buildingcincinnati

Both from the 3/2/07 Dispatch: City holds forum on armed robberies Some in diverse audience ask police about efforts to protect immigrant neighborhoods Friday, March 02, 2007 Matthew Marx THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH Police stopped Romin Iqbal six times in a year, he said, while he was living on the Northwest Side, near Grandview Heights. "I didn't mind because I committed no crime," Iqbal told about 50 people last night during a city forum on armed robberies against immigrants. Iqbal, staff attorney for the Columbus Chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations, would like to see similar police attention paid to the East Side, where he lives now. Iqbal, 30, notices crimes in those neighborhoods, he said, especially where a lot of immigrants live. "What steps have police taken" to prevent robberies, such as the one that ended in the fatal shooting of an immigrant store owner in January, Iqbal asked. Full story at http://www.dispatch.com/dispatch/contentbe/dispatch/2007/03/02/20070302-D1-04.html

From the 2/25/07 Dispatch: Residents warming up to idea of security cameras Other cities report that the devices help reduce violent crime Sunday, February 25, 2007 Mark Ferenchik THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH The phony security cameras have been gone from E. Stewart Avenue in German Village and Merion Village neighborhoods for more than a month. Columbus crews never got a chance to take down the three cameras from city-owned utility poles on Stewart between Schiller Park and Parsons Avenue. Whoever put them up, in an effort to dissuade those considering a break-in or worse, removed them after the city said it would because the devices were put up without permission. But those bogus cameras have caused some to think about real security cameras and whether the city should install them in neighborhoods to prevent crime. Full story at http://www.dispatch.com/dispatch/contentbe/dispatch/2007/02/25/20070225-C4-00.html

From the 2/24/07 Dispatch: 2 officers cleared in fatal shooting in Hilltop duplex Saturday, February 24, 2007 COLUMBUS A Franklin County grand jury has cleared two Columbus police officers of criminal wrongdoing in the fatal shooting of a man who pointed a gun at them in a Hilltop duplex six months ago. Officers Brad Hare, 33, and Ronnie Lucas, 35, shot William H. King Jr., 44, about 9:20 p.m. Aug. 4 when he confronted them with a handgun at 280 S. Wheatland Ave., police said. King died of multiple gunshot wounds. Full story at http://www.dispatch.com/dispatch/contentbe/dispatch/2007/02/24/20070224-D3-06.html

From the 5/26/07 Tipp City Herald: Group withdraws request to rezone Eidemiller property By MIKE KELLY Managing Editor It's back to the drawing board, more precisely the planning board, for the developers of 78 acres of land west of the Meijer Distribution plant known as the Eidemiller property. David Burig, HD Living, was asking council to rezone the Industrial site into a 25 acre tract zoned Planned Commercial and the remaining 53 acres Planned Residential District. The intention, or so Tipp City Council felt, was for the PRD to be for senior living. At Monday night's council meeting Burig's firm instead offered a change in their plan removing the age restrictions. In exchange they would agree not to build on the 25 acres for 36 months. "I have a lot of concerns on the way this has been handled," said Mayor George Lovett. "At the planning board and at our workshop you sold this as a development for "active seniors", those ages 55 and older, to meet federal guidelines. I see the need for that kind of development and wanted it to proceed ASAP. "Now you're saying you don't want to do that. I'm confused as to what you want to do." Burig added that if they couldn't get council to remove the age requirement, they wanted to withdraw the rezoning request. Council refused to remove the restriction and Burig removed the rezoning request. MORE: http://www.tcnewsnet.com/main.asp?SectionID=5&SubSectionID=5&ArticleID=144177&TM=51449.44

From the 5/27/07 Detroit News: General Motors pushing UAW to accept job changes By Sharon Terlep The Detroit News Sunday, May 27, 2007 Orion Township, Mich. — — Contract talks between Detroit automakers and the United Auto Workers don't officially begin for months, but critical battles already are under way at General Motors Corp. plants around the country. GM is pushing UAW locals at its factories to agree to money-saving work rule changes — from reduced break time to more leeway to outsource jobs — that mirror policies in plants run by foreign competitors, especially Toyota Motor Corp. Ford Motor Co. was able to put such so-called competitive operating agreements in place with relative ease in more than three dozen of its U.S. plants, but GM is having a much tougher time convincing the UAW. ... http://www.daytondailynews.com/n/content/oh/story/news/business/2007/05/26/ddn052707bizGMUAW.html Link contains a photo. From the 5/27/07 DDN: GM team goes the extra mile to ensure its Moraine-made vehicles are safe By Thomas Gnau Staff Writer Sunday, May 27, 2007 MORAINE — — April Adkins gently accelerates a Saab 9-7X, then, without braking, places the gear shift into park — exactly as her father, years ago, taught her not to. A clicking sound results, indicating that the SUV's parking paw was engaged — exactly as it should. Adkins, 48, turns to her passengers. "Hold on," she says. ... http://www.daytondailynews.com/n/content/oh/story/news/business/2007/05/26/ddn052707cars.html

From the 5/27/07 Record-Courier: Area leads in calls to foreclosure hotline By Jason De Leon Record-Courier staff writer The 330 area code ranks No. 1 in Ohio for people using a U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development hotline for foreclosure prevention assistance. The Homeownership Preservation Foundation recently reported more than 7,000 calls to the 1-888-995-HOPE hotline came from Ohio in the last 12 months. "Calls from Ohio have been steady with more than 400 calls every month last year and over 600 per month in 2007," said Dean Caldwell-Tautges of the HPF. ... More at: http://www.recordpub.com/news/article/2057231

From the 5/27/07 Enquirer: Latino group to form new chapter BY FEOSHIA HENDERSON | [email protected] A Latino organization in Cincinnati that recently protested WLW-AM's "Big Juan" billboards is forming a Butler County chapter. Jason Riveiro, president of the Cincinnati League of United Latin American Citizens chapter, is helping organize the Butler group. Riveiro was among several local Hispanic leaders whose protests led WLW to yank its "Big Juan" billboards earlier this month. The ads showed a man in a large sombrero with a donkey, which protestors found offensive. The billboards were a spin on WLW-AM's "The Big One" branding as the area's No. 1 radio station. MORE: http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/AB/20070527/NEWS01/705270423/

From the 5/27/07 Lima News: Health departments around the region weigh in on smoking ban Kimberly R. Simmons | [email protected] - 05.27.2007 LIMA — It took one comment from Karen Swan’s then-10-year-old granddaughter to get her to quit smoking. As Swan was about to light up, her granddaughter asked her not to do it. “She said, ‘Please don’t smoke because I don’t want you to die,’” Swan said. “That stuck in my head.” Swan, of Columbus, said she owes her success to being smoke-free for more than a year to the Ohio Tobacco Quit Line. Read more: http://www.limanews.com/story.php?IDnum=38942

From the 5/27/07 DDN: Parents urged to add voices to school funding debate By John Nolan Staff Writer Sunday, May 27, 2007 DAYTON — — It is time for parents to get involved in seeing that society provides adequate funding for public education so that it can produce tomorrow's productive citizens, city school employees and elected officials said Saturday during a rally at Welcome Stadium. "It's time to get mad — mad for public education, mad for our children," state Rep. Clayton Luckie, D-Dayton, told the pro-public education rally. Luckie is a former member of the Dayton school board. http://www.daytondailynews.com/n/content/oh/story/news/local/2007/05/27/ddn052707schoolrally.html

From the 5/27/07 Ashtabula Star Beacon: Historic Cleveland Hotel renovation at full throttle MARK TODD Star Beacon CONNEAUT - - By the end of the year, people should again be bedding down in Conneaut's historic Cleveland Hotel. This time, however, the occupants will be permanent residents and not just overnight guests... http://www.starbeacon.com/local/local_story_147122316

Midwest Electric breaks new ground St. Mary's Evening Leader, 5/25/07 Midwest Electric is getting a new look, as the cooperative broke ground for a $1.86 million office, garage and warehouse expansion at its headquarters on County Road 33A. According to Manager/CEO Rick Gerdeman, the focal point of the expansion is the addition of 28,000 square feet of garage and warehouse space. The addition is going onto the garage end of the structure and the current garage will be renovated for additional office space. The current buildings at Midwest haven't been touched since 1963. "We've simply outgrown the space," Gerdeman said. "We have no extra space to house new employees and inadequate space for equipment." He explained that today's line construction and maintenance trucks are much larger and heavier than the equipment the co-op used in the 1960s and 70s. MORE: http://www.theeveningleader.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=6611&Itemid=27

ROAD WORK Costs put squeeze on freeway upgrades I-75/I-475 project's totals get bigger By DAVID PATCH BLADE STAFF WRITER While the Strickland administration has pledged to keep all construction phases for a new four-lane U.S. 24 between Waterville and the Indiana border on schedule, the uncertainty of Ohio's future transportation budgets is illustrated by comments a local ODOT official made last week about the proposed modernization of the I-75/I-475 junction in Toledo. "We're a little uncertain about the funding, especially for the second part of this," said David Dysard, the Ohio Department of Transportation's deputy director for the district office in Bowling Green, during a news conference that focused on this year's construction program but included updates on future plans. Construction budgeting has been hammered by a 40 percent cost increase during the last four years, Mr. Dysard said, because of rising prices for both petroleum and construction materials such as steel and concrete. More at: http://www.toledoblade.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070408/NEWS11/704080310/-1/NEWS

I-75/I-475 SPLIT IN PERRYSBURG Interchange work too low on state list, city contends By DAVID PATCH BLADE STAFF WRITER Perrysburg officials hope to persuade the Ohio Department of Transportation to give a higher priority to modernizing the I-75/I-475 junction in their city than was recommended in a state consultant's recent study. While acknowledging that the stretch of I-475 in Perrysburg has problems, however, state planners say sections farther north have more urgent needs, which is why modernizing the Perrysburg junction and the adjacent State Rt. 25 interchange fell to seventh position on a nine-item priority list. For the short term, the rankings may not mean much, because ODOT has assigned no construction money for the $708 million list of potential I-475 and U.S. 23 improvements that Jacobs Associates, a Pasadena, Calif.-based consultant, identified in a report issued last month. So far, only $5 million has been set aside for detailed engineering on the highest-priority section. More at: http://www.toledoblade.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070322/NEIGHBORS03/703210472

I-75/I-475 JUNCTION Long-term strategy to overhaul busy interchange drives criticism Businessesbristle at plan to shut ramps By DAVID PATCH BLADE STAFF WRITER Gus County is clear about his main objection to the Ohio Department of Transportation’s plans to modernize the I-75/I-475 junction near central Toledo: the loss of access to I-475, which now can be reached from either the Willys Parkway or Berdan Avenue interchanges. “That is the biggest problem. It would create a big disaster for this area,” said Mr. County, president of the Five Points Business Association. During several public meetings about the project that will begin near the middle of the next decade, ODOT officials asserted that their plans for rebuilding the busy freeway junction represent the best compromise they could strike with Federal Highway Administration engineering guidelines. More at: http://www.toledoblade.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070218/NEWS11/70218002/-1/RSS

From the 5/26/07 Enquirer: Employers eye immigration bill THE ENQUIRER The immigration bill being hashed out in the U.S. Senate raises concerns for Greater Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky businesses, including whether they will be saddled with burdensome record-keeping requirements, a Cincinnati USA Regional Chamber executive said Friday. Doug Moormann, vice president of government affairs at the Chamber, said the immigration bill's impact extends to employers of both skilled and unskilled workers. "We do believe there needs to be an increase in the number of visas, because there are companies in this area that are having trouble bringing in the type of skilled labor they need," Moormann said. "There should be some path to citizenship that is documentable and that is understandable, so that the jobs that are filled by these people don't go undone." MORE: http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/AB/20070526/BIZ01/705260324/

From the 5/26/07 Urbana Daily Citizen: Commission OKs review of complex KATHLEEN FOX Assistant Editor The Urbana Planning Commission on Monday approved the site review of a 48-unit apartment complex to be located off Dellinger Road and east of Julia Street. Several future neighbors from the Dugan Run Condo Association attended the meeting to restate concerns about a new road to be built off Julia Street as a part of the complex and the potential accidents this may cause, according to Zoning Inspector Ken Watkins. Developers have said a fence and landscaping between the two developments will provide a visual barrier, although that is not part of the submitted plan, Watkins said. The new complex will include 16 apartments, a club house and a pool. MORE: http://www.urbanacitizen.com/main.asp?SectionID=3&SubSectionID=5&ArticleID=143965&TM=39981.34 A&A Safety plans to build $1.2 million facility in Dayton Dayton Daily News, 5/26/07 A provider of highway safety equipment plans to invest $1.2 million in a new building, equipment and additional inventory in Dayton. The 28-year-old Ohio firm, which aside from Dayton has locations in the Cincinnati and Cleveland areas, will build a 14,000-square-foot facility in Dayton's Northwest Industrial Park, according to city of Dayton documents. Within four years, the company plans to add eight full-time employees to its current staff of 10 full-time and nine seasonal employees. Dayton is supporting the move and expansion with a $15,000 grant and a 10-year Enterprise Zone agreement providing property tax savings. A&A Safety offers products for traffic control and direction, including cones, barricades, barrels, signs and more. The company is headquartered in Amelia. Celina planning commission OKs warehouse site plan Celina Daily Standard, 5/25/07 Celina Planning Commission members authorized a site plan Thursday that will pave the way for a private warehouse in the city's Grand Lake Industrial Park. Approval of the plan came despite objections from resident Paul Arnold, the city's former mayor. Arnold, who worked to create the industrial park, criticized city officials for allowing the move, which will bring minimal jobs to what was supposed to be the city's future job base. "It does not meet the intention of an industrial park," Arnold said, noting the city has nearly $25,000 per acre invested in the land, which is fully developed with utilities and storm drainage. "My only objection is that it brings in no money." Planning Commission members said applicant Toni Slusser had fulfilled the necessary requirements and that they had no legal standing to block her plans. Some also noted it would be difficult to site a job-intensive building on such a small tract of land, which is zoned for heavy manufacturing (M-1). "You're not going to get heavy manufacturing on small lots," city development consultant Kent Bryan said.

From the 5/25/07 Ashtabula Star Beacon: Conneaut figures in travel center's plans Similar stores employ up to 40 people, says official MARK TODD Star Beacon CONNEAUT - - Officials at an Oklahoma-based travel company were noncommittal when asked about their plans for Conneaut's Interstate 90 interchange. But City Manager Douglas Lewis found it difficult to contain his enthusiasm after learning representatives of Love's Travel Stops and Country Stores will make a presentation at next month's Planning Commission meeting... http://www.starbeacon.com/local/local_story_145122327 Jefferson to break ground for new schools Ashtabula Star Beacon, 5/25/07 It will be a big weekend for the community of the Jefferson Area Local School District when the next day after graduation ground is broken...

My apologies if some of this is redundant. This was posted on my blog, which didn't have the benefit of including the story that leads off this thread. Green Twp: The Club at Hillview Building Cincinnati, 5/25/07 Site plan (east at top) An article in the May 18, 2007 Cincinnati Business Courier revealed plans for a massive Towne Properties project in Green Township. I recently ran across the site plan (above), so I thought I'd share. The $80 million project, tentatively called The Club at Hillview, will be built upon the soon-to-close Hillview Golf Course, just off of Wesselman Road. Towne plans for 293 housing units, including condos, patio homes, and attached and unattached single-family homes. Units will be priced between $150,000 and $500,000. County commissioners have yet to vote on the project. If it is approved, the first units could be ready by fall 2008. WINDOWS LIVE BIRD'S EYE VIEW GOOGLE AERIAL MAP http://buildingcincinnati.blogspot.com/2007/05/green-twp-club-at-hillview.html

From the 5/25/07 Alexandria Recorder: Annexation process takes next step BY CHRIS MAYHEW | [email protected] ALEXANDRIA - The 450-unit housing development planned off Gilbert Ridge and Tollgate roads in unincorporated Campbell County is being considered for annexation by the City of Alexandria. The next step, a public hearing to help the city's Planning and Zoning Commission determine what zoning would be appropriate for the 172-acre property is scheduled for Tuesday, June 5 at the city building. The developer, Ameritek Custom Homes, has asked the city to consider zoning the property under Planned Unit Development, which allows for a mix of condominiums, town homes and single family homes. The Ameritek development would be next to Arcadia, a more than 900-unit development being planned jointly by Drees Homes and Fischer Homes. MORE: http://news.communitypress.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/C2/20070525/NEWS01/705250323/ Controversial pool opening today Cincinnati Enquirer, 5/26/07 No matter what the weather, city officials see only sunshine for today's opening of the Wyoming Family Aquatic Center. "We've already weathered the storm," said City Manager Bob Harrison. The storm came in 2006 during a divisive court battle over the $3.4 million aquatic center. The pool, its water features - two of which star the Sea Dragon mascot of Wyoming's swim team - and outbuildings with roof lines resembling the Victorian structures in small New England seaports abut the city's recreation center. Both facilities are on a 10-acre tract Wyoming owns in the neighboring village of Woodlawn. The court battle was waged by a grass-roots group, Concerned Wyoming Citizens. The group wanted the pool put to a vote. Wyoming officials argued that was unnecessary. The city had polled citizens for their input since establishing a task force in 1999. Woodlawn's Master Plan Nearing Completion! Cincinnati.com, 5/25/07 The Village of Woodlawn will host a draft Master Plan Open House on Wednesday, May 30 from 5:30 to 7:30 pm. The Open House will be held at the Woodlawn Community Center located at the intersection of Grove Road and Woodlawn Blvd. Persons interested in reviewing and giving feedback on the Draft Master Plan's elements are invited to come at any time during that period. There will be no formal presentation. The Open House is a key step in developing the Woodlawn Master Plan, the Village's first comprehensive plan since 1968. The Open House will give residents and business operators a unique opportunity to review the recommendations crafted by a Village Steering Committee, ask questions and recommend revisions. Woodlawn is a Cincinnati suburb just west of I-75. Located between Glendale and Wyoming on State Route 4 (Springfield Pike), Woodlawn is a diverse community that is home to over 2,800 residents, more than 340 businesses and Glenwood Gardens, a signature Hamilton County Park District facility. The Master Plan is being developed by Village residents with assistance from planning consultants Jacobs Edwards & Kelcey. District gets promise of state funding for new school Middletown Journal, 5/25/07 Madison's number has come up and residents are thrilled. The Madison Local School district announced Monday night that it has received funding verification from the Ohio School Facilities Commission to build a primary school building adjoined to Madison Junior/Senior High School. The district started with a rank of 200 on the OSFC list, but is now third on the list, said Superintendent Chris Cline. Sixty people gathered Thursday night at a community forum to find out more information about the district's plans for a new building and details on how the project would be funded — without more local money. Residents expressed satisfaction at the plan that would give state-of-the-art facilities to Madison students without breaking the bank for residents. "I think it's great," said Robin Gilbert, a district parent. "The kids need a new school. The way they've done it is great, especially for people who are retired and can't afford more taxes." Sycamore agrees to CHCA lot]Sycamore agrees to CHCA lot Northeast Suburban Life, 5/24/07 Trustees have agreed to allow Cincinnati Hills Christian Academy to build a parking lot in a predominantly residential area, effectively ending litigation between the school and township. The agreement was reached after trustees met in executive session May 11 to hammer out the details of a settlement. The agreement allows for the construction of a 200-space parking lot, about 100 spaces fewer than CHCA originally requested. Trustee Tom Weidman said the deal was reached after a meeting between township officials and residents resulted in many of those opposed to the lot asking for a settlement. While the parking lot issue was between Sycamore Township and Cincinnati Hills, some Symmes residents were affected by the decision, with the parking lot being located near some Symmes homes. Richard Goldberg is one of those effected, and said he's suspicious of how Sycamore handled this settlement without consulting Symmes residents. NCH planning for the future Hilltop Press, 5/24/07 The city's residential and retail future remains a work in progress. Proposed changes to both the business and residential opportunities were unveiled at public forum May 23. Residents were asked for the input which the 13-member comprehensive planning committee will take back to the drawing board. "The steering committee will make changes and present its final plan to the city planning commission," said Jerry Thamann, safety/service director. "From there it will go to council for adoption." Elverna Murray serves on the committee and is both disappointed and excited.

From the 5/26/07 Dispatch: Smoking ban goes back to court Strickland supports leeway for private clubs, such as VFWs Saturday, May 26, 2007 3:23 AM By James Nash THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH Ohio voters didn't intend to take cigarettes out of the hands of veterans and other patrons of private clubs, Gov. Ted Strickland said yesterday in appealing a judge's decision that applied the statewide smoking ban to those clubs. Strickland directed Attorney General Marc Dann to appeal a Franklin County judge's May 17 ruling that voided the Ohio Department of Health's decision to allow smoking at private clubs. Strickland said voters approved a ballot measure in November that specifically exempted Ohio's estimated 1,500 private clubs from anti-smoking rules. The clubs include veteran's organizations as well as ethnic clubs, motorcycle groups and yacht clubs. The measure approved by 58 percent of Ohio voters banished smoking in most public places. It allowed smoking in private clubs but not in businesses with employees -- an apparent contradiction that has left the matter in court. Judge David E. Cain of Franklin County Common Pleas Court ruled that the private-club exemption was an "apparition" because all private clubs have employees, even unpaid ones. The American Cancer Society and the Ohio Licensed Beverage Association, which were on opposite sides of last year's campaign, agree that smoking should be forbidden at private clubs because they have employees. A coalition of clubs, led by the Veterans of Foreign Wars, supports the Ohio Department of Health's position that the ballot measure explicitly exempted private clubs. Strickland weighed in yesterday on the clubs' side. Read more: [email protected] http://www.dispatch.com/dispatch/content/local_news/stories/2007/05/26/SMOKBAN.ART_ART_05-26-07_B1_6S6R3D9.html From the 5/25/07 Port Clinton News Herald: Possible smoking-ban side effect: mulch fires, says chief By CATHARINE HADLEY Staff writer PORT CLINTON --Landscaping mulch might have a less-attractive feature -- it could be a fire hazard, according to an official. "We've had seven mulch fires this year," said Port Clinton Fire Department Chief Kent Johnson. He said that number is much higher than past years, especially this early in the season. A contributing factor might be Ohio's new smoking ban, since more people have been smoking outside, Johnson said. Businesses can help the situation by making sure smokers have a convenient, obvious place to discard their cigarette butts instead of letting them fall into mulch, he said. Read more: http://www.portclintonnewsherald.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070525/NEWS01/705250302/1002/rss01

From the 5/26/07 Middletown Journal: Board endorses school funding amendment By Ed Richter Staff Writer Saturday, May 26, 2007 CARLISLE — The Board of Education Monday formally endorsed an amendment to the Ohio Constitution concerning the funding of public education. The board voted 4-0 to approve the endorsement with Allen abstaining because of the bill's language that conflicts with his position as Carlisle's member of the Miami Valley Career Technology Center board, according to Carlisle Superintendent Tim McLinden. http://www.middletownjournal.com/news/content/oh/story/news/local/2007/05/26/mj052607carlisleboard.html

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From the 5/25/07 Enquirer: CPS teachers approve new contract Class sizes, insurance rates rise BY BEN FISCHER | [email protected] Cincinnati Public Schools teachers approved a new employment contract Thursday evening, voting 1,140-471 in favor of a deal the union president called a "sacrifice." Under the terms of the contract, the maximum class size in kindergarten through third grade would increase by three, from 22 to 25 students. In some cases, it could spike to 28 with additional pay for the teachers who are affected. http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/AB/20070525/NEWS0102/705250362/ From the 5/25/07 Eastern Hills Journal: Residents support local school BY FORREST SELLERS | [email protected] HYDE PARK - A former public school teacher, Tiffiny Grale may not be totally unbiased. However, she was not alone. Grale was among those attending the spring meeting of the Hyde Park Neighborhood Council May 24. The main discussion topic was what to do with the Hyde Park School once Kilgour returns to its Herschel Avenue location. http://news.communitypress.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/C2/20070525/NEWS01/705250320/ From the 5/25/07 Enquirer: Harmony files CPS countersuit BY DENISE SMITH AMOS | [email protected] Harmony Community School in Roselawn filed a countersuit against Cincinnati Public Schools alleging the district has improperly "flagged" some Harmony students, causing the charter school to lose state funding for those students. The countersuit is the latest salvo in a legal battle between Cincinnati Public and Harmony, which has 630 students. http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/AB/20070525/NEWS0102/705250363/

Nice tour! My grandfather lives near there in the Country Acres subdivision (across from the Col. Glenn entrance to Wright State and the 844 exit). Wright View's a strange little area. This place is similar in appearance to West College Hill or Mount Healthy Heights here in Cincy.

From the AP, 4/2/07: Great Lakes water deals irk some In 1998, an Ontario consultant sent a shudder through the Great Lakes region by proposing to ship Lake Superior water to Asia. The plan quickly sank. But it inspired the eight states and two Canadian provinces adjoining the lakes to devise a strategy for warding off raids on the system that holds nearly 20 percent of the world's fresh surface water. Their governors reached a deal in 2005, but it takes effect only if ratified by the state legislatures and Congress. In this series, Protecting the Lakes, The Associated Press examines how the pact is faring in the statehouses and why some lawmakers don't like it. John Flesher TRAVERSE CITY, Mich. -- As governors of the Great Lakes states debated how to prevent outsiders from staking a claim to their precious water, advocates warned that without a deal, the region would be at the mercy of an increasingly powerful -- and thirsty -- Sun Belt. But since the eight governors shook hands on a water compact in December 2005, the loudest complaints have surfaced within the Great Lakes region itself, where people find it easier to say "no" to Arizona than to restrain their own appetites. ... http://www.chroniclet.com/2007/04/02/great-lakes-water-deals-irk-some/