[WINNER]
SWIMMING POOLS: For at least the fourth year in a row, the possibility of closing many of the city-owned swimming pools for all or part of the summer has been averted. To help avoid a deficit, City Council approved a budget in January that would’ve left 19 pools closed this summer.
In April, a jump in tax collections prompted council to allocate $600,000 to open the pools if matching private funds could be raised. Lo and behold, more than $417,000 was raised, which will allow all 25 pools to open. As has been in the case in years past, attorney Stan Chesley raised about $240,000 of the cash, even as he fights Kentucky’s efforts to revoke his law license for shady dealings. But the yearly pretense allows Chesley and Mayor Mark Mallory a chance to preen before TV cameras.
[LOSER]
THE CELESTIAL: One of the restaurants with the best view of Cincinnati’s skyline has lost its liquor license. The Celestial Steakhouse, perched above the Highland Towers on Mount Adams and overlooking downtown and the river, is a romantic place for an anniversary dinner with a significant other or just to listen to some Jazz in the lounge. Alas, the owner fell behind in paying state taxes and the Ohio Liquor Control Board yanked the license. That means no more glasses of wine or martinis while gazing out on the metropolis sprawling outside the windows, at least for now. A transfer for the license is in the works, meaning customers hopefully will be able to catch a buzz there again soon. Meanwhile, people may bring their own bottles of wine with no corkage fee.
[WINNER]
COUNCIL CHALLENGERS: Incumbents on Cincinnati City Council always have an advantage in elections, with free coverage in newspapers and on TV. Two current appointees, however, probably just helped challengers. The first is Republican Wayne Lippert, appointed by independent Jeff Berding after he resigned. Lippert is co-hosting a June fundraiser for COAST, an arch-conservative group that often lobbies for issues that will hurt the urban core. (Stupid move, Wayne; you’re not running in Anderson Township.) Then there’s Wendell Young, a Democrat appointed to fill the seat of Laketa Cole. Young is proposing the city build an incline from downtown to Mount Adams. At a time when the city is struggling to keep its streetcar project on track, this seems like a silly diversion.
[LOSER]
ERIC DETERS: WLW (700 AM) decided to fire weekend talk show host Eric “The Bulldog” Deters after the attorney posted a video on Facebook in which he said, “If you want to conquer an African nation, send white women and pot.” Deters quickly pulled the footage, said it was posted online mistakenly and assured his fans that he actually has many black friends. (Plus, we hear he loves reruns of Chappelle’s Show.) Nevertheless, the Big One decided enough is enough and pulled the plug. All of which leaves us wondering A.) why WLW hasn’t fired the popular Bill Cunningham for spouting similar things over the airwaves for many years and B.) why was Deters hired in the first place? Oh, well: At least Eric will have more time on his hands to file frivolous lawsuits against The Whistleblower.
