Cincinnati Bengals Are Playoff Bound, and 7 Other Greater Cincinnati Stories You Missed This Week
The Cincinnati Bengals are gearing up for the Wild Card, but COVID-19 dominated headlines this week, stealing a little bit of “Who Dey” thunder. Below, catch up on this week’s biggest stories. CityBeat’s Best Of Cincinnati Readers Poll Is Live. Go Vote! Readers, you have the power to determine the winners for the 26th edition…
Betty White Retrospective and Tribute to Screen at Cincinnati Cinemas on Jan. 17
A special tribute to Betty White and her seven-decade TV and film career will play at select Cincinnati movie theaters on Monday, Jan. 17. White died at the age of 99 on Dec. 31. The Fathom Events production will include clips from White’s iconic performances in The Golden Girls, The Mary Tyler Moore Show, Hot…
Taking a Break From Drinking? Try These Dry January Activities in Greater Cincinnati
If your liver is begging for a break after the excesses of the holidays and New Year’s, you’re not alone. In fact, one in seven Americans will take a break from drinking alcohol in January, aka “Dry January.” “January is a good jumping-off point for people who are looking to make a change,” says Dr. Christian…
Cincinnati Children’s Offering Free COVID Vaccine Booster for Kids
As COVID cases continue to rise in Greater Cincinnati — and both the city and the county have declared a state of emergency — the number of COVID cases in children is quickly multiplying. To combat this, Cincinnati Children’s is now offering free Pfizer vaccine boosters to kids. The hospital’s COVID vaccine clinics are boosting with…
Vote for Your Favorite Local-Artist-Created Design to Adorn the Cincinnati Streetcar
The Cincinnati Bell Connector streetcar is making changes in the new year. Well, at least one car is. Twenty local artists have submitted original designs to wrap a streetcar via a contest conducted by ArtsWave, Cincinnati Bell and the City of Cincinnati. The public can vote on their favorite design until Sunday, Jan. 16 — the one…
Campaign Finance Watchdog Sues Federal Elections Commission Over Ohio Dark Money Group
Two years ago, the public watchdog group Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington filed a campaign finance complaint against an Ohio-based dark money group called Freedom Vote. Attorneys with the Federal Elections Commission investigated and demonstrated conclusively that those violations occurred. Open and shut case, right? This month CREW filed a new complaint — this…
75% of Kroger Workers Meet Definition of ‘Food Insecure,’ According to New Report
Even though they work in a grocery store, full of things to eat, more than 75% of Kroger employees meet the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s definition of “food insecure,” according to a new report. A survey of more than 10,000 Kroger employees from Washington State, Colorado and California — conducted by research group the Economic Roundtable…
Indie Rockers Lord Huron To Play Columbus and Indianapolis, But Not Cincinnati
Indie rockers Lord Huron have just announced a new wave of shows in support of last year’s critically acclaimed album Long Lost. The shows will be part of a full-scale North American headline tour. But the band isn’t stopping in Cincinnati or Northern Kentucky, at least according to current dates. If you want to see…
Cincinnati Music Accelerator’s Music Business Academy Aims to ‘End the Cycle of Starving Artists’
Cincinnati Music Accelerator (CMA) has expanded its educational offerings for musicians through a reboot of its business program. The new program is officially called the Music Business Academy. In it, artists learn how to strengthen their careers through classes in finance, monetization, music licensing, entertainment law, marketing and branding and other skills. The program is…
Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear’s ‘Historic’ Education Budget Proposal Includes Funding Universal Pre-K, Teacher Raises, More
Three years since being elected governor in a race that hinged on the support of teachers, Gov. Andy Beshear has proposed a massive investment in statewide education, stretching from universal pre-K to needs-based college tuition funding. It also includes money for teachers, offering a 5% pay increase at minimum and student loan forgiveness. In total,…
Cincinnati Mayor Aftab Pureval Joins Cleveland Mayor in Begging Ohio Officials for More Resources as COVID Overwhelms Cities
Cincinnati Mayor Aftab Pureval, Cleveland Mayor Justin Bibb and leaders from their respective health departments are calling on the state of Ohio to supply increased testing capacity to mitigate the spread of COVID-19. Both regions — and much of Ohio — are overrun with patients with the virus, leaders say. In a joint press conference Tuesday,…
In Our Backyard: Ohio Is One of the Worst States in the Nation for Human Trafficking
Modern-day slavery exists in the form of human trafficking, and Ohio is among the top 10 states with high rates of the crime, according to a report from the Ohio Attorney General. Traffickers use force or fraud to compel both children and adults to provide commercial labor or sexual services. Rosa Beltré, president and CEO of…
Jason Isbell Has COVID and Is Rescheduling His Louisville and Columbus Shows
Alt-Country stalwart Jason Isbell has tested positive for COVID-19 and with it is rescheduling multiple upcoming shows. “Got myself a breakthrough case of Covid- feeling fine but we’ll have to cancel the next few shows (Asheville, Louisville, Columbus, Wilkes-Barre, and Wilmington),” Isbell wrote on Twitter. Got myself a breakthrough case of Covid- feeling fine but…
Hamilton City Schools to Close for a Week Due to ‘Staff Illness’
The Hamilton City School District announced Tuesday that it would be closing with no remote learning for a week. “Staff illness has reached a critical level where staffing classroom is no longer possible,” superintendent Michael Holbrook writes in a Jan. 11 statement that was posted to Facebook. Holbrook says the closures will begin Wednesday, Jan. 12,…
Employees at Ohio Starbucks Take First Step Toward Unionization
Employees at a Starbucks location in downtown Cleveland have petitioned the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) for a union representation election. The Cleveland Starbucks would be the first Ohio store to unionize and follows similar efforts at locations across the country, including in Boston, Buffalo, Chicago, Seattle and elsewhere. In a letter to Starbucks CEO Kevin Johnson…
UC Health Lands One of Ohio’s Nine New COVID-19 Testing Centers with National Guard
In December, Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine mobilized the state’s National Guard to assist healthcare systems overwhelmed by COVID-19 needs, also promising to launch several Guard-assisted COVID testing sites. Now, Guard members are in Cincinnati doing just that. UC Health has just opened a temporary drive-through COVID-19 testing center at its Clifton campus to help alleviate…
Cincinnati Public Schools Go Remote Due to Significant Employee COVID-19 Shortage
It looks like Cincinnati Public Schools are going fully remote after all. At its Jan. 10 meeting, the CPS Board of Education voted to return to districtwide remote learning beginning Wednesday, Jan. 12. The district has experienced significant absences from educators, administrators, and employees of all types due to COVID-19. Nearly 800 employees reportedly were…
Only Five Graeter’s Fiona Bars Contain Golden Tickets for a Painting from Cincinnati’s Favorite Hippo
The Cincinnati Zoo and Graeter’s Ice Cream are collaborating to celebrate Cincinnati’s favorite hippopotamus’ fifth birthday. The ice cream parlor is honoring the semi-aquatic mammal by creating a special Fiona chocolate bar that, if you’re lucky, may have a golden ticket enclosed, per a press release from the zoo. You can find Fiona Bars at any of…
Ohio’s Jim Jordan Refuses to Talk to Jan. 6 Committee About Pre-Attack Communications with Donald Trump
Congress’ Jan. 6 committee may have to seek details about what happened before the attack on the U.S. Capitol building without the help of Ohio Rep. Jim Jordan, it seems. Investigating all aspects of the violent Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection in Washington, D.C., the U.S. House of Representatives requested in late December a meeting with…
Cincinnati Is One of the Top 10 Cities for Bed Bugs
Cincinnati just scored another top-10 accolade, but this one might make you say “eww.” Pest control company Orkin just released its list of the top 50 bed bug cities in the U.S., and the Queen City is at No. 10. And while being the 10th-best place for bed bugs to live is relatively gross, this…
Add Some Warmth and Spice Into Your January at Findlay Market’s Chili Fest
Cincinnati’s adoration of chili will be put on full display during Findlay Market’s Chili Fest. On Jan. 16, from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. fest attendees may sample various spice-inspired dishes, drinks or treats from over 20 merchants. You can also grab a brew from Cartridge Brewing, and enjoy the live music at Race Street Station during…
KFC Launches Plant-Based Fried ‘Chicken’ Today
In the last few years, food brands have been making their respective forays into plant-based fake meat, and now, KFC joins them — at least for a time. Starting on Monday, Jan. 10, KFC will offer Beyond Fried Chicken in its U.S. restaurants. The offer, branded as a “The Kentucky-Fried Miracle,” will run as long…
Boomtown Biscuits & Whiskey to Close Pendleton Location
Boomtown Biscuits & Whiskey is set to close its Pendleton location on Jan. 23. Owner Christian Gill made an announcement on Facebook Monday morning, writing “Due to all of the surrounding circumstances that have plagued the industry over the last two years, it is untenable for us to continue in this environment.” Boomtown opened its…
MadTree Releases Its First Non-Alcoholic Beer
Want the taste of craft beer without the hangover? MadTree Brewing is now offering its first ever non-alcoholic beer, becoming one of the first major Cincinnati-based breweries to delve into the non-alcoholic beer scene. MadTree has announced that customers can now order Leave No Trace, which tastes like a pale ale without the alcohol. It…
Here’s When to Watch the Cincinnati Bengals During Super Wild Card Weekend
Hang on, Cincinnati Bengals fans — there’s more to come. The team may have lost to intrastate rival the Cleveland Browns during the regular-season’s final game on Sunday, but the Bengals still will advance to the AFC Wild Card this weekend. The No. 4-seed Bengals will host the No. 5-seed Las Vegas Raiders at 4:30…
Ohio Stalking Survivor Speaks Out
Nicole Bialko of Columbus is among the one-in-six women who’ve experienced stalking. And she’s sharing her story to encourage other victims to stand up to stalking. When a relationship that started online turned emotionally toxic, Bialko tried to end it. She said her former boyfriend started harassing and following her, even entering her apartment when she…
Ohio Pro-Choice Groups Again Challenge Surgical Abortion Remains Disposal Law
Pro-choice groups in Ohio are asking a court to decide again whether a law regarding disposal of fetal remains after an abortion should stand. The ACLU of Ohio and the Planned Parenthood Federation of America filed the lawsuit in Hamilton County Common Pleas, the same court in which a judge blocked the law previously. At…
Two Cincinnati Restaurants Make OpenTable’s Top 100 Restaurants in America List
Two Cincinnati restaurants are starting the year off right by being recognized as one of the top 100 restaurants in America by OpenTable. OpenTable, the reservation platform, collects reviews on an annual basis to determine its list of the best eateries across the nation. According to their report, they “analyzed more than 10.5 million reviews…all submitted…
Northern Kentucky University Postpones Dance, Theatre Productions Due to COVID-19
The winter spike in COVID-19 cases is shifting the schedules for yet more arts performances in Greater Cincinnati. A release from Northern Kentucky University says that its School of the Arts will postpone spring productions by a week as the campus — and the surrounding areas — steps up COVID-19 safety precautions. The Ensemble Theatre,…
Quan Hapa to Close Indefinitely After Reopening for Less Than Two Months
Less than two months after reopening, Quan Hapa has closed again. The Lang Thang Group announced in a Facebook post on Jan. 5 that their Over-the-Rhine Asian gastropub will be closed indefinitely due to staffing and other issues related to the pandemic. Quan Hapa closed in October 2021 for renovations and a refresh, reopening on…
Miranda Lambert, Little Big Town Plan May 22 Cincinnati Show on Co-Headlining Tour
Two big Country acts will be hitting Cincinnati this spring — and fans can see them at the same time. Miranda Lambert and Little Big Town will co-headline The Bandwagon Tour in May and June and will hit only 15 cities, as of press time. Luckily, Cincinnati is one of those stops, with the performers…
Ohio Foodbanks Are Starting To Go Hungry
As the coronavirus pandemic enters its third year, Ohio’s foodbanks are in a perilous state, an official who helps run them said Wednesday. The centers have gotten through the crisis with special relief funds and help from the National Guard. But as happened repeatedly through the pandemic, foodbanks are facing increasing strains as temporary relief…
Kentucky’s Mitch McConnell Uses Jan. 6 Anniversary to Accuse Democrats of Advancing ‘Partisan Policy Goals’
On the one-year anniversary of Donald Trump supporters storming the U.S. Capitol building, in an attempt to overturn the election results, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell accused “some Washington Democrats” of using the day to “advance partisan policy goals.” Of course, the paradoxical thing about the statement is that he’s accusing other people of playing…
Ohio is Second in Nation for COVD-19 Deaths Over Last Week
Ohio is second in the nation per capita in terms of the reported COVID-19 death rate over the last seven days, according to a database from The New York Times. Only Wyoming experienced a higher rate of COVID-19 deaths over the past week, the data shows. Nearly 30,000 Ohioans have died of COVID-19, including some…
This Is What Has Become of the 18 Kentuckians Involved in the Jan. 6 Capitol Attack
So far, three Kentuckians and one former University of Kentucky student have been sentenced for their roles in the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol, which occurred one year ago today. None have been sentenced to more than 45 days in jail. At least 15 more Kentucky residents have been charged for the breaching…
Taste of Belgium Owner to Open Fuel, a Healthy Carry-Out Spot, in Over-the-Rhine
Taste of Belgium founder Jean-François Flechet has another restaurant concept up his sleeve, and this one doesn’t involve waffles. Flechet’s new eatery Fuel is aimed at providing “meals for healthy lifestyles that are nutritionally inspired,” per its description. That means a menu stocked with grain bowls and salads topped with proteins and veggies. Flechet launched Fuel…
Cincy Winter Beerfest Has Been Rescheduled to April Due to COVID-19
Cincinnati’s 14th annual two-night beer extravaganza has been moved to April 1-2. Organizers of Cincy Winter Beerfest say in a release that the rescheduling was due to the recent rise in COVID-19 cases and “their commitment to help protect the safety of all that will be attending.” “Obviously, it’s not a fun conversation to have,…
Cincinnati City Councilman Greg Landsman Announces Bid for Congress
Greg Landsman, Cincinnati City Council, Ohio House of Representatives, politics
CityBeat’s Favorite Vanity License Plates That Ohio Banned in 2021 (Hello, PORK N IT)
Oh, Ohio, we sure do love your nerve. The Ohio Bureau of Motor Vehicles recently released its list of vanity plate applications that it had rejected in 2021. In a document uploaded by Ben Orner of WCMH-TV in Columbus, the BMV denied 827 vanity plates last year. Per Orner: Ohio has specific rules for custom license…
Middletown City Schools Cancel Bus Routes Due to Staffing Shortages
Middletown City Schools have had to cancel some bus routes for Middletown students. In a Jan. 5 post on the district’s website, officials announced that a series of routes on Jan. 6 and 7 were canceled due to staffing shortages. Find the full list of canceled routes here. They apologized for the inconvenience to families and…
Cincinnati Doctor: Local Omicron COVID-19 Cases Doubling Every Few Days
During a media briefing on Wednesday, three Cincinnati officials loudly sounded the alarm that COVID-19 still is a major problem within the region and is actually getting worse. “We are certainly at a time when we are seeing more cases than ever,” Hamilton County Public Health Commissioner Greg Kesterman said on Jan. 5. Hamilton County…
Cincinnati May See Its First Snow of the Season Today
The Queen City had an exceptionally warm December with a not-so-white Christmas, but today may be the first snow Cincinnatians see this winter. According to the National Weather Service, there is a 50% chance of precipitation Thursday afternoon with a possible accumulation of half an inch. As of Thursday morning, it doesn’t look like the…
Hitting Cops, Roaming the Senate, Smoking Pot: DOJ Says Ohioans Were Everywhere Jan. 6
In the big picture of the insurrection, the criminal charges against Alexander Sheppard are unremarkable. Federal prosecutors say Sheppard arrived in Washington, D.C. from Powell, Ohio after posting on Facebook that the election was “RIGGED.” He faces five charges, including disorderly conduct in a Capitol building. He wasn’t accused of violence or destruction, but of…
9 Things To Do in Cincinnati This Weekend (Jan. 7-9)
The holidays are over, but you can still fit two more wintry attractions in this weekend. If you’re all burned out on tiny trains and twinkling lights, however, there are plenty of other absolutely-not-Christmasy things to do from a throwback Cyclones game to a custom car show to a Bengals watch party. Please note, COVID…
Over-the-Rhine’s Our Daily Bread Soup Kitchen Needs Your Help Making Sandwiches
Our Daily Bread soup kitchen and social center in Over-the-Rhine needs your help. Due to the rising COVID case count in Cincinnati, they are losing staff and volunteers who have either been exposed to the virus or are sick and are asking the public to make sandwiches at home. “We distribute up to 600 sandwiches…
Some Cincinnati Public Schools to Go Remote Due to Climbing COVID Cases
After deferring a decision earlier this week, Cincinnati Public Schools is opting to take some schools remote in light of extreme staffing issues related to COVID-19. “We are making decisions to shift to remote learning on a school-by-school basis and communicating those decisions to families and staff as quickly as possible,” CPS says in a…
U.S. Sen. Rob Portman of Ohio Tests Positive for COVID-19
Another Ohio politician has announced that he has a breakthrough case of COVID-19. U.S. Sen. Rob Portman said Tuesday that he had tested positive for the virus. In a public tweet on Jan. 4, Portman said that he had learned the news via an at-home COVID-19 test. He added that he was asymptomatic and would…
Tyler, the Creator, Tame Impala, Jack Harlow to Headline Kentucky’s Forecastle Festival
After a two-year hiatus due to the pandemic, Forecastle will return this May, with Tyler, the Creator, Tame Impala and Jack Harlow headlining. The lineup announcement also features notable acts such as Phoebe Bridgers, Earl Sweatshirt, Porter Robinson, 6lack, Rüfüs Du Sol and Black Pumas. Differing from past years, the festival’s lineup is lighter on…
Feminist Icon Gloria Steinem Endorses Ohio Sen. Teresa Fedor — Cranley’s Running Mate — for Lt. Governor
As former Cincinnati Mayor John Cranley looks ahead to this year’s gubernatorial election, he’s finally announced who will join him as his running mate — someone feminist icon Gloria Steinem has endorsed. In a Jan. 5 email to media, Cranley announced that Ohio Sen. Teresa Fedor of Toledo would join him in the race to…
Green District Build-Your-Own Salad Chain Coming to Fountain Square
Louisville-based build-your-own salad chain Green District is jumping into the Cincinnati market with a splash (or a crunch — whatever sound salads make). In July of last year, Green District announced they would be setting up shop on Fountain Square — their first location in Ohio. That restaurant at 33 E. Sixth St. (in the…
Frisch’s Is Giving Away Free Grilled Cheese Sandwiches
January is apparently National Soup Month and Frisch’s Big Boy is celebrating by giving away free grilled cheese sandwiches. Well, free if you also purchase an entree-sized soup and salad bar. Frisch’s describes their gooey, melted sandwich as being made with “two slices of Klosterman’s Texas Toast with four slices of American cheese, grilled to…
Guest Commentary: How the Religious Right Uses Abortion to Dictate Morality in Ohio
Abortion positivity is more essential now than ever as the fight over abortion access in the U.S. reaches an inflection point. On Dec. 1, the U.S. Supreme Court heard arguments in the 2018 Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization case out of Mississippi, a case that will determine the future of legal abortion access in…
Greater Cincinnati Universities Differ in Responses to Rising COVID-19 Numbers
As positive COVID-19 cases surge once again in both Ohio and Kentucky, Greater Cincinnati colleges and universities are taking different approaches to safety and learning for the spring semester. Northern Kentucky University Northern Kentucky University announced this week that it would delay the start of classes. Originally set to begin Monday, Jan. 10, the university…
Newtown Lobster Restaurant Lobsta Bakes of Maine Gets Fresh Start with New Owners
A Newtown lobster and seafood market will be reopening in a few weeks and is set to be taken over by new ownership later in the year. Lobsta Bakes of Maine owner Kevin Smith told the Cincinnati Enquirer in December that he was ready to retire and the seafood spot would be closing in the…
New Taco Spot and Event Space Bandito Food Park + Cantina Has Opened in Columbia Tusculum
A new taco restaurant and event space has opened in Columbia Tusculum. Bandito Food Park + Cantina, developed by Yolo Restaurant Group, opened Dec. 18. The group says in a release that this new Mexican food spot and event venue came from the minds of Ed Biery and local restauranteurs Trang Vo and Tobias Harris,…
New Mayor Aftab Pureval During Inauguration: ‘Cincinnati Is Where I Achieved My Dream’
During his inauguration as Cincinnati’s new mayor on Jan. 4, Aftab Pureval focused on how his past is bringing him to lead the city’s future. “Cincinnati is where I achieved my dream,” Pureval said. “And it’s up to all of us who have been touched by Cincinnati’s greatness to be good stewards of our exercise…
Guest Commentary: Ohio Leaders Failed the Public as State Now Stands as One of Worst for COVID
Paging Dr. Amy Acton. Help! We are rudderless and reeling. Our health care system is crashing. Hospitals are running out of beds. COVID-19 positivity rates and hospitalizations are through the roof. Hospitalized children are outpacing adults. Especially in five states. Ohio is one. With only half the state fully vaccinated, the even more infectious virus…
Ensemble Theatre Cincinnati Reschedules Show Dates Due to COVID Spike
On the heels of announcements by several Cincinnati arts institutions that they are closing their doors temporarily due to a spike in local COVID cases, Over-the-Rhine’s Ensemble Theatre Cincinnati has also declared it will be pushing some show dates as a result of the pandemic. “Out of an abundance of caution and in anticipation of…
Kentucky Hits Highest COVID Positivity Rate of Pandemic as Omicron Surges
At his Monday coronavirus briefing, Gov. Andy Beshear announced that Kentucky had its highest-ever daily COVID-19 positivity rate, 20.72%. The state also hit its highest-ever number of positive cases in one day — 6,441 — last Thursday, Dec. 30 (the previous highest number was 5,742 cases on Jan. 6, 2021). There were a total of…
Cincinnati Art Museum, Contemporary Arts Center, Taft Museum Closed Until Mid-January
Three major Cincinnati arts institutions have decided to close their doors to the public until mid-January. The Cincinnati Art Museum will be closed through Jan. 12 and the Taft Museum of Art and Contemporary Arts Center will be closed through Jan. 13. The temporary closures come as the area experiences a major uptick in COVID…
Cincinnati Public Schools Board Defers Decisions About Nearly 400 COVID-19 Absences
The Board of Education for Cincinnati Public Schools has pushed off decisions about how to handle nearly 400 staff absences as COVID-19 spreads throughout the district. At least 388 CPS employees had called off work on Jan. 3 — the district’s first day back from winter break — due to COVID-19. Substitute teachers, administrators and…
Grand Finale in Glendale Has Closed Its Doors After 46 Years
The Grand Finale restaurant in Glendale announced on Facebook that they are permanently closing. Known for its delicious desserts, among other fare, the Cincinnati staple has been operating for 46 years. “It is with a heavy heart that I announce, Grand Finale Restaurant has permanently closed,” owner Virginia Chambers wrote in the post. The post…
Fourth-Generation Covington Pizza Restaurant to Close After 60 Years
A longstanding Covington family pizzeria has just announced it’s closing its doors, for good. Angilo’s Pizza, at 329 W. Pike St., announced before the New Year that they would be ceasing operations on Jan. 5. “Due to unforseen circumstances with the economy and distribution we regret to inform you that after 60 years and 4…
Jim Jordan’s Election Lies Get Standing Ovation at Ohio Medical Freedom Event
A crowd rose to its feet in applause at a forum last month when a man questioned GOP Congressman Jim Jordan about what he would do about the untrue assertion that the 2020 presidential election was stolen from Donald Trump. Jordan was speaking at a December event hosted by the Lima Community for Medical Freedom…
Report Calls on State Medical Boards To Go After COVID “Disinformation Doctors;” Ohio’s Has Not
In June, Sherri Tenpenny, a state-licensed doctor of osteopathic medicine and notorious COVID-19 disinformer, baselessly claimed in a televised, government meeting that COVID-19 vaccines “magnetize” recipients and “interface” with cell towers. The comment wasn’t an aberration from Tenpenny, who has in the past described vaccines as a tool of “depopulation.” The Ohio State Medical Board,…
Mayor-Elect Aftab Pureval Moves Swearing In Location Due to COVID Concerns
Aftab Pureval will be sworn in as the new mayor of Cincinnati on Jan. 4. But, due to the recent spike in COVID cases, the inauguration site has been moved. Instead of holding event indoors at Music Hall, the ceremony will be conducted outside on the north lawn of Washington Park. “As we commemorate the…
The Bengals Beat the Chiefs, Get Playoff Spot, Which Means Free Gold Star Chili in Cincinnati
A truly happy Who Dey to all Cincinnatians this fine morning. The Cincinnati Bengals eked out a 34-31 victory over the Kansas City Chiefs with a last-minute field goal Sunday night, simultaneously winning the AFC North title and snagging a spot in the playoffs. While that equates to true joy and major bragging rights, it…
Ohio Sees Largest Minimum Wage Increase in 15 Years
An annual pay raise has kicked-in for Ohio’s minimum-wage workers, who will now earn $9.30 per hour, about $2 more than the federal minimum wage. The $0.50 hourly increase is the largest since 2006, when a ballot initiative indexed the minimum wage to inflation. Hannah Halbert, executive director of Policy Matters Ohio, noted had Congress done the…
Cincinnati Mayor-Elect Aftab Pureval to Launch National Search for New City Manager
More change is in the works for Cincinnati. In a Dec. 27 press release, Mayor-Elect Aftab Pureval announces that he would launch a national search to replace current city manager Paula Boggs Muething. Former city solicitor John Curp will serve as interim city manager during the search. The release indicates that Boggs Muething will resign her position…
15 Arts & Culture Stories That Made an Impact on Greater Cincinnati in 2021
This past year, Cincinnati saw new trends, welcomed back old favorites and planned for the future. These Arts & Culture highlights from 2021 touch on everything from celebrities and celebrations to big changes. Vincent van Gogh Is Everywhere This year, immersive Vincent van Gogh exhibits from multiple international presenters have been traveling to cities across…
20 Greater Cincinnati News Stories From 2021 That We’ll Never Forget
What can we say about 2021? Year two of the COVID-19 pandemic was slightly more interesting than 2020 was, since safe, effective vaccines emerged and we could finally leave our homes and hug relatives again (unless they remained unvaccinated). But there were plenty of other interesting happenings in Cincinnati that had nothing to do with…
Cincinnati Chefs and Restaurateurs Reflect on the Year in Dining Out — and Look Forward to 2022
Year two of the pandemic brought some easing of the challenges Cincinnati restaurants faced in 2020. But 2021 placed a few more roadblocks in the way of recovery from the first, hard shocks of COVID-19. Overall, though, after talking with several restaurant owners, chefs and chef/owners, I picked up a feeling of cautious optimism —…
10 Greater Cincinnati Albums from 2021 That You Should Listen to Before 2022
Most people agree that 2021 was a crappy funhouse mirror image of 2020. The world reopened just in time for the Delta and Omicron coronavirus variants to further screw with us, travel restrictions were eased but reimplemented, mass shootings were back to No. 1 on the hit parade, and jackboot conservatives are trashing everyone’s civil…
10 Stories That Seared Cincinnati Sports into Our Brains in 2021
Even with COVID-19 restrictions (at least until late spring), economy woes and snack shortages, 2021 was a great year for sports in Cincinnati. Against a backdrop of excitement that the athletic gods were finally back, fans could enjoy the highs and lows of watching their favorite teams do their favorite things — win. The Reds’…
Ring in 2022 with These Greater Cincinnati New Year’s Eve Parties
2022 is upon us, even though it still feels like March 2020. If you want to ring in the hopefully-much-better New Year, there are multiple places in Cincinnati to do so. Here are just a few of the parties. (Also, a reminder that COVID cases are once again surging, so mask up and get your…
Watch UC Faceoff with Alabama in the Cotton Bowl This New Year’s Eve at Cinemark Theaters
The Bearcats made history this year, with an undefeated record and a trip to the College Football Playoffs — the first time a team from a non-Power Five conference has done so. On Dec. 4, the Bearcats won their 13th game of the season, securing the American Athletic Conference championship and their spot in this year’s…
Cincinnati Mayor John Cranley Contracts COVID-19
Days after warning Cincinnati that COVID-19 continues to spread heavily and steadily throughout the region, Mayor John Cranley has contracted the virus himself. Through an emailed statement on Dec. 24, Cranley’s team says that earlier this week, the mayor had come into contact with someone who had tested positive for COVID-19, and Cranley has since…
10 Things To Do in Cincinnati This Weekend (Dec. 24-26)
Holiday attractions are wrapping up their runs this week and next, so if you didn’t get a chance to fit in some wholesome cold-weather fun, now’s the time to do so. Also, just a heads up, basically everything is closed on Christmas. Friday, Dec. 24 A Christmas Carol at the Playhouse in the Park Ebenezer…
Congress Wants to Talk to Ohio Rep. Jim Jordan About Jan. 6 Insurrection, Trump Communications
Ohio Rep. Jim Jordan is getting a special gift this Christmas. Or maybe the United States is? Investigating all aspects of the violent Jan. 6 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol in Washington D.C., the U.S. House of Representatives has requested a meeting with Jordan to discuss his connection to the event as well as his…
It Might Be Hard to Get Your Hands on This Ohio Dairy Farm’s Special Holiday Eggnog
Wooster, Ohio’s Hartzler Family Dairy is a Queen City favorite. Its hormone-free, minimally processed, non-GMO milk is sold in glass bottles at places like Whole Foods, Fresh Thyme, IGA and the Clifton Market. And the company is still run by the family, specifically the founders’ sons. And while it isn’t unusual for Hartzler to jazz…
‘The Matrix Resurrections’ Upends Expectations for an Audience – and Characters – 20 Years Later
Changing the culture is a thing few can claim to do, but Lana Wachowski — along with her sister, Lilly — have undeniably managed. Having altered film, fiction and innumerable people’s conceptions of themselves and their own power amid a heavily controlled and aggressively mediated world, few works can claim a like aesthetic or cultural…
Cincinnati MSD Wants to Make Sure Your Shitter Isn’t Full This Christmas
Cincinnati’s Metropolitan Sewer District wants to know if you’ve been naughty or nice to your toilet this year. MSD posted a fun little quiz to their Facebook page, asking residents to see if they’ve been treating the sewers with “the love and kindness they deserve.” Questions test the public’s knowledge about what you can and can’t…
Chad Johnson Tells Joe Burrow There’s Plenty to Do in Cincinnati, Like Go to McDonald’s
In a recent press conference, Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow claimed that “there’s not a lot to do in Cincinnati.” After his response went viral on Twitter, Bengals alum Chad Johnson had to set him straight. Burrow was responding to questions about how the team was faring during this most recent spike of COVID-19 cases.…
Cincinnati Bengals Mixon, Hendrickson, Chase Are Going to the Pro Bowl
Three Cincinnati Bengals players just received an early holiday gift. The NFL announced rosters for the 2022 Pro Bowl on Tuesday, and the Bengals are packing their bags. Wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase, defensive end Trey Hendrickson and running back Joe Mixon will play for the AFC. Chase has been tapped as a starter. “It’s a…
DeWine Signs Abortion Restriction That’s Likely to Close Southwest Ohio Clinics
Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine signed a new abortion law on Wednesday that looks likely to close Southwest Ohio abortion clinics. DeWine signed Senate Bill 157 without further comment, along with several other bills that passed through the legislature in their last work week before the holidays. The bill was condemned by abortion providers, who said not only…
Bengals Quarterback Joe Burrow Claims “There’s Not A Lot To Do in Cincinnati”
In a recent press conference, Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow claimed that “there’s not a lot to do in Cincinnati.” Burrow was responding to questions about how the team was faring during this most recent spike of COVID-19 cases. He claims the team hasn’t been going out much because Cincinnati’s nightlife leaves a lot to…
Rüya Turkish Coffee Bar Pop-Up and Immersive Experience Coming to Downtown’s 21c in January
Local Turkish coffee pop-up Rüya has always aimed to make drinking coffee an experience. And founder Melis Aydoğan is expanding on that concept with a new immersive event at Cincinnati’s 21c Museum Hotel. Titled Welcome Home, the experience will combine a “true-to-life” film from Palestinian-American filmmaker Nadia Gilbert with Turkish coffee, fortune telling and watercolor paintings from local…
Opportunities to Practice Real-Life Philanthropy Bring Academic Benefits at NKU
A crisis shelter for battered women. A nonprofit that provides wigs and makeup for breast cancer patients. An organization that helps parents of children addicted to heroin. All three of these groups have benefited from US$2,000 grants made by college students who participate in an unusual hands-on philanthropy program. The program – which embeds aspects…
Guest Commentary: Domestic Violence 911 Calls Increased During the Pandemic, Except for in Cincinnati
Domestic violence rose globally in 2020 — so much so that doctors have called it “a pandemic within a pandemic.” The National Commission on COVID-19 and Criminal Justice, a team of national experts tasked with assessing the impact of COVID-19 on the justice system, recently estimated that in the United States, domestic violence incidents increased 8.1%…
Landmark Downtown Restaurant Washington Platform to Permanently Close
Landmark downtown restaurant Washington Platform is closing, owner and chef Jon Diebold announced in a Facebook post on Monday. Established in 1875 (and re-established in 1986), the bar and restaurant served up New Orleans-style grub and drink to the Queen City for decades and was well-known for their oyster and lobster events, Diebold wrote in…
Guest Commentary: Here’s How Cincinnati Turned Baseball into a National Sensation
Editor’s note: This commentary was originally published in 2019 but is being republished here as CityBeat looks back on 2021 and other years. This Major League Baseball season (2019), fans may notice a patch on the players’ uniforms that reads “MLB 150.” The logo commemorates the Cincinnati Red Stockings, who, in 1869, became the first…
