August 4, 2011
Meeting Haus luncheon
Police: Glitch limiting crime-trend data By GARY SEMAN JR. ThisWeek Community Newspapers Columbus police say a technical glitch in the division’s software has temporarily hampered accurate crime reporting. Since June 28, a computer program has been unable to read an estimated 30 percent of police reports used by the crime-analysis unit to help identify criminal trends.
The issue was discussed at the monthly German Village police luncheon July 28 at the Meeting Haus. Sgt. Mark Rapp, who is in charge of the crime-analysis unit but was not at the meeting, said the origin of the problem and how long it will take to correct are unclear. Rapp emphasized that the public is not in any immediate danger because of the problem.
“The issue with our database isn’t something that citizens need to w orry about,” he said. “Our analysts simply aren’t getting 100 percent of the data they need to mak e an analysis on whether we have an increase, steady (rate) or decrease in crime in a particular area.” Police use the internal data for “strategic deployment of tactical personnel,” Rapp said. The police division is ex-
pected to install a new report-management system by December, he said. The crime-analysis unit also is getting new software that will interface with the system, he said. At the luncheon, police said they have identified at least one unfortunate trend in German Village: auto thefts have risen. From June 1 to July 25,four auto thefts were reported in GermanVillage and another in the Brewery District.
Gala will JUST BEE-CAUSE put spotlight on historic preservation
See CRIME-TREND DATA, page A2
Actors’ Theatre
Troupe to stage classic Greek tragedy
By GARY SEMAN JR. ThisWeek Community Newspapers The German Village “Tea 4 2:Two Hundred for Tea” gala is a party with a mission. Organizer Darci Congrove, a member of the German Village Society’s board of trustees,hopes the event will raise $10,000 for historic preservation in the neighborhood. “The society right now has a v ery tight budget,” she said. “And I don’t see any funds in the foreseeable future that will be allocated to special projects unless we raise those funds.” The GVS board of trustees endorsed the plan at its April meeting. The event, which takes the numerals in its title from the local 43206 ZIP code, is slated for 4 to 7 p.m.Aug. 27 at the German Village Guest House, 748 Jaeger St. The bed-and-breakfast is owned by Congrove and her husband, John Pribble. Tickets are $50 for GVS members, $60 for all others, and can be purchased at germanvillage.com. Congrove said she hopes to sell 200 tickets. The party will feature live music, a silent auction, a best-hat contest and pictures with surprise celebrity guests. Tea, wine, hors d’oeuvres and pastries will be served. Invitations have been sent to the 800 or so members of the society. The money will go into a newly created fund for historic preservation. The funds would not be used for the society’s general budget or for GVS salaries. They would be for longstanding projects — including historic signage, printed and online educational materials and digitized society archives — or as matching funds,should the society be able to secure grants, Congrove said. A three-person committee would make recommendations on how the money would be spent. Jody Graichen, director of historic preservation programs for the society, said “Tea 4 2”is important for promoting the society’s mission of historic preservation. “It tells the story of our past in a w ay that is unique to our neighborhood,” she said. gseman@thisweeknews.com www.ThisWeekNews.com
In one instance, a person left his work truck unlocked and keys inside, police said. Thefts from vehicles continue to plague the neighborhood, largely because valuables are left in sight of criminals. Jerry Glick, who organizes the police luncheons, said some residents had
By GARY SEMAN JR. ThisWeek Community Newspapers
By David Yunker/ThisWeek
P. Susan Sharrock looks at a “bee crossing” sign during the Bee Brunch on July 30 at Frank Fetch Park in German Village. A beehive recently was installed in the park and its honey was used in many of the dishes served at the event, which kicked off the 2011-12 membership drive for the German Village Garten Club.
Actors’ Theatre of Columbus will close the curtain on its 30th season with a performance of “Oedipus Rex.” The classic Greek tragedy, written by Sophocles, is the story of “one man’s attempt to shape his own fate,” said John S. Kuhn, artistic director of the acting troupe. “It’s a marvelous testament to man’s willpower, our ability to do what’s right at huge personal sacrifice,” he said. The play will be performed at 8 p.m. Thursdays through Sundays Aug. 4 through Sept. 4 at Schiller Park. All shows are free, but donations will be sought during intermission. The play will be performed “in the round,” or arena style, meaning spectators are seated around the stage. “And what it does is offer a more intimate experience because the audience is right up on stage,” Kuhn said. Nick Baldasare plays Oedipus,whose death was ordered as an infant by his father, King Laius of Thebes, because of a prophecy that Laius would be killed by his own son. The king orders his wife, Jocasta, to carry out the deed. She turns the infant over to a servant, who leaves the baby on the top of a mountain to die of exposure. But a shepherd finds the baby and turns him over to King Polybus of Corinth, whom the boy grows up believing is his real father. He eventually learns of the prophecy that he will kill his father and See GREEK TRAGEDY, page A2
Economic downturn draws attention to distressed homes By GARY SEMAN JR. ThisWeek Community Newspapers Columbus city attorney Richard C. Pfeiffer Jr. stood at a busy intersection on Indianola Avenue in the University District on July 19, pointing out a distressed property with disjointed sidewalks, rotten wooden eaves, a dilapidated porch, overgrown weeds and boarded-up windows. It’s not a new problem for the city of Columbus, but the distressed property is endemic of perilous economic times and a soft real-estate market. In some cases, it’s more evident in the summer, when foliage starts to grow and people spend more time outside. Columbus has 6,100 vacant properties, about 1,000 of which are distressed. Neighbors complain that the city isn’ t doing enough to eradicate the problem. Pfeiffer said correcting those issues tak es
time, sometimes involving a lengthy court process to bring owners into compliance or, eventually, getting the problem properties into city hands. Even small things, such as painting over graffiti, can’t be done without the owner’s permission, even if a house is vacant. Neighbors who are willing to cut grass on a v acant property are advised not to do so because it’s considered trespassing. The cost to purchase and sell is also a challenge. Bulldozing a single-family home costs a minimum of $10,000 to $15,000, which can include asbestos removal. Aside from $4.69 million for demolition through onetime federal Neighborhood Stabilization Program funds, code enforcement has $250,000 for demolition in 2011. (Another $3.92 million of NSP money, all of which See DISTRESSED HOMES, page A2
food & wine
Columbus city attorney Richard C. Pfeiffer Jr. points out problems at a vacant distressed property on Indianola Avenue on July 19. He said resolving the issues associated with such properties could take some time. By Adam Cairns/ThisWeek
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Izzy, a 1-year-old chocolate Labrador mix, is one of many dogs up for adoption at the Columbus Dog Connection. For information on adopting Izzy or any of the dogs looking for a home, visit columbusdogconnection.com. Watch a video of Izzy at ThisWeekNews.com.