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A new report from left-leaning Policy Matters Ohio shows the impact of state budget cuts on individual counties. Statewide, more than $1 billion in tax reimbursements and the Local Government Fund was cut between the 2010-2011 budget, which was passed by Democratic Gov. Ted Strickland, and the 2012-2013 budget, which was passed by Republican Gov. John Kasich. Additionally, Ohio's estate tax — a tax that affected only 8 percent of Ohioans, largely those at top income levels — was eliminated, killing off a crucial source of funding. Hamilton County, its jurisdiction, schools, services and levies lost $222.1 million. Health and human services lost $23.2 million. Children's services lost $4.6 million, and the county children's agency services "was sent into financial crisis." In total, more than 5,000 local government jobs were lost in the area.
The Center for Closing the Health Gap is launching a campaign to raise awareness about food deserts in Cincinnati. Food deserts are areas, particularly neighborhoods, where full-service grocery stores aren't readily available to residents. The campaign hopes to raise awareness and funding to combat the food deserts in the Cincinnati area. With a funding target of $15 million, the organization plans to help build smaller stores with close ties to the local communities.
A new study from Cincinnati Children's Hospital resurfaced Greater Cincinnati's nuclear weapons legacy. Between the 1950s and 1980s, residents of nearby farm communities were unaware they were being exposed to radioactive materials in the air, water and soil from a Cold War era nuclear weapons plant, located 18 miles northwest of Cincinnati. Apparently, the exposure has led to higher rates of systemic lupus in the area.
Greater Cincinnati's economic recovery could be slowed or boosted by policy, but it will outpace the nation's economic recovery, according to local economists. Still, the economists caution that there is a lot of uncertainty due to oil prices, the fiscal cliff — a series of tax hikes and budget cuts scheduled to be made at the start of 2013 if U.S. Congress doesn't act — and the fiscal crisis in Europe.
Cincinnati's small businesses are more upbeat about the economy. Eleven percent of local family firms expect the economy to improve, but whether that translates to business expansions remains to be seen.
CityLink Center is scheduled to open today. The initial plans for the facility sought to help the homeless with health services, overnight shelter, food, temporary housing and child care. At one point, the center's opening was threatened due to legal challenges regarding zoning.
Hostess, maker of Twinkies, says it will close down three bakeries, including one in Cincinnati, due to a national strike. According to reports, union workers walked off the job after a new contract cut their wages and benefits. Hostess insists the factory shutdowns will not affect customers.
Top Cincinnati mortgage lenders saw double-digit increases between Sept. 1, 2011 and Aug. 30, 2012. The rise is yet another positive sign for the housing market, which collapsed during the latest financial crisis and recession.
The state agency in charge of higher education released a report highlighting 20 recommendations to improve degree completion in Ohio. Some of the recommendations from the Board of Regents: Adopt more uniform statewide rules regarding college completion and career readiness, push stronger collaboration and alignment in education from preschool through senior year in college, establish a new system of high school assessment to improve readiness for college, and improve flexibility. The board will attempt to turn the report into reality in cooperation with university and state officials.
Too much school choice may be a bad thing. A new study found Ohio's varied education system, which offers vouchers for private schools and charter schools as alternatives to a traditional public school, may have passed "a point where choice actually becomes detrimental to overall academic performance."
The Ohio Farm Bureau (OFB) issued an action alert on Saturday telling members to oppose privatizing the Ohio Turnpike. The Ohio state government, led by Kasich, is currently studying possible plans to privatize the turnpike. In a video, an OFB member argues the current turnpike management is fine.
There are still some undecided seats in the Ohio legislature from the Nov. 6 election.
Once again, a reminder not to drive on a sidewalk to avoid a school bus.
Former George W. Bush adviser Karen Hughes says she will "cut out" the tongue of Republican men making "Neanderthal comments" about rape.
A new way to fight bacteria: coat it with a thin layer of mucus.
Just two days before the general election, President Barack Obama made his case to 13,500 people packed into the University of Cincinnati's Fifth Third Arena and 2,000 in an overflow room.
Obama cast the race in comparisons to the previous two presidents, comparing his policies with those of Bill Clinton and equating Republican challenger Mitt Romney's plans with those of George W. Bush.
"So stay with me then," Obama said. "We've got ideas that work, and we've got ideas that don't work, so the choice should be pretty clear."
With less than 48 hours before polls open on Election Day, a Reuters/Ipsos daily tracking poll had Obama and his Republican challenger locked in a statistical dead heat. However the same poll showed Obama with a slight edge in Ohio, up 48 percent to Romney's 44 percent.
Obama touted his first-term accomplishments, including ending the war in Iraq; ending Don't Ask Don't Tell, the policy preventing homosexuals from serving openly in the military; and overhauling the country's health care system.
"It's not just about policy, it's about trust. Who do you trust?" the president asked, flanked by a sea of supporters waving blue "Forward" signs.
"Look, Ohio, you know me by now. You may not agree with every decision I've made, Michelle doesn't always agree with me. You may be frustrated with the pace of change … but I say what I mean and I mean what I say."
Nonpartisan political fact-checker PolitiFact on Nov. 3 took a look at Obama's record on keeping his campaign promises from 2008. The group rated 38 percent as Kept, 16 percent Compromised and 17 percent Broken.
Twice during his speech the president was interrupted by audience members shouting from the stands.
The first was a man on the balcony level of the arena interrupted, shouting anti-abortion slogans and waving a sign showing mutilated fetuses before being dragged out by about five law enforcement officers. Both were drowned out by supporters.
Music legend Stevie Wonder opened the rally for Obama, playing a number of his hits, opening up "Superstition" with a refrain of "on the right track, can't go back."
Wonder discussed abortion policy between songs and urged Ohioans who had not already voted to do so either early on Monday or Election Day.
So far, 28 percent of Ohio voters have already cast their ballots. CNN reports that those votes favor Obama 63/35, according to public polling.
Meanwhile on Sunday, Romney campaigned before an estimated crowd of 25,000 in Pennsylvania, according to the Secret Service.
Political rallies always draw a number of the loyal opposition, and this late-evening appearance was no different. Only five people protested near the line to the arena, but what they lacked in number they attempted to make up for in message.
One large sign read "Obama: 666" and another "Obama is the Beast," alluding to a character in the Christian Biblical book of Revelation.
A man who only identified himself as Brooks carried a large anti-abortion sign that showed pieces of a dismembered fetus.
"I'm here to stand up for the innocent blood that has been shed in this land to the tune of 56 million," Brooks said. He said he was opposed to the politics of both major party presidential candidates.
"I pray for Barack Obama because his beliefs are of the Antichrist, just like Romney," Brooks said.
Brooks said his message for those in line was for them to vote for Jesus — not on the ballot, but through their actions and through candidates that espoused Christian beliefs.
"Obama is not going to change things, Romney is not going to change things," Brooks said. "In the last days there are many Christs, but not the Christ of the Bible. The Christ of the Bible is not for killing children, is not for homosexual marriage."
In-person early voting is underway in Ohio. Find your nearest polling booth here.
Issue 2 is getting outraised quite badly. Protect Your Vote Ohio, the group opposing Issue 2, has raised $6.9 million, while Voters First Ohio, the group supporting Issue 2, has raised $3.6 million since July. If Issue 2 is approved by voters, it will put an independent citizens commission in charge of the redistricting process. Currently, the process is handled by elected officials, who have used the process in politically advantageous ways. Republicans redrew the First Congressional District, Cincinnati's district, to include Warren County. The move put more emphasis on rural and suburban voters, which tend to side with Republicans, and less on urbanites, which tend to side with Democrats.
Not only will Ohio play a pivotal role in the presidential election, but RealClearPolitics, a website that aggregates polling, says Hamilton County is among two Ohio counties that will play the biggest role. In light of that, President Barack Obama and Mitt Romney will be in town this week. Obama will visit Oct. 31, and Romney will be here Nov. 2. Currently, Obama leads in Ohio by 2.1 points, while Romney leads nationally by 0.9 points.
A partnership between the University of Cincinnati and U.S. State Department is going to Iraq. For the third year, UC will be working with Salahaddin University in Iraq to help redesign the Iraqi school's curriculum and establish a career center.
The Ohio Board of Regents and Ohio Department of Education (ODE) may merge soon, says Board of Regent Chancellor Jim Petro. The Board of Regents is already moving to ODE's building later this year. Petro said the building move will allow the Board of Regents, which focuses on higher education, to cooperate more with ODE, which focuses on elementary, middle and high school.
The Ohio legislature could be getting a big ethics overhaul in the coming weeks. Specifics weren't offered, but Senate President Tom Niehaus said disclosure and transparency will be priorities.
Cincinnati's United Way beat its fundraising goal of $61 million in 2012. The goal was originally seen as "a stretch."
The nationwide meningitis outbreak is forcing some Ohio officials to take a look at the state's compounding pharmacies. Compounding is when pharmacists make custom preparations for patients under special circumstances. The Ohio State Board of Pharmacy has already taken action against the New England Compounding Center, whose compound was connected with starting the meningitis outbreak.
The FBI will join an investigation into fraudulent
attendance data reporting in Ohio schools. Previously, state Auditor
Dave Yost found five school districts were scrubbing data in his first
interim report, but a second interim report cleared every other district
checked so far, including Cincinnati Public Schools.
In-person early voting is underway in Ohio. Find your nearest polling booth here.
The last debate for Ohio's U.S. Senate seat took place last
night. The debate between Democratic incumbent Sherrod Brown and
Republican challenger Josh Mandel mostly covered old ground, but the
candidates did draw contrasting details on keeping Social Security
solvent. Mandel favored raising the eligibility age on younger generations, while Brown favored
raising the payroll tax cap. Currently, Brown leads
Mandel in aggregate polling by 5.2 points.
Mitt Romney was in town yesterday. In his speech, he
criticized the president's policies and campaign rhetoric and touted
support for small businesses. The Cincinnati visit was the first stop of
a two-day tour of Ohio, which is the most important swing state in the
presidential race. But senior Republican officials are apparently
worried Romney has leveled off in the state, which could cost Romney the
Electoral College and election. President Barack Obama is
expected to visit Cincinnati on Halloween. In aggregate polling, Obama
is ahead in Ohio by 2.1 points, and Romney is up nationally by 0.9
The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Ohio says the
use of seclusion rooms in Ohio schools should be phased out
by 2016. The Ohio Department of Education and Ohio Board of Education
are currently taking feedback on a new policy draft that says schools
can only use seclusion rooms in cases of "immediate threat of physical
harm," but the policy only affects traditional public schools, not
charter schools, private schools or educational service centers.
Seclusion rooms are intended to restrain children who become violent,
but recent investigations found the rooms are used to punish children or
as a convenience for staff. Currently, Ohio has no state laws
overseeing seclusion rooms, and the Department of Education and Board of
Education provide little guidance and oversight regarding seclusion
The Metropolitan Sewer District of Greater Cincinnati and a City Council task force have a plan to make Cincinnati's water infrastructure a little greener.
A study found Cincinnati hospitals are good with heart patients but not-so-good with knee surgery. The names of the hospitals that were looked at were not revealed in the study, however.
An economist at PNC Financial Services Group says 10,000 jobs will be added in Cincinnati in 2013.
Cincinnati-based Procter & Gamble has new details about its effort to reduce costs and make operations more productive. The company announced a "productivity council" that will look at "the next round of productivity improvements." The company also said it will reach 4,200 out of 5,700 job cuts by the end of October as part of a $10 billion restructuring program announced in February.
The world just got a little sadder. Chemicals in couches could be making people fatter.
On the bright side, we now know how to properly butcher and eat a triceratops.
In-person early voting is underway in Ohio. Find your nearest polling booth here.
A City Council committee approved $13.5 million that will be going to Over-the-Rhine development. Of that money, $6 million will go to the second phase of the Mercer Commons project, which is being developed by Cincinnati Center City Development Corporation (3CDC). The rest will help 3CDC redevelop 18 different buildings that are mostly around Washington Park. City Council will vote on the funding today.
Cincinnati's unemployment rate dropped to 6.9 percent, but the drop was mostly attributed to people leaving the labor force. Between September 2011 and September 2012, Cincinnati's labor force has actually shrunk. Still, more people were employed in September 2012 than were employed in September 2011.
The Port of Greater Cincinnati Development Authority is asking Cincinnati for $8.5 million to secure a Jordan Crossing shopping center project at Bond Hill. The funds would pay for the demolition, site preparation, marketing and redevelopment of the project.
In the second wave of interim results from an ongoing investigation into Ohio schools' attendance data reporting, State Auditor Dave Yost found no evidence of attendance scrubbing in schools with levies on the 2012 ballot. The investigation included Cincinnati Public Schools, which means CPS was found to be clean. In a statement, Yost said, "I'm surprised and pleased. To have zero incidents of 'scrubbing' is encouraging news." The full findings for both interim reports can be found here.Clifton is set to get a neighborhood grocery store soon. The neighborhood has been without one since January 2011. City Council's Budget and Finance Committee helped spur the new project with a tax abatement program.
The Hamilton County Board of Commissioners held a budget hearing yesterday, but not much new information came out. Board President Greg Hartmann insists public safety is a priority, but he says the sheriff's office will have to deal with some across-the-board cuts. The cuts won't include closing the jail, decreasing courtroom security or eliminating contracts with townships for patrols. The board has two more public meetings on Oct. 29 and 30.
The controversial billboards accused of attempting to suppress voters are being taken down by Norton Outdoor Advertising, the Cincinnati company that hosted the billboards. Meanwhile, P.G. Sittenfeld and Lamar Advertising Company, a different billboard company, are putting up 10 billboards that read, "Hey Cincinnati, voting is a right not a crime!" The new billboards are supposed to encourage voting.
The University of Cincinnati has a new president: Santa Ono. The official promotion was unanimously approved by the UC Board of Trustees. Ono has been serving as interim president since Aug. 21, when former President Greg Williams suddenly resigned due to "personal reasons."
The Cincinnati Enquirer is being accused of age discrimination in a recently amended lawsuit. In the lawsuit, eight former employees claim they were fired and replaced with younger, less qualified employees.
A new rumor is going around that says it's possible to tamper with voting results, but fact checkers and election officials are saying it's not possible. The rumors started due to the Romneys' investments in an electronic voting company.
The Ohio Environmental Protection Agency is celebrating its 40th anniversary. Here is a list of some of the department's accomplishments: The amount of rivers meeting aquatic life standards went from 21 to 89 percent between the 1980s and today, carbon monoxide in the air is down 80 percent since the 1970s, sulfur dioxide is down 71 percent, lead is down 95 percent and 99 percent of community public water systems now meet health standards, up from 85 percent in 1993.
Miami University says it will discipline two students responsible for putting up an offensive flyer about getting away with rape in a coed dorm bathroom.
Metro revealed its plans for an Uptown Transit District. The district, which will cost Metro $6.9 million, is meant to better suit the needs and growth of Uptown.
Two Democratic state lawmakers are planning legislation to slow down the privatization of the Ohio Turnpike. Gov. John Kasich's administration is currently paying $3.4 million to KPMG, a private consulting and accounting firm, to study whether leasing the turnpike to the highest private bidder would benefit the state. Kasich says he could use the money saved for transportation projects all around the state. But northern Ohio residents do not seem happy with giving up a valuable asset they helped invest in, especially if the revenue from the Ohio Turnpike goes to regions outside of northern Ohio.
There's more evidence sushi sucks. Popular Science has an article and graph showing how raw food kept primates stupid.
The University of Cincinnati has officially named Santa Ono as its new president in a unanimous approval by the UC Board of Trustees today.
Ono, who joined UC's staff in 2010, was UC's interim president since Aug. 21, when former President Greg Williams abruptly resigned due to "personal reasons." Previously, Ono served as UC's provost.
"I am honored to serve as the 28th president of the University of Cincinnati," Ono said in a statement. "I am not a new face on campus, but in many ways, the fact that I have been a part of the UC family for two years now makes today even more special for me. I am so very fortunate to be asked to serve in this capacity."
Williams' retirement came with some controversy. After he resigned, the UC Board of Trustees gave Williams a $1.3 million severance package. The package was criticized by Ohio Rep. Connie Pillich, a Cincinnati Democrat who said in a statement, "I was disappointed to learn that the University agreed to continue paying former President Greg Williams a sum of $1.3 million over the next two years, considering the former president abruptly resigned six days before classes were to start this fall. It is disheartening to see such a great deal of public money spent in a manner that is inconsistent with the financial realities many colleges, students, and families face in the current economy. … The University's tuition increase of 3.5 percent this year means students and families must incur a greater financial burden at a time when many are struggling to make ends meet. Certainly Mr. Williams' payday will weigh on the minds of these students and parents, leaving them to wonder, 'Does this kind of decision result in tuition and fee increases?'"
There was also some controversy involving The Cincinnati Enquirer. The newspaper's publisher and president, Margaret Buchanan, was serving on the UC Board of Trustees when Greg Williams stepped down, but The Enquirer failed to mention asking her about the resignation — an omission that raised questions for Jim Romenesko, a popular journalism blogger. In at least six follow-up stories, the newspaper also failed to mention Buchanan's connection to UC. Buchanan later resigned from the UC Board of Trustees to end the potential impression of a conflict of interest.
In-person early voting is underway in Ohio. Find your nearest polling booth here.
The final presidential debate between President Barack Obama and Mitt Romney was last night. The general consensus from media pundits is Obama won by a substantial margin. But political scientists say debates typically have negligible electoral impact. In aggregate polling, Obama is up in Ohio by 1.9 points and Romney is up nationally by 0.6 points. Ohio is looking like a must-win state for both campaigns, so Obama's advantage there is a very bad sign for Romney. FiveThirtyEight, The New York Times' election forecast blog, has an explanation of how and why the current electoral landscape favors Obama.
In a follow-up to the debate, Romney will be visiting Greater Cincinnati Thursday.
A new motion by City Councilwoman Laure Quinlivan could encourage more people and businesses to make use of the city's LEED program. The program uses special tax exemptions to encourage buildings to be cleaner and greener.
Cincinnati's City Planning Commission approved Plan Cincinnati Friday. With the approval, the plan's only hurdle is City Council. If passed, the plan will reform city policies to put a new emphasis on the city's urban core. That means a cleaner, greener city with more transportation options, ranging from walking and biking to the streetcar and rail. CityBeat wrote about Plan Cincinnati here. The full plan can be found here.
Three Republicans in the state legislature, including Cincinnati's Sen. Bill Seitz and Rep. Louis Tehrar, introduced a bill that would require health insurance providers to cover autism. Critics say the move could cost small businesses too much during an economic downturn, but supporters say it's necessary to Ohio's mental health coverage requirement, which was passed in 2007. Seitz says the bill could also save money by bringing down special education costs.
In a sign of Ohio's education funding problems, one report found two of three Ohio school levies are asking for
additional funding. But Cincinnati Public Schools' (CPS) levy will only
not ask for extra funding or higher taxes; instead, it asks for funding
and taxes to remain the same. CityBeat covered Issue 42, the CPS levy, in-depth here.
A new report found Ohio students graduate with more debt than most of the nation. The report named the state a "high debt state" with an average of $28,683 in student loans — above the national average of $26,600.
Despite what a recent conflict between Commissioner Greg
Hartmann and Mayor Mark Mallory implies, Cincinnati and Hamilton County
are working together. The city and county are cooperating on the Banks
project, funding the Port Authority and operating the Metropolitan Sewer
Cincinnati is working harder to enforce a chronic nuisance
disorder. A property is classified as a chronic nuisance when it
surpasses a certain amount of crimes and violations. The law is meant to
hold property owners accountable for what happens in their buildings.
There are more signs that Ohio's fracking boom may not be
sustainable. Natural gas producers are not seeing the profits they
expected from the boom. For many, the boom is quickly turning into a
bust. Still, natural gas prices have massively dropped, and an analysis
at The Washington Post suggests natural gas could play an important role in reducing carbon emissions. CityBeat wrote in-depth about the fracking boom in Ohio and the faulty regulations on the industry here.
The Ohio Board of Regents is using a grant to award 1,300 associate degrees to transfer students over two years.
Fourteen recreational trails in Ohio will get $1.6 million in federal funding, according to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources. However, none of the trails are in Hamilton County.
The key to humanity: cooked food.
In-person early voting is underway in Ohio. Find your nearest polling booth here.
The final presidential debate is tonight. It will cover
foreign policy. The debate will likely focus on the recent attack on
the U.S. embassy in Benghazi, Libya and Iran's nuclear program. Whatever happens, political
scientists say debates typically have little-to-no electoral impact. In
aggregate polling, Obama is up 2.2 points in Ohio and Romney is up 0.3 points nationally. Ohio is considered a must-win for Romney, and it could play the role of 2000's Florida. The debate begins at 9 p.m. It will be streamed live on YouTube and C-SPAN.
CityBeat will host a debate party tonight at MOTR
Pub in Over-the-Rhine from 7:30-10:30 p.m. Come watch the debate and live
tweet. Councilman Chris Seelbach will make an appearance. If you can't
show up, at least tweet if you watch the debate with the hashtag
#cbdebate. Check out the event's Facebook page for more information.
If Gov. John Kasich gets his way, 60 percent of bachelor's
degrees will be completable in three years by 2014. The move intends to
raise graduation rates and save money for students. Currently, very few
students graduate in three years. Only 1 percent of Miami University
students and 2 percent of University of Cincinnati students graduate
that quickly.
Ohio's Third Grade Reading Guarantee, a new education
policy approved by Kasich that requires all students to be proficient in
reading in third grade before they can move onto fourth grade, could
cause 40 percent of students to be held back in some schools.
The policy is meant to encourage better progress and higher reading standards, but some studies
have found retention has negative effects on children.
The Urban League of Greater Cincinnati announced a merger and expansion into Dayton. The organization will now be called the Urban League of Southwest Ohio.
Greater Cincinnati home sales ticked up in September, but there was some slowdown.
The end of the Scripps trust that funded the Cincinnati-based E.W. Scripps Company could lead to the end of a few newspapers. But Ohio will not be affected; the company no longer owns newspapers in the state.
Plant identification has never been easier at Cincinnati parks.
University of Cincinnati researchers are using a $2.7 million grant to see if there's a difference between generic versus brand drugs for transplant patients. The study could potentially save money and lives.
Tired of traditional bridges? Meet the trampoline bridge.
In-person early voting is underway in Ohio. Find your nearest polling booth here.
In case you missed it, CityBeat is hosting a party
for the final presidential debate at MOTR Pub in Over-the-Rhine. There
will be live tweeting, and Councilman Chris Seelbach will be on-hand to discuss this year's key issues. Even if you can't come, make sure to live tweet during the
presidential debate using the hashtag #cbdebate. More info can be found
at the event's Facebook page.
A new study found redistricting makes government even more partisan. The Fair Vote study says redistricting divides government into clear partisan boundaries by eliminating competitive districts. In Ohio, redistricting is handled by elected officials, and they typically use the process for political advantage by redrawing district boundaries to ensure the right demographics for re-election. Issue 2 attempts to combat this problem. If voters approve Issue 2, redistricting will be taken out of the hands of elected officials and placed into the hands of an independent citizens commission. The Republican-controlled process redrew the First Congressional District, which includes Cincinnati, by adding Warren County to the district. Since Warren County typically votes Republican, this gives an advantage to Republicans in the First Congressional District. CityBeat previously covered the redistricting reform effort here.
Democratic incumbent Sherrod Brown and Republican challenger Josh Mandel will face off in another debate for Ohio's seat in the U.S. Senate today. The two candidates met Monday in a feisty exchange in which the men argued over their records and policies. Brown and Mandel will face off at 8 p.m. The debate will be streamed live on 10TV.com and Dispatch.com. Currently, the race is heavily in Brown's favor; he is up 5.2 points in aggregate polling.
Cincinnati is moving forward with its bike sharing program. A new study found the program will attract 105,000 trips in its first year, and it will eventually expand to 305,000 trips a year. With the data in hand, Michael Moore, director of the Department of Transportation and Engineering, justified the program to The Business Courier: "We want Cincinnatians to be able to incorporate cycling into their daily routine, and a bike share program will help with that. Bike share helps introduce citizens to active transportation, it reduces the number of short auto trips in the urban core, and it promotes sustainable transportation options."
Cincinnati's school-based health centers are showing promise. Two more are scheduled to open next year.
Echoing earlier comments by Ohio Secretary of State Jon Husted, Ohio Senate Republicans are now talking about using the lame duck session to take up a bill that would set standard early voting hours and tighten voting requirements. Republicans are promising broad consensus, but Democrats worry the move could be another Republican ploy at voter suppression. Republicans defend the law by saying it would combat voter fraud, but in-person voter fraud isn't a real issue. A recent study by the Government Accountability Office found zero examples of in-person voter fraud in the last 10 years. Another investigation by News21 had similar results. Republicans have also justified making voting tougher and shorter by citing racial politics and costs.
A Hamilton County judge's directive is causing trouble. Judge Tracie Hunter sent out a directive to hire a second court administrator because she believes the current county administrator is only working for the other juvenile judge. The county government is trying to figure out if Hunter has the authority to hire a new administrator.
This year's school report card data held up a long-term
trend: Public schools did better than charter schools. In Ohio, the
average charter school meets slightly more than 30 percent of the
state's indicators, while the average traditional public school meets 78
percent of the state's indicators, according to findings from the
education policy fellow at left-leaning Innovation Ohio. The data for
all Ohio schools can be found here.
Some in the fracking industry are already feeling a bit of a bust. The gas drilling business is seeing demand rapidly drop, and that means $1 billion lost in profits. CityBeat wrote in-depth about the potential fracking bust here.
Ohio student loan debt is piling up. A report by Project
on Student Debt says Ohio has the seventh-highest student loan debt in
the nation with an average of $28,683 in 2011. That number is a 3.5
percent increase from 2010.
What if Abraham Lincoln ran for president today?
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind could soon be reality. Scientists are developing a drug that removes bad memories during sleep.
After two years of racking up an excellent rating on its state report card, Robert A. Taft Information Technology High School appears headed for a lower grade.
Preliminary school report cards released Wednesday by the Ohio Department of Education show an "effective" rating for Taft, a technology-magnet school for grades 9-12 in Cincinnati's West End. Taft had won accolades nationally for its steady climb from academic futility during the past seven years. In that span, Taft went from "academic emergency" in the 2004-05 school year to excellent in 2009-10 and 2010-11, mainly on the strength of Ohio Graduation Test pass rates that were the highest of all public high schools in Southwest Ohio. The U.S. Department of Education gave it a coveted National Blue Ribbon Award.
[Download the Ohio Preliminary Report Cards spreadsheet here.]
CityBeat called those achievements into question in a February article ("Miracle or Mirage," issue of Feb. 22). CityBeat found that the same graduating classes (2009-10 and 2010-11) that were posting regionally high OGT pass rates had average composite ACT test scores of 15, or the 10th percentile in Ohio. CityBeat also took the first hard look at an independent audit showing that, of 1,707 erasures on Taft OGT exams in 2006, 88 percent resulted in correct answers, an outcome one nationally prominent testing expert called "not logical." Cincinnati Public Schools, then led by former superintendent Rosa Blackwell, refused to investigate the matter, and ODE let the district get away with it.
For the
2011-12 school year, Taft still posted high pass rates on the OGT, but
its graduation rate of 82.1 percent (down from 91.4 percent in 2010-11)
and attendance rate of 91 percent (down from 96.7 percent) were below
state benchmarks, leading to the effective rating on its interim report
While Taft fell from excellence among the city's public schools, another school, James N. Gamble Montessori High School in Spring Grove Village, received its first-ever excellent rating. And Walnut Hills extended its long-running streak of excellent ratings. Winners of effective ratings were Clark Montessori and Withrow University high schools.
As for the district, Cincinnati Public Schools itself fell one notch on its state report card. Last year, CPS was rated effective, making it the highest-rated urban school district in Ohio. For 2011-12, it dropped to "continuous improvement." Said CPS spokeswoman Janet Walsh: "We really would have loved to have gotten effective again, but the fact remains that overall performance, as rated by the state performance index, did reach 88.5, which is our highest score ever, and we continue to improve."
New York City Vice Mayor Richard Buery is in Cincinnati today and tomorrow touring the city's groundbreaking community learning centers. He's in town to glean best practices from CPS as New York Public Schools ramps up its own community learning center program.
"What Cincinnati does, that they have probably done better than any other city, certainly better than New York at this time, is not just to have a collection of great community schools, but to have a system of community schools," Buery said to reporters in New York Monday. "I want to see what it means for a city to build a system of community schools. What did that take in terms of the political will, in terms of how different city agencies and the private sector have to work together."
Cincinnati has gotten a lot of attention for its community learning centers, including write-ups in the The New York Times, NPR and other national publications. The centers, usually established in low-income neighborhoods, contain a number of services for the whole community — dental and vision clinics, mental health therapists, after school programs and more. The city started with eight learning centers and now CPS has them in 34 of its 55 schools.
The model has led to increased cooperation between the city, the school system, neighborhoods around the schools and private enterprise. Last month, the city announced a partnership between Powernet, a Cincinnati-area tech company, and CPS to provide free wireless access to the neighborhood of Lower Price Hill around Oyler School, one of the city's most recognized community learning centers in one of the city's most low-income neighborhoods. The school is the subject of a documentary film, called simply Oyler, following the school and neighborhood's progress.
City leaders expressed excitement about the visit.
"It never hurts to be aware that mighty New York City is here to see some of the good things happening in Cincinnati, especially with our school system," Councilman P.G. Sittenfeld said today. Sittenfeld said Cincinnati City Manager Harry Black will meet with Buery on Thursday.
Buery is in town with Michael Mulgrew, president of the United Federation of Teachers. The UFT represents more than 300,000 teachers in New York City.
New York City Mayor Bill DeBlasio was one of four mayoral candidates to visit Cincinnati last summer at Mulgrew's invitation. He made bringing Cincinnati's model to New York City a major talking point of his campaign, saying it had "unlimited potential." DeBlasio wants to model 100 schools in the city after Cincinnati's learning centers.
With Cincinnati's child poverty and economic mobility rates among the worst in the country, it's clear the city's poor can get stuck in a vicious cycle of poverty. Although the impoverished trend afflicts more than half of the city's children, every level of government has in some way cut services to the poor. The end result: Many Cincinnati neighborhoods show little signs of progress as poor health and economic indicators pile up. Read CityBeat's in-depth story here.
Following the adoption of community learning centers, Cincinnati Public Schools (CPS) continue receiving praise for establishing a workable model for educating low-income populations. Locally, independent data shows the model has pushed CPS further than the traditional approach to education, even though the school district continues struggling with impoverished demographics. A few hundred miles away, newly elected New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio says he will implement the Cincinnati model in the biggest city in the nation.
Hamilton County and Cincinnati are heading to court to decide who can set policy for Metropolitan Sewer District (MSD) projects. The conflict came to a head after Hamilton County commissioners deliberately halted federally mandated MSD projects to protest the city's job training rules for contractors. The Republican-controlled county argues the rules favor unions, burden businesses and breach state law, but the city says the rules are perfectly legal and provide work opportunities for city workers.
Commentary: "Legalizing Marijuana Is Serious Business."
With HealthCare.gov mostly fixed, CityBeat interviewed Trey Daly, who is leading the Ohio branch of an organization reaching out to the uninsured to get them enrolled in Obamacare.
Explainer: Everything you need to know about Mayor John Cranley's parking plan.
University of Kentucky researchers found tolls would, at worst, reduce traffic on a new Brent Spence Bridge by 2 percent.
After raising concerns over teacher pay and missed classroom time, Republicans in the Ohio House delayed a vote on a bill that would add school calamity days. Gov. John Kasich called for the bill to help schools that have already exhausted their snow days during this winter's harsh weather.
Ohio regulators fined Cincinnati's Horseshoe Casino $75,000 for providing credit to early patrons without running the proper background checks.
Cincinnati-based Kroger faces a lawsuit claiming stores deceived customers by labeling chickens as humanely raised when the animals were brought up under standard commercial environments.
Cincinnati-based crowdfunding startup SoMoLend settled with Ohio over allegations that it sold unregistered securities and its founder misled investors. Candace Klein, the founder, resigned as CEO of the company in August.
Comcast intends to acquire Time Warner Cable, one of two major Internet providers in Cincinnati, through a $45 billion deal.
U.S. physicists pushed fusion energy closer to reality with a breakthrough formally announced yesterday.
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Cincinnati officials and Cincinnati Board of Education leaders yesterday announced a new collaborative that aims to share and align the city and Cincinnati Public Schools' (CPS) policy goals. The initiative will focus on five areas: population growth, workforce development, safe and livable neighborhoods, wellness and access to technology. City and school officials say the collaborative alone won't hit their budgets, but future joint initiatives could obviously carry their own costs.
Councilman Chris Seelbach and union supporters yesterday gathered outside the Hamilton County Administrations Building to call on county commissioners to open bidding on several Metropolitan Sewer District (MSD) projects. County commissioners blocked the work in protest of Cincinnati's "responsible bidder" rules, which require MSD contractors to meet more stringent job training requirements and pay into a pre-apprenticeship fund that will train new workers in different crafts. The Republican-controlled county says the rules are illegal, favor unions and burden businesses, but the Democrat-controlled city says the standards help train local workers and create local jobs.
Meanwhile, county commissioners appear ready to take the city-county dispute to court. If the conflict isn't resolved by the end of the year, the federal government could impose fines to force work on a mandatory overhaul of the local sewer system to fully continue, according to Commissioner Chris Monzel.
Cincinnati's riverfront has come a long way, but The Cincinnati Enquirer and others seem unhappy The Banks is taking so long to fully develop. A lot was promised with the initial plan for the riverfront, but the Great Recession and other hurdles slowed down the development of condos, office and retail space and a hotel. For some business owners, the slowdown has made it much harder to get by unless a major event — a Reds or Bengals game, for example — is going on, particularly during bad winters. In particular, struggling Mahogany's owner Liz Rogers says she "would like to see more retail, a hotel, a movie theater."
Following Councilman Charlie Winburn's warnings that the city wastefully bought too much road salt, the city is actually running low on salt and waiting on an order of 3,500 tons. Over the past couple months, Winburn accused the city of wasting money when he "discovered" a pile of unused road salt. Despite Winburn's attempts to make "saltgate" into a thing, it turns out the city bought the salt when it was cheaper and planned to use it in the future.
Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center plans to reopen a pediatric health clinic that abruptly closed down when Neighborhood Health Care Inc. shut down operations. The clinic expects to see 500 needy children and teenagers each month.
Local Republicans are still looking to host the Republican National Convention in 2016.
Democratic gubernatorial candidate Ed FitzGerald asked Republican Gov. John Kasich to pledge he would serve his full four years if he won re-election, meaning Kasich would be unable to run for president in 2016.
Doctors say technology must prevent texting while driving.
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President Barack Obama delivered the State of the Union speech yesterday, outlining an ambitious progressive agenda that will be largely ignored and rebuked by Congress. But Obama promised at least seven major policies that he can pursue without legislators, including a $10.10-per-hour minimum wage for federal contractors and some action on global warming. Obama's full speech is viewable here, and the Republican response is available here. The Associated Press fact checked the speech here.
Ky. Gov. Steve Beshear says tolls are necessary to fund the $2.6 billion Brent Spence Bridge project. Officials and executives claim the bridge replacement is necessary to improve safety, traffic and economic development through a key connector between Kentucky and Ohio, but many Kentucky officials refuse to accept tolls to fund the new bridge. But without federal funding to pay for the entire project, leading Ohio and Kentucky officials say they have no other option.
There is a 32-point achievement gap in reading between Ohio's lower-income and higher-income fourth-graders, with higher-income students coming out on top. The massive gap speaks to some of the challenges brought on by income inequality as Ohio officials implement the Third-Grade Reading Guarantee, which requires most Ohio third-graders to test as "proficient" before they advance to the fourth grade. Previous studies also found Ohio's urban schools might be unfairly evaluated and under-funded because the state doesn't properly account for poverty levels.
Attempting to move the Hamilton County Board of Elections offices from downtown to Mount Airy, where only one bus line runs, could provoke a lawsuit from the NAACP, Board Chairman Tim Burke, a Democrat who opposes the move, warned in an email to county commissioners. With the Board of Elections split along party lines on the issue, the final decision to move or not to move could come down to county commissioners or Republican Secretary of State Jon Husted. CityBeat covered the issue in further detail here.
Greater Cincinnati added 6,600 jobs between December and December 2012.
Temperatures could hit the 30s and 40s this weekend, offering a reprieve to the extreme cold.
Ohio's auditor of state found a "top-down culture of data manipulation and employee intimidation" at Columbus City School District.
Cincinnati-based Kroger plans to add 227 stores with its acquisition of Harris Teeter.
The University of Cincinnati expects to demolish its Campus Services Building at Reading Road and Lincoln Avenue — formerly a Sears department store — this summer.
A Republican congressman from New York City physically threatened a reporter after an interview.
Birmingham, Ala., really can't handle snow.
A lawsuit alleges NASA is failing to investigate alien life.
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Ohio's lower-income fourth-graders were much more likely than higher-income fourth-graders to fall below reading proficiency standards in 2013, according to a report released Tuesday by the Annie E. Casey Foundation.
Four in five lower-income fourth-graders were declared below reading proficiency standards in 2013, the report found. Only 48 percent of higher-income fourth-graders fell below proficiency.
Ohio mostly matched the national trend: About 80 percent of lower-income fourth-graders and 49 percent of higher-income fourth-graders across the country read below proficient levels last year.
The report also found Ohio's overall reading proficiency improved by 5 percent between 2003 and 2013, a notch below the nation's 6 percent improvement.
The report comes as state officials implement the Third Grade Reading Guarantee, which requires most Ohio third-graders to test as "proficient" before they advance to the fourth grade. Preliminary results showed one-third of Ohio students failing to pass the test, putting them at risk of retention.
"Ohio needs to do whatever it takes to get all children — especially low income and children of color — on track with this milestone," said Renuka Mayadev, executive director of the Children's Defense Fund of Ohio, in a statement. "The long-term prosperity of Ohio and our nation depends upon improving crucial educational outcomes such as reading proficiency."
The report also speaks to some of the challenges Ohio and other states face in evaluating schools, teachers and students as the nation struggles with high levels of income inequality.
A Jan. 22 report from Policy Matters Ohio found high-scoring urban schools tend to have lower poverty rates than low-performing urban schools. In Cincinnati, nine of the 19 top-rated urban schools served a lower percentage of economically disadvantaged students than the district as a whole.
Another study from three school advocacy groups found
Ohio's school funding formula fails to fully account for how many
resources school districts, including Cincinnati Public Schools, need to
use to serve impoverished populations instead of basic education
services. In effect, the discrepancy means Ohio's impoverished school
districts get even less funding per student for basic education than previously assumed.
Local early voting could move from downtown to Mount Airy, where only one bus line runs, following a split, party-line vote from the Hamilton County Board of Elections. Democrats oppose the move because they say it will make early voting less accessible to people who rely on public transportation to make it to the ballot box. Republicans support the move as part of a plan to consolidate some county services, particularly a new crime lab, at the Mount Airy facility. With the board split, Secretary of State Jon Husted, a Republican, could step in to break the tie vote.
But Husted's spokesperson said the secretary of state might encourage the Board of Elections to "take another look" at the issue, and Hamilton County Commissioner Chris Monzel says the county will not move the Board of Elections without a majority vote.
Gov. John Kasich called for a one-time increase in the number of school calamity days to cope with the unusually severe winter weather this year. Under state law, schools are normally allowed five calamity days before extra days off start chipping into summer break. The state legislature must approve legislation to enact the temporary increase.
Ohio officials found no substantial evidence that a public defender coached convicted killer Dennis McGuire to fake suffocation during his execution. Eye-witness accounts report McGuire visibly struggled, snorted and groaned as he took 26 minutes to die — the longest execution since Ohio restarted using the death penalty in 1999.
Despite what a local state senator says, there are a lot of differences between Ohio's Clean Energy Law and Stalinism.
Meanwhile, the Ohio Senate continues working on a proposal that would weaken Ohio's renewable energy and efficiency standards. But it's unclear if the new attempt will be any more successful than State Sen. Bill Seitz's failed, years-long crusade against the Clean Energy Law.
Local Democrats endorsed Christie Bryant for an open seat in the Ohio House, even though five interviewed for the position and could run in the Democratic primary. Hamilton County Democratic Party Chairman Tim Burke previously told CityBeat local Democrats endorse prior to a primary in some special situations. In this case, the party wanted to guarantee a black candidate, and Bryant is the most qualified, according to Burke.
A new report found Ohio's prison population ticked down by nearly 2 percent since 2011, but the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction (ODRC) says it is now trending back up. To address the recent rise, ODRC Director Gary Mohr says legislators need to provide more opportunities for community-based drug treatment, mental health care and probation programs to help reduce prison re-entry rates.
More than 112,000 Ohio students dropped out of high schools between 2006 and 2010.
The Greater Cincinnati Port Authority will shape plans this year to remake some of Queensgate and Camp Washington into manufacturing, engineering and laboratory hubs with high-paying jobs.
Hamilton County might sell some of its six downtown buildings.
Former Mayor Mark Mallory took a job with the Pennsylvania-based Chester Group, which provides "energy, water and wastewater solutions to public and industrial clients across the United States and internationally," according to a press release.
Councilman Chris Seelbach's vegan chili won the Park+Vine cook-off.
Confirmed by science: Walking while texting or reading a text increases chances of injury.
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The Republican-controlled Ohio House on Wednesday approved a bill that would allow school boards to designate some school employees to carry concealed firearms and prohibit school boards from releasing the names of those employees.
As part of the designation, school employees would have to participate in "active shooter training" established by the state attorney general. School boards and employees could also consult with local law enforcement to establish stronger standards and training.
If a gun-toting teacher injures or 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 would also allow off-duty officers to carry firearms in schools.
There are some restrictions: A school board could not force an employee to carry a gun, and gun-carrying rights could not be part of a collective bargaining agreement.
While a Republican majority supports the rules to increase safety in schools, some research indicates the plan could backfire.
A review from the Harvard Injury Control Research Center found states and countries with more guns tend to have more homicides. Specifically, men and women in places with more firearms are exposed to a larger risk of gun-related homicide.
University of Pennsylvania researchers found similar results in a 2009 study.
"On average, guns did not protect those who possessed them from being shot in an assault," the study concluded. "Although successful defensive gun uses occur each year, the probability of success may be low for civilian gun users in urban areas. Such users should reconsider their possession of guns or, at least, understand that regular possession necessitates careful safety countermeasures."
A 2009 ABC News special found even trained gun-wielders fail to properly react in the event of a shooting. In multiple simulations that placed trained and armed students in a classroom, none of the participants succeeded in stopping an unexpected shooter from landing fake rounds that would have been deadly in a real shooting.
Local state representatives split along party lines on the bill. Democrats Denise Driehaus, Connie Pillich and Alicia Reece voted against it, while Republicans Peter Stautberg and Louis Blessing voted for it.
The bill now needs to move through the Republican-controlled Ohio Senate and Republican Gov. John Kasich to become law.
Fiscal conservatives and tea party activists won more
seats on local school boards last year, putting them in the awkward
position of supposedly looking out for the school's best interests while
rejecting property tax levies that could boost schools' resources and outcomes. As one example, a member of the Coalition
Opposed to Additional Spending and Taxes (COAST) now sits on the board for Kings Schools in Warren County that she once sued for public records.
The American Civil Liberties Union of Ohio on Sunday called on Gov. John Kasich to immediately halt the death penalty across the state, following the botched, 26-minute execution of convicted killer Dennis McGuire. The execution, the longest since Ohio restarted using capital punishment again in 1999, utilized a new cocktail of drugs that had never been tried before in the United States. It's unclear whether state officials will use the same drugs for the five other executions planned for the year.
David Pepper, the Democratic candidate for attorney general, says Republican Attorney General Mike DeWine should stop defending court-rejected, unconstitutional voting and ballot restrictions. DeWine argues that it's the attorney general's job to defend Ohio and its laws, regardless of his opinion on constitutionality. But DeWine actually stepped aside and assigned a separate attorney to a case involving restrictions on "false statements" in political campaigns because, according to him, the law's constitutionality is questionable.
Martin Luther King Jr. and modern Republicans would likely stand in opposition on numerous issues, including voting rights, the death penalty and reproductive rights.
A top policy aide for Gov. Kasich says local governments should share more services. But some municipal officials argue the Kasich administration is just trying to deflect criticisms regarding local government funding cuts carried out by his Republican administration and the Republican-controlled legislature over the past few years.
The Justice Department is investigating a former chief judge of Cincinnati's federal appeals court for nearly $140,000 in travel expenses he took during his four and a half years on the bench.
Fewer Ohio students need remedial college classes following high school graduation.
U.S. House Speaker John Boehner called a fellow Republican an asshole, according to Democratic U.S. Rep. Joaquin Castro.Seven out of 10 people will live in cities by 2050, according to Popular Science.
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As the campaign to provide universal preschool in
Cincinnati kicks into gear, organizations involved in the Preschool
Promise are seeking more volunteers to train as "Promise Ambassadors" who will help raise awareness and gather feedback for the proposal.
Although there's no major resistance to universal preschool at a local level, the big question is how the city will fund it. Will it take a hike in property or income taxes? Will city and school funds be involved? Will it rely on philanthropic channels? What about a mix of all the options?
As an ambassador, volunteers will gather feedback on the big questions facing the campaign and raise awareness on the study-backed benefits of preschool.
"As an ambassador you can engage however you feel comfortable: hosting house parties, speaking at meetings and events, organizing community forums or simply helping generate awareness about the importance of quality preschool for every child in our city," the campaign said in a release.
Greg Landsman, executive director of the education-focused Strive Partnership, said on Facebook that more than 40 ambassadors have been trained so far. The goal is to train 100 by President's Day, Feb. 17.
The policy would mirror a program in Denver that provides tuition credits to families on an income-based sliding scale, so low-income parents would get the most help while the wealthiest would get the least.
Among other benefits, a study from consulting firm Augenblick, Palaich and Associates found the Denver program gives low- and middle-income families more opportunities to climb the economic ladder.
Landsman previously told CityBeat the measure should end up on the November ballot.
The campaign is offering several training sessions, which can be attended with an RVSP to firstname.lastname@example.com:
• Jan. 22, 6–7:30 p.m. at 4C for Children, 1924 Dana Ave., Cincinnati.
• Jan. 28, 2:30–4 p.m. at 4C for Children, 1924 Dana Ave, Cincinnati.
• Jan. 29, 11 a.m.–12:30 p.m. at United Way of Greater Cincinnati, 2400 Reading Road, Cincinnati.
• Feb. 5, 6–7:30 p.m. at 4C for Children, 1924 Dana Avenue, Cincinnati.
• Feb. 6, 2:30–4 p.m. at United Way of Greater Cincinnati, 2400 Reading Road, Cincinnati.
• Feb. 7, 9-10:30 a.m. at United Way of Greater Cincinnati, 2400 Reading Road, Cincinnati.
• Feb. 10, 10:30 a.m.-noon at United Way of Greater Cincinnati, 2400 Reading Road, Cincinnati.
• Feb. 11, 2:30-4 p.m. at United Way of Greater Cincinnati, 2400 Reading Road, Cincinnati.
CityBeat covered the Preschool Promise in greater detail here.
In the third month of open enrollment, Obamacare failed to hit key demographic targets for young adults in Ohio and across the nation. White House officials say about about 39 percent of those who sign up for health insurance through HealthCare.gov and state-run marketplaces must be young adults. The idea is to get enough young, healthy enrollees to hold down costs as an older, sicker population signs up for health insurance made more easily available through Obamacare's systems and regulations. But in December, only 19 percent of signups in Ohio and 24 percent of signups nationwide were young adults.The Ohio Department of Education will recalculate report card data and investigate whether to punish staff after Cincinnati Public Schools (CPS) and six other Ohio school districts that scrubbed student attendance data. By manipulating the data, schools can appear to be performing better, but the actions obviously jeopardize the authenticity of Ohio's school accountability system. CPS says its internal investigations found no evidence of deliberate manipulation and the data errors shouldn't be enough to alter the school's standing in state report cards. For CPS and the six other school districts, the issues began after the state auditor in 2012 launched an investigation into school data scrubbing.
To avoid contamination from a W. Va. chemical spill, Cincinnati Water Works will shut down its water intake system along the Ohio River and instead rely on the water intake system at the groundwater treatment facility in Fairfield. Mayor John Cranley said the shutdown will last two days, or more than twice the roughly 20 hours required for the chemical slick to pass by. Consumers shouldn't notice a difference, according to Water Works officials.In the coming weeks, the U.S. Coast Guard will decide whether to allow fracking wastewater to travel along the Ohio River and other federal waterways and how strictly regulated the shipments should be. Fracking is a drilling technique in which millions of gallons of water are pumped underground to unlock oil and gas reserves, but the process produces a lot of wastewater as a result. CityBeat previously covered fracking and the controversy surrounding it in further detail here.
With legislation repealing Ohio's energy rules now stalled, Champaign County residents are challenging the constitutionality of Ohio's in-state renewable energy requirements in court. Supporters of the law claim the rules help foster a green energy sector in the state, while opponents argue the rules increase costs for businesses and consumers. CityBeat previously covered State Sen. Bill Seitz's legislative attempts to repeal the rules here.
Another tea party-backed candidate might challenge Gov. John Kasich in the Republican primary. The reveal comes just days after a tea party leader abruptly dropped his challenge against the incumbent governor.
If state legislators approve, Gov. Kasich will hold his state of the state address this year at Medina, Ohio, on Feb. 24.Three judges will cover for Hamilton County Juvenile Court Judge Tracie Hunter while she fights felony charges in court.
State Rep. Pete Beck of Mason, who was indicted on 16 felony counts for alleged fraud and theft, is facing a primary challenger.Cincinnati repaved 130 lane miles of road in 2013, according to city officials.
Duke Energy cut a check for the Greater Cincinnati Port Authority today to help redevelop Bond Hill and Queensgate.A blind student is suing Miami University for alleged discrimination that prevented her from completing coursework.
One vote made the difference in 43 of Ohio's 2013 elections, according to Ohio Secretary of State Jon Husted.Ky. developers are still pursuing the Noah's Ark theme park, despite troubles raising funds for the project.
Today is the last day to vote for the Cincinnati Entertainment Awards.
An infection can turn swarming locusts into solitary grasshoppers, a study found.Follow CityBeat on Twitter:


text:
Last night I was riding home from work in about 4 inches of fresh snow that had just finished falling. I could barely stay upright in the streets full of choppy snow, but I was making slow but decent progress.
As I got close to home on a major city street, I happened to look over my shoulder. Yellow blinking lights everywhere! That ominous sound of metal scraping on pavement, rapidly coming closer! It was the snowplows bearing down on me--four of them in phalanx formation!
These rolling dinosaurs covered the entire roadway from curb to curb, and they were moving fast. I didn't want to go left into approaching traffic, and there was no easy escape to the right because the curb was covered by a four foot snowbank from snow thrown up in previous storms. I thought fast, and got off my bike in the middle of the lane. I threw the bike over the snowbank, and scrambled after it, barely missing the chance to be a snack for the mighty beasts.
Of course I saluted the plow drivers as they passed, knowing that I would have smooth riding for the rest of my trip home. And it wasn't until I got home that I noticed my bike computer had fallen off while I was dodging the plows. I went back to look for it this morning, but it was either smashed by the truck wheels or buried under the snow. It turned out to be a pretty expensive ride in the snow!

subset: commoncrawl


text:
The holiday season is here, and Joomlashack wants to join in the season of giving. Take 30% off anything in our shop- offer good until Sunday, November 30th. (Voucher code below.)
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The Joomla Project announced recently the release of the latest version of Joomla 1.5, "Wohnaki."
After two months without and update, Joomla 1.5.8 fixes a couple "moderate" security issues and a long list of other small improvements to our favorite CMS.
The list of changes is long and worth taking a look at.
We recommend upgrading to the most recent version of Joomla 1.5.8- keep your site secure!
Nominations extended to December 8th!
Has there ever been a time when non-profits needed our support more?
The world's many problems- dirty water, hungry children, oppressed people, forgotten animals- are often only solved by the dedicated volunteers and staff of our non-profits and NGOs. In a time of darkness, these organizations make the world brighter.
Announcing our 3rd Annual Charity Contest- where our community nominates and chooses a deserving charity to win a 1,000 USD cash donation.
Discuss the charity contest in our forum!
Still thinking about CMS Expo Denver? Here's the best offer yet!
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The Optimus template comes in a free and pro version. If you'd like to check out the free Joomla template - Optimus, fill out the form below and we'll send you the template and some useful information about how to use it, and a bunch of great discount coupons for our products and other Joomla extensions.
UPDATED 10/23: Special deal for Joomlashack friends! $50 off the registration price through November 1st!
The JoomlaExpo in Chicago last May was so fun, our friends at the Content Management System Association (CMSA) decided to do it again this December in lovely mile high Denver!
Announcing CMS Winter Expo!
You're invited to the 2008 Winter CMS Expo, to be held at Denver's historic Brown Palace Hotel on December 4th and 5th. Joomla! will be the spotlight CMS, with Joomlashack's own Barrie North and Tom Elliott presenting.
We're excited about one of our more popular template designs, Lightfast which has just undergone a huge update.
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Are you keeping up with Joomla 1.5 updates?
The Joomla Project is moving along and fixing security and other problems monthly now, and it's important to keep on top of these regular updates.
Need a template for your Joomla 1.5 site?
From their news release, see what's changed in this most recent version:
HURRY TO VOTE BEFORE MONDAY, OCTOBER 20th!
It's time for the third annual Open Source Content Management System Awards.
Last year, over 18,000 voters and a panel of judges named Joomla the best PHP open source CMS. Joomla lost to Drupal for best overall open source CMS. But that was before the release of Joomla 1.5.
Voting has begun for the 2008Open Source CMS Awards. Joomla has again been nominated in two categories:
To vote for Joomla in either of these categories, click on the links above and then click on the links for Joomla. The "vote now" button is at the bottom of the description.
At stake are bragging rights and $7,000 in prize money for the Joomla Project. So go vote!
Want to learn more about how to build professional websites with Joomla? Then check out Joomlashack University, the #1 Joomla online training program in the world.
One of the most asked questions we get in our support ticket system, as well as the forum, is why a particular template is 'messed up, broken, not right, etc etc' upon first installation.
The following is taken from a tutorial on how to set up the Lightfast template with Joomla 1.5, however, there are some concepts that might help a user of any Joomlashack template understand why a template does not look like the demo right out of the box.
This information is not designed to help you set up any particular template besides Lightfast (for that please see the template documentation in the demo of the template you are seeking help with) but it is important as a user of Joomla to grasp some concepts that will make life a little easier as you learn how to use this sometimes confusing system.
Should you need further assistance after viewing this information and the documentation for your template, please visit our Community Forum and post to an appropriate thread for assistance.
Default Template installed
New installation of Joomla 1.5 - Default Template
So you've installed Joomla successfully, and now you want to us a profession template. First you need to install your template. For help with installing that template, see the tutorial 'How do I install a Joomlashack Pro Template'
Joomlashack Template installed
You've successfuly installed yoyur template and set it as the 'default', and gone to view your wonderful new template and WHOA! It looks like something went terribly wrong!
it's not all that bad - you just need to do some simple template setup now. Keep reading and it will all look good in no time.
First Things First - know your available module positions!
Before you can put things where they belong (or where you want them), or move things from where they don't belong, you need to know what module positions are available with your particular template. Each template demo contains a 'Module Map'. The module map will outline your available module positions. This is the Module Map for Lightfast, to view the module map for your particular template, see the Demo.
What's all that content all over the place?
Let's have a closer look at the top of the template where everything seems to be all messed up. Notice the module positions. Now, have a look at the next screenshot that shows the default template in use with the same default content.
So that's what that is!
For now, we're just going to get rid of that unwanted content from the top of the template.
Unpublish that content!
As mentioned above, for now were simply going to unpublish that content so we don't have to look at it anymore. If you want, you can come back to it and put it in a more suitable place later.
So to the task - go to your Module Manger and look for the highlighted items above (if you don't know how to get to your module manager, you may wish to Get a Book! . you may also ask as many noob and not so noob questions as you want in our Community Forum) The items are 'Newsflash' and 'Top Menu' if you can't make them out from the pic.
Click on the green arrow to unpublish the items, or open the items and unpublish them.
It's Magic!!!
The content that was published in all the wrong places is now gone!
Now to the task of setting up some menu / module formatting.
**The information from here on is very specific to setting up the Lightfast template, however, the concepts are the same for ANY template. See the demo for your particular template for specific suffixes and menu setup instructions!
Know your available module styles.
The above image shows the 'Module Class Suffixes' and corresponding formatting for the Lightfast template (for your template's available suffixes, see the Demo). We're going to set our Main Menu to have the formatting of the 'light' suffix in this example.
Add the suffix.
Module Class Suffixes may be added to the module in the module's 'Advanced Parameters'. .. see above.
You'll probably have noticed when you first accessed that parameter area, the suffix field contained _menu -- just delete that pesky default suffix and replace it with the 'light' suffix (no quotations please)
Save your work and view your site.
Not quite right but closer.
Now we have some formatting for the module background and title but those menus still need some work. So, back to the module parameters to set the 'Menu Style' so it looks a little better.
Set the Menu Style
Go back to your Main Menu module and look at the parameters again. This time it's the 'Menu Style' that we want to change. By default, it's set to 'List' - change that to 'Legacy - Vertical' and save your work.
Now go view your site again. The menu should be good to go now.
To Recap
Getting your menu modules to have some formatting is as simple as going to the module you wish to format and setting the parameters correctly. Depending on which color/formatting you wish to use, you will add the appropriate 'Module Class Suffix' (see available suffixes above, or in the template demo), and you will set the 'Menu Style' to 'Legacy - Vertical'.
You can repeat these steps for all of the modules in the template.
We only need to get a menu up top now, and we will be off and running with our shiny new template. Read on for how to accomplish this final setup step.
Publish the Top menu to the Top position!
Remember those items we shut off beause they were in the wrong place. Well, one of them was the 'Top Menu' and we are now going to move it to it's new home. Go back to your Module Manager and open up that menu, set the postion to top, set 'Show Title' to No.
Now look to the parameters on the right (gonna do this one without pictures now 'cause you're getting to be a pro!) and set the 'Menu Style' to List, and remove the default class suffix in the Advanced Parameters.
Save your work and view your site.
Go forth you Joomla Pro!
Your menus should be set up properly now, and you can replicate these steps for all of your other modules.
Remember, if you need help, you can always post in our Community Forum in an appropriate thread for assistance.
Thanks for using Joomlashack's template, and Have Fun!


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Behind the Headline: Webcams See All
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On Top of the News
Webcams See All
1/8/14 | New York Times
Behind the Headline
Lights, Camera, Action!
Spring 2011 | Education Next
"While the public is increasingly uncomfortable with the idea of government cameras and Internet snoops recording their daily behavior, there does not appear to be much introspection about routinely monitoring people, pets or handymen," writes Quentin Hardy in the New York Times.
Thanks to advances in miniaturization and cheap digital storage, tiny cameras are moving onto houses, people and nature. Everything is being filmed — from nannies and sleeping babies to vandalism-plagued parking lots to fireplaces awaiting Santa Claus.
The article looks at the many uses people are finding for video cameras costing under $200 that transmit images over the internet.
Could webcams in classrooms be next?
In 2011, Mike Petrilli wrote for Ed Next about using video cameras in classrooms to record footage that could be used to evaluate teachers and help them improve.
"There are a number of huge advantages to video," [Tom] Kane told me. "One is it gives you a common piece of evidence to discuss with an instructional coach or supervisor. Second, it will prove to be economically much more viable because you're not paying observers to drive around to various schools to do observations." Furthermore, he contends, "If a teacher doesn't think that their principal is giving them a fair evaluation because of some vendetta, they can have an external expert with no personal ax to grind watch and give feedback."
-Education Next
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Publicly Delivered RMC Courses
Tools and Fundamentals
This world-class course replaces the four to eight classes that other PM training companies recommend. Students learn real-world PM techniques, plus Tricks of the Trade® for dealing with issues that project managers face every day. In addition, students will share their real-world project experiences with other PMs in a variety of industries. Learn to translate the International Standards for Project Management into real-world project management technologies and real-world applications!
Fee: $1,800
Duration: 3 Days – 8am-4pm
Contact Hours/PDUs: 21
Now Offered in a Self-Directed e-Learning Format!
Agile Fundamentals is designed for Agile project team members, product owners, project leaders and senior managers looking to acquire a firm grasp of the agile approach to new product development using agile practices. You will learn what is needed to be successful on Agile projects in your organization, from project visioning through planning and iterative development of the product. Application of the fundamental models of the iteration review and iteration retrospectives are also included, as well as the concepts of inspect and adapt, self-assessment, and continuous improvement.
Fee: $1,200
Duration: 2 Days – 8am-4pm
Contact Hours/PDUs: 14
Certification Prep Courses
This accelerated learning course is designed to help you prepare for the PMP Exam—and gain the most understanding of project management with the least amount of study. Developed by Rita Mulcahy, this course is designed to decrease your after-class study time from hundreds of hours to less than 40.
$1,300 $1,100
Duration: 2 Days – 8am-5pm
Contact Hours: 16
This intensive 4-day course is designed to prepare you for the PMP exam in a fun and effective manner—with minimal required studying after class! In addition to unique games and activities, there are exercises and techniques designed specifically to increase both learning and knowledge retention, giving students not only the knowledge they need to pass the exam in only four days, but also to become a better project manager—without rote memorization.
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Duration: 4 Days – 8am-6pm
Contact Hours: 40
This combination course is specifically designed for project managers who need exam preparation training AND a refresher on project management fundamentals. It entails five consecutive days of training and two exceptional courses.
$2,800 $2,250
Duration: 5 Days – 8am-4/5pm
Contact Hours: 37
Now Offered in Live Online Format!
This course is designed to help you prepare for PMI's Certified Associate in Project Management (CAPM®) Exam, with the most understanding of project management and least amount of study. Include games, exercises and other tools to help you understand—not memorize—the concepts necessary to pass. The entire CAPM Exam Prep System (book, exam simulator and flashcards—a $299 value) is also included for free as part of the course materials.
Fee: $999
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Contact Hours: 18
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This course is designed to help you prepare for the Certified Business Analysis Professional exam (CBAP®) and the Certificate of Competency in Business Analysis exam (CCBA®), both offered by the International Institute of Business Analysis (IIBA®). Developed by training industry founder Barbara A. Carkenord, this course will improve your business analysis skills, help you gain the most understanding of exam concepts, and significantly decrease after-course study time.
Fee: $1,250
Duration: 3 Days – 8am-4pm
PD Hours: 21
This accelerated learning course is designed to help you prepare for the new PMI-ACP® Agile Certified Practitioner exam—and gain the most understanding with the least amount of study. Developed by a five-person team including four members of the PMI-ACP® Steering Committee, this course is designed to decrease your after-class study time from hundreds of hours to less than 40.
$1,650 $1,400
Duration: 3 Days – 8am-4pm
Contact Hours: 21
This intensive two-day course will prepare attendees to take on the ScrumMaster role. During the course, students will cover pragmatic, time-tested practices for managing product backlogs, long and short-range planning, project execution, and progress reporting. Students will also examine the many facets of Scrum, including the project lifecycle, roles, ceremonies, and artifacts.
Duration: 2 Days – 8am-4pm
Training Hours: 14
Core Training
Now Offered in Live Online Format!
Regardless of the solution development approach being used (agile, scrum, waterfall, etc.) good quality requirements are a critical success factor for every project or business solution. Developed by certified business analysis professionals and aligned with the IIBA's BABOK® Guide, this 3-day course is designed for business analysts, project managers and agile professionals interested in improving their ability to elicit and analyze requirements—as well as present them to stakeholders.
Fee: $1,250
Duration: 3 Days – 8am-4pm
Contact Hours/PDs/PDUs: 21


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Kristine's Kitchen
real food for real families
These soft whole wheat chocolate chip cookies are loaded with toasted coconut, pecans, and oats!
How do you like your chocolate chip cookies? Most of the time, I prefer my cookies to be simple, with just chocolate chips and an extra teaspoon or two of vanilla for flavor. The other day, though, I was craving a cookie with a bit more to it.
For these Loaded Whole Wheat Chocolate Chip Cookies, I've toasted the coconut, pecans, and oats before adding them to the cookie dough. Toasting the mix-ins brings out their flavor and makes these cookies extra delicious! ... [Continue Reading]
These Almond Butter Oat Chocolate Chip Blondies are my latest addiction! They're soft and packed with oats and almond butter, making them a healthier cookie bar!
I know we're in the middle of the week right now, but let's talk about weekends for a minute. Does anyone have any tricks for making the weekends last longer? I feel like one minute we're celebrating the fact that it's Friday, and the next it's already Sunday night and time to start a new week. And I'm left wondering where the weekend went.
I've been thinking about how we spend our weekends and have come up with a few ideas that I'd like to try to help get the most out of them. ... [Continue Reading]
Packed with peanut butter, flaxseed and oats, these Peanut Butter Oat Snack Cookies will give you an energy boost while satisfying your cookie craving! They are perfect for after school snacks for the kids, too!
Tomorrow I go back to work after my maternity leave. To say I am not ready to leave my sweet baby girl is quite the understatement. Where did the past four months go?
Nothing can make up for the fact that I won't be home every day with my little ones, but if I try to look on the positive it is only three days a week, my baby will be with family while I'm at work, and I only have five weeks until summer vacation. I'm trying to look on the positive side. But it's still hard. ... [Continue Reading]
Soft, chewy cookies loaded with dried cranberries and white chocolate chips. Brown butter in the cookie dough takes these White Chocolate Cranberry Cookies with Brown Butter to a whole new level.
I love all sorts of cookies, but a good white chocolate cranberry cookie is right up near the top of my list of favorites. Add brown butter to that cookie, and, well, a good thing just got a whole lot better.
These White Chocolate Cranberry Cookies with Brown Butter are soft, chewy, and loaded with dried cranberries and white chocolate chips. They're perfect for holiday baking, or really any time of year. Let's not limit our cookie enjoyment to just a month out of the year, ... [Continue Reading]
Buttery shortbread cookies are dipped in dark chocolate and then sprinkled with sea salt. These Salted Chocolate-Dipped Shortbread Cookies are mostly sweet with just a touch of sea salt.
It's the weekend!!! I think that calls for a cookie. A buttery shortbread cookie dipped in dark chocolate and sprinkled with sea salt, to be exact. Yep, these cookies are pretty amazing.
This was a long week for me. Julia had her first week of Kindergarten, and I started a new school year with a new group of third graders. Plus I had back to school night this week, which meant a 15 hour work day (including commute time) and 48 hours without seeing William, except for giving him a kiss after he was ... [Continue Reading]
These Snickerdoodle Cupcakes are for the true cinnamon-sugar lover. They are topped with swirls of unbelievably light and fluffy buttercream frosting and a dusting of cinnamon-sugar!
I love a good Snickerdoodle cookie. I think it's the cinnamon-sugar coating that gets me. You too? Then you will love these Snickerdoodle cupcakes. First we have a cinnamon-flavored cupcake, then the lightest, fluffiest frosting ever, and finally a dusting of cinnamon-sugar. Sounds pretty good, right?
The secret to amazingly light and fluffy frosting? Whip it for a long time. Like 15 minutes total. By the time your mixer's done (I always use my stand mixer with the paddle attachment), the frosting will be ... [Continue Reading]
The best soft and chewy chocolate chip cookies. This is the recipe I turn to whenever I want to bake classic chocolate chip cookies.
I'm often asked which of the chocolate chip cookie recipes on my site is my favorite. Well, these are it. I posted these a while ago and today I'm updating the recipe and photos because these cookies are my go-to recipe whenever I need to make a quick batch of cookies. Most often, those times are when a sudden craving for a chocolate chip cookie hits and I just can't resist! I've made these cookies dozens of times and they always turn out perfectly.
These chocolate chip cookies have a secret ingredient that gives them their soft, chewy texture. ... [Continue Reading]
Fun and festive cookies, perfect for gifting or sharing at holiday parties!
Have you started your holiday baking? Are you finished already? I am somewhere in between. I have baked a few treats to give away, including these cranberry almond biscotti and these white chocolate cranberry macadamia nut cookies that I posted the other day. I'll be doing most of my baking tomorrow, and I'm looking forward to a relaxing and busy day in the kitchen. I cannot wait to take a bite of each of our family's traditional favorite Christmas cookies!
These candy cane cookies are a family favorite. Rolling and twisting the candy canes is a fun project for the kids, and the finished cookies are so ... [Continue Reading]
I learned to love baking early on. I started with box-mix brownies and of course, cookies. Chocolate chip, gingersnaps, and Snickerdoodles were a few of my early favorites. I fondly remember being about 12 years old and making a batch of Snickerdoodles, and then happily bringing a warm napkin-wrapped cookie out to my dad who was working in the front yard. Today, I'm lucky enough to still live just minutes away from my parents, making it easy to share my baking efforts with them. It goes the other way, too- the other day, I stopped by to pick something up at my parents' house and my mom sent me home with a few warm buttermilk pancakes, fresh off the griddle, wrapped in a paper towel.
These ... [Continue Reading]
I bake cookies all the time, but somehow it's been a long time since I've made biscotti. Lately Brad has been reminding me of that fact, telling me more than once that I really need to bake some biscotti sometime. The other morning I had a few extra minutes and felt like playing around in the kitchen, so I mixed up the dough for these cranberry almond biscotti. Biscotti are very easy to make. You bake the cookies twice- first the dough is shaped into two logs and baked, and then you bake the cookies a second time after slicing the logs into individual biscotti.
These cranberry almond biscotti are a wonderful treat for breakfast or a snack. They are crisp on the outside and slightly soft ... [Continue Reading]
I've been on a bit of an oatmeal kick lately. We have oatmeal for breakfast most mornings, and I've made homemade granola, oatmeal muffins (recipe to come soon!), and oatmeal cookies. Then, I decided to make oatmeal chocolate chip cookies, but with some cocoa powder added in to make them Cocoa Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies.
These cookies are the best of many worlds. The cocoa powder lends a subtle cocoa flavor to the cookies, which are deliciously soft and chewy. The oats contribute to the chewy texture, and the chocolate chips give an added dose of chocolate flavor. If you're lucky enough to have a free couple of minutes in your afternoon, pour yourself a cup of coffee and enjoy one of ... [Continue Reading]
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Definition: 'Iproveratril'
iproveratrilType: Term
Pronunciation: ī′prō-ver′ă-tril
The definition information for iproveratril is provided by Stedman's. You can search our medical dictionary here.
Stedman's, part of Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, provides a comprehensive line of health-science publications for healthcare professionals and medical students.
Medical Dictionary Copyright © 2006 Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. All rights reserved.


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Ive just watched "Big Stuff" on Channel 5 (UK) and the worlds largest hovercraft was on it, operating from the UK to France and back. It has 4 Props on it, each powerd by a Rolls Royce engine. Now the Narrator didnt say weather or not they were Gas turbine, Deisel or petrol engines. If they were Gas turbine (I.E. Massive turbo props) are the engines used on any aircraft?
Please check your spelling (press "Check Spelling" above)
©Copyright 2016 Demand Media, Inc. All Rights Reserved


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Mars City Shadowrun
Heavily cybered ork 'face'
Marlowe is the 'face' of a Mars City shadowrun crew. They have done some occasional work for Daedelus/the Exchange, and have crossed paths (happily not on opposite sides) with the team on a few different jobs. One of these jobs, and uppercity carbombing, claimed the life of a mid-level mafia boss, and Marlowe and team have been laying low ever since. Their rigger Mikko Asparen was apparently arrested by LoneStar, and later killed as part of the Prime Runners team.
Marlowe and three other of his teams members were rescued from the LoneStar holding facility by the team as a favor for the Exchange. They have since fled to Earth.


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Dogpatch Boulders is the largest bouldering Touchstone gym. We offer incredible climbing terrain; you will find hundreds of boulder problems adorning slab walls, steep overhangs, dihedrals and corners.
|17 ft Wall
|Over 14,000 sq ft of Bouldering Terrain
|We're the largest bouldering only gym in California!
|Weight Room
|We have a small weight room to supplement your training.
|Cardio Equipment
|Treadmills & Ellipticals
|Other Amenities
|Lockers, Showers & Free Towels Service


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International Students
Individuals who are not citizens of the United States or who do not hold a U. S. Permanent Resident Visa status are not eligible to receive financial aid. Federal regulations govern aid program funding used by the school and control who can receive financial aid.
In order for Saint Louis University to complete the required documents for issuance of a Visa, several things have to be submitted. The student must document, by a date designated by the school, that the necessary amount of funds are available to pay the costs of education (tuition and fees). The funds would need to be sufficient for the anticipated period of enrollment, normally four years. Documentation of the required amount of financial resources will be recognized by deposit of funds in an escrow account with a bank designated by the School.
Upon acceptance into Saint Louis University School of Medicine, the student applicant will receive, by email, the following documents for completion:
- Escrow Agreement
- Operational Understanding and Agreement
- Specimen Signature Form
- Certificate of Foreign Status (Form W-8Ben) & Instructions
In addition to the required escrow documents, student applicants must return certified copies of their passport, Visa and/or Form I-94 by June 15 of their matriculating year for issuance of the student Visa. Original signatures are required on all documents.
The following links are provided should you need assistance with other educational or living expenses.
International Education Financial Aid (IEFA)


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Apophis, named after an Egyptian mythological demon, will not get closer than around nine million miles and scientists have ruled out any possibility of a cataclysmic collision
However, in 2036, there is a very small chance that Apophis could smash into Earth.
Scientists will use today's encounter to gauge just how much of a threat the asteroid really is.
Current models predict a tiny but real likelihood of a collision.
In 2029, Apophis is expected to whizz past at a distance a little too close for comfort – just 30,000 kilometres.
That will put the asteroid inside the orbit of communication satellites.
When the asteroid was discovered in 2004 scientists calculated a one-in-45 chance of an impact in 2029. Improved predictions later lifted the threat.
The asteroid's latest near approach will occur at midnight UK time tonight.
Members of the public can view the event online via the Slooh web-based sky-watching service, which collects images from observatories around the world.
Slooh President Patrick Paolucci said: "Alone among all these near-Earth asteroids that have passed our way in recent years, Apophis has generated the most concern worldwide because of its extremely close approach in 2029 and potential impact, albeit small, in 2036. We are excited to cover this asteroid live for the general public."
Scientists at the American space agency Nasa have calculated that if Apophis struck the Earth it would generate a blast equivalent to more than 500 megatons of TNT. In comparison, the most powerful hydrogen bomb ever detonated, the Soviet Tsar Bomba, released 57 megatons.


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The New People Online was established in 1996.
The New People strives to reflect a wide range of opinion, analysis and investigative pieces on issues that affect Sierra Leone and Africa. We encourage debate as long as there are good editorial reasons for doing so. The New People also welcomes review of books relevant to Sierra Leone and Africa, reports, research findings as well as announcements on issues of interest to Africa.
Editorial Team
Ibrahim Sheriff – Editor in Chief
Samuel Kamara – Assistant Editor
Sheku M. Kallon Jr - CEO
Dr. Kelfala Kallon
Dr. Sama Banya
Fyeston Bockary
Global Correspondents
Sierra Leone
Wanjama Wasui
Memunatu Sheriff
Augustine Navo


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Canada Business Network Blog
Finding work-life balance in a mobile world
Find balance in your priorities, both at work and in your personal life, so you can be at your best for both.
Crowdsourcing to stand out from the masses
Learn how crowdsourcing could help you with market research.
2015 is the Year for Women Entrepreneurs to Make it Happen
For help in navigating the complexity of international markets, turn to Business Women in Trade to take advantage of free trade agreements.
Encouraging exceptional employees towards excellence
As a business owner, you hit the jackpot when you hire exceptional employees. Learn how you can help motivate them to be even better.
Consumer Price Index: The benefits of the "shopping basket"
Use the Consumer Price Index to compare your prices with those in the broader economy.
3 things your business might be overspending on
The 3 S's: Find out how to avoid overspending on supplies, services and office space.
Seizing the opportunity of the cloud
If you want to get your product to market faster and reduce development costs, access to free cloud computing might be just what you need.
Food for thought — tips when starting a food truck
Explore what you need to know in order to start your own successful food truck business.
5 things you'll learn from Futurpreneur Canada's Mentorship Crash Courses
Access free online courses to help you in your role as a mentor to a less experienced entrepreneur.
Customization — Keep your customers hooked
Can you customize your business' products and services to meet your customers' individual needs?
Quebec Service Centres
Get help starting or growing your business.