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Nice catch grasscat, I totally missed this. Cecil Thomas really is an idiot. The graffiti abatement program is one city service that really works so Thomas wants to change it to charge the victims of this crime, which should slow down or eliminate the abatement in many cases. It really is mind boggling. Anybody who has done any sort of work with Keep Cincinnati Beautiful on this can tell you how hard it is to just get a right of entry form signed for a lot of these properties (which the city need to have to go on the property and remove the graffiti), there is no way 90% of these property owners will have the graffiti removed if it costs them a single penny. Just to recap, while the surveillance camera project has virtually disappeared, the neighborhood officer program has been disbanded, and the City's homicide rate skyrockets, the chairman of law and public safety committee has: Proposed a (and passed) re-criminalization of Marijuana Proposed changing a tremendously successful program to create a financial disincentive to graffiti abatement. Worst. Councilperson. Ever.

I'm with you on the sympathy, all the best to him and his family. I couldn't disagree more on the 'dangerous activity' bit though. He was riding to work without a helmet, a perfectly legal activity, when an oncoming car turned into his path and caused an accident. No citations have been issued, although I would guess that they will be eventually, but there was a criminal act here. Either the car making the left turn refused to yield (my guess - about a 99% chance in this sort of accident), Big Ben disobeyed one or more traffic laws, or both. If you want to hold people accountable for being (presumed in this case) a victim of a crime you're headed down a slippery slope my friend. Having followed his career since his Miami days, I really hope he fully recovers, and quickly.

I'm onboard with this! Seriously, this would be awesome - best idea for downtown yet! Got any data on that Nick? There's still _some_ manufacturing/industry in OTR not to mention offices etc. I think that there is a tendency in this city (and many others, we're certainly not alone) to overlook 'boring' old school businesses like manufacturers, retail, professional services, and, yes, even social service agencies to concentrate on the 'creative class'. Bar payrolls are generally pretty low and permit costs are a small part of the big picture. I would venture to say that the Kroger on Vine, for example, pays as much or more in total taxes (property, earning, and income) as all of the bars on Main Street combined, although, admittedly, that's conjecture on my part.

I was part of the walk the article above refers to and, in addition to meeting Michael (who seems like a decent guy despite being so wrong on the marijuana issue ;)), his wife and a bunch of other cool, committed folks from OTR, got a pretty decent street level view of Vine and it was not as bad as I had anticipated. Most people we encountered were pleasant and there was not a lot of visible vice activity. Granted it was early (I took off at 9) and there were a _lot_ of police in the area. I was also on the first walk of the now disbanded Pendleton Citizens on Patrol and this one had a totally different vibe, much more upbeat. Whereas on the Pendleton walk (6 citizen on patrolers with no police) we witnessed several dice games, drug deals, and prostitution, on the OTR walk we didn't see anything more than a couple of open containers and a few hookers that decided against plying their trade due to the Citizens on Patrol and/or Police in the area. Just as an aside, I never thought that I could see a place that made Northside's hookers look good by comparison! The most disturbing thing was that little kids (like 5-6 years old) already didn't want to be seen talking with us or the police. Towards the end of our walk we had a confrontation with a young man (16 years old) who said that he didn't want to see us on his streets again, which we took to be a threat and reported to the police and, within literally 10 seconds, 3 or 4 young kids (probably 10 to 12 years old) had appeared and told the police that we were making this up, lying, trying to get this kid in trouble, etc. None of these kids could have possibly heard the conversation. I imagine that this is what the police have to deal with every time they make an arrest in this area, not to mention the complaints to CCA, etc. Turns out the guy that we were having trouble with wasn't even from OTR, he lived on Marshall and the police just told him to get out of the neighborhood and not come back. Anyhow, what I took from this is that the police face an uphill battle with most of those on the streets indifferent, if not outright hostile, to their efforts. I think the Citizens on Patrol will help, but something bigger is going to have to happen, and I don't know what that is, to change the attitudes of the folks that you see on the street, or OTR will never be a place that people feel safe. All that said, I did not feel unsafe at any point in the patrol (although I was on Vine the whole night, certainly not the worst that OTR has to offer) and I really enjoyed the give and take with the folks on the street as well as the fact that so many people were on the street which made it feel really alive. Weirdest thing about the walk for me was the Pohlar Cafe, which is an old school bar with an all white (at least on this night) clientele in the middle of Over the Rhine. Strange.....

A couple.... The developers seem to be genuinely interested in neighborhood input and the design, particularly the greenspace in front, reflects input from previous Community Council meetings. Two of the principals were at the McPerry's (convenience store & longtime Northside crime hotspot) demolition today. This is strongly encouraging. Mayor Mallory and Scotty Johnson (Mallory's bodyguard) were seriously jazzed about the project. This is really good as well since: They seriously overpaid for the former Myron Johnson lumberyard (note: this isn't a criticism, this is the only way they were going to get the property) They are going to have to pay a premium to acquire the old Murgard's bowling alley (most recently used as lumberyard warehouse space but subsequently purchased by Community Yellow Cab). Current plans show this building being razed and replaced with single family, owner occupied housing. The only way to make those 2 purchases work is with some City money. There was a fantastic turnout and I did not hear a negative comment.

Agreed! I went and I'm pretty sure I saw Quimbob taking some pics which will hopefully show up here before too long. Very impressive presentation by the developers. The scale of this building is hard to picture from the street, it's just huge. The units look to be very nice. The Community Council meeting was held in a big open bay that still has some of the old cranes etc, very cool reception/meeting space. Saw the mayor, Tarbell (who spoke), and Crowley there, not sure if any other council types showed. This is really a best case scenario for Northside.

RiverViewer, no problem, I'm new here so I'm still kinda getting the lay of the land. You are right, it's always a good idea to put sourcing in a post and I'll do it next time. Hopefully we'll see you at American Can! Cheers, h

Um, there isn't really a link. It's from the Northside email list (Bits & Pieces - see http://www.northside.net). The info about the hearing is from Monday's Northside Business Association meeting and was part of the Q&A after the American Can presentation.

More info: THE AMERICAN CAN BUILDING OPEN HOUSE & NORTHSIDE COMMUNITY COUNCIL MEETING Come experience the exciting potential of this dynamic urban renewal project and get a “before” look at this redevelopment project. Monday, May 15, 2006 Building Tours Start at 5:30 p.m./Council Meeting at 7:00 p.m. The Northside Community Council, the Northside Business Association, the Northside Community Urban Redevelopment Corporation and the developers of the American Can Building cordially invite you to attend an Open House/Northside Community Council Meeting to be held at the American Can Building, 4101 Spring Grove Avenue. MAYOR MALLORY, THE MEMBERS OF CITY COUNCIL AND THEIR STAFF HAVE BEEN INVITED TO ATTEND. Tours of the American Can Building will be offered FROM 5:30 p.m. to 6:40 p.m. WHEN the developers will present their vision for the comprehensive redevelopment of a potential 7-acre site. At 6:50 p.m., a member of City Council will speak and open the monthly Northside Community Council meeting. Also, according to one of the principals, the hearing for the Clean Ohio funds went very well, and a decision is expected by late June. The general feeling was that the Clean Ohio fund people were genuinely excited about funding the reclamation of a building since so many of their projects are lots and vacant parcels.

Congratulations Michael and all, this is all good news. Keep in mind, of course, that all the police in the world cannot do for a neighborhood what an active, engaged community can do for itself. One thing that I have really enjoyed about the Citizens on Patrol program is the constant interaction with people who have been disengaged for a very long time and the opportunity to let them know what's going on in the neighborhood (Northside, in my case), listen to their concerns (many and varied but the most popular is simple - safety), and bring them into the fold, so to speak. Kudos and good luck to you all, I think you've got a good start!

FYI, the next Northside Community Council meeting (Monday, May 15th) will be at the American Can building and it will be preceded by an open house to which the mayor and council members have been invited, I believe around 6pm. It's open to the public so come one, come all, see what all the fuss is all about.

Allen, I look forward to reading your book! Here's what little I know about this subject. Northside actually had 3 theaters back in 1915 when 'The Souvenir History of Cumminsville' (available at Ohio Books downtown - this book was originally published by the Northside Business Association on the occasion of the completion of the Ludlow viaduct and contains information on the history of Northside and the businesses in existence at that time - great book!) came out. I, of course, can't find my copy right now but if I recall correctly they are/were: Park Theater - reputed to be the first movie theater in the US with Air Conditioning. Currently the building is occupied by Tri-State Appliances, a used appliance store. It was used as a movie theater until 1980 or 81, operating last, I believe as the Alpha, which showed Deep Throat (you'd be surprised how many people have shared this tidbit with me over the years). At that point it was bought by Grote Bakery who apparently filled the seating section with garbage and rubble and topped it all with cement and used the area as a kitchen until they moved in 1996. The balcony is still there, the projection room is still there (with a projector!), it's a neat old building. I've been in the basement and the old ac motor and fan are still there (or, more accurately, were there when I was down there, around 2000, the appliance guys make a lot of trips to Garden Street so some or all of that may have been sold for scrap). They're covered up now but there are a couple of swastikas on the facade, back in 1912-13 (which is when it was built I think) they didn't have the same associations they do now! The Liberty - This one is the building that has the Northside mural that you see when you are heading into Northside over the viaduct. It was built as a stage theater (the wall that the mural is on is part of the stage/curtain system, it's taller than the rest of the building to allow for curtains, sets, etc, to be hoisted up and down) and converted to a movie theater. It's owned by the Deaf Club now and there is a restaurant on the first floor (Ray's - formerly Kay's) I don't know much about the state of the building inside but I would be curious to find out what, if anything, remains from its' heyday as a theater. The Americus (I think) - this was located where the parking lot by where Honey is now (formerly Boca and, for you old timers, the work clothing store). I don't know anything about this one except what's in the book. Once I find the book I'll post some more info/pics (and fact check myself :wink:)

Well the pot ordinance appears to be a done deal. Luckily Berding added 2 things that make sense, a sunset clause and a pretty comprehensive study of the effects of this change. I still think that it's terrible ordinance and that lives will be changed for the worse by convictions over the year that the ordinance is in effect but I'm glad somebody had the good sense to try to use actual <b>facts</b> to decide policy. What a novel concept....

Michael, I'm not really sure what you're getting at with the letters to the editor. Are there people concerned about open air drug dealing? I thought I had already conceded it was a problem but, if not, I concede it is a problem. Are there people concerned enough to give up our constitutional right against illegal search and seizure?. Yes, apparently so (random checkpoints? yeah, that isn't troubling). Does that mean that we should? Um, no. As for your question, I am not a lawyer but I think it would be difficult to convict based on the scenario you present. I would be curious how many times a car has been stopped from this sort of call. A more likely scenario would be for the neighborhood to coordinate with Street Corner, documenting times, license plates, locations, etc, and street corner conduct a reverse sting. Let me ask you a question. Since you can currently make this call about a crack deal, which the UC study indicated was the prevalent drug in these markets and which is a felony to possess, how has this affected the flow of drugs in your neighborhood? How about some other questions, these concerning the fairness of the ordinance. Should a 65 year old grandmother with Glaucoma be subject to jail for using the best relief she has been able to find? Should a kid from a low income home whose only avenue to higher education is student aid be denied that avenue because he was caught smoking a joint? What 'victims' are there of the guy that grows pot in his attic for personal use? All of these people will be impacted by this ordinance, none have anything to do with the open air drug markets (well, maybe the kid with the joint does, but probably not since pot is pretty readily available without resorting to the corner in OTR/Pendleton). I appreciate your efforts to clean up your neighborhood and I understand your frustration but this is not, in my opinion, going to do ANY good and, in fact, will harm our city. Keep up the good work but please reconsider your support for this ordinance. Cheers, h

Thanks, glad to be here. What would you recommend? There is a problem here, there are victims, it is hurting our community. I do not care what the solution is, just give me one, because the status quo can not stand. Cameras are a start, not the solution. Not a single camera will go into my sector (for now). And the sale of a drug is already illegal, already enforced, but with a ticket of $100, my argument is one of penalty. The problem here is not simple marijuana possession. The problem here is open air drug dealing. As of right now, no maps of camera placement have been released and I do not believe camera placement has been finalized. I agree cameras are only the start BUT they can be a very potent weapon in this battle. From the supply side, making multiple buys from the same dealer ratchets the crime up from possesion to distribution, which is a felony. From the demand side, enact a law making it a crime to BUY (not posses, let's leave those who buy their pot out of town or grow their own out of this) marijuana within the City of Cincinnati. Make it as tough as you want, do a couple of stings to get the word out, and see what that does (disclaimer: NO penalty has EVER been shown to eliminate the problem of illegal drugs). Reference the open air crack markets in Cincinnati, possession of crack is a felony and we still have this problem. Pendleton's biggest problem is the housing stock. I say again, Crack possession is a felony, and yet "Crack was available at all the markets". This isn't rocket science, increased penalties will not stop this market. On a side note, I am helping a friend move out of Pendleton tomorrow because of this problem. Victims? come to Broadway tomorrow and I will introduce you to a family of victims. These people are victims of simple marijuana possession? You are confusing the issue. It's actually pretty simple, this ordinance will not decrease drug dealing. That's silly, we don't "need to do something", we need to address the problem. Criminalize the purchase of marijuana, arrest the dealers, move forward with the camera project, support cpop in Pendleton, address the vacant properties there with measures with real teeth (the revised VBML should help for one). Um, thanks I guess..... I do realize that the drug trade ruins lives. What you need to realize is that this ordinance will not put a stop to that but will, in fact, ruin more lives (those denied educational and employment opportunities because of a 'drug conviction'). That's bad policy.

Sorry about that, I meant the stores. It's a nice little pedestrian oriented strip though. Not a bad location as far as getting to anyplace in Cinci either. I'll still take Northside though....

1. Northside, and getting better all the time. Great mix of people and shops. 2. Ludlow. As said above Ludlow really has it all. 3. O' Bryonville. Very visually appealling. Kinda pricey and not really my scene but they've done an excellent job and it really draws people in.

Hey fellas, I'm a bit late to the debate but I think there are some cogent points being made and I especially appreciate the info about the (now passed) safety meeting. What I think is missing here is the idea of justice. Should anybody be subject to jail for possessing a small amount of marijuana? Personally I don't think so, I think our penalties are right on the mark, KY and IN be damned. This is a crime with no victim. Now, Michael Redmond, when you talk about the open air drug markets you are talking about something else entirely. Criminalize the purchase of marijuana in Cincinnati if you're worried about this, and then enforce it. The surveillance camera project is one way to deal with these persistant 'hot spots', there are a hundred others that deal with the problem that you are trying to deal with. Make no mistake, the largest impact of this change will be young people in our city with NO CONNECTION to the open air markets that are the problem. Under the current scheme a person convicted of simple possession can legally answer no when asked if they have a criminal record. If this proposal goes forward, that will no longer be the case. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to see that this will adversely affect the educational and employment options of a large group of Cincinnatians. This is bad policy. If you want to deal with a problem (open air drug markets), create policies and laws that deal with THAT PROBLEM, not another problem altogether (simple possession of marijuana). Remember we live in a state with no medical marijuana law, among other things. Stupid marijuana laws have cost people their lives in other jurisdictions (google Jonathan Magbie sometime), we don't have that here and that's a very good thing, let's keep it that way!