ReLeaf Cincinnati is back! Thanks to MadTree Brewing, Dynegy, and the Cincinnati Parks Foundation, city property owners can receive a free tree to plant in their yard and help build up the urban canopy.

Applications for a free tree open on August 20. Oakley is a priority neighborhood so we will have early access with other priority neighborhoods to register before the rest of the city. Find more info at cincinnatiparksfoundation.org/programs/releaf

Let’s ReLeaf Oakley!

September 10th  5 - 8 PM Oakley Square

Come out for an evening of community fun, bonding, and celebration. Grab take out from a local eatery, thrown down a blanket and enjoy.

• Cincinnati Circus Face Painters & Balloon Artists
• Great music from the School of Rock kids and Oakley's own Monte Lykins Band
• MadTree beers on tap, wine, bottled water

Be sure to stop by the OCC tent and find out about the benefits of being a member (if not already), find out about upcoming events/developments, and share any inputs you may have.

Sign up here: KCB Registration

Per the CPD Financial Crimes Department, the thefts have not really slowed down; however, they have no jurisdiction - that belongs to the USPS Postal Inspector (https://www.uspis.gov/) - so there nothing they can do but forward any calls to them.

They did pass along some advice:

Checks are washed this way: if a check is computer generated, it can be altered with an exacto knife. They can scrape off the print and be replaced with other information. There is also a chemical used that removes the ink. These checks are typically deposited via mobile deposit so the bank staff does not physically see the check to approve or notice any sign of fraud.

The community can better protect itself from fraud by not using the blue mailboxes. Walk the mail into the post office. Lots of banks have bill pay through the bank, automatic payments from the account, no checks. Make sure the security on all electronic devices is updated. Keep an eye on transactions. Subjects committing fraud offenses are holding onto checks for months sometimes. The victim assumes the funds have been withdrawn and doesn't realize the fraud has occurred until they're contacted by an outside agency, perhaps collections, when a fraudulent account has been opened in their name with their bank information has defaulted.

If someone has been the victim of fraud, get a new account number and keep a minimal amount of funds in the account until the number has been changed if bills are automatically withdrawn from the account. The bank will flag any activity for that account will be monitored and if used for something other than those payments, the bank will be alerted and can block it's use until the new account number is ready.