Tuesday, January 7 2014

Portune Ruffles Fellow Democrats’ Feathers by Announcing Governor Campaign

Hamilton County Commissioner Todd Portune intends to challenge Cuyahoga County Executive Ed Fitzgerald for the primary seat in this year's gubernatorial race. Portune's move ruffled feathers of some Democrats who claim devoting resources to a primary campaign would hamper their chances of winning the November election. Portune also took a stab at Fitzgerald in an email obtained by The Cincinnati Enquirer where he claimed Fitzgerald's "lack of connection or commitment to the African American community is both amazing and appalling."
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Chez Nora in Covington Closes Its Doors

Covington jazz enthusiasts are mourning the loss of Mainstrasse staple Chez Nora this week, as the owners announced it's closing Sunday after 20 years in operation. The upscale restaurant was a popular destination for live entertainment and served a unique menu of cajun and creole faire.
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Cincinnati’s Homicide Rate Increases in 2013

An uptick in homicides in Over-the-Rhine toward the end of 2013 pushed Cincinnati's homicide rate to 15.5 per 100,000 for last year, which is more than 10 points higher than the national average of 4.7 per 100,000. New Police Chief Jeffrey Blackwell and Councilman Christopher Smitherman agreed the majority of the homicides were black-on-black and few were random in nature. Blackwell told City Council the department is "significantly short of police officers."
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BBQ Joint Coming to Over-the-Rhine from Senate Owners

Owners of Over-the-Rhine's The Senate and Abigail Street restaurants are planning to open their third restaurant along Vine Street soon. The restaurant doesn't have a name yet, but will be a barbecue joint and will serve most meals for less than $11. The BBQ restaurant will be located in the old hardware store at 1403 Vine Street and will feature a fully-stocked bar with an emphasis on cocktails crafted with bourbon.
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Neighborhood Healthcare Inc. Forced to Close Clinics

Following the loss of a federal grant which accounted for nearly 13% of its budget, Neighborhood Health Inc. was forced to close four clinics in the Greater Cincinnati area at the end of 2013. As a result, nearly 20,000 area patients will be left without access to medical services for at least the first quarter of the year. Among those affected are pregnant women receiving prenatal care and other patients suffering from severe conditions such as diabetes and chronic heart problems.
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Thursday, January 9 2014

Bengals’ Offensive Coordinator Jay Gruden Lands Head Coaching Job in Washington

The Cincinnati Bengals are in the market for a new offensive coordinator after Jay Gruden agreed to a 5-year deal to become the Washington Redskins’ head coach next season. Gruden has been with Bengals since 2011 and played a key figure in both seasons of HBO’s Hard Knocks series that focused on the Bengals in training camp. Gruden’s Bengals ranked 10th in total yards per game and sixth in points per game for the 2013 season.
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Cranky Cranley Can’t Quit Complaining about the Streetcar

City Council’s wishes be damned, John Cranley continues to berate the merits of the streetcar. Cranley threatened to replace the Southwest Ohio Regional Transit Authority board after their offer to control the streetcar’s operating costs. Cranley might want to look into his powers on that threat since City Council, not the mayor, sets SORTA appointments.
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Ohio’s Weakening Economy Could Help Kasich’s Adversaries

A report published in November showed Ohio’s unemployment rate above the national average in September and October. This news should bring some firepower to Gov. John Kasich’s adversaries during this election year. Upon taking office in 2010, Kasich claimed his tax cuts and privatization efforts would create economic growth for Ohio. The Buckeye State has dropped from 34th to 26th nationally in private-sector job growth since January 2010.
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Findlay Market is Getting Its Own Cookbook!

Building upon the success of other farm-to-table operations, such as Columbus' North Market, Farm Fresh Books has announced a deal to create a locally inspired cookbook featuring vendors and recipes from Cincinnati's best kept secret, Findlay Market. With proceeds benefitting our historic public market, the cookbook is expected to debut in the 4th quarter of 2014. No vendors have been announced yet but the stated goal is to highlight all of Findlay's incredible food vendors. Yum!
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Macy's to Lay Off 2,500 Employees

Welcome to 2014, employees! Cincinnati-based retailer Macy’s announced in a statement it will be laying off 2,500 employees in an effort to reduce costs and because of other organizational changes. The layoffs should save the mega-retailer about $100 million per year and all those affected by the layoffs will be eligible for severance. Despite the cost-cutting moves, Macy’s is planning to add staff to other positions within the company, which should keep its workforce around 175,000.
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Tuesday, January 14 2014

Cincinnati Moves to Protect Water Supply in Wake of Upstream Chemical Spill

Greater Cincinnati Water Works is proactively working to protect the city's water supply following a chemical spill originating from West Virginia. While WVXU has recently reported that the contaminants pose no threat to municipal water sources, the move to shut down water intake valves is precautionary and won't last more than a day. Currently, the city has at least 60 hours worth of water in reserve for just such an occasion.
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Judge Tracie Hunter Indicted on 8 Felony Charges

Juvenile Court Judge Tracie Hunter was indicted with eight felony charges Friday that carry a maximum prison sentence of 18 years. Hunter, who was immediately disqualified without pay by The Ohio Supreme Court, is alleged to have forged and backdated documents and of improperly helping her brother who was fired from juvenile court after punching a teen inmate. Retired County Juvenile Court Judge Tom Lipps has been appointed to help the court through April 10.
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Cincinnati About to Get a Little More Country

This summer, one week after the Bunbury, Cincinnati's Sawyer Point Park will host a second music festival catering to country music fans. The Buckle Up Music Festival is a 3 day event that looks pretty legit. Lineups will be announced on their website this week.
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Duke Energy to Alleviate Port Authority's Financial Woes

Duke Energy announced it will cut a check to the Port of Greater Cincinnati Development Authority after an article published this weekend in The Cincinnati Enquirer documenting the Authority’s financial woes. The Port Authority was designed to become the main economic-development driver in the region, but a lack of funding has impeded its efforts. Part of the monetary struggles stem from Mayor John Cranley killing the parking privatization plan, which would have given the Port Authority at least $18 million over 30 years. Duke’s donation will mainly impact Bond Hill and surrounding neighborhoods.
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Mansion in Indian Hill Burns Down

A massive, $4 million dollar mansion in Indian Hill burned to ground on Friday and may have smoldered for more than an hour before emergency personnel arrived. The lack of a sprinkler system in the home and other logistics such as a depleted water sources were major contributing factors to the devastation, which has been described as "a total loss". Luckily the occupants were not at home at the time.
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Thursday, January 16 2014

City Manager Shakes Up City Hall Leadership

Cincinnati’s acting City Manager Scott Stiles announced a big shake up in the city’s core leadership positions this week. Most notably City Solicitor John Curp will leave his current position to head up the city’s Metropolitan Sewer and Water districts. Some, including councilmembers P.G. Sittenfeld and Chris Seelbach, say the move was retribution from Mayor John Cranley as Curp favored both the parking privatization plan and the streetcar project, both of which Cranley was against. Bill Moller, a city retiree, was hired as the assistant city manager, which allows Moller to “double dip” into pension and a new city salary at $147,000.
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City Democrats Flexing Their Majority Muscle

Following the streetcar saga which threatened to divide political alliances in the city, the democratic majority in local government is banding together to embrace a slew of progressive initiatives for the coming term. Notable among them, a rejection of a recent move to repeal the city's Responsible Bidder ordinance, tax credits for a supportive housing facility in Avondale and a study focusing on disparities in how city contracts are awarded.
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Bengals Lose Another Important Coach

Another one bites the dust. On the heels of Jay Gruden leaving the Bengals to become the head coach for the Washington Redskins, defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer is packing his bags for Minnesota to become head coach for the Vikings. Zimmer has been with the Bengals since 2008. The Bengals announced former linebacker coach Paul Guenther will become the next defensive coordinator.
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We Sold Our Soul to the Company Store

In today's most depressing news, Forbes has cited a study conducted by Careerbliss.com in naming Cincinnati's workforce as the least happy in the nation. The honor is based on a number of factors, but notes that those of us slaving away in the Queen City have expressed the most pessimism with regard to growth opportunities and compensation.
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Graeter's Unveils Gelato and Low-calorie Ice Cream

Graeter’s announced two new significant product lines this week: gelato and a new ice cream targeted at those looking to save a few calories. The low-calorie product is dubbed “A Little Less Indulgent” and has 50 percent less sugar and 25 percent less fat and calories. The company boasts that its new gelato line is the “most authentic gelato found in the United States.”
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Tuesday, January 21 2014

ACLU Asks Kasich to Halt Death Penalty After Extended Execution

It took convicted killer Dennis McGuire 26 minutes to die from Ohio’s latest cocktail of drugs designed to end a person’s life. It was the first time that exact mixture of drugs has been used for the death penalty in the United States. The length of the procedure -- which was Ohio’s longest since the death penalty returned in 1999 -- prompted the American Civil Liberties Union to ask Gov. John Kasich to halt the death penalty across the state.
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The Art of Collecting Both Salary and Pension Benefits

Cranley is ready to crack down on what he calls "double-dipping", the act of receiving simultaneous salary and pension benefits from the city. The issue comes to a head as Bill Moller, a city retiree steps in to fill the assistant city manager position. Moller, having retired years ago, will be eligible to "dip twice" as it were, much to the chagrin of Cranley who once referred to the practice as "abusive".
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When You Need Strong Drink

Sometimes that 12% beer just won’t cut it. Legislation in the Ohio House would allow beer to be produced in Ohio with up to 21% alcohol. The legislation is designed for microbreweries in the state who are looking to compete with breweries in other states who are allowed to brew higher than 12%. Fewer than ten states nationwide limit the ABV in beer.
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Ed FitzGerald Taps Dayton-based Sharen Neuhardt as Running Mate

Ed FitzGerald, the Democratic frontrunner in this year’s governor race, announced he has selected Sharen Neuhardt to be his running mate. Neuhardt replaces State Sen. Eric Kearney who recently left the ticket after a string of stories shed light on some of his business-related financial problems. Neuhardt is a key defender of women’s reproductive issues, especially abortion rights. She has waged two unsuccessful runs for the U.S. House in 2008 and 2012.
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Judge Hunter Enters Plea: I’m Not Guilty

Embattled Hamilton County Juvenile Court Judge Tracie Hunter has entered a plea of 'not guilty' in connection with her recent alleged felonies. Amongst the charges, Hunter stands accused of theft, tampering with evidence, forgery and misuse of a corporate credit card. Her attorney has called the charges 'trumped up' and stipulates political motivation by her accusers.
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Thursday, January 23 2014

Streetcar Update: Pricing and Daily Commuters

Good news transit fans, the streetcar project is on budget and schedule per a recent report by project executive John Deatrick. Also noted recently were estimated consumer pricing for riding said streetcar: $1.75 for two hours and $3.50 for 24 hours. At that price point, officials have projected 3,000 daily commuters but caution that these estimates do not take special events into account.
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Bengals Ask County for Naming Rights

Since we clearly don't have enough corporate sponsorship already and the owners of the Bengals franchise haven't bled every possible cent from county taxpayers, the team now wants naming rights for Paul Brown Stadium in exchange for not opposing certain new developments at the Banks. Naming rights can be a big deal and mean big money to professional sports teams, as evidenced by Citigroup's recent $400 million dollar endorsement of the New York Met's ballpark.
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Aereo Brings Over the Air DVR Services to Cincinnati

Ushering in a new age of over-the-air broadcast access, television up-start and telecom-enemy number one, Aereo, has just launched its services in the greater Cincinnati area. Aereo provides a dedicated antennae with DVR like access to programming that you can record and playback from a variety of internet connected devices. Plans start at $8 a month for a single tuner and up to 20 hours worth of disk-space.
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Much Ado About Fracking

There hasn’t been a shortage of controversy surrounding whether or not fracking contaminates drinking water in the media lately. The environmental effects caused by the process of extracting natural gas from shale deposits is the focus of a study currently being conducted by researchers at the University of Cincinnati. The researchers are taking water samples for the Utica Shale region of Carroll County, Ohio, which is about 250 miles northeast of Cincinnati. Since 2010 Ohio has received more than 190 complaints of contaminants in drinking water.
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Oasis Rail Line Could Connect Eastern Suburbs to Downtown

If the Ohio Department of Transportation gets its way a 17-mile rail line would be constructed connecting residents living in Cincinnati’s eastern suburbs to downtown. The rail line, currently dubbed the Oasis Line, would be done in four phases, “from the Riverfront Transit Center to Montgomery Inn at the Boathouse, from the boathouse to Columbia Tusculum, from Columbia Tusculum to Fairfax/Red Bank Road, from Fairfax/Red Bank to Ancor and from Ancor to Milford,” according to the Cincinnati Business Courier. More than 3,200 people are estimated to ride the proposed line daily if it is constructed.
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Tuesday, January 28 2014

Reading, Writing, Arithmetic and… Hand Guns?

A bill approved by the Republican-controlled Ohio House would allow some school employees to carry concealed firearms at school and prohibit school boards from releasing the names of those who carry them. And just in case you thought the rules weren’t lax enough, the bill also states if your child’s gun-toting-history-teacher-turned-Dirty Harry mercenary kills someone, the rules exempt the school board and employees from liability “unless the injury, death or loss resulted from the employee’s reckless or wanton conduct.” The bill has to pass the Republican-controlled Ohio Senate and be signed by pro-gun Gov. John Kasich before it becomes law.
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Fracking Waste Could Soon be Coming to a Port Near You

Just because there aren’t many fracking locations near Cincinnati doesn’t mean we can’t join in on the fun of experimenting with questionable chemicals. The U.S. Coast Guard is deciding as to whether or not to “allow oil and gas companies to ship fracking wastewater on barges down the Ohio River,” reports WCPO. Those in favor of shipping the chemicals on our mighty Ohio River maintain that transporting the chemical-and-sand-infused byproduct would be a boon to oil and gas companies’ bottom lines since they could instead send send one barge, which would carry as much waste as 20 trucks.
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Moving the Board of Elections Could Cause Hardship on Some Voters

So Hamilton County needs a new crime lab and the Board of Elections has voiced some need in recent year to relocate, due to space. Could a mutual solution be to move the Board of Elections to the old crime lab space in Mt. Airy? Not so fast, say local democrats. The proposed move could place an undue burden on low-income voters who live downtown and lack the transportation to get out to vote come election time. Making matters worse, the county commissioners need to make a decision on this before the end of the month.
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4 Days in Cincinnati: A Photo Essay

A Los Angeles-native who was tasked to shoot a commercial in Cincinnati compiled a gorgeous photo essay detailing our fine ciy's resurgence ranging from details at the 21C Museum Hotel to everyday life in Over-the-Rhine. Do yourself a favor and click through to see what details an outsider's eye picked up in our Queen City.
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Cincinnati's Debt Increase Could Result in Creditworthiness Downgrade

The Cincinnati Enquirer published a lengthy investigation on the city’s rising debt levels, which have increased threefold in the last 20 years. One of John Cranley’s promises when running for mayor was the completion of the Interstate 71 and Martin Luther King interchange project, which the city has already borrowed $20 million to help finish the project. It’s of course unfair to blame Cranley for the city’s rising debt, but his promises certainly don’t help. Cincinnati is carrying an annual $1.1 billion debt, which means the city is paying $118 million per year in debt payments. Carrying debt isn’t necessarily a bad thing, however, but it could mean bond agencies could downgrade the city’s creditworthiness.
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Thursday, January 30 2014

Beshear: Brent Spence Replacement Is Crazy Expensive So Get Ready for Tolls

According to insiders from a closed-door meeting with Kentucky officials last week, the financial solution for replacing the aging Brent Spence bridge must include tolls. Some of the concerns voiced within the meeting spoke to an undo burden being placed on Northern KY communities so the Governor has begun to appeal to local business leaders for their support. And while the recent conversations surrounding the project seem more and more prevalent these days, an actual replacement may not come to fruition for decades.
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Ohio's Lower-income Fourth Graders Struggle to Keep Up

Four out of five of Ohio's lower-income fourth graders fall below reading proficiency standards, according to a report released by the Annie E. Casey Foundation. Higher-income fourth graders fared a bit better, however, with only 48 percent of the group falling below proficiency standards. The report comes on the heels as state officials are trying to implement the Third Grade Reading Gaurantee, which requires most Ohio third-graders to test at or above proficiency before they can advance to the fourth grade.
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Work Begins on new Anna Louise Inn Location

After a failed legal battle to remain in Lytle Park, work has begun today on the new location at Mount Auburn for the Anna Louise Inn. The Inn's owner, Cincinnati Union Bethel, lost a 2-year lawsuit with Western & Southern to keep the Inn at Lytle Park, where it has been since 1909. Western & Southern wanted the Inn moved to complete its development vision for Lytle Park. The $15-million project is expected to be completed by Spring of 2015.
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Kroger to Rollout Online Ordering

Building on the success of their recent $2.5 Billion dollar acquisition, Kroger execs are considering implementing a new online ordering service that could be tested here at home. The "Express Lane", a Harris Teeter service could be bringing a whole new level of shopping convenience to consumers. The grocery giant had reportedly been developing their own system, but shelved it when the Harris Teeter deal emerged, so as not to duplicate efforts.
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It's Getting Crowded Down Here

Yesterday, UrbanCincy detailed the large swath of new downtown residential developments slated over the next couple years, and the propositions are exciting. Everything from new hotels to swanky apartments, our urban core is about to get a whole lot more populated. This is good news for retailers in the Central Business District and Over The Rhine which are eyeing new opportunities for more restaurants, grocery stores and the like.
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