CityLink Moves Forward

The land for the CityLink service center has been purchased. Construction funds are being sought from private sources. This effort is great, and I applaud organizers. I hope the center is not used as the only location for social services in the city, and this is not used to replace government run services. If not, then it should help provide good services and in turn help parts of OTR develop.

Candidate Don Quixote

Eric Fingerhut is charging at windmills in his effort to gain the Democratic nomination. He can't defeat Strickland.

Inbred

One Party Rule is not democracy. In a small municipality, it is not surprising. The CCV's office are in Sharonville, so this does not shock.

Ok, Just Stupid

Ok, this Bronson Column is really just stupid. It is so bad, I will not comment further.

Enjoying It

Nice article on Enjoy the Arts. I am a Passport member and can attest that it is worth it. I have been to more theatre since I got the membership and I have been invited to more events. Join up at www.etastart.com.

Doug Trapp Returns

In case you have missed his byline, CityBeat's Doug Trapp returns to town and the to the paper with some thoughts on taking a leap.

Slow Death

I envision this job reduction by the Cincinnati Post to be the beginning of a drip-drip-drip of staff and substance to the newspaper, which over the next two years will become either a NKY paper, or will die.

The most telling part of the story is the headline "Scripps to cut deeper at Post." This says to me that the actual Post management don't want to do this, but that the parent company, headquartered here in Cincinnati, is doing it.

Enquirer Political Blog Changes

Korte appears to be off the City Hall and politics beat if the new description of "Politics Extra" is correct:

The Enquirer's team of political reporters - plus occasional special guest stars - chronicle the behind-the-scenes maneuvers, the stuff that didn't make the headlines, and the faux pas of Southwest Ohio political leaders. Regular bloggers include political reporter Howard Wilkinson, city hall reporter Dan Klepal, Hamilton County reporter Kimball Perry, Columbus reporter Jon Craig, and Washington reporter Malia Rulon. Is is administered by Government/Public Affairs editor Carl Weiser, cweiser@enquirer.com.

News of the changes did make the make the paper today, but more of an announcement that the blog will cover more than City Hall. This is going to make for a big blog mess. Group blogs can work, but they take some common thread. Single voice blogs have that thread by default.

What is Greg's beat now? Do we have more than one City Hall Reporter? Rumors flew last month, so were they true?

Earth to Bronson Part XXXVII

Once again Peter doesn't grasp the concept that TV shows are fictional. If you have a pill popping priest its not there to say something it true. It is a dramatic device called "character." I mean, do we have to explain to Peter that there really isn't a world with a talking lion behind Carl Linder's wardrobe?

One Crack House at a Time

Nick Spencer is back to blogging and reports on the actions taken by the CPD and city to finally clear out the Crack House across from alchemize. This is only one building, but getting crime off of a street is progress. Glad to see Nick back blogging, and I'm glad this crack house is gone.

Jim Borgman Blog

This is a brilliant idea. Brogman has a unique voice at the Enquirer and seeing how he goes about creating his editorial cartoons is very fascinating.

Happy New Year!!!!

Hope 2006 brings you good fortune and good health.

Top Cincinnati Stories of 2005

Well, that's it for another one. The Enquirer lists their top local stories and the limit it to 5. They failed to cover many other important stories. These may or may not have gotten the level of press coverage the should have, but I believe these stories were the most significant in city and the region. Everyone had their chance to voice their top lists. Here are my top local stories for 2005.

1. The election of Mark Mallory as Mayor. New leadership brings with it a chance for an improved image of the city.
   
2. The election of a centrist, slightly right leaning City Council. This might make for a better run city, but one where racial division is not reduced.
   
3. Fountain Square rehab and the Banks Project Collapse. 3CDC looks good, and the county government looks inept.
   
4. Paul Hackett's showing in a GOP stronghold. He should have been trounced, but he showed that many conservatives are not pleased with the GOP and want change. Senator Hackett is not a pipe dream, it is a strong possibility.
   
5. Railcar styrene leak and the evacuation that followed. Someone is going out of business over this one.
   
6. WHO-DEY: The Bengals making the playoffs. This is important for a simple thing that will make a big difference in 2006, increased civic pride.
   
7. Jean Schmidt's shameful attack of Rep. Murtha. Schmidt is a disgrace. She will have a tough time getting the GOP nomination.
   
8. Bob Taft pleas guilty to crime. This was a first for a sitting governor who has the lowest poll rating of any governor in polling history.
   
9. Councilman Sam Malone charged with beating his son. A thug should not be on council. He nearly got reelected. That is a sad case of a misinformed electorate or a nutty one that approves of beating your son with a belt.
10. The firing of Bob Huggins. Cleaning up college sports should be the most important goal of all Division I University. UC may not win tournaments, but they have improved the ethical standards of their sports program 1000%.
    

So what did I leave off that should have made it or what did I list that should not have made my top ten?

Hmmm, Hustler Store Not Causing Harm?

I am shocked! I guess Touchdown Jesus (aka Buttery Jesus) was the counter force to keep the youth from looking at naked boobies.

Huh?

This article is so short and the headline claims so much it is confusing. Why it has a Cincinnati dateline is very strange. If anti-abortion "scientists" are putting out a study claiming RU486, then yes I think a different headline is warranted. I think far more detail is needed to now what report was issued, and who really issued it. It should also be a warning sign that the report is not very credible when it is only good enough for a website, not a print medical journal. If people want to talk about bias, this article existence is a sign of bias, its lack of detail is a sign of either lack of time or bad reporting.

Hear This Peter Bronson

Bronson speaks of bias when he really should be saying there are not enough people in Newsrooms that share his desire to push his conservative views. His list shows no bias. These are all stories and people worthy of attention. I guess the puff pieces we have read about Jean Schmidt are just the "truth?"

Peter should also face another reality about bias in the newspaper he writes for: there is not a liberal local political columnist who provides any kind of retort or balance when Bronson provides cover in print for local bigots like Tom Ullum. CRAP is well represented Peter, you just can't get everyone to accept your propaganda as truth.

Nate Turns on Mallory, Kinda

It didn't take long for Nate to come out and criticize the Mayor. He may have done so before, but here he is making it close to a race issue. Nate seems to be making it more of a religion issue. I guess an attack on a religious institution by random strangers is no big deal, but when someone is killed at a party, and little apparent cooperation from those who were there, that should get the FBI going. Never mind the fact that terrorism and murder are looked at differently. Never mind that the FBI rarely ever opens an investigation on the State crime of murder. Nate is doing his usual, fanning the flame of racial division. He appears to want outrage over a murder that has failed to outrage those in attendance enough to come forward and help catch the criminals responsible for the horrible crime. If the community doesn’t care, why would the media or public officials? The police are doing what they can. If they don't get leads, they can't do much. Announcing a big investigation is only a dog and pony show for the press anyway. If the Mosque bombers are caught, it will not be because of a massive investigation, it will be because they were stupid and left evidence behind.

The media is lazy, remember. If they can't get the family to come on camera and cry, they don't push the story. See the WCPO story that only aired because it had pictures. No video, no eyeballs. WCPO and the other local TV stations treat viewers like trained dogs. Viewers unfortunately give them reason to.

Michigan Terrace in Hyde Park Square

The old timers and purists are begrudging change. What is lacking is progress on what retail will fill the first floor of the project. Hyde Park square has a specific retail feel. Any retail added shouldn't detract from the Square's general theme, which maintains a boutique centric focus. What ever goes in should not be a store you can visit at the mall.

The Mayor Comments

Mayor Mallory issued a press statement today on the shootings at the Legacy on Christmas Eve:

"I am horrified and saddened that a teen dance on Christmas Eve could end in gun violence and another tragic loss of life. This is absolutely unacceptable. We must do everything that we can to find the people behind
the shooting and bring them to justice. I am calling on the community to help in that effort. We as a community must stand up and say that enough is enough. I encourage anyone with any information about this incident to come forward and help solve this senseless crime."

Are people holding back information on who the shooter is? If they are doing that, why?

WCPO has video footage from inside the club, but we learn little from it. It was disgusting how the reporters had to tell us the CPD was the "second organization" to view the video. Who cares! It's not even sweeps weeks.

Another Puff Piece

What is it with the local media doing constant puff pieces about extreme religious nut cases? There is no criticism about the delusional people at Answers In Genesis in the article. The even dare call people working there "Scientists." Where did they get their education and who, if anyone accredited them?

I know there are plenty of conservative Christians around here, but are there that many who are stupid enough to think the Earth is less than 10,000 years old? That many who really want to read a puff piece about these idiots?

Where's the puff piece on a local office of Planned Parenthood? They actually do good works. Ken Ham's clan is out making people ignorant, and his groups gets the Post's pat on the back. Just a little balance would be nice. Hell, in the Planned Parenthood piece I propose I would expect a similar type of opposing view present, not as a focus, but acknowledging some would not agree with what they do. In the case of Answers in Genesis, I hope most don't buy their extreme views on the age of the earth or of evolution, making criticism not only valid but imperative.