Biz Courier: Rookwood Exchange holdon Joe Horney still holding on

Says price isn’t factor

This past Friday’s Business Courier says neither of the two remaining holdons, the Burton’s and Joe Horney, is persuaded to sell their buildings to Rookwood Exhange developer Jeff Anderson. Horney told the Courier he “wants to be a part of any redevelopment of his former neighborhood.” That must make for some really interesting negotiations and dialogue in those regular meetings he’s having with Norwood’s attorney Tim Burke and Anderson’s attorneys. Oh, to be a fly on the wall…

Anti-Tax Candidate(s) To Run for Norwood BOE

Will said candidate(s) run under COAST banner or undercover…again?

According to Michael D. Clark’s reporting on the front page of today’s Enquirer, “anti-tax activists plan to support entire slates of candidates in hopes of capturing majorities in some districts and gaining new footholds in others…at least one anti-tax candidate, and possibly more are predicted by activists to run in Norwood, Three Rivers, Lakota, Reading, Sycamore, Loveland, Kings and Franklin schools.”

If last year's 1/28/06 article by Michael D. Clark is to be believed, COAST ran at least one unnamed candidate in our 2005 BOE race:

The group ran candidates in Lakota, Kings, Little Miami, Springboro, Monroe, Norwood and elsewhere. They also battled - in some cases successfully - to defeat school tax issues in several districts.

Quite naturally, we’ve always wondered about the validity of COAST’s claim about their 2005 Norwood candidate(s), though it is plausible because of the hesitancy Clark reported some already-elected school board members have about being publicly identified with COAST:

Coalition officials claim they have about a dozen school board members sympathetic to their conservative agenda. But for personal or political reasons, those members have not publicly identified themselves with the group.

Responsible school spending is a topic near and dear to our hearts, but we have many serious reservations about COAST‘s anti-tax philosophy and, yes, tactics, too, both locally and elsewhere. Depending on who this year’s BOE candidates are, we may find ourselves breaking with our 6-year-old tradition of not officially supporting candidates for local offices. Like everyone else, we’ll just have to wait to see who files at the Board of Elections between now and the August 23 deadline.

Would a “likely to commit…” list help Norwood?

This past Tuesday, the Cincinnati Enquirer editorial page gave a great amount of attention to a list created by Charlie Winburn, Melanie Bates, Chris Kearney and Todd Portune that identifies 1,546 people in Cincinnati who are likely to commit the next murder. While the Enquirer editorial board appears to be against the list and Jim Borgman likens it to McCarthyism, their position may reflect a vested interest. Without high crime to report on, they would actually have to depend on quality journalism to sell papers.

In Norwood, we don’t have such a list. Sure, murders do not happen in this city like they do in Cincinnati, but crime is of a great concern to most of us. We are seeing a call to implement a COP Program and a reinvigoration of the Block Watch program. Even on our blog we list the NPD police call statistics for the community every month.

The closest thing we have to a list is the one maintained by the Hamilton County sheriff for sexual offenders. How often is this list used by the general public? A quick review of the it shows that a large number of offenders live by Norwood parks and on main roads leading to the schools. Other communities are taking action to fight this trend, and we understand a stiffer ordinance is in the works here. In the meantime, many unsuspecting Norwood parents may very well be allowing their children to go to the parks not knowing of the possible danger.

We wonder what our Norwood neighbors think about this. Is the idea of a “Likely to Commit Murder” or a “Likely to Commit a Crime” List a good idea or is it McCarthyism? Is it good for Cincinnati, but not for Norwood?

UPDATE: Charlie Winburn and Melanie Bates are not kidding about their list. The two have a new website up called “the criminal next door,” complete with a Most Dangerous by Neighborhood Map with stats overlaid on each area. If we’re reading the map correctly, Norwood is the larger of the two whited-out areas. Are the numbers of “likelies to commit” surrounding us high, low, what? Does the NPD maintain a similar map for our neighborhoods at the station?

Big day this Saturday: Drop off old tires, pick up a free tree!!

Who says this city doesn’t rock?

This Saturday is both Norwood Tire Drop Off Day AND Arbor Day, which means right after you’ve tossed your old tires in the dumpster on Mills Avenue by the old Safety Lane Building, you can head over to the annual Arbor Day celebration from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. at the Community Center and pick up your free tree…or bring some plants or seeds to swap…or “bid n buy” some new ones. What a great day to start beautifying our surroundings for spring!

Clerk of Council Mumper refuses Casey Brown’s letter re: S.B. 117

John Mumper and Joe Sanker say it “didn’t add anything” and ”nothing new”

Political silliness was on display at last night’s council meeting in our view. Casey Brown’s letter to council was deliberately not placed under Item N) Communications on the agenda prior to the meeting, a decision made by Brian Mumper who was obviously flexing the decision-making muscles given him by council rules to add letters or not to the agenda. Seeing that the Brown letter had been omitted, Councilperson Schneider quickly made a successful motion to add it to the agenda. When the vote came for the letter, a resolution opposing S.B.117 and a letter from Ted Kiser to be added to the agenda, John Mumper cast the only “no” vote, explaining minutes later that he “was not for reading the letter because it didn’t add anything.” Joe Sanker chimed in with, “we’ve been talking about this (S.B. 117) in Community Development…it’s nothing new.”

“Nothing new” to whom, pray tell? Perhaps Mr. Sanker needs reminding that because Community Development meetings aren’t televised and because their weekly 1:00 p.m. on Wednesday’s meeting schedule is inconvenient for the working public, almost no one got to hear him discuss how Senate Bill 117 can seriously damage public communications in our community. Regular council meetings are a perfect opportunity, often overlooked by some on council, to bring the public up-to-speed on important issues that are discussed in away-from-the-camera meetings.

And Ms. Brown’s letter did just that. As one city official remarked about the episode, “It did bring out some important aspects of S.B.117 that the general public was not aware of… I also feel that if a resident makes the effort to communicate in this manner they should be respected enough to put the letter on the agenda. I don't agree with the clerk having discretionary powers to leave items off of the agenda.”

It appears some of our council members inhabit a paternalistic world where there’s little need for the public to know because they themselves are in the know, or think they are. And taxpaying Norwood residents like Ms. Brown who also happen to be seeking reelection to public office needn’t expect their “residential” voices to be heard if they’re not a member of the political party currently in power. Or was the fact that Casey Brown’s husband Tom also wrote a letter to council, much criticized by the mayor and Mr. Sanker, about South Norwood problems two weeks ago just too much for them to bear? Whatever it was, we thought it was a tiresome stunt at best.

Now for the good news: a resolution opposing Senate Bill 117 was passed unanimously, and at Mr. Schneider’s insistence via a motion, Senator Eric Kearney’s name was added to the list of other state officials to whom it will be sent.

Former Norwood official Gary Hubbard fired for deceitful and dishonest conduct

Admits he fixed own parking tickets

Gary Hubbard, one of former Mayor Joe Hochbein’s top appointees and now an ex-employee of the Hamilton County Clerk of Courts, may face felony charges for getting three of own parking tickets dismissed. According to what Hamilton County Prosecutor Joe Deters told the Enquirer, tampering with government records is a felony, which Hubbard apparently did when he used fake names and fake excuses he knew would get his tickets dismissed. In a moment of honesty, Hubbard and co-scammer Connie Lintz admitted their deceit when confronted with proof from an internal audit.

Mr. Hubbard’s behavior during his tenure on Norwood’s payroll was at the center of a lawsuit filed by a former Norwood employee several years ago. The employee prevailed in the suit, and the City was forced to pay a hefty sum in damages.

4/25/07 UPDATE: Our thanks to the reader who just sent us this 4/18/00 Enquirer article and this one from 7/10/01 to jog our memories about Gary Hubbard’s checkered past as part of the Hochbein administration. Hubbard served as Norwood’s Service Director and was fired along with Safety Director Cliff Miller as part of a “cleaning house” effort by Hochbein in 2001. Former Law Director Bob Kelly provided a colorful quote at the time when he told the Enquirer, “the current Norwood administration is “a pile of manure and Joe (Hochbein) sits on top of it.” These two articles are must-reads for history buffs who’d like to take a stroll down Norwood's rich political memory lane.

“Taste in Norwood” - does this sound like fun or what?

Oakley resident Tom Wilkinson is spearheading what would be a tremendous community-wide event called “Taste in Norwood.” Why not “Taste in Oakley?” Because, foolishly, we think, the power structure there turned down the opportunity. No so in Norwood. Our city leaders are very supportive of the concept, and so are we.

Tom wants to recruit “tastes” from restaurants in Norwood as well as neighborhoods like Oakley, Hyde Park, and Mt. Lookout. Some he’s talked to are ready to sign up for the August 17, 18, 19 event which would be held at Upper Waterworks Park.

Obviously, a lot help from the entire Norwood community of residents, businesses, civic organizations, etc., is needed for this endeavor, so Tom has scheduled a meeting next week for that very purpose:

When: Tuesday, May 1, at 7:00 p.m.
Where: Norwood Community Center, 1800 Courtland at the corner of Carter
More information: Tom Wilkinson,
ph.# 807-6192 or email tasteinnorwood@yahoo.com

Norwood if chock-full of talented, creative folks, and many are experienced at staging great local events. Here are the committees you can serve on to help make “Taste in Norwood” come together:

- Media to promote the event
- Parking/Traffic
- Beverages: 1.) beer and wine and 2.) non-alcoholic
- Entertainment
- Photography and Video
- Restaurant Recruitment
- Event Command Center (for information, lost children, etc.)
- Volunteer Coordinating to recruit upwards of 200 volunteers
- Sponsorships (contact businesses for financial support)
- Website start-up for the event

If you can’t attend Tuesday night’s meeting, please feel free to get in touch with Tom using the contact information above with any suggestions or help you might be able to lend. He plans on talking about "Taste in Norwood" at tonight's council meeting.

Casey Brown asks City Council for resolution opposing S.B. 117

The following letter from Norwood resident Casey Brown was delivered to City Council this morning. Ms. Brown highlights how some of the bill's provisions can negatively impact all of us, including our youth.


Dear President of Council and City Council Members,

I am writing you in regards to Senate Bill 117 that was proposed in March. You may recall the bill’s mention in your OML Legislative Bulletin dated March 23, 2007 and March 30, 2007, which I have attached. I have also included an analysis of the bill as provided by the Community Programming Board.

This bill should be a serious concern to Norwood’s elected officials. This bill as proposed basically allows for the elimination of PEG (public, educational, government) channels. Those are the channels we have all come to know as the ones that carry such fine shows as ‘Perspectives” and “Quick 20”! Seriously though, the ability to eliminate these channels using the “unrealistic standard of 9.6 hours of local, non-repeat programming each day, is not even met by the local broadcast channels” is outrageous and eliminates one of the few communication channels Norwood citizens have. And to add to it, we could not require them to assist in providing for the equipment and facilities they must currently provide through the franchise agreement.

As you can see, there is much mention of the rights taken away from municipalities in the analysis of the bill. For example, public right of way is seriously compromised in this bill. Norwood loses the right to effectively control this service to its citizens. Video Service Providers can operate in our city’s boundaries without our permission and we have no right to ask for anything of value in return, which would certainly eliminate free cable service to government buildings and schools. . And complaints can still be made to the city for service, but we have no control, as no franchise agreement exists.

Finally, lest you think that the public access facilities are only used by politicians and sports smack shows, consider the following. I have been mentoring a middle school student for over a year now, and I encourage him regularly to participate in activities outside of school. This year he joined the video club offered at the middle school. His participation in this club has helped him hone his new talent of acting, and has allowed him to learn some unique skills, while sharing positive experiences with his peers. And they had a lot of fun!

Please consider passing a resolution in opposition to this bill. More information can be obtained from the members of the PACE board if needed. This bill would take too much away from Norwood and its citizens.

Sincerely,


Casey Brown
Ashland Avenue
Norwood, OH 45212

Ohio Senate bill could end all local cable programming

Yes, we mean no more Norwood Community Television

Ohio Senate Bill 117, if passed, could take control of local cable and other video service provider franchise agreements out of the hands of local government and into the hands of the state. State control would almost certainly mean the end of funds, services, programming, facilities or equipment related to local public, government, and educational access use. Norwood Community Television provides Norwood residents with local information and programming.

What could this potentially mean to you?
- the end of televised government meetings, events and programming including the Norwood Day Parade
- the end of educational programming including student concerts, art show, etc.
- the end of student access, training and productions
- the end of resident public productions
- the end of religious programming
- the end of NORWOOD COMMUNITY TELEVISION

We contacted Senator Eric Kearney’s office yesterday and were told the senator is opposed to this bill. The bill is currently in the Energy & Public Utilities Committee and scheduled for hearing on Tuesday, April 24th. We hope our readers will join us in voicing their concerns by contacting committee members. Senator Kearney’s assistant said phone calls are more effective than emails, but do email if you can’t call:

Senator Robert Schuler - 614/466-9737 - SD07@mailr.sen.state.oh.us
Senator Steve Buehrer - 614/466-8150 - SD01@mailr.sen.state.oh.us
Senator Kevin Coughlin - 614/466-4823 - kcoughli@mailr.sen.state.oh.us
Senator Jeff Jacobson - 614/466-4538 - jjacobso@mailr.sen.state.oh.us
Senator Tom Niehaus - 614/466-8082 - sd14@mailr.sen.state.oh.us
Senator Robert Spada - 614/466-8056 - rspada@mailr.sen.state.oh.us
Senator Ray Miller - 614/466-5131 - rmiller@maild.sen.state.oh.us
Senator Lace Mason - 614/466-4583 - senatormason@maild.sen.state.oh.us
Senator Jason Wilson - 614/466-6508 - senatorwilson@maild.sen.state.oh.us

We'll post updates on this bill as we have them.

NCS Spring Orchestra Concert next Monday, 4/23

And it’s free to the public

NCS Orchestra Director Joel Greenberg tells us 3 different orchestras will be performing in this annual spring concert: 6th grade, middle school, and high school orchestras. One of the features on the program will be a medley from Andrew Lloyd Weber musicals.

When: Monday, April 23, starting at 7:30 p.m.
Where: NCS Middle School auditorium on Sherman Avenue

Our quiet, determined, and unassuming warrior-hero Carl Gamble has passed

"He never lost sight…"

We were sad to hear about the serious illnesses of both Carl and Joy Gamble. We told them goodbye when they had to leave their beloved Norwood home, and now we must say goodbye to Carl forever. He, like his soul mate Joy, was as authentic as they come, and the legacy he leaves changed a part of the world for all our benefit. We will never forget his courage and tenacity in the face of overwhelming obstacles.

Our heartfelt sympathies go out to his family and many friends for their loss.

The Cincinnati Beacon on Tim Burke: "Oh, the times, they are a-changing’"

We all mistakes, including us and including the time Susan sent an email with our blog address wrong and thereby sent recipients who clicked on it to a religious website... thank the Lord. It could have been worse. Now it’s attorney/Chair of the Hamilton County Dems. Tim Burke’s turn to cause confusion in his role as Cincinnati Democratic Party Precinct Executive. Forgive us if we’re a little amused by the publicity about his getting a meeting time wrong in a letter he sent to other Cincinnati precinct executives. And The Beacon’s critique of a rhetorical device they claim he used in the letter? So what else is new? Using rhetorical devices is one of his specialties as far as we're concerned, and we thought he used them liberally on council floor when he tried to explain/defend/spin his rewrite of our urban renewal ordinance two years ago. Here's one of his gems from shortly before the Norwood case decision, though we're not sure what device to call it:

"There's an awful lot of confusion and misinformation about eminent domain," Burke said. "On rare occasions, communities like Norwood need to have eminent domain to make substantial improvements in the community."

Now that he has had time to digest the Ohio Supreme Court decision, perhaps Mr. Burke is a lot less confused and misinformed about eminent domain and how communities like Norwood can lawfully use and not abuse it.

City and Norwood firefighters to sign new 2-year contract Monday

Today's Enquirer reports that the Norwood "firefighters' union have agreed to a contract calling for no pay increase this year and a 2% raise next year with a 1 percent lump-sum bonus." Minimum staffing will be 12 instead of 13 for one calendar year. The new contract will expire when the other 3 Norwood union contracts are up.

Council to Mr. Brown: We're putting your letter in the May COW meeting

Invitation going out to NPD rep. to attend, too


After the clerk of council read Mr. Brown’s letter (see 4/6/07 blog below) aloud at last night's meeting, council and Mayor Williams engaged in a lengthy 13-minute discussion about how to address the safety issues our South Norwood neighbors are struggling with. Along the way, the mayor expressed concerns about how he found the tone of the letter “troubling,” about how it would have been better had either the chief of police or the captain been contacted about the issues before writing such a letter, and how he didn’t want “anyone to get the impression by the tone of the letter that they (the police) don’t care” about South Norwood. He also said he didn’t understand the letter’s reference to the “Medpace thing.” Nor do we.

Ms. Kelly was the first to speak, asking that the letter be placed in next month’s COW meeting, along with an invitation for a NPD representative to attend. Next, Mr. Sanker said he had sent a copy of Mr. Brown’s letter to the police, since “lots of times there is no record of people calling.” He said there may not be problems as stated in the letter and seemed to want verification from the police before “dragging them in” because “too often we overact.”

Mayor Williams said he had contacted the chief of police and discovered he had had no conversations with residents about South Norwood problems. He read aloud data from police citations that have recently been issued in Beat #1 as proof the police are not neglecting violations in the area. He also said there are 4 beat cars that patrol Norwood neighborhoods.

Next, Ms. Kelly felt the need to say her invitation to the NPD for the next COW meeting was not meant to insinuate the police aren’t doing their job. Next, Mr. Sanker offered that his prior remarks weren’t meant to convey her invitation was a bad idea. We’re glad they got that all straightened out.

Mr. Moore supported the police invitation, adding that it’s a good idea to have public discussion again about neighborhood safety issues and what residents can do to help the police address them. Mr. Gabbard agreed and urged all residents to faithfully call the police every time we witness traffic and other violations like vandalism being committed. He said he had attended the previous evening’s WNNA meeting and put a plug in for their COP program.

So, all in all, despite the mayor’s and Mr. Sanker’s misgivings about his letter, Mr. Brown got some positive input and action from our council. Petitioning our elected officials is, of course, a right we all enjoy. What is not so enjoyable are the criticisms they sometimes level at the petitioner afterwards. Our hunch is Mr. Brown, if not his neighbors, was probably prepared for this. But the final result is what is important, and council certainly rose to the occasion by placing the matter in the next COW meeting on Tuesday, May 1 for more serious public discussion.

The passing of one of our best...Ron Wallace, Sr.

We're sorry to hear of the passing of Ron Wallace, Sr. His many years of service to our community as a fire fighter, council representative, and businessman should not be forgotten.

Ron will be missed. Our condolences to his family.

Remembering our missing soldiers…

Monday, April 9, 2007 marks the three-year anniversary of the capture of Matt Maupin in Iraq by insurgents during the ambush of fuel trucks guarded by the 724th Transportation Company. Matt's parents Keith and Carolyn have been to Norwood several times for different events over the past years to remind us to keep Matt and the other missing solders in our thoughts and prayers. It is but by the grace of God that we in Norwood have not had this experience with the many young men and women that we have serving in the military. So we ask that you take some time on Monday to reflect on Matt, his family and those other men and women who serve with him.

If you would like to learn more about Matt, you can read this recent article in "The American Legion Magazine".

Tom Brown to City Council: South Norwood needs greater police presence

Says drag racing, speeding, juvenile vandalism on the rise

The letter below, authored by South Norwood resident Tom Brown on behalf of his neighbors, appears on the 4/10/07 council agenda and will be read aloud (with breathtaking speed) by the clerk of council at Tuesday night's meeting. Mr. Brown outlines some very serious neighborhood safety problems that need attention, problems so serious that we hope publishing his letter may be beneficial to his cause. Obviously, South Norwood isn’t the only neighborhood with speeders, vandals, and worse. The West Norwood Neighborhood Association started a Citizens on Patrol program to address similar problems. Maybe it’s time to extend COPS into South Norwood, if it hasn’t already. We certainly hope city council will be responsive and act to help stem the growing problems set forth in Mr. Brown's letter:


Dear President of Council and City Council Members,

I am writing this letter on behalf of my fellow neighbors of South Norwood who live south of Smith Road and north of Williams and Cameron Avenues about a problem that started in February and continues to grow worse every weekend night. This situation continues even during the weekday evenings. After repeated calls to the Norwood Police during the past months, I have decided to inform City Council of the issue.

Our neighborhood streets, especially Lafayette, Ashland, Adams, Jefferson and Floral are becoming a training ground for future NASCAR drivers.

My fellow neighbors and I have witnessed cars drag racing, cars running stop signs at excessive speed, cars “burning rubber,” cars with no mufflers and cars speeding in excess of 50 mph. It appears to be the same cars over and over. Additionally, there are been numerous near misses with other cars.

Unfortunately, we are not aware of these races until we hear or see the car/cars speeding past our homes and children.

The racing is occurring in South Norwood because the low number of police patrols in South Norwood’s neighborhood. It seems the only patrolled area in South Norwood is the MedPace parking lot. It seems the racers feel confident they can get away before the cops could arrive.

Another issue that has been growing in South Norwood has been petty vandalism. Groups of juveniles have been congregating in the neighborhood resulting in eggs thrown at homes and cars, knocking over of garbage cans, and littering, along with disturbing the peace after dark.

Even after repeated calls to the Police, these situations are increasing in South Norwood.

We need Council’s help in curbing this growing and dangerous speeding problem now plaguing our streets in South Norwood. We also are requesting an increased Police presence at night to curb these and other growing problems in South Norwood.

Sincerely,

Tom Brown
Ashland Avenue
Norwood, OH 45212

Ham. Co. Budget Commission approves Oak Hills Schools’ no-vote tax increase

Ohio Attorney General says it’s perfectly legal

We first blogged about this back in January when an Enquirer article reported the Oak Hills School District’s intention to bypass voters with an “inside millage” transfer scheme to collect more money from taxpayers every time property values go up. The Oak Hills School treasurer claimed most of the 3,000 people who attended pubic meetings about the proposal favored it. This past Tuesday, most of the Hamilton County Budget Commission members did, too, with Dusty Rhodes casting the only vote against the plan. Dusty, who lives in the OHSD, told the Enquirer, "I think it's a ruse and a sneaky way to get more from taxpayers without giving them the opportunity to vote on it. It's a trick and it's going to cost people and they don't have a say in it."

The last time Oak Hills voters approved a school levy was ten years ago. With this newly approved millage manuever allowing Oak Hills Schools to override voters, how long will it be before other Ohio school districts start using it as a hammer when voters refuse to approve school levies? Does this spell the end of taxpayers’ ability to hold school officials accountable for how they spend our education dollars? It certainly has that feel to us. But then, the potential backlash for schools is that members of COAST and COAST-like anti-tax groups may be more motivated than ever to run for school boards as the only way to stop automatic, unvoted tax increases. Ohio’s method of funding schools has been declared unconstitutional several times and remains unfixed, yet the Oak Hills scheme is perfectly legal. Go figure.

Yesterday’s Enquirer reported these essentials of the approved plan:

The issue: The Oak Hills School District is transferring 4.56 mills of its 6.56 total inside millage from its general fund to a "permanent improvement fund," where it will generate about $4.5 million to $5 million annually for anything from roofs and boilers to computers and textbooks.

What it means to the school district: By transferring the millage, the district can get more tax money every time there is a property reappraisal. So, as property values go up, so does the amount of money collected for school improvements. They say it's a way to pay for improvements without seeking a more costly tax levy.

What it means for property owners: Taxes for those living in the Oak Hills School District will go up starting in January. Hamilton County Auditor Dusty Rhodes estimates it will cost the owner of a $200,000 home an additional $300 a year in 2008. That will increase as property values go up.

January ’07 Norwood Police call stats

A monthly feature

The January NPD call report showed an increase in total call volume over the two previous months.

Total NPD calls:
August: 2,853 = 92 per day = 3.8 per hour
September: 2,688 = 89.6 per day = 3.73 per hour
October: 2,850 = 91.9 per day = 3.83 per hour
November: 2,407 = 80.2 per day = 3.34 per hour
December: 2,358 = 76.06 per day = 3.16 per hour
January: 2,546 = 82.1 per day = 3.42 per hour

Below are the number of calls for some of the more serious incident categories the NPD tracks. Unfortunately, we aren’t able to format with a chart. The first set of numbers below is for August, followed by September, October, November, December and January in this partial breakdown by categories of calls:

Auto Accidents: 78-78-70-75-74-69
Criminal Damage: 58-54-47-42-41-41
Dom. Violence: 35-34-39-20-27-25
Fights: 40-42-43-37-42-36
Burglary: 34-16-26-15-22-23
Traffic Stops: 298-184-317-287-189-248
DUI: 6-5-11-7-9-1
Assault: 20-26-29-14-14-22
Noise Complaints: 50-71-49-36-37- 31
Theft: 145-102-139-125-105-106
Theft/Motor Vehicle: 21-12-14-7-12-10
Rape/Attempted Rape: 4-2-4-1-1-1

We love to publish community-wide event info!

A recent visitor to our site left this comment: “Thanks for providing not only a forum for residents to discuss issues but also for supplying information about community events. This site is just what Norwood needs.” While not everyone may agree with the latter sentiment, unless Norwood gets a local newspaper so many of us long for, we are happy to continue using our blog for announcements of community-wide interest. We appreciate all of our readers who have sent us event notices, and we invite any and all who’d like a little extra publicity for a future local event to email the info to us at betternorwood@aol.com so we can publish it.

We’re pleased to see our city council members are having serious discussions about how to produce a periodic, cost-effective newsletter that would keep residents informed about city projects, changes in services, new ordinances, etc. They’re taking a look at how other communities are effectively tackling the challenge of spreading the word about actions local government takes that residents need to know about. Hooray!

And now for a little nagging. Have you written your online note yet in support of funding for new playground equipment at Burwood Park? So far, and this is really cool, 80 Norwood residents have logged their comments at My Hometown Helper, which demonstrates a whole lot of helping on this project. We’ve been told a decision about the award will be made next month, and as a dear friend named Tired Reggie always says, “The clock is ticking, and it’s later than you think.” How about writing your note today?

Biz Courier: Jungle Jim’s walks away from proposed Oakley development

Hey, how about coming to Norwood?

According to a 3/30 Business Courier article, Jungle Jim’s has pulled out of the proposed Millworks project because they didn’t like the new developer’s changed plans for the center. Wouldn’t Linden Pointe be a good substitute location?

Rave reviews for cast of NHS “Don’t Drink the Water” production

“The Cappies”** feature in today’s Enquirer has loads of praise not only for our hometown student actors, but also for the play’s set, props, and lighting. Student critics from area high schools gave kudos to:

David James - “great comedic timing”
Zach Ellis - “nailed everything”
Kevin Sluder - “his asides were hilarious”
Kayla Clark - “consistently in character”
Matt Hursh - “hysterical to watch”
Ashley Shelby - “strong performance”

Congratulations to all of you for your stellar performances and the accolades from your peers!

** According to their website, The Cappies have programs around the country that train high school theater and journalism students as critics. They attend shows at each other’s schools, then write reviews under the guidance of teacher-mentors. The mentors then select the top reviews for publication in local media like the Enquirer.