Good morning all. I’m back today after an extended vacation that included a lot of road tripping to various places with great food and art and drinking establishments. Picture No Reservations, only it was entirely in America, it won’t be on TV, I didn’t get paid to do it and I’m not anywhere in the same universe of hipness as Anthony Bourdain. So basically nothing like No Reservations. Which is why I’m now back here writing about local news and not jet-setting to the coolest, most exclusive tree house tapas bar and performance art space hidden deep in the Amazon rainforest.
Anyway, let’s break back into the morning news flow all easy-like with some really short hits.
• The Ohio Supreme Court has ruled that Hamilton County Prosecutor Joe Deters was justified in delaying the release of body camera footage of the Sam DuBose shooting. DuBose was shot and killed in Mount Auburn on July 19, 2015 by University of Cincinnati police officer Ray Tensing. Tensing’s body camera footage was turned over to Deters’ office, which held it for 10 days during grand jury proceedings. The court did not weigh on how long such footage, which is considered public record, can be held.
• More big development is headed for Over-the-Rhine. But this time, much of it will be somewhat more affordable housing. A $128 million effort by the Cincinnati Center City Development Corporation and Model Group will seek to revive or preserve some 300 units of affordable housing among a dozen separate projects in the neighborhood while rehabbing those units. Fifty more affordable units will also be built, along with 200 market-rate apartments. “Affordable” here is a bit complicated, though — 276 units will be attainable for folks making around 60 percent of area median income, and another 71 will be affordable for people making under 80 percent of AMI. For families of four, that’s about $42,000 a year and $51,000 a year, respectively.
• Hundreds of supporters of Cincinnati’s Black Agenda gathered at last night’s Cincinnati City Council Budget and Finance Committee meeting. The group, led by former Mayor Dwight Tillery, advocates for better funding opportunities in black communities around the city. Supporters had a very specific demand in mind last night as Council wrestled with its budgetary process — $18 million in the next fiscal plan for the city’s African American Chamber of Commerce, black-owned businesses and other efforts. Cincinnati has been highly segregated by race and income for decades, something the group would like to see addressed by city officials.
• In other budget news, the city faces a $7 million shortfall so far in its budget process, but won’t extend property tax collections to make up for that. The city is one of very few major municipalities to cap its property tax receipts, halting them at $29 million a year. City Manager Harry Black has asked Council to up the millage of its property tax collections to 6.1 mils, the maximum allowed under the city’s charter, which would rake in an extra $3 million. Council demurred. Possibly losing a little funding thanks to the deficit and a drop in federal funding: programs that help Cincinnatians having trouble making mortgage payments and help with rehabbing rental units.
• In Butler County news, Sheriff Richard K. Jones stays Richard K. Jones-ing. (If this is cryptic to you, here’s a spoiler: The outspoken conservative sheriff burned some anti-Trump mail he received while smoking a big ole stogie that one hopes isn’t from Cuba.)
• If you were looking for surprises from Ohio’s Electoral College voters yesterday, well, you’re going to be disappointed. Despite calls from Donald Trump critics, all 18 electors cast their votes for Trump, helping seal the deal for the president-elect. Electors across the country voted similarly, giving the final stamp of approval for our reality TV star commander-in-chief. There were a few wrinkles, though. One prospective elector, Republican State Rep. Christina Hagan, stepped down yesterday after a lawsuit by Democrats. Hagan’s critics said the state constitution bars her from being both a legislator and an electoral college elector. Hagan resigned her position, blasting “the extreme left” for the lawsuit.
• Speaking of the Ohio state legislature, the GOP-dominated governing body has been busy busy in the lame-duck session. Ohio Gov. John Kasich signed 17 bills yesterday, including one that strips municipalities of the right to set minimum wages for employers in their jurisdictions. That measure, which was tucked last-minute into a bill about puppy mills, effectively shuts down a ballot initiative for a $15 an hour minimum wage in Cleveland. Among other pretty… interesting… bills Kasich signed: a new law that allows concealed carry permit holders to bring guns into formerly gun-free zones like daycares, university campuses and the like. You can read more about that and other zany hijinks afoot at the State House here.
I’m out! See you tomorrow, newshounds.
This article appears in Dec 14-21, 2016.
