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Supporters of the streetcar project are rallying in a last-stand effort to save the streetcar from an incoming city government that's threatening to cancel the project. Supporters plan to meet today in a town hall-style meeting at 7 p.m. at the Mercantile Library, 414 Walnut St. #1100, downtown Cincinnati. Some of the supporters of the movement are residents, business owners and realtors in Over-the-Rhine who told CityBeat that canceling the project will set the city's economic momentum back. Mayor-elect John Cranley disagrees, but the decision is ultimately up to the newly elected City Council to cancel the project, and at least three of nine newly elected council members previously seen as streetcar opponents — P.G. Sittenfeld, David Mann and Kevin Flynn — told CityBeat they'd like to evaluate the costs of canceling the project and the potential return of investment versus the cost of completing construction.
City Manager Milton Dohoney will resign on Dec. 1 and receive one year of severance pay, Cranley announced yesterday. To political watchers, the news comes as very little surprise. Cranley and Dohoney disagreed on two key issues — the streetcar project and parking plan, both of which Cranley opposes and Dohoney supported and helped get off the ground. Once the new mayor and City Council take over in December, Cranley says he will appoint a yet-to-be-named interim city manager and begin looking for a permanent replacement.
Despite Saks Fifth Avenue's departure, the city intends to move forward with its plans to build a retail corridor downtown, and others have approached the city about taking Saks' space, according to Kathleen Norris, managing principal of Urban Fast Forward and the city's retail leasing consultant. Saks announced yesterday that it's closing down its downtown store and moving to Kenwood Collection. Although the move is a blow to the city, a few city officials were quick to point to other growth in downtown Cincinnati as an example of what will attract new retail outlets in the future.
A deal is nearly set to fund the $107 million interchange project at Interstate 71 and Martin Luther King Drive. As part of the deal, the Ohio Department of Transportation will pay for $52 million, and Cincinnati and the Ohio-Kentucky-Indiana Regional Council of Governments (OKI) will take a loan from the state infrastructure bank to pay for their share. OKI says it will pay for its portion of the loan through $25 million in federal funding, but it's so far unclear how the city will pay for its share of the project. The outgoing city administration intended to pay for the project through the now-canceled parking plan, which would outsource the city's parking meters, lots and garages.
Cranley says the city can get out of the parking plan without defaulting on the lease agreement with the Greater Cincinnati Port Authority, but Cranley's position is at odds with the stated opinion of officials in the outgoing city administration and Port Authority. Cranley announced on Tuesday that the parking plan will be called off once he and the new council take office in December, but it's unclear how much it will cost to break out of the plan and its various contractual obligations.
The Ohio House held a hearing yesterday for two bills that would increase safeguards for victims of domestic violence, including new housing and employment protections. CityBeat previously covered the story of Andrea Metil, a domestic violence victim who is calling for greater protections.
Only 1,150 Ohioans signed up for Obamacare through the troubled HealthCare.gov portal, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services announced yesterday. Both the Ohio-wide measure and nationwide number — 106,185 — fell far short of the federal government's expectations for the first month of enrollment. But many of the troubles are caused by technical problems that have made HealthCare.gov largely unworkable for most Americans. The federal government is working to correct the errors by December, but The Washington Post reports that the website likely won't be fully functional by then.
Meanwhile, Ohioans will be able to enroll in the now-expanded Medicaid program on Dec. 9. Republican Gov. John Kasich got the federally funded Medicaid expansion for two years through the Controlling Board, a seven-member legislative panel, despite the Republican-controlled legislature's opposition.
The Ohio House yesterday approved a bill that reforms municipal taxes, which businesses support but cities oppose. Supporters argue it will simplify the tax code so businesses can more easily work around the state and from county to county, but opponents claim it will reduce how much revenue cities receive.
Kasich temporarily delayed convicted child killer Ronald Phillips's execution so Phillips can donate his non-vital organs to his mother and possibly others.
Cincinnati-based Procter & Gamble is shuffling some of its top positions.
Here is how Mars might have looked 4 billion years ago.
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Mayor-elect John Cranley and the newly elected City Council announced on Tuesday that, upon taking office in December, they will terminate the city's plan to lease its parking meters, lots and garages to the Greater Cincinnati Port Authority, following an agreement with the Port Authority to hold off on a bond sale that would have financed — and effectively sealed — the deal. But it remains unclear how much it will cost to terminate the plan, default on the lease agreement with the Port Authority and allow the Port to break its contracts with private companies that would have operated the assets under the deal. The current city administration argues the parking plan is necessary to help balance the budget over the next two years, pay for economic development projects around the city and modernize the city's parking assets so, for example, parking meters can accept credit card payments. Opponents argue the plan gives up too much control over the city's parking assets by outsourcing their operations to private companies based around the country.
But some business leaders are upset with the death of the parking plan because it leaves no visible alternative for funding major development projects like the interchange at Interstate 71 and Martin Luther King Drive.
Cranley now says he will not allow a referendum on any ordinance undoing the streetcar project and will instead try to work with supporters of the project to find another way to put it on the ballot if they can gather enough petition signatures. Cranley says blocking a referendum is necessary to avoid spending money during a referendum campaign that could last months. But for supporters of the streetcar, Cranley's decision seems highly hypocritical following his repeated praise for the "people's sacred right of referendum" on the campaign trail after City Council blocked a referendum on the parking plan. If the project is placed on the ballot, it will essentially be the third time it's brought to a public vote; opponents of the project in 2009 and 2011 pursued two ballot initiatives that many saw as referendums on the streetcar.
Meanwhile, Over-the-Rhine businesses and residents yesterday officially launched a campaign to save the streetcar project from Cranley and a newly elected City Council that appears poised to cancel the project. Touting the project's potential return on investment and cancellation costs, the group plans to lobby newly elected officials to vote in favor of keeping the project going. The group invited Cranley and all elected council members to join them at a town hall-style meeting on Nov. 14 at the Mercantile Library, where supporters will discuss their path forward. So far, supporters have publicly discussed a concerted lobbying effort, a ballot initiative if council passes an ordinance undoing the streetcar project and possible legal action against the city.
The Cincinnati Enquirer's editorial board is apparently unpleasantly surprised that Cranley undid the parking plan, even though the board endorsed Cranley for mayor after he ran in opposition to the parking plan for nearly a year.
An Ohio Senate bill caps the spending ability of the Controlling Board, a seven-member legislative board that previously approved the federally funded Medicaid expansion despite the Ohio legislature's opposition. Gov. John Kasich angered many Republican legislators when he decided to go through the Controlling Board to get the Medicaid expansion, which is a major part of Obamacare.
Meanwhile, the Ohio legislature is working on changes to Medicaid that would cap future cost increases and employ professional staff for a Joint Medicaid Oversight Committee that would have the ability to review Medicaid programs and agencies. The bill also includes a portion that clarifies its passage "shall not be construed with endorsing, validating or otherwise approving the (Medicaid) expansion."
Despite attempts from city officials and local business leaders, Saks Fifth Avenue is leaving downtown to open a store at Kenwood Collection.
Kentucky's state auditor will look at the Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport board's spending policies and expenses, following reports from The Enquirer that the board spent exorbitant amounts on travel, dining and counseling.
The Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals denied the Milford-Miami Advertiser's request to appeal a 2012 ruling that charged the Gannett-owned suburban weekly with defamation and ordered the paper to pay the defamed plaintiff $100,000 in damages. In a story titled "Cop's suspension called best move for city," the newspaper wrongly implicated a Miami Township police officer who was previously accused but later exonerated of sexual assault.
Attorney General Mike DeWine warns that some typhoon relief requests could be scams.
Not satisfied with the mere wonder of beginning to exist, some stars explode in a rainbow of colors when they're born.
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Dozens of residents and business owners gathered in Over-the-Rhine on Tuesday to launch a campaign that seeks to persuade Mayor-elect John Cranley and the newly elected City Council to support the $133 million streetcar project.
Attendees included Ryan Messer, who used his life savings to renovate his home in Over-the-Rhine; Derek Bauman, co-chair of Cincinnatians for Progress; Jean-Francois Flechet, owner of the Taste of Belgium; and Derek dos Anjos, owner of The Anchor.
"We're here today to keep the conversation going outside of political rhetoric and partisan politics," Messer said. "Simply put, the streetcar is a component of Cincinnati economic development, and it's a project that grows the whole city — not just an urban core, which, by the way, is an important part of developing this region."
The group intends to lobby Cranley and the newly elected council, which appear poised to cancel the project when they take office in December.
At least three of nine elected council members — P.G. Sittenfeld, David Mann and Kevin Flynn — have told media outlets that they want a full accounting of the project before making a final decision. Another three — Chris Seelbach, Yvette Simpson and Wendell Young — are on the record as supporting the project. The final three — Christopher Smitherman, Charlie Winburn and Amy Murray — adamantly opposed the project in the past.
Members of the pro-streetcar group invited Cranley and all elected council members to join them at a town hall-style meeting on Nov. 14 at the Mercantile Library, where supporters will discuss their path forward. So far, supporters have publicly discussed a concerted lobbying effort, a referendum if council passes an ordinance undoing the streetcar project and possible legal action.
As CityBeat first uncovered, the costs of canceling the project are currently unknown, and some of the costs could actually fall on the operating budget that pays for police, firefighters and human services instead of the capital budget that is currently financing the streetcar project.
Much of the uncertainty falls on ongoing construction for the streetcar, which has continued despite the newly elected city government's intent to stop the project. As of September, the city spent $23 million on the project and contractually obligated $94 million, some of which city officials say will need to be paid back even if the project were canceled.
The U.S. Department of Transportation also told city officials in a June 19 letter that nearly $41 million of nearly $45 million in federal grants would need to be returned if the project were terminated.
Supporters also claim Cincinnati would be giving up a 2.7-to-1 return on investment over 35 years if the city abandoned the streetcar now. That estimate is derived from a 2007 study conducted by consulting firm HDR, which was evaluated and supported by the University of Cincinnati.
Project executive John Deatrick says the HDR study is now outdated and the city is working on updating the numbers. Still, Deatrick says the project is intended to spur economic development, not just provide another form of public transportation.
The Nov. 13 issue of CityBeat will give a more in-depth look at the campaign to save the streetcar and some of the people involved in the movement.
As of Friday, Cincinnati's winter shelter still needs $43,000 out of the $75,000 required to open from late December through February. That means hundreds of homeless people could be left out in the cold — literally — for at least a month longer than usual if the shelter doesn't get more donations. According to Spring, the goal each night is to shelter 91 people, although the number can fluctuate depending on the circumstances. For its run between late 2012 and early 2013, the winter shelter housed roughly 600 people, or about $125 a person. Anyone can donate to the winter shelter — and Drop Inn Center — at tinyurl.com/WinterShelterCincinnati. To contribute specifically to the winter shelter, type in "winter shelter" in the text box below "Designation (Optional)."
Officials involved with the $133 million streetcar project are considering around-the-clock work for certain days to speed up delivery of rail and minimize disruptions at busy streets around Over-the-Rhine. The third shifts would reduce the time needed to deliver and install rails around Findlay Market and Liberty Street from one week to a couple days at each location, which would allow the city to avoid closing down surrounding streets beyond a weekend or Monday and Tuesday, according to project executive John Deatrick. He says the extra work is absolutely not related to recent discussions about canceling the project.
The new school funding formula approved by Republican Gov. John Kasich and the Republican-controlled General Assembly means high-minority schools get less state aid than schools with less diversity. Southwest Ohio's 10 most diverse school districts will average $3,837 in state aid per student, while the 10 least diverse districts will average $4,027 per student. The finding is just the latest controversy for a school funding formula that is supposed to make state aid to schools more equitable. CityBeat covered some of the prior concerns in further detail here.
Despite Mayor-elect John Cranley's insistence that the streetcar conversation "is over," The Cincinnati Enquirer continues getting messages in support of the project. Supporters of the streetcar plan to launch a campaign this week to lobby council members and Cranley to back the project. The campaign will begin on Thursday with a town hall-style meeting particularly aimed at stakeholders along the streetcar route. The location and specific time should be announced later today or tomorrow.
Still, as Chris Wetterich of The Business Courier writes, it is unlikely Cranley will break his promise on the streetcar.
That means it might be up to the three swing votes on City Council —
P.G. Sittenfeld, David Mann and Kevin Flynn — or a referendum to save the project.
The Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport spent nearly $120,000 since July on coaching and job evaluation services for its board and CEO, according to The Cincinnati Enquirer. That's on top of the $140,000 the board spent on travel, conferences and expensive dinners since 2011. Following the disclosures, local leaders have called for leadership changes at the board.
Cincinnati-area businesses only have until Nov. 15 to garner enough votes to enter into a competition hosted by Chase Bank that will divide $3 million among 12 small businesses across the country.
The Greater Cincinnati Port Authority's expansion plans already received approval from Hamilton, Brown, Adams, Scioto and Boone counties. The plan expands the Port Authority's boundaries from 26 miles to 205 miles along the Ohio River, which the Port says will make the agency more attractive to businesses.
At least 41 percent of 1,600 new apartments in and near downtown are receiving aid from the city of Cincinnati. City officials say the aid helps continue Cincinnati's economic momentum and urban revitalization. But critics say more aid should go to low-income housing and other Cincinnati neighborhoods.
Virtual Community School of Ohio, an online charter school, didn't follow rules for educating students with disabilities. CityBeat covered online schools and the controversy surrounding them in further detail here.
Ohio gas prices are down 17 cents per gallon this week.
Cranley has inspired some interesting parody accounts on Twitter.
As if they weren't terrifying enough, drug-resistant "superbugs" can show up in animals.
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Officials working on the $133 million streetcar project are considering taking up extra shifts to speed up delivery of new rail and minimize disruptions caused by construction, project executive John Deatrick told CityBeat on Friday.
If it goes as planned, the extra shifts would reduce the time needed to deliver and install rails around Findlay Market and Liberty Street from one week to a couple days at each location. That would allow the city to avoid closing down surrounding streets for more than a weekend or a Monday and Tuesday, according to Deatrick.
"The main reason isn't to speed it up," he says. "The main reason is it would minimize the impact on the motoring public, walking public and biking public."
Deatrick insists the move is absolutely not related to recent election results that have called the project's survival into question.
One of Mayor-elect John Cranley's top priorities upon taking office in December is canceling the streetcar project, which he says isn't worth the cost and the wrong priority for Cincinnati. He says the outgoing city administration is continuing construction of the streetcar in "a political manner" and running up the bill to make canceling the project more difficult.
But Deatrick claims the 24-hour shifts won't add much in the way of new costs. He says contractors currently bill the city about $1.5 million each month and that should continue into the future.
As of September, the city had already spent $23 million and contractually obligated another $94 million to the project. The obligations, along with the threat of litigation from contractors involved in the project and taxpayers and businesses along the streetcar track, have raised concerns about how much canceling the project would cost — and whether it's even financially prudent at this point.
A small group of Over-the-Rhine homeowners is preparing for a possible lawsuit and other actions should Mayor-elect John Cranley try to cancel the $133 million streetcar project. Ryan Messer says the fight is about protecting his family's investment along the streetcar route. Streetcar supporters plan to host a town hall-style meeting in the coming weeks to discuss possible actions to keep the project on track, including a referendum effort on any legislation that halts construction of the ongoing project. While Cranley says canceling the streetcar is at the top of the agenda, questions remain about how much it would cost to cancel the project, as CityBeat covered in further detail here and here.
As Cincinnati debates canceling the streetcar project, the Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) is evaluating transit systems around the state to encourage more efficiency and cost effectiveness. The agency is particularly focused on how different transit services are dealing with rising demand and shrinking budgets. But if that's the case, ODOT might carry some of the blame: When Gov. John Kasich took office, ODOT's Transportation Review Advisory Council pulled $52 million from the Cincinnati streetcar project despite previously scoring the streetcar the highest among Ohio's transportation projects. The Kasich administration also refused $400 million in federal funding for a statewide passenger light rail system, and the money ended up going to California and other states that took on light rail projects.
Cranley's other major campaign promise is to stop the city's plan to lease its parking meters, lots and garages to the Greater Cincinnati Port Authority, but the Port intends to finalize the lease by the end of the month — before Cranley takes office in December — by selling bonds that will finance the deal. The outgoing city administration pushed the parking plan through City Council in a matter of months for an upfront payment of $92 million. But following unsuccessful litigation and a due diligence process, the Port Authority cut the payment to $85 million, and the city is now responsible for paying $14-$15 million to build a new parking garage that the Port was originally supposed to finance under the deal. Cranley and other opponents of the parking plan say it gives up too much control over the city's parking assets, while supporters argue it's necessary to modernize the assets and help fund economic development projects.
Several of Cincinnati's power brokers and building owners are working on a plan that would create a retail corridor in the city's center and hopefully keep Saks Fifth Avenue in the city. Some of the efforts apparently involve financial incentives from the city, according to details provided to the Business Courier.
In the past decade, Ohio students have shown limited improvement in reading and math scores.
The Cincinnati area could become the largest metropolitan area without an abortion clinic following new regulations imposed by the state budget signed into law in June by Gov. Kasich and the Republican-controlled legislature. CityBeat covered the regulations and the rest of the state budget in further detail here.
The Hamilton County Association of Chiefs of Police released a report outlining stricter guidelines for Taser use. Attorney Al Gerhardstein, who has led lawsuits on behalf of families who lost loved ones after they were Tased, told WVXU he's encouraged by the report, but he said he would also require annual tests of the devices and a ban on chest shots.
The Cincinnati branch of the Council on American-Islamic Relations is filing a federal complaint against the DHL Global Mail facility in Hebron, Ky., after DHL allegedly fired 24 of its employees on Oct. 9 in a dispute over prayer breaks.
Cincinnati's Horseshoe Casino reported $18.2 million in gross revenue in October, down from $19.8 million in September. The revenue reduction also cost Cincinnati's casino the No. 1 spot, which is now held by Cleveland's Horseshoe Casino. For Cincinnati and Ohio, the drop means lower tax revenue.
The Cincinnati Gay and Lesbian Center plans to close its physical space, but it's sticking around as a virtual organization and will continue hosting Pride Night at Kings Island. A letter from the center's board of directors stated that the transition was based on a need to "evolve with the times."
The U.S. Senate passed a bill that would ban discrimination against gay and transgendered workers, but the bill's chances are grim in the U.S. House of Representatives. Both Ohio senators — Democrat Sherrod Brown and Republican Rob Portman — voted in favor of the Senate bill. CityBeat previously covered efforts in Ohio to pass workplace protections for LGBT individuals here.
Watch a homeless veteran's aesthetic transformation, which apparently helped push his life forward:
The popular video of a baby's reaction to his singing mom might actually show conflicting feelings of fear and sociality, not sentimentality.
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While Cincinnati's $133 million streetcar project remains in limbo, the Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) is taking a deep look at the state's existing transit systems to encourage more efficiency and cost effectiveness.
Specifically, ODOT says the "Ohio Statewide Transit Needs Study" is necessary to evaluate the performance of different transit systems around the state as demand grows and budgets shrink.
"Travel trends show that there is a definite rise in the need for convenient, affordable public transportation to jobs, medical appointments, shopping and recreational activities. Our transit agencies are struggling to fund this existing service, let alone meet the increased demand," ODOT's website states.
Starting the last week of October, ODOT began sending out rider surveys to people who use transit services to collect their thoughts on current services and input on possible improvements. The surveys are being conducted with the help of 61 transit agencies around Ohio, and ODOT expects to complete them in mid-November.
"The rider survey is just the first step of our public outreach and technical effort," said Marianne Freed, administrator of ODOT's Office of Transit, in a statement. "Our goal is to evaluate the unique transportation needs for communities statewide, whether it's a large city or a rural county."
The ultimate goal, according to ODOT, is "to develop a long-term strategy to determine how to best stretch limited dollars while meeting the demands of Ohio's riders today and in the future."
ODOT will release the study's findings at www.TransitNeedsStudy.ohio.gov.
If ODOT does find inadequate budgets for rising demand, the agency also might find itself partly culpable.
It was ODOT's Transportation Review Advisory Council that pulled $52 million in federal funding from the streetcar project once Gov. John Kasich came into office, even though the project previously received the highest score among transportation projects in the state. The massive cut forced local officials to scale back the original streetcar line and seek other federal funds.
Kasich also declined $400 million in federal funds for the 3C passenger rail line, which would have connected Cincinnati, Dayton, Columbus and Cleveland. The federal funds ended up going to California and other states that embraced light rail, The Plain Dealer previously reported.
ODOT's study also arrives as Cincinnati debates its own transit needs. On Tuesday, the city elected a mayor and City Council majority that opposes to the ongoing streetcar project.
If the streetcar project is canceled, it wouldn't be the first time Cincinnati gave up on a new transit system in the middle of construction. The city also pulled out of building a subway system in the 1920s. The defunct subway tunnels now serve as a tourist attraction.
The subway failure and political threats to the streetcar project are two of the reasons Urbanophile, a national urbanist blog, described Cincinnati's culture as "one of smug self-regard and self-sabotage" in a blog post on Thursday.
At a press conference on Wednesday, Mayor-elect John Cranley denied that Cincinnati holds an anti-transit mentality. Cranley pointed out that local voters in the 1970s decided to increase their earnings tax to support the Metro bus system. He says it comes down to weighing the costs and benefits.
Mayor-elect John Cranley laid out his plans and priorities for his first term at his first press conference yesterday. Cranley says two of his top priorities are undoing the $133 million streetcar project and parking plan, which would lease the city's parking meters, lots and garages to the Greater Cincinnati Port Authority. He also spoke on some of his more positive ideas, including the interchange project at Interstate 71 and Martin Luther King Drive, 3CDC-style public-private partnerships to revitalize neighborhoods and development of the Wasson Way bike trail, old Swifton Commons and Westwood Square.
It remains unclear how much it would cost to actually cancel the streetcar project. As of September's monthly progress report, $94 million is tied to contractual obligations, $23 million is already spent and nearly $45 million in federal grants is still attached to the project. And if contractors, subcontractors and taxpayers sue the city to complete the project, it could impose litigation costs on the operating budget instead of the capital budget currently financing construction. Supporters of the streetcar also say cancellation could tarnish relationships with the federal government and contractors, which have a stake in the project's completion. At his press conference yesterday, Cranley said he'd weigh the costs and benefits of cancellation and would continue the project if he deems it cheaper.
Meanwhile, Cranley might travel to Washington, D.C., to discuss reprogramming nearly $45 million in federal grants from the streetcar project to the I-71/MLK interchange project. In a June 19 letter, the U.S. Department of Transportation claimed it would take back nearly $41 million of the grant money if the streetcar project were canceled. City officials say they've already spent $2 million from the grants on the streetcar project, and, according to city spokesperson Meg Olberding, that would need to be repaid through the operating budget if the project were terminated.Gov. John Kasich and the Ohio legislature passed a bill that imposes new restrictions on minor political parties trying to get on the state ballot. The requirements force minor parties to meet higher petition signature and voting thresholds to get and remain on the ballot. Ohio Libertarians say they plan to sue to block the changes from becoming law in 90 days. Democrats and minor parties say the changes are meant to protect Kasich's chances of re-election in 2014; they argue that, without the new requirements, tea party challengers upset with Kasich over his support for the federally funded Medicaid expansion could take away enough votes and spoil the election in favor of a Democrat. CityBeat covered the Senate version of the bill in further detail here.
Hamilton County commissioners yesterday unanimously approved the first budget in six years that didn't require major cuts or revenue increases to achieve balance, but the budget also had very little in terms of new policies. Commissioners also approved a separate plan from the Port Authority, a city- and county-funded development agency, to expand its borders; the Port now needs to work out agreements with other jurisdictions before the expansion becomes official.
Janitors in Cincinnati are striking against New York City-based ABM in a push for wage hikes and health benefits. In supporting the efforts, Councilman Chris Seelbach says the strike and media attention surrounding it should hopefully put pressure on Cincinnati's Fortune 500 companies that hire ABM to clean their buildings.
Commentary: "Republicans Continue Denying Social Progress."
After only 28.8 percent of registered Cincinnati voters participated in the mayoral and City Council elections, The Cincinnati Enquirer asked those who didn't show up to vote to explain themselves. The answers ranged from total apathy toward the streetcar project to disdain and distrust for the city's government and political system.
Voters on Tuesday approved more than half of Ohio school levies.
The University of Cincinnati yesterday signed an agreement that will increase collaboration with NASA.
Blockbuster is closing down its remaining company-owned stores in the United States.
Biking in traffic can have some complicated results as bikers breathe in traffic exhaust.
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Mayor-elect John Cranley invited reporters to his home in Mt. Lookout on Wednesday to discuss his plan and priorities for his first term as mayor of Cincinnati.
Cranley claims the invitation to his house represents the kind of accessible, transparent leadership he'll take up when he begins his term on Dec. 1.
Speaking on his immediate priorities, Cranley says he already contacted the nine newly elected council members and intends to build more collaboration with all sides of the aisle, which will include a mix of five Democrats, two Republicans, one Charterite and one Independent starting in December.
One of Cranley's top priorities is to cancel the $133 million streetcar project, which Cranley and six newly elected council members oppose. He also argues that the city should stop spending on ongoing construction for the project.
"Seriously, look at who got elected yesterday. At some point, this is a democracy. We shouldn't be agitating voters like this," Cranley says. "Let's not keep spending money when it looks like the clear majority and the clear mandate of yesterday's election was going in a different direction."
But in response to recent reports that canceling the streetcar project could carry its own set of unknown costs, he says he will weigh the costs and benefits before making a final decision. If the cost of cancellation is too high, Cranley acknowledges he would pull back his opposition to the project.
Canceling the streetcar project would also require an ordinance from City Council.
Mike Moroski, who on Tuesday lost in his bid for a council seat, already announced on Twitter
that he's gathering petition signatures for a referendum to prevent the project's cancellation.
Cranley promises he won't stop a referendum effort by
placing an emergency clause on an ordinance that cancels the project, but he expressed doubt that a referendum would succeed.
On the current city administration's plan to lease the city's parking meters, lots and garages to the Greater Cincinnati Port Authority, Cranley says he will work with fellow lawyers David Mann and Kevin Flynn, both of who won seats for council on Tuesday, to find a way to cancel the deal.
But that could prove tricky with the lease agreement already signed by the city and Port Authority, especially as the Port works to sell bonds — perhaps before Cranley takes office — to finance the deal and the $85 million payment the city will receive as a result.
Cranley also promises to make various development projects his top priority, particularly the interchange for Interstate 71 and Martin Luther King Drive. He says he will lobby White House officials to re-appropriate nearly $45 million in federal grant money for the streetcar project to the interchange project, even though the U.S. Department of Transportation told the city in a June 19 letter that it would take back nearly $41 million of its grant money if the streetcar project were canceled.
Cranley vows he will also work with local businesses to leverage public and private dollars to spur investment in Cincinnati's neighborhoods — similar to what the city did with Over-the-Rhine and downtown by working with 3CDC (Cincinnati Center City Development Corporation).
"We want to have some big early wins," Cranley says. "We want to get moving within a year on the Wasson Way bike trail, see significant progress at the old Swifton Commons and see Westwood Square developed."
He adds, "And we intend to reverse the one-trash-can policy, which I think is a horrible policy. … There have been several stories about illegal dumping that have resulted from that."
Cincinnati's pension system and its $862-million-plus unfunded liability also remain a top concern for city officials. Cranley says he will tap Councilman Chris Smitherman to help bring costs in line, but no specifics on a plan were given.
Voters on Tuesday elected John Cranley to the mayor's office and six council members — out of nine total — who oppose the streetcar project, giving streetcar opponents enough votes to cancel the project once the new government takes power on Dec. 1.
But, as first reported by CityBeat on Oct. 9, cancellation could carry all sorts of costs with $94 million tied to contractual obligations, including supply orders and other expenses from contractors and subcontractors, and $23 million already sunk on the project.
If the city were to cancel, it would also need to return nearly $41 million in grants to the federal government, according to a June 19 letter from the U.S. Department of Transportation.
Canceling the project would cost jobs as well. About 150 laborers are currently working on the project, according to Deatrick. He says there's also management positions involved, but he couldn't offer an estimate for those jobs and whether they're working on the project full- or part-time.
Deatrick says that it's difficult to pin down how much cancellation would ultimately cost because the issue would likely be worked through litigation as the city tries to minimize cancellation costs and developers — such as Messer Construction, Prus Construction, Delta Railroad and CAF USA — attempt to maximize what they recoup from the project.
Another concern, according to Olberding, is cancellation's impact on the operating budget. She says the roughly $2 million in federal grant money already spent on the project would have to come out of the operating budget, and litigation costs would come from the operating budget as well.
The capital budget, which is financed through bonds and other forms of debt, pays for capital projects like the streetcar. The operating budget typically goes toward day-to-day operations, including police, firefighters and human services.
The operating budget has been structurally imbalanced since 2001. If millions in litigation costs and repayments to the federal government are added to it, the city could be forced to cut services and jobs or raise taxes.
There are also concerns about how the federal government and Cincinnati's business partners would react to the cancellation of such a major project. Vice Mayor Roxanne Qualls, Cranley's opponent in the mayoral race, previously told CityBeat that pulling back on a commitment could break the faith developers and the feds placed in Cincinnati when they agreed to take on the streetcar project.
Cranley and other anti-streetcar elects argue the long-term costs — the $88 million in the capital budget for the current phase of the project, the cost of future expansion and $3-4 million that it would cost to operate the streetcar annually — outweigh even the costs of cancellation.
Cranley previously told CityBeat that he would help developers involved in the project find other work in the city to recoup the revenue lost from the project's cancellation. He says Messer and Prus in particular are based in and already work heavily in Cincinnati, so it's unlikely they would try to cut ties with the city.
Streetcar supporters aren't convinced. If the city pulls out of such a big commitment, officials argue both the federal government and developers could be compelled to look for a more reliable source for future work.
Meanwhile, Deatrick says current construction work is progressing on time and within budget. He expects the track on Elm Street to be laid down between 12th and Henry streets by the end of the year.
As for the next phase of the project, Deatrick says there's still no estimated cost. He attributes much of the project's current political problems to construction bids coming in over budget earlier in the year — a turn of events that led City Council to put another $17.5 million to the streetcar project — so he says the city needs to be really careful with future estimates if it decides to expand the streetcar system.
Despite the fresh political threats, the city still intends to conduct meetings with businesses on Nov. 14 and 18 about the benefits of the streetcar. Deatrick says those meetings should show the economic benefits of the rail line that go beyond the streetcar's use as a transit network.
Supporters of the streetcar often point to those benefits as their reasoning for backing the project. Citing a 2007 study from consulting firm HDR that was later evaluated and supported by the University of Cincinnati, supporters say the streetcar project would produce a three-to-one return on investment.
Deatrick acknowledges those projections are now outdated, given all the changes the project has gone through since 2007. He says the city has people working on updating the numbers and looking at other economic effects the HDR study may have missed.
But opponents of the streetcar project say it's simply too expensive and the wrong priority for Cincinnati. Still, the potentially high cost of cancellation could prove a bigger fiscal concern.
Either way, Cincinnati should find out the full consequences to the project in December.
Though you'll be waiting a while if you try to catch one any time soon, riders now have an idea of exactly what times they'll be able to catch the coming streetcar when it starts picking up passengers in September.
Cincinnati City Council's Major Transportation and Regional Cooperation Committee approved operating hours presented by the Southwest Ohio Regional Transit Authority at its Jan. 5 meeting. That sets up full Council to approve those hours as soon as Jan. 6.
The streetcar will run Monday through Thursday from 6:30 a.m. until midnight and from 6:30 a.m. to 1 a.m. on Friday. On Saturday, the cars will run the 3.6-mile loop through Over-the-Rhine and downtown from 8 a.m. until 1 a.m. On Sundays and holidays, the transit vehicles will run from 9 a.m. to 11 p.m.
The cars will run every 12 minutes during peak operating hours, which SORTA suggests will be Monday through Friday 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. All other times, the cars will run every 15 minutes.
"We tried to build a schedule that would address a lot of concerns" raised at past City Council meetings and in public forums, says SORTA's director of rail services Paul Grether. Those concerns mostly revolved around consistent start times for the vehicles, hours early enough for commuters to get to work and late operating hours to serve patrons of bars and restaurants in OTR and downtown.
Earlier suggestions for operating hours started later and ended earlier, except on weekends, when it would have run until 2 a.m.
Council members on the committee seemed satisfied with the schedule.
"We've had people downtown from the bars and nightlife places who have said how they'd like it to stay open late," Transportation Committee Chair Amy Murray said at the Jan. 5 meeting. "And we've also talked to early-morning businesses to see what time the peak morning time is. I think this really sets it up. It seems like this really captures what people have been asking for."
SORTA officials say seasonal schedules are possible, if necessary, and that data will be collected to track ridership trends. Three or four times a year, the transit agency will decide whether hours need to be adjusted. Major changes in the schedule would require public hearings, but unless those changes shift the amount of money being spent, no federal approval is needed.
"Our schedule really does depend on how the people of Cincinnati utilize the streetcar," said Councilman Kevin Flynn, the surprise swing vote who allowed the streetcar to go forward during a dramatic showdown between council and Mayor John Cranley in 2013. "The beauty of the contracts are that there is that flexibility. Once we see what the ridership numbers are, these times can be adjusted within reason."
One thing riders shouldn't count on — catching a ride on the streetcar after closing down the bar. Bars' 2 a.m. closing time was a concern brought up by some in public hearings, but late-night partiers will have to take a cab or use a ride sharing service.
"This is not, for lack of a better word, a drunk bus," Councilwoman Yvette Simspon said.
The Southwest Ohio Regional Transit Authority today released the dollar amounts for the two lowest bids for the first ten years of streetcar operations. The names of the bidding companies were not released, per SORTA's assertion that it would compromise the competitive bidding process. You can read the bids here.
One bid, called the management scenario, would involve a management company using SORTA employees in the Amalgamated Transit Union to run the streetcar, while another, called the turnkey scenario, would let the management company hire its own employees.
The bids look to be politically tricky for Democratic streetcar supporters, who have pushed hard for a union-friendly contract. The turnkey scenario comes in just under the $47,088,828 the city has said it wants to spend over the first ten years of the streetcar at $46,972,813. The management scenario, however, comes in over that amount at $54,933,160. In the first year, the management contract exceeds the streetcar's $4.2 million budget by $500,000, while the turnkey proposal comes in about $160,000 under budget. The bids give numbers for a five-year contract plus an optional five-year extension.
Mayor John Cranley, who campaigned on opposition to the streetcar, has said he supports cutting frequency of service for the streetcar should it go over budget. However, he and other Democrats on Cincinnati City Council support the management bid because it would utilize unionized employees.
Some of the cost overruns in the management bid are attributable to benefits packages offered to union employees. However, employees under the management scenario wouldn't be eligible for state pensions. The ATU could unionize the turnkey bidder's selected employees after they are hired, however, though they still wouldn't get the state pensions.
Cincinnati City Council looks poised to vote on the two options next week.
An anti-gentrification organization says development in southern Over-the-Rhine and downtown is leaving out low- and middle-income residents. The People's Coalition for Equality and Justice (TPCEJ) cautions it's not against development, but it supports policies that would seek to help more people take advantage of the revitalization of Over-the-Rhine and downtown, such as more affordable housing, protections for renters' rights, rent control and the formation of tenants' unions. The agency behind much of the development in Over-the-Rhine and downtown, 3CDC (Cincinnati Center City Development Corporation), says "people tend to over-romanticize what this neighborhood was" and points to some examples of 3CDC-developed affordable housing as evidence the agency is trying to keep the neighborhood mixed-income.Related: Some studies found gentrification could benefit longtime residents.
A two-hour streetcar pass could cost $1.75, and a 24-hour pass could cost $3.50, according to a new model unveiled yesterday by Paul Grether, Metro's rail manager. The same model set streetcar operating hours at Sunday-Thursday 6 a.m.-10 p.m. and Friday-Saturday 6 a.m.-midnight. Under the model, city officials expect 3,000 daily boardings, but Grether cautioned that's a very conservative estimate and excludes special events, such as Reds and Bengals games.But the City Council-enforced streetcar delay could cost more than expected after the steel company originally contracted for the $132.8 million project took another job while council members decided the fate of the project. Streetcar Project Executive John Deatrick told council the company's decision could push construction of a maintenance facility by two months if the city doesn't hire a steel supplier from outside the region.
Democratic gubernatorial candidate Ed FitzGerald yesterday clarified he supports the death penalty, which aligns him with his Republican opponent, incumbent John Kasich, on the issue. FitzGerald's remark comes after the debate over the death penalty re-ignited in Ohio following the execution of convicted killer and rapist Dennis McGuire, who took 26 minutes to die after state officials used a new cocktail of drugs never tried before in the United States. The Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction told CityBeat it's reviewing McGuire's death, as it does following every execution.
Commentary: "Death Penalty Brings More Costs than Benefits."
After receiving support from family planning services and abortion provider Planned Parenthood, Democrats running for Ohio's executive offices re-emphasized their support for abortion rights.
Hamilton County Commissioner Todd Portune will announce
today whether he'll challenge FitzGerald's gubernatorial campaign in a
Democratic primary. (Update: Despite previously telling The Cincinnati Enquirer he already made up his mind, Portune canceled his announcement and said he has no final decision yet, according to Carl Weiser, politics editor at The Enquirer.)
Hamilton County commissioners showed openness to keeping some early voting downtown even if the county moves its Board of Elections to a Mount Airy facility. Moving the board along with the county's crime lab would allow commissioners to consolidate government services.Cincinnati's economy should grow faster than previously expected, one economist says.
Plan Cincinnati, the city's master comprehensive plan, won a national planning award. CityBeat previously covered the master plan in further detail here.
Ten major projects worth more than $1.4 billion are in the planning stages or underway in Greater Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky.
Ohio meets voting standards set by President Barack Obama's bipartisan election commission, with the one exception of online voter registration, according to Republican Secretary of State Jon Husted.
Attorney General Mike DeWine yesterday announced the creation of a statewide taskforce to combat heroin abuse.
Virtual reality could help people see what gender swaps would be like.
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Riding the streetcar will cost $1.75 for two hours and $3.50 for 24 hours, according to a model unveiled Wednesday by Paul Grether, Metro's rail manager.
The model also set streetcar operating hours at Sunday-Thursday 6 a.m.-10 p.m. and Friday-Saturday 6 a.m.-midnight.
Under the model, the streetcar should sustain 3,000 daily boardings, Grether said. But that estimate is very conservative and excludes special events, such as Reds and Bengals games, he cautioned.
Grether presented the projections during a presentation at City Council's Major Transportation and Regional Cooperation Committee.
Streetcar Project Executive John Deatrick also released numbers that show the project remains on budget and time.
But Deatrick warned council members of one potential hurdle: The originally contracted steel supplier took another job after City Council delayed the streetcar project for three weeks, which could force the city to delay construction of a maintenance facility for two months or hire a steel supplier outside the region.
City officials also said they are looking at potential funding avenues for the next phase of the streetcar project, which would establish a rail line from Findlay Market up the Vine Street hill. The goal, they said, is to clear up any misconceptions about what the next phase of the project would cost.
The latest federal budget allocated $600 million in TIGER grants and $2 billion in Federal Transit Administration New/Small Starts grants that could go to a future phase of the streetcar project.
City Council would need to approve the next phase of the streetcar project before it could move forward.
At first glance, it might seem like a rail line between downtown Cincinnati and the city of Milford would earn support from the same people who back the $132.8 million streetcar project, but streetcar supporters, including advocacy group Cincinnatians for Progress, say they oppose the idea and its execution.
Critics of the overall project, called the Eastern Corridor, recently pointed to a November study from HDR. Despite flowery language promising a maximized investment, HDR found seven of 10 stations on the $230-$322 million Oasis rail line would result in low economic development, five of 10 stations would provide low access to buses and bikes, and the intercity line would achieve only 3,440 daily riders by 2030.
HDR's findings for the Oasis line stand in sharp contrast to its study of Cincinnati's streetcar project. The firm found the streetcar line in Over-the-Rhine and downtown would generate major economic development and a 2.7-to-1 return on investment over 35 years.
Given the poor results for the Oasis line, streetcar
supporters say local officials should ditch the Oasis concept and
instead pursue the 2002 MetroMoves plan and an expansion of the
streetcar system through a piecemeal approach that would create a central transit spine through the region.
"To have (the Oasis line) be our first commuter rail piece in Cincinnati … just doesn't make sense to me," says Derek Bauman, co-chair of Cincinnatians for Progress.
MetroMoves spans across the entire city and region, with the rail line along I-71 from Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport to downtown Cincinnati to King's Island fostering particularly high interest.
Voters rejected the MetroMoves plan and the sales tax hike it involved in 2002, but streetcar supporters say public opinion will shift once the streetcar becomes reality in Cincinnati.
"That's been proven in other cities, especially ones that have not historically been transit-oriented," Bauman says, pointing to Houston and Miami as examples of cities that built spines that are now being expanded.
Opposition to the Oasis line is also more deeply rooted in a general movement against the Eastern Corridor project. The unfunded billion-dollar project involves a few parts: relocating Ohio 32 through the East Side, the Oasis rail line and several road improvements from Cincinnati to Milford.
Supporters of the Eastern Corridor claim it would ease congestion, at least in the short term, and provide a cohesiveness in transportation options that's severely lacking in the East Side.
Opponents argue the few benefits, some of which both sides agree are rooted in legitimate concerns, just aren't worth the high costs and various risks tied to the project.
"When it comes to widening roads and highways, it's kind of like loosening your belt at Thanksgiving. Somehow traffic always fills to fit," Bauman says. "Highway expansion, especially in urban areas, is not the future. It's not even the present in some areas."
The big concern is that the relocation of Ohio 32 might do to the East Side and eastern Hamilton County what I-75 did to the West Side, which was partly obliterated and divided by the massive freeway.
"It hurts the cohesiveness of our communities when you create these big divides," Bauman argues. "You would see that repeat itself."
Officials are taking feedback for the Eastern Corridor and Oasis rail line at EasternCorridor.org.
This article was updated to use more up-to-date figures for the cost of the Oasis rail line.
Ohio's weakening economy could hurt Gov. John Kasich and other Republican incumbents' chances of re-election in 2014, even if they don't deserve the blame for the state of the economy, as some economists claim. For Republican incumbents, the threat is all too real as groups from all sides — left, right and nonpartisan — find the state's economy is failing to live up to the "Ohio miracle" Kasich previously promised. Economists agree state officials often take too much credit for the state of the economy, but political scientists point out that, regardless of who is to blame, the economy is one of the top deciding factors in state elections. For Kasich and other incumbents, it creates a difficult situation: Their influence on the economy might be marginal, but it's all they have to secure re-election.
Despite promising to move on after he failed to permanently halt the $132.8 million streetcar project, Mayor John Cranley continues criticizing the streetcar in interviews and social media. In a Sunday appearance on Local 12, Cranley threatened to replace the Southwest Ohio Regional Transit Authority (SORTA) board, which manages local Metro bus services, in response to its offer to take up streetcar operating costs. (City Council sets SORTA appointments, not the mayor.) The interview, held within weeks of Cranley mocking and arguing with pro-streetcar critics on social media, comes despite Cranley's promises to move on after City Council agreed to continue the project. "As I tell my son when he doesn't get his way, it's time to move on," Cranley said on Dec. 19.
Streetcar track installation will force the busy intersection at Elm and Liberty streets to close between Jan. 16 at 9 a.m. to Jan. 21 at 7 p.m., city officials announced yesterday. One northbound lane will remain open on Elm Street, but traffic heading east and west on Liberty Street will be redirected.
Commentary: "Bengals Loss Reminds of Terrible Stadium Deal."
Police are investigating three homicides in Avondale and Over-the-Rhine this morning.
Construction crews plan to turn the defunct Tower Place mall into Mabley Place, a new parking garage with several retail spaces on the exterior of the first floor. Across Race Street, other developers will turn Pogue's Garage into a 30-story tower with a downtown grocery store, luxury apartments and another garage.
Hamilton County is dedicating a full-time deputy to crack down on semis and other vehicles breaking commercial laws.
Ohio House Republicans' proposal to revamp the state's tax on the oil and gas industry would not produce enough revenue to cut income taxes for most Ohioans, despite previous promises. According to The Columbus Dispatch, the proposal would only allow for a very small 1-percent across-the-board income tax cut.
Ohio's education system received five C's and an A on a private national report card. The state's middle-of-the-pack performance is largely unchanged from last year's score.
The number of underwater residential properties is declining around the nation, but Ohio remains among the top six states worst affected by the housing crisis, according to real estate analysts at RealtyTrac.
The state auditor's new app allows anyone to easily report suspected fraud.
Macy's plans to lay off 2,500 employees and close five stores to cut costs.Cincinnati Children's is reaching out to to 10,000 children left without a health care provider after several clinics closed.
Ohio drivers can expect lower gas prices in 2014, according to AAA and GasBuddy.com.
A new glue that seals heart defects could provide an alternative to stitches.
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Despite promising to
move on after he failed to cancel the $132.8 million streetcar
project, Mayor John Cranley continues criticizing the
project in interviews and social media.
Most recently, Cranley appeared on Local 12's Newsmakers program and threatened
to eventually replace the Southwest Ohio Regional Transit Authority (SORTA)
board, which manages local Metro bus services, in response to board members'
defunct offer to take up streetcar operating costs. (City Council sets SORTA
appointments, not the mayor.)
"The fact is they were
willing to cannibalize bus service," Cranley said,
contrary to SORTA's insistence that their offer would not have affected bus
services. "I just felt that was a huge violation of what SORTA is supposed to
be about and what Metro is supposed to be about and what public transportation
is supposed to be about."
Throughout the 24-minute
interview, Cranley referenced the
streetcar project when discussing the city's parking meters and other subjects
— a continuation of repetitive anti-streetcar tactics Cranley
deployed on the campaign trail and in mayoral debates against former Vice Mayor
Roxanne Qualls.
"I think the project is
wasteful and not worth the investment," Cranley said
when asked about the project. "I think we would have been better off making the
hard decision to cut bait."
Still, Cranley later added, "Obviously, since the supermajority of
council went against my wishes, I have to respect the process. So I'm not going
to try to sabotage the streetcar."
The interview also
follows comments on social media. After the former head of the Cincinnati Art
Museum criticized the streetcar, Cranley tweeted on Dec. 27, "(N)ow some Orwellian commentators
will say art director not 'progressive.'"
The continued anti-streetcar rhetoric comes despite promises to move on that Cranley made after Councilman Kevin Flynn announced he would provide the final vote needed to veto-proof City Council's decision to continue the streetcar project.
"As I tell my son when he doesn't get his way, it's time to move on," Cranley
said on Dec. 19.
But Cranley's
heated rhetoric is nothing new in his campaign against the streetcar project.
After the Nov. 5
election, Cranley told The Cincinnati Enquirer
the streetcar debate "is over." Cranley's comments
marked a high level of confidence after voters elected a mayor and council
supermajority that seemingly opposed the streetcar project, but his statement
to The Enquirer proved to be wrong after Council Members Flynn, David
Mann and P.G. Sittenfeld decided to continue the
Cranley also called city officials "incompetent" after
they projected that canceling the streetcar project would cost nearly as much as
completing it. Once again, Cranley's comments proved
to be wrong — an independent audit found city officials were largely correct in
their assessment — but still showed the level of confident, heated rhetoric
that follows the mayor's campaign against the streetcar project.
At the very least, Cranley's rhetoric proves that while the policy debate over the streetcar is over for now, the public discussion is not. The question is whether the messaging will work as the project moves forward and the streetcar becomes a reality of Cincinnati.
Construction on the $132.8 million streetcar project
restarted yesterday, marking an end to the nearly two-month drama
brought on by Mayor John Cranley's election and his threats of
cancellation. City Council paused the project for a little more than
three weeks to conduct an audit on its costs, but the legislative body
agreed to restart construction last week after receiving a signed
agreement from the Haile Foundation that the philanthropic group will
provide $9 million over 10 years to help pay for $3.13-$3.54 million in annual operating costs.
An automatic increase on Ohio's minimum wage at the start of the new year will benefit 330,000 Ohioans, according to an analysis from the Economic Policy Institute (EPI). The higher wages should translate to a better economy for all Ohioans: EPI found the automatic increase will generate nearly $39 million in economic impact and 300 full-time jobs. Since a voter-approved measure in 2006, Ohio has been among several states who peg the minimum wage to increases in the cost of living.
More than 36,000 Ohioans will lose emergency unemployment benefits for the long-term unemployed tomorrow following a lack of congressional action, according to left-leaning think tank Policy Matters Ohio. The emergency benefits were passed by Congress at the start of the Great Recession to help those hit worse by the economic downturn, but Congress failed to extend the benefits before it recessed for the holidays despite lingering signs of a weakened economy. Without the extension, Ohioans can tap into just 26 weeks of state-provided jobless aid; federally funded emergency benefits give the unemployed another 37 weeks to find work before losing government assistance.
Here are CityBeat's top stories of 2013.
The annual review of the two-year state budget could include income tax cuts, said Ohio's tax chief. The statement follows Gov. John Kasich's announced push for another income tax cut to help spur Ohio's slowing economy. The Republican governor signed a state budget that reduced taxes — particularly for the wealthy — earlier in the year, but Ohio's economy still slowed down in the past few months as the state unemployment rate surpassed the national rate for the first time in years.
With the Ohio Supreme Court's rejection last week of a
challenge to the state's federally funded Medicaid expansion,
conservatives are conceding the battle is "over with" for now. Gov.
Kasich pursued the federally funded expansion without approval from the
General Assembly by going through the seven-member Controlling Board,
but Republicans, who largely opposed the expansion of a government-run
health care program from the start, fought against the board's approval in court.
Gov. Kasich was "stingy" with his clemency powers during his third year in office, according to The Columbus Dispatch.
Even though a review found Cintrifuse is a "Lead Applicant with strong position within SW Ohio entrepreneurial ecosystem," Ohio Third Frontier denied state tax credits for the local startup incubator because, according to the state review group, Cintrifuse maintains an unrealistic goal to scale to 60 tenants in its first year and lacks strategy or process for the incubator services, graduation focus, an adequate staffing plan and a defined tenant award process.
Delta briefly provided very low air fares following a technical error yesterday.
Much to scientists' frustration, 2014 could be a bad year for the flu after the adaptive virus evolves.
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A federal judge on Monday ordered Ohio authorities to recognize same-sex marriages on death certificates. Although the ruling was narrow, many advocates of gay marriage argue the merits of the judge's decision indicate a broader problem with Ohio's marriage laws following the U.S. Supreme Court's historic ruling against a federal anti-gay marriage law. The judge's ruling came just three days after another federal court struck down Utah's same-sex marriage ban on similar constitutional grounds.
Gov. John Kasich's plan to get Ohio's economy moving again: more tax cuts. But the policy announcement — unsurprising, coming from a Republican — comes on the same year Ohio's economy slowed down even after Kasich and the Republican legislature passed tax cuts that heavily favored the state's wealthiest.
Believe in Cincinnati saved the streetcar, argues The Cincinnati Enquirer. The group was formed shortly after Mayor John Cranley won the November election and threatened to halt the $132.8 million streetcar project for good. But the threats inspired a groundswell of streetcar supporters, ranging from concerned businesses to residents. And before City Council agreed to continue the streetcar project, Believe in Cincinnati in just eight days gathered 11,300 petition signatures for a charter amendment restarting the project. CityBeat covered the group in its infancy here.
Cincinnati ranked No. 2 for highest child poverty out of 76 major U.S. cities in 2012, according to the Children's Defense Fund (CDF). Cleveland and Toledo also made the unfortunate top five, CDF found.
Overtime pay at the Metropolitan Sewer District exceeded $2 million for the third consecutive year in a row, but the number falls below the accepted standard of less than 10 percent of total payroll. MSD Director Tony Parrott says overtime allows the agency to keep staffing numbers in check but still responsive to unexpected situations. Still, the overtime estimate arrives at a time Hamilton County commissioners are raising sewer and water rates to comply with federal mandates.
Cincinnati will tap into a state program for a major demolition blitz in 2014. The city plans to knock down 240 blighted and condemned buildings next year — far higher than the typical annual rate of 70.
Eight historic buildings in Cincinnati, including Memorial Hall, on Dec. 20 received roughly $6 million in state tax credits for projects totaling $71 million.
Rhinegeist Brewing plans to begin canning its craft beer in January.
Humans were getting the flu as far back as the year 1510, but it's completely unknown if dinosaurs suffered from similar illnesses.
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text:
Before Trip
Price was reasonable and terms were clear.
During Trip
Remarks to Squaremouth Travel Insurance questionnaire provided on completion of my trip
I was hospitalized for pneumonia and a possible pulmonary embolism. Arrangements with my insurance provider were handled by my stepdaughter, a Professor and Director at Oxford University, residing in Oxford where I was hospitalized. Travelex was immediately notified. As soon as we were advised that it would be necessary to cut my travel short and return directly home after my release from the hospital, the following actions were undertaken with Travelex to make the necessary arrangements:
* Travelex representatives advised for my stepdaughter to proceed with cancelling unused tours and changing the return travel reservations home. She contacted our travel agent and advised them accordingly.
* After our travel agents commenced changing the arrangements, She was then advised by Travelex to stop, "They would handle all of that."
* So, she contacted the travel agent and had them back out of the arrangements pending handling by Travelex.
* Subsequently. Travelex changed their minds again and the Travel agent was requested to proceed. .
* In the process of reporting status to Travelex, my stepdaughter again encountered contradictory instructions. (Each time by different representatives. The representatives appeared to be very inexperienced , uninformed help that were being overridden by their supervisors.)
*Finally, she was again contacted by Travelex saying they "felt we would be more comfortable making our own arrangements, and would we go ahead and do that." It should be noted that now with the time lapse since starting, we were in danger of not getting return seat reservations!
* Out of a total sense of frustration. I told my step daughter to instruct our travel agent to NOT discuss arrangements any further with Travelex and to proceed with the best with what they could do.in the time remaining and we would cover any cost independent of Travelex as necessary!
* My step daughter advised Travelex that my condition was such that I would have to be provided with their service in getting from Oxford and onto planes and back home.
*Travelex pondered this and then advised that they had a group review of my condition and had concluded that I was well and did not require any further service???
* My hospital doctor then had to intervene and put them on notice that I was barely ambulatory and would require assistance!
* After further due consideration, Travelex decided to provide the service.
* At Travelex direction, they provided a car to take me from Oxford .to Heathrow Airport, London.
* Upon arriving in London, no arrangement had been made to handle our bags, get us through security, and onto the aircraft for our return flight home
* My travel companion was unable to secure valet service so we proceeded to check the bags and get through security. You need to understand, I was terribly ill and barely managed to do this. In fact the "Home Security" representative was so concerned she stopped what she was doing had me seated in the nearby restaurant while she personally went to arrange a motorized transport for us to take to the plane. Delta followed through on this and we were transported through baggage and customs to an awaiting driver (apparently arranged by Travelex) to take us to our Seattle destination.
To summarize, it was a terrible mistake insuring with Travelex and I will never do it again! Their employees were unresponsive and incompetent or they were engaged in some attempt to avoid providing us with the required service.
I can only hope that prospective customers can be so advised to avoid this company. Further, Squaremouth should caution against their use if they are conducting themselves responsibly. Obviously, selection of a competent travel insurance company depends on much more than just price and terms! For future consideration, I will be interested in what action you take.
I have sent off my claim and have not recieved a response in a month.
My husband died unexpectedly before our trip. So we did not make the trip.
It took a few weeks and a couple payments and they asked for documentation that I had already sent them. It would have been better if they had updated me along the way, including notification of when they got my documents. But they did eventually pay on the entire claim.
During Trip
did not use during the trip
Claim Process
our flight to Ft Myers on 6/15/10 was canceled after many delays. We had to stay in the Atlanta airport overnight waiting for a flight that left on 6/16/10. This was after flying all day from Europe. It cost me $5.00 to submit the reams of documents they needed for a $140.73 claim. It is now 7/30/10 and after calling again today I was told they will send me a check for $25.00 and refused to explain why they were not sending the amount claimed. I would not buy insurance from this company again.
Before Trip
I sent all documents but I never received call from you guys. I was so sick and someone took my bag it was so trip but you guys did not help me at all. I am Japanese translator, travel with many company's, I will never recomedention to anyone, please contact with me ASAP how is my cases now. Thank you
During Trip
Nothing help , I was so sick , some day I even couldn't get up the bed, ask Dr inflo but customer servic could not help
Claim Process
Custermer service should called me and let me know they got Dr medical report, police report or some. Nothing from you guys ? How customer can be happy with this kinda service ? You really need to know, people buy insurance, in case some happen and protect. I truly believe you guys service are poor . And don care clients
My wife and I had booked a European river cruise. A couple of weeks before our scheduled departure I broke my leg and we had to cancel the trip. We sent the appropriate paperwork to SquareMouth and they quite promptly sent us a refund check. No fuss, no problems.
Thank you SquareMouth.
Our claim was processed quickly and paid in full.
Had to cancel trip. Stonebridge initally did not pay fully, claiming a technicality. Had to hire a lawyer to assist and finally was paid. Then found that I paid for an additional Travelex policy from R.Crusoe, but this was underwritten by Berkeley and the two don't communicate though both have Travelex name on them. Trying to get a refund from Crusoe.
Thank you for taking the time to post your concerns. I apologize if you feel your claim was not initially paid as submitted. In some cases, additional documentation is required to show proof of the loss, however once received, we are more than happy to reassess the claim and provide additional reimbursement relative to the new information received. In your case, additional documentation was requested and once the additional documentation was provided, we paid the loss per the policy terms and conditions and per the amount invoiced on your submitted records. I can assure you we do not deny claims arbitrarily.
As far as your additional plan you purchased, we have been advised R. Crusoe will be providing a refund of premium for the duplicate Berkeley policy, designed by Travelex Insurance Services Inc. Again, I apologize if you felt there was a miscommunication regarding this second plan, however these are two entirely different claims departments who are unable to share claim information and do not have access to the same systems. I hope that the information I have provided will help dispel any negative feelings you have toward Travelex. We strive to provide our customers with a high level of customer service and aim to resolve any issues they may have. If you have any additional concerns or need any further assistance, please do not hesitate to contact me as I will be happy to help you. Thank you.
Before Trip
Simple On-line transcation - nothing of note.
During Trip
When we ran into a significant delay, the company responded quickly to our email inquiry. We had a non emergency issue and did not require assistance so it was easiest to wait until we were home and make a claim.
Claim Process
We found the company to be positive and responsive. Filling out the claim paperwork is a bit onerous, and it IS IMPORTANT to maintain records of everything that happened and keep all receipts and travel documents --- if you have everything, it is a straightforward though somewhat tedious process. By the time we were done we had a book (literally, we comb bound it)about 3/8inch thick.
Response to our claim was VERY FAST and we had a check in less than two weeks.
The only significant item that was disallowed was a claim for lost salary - and that was simply not covered in the policy.
Overall we were very happy with the company and have already bought travel insurance from them again.
Have purchased many policies from Squaremouth, and this is the first claim. Our return trip was interrupted due to Storm Leon
and when I telephoned Squaremouth claims, from Johannesburg asking about assistance the answer was less than satisfactory.
I reserve judgement until the outcome of the claim.
Insurance Providers
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subset: commoncrawl


text:
Pugachev, Emelian Ivanovich
Emelian Ivanovich Pugachev (yĬmĬlyän´ ēvä´nəvĬch pōōgəchôf´), c.1742–75, Russian peasant leader, head of the peasant rebellion of 1773–74. A Don Cossack, he exploited a widespread peasant belief that Peter III had not actually been murdered. Claiming (1773) to be Peter III, he soon found himself at the head of an army and of a revolutionary movement. His followers—Cossacks, peasants, runaway serfs, Tatar bands, and serfs from the mines and factories—all belonged to the lower classes, whose rights and liberties had been increasingly curtailed in the past two centuries. Pugachev announced the abolition of serfdom. His army overran the middle and lower Volga districts and the Ural region and took Kazan and several fortresses, committing barbarous excesses and threatening the throne of Catherine II, who was waging war on the Ottoman Empire. However, the rebels lacked experienced leadership and were ultimately defeated. Pugachev was betrayed, taken to Moscow, and beheaded. As a result of the rebellion Catherine introduced the administrative reform (1775) that increased the central government's control over outlying areas and more firmly entrenched the institution of serfdom.
See A. Pushkin, The History of Pugachev (1983).


text:
Title: Postdoctoral position in cell and molecular biophysics/bioengineering Department: Heinrich lab in the Department of Biomedical Engineering Employer: University of California, Davis Location: Davis, CA, United States Posted: Sep 20 A NIH-funded postdoctoral position is available in the Department of Biomedical Engineering at the University of California, Davis, in the laboratory of Dr. Vol…
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text: Hello, I downloaded Terminal-IDE because it has a C compiler, but after getting it I realize it doesn't have everything. So I downloaded my copy of GCC and I started trying to install. So does anyone know how to compile without make, or does anyone have a arm compiler that has a few more things?


text:
Where the Bleep Have I Been?Journal Entry: Sun Mar 9, 2014, 9:15 AM
Time for a long overdue explanation of my absence, wouldn't you say?
Most of you know that my mother was diagnosed with cancer last year, and due to that, my husband and I decided to make a move back to Central Pennsylvania at the end of 2013. I'm both excited and exhausted to announce that things couldn't have gone more off-track.
When January rolled around, mom found out about needing another three rounds of chemo. As of this writing, she's still scheduled for the third, but we're not sure when she'll be on track to get it. Rest assured, she's doing well with it and feeling much better than she had when this whole mess started! I, however, haven't gotten the phones to stop ringing on assignments and appointments, as I've taken on more work of the counseling variety lately, to say nothing of the 8-12 hour days I was pulling at what should have been a part-time job through February! This was all timely though, as my husband's employers through the move did some heavy laying off after the holidays and he's finally just now found new prospects to start him next week.
This is also good because we recently found out we'll be expecting a new addition to the family come October!
So! What does all this mean for yours truly? Not much when it comes to art, which will always be something I do. And I'll certainly be continuing comic projects I already have on my agenda (Sylvanna of course, The Presider too), but for the future... who knows?
I love my comics, and I love teaching others about making comics - but I've come to the point in my life where I'm ready to focus on one book of my own only, and be a once-in-a-while helping hand to others in the industry, for the most part leaving them to their own ideas.
Things with my life at the moment should start settling down over the coming weeks as Matt gets adjusted to work and I take some time to get back to my freelance assignments once more! Thank you all for sticking around as we go through this wacky transition, and I look forward to getting back into the swing of regular updates, very soon!
All my Best,
Where the Bleep Have I Been? by dawnbestWatch
I'm very sorry to hear about your mom, but here's hoping for your transition after the move to be quick and smooth.
Congrats also on the new addition, that's wonderful news! Sounds like you're in a stable place right now. I look forward to seeing more art from you, and be sure to take care of yourself!
tumblr? [SMACKED]
But seriously! I do hope a speedy recovery for your Mom & congratulations of the newest edition to your family!
I wish you the best for you and your family.
Also, congrats on the new addition to the family news!!!
As I always say, just make sure you do what needs to be done in life first, and only worry about art and other side things after without burning yourself out. Sounds like you need to worry about your health more now then ever before ^^


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