Photos (l-r): Paul Bird, Wikimedia Commons; Congressional photo
George Clooney's (left) documentary about the Ohio State University sexual abuse scandal will include Ohio Congressman Jim Jordan's time as a wrestling coach there.
Another week, another mass shooting, it seems. The nation continues to unravel what really happened in Uvalde, Texas, while simultaneously dealing with new horrors. Cincinnati's mayor has been vocal about needing tighter weapon restrictions, and the city will join in the nationwide March for Our Lives protest on June 11. It's harrowing stuff, and we don't blame anyone for needing an occasional break from the bleakness. If you're looking for mindless fun as a distraction, check out CityBeat's annual summer guide, which features 25 things to do when it's hot as fuck outside. Otherwise, look below for the week's biggest headlines.
Cincinnati Mayor Aftab Pureval on Gun Massacres: State Leaders Stand in the Way of Action
Just days after yet another mass shooting, mayors of big cities across the United States gathered at the annual United States Conference of Mayors to plead with state and federal officials to finally address the onslaught of gun violence throughout the country. "We are not powerless to do anything about gun violence," Cincinnati Mayor Aftab Pureval says. "But when we're talking specifically gun control, local leaders are preempted by their state houses or by the federal government and really don't have very many tools to manage the accessibility of guns." Read CityBeat's story on what else Pureval says are barriers to curbing rise in violence.
Ohio, Kentucky Have Two of the Worst State Economies in the Nation, Report Says
If you live in Ohio or Kentucky, your wallet just might be empty – and there's little state progress to change that. According to WalletHub's June 6 list of 2022's Best and Worst State Economies, the Buckeye State and the Commonwealth both are near the bottom when it comes to economic health. Read CityBeat's story about which categories sunk Ohio and Kentucky and which nearby state is doing much better.
George Clooney Documentary on Richard Strauss, Ohio State University Sex Abuse Scandal Finds Home on HBO
Actor/producer George Clooney, who had attended Mason schools, says that the feature is based on the October 2020 Sports Illustrated feature by Jon Wertheim and will take a deep look at team physician Richard Strauss's abuse of hundreds of victims from 1978 to 1998, a scandal that continues to reverberate throughout Ohio and nationally. Ohio Congressman Jim Jordan, who was an assistant coach on the college's wrestling team, has repeatedly been accused of ignoring Strauss's behavior. Read CityBeat's story about what else Clooney's documentary will address.
Pride Is Protest: The Growth Of LGBTQ+ Pride Celebrations Around Kentucky
Some rural areas of Kentucky have continued to block non-discrimination ordinances, but the proliferation of Pride festivals in the state has moved the needle on acceptance and rights in a part of the country that has remained stubbornly conservative on LGBTQ issues. Read CityBeat's story about LGBTQ+ progress in Kentucky.
Watch Out: Greater Cincinnati Native J.D. Vance Is Coming for Your Porn
Liz Skalka of HuffPost recently unearthed the 2021 interview with now-U.S. Senate candidate J.D. Vance by Crisis Magazine, a Catholic organ for those militantly opposed to "fashionable secular dogmas." In the interview, Vance admitted in that venue that his personal preference would be to ban porn "outright." Read CityBeat's story about how the discovery may bewilder Vance's coalition of porn-loving men.
Poet, Civil Rights Activist Nikki Giovanni to Return to Cincinnati for Juneteenth Event
During her early years, Giovanni lived in Cincinnati and will return for Urban Consulate's "Nanofestival of Black Joy, Liberation & Expression" on June 13. She often is cited among other highly influential authors and poets such as Gwendolyn Brooks, James Baldwin and Sonia Sanchez, and her works are considered essential reading for civil rights activists. Read CityBeat's story about Giovanni and other notable guests at the Nanofestival.
Vote for Cincinnati Reds Players to Be in 2022 MLB All Star Game
Major League Baseball is looking ahead to its July 30 All Star Game in Los Angeles, and fans have the opportunity to put Cincinnati Reds players on the National League team, despite their mediocre season. Fans can vote up to five times per day through June 30. Read CityBeat's story to see which Reds are on the ballot and how to vote for them.
Mom 'n 'em Coffee & Wine Opens Second Location in Madisonville
Named “Best Coffeeshop in Ohio” by Food & Wine magazine earlier this year, the Camp Washington coffee shop and wine bar owners and brothers Austin and Tony Ferrari say that they decided to expand to a new neighborhood about a year ago once the right space became available. Read CityBeat's story for more on why Mom 'n 'em went to Madisonville.
7 Don't-Miss Cincinnati Fringe Festival Shows, According to CityBeat's Theatre Critic
Now in its 19th year, the Cincinnati Fringe Festival is back in force with an eclectic selection of offbeat shows that represent a broad creative spectrum — monologues, musicals, satires and serious storytelling. Artists from 15 U.S. states, Washington D.C., and Australia are performing on Know Theatre’s Jackson Street stage as well as on classroom stages in the nearby Art Academy of Cincinnati. Read CityBeat's story to find out which Fringe shows to hit.
This Lavish 1960s Columbia-Tusculum Home is for Sale for $1.3 Million
Do you need 4,000 square feet, a screened-in solarium and more than two acres for personal enjoyment? This huge Columbia-Tusculum house may be for you. See CityBeat's photos of the decadent space.
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