Faith coalition backs charter issue

        Leaders of several faith groups agreed Wednesday to support the charter amendment that would change the way Cincinnati's police and fire chiefs are selected.

        Representatives from more than a dozen faith groups — including the Archdiocese of Cincinnati, the Jewish Community Relations Council and the United Methodist Cincinnati District — unanimously voted in favor of the amendment, which would allow the city to consider outside candidates for chief positions.

TAKING NO CHANCES: A letter delivered to the Century Lake Apartments office in Woodlawn Wednesday appeared suspicious, so firefighters were summoned. A Woodlawn firefighter in an isolation suit, a letter carrier and several other people wait outside. Some people said their eyes and skin itched. There was no information on what substance, if any, the letter contained. (Glenn Hartong photo) | ZOOM |

        The groups are members of the Metropolitan Area Religious Coalition of Cincinnati, which has been active in social justice issues for three decades. The amendment goes before Cincinnati voters Nov. 6.
       

10 students arrested in Price Hill fight

        Ten students were arrested at Western Hills High School after a large fight Wednesday.

        The fight apparently started in the Price Hill neighborhood around the school, police said, and continued as students were heading to classes about 7:20 a.m. A secretary called police, reporting a large crowd of students in a “major fight” in front of the building on Ferguson Road.

        Officers sprayed chemical irritant to help disperse the crowd, according to dispatch reports, and one student needed a stitch in his lip. Nine of the 10 arrested were juveniles.
       

Four charged with theft of shipments

        LEXINGTON — A federal grand jury has indicted four men on charges they received interstate shipments of stolen property.

        Mohammed Said Shalash, Tareq Shalash and Ziyad Shalash, all of Lexington; and Mohamad Shalash, of Cincinnati, were indicted Oct. 4 on violating the federal Racketeering Influenced and Corrupt Organization Act, the indictment said.

        The men are charged with receiving loads of merchandise, including breakfast cereal, hair care products, facial tissues, diapers and cleaning products, that had been stolen from interstate tractor-trailer shipments.

        Police exposed the scheme through sting operations, negotiating with the men to sell the merchandise, the indictment said.

        The scheme was operated through two Lexington businesses — Unity Wholesale and United Trading Co., the indictment said.

        The indictment seeks to have the defendants forfeit the two warehouses involved in the enterprise.

        If convicted, the men would face sentences to be determined through federal sentencing guidelines, the indictment said.
       

Forums to help plan future of county

        Hamilton County residents are invited to attend community forums to plan for the county's future.

        Community Compass is an effort by the county regional planning commission to incorporate the ideas of residents into a comprehensive master plan.

        The next forum is from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. today at Harrison High School auditorium, 9860 West Road, Harrison.

        For more information, call 946-4505 or go online at www.communitycompass.org.
       

Fire damages Vernon Manor Hotel

        Part of Avondale's historic Vernon Manor Hotel sustained smoke damage in a fire Tuesday evening.

        More than 150 guests were in the 300 Oak St. hotel when the alarm system detected a fire in a third-floor room about 5:30 p.m., said District Fire Chief Roy Winston.

        No one was hurt. The fire started because combustible materials were left near an unattended stove, he said. Damage was estimated at $30,000.
       

Police earmark federal money

        Cincinnati police officials outlined Wednesday how they plan to spend their latest $700,000 in Local Law Enforcement Block Grant money from the U.S. Department of Justice.

        The money, received annually, will continue to pay for an advocate for victims of sexual assault and for a coordinator for the Citizens on Patrol program. Some of it also will pay for new traffic lasers that measure and display drivers' speeds, and for new digital cameras and laser fingerprint detectors for evidence specialists.

        Ideas for how the money should be spent came from the ranks, said Lt. Dan Gerard of the police division's fiscal and budget section.

        Hamilton County gets about the same amount annually. It is spent on drug court.

        The money becomes available Jan. 1.
       

Xavier honors businessman, trustee

        Xavier University gave its 2001 founders award to Robert H. Castellini, chairman and chief executive officer of Castellini Co. and an XU trustee since 1993.

        Recipients have shown outstanding support to others and XU and served as models of caring citizens.

        Mr. Castellini led the leadership gifts committee of the just-ended $125 million Century Campaign.
       

Jump-rope champ to compete overseas

        Despite the war on terrorism, Marcus Taylor, the 15-year-old jump-rope champ from North Avondale, will be flying to Seoul, South Korea, to compete in the world jump-rope competition.

        On Monday, he and his coach, Chris Emerson, will fly to San Francisco to meet the other Americans — five girls and four boys — who are also competing. The group will fly together to Seoul for the competition on Oct. 21.

        The participants are members of the United States Amateur Jump Rope Federation, which sanctioned their participation in the world competition. Since the Sept. 11 attacks, the federation has withdrawn its support, said Ms. Emerson, coach of the Cincinnati Ropin' Rockets.

        But the competition was not canceled, so she and Marcus decided to go anyway. They raised $4,000 to subsidize the trip.
       

Gambling proponents plan legislative push

        INDIANAPOLIS — Proponents of dockside gambling plan another major push in the coming legislative session, saying it is the most painless way to ease the state's fiscal crisis without raising taxes or cutting services.

        “Gaming should be the first option we look at, not the last option,” said Rep. Scott Pelath, D-Michigan City. He and Sen. Earline Rogers, D-Gary, say they will renew their efforts to get dockside legislation approved when lawmakers convene in January.

        But a key lawmaker said Wednesday that continued opposition from Gov. Frank O'Bannon and the certain “conflict and turmoil” the issue stirs might not be worth lawmakers' time in a short session.

        With the backing of House Ways and Means Chairman B. Patrick Bauer, D-South Bend, the House approved legislation last session that would have allowed riverboat casinos to remain moored so patrons could come and go as they please.
       
       

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