moonloop

<i>I got my crime stories about the AG and social service agencies mixed up. This is the story that I question how and why social service agencies continued to open up in OTR.</i> <b>Men From Suburbs Busted In Prostitution Sting</b> A lot of men had some explaining to do Tuesday night when they got home. Either they didn't have their car, or they were out of $500. Local 12 was there as officers cracked down on suspected "johns." Many of them are from the suburbs. The suspects' vehicles were confiscated as they were arrested. Local 12 Reporter Shawn Ley has more. Local 12 cameras were there Tuesday night, watching police haul more than two dozen men to jail, and tow away their cars. Police say the men came to Over-the-Rhine looking for sex with a prostitute. Instead, they found a female officer, undercover and wired for sound. When police say these two guys allegedly mentioned sex for money to an officer dressed the part of a hooker, she used a hidden radio to call for back-up, and the bust was made. Police say they even found crack pipes and drugs on one of the men. Both police and men looking to buy sex know what their wives and girlfriends may not. Many hookers are hooked on crack or heroin. Those addicts work several hot spot streets in Over-the-Rhine, and many of the men drive here from the suburbs. <b>But Carl Fields is seeing a change. "I've seen less Kentucky tags rolling through here," said Carl Fields, St. Francis-St. Joseph House. "That tells me a lot." Fields runs St. Francis-St. Joseph, a half-way house for men just getting a fresh start out of jail. The house is at Liberty and Walnut, a hot corner for prostitutes.</b> He says the corner isn't so hot this week, with heavy police patrols and now sheriff's deputies in their second week of policing the area, chasing away the people his ex-cons don't need to be around. <b>"Not only the hookers but the dope boys," said Fields. "It's a mine field out here! The guys are trying to stay clean. Once they come out this door, they have to navigate a mine field to get go and from!"</b> Meantime, the men helping feed into the cycle of crime here get an expensive lesson. Not only are they arrested, but must pay $500 to get their car back. Cincinnati Police tell us Tuesday night's prostitution bust may have looked like an elaborate operation, but it wasn't. Police try to make at least one or two roundups each month. http://www.wkrc.com/news/local/story.aspx?content_id=44FA2C9C-04A1-42CD-8BB0-B523F33B0C09

<b>U.S. Attorney General Tours Downtown Cincinnati</b> Reported by: Deb Haas Web produced by: Matthew Daniels Photographed by: 9News First posted: 8/8/2006 4:34:59 PM U.S. Attorney General Alberto Gonzalez toured the high crime area in Over-The-Rhine Tuesday morning. He talked with Congressman Steve Chabot and Cincinnati Police Chief Tom Streicher. "What is available for young kids after school so they don't get into trouble? Is that something that's a focus?" Gonzales asked. The attorney general met with police, the FBI, and fire chiefs, to talk about what the city needs to do. <b>"Quite frankly I was startled. This is my first visit to Cincinnati so I was startled, the buildings, abandoned buildings. On the other hand, images of hope, obvious efforts to develop portions of the community," the top-cop said.</b> Gonzales said his plan has three parts: education, prevention and enforcement. To add emphasis, he announced he's dedicating 23 new assistant US Attorneys to the drug and organized crime task force. One of those new U.S. Attorneys will be stationed right here in Cincinnati. "We need to get to these kids before they get involved in drugs, before they get involved in gangs," Gonzales said. They talked about jail space and also about how Cincinnati is not unique in that crime is in every city and problems need to be solved. "The bad news is you have crime here in the city, the good news is you have a dedicated group of law enforcement professionals focused on it," Gonzales said. http://www.wcpo.com/news/2006/local/08/08/ag.html

<i>I wish I could find the quote from the local TV news, but Gonzales was quoted as saying how shock he was on how bombed out OTR looked. That's not the exact quote. What's the logic in having all these social service agencies in an area that offers easy access to all the bad things their supposedly trying to be saved from.</i> <b>Hotbed of Violence Attorney general tours OTR</b> <b>By Joe Wessels, Post contributor</b> The night before the nation's top law enforcement official came to visit, Over-the-Rhine lived down to its reputation as one of Cincinnati's most troubled neighborhoods. Three people were shot - none of them fatally - and a woman was found dead in the 15 hours before U.S. Attorney General Alberto Gonzales toured Over-the-Rhine. Gonzales viewed the area in a motorcade with Cincinnati Police Chief Thomas Streicher and U.S. Rep. Steve Chabot, R-Ohio, whose district includes Cincinnati, stopping briefly to stand on a vacant lot on the southeast corner of Race and 14th streets. Gonzales was accompanied by an entourage of Secret Service agents who kept residents in the neighborhood - some of whom said they would have liked to talk to him - at bay. On Monday evening, the naked body of a woman was found on Findlay Street. Police are hoping an autopsy will pinpoint the cause of her death. Around 4:15 Tuesday morning, police responded to two nearly simultaneous shootings in which three people were wounded. One was shot several times near East Liberty Street and Reading Road. Two others were found shot in the 500 block of 13th Street. A recovering drug addict who has called Over-the-Rhine home for five years and would identify himself only as "R.R." said the police department's recent Operation Vortex, which netted more than 1,000 arrests during a three-day period in April, has helped the area. The spot where Gonzales got out of his car was just feet away from the site of several shootings this spring. Operation Vortex continues in lesser concentrations and has moved to other troubled neighborhoods around the city, including Price Hill and Walnut Hills. "A couple a months ago, they couldn't do that," R.R. said, pointing to the corner where Gonzales had just left. "They could not have come there in relative safety. And I'm not talking about the heat." R.R. said if he had had the opportunity, he would have asked Gonzales "what more they are going to do for the neighborhood and for neighborhoods like this all around the United States." Gonzales might have answered R.R.'s question in a more roundabout way about 90 minutes later during a press conference at the Talbert House in Avondale. There, Gonzales announced he had approved the allocation of 23 new assistant U.S. attorneys to offices around the United States, including one in Cincinnati. That attorney's primary responsibility will be prosecuting major drug trafficking organizations, Gonzales said. Police have said drug trafficking is the No. 1 contributor to crime in the troubled neighborhood. "Cincinnati has seen its share of pain when it comes to the subject of drug abuse, addiction and trade," Gonzales said. "A child who grows up in a drug-infested, violent neighborhood is a child who has been robbed of hope." Marge Hammelrath, executive director of the Over-the-Rhine Foundation, said she was unaware that Gonzales was going to be in the neighborhood, but was happy that more help might be on the way. She thanked Streicher for bringing the attorney general to the area. "I think we are finally realizing that we don't have to be victims," she said. "We have enough power in the law enforcement and the people who really care...and we can take over our own neighborhood." Publication date: 08-09-2006 http://news.cincypost.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060809/NEWS01/608090351

<i>It would be nice to see some Federal Tax Dollars go toward the jail. I'm not fan of Hemlich's 20 year plan.</i> <b>U.S. attorney general promises help to battle drug trade</b> <b>BY DAN HORN | ENQUIRER STAFF WRITER</b> OVER-THE-RHINE U.S. Attorney General Alberto Gonzales toured Over-the-Rhine this morning and promised local authorities a little help in their efforts to stop rising gun violence. The visit to Over-the-Rhine, one of Cincinnatis most violent neighborhoods, was short. Gonzales stood for a few minutes in a vacant lot with Police Chief Tom Streicher and Congressman Steve Chabot, pausing briefly to answer questions from reporters. E-mail [email protected] http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060808/NEWS01/308080039

Thanks for the links. I lost track of this thread. I guess just clicking on "unread posts since last visit" isn't a catch-all.

I think the developer should turn the land into a pig farm or have dirt track racing events. They need to generate some revenue to pay those taxes. ;-)

<i>The City of Cincinnati better get it in gear. Heads should roll if they f*** this up. I believe this area of Clermont is in tornado alley so the Feds should stay far away from this area. </i> <b>Clermont submits NIOSH bid Suggests 3 sites for consolidating two laboratories</b> BY BARRETT J. BRUNSMAN | ENQUIRER STAFF WRITER BATAVIA - Clermont County has suggested three sites in its bid for a $70 million federal building that would house laboratories and offices for 1,100 employees. The county's chief competitor for the project, the city of Cincinnati, isn't saying how many sites it might be able to counter with. Clermont's economic development director, Andy Kuchta, said Monday that sites in Union Township and Miami Township would have no problem accommodating a building that might require up to 14 acres to consolidate two labs operated in Cincinnati by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health. E-mail [email protected] http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060801/BIZ01/608010321/1076/BIZ

Why would they prevent buses from being allow? There's a good chance potential employees would need transportation to get to work.

But aren't the juicy cover story articles in the print edition only? I hope I'm wrong. I like getting the scoop on these things.

<i>This isn't a good sign either.</i> <b>UC eliminates community development coordinator position</b> Cincinnati Business Courier - 2:39 PM EDT Thursday The University of Cincinnati is scaling back its involvement in redevelopment around its Corryville campus, and eliminating a key liaison with local construction projects. According to an e-mail obtained by the Courier, Scott Enns, community development coordinator for UC, was laid off Monday and his position eliminated, because of the university's impending budget crisis. UC will continue as a lender for construction projects, but will not have any other involvement, the e-mail said. The university had been active in development projects for Uptown, the area that includes Clifton, Clifton Heights, Corryville, Avondale and Mount Auburn. It has lent more than $127 million from its endowment funds for various projects, and has participated in the Uptown Consortium, a development group that has several projects under way. But one large project, McMillan Park, could be threatened by UC's diminishing role. The Courier reported July 7 that UC froze a bridge loan for the $100 million condominium development in the Calhoun Avenue corridor, and it and the Uptown Consortium are evaluating the project (see cincinnati.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/stories/2006/07/10/story1.html). http://www.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/stories/2006/07/17/daily51.html?jst=b_ln_hl <b>ATTN:</b> Anyone subscribe to the Business Courier? Starting next week, articles online will only be available to subscribers.

Tom Hanks and Ron Howard are at tonights Reds game. They're still there after the rain delay. Pretty cool.

There's an online interview with the Banks Working Group including Bob Castellini courtesy of WVXU. http://www.wvxu.org/news/audio/WVXU_Banks.mp3

^I think this is referring to the Brazilian restaurant going in to Mason. Has the DT Cincy version gotten any ink in the papers? Mason is getting theirs first, I take it. DT vs Mason could be interesting to see how this pans out. I'm also curious about the price points. People will probably feel obligated to commit gluttony to make it worthwhile. I plan on going to the DT one and staying far away from Mason's.

<i>Great news if this pans out. This is too prime a location to put up with this.</i> <b>Prosecutor Pushes To Close Metropole Apartments</b> LAST UPDATE: 7/18/2006 6:45:10 PM A troubled downtown apartment building could be shut down in a week. The Hamilton County Prosecutor is getting ready to file a civil nuisance action against the Metropole Apartments. http://www.wkrc.com/news/local/story.aspx?content_id=712B3AE7-DFFF-4168-9405-D4B9FA64B143

The pictures are of us, taken by my uncle. He was just hanging around Newport and the bridge. You still aren't allow to take a camera with you. They allow sunglasses and hats. We could of worn a purple hat, but I passed on that and have a burnt forehead as a result. I think the no camera rule is simply about $$$. The guide did have a camera and did take shots throughout the climb. Each climber gets a free pic, but if you want anymore you will have to buy them. And they weren't cheap, about $4 each. In regards to the Cincy side. The Reds were playing and LatinFest was going on but the Serpentine Wall area was completely empty and I just don't understand why the City didn't used the boat races to bring people to the river. Granted, Newport wasn't packed, but I would estimated several hundred were watching the races and taking in the surroundings.

I did the Purple Bridge Climb on Sunday. My cousin from Atlanta was in town and was up for the challenge. The main entrance is near the Tropicana Restaurant. This is where you pay(or give them gift certificates in our case). I tried to make reservations the day before, but the woman didn't think it was necessary. Sure enough it was a problem just walking in for a climb, but it worked out. This is were you watch a brief DVD, change into the jump suit (I need to start wearing more yellow and purple), strap on the climbing gear, headgear, and then show us how to use the thing that attaches to the guide wire. The name of which escapes me. The steps are very steep in some places. If you take your time, it's not problem. Since there was only three of us. The guide, Mike, was cool and casual. He did the "history of" routine but then we just starting talking about anything. The speed boats, what the barges where hauling. There was no rush, plenty of time to soak it all in. The river was busy with barges and boats. The views, as expected, are impressive. Toward the end you ring a Verdin Bell, make a wish, then head toward the glass platform. This is the only part that hangs past the bridge. You go down the stairs backwards, like a ladder. The steps at the end of the climb were the steepest. The climb is over on the Cincy side. Mike locks up and we walk to Base Camp. I enjoyed the climb, but what made it amazing were the boat races that were happening right underneath us. Cranes dropped the boats in the water. The boats are warming up. The race will have a nice backdrop. Off they go. The boats line up on the river's edge and wait for the countdown and the flag drop. The view from the Purple Bridge was amazing. This was during a time trial. It was a shame to see the Cincy side completely empty. The boats had to dodge a lot of junk. There were complaints about the conditions. This could be the last time they come to Cincy/KY. That would be a shame.

I ate at Brazilian steakhouse in Chicago and it was a great experience. You have all these guys walking around with all types of meat on skewers ready to slice and dice you a piece. It was expensive, but worth it. There also was a salad bar and some strange fruit/booze drinks that had some serious kick to them. Bring your appetite. I like the idea of some latin culture to FS. Thanks god they didn't choose WC/Mason.

<i>I don't understand why the Cincy side declined to get involved. That's dumb. I happened to be near the river last year when this was going on and it was fun to watch. Those boats fly and I think it's free to attend. I hope the bridge climb is still open this weekend, I plan on making the trek.</i> <b>ChampBoat Racing on river this weekend</b> By Jonathan Smith, Post staff reporter NASCAR may not be bringing its road show to Northern Kentucky any time soon, but "NASCAR on water" is. The ChampBoat Racing Series arrives on the Newport waterfront this weekend for its second event of the season, the Greater Cincinnati Grand Prix.

<i>Anyone hear of this guy(kid)? I like the look.</i> <b>Chris Brown, Ne-Yo set co-headlining tour</b> July 12, 2006 11:36 AM by Tjames Madison, LiveDaily Contributor Fans of R&B stars Chris Brown and Ne-Yo will have a chance to see both of the performers on the same stage this summer when the pair join up for their co-headlining "Up Close & Personal Tour." The trek, which also features Lil Wayne, Juelz Santana and Dem Franchize Boyz, kicks off Aug. 17 in Cincinnati. The 29-city tour will run well into October, with stops in most major US markets. "It's gonna be a lot of screaming girls there, a lot of fans in general," Brown said in a press release. "It's gonna be a great all-around show that everybody, including myself, can have fun with." http://www.livedaily.com/news/Chris_Brown_NeYo_set_coheadlining_tour-10371.html?t=97

The most expensive unit is still for sale, right? I would think that potential buyer would contact the COA and that would be your opportunity to explain your concerns. The buyer, I would think, then would bring those concerns to MED and the sales agent. Then maybe the building problems could make or break the sale. Would MED make the fixes if the most expensive unit sold? Would the agent be willing to lose a sale if the building issues aren't taking care of? That could be another angle to look into.

<i>You go girl! Make it as uncomfortable as possible for the Learn & Earn thugs.</i> <b>Ghiz files lawsuit against casino PAC</b> Cincinnati Business Courier - 12:07 PM EDT Monday Cincinnati City Council member Leslie Ghiz today filed a lawsuit against the Ohio Earn and Learn Committee, the political action committee established for the statewide casino referendum that excludes Cincinnati, and against FieldWorks Inc., the Washington, D.C., company hired to circulate petitions. Cincinnati was initially included in the casino petition language but was later removed. Ghiz and other council members pushed for a casino site at the downtown site known as Broadway Commons to help spur economic development and boost tourism for the city. Cincinnati City Council voted 7-2 for a resolution supporting Broadway Commons as a casino site, and several other elected officials and organizations supported the site, too. But Ghiz alleges that Ohio Earn and Learn and FieldWorks engaged in "underhanded an deceitful tactics" to ensure that a referendum including a Cincinnati casino site would not appear on the ballot in November. "After researching the legalities of their tactics to stop our campaign, it appears that OLE and FW broke the law in their own initiative efforts," Ghiz said in a news release. The lawsuit, filed in the Hamilton County Court of Common Pleas, revolves around Ohio Learn and Earn's petition gathering process. It states that the organization "intentionally misrepresented and falsely stated to the public the purpose of the petition by omitting the fact that the true purpose of the petition is to legalize gambling in Ohio." Full article at http://www.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/stories/2006/07/10/daily4.html?jst=b_ln_hl

If you don't mind me asking, what happen when you sued them regarding the sq. foot issue? I don't think I would be comfortable buying a condo/house that hasn't been built yet. It sounds like too many things can go wrong. Buying a place is hard enough.

It would a been nice to of seen a barge go through. Would anyone know if boaters/barges have to pay a fee to get through?

Markland Dam is about an hour from Cincinnati. It was built in 1964. It's between Gallatin County, KY and Switzerland County, IN. Hoover Dam it's not, but it was still worth the drive to just see the Dam and Locks in action. :wink: There seems to be very little info online, I guess it's not considered a tourist attraction. Observation Deck Off they go Getting ready to do again

It's been a few years since I've been to this park and this past Friday turned out to be a great day to go. I didn't see any photo threads on this so here are several photos of this unique park. It's a great way to spend the afternoon. The rolling hills and abundance of green space is a perfect setting for these larger than life sculptures. Highly recommended - there's a $3.00 entry fee and now carts can be rented. http://www.pyramidhill.org/index.php