In what could be another chance of survival for the $132.8 million streetcar project, Mayor John Cranley on Thursday announced he's willing to continue the project if private contributors cover annual operating expenses that would hit an already-strained operating budget. Although Cranley gave private-sector leaders and streetcar supporters only one week to get a legally binding plan together, Eric Avner of the Haile Foundation said he is quite confident that private contributors could pull together some assurances for the 30 years in operating expenses in the short time span. The potential operating costs have long been a concern for opponents of the streetcar project, even though supporters insist that they would be more than made up by the economic development spurred by the streetcar.
Commentary: "Cincinnati's Impoverished Continue to be Underserved and Undercovered."
A constitutional review panel seems to agree on a few key points regarding redistricting reform, which could fix a system that's long been abused by politicians on all sides of the aisle to give their political parties an advantage during elections. The panel agreed to create a seven-member board that would redraw Ohio's congressional and legislative districts after the next census is taken in 2020, but it's undecided how much power the minority party should hold on the board. In the last round of redistricting, Republican leaders redrew Ohio's political maps to deemphasize demographics that typically support Democrats and provide stronger spreads for demographics that typically support Republicans. CityBeat covered the issue and its potential impacts in greater detail here.
House Speaker John Boehner, a Republican, was the only federal legislator from the Cincinnati area to approve a budget deal that will avoid the threat of future government shutdowns. The deal replaces some of the controversial, blunt budget cuts known as "sequestration" with revenue from hiked fees and savings from cuts elsewhere. Reps. Steve Chabot and Brad Wenstrup, both Republicans from Cincinnati, voted against the deal because it makes cuts over a long period of time. But many economists agree long-term cuts are necessary to avoid the negative effects of budget cuts on today's already-weak economy. The Washington Post ran through the budget deal in further detail here.
Weigh in on the Eastern Corridor project here.
An Ohio House bill would eliminate the license requirement for carrying a concealed handgun in the state.
Health Care Access Now, which helps low-income people in Ohio and Kentucky get health care, obtained a $600,000 grant that could reach 4,500 more patients in the Cincinnati area.
Drug abusers might be intentionally injuring their pets to obtain painkillers.
Expect more snow tonight, according to The Weather Channel.
The University of Cincinnati filed a lawsuit against Crayola that claims the toy company uses technology invented and patented by UC without the university's permission.
A former Miami University president is now warning of the potential issues caused by recruiting too many wealthy, out-of-state students.
A public memorial will be held for William Mallory Sr., a prominent local politician and ex-Mayor Mark Mallory's father, at the Cincinnati Museum Center on Sunday. RSVP here.
The Cincinnati Parks Foundation received a $1.5 million gift from the Anderson Foundation to underwrite the pavilion in Smale Riverfront Park.
A climatologist argues nuclear power is the only way to curb global warming.
Scientists created a pen that allows doctors to 3-D print bones right onto patients.
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