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.