Tuesday, November 5 2013

It's Time to Vote, Cincinnati

It’s voting day, Cincinnati. There are a number of issues on today’s ballot including two important tax levies and Issue 4, which is looking to overhaul how Cincinnati manages its pension system. In addition to these issues, Cincinnati is also voting to elect a new mayor for the first time in eight years as well as a slurry of nine council members. Click through here if you need help finding your voting location.
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Lawsuit Alleges Urban Active Engaged in Shady Business Practices

According to a class-action settlement, Urban Active Fitness, the tri-state’s largest gym, has been overcharging members. The lawsuit could potentially net more than $19 million in payments to former gym members. The lawsuit alleges Urban Active of failing to honor cancellation notices, misrepresenting terms on contracts and other shady business practices. Anyone who signed a contract with Urban Active between Jan. 1, 2006 and Oct. 26, 2012 is eligible to a payout. If you were involved in Urban Active between this time period, check out http://www.urbanactivelawsuit.com/ for more details.
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Port Authority Could See Hundreds of Millions of Dollars from Parking Lease Deal

Based on an analysis done by a former Procter & Gamble Co. executive, the Port of Greater Cincinnati Development Authority could receive more than $230 million during the next 40 years as a result of its deal to lease Cincinnati’s parking assets. The City of Cincinnati estimates to see an up-front $85-million payment plus an additional yearly amount ranging between $3 million and $19 million until 2053. The executive who completed the analysis, said he believes the city could have generated an additional $80 million if they kept the parking system and made the technological improvements themselves.
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Wild Claims From Smitherman

Speaking of election day, Cincinnati Blog recently posted a relevant Youtube video depicting Councilman Chris Smitherman making some “wild and outlandish” claims. According to the blog, Smitherman has a history or making ridiculous statements and this is just another example, as many of his claims cannot be substantiated. Why is this relevant you ask? Mayoral candidate John Cranley reportedly posted this video to his Facebook page as a measure of his support for Smitherman.
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Check Out What’s Inside the Abandoned Shillito’s Department Store

Ever wonder what’s left inside the old Shillito’s building? So did the Cincinnati Business Courier. The publications’ offices sit on the bottom floor of the former department store and has the Landor branding agency as its neighbors. Landor recently hosted a “Shillito’s Abandoned” benefit in support of Covington’s Mike Amman, the owner of BLDG who is battling cancer. Check out for some spooky photos from the abandoned department store.
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Thursday, November 7 2013

Will the Streetcar be Derailed?

With a decisive victory in the mayoral race on Tuesday, Mayor-elect John Cranley is ready to make good on his plan to dismantle the controversial streetcar project. To his credit, he's extending a public olive-branch to streetcar enthusiasts and hopes to find a cheaper alternative that can achieve the same goals. While halting the efforts already underway will require a majority of support from the City Council, some members have nodded in agreement with the new mayor's position.
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Cranley Has Some Other Priorities Too...

In other Cranley news, Cincinnati neighborhoods may soon feel the sweet financial windfall of some new mayoral priorities. Chief among them, the bike trail on Wasson Way, a new interchange at I-71 & MLK, and putting an end to the one-trash-can policy recently imposed on city residents. And not to be forgotten, OTR and the central business district downtown could see some changes to the controversial parking-lease plan as Cranley intends to cancel that too. Yep, our new mayor's got quite the laundry-list of stuff for his first term in office.
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Artisanal Twinkies in Queensgate?

Is 3CDC looking for someone to make small-batch, artisanal Twinkies? Probably not, but the development corporation known for being a key player in the Over-the-Rhine transformation recently purchased the former Butternut bread factory from Hostess. 3CDC has been mum on their plans for the factory, but it could be related to their Queensgate plans, which include a new City Gospel Mission building in the area.
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CVG Airfare is Second-highest in the Country

If you always thought CVG’s airfare rates were higher than those elsewhere in the region you might be right. CVG’s average domestic fare tops out at $518.09, which is the second-highest in the nation. The average national rate is close to $375. Despite being one of the most expensive places to depart from, CVG’s rates are down 15.5% from 2000.
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UC and NASA Announce Research and Science Partnership

The University of Cincinnati announced a new NASA-partnered science institute in hopes of promoting space-based research among students and faculty. The institute is named after the first man to walk the moon, Neil Armstrong, and is expected to be running within five years.
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Tuesday, November 12 2013

Cranley’s First Victory: Parking Deal to Get Scrapped

During a press conference this afternoon, Mayor John Cranley and Port Authority officials are expected to announce that the controversial parking lease plan has been officially scrapped. This is the first big win for the newly elected mayor who spent much of his time on the campaign trail vowing to bring an end to the deal.
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Cincinnati Could Close all of its Abortion Clinics

Cincinnati could soon be left without an abortion clinic due to restrictions passed in this summer’s state budget. If that happens, Cincinnati would be the largest metropolitan area in the country without an abortion clinic, according to an analysis by The Cincinnati Enquirer. The restrictions stem from a rule that disallows abortion clinics to agree to a patient-transfer agreement with a taxpayer-funded hospital, which is forcing the clinics to find private hospitals for such agreements. Many private-funded hospitals are either religiously backed or won’t enter agreements with abortion clinics.
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Streetcar Developers May Work 24 Hours a Day in the Near Future

Contractors responsible for the ongoing construction work related to the contested streetcar are weighing a plan to work 24 hours a day on the project in effort to hasten any disruptions as the project crosses Liberty. While some may view this move with abject skepticism, officials managing the project have clarified that the plan has nothing to do with very public political opposition waged by incoming Mayor John Cranley during his campaign.
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As Downtown Continues Real Estate Boom, Some Are Getting Nervous

While occupancy and demand for housing in OTR and the Central Business District continues to be extremely high, some critics are voicing concern that the rapid development downtown may be over-estimating future demand. Developers are scrambling to add more units to the district which recent reports indicate equate to “three times the normal construction volume” for the region.
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Shin-Soo Choo to Test His Value on the Free Market

Shin-soo Choo rejected a one-year $14.1 million qualifying offer to stay with the Cincinnati Reds for one more season. Choo instead will test how much he can make on the free market from other teams, which according to Choo’s agent, Scott Boras, could top out at $126 million for seven years. The Reds’ center fielder had a .285 batting average with 54 RBIs in 2013.
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Thursday, November 14 2013

Cranley Says Dohoney Out as City Manager

Despite an earlier assertion that City Manager Milton Dohoney could apply to keep his position once newly elected Mayor John Cranley took office, news has broken that Dohoney can either resign now or choose to be fired. This wasn't entirely surprising, given the deep divide in opinion between the two men. The decision was reportedly mutual; no word on who Dohoney's interim replacement will be.
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Financial Worries Surface Following the Demise of the Parking Deal

Following news that Cranley had successfully negotiated an end to the parking lease agreement with the Port Authority this week, business leaders are expressing concern that other development priorities may suffer in the wake. The interchange project at I-71 and MLK was slated to be one of the chief benefactors, as the parking deal would've provided almost 20% of the total budget for that project.
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Despite City's Best Efforts, Saks Moving to Kenwood

Despite the city’s best efforts, Saks Fifth Avenue is heading north to join rival upscale department store Nordtrom’s in Kenwood. The City of Cincinnati’s offer to Saks of more than 100,000 square feet in complementary retail space was not enough to keep the retailer as a key anchor in plans for a revitalized retail district along Race Street. The city gave Saks $2.1 million in 1996 and another $6.6 million in 2003 for improvements. The Kenwood store is set to open in 2016.
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Cork 'N Bottle Removes Covington Mural

In a major public relations blunder, Covington’s Cork ‘N Bottle liquor store painted over a mural by street artists The London Police. The mural, along with several others around the city, was commissioned by Covington’s BLDG in August. BLDG was owned by Mike Amann, who passed away Sunday after a battle with cancer. In addition to a public apology, Cork ‘N Bottle will donate $1,000 to the American Cancer Society in Amann’s name.
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My, What Large Footballs You Have

Monday’s snowfall brought out some hooligans to Nippert Stadium. While most people in the Queen City were waking up to car windows that needed scraped, University of Cincinnati students who walk by Nipper Stadium were greeted to a giant penis drawn on the field by a band of merry pranksters.
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Tuesday, November 19 2013

Cincinnati Might Have to Payback Streetcar Grant to Federal Government

If John Cranley gets his way and ends development on the streetcar, Cincinnati will have to pay back the federal government all of the grant money the project has been given. The project is slated to receive $44.9 million from three separate federal grants, which Cranley had hope to reuse for other projects such as the Western Hills Viaduct. Fortunately the project has only spent $2 million of federal money.
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Stalled MSD Projects Create Push to Repeal Responsible Bidder Ordinance

Thanks to opposition to Cincinnati's responsible bidder ordinance, and some legal ambiguity as to the jurisdiction of city vs. state bidding rules, several Metropolitan Sewer District projects are at a stand-still. According to some Council Members, the only solution to the impasse is to scrap the city ordinance entirely. MSD currently faces a federal mandate to reduce sewer overflow and the disagreement over the bidding process is clogging the tubes.
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Former Bengals Thomas Howard in Fatal Car Wreck

Thomas Howard, a two-season veteran linebacker for the Cincinnati Bengals died yesterday from injuries sustained in a high-speed car crash in Oakland, California. WCPO reports that the car was traveling in excess of 100mph when it struck a tractor-trailer and flipped before landing across the median.
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Northside-to-Downtown Bikeway to be Installed in 2014

Bike enthusiasts' wheels must be turning thanks to a new proposed bikeway connecting Northside to Downtown. With all the neighborhoods in between also benefitting, the project will convert one lane of Central Parkway, running in either direction for bike-only use. The funds for the work come courtesy of a state grant; work will start in the summer of 2014.
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No Funding for Cincinnati Museum Center until Union Terminal is Fixed

Cincinnati Museum Center might never have to go back to voters asking for a tax levy if it weren’t for the constant repairs its home at Union Terminal requires. Unfortunately those repairs to the aging Union Terminal add up quickly and both the city of Cincinnati and Hamilton County often quibble about who is on the hook for paying for the fixes. Hamilton County Commissioners told the Museum Center that they won’t approve their request for a $15 million per year tax levy until the repairs at Union Terminal are completed. Hamilton County Commissioner Greg Hartmann said the $180 million needed to fully repair Union Terminal needed to be reduced.
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Thursday, November 21 2013

Queen City Supports LGBT Equality

Cincinnati's standing within the LGBT community has improved over the last year according it's score on the Municipal Equality Index, a measure compiled and released by the Human Rights Campaign. The score, which reflects the city's support of LGBT citizens who live and work here, was computed for municipalities across the country. Cincinnati scored 90 out of a possible 100, with the only impediment to a perfect score being lack of a domestic partner registry that supports LGBT relationships.
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Cincinnati’s Economy to Slow in 2014

Economists are casting a bleak outlook on the city's economic development and employment prospects next year. According to the 2014 Regional Economic Outlook, Cincinnati will be outpaced by national averages and should brace for only modest gains in job growth. While the immediate news seems somewhat disappointing, regional leaders remain optimistic; the numbers are better than last year and represent a 5 year high, by all measures.
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‘Stand Your Ground’ Laws Make Headway in the House

Much to the chagrin of Ohio prosecutors and police chiefs, Ohioans might soon be able to use deadly force in public as an act of self defense. Commonly referred to as “stand your ground laws,” a House committee approved gun legislation that recognizes concealed-carry licenses in other states and extended the use of deadly force outside of a person’s home or vehicle if acting in self-defense. The law is expected to go to the entire House for debate soon.
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Fitzgerald Taps North Avondale Resident Eric Kearney as Running-mate

Ed Fitzgerald tapped Ohio Senate Minority Leader and North Avondale resident Eric Kearney to be his running mate and lieutenant governor when Fitzgerald takes on Gov. John Kasich in 2014. Kearney has been in the state Senate since 2005 and graduated from Dartmouth College and holds a law degree from the University of Cincinnati. Kearney and his wife are longtime friends of President Barack Obama and his wife, Michelle.
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Miami University Sued for Negligence after Sexual Assault

A lawsuit filed against Miami University is raising eyebrows about how universities should be held accountable for sexual assaults that happen on or near campus. A female Miami University student is charging the school with negligence after being raped in 2011. She says there were several red flags attributed to her attacker such as multiple instances reported by the Oxford police of “lewd sexual behavior” that should have resulted in his expulsion. This isn’t the first time the so-called Public Ivy university has come under fire for not portraying an environment of sexual safety. In 2012 a flier titled “Top Ten Ways to Get Away with Rape” was circulated in MU’s freshman dorms, which resulted in the university being criticized for not publicizing the incident properly.
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Tuesday, November 26 2013

Much Ado About the Streetcar

This morning, Councilman PG Sittenfeld held a press conference where he declared a change of heart on the streetcar and is now supportive of allowing the first phase of the project to be completed. This decision comes in the wake of a conference call with Federal counsel who, in no uncertain terms, stipulated that even pausing the project at this point would result in immediate debt collection and reallocation of funds to other parts of the state. Mayor Cranley, who's first term in office starts next week, maintains his staunch vow to stymie the effort.
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Cranley Taps Mann to be Cincinnati’s next Vice-Mayor

Should John Cranley get hit by a bus — his words, not ours — Councilman-elect David Mann will be the city’s next mayor. Cranley announced recently that the 74-year-old Mann will be Cincinnati’s next vice-mayor. Mann has a storied career in local Cincinnati politics having served on council from 1974–1992 and was mayor from 1980–1982.
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Drop Inn Center to Move to Queensgate Thanks to Deal with 3CDC

In a move which will more than double its capacity and continue the rapid gentrification of OTR, the Drop Inn Center and downtown developer darling 3CDC have reached an agreement to move the largest homeless shelter to Queensgate. Barring some zoning restrictions, if the deal proceeds as planned, construction on the new site could begin as early as the second quarter of next year.
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Water and Sewer Rates Are Going Up Next Year

Hamilton County residents should be prepared to pay more for their water utility next year because rates will be climbing more than 20%. Additionally, Hamilton County Commissioners are mulling a 6% increase on sewer rates thanks to some federally mandated updates to Cincinnati's aging system, which in some cases is more than 100 years old.
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CVG Loses Flights, Raises Rates

Small surprise: Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport has lost more flights than any other major U.S. airport while having some of the nation’s fastest-climbing fares. The study, conducted by USA Today, analyzed changes in flights, seats and fares from 2005 - 2013. During that time, CVG lost 78 percent of flights. The same time period saw average fares increase 26 percent.
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