Thursday, August 1 2013

Mark Your Calendars, It's Time to Get Mayoral

As the mayoral race heats up, voters increasingly want to see where the candidates stand on the issues and now they’ll have their opportunity. Two public debates have been officially scheduled for mid-September and October and some of the candidates are not happy about it.
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Cranley Leads Mayoral Money Race

In other mayoral news, the Business Courier reports that candidate John Cranley has out-raised primary opponent Roxanne Qualls by at least six figures. While this isn’t terribly surprising, it does suggest some momentum for the former city councilman.
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Washington Park Gets Illuminated This Weekend

Looking for something do this weekend? Come out to Washington Park on Saturday or Sunday and witness a one-of-kind event welcoming incoming musical director for the Cincinnati Symphony, Louis Langrée. The symphony will perform a 40 minute piece with a coordinated light show set against the historic Music Hall adjacent to the park. Get all the details here.
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Other Music Festivals This Weekend

If Lumenocity isn’t your thing, other music festivals are all over town this weekend too. In its 21st year, Bluefest returns to Sawyer Point Friday and Saturday. And starting tonight in Eden park , you can catch the 28th year of It’s Commonly Jazz, a free event that will take place every Thursday in August.
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All-Star Game Could Cost Taxpayers

In 2015, Great American Ballpark will host the All-Star baseball game and necessary improvements to the stadium could leave taxpayers on the hook for nearly $5 million dollars. While the event is certain to bring some positive economic benefit, the impact on taxpayers has some crying foul.
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Tuesday, August 6 2013

Emery Theater Renovation Could be in Jeopardy

The Requiem Project sued the University of Cincinnati and two corporations Monday with allegations that the university and its partners blocked the nonprofit’s renovation efforts. The lawsuit comes on the heels of The Requiem Project being forced to evacuate the historic theater Aug. 3 after its agreement to manage the 102-year-old theater was not renewed earlier this year. The Requiem Project hopes to secure a long-term lease so that it can finish the renovations which are estimated to cost between $3 to $5 million.
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Enquirer Layoffs Hit West Chester and Northern Kentucky

Its been a bad week for Gannett employees. CityBeat reports that the mega holding company has shuttered its Northern Kentucky and West Chester offices amid widespread layoffs of more than 200 employees nationwide.
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More than 35k Attend LumenoCity

Organizers and attendees report that LumenoCity was a huge success, and may even signal a significant turning point for OTR. More than 30,000 people descended on Washington Park this past weekend to celebrate the incoming Director for the Cincinnati Symphony, Louis Langrée.
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Cincy Mayor Race May Decide Streetcar

Despite their many similarities, Cincinnati’s two Democratic mayoral candidates have two striking differences: their views on the streetcar and whether or not privatizing the city’s parking services was a wise decision. Vice Mayor Roxanne Qualls is very much pro-streetcar, while former city council member John Cranley is vocally against the streetcar. Cranley thinks the privatization of the city’s parking services was a bad deal, but Qualls thought it was the only way to avoid police and fire layoffs. Their stances on each issue could be the deciding factor of who is elected the city’s next mayor. The last time the two candidates were on the ballot together, they nearly matched one another's vote count: 33,775 for Qualls and 33,772 for Cranley.
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HBO's Hard Knocks featuring the Bengals Starts Tonight

Cincinnati football fans can get their first behind the scenes look at their favorite team starting tonight at 10 p.m. on HBO. In its eighth season, Hard Knocks is a reality show about the strategy and personnel behind NFL teams and culture. This season’s series will mark the second time HBO has featured the Bengals.
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Thursday, August 8 2013

Cincinnati to Fund Disparity Study for City Contracts

Minority and women-owned businesses might soon find an uptick in contracts awarded to them from the city of Cincinnati. City Council unanimously passed a motion to use funds from the parking lease deal to fund a disparity study that would examine whether or not the city should change its contracting policies to award more contracts to minority and women-owned businesses, according to CityBeat. The cost to complete the study is estimated between $500,000 and $1.5 million.
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Clifton Landmark Not Historic Enough, Could be Demolished Soon

The century-old building that used to house Clifton restaurant Lendhardt’s does not meet the criteria for historic designation, according to a Cincinnati council committee. The decision which opens the doors for a sale by the restaurant’s owners, could spell certain doom for the building as interested developers make plans to demolish the structure. Opponents of the sale are not happy.
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Local Grilled Cheese Joint Takes Off

Cincinnati’s Tom+Chee could soon be expanding to cities as far away as Portland. After a May appearance on ABC’s “Shark Tank,” the mom-and-pop grilled cheese and soup joint has taken more than 7,000 franchisee requests. The restaurant just signed a location in New Jersey and is expected to announce others in Michigan and Atlanta.
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Grocery Store Coming to the Banks?

There’s already plenty of high-demand living options, two professional sports arenas, acres of green space and countless restaurants at The Banks downtown– could a grocery store be the next tenant? It would certainly be a welcome addition according to the master development team.
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Kings Island to Announce New Ride Tonight

A new “record-breaking” attraction at King’s Island is expected to be announced tonight at 10 p.m., according to The Enquirer. The ride is to be located in the park’s north end where the now-demolished Son of Beast once stood. The designer of the new ride also designed the amusement park’s popular The Beast roller coaster.
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Tuesday, August 13 2013

State Alleges Startup Made False and Misleading Statements

SoMoLend and its founder, startup darling Candace Klein, may soon be out of commission thanks to allegations of fraud made by Ohio’s Division of Securities. Among the litany of complaints recently voiced by the state are false and misleading statements, fraudulent financial projections and failure to secure proper licensure within the state.
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City Pensions Will Be On the Ballot This Fall

Hamilton County Board of Elections has ruled that voters will have an official stake in choosing to make changes to the city’s ailing pension system this November. The amendment to Cincinnati’s charter would put any new workers hired after the end of the year into a new retirement plan, with the city contributing up to 9 percent of their annual salary.
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Steve Leeper’s Reign at 3CDC isn’t without Controversy

The Cincinnati Enquirer published a lengthy profile of Steve Leeper, the man who is transforming downtown one neighborhood at a time. The city brought Leeper to the Queen City from Pittsburgh nearly a decade ago to remake the city’s urban core. Leeper’s tenure as the head of 3CDC hasn’t been without controversy, however. Critics claim some of his policies have displaced affordable housing and have neglected historic buildings. Leeper maintains that without 3CDC’s efforts the buildings would have fallen into disrepair. Leeper says 3CDC’s plans for the next five years include turning close to 100 vacant buildings into offices, apartments, condos and stores in Over-the-Rhine.
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Northside Continues to Welcome New Construction Projects

Cincinnati City Council approved a $10.5 million project to be built on the corner of Hamilton Avenue and Blue Rock Street in Northside, which would include 104 apartments and 8,000 square feet of commercial space. Construction at the location, which was once home to the former Mergard’s Bowling Alley, is set to begin this fall or early 2014.
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Cincinnati Casino Accidentally Awards $1 Million

A blunder at Cincinnati’s Horseshoe Casino Sunday ended up costing the casino $1 million. Due to a name mix up, the casino awarded a $1 million prize to the incorrect Kevin Lewis before realizing their mistake. To their credit the casino also awarded the correct winner $1 million and allowed their mistake to make the incorrect Lewis $1 million happier. The prize was a promotion for the casino’s Total Rewards program.
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Thursday, August 15 2013

City Council Passes Measures to Encourage Low-Income Housing in OTR

While the developers working in OTR have made some significant strides in revitalizing the ailing downtown community, there has thus far been a large ratio between low-income and market-rate housing options. Cincinnati City Council hopes to change that disparity by allocating funds and tax breaks for low-income developments. The most recent benefactor is a 13-unit apartment building on the 1400 block of Republic Street, just down the street from Washington Park.
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Councilman Sittenfeld Needs Signatures, and Fast

Thanks to an innocuous paperwork error, one incumbent candidate for Cincinnati City Council may be left off the ballot this fall. With just one week left to meet his filing deadline for inclusion on the November ballot, Councilman P.G. Sittenfeld is appealing to his constituents for some fast signatures after campaign workers changed some incorrect dates on petitions. The haphazard edits may serve to invalidate all of his progress thus far.
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Camp Washington Chili is One of 20 Iconic Food Destinations

If there's one thing all true Cincinnatians love it's their chili. And while there may still be some local dispute as to which chili chain lays claim to the perfect incarnation, Smithsonian Magazine has officially taken sides. In a list of the 20 Most Iconic Food Destinations of America, the museum selected 24-hour chili-stop Camp Washington Chili for some Ohio-Valley flavor.
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MPMF Releases Full Schedule

We’re just a little more than a month away from the 12th-annual MidPoint Music Festival taking place Sept. 26 - 28. The festival just announced their complete schedule of shows, so head over to MPMF’s schedule page to see the complete lineup and begin to plot your course for the weekend. This year’s festival will be the first to include shows at The Ballroom at the Taft Theater. Three-day passes, VIP perks and individual tickets can be purchased at the festival’s ticketing page.
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Hamilton County Recycles Your Computer Junk Free of Charge

Have any old tech junk piling up in your basement or closet? Now through October 26th Hamilton County residents with a valid driver's license or utility bill can unload all those unused computers, cell-phones and DVD players for free at one of two convenient locations. Learn more at www.hamiltoncountyrecycles.com.
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Tuesday, August 20 2013

Over-the-Rhine Could See Streetcars by 2015

Cincinnati could see streetcars running through Over-the-Rhine sooner than the original Sept. 15, 2016 launch date. According to John Deatrick, the leader of the project, cars could be running on the O.T.R loop by late 2015. The downtown loop will still be under construction up until the previously announced date.
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Kasich Presidency Rumors Heat Up

Ohio Gov. John Kasich has been making some waves recently with comments hinting toward a possible 2016 presidential run. According to The Columbus Dispatch, Kasich was recently featured in a Wall Street Journal article that proposed him being a possible contender for 2016. Kasich also announced he plans to look for a solution to find a federal balanced budget. Despite the rumors, Kasich maintains that he has no ulterior motive and plans to focus his energies on running Ohio.
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Hamilton County Library Outpaces the Nation

According to the American Public Library Association, the central library of Cincinnati and Hamilton County loaned more materials than any other library in the nation. This is the second consecutive year that the downtown branch has held that title amongst more than 1400 other libraries.
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Chipotle Feeds Hungry Zoo Members Today

Attention zoo members! Show your membership card at any area Chipotle today for a Buy-One / Get-One deal on burritos, salads or tacos. Even the kiddos can get in on the deal as kid's meals are included too!
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Changes Coming Soon to Downtown Parking Meters

The Cincinnati Reds and neighborhood community councils have forced changes to Port of Greater Cincinnati Development Authority’s plans for parking meters. A number of changes were recently announced, including meters in downtown and Over-the-Rhine to expand enforcement hours to 9 p.m. and extending the max amount of hours per meter to four hours instead of two.
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Thursday, August 22 2013

Hamilton County Owes the Bengals a $10-million Scoreboard

Not to be outdone by other NFL stadiums, the Bengals think time is getting close for an upgrade to their scoreboard. Conditions with the team’s lease with Hamilton County call for the Bengals to get a new $10-million high-definition scoreboard installed when at least 14 other NFL teams have similar technology. Hopefully the Bengals don’t ask for the scoreboard any time soon, Board of Commissioners President Chris Monzel said the county can’t currently afford the $10-million price tag.
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A Trolley Could be Coming to the Queen City

A trolley and a streetcar in Cincinnati? It could be a possibility if Hop on Cincinnati leaders get their way. The group is proposing a $10 – $15 million trackless trolley that runs from Downtown to Mt. Adams. Funding would come from some federal transportation funds, local governments and corporate sponsors, the group said. The initial plan would be similar to the Southbank Shuttle trolley in Northern Kentucky and would have 20 stops.
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Medical Marijuana Debated in Kentucky

A Kentucky House and Senate Committee on Health and Welfare was the scene Wednesday of a raucous hearing on medical marijuana with advocates proposing a state law to allow the substance to be used for medical purposes. Supporters of the the measure say it’s less addicting than prescription painkillers such as Oxycodone. Despite skepticism of the proposed law, Sen. Perry Clark, a Louisville Democrat, plans to file the measure in 2014.
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Cincinnati’s Job Numbers Up from a Year Ago

Despite losing 4,000 jobs from June to July, unemployment for the greater Cincinnati region is down from a year ago. Cincinnati’s unemployment rate in July was 7.1 percent, which beats both Ohio’s at 7.1 percent and the national rate at 7.4 percent. Cincinnati added 14,000 jobs since June of 2012.
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Dunhumby Completes Designs for New Offices

Designs and plans were unveiled for dunhumbyUSA’s new office building, which is expected to be finished by March of 2015. The building will be nine stories high and will feature a first-story retail space, bringing much-needed merchants to the neglected Sixth and Race Street corridors.
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Tuesday, August 27 2013

Cincinnati Public Schools Given Failing Grades for School Performance

The Ohio Department of Education gave Cincinnati Public Schools a range of failing grades including Fs for state test results, failures to close gaps in income and race, and progress among gifted students. According to City Beat, the district is currently under investigation for “scrubbing data,” which may have favorably impacted the district’s ratings. The Enquirer has the school results in a searchable and sortable form on their website.
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New Details in Contentious Parking Lease

Be sure to stock up on pocket change– the Port Authority says that enforcement of parking assets will be ratcheted up when it takes over meters next year. While its been stated their goal is not to increase revenues, the clarification doesn't quell much concern from opponents who've viewed the deal with some criticism.
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Ohioans Driver’s License Photos Scanned for Searchable Police Database

Ohio law enforcement officials started scanning databases of driver’s license photos and mug shots more than two months ago for use with facial recognition technology used to identify crime suspects. The technology is used with Ohio’s growing prevalence of security cameras throughout everyday life. Law enforcement could theoretically tap into one of Cincinnati’s 118 security cameras and identify a person on the street by comparing the video to a database of driver’s license photos.
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USS Cincinnati Brings the Cold War to Riverfront

This Saturday, bring the kiddo's out to welcome the USS Cincinnati and see a historic, real-life submarine directly from the Cold-War era. The event is part of an effort to relocate the sub's sail and other equipment to the city memorializing the end of the Cold War.
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Residential Parking Requirements Are No More

In other parking news, an ordinance aimed at deregulating Cincinnati's residential parking requirements has just been approved. The amendment to the zoning code stipulates that any residential development with less than 20 units does not have to provide parking for its tenants.
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Thursday, August 29 2013

Jeff Ruby Sued by Former Employees Over Tip Policy

Queen City restaurant group Jeff Ruby Culinary Entertainment is the subject of a recently filed federal lawsuit. The suit, which alleges employees were forced to share their tips with managers and other employees, contends a violation of the Fair Labor Standards Act. Against the advice of counsel, Jeff Ruby has responded to the negative media attention by offering his perspective.
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Ohio Treasurer Josh Mandel Could be in Violation of Campaign Finance Law

Republican Ohio treasurer Josh Mandel could be in violation of federal campaign finance law after failing to report two traffic accidents since becoming treasurer in 2011. Mandel was riding in a vehicle that was paid for by his 2012 U.S. Senate campaign against Sherrod Brown that was involved in a late-night accident in March of this year. Federal law states Senate campaign property cannot be used for personal use and can only be used for transportation during the campaign. The accident occurred four months after Mandel lost the Senate race.
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Fair-Weather Bengals Fan Criticism Might Ring True

Cincinnati Bengals fans often have the term fair-weathered thrown their direction, especially when the team is on a winning streak. A new poll from Atlanta’s Emory University might add some merit to that criticism. The university ranked Bengals fans 19 out of 32 in fan loyalty.
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Upcoming “Fifty Fest” is a Celebration of All Things Local

Mark your calendars folks: local brewery Fifty West Brewing is hosting a free suds and music festival for all ages September 7th. In addition to its own fine line of craft beers and food, you can expect offerings from at least five other local breweries at Fifty Fest. Add to that eight local bands and you have a bonafide, family-friendly shindig.
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Going to Riverfest? Arrive Early for a Good View

Rain or shine, Cincinnati’s and Northern Kentucky’s Riverfest will do its best to light up the skies above the Ohio River this Sunday evening. If you plan on attending by water be sure to grab your spot early as boaters arrive days before the event. A number of roads, bridges and exits off 71 will be closed for the event including the Clay Wade Bailey Bridge, Suspension Bridge, Purple People Bridge and Taylor Southgate Bridge.
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