Mr. Anderson

Mr. Cahal - I like the way you think. I'd like to see the City go on a "road diet" and retrofit many of it's main corridors based on Complete Streets criteria.

Sounds like Mr. Brooks is arguing for a bailout of suburbia/exurbia - there is too much need for reinvestment in the urban core areas to waste money in the hinterlands. Instead of trying to make the suburban areas more urban - just revitalize the exsiting urban area - brownfield redeveloment, historic preservation, waterfront/riverfront development, downtown revitalization, etc. There is plenty of excess land redevelopment capacity within the urban landscape to bring people back in which would increase density, revitalize areas, etc. Why use taxpayer money to create town centers in places like West Chester??

Unfortunately - it's difficult to transition from an unemployed banker or financial services sector employee to a nurse or radiologist.

This sounds like the beginning of Cincinnati's list for Govt funded projects for 2009. Cincy has $250 M stimulus list By Howard Wilkinson • [email protected] • December 9, 2008 The city of Cincinnati has a $250 million wish list for President-elect Obama and the new Congress when they take office next month, in the form of long list of public works projects that city officials say would create nearly 3,400 jobs. The 32 projects proposed by Cincinnati – dealing with everything from tennis courts to repaving city streets to neighborhood “streetscaping” to upgrading the city’s water and sewer system – are part of the U.S. Conference of Mayors’ “Main Street Economic Recovery Plan” which proposes a crash program to stimulate the economy and create jobs by investing federal dollars into local projects. ... http://news.cincinnati.com/article/20081209/NEWS0108/312090032/1172

So does this mean Carl Linder doesn't like public transit? :wtf: Judge sends AFG’s Amtrak claims to arbitrator Business Courier of Cincinnati Friday, December 5, 2008 - 1:24 PM EST A federal lawsuit filed by American Financial Group against Amtrak has been put on hold, pending a ruling by an arbitration panel. Read more at: http://www.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/stories/2008/12/01/daily72.html

Metro gets fed OK for Dulles extension Wednesday, December 3, 2008 - 4:44 PM EST | Modified: Thursday, December 4, 2008 - 10:30 AM Washington Business Journal - by Tierney Plumb Staff Reporter The $5.2 billion, 23.1-mile extension of Metrorail got the OK from the Federal Transit Administration Wednesday. Read more at: http://washington.bizjournals.com/washington/stories/2008/12/01/daily64.html

^I wonder how many of the state's 19 fastest growing school districts are also located in areas of rampant suburban sprawl? Cates sponsors bill to help growing school districts Fast-growing districts are hurt by the state's school funding formula. By Lindsey Hilty, Staff Writer Thursday, December 04, 2008 MONROE — Area treasurers are waiting until January to know how much state budget cuts will affect their bottom lines, but Lakota and Monroe school district officials said because they are fast-growing districts, they already are struggling. Both schools receive a guaranteed amount of funding each year no matter how many new students enter the districts. The funding formula works well for districts that are losing students or are remaining steady, but Lakota Treasurer Craig Jones said that leaves 1,300 Lakota students who aren't getting funding. For Lakota, that means two of its schools, which already are bigger than many in the area, are unfunded. http://www.journal-news.com/n/content/oh/story/news/local/2008/12/04/mj120408cates.html

I've heard the food is really creative and presented in really outlandish and cool ways using that molecular gastronomy style of cooking...is this true? Also, I heard the service was a little lacking there usually...thoughts? Don't know much about molecular gastronomy style of cooking but we went with group of four and found everything to be great - both food and service. We were seated close to the entertainment for the evening - flamenco guitarist - we enjoyed it.

Wow, they used Facebook! And they called themselves - Taliband - it was only a matter of time!

Op-Ed Contributors How High Gas Prices Can Save the Car Industry By DANIEL SPERLING and DEBORAH GORDON Published: November 16, 2008 FOR the American automobile industry, the years since the glory days of the 1950s and ’60s have been a period of decline. Ever since the oil crises and the Japanese import invasion of the 1970s, the automakers have repeatedly flirted with financial ruin. They stayed afloat, at times quite profitably, by shifting their focus to sport utility vehicles and big pickup trucks, which indulged the desires of consumers for larger and more powerful vehicles. They deluded themselves into thinking they had created a successful strategy, when what they had really created was a protected and precarious perch. Bankruptcy, then, might be well deserved, were it not for the risk of the complete collapse of the companies. The industry must be bailed out by the federal government. There are hundreds of thousands of jobs at stake, and a strong domestic manufacturing sector is important for security reasons... http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/16/opinion/16sperling.html?_r=1&ref=opinion&oref=slogin

umm...you are joking, right?

Just for grins, the developer that wants to build the arena/event center, RG Properites, gave $15K to Husteds' campaign fund. This is an amazing story..they want to take $2M out of the budget for Dayton's arena district development and put it towards the Austin Road interchange. RG Properties is pretty much the "guru" of big box develoment.

Good point. Maybe Cinti Water Works should put conditions on the deal that would discourage Lebanon from selling water to surrounding townships in the future. A condition could be that rates would increase if they re-sold water to sprawling township areas. On the other hand - it's hard for the City to pass up $2.5M a year.

Too bad, that building looked OK from the outside - but it was probably trashed on the inside. I just hope the redevelopment project gets moving - the last thing we need is another or larger fenced hole in the ground.

Clifton - I live there. Clifton Heights - used to live there. Hyde Park - used to live there - East Hyde Park that is. Mt. Adams Northside O'Bryonville Oakley Mt. Lookout Pleasant Ridge North Avondale/Paddock Hills

you worked at both those places?

Former mayor shoots, kills dog Staff Report Friday, November 07, 2008 SEVEN MILE — The former mayor of this Butler County village is under investigation after police said he killed a 10-pound pooch with a high-powered handgun, according to police reports. The Butler County Sheriff's office said former Seven Mile Mayor and police officer Mike Day was riding his bicycle Nov. 3 with his wife on Ritter Street while carrying a loaded .357 Magnum handgun. That's when a neighbor's dog, a 10-pound terrier mix named Precious, got loose from its cage, ran at the couple and forced Day to fall of his bicycle. Police said that at that time, Day shot at the dog five times, eventually killing it. There was no indication exactly how many times Day hit the dog. Day told police that he was a former police officer and permitted to carry an unconcealed weapon, and he showed a Butler County Sheriff's deputy his Seven Mile identification and badge. He also said he feared for his life and that it wasn't the first time Precious had attempted to attack him, according to reports. MORE: http://www.journal-news.com/hp/content/oh/story/news/local/2008/11/07/hjn110808dogshot.html

Encouraging news from Seattle. Light rail getting a yes; I-985 is going down As election returns came in late Tuesday, voters were favoring Sound Transit light rail and rejecting Tim Eyman's Initiative 985 to help solo drivers. By Mike Lindblom, Seattle Times transportation reporter Sound Transit light rail was headed to victory Tuesday, while Tim Eyman's Initiative 985 to help solo drivers was rejected. The transit measure, Proposition 1, was far ahead in Snohomish County, with close to half the expected mail-in votes counted. It also took a huge lead in King County and was narrowly ahead in Pierce County. More at: http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/politics/2008352421_transportation05m.html

The three former residences on the corner of Martin Luther King Drive and Bishop St have been owned by the University of Cincinnati Board of Trustees since 2001. No sign yet on any transfer of property, and the only thing I can wrap my head around for the parcels is a multi-story multi-family builiding. Wow a multi-story building would be great- but I thought it was for future MLK widening?

Ragerunner - I share your optimism on this. Thanks for posting this info.

The West Chester Medical Center is part of what's left of the "Health Alliance". I'd say most of these jobs are new because I haven't heard about them closing any units down in Cincinnati.

I get the feeling he's talking mainly about road capacity projects - "Major highway projects take about 13 years from initiation to completion - too long to counteract any recession. But at least they create a legacy that can improve the economic environment for decades to come." I'd prefer focusing on alternatives, rail in all it's forms, and as far as roads go - focusing on Complete Streets - making them multi-modal.

Hospital brings 550 full-time jobs to West Chester Twp. By Dave Greber, Staff Writer Sunday, November 02, 2008 As the West Chester Medical Center enters its final months of construction, officials are hurriedly scouring the area to fill the facility with quality doctors, nurses and support staff. The $225 million full-service hospital is due to open in May, and construction crews are less than a month away completing all exterior work, which turns the focus inside. "If you look at it, it looks ready to open," said Stephanie Savicki, the hospital's public relations and marketing manager. Still, workers this week were seen putting the finishing touches on the building's entrance, doors and surrounding areas, and planting bushes and trees in nearby landscaping beds. Inside, the activity continued on flooring, walls and ceilings. Up next is the installation of the building's complex information technology systems and medical equipment. Read full article here: http://www.journal-news.com/n/content/oh/story/news/local/2008/11/02/HJN110308medupdate.html

Indeed. We're finally laying the groundwork for real regional public transportation.

As Gas Prices Go Down, Driving Goes Up By CLIFFORD KRAUSS Published: October 29, 2008 VINTON, La. — Doug Guidry gave up drag racing and boating last summer when gasoline prices shot up. Billy Castaneda put off trips to Houston to see his grandchildren. Randal Shul stopped playing paintball with his buddies to save gas. Now, with gasoline prices dropping, all three men are hitting the road again. “Gas going down means freedom, even when everyone is worried about the economy,” Mr. Castaneda said as he filled his 1995 Oldsmobile 88 to drive 125 miles to Houston the other day. More at:http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/30/business/30gasoline.html?_r=2&hp&oref=slogin&oref=slogin