Back to Basics, Enquirer-Style

The Enquirer's revenues are down. It's doing everything it can to remedy the situation: laying off veteran reporters and columnists; furloughing the folks left behind; making the paper smaller; plastering ads right on the front page of sections of the paper; and withholding stories from its online edition to keep us nefarious bloggers from "stealing" the paper's content (interesting how the paper doesn't mind taking stories from the pages of, for instance, CityBeat or KRM (here and here, respectively)). In tough economic times, however, the Enquirer has decided to return to a time-tested method of increasing readership in conservative southwest Ohio: Democrat-bashing.

Today's Enquirer carries a lengthy story on how documents "shed light" on Laketa Cole's hiring as chief of reliability and service analysis for the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio. The story contains all sorts of innuendo, obviously meant to suggest that Cole was offered the job only as an enticement to stay out of the race for the Ohio House seat left vacant by Tyrone Yates's appointment to the bench. A reader has to make it to the article's twentieth paragraph to learn:

According to state personnel records, Cole will replace John D. Williams, who was promoted to director of PUCO's Service Monitoring and Enforcement Department on Feb. 28. The department employs 83 people. Williams was named acting director Jan. 3.
Cole's annual salary will total about $15,700 less than Williams got before his promotion and $5,000-a-year pay raise.

In other words, Cole isn't being offered a position that's been created for her. This is a real job, filled by a real human being until quite recently. And while I have not always agreed with Cole's positions or tactics on Council, any reasonable person has to agree that she is appropriately credentialed for the job. If I really wanted to make trouble, I'd ask why Cole, an African-American female, will be making less than 85% of the salary of the white male who previously had the job. (This, of course, is a question the Enquirer does not address.)

In an editorial yesterday, the Enquirer suggests the "Cole deal" is "arrogant." (Notice a very strange thing about the piece: apparently, after it was initially posted, a letter-writer commented on it. The Enquirer then updated the editorial to reference the letter. So now the editorial references the letter and the letter references the editorial.) The Enquirer goes so far as to suggest "a Mark Painter to William Mallory to Nadine Allen to Tyrone Yates to Alicia Reece quintuple play." Really? Does the Enquirer really believe that the Democrats arranged for Mark Painter (formerly a Republican-endorsed judge) to get a position with a UN appellate court so that Alicia Reece could have a job?

Maybe, though, the editorial staff just thinks that once Judge Painter's seat on the First District Court of Appeals became vacant, a grand scheme emerged, like so many dominoes in a line. Not likely. Probably not even possibly. Each appointment had its own process. And those of us who toil in the courthouse know that for a while, a new rumor swirled each day about who would take Judge Painter's seat. Then a new rumor swirled each day about who would fill Judge Mallory's seat. And then a new rumor was floated every day about who would fill Judge Allen's seat. If there was a conspiracy to create a line of succession all the way down to Alicia Reece, it's the best-kept secret in courthouse history. And let's not forget, no one gets a free pass: Mallory, Allen, and Reece must all stand for election this November. Yates, I believe, will appear on the 2011 ballot.

It's good to know, though, that some things (like political editorials masquerading as news stories) never change.

An extra note: I'm glad I'm not in the newspaper business. These are tough times. And in all fairness, there is, actually, lots of good reporting going on at the Enquirer, and some really talented young reporters getting a chance to write stories that, just five years ago, might have gone to more senior (but less enthusiastic) staff. Tom Callinan is doing some good things; the "Vanishing Cincinnati" series is but one example. But these lots-of-smoke-without-discernible-fire stories aren't worthy of a paper struggling to retain its readers and remain relevant in the new decade.

Cole to Leave Council in June

Well, the Cole-Train is on its way to Columbus and the crowd is going wild. We are cheering her on. Cheering that she is leaving, of course. She will not be missed.

Cole is leaving in a selfish manner, which is not a surprise. She's not resigning until June, a logical date because that is when the position in the state becomes available, and she needs a job until then, so will stay on as a lame-duck Council member. Yes, this means we have to put up with her on Council for 2 and a half more months. I really hope she stays quiet, votes with her Democratic colleagues and exists the stage somewhat gracefully.

Short of doing that, it would be really fun if Cole started a Twitter account and just blasted Leslie Ghiz during Council sessions. It would be classless, but it would be fun.

Watson is still the CW choice to fill the seat, but according to the article, Cecil Thomas said he will sit down with three to five possible appointees. Thomas is known for changing his mind, so it would not surprise me if he had his pick already and just wants sign off, and political assurances, from Mayor Mallory and Tim Burke. Thomas may want to have influence over who gets the Finance Committee Chairmanship after Cole steps down. I would think Thomas would like to have that as a possible position for himself, if he loses the May County Commissioner Primary. It never hurts to plan ahead, even if you don't need it. I hope he needs it.

Inside the Minds of Local Right Wing Extremists

It no longer phases me when I read CityBeat's reports about the classless behavior of some local Republicans or of Republicans in general. I am looking for a local Republican to stand up and speak for civility to the Brad Becketts of Hamilton County. I know it will NOT be Chris Monzel. He should fire Beckett for having this type of attitude and boorish attitude about government officials who are doing their jobs. If this is all the GOP has to offer, they will fade into Green Party irrelevance very quickly.

Main Street Making A Comeback?

As has been announced elsewhere, the space formerly occupied by Jefferson Hall has found a new tenant: Jack Potts Tavern. While Jack Potts' official grand opening isn't until April 2nd, the bar had its "soft opening" last night, just in time for Bockfest. Jack Potts will, I think, remind most people of the old J-Hall. Its grand opening will feature a performance by the Polecats (who, I suspect, will be regulars on stage there). I celebrated Bockfest at Jack Potts last night, and am pleased to report that the place was packed most of the night.

We also know that Neon's is coming back. And I now hear rumors that a new pizza place will open in the old Harry's Pizza space.

I don't know that we'll ever see Main Street return to its former peak. I'm not sure how many people want that, anyhow. (How many times can anyone over 23 actually go to a place like Bar Cincinnati, after all?) But it seems to be returning as a legitimate entertainment district again.

Another Take on Cincinnati

Bill Weaver of Life as a Human recently posted this outsider's take on Cincinnati. While both the video and the text are over-filled with focus-group mumbo-jumbo (I'm convinced that "narrative" is now the most over-used word in the English language), it's nonetheless a positive piece and an interesting perspective.

Interesting Review of CAC's Shepard Fairey Exhibit

AEQAI has a very interesting and in-depth review of Shepard Fairey's 'Supply and Demand.'

Is Cole Leaving For a State Job?

No one seems to know if Laketa Cole is leaving council for a State job or not. What's the latest?

Is Bernadette Watson the likely pick to replace Cole? She finished behind fellow Democrat Greg Harris, but the does the gender and racial balance make more sense to Democratic party leaders and more importantly to Cecil Thomas who actually makes the appointment?

HUD Rejects Metropole Tenants' Complaint

HUD has dismissed the complaint against the Metropole renovation made by the recently formed tenants association on behalf of various activist groups. It was clear from the start that the complaint had no merit. It is time now for City Council to vote for the grant and loan to get the project off the ground.

Candidates Out Number Tea Baggers

When you have 113 candidates and only 100 "TP" fans how is that much of a rally?

I guess the TP fanatics have lost the will to get out of their bunkers and support their candidates.

Also, who was the lone Democratic Candidate? I am guessing it was Dusty Rhodes. Anyone want to bet?

A Sign of the Future in the Q

I love signs.  I love signs in windows.  I love it when the sign in the window tells me that a new "Neighborhood Bar" is coming to my neighborhood and the group opening the bar operates some of the best run bars in town.  I should just put my name on the liver transplant list now and avoid the trouble later.

Neighborhood Squabbles

The fight over how the City of Cincinnati's Neighborhood Support Program is administered appears to be political and personal. Water is wet, as well, I know, I know.

I don't place much focus on a He-said-She-said type of argument, so what the article reports may just be hot air venting. It appears that the conservative majority on council is acting to structure the funding program with a lot of oversight. This is then causing at least one community council member to lash out at the structure's front man, Jeff Berding as both an angry football fan and angry Democrat pissed that Berding got an endorsement in the first place, even though it was pulled last year.

Boycott? Seriously, that's the plan Joe Gorman of the Camp Washington Community Council has come up with? Bad mouthing Berding (who often deserves it) wasn't enough. I guess Gorman got his limited press coverage of this, but he really stands a better chance of being heard if he attended the event he wants to boycott and lobby the rest of the community councils and City Council members to try and affect change to the Structure of the funding program. I guess a boycott is an easy way to stay home and watch the Winter Olympics.

The spat is highly entertaining, but bad governing all around.

Tolliver vs. Burke

I just wanted to highlight Howard Wilkinson's post, noting that Darren Tolliver has announced that he will seek the chairmanship of the Hamilton County Democratic Party later this year.

Tolliver was the president of the student body at UC during my final year of law school. Law students, like most grad students, don't get involved in campus politics. While I'm not sure what, exactly, my exposure to Tolliver was, I remember thinking at the time that Tolliver was a really bright, ambitious kid. (He was a college student; it was OK to think of him as a "kid" back then.) More recently, Tolliver was a board member of CincyPAC. I'm not sure what Tolliver now does professionally (if he hasn't gone to law school yet, isn't a JD nonetheless inevitable?).

Tim Burke, of course, has been the chair of the HamCo Democratic Party forever. He is a partner at Manley Burke.

It'll be interesting to see how this plays out. The "central commiittee," comprised of the party's precinct executives (who are themselves elected, precinct by precinct, this May) elect the party chair. I don't know (and please comment if you do) if there has been an recent influx of new members of the central committee, or if the May 4 elections are likely to bring new members. I would think the current executives are loyal to Burke, but Tolliver is the party's treasurer, and no doubt has support of his own.

Springer vs. Springer

I really wanted to write a post making fun of the HamCo Republican Party for inviting Michele Bachmann to be the keynote speaker at its annual Lincoln-Reagan dinner tomorrow night.

I was particularly appalled by the choice because for the last couple years, every now and then I think about whether I should be a Republican instead of a Democrat. But then the GOP puts someone like Bachmann front-and-center and I realize that's not a real option. (Or I am reminded that the party's extreme right wing controls its stance on social issues.)

But there's a problem with writing that post. The HamCo Democratic Party--the party to which, for the time being, I belong--is having its own event tomorrow night. Its "guest of honor" is Jerry Springer.* I'm not thrilled that Democratic-endorsed judges are appearing at an event headlined by the king of trash TV.

So the question is: what's worse? That the HamCo Republicans can't find a better keynote speaker than the Jerry Springer of Congress, or that the HamCo Dems can't find a more suitable guest of honor than the real Jerry Springer?

* In 2003, when Springer was considering running for the Senate, I met him. He was at a Mt. Adams bar (much more sober than I was). He sat for hours talking to people about his ideas and plans and why he was considering getting into the race. He's a very intelligent, thoughtful man. I wish he hadn't spent the last quarter-century using his television show to pollute our culture and, frankly, to exploit people who aren't as smart or as rich as he is. But he has, and we shouldn't pretend that he's a serious individual when his actions are to the contrary.

Where's the "No Bunt" Pledge?

When ever I read about politicians signing pledges "not to raise taxes" I find myself thinking about Baseball. Why doesn't COAST or the Tea Baggers, as the good baseball fans they surely are, demand that Dusty Baker sign a "No Bunt" pledge?

They might even require an oath: "I, , do solemnly pledge never to use the bunt during a regular or post season game, including suicide squeezes, where the man on third has the speed of Jackie Robinson and we are down by 10 or more runs. If I should break this pledge, I promise to forfeit the game and never, ever, play baseball or any other sport, again, so long as I live. Amen"

Yes, that is ridiculous. It is meant to be ridiculous.

Sometimes you have to bunt. Everyone in baseball knows this. Sometimes, you have to bunt to get the runner into scoring position. When you get the sign, you, the batter, don't shake it off or point to the fans and say: "But they demand efficiency! They expect me to hit a home run every time I am at bat. Home Runs are the only way you win ball games!"

Sacrificing an at bat is part of the game. You don't bunt every time a man is at bat, but you should never rule it out because some insane sports fans obsessed with statistics hate how it ruins someone's batting average.

If I were a Republican thinking about appeasing the Tea Baggers or COASTers, I would think about Baseball and at least try and maintain some intellectual honesty, and not sign a pledge "to not raise taxes." Not all Republicans are void of intellectual honesty, but they don't seem to show often enough, for my taste.

Sometimes you have to bunt and sometimes you have to at least have the option to raise taxes.

Respect Is Earned, Disdain is Free

I was wondering what happened to all of the crazy people who would disrupt City Council meetings. It appears they have shifted to the school board.

Why would any parent think that exhibiting this type of behavior is acceptable? When you act boorishly, you are going to be ignored. When you continue to act like jerks, you are going to be disdained. Quite a few parents deserve detention.

Why Did Cecil Thomas Abstain?

It was good news for Downtown yesterday after the Finance Committee overwhelmingly approved a loan for the 21C Hotel project. It should pass in Council with ease. What made no sense to me was the voting:

"Supporting the request were councilmembers Berding, Leslie Ghiz, Chris Monzel, Roxanne Qualls, Charlie Winburn and Laketa Cole.

Cecil Thomas abstained."

When you abstain from a vote it is usually because you have a personal interest or connection to the project or the parties involved.

Does Thomas have some type of connection or interest in 21C Hotels company, the Metropole, or the residents being displaced?

Yalamanchili Picks Ups Endorsements of Past Candidates

Ohio 2nd Congressional District Democratic Candidate Surya Yalamanchili has picked up the endorsements of former nominees Dr. Victoria Wulsin and Attorney/Iraq war veteran Paul Hackett. Last month Yalamanchili go the endorsement of Cincinnati Mayor Mark Mallory.

Yalamanchili will face off against David Krikorian in the Democratic Primary.

Keep Council Night Meetings

Cole and Monzel are are both on the correct side of an issue. Cincinnati City Council should keep meeting at night, once a month. Additionally, the starting time should be 7 or 7:30, allowing people time to get there. I don't have the trite lifestyle Monzel points out, with the sit down dinner made by the wife waiting at 6PM, but I too can't make it to a meeting that starts at 6 PM without leaving work early.

A little bit of promotion by the city would go along way to get people to come to these meetings. Hell, make it a Facebook event, that may not get 1,000 people there, but 5 more is a start.

These night meetings surely eats into the life of the council members and the city workers who staff the meetings, but this is their job.

This effort does not have to be expensive or overly time consuming. City Council meetings need to be accessible to the general public. I hope Cole and Monzel can convince the rest of the Council to go along.

Shoulder to the Wheel, Nose to the Grindstone, Eye on the Ball......

Last week was a strange week. And as the new week begins, I find that I'm reminding myself to put my head back down and focus on the things that really matter to me. I also find myself wondering why certain things get beyond our standard echo chambers, and others cannot.

Most of you know that Wednesday, the local blogosphere erupted over a Vanity Fair article that made a gratuitous, cheap shot at Cincinnati. As far as I knew, the hubbub began with this post from Kate the Great. (Apparently, other bloggers had seen and posted on this days earlier.) I did what I often do when I see an interesting blog item: I linked back to it and provided my own commentary. Within hours, Tom Callinan of the Enquirer did the same thing, linking back to KRM and here. Then Griff called me on the phone, telling me Fox 19 News was looking for me for comment. I got in touch, they asked if I'd speak on camera, and I agreed. So I ended up on TV for a few seconds. (Sadly, Kate the Great was apparently unavailable to defend the honor of the Queen City that afternoon, so I got pulled off the bench and into the lineup. I kind of wish I'd had 6 months to lose about a hundred pounds before the interview. Or that the camera man had taken a wider shot. We all should have been spared that close-up on my multiple chins. :-) )

But what (I suspect) only a few of you realize is that my commentary on VF was only the second time that week I was quoted in the traditional media. The first was last Sunday, when a front-page article in the Enquirer discussed recent changes in the practices of the HamCo clerk of courts in handling complaints filed by private citizens (i.e., criminal cases that are initiated by an affidavit that is not signed by a police officer). Deep in that article, which was written by Dan Horn, I'm quoted.

This weekend, I'm left reflecting on the two very different responses to the two articles. When Horn's article came out, I was pleased to read it and proud to be quoted. The private complaint issue is one that I'd spent time on in my day job. Horn didn't find me because of the blog or simply because I'm a criminal defense attorney; instead, this was something I'd worked on. I thought the article would foment some discussion. While I believe the law requires the change the clerk's office has now made, I also recognize there's another side to the issue: private complaint referrals were a way to preserve police resources. Eliminating them may make it more difficult--or impossible--for some victims of minor crimes to seek redress in the criminal justice system, as the gatekeeping function of a police officer's job will become even larger than it has been.

My post on VF, on the other hand, was a knee jerk response. It was meant to be a brief diversion on a day I hadn't had time to grab lunch. There's nothing particularly controversial or even worthy of an extensive discussion in that post. Of course we all (or most of us) like or love Cincinnati. And is it really news to any of us that lots of people who live on one of the coasts or overseas don't view midwestern cities as desirable places to vacation? Shocking!

So what interest was generated by each? Last time I checked, the Enquirer article on the citizen complaint issue had about 45 comments. Callinan's piece on VF? 200.

No one outside the blogosphere cared much about my post on difficulty finding emergency shelter for a client. Personally, I think that's a much more important story than our mutual love (or lack thereof) for the Queen City. Jack is involved in an important lawsuit about how we help former inmates re-enter society after they've "paid their debt." While the media has covered it, the post here generated a total of zero comments. (Perhaps the post was poorly written. I'll certainly admit that's possible.) And the Enquirer's article (a well-written one by Dan Horn) garnered fewer than half the comments than Callinan's VF piece did.

What's my point? I'm not sure. It was nice, of course, to email my parents and tell them I was on TV, or to tell my friends over dinner Wednesday to watch the news that night. But nothing that happened that day or the next accomplished anything. No one's life was made better. No cause was advanced.

The past week reminds me of why I originally accepted Griff's invitation to blog: to write about things that matter. It's the same reason I became a lawyer: to do things that matter. This doesn't mean I'm not going to continue to post on some great place I had lunch or cheer on the Bearcats. But I want to make sure I'm spending the bulk of my time here and--more importantly--in my practice on things that really shape people's lives. I want to make a difference, not to simply be a cheerleader. Both my job and this blog leave me in a unique position to do that. I just need to make sure I focus on the important stuff.

Reports from Cincinnati Casino Charrette

Kareem Simpson at Ante-Up Cincinnati has a report from Cincinnati Casino Charrette held yesterday at the Art Academy.

It is excellent to see the community taking an interest in the direction of this project. For those of us living in OTR and the Downtown area, the Casino will have a large impact on our quality of life. Depending on how this project is designed, completed, and operated, that impact may be net-negative. Citizens obtain more information about the plan for the Casino will at least give us a chance to prepare for problems and may make Civic leaders aware of issues that may arise before they get out of hand.

Greg Korte of the Enquirer also has an article on this event.

For those not familiar with the term: Charrette.