Tag: events

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Arts & Entertainment News

Stephen Morris to hold discussion on World Heritage Sites at Cincinnati Museum Center

There are over 900 UNESCO World Heritage Sites that have been determined to be of special importance to the international community. These sites are often culturally, physically and/or naturally significant, and are constantly facing issues that threaten their authenticity and preservation.

It requires a great deal of work and coordination to preserve these sites, and on Thursday, April 7 Cincinnatians will have a chance to hear about the role the United States plays in preserving and promoting such sites.

Stephen Morris, from the National Park Service and World Heritage Program, will participate in the Cincinnati Museum Center’s monthly Insights Lecture Series. The lecture, entitled Conserving World Treasures: History & Future of World Heritage from U.S. Perspective, is free and open to the public.

Event organizers say that Morris will discuss the history and continuing relationship between the National Park Service and the UNESCO World Heritage Program. Morris is also expected to discuss site designations and the overall challenges facing many of the world’s most culturally and naturally significant treasures.

One such project is ancient Troy where the University of Cincinnati’s Center for the Electronic Reconstruction of Historical & Archaeological Sites (CERHAS) has partnered with the Troia Projekt of the University of Tubingen to deal with such challenging issues at that World Heritage Site.

Conserving World Treasures: History & Future of World Heritage from U.S. Perspective will take place inside the Reakirt Auditorium at the Cincinnati Museum Center (map) and will begin at 7:30pm.

Cincinnati Museum Center photograph by Thadd Fiala for UrbanCincy.

Categories
Development News Transportation

First Eastern Corridor open house raises additional questions about plan

First proposed in the late 1990’s, the multi-modal Eastern Corridor plan concluded its Tier 1 planning in 2006. After four years of inaction, planning for commuter rail on the Oasis line resumed in May 2010. Tier 2 National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) analysis and preliminary engineering is currently underway and preferred alternatives will be determined in 2012.

As the plan moves forward, project leaders are holding three community open houses this week to provide an opportunity for the public to learn more about the project and offer feedback at the midpoint of this planning phase. But because there will not be any official decisions concerning track alignment, vehicle type, etc., until 2012, those who attended the April 5 open house at the Leblond Recreation Center on Riverside Drive were frustrated by the inability of planners to answer specific questions.

The primary concern of open house attendees was the proposed use of diesel locomotives. Area residents are familiar with the sound of the line’s periodic freight trains and the Cincinnati Dinner Train, and fear that frequent high-speed diesel commuter train service will significantly impact their neighborhoods. Most expressed that they would be more welcoming to the proposed commuter service if it took the form of electric light rail or modern streetcar technology similar to that of the proposed Cincinnati Streetcar.

Several concerned citizens, including Arn Bortz, Managing Partner of Towne Properties, observed that the Oasis Commuter Rail is designed to serve far eastern Hamilton County and Clermont County to the detriment of those who live in Cincinnati. Thayne Maynard, President of the Cincinnati Zoo, said that he moved to Newtown to be close to the Loveland Bike Trail, and is worried that the Oasis commuter rail might scuttle plans for the Ohio River Trail between Downtown and Lunken Airport.

Planners assured those in attendance that “No Build” is a possible outcome of the Tier 2 work, in which case all of these concerns can be forgotten. But the completion of Tier 2 work will not determine how capital funds are acquired or which local entity will operate the line. The Southwest Ohio Regional Transit Authority (SORTA) is the most likely operator. With the vast majority of SORTA’s funding coming from a .3% Cincinnati earnings tax, it appears that a special source of revenue will be needed for the Oasis Line as it is expected to terminate near I-275 in Clermont County.

Further complicating the issue, UrbanCincy investigated the Eastern Corridor plan in August 2010 and discovered several significant flaws that have yet to be addressed by project planners.

Two more open houses are scheduled to be held. The first will take place on Wednesday, April 6 at the R.G. Cribbet Recreation Center (map), and the second on Thursday, April 7 inside the Milford High School cafeteria (map). Both open houses will take place from 5pm to 8pm, and will include an open comment/Q&A session beginning at 7pm.

Eastern Corridor Open House photograph by Jake Mecklenborg for UrbanCincy.

Categories
News Politics Transportation

Ohio’s TRAC prepares for large public turnout, changes rules for Cincinnati Streetcar hearing

On March 23, Ohio’s Transportation Review Advisory Council (TRAC) was greeted by 32 Cincinnati Streetcar supporters. The residents and business owners went to Columbus to let their voice be heard on the state’s highest-rated transportation project that appeared ready to be gutted by a new administration set to cancel all investments in rail transportation.

The presence of these individuals not only came as a surprise to many on the council, but also made several of the members reconsider the idea of making the state’s highest-rated project shoulder 52 percent of all proposed cuts in a “fiscal balancing” effort.

“The number one rated project is recommended to take the brunt of the cuts…that’s a problem for me,” William Brennan stated at the March 23 meeting.

Other council members, UrbanCincy‘s Jenny Kessler reported, shook their heads in agreement with Brenna as he made the statement. Fellow council member Antoinette Maddox suggested that all new projects be sunsetted, or that cuts be made to lower-ranking projects to avoid such drastic cuts to the state’s highest-rated transportation project.

The public comments and debate made no impact on the TRAC’s recommendation that day as they followed marching orders to cut 100 percent of the Cincinnati Streetcar’s state administered funding.

The results of the meeting, combined with an “unprecedented attack” on the streetcar project from Governor Kasich, lit a fire within many Cincinnatians who have supported the streetcar project for years. Groups began organizing to continue to show the TRAC their support for the project at the upcoming April 12 meeting where they will hold a final vote on the recommendation to strip the Cincinnati Streetcar of $51.8 million.

Anticipating a large turnout for the April 12 public hearing, the TRAC has rewritten its speaking guidelines for such meetings. At the April 12 meeting only, the TRAC has restricted public comment to 40 minutes for the Cincinnati Streetcar project. Opponents will be allotted 10 speaker positions getting two minutes each. Supporters will get only seven positions with two minutes each, plus an additional six minutes for a representative from the City of Cincinnati, totalling 20 minutes.

The TRAC has also stated that Room GA, in which the meeting will be held, will be open to the public beginning at 9am. The council also states that overflow seating will be provided in Room GB if necessary. The meeting is scheduled to start at 10am.

Cincinnati Streetcar supporters photograph by Sherman Cahal.

Categories
Business News

CMHA’s housing voucher program goes completely digital

For the first time in years, the Cincinnati Metropolitan Housing Authority will open the waiting list for its Housing Choice Voucher program. Additionally, the week-long application period will, for the first time ever, be completely digital.

In past years individuals applying to be included in the program could do so in person, but now applicants must apply online. CMHA officials say that those who do not have access to a personal computer may apply at one of 22 locations throughout Hamilton County. The full list of application sites can be found on CMHA’s website, at 1635 Western Avenue or can be provided by calling (513) 977-5757.


Hamilton County HCV Application Centers

“This is going to be a huge, county-wide effort for the week of April 4-8,” a representative with the Cincinnati office of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) told UrbanCincy. “It’s been years since the list was open, so I can only imagine there will be great demand.”

The application period will run from 12:01am on Monday, April 4 until 11:59pm on Friday, April 8. Those applying will be placed into a lottery which will determine who will be included on CMHA’s waiting list.

The Housing Choice Voucher program was previously known as the housing agency’s Section 8 housing voucher program. It works by providing housing assistance to those in financial need. Low-income families apply for the program, and based on financial need, are given gap financial assistance to cover the costs of private rental units throughout Hamilton County.

Those using the program are required to pay 30 percent of their income toward the rent, and the remainder will be covered through the gap financing. The properties which participate in the HCV program, as a result, are owned and managed by private property owners.

Categories
Arts & Entertainment News

Clifton Heights Music Festival returns this weekend

Local music fans will get the chance to see over 80 performances this weekend as the Clifton Heights Music Festival makes its return. For the fourth installment, this Friday and Saturday (April 1-2), the CHMF will feature a variety of MCs, comics, and street performances in addition to more live bands and artists, and has grown to include seven venues: Rohs Street Cafe, Baba Budan’s Coffeehouse and Bar, Uncle Woody’s Pub, Mac’s Pizza Pub, Christy’s Biergarten, Murphy’s Pub and The Mad Frog.

Some of the artists include You, You’re Awesome, Josiah Wolf (of Why?) and Liz Hodson, Walk the Moon, No No Knots and The Harlequins. The festival also includes some regional artists such as Candidate from Lexington, KY and The Ridges from Athens, OH.

The Clifton Heights Music Festival started in October 2009 with just 35 bands. Over 7,500 people have attended the first three festivals, and the CHMF continues to grow.

“Our attendance…is a testament to our belief that neighbors coming out to support what their neighbors create has much worth, and can bring a community together in a positive way,” says founder and director, Rome Ntukogu.

Tickets are just $5 for one day or $10 for the full two-day festival when purchased in advance. Tickets will also be available at each of the venues for $6/$12. You can view the full schedule of all performances and a map of the venues at the CHMF website.