At this week's College Hill Forum Meeting, City attorney Keith Forman, District 5 police officers, and Forum President Elizabeth Sherwood announced that the owner of EZ Mart has cancelled applications for permits to sell carryout alcohol at the Hamilton Avenue convenience store that has been a trouble spot in the business district.


Mr. Forman (pictured with a certificate of appreciation from the Forum) said he had never had such a "well-put-together" case from a community opposing alcohol sales permits. "They could not afford fighting this case when they saw all the witnesses lined up to testify, and Elizabeth Sherwood hit them in the nose, and Captain Bailey hit them in the gut" with their testimony, he said.

He urged the community to continue documenting problem areas and updating the case notebook the Forum prepared for the state Board of Liquor Control hearing. "We hope this conversation will not have to take place again, but if it does, just pull out that notebook and you'll be ready."

Elizabeth thanked everyone from the community who wrote a letter, called in a complaint, came out for the hearing on Opening Day, or took off work to be available to testify. She reminded the audience that "This was a must-win case, but there will be more coming up." She also asks the community to continue calling in disturbances, litter, and other complaints to help police build cases against problem spots.

District 5's  Captain Bailey reminded the community to make all complaints as specific as possible. For example, a complaint about intimidation or littering at EZ Mart should include the business name and/or address (5941 Hamilton Avenue), not just "the corner of Hamilton and Marlowe." This specific information is vital for court cases.

Call 765-1212 to report non-emergencies. Of course, for an emergency call 911.

Photo by Sarah Wolf.

Roving reporter Sarah Wolf writes...

The Cincinnati Black Theater Company's annual children's show is next weekend only.

The story and music for Brothers of the Knight, a show based on the fairy tale The Twelve Dancing Princesses, was written by CBT staff from the children's book by Debbie Allen. See more photos here. 

More than a dozen local boys and a handful of girls, under the direction of the Deandre "Kamau" Means, will perform at the show. The cast features several College Hill boys. I attended a rehearsal, and it was heartwarming to see how they acted as mentors to some of the younger kids as they found their way around the stage.

Thinking I would stay just a few minutes to get a picture or two for the eNewsletter, I found myself intrigued by what was going on in this warehouse room on Hamilton Avenue (the former furniture store between Marlowe and Cedar), and stayed for almost two hours.

The story revolves around the Knights, a family of 12 boys whose father is baffled by how the boys' new shoes become tattered every night. (Dancing, magic, and talking dogs are involved...) You'll be charmed by the whole cast, including (Teeny-Tiny-Tapping) "Theo" and "Michael" (Head-of-the-Clan, a-Ladies-Man....)


Performances are Friday, May 2, at 7:30 p.m.; Saturday, May 3, at 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.; and Sunday, May 4, at 4 p.m. All shows are at Woodward Career Technical High School, 7005 Reading Road. Call 513-241-6060 or click here for tickets. 

Story and photos by Sarah Wolf.