Don't Call Us....

So, who is the next guy not to get his calls returned by Mayor Mallory's Communication Director? If you guessed Enquirer reporter Dan Klepal, then you win a free subscription to the Cincinnati Blog!

New Dem to Challenge for Schmidt's Seat?

A rumor is flying, well, not flying, but I got a tip that a Milford teacher, one Gabby Downey, is planning on announcing soon her candidacy for the 2nd Congressional District as a Democrat.

I know next to nothing about her, and I only post this as means to stir up controversy. Hell, if this generates a little buzz for her to have the courage to run, then GREAT! We need more Dems seeking office locally, especial in places like Milford. I can't find anything about her on the web, so if there is more out there, chime in.

More Hyde Park Murder Details

There is not much additional information, but it would appear that investigators have an idea who they are after. This clears up nothing about motive, and does not rule out any theory as to what was going on in the parking lot.

Post-Riot Loans

Tough choices for City Council. Do they forgive the loans or be strict? Is it fair to business who are making payments? I recognize several on this list of defaulted loans represent businesses that are no longer in business, which makes sense why the loans are defaulted.

I work with the businesses still in operation, but go after those out of business to make sure they did not just walk away with the loan money in their pocket. Bottom line I would write off most of the defaults. I don’t know how you encourage development with people if you punish them after they stayed downtown after a riot.

Phil Heimlich Out of Lt. Gov. Race

Phil Heimlich appears to have given in to the Christian Right and through his actions has endorsed Ken Blackwell for Governor, and ruined Jim Petro's chances for the GOP nomination.

In Blackwell we have a man who will owe everything to the theocratic wing of the GOP party. Petro and Monty are not running on the back of Jesus to get the nomination. It is said that Phil did not have courage to stick with his partner. He shows he lacks conviction, and is looking out for himself, not following principle.

Dubliner To Reopen

Great News! The Dubliner will reopen with a new owner. It will close this Wednesday, and according to published reports will reopen by March 1st.

One thing we can hope they continue or bring back it stopped: Tuesday Night Trivia!

Golden Globes

Anyone care to predict the winners? Will Brokeback Mountain win big? I haven't seen it yet, but it has the buzz. I loved Good Night, and Good Luck.

More Puff for Schmidt

Jogging? Jean Schmidt's vacation jogging becomes news?

No Motive???

The headline misleads the reader, the rest of the story is all background from friends and family of the victim, and emotional commentary from more locals. There is nothing about motive from the investigators. Who ever wrote the headline should take heed that they are not doing an accurate job.

UPDATE: Just to remind folks, the reporters generally don't write the headlines.

Save the Dubliner!!!

Brendan at the Cincinnati Beacon writes on the plight of the Dubliner, a great Pleasant Ridge restaurant in danger of closing. Brendan's take is that things look bad, and baring a lightning bolt from a Celtic God, we won't be able to hit the Dubliner after the 20th of this month.

I wish to echo his article and encourage folks to get out and support the restaurant.

Murder in Hyde Park

My first thoughts on seeing the "BREAKING NEWS" on the 11PM news showing on the TV screen at the Main Street bar I was at was slight shock. I have been to that bar, and parked in that parking lot. A friend standing next to me lamented a bit about it, because she lives a mile down the road.

After reading the articles this morning I can say that it has the same ear marks of most of the rest of murders in the city, which leads me to speculate that it was simply a drug deal gone bad. If not drugs, then it was a personal beef with a family member or friend. This is horrible for the man's family, but it goes to show that this can happen anywhere. This section from the story bothered me and I hope indicates an aberration, not a commonality.

Crime scene tape in Hyde Park doesn't happen everyday, making resident Megan Elkus quite uncomfortable.

"It just scares me, and I would like to find someplace else to live," said Elkus.

"I keep hearing different things that don't make me feel safe," said Elkus.

For the chicken littles, like Ms. Elkus, I really must just laugh at their extreme timidity. I can understand being freaked out a little, but to feel unsafe in Hyde Park is just not a rational or sane feeling to have. Hyde Park is likely safer than living in Mason or West Chester. At worst it is just as safe.

What I find most objectionable in the whole situation is that some people inside the bar were allegedly being uncooperative with the police, which is the main reason I am speculating it was drug related. A theory could be that the guy was out buying drugs for his friends and things went south. If people were just pissed that they could not leave until the police were finished investigating, then they are just arrogant assholes who deserved to be kept there all night. Will Peter Bronson write a column about the idiots in Hyde Park (logic indicates would be white) who could help solve the case, but were uncooperative?

More from the Enquirer.

Anti-School School Board Members

There is just no other way to say it, but these two new school board members are anti-school. They don't want people to learn, they want people to comply with their views on how to live. One is an anti-government anti-union extremist bent on destroying the public schools, while the other is a Christian extremist (ergo theocrat), bent on the destroying the public schools.

Now, sure, the conservatives are going to moan and cry that they do the same. Well, no, they don't. Being prevented from branding the school with ones religious dogma or having to pay taxes and fund schools to keep society growing is not a hardship and nothing hurting you. Religion is not banned from School, for example, and claims otherwise are myths. If your kid can't bring their bible to their school, then protest, I will join it. If you want your kid, or worse, use your kid to push religion on other kids, which includes doing religious presentations, then no, don't protest and either put your kid a religious school, or stop pushing religion on others.

Koppel to NPR

This is great. I am a huge NPR Fan and Koppel adds the right tone and presence to that organization. The more he is on the air, the better it will be and the more I will listen.

Growth In Downtown Jobs

Seventh Street lunch lines will get a bit longer as Federated Department Stores adds 200 positions to their downtown headquarters.

These news jobs are going to be salaried positions, not clerical, and will be a shot in the arm to the downtown economy.

Progress On the River

Joe Hansbaurer points to progress in development on the site of the Gregory Banquet Center, where 140 new condos and locations for two new restaurants will be built. This sounds like a great venture, but it appears to not be their first choice, mainly because the Gregory's wanted a new site for the Banquet Center. Joe makes a great point, why not put it at the Banks?

Blunt With an Edge?

The Enquirer's Malia Rulon blogs the Blunt states he has the support of 100 GOP members of the house, as opposed to Boehner's claim to only 86. 116 would make one a winner. I don't really care all that much, but having a home Republican to bash would be much more entertaining for me, so I am backing Boehner. Thus we may have his kiss of death!

Police Shooting

The third shooting of police officer in 6 weeks is raising the tension of the police. Are these incidents just aberrations, or are they a marked change in behavior among criminals in the city?

Mythical Land of Make-Believe

Why do people need to have it explained to them that Cincinnati is not a small town? That "small town feel" is a myth and only exists in the minds of fools longing for world that doesn't and never existed. I am not saying that the neighborhood in question is not a great place or that the crime is not horrible, but anyone living today in East Walnut Hills must know that they are, oh I don't know, just East of Walnut Hills, where urban blight takes away any notion that Cincinnati is a small town.

We are a big city. I grew up in a very small city, and we didn't even have mythical notions of "Leave it to Beaver" in our heads, where crime didn't happen and June Cleaver vacuumed in heels. Come on people, break the myths. Journalists shouldn't enable this kind of theme.

Surprise! Not!

McEwen is running against Schmidt for the GOP Nomination. McEwen stands a good chance of crushing her.

Ok Bronson Column

Peter Bronson is not in a position to be credible on the subject of community police relations, but his column makes mostly valid points. He could have done without this:

Jordan's aunt, Cassie Jamison, said the murder made her ashamed to be black. But dozens of witnesses saw who killed a young mother and said nothing.

They're the ones who should be ashamed.

Coming from Bronson it sounds bad. I doubt claim it's wrong, it just sounds bad.