netherland Plaza in late April. Attendance reached 145, and the event grossed nearly $55,000 to provide care for clients and their families who are uninsured or underinsured.

Pictured are Jamey Hobbs and Core Board Chair Jacqueline Schuster-Hobbs with Executive Director Alan Mabry.

Core Behavioral, headquartered in College Hill, is a non-profit agency serving adults with severe mental disabilities and those in need of general counseling services. 

You can read more about the Gala and see lots of pictures at the Core web site here.

 

The College Hill Business Association has been providing extra uniformed police walking patrols on Hamilton Avenue during business and night-time hours.  When you see these police men and women on the Avenue, thank them for choosing to spend their patrol time here in College Hill.  Apparently our neighborhood is a "first choice" among the extra jobs Cincinnati police have to choose from.

Contributed by Sarah Mann.

On Memorial Day weekend St. Theresa Textile Trove offered a unique opportunity to study the West African art forms of Batik and Tie Dye.  Gabriel Saydee, from Liberia by way of Senegal, conducted the three day workshop behind the store under big white canopies. Ten women, ages 18 to over 70 attended.

Some of the participants had vast fabric dying experience, some were true novices. Everyone made tie dyed shirts and fabric for quilting. They learned to apply melted wax in layers, using natural tools such as brushes and brooms, as well as metal stamps  to create traditional West African designs on fabric. Everyone was amazed and excited about boiling off the wax to produce smooth, clear designs.

Gabriel promises to return to St. Theresa Textile Trove in the fall to teach more techniques and to offer opportunities for more folks to participate in the workshop/class. To learn more check out the Trove's web page here.

 

College Hill's three-year-old Emmett has a body that is severely disabled as a result of a brain injury that happened at birth. But his heart and mind are positively fantastic. His family, friends, and neighbors are organizing The Emmett Benefit 2007 to help send Emmett to a very special school, purchase special needs equipment, and pay for medical expenses.

Artwork and other items will be available for bidding at the 20th Century Theater in Oakley from 3:00 pm to 6:00 pm on June 10. The silent auction ends at 6:00 pm and the concert featuring Jason Lytle (Grandaddy) and other guests begins at 6:30 pm.

Learn more here.

Article contributed by Dara O'Loughlin, Emmett's Mom.