Traffic Is Flowing

As you can see, traffic in Mt. Lookout is flowing fine. Beechmont Ave is fine. When it turned into Linwood on to Delta it was ruffer, but very passable.

Yeah, It Snowed

It snowed in the Tristate and the world is coming to an end.

City Streetcars

The Enquirer Editorial board goes on and on about the concept of a streetcar system in the City, but they are worried about convincing people that we need them. Who are they worried about convincing? I think this quote answers my question:

But a new streetcar loop would require broad buy-in across this region. That's why it is important that the discussion be as broad, thorough and reasoned as possible.

We don't need the rest of the county or region to get this done and it will not get done if we have to rely on anyone outside the City. Unless this was a Street Car connecting Mason to West Chester, no one in Butler or Warren counties would do anything to help it. Non-City Hamilton County residents would have the same feeling about it. Leave it to the City and private sources to get this done. There is one cold fact around this area, if it doesn't affect you directly, then you don't care about it and won't fund it.

Hackett Cleared

Joe Deters did the right thing and publicly cleared Paul Hackett, something he didn't have to do. That likely is his way of making up for the leak of the incident allegedly being put before the grand jury.

The questions is still outstanding: who pushed for the investigation and why?

New Entertainment District: Fourth and Plum?

The makings are there now and will be increasing soon. Will 4th and 5th Streets be the hub of Cincinnati Nightlife? Granted, this club is going to be a high end niche place, but that high end market can drive things on. What other locations in the area are ripe for opening bars?

This article puts another nail into Main Street as entertainment district concept, but one thing that I am not sure if everyone is seeing with the decay of Main Street is that the Main Street horde split into its own splintered locales. This club will pull the heavy dollars of the "VIP scenesters" who have been highly sought after by many area establishments. Other crowds went their own way to Northside or Covington or Mt. Lookout or even back to Mt. Adams. This club alone will not bring back the horde, but if the volume of bars can match Mt. Street at it height it could bring back many, mostly those who you would classify as the Cin Weekly target market. Yea, that is not a pleasant thought, but that is business. (Thank Zeus for Northside!)

Bringing back the hipster crowd is likely a lost cause. That group overlaps with the creative class and that is of course the key to building up the city. What I think the powers that be still don't get is that encouraging the people that live here to break out of their bubbles and do something is not really that big of a help, at least not a long term plus. Getting people to move here from outside the area is what we need and what in the long run will work. Fourth and Plum will is a good foundation to have. You need a mainstream place for people to go. Just don't let the mainstream flood the vibrancy out of Downtown.

Austin Press for the Heartless Bastards

More recommendations of the Heartless Bastards.

Temporary Jail For Women

5 Council Members and Todd Portune have a plan to build a 500 bed jail. The big question that will surely cause conflict is WHERE will it be built. That was left out of the announcement. It likely was left out because that will be a very contentious point.

Other interesting note: The Jail will be for women.

Chris Bortz, Private Eye

There's a joke Tin here somewhere, but I don't have time this morning find one. Something with finding more arts funding maybe?

Desiring Streetcars!!!

This will be met by idiotic opposition but a streetcar system would be a great boost to the city and be a vital key connection between a successful Riverfront and Fountain Square District. I would expand its reach to Clifton, Northside, Hyde Park, Mt. Lookout, and the new Columbia-Tusculum Square. I would like to add Mt. Adams, but I don't think a street car could be used on the narrow winding streets.

Premium Condos Becoming Scarce - Where Are the Middle Market Condos?

On Sunday the Enquirer ran an interesting story about the current shortage of high end condos in the Downtown/Urban Core/Riverfront areas on both sides of the Ohio.

This is of course an overall positive sign for Downtown and Urban Core areas of the City. I don't know if it bodes as well for building up a wider socio-economic group of residents. If the goal is to building up residents of downtown, we'll have to take what we can get in the short run, but is that good for the long haul?

What downtown needs more of is not only high end, but middle or lower end condos. If you want to attract YP you must understand that the majority can't afford to buy a condo for 250,000 plus, when they can buy a house at the same price or less with at least twice the square footage. I don't know what writer Jeff Newberry defines as a YP person, but this paragraph gave me pause:

Market researcher and consultant Michael Dinn said the supply of central city condos is getting thin, especially those selling for between $200,000 and $300,000 that many young professionals can afford.

Newberry is likely using the old fashioned YP definition of Doctors and Lawyers.

What I feel has been the overall problem with the housing efforts in Downtown is that they focus on people making six figures ($100,000 and up for those a bit slow this morning). Single people making $40,000 to $99,000 would often jump at the chance to own property below Central Parkway, but can't afford the prices. Sure, those making closer to 100K could afford the higher end if they budget correctly, but that assumes they've been making that kind of money for a few years and have savings and other means to make that kind of purchase. Saying they should is the view from the realtor and developer, not from people thinking long term and not from those who don't want to see people lose their condo when they lose their job.

At some point the high end market will dry up. We need to think middle class here. The middle class makes a community, but they can't afford to start it.

Moralist

If you can't fulfill the duties of job, then change careers.

Wes Flinn Has Moved!

Well, his blog has moved to a new location. Adjust your blog rolls and favorites.

Cincinnati Magazine's Pork Roast 2007

The spit is ready, so enjoy The Pork Roast (pdf) from Cincinnati Magazine.

"It's On!"

Mega Coffeehouse Faux Pas

If there is something you just don't do to an independent coffee house, then it is to come into the establishment drinking Starbucks. Ok, sure, you purchased something, but sitting in a good coffeehouse while drinking McCoffeehouse brew is a sin to the coffee gods that can't be forgiven.

I am witnessing said act as I type. The two women are sitting very snobishly at the next table. If they don't gag on their quiche, it will be a miracle.

Irony

I believe a commenter in a prior thread asked me if I would allege that murder victim and anti-violence activist Richard Muhammad was involved in drugs. At the time, I assumed no, that he wasn't, an assumption that helped explain why the public remembrance and grief were so high.

Instead, I was totally wrong. Richard Muhammad was murdered during a drug deal gone bad. Muhammad had a crack cocaine problem, according to the coroner and police. It is a sad case, but not a unique case on the list of people murdered on Cincinnati streets. Most of those murdered were involved in buying or selling drugs. This is the underlying problem. To use a metaphor: if you don't put your hand in the fire, you won't get burned. This is not a 100% guarantee, but it is rather an indicated that people who don't buy or sell drugs shouldn't have irrational fear of being murdered in Cincinnati.

Grand Jury Leak?

Will there be an investigation into the alleged grand jury leak regarding Paul Hackett? His attorney would like to know (pdf).

This raises a couple good questions. Who tipped off the media to this story and why? How does anyone know the Grand Jury is investigating Hackett?

Shhhh! Don't Tell Larry Gross!!!!

Add another option for dinning and entertainment to downtown Cincinnati. I know this won't get much attention from City Beat's Larry Gross, so I'll make sure to spread the word here.


[Hat tip to CincyNation (yep, shocked me too)]

Smoking Ban Still Little Impact?

This article missed getting the Ohio side of the story so we still have no reports of a negative impact from the Smoking Ban. I was bowling last night (a 106 and a 119) at Madison Bowl and they still allow smoking, but not that many were actually smoking, so with every lane full it didn't seem to be a problem.

Beckham to USA

This reminds me a lot of Pele, but I welcome the influx of the world's most famous athlete playing in the MLS.

Escalation

Bad Move. I want to call Bush Don Quixote for his charging at wind mills, but he is just not a noble person.

Witch Hunt

Well, the Enquirer smells blood and are going after Paul Hackett too. Why don't we get any questions as to who and why this was put before the Grand Jury?

On the other hand, Hackett sounds like a bit of a hot head for allegedly keeping what was described as an "assault rife" load and within reach at 4 AM. If Paul wants to become a moderate Republican (some say he is), he might get nominated for something again in rural Ohio.

They Don't Have Metal Detectors

For all of the fear of Cincinnati Public Schools that exists outside and inside the City, a small fact needs to be known: CPD schools currently don't have metal detectors. I say this to make sure people know that the schools have been existing through riots, through poverty, and through much troubles, but they have protected students successfully without them. Monday's incident includes effort brave effort from Assistant Principal Dixon Edwards who did not shy away from his students and was put at risk for it.

I don't want metal detectors in our schools. If it saves a life, it may be needed, but I want to make sure people know that before the debate on getting them begins in earnest, it is 2007 and we don't have them. Other school districts in this country have had them for more than 20 years.

Playing Politics?

Someone is looking to nail Paul Hackett for allegedly showing a gun to a pack of dumb ass young adult males. These same young punk kids reportedly were in a car that hit and damaged Hackett's fence. This happened two months ago and is just now coming to light. It sounds like some parents over protecting their kids or trying to score a political point by pushing or likely exaggerating something to hurt Hackett.

If Hackett did this, well he'd be a putz.

Loving the Nati

Joe Wessels column from Saturday points us to some positive thinking about Cincinnati. It comes not from someone who has lived here their entire life, but instead only 18 months.

Check out Maggie Van Cantfort's Love Letters to Cincinnati project. Add your own thoughts about what you love about your city. If you hate the city, go back into your cave and cry some more.

A New Day For Ohio

This morning Governor Ted Strickland took the oath of office and ended the long rein of the GOP. It will be a long road to improve Ohio, but the Governor has the right attitude. How he is able to work with the GOP control legislature will be is true test and with them where the fate of progress rests.

Default Answer on Arts Funding

I've been left wondering about the details of the "Fiscal Five's" budget in regards to arts funding, but this article spells out what has been rumor. The City Budget cuts funding for arts programs to a sum of around $400,000. That money is, according to the article, going to be made up through a private grant from the Ralph and Carol Ann Haile Foundation. I hope this new foundation is open to all types of arts organizations. The article raises the most important question, will the city use this as a future excuse to permanently reduce funding?

Speaking of a Negative Press

Newspaper headlines drive eye balls and is part of the game, but I honestly would like to know what editor wrote this headline: "Ohio lags in student success rating," and ask them to justify manipulating the story. Read the first couple paragraphs:

A nationwide study released today shows that Ohio is ranked 27th in the nation for its students’ chances for success – below the national average – and 10th in the nation for K-12 achievement – well above the national average.

Kentucky ranks 41st in the nation for chances for success and 34th for K-12 achievement.

If Ohio is lagging, what about Kentucky? Ohio maybe had mixed results or disappointing results, but to say we are lagging is a monumental bias that has no basis in fact and no clear purpose. Maybe the headline in the Kentucky Enquirer was different, but somehow I doubt it. Cut the Laziness!

City Council - Election Year - Let the Beatings Begin

In case folks are forgetting, this year City Council is up for grabs. We have one member Term-limited out (Jim Tarbell) so at least one seat will be open for the taking.

Who is running or presumed to be running:
Greg Harris
Chris Smitherman
John Cranley
Laketa Cole
David Crowley
Cecil Thomas
Leslie Ghiz
Chris Monzel
Jeff Berding
Chris Bortz

Rumored to be running or names that have been put out there:
Charlie Winburn
Brian Garry
Damon Lynch III
Pete Witte
Wendell Young
Eric Wilson
John Eby
Sam Malone

Who else is possible or who else has actually announced?

Important News vs. Top News vs. Just Making Crap Up

I was very entertained by the many mistaken comments and posts about "Most Important News Stories of the Year" post on Sunday. Let me point out some of the fallacies and major misunderstandings people have raised and clarify several misrepresentations.

1. This was not a post of the "Top" news stories of the year. This was list of stories I believe were the most important to the Cincinnati region.
2. The Marcus Fiesel was tragic, sad, and horrible. It was way over-covered. It got national attention not because it was important, but because it was dramatic Most crimes like these always get lots of coverage because it sells more papers and gains more viewers.
   
3. I'll stand by my belief that those who are pushing the crackdown on illegal immigrants are doing this based in part on bigotry/hate/racism. Why? Simple - How is this crime (not even a state crime) more important than trying to stamp out theft? How many theft crimes go unsolved every year in Butler County? Those crimes affect people directly. You can make the argument that they are "taking our jobs," but honestly if illegial imigrants can live off lower wages, do as good (often better) than their native counterpart, then why can't the American workers in those industries keep up? They aren't and I don't know why. Much can be blamed on employers manipulating the situation, but in most cases it is not the big corporations doing it, it is the middle and small companies who seem more willing to risk the crime for increase profits. As soon as the Butler County sheriff has solved all state and local crimes and done much to prevent more from happening, then maybe he should worry about Federal Crimes like this.
   
4. The number of murders was over reported. It has no impact on us whether or not we broke a record. The difference in the number of murders from last year to this is is not significant. I did not say this was not news. It is just not an important issue to the community as a whole that we got 86 as opposed to 71 or 61. That is no solace for those killed, but I will say the hard truth, the vast majority of those killed where either selling or buying drugs or involved in other criminal acts. I did not say all and I am am not trying to demean the lives of innocent victims, but the numbers don't lie. Sure, you can throw up the names of the innocent people killed by scum bags, but that number is vastly less. Furthermore, just because there were innocents murdered does not mean the rest of us must quake and fear every time we walk outside, which is the real issue. No one needs to fear being murdered if they set foot inside Cincinnati. If you think that, you seriously need to change your thinking. I don't know how you could ever drive your car on the roads if you let the fear of getting into an accident guide you.
   
5. Yes, it is a problem that so many people are being murdered, but that doesn't mean Cincinnati is not safe. I am basically restating #3 above in a different way, but there are two issues to focus on. The number of murders is horrible, none-the-less it is safe to come to Cincinnati. That is not a contradiction, that is an intellectual analysis of the issue, not an emotional analysis based on ignorance and sensational news reports mean not to inform but to make you need to watch (your life may depend on watching the news so stay tuned for the next three hours and we'll tell you why).
6. Not all of my most important stories were all around positive. I acknowledged the death of Main Street and depending on your political preference, several stories could be positive or negative.
7. News for Larry Gross: Bengal Matthias Askew was acquited of the charges.

I'll add more if more insane comments arise.

In Order to Live, You Must Jab an Ice Pick into Your Head

A common mentality that runs through many segments of the Cincinnati region is one that posits Cincinnati is so horrible, the only way to do anything to improve the situation is to level it and start over. This mentality comes from both sides of the political spectrum.

One side would like to just like to see the city die and either force all of the poor people to leave the area or take over the jobs that will open up once the illegal immigrants are rounded up.

The other side thinks Cincinnati is so backward that you either have to kick out all of the corporations or all the white people or all the non-smokers until you can have an inbred circle-jerk of merriment before starting an organic freshwater oyster collective so fertile that it will provide income to all of the remaining residents of the City. Since so few would remain, it might work until someone wanted to actually use electricity, take a shower, or flush the toilet.

If you like the City and its see potential to be a great city, you are attacked, as I have been by Larry Gross and the many personalities of his few commenters as well as many others commenters on this site.

This is something I find hysterical. I get called a cheerleader and am accused of having my head in the sand. Me, the guy who lashes out, who trusts few, who is a cynic about nearly everything I read or view. Yes, I do emphasize the positives. I am trying to be a counterweight. I am trying to see the beer stein half full (or in our case 2/3rds full) for a change.

Cincinnati's number one problem is attitude. Too many people think it sucks here. Most in that camp have lived here their entire lives and resent that for various reasons. Someone comes along and counters their preconceived notion of truth and that rubs the wrong way. I challenge their ignorance, their apathy, and I don't hesitate to try and knock the chip off their shoulder. What none have done so far is shown that they have any answers. They whine about this or bitch about that, pivot the blame else where, but don't say much constructive.

I'm going to work on another post detailing where many of my commenters and Larry Gross got my year end post wrong, and I hope to demonstrate how they are seeing what I wrote through a jaded prizm. Not that my words will improve their contextual reasoning skills, but it can't hurt.

Being constructive doesn't hurt. Killing the baby in the bathwater hurts on multiple levels. I'll try to make sure to improve my clarity, but I hope others will want to succeed instead of wallowing in pithy comments.

Lazy R. Hines Fails to Report Blog Attack on Griffin

The haphazard website operator Rick Hines of Cincy Nation as of 2:30PM has failed to link to the outrageous blog attack from the Living out Loud Blog put upon local mild mannered blogger, Brian Griffin. Hines allegedly commented on the aforementioned blog post, but had yet found the time to link to the story itself. It is undetermined how many other of the comments are from Hines using fake names, but "questions remain" alleging that Hines is posting under multiple pseudonyms.

(cough, cough)

For the Inner Civic Wiki in All of Us

Hamilton County has opened Pandora's box. Will other governments follow suit?

[Via the Enquirer]

Happy New Year!

I didn't formulate any resolutions, but before the day is out I may make something up.

Most Important News Stories of the Year

Here we go, my pick of the most important news stories in the Cincinnati Region for 2006. In reverse order:

10. Smoking Ban Passes - No major reports yet on loss of business by bar owners.
9. Entertainment zone moves south to Downtown - Main Street Entertainment District shrivels
8. City of Cincinnati Budget Fiasco - details on cuts still not clear - arts funding impact unknown
7. CCV fails to get Anti-gay issue on ballot - signature effort faced charges of fraud
6. Music Scene in City continues vibrancy with return of WOXY, rise of local music acts on the national stage (Heartless Bastards and half of Racuntours), and the great lineups at the music festivals (however the attendance levels were not stellar).
5. Schmidt and Chabot hold off Wulsin and Cranley
4. Newport Riverfront Development
3. Rebirth of Fountain Square - Ice Rink and Holiday events draw great crowds
2. Dems Gain Statewide Ohio Offices
1. Pepper defeats Heimlich and Dems take control of County Commission

Here are the Enquirer's Top Stories for Ohio and NKY. The bias of Enquirer is most evident in their play up of Butler County and their backhanded praise of Fountain Square.

Most Over reported Stories of the Year:

• Murder rate in Cincinnati
• Bengals Arrests
• Marcus Fiesel tragedy - Yes, it was horrible, but making the case a spectacle is also horrible.
• Every closing of a restaurant in the City.
• Enquirer's obsession with reality TV - Jerry Springer is just not that interesting.
  

Most Under Reported Stories of the Year

• The opening of New restaurants in the City.
• Local politics, especially on local television news.
• Power struggle for WAIF
• Commercial Radio changes - Station swapping - Clear channel layoffs just before announcing huge station sell-off.
  
• Level of bigotry/racism behind illegal immigration crackdown
• Level of irrational fear of the City of Cincinnati (not just Downtown) by outside the I-275 loop suburban residents.
  

Joe's Booster Club

If Joe Wessels has a booster club, then Nate Livingston is likely a member. Nate raises a good point about the Enquirer's website. With the Post on a collision course with oblivion next year, I wonder how much the Enquirer would expend for equitable treatment of all reporters.

Bronson is Not So Bad Today

I can't find much fault with Peter Bronson's column today. The City Council's recent budget process was more like a Budget Showdown between Newt Gingrich and Bill Clinton.

On a side note: It's ironic how I bring in a reference to Bill Clinton when comment on a Bronson column where he Did NOT reference Bill Clinton.

Another side note: Why isn't Peter Bronson writing about Butler County's inability to balance their budget? He lives there, doesn't he?

Double-Entendre

Ok, it's now past X-Mas, but I can't help but point out this CityBeat column laced with a crypto-racist title.

The column rips into the concept of Santa and gifts and the obsession with them as being a problem with America. Ok. I can see some merit to that. Celebrating greed is bad. Having fun is not, so the fat guy in the suit, the stockings, the cool presents are not wrong. As one who doesn't celebrate the religious accepts of Christmas, I don't care about Virgin birth or Gold, Frankincense, and Mir, but I see no problem with revelry, and part of that is a little extravagance.

Question: what does race have to do with this?

About Freakin' Time

The Enquirer Editorial Page in its subtle manner actually is trying to dispel some of the myth the newspaper as a whole has helped to create.

They act like we all have to walk around with bazookas," he said. "It's all perception. I just wish the community would grow up and move forward."

With this being the holiday, Editorial Board member Byron McCauley is giving his personal take. I thank him for it, but that means that I don't expect this type of tone to be part of a New Year's Resolution for the rest of the Enquirer to stop creating a false perception of the City and Downtown.

Banned at the Airport

Today is a travel day and I am waiting in the Sarasota Airport for my Noon flight back to Cincinnati. It is great that the airport offers free Wifi, which is allowing me to post. What I don't get is that I can't read my own blog, because it and it appears all Blogspot blogs are blocked. I can get to blogger, but not Blogspot, very strange. I can get to most other news sites, including Wordpress blogs, like CityBeat's Blog, but I guess Blogspot has too many spammers? That seems a bit draconian. Since it is free, I won't complain outside of this post.

Keep the snow away, at least for today!

Fighting 'Food Insecurity' in Cincinnati

NPR had a story yesterday on food banks and used Cincinnati as an example.

Cranley to Columbus?

This tid bit from the Enquirer's Blog is a few days old, but it opens a question, could Cranley be appointed to office in Columbus? Mum is the word for now, will we hear something after the Holiday?

Pepper People, Parks, and some Bonuses

Joe Wessels' first column is in print and he holds nothing back with the back story on the details of who County Commissioner-Elect David Pepper has hired for his staff. Bridget Doherty and Travis Hines will hopefully not be attacked by the anti-Pepper trolls out there. I say that with full knowledge that all the hope in the world will not keep the trolls from making fun of others. Deep down, most of the trolls who attack are doing so because they are jealous and very petty people. When you lose elections, the pettiness tends to come to the surface.

Monzel appears to be continuing his crusade against the 'homeless' by targeting Washington Park cosmetics. The way to clean up Washington Park is by moving the Drop In Center to a location like Queensgate. The bums need help, but the are not helped by being an unwitting roadblock to progress in OTR. What you do with the sidewalks may improve the look of the park, but it will not keep the bums away.

Finally, this is interesting:

Mayor Mark Mallory said a recent Post story outlining bonuses for City Council aides upset him - because he was left out. Mallory had not given bonuses, but thought his staff deserves extra cash, too. So he gave it to them. Carla Walker, Jason Barron, Shawn Butler, Tiffany McCarter and Ryan Adcock: Happy Holidays! You get an extra $1,691.08. You can thank me later.

What I find interesting is that the Mayor can be influenced that much by the media. I am sure his staff wish they had that kind of influence on their income more often.

As a side note: Ryan Adcock, a Mallory Staffer, is also a great singer/songwriter. Check out some of his stuff.

More Positive Downtown Discussion

Again, I wasn't the only one to dislike the Enquirer's negative comparisons of Cincy to Indy, Kelly Leon spoke her views in a guest column.

The 'Fiscal Five' ?

From the Enquirer's Politics Blog we get what is stated to be a press release(doc) from Council member Leslie Ghiz. As part of the letterhead it has a heading called "The Fiscal Five" which lists council members Berding-Bortz-Cole-Ghiz-Monzel. When did they start using this clique moniker? Is someone trying to muscle in on the Gang of 14?

Bride Blog - TMI?

I talk about myself on my blog once in a while, but I never would go to the extreme of CiN Weekly's Katie Kelley.

SupertalkFM Coughs Up Furball

Andy Furman has found a new home to rant and rave, it's 96.5. I am sure that management will encourage him to be even more outlandish than he was on WLW.

We Have a Budget

There wasn't much white smoke emanating from the top of city hall, but we have a budget.

The Question is, how was arts funding affected? Nothing is mentioned in the motion (pdf). I don't know what the Berding-Bortz-Cole-Ghiz-Monzel budget did to arts funding. Anyone know?

Jets and Sharks

When you're a Jet.....

It appears that City Council has become just a wee bit divided. At this point this is beyond party, this is something else. When Cole and Ghiz are on the same side, it has to be unique.

If you are going to tonight's meeting, chime in with your perspective. We are almost upon an election year for council, so the pontification should be high.

Has Si Leis Gone Insane?

At least one county commissioner called Si Leis's request Crazy. I would suggest that Si Leis has gone insane and is seeking to overturn the vote of the people. That sounds like something a tyrant would try and do. Why is this nutcase reelected without opposition?

Cold Clear Channel Strikes Again

What a wonderful Christmas President for Craig Kopp: 'You're Fired'! Radio is a messed up industry beyond hope for equality, integrity, and quality. NPR/Public stations are the only things worth respecting as members of an honorable media community.

Anti-City GOP at Work

If you ask Russ Jackson, Republican Trustee of Anderson Township, the Freedom Center should not get any addtional state funding:

Anderson and Sycamore, two of the 37 townships in the region, recently passed resolutions calling on state legislators not to continue funding the center. Anderson Township Trustee Russ Jackson was among those challenging state funding for the Freedom Center.

"I did not feel it was appropriate that any additional taxpayer dollars go into the project," he said.

Jackson said he cares as a state taxpayer, noting that it should be up to city taxpayers to subsidize any remaining Freedom Center debt. And future state legislatures shouldn't be held responsible for past promises, Jackson said.

Why does Jackson and other Republicans hate the Freedom Center? Is it a race issue? Is it a hatred for the City? Is it both? Why is the Freedom Center being singled out? This is yet another shining example of suburban bias towards the city. For some it also shows a sense of racial bigotry. What drives these politians to be this obtrusive towards community development outside the 3 block radius around their house?

Council In Chaos or the Enquirer Trying to Make-Up News?

Ok, What went on today in council? The story leaves much out and ends without an update. Did the meeting resume? Is this a case of peacock council members getting puffy or is the Enquirer just trying to trump up conflict in a slow news week?

Fear is Out as Gift

Now that we don't have a big election facing us, I am bewildered that we haven't been warned about traveling by air this holiday season or been warned about being a mall this year. We had an arrest in an alleged plot against a mall just a week ago.

I'll be getting on a plane this week and I want to have the full panic effect now, instead of an hour before I leave for CVG.

Hold on a second, I mentioned something about there not being an election before. You don't suppose that we are not hearing about these threats because the GOP has given up on it as a vote getting tactic? Is Fear out this Christmas season as a gift to voters?

More Ink for the Heartless Bastards

Another postive story about local Favorites, the Heartless Bastards.

Jolting Joe

A 'reliable' source reports that Joe Wessels of the Cincinnati Post will be starting a city politics column in the Post next week. Look for insider views on local politics and government.

Smoke Free Bars

For Bars, the Smoking Ban right now is a bit of a mess, but there are some establishments that are taking the step of going no smoking. Here is a list of bars that my information indicates have gone smokeless:

The Comet
Northside Tavern
Alchemize
The Stand

I am sure there are more out there, chime in. If anyone is still smoking at the bars above, chime in as well.

Boobies, Boobies, Boobies!

Where was 'champion of freedom' Peter Bronson when Big Brother Si Leis raided local Porn shops? What makes freedom to smoke more important than the freedom to read and watch what you want?

Peter's Hypocrisy Juice is boiling over.

More Bias From the Enquirer

Hey, folks, don't feel good about the progress for Downtown, lets instead dwell on the negative. The shopping plaza at Skytop on Beechmont near Route 32 has never been full of retail since the structure opened over 6 years ago. Where is the news story on that? Where's the stories about Anderson township failing to attract retail?

The Enquirer is creating much of the negative perception of the City, and it's bias and failure to be honest is horrible.

Be a Man..Smither-man

Former councilman Chris Smitherman will not accept defeat in his bid to become President of the Cincinnati Chapter of the NAACP. If he is going to grandstand before he wins, what else can you expect if he were to win?

Stating the Obvious

It should almost go without saying but Steve Chabot and Jean Schmidt won re-election because of how the Congressional district lines were redrawn by the GOP to favor GOP candidates. This is how politics works. It shouldn't be how it works, but it does, and people are still too apathetic to care.

WAIF News?

Last we heard things were really ugly at the local community radio station. Can anyone chime in on where things stand now? Are the idiots still running the station into the ground? Is the FCC breaking down their neck's? Will we get the nuts out of the station leadership?

Nominate Cincinnati News Stories of 2006

I will open up the floor for nominations for the biggest news stories in the Cincinnati area. These can include statewide stories, NKY, or Southeast Indiana stories. At the end of the year, I'll be posting my top ten stories. For me the stories will be a combination of the most popular stories and the most important stories. If I get the notion too, I may create a list of the most unimportant, yet much covered stories in Cincinnati.

If others want to include the most under covered story, chime in with that as well.

My Truth, Not Yours

I have to wonder how many people will take this seriously: `Truthiness' is named Word of the Year. I also wonder how many people still think Stephen Colbert is a conservative. There have to be a few hundred thousand gullible fools still out there.

Chamber Hops on Creative Class Band Wagon?

It has been said many times in the town that the Creative Class is one of the keys to reinvigorating the Urban Core of Cincinnati, but it appears now that the 'fast moving' Chamber of Commerce has finally caught on to the idea.

Chaz Has It Right

A great guest column from former Mayor Charlie Luken. Furthermore to quell the rumors, I did not ghost write this for Charlie.

A letter to the Enquirer today agrees:

LUKEN NAILED IT IN COLUMN ON CITY

Charlie Luken is right about Cincinnati and about Peter Bronson; the city has the opportunity to rebound and is taking it ("Don't bash city that has so much going for it," Dec. 7). Why do suburbanites like Bronson feel they can bash a city that is doing so much to improve itself and dealing with the problems left by those irresponsible enough to abandon the city for places like West Chester and Blue Ash? You may favor the blander life of the suburbs over continuing the legacy of a great city, but don't stand back and criticize. I'll take downtown over mundane strip malls and chain restaurants any day.

Ben Bedel Covedale

Indeed.

Smoking Still Has Baby Teeth

The State Agreed at the last minute not to enforce the smoking ban until rules are established. That will hopefully happen quickly. This does not give smoker's the freedom to smoke as they please. This does give business owners to do as they please without the state sanctioning them. Businesses would do more in the long run to comply with the law now. Let the diehards at neighborhood dives keep smoking, but large bars should just get used to it.

Smitherman Loses, Again

Former Councilman Chris Smitherman lost his bid for President of the Cincy Chapter of the NAACP.

A Freddies Christmas

Murder Rate - 90% Drug Related

Too many People have an insane fear of the city. Some fear Downtown or the "ghetto" which they can't differentiate. What people need to understand is what the County coroner is saying:

However, in the majority of the city's homicides, authorities say the suspect and victim knew each other.

The Hamilton County coroner says 90% of the cases were drug-related.

"It's just not one factor," said Dr. O'dell Owens. "Its the guns, the [lack of] education and the drugs and the family unit. A lot of things we have to work on."

Yes, it is bad that the murder rate is up. We as a city, county, state, and country need to work broadly to decrease it. This does not make the city unsafe. I know childish commenters are going to now chime in. They'll make trite cracks about gun shots and Washington Park and some will make poorly veiled bigoted/racist statements. What they fail to grasp is that they are pussies. I say that with full offensive intended. They are scared little girls who see something on TV and think it is real. I think these idiots might even think that the 2001 riots happened along the river or in Mt. Adams.

The problems of crime are not unique to cities, they just are the easy scapegoats for those look for a rhetorical or socio-economic advantage. How many people are going to run away from Trenton because a guy was stabbed in bar fight with a screw driver? Someone breaks a car window at a downtown garage and panic and fear rips through the countryside.

If you don't mess with drugs, you are not going to be murdered..anywhere. Is that 100%, of course not. Does that mean you walk around with $100 bills sticking out of your pants? Of Course Not! That means you might grow a pair of balls and stop making crime your excuse for not exploring the city. If you are a lazy SOB, fine, don't blame crime for not going to Northside to see the band you like. If you are a cheap bastard, don't blame crime for not wanting to dare set a foot inside of the city limits after dark to hit a vibrant restaurant in Oakley or Downtown. If you are a bigot who hates blacks and uses crime as your excuse for being a bigot, well, you can just shut up and rot in Hell.

UPDATE: Errors corrected to silence the grammatical prudes. No Doubt there are errors I missed, but honestly, I don't give a shit.

Clear Channel Blood Letting

It is very interesting to read the comments on John Kiesewetter's blog from what sounds like either some posers, or many inside Clear Channel current and former staffers.

Local Radio blows. It has sucked for years. When I say local, I don't means just here in Cincinnati, I mean everywhere. I say that because the same 3-5 companies own most of the stations.

Of all modern media, Radio is the one that people really demand be local. If you are going to just be a jukebox with commercials, you will lose out to IPods or to Satellite.

More from CC Alumnus Rick Bird in the Post.

Korte's Blog

Greg Korte now has his own niche blog on the Enquirer's site. It has an interesting description:

Gregory Korte is the Enquirer's investigative and enterprise reporter, database reporting specialist and resident wonk. A West Side native, he worked at newspapers in Cleveland, Lorain and Akron before returning to Cincinnati in 2001, covering city government and politics for five years. "Footnotes" is his ongoing attempt to understand and explain the changing Cincinnati region.
E-mail: gkorte@enquirer.com Phone: 513-768-8391

It is called Footnotes and believe it or not, it actually uses footnotes. Is that a first in the blogging world? Could be.

Smitherman to Lead Local NAACP?

The votes are in, but its not settled. I am not a fan of Chris Smitherman. I look for Smitherman to use the NAACP as a weapon for his own personal crusades.

Enquirer Publishes Lie - Shows Bias

From today's Letters to the Editor we are treated to this falsehood published by the Enquirer:

WULSIN'S RECOUNT COSTLY, UNNECESSARY

Regarding the article "Wulsin gives up quest for congressional seat" (Nov. 29): Her strategy was to hold out acknowledging losing and receive free publicity and exercising her "right" to force an inconsequential vote count on the pretext of honoring each voter's vote. So, how much did this exercise in futility cost in dollars? Well, she shares the cost with those "voters" who couldn't take the time to confirm where they were to vote. Don't voters have some responsibility to be informed? Wishy-washy politicians and judges condone the procedure.

James Krueger
Green Township

First thing, there was no recount! The processing being undertaken was the normal process of counting the provisional ballots and some absentee ballots. There was no recount. The headline to the letter I am betting was not written by the writer, but was instead written by the Enquirer. Who at the Enquirer agrees with printing a lie like that? The Letter as printed NEVER USED THE WORD RECOUNT!!!!!

Second Thing is that James Krueger is an idiot. People who cast provisional ballots often at no fault of their own, but of the failure of the BOE or the poll working. Also, is he that fucking stupid to think that on the first general election since passing a new law requiring ID that people should be punished using the legally allowed procedures that law provides? Freddie Krueger seems to want to keep people from voting. There should not be additional costs of counting the votes in an election the first time, so Freddie's has been sniffing too much of the glue he uses for the novelty fingernails.

Downtown Living to Boom?

The Post is reporting that development is in the works to build a Condo/Retail/Parking high rise at Fifth and Race streets Downtown. This is huge news! The proposed 15 to 20 story building would fill an empty eye score and put up a YP centered development that would give a shot into the arm of Downtown that will drive the Fountain Square area to new heights. If this building gets off the ground and keeps its market target in focus, then the sky is the limit. Downtown living has been rising for quite some time now, but if they put affordable Condos for a wider YP demographic, then development may enable a Downtown revival beyond anyone's hopes.

Yea, I am optimistic on this, and we are a long ways from it becoming a reality. The key to a Downtown revival has always been having a real neighborhood of residents. Make it easier for people to live downtown, and they will want to work and play downtown.

Bronson: Van Go I Ain't

In what can best be described as a column by numbers, Peter Bronson has made it clear he is artistically tone deaf. Here's his formula for his mendacity:

1. Make a trite "Elvis-on-velvet" quip, like he did here and here.
   
2. Criticize a Play you have never seen. It's not the first time, and likely will not be the last.
   
3. Create a false premise by claiming the police budget was being cut by restoring funding for the arts, which it wasn't.
4. Finish off by slamming downtown, yet again, then get out the paper (aka more cops dogma) to cover up the crime problem.

If Peter Bronson could think beyond his bible, his gun holster, or his pocket book, he might see art beyond his broken car radio that is stuck on 93.3FM. There is something to act of thinking. Thinking in a manner that stale minds don't want to try to understand is what artists try and do. People like Peter Bronson always complain about art, no matter how its funded, but fear the effort and the change that may come from thinking in a new way. Art is about expressing ideas, ideas that exist to make the viewer/listener/reader think in a new way. I go downtown to see art and I challenge Bronson, again, to see the art before he attacks it, but I will not miss him if he chickens out.

More About Main Street

WCPO ITEM Bongs its way into a hard charging story about the changes on Main Street. The biggest bong comes from this portion:

BOB SCHNEIDER OWNS THE MAIN STREET BUILDINGS THAT USED TO HAVE FOUR NIGHTCLUBS.

(Laure Quinlivan, I-Team Reporter) "I think a lot of people really believe that the reason the Main Street entertainment district is dead is because of those riots in 2001. Riots killed the clubs.(Bob Schneider, Main Street Landlord) That's really not the case. The real problems started in 2004. One of those clubs in 2004 basically turned their business over to a promoter on a Friday night and this promoter basically put on venues, entertainment venues that brought in a thug element to the street. "

HE SAYS ANOTHER CLUB STARTED THE SAME THING AND SUDDENLY ARMED THUGS SCARED EVERYONE OFF.

(Bob Schnieder, Main Street Landlord) "Basically threatening people on the sidewalk, it just wasn't a comfortable environment."

Two things came to my mind upon reading on this. First is what was the club that killed the club scene on Main and Second is who is going to go crazy because the guy used the word "Thug" to describe those who he claims drove off much of the Main Street crowd.

I am not going to come out and say the guy is wrong. I myself don't and didn't go to the dance clubs on Main. I do hit the North Main Bars and Kaldi's on occasion, so who goes to the dance clubs is something I am gleefully ignorant about. I instead will sit back and watch the venom flow.

Fountain Square Ice Rink

This is a great start to the Square. It is wonderful hearing suburbanites coming to Downtown and planning on coming down again!

Cincinnati Advance is going skating there this Thursday Night. I would bet you could skate and watch the game on the big screen too!

OTR on the Rise?

Very interesting article in the New York Times on the renewal of Over-the-Rhine.

I am sure someone will hate this. Whether you hate the city, hate seeing the poor, hate the poor having to live a block from nice condos, or you just hate black people, you will surely be pissed off and attack this article.

"When Black Friday comes I'll stand down by the door"

Get out there and shop people! Buy Buy Buy!

Gobble, Gobble

Happy Thanksgiving Day!!

Question

I have never had much luck when trying to use CityBeat's event listing online, but has the music listing been working like this since the launched it or is it relatively new?

Maybe I just don't like the way the arts section is organized, I don't know. It seems to work better than I remember, or I just use cincymusic.com most of the time.

"Some City Hall observers believe"

I guess I qualify as one.

No Respect

When people talk about the decline of culture and the poor quality of the media they should look no further than the following letter to the editor of the Enquirer:

THIS ISN'T THE COLUMBUS ENQUIRER

The University of Cincinnati wins the biggest game in the history of the school, yet The Enquirer puts the Ohio State-Michigan game on the front page of the paper. To paraphrase Sam Wyche, you don't live in Columbus, you live in Cincinnati. The Bearcat football team will never get the respect they truly deserve thanks to the local media who'd rather talk about a team in another city then their local team.

Steve Heller
Reading

Mr. Heller is correct in his comments. The Enquirer should be very ashamed of giving preference to Ohio State of the huge victory by UC but part of the problem lies not with the media, but with the readers. People do not value what is around them. This is not just a problem here in Cincinnati, but nearly everywhere. Too many People don't respect effort and accomplishment. All they respect is popularity, rankings, money, aggression (conflict). The Enquirer chose to downplay the local story and play up the National Story of the Ohio State game. Yes, Columbus is close by, and there are lots of Ohio State fans in the area, but so what! The job of the local media is to serve the community by reporting the local news first and foremost. The problem with the media is that they are serving what they view as the demand of the local readers who don't care about their community and only seem to care about the national hot topic. That leaves a void that contributes to the false perception that Cincinnati is a small town where nothing good happens. We are big city, where culture, sports, and action play out every day. It is exciting and is worth paying attention to what happens.

When culture warriors opine about the decline and fall of American Society and Culture, I hope they look at the real decline and fall, that of local media coverage of local stories. When it is seen as a chore for the local newspaper to cover City Council meetings, how much long before they don't cover it at all or worse yet, just print press releases? Valuing community and taking pride in the places where we live is a founding value of our society. When people say buy American, I cringe. Instead, why don’t they say buy Cincinnati or buy local? Buy from the guy who runs the store a few streets over instead of at Wal-Mart. See the local band playing music instead of buying a CD of a manufactured “group.”

Just printing press releases is close to what our local media does a large part of the time. We are dangerously close to becoming what could be considered a closed society, cut off from what is happening just a few miles or blocks away. This sports story is not really important in the big picture of life, but it illustrates the problem very clearly. The media is not causing this problem, but they are enabling it to grow and fester. Get your local news first, then worry about the rest of the county. What is happening in Tampa or San Diego may be happening here too, but don’t assume it is happening everywhere without finding out first. Keep on eye on the rest of country and the world, but don’t take your eye of your own community. In the end, your neighbors will affect you more than someone in a bus wreck 1,000 miles away.

No Charges For Running Over Alleged Thief

Anthony Stone, who ran over and killed an alleged Thief with his truck, will not face charges for his actions, so says Joe Deters, Hamilton County Prosecutor.

With the information presented, Stone would not have been convicted if tried. If witnesses state the alleged thief had a gun and was aiming at Stone and shot at him, then self defense is plausible. I hope evidence was found that the alleged thief did fire his gun.

It still appears like there is more to this case. How did Tyree Henderson happen to pick this person to allegedly rob her? According to the article, police are asking the same question:

Deters said that, although Stone has been cleared, Cincinnati police are continuing to investigate why Henderson targeted Sherry Doud, the woman with Stone.

Someone else likely was involved in this incident, and that person or persons may lead to a common link between the victim and the alleged thief. That puts this crime not into a random theft category, but instead into target crime, something that law enforcement and the public can do little but react when it happens.

In Your Face, Brinkman!!!!!!

Anti-gay bigot, activist, and State Representative Tom Brinkman took one on the chin yesterday when Butler County Common Pleas Court dismissed his lawsuit against Miami University for offering domestic partner medical insurance.

An End to the Sheriff's Patrol of OTR?

The County may be playing the same game as the Mayor's office, but the expectations are that the budget to be submitted ends the program that paid for the the Sheriff's patrol in Over-the-Rhine.

All the impressions I get are that OTR is better off. With violent crime spreading out to other neighborhoods, there is circumstantial evidence that this effort has worked to clean out some of the crime in OTR.

I hope that Pepper and Portune pull a Mallory and rescue this program. Hell, DeWine wants it to continue as well.

Nordstrom Coming to Cincinnati

A press release report states that Nordstrom has signed a deal to open a new store in Kenwood. The report indicates it will be a two floor location in the Kenwood Town Center where the Parisian store is now. It is set to open in 2009.

Count Every Vote

Let no vote go uncounted. The fight for Vic Wulsin to overcome the lead of Schmidt is still a long shot, but it is so very sad to see the news media publishing fool's letters complaining about the election process existing.

I hate to tell Doreen Isett of Loveland, but she really needs to quit her whining. Her Dragon Queen may yet win the Ohio 2nd District, but keep your bitching and moaning in check until all of the votes have been counted.

Morton's Steakhouse Moving to 5th and Vine

Morton's Steakhouse will move its current 4th Street Carew Tower location to a new location in the tower at 5th and Vine across from Fountain Square.

Downtown is just "Dead", ain't it? (cough, cough)

Mallory Alters Budget

Where was the disconnect between what Milton Dohoney issued a couple of weeks ago and then what Mayor Mallory proposed today?

Doesn't the City Manager report to the Mayor? It's like Mallory didn't have any input on what was announced. If that is standard practice, I'll stand corrected, but it just appears odd. Mallory now looks to have done 2 things, caved into certain groups or come to their rescue. He couldn't have done both, but to some people it will look like he caved and to others it will look like he came to the rescue. The game looks transparent, but will it matter?

CEA Winners

Congratulations to all who won and to those who were just happy to be there.

Speaking of being there, if you made it out to the ceremony last night, let me know how it was. A group from Cincinnati Advance headed out, but I bailed and stayed home.

Scarface

This episode from Friday Night sounds like something right out of a movie.

I Guess We Need Fashion Police

I am not one who dresses well, but it appears the local fashion community needs policing, and likely more than one police officer to do it.

Millworks in Oakley Still on Track

Not much as been said about the Millworks project for a while, but word has come out that the project has landed a deal for a new Movie Theater tenant. According to the article the project "could" start next summer and finish in the summer of 2008.

This should be a council issue next year. How about firming up some dates on this? How about firming up the construction of the proposed I-71 exit upgrade?

Budget Forum

Will the Mayor and Council members hear what the people are saying or will they hear what "4th Street" is saying?

Why Not Annex the "First Suburbs"?

Chris Bortz and Pat DeWine are making efforts to mix City and County services. This smells a lot like the first step in the dissolution of the County's municipalities. If places like St. Bernard, Elmwood Place, and Norwood are in trouble, then why don't they ask the City of Cincinnati to annex them and take advantage of the cost savings in that manner?

What I fear here is the anti-government forces out there trying to make Hamilton County into one big Township and a government with no teeth to do anything.

I would consider a metro type government that created a county wide city. That entity would have an even partisan stance, if not a slight edge for Republicans. That might suck on certain levels, but it would be one where the government would still have the structure to allow a city to function.

Greg Harris Running for City Council

CityBeat is reporting that former Congressional Candidate Greg Harris will run in 2007 for Cincinnati City Council. Greg is a great candidate and has a great chance to get on council. I love this early idea has as expressed in the CityBeat article:

I also see a strong need to create a seamless public transit grid to unify and support the emergence of a central entertainment corridor that unifies The Banks, downtown, Over-the-Rhine, UC, Clifton, Northside, etc.

I would throw in Mt. Adams to that entertainment corridor.

City Budget

Well, cuts are fairly wide spread, but how will it look in the end?

Crying Wolf?

I will believe it when I see Nordstrom's open and taking sales in Kenwood.