The Cincinnati Enquirer from Cincinnati, Ohio • Page 16

METRO NEWS: 768-8600 THE QNQNNAT1 ENQUIRER FRIDAY, OCTOBER 30, 1992 SECTION misses other United Way meets one goal. Fund raising United Way goals vs. amounts pledged from 1982-1992 (amounts in millions): YEAR GOAL PLEDGED LJIlyt Home A fv vSll BY GEOFF HOBSON and RANDY McNUTT The Cincinnati Enquirer It could have been worse. Stalked by an economic downturn and buffeted by bad publicity, volunteers for United Way's 1992 campaign in Greater Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky were relieved Thursday that they missed their goal by only about $700,000. But in Warren County, it couldn't have been better.

There, organizers surpassed their $1.1 million goal by 4 to raise $1,112,897 by Wednesday's end to the campaign for 26 human services agencies. Jim Pottebaum, Warren County United Way executive director, credited those with jobs for realizing "they have a responsibility to Way drives that lowered their goals from last year. We put ours at what we raised last year," she said. The $42.7 million included contributions, pledges and projections of campaigns in progress. It is the first time in 19 years that the goal was not reached.

The agency is also hobbled by the $900,000 from last year's un-collectable pledges, on top of the 6 of total pledges usually put in that category. Yet some companies managed to do more with less this year. Lazarus campaign co-chairman Jerry Gafford said Lazarus donated 11 more than last year with 10 fewer people on its payroll. He credited aggressive promotions that offered vacations for fair-share givers. Jody Steiner, campaign chair man for Cincinnati Bell, countered the bad publicity from the William Aramony affair earlier this year.

After Aramony, United Way's longtime national president, resigned when it was charged he was a lavish spender who made $463,000 a year, Steiner met the problem directly. She brought in new United Way leaders to talk to her employees and showed how the money goes to the 114 agencies in Hamilton, Clermont, Brown, Boone, Campbell and Kenton counties. "People listened. They care," Steiner said. Cincinnati Bell raised $1.24 million this year with 450 fewer local employees.

The company raised $1.34 million last year but figures it gave 8.8 more this year because the pool was smaller. 1992 $43.4 $42.7 1991 $43.3 $43.4 1990 $42.7 $42.7 1989 $40.5 $40.8 1988 $39.5 $39.5 1987 $36.9 $37.4 1986 $34.7 $35.1 1985 $33.0 $33.0 1984 $30.2 $30.2 1983 $27.7 $28.1 1982 $26.1 $26.2 The Cincinnati EnquirerJim Callaway Don Siekmann reports totals for the 1 992 United Way campaign. "There simply aren't as many jobs in the workplace this year," said Carol Aquino, communications director for the multicounty United Way before Thursday's finale. "There were a lot of United help their less-fortunate neighbors." Thursday, as organizers ended the Greater Cincinnati campaign, they reported they had reached 98.5 of their $43.4 million goal. Stroll can unlock the past 777 AM 1- 1 tl I ,1 iSr.l? i Ar Tiff' ytr.z, Center's foes plan an attack Arts-project signs confusing, they say Ruling: Rollback vote won't be tallied irP vm t4fe Tw4 $ss5s "y- life.

ry" 1 Ki-i'J 1 iv ft A. 7 jC BY LYNDA HOUSTON The Cincinnati Enquirer CLEVES: Voters on Nov. 3 will never know the results of a proposed school tax-levy rollback. Hamilton Update Because of printing deadlines, a related story today in some editions of EXTRA about the Three Rivers ballot issue does not include the latest developments. County Common Pleas Judge Art Ney has ruled that the election cannot be held because petitions circulated by the citizens group We-CARE (Community Action for Reform in Education) The Cincinnati EnquirerJim Callaway Boy Scout Jason Anderson, right, leads a group Wednesday from Alois Alzheimer Center in Greenhills along a nature trail he BY JEFF HARRINGTON The Cincinnati Enquirer The performing arts center war has spilled out of the courts and onto the streets and sidewalks of Cincinnati.

Accusing supporters of the planned $91 million downtown center of using deceptive tactics, opponents Thursday began a campaign to deface all the yard signs they see on public right of way that urge Cincinnatians to "Vote No on 7." Their tactic: Place "Dirty Trick" stickers over hundreds of signs. Their reasoning: If the signs are on public right of way, they're considered trash and can be legally removed or altered. The signs sprouted in opposition to Issue 7 on Tuesday's ballot, an initiative intended to stop city involvement in the center. But because the ballot initiative is phrased to repeal a city ordinance that began Cincinnati's involvement in the center, a "no" vote at the ballot box is actually a "yes" vote for the center. By not clarifying that distinction, the signs of the arts center supporters "are meant to confuse voters," charged political advertising expert Jerry Galvin, who is working with center opponents.

The new campaign tactic sparked an exasperated response from center supporters. "Good grief. I thought we left that stuff behind in high school," said Warren Sum-ners, tapped to lead the new Cincinnati Association for the Performing Arts. Sumners said efforts have been made to keep the signs on private property. Out of 4,000 signs ordered, all but about 500 have been distributed to volunteers.

It makes no sense, he said, to explain the intricacies of the initiative in hopes motorists driving by a sign could grasp it in a few seconds. "That phrasing came off the petitions they circulated," Sumners added. "If they're mad at anybody about the phrasing, they ought to be mad at themselves." Both sides agree the initiative has been rendered little more than a straw vote. Center opponents earlier this month lost a legal challenge to stall the city in transferring the site at Seventh and Walnut streets to the state. designed as part of an Eagle Scout project.

Behind him are activity coordinator Becky McGeorge, center, and residents Catherine Lang, left, and Autumn Sims. Nature trail therapy for patients Scout had fun and earned merit building path at Alzheimer center The Anderson file Allen Howard did not contain enough valid signatures. Ney could not be reached for further comment. Ney's ruling on Wednesday means that although the ballots have been printed, and voters can cast a vote, "they will never be counted," said Anne Power, Hamilton Count Board of Elections director. WeCARE, which wanted to roll back the district's 7.34-mill tax levy, passed in February, to 3 mills, Tuesday officially abandoned its efforts until next November because of the invalid signatures.

The group, said coordinator Camie George, will likely continue efforts to roll back the levy next November. George said that although the group can immediately begin circulating petitions, "we shouldn't jump into this and we should really carefully consider what we're going to do." WeCARE will meet at 7:30 p.m. Nov. 5 in the Miami (Please see SCHOOLS, Page B-4) I NAME: Jason Anderson. I BORN: Dec.

18, 1978, Cincinnati. I HOME: Colerain Township. I FAMILY: Son of Roger and Rebecca Anderson; one brother, Jeremy. I QUOTE: "I liked working on the project. We had to clear out brush, leaves, trees and all kinds of rubbish.

Once that was done, we had to carve out the trail and lay down mulch." Beneath the glitter of the autumn sun, with the crunching of fallen leaves on each footstep, two elderly people took a stroll through the woods. Catherine Lang, 82, and Autumn Sims, 87, both with Alzheimer's disease, recaptured memories of colorful changes in season as they walked Wednesday through a nature trail at the Alois Alzheimer Center in Greenhills. As he walked along the trail with them, Jason Anderson, 13, a member of Boy Scout Troop 769, could see the results of his troop's efforts on the trail. Anderson had extra incentive to complete the project. He fin- ished the trail last month as a part of his Eagle Scout project.

It includes a quarter-mile stretch in a wooded area behind the center, designed specifically for people who have Alzheimer's disease. The troop started the project a year ago. Jason, an eighth-grader at North Junior High School in Mount Healthy, said he found the project more fun than work. "We had to clear out brush, leaves, trees and all kinds of rubbish. Once that was done, we had to carve out the trail and lay down mulch," Anderson said.

"The hardest part was calling to (Please see TRAIL, Page B-4) Support of SCPA reaffirmed Group says show will go on after Louiso's reassignment Enquirer wins Gannett awards Borgman, Callaway and reader involvement take first place be in the NCAA Final Four. First place for reader involvement: The Enquirer, for seeking reader ideas for editorial cartoons and having Borgman draw them. Second place for editorial writing: Editorial-page editor Peter Bron-son, for a selection of work. Especially cited were edito THE CINCINNATI ENQUIRER a ARLINGTON, The Cincinnati Enquirer won three first-place awards Thursday in the annual Best of Gannett contest. Staffers at the paper, which competed in the metropolitan daily division, also received one second-place and three third-place awards.

The Enquirer is ti.mih.il Mi tlnni Jim Borgman Jim Callaway Friends and the parents will work with Rosalyn England to ensure that the 'vision' of SCPA which Bill Dickinson and Jack Louiso established will be maintained," said Diane Dun-kelman, a Friends trustee and the group's chief fund-raiser. "Jack was very much a part of the atmosphere and very much a part of the vision," said Ceil Dorger, chair of the Gala, the biggest single fund-raiser the group stages each year. This year's Gala will be Nov. 21, the day after the school's production of Oliver! opens at the Taft Theatre. "I think that the Friends decided the best way to fulfill the reason that we exist at all was to hunker down and raise as much money as we possibly can for the kids," Dorger said.

"If we were to walk away, we'd be failing them." Brandt, Engljnd and Louiso could not be reached or comment. tendent J. Michael Brandt said he had determined that problems were "irreconcilable" between Louiso, an 18-year veteran of the school and the new principal, Rosalyn England. Brandt sought and was granted a chance to address the Friends membership Wednesday night, Mitchell said. "Mr.

Brandt said that he understood that Jack was highly respected by the Friends," Mitchell said. "He had some concern that might affect our support. "We continue to believe that the administration and board of education are in full support of the school and in maintaining the excellence of the school and its programs," he said, A new principal makes change inevitable, Mitchell said, but the group is convinced that the school's goals are unchanged. "We have beetf assured by Michael Brandt that he, tjie school board, the BY ADAM WEINTRAUB The Cincinnati Enquirer The group that raises more than $1 million a year for Cincinnati's School for Creative and Performing Arts (SCPA) has decided to work even harder since the departure of the school's artistic director. "We will continue to be solidly in support of the school and its programs," said Edward Mitchell, president of the Friends of SCPA, after an executive committee meeting Thursday night.

The Friends, a group of parents and community supporters that raises money to support programs at the nationally recognized public alternative school in Over-the-Rhine, had worked closely throughout the years with artistic director Jack Louiso. Louiso on Tuesday was ordered reassigned to other duties. Superin rials that showed a sense of humor. Third place for sports reporting: The Enquirer sports staff, for coverage of the departure of Bengals coach Sam Wyche. Third place for editorial columns: Tempo columnist Krista Ramsey, for a selection of columns on education.

Third place for black-and-white photos: Staff photographer Kevin Miyazaki, for his photos of twins. owned by Gannett Co. and this was a Gannett corporate contest. Here are the winners: First place for editorial cartoons: Cartoonist Jim Borgman, for a selection of work, including a cartoon of a congressman trying to balance his checkbook. First place for color photos: Staff photographer Jim Callaway, for a selection of work, including a photograph taken when the University of Cincinnati asketball team learned it would.