City Dems Pick Choices

As I type, the candidates are making their cases for getting the endorsement from the City Dems. Berding as already spoke as of about 7:15PM. He was reported to be humble. All of the candidates are getting 3 minutes to speak.

UPDATE: My source at the meeting gave me an interesting tidbit on Cecil Thomas's speech. In it Thomas stated that the Dems should run the City. The implication Thomas made is that they currently are not running the City. This to me could be viewed as a reference to the "Fiscal Five" on council, which is not a block of Democrats.

UDPATE#2: It appears an effort was made to vote for each candidate separately, but that effort was quashed. This was likely an effort to pull Jeff Berding out from the pack, where he would face much more opposition.

UPDATE #3: The slate passed 75 - 43. It appears that a large group of people were not happy with the slate. Berding clearly must be the cause of most of the opposition. My understanding is that most votes have been rubber stamps in the past.

Indian Hill Crime

Will the people of Indian Hill now be scared to death of Rheinstrom Park because they've read this story in the media? If not, why? Per capita hate crimes must have "jumped" through the roof in Indian Hill.

Easter Again?

Joe Hansbauer writes again about the resurrection of Main Street's bar district. I am looking optimistically at this situation in that not only will it happen, I think it will, but that the focus of these locations will not be to gain the dance club college kids. Instead, it would be something else. What is that something else? I don't exactly know what the target market would be. Who is going to want to go to the Old Jefferson Hall or RBC if they are not remodeled? Also, is there a market for this number of bars, at least the number we talking about this quickly? Over the year, if they stagger the openings, build up buzz through a big media blitz, then you could build a new scene. Can all of this, plus 7th Street/Fountain Square, plus Mainstrasse, plus Newport, plus Northside, plus Mt. Adams, plus Mt. Lookout all be the home of nightlife? Is the market niches wide enough at each to make all of them viable?

Robo-Calls?

Robo-Calls? Who uses the dreaded robo-call in hopes of getting an endorsement? As an incumbent no less!

Challenging Liquor Permits

From a couple weeks back: WCPO reported on the establishments being challenged in an effort to rid the city of crime based on booze. Most of these places are corner "markets" that cater to the dirt poor or the wino. The rest are bars that have a problem with serving criminals. Then there is R.P. McMurphy's which is just a place with too much rowdiness/idiocy for a nice neighborhood.

The list:

* Wilson's Market - 3800 Zinsle Avenue - Kennedy Heights
* Walt's Grocery - 118 West 15th Street - Over-The-Rhine
* Sam's Market - 1900-1902 Linn Street - West End
* McMurphy's Irish Pub & Coffeehouse - 2910 Wasson Road - Oakley
* Queen Ann Bar & Grill - 2141 Central Avenue - West End
* Phoenix Cafe - 641 Walnut Street - Downtown
* Parktown Cafe - 1624-26 Linn Street - West End
* Jet In Market - 1205-07 Linn Street - West End
* Ike's Blues & Jazz Club - 2924 Gilbert Avenue - Walnut Hills
* Golden Nuggett - 2194-96 Queen City Avenue - Fairmount
* Glenway Market - 4420 Glenway Avenue - Price Hill
* Don's Deli - 1500 Beech Avenue - Price Hill
* Cole N Quick Drive Thru - 2029 Dana Avenue - Evanston
* Best For Less Market - 1820 Vine Street - Over-The-Rhine
* Club Embassy - 3602 Warsaw Avenue - Price Hill
* Amir Mini-Market - 549-553 Findlay Street - West End

More on Mass Transit

The Downtowner delves into transportation. The question comes up again, are Streetcars the answer? It depends in part on what is defined as a streetcar, but to me the answer is clearly yes, but....that doesn't fix the broader metro area transportation problem that is being ignored by the rest of metro area. We have too many cars out there and we need to get rid of the congestion.

Fountain Square Grows Again

The latest restaurant, Cadillac Ranch Rock-N-Country Bar & Grill does not sound like my kind of place, but variety is good. The Square needs to attract a wide range of themes, but stick to entertainment for adults.

Nazi Group 'Suspends' March

The Enquirer is reporting that the Nazi group planning a march through OTR have postponed it because of an outstanding warrant for the Ohio leader of the Nazi group.

Ok, let's hope this is the end of it. There shouldn't be any march going on this Friday, spread the word on that. Even though the article indicates the Nazi's are claiming to still want to do it, they are in reality blowing smoke. Which in the end is all this whole thing is, one big exercise in blowing smoke out of the asses of very stupid people.

OTR Foundation Has New Leader

The Over-the-Rhine Foundation has named a new director: Michael Morgan takes over the post from retiring director Marge Hammelrath.

CAC Silk and Spice Gala After Party

Hit the CAC Gala After Party April 21st at 10PM at the CAC (6th and Walnut Streets, Downtown, Cincinnati).

The CAC’s Kaplan Hall lobby becomes a shock-rock club space with DJ Bill Redman and a cash bar.

After Party reservations are $20 in advance at www.contemporaryartscenter.org; $25 at the door.

Stalkers

If you make 29 phone calls to a person in one week and those calls allegedly are heavy breathing over a porn soundtrack doesn't that make you a stalker? Don't stalkers get charged with crimes and go to jail? Well, a police investigation concludes 29 calls were made from former FOP president Keith Fangman's cell phone to current FOP president Kathy Harrell as reported by The Enquirer. The only punishment Fangman got was a letter in his file. That is intolerable.

There is either more to the story on the end of Harrell, or Fangman should be fired, at a minimum.

Last Day in St. Louis

Yes, posting has been non-existent for the last few days. Sorry about that. I won't be looking for the massive crowd of well-wishers at the airport upon my arrival back in town tonight.

Until then, keep it open, but clean!

In St. Louis

Ok, I'm running late for now, so I'll open it up again.

Smitherman Is a Loon

First off, I hate Nazis. I also hate the KKK. I don't however believe that we, as a society, should think like they think and willfully allow a situation to occur where human beings are attacked, no matter how horrible individuals may be. Chris Smitherman, recently elected president of the Cincinnati Chapter of the NAACP, issued one of the stupidest letters (pdf) from a supposed community leader that I have ever read.

Chris Smitherman has demanded the Cincinnati Police Department offer no protection for the Nazi's march. Smitherman is clearly opening the door for a situation where human beings could be beaten or even killed on the streets of Cincinnati.

If Smitherman is going to run a chapter of an organization that has long been associated with non-violence, then I fear that here in Cincinnati we have the beginning of a sectarian struggle much like the one people in Baghdad are facing today.

If you can't rise above the level of your oppressors, then you are an oppressor.

The letter is signed by him alone, so I presume this was a solo effort on his part. Smitherman is off his rocker. How did anyone ever endorse this man for office?

Additinally, I find it odd that he managed to write a letter that mentioned Christians and Muslims, but when the topic of the letter is about a Nazi group Jewish people were not mentioned at all.

Finally, Damn Chris Smitherman for making me write this post. Why does he have to create a firestorm out of this. He could have issued a simple press release condemning the idiots and requested a few things. Instead he makes demands. He makes demands in a tone that sounds like as a terrorist, nearly as much as these Nazis.

New Downtowner

The Downtowner has be reborn as "The Downtowner, Pulse of the City." Biggest addition to this effort are in 2 places. First, they have a website: www.pulsedt.com. Secondly they have expanded their circulation to include Covington, Newport, Bellevue, Oakley, Hyde Park, O'Bryonville, East Walnut Hills, Clifton, Mt. Lookout and Northside. So far the new paper is expanding their presence in a positive way. They need to clear up the website first off, it is very clunky, and doesn't always format well or at all. They are akin to the Community Press, so if that is their target, go for it.

I Don't Like Mondays

Today is a travel day for me, off to toil away along the Mississippi for 3 days (on business). My blogging will either be normal or light. I'll likely be able to blog more, but when ever I am out of the city I tend to feel out of touch, but more interested in keeping up with what is going on.

Call it open for now. Keep the gloves on.

Bronson: Sinners Must Die!

No, Peter Bronson didn't actually write that in his recent column, but he might as well have. What he and all other "abstinence-only" advocates do when they refuse to talk about how contraceptives can prevent STDs because they hold the belief that those who have sex outside of marriage deserve to get STDs and suffer the results, which could include death.

Using fear in this manner is helping cause more needless deaths. Peter and his anti-sex pack may be out to thin the herd for their "cause," but they shouldn't be doing it with tax dollars.

As a society we have organized government to do what it can to prevent physical harm from affecting the citizens it governs. Educating kids about condoms helps save lives.

Guess what else educating kids about condoms does! Educating kids about condoms reduces the number of abortions. It does so by reducing the number of unwanted pregnancy's. I somehow thought Peter and his ilk wanted to stop abortions. I guess they only want to prevent all of them by controlling women's bodies. Reducing the number of abortions must not be something they are interested in doing.

Snarky Preemption: To the Trolls who are going to comment about John Cranley or some other Democrat's anti-abortion stance, stop. This post is about the fools like Peter Bronson who are anti-abortion and anti-condom. Save your foolishness for another post.

City Hall Isolated?

Joe Wessels has a good column today about a new website started locally that gives citizens an outlet to voice their views on pothole like issues: www.votercam.com.

The effectiveness of the website here in Cincinnati has to be evaluated with a strange situation:

Council Member David Crowley responded and got city transportation officials to contact Blackshaw. The only problem was city officials could not access the site because of restrictions placed on their computers. So the workers apparently looked at the site on their home computers and realized how concerned residents were.

Over a year ago there was a news story about my blog being blocked from City Hall and several officials had to request special permission to view it from City Hall computers. I understand the city not wanted a clerk to spend their time reading blogs on the job, but when a website is doing the City's job of identifying problems, wouldn't it be nice if City Officials could view the website and get cracking on fixing those problems? If they can't this done, then the City is making itself isolated. Kudos to the transportation department officials who viewed the site on their home PCs on their own time. Communication is a key element of government. When the citizens organize themselves and provide the simplest of ways to grasp a problem, the least the city could do is review what they are saying.

Law Dog's Drug Problem

Ken Lawnson has stated he has a drug problem that threatens he career. This is not a new story, this is not a unique story. This will make some people mock Ken, this will make some people feel sorry for him. Other will see the fact that Ken Lawson gave this interview to the Enquirer at the same time the Cincinnati Bar Association files a complaint against him and view the interview as PR tactic.

Is it Good Friday or Christmas?

It is snowing quite strongly on Good Friday afternoon. I'm stuck out here in the burbs working, so anyone else getting the snow?

Cincinnati Metro Population Compares Well

The Post listed out 2000 to 2006 population changes and Cincinnati is less than 10,00 people smaller than Cleveland. Further more, we grew more than San Fransisco and Boston in both percentage and actual number increase.

By the way, 2.1 million people is a big metropolitan area. That's the "big city." For those of you who grew up here, you don't have that perspective, but it is very true.

Nazis to March in OTR?

The Enquirer is reporting that a "white supremacist group of self-proclaimed Nazis" are allegedly planning to march in OTR.

It is beyond sad that scum like these idiots still exist. There are maybe 5 people who would show up and they would be faced with likely hundreds if not thousands people protesting.

The real fear to me is that there will be violence. A crowd of hundreds of peaceful but angry people, could turn into a mob who might turn protest into rage with damage to innocent people/property with no direction connection to the situation.

I was torn about posting this story. By posting it, I am giving these loner idiots more attention. If I ignore it, then I would criticized for ignoring racism. It's a lose-lose situation. I chose to post this story, with the hopes that I have sane non-Nazi readers. I know I am hoping for a lot.

The Mayor Tries Again

On national TV Mayor Mallory got it on the second try.

Berding Gets Recommendation

Jeff Berding is a simple formality away from gettingDemocratic endorsement for City Council. The Nine are as expected: Berding, Cole, Cooper, Cranley, Crowley, Garry, Harris, Thomas, and Young.

Mitch Painter Running for Council

You have get your sea legs somehow, so rookie politician Mitch Painter, nephew of Judge Mark Painter, has announced he is running as an independent candidate for Cincinnati City Council. He has a website: www.painterforcouncil.org.

Mallory's Excuses

The Enquirer fields Mallory's 10 excuses for his opening day wild pitch.

Mayor's Got a Rubber Arm

No Oakley Jungle

Bad news for the Cincinnati Millworks with word that Jungle Jim's expansion plans are dead. It does appear that the project is going nowhere. The key for Jungle Jim's was the new highway connector, which seems to have no progress what so every.

On the other hand the area on Madison Road is doing well with new store fronts being built and a new restaurant on the way called Hugo, which fills the Pho Paris space.

Dems Delay Council Nominations

Today is the day the HCDP nominations committee meets to make their recommendations.

Kevin Osborne reports that the likely 9 to get nominations (assuming Berding doesn't get booted) are:

Incumbents:
Jeff Berding
Laketa Cole
John Cranley
David Crowley
Cecil Thomas

Challengers:
Minette Cooper
Brian Garry
Greg Harris
Wendell Young

There may still be a fight over Jeff Berding, especially his alleged backing of Republican John Eby. That is not something a loyal party member does, at least not publicly.

Best news: Alicia Reese is not running!

Play Ball! Let's Go Reds!

Opening Day is here. Get out your gloves, get out your bats, comb your hair and don your hats.

Good luck to the Reds. Get out to a game this year.

Crime Is Down - Where's the Enquirer?

Joe Wessels has a very good story in the Post announcing a dramatic decrease in crime in OTR, Downtown, West End, and Mt. Adams. This is of course great news and had to do with the refocus of the CPD and patrolling by the Sheriff's department.

I've not yet read anything about this in the Enquirer. If I missed it, then please pass on the link. This should have been front page news.

I've Seen the Light

Peter Bronson is right about everything!




Oh, and April Fools!

Add Jean-Robert to Over-the-Rhine Fraternity

Joe Wessels story drops a warm glow on us today with his reporting of Jean-Robert de Cavel's planned new restaurant in the "Gateway Quarter" of Over-the-Rhine.

That's not all:

MetroNation, a contemporary downtown gift shop and home accessories store that has agreed to expand by 66 percent and relocate to 1213 Vine St."

This will be right next to the location the new restaurant de Cavel is for now calling the "Greenup Annex."

MetroNation plans to be open in early June.

Below Zero Lounge

Rumors have been confirmed regarding Nigel Cotterill's new club on Walnut street. It will be in the former alchemize location.

This news came in the same article as Neon's, but it deserved its own article, therefore it gets its own post.

Main Street is changing. Out with the cheesy college dance clubs, in with fresh nightspots for the 25 and up crowd.

UPDATE: Look for more in the Post later on today from Joe Wessels.

Long Live Neon's!

The Owners of Vinyl are partnering with the owner of Neon's will turn the establishment into Jardin Wine and Tapas Bar. Neon's is still open, and will remain open through April, when remodeling will begin.

I hope they don't do too much remodeling and can be open for as much of spring as possible. I myself love their patio and I'll definitely want to check it out.

Will there be live music?

UPDATE: More from the Business Courier.

alchemize Moving/Closing/Changing

Word from Brian Butts of the Enquirer that alchemize will be moving/closing/changing after the April 7th show. In a MySpace bulletin from alchemize owner Nick Spencer stated there appears to be bad dealings between Nick and his business partner as well as Jason Cooper, owner of the now closed Cooper's on Main. Cooper is allegedly set to open up a new place in the current Spring Grove location after alchemize moves on.

This is very bad news. What ever the situation, it sounds like people were not being honest.

Best of Cincinnati is Out

Have a read and debate the picks of the Best of Cincinnati 2007 from CityBeat.

Joe Hansbauer Smacks Down Gross

I'm not the only who is taking on Larry Gross for his ludicrous columns.

Big Downtown Mo?

It will surely pain the City Haters, but momentum is on the side of Downtown right now. The developers are seeing the positives and the public is starting wake up. Granted the pissy pants crowd will surely undo their diapers on this idea, but I really don't think their stink can stop thing going forward.

Having the Playhouse Downtown would be HUGE! Add to that a multi use venue that could holder "larger" events (concerts etc) and you have an anchor to the Fountain Square area that will draw better than almost anything that could be put in that space.

Great Condos

I went on a tour last year while these new condos were in the early stages of construction. They were not much more than gutted out buildings, now they sound great! Best yet, they appear more affordable to a middle class person. These condos are on the edge of where development is happening in OTR, so they are not for faint of heart. If you fear poor people, you should maybe stay away. If you like diversity and urban living, go on a tour!

Smitherman Elected to Head Local NAACP

Former councilman Chris Smitherman was elected president of the Cincinnati chapter of the NAACP. Smitherman is known as a prolific grandstander, creating confrontation where there is none. Will Smitherman seek to make Cincinnati a better place for everyone or will he play racial politics?

Also, does this mean he's not running for city council?

Driehaus To Battle Chabot

State Rep. Steve Driehaus, minority whip of the Ohio House, plans to challenge Steve Chabot for Ohio's 1st District in 2008.

Driehaus is a good pick for this district. He's a generally more conservative Democrat, and his anti-abortion stance will be a plus in this big one issue voting district. I think a candidate could be for killing puppies, but if he opposes abortion, he'll get a set of voters on the West side, no matter what.

This is not good for women's rights, of course, but in a district where a pro-choice candidate just can't win, you have to take the bad with the good.

Starting early is plus for raising money. It will take a chunk of change to unseat a GOP guy. A big problem will be trying to predict how the 2008 presidential race will sway voters down the ticket. Without Bush around, the GOP will have more room to wiggle around. Steve Chabot, however, has little room. He was glued to Bush's hip very tightly.

FOP Opposes Fighting Crime

From last week we have a story showing the Cincinnati FOP and their political shills concerned more about increase the CPD budget than with fighting crime.

More HB Attention

City Beat's blog reported over the weekend that Heartless Bastards are continuing to gain attention with the use of their music by cable channels. On one level it sounds like a sell out, sure, but for the band it is great news to have their music heard by more people.

I am curious why I don't hear the Heartless Bastards on local radio, specially on The Sound or WEBN?

Charter Announces Council Endorsements

I swear to Zeus I didn't know, but this morning the Charter Committee announced their endorsements for council. Cincinnati School Board member Melanie Bates and Joan Kaup join Councilman Chris Bortz as the Committee's picks for council.

Very interesting picks which will have a lot of attraction on the East Side.

Where Are the Democratic Endorsements?

We are nearly at the end of the month of March, a mere 7 months away from the election and only about 5 months before signatures must be submitted, and still no announcements as to whom the Democrats are endorsing for Cincinnati City Council. Why the delay? The GOP announced over a month and a half ago, which was strangely early.

We've also not hear a word from the Charter Committee either.

More Good New Stage Collective Press

New Stage Collective is opening their season next month with a local theatre stars: Amy Warner (Playhouse) and Brian Isaac Phillips (CSC). Opening weekend will surely sell out, so, get your tickets now!

Note that NSC is having a special event on April 21st as part of the Downtown Hop Around.

Strictly Balls

WireCan is off like a prom dress with his "God's Gift To Ballroom Notoriety" post.

He Needs a Cape

Can someone please make Vice Mayor Jim Tarbell a cape? His latest crime fighting action surely earns him the right to be considered a local super hero, fighting crime in our fare city.

Able to leap his scooter in a single leap, its SUPER JIM!

Oxford International Film Festival

This appears like it will be a great event for Oxford and Miami University. Why can't UC or others here in Cincinnati pull this off?

For more check out www.oxfordfilms.com.