Cincinnati police and city officials began Monday to negotiate a new contract for the city's 1,000 police officers.

        Negotiators last voted to give officers raises in late 1998, when officials approved 3 percent increases for 1999 and 2000.

        Salary for a new officer, upon graduation from the police academy, is $1,436 biweekly.
       

Early morning fire
destroys body shop

               Fire destroyed a North Avondale body shop early Monday.

        Firefighters responded about 1:15 a.m. to J&E Body Shop and 21st Century Auto Sales, 4368 Reading Road. They found smoke and flames coming from the body shop area, so heavy initially that they could not go into the building. Firefighters heard several explosions, District Chief Glenn Coleman said.

        Cause of the fire has not been determined. Damage was estimated at $200,000.
       

Wise Temple fire
under investigation

               A small fire on the exterior wall of a Jewish temple in Amberley Village is being called arson, but police Monday cautioned the blaze was likely a prank rather than politically motivated.

        The Friday evening incident, which involved no graffiti, was the result of someone igniting a flammable substance at the base of a wall, said Lt. Roger Petrie of Amberley Village Police.

        Smoke from the quickly burning substance left carbon deposits on a wall and a door of the Isaac M. Wise Temple. It has been cleaned, said Lt. Petrie.

        Estimated cost of the damage is $1,000.

        Because the damage occurred on Friday the 13th, investigators suspect youths may be to blame. In reference to suspicions that the incident might be related to violence in the Middle East, Lt. Petrie said there is no evidence of “any link to any other event occurring worldwide.”
       

Vigil honors victims
of domestic violence

               Three United Way agencies will hold a candlelight vigil and memorial 7 p.m. Oct. 24 at the Hamilton County Courthouse to commemorate October as Domestic Violence Month.

        One candle will be lit for each Greater Cincinnati woman who has been killed, is missing or presumed dead at the hands of her partner in the past year.

        The event is sponsored by Women Helping Women, Women's Crisis Center, and the YWCA. Family members of miss ing or murdered women are invited to attend. Counselors will be on hand.

        For information about domestic violence, call the United Way Helpline at 721-7900, the PROTECT Hotline at 872-9259 or 977-5545 (TTY for the deaf), or the Women's Crisis Center in Kentucky at (859) 491-3335.
       

Inclusion Network
solicits nominations

               Cincinnati's Inclusion Network is accepting nominations for outstanding examples of agencies, businesses or educators including people with disabilities in all aspects of life.

        Deadline for nominations for the sixth annual Inclusion Leadership Awards is Nov. 3.

        Winners will be named at a dinner Jan. 22 at the Hyatt Regency Cincinnati, downtown.

        For information or to receive a nomination form, call (513) 287-6530 or TTY 621-5333, or visit www.inclusion.org.

Man gets 23 years
in cab driver's death

               A Madisonville man will spend the next 23 years in prison for his role in the killing of cab driver John Arcady last year.

        Sion Graham, 21, pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter and aggravated robbery. He was sentenced by Judge Robert Kraft in Hamilton County Common Pleas Court.

        Mr. Graham and three others are accused of orchestrating a robbery that ended when Mr. Arcady, 49, was shot in the head Sept. 27, 1999.

        Denise Lipscomb, 26, was convicted this month of murder after a jury concluded she fired the fatal shot. Two others who took part in the robbery already have pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter.
       

Three men face
charges in scheme

               Three men were charged with defrauding two companies of about $100,000.

        John Kennedy, 32, and Terry Mayes, 36 each were indicted on one count of theft. Richard Miller, 42, was indicted on one count of receiving stolen property. All face up to 18 months in jail if convicted.

        Hamilton County prosecutors say Mr. Kennedy, a manager at XPEDX, entered into a scheme with the others to create bogus invoices for wooden pallets.

        The plan was to defraud both XPEDX and a vendor, Advance Pallet Co. Mr. Mayes was a delivery driver for Advance Pallet, while Mr. Miller owned a rival firm, Miller Pallet Co.

        Prosecutors say Mr. Kennedy approved invoices for payment to both companies for the same delivery of pallets.

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