buildingcincinnati

From the 2/25/07 PD: For Kucinich volunteers, it's the message Sunday, February 25, 2007 Sabrina Eaton Plain Dealer Bureau Washington -- Dennis Kucinich registers at a meager 2 percent in early Democratic presidential polls, but the anti-war congressman from Cleveland hopes to change that in a hurry. His secret weapon? While Howard Dean had "Dean- iacs" who fueled the surprise surge of his 2004 presidential campaign, Kucinich claims a cadre of 100,000 volunteers around the country who are eager to open their wallets and spread his message. Call them Kucinistas, if you will. Lots of them are anti-war activists. There's a large contingent of former Ralph Nader-ites. Many say they don't particularly care if Kucinich wins: They're out to make a point. More at http://www.cleveland.com/news/plaindealer/index.ssf?/base/news/1172395978301350.xml&coll=2

From the 2/18/07 Lima News: Kucinich blasts Iraq war, fellow Democratics Bob Blake | [email protected] - 02.18.2007 WAPAKONETA — He urged the U.S. to stay out of war with Iraq. He has called for the U.S. presence in Iraq to end and the troops to return home. Now, an Ohio congressman and 2008 presidential candidate says that, if the war continues, it will be bought with Democratic support. U.S. Rep. Dennis Kucinich, D-Cleveland, an outspoken critic since before the U.S. went into war in 2003, lampooned as meaningless the nonbinding resolution the U.S. House passed Friday. Kucinich told a crowd of more than 100 people Saturday that America must leave Iraq now. More at http://www.limanews.com/story.php?IDnum=35375

From the 5/6/07 Blade: Fremont, Canton firms bid lowest for U.S. 24 job COLUMBUS — A joint venture involving a Fremont company and a Canton firm is the apparent low bidder to build a new, four-lane U.S. 24 from U.S. 127 in Paulding County to the Indiana line, the Ohio Department of Transportation said. Mosser Construction Inc. of Fremont and Beaver Excavating Co. of Canton bid $72.8 million to construct the wider,12.3-mile highway south of the existing two-lane road. Theirs was the lowest bid of four for the contract. ... http://www.toledoblade.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070506/NEWS17/70506007/-1/RSS08

From the 4/22/07 Defiance Crescent-News: Area gets boo$t from project on U.S. 24 By HEATHER BAUGHMAN [email protected] U.S. 24 construction may be a headache or a bother for some, but as work continues it means big business and added community benefits for others. Defiance Mayor Bob Armstrong said the city is finally seeing the benefits "of this 17-year-old project." ... http://www.crescent-news.com/news/article/1895231

From the 4/11/07 Blade: Defiance is bracing for traffic nightmare Bottlenecks predicted during bridge repairs By DAVID PATCH BLADE STAFF WRITER State Rt. 281 will be closed for more than two months at U.S. 24 during construction of an interchange in Defiance starting next week, so why not close Route 281's nearby Maumee River bridge for re-decking at the same time? That's what the Ohio Department of Transportation has decided to do by adding the bridge work to its contract for the interchange and adding two lanes to U.S. 24 between Defiance and Napoleon. ... http://www.toledoblade.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070411/NEWS11/704110391/-1/NEWS

From the 3/29/07 Defiance Crescent-News: Bids open for latest project on U.S. 24 By TODD HELBERG [email protected] An Ohio contractor that is already working on the U.S. 24 project is the apparent low bidder on a section of the project in Defiance and Paulding counties. Bids were opened by the Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) Wednesday for the segment between U.S. 127 in Paulding County to Ohio 424, on Defiance's west corporation limits. ... http://www.crescent-news.com/news/article/1785891

Both from ThisWeek Licking County, 5/27/07: Accord group deciding on land-use direction At issue: to prepare for growth along state Route 161 together or as separate jurisdictions Sunday, May 27, 2007 By LORI WINCE ThisWeek Staff Writer Officials from three townships, three villages and Licking County need to decide whether they should plan development of the state Route 161 corridor together or allow development under each jurisdictions' land-use plans. The group first met in 2005 to review potential goals for land use, knowing that 161 was to be widened between New Albany and Granville. Since then, the group has been trying to determine if all officials can work together to write an accord, a land-use plan for the area that would provide guidelines for development. It involves the following jurisdictions: Jersey, St. Albans and Granville townships, the villages of Alexandria, Granville and New Albany and Licking County. Officials from each jurisdiction are working with planners from the Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Commission (MORPC) and the Licking County Planning Commission (LCPC) on the project. Full story at http://www.thisweeknews.com/?story=sites/thisweeknews/052707/LickingCounty/News/052707-News-361687.html Granville preparing for rise in traffic as village grows Sunday, May 27, 2007 By LORI WINCE ThisWeek Staff Writer Granville village officials and residents continue to express concern about potential traffic that could be added to Main Street from area development. The Granville Planning and Zoning Commission met May 23 to consider several projects, but the issue of traffic surfaced. The commission is trying to determine the proper zoning classification for 80-plus acres on the north and south sides of River Road, west of Main Street. The land, which is in Granville Township, could be annexed into the village. Full story at http://www.thisweeknews.com/?story=sites/thisweeknews/052707/LickingCounty/News/052707-News-361689.html

From ThisWeek Delaware, 5/27/07: Meijer, Home Depot planned in city Sunday, May 27, 2007 By NATE ELLIS ThisWeek Staff Writer A grocery "supercenter" and a retail home improvement store likely will anchor a project expected to yield Delaware's largest commercial development on the city's far east side. As first reported at ThisWeek's Web site May 23, the Delaware Planning Commission next month will review Zaremba Group LLC's final plans to develop a 558,752-square-foot center and 327 single-family homes near the intersection of state Route 521 and U.S. Route 36. The commercial portion of the development, to be called Glennwood Commons, would be anchored by a 207,364-square-foot Meijer retail and grocery supercenter. It also would contain a 128,883-square-foot Home Depot. Zaremba has been eyeing development on the roughly 150-acre site for several years. Last January, Delaware City Council approved preliminary plans for the project, and granted a rezoning and conditional-use permits to allow the development. MORE: http://www.thisweeknews.com/?story=sites/thisweeknews/052707/Delaware/News/052707-News-361761.html

From the 5/28/07 Enquirer: Multimedia Audio: UDF's 911 and police dispatch calls (MP3) Chief: Cops 'commendable' BY DAN HORN | [email protected] SOUTH FAIRMOUNT – Cincinnati Police Chief Tom Streicher said Monday that all five officers involved in Sunday’s fatal shooting of a suspect fleeing police had “acted commendably.” Qayyim N. Moore, 25, of no known address, died at the scene of the shooting at 4:25 p.m.. In a morning press conference, Streicher said two officers had shot Moore four times after he ran from police as they patted him down in the parking lot of the United Dairy Farmers store at Quebec Road and Queen City Avenue. http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070528/NEWS01/305280012

Link contains photos. From the 5/27/07 Enquirer: Police kill shooter 'It was a running gun battle,' Streicher said BY JESSICA BROWN | [email protected] SOUTH FAIRMOUNT – For the second time in nine days, Cincinnati police officers shot a suspect Sunday, this time fatally. Police killed a man who had fired at two officers after they confronted him for allegedly stealing ice cream from a convenience store, Police Chief Tom Streicher said. http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/AB/20070527/NEWS01/305270020/

From the 5/28/07 PD: Ohio school reformers say Maryland is a model Monday, May 28, 2007 Scott Stephens Plain Dealer Reporter Takoma Park, Md. -- Helen Smith, the principal of Carole Highlands Elementary School, has plenty of worries. Most of her 587 students come from working-class immigrant families representing 45 nations. One-third have limited English skills. Students come and go from the school with alarming frequency. Many live in poverty. But one thing Smith doesn't have to worry about is money. http://www.dispatch.com/dispatch/content/local_news/stories/2007/05/28/amend.ART_ART_05-28-07_A1_EU6RHB8.html?type=rss&cat=21

From the 5/27/07 Record-Courier: PHOTO 1 Photo By Timothy St. Hillaire/Record-Courier PHOTO 2 Hundreds help break ground for new Ravenna High By Jason De Leon Record-Courier staff writer Shrugging off a pouring rain, hundreds gathered Saturday morning to break ground on the new $25 million Ravenna High School. Community members grabbed their shovels, positioned themselves around a 158,000-square-foot painted outline of the new school, located off North Chestnut Street near the district's athletic complex, and dug in. While seeking cover from the rainfall under a large tent Saturday morning, Trysha Perry, a sixth-grader at Rausch Intermediate School said, "I look forward to be in the first class to go all the way through the high school."... http://www.recordpub.com/news/article/2057311

I call this thread "Spring #1" because we've had two springs this year. The first one came at the tail end of March, when above average temperatures brought on rapid growth. This is the period during which these photos were taken. Then came a resurgence of winter, with several hard freezes and about a week in row of nighttime temps getting down near or below 32. Some new growth died. People who planted too early lost their plants. There has been a pretty decent recovery, though. The trees are fully green. However, now the grass is getting brown due to lack of rain. There's a good chance that this could be the driest May since they started recording such things in the late 19th century. But enough of this talk. This isn't a weather forum. These photos are mainly from Mount Airy Forest, Klotter-Conroy in the Fairview neighborhood (or OTR, depending on whom you talk to), and Krohn Conservatory in Eden Park. There are a few random building pics thrown in as well, quite a few of which are from Florence. Please keep in mind that the stuff under construction has progressed since the photos were snapped two months ago. Enjoy. Mount Airy Forest Bellevue Water's Edge Florence This pretty much sums it up. CVG. The most contemporary downtown in America. Champion Window Field, home of the Frontier League's Florence Freedom. Covington Arts District To justify this being a City Photos thread.... Pulse Loft Condos Fairview 460 Conroy, demolished to (likely) be filled with homes similar to the one in the prior pic. Garbage. This is not okay. McMicken Ave. Mount Auburn Rehabbing. Looks like a parking pad. Krohn Conservatory Covington The Ascent at Roebling's Bridge, by Daniel Libeskind.

From the 5/24/07 Dispatch: PHOTO: A Keep Columbus Beautiful camera in an alley east of Champion Avenue and south of Mooberry Street also plays a message reminding anyone that painting graffiti is illegal. MIKE MUNDEN DISPATCH PHOTOS PHOTO: A motion detector triggers this anti-graffiti camera in an alley east of Champion Avenue. Watching Columbus: Can constant surveillance cut crime? Mayor considers cameras Thursday, May 24, 2007 3:54 AM By Mark Ferenchik THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH Soon, you might find the eyes of the city upon you as you walk in your neighborhood, enjoy Red, White & Boom or play in a park. Look up. There might be a city surveillance camera watching your every move. After months of internal discussion among city officials, and after repeated requests for cameras by neighborhood leaders and residents, Columbus will test video surveillance cameras. Mayor Michael B. Coleman asked his staff yesterday to develop test programs for cameras to observe neighborhoods and Downtown festivals. Full story at http://www.dispatch.com/dispatch/content/local_news/stories/2007/05/24/CAMERAS.ART_ART_05-24-07_A1_MT6QB8B.html?type=rss&cat=21

From the 5/22/07 Dispatch: Police to get 41 cruisers in fall Replacement cars don't match department's needs, officials say Tuesday, May 22, 2007 4:44 AM By Mark Ferenchik THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH Forty-one new police cruisers will be hitting Columbus streets, but not until after the summer season when crime often heats up with the temperatures. The Columbus City Council agreed yesterday to buy 41 cruisers for more than $1.65 million. Thirty-six of the cars will patrol city streets, and five will become freeway cruisers. They'll arrive in September. Full story at http://www.dispatch.com/dispatch/content/local_news/stories/2007/05/22/Coun22.ART_ART_05-22-07_B1_AD6PNUS.html?type=rss&cat=21

Link contains a photo. From the 5/17/07 Dispatch: Man whom police shocked with Taser dies 3 days later Thursday, May 17, 2007 3:40 AM By and Patrick Bell A Valleyview man died yesterday, three days after he was shocked with a Taser and hit with pepper spray during an altercation with police. Patrick D. Hagans, 42, died at Mount Carmel West hospital, said Steve Martin, Franklin County chief deputy sheriff. Yesterday in Franklin County Municipal Court, Valleyview police had charged Hagans, who owned a local entertainment gift-certificate business, with resisting arrest and disorderly conduct. Full story at http://www.dispatch.com/dispatch/content/local_news/stories/2007/05/17/VIEWTAZE.ART_ART_05-17-07_B1_FA6O8UT.html?type=rss&cat=21

From the 4/24/07 Dispatch: 3 COLUMBUS OFFICERS Policemen cleared in two fatal shootings Tuesday, April 24, 2007 A Franklin County grand jury has cleared a Columbus police officer of criminal wrongdoing in a fatal shooting last year outside a North Side market. Officer Larry Whitman shot Trae Darson in the parking lot of the Sunshine International Food Mart, 5880 North Meadows Blvd., on the evening of Aug. 30. The grand jury met Friday to hear evidence in the case and declined to indict the officer, according to the Franklin County prosecutor?s office. Full story at http://www.dispatch.com/dispatch/contentbe/dispatch/2007/04/24/20070424-D3-04.html

From the 4/20/07 Dispatch: Police say man pulled gun before they fired Testimony wraps up in federal case over officers' use of force Friday, April 20, 2007 John Futty THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH The Columbus police officer who fired a fatal shot into Daunte Miller's back told a federal jury yesterday that he angrily berated the fallen suspect for ignoring orders to drop his weapon. Officer Bruce Beard recalled cursing at Miller and shouting, "Why did you make me shoot you? " Beard testified in his defense in U.S. District Court in Columbus, where he and Sgt. Anthony Luzio are being sued by Miller's mother, who said the officers used excessive force. Full story at http://www.dispatch.com/dispatch/contentbe/dispatch/2007/04/20/20070420-E3-01.html

From the 4/19/07 Dispatch: Expert: Gun likely tucked away when police shot man Thursday, April 19, 2007 John Futty THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH A badly damaged bullet that fatally wounded Daunte Miller was the focus of testimony yesterday in a federal lawsuit against two Columbus police officers who fired at Miller during a Franklinton foot chase. The bullet was damaged because it struck Miller's 9 mm handgun after entering his back and passing through his body, a firearms investigator testified in U.S. District Court in Columbus. Full story at http://www.dispatch.com/dispatch/contentbe/dispatch/2007/04/19/20070419-D8-00.html

Link contains a photo. From the 4/17/07 Dispatch: Federal trial starts in police shooting Tuesday, April 17, 2007 John Futty THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH The testimony of two Columbus police officers will be contradicted by people who saw parts of a foot chase that ended in the shooting death of Daunte Miller, a federal jury was told yesterday. Miller's mother, Tosha, is suing Officer Bruce Beard and Sgt. Anthony Luzio, accusing them of using excessive force in the Aug. 6, 2003, shooting in Franklinton. Beard and Luzio say Miller twice pointed a handgun at Beard as they chased him south on Lucas Street from Town Street. Full story at http://www.dispatch.com/dispatch/contentbe/dispatch/2007/04/17/20070417-D2-00.html

From the 4/10/07 Dispatch: COLUMBUS CITY COUNCIL Police units get South Side home Crime lab, property room to share space after renovation Tuesday, April 10, 2007 Robert Vitale THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH The Columbus Division of Police will consolidate its property room and crime lab in a South Side warehouse that the city will buy for nearly $1.6 million. The City Council voted yesterday to purchase a 168,000 square-foot building on Woodrow Avenue now owned by Our Masonry Co. City officials said millions more will be needed to customize it for police use. Full story at http://www.dispatch.com/dispatch/contentbe/dispatch/2007/04/10/20070410-D6-02.html

From the 4/4/07 Dispatch: Police name officer involved in shooting Wednesday, April 04, 2007 Police have released the name of the officer who shot a gun-wielding robbery suspect in the arm on the Near East Side early Monday. Officer Mark Fester, a 10-year Police Division veteran, was working in plain clothes when he and a uniformed officer were approached by a man at Mount Vernon and Champion avenues about 4:45 a.m. The man said he had just been robbed and described his attacker, police said. Fester went to the scene of the alleged robbery and found Cortez L. Montgomery, 22, of 1167 Sidney St. Police said Montgomery threatened Fester with a gun before he was shot in the arm. Other details were not given. Full story at http://www.dispatch.com/dispatch/contentbe/dispatch/2007/04/04/20070404-B5-02.html

From the 3/27/07 Dispatch: 2006 nightclub incident Man shot by officer files $10 million lawsuit Tuesday, March 27, 2007 3:28 AM By Bruce Cadwallader THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH A man who said that an officer's bullet put him in a wheelchair filed a $10 million lawsuit against Columbus police yesterday. Shannon Preston, 24, was shot by Officer Stanford Speaks, who had been working special duty at the Obvious nightclub, 2467 E. Dublin-Granville Rd., on March 24, 2006. Shots had been fired from inside a car, and police said Preston ran when the car he was in was stopped by officers. Franklin County Prosecutor Ron O'Brien said Speaks thought Preston, the driver, was reaching for a gun. Two others in the car blamed Preston for firing a shot into the air outside the club, O'Brien said. Full story at http://www.dispatch.com/dispatch/content/local_news/stories/2007/03/27/preston.ART_ART_03-27-07_B3_E266SQ6.html

From the 3/17/07 Dispatch: Police officer cleared in 2006 shooting case Saturday, March 17, 2007 A Columbus police officer acted within policy when he shot a robbery suspect on the city's Far West Side last spring, the division announced yesterday. Officer Scott Siford shot Jeffery Skaggs early on May 24 as Skaggs came out through the back door of a home at 1048 Greeley Dr. Police said the 28-year-old Skaggs was armed with a handgun and had robbed the home before he confronted the officer at 1:50 a.m. Siford fired once. He is 37 and a 10-year veteran of the division. Skaggs survived and is awaiting trial on charges of aggravated robbery, aggravated burglary, robbery and having a gun despite being a felon. Full story at http://www.dispatch.com/dispatch/contentbe/dispatch/2007/03/17/20070317-B5-05.html

From the 3/12/07 Dispatch: GRAPHIC: Comparing police departments Columbus to hire more police, but how many are enough? Monday, March 12, 2007 John Futty THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH George Hadler has been a business leader in the Northland area for a decade. He hears more and more from those who live and work in the North Side neighborhoods that they are worried about police protection. "One of the constant themes is police response time," Hadler said. "It's just slow." Police officials don't argue the point. The 18th Precinct, which includes the Northland area but stretches from Morse Road to Polaris, has produced "unmanageable growth and unmanageable workloads" for police, Cmdr. Jeff Blackwell said. Last month, he and Cmdr. David Summerfield proposed splitting the 14th and 18th precincts, two of the biggest and busiest in the city. The resulting four precincts would be more manageable in size but staffed without hiring more officers. The proposal highlights the Police Division's efforts to do more with less at a time when Police Chief James G. Jackson has renewed his call for more officers. Full story at http://www.dispatch.com/dispatch/contentbe/dispatch/2007/03/12/20070312-A1-03.html