Compiled from staff and wire reports

CPS to sign contract with Frailey today

The Cincinnati school board is expected today to approve a contract for new Cincinnati Public Schools Superintendent Alton Frailey, who is scheduled to start full-time Monday.

The proposed contract is for three years and five months, which would put Mr. Frailey in line with the contract expiration dates for other district administrators.

Mr. Frailey's salary would be $181,000, which is just $282 less than former Superintendent Steven Adamowski was paid annually. Mr. Adamowski left the district in August after four years, and the board named Mr. Frailey as his successor in September.

Mr. Frailey could also receive an annual bonus or salary increase of up to 15 percent of his salary if he meets his performance goals agreed upon by the school board.

The contract includes an $800 monthly stipend for a car or the option for Mr. Frailey to use a district-owned or leased vehicle.

His vacation will be 27 days a year.

Former OMI head sues city over firing

A former head of Cincinnati's Office of Municipal Investigations has sued the city over her firing last year.

Glenda Smith-Johnston claims in a federal lawsuit that she was fired in October 2001 because she complained to former City Manager John Shirey about the failure of police and other city officials to cooperate with OMI investigations. She said the firing was unjustified and was a violation of her civil rights, including her First Amendment right to speak out about problems she found in the city administration.

City lawyers could not be reached for comment Wednesday. But after he fired Ms. Smith-Johnston last year, Mr. Shirey said that "she and I had very different opinions about how the division was to be run.''

The lawsuit states that Ms. Smith-Johnston is seeking more than $100,000 in damages.

Two agencies affirm UC's bond ratings

Despite budget problems throughout Ohio, both Moody's and Standard & Poor's affirmed the University of Cincinnati's bond ratings of Aa3 and AA, respectively.

This is in conjunction with $20 million of refinancing bonds to be issued this week. The agencies cited stable enrollment and a strong pledge of all unrestricted revenues except for state funding.

Company receives equipment tax break

NORWOOD - CW Zumbiel Co., a packaging company on Harris Avenue, was guaranteed a 50 percent property tax break on $2.1 million in new equipment Wednesday by Hamilton County commissioners.

The enterprise zone agreement will last 10 years. Zumbiel officials have said the tax break would allow the company to hire 15 people over the next three years. Zumbiel now employs about 400 workers.

Newport to control Promenade project

NEWPORT - City officials have decided to take control of the $110 million Newport Promenade project and have the city acquire necessary property.

But not all of the city leaders think using eminent domain and about $7 million in city funds to buy out a troubled development plan and more than 100 homeowners is a good idea.

City Commission voted 3-2 Monday night to go forth with a plan to buy properties in the Cote Brilliante neighborhood. Once the entire area is purchased, a developer could then build the commercial portion of the Newport Promenade project.

Homeowners were stuck when the retail portion of the proposed retail and upscale residential development off Interstate 471 between 10th Street and Carothers Road encountered difficulty in finding tenants.

City officials recently sent out a questionnaire asking residents if they would be willing to sell and based the plan on the results of those questionnaires.

"Based on that, it looks like a substantial majority want to sell," said City Manager Phil Ciafardini.

But Commissioners Jerry Peluso and Beth Fennell voted against the plan. Both have concerns over whether it was the right move for the city.

Murder suspect arrested in standoff

A Crime Stoppers tip led to the arrest Tuesday of an 18-year-old man wanted for a killing in the West End.

The Cincinnati Police Department's SWAT team arrested Kenknobie Williams for the Oct. 21 shooting death of Donte Booker. Mr. Williams is charged with aggravated murder and aggravated robbery.

Mr. Booker, 19, was robbed of $300 and shot once in the back in the parking lot of the Jet-In Market.

Mr. Williams was arrested about 7 p.m. after about a three-hour standoff with officers at a Race Street apartment in Over-the-Rhine.

Public denied access to fraud complaints

The public has no right to see complaints filed with the Ohio Division of Securities by victims of George Fiorini's defunct promissory note scheme, the state Supreme Court ruled Wednesday.

Acting on a motion brought by The Cincinnati Enquirer, the court ruled 7-0 that state law requires the division to deny access to complaints about securities fraud schemes. The Enquirer filed a lawsuit in February, seeking copies of 32 written complaints filed with the state by victims of Mr. Fiorini's 10 Percent Income Plus Plan in Cincinnati.

The court held the Fiorini complaints are investigative materials afforded secrecy by state law because they were received after the onset of the state's investigation of Mr. Fiorini. It disagreed with the newspaper's contention that complaints about investment scams should be available to the public, as are complaints filed with local police agencies.

Police disperse Over-the-Rhine crowd

Shots fired early Wednesday outside an Over-the-Rhine bar drew Cincinnati police officers from every district to disperse the crowd.

The problems started about 2:30 a.m after The Next Level closed, police said.

The 12th Street bar has sparked complaints in the past, particularly from owners of several nearby establishments. Patrons come out of the bar and stand around in the street, they said, causing traffic and crowd problems.

Police made one arrest. Jonathan Green, 19, of Over-the-Rhine, was charged with disorderly conduct after police said he was fighting and refused to leave the area.