Friday, August 15, 2008
Chabot Wasting Time
As usual, Steve Chabot cares more about controlling women than he does about helping his district combat crime and a whole list of problems. Why do I say that, because as the article points out clearly, the clinic moving WILL NOT PERFORM ABORTIONS. It will provide help and assistance to women. That help I believe would include providing education and assistance on birth control. What does birth control do, HELP PREVENT ABORTION. If the extremists like Chabot really cared about prevent abortions, they would be handing out condoms and paying for women's birth control pill prescriptions. Instead we get the most crass election politics from a hack like Chabot who has no campaign other than pushing the buttons of the idiot once issue voters to get them all frothed up to actually get off their ass and vote for him. They have another anti-abortion candidate to vote for this time, so Chabot had to take extreme action to get their attention.
Monday, August 11, 2008
Motorin' . . . To Phoenix
Adam Dunn has been traded to the Arizona Diamondbacks for a pile of navel lint and two dust bunnies to be named later.
Sounds like the Reds got fair trade value for Dunn, who is currently batting .233.
While the Enquirer report doesn't cover it, under the terms of the deal the D-backs are paying Dunn a $40.00 signing bonus--just enough to purchase a map and compass to help him find his way around left field. Those items weren't in the Reds' budget this year.
We now resume our regular programming.
Sounds like the Reds got fair trade value for Dunn, who is currently batting .233.
While the Enquirer report doesn't cover it, under the terms of the deal the D-backs are paying Dunn a $40.00 signing bonus--just enough to purchase a map and compass to help him find his way around left field. Those items weren't in the Reds' budget this year.
We now resume our regular programming.
MidPoint Venues Take Shape
A scan of the Midpoint website lists out the venues for the festival. I am very impressed with the structure and the varied locations. The multiple hubs of OTR, Downtown, and Newport will add a unique vibe that will differ from prior fests. I look forward to seeing how the schedules and the musical style mix at each venue/hub. Part of the fun of Midpoint is walking around from place to place catching a song from an artist you might never have thought you would want to hear. This venue plan still allows this key element and with the transportation I've heard about, I will tell you to get your 3 day pass now!
Sunday, August 10, 2008
Alleged Police Misconduct Costing Cincinnati $500,000
According to the Enquirer, the City has agreed to settle a civil rights lawsuit against it brought by former Bengal Matthias Askew for $500,000. As you may remember, in 2006, Askew was tased by police following an encounter that began with a parking ticket. He was charged with resisting arrest (always charged after an officer uses force), obstructing official business, failing to comply with the order of a police officer, and disorderly conduct.
Initially represented by Ken Lawson (now serving an indefinite suspension from the practice of law), Askew was acquitted on all counts by Republican-endorsed Municipal Court Judge John Burlew (who narrowly lost his re-election bid to Dwane Mallory in 2007).
The Enquirer reports that the Citizen Complaint Authority found that the arresting officer used excessive force. (For CCA's summary, click here and scroll down to page seven. For what it's worth, it'd probably be difficult for the City to defend the suit, given the City's Manager's concurrence with CCA's finding of excessive force.) Apparently, the high-dollar settlement (excessive force claims are rarely worth this much in the absence of permanent injury) is because the City feared that a jury could have determined that Askew was released by the Bengals because of his arrest, and awarded him lost wages accordingly (which may have run well into the millions).
Congratulations to Lisa Meeks of Newman & Meeks for achieving this excellent result on behalf of her client. No word on whether Lawson had worked on the civil rights case prior to his suspension (which might entitle him to a share of the attorney's fees).
Initially represented by Ken Lawson (now serving an indefinite suspension from the practice of law), Askew was acquitted on all counts by Republican-endorsed Municipal Court Judge John Burlew (who narrowly lost his re-election bid to Dwane Mallory in 2007).
The Enquirer reports that the Citizen Complaint Authority found that the arresting officer used excessive force. (For CCA's summary, click here and scroll down to page seven. For what it's worth, it'd probably be difficult for the City to defend the suit, given the City's Manager's concurrence with CCA's finding of excessive force.) Apparently, the high-dollar settlement (excessive force claims are rarely worth this much in the absence of permanent injury) is because the City feared that a jury could have determined that Askew was released by the Bengals because of his arrest, and awarded him lost wages accordingly (which may have run well into the millions).
Congratulations to Lisa Meeks of Newman & Meeks for achieving this excellent result on behalf of her client. No word on whether Lawson had worked on the civil rights case prior to his suspension (which might entitle him to a share of the attorney's fees).
Foolish People
I never ceased to be amazed by people who take extreme actions without thinking about repercussions. The efforts of anti-government zealots who will do anything to create a community based only on self reliance does more to destroy a community than a natural disaster. Furthermore, what these fools don't understand is that their township or their county government will have to pay for what ever Amelia is trying to pay for with the tax increase. You can dodge responsibility only so long.
Wednesday, August 06, 2008
The Collaborative: Kalmanoff Gets the Last Word?
It's interesting what Google turns up. In searching for something that had nothing to do with the topic of this post, I found this document, published sometime in the last year (I can't figure out exactly when).
Some of you may remember that after the City, the FOP, the ACLU, and the BUF negotiated the Collaborative Agreement in 2002, Judge Dlott appointed a monitor to oversee police reforms. Her pick was Dr. Alan Kalmanoff of California, whose tenure lasted only a few weeks before he imploded in spectacular fashion.
The linked document is a report he's written on his brief experience as Collaborative monitor. It's essentially a 38-page recrimination: he blames everyone (but himself) for his lack of success: Judge Dlott, the City, former Ohio Supreme Court Justice Douglas, the Enquirer, and the Loch Ness Monster.
I didn't find the document terribly persuasive, but it was at least interesting to read his account of why he was run out of town on a rail. This article from the Seattle Times suggests, though, that Kalmanoff doesn't typically make friends or win admirers in his projects, and doesn't seem to have much of a record of success. But at least we now have his side of the story. His perceptions, though, seem flawed in light of the fairly glowing report Saul Green, who ultimately ended up as Collaborative monitor, issued last month.
Some of you may remember that after the City, the FOP, the ACLU, and the BUF negotiated the Collaborative Agreement in 2002, Judge Dlott appointed a monitor to oversee police reforms. Her pick was Dr. Alan Kalmanoff of California, whose tenure lasted only a few weeks before he imploded in spectacular fashion.
The linked document is a report he's written on his brief experience as Collaborative monitor. It's essentially a 38-page recrimination: he blames everyone (but himself) for his lack of success: Judge Dlott, the City, former Ohio Supreme Court Justice Douglas, the Enquirer, and the Loch Ness Monster.
I didn't find the document terribly persuasive, but it was at least interesting to read his account of why he was run out of town on a rail. This article from the Seattle Times suggests, though, that Kalmanoff doesn't typically make friends or win admirers in his projects, and doesn't seem to have much of a record of success. But at least we now have his side of the story. His perceptions, though, seem flawed in light of the fairly glowing report Saul Green, who ultimately ended up as Collaborative monitor, issued last month.
On the Docket: New City Solicitor
City Manager Milton Dohoney announced the hiring of a new City Solicitor, a position vacant since Rita McNeil's resigned this past February to become Cincinnati USA Regional Chamber's vice president of government affairs.
John Curp, now a partner at Taft, Stettinius & Hollister, begins his duties as City Solicitor next month. Here's an excerpt from Taft's biography of Mr. Curp:
No doubt Griff will be pleased by the relocation of another Miami grad to Cincinnati. Seriously: congrats both to Mr. Curp and the City, and welcome to the River City!!!
John Curp, now a partner at Taft, Stettinius & Hollister, begins his duties as City Solicitor next month. Here's an excerpt from Taft's biography of Mr. Curp:
JOHN P. CURP is a partner in the Columbus office of Taft Stettinius & Hollister LLP. He graduated with University Honors and as a member of Beta Gamma Sigma from Miami University in Oxford, Ohio, where he received his undergraduate degree in business finance. Mr. Curp earned his law degree from the Indiana University School of Law. He has a multidisciplinary business practice with an emphasis on real property, commercial transactions, land use, enterprise zone, tax issues and creditors' rights. He is a member of the Ohio Bar Association, and as a member of the Columbus Bar Association, he serves as Chair of the Professionalism Committee and as a member of the Admissions Committee. Mr. Curp is also a Fellow of the Ohio State Bar Foundation and a member of the 2008 class of Leadership Columbus.
No doubt Griff will be pleased by the relocation of another Miami grad to Cincinnati. Seriously: congrats both to Mr. Curp and the City, and welcome to the River City!!!
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