CEA Winners Announced

CityBeat's annual Cincinnati Entertainment Awards took place on Sunday night and the winners show the strength of Cincinnati's music scene.

Mike Breen has an account, something close to a play by play of the night.

I was unable to attend the awards show, but the photos put the Grammmys to shame!

With the merger of the Theatre CEAs with the Acclaim awards, should the Music CEAs take on a more musical name? CMA is already taken, however, so I don't know if there's as good of an acronym out there.

And They're Off: Council Race Starting to Take Notice

Howard Wilkinson of the Enquirer has a summary of possible candidates for Cincinnati City Council, with are up for election in November of 2011. The list of candidates includes:

Incumbents:
Jeff Berding
Chris Bortz
Leslie Ghiz
Roxanne Qualls
Laure Quinlivan
Cecil Thomas
Charlie Winburn
Wendell Young

Previous Candidates:
Kevin Flynn
Amy Murry

New Candidates:
Wayne Lippert Jr.
Chris Seelback
P.G. Sittenfeld
Cahterine Smith Mills
Yvette Simpson
Jason Riverio
Mike Robison


This is a very early slate, so some of those listed will drop out, but more than likely there will be many more candidates adding their name. The number of African-Americans with their hat in the ring so far is way too low. Jim Tarbell isn't listed either. I would be surprised if he isn't at least contemplating another council run. Greg Harris, Bernadette Watson, and Nicholas Hollan would be strong candidates as well, but it is not known if they are interested in running again. Brad Wenstrup would be a strong Republican candidate.  He's mentioned as a possible appointment for Monzel's seat.  As a former Mayoral candidate, he stands a good a chance as any other strong prior Republican council candidate, maybe even stronger if GOP turnout stays as high as it was in 2010.

In the early part of 2011, the Political Parties will hold interviews for endorsements. Well, at least the Dems hold interviews, since they usually have more applicants than endorsements. If all of the Republicans listed run (6) that will be the more than 2009's lowly 5. As it stands now the party association (not endorsement) stands with:

Democratic: 7
Republican: 6
Charter: 3
Independent: 1

If there are more candidates out there, chime in with some names.

Capital Funds For Westwood Don't Get Protests?

So, Charlie Winburn is is proposing the City of Cincinnati spend capital funds to buy the Gamble House, located in Westwood. For the record I am personally very much in favor of doing this. I really have to wonder, however, where's the FOP protest? Where's COAST? Where is Westwood Concern complaining that a City Council member is spending money on something new, while cop layoffs loom? Where is Charlie Winburn protesting himself for additional spending? Where's Ghiz?

It is a really good question: Why don't you see Westwood Concern complaining about this? The answer is oh so clear, they are leading the effort to encourage the City to buy the Gamble House. Yes, that is correct. Westwood concern is in favor of using capital funds in their neighborhood, while not in favor of it in places where spending those capital dollars will actually produce economic development that will benefit the entire City and the region.

No, the hypocrisy is not surprising. $300,000 is good for at least 3 or 4 police officers, after all, but the cries for blood on someone's hands is missing here, for some reason...

I hope the City is able to buy the Gamble house and preserve the history it holds for Cincinnati, especially Westwood. It would be nice if Westwood Concern could avoid the hypocrisy.

A Special Decree: It's Spelled C-ASS

I am taking it upon myself, using my infinite amount of bloggish wisdom (yes such a thing exists..no really), to decree that the real spelling of the anti-city group "Citizens Against Streetcar Swindle" shall be forever spelled as C-ASS. An early incarnation had is listed as "CASS." That was an oversight.

Pillich Wins, Racism Loses

Democrat Connie Pillich has won her race for Ohio House over 'Tea Party' Republican Mike Wilson. The vote difference rose from an election night total of 5 to 602 votes. Wilson can still pay for his own recount. He didn't return comment to the Enquirer's request.

Dayton Has Cut 100 Cops Since 2001, Yet Crime Rate Still Falls

I am afraid that Charlie Winburn will call this the work of the Devil, but Dayton, Ohio has cut 100 police officers since 2001, but the crime rate still fell. Leslie Ghiz, every member of the FOP leadership, and all of Westwood Concern just shit a brick.

The world didn't end for Dayton with fewer police officers. Cincinnati will be fine with fewer cops.

'Tea Partier' Mike Wilson Sues to Disenfranchise Blacks

So the election results are not even official and a government paid recount is in the works, but 'Tea Party' Republican Mike Wilson is suing for the right to question black votes over all others. Wilson finished behind his Democratic opponent Connie Pillich. Wilson has chosen Lincoln Heights as his target. The predominately black community has three precincts with what Wilson believes have irregular totals of provisional ballots. He wants them to be investigated more than all of the other provisional ballots in the district he is running for State Assembly.

Let's get this straight. Mike Wilson has decided that the number of provisional ballots are too high in the districts that have mostly black people who traditionally vote Democratic. Wilson is targeting black districts on purpose. It is clear he believes that any additional voter turnout in traditional black district must mean voter fraud. He has no evidence of this, other than who lives in the neighborhoods he is targeting. Those stereotypes play into the bigoted and racist elements of society Wilson and the 'Tea Party' movement have failed to expunge from their ranks. In this case I think they are counting on those elements to change public opinion and lay a ground work to claim fraud as the deciding factor.

This is foolish. Id he wants to have all provisional ballots addressed, then have at it, that is fair. Targeting black voters, and I'm not going to mince my words on that, is unconscionable. If he get's one vote tossed out without smoking gun proof that the person voting was not allowed to vote in this election, then any miracle victory Wilson gets will be on the back of racism.

Remember, Pillich had more votes and won after the initial count.

In a race this small, the number of post election night vote changes are always small. Every additional vote Wilson get's should get the same attention as any vote Wilson is challenging. We'll see how Judge Winkler rules. I hope he doesn't play partisan politics and throws this case out and let the final results be presented before it has to go to court and some type of equitable and judicious basis.