These Cincinnati Democrats are Rallying Around Kamala Harris

Cincinnati Democrats are uniting behind Vice President Kamala Harris as she begins her campaign for the presidency. Rep. Greg Landsman (D-Ohio), Hamilton…

By Lily Ogburn

Vice President Kamala Harris is the presumptive Democratic nominee for the 2024 Presidential race.
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12 Reasons Governor Andy Beshear Should Be Our Next Vice President

Kentucky's Governor Andy Beshear had vetting materials requested from Vice President Kamala Harris' campaign. This means that he is officially under consideration…

By LEO Weekly

Gov. Andy Beshear won the race for re-election in Nov. 2023. Could the vice presidency be his next win?
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[PHOTOS] Smoke-Filled Rooms, Civil War Threats, Diet Mt. Dew: What Was Said at Vance's Middletown Rally

Senator J.D. Vance of Ohio, the Republican nominee for Vice President, brought thousands of supporters to Middletown High School on July 22,…

By Madeline Fening

J.D. Vance held his first solo campaign rally as the Republican Vice Presidential nominee at Middletown High School on July 22.
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Ohio Republicans React to Presidential Debate, Democrats Stay Quiet

Thursday’s tumultuous presidential debate was characterized by lost thoughts, false statements and fiery insults. In the wake of the chaos, Ohio Democrats…

By Lily Ogburn

After Biden’s rough performance at the debate, many media outlets, including CNN, Al Jazeera and The New York Times, are reporting widespread panic among Democrats.
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Rabbi Responds to Cincinnati Socialists' Protest Outside Rep. Landsman's Office

A small group of pro-Palestine protesters gathered outside Rep. Greg Landsman’s (D-Ohio) Walnut Hills office on June 14, condemning the congressman’s support…

By Lily Ogburn

Cincinnati Socialists hold pro-Palestinian demonstration outside Rep. Greg Landsman’s office in Walnut Hills on June 14.
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Photos: Pro-Palestinian Demonstrators Announce 'Abandon Landsman' Campaign

As Israel’s assault on Gaza grows deadlier following Oct. 7, pro-Palestinian demonstrations have become a near-weekly occurrence in the Cincinnati area. On…

By Madeline Fening, Aidan Mahoney

Pro-Palestinian demonstrators take to Goebel Park in Covington on June 8 to protest Israel's military operation in Gaza.
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[Photos] Fountain Square Fills with Pro-Palestinian Protesters as Israel Ramps up Bombings in Rafah

Pro-Palestinian demonstrators filled Cincinnati's Fountain Square on Memorial Day as bombings from Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) become more deadly in Gaza's southern…

By Madeline Fening

A pro-Palestinian protest at Fountain Square on May 27, 2024
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PHOTOS: Pro-Palestinian Protesters Assemble in Covington

Protestors from Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky cities gathered in Covington on May 7 to send a message to politicians and passersby about…

By Madeline Fening

Demonstrators from six Greater Cincinnati organizations gathered in Covington on May 7 to protest the U.S.'s support of Israel as defense forces move into Rafa.
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Photos: Cincinnati Leaders Organize 'Walk to End Gun Violence' in Honor of 11-Year-Old Boy Shot in the West End

Gun rights advocates headed to the West End on Saturday, April 6 in an organized effort to raise awareness about gun violence…

By CityBeat Staff

The Walk to End Gun Violence on April 6, 2024
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All the Crazy Storm Damage We Saw from Greater Cincinnati's April 2 Severe Weather

Greater Cincinnati got hit with its first big spring storm of 2024 on Tuesday, April 2, with some parts of the Tri-State…

By Katherine Barrier

A car floating on a flooded street, captured by X user @SpenserSm1th.
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Resilience and Glamour: Cincinnati's Jewish Drag Makes a Statement at Elech's “Glitter, Graggers and Glam”

Drag performers and community members came together over the weekend for a glamorous show that was both religious and uproarious. Amid the…

By Madeline Fening

Elech's second-annual Purim drag showcase “Glitter, Graggers and Glam” at Urban Artifact’s Radio Artifact soundstage, March 16 2024
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PHOTOS: Cincinnati Protestors Hold Solidarity Rally with D.C.’s Pro-Palestine March

Protestors braved freezing temperatures on Jan. 13 to gather in Ziegler Park as part of the Solidarity Rally for Palestine demonstration, which…

By Aidan Mahoney

The Solidarity Rally for Palestine was held at Ziegler Park on Jan. 13, 2023.
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PHOTOS: Protesters Gather to Push for Removal of “Big Indian” Sign in Carthage on MLK Day

A small group of protesters and counter-protesters gathered outside of MotorTime Auto Sales on Jan. 15 to voice their opinions about the…

By Aidan Mahoney

Briana Mazzolini-Blanchard (pictured holding the sign) is an Indigenous member of the Urban Native Collective. "I’m just one representative of almost 100,000 Indigenous people in this region, and our organization has a history of advocating for the removal of mascots because they are degrading and they aren’t representative of current day, modern Indigeneity – nor is it a helpful representation of historic Indigeneity either," she told CityBeat.
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Project Censored 2023: Corporate Abuse and Environmental Harm Dominate Top 10 Stories

This story is featured in CityBeat's Jan. 10 print edition. “We have made the planet inhospitable to human life.” That’s what the…

By Paul Rosenberg, Random Lengths News

Project Censored 2023: Corporate Abuse and Environmental Harm Dominate Top 10 Stories
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What's In and Out for Cincinnati in 2024

The beginning of the new year is the perfect time to decide what you want your life to look like for the…

By CityBeat Staff

OUT: Joe Burrow getting injured
On Nov. 16, 2023, the Cincinnati Bengals’ quarterback Joe Burrow injured his wrist during a game against the Baltimore Ravens. The team went on to lose the game against the Pittsburgh Pirates the following week before rallying to win three straight games, which kept playoff hopes alive. However, those hopes were officially dashed after losing to the Kansas City Chiefs on New Year’s Eve. And while games can’t be won by a single player, in 2024, we need to protect Burrow at all costs.
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These 17 Photos from CityBeat Photographers are Our 2023 Scrapbook

CityBeat is lucky to work with some of the best photographers in Cincinnati, and they really showed out in 2023. From Aidan…

By CityBeat Staff

Taylor Swift flexes on Cincinnati during her "Eras Tour" stop at Paycor Stadium on June 30, 2023. Swift completely transformed the city into "Swiftinnati" during her visit.
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These 10 Weird News Stories from 2023 Make Cincinnati Look Cool, Awful and Strange

Fasten your seatbelts for a wild ride through corn and the quirkier side of 2023, Cincinnati! From a stolen wolf statue making…

By Madeline Fening

Cocaine Cat!
A big cat with a small cocaine problem became a “cat ambassador,” one of Cincinnati’s more unexpected outcomes of the year.

News broke on March 9 that Cincinnati Animal CARE (CAC), the non-profit that operates Hamilton County’s dog warden, received a call on Jan. 28 about a “leopard” stuck in a tree in Oakley. Turns out, after an encounter with Cincinnati Police, an illegal serval escaped from an apartment and ran up a tree. Crews retrieved the “grumpy” 35-pound cat, named Amiry, bringing him back to CAC’s Northside shelter. CAC told CityBeat a big cat expert confirmed Amiry was in fact a 100% pure-bred serval, adding he’d “rather deal with a tiger.”

Servals are native to savannas in more than 35 African countries. They’re illegal to own in Ohio but legal in Indiana with a special permit. In addition to a DNA test, the team also ran a drug test on the cat, which CAC said is standard protocol for strange or exotic cases. The test came back positive for cocaine, making the ”cocaine cat” nickname a viral hit after Elizabeth Banks’ horror/comedy Cocaine Bear was released in February. 

After receiving treatment for a broken leg at CAC for a couple of days, Amiry was transferred to the Cincinnati Zoo for continued treatment.

On March 10, the zoo announced that Amiry was on the mend and transitioning into a new role as a “cat ambassador.” The zoo’s Cat Ambassador Program started in 1980 with the goal of raising awareness about helping cheetahs, but expanded in 2021 to include servals, ocelots, domestic cats and dogs, a crested porcupine and a red river hog. 

It’s still unclear if charges will be filed against Amiry’s former owner, but the serval is thriving at the zoo among new drug-free friends.
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CityBeat’s Top 10 Greater Cincinnati News Stories of 2023

At CityBeat, national and local headlines seemed to be one and the same this year. Between Damar Hamlin’s astonishing moment at Paycor…

By Madeline Fening

The East Palestine Train Derailment’s Unexpected Impact on Cincinnati
The disastrous Feb. 3 derailment of a Norfolk Southern train in East Palestine, Ohio, was one of the nation’s biggest stories of 2023. Fear and insecurity continue to permeate in the small Eastern Ohio village near the Pennsylvania border as residents push for financial restitution from the rail giant. Unbeknownst to most Americans, the East Palestine disaster sent a political shockwave straight to Cincinnati in 2023.

Cincinnati voters started 2023 knowing that, come November, they would need to decide whether to sell the Cincinnati Southern Railway (CSR) – the nation’s only multi-state railway to be owned by a city – to Norfolk Southern for $1.6 billion. But the East Palestine disaster sent corporate resentment (and trace hazardous chemicals) down the Ohio River where advocacy groups quickly organized a “Vote NO” campaign against the sale.

Speaking to CityBeat in a sit-down interview, Cincinnati Mayor Aftab Pureval assured voters that transferring ownership of the 336-mile commercial rail line would release the city of derailment liability and fill the gap in Cincinnati’s growing capital deficit. Vocal opponents from “Derail the Sale” and “Save our Rails” weren’t buying it, saying the rail line was undervalued at $1.6 billion and that public ownership of the CSR would be safer for residents.

The once-in-a-lifetime nature of the ballot issue, coupled with mixed opinions from city leaders and labor unions, made it difficult to predict an outcome for Issue 22 with any certainty. Ultimately, Cincinnati voters passed Issue 22 with a narrow victory of 51.68%. Come January, the mayor-appointed board that oversees the CSR will select a money manager for the new $1.6 billion trust fund.
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Ohio Religious Leaders Gather in Cincinnati to Call for Ceasefire in Gaza [PHOTOS]

More than 100 people gathered in Washington Park for what became an emotional event to "call for peace and express solidarity with…

By CityBeat Staff

Attendees of the Peace Vigil for Gaza event at Washington Park on Dec. 17 hold a large scroll with the names of the Palestinians killed in Gaza since Oct. 7.
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Republicans Vow to Continue Abortion Fight after Ohioans Pass Issue 1

After more than 3.8 million Ohioans cast a vote on abortion access in Ohio, Issue 1 passed with 56.62% of the vote.…

By Madeline Fening

Andy Kluesener campaigns against Issue 1 outside the polling location in Christ the King Church in Mt. Lookout on Nov. 7.
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Photos: Cincinnati Protesters Advocate for Israel-Hamas War Ceasefire

The Cincinnati Socialists, "an independent Marxist organization fighting for workers’ rights and the liberation of all oppressed people," hosted the National March…

By CityBeat Staff

The Cincinnati Socialists host the National March to Free Palestine on Nov. 4 at Ziegler Park
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Photos: LGBTQ+ Advocates Head to Celina to Protest Ohio's Potential Drag Ban

Supporters of drag performers gathered on Sept. 2 at the Mercer County Courthouse in Celina, Ohio to protest a bill that would ban…

By Madeline Fening

“Protest the Ohio Drag Ban” was held on Sept. 2 at the Mercer County Courthouse in Celina, Ohio.
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Issue 1 Reactions Show Republicans Searching for Someone to Blame

Ohio voters have rejected Issue 1, a ballot measure that sought to make it harder for citizens to amend the Ohio Constitution…

By Madeline Fening

Issue 1 Reactions Show Republicans Searching for Someone to Blame
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Remembering the Three Boys Killed in Clermont County

Before three young boys, ages 3, 4 and 7, were allegedly killed by their father on June 15 in Clermont County, they…

By Madeline Fening

The three boys killed in Clermont County
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The Best Cincinnati Restaurants for Waterfront Dining, According to Our Readers

Every year, CityBeat publishes the Best Of Cincinnati®, wherein readers and staffers alike pick which bars are the booziest, which people are…

By CityBeat Staff

No. 2 Best Restaurant for Waterfront Dining: Cabana on the River
7445 Forbes Road, Sayler Park
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Detroit and Ohio Are Beefing Over A Billboard [PHOTOS]

If your 2023 bingo card did not include a second Michigan-Ohio war, you’re not alone. A billboard in downtown Detroit promoting travel…

By Jenna Jones

A billboard in Detroit promoting travel to Ohio.
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Twitter Reacts to Bob Huggins' Homophobic Slur Toward Xavier University

Twitter has a lot to say after a former University of Cincinnati coach said a homophobic slur twice during an interview on…

By Madeline Fening

Bob Huggins
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Twitter Posts Iconic Moments From Jerry Springer Show and More After His Death

You could hear Heaven chanting "Jerry, Jerry, Jerry!" if you listened hard enough today. Jerry Springer, former mayor of Cincinnati and iconic…

By Jenna Jones

Twitter Posts Iconic Moments From Jerry Springer Show and More After His Death
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The Best Tacos in Greater Cincinnati, According to Our Readers

Every year, CityBeat publishes the Best Of Cincinnati®, wherein readers and staffers alike pick which bars are the booziest, which people are…

By CityBeat Staff

No. 10 Best Tacos: Frida 602
602 Main St, Covington
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Photos: A Behind-the-Scenes Look at Greater Cincinnati Water Works' Testing and Treatment Facilities

Greater Cincinnati Water Works (GCWW) is a giant in the water treatment world, and it has to be. The Ohio River, recently…

By Madeline Fening

Some of the largest steam pumps ever built are housed in the pumping station at GCWW. While some of the pumps are no longer active, GCWW said they were kept in place for a different reason than pumping water. The colossal weight of the iron pumps keeps groundwater from pushing on the floor of the station and forcing it up out of the ground.
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Photos: All the Great Plays from the Cincinnati Reds' Opening Day

Opening day for the Cincinnati Reds always is magical for fans and players alike. The Pittsburgh Pirates eked out a 5-4 win over…

By Allison Babka

Cincinnati Reds catcher Tyler Stephenson and Pittsburgh Pirates outfielder Bryan Reynolds collide at the plate during the season opener at Great American Ball Park on March 30, 2023.
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Insults That Only Make Sense in Cincinnati

Cincinnati is a world unto itself, and with that world comes a language only Cincinnnatians can speak — and insults that only a…

By CityBeat Staff

"Parking at Kenwood Mall on a Saturday is more enjoyable than being around you."
30 slides