Shameful, Outrageous Politics in Ohio Today

For a more detailed explanation read here: PRESS RELEASE

At a staff meeting for the Ohio TRAC (Transportation Review Advisory Council) today, staff members recommended that funding for the Cincinnati Streetcar Project be withheld due to "fiscal balance" issues.

The decision was made to withhold these funds despite the fact that the Cincinnati Streetcar Project was rated as the highest ranking project in all of Ohio as reviewed by TRAC just months ago. This is the same Streetcar project that TRAC unanimously voted to support 8-0 just last year. Under obvious dictator like tactics by Gov. Kasich, the money will not be used to reduce the state deficit, but will instead be reallocated to much lower ranking road, highway, or bridge projects around the state.

Just yesterday, according to a press release from All Aboard Ohio's Ken Prendergast, a proposed amendment to ODOT’s biennial budget request would change the laws in Ohio to prevent any state or federal funds from being given to the Cincinnati Streetcar project. "The Ohio Senate Transportation Committee is expected to approve today an omnibus amendment which includes provision SC-0257-1. A summary of that provision says it “prohibits state or federal funds appropriated by the state from being used for the Cincinnati streetcar project.”

All this happening to a project expected to return huge dividends in economic development to a city struggling to make ends meet year after year. Investments like these are what help cities climb out of holes, yet our Gov. is taking away funding and channeling it instead to road and highway projects that have absolutely no value in giving this city or the entire state what it really needs.

This is an absolute abomination happening in our state right now and I fully believe that Ohio and Cincinnati citizens deserve better than this. Regardless of where you stand on the Streetcar Project, this sort of abuse of power and political wrangling should not be allowed to go unchecked!

Please write the people below today and express your anger towards their shameful behavior.

ODOT Director Jerry Wray:
Jerry Wray, Director
Ohio Department of Transportation
1980 West Broad Street
Columbus Ohio, 43223
Phone: (614) 466-2336

Gov. John Kasich: (614) 466-3555 or http://governor.ohio.gov/ShareYourIdeas.aspx
Governor John Kasich
Riffe Center, 30th Floor
77 South High Street
Columbus, Oh 43215-6117

TRAC: TRAC@dot.state.oh.us

Millionare's Row

Front view of the John Hauck mansion on Millionaire's Row in the West End

First, I must take a minute to apologize for my last post in which I threatened to leave Cincinnati if the streetcar project doesn't happen. This is not going to happen. I suppose I sometimes let emotions get the best of me when it comes to standing up for downtown and OTR:)

Moving on...The Enquirer ran a story today about Dayton St. in the West End in reference to Mallory's recent appearance on Undercover Boss. In the article, they felt it necessary to explain to Cincinnati viewers what the term "Millionaire's Row" was referring to. I suppose in some sense they did an okay job explaining its historical importance, but it seems to me they went a little too far in making sure to let everyone know that the neighborhood is no longer full of millionaire's, but instead mostly low-income families. I got the feeling that they wanted to keep people thinking negatively about that part of town. They went out of their way to explain how many of the mansions are boarded up and even went so far as to call it Skid Row instead of Millionaire's Row.

I just don't get the Enquirer. I mean, how can anyone hate Downtown and OTR that much that they take every opportunity possible to put a negative spin on things? The West End neighborhood of Cincinnati, before getting sliced up by I-75, was a magnificent place. It was huge and contained just as many, if not more beautiful 19th century buildings than OTR does today. I always like to remind people, that if they consider themselves native Cincinnatians they likely had great grandparents or great great grandparents who helped build these neighborhoods and likely lived out their entire lives there. Why would you want to constantly crap on your own family history?

Anyway, I just wanted to express my frustration with the Enquirer for again screwing up a perfectly good opportunity to help Dayton St. out a little by publishing an nice article detailing all the interesting historical and architectural facts about Millionaire's row. Why not take the opportunity to educate your readers about all the different brewery owners that once lived there? Or how about point out that the Hatch House (referred to in the article as simply "in need of a lot of work") is believed to be one of the only remaining structures in the area built by the famous architect Isaiah Rogers. Instead, we are left with nothing but negative commentary that I see as totally unnecessary.

I suppose I don't mind it all that much though because what they are essentially doing is preventing rich suburbanites from wanting to come down here and buy up all these old mansions. For my wife and I that's a good thing because we would love to eventually buy one of these amazing properties and fix it up and live there. So, at least they're helping to keep property values down?

Below: A few examples of the type of magnificient architectural treasures still intact throughout most of the West End and especially prominent along Millionaire's Row.







An example of a Carriage House in the rear of the Hauck Mansion. Many of the buildings along Millionaire's Row still have these beautiful structures intact as part of the property.

Sorry Cincinnati, You Lose

Well I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but it appears we won't be getting a streetcar after all. You can all thank Gov. Kasich for this. He's decided he doesn't support giving Cincnnati the grant money we were recommended for earlier in 2010. Without his support those funds won't find their way to Cincinnati. Without those funds our city will never be able to afford a project like this. It is very sad to see that YEARS of hard work will be going down the drain because of misinformed, close-minded, conservative, out dated values. We can all look back in history and thank Gov Kasich and the current GOP controlled Congress for keeping Ohio and Cincinnati in the same old condition it's been in for the last 60+ years. It looks like my wife and I just found an excuse to move to NYC after all.

OTR Immigrants...

Soapbox Cincinnati sent out a great article today featuring news about how attractive OTR is now to young people moving here from other cities. It just goes to show what we've believed true for so long. OTR is the type of neighborhood people are looking for now and will continue to become more and more popular as it fills up with more life. If you think this is good news now, just wait to see how many people start flocking here once the streetcar is rolling around!

Repopluating OTR will reduce crime

I have always been a believer that repopulating Over the Rhine is the most important thing we can do to fix the neighborhood's crime problem. Putting more eyes on the street increases the chances that when a crime is committed someone will see it and be able to help police find the person who did it. One of the most frustrating things about crime in OTR is the fact that the police often have little to no help when faced with finding the person responsible for a crime. So, many people get away with doing bad things simply because there were no witnesses or the witnesses who they do have refuse to talk. This is precisely why we need more people who actually care about the city and keeping it safe living here and spending their time here.

Now I have proof of this concept after a weekend incident reported in the Enquirer. Police Chief Tom Streicher happened to be shopping at Findlay Market this weekend when he heard gunshots going off on a nearby street. He was off duty in regular street clothes and was shopping at the market. He was able to see some men running off to a car and followed them closely in his own private vehicle while calling police to pursue. They ended up catching and arresting the two morons who were responsible for this and both had criminal records and outstanding warrants for their arrests! Ha!

This is a perfect example of how more caring eyes on the streets will help change this neighborhood for the better. The two want-to-be gangsters who got busted this weekend did what they did because they figured there would be no one around to see them do it who would actually cared enough to help the police. It just so happens the person who saw them was an off duty police chief, but it could have easily been anyone shopping at Findlay Market that day.

If we want to see Over the Rhine succeed we need to look out for it ourselves. This means always having a watchful eye over things and being ready to help police when the time comes. Its no different than people in the suburbs keeping an eye on suspicious vehicles parked on their street or something like that. We need to protect our own neighborhood streets and sidewalks so that morons with guns don't get to just walk free any more.

The old philosophy of simply running to the suburbs and hoping the police can solve the crime is flawed. Many Cincinnatians still believe that the solution is to just stay away from Over the Rhine. This upsets me because I know that doing so only makes the problem worse. I've said for a long time that we could pour all the money in the world in to Cincinnati's police force and they would never be able to rid the neighborhood of crime. They need help in the form of watchful eyes on the streets and in windows at all times.

We need to continue to focus on attracting new residents and businesses to the neighborhood so morons with guns can't get away with acting stupid in OTR anymore.

New Years Eve: Christian Moerlein at Arnold's

As previously announced, Christian Moerlein has returned to Over the Rhine and will soon begin brewing its beer in the neighborhood again for the first time since the start of Prohibition. Right now Christian Moerlein's beers are contract brewed at breweries in other cities. This is certainly an exciting moment for Over the Rhine and hopefully a sign of good things to come for Cincinnati's brewing culture. At one time Cincinnati was home to 18 different breweries and had one of the largest per capita beer consumption rates in the country! With so many exciting new things coming to downtown in the next few years (including the streetcar, casino, and banks projects), the addition of a few new breweries would certainly make things that much better.
To start the new year off right, Christian Moerlein will be tapping their inagural Over the Rhine brew at Arnold's on 8th street. At the stroke of midnight Arnold's guests will have the privelage of sampling the first batch of Christian Moerlein beer brewed in OTR in nearly 100 years! Their inagural brew, Arnold's 1861 Porter, is dedicated to Arnold's 150th Anniversary that starts in 2011.

Arnold's Bar and Grill
210 E. 8th St.
513-421-6234

Christian Moerlein's New OTR Brewery

Oktoberfest Weekend, OTR and BEER!

The Over-the-Rhine Brewery District Community Urban Redevelopment Corporation (OTR Brewery District Group) in conjunction with he Christian Moerlein Brewing Company are proud to announce events Oktoberfest weekend. The celebration will mark a new era in the future of Cincinnati beer.

The future site of the Christian Moerlein Brewery located at 1621 Moore St. – (formerly known as the Husman Potato Chip Factory and Kauffman Brewery) will be open to the public, commemorating plans for the company’s new endeavors: guests will be greeted with story-boards of the packaging and brewing facility and the Moerlein Lager House architectural plans.

Two sets of tours will be held: the “”Prohibition Resistance Tour” where beer lovers and history buffs can roam the historic lagering cellars and newly discovered tunnels (beneath Hamer St) that once connected the brew house and lagering cellars of the Kauffman Brewery. A new tour from author Mike Morgan, in conjunction with his new book – fittingly sharing the same title, “Over-the-Rhine: When Beer Was King,” which will be released on Oktoberfest weekend. The tour will feature a guest appearance from CEO Greg Hardman of Christian Moerlein Brewing Company, who contributed the forward to the book.

The “Over-the-Rhine: When Beer Was King” tour consists of two planned trips will lead participants on a walking journey that chronicles the melting pot of subjects that explore how beer and politics meshed the cultural make-up of the Queen City. The tour will travel the length of Vine Street, talking about early neighborhood history and politics. Participants will travel through the Crown Brewery, Kauffman Brewery, and end at the future home of the Christian Moerlein Brewery. Purchase tickets here:

Downtown Oktoberfest celebrants can take free shuttles from Arnold’s Bar (210 E. 8th St.) to and from the brewery. At the brewery, attendees can find a larger-than-life collections of special commemorative steins and historic brewery memorabilia, which will be available for purchase – guests can also preview a trailer for the “Cincinnati Beer Story” documentary. Food will be available from Café de Wheels who will be serving ‘Brats & Burgers’ at the beer garden.

While enjoying Cincinnati beer history, participants can enjoy: Moerlein Fifth and Vine Oktoberfest Marzen, Moerlein Lager House Helles, Moerlein Over-the-Rhine Pale Ale, Little Kings ‘Slim King Can’, Hudy Delight, Hudy 14-K, Burger & Burger Light, and the premiere of the new 125th Anniversary Hudepohl Amber Lager.

Brewery Open House Hours & Tours
· Saturday September 18th 9:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.
· Sunday September 19th 10:30 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.

The Shuttle
The shuttle will run from 9A-6P on Saturday and 11A-6P on Sunday, and is FREE. The downtown shuttle stop will be Arnold's Bar and Grill, located at 210 East Eighth Street.
The “Over-the-Rhine: When Beer Was King” Tours
NEW tours during Oktoberfest: Mike Morgan, author “Over-the-Rhine: When Beer Was King,” will lead participants on a walking tour that chronicles places and events in his new book. Tours will start at the new location of the Christian Moerlein Brewing Company. There will be two “Over-the-Rhine: When Beer Was King Walking Tours” guided by the author:


Saturday September 18th at 3:00 P.M.
Sunday September 19th at 3:00 P.M.



Tours will last approximately 2 and half hours, and will start and end at the new Christian Moerlein Brewery (located at 1621 Moore Street ).

Tours are available with a specially priced copy of the new book, and all tickets include a beer ticket good for use at the brewery all weekend. Purchase additional copies of the book


Coverage Suggestions:

1. Guided tour with Mike Morgan to historic brewing sites in Over-the-Rhine. Video opportunity.


*Space is limited and tickets can be purchased at the Brewery District website: http://www.otrbrewerydistrict.org/events_tour_whenbeerwasking_10.php


The Brewery District Tours
The public will have a rare opportunity to travel back to Nineteenth Century Cincinnati and explore the city’s rich brewing heritage, both above and below ground. The Brewery District Community Urban Redevelopment Corporation (Brewery District) will be presenting its popular “Prohibition Resistance Tour”.
Tours will start at the new location of the Christian Moerlein Brewing Company. All tickets are sold for specific times and space for each tour is limited. Tickets are $30 and available at www.otrbrewerydistrict.org (click on Prohibition Resistance Tour on right-side menu.) Ticket price includes a 2 1/2 hour walking tour and beer ticket.


· Brewery District Tours - Hours of operation
o Saturday September 18th 9:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.
o Sunday September 19th 9:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.


Coverage Suggestions:



1. Press walk-through: brewery guided tours with detailed history on cellars and future plans for this brewing cite.

2. Kauffman tunnels – video of break through from both sides of the wall to show newly found tunnel underneath the new Christian Moerlein Brewing Company.

3. Historical Perspective: in the 19th century, beer brought community together, how will the lager house and brewery continue this tradition?



*All proceeds from the weekend benefit the Brewery District, a non-profit committed to making the Over-the-Rhine Brewery District a healthy, balanced, and supportive neighborhood economy by preserving, restoring, and redeveloping our unique brewing history and historic urban fabric. More information about the Brewery District can be found at www.otrbrewerydistrict.org.
*Space is limited and tickets can be purchased at the Brewery District website: http://www.otrbrewerydistrict.org/events_tour_10_ticket.php

“Over-the-Rhine: When Beer was King
Rediscovering Cincinnati’s Lost Brewing Society
Mike Morgan, an urban & cultural development advocate in Cincinnati has finished his first book: “Over-the-Rhine: When Beer Was King”, exploring a rich history of Cincinnati brewing tradition.

Book Synopsis:
Over the Rhine is a place where a building owner can stumble upon huge caverns underneath a basement floor, or find long-forgotten tunnels that travel far below city streets. Its present mysteries are attributable to a past that transcends the common story of how cities change over time: It is the story of a how a clash between immigrants and “real Americans” helped rob Cincinnati of its image, its soul, and its economy. In the 1870s, OTR was comparable to the cultural hearts of Paris and Vienna. By the turn of the last century, the neighborhood was home to roughly 300 saloons and had over a dozen breweries within or adjacent to its borders. It was beloved by countless citizens and travelers for the exact reasons that others successfully sought to destroy it. This is the story of how the “Paris of America” became a time capsule.

About Mike Morgan:
Michael Morgan is an attorney who has spent the last five years leading non-profits that are dedicated to the physical and cultural restoration of Cincinnati’s Over-the-Rhine neighborhood. This work has been diverse, ranging from pro bono legal work to improve local government and advocacy to save historic buildings to orchestrating beer-soaked special events. Morgan is a graduate of the University of Toledo College of Law and Ohio University. As a Trustee of the Brewery District CURC, Morgan helped create the organization’s Prohibition Resistance Tours of historic brewery sites. He has also been the primary organizer of Bockfest for the past several years, and is an unabashed proponent of local beer.