Sound Advice: Poor One Out For Your Broken Teenage Heart — Regina Spektor is Coming to Town
This story is featured in CityBeat’s July 12 print edition. Regina Spektor was born in 1980 in Moscow, Soviet Union, the year the United States and other countries boycotted the Olympics in her home country. Spurred by Perestroika — a political reform movement allowing Soviet citizens to emigrate elsewhere — Spektor and her family moved…
Incubus’ Chris Kilmore Discusses the Band’s Evolution Ahead of Their Cincinnati Performance
This story is featured in CityBeat’s July 12 print edition. Sound checks are generally just part of a band’s daily routine – get to the venue, play a few songs to dial in the sound, then get out until the show hours later. But that’s not the case for Incubus. “A lot of new music…
Review: CityBeat’s Dining Critic Explores the Many Culinary Delights to Be Found at Hyde Park Square
This story is featured in CityBeat’s July 12 print edition. A decade or so ago, when the Rookwood development expanded to its current size, I worried that nearby Hyde Park Square might suffer a noticeable decline. After all, people love the free parking around Rookwood, and the variety of upscale and mid-scale chain eateries could…
Sound Advice: The ‘Spaceman’ is Coming to Greater Cincinnati
This story is featured in CityBeat’s July 12 print edition. Influential guitar player and founding member of legendary glam rock band KISS, “Spaceman” Ace Frehley makes a landing for a local appearance on July 28. Their hook-heavy songs, larger-than-life personas, makeup, platform boots and literally explosive live shows earned them enormous, near-Beatlemania stardom in the…
New Taft Museum of Art Exhibit Features Work by Legendary Female Photographers
This story is featured in CityBeat’s July 12 print edition. When I received the latest Portico magazine from Taft Museum of Art, I did a double-take. There was a color photograph of one of artist Sandy Skoglund’s unforgettable installations on the cover. The installation depicted a turquoise bed (with two youths in it; one asleep,…
Contemporary Arts Center’s New Executive Director is Proud to Be Part of Female-Centric History of Museum
This story is featured in CityBeat’s July 12 print edition. The stairs on the north side of the Contemporary Arts Center snake their way throughout all six floors of the museum. Beginning at the main floor, the steps blend away from the Urban Carpet wall, merging moments of narrow concrete and sky-lit landings. Shallow stairs…
The 10 Sexiest Dishes in Greater Cincinnati
This story is featured in CityBeat’s July 12 print edition. The dishes that are setting senses on fire this summer are more sumptuous and sensual than the usual cooling gazpacho. Instead, aphrodisiacs like truffle-topped cacio e pepe from Nicola’s, oysters from Nolia Kitchen, caviar from Jeff Ruby’s Steakhouse and more are tantalizing the taste buds…
Sound Advice: Fall Out Boy Brings the Past to the Present in Cincinnati
If you’re not going to see Fall Out Boy and Bring Me The Horizon at Riverbend, what are you even doing with your life? Both rock bands have spent more than a decade in the business and continually drop singles that appeal to their large (and growing) fanbases. Both bands know how to bop. Fall…
Cincinnati Filmmakers to Debut Film Inspired By East Palestine Train Derailment
This story is featured in CityBeat’s July 12 print edition. Pierce Ryan and Brett Miller aren’t your typical post-graduate filmmakers. While many of their film peers migrated to known cities like New York or Los Angeles, Ryan and Miller decided to make Cincinnati their creative hub for making movies, and in turn, have begun to…
Sound Advice: Old-School Hip-Hop Heavyweights Celebrate 50 Years of Existence
There was little expectation that hip-hop would last much past its 1970s roots as a source of New York City escapism. Fifty years later it’s an entrenched art form and a hugely popular cultural force not only in the United States but across the world, a phenomenon not even equaled by jazz, that other indispensable…
The Sex Issue: At Cincy Jacks, Men Indulge in the Ultimate Solo Act — Together
This story is featured in CityBeat’s July 12 print edition. Nothing goes inside anybody’s anything. That’s the number one rule of Cincy Jacks, a private men’s club for group masturbation. Voyeurism, exhibitionism, nudity, consensual touch, solo and mutual masturbation, however, are encouraged. Before any condemning pearl-clutching ensues, take a deep breath and ask yourself: “Do…
Newport on the Levee’s Upcoming Food Hall Announces First Three Concepts
Owners of Newport on the Levee’s upcoming food hall have announced the first three concepts moving into The Galley on the Levee. The Galley Group says Los Tacos Hermanos, Four Mile Pig and Zaria Italian Street Eats will open in the food hall later this year. “We are excited to partner with these well-regarded chefs,…
Hamilton County Still Needs Poll Workers for Aug. 8 Election
Early voting for the Aug. 8 special election started July 11, but the Hamilton County Board of Elections (BOE) said they are still in “especially high” need for poll workers. “The need for poll workers is especially high this August,” BOE director Sherry Poland said in a news release. “If you are a registered voter…
Cincinnati Black Music Walk of Fame Grand Opening Adds Entertainment to The Banks
Recent events at The Banks in Cincinnati – side-by-side sold-out concerts (Taylor Swift and Greensky Bluegrass) and packed Reds games – have proven that the city is an entertainment destination. It came as no surprise to Hamilton County Commission President Alicia Reece, who has been planning the debut of the Cincinnati Black Music Walk of…
Cincinnati Museum Center’s New Fossil Exhibit to Show Ancient Worlds Hidden in Plain Sight
A new, permanent exhibit opening at the Cincinnati Museum Center (CMC) this fall will both transport you 450 million years in the past while also showing you the ancient world is much closer than you realize. Showcasing a collection of world-class fossils, Ancient Worlds Hiding in Plain Sight takes you back to Cincinnati in the…
8-Year-Old Killed in Silverton Drive-By Shooting Identified
The Hamilton County Sheriff’s office said it’s investigating the shooting death of an 8-year-old girl who was killed in an overnight drive-by shooting at a Silverton home. The sheriff’s office said deputies were dispatched to the shooting in the 6000 block of Plainfield Road around 11:40 p.m. on July 10. A statement from the office…
BLINK Returns to Cincinnati in October 2024 With Event Not Seen Since the Lumenocity Days
It’s official: Downtown Cincinnati and its neighbors will become illuminated once again for BLINK in October 2024. BLINK, an immersive arts and light festival that spans from the Findlay Market area all the way across the river into Northern Kentucky, will run Thursday-Sunday, Oct. 17-20, kicking off with the traditional Illuminated By Parade on Oct.…
The National to Perform Two Beloved Albums in Full During Homecoming Festival
Cincinnati’s favorite alternative band is returning home to perform at their highly-anticipated return of the Homecoming Festival on Sept. 15 and 16. It’ll be the first time since its inaugural 2018 edition that the festival will come to Cincinnati. Billboard called the event a “ritual of renewal, discovery and surprises in the place that’s still home…
White House Rolls Out Strategy to Battle Deadly Drug Mixture of Fentanyl and Xylazine
The White House is unveiling a plan to combat the growing threat of drug overdose deaths involving the combination of illicitly manufactured fentanyl and the powerful sedative xylazine, approved only for veterinary use. The plan comes ahead of Vice President Kamala Harris’s meeting with state attorneys general next week to discuss the staggering increase in…
Ohio’s Poverty Rate Increased to 13.4% in 2021, According to New Report
Ohio’s poverty rate increased from 12.7% to 13.4% in 2021 — the first time in more than a decade it has increased year-to-year, according to the Ohio Association of Community Action Agencies latest State of Poverty report. Scioto County in Southern Ohio had the highest overall poverty rate in 2021 with 23.9% and the highest…
Rhinegeist and Patagonia Team Up to Help the Planet With New Brew
Rhinegeist and Patagonia are teaming up to help save the planet and make some tasty beer in the process. The Over-the-Rhine brewery is partnering with Patagonia Provisions, the food and beverage arm of the outdoor apparel company, to craft the Kernza Lager, which uses a mix of organic hops, including organic Centennial and El Dorado,…
Deeper Roots Adding Baked-In-House Pastries to Coffeehouses
A popular coffee shop and roastery is now also in the baking business. Deeper Roots has announced it’s adding an in-house bakery to its West End roasting facility, with pastry chef Megan Ketover joining the team. Ketover will be crafting pastries and baked goods for Deeper Roots’ coffee bars, as well as for Daylily Deli…
KCVG Amazon Air Hub to Hold Union Rally After ‘Grueling’ Prime Day Season
Union organizers are bracing for Prime Day at Amazon’s largest-ever Air Hub facility, KCVG in Hebron, Kentucky. The Amazon Prime Day, which is actually over July 11 and 12 this year, is the annual sales event when Prime subscription members can take advantage of deals across the site. Prime day orders were the highest ever…
Guest Commentary: Three Months After Louisville Massacres, GOP Silence Echoes as Gun Violence Keeps Killing Kentuckians
Today, July 10, marks three months since the Old National Bank shooting in Louisville that killed five and injured eight, including a young police officer who was shot in the head. And yet when was the last time you heard elected Kentucky Republicans, the ones who love to brag about their powerful supermajority, mention this…
LGBTQ+ Youth Would be Put at Greater Risk of Homelessness Under Ohio Forced Outing Bill
The Ohio State University campus area is a home many teens choose as they transition to their burgeoning adulthood. For MD Sitzes, it wasn’t a choice. In the late 1990s, Sitzes came out as queer, and with a parent who couldn’t handle the situation, they were forced out and lived on the streets of Columbus.…
Greater Cincinnati Will Soon Have One Of The Biggest Toy Stores in the Country
One of the Greater Cincinnati area’s largest purveyors of collectible toys is getting even bigger as it prepares to open the doors to its new location. Fairfield’s The Toy Department is moving into the former Harley-Davidson building on Dixie Highway, just about a mile from its old location. Store manager Kenneth Koepnick says they’ve spent…
Health Department: West Nile Virus Found in Cincinnati
The Cincinnati Health Department (CHD) is encouraging area residents to protect themselves from mosquitos after the department detected a case of West Nile virus during a routine test. In a statement issued on July 10, the CHD said the case of West Nile was detected through its “ongoing surveillance for mosquito-borne diseases.” “Whenever we find…
The New ‘Mission: Impossible’ Continues the Series’ Legacy of Excellence
When it comes to big-budget American action films, the Mission: Impossible franchise has been the gold standard for almost a decade and a half. Earlier entries have their admirable qualities — iconic set pieces, stunning camera work, Philip Seymour Hoffman — but Ghost Protocol (2009) ignited a new era of formal virtuosity and “how-did-they-do-that” audacity…
Rose Valentino, Officer Who Said N-Word On Body Camera, Will Not Return to CPD
Rose Valentino, a white Cincinnati Police officer who was caught on body camera saying the n-word, will not get her job back at the department. That decision came down last week after independent arbitrators heard testimony from both the city and the police union, but leaders from the NAACP and the police union stand in…
‘God Loves Everyone.’ Episcopal Church Celebrates Same-Sex Weddings in Ohio
Like many LGBTQ people, Olivia Hamilton never thought she would get married — let alone have her wedding in a Christian church. And to take it one step further, she now officiates weddings (same-sex and straight) as an ordained Episcopal priest in a Southwest Ohio parish. “The Episcopal Church understands marriage as a sacrament,” Hamilton…
Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra Brings Free Music to Evanston, Honoring King Records
The Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra kicked off its summer concert series, “The Brady Block Parties,” in June. The free concerts are hosted in neighborhoods around Cincinnati – June saw a Pride celebration and a party in the West End. This month the CSO is honoring an influential and fascinating piece of Cincinnati history, King Records. Of…
In ‘Joy Ride,’ a Trio of Asian American Women Brings a Fresh Perspective to Raunchy Comedy, with Mixed Results
Concerned moviegoers have been mourning the death of the R-rated studio comedy for far too long now. This lingering concern for the current state of raunchy Hollywood productions was no doubt borne from the phasing out of the Frat Pack: Will Ferrell, Ben Stiller, Owen and Luke Wilson, Paul Rudd, Steve Carell, and all the…
Fives Cases of Rare Legionnaires’ Disease Reported in Kentucky
The Lexington-Fayette County Health Department says it’s seeing an increase in cases of Legionnaires’ disease, which can be fatal if left untreated. An LFCHD spokesperson said the department is reporting five cases, an increase from the normal: zero. Legionnaires is a pneumonia caused by Legionella bacteria, which survives in soil and water, according to the…
Syphilis on the Rise in Ohio, Underscoring the Critical Need of Testing and Treatment
This story was originally published by the Buckeye Flame and republished here with permission. Syphilis, a serious but treatable sexually transmitted infection (STI) that disproportionately affects men who have sex with men, is on the rise in Ohio. According to the Centers for Disease Control, primary and secondary syphilis (the first two stages of the…
The Aug. 8 Election Could Decide Abortion Laws in Ohio; Keep These Dates in Mind
Ohio is only days away from the deadline to register to vote in the state’s Aug. 8 special election. The election is being held only to vote on Issue 1, which Republicans have brought forward to make it harder for voters to amend the Ohio Constitution by raising the threshold from 50% to 60%. That…
Guest Commentary: The Historical Malfeasance of Equating the Ohio Constitution With the U.S. Constitution to Attack it
Republicans pushing Ohio voters to strip ourselves of our own power over the Ohio Constitution on Aug. 8 by raising the threshold for passing amendments to 60% have repeatedly used historically misleading arguments about the U.S. Constitution. Never mind that U.S. Constitutional amendments require support from two-thirds of lawmakers in each chamber of Congress and…
Ohio Abortion Rights Supporters Submit 700,000 Signatures, Gunning for November Ballot
Two trucks loaded with more than 400 boxes rolled into the Ohio Secretary of State’s Office on Wednesday, July 5. In those boxes were 710,000 signatures abortions rights advocates say prove they have the support they need to bring a ballot measure asking voters to put abortion care in the Ohio Constitution. “Those (402) boxes…
18-Year-Old Grandniece of Anti-Gun Violence Advocate Killed in Fountain Square Shooting
Cincinnati Police are investigating after another teenager was shot and killed in Cincinnati overnight. CPD said an 18-year-old girl, identified by the Hamilton County Coroner’s office as Shamari Mingo, was shot at the 200 block of E. 5th Street near Fountain Square. Police were called to the area for reports of gunshots just before 2:30…
Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams to Celebrate Cincinnati Grand Opening With Free Scoops
The wait is over: Cincinnati is about to be home to even more fabulous ice cream. The Columbus-favorite Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams is opening a scoop shop at the brand-new Factory 52 in Norwood on Thursday, July 13, and you can get your first taste for free. As part of their grand opening party that…
Musical label•less Tackles Tough Topics Through Song, Dance and Personal Stories
Go on a musical journey toward acceptance with label•less, playing at Playhouse in the Park’s Rouse Theater from July 8-16. Musical label•less focuses on issues affecting our society like race, sexuality and mental health, as well as the youth who inherited a world they didn’t create. “It has never been easier to connect with others…
“How Are You Supposed to Finance That?” Ohio College Students Face Barriers to Abortion Access
The U.S. Supreme Court’s Dobbs decision overturning Roe v. Wade has added lots of stress and uncertainty to Unni Shreram’s life. As a 19-year-old junior at Ohio State University, she is part of a wider demographic of college students who face specific challenges when it comes to abortion access. “As a young person of reproductive…
ArtWorks Seeks 40 Apprentices for Fall Projects Around Cincinnati
ArtWorks is calling artists ages 14-21 to apply for paid apprenticeships working under seasoned artists on public art projects this fall. Applicants can choose to apply for one of five public murals to work on in Avondale, Bond Hill, Walnut Hills, the Pendleton neighborhood of Over-the-Rhine or a mural that will adorn an ArtWorks van.…
Ohio Utilities Could Resume Energy Efficiency Programs Under Bipartisan Bill
A bipartisan proposal advancing in the Republican-controlled Ohio House would allow gas and electric utilities to reintroduce programs designed to help customers save energy. Prior utility-run programs to reduce electricity use ended after Ohio’s energy efficiency standard was gutted as part of House Bill 6, the 2019 law at the heart of the state’s still…
A Diehard Swiftie and Non-Swiftie Review Taylor Swift’s Cincinnati Concert
On June 30, CityBeat reporter Madeline Fening, a self-proclaimed diehard Swiftie, and CityBeat’s editor-in-chief, Ashley Moor, an indifferent non-Swiftie, attended Taylor Swift’s highly-anticipated show at Paycor Stadium. Ahead, Madeline and Ashley reveal their honest opinions of Swift’s show in Cincinnati. Where we’re coming from Madeline: While “Eras” was my first Taylor Swift concert, I have…
Snap the Best Roebling Bridge Photo to Win a Trip to Its South Tower
Photographers, get your cameras out: This summer you’ll get the chance to win a trip to the top of the Roebling Bridge. All you have to do is snap a picture of it. The Covington-Cincinnati Suspension Bridge Committee (CCSBC) is hosting its annual Roebling Bridge Photography contest from July 1-31, and this year it’s also…
Opinion: Senator Sherrod Brown’s Bill Would Help Law Enforcement Officers Like Me Keep Ohio Safe from Fentanyl
Right now, the United States is experiencing the worst drug crisis in history. Here in Ohio, fentanyl-related deaths increased by one third during the COVID-19 pandemic, and in 2021, fentanyl was involved in 80 percent of unintentional drug overdose deaths. Behind every fact and figure, though, is a human being lost too soon. Their loved…
Cincinnati is One of the Best Cities to Celebrate Fourth of July, Says Study
There’s no need to travel far for an unforgettable Fourth of July. A study by personal finance website WalletHub shows that Cincinnati is one of the best places to spend the holiday. In their study comparing the 100 largest U.S. cities based on how well they balance holiday cost and fun (1=best, 100=worst), Cincinnati was…
Cincinnati Animal CARE Pauses Free Shelter-Neuter-Release Services Due to Funding
Just weeks after Cincinnati Animal CARE (CAC) returned to normal following an outbreak of Canine Distemper Virus (CDV), the Hamilton County shelter is pausing free shelter-neuter-return (SNR) services due to funding. In an announcement posted to the shelter’s Instagram page on June 29, CAC said, “Unfortunately, the funding required to provide these services to the shelter…
Federal Judge Blasts Disgraced Ohio House Speaker as a “Bully,” Sends Him Straight to Jail
Former Ohio House Speaker Larry Householder spent possibly his last moments as a free man around 2:30 p.m. on Thursday, June 30 and they couldn’t have been pleasant. U.S. District Judge Timothy Black gave the Glenford Republican the maximum possible sentence of 20 years and then ordered blue-shirted U.S. Marshals to immediately take him into…
Harrison Ford is Somehow Still Fighting Nazis in ‘Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny’
I wish Hollywood would stop making Harrison Ford go back in his past so he can basically do young-man shit. Yes, he’s the man who easily slipped into the roles of such iconic mavericks as Han Solo, Rick Deckard and Indiana Jones. But the sumabitch is 80 years old. He can’t run from boulders and…
New Kentucky Law Decriminalizes HIV Self-Test Distribution
Thanks to a new law that passed this legislative session and went into effect Thursday, June 29, a Kentucky coalition began legally distributing HIV self-tests. The bipartisan House Bill 349 decriminalized the distribution of HIV self tests. It also rendered moot a former rule that made it a felony for people living with HIV to…
City Council Votes to Make Cincinnati a “Safe Haven” for Gender-Affirming Care, and 4 Other News Stories You May Have Missed This Week
It might might hard to see this week’s news through all that thick smog, but we’ve got you covered. While it feels like all of Cincinnati had descended fully into Taylor mania, life did chug on here in the Queen City this week. Council made a historic call to protect trans kids seeking gender-affirming care,…
What You Need To Know Before Heading to the Eras Tour
The Queen of Pop is headed to Cincinnati this weekend (have you heard?) and while you may feel the lavender haze creeping up on you, it’s important to have a plan. We’ll get right into it because we don’t want any bad blood between us. Welcome to New York Cincinnati, it’s been waiting for you.…
“You Was Fucking the Enemy Forreal:” CPD Captain Investigated for Alleged Discrimination in Audio Recording
A Cincinnati Police Department district captain is “traumatized” after an audio recording of what appears to be a private conversation was sent to her superiors. District 2 Capt. Danita Pettis has been temporarily reassigned pending an investigation by the city after allegations were raised that she used derogatory comments toward another officer, according to public…
East Walnut Hills’ New Restaurant Solstice is a Celebration of the Tropics
East Walnut Hills welcomed a new restaurant to the neighborhood this week with the opening of Solstice. Solstice is the second enterprise from 3B4D Hospitality Group. Operating partner Chris Wolfe told CityBeat that after 3B4D Hospitality Group opened their bar, Anjou, in East Walnut Hills in 2021, they fell in love with the community and…
More Ohio Universities Added to Senate Bill that Would Create ‘Intellectual Diversity’ Centers
The Ohio Senate passed a bill on Wednesday, June 28 that would create “intellectual diversity” centers at Ohio State University, the University of Toledo, Miami University, Cleveland State University and the University of Cincinnati. The party line vote came after an amendment was added during the Senate session that tacks on Miami, Cleveland State, and Cincinnati to…
Bipartisan Bill Protecting Ohio’s LGBTQ+ Community From Discrimination to be Re-Introduced
Ohio lawmakers are once again introducing a bill that would give LGBTQ people protections from discrimination in housing and employment. Senate Minority Leader Nickie Antonio, D-Lakewood, and State Rep. Michael Skindell, D-Lakewood, are reintroducing the Ohio Fairness Act in both the House and the Senate. “The Fairness Act would simply provide civil rights protections for…
Roll Call of an Ohio Anti-Pride Protest: Neo-Nazis, Christian Grandmothers and…a State Representative
This story was originally published by the Buckeye Flame and republished here with permission. Celina, Ohio, celebrated their third Pride festival on Saturday, June 24. Hundreds of local LGBTQ+ Ohioans and their allies gathered for a joy-filled day of food, music, drag performances and community in the small city located on the western edge of…
Air Quality is Terrible in Cincinnati Right Now Due to Canada Wildfires
Officials are warning people to limit their exposure to a thick fog-like haze blanketing much of the Tri-State, and reports indicate it could take months for the dust to settle for good. The Southwest Ohio Air Quality Agency issued an air quality alert on June 28, effective through midnight, due to the wildfires in Canada.…
Local Cat Shelter Hosting Taylor Swift Week, Offering Discounted Adoptions
Taylor Swift loves cats. Especially her own three, Meredith Gray, Olivia Benson and Benjamin Button. While you might not be able to adopt a cat and give it the lavish life of a Swift – currently Meredith Gray is the third-richest cat in the world – you can make up for it with love. Ohio…
US Supreme Court Decision Rejects Independent Legislative Theory, Likely Spells Doom For Ohio Case
A U.S. Supreme Court ruling on a North Carolina case decimated the arguments made by Ohio Republican leaders who were hoping to have their own case taken up by the court. In Moore v. Harper, the six justices in the majority rejected arguments for the independent state legislature theory (ISLT), a centuries-old and repeatedly rejected…
Cincinnati Leaders Prepare for Taylor Mania: “Have a Plan, Come Early, Pack Your Patience”
Rain is expected all weekend, but a different kind of flood is coming to Cincinnati. Mayor Aftab Pureval gathered with business leaders at The Banks on June 27 to go over preparations and tips for managing the massive crowds expected for the Taylor Swift “Eras Tour” at Paycor Stadium. A lot going on at the…
