Congrats to Liz Vosmeier on Acclaim Award

At Monday night's Acclaim Awards, see Rick Pender's recap here, the Know Theatre's Liz Vosmeier received a special MVP award for her efforts during the 2009-2010 Theatre season. Liz has done a great job this year acting at the Know, but as Rick points out, her work backstage has been crucial to the company's success. This was a well deserved honor.

You can show your support of Liz and the rest of the Know at Fringe. Liz appears in Of People and Not Things.

Volunteer For CincyFringe!!!!

The Cincinnati Fringe Festival is an amazing event, but it takes amazing people to put it on. Please volunteer today for the festival and be part of Art in Cincinnati. Check out the Volunteer page where you can see the available shifts. As always you can earn free tickets!

Reds Game Sounds Like Fun

Tonight's Reds game commemorates the 75th anniversary of the first night game in professional baseball, which was played at Crosley Field. The Enquirer's Reds Blog posts the Reds' press release here.

Among the highlights: the Reds mascots will actually race around the bases between the third and fourth innings. (Usually, the race is only a virtual one via graphics on the scoreboard.)

Given that the Pirates are in town, though, the mascots would do well to stay away from the visiting team's dugout.

Support for Street Car Has Increased Since 2009

The Mayor's Office issued an interesting press release last night, where they point out that the Enquirer commissioned poll has one overlooked result: support for the Streetcar has risen since the last time a poll on the streetcar was completed. The details from the press release:

Truth about the Enquirer Poll: Streetcar Gains Popularity

Streetcar is more popular today than it was a year ago

“The successful streetcar projects in cities around the country were met with public opposition before construction, and once they were built, neighborhoods fought to get the streetcar line to come to their area,” Mayor Mark Mallory said. “We were told to expect this. However, the fact remains that the Streetcar project is going to be of financial benefit to Cincinnati.”

Quick facts about poll in the Cincinnati Enquirer today:

Streetcar popularity:

• 44% of poll respondents are in favor of building the Cincinnati Streetcar.
• “24% say the streetcar would "revitalize Cincinnati's core;" 20% say it is a "risky project," but should still be built in order to help improve the city.” From Cincinnati Enquirer Politics Blog. 
• 48% oppose building the Streetcar.
• 7% remain undecided.

Some things to think about:

• A similar poll was conducted in April 2009 in advance of the Issue 9 campaign.
  In that poll, 59% were opposed to moving ahead with the Streetcar and 38% were in favor of moving forward.
• In today’s Enquirer poll, those opposed have dropped by 11% from 59% to 48%, and those in favor have increased by 6% from 38% to 44%.
• That is a 17% change since last year.
• Today’s poll shows that the Streetcar is much more popular today than it was a year ago and is in fact gaining momentum.
• 44% is a tremendously high level of support for a project that is not even fully funded yet (the City is awaiting word of significant federal grants).

Please refer to the actual crosstabs located at the Cincinnati Enquirer Politics Blog http://www.surveyusa.com/client/PollReport.aspx?g=4c098407-50d2-423f-89c2-4f8d6facd864

This does not mean the poll is not flawed. I would like to know the zip code breakdown of those polled. It also of course doesn't account for the Cell Phone problem, but even taking both of those of those flaws, not everything is bad.

New Blog From the Enquirer: Opinionati

The Cincinnati Enquirer has a new opinion blog running and call it "Opinionati." The blog seems to be from the Editorial Page Team, but focuses on what blogs and social media commentary is out and about about all sorts of topics. It's attempting to be a bit of a panoptic blog about the hot topics of commentary around the city. Leaving out local Talk radio is a plus, since WLW sucks for valuable opinion, but that leaves out what the extreme right-wingers are talking about.

It's funny how basically there are no local Conservative bloggers who cover mainly local issues and politics. (Beyond activists or candidates of course) Why is that?

At CincyFringe Speed Is Sometimes the Key to Success

But, not always.

www.cincyfringe.com

Streetcar Poll Raises Questions (Mainly About the Enquirer)

Today's Enquirer releases poll results purporting to measure City residents' views on the streetcar. The article raises two questions: one about the Enquirer, and one about City voters. (Note: I am assuming, for the purposes of this post, that the instrument is valid and there were no sampling errors.)

1. Why is this article so intentionally misleading? The article, which sat on the front page of the online Enquirer most of today, begins:

Residents of Cincinnati overwhelmingly oppose the proposed $128 million streetcar project, objecting 2-to-1 to City Hall's plan to borrow tens of millions of dollars for a plan widely viewed as a waste of taxpayer money, an Enquirer poll shows.

But a look at the cross-tabs for the poll--linked in the Enquirer's blog, but not the article itself--tells a different story. 48% of those surveyed said that the streetcar is a "waste of taxpayer money." 24% said that it "will help revitalize Cincinnati's core," and another 20% said it's a "risky project but one that should proceed anyway to help Cincinnati."

In other words, in a poll with a margin of error of 4.1%, those opposed to the streetcar outnumber those in favor by just 48% to 44%. Another 7% are unsure.

So where does this business about opposition by a 2-1 margin come from? It turns out it's in the funding mechanism. Respondents were asked, "To pay for the construction of the streetcar line, the city will borrow $64 million. Do you approve? Or disapprove?" That yielded 61% disapproving with 31% approving.

While I don't have the expertise to question instrument validity, I have to wonder if the result would have been different if those surveyed were asked if they approved or disapproved of the city "issuing $64 million in bonds," rather than "borrowing." The composition of survey questions makes an enormous difference. "Borrowing" by the government is perceived quite negatively right now, and is associated with the national debt and deficit. I'm not sure that the issuance of bonds has quite the same connotations to people, though.

In the last few minutes, another article has been posted, and this one finally notes that the number of those who support and those who oppose the streetcar are pretty even. Of course, even that one is headlined 'Poll buoys streetcar foes."

So the question is: why is the Enquirer's editorial view--that the streetcar is bad--so transparently shaping its "news" coverage? I don't have a problem with the Enquirer commissioning a poll and publishing the results, but why not report the results fairly--at least when putting the results in the news section? Randy Simes offers an answer and a proposal to boycott the Enquirer. I don't know that I agree with him on either of these, but his post is worth reading.

2. What does this say about Cincinnati's voters? Assuming (for the sake of argument) the validity of the instrument, the tepid support for the streetcar (a nearly 50-50 split) is a bit surprising. This past November, City voters elected a Council majority that favors the streetcars and re-elected a mayor who has made the streetcar the primary and central piece of his agenda. So why the disconnect between candidates' stances on issues and the poll results? Are elections really about nothing but personality? Are our voters really so disconnected as to be unaware of their candidates' positions? I don't know.

Still Recovering From The Event

Today I didn't get up as early as I did yesterday. My energy drain and lack of youthfulness met in the alley behind the CAC last night. It was a blast. I can say that I really am in tune with Shepard Fairey's musical taste. My age shows when I say that, but it is true. I love the Clash and so does Fairery. When he's mouthing the words to "The Guns of Brixton," oh yeah, I can relate:

When they kick at your front door
How you gonna come?
With your hands on your head
Or on the trigger of your gun?

Lori Kurtzman of the Enquirer sums up the party fairly well down to the Rumpke pool. It was odd weeding your way through the crowd and at times running into people in their bathing suits soaking wet. Word in the alley was that the daughter of a local politician went for a swim. No one's going to confirm that. One thing I will have to do is introduce Lori Kurtzman to "Duckie." I think I know the person she was talking about. As far as I know, Lori did not go for a swim, but who knows what happened after I left.

OTR/Gateway Summer Celebration TODAY!

The celebration of Summer starts today May 22nd in Over-the-Rhine's Gateway Quarter. Starting at 10AM with the Go/OTR 5K Race and continuing all day until 7PM with beer, food, arts, crafts, music and fun. For more information check out OTR Gateway's website or hit up the Facebook Event Page.

The music schedule is as follows (as I hear the sound system being checked):
12:00 - 12:50 Baoku Moses & The Image Afro Beat Band
1:15 - 2:00 Messerly & Ewing
2:20 - 3:00 Zumba
3:25 - 4:10 The Kiss Me Everlasting
4:30 - 5:15 Daughters & Sons
5:35 - 6:36 Brian Olive

Latest on the Phony Coney

Mr. Maoglone at the Cincinnati Man has latest take in comments on the State of the Phony Coney, a great blog that appears to be gone.

HCDP Chairmanship Debate Tonight

Who is going to be the next Party Chair for the Hamilton County Democratic Party? The public has a chance tonight to hear both of candidates speak. If you have upset with the way the Democratic Party has been run in the county, which has been poor inspire of the success in 2008, then now is the time to pay attention. The details:

Tim Burke, Hamilton County Democratic Party Chairman, and challenger, Darren Tolliver treasurer for the Hamilton County Democratic Party will participate in a spirited Debate at Greenwich Tavern, tonight, located at 2440 Gilbert Avenue, Cincinnati Ohio 45202, at 7:25 PM. 

Sha-Ron R Wilson, Vice Chair for the Cincinnati Democratic Committee, will be hosting monthly Precinct Executive “Meet & Greets” to bring awareness to the P. E. position and encourage more Hamilton County Democrats to participate in the political process.  Precinct Executive is a powerful position; let us utilize it to its fullest potential. 

The doors open at 6:30 PM.

Do we need a change at the top? We need new blood at the top. We don't need to make deals with the GOP.

Rules To Follow at CincyFringe When on a Segway

Oh, Eric...

Don't Take These Skinheads Bowling

So a group of Skinheads who are all in the Military allegedly beat a homeless man with pipes in Spring Grove Village and this is the first I've heard of this story? The arrests happened last month.

According to the news reports, local residents in Northside gave information that helped catch all of these suspects.

Another story on it is here.

Also according to the story, they man beaten is no longer living on the street.

I found this because of another story of a 'homeless' man being beaten and robbed in Downtown last night.

Why didn't this story get more coverage? Did I just miss it in the Enquirer?

How Long Before the Protests Start?

So, how far away is the nearest full line grocery store from the Kenwood Fresh Fare closing at the end of the month? There is a Trader Joe's near by, but is that an affordable replacement?

I'm waiting for protests...

I presume that I will be waiting for a long time. There must not be any old people living in Kenwood, nor any poor people. Did this store serve Madisonville or Silverton? Are community activists not paying attention? Are they overworked and just not able to help the people of Kenwood? Are they making a judgement about who lives in Kenwood that may or may not be true but would be prejudiced no matter what? Ok, I'll just back to waiting now...

Dear 3CDC: Offer a Better Deal

Below, Griff joins 3CDC in urging the Drop Inn Center to make room for the growing gentry class in Over-the-Rhine. While 3CDC's proposal may be the start of a longer conversation, it does not appear to be a viable solution as it is currently structured.

This Enquirer article has some numbers that should be cause for concern about the suggested "restructuring" of the Drop Inn Center. Presently, DIC is a 250-bed facility. The 3CDC proposal would have space for a total of 170 people: 50 women, 60 men, and some sort of transitional facility (for men) with 60 more beds. (There's also a suggestion for a facility for a facility open only to 18 - 24 year old homeless people that I suspect would be quite small.)

So we'd go from 250 emergency beds available in OTR to just 110. I've previously pointed out that during the winter months, DIC's capacity is already insufficient to meet the demand for emergency shelter.

Griff also makes the same mistake as does the linked Enquirer article: linking DIC to concern about sex offenders. Yes, an SCPA student was murdered last year, and yes, it was tragic. And yes, the perpetrator was a convicted sex offender. But he was not a resident of DIC. In fact, the DIC does not permit registered sex offenders to stay in its facility. Washington Park Elementary was a block away from the DIC for years with no problems. And the W.E.B. Dubois Middle School is just a few blocks away. Why are the "concerns" suddenly acute with the opening of SCPA? Because we like those students better for some reason?

Finally, I'll point out that Griff's concerns about loitering in Washington Park are likely to become moot, as the park is slated to be closed--either partially or altogether--for 18 months beginning this fall, if funding for renovations is finalized.

I'm not among those who claim that the Drop Inn Center has some sort of "right" to remain where it is, and that neighborhood development must necessarily happen around it. But it should not be displaced unless and until a reasonable replacement is available. 3CDC needs to go back to the drawing board.

Dear Drop Inn Center, Take the Deal

The Cincinnati Business Courier reported last week that 3CDC has sent a letter to the Board of the Drop Inn Center with an offer to move facility. Full details were not released, but the article reports that it includes 3CDC managing the the move process and helping to get funding for the relocation and ongoing operations.

If the Drop Inn Center does not take this deal, they are fools. When the SCPA opens, the pressure will mount beyond control. Legal action may follow soon after. The problem for the Drop Inn Center rests on two fronts. First they have to deal with sex offenders living at the DIC, which likely would violate the law when the SCPA opens less than a block away.

Second, the DIC would face far more pressure to deal with what happens outside its doors. That would be the congregation of people in the park and on 12th Street using/selling drugs during the day, some then going into the DIC for the night, the rest going else where because the DIC won't take them. This second part is the problem the DIC has refused to deal with since I can remember, they attract criminals. Sure they claim they are not the problem and they do their best to keep it outside the center. That is the problem, if it is outside the center, they do nothing to stop it. If they cops did a sweep of those loitering outside the DIC on 12th Street or in Washington Park, we would hear the DIC and other homeless activist howl in protest.

The DIC has a deal in hand. They can hem and haw and act like peacocks all they want to save face within activist community, but they really need to take the deal. Further more they can't waste much time about it. The school year starts in August.

What Happened In Lockland?

It's hard to know what to make of the students involved in the "senior prank" at Lockland High School, since it's not entirely clear what they actually did that night.

Regular readers will recall that last January, I was critical of officials who decided to file criminal charges against students who unplugged engine block heaters for diesel school buses, causing the cancellation of school in Mason. The Lockland students are also being criminally charged (some as adults, as they are 18) and face suspension or expulsion.

Early reports indicated that the students were ransacking the school, throwing books into hallways. When I read that, my thought was, "That's not a prank. That's vandalism." But an article in yesterday's Enquirer suggests that the conduct was much tamer. I can't figure out what the kids intended to do with the rubber bands and cups of water, but the "prank" hardly seems destructive, if that story is accurate.

If this was a non-destructive prank, then we're once again witnessing the results of over-criminalization of bad conduct. A school suspension and school-related discipline is appropriate. It might even be appropriate to disallow the students from participating in graduation ceremonies (but not actually from receiving their diplomas). But a felony record? Really?

Some of the students are charged with resisting arrest and fleeing from police. That's a separate issue. (Separate, that is, if the charges are legitimate--which is not always the case with a resisting charge.) If students really ran from or physically struggled with police, their conduct might have been criminal. Once your prank is exposed and you're caught, you don't start a police pursuit. You have to accept the consequences, even if that means a night in jail before your mom can get you released.

Yesterday's article focuses on an 18 year-old college-bound senior, for whom a felony record would be crippling. If the grand jury indicts her and the other students, I hope the authorities offer them some sort of diversionary disposition--some sort of result that involves acceptance of responsibility and community service, but no criminal conviction. If they stand indicted and aren't offered a way out, we'll find out whether 12 people of Hamilton County are willing to brand an 18 year-old a felon for high school hijinks.

The case raises an interesting contrast to the treatment accorded MU's Pi Beta Phi sorority members who behaved badly in April. According to the Enquirer, police encountered them intoxicated and urinating on the side of the road. That's classic disorderly conduct. But no one was cited; instead, the buses were "escorted" to Lake Lyndsay. And none of the students was charged criminally for their destructive behavior, even though some it certainly constituted criminal damaging. Yes, I realize that different police departments from different counties were involved. But it's fascinating that some people get police escorts to parties after bad behavior, and others get police escorts to the Justice Center.

First Place!!!

Anyone who now tells you that two months ago, they predicted the Reds would be in first place in mid-May--after a three game series with the Cardinals--is lying.

Go Reds!!!

Ruminating at Schwartz's Point

When I was a sophomore at the University of Chicago, the guy who lived in the dorm across the hall from me--a freshman--was an amazing blues guitarist. While a lot of people in the dorm knew how good he was (since he spent hours upon hours practicing), few knew how often he was playing off-campus. A friend and I were among the lucky ones who did know, and on several nights we'd follow him to a club, sneak in (since we were under 21), and sit down to enjoy a few beers and some great music.

Two of these clandestine journeys stand out for me. One was to Kingston Mines, where my neighbor was sitting in with Buddy Guy. (When I said he was amazing, I meant it!) I remember that night because it's one of the few times I've ever had my name "on the list" at the entrance to a club, entitling me to bypass the long line of people waiting for a bouncer to grant them entrance. The other was to a much different blues club. I don't remember the name, but it was much deeper into the South Side of Chicago than our safe little Hyde Park hamlet--somewhere around 70th and Ashland.

In the South Side club, we were treated to a great musical performance. Our friend the guitarist wasn't featured; instead, the group was fronted by a female singer who pretty much blew the roof off the joint. I don't think I've ever heard her sing again, but the memory of her voice stays with me nearly twenty years later.

Being young and relatively naive, there were a few things that I didn't think about back then. The singer who fronted that group probably didn't support herself financially with her music. It never occurred to me to wonder about her life outside of that blues club. What did she do for a living? Did she have a family to care for? Also, I thought our guitarist friend just didn't want the somewhat snobby U. Chicago student body to know he was making money by playing the blues (sometimes at clubs in neighborhoods most of our classmates wouldn't venture into on a dare), and that was why he didn't invite more people to hear him play. In hindsight, I realize now the opposite is true: he didn't want ten or twelve Chicago students to follow him to gigs. They'd blow his cover and reveal his "other" identity (a white kid from Connecticut with a much WASPier name than the one under which he performed). He'd have lost his credibility if his audiences (and maybe more importantly, his fellow band members) knew he was a freshman at the University of Chicago.

Last night, I found myself at a table at Schwartz's Point, listening to my friend and fellow attorney Aleshia Fessel (or as I like to call her, Fesselicious) belt out some great jazz standards, backed by legendary pianist Ed Moss. The majority of the people in the small club were Aleshia's friends and family, but there were several there who weren't. As I sat there, I realized that they didn't know any of the "back story": that during the day, Aleshia is a really skilled, passionate criminal defense attorney who devotes a huge portion of her practice to defending the indigent and who probably spends more hours volunteering her time than I manage to be awake during any given week. They didn't know that the table full of appreciative listeners in the corner included Aleshia's husband, mother, and parents-in-law. (I suppose they also didn't know Aleshia was previously the subject of a Cincinnati Blog post.)

What they did know was that for five bucks, they encountered a delightful evening of music. They probably didn't consider what kind of bravery it takes to perform in a venue like that. Aleshia's musical roots are in pop/rock, and performing jazz is a little new for her. (And sometimes, I think, the freedom of jazz's forms is troubling for her Type A personality.) Standing up and singing with nothing but a piano behind your voice (played by an extremely talented, experienced artist who thinks nothing of improvising as it suits him) in a very intimate setting is a feat few would try to tackle, much less pull off with as much verve as Aleshia did.

So last night, I found two things: a different side of my friend, and a great spot to hang out and listen to good music. I'll definitely be back the next time Aleshia takes the stage. And while I've got my own (non-musical) gig on Tuesday nights for the next few weeks, very soon I plan to stop in on a Tuesday: for a $10 cover charge, you get a buffet dinner (with what I hear is really good food) and a night of music by Ed Moss's Society Jazz Orchestra.

Schwartz's Point: it's another one of Cincinnati's under-appreciated treasures, and something of an historical throwback. Stop by soon.

(Yes, I realize the cool bloggers have already written about Schwartz's Point. Once again, I'm late. But better late than never...)

Rally Against Domestic Violence

This Monday, May 17, 2010, at 5:00 pm, the Hirsch Recreation Center on Reading Road in Avondale will host a rally against domestic violence. Participants include the Cincinnati Police Department; the YWCA; and Women Helping Women. Also on hand to address those gathered will be Hamilton County Common Pleas Court Judge Nadine Allen.

The event includes refreshments and a raffle for prizes. This is another one of those great community events that probably doesn't happen in the absence of our recreation centers.