Second Street section opening

        As promised, a new portion of Second Street should open this morning.

        Officials in charge of the $314 million renovation of Fort Washington Way announced Friday that the section of the new street between Main and Walnut should open to traffic and pedestrians early this morning.

        Earlier this week, city transportation director John Deatrick said the section, delayed twice, should open this weekend, saying today was the goal.

SWAT FORCE CALLED OUT: Cincinnati police officers take positions around the Frisch's on Central Parkway Friday afternoon after staffers at the nearby TraveLodge reported a man had broken a large window in his room and might be armed. After three hours, police said they found Frank Hayes Jr., 40, of Sedamsville, passed out in his room. He was taken to University Hospital. (Enquirer photo) | ZOOM |

        He also said that the section connecting Vine and Walnut should open by the end of next week.

        Traffic using the Roebling Suspension Bridge will now be able to access Main Street via this new section of Second Street.

        Additionally, the Walnut Street Bridge over Fort Washington Way, located just south of Third Street, will be converted to one-way southbound traffic, and the eastbound bus lane on Third Street will be removed.
       

Man found guilty of killing landlord

        A Bond Hill man was convicted Friday of shooting to death Avondale landlord James E. Hillman Jr.

        A Hamilton County jury concluded that Christopher Roley, 21, fired the shots that killed Mr. Hillman on March 8. Mr. Hillman, 33, was killed just before noon behind a building he owned on Burnet Avenue.

        The jury found Mr. Roley guilty of aggravated murder. He will face 23 years to life in prison when he returns to court Oct. 27 for sentencing before Judge Arthur Ney.
       

Animal blessing at cathedral today

        Pet owners can celebrate their four-legged friends' connection with God today at Christ Church Cathedral, downtown, during the church's annual Blessing of the Animals.

        All pets and working animals of the city, large and small, are invited to be blessed. The brief service begins promptly at 4 p.m.

        “It is the feast of St. Francis of Assisi who is the patron saint of animals,” said parishioner Linda Deatrick. “It's a respected part of our annual services.”

        The church in the past has blessed dogs, cats, iguanas and even horses, Ms. Deatrick said.
       

Firefighters hold annual open house

        The Springfield Township Fire Department will hold its 10th annual open house from noon to 4 p.m. Saturday at the firehouse, 12147 Lawnview Ave.

        The event kicks off Fire Prevention Week, which is next week.

        The day's activities include 911 educational programs, demonstrations of fire extinguishers, firehouse tours, car-seat safety checks and more. For information, call Chief Fire Inspector Michael Hoffman at 671-3576.
       

Hospital gets $25K for concerts

        If music has any effect on healing, more patients at Christ Hospital will be feeling better soon.

        A $25,000 grant from the Corbett Foundation will allow the hospital to expand its popular “First Wednesdays” lunchtime concert series to a weekly event.

        The program features visiting musicians who play harps, guitars, pianos and violins in the oncology, dialysis and rehabilitation units. Melanie Garner, project chairwoman, said the music provides stress relief for patients, families and staff.
       

Ex-police chief sues paper again

        AKRON — The former city police chief has filed a second invasion of privacy lawsuit against the Akron Beacon Journal over stories on allegations that he had abused his wife.

        The suit, which seeks $100 million in damages, accuses the newspaper's lawyers of improperly releasing medical records of Edward Irvine's wife, Geneva, to the newspaper's reporters. The suit was filed Thursday in Summit County Common Pleas Court.

        Edward Kemp, the paper's attorney, said the allegations were frivolous.

        The couple's first suit ended in March with a jury ruling that reporters had acted properly when they pursued Mrs. Irvine in Lake Charles, La., for an interview to ask whether she had been abused by her husband.

        Mrs. Irvine had made the allegations against her husband but later dropped them, and no charges were filed.

        The Beacon Journal maintained it was doing its duty as a public watchdog by checking on serious charges against a high-ranking official. Chief Irvine has since retired.

        The latest lawsuit deals with stories about two occasions in which she sought hospital treatment for injuries she blamed on her husband.

        The suit said the Beacon Journal's lawyers had received the medical records from the court to prepare their case in the first suit. The Irvines say the lawyers improperly gave the records to reporters for use in a story.

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