Apply in Norwood next week for 2010 U.S. Census jobs

We’re interrupting our Christmas hiatus to make an important announcement about the availability of full and part time jobs with U.S. Census Bureau for the 2010 Census. Following is an email we just received that has all the particulars:

My friend, Laura Hobbs, is a resident of Norwood, and she told me about your site. I'm hoping you can help me publicize job opportunities with the U.S. Census. Applicants will need to complete an application and take a 30-minute test, which is being offered at 4 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 30, at ITT Technical in Norwood. I would appreciate it if you could publish the following notice, as I would love to have Norwood residents take advantage of testing in their own neighborhood. Thank you for your consideration.

Myra Calder
Recruiting Assistant
U.S. Census Bureau/2010 Census

Census Bureau to hire hundreds for 2010 count
Know anyone who needs some extra cash? Wants flexible hours, working from their homes? The U.S. Census Bureau is now hiring for full-time and part-time temporary positions essential to the planning, organization and conducting of the 2010 Census. As you likely are aware, the Official Census Count (done every 10 years) determines your community's representation in Congress, state legislatures and local government. Equally important, it helps in the distribution of about $300 billion each year in federal funding for public programs in education, health care, transportation, housing and community development.

All Census positions require passage of a general skills test, which is being offered in the Norwood community at 4 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 30, at ITT Technical Institute at 4750 Wesley Avenue. Tests also are offered at various other sites throughout Hamilton, Warren, Butler and Clermont counties. To schedule your test at a time and location convenient to you, please call the regional office of the Census at 513-766-3040. To download a practice test or get more information, visit www.2010censusjobs.gov.

Signing off for the holidays

As in previous years at about this time, we’re going on hiatus until the first of the year so we can get into the full spirit of the holiday season. But before we go, we want to extend our heartfelt sympathies to all the family and many friends of Keri Shyrock, the young Xavier graduate student who tragically fell to her death this week during a Christmas play performance at Crossroads Community Church. Some our Norwood neighbors are Crossroads members, and we will keep you, too, in our thoughts and prayers in the coming days.

We’ll return on Friday, January 2 to start off a new year of blogging. In the meantime, we wish everyone a joyous Christmas and Happy New Year. Ya'll come back now, ya hear?

Not to worry (too much), Norwood has road salt

After reading in Tuesday’s Enquirer article that area counties and communities are struggling to acquire road salt because of a national shortage and a tripling in price, we contacted Public Works Director Tom White to inquire about Norwood’s salt supply for the winter. He told us the City normally goes through 1,200 - 1,500 tons of salt in a year. Roughly 300 tons are currently in storage with approximately 10 tons on hand that have sand mixed in.

Mr. White confirmed that the price has tripled recently and that, as a result, several nearby communities aren’t salting at all this year. Although he anticipates more salt will be ordered and delivered, he urges that we all be patient when the salt trucks are called into service because certain roads have priority. Heading the top of the list are our hills and the Norwood Lateral to the Reading Road entrance and exit ramps. With salt supplies short all over the region, we may find ourselves having to practice patience no matter where we’re trying to drive.

County Auditor reassesses Norwood properties 3.18% higher

According to today’s Enquirer article, nearly half of all Hamilton County homes lost value in the 3-year update of property appraisals conducted by the Hamilton County Auditor. Overall, Hamilton County homes increased 1.78% in value since 2005, but Norwood homes beat that average by rising 3.18% during the same period. This chart lists changes in total reassessed residential valuation for communities in Hamilton, Butler (up 5.16%) and Clermont (up 6.35%) Counties.

If you haven’t yet received the County Auditor’s notice of your home’s new value, click here to search for it.

November 08 NFD Activities and Statistics Report

A monthly feature

A. Total of emergency responses for the month of November = 310
Medic Runs = 242
Fire Runs = 20 w/breakdown
Average Response Time on Runs = 3 minutes, 10 seconds (city-wide)

Number of incidents by type:
Fire Runs – 20 - (Building, Vehicle, Brush, etc.)
Overpressure, Explosion - 0
Rescue & Medic Unit Assists – 10 - (lock-in, extrications, traffic accidents, etc.)
Hazardous Conditions (no fire) - 15 - (power lines down, arcing, spills, etc.)
Service Call – 6 - (smoke removal)
Good Intent – 4 - (odor of smoke, controlled burning)
False Alarms – 8 - (false alarms, system malfunctions, smoke detector activated, etc.)
Special Incident - 5

B. Fire Hydrant Activity
Pumped dry for winter - 420
Checked for leaing w/strap - 489
C. Bureau of Fire Safety Activities - 308
Total Inspections – 38 - (residential, schools, churches, businesses)
Total Violations – issued 29
Total Violations – corrected 86
Total Block Inspections – 117 - (Unit #1, Unit #2, Unit #3 – Rental & multi-family)
Additional Activities - 38

Norwood Planning Comm. approves St. Aloysius school

Minutes ago, by a vote of 2 to 1, the Norwood Planning Commission approved a motion for the use of St. Aloysius school at 2420 Drex Avenue with several conditions placed on the property. The conditions pertain, in part, to restrictions on office space, sizes of buses for transporting students, operating hours, and security on the premises. Joe Geers and Bridget McGraw voted for the motion, and Mayor Williams voted against it.

The matter will now be put before Norwood City Council for a final decision.

7:00 p.m. UPDATE: Click here to read Enquirer reporter Steve Kemme’s account of today’s Planning Commission meeting. He states the proposal now goes before City Council and that a hearing will be held on Feb. 11.

Casey Brown grateful for NSL volunteers

Yesterday, we received a very touching “thank you” email from Casey Brown that she wants us to publish. We don’t know the identities of our three readers who responded to our 12/10/08 blog about Monday evening’s volunteer opportunity at the Norwood Service League, but we, too, want to thank them for answering the call. Following is Casey's email:

I wanted to thank you again for the posting asking for assistance with preparing the baskets last night for the Service League Christmas assistance program. We had three people show up who saw it on the blog. That doesn’t sound like a lot, but we had 100 baskets to pack, and it would have taken Connie and me hours! Because these people came (plus one more person) it only took us one hour! I was so grateful. As the League executive board chair, it is always wonderful to see how a simple offer of help from a few people betters the lives of so many.

Thanks for reaching out for us!

-Casey Brown

Enquirer: Xavier Square project delayed

The Enquirer is reporting that Xavier University will delay construction of the Xavier Square project on Montgomery Road until the economy improves. However, the university sold $55.8 million in bonds earlier this month to complete financing on its $88 million Hoff Academic Quad which should be complete by fall 2010.

Xavier official Beth Amyot told the Enquirer in an interview, “Given the uncertainty in the economy, we didn’t want to take on any additional financial obligations right now. A lot of universities are holding back on all construction. We’re saying that this (Hoff Quad) is important to Xavier’s future. We can afford it and we’re doing it.”

According to the article, delaying the Xavier Square project "means the university will need several hundred new residential rooms within the next several years to house what it hopes will be more students on campus. It enrolled about 860 freshmen this year and hopes to increase that to 940 next fall.

The moves come as the economy has made a rare dent in privately-run Xavier. The school already has frozen most hiring and is looking to cut $3.5 million from next year’s budget. Since it does not receive state support and depends on student tuition, getting more students on campus is critical to its financial health.”

An adventure with Time Warner customer service

Late Sunday afternoon, the Time Warner wireless internet service went out. Both cable TV boxes were in good working order. A call to Time Warner at 6:30 p.m. began an adventure in customer service that was nothing short of fascinating for all the conflicting information that was imparted. Is TW’s technology so complex and mysterious that their personnel are helpless to get on the same page about reported problems? Has anything like the following ever happened to you?

During the first call at 6:30 p.m., the customer service rep. stated there was no outage in the area and immediately transferred the call to a specialist of some sort. First, he checked to see if there was an outage and confirmed there was none. Next, he tested the Netgear modem (for the wireless internet service) and said he wasn’t receiving a signal from it. He instructed that it be unplugged so he could reset it. The reset didn’t fix the problem, so he diagnosed a faulty modem, issued a ticket number, and then transferred the call back to our local area with instructions to give the ticket number to the next technician so a service call could be made to repair or replace the Netgear modem.

The new technician checked to see if there was an outage in the area. He reported that, yes, there was one, although it wasn’t affecting the cable TV service. He stated others in the area were experiencing the same internet service problem. After being told the first technician had diagnosed a faulty Netgear modem, he said it was not the modem and that the outage might be repaired in the next 90 minutes.

Two hours later, the internet service was still out, so a call was placed to Time Warner for a status. The customer service rep. said there was no outage of any kind in the area. She was told about the first technician’s diagnosis of the modem problem and second technician‘s diagnosis of an outage.. She asked if the cable light on the Netgear modem was flashing or steady. It was flashing, so she confirmed that the modem was the problem because she was not receiving a signal from it. She scheduled a technician for a service call the following morning (yesterday) to fix the modem.

Early yesterday morning, oddly, neither TV was working for the first time during the internet crisis. A call to Time Warner customer service was made to report this new development. The customer service rep. said there was no outage in the area, that the cable TV problem was completely unrelated to the wireless internet problem, and that a second technician would have to come and repair it because the technician coming in just a few hours was authorized to work only on the internet service problem. Unfortunately, there would be no TV service for 5 days because the first available appointment to fix it wasn’t until this Friday. A $15 credit for the inconvenience was offered and accepted.

At 11:00 a.m. yesterday, the technician arrived on time to fix the internet problem. He was immediately told a short version of all the above. After 45 minutes of checking things both in and outside the house, he reported with a huge smile, “I’ve located the problem with the internet and the cable TV service, and it’s in the pole outside. A service person is on the way to fix it.” A grateful customer gave him a celebratory handshake, hoping and praying it was warranted. It was. By 4:30 p.m. both the internet and cable TV services were restored, and we’re back in the blogging business. After this experience, we think we''d better stick with Cincinnati Bell for phone service instead of switching to Time Warner for their cheaper monthly rate.

Poll: Should City Council okay St. Aloysius school?

This article in today's Enquirer details the concerns Norwood residents have about the prospect of St. Aloysius Orphanage moving its elementary school into the former Holy Trinity School. St. Aloysius wants to buy Holy Trinity strictly to teach children K-8 who have severe emotional and behavior issues. According to the orphanage’s chief operations officer Joan Tumblison, St. Aloysius maintains one teacher for every four students with each classroom having eight students and two teachers and keeps the children under “constant watch.”

Here's what three residents had to say about the issue:

Karen Rettig, 34-year resident: “This isn’t what I want two blocks from my home.” She said she once worked in the office of a local orphanage that handled children with similar issues as the St. Aloysius children. “To me, they’re a danger to themselves and to the community unless they have a lot of security, They would have to put a fence around the school so that the kids won’t throw a fit and then go running out into the community.”

Patricia Fenton, who lives two doors from the school, said she would worry about the safety of her 6-year-old and 4-year-old children. “(The students) will be hanging around at the school,” she said. “I really don’t want my children exposed to that.”

Charlie Bodley, who lives on the same street as Holy Trinity, said he’d much rather see St. Aloysius use the building than let it remain vacant and vulnerable to vandals.
The fate of the controversial proposal is in the hands of Norwood officials.

According to the Enquirer, opponents argue St. Aloysius’ facility would function more as a treatment center than a school. That change of use for the Holy Trinity building could justify Norwood’s rejecting the orphanage’s proposal. However, the orphanage says only its private, chartered elementary school, just like the former Holy Trinity school, would occupy the site and that all its other programs, including foster care and short-term group homes, would remain at its Reading Road location in Bond Hill.

The Norwood Planning Commission will decide Dec. 17 whether to recommend issuing a zoning certificate and a building permit for minor interior renovations to St. Aloysius. City Council has the final decision. A decision against St. Aloysius could result in a discrimination lawsuit against Norwood, said Joe Trauth, an orphanage attorney.

With the possibility of a lawsuit thrown into the mix, how do our readers think City Council should decide this difficult issue? We hope you’ll weigh in on this unscientific poll:

Should council approve the zoning certificiate and building permit?
	Yes
	No
	Not sure
pollcode.com free polls

Cumulus Cincinnati moving 100 staffers to Norwood

The Business Courier is reporting that Cumulus Cincinnati has outgrown its Centennial Plaza offices in downtown Cincinnati and will be moving to Norwood’s Linden Pointe next spring. Cumulus, home to radio stations Warm 98, 103.5 WGRR and 96 Rock, is leasing 16,000 square-feet for a period of 10 years in Al Neyer Inc.’s first Linden Point building, thereby making the building 90% occupied. Other tenants are SHP Leading Design, Brown Mackie College, Public Safety Medical Services and Shapiro, Van Ess & Phillips, LLP.

X.U. responds to SNNA pressure with new advisory board

According to this lengthy article in the current issue of the Xavier Newswire, Xavier University has formed a Neighborhood Advisory Board in response to the South Norwood Neighborhood Association’s complaints about the disruptive behavior of students who live in our community. This sounds like a good first step in the right direction. SNNA founders Russell Johnson and his wife Amy Schardein; and members Bill Graff, also with WNNA; Cami Geraci; and Rev. Angelo J. Pupolo, Jr. are quoted in the piece. Following are some excerpts:

Xavier has formed a Neighborhood Advisory Board where residents, students and administrators can gather together to try to discuss possible solutions to improve off-campus relations between students and administrators. Dean of Students Dr. Luther Smith said that the goal of this board is to “create dialogue and not to just serve as a complaint board for community members to voice their concerns.”…A preliminary meeting was held on Monday, Nov. 17. Dr. Smith, Assistant Director for Apartments and Off-Campus Living Angie Kneflin, representatives from Norwood and North Avondale and two students, SGA senator James McShane and Anne Genalo met to discuss possible strategies to solve problems.

…Besides the solutions that the advisory board is currently working on, residents want Xavier to better inform students of neighborhood laws and ordinances and to hold landlords more accountable for how they maintain their property. Norwood residents have also expressed concerns that Xavier currently does not require students to provide any address besides a home address. Residents like Cami Geraci believe that not only does this present a problem since Xavier does not know where in the community students live, but also is a safety concern for students in case of emergencies.

…Dr. Smith said that Xavier has had problems in trying to collect local addresses of students before, but Smith and Kneflin are currently trying to work with other University departments to find a way to find addresses of students who live in surrounding communities. This will hold students more accountable for their actions, as well as help to better serve students so that Xavier can better assist students who live off-campus.

…Xavier has also taken a step to better inform off-campus students off their rights and responsibilities through the creation of the position of assistant director of off-campus living. Angie Kneflin, Assistant Director of Residence Life for Apartments has taken on this role, which previously did not exist.

Founders of the South Norwood Neighborhood Association, Russell Johnson and Amy Schardein, also want Xavier to be held more accountable in the behavior of off-campus students. They also think that Xavier “should house more of its undergraduate students on-campus or in campus-owned housing” since they say “pushing the undergraduate students to off-campus housing is relegating its responsibility for those students onto the neighboring communities.”

Volunteer opportunity with NYP at Norwood Service League

If anyone is interested in a fantastic volunteer opportunity, the Norwood Service League is putting together Christmas food baskets for local families in need on Monday, Dec. 15, 6-9 PM. They will be providing 3 lb. hams and other items to make a great Christmas meal for Norwood families. Please contact food closet manager, Connie Jones, at 513-315-0390 if you are interested. If you are unable to participate but would still like to contribute, NYP will be collecting money to assist in the purchase of 300 apples and 300 oranges that will also be provided to the families. A $5 or $10 donation will go a long way, but ANY help would be appreciated. Contact Andy Scarpitti at ajscarpitti@hotmail.com if you'd like to contribute.

Don't forget about NYP’s first annual "Thanks for Giving" Coat Drive. It's never too late to collect coats/blankets/gloves or just donate your extras to a needy Norwood family. The group will still collect from your house if you'd like, or bring the items to the “Thanks for Giving” Happy Hour on Wednesday, December 17 at 6:00 p.m. at Gordo’s at 4328 Montgomery Rd.

Also, Norwood Young Professionals have been trying to put together a new logo for months now and have narrowed the choices down to five. Please take a few seconds and go to the NYP website to vote once for your favorite. The winning logo will be official starting with the new year.

Free tours of C-Span Campaign 2008 Bus at Xavier

Next Tuesday, December 16, C-SPAN’s Campaign 2008 Bus will visit Xavier University from 12 noon until 3 pm stationed on Herald Avenue near Bellarmine Chapel. Part of C-SPAN’s community outreach, this mobile production studio offers presentations about the political process and C-SPAN’s unique coverage of politics geared toward students, bringing public affairs into the heart of American communities. All are welcome to visit the bus and see its exhibits about the electoral process and this past election in particular. Admission is free.

The bus is 45 feet long, 9 feet wide, 13 feet tall and weighs 22 tons. It has traveled the country this year visiting over 110 major political events in battleground states and touring 43 state capitals. On a regular basis the bus has visited middle and high schools, colleges and universities since 1993. More information is available at www.c-spanschoolbus.org.*

“For many people, C-SPAN is the electronic media of record,” says Gene Beaupre, director of government relations at Xavier. “If you walk into any Congressional office in Washington, D.C., you will see C-Span on in that office.”

*The bus schedule states in error that it is stopping in Norwood on December 17. It will be in Dayton, Ohio on that day.

Santa Claus blogs!

We were absolutely flabbergasted yesterday when we received the following guest blog from no less than Santa Claus himself. Thank you, Santa, for remembering how much our readers look forward to sharing this annual event with their little ones:


It’s time to “Talk to Santa.”

It’s time to gather ‘round the TV for the annual event that has Norwood kids talking. Talking to Santa that is.

It’s time, once again, for Norwood Community Television’s Blue Chip Award-winning show, Talk to Santa where kids of all ages can talk live, directly to Santa Claus himself from his workshop way up-north at the North Pole in the heart of the Arctic Circle. This Thursday, from 7 to 9 pm, Santa will be taking a few hours off from his busy schedule to let Norwood Community Television set-up their cameras in his personal workshop at the North Pole and talk to the kids of Norwood.

You can watch Talk to Santa on Norwood Community Television’s Community Access Channel 24, only on Time Warner Cable. (Sorry satellite subscribers.) Every kid, naughty or nice, is welcome to call Santa at 396-7509. Have your Christmas list ready to let Santa know what you’d like to see under the tree come Christmas morning. Too shy? Have somebody help you call.

Every family who calls and Talks to Santa will be entered to win four tickets to any National Amusements movie theater.

And don’t forget to wave to Santa!

Event: Talk to Santa
Date: Thursday, December 11, 2008
Time: 7 pm to 9 pm
Phone Number: 396-7509

-Santa Claus
North Pole

Annual Norwood Historical Society Holiday Open House

Steve Thornbury with the Norwood Historical Society is inviting all community members to come to their Holiday Open House this Saturday:

Everyone is invited to attend the annual Holiday Open House sponsored by the Norwood Historical Society beginning at 4 p.m. on Saturday, December 13th at the McCullough House in Lindner Park Nature Preserve on Cypress Way.

The McCullough House, the original home of the McCullough Seed Company and family, will be decorated for the season with members of the Norwood Historical Society on-hand to welcome visitors. Light refreshments, snacks and holiday treats will be served, and a variety of historical information and objects will be available to view.

Visitors will also be able to purchase tickets for the drawing to be held that evening for the extraordinary scale model replicas of a Norwood Ford Crown Victoria Police Cruiser created by Historical Society member Rodney Steele. Authentic in every detail, each cast metal model was assembled by Mr. Steele after carefully documenting the equipment and markings of an actual Norwood Police Cruiser. The decals are custom made and the doors and hood are fully operational.

The Open House is a great opportunity for the public to view and tour the McCullough House that is normally only open for special occasions.

Event: Norwood Historical Society Open House
Place: McCullough House at the Lindner Nature Preserve, Cypress Avenue
Date: Saturday, December 13
Time: 4 p.m. to 7 p.m.
Cost of tickets for drawing: $1.00 or 6 for $5.00

Auditor Jim Stith sees positives despite less projected 09 revenue

City Auditor Jim Stith projects Norwood’s revenues for 2009 will be $20.5 million, more than $700,000 less than this year’s estimated revenue and that of 2007. A tentative 2009 balanced budget that still requires City Council’s approval calls for no employee layoffs and no major cutbacks. Auditor Smith told Enquirer reporter Steve Kemme, “Month to month, we’re seeing a small percentage decrease in revenues…There are some areas where we tightened up in small ways… This budget will take our people through next year if they understand that's how much money they have to spend."

Although Norwood has been in a state of fiscal watch since 2004, it has become financially stable in recent years. However, with the departures of U.S. Playing Card’s 460 jobs and Medpace’s 350 jobs in the next few years, Norwood officials don’t want to slip back into financial trouble. "I don't see anything earth-shattering going wrong," Mayor Tom Williams said. "But caution is the word of the day."

The Enquirer reports that the city's 2007 revenue exceeded general fund expenditures by $2.4 million. Norwood's surplus stands at $3.4 million, which will enable the city to have an 11 percent carryover of its total budget from this year to next year. According to Auditor Stith, "The rule when you're writing a budget is that you should have a 5 percent carryover... Norwood made some expenditures last year that it won't have to make next year, such as certain loan payments and police cruiser purchases…If revenue projections hold true, the city could be taken off the state's fiscal watch list next year."

"Compared to Hamilton County and some other areas, we're doing pretty well," he said. "The reason is that we were so conservative in 2006 and 2007 with our spending. We reigned in our spending. I think we'll be OK if we continue to do that."

New Norwood firm wins most Cincinnati Design Awards

Our thanks to Nikki Marksberry with emersionDESIGN on Mentor Avenue for sharing this great news about the firm’s Cincinnati Design Awards:


Just over a year old, emersionDESIGN is grateful to have been recognized 3 times on our first Cincinnati Design Awards outing. And really surprised to have won the most design awards at the event.

Most meaningful for us now is that the three winning projects speak directly to ideals of our practice— collaborative engagement, thoughtful design and exemplary execution in the service of the client, the environment, and society.

emersion DESIGN received design awards for all three of its 2008 Cincinnati Design Award submissions. Emersion received these honors at the CDA-12 Awards Ceremony. The projects included:

Greening Over-the-Rhine - AIA Honorable Mention for Architectural Advancement: A cooperative Study with UC DAAP, Gray & Pape Cultural Resources Consultants & others, which affirms through case studies that LEED and Historic Preservation standards can be integrated to provide sustainability benefits as well as secure tax incentives.
LE3D--Social Sustainability Rating System - AIA Honor Award for Architectural Advancement: A proposal for integrating social sustainability into the LEED Rating System.
emersion DESIGN Office Expansion - IIDA Honor Award for Built Work: a 1,700 SF collaborative workspace currently under review by USGBC for LEED CI Platinum certification.


About the competition
Each year CDA selects the best designed projects by local firms in Architecture, Interior Design, Landscape Architecture, and Environmental Graphics—an innovative multi-disciplinary approach to recognizing design excellence that some national jurors have called unique in the nation. It brings together the Cincinnati Chapter of the American Institute of Architects (AIA), the International Interior Design Association (IIDA) Cincinnati/Dayton City Center, the American Society of Interior Designers (ASID) Cincinnati/Dayton, the Society for Environmental Graphic Design (SEGD) Midwest Cincinnati and the Miami Section of the American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA).This year 75 projects were entered. The projects were submitted anonymously (firm authorship info sealed until after the judging) and evaluated by 3 national jurors and one local.

About emersionDESIGN
emersionDESIGN offers services in Architecture, Interior Design, Planning, Urban Design Structural Engineering, and Sustainability Consulting to organizations interested in effective and thoughtful quality facilities.

The firm has grown from 4 to 18 people in its first year of operation, with planned continued growth. We’re very fortunate to be on track for a profitable 2008 and a bright outlook for 2009.

We are working locally and nationally, from San Francisco to New Orleans to Washington, D.C. We’re truly grateful to the clients and partners who have engaged us to pursue our passion—advancing organizations that advance society.

Norwood receives silver AAA Traffic Safety Award

Today’s Enquirer reports that Norwood was one of nine local cities to receive awards from AAA for efforts to improve traffic safety in their communities. Norwood won the silver category award, along with Deer Park and Harrison. AAA president Tom Wiedemann said, ““AAA is proud to honor these cities and their police departments for their outstanding work to improve the safety of local roadways for motorists and pedestrians. Police officers and community officials deserve the credit, awards and accolades they receive throughout the year for their hard work every day to make our streets a safer place.” Accompanying the article is a picture of NPD Officer Ryan Conlon accepting the award yesterday at The Metropolitan Club in Covington. Congratulations to all our safety personnel!

December Flu Shot Clinics at Norwood Health Dept.

If you haven’t gotten your flu shot yet, you have a choice of four Flu Shot Clinics this month at our award-winning Norwood Health Dept. at 2059 Sherman Avenue. For the convenience of all Monday through Friday working stiffs, both RN’s Betsy and Chandra will be on hand this Saturday to administer the $15 shot. They tell us no one will be turned away who’s short on cash, AND, if you can’t make any of the 4 dates, call NHD 458-4600 to arrange another time.

Flu Shot Clinics
Friday, December 5; 1:00 - 3:00 p.m. (blood pressure clinic, too)
Saturday, December 6; 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
Monday, December 8; 2:00 - 4:30 p.m. (child vaccinations, too)
Monday, December 22; 2:00 - 4:30 p.m. (child vaccinations, too)

“Blue Christmas” service at Norwood Presbyterian Church

Pastor Chris White is inviting anyone who is feeling a little “blue” this Christmas to come to Norwood Presbyterian Church's chapel this Sunday for their annual "Blue Christmas" service. Just what IS a "Blue Christmas" worship service? Here’s how Pastor White explains it:

“I'm glad you asked! Sometime life experiences make it difficult for us to joyfully enter into the holiday spirit. We aren't in the mood to be jolly; we can't put aside our feelings regarding a crisis in our life - a death, a divorce, a difficult illness. And yet - the Lord is with us. That is why Jesus came - Emmanuel! Join us for a service of quiet reflection and hear again the comforting assurance that God is with us. Come and sense God's presence in order to observe the holidays in a meaningful way.”

When: Sunday, December 7, 4:00 p.m.
Where: Norwood Presbyterian Church chapel, 4400 Floral Avenue.
More information: 531-1546

City Council meeting rescheduled

Per the Clerk of Council’s office, the first December meeting of Norwood City Council has been changed from Tuesday, December 9, to Monday, December 8, at 7:30 p.m. in Council Chambers.

Pet ID Days at Cincinnati SPCA

A great opportunity to get a dog license, as well as other services for your pet, will take place this weekend at SPCA Cincinnati (at the Sharonville Shelter and Humane Center location only). SPCA will be offering a free rabies shot for your dog with a purchase of a Hamilton County dog license and discounted microchip implantations. This is a two-day only special:

Pet ID Days
When: Saturday, Dec. 6, and Sunday, Dec. 7, from 10:00 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Where: SPCA Cincinnati in Sharonville; 11900 Conrey Rd.
More information: 541-6100

Microchipping and registration for one cat or dog is $15, a savings of over $60.

Rabies shots are also free for cats, but SPCA Cincinnati is asking for a small donation of your choice (since cats do not require a license).

A new Ohio law requires every dog over the age of three months to have a license by January 31 of every year. Hamilton County dog licenses for the year 2009 are currently on sale for $13.75 each. Get your license now before the price goes up in February!

Dog licenses can be purchased in Norwood at:

Pet Spot Kennel
2603 Norwood Avenue
Phone # 351-7768

Present a license proof of purchase at SPCA Cincinnati and receive a free Iams Pet Wellness starter kit. The kit includes an Iams nutrition sample, a pet care guide and coupons worth more than $20.

'A Xavier Christmas' welcomes children to campus

150 elementary school children will be special guests

Xavier University once again kicks off the holiday season with ‘A Xavier Christmas’ on Tuesday, December 9. Over 150 elementary school students from Hoffman-Parham, Frederick Douglass, Sharpsburg, Williams, Allison Street, and Norwood View schools will be special guests of the University and will be accompanied by more than 150 Xavier Buddies (students). The children will have an opportunity to meet Santa Claus and see a live nativity scene among other activities.

Xavier University President Michael J. Graham, S.J., and Campus Minister Al Bischoff, S.J., will join the participants at the Sally Watson Tree for a special tree lighting ceremony. Xavier’s Physical Plant staff always creates a breathtaking display for all. The Xavier University Gospel Choir will also perform.

Additionally, on-campus residents are competing in a window decorating contest to help decorate the campus for the visiting children. Faculty, students and staff have collected new gloves to be distributed to the children in attendance and sent to other children in need. On the day of the event, all the children will receive fleece scarves color coordinated by school.

The evening schedule is:

3:30 p.m.: Children from six elementary schools arrive at Cintas Center for pizza and pictures with Santa.
5:30 p.m.: Nativity scene featuring live animals on the green space near Bellarmine Chapel.
6:00 p.m.: Tree lighting ceremony on the residential mall in front of the Gallagher Student Center with Frs. Graham and Bischoff. The Xavier University Gospel Choir will perform.
6:30 p.m.: Elementary school children depart.

Xavier Newswire: Norwood housing study, unruly students

The November 19 issue of the Xavier Newswire has three interesting articles we recommend:

1. Senior News Writer Kelly Shaw filed this in depth report about Xavier’s November 13 presentation of the Norwood Housing Strategy at Norwood High School.

2. This is an informative and balanced article about the goals of the South Norwood Neighborhood Association, founded recently by Russell Johnson and his wife Amy Schardein to solve the behavior problems posed by Xavier students living in our neighborhoods. In addition to Russell and Amy, several other Norwood residents are quoted, including Rev. Angelo J. Pupolo, Jr., Bill Graff with WNNA and COPP, and Cami Geraci, as well as Xavier student Kaitlin Culley.

3. According to this article, Norwood isn’t the only place for out-of-control parties hosted by Xavier students. This recent party at an Avondale location, 3901 Reading Rd., also known as the Funeral Home house, featured suspicious drinks that felt “stronger than usual” and “wristbands which were sold for guests to gain admission to the party, allegedly printed with a disclaimer that waived responsibility from the party’s hosts if guests were to become overly intoxicated.” An investigation is underway by Xavier officials and campus police.

Tonight: art discussion at Speckled Bird Café

Many thanks to Juli for emailing us about this rare opportunity to converse with an artist from India:

Come spend an evening with Stefan Eicher as he talks about the fabulous movements of art he has been a part of in Delhi, India. Stefan was born and raised in India and has been a long time artist there gathering groups of fellow artists together to paint and explore various topics like : 'The Dignity of the Destitute' and 'The Sanctity of Life: Female Fetocide'. Hear about 'Reflections,' the gallery Stefan has opened and the process and path it took to get there. Check out what Stefan is doing at www.artnet.in.

What: An informal conversation with artist Stefan Eicher
When: Tuesday December 2; 7:30 p.m.
Where: Speckled Bird Café at 1766 Mills Ave.
Cost: This event is free!

Mike Huckabee at Norwood Joseph-Beth tomorrow

GOP presidential hopeful and Fox News talk show host Mike Huckabee will be signing his new book tomorrow, December 2, from 5:00 - 6:00 p.m. at Joseph-Beth Booksellers at Rookwood Pavilion (line letters required). Entitled Do the Right Thing: Inside the Movement That’s Bringing Common Sense Back to America, the book is part campaign memoir and part manifesto from one of the new rising stars of the Republican Party and tells the inside story of his low-budget, grassroots presidential campaign.

Two men rob Norwood BP, then escape

According to the Enquirer, two men who disguised their faces used a gun to hold up a clerk at 4900 Montgomery Rd. this morning. Sgt. Lou Pauly of the Norwood Police Dept. said the robbery occurred at 3:20 a.m., and both suspects escaped on foot with a small amount of cash. Officers believe they then left the area in a white car.