Pat Clifford Fired From Drop Inn Center

The Enquirer is reporting that Drop Inn Center Executive Director Pat Clifford has been fired by the board of the organization. Clifford told the Enquirer he has no idea why he was dismissed.

I will speculate that the DIC board may have determined that a new direction must be taken and that Clifford was an obstacle to change. This I would surmise is connected to the offer 3CDC gave the DIC to help it relocate. Clifford in my view was against the move, and fell in the lot of other 'activists' who are bent on using the homeless, mentally insane, and drug addicted as a political tool.

I honestly hope the board of the DIC can find a new director who can help the homeless inside it's doors, but also help the whole community deal with the problems it attracts outside its doors.

The Greenhornes Return: August 20th at the Comet

Local music heavy weights, The Greehornes, are reuniting while The Raconteurs are on hiatus and launch a tour at the Comet on August 20th leading up to a new album to be released in October.  Their FB page seems to be the place for the most up to date information, as their website appears to be under construction.

They would make a great guess for the MidPoint Secret Show at this point.  I have zero inside information, but their tour schedule has a big gap that leaves plenty of time for some MidPoint love.  Let the rumors fly!

It's the Baseball, Stupid

With the Reds beginning a three-game series against the Cardinals this evening (right now, in fact!), nothing else really matters in Cincinnati this week. Not the streetcar, not the City's budget woes, and certainly not that other team that plays its games on the river (no need to pay attention to them until September 12).

So feel free to talk about the Reds generally, but in particular the following:

1. What do you think about the Dickerson-for-Edmonds trade?

2. What should Dusty do about Cordero? (Remember that he's sitting on 30 saves. And if not him, who would you bring out in the ninth to shut things down in a close game?)

This is the first time since I moved to Cincinnati that baseball has mattered in August. It's awesome!

Oh--is anyone going to Wednesday's game?

Sheriff Rick Jones Needs to Set Priorities

Butler County Sheriff Rick is complaining about budget cuts that laid off deputies:

In the news release, Sheriff Rick Jones, who was forced to lay off about two dozen deputies last month because of a county budget crisis, said, "the effects of the recent budget cuts became painfully clear" in the Beissinger Road incident.

So to be clear, the Enquirer article reports that Jones said only eight deputies (four patrol and four detectives) were available to work this case. This screed comes from the guy who views illegal immigration to be the biggest concern in his county, but is worried about having only eight people to investigate one case. Sounds like someone needs to put his priories straight. Firstly, Mr. Jones, worry about crimes with actual victims: murder, rape, theft, etc. Secondly, Jones might rethink how many people he keeps in the field. Does it actually take more than 8 people to investigate a crime that will involve the help from Hamilton County, likely to include either the CPD or Hamilton County Sheriff's Department?

2010 Midpoint Venue List

2010 will be a big year for the Midpoint Music Festival with 25 venues: 13 in OTR, 11 in Downtown, and 1 in Newport. Not all of the venues are hosting bands every night. Here's the list:

	Venue	Street Address	Neighborhood
	Arnold's Bar & Grill	210 E 8th Street	Downtown
	ArtWorks	20 E. Central Pkwy	Over-the-Rhine
	Below Zero Lounge	1122 Walnut Street	Over-the-Rhine
	Blue Wisp Jazz Club	318 E 8th Street	Downtown
	Cincinnati Club	30 Garfield Place	Downtown
	Contemporary Arts Center	44 East 6th Street	Downtown
	Courtyard Café	1211 Main Street	Over-the-Rhine
	FB’s	126 West 6th Street	Downtown
	Fountain Square	5th and Vine Streets	Downtown
	Grammer’s	1440 Walnut Street	Over-the-Rhine
	Inner Peace Holistic Center	708 Walnut Street	Downtown
	Jack Potts Tavern	1150 Main Street	Over-the-Rhine
	Know Theater	1120 Jackson Street	Over-the-Rhine
	Madonna’s	11 E 7th Street	Downtown
	Main Event	835 Main Street	Downtown
	Mainstay Rock Bar	301 W 5th St	Downtown
	Media Bridges	1100 Race St	Over-the-Rhine
	Mixx Ultra Lounge	1203 Main Street	Over-the-Rhine
	MOTR Pub	1345 Main Street	Over-the-Rhine

	Mr. Pitiful’s	1323 Main Street	Over-the-Rhine
	Neon’s Unplugged	208 East 12th Street	Over-the-Rhine
	Segway of Cincinnati	1150 Vine Street	Over-the-Rhine
	Southgate House	24 E 3rd Street	Newport
	The Original Tax Place	1335 Main Street	Over-the-Rhine
	Washington Platform	1000 Elm Street	Downtown

For the full schedule and all up to the minute Midpoint information, go to www.mpmf.com.

40 Under 40

The Business Courier's 2010 list has been announced.

Blues Fest and Blues, Brews, and BBQ

The Reds are out of town this weekend, but that's OK: it's time for the annual Cincy Blues Fest. With over 40 bands spread over four stages on Saturday and Sunday, there's lots of choices.

Blues Fest is at Sawyer Point and is on Friday from 5:00 to midnight and Saturday from 2:30 to midnight. Admission is $10 on Friday and $15 on Saturday. Kids 13-18 are five bucks each day, and children twelve and under (accompanied by a parent) get in free.

And if you don't get your fill of blues on Friday and Saturday, head on over to Findlay Market on Sunday from 11:00 to 4:00 for the Fifth Annual Blues, Brews, and BBQ. The Christian Moerlein will be flowing in the OTR Biergarten. Mayberry's Josh Campbell and Virgil's Matthew Buschle will be working the grill, and rumor has it that Molly Wellmann will be serving some sort of alcoholic, BBQ-friendly concoction. (She probably won't have the ingredients on-hand for it Sunday, but one of these, days, I've got to try her Manhattan, for which I've heard a great deal of praise).

Just one more weekend of nothing to do in Cincinnati.