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Celebrate ‘National Coming Out Day’ today for a healthier urban community

Since 1988, individuals and organizations alike have been celebrating National Coming Out Day on October 11. The day is meant to serve as an opportunity and means of support for those in the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender communities who are struggling to be open about their gender and sexual orientation. The day also serves as an opportunity to raise awareness of the LGBT community in the United States and throughout the world.

UrbanCincy is a proud ally of Cincinnati’s LGBT community and believes that all people should be treated fairly and equally. In September 2009, Greg Meckstroth wrote a guest editorial for UrbanCincy (partially reprinted below) about why strong gay communities are an important part of a healthy urban core. But beyond that, a strong LGBT community is important to a healthy society. Please support Cincinnati’s LGBT community and support National Coming Out Day today.

Having a strong gay community is a key part of having a strong urban core. When you look at cities in North America with vibrant cores, they tend to have successful, happy LGBT communities as well. This occurs because we gays are an urban bunch, often pioneering urban development, forming a niche in the city, and claiming a space of our own.

These ‘gayborhoods’ become identifiable with the LGBT community and a sense of pride is taken to ensure they are maintained. Chicago has their Boystown, San Francisco has The Castro, and New York has…well…Manhattan. These places are thriving urban neighborhoods, act as ethnic enclaves for their respective cities, and are a key part of a diverse, vibrant urban core.

If Cincinnati and other Ohio cities want to have diverse, active, and interesting urban cores, Ohioans must embrace the LGBT community and allow them to maintain or establish a successful niche.

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Hops on the Ohio to offer nation’s first two-state beer festival this weekend

A truly unique craft beer experience is on tap this Saturday from 12pm to 12am, and it is being put on by the same group that organized the wildly successful Cincy Winter Beerfest. The old L&N bridge, now known as the Purple People Bridge, will be the stage for the novel Hops On The Ohio concept, which offers beer lovers the nation’s first-ever two-state festival.

Over 200 different craft brews, including many special releases will be spanning the Ohio and Kentucky border from river bank to river bank, and attendees will have the rare opportunity to taste this wide selection in essentially one location. Most breweries and beers are only distributed in certain states and many of the beers at the festival may only be available in either Kentucky or Ohio, but not necessarily both, so here is your chance to have both state’s portfolios at your disposal.

That being said, there is one catch, legally the beer cannot cross state lines, or in this case the imaginary line on the bridge, and there will be “crossing guards” in place to kindly remind people of this fact.

All tickets are available for purchase online.  General admission tickets cost $35 in advance and $45 at the gate. This will get participants a five ounce tasting cup, 25 beer sample tickets, and exclusive access to the bridge, as the structure will be closed to the general public. There will be designated driver tickets for $10 that include two tickets for non-alcoholic beverages.

Additional ticket options include the “Hophead Combo” for $45 in advance ($60 at the gate) and in addition to regular ticket privileges, Hopheads get bumped to the front of the line for the exclusive release of Stone’s 10.10.10 Vertical Epic, as well as beer samples and entry to the Schlafly Beer Sellar-Bration, where there will be 47 different beers on tap from the St. Louis brewery. Schlafly Beer-Sellar-Bration tickets are also available individually for $15.

All proceeds, from the festival, will benefit the Big Joe Duskin Music Foundation and its mission to bring local professional musicians into area schools to perform and lead presentations about the impact and enjoyment of playing music. Organizers say that there food and live music will be available.

Hops on the Ohio will take place on Saturday, October 9 from noon until midnight on the Purple People Bridge (map).  Automobile parking will be available on both sides of the river.  Those unable to secure a designated driver are encouraged to take advantage of nearby taxi stands or utilize Metro bus service (plan your trip).

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Business News

Fresh Table to celebrate grand opening at Findlay Market tomorrow

Fresh Table will celebrate its grand opening at Findlay Market tomorrow. The new sustainably focused take-out food vendor will be open during regular market hours from 9am to 6pm tomorrow and throughout the rest of the work week.

Located inside the market house at the eastern entrance along Race Street, Fresh Table will treat customers to a “theatre production” of sorts with two flat-screen televisions broadcasting the action taking place in the exhibition kitchen.

According to Fresh Table co-owner Meredith Trombly, the screens will showcase unique menu items and the businesses many green partnerships with local vendors when there is nothing happening in the kitchen.

“Our passion for the environment fits with Findlay Market’s mission to reduce carbon footprints,” Trombly told Soapbox Cincinnati in early September. “We are participating with Findlay’s recycling program, which includes composting all kitchen scraps. Our chefs will also be wearing organic cotton chef’s coats, pants, hats and even aprons.”

Customers visiting for the first time tomorrow can expect a menu not surprisingly made up of fresh, seasonal items that will change regularly according to the chefs’ inspirations. But Trombly also notes that the menu will always include vegan and vegetarian options. Menu items will generally include soups, salads, starters, entrees, and sweets that will all be available via curb-side pickup or delivery throughout Over-the-Rhine, Downtown, and nearby Uptown neighborhoods.

Visit Fresh Table (map) tomorrow during their first day of operations, or become a fan on Facebook to stay in touch. Those interested in placing orders can do so online or by calling (513) 381-3774.

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Business News Politics

Cincinnati celebrates start of Midwest’s largest RecycleBank program

City officials and business partners met this morning at Annwood Park in East Walnut Hills to officially kick-off the largest RecycleBank program in the Midwest.

City officials say that the incentive program is geared to encourage community members to recycle by measuring and recording the amount of material they recycle, then translate that participation into points that are redeemable at local and national retailers, much like a frequent flier program.

As an added bonus, Cincinnati-based Procter & Gamble has partnered with RecycleBank in rewarding residents for their green actions as part of their new Future Friendly initiative. This means that community members who register for the new RecycleBank program will receive a $5-off reward toward the purchase of any Future Friendly product from the P&G eStore while supplies last.

At today’s ceremony, Office of Environmental Quality director Larry Falkin shared the excitement felt by many in the crowd.

“We [at the city] are really happy about this new program. There’s so much potential to make something useful and profitable from things we’re getting rid of anyway,” Falkin stated. “Even the guys who own the landfill are in on it. Jeff Rumpke knows he’s missing out on an opportunity by letting all those recyclables in the landfill.”

Another component of the city’s new recycling program includes new 96-gallon recycling bins that can hold u pto five normal-sized bins worth of recyclables. City officials say that this will allow them to cut back on recycling pick-ups to once every two weeks, thus saving the city money.

The new larger carts also allow the city to implement the new RecycleBank program and automate lifting operations of the bins.

“If possible, residents should separate their trash bins from the new recycling bins,” said a Rumpke worker who explained that keeping the bins out from underneath power lines and trees will allow the truck’s robotic arm to work with ease.

The enhanced recycling program is being rolled out in four phases, with rewards and pick-up beginning this week in some neighborhoods. The roll out will continue through February 2011, and any Cincinnati resident who lives in a single- or multi-family home with existing curbside trash pickup is eligible to take advantage of this new program.

“The biggest benefit to the RecycleBank rewards system is the versatility in how residents will be able to use their points,” explained Christian Huelsman, the RecycleBank community outreach intern. “Not only are there national retailers participating like Bed Bath & Beyond and Old Navy, but local retailers liek Deweys and Park+Vine are as well. And those who do not want to encourage more consumption can choose to donate their points to local schools to help with after-school programs and supplies. You can even trade in certain electronics to increase your points.”

Those interested in taking advantage of the new RecycleBank rewards program are required to register online or by calling 1-866-563-0114.

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Arts & Entertainment News

Cincinnati Reds to rally on Fountain Square Monday afternoon

The 2010 National League Central Division champion Cincinnati Reds will take to Fountain Square tomorrow afternoon to celebrate the club’s 91-71, and its first playoff appearance since 1995.

The Reds Rally on the Square will take place from 2pm to 6pm and include the entire team and coaching staff, legendary broadcaster Marty Brennaman, President and CEO Bob Castellini, General Manager Walt Jocketty, Hall of Famer Joe Morgan, and more.

Reds officials say that the team will appear on Fountain Square around 3:30pm before they depart for Philadelphia for the National League Division Series. Many of the players and team leaders will give brief speeches to the crowd.  Event organizers also say that food and drink will be available, and that live music will be provided by Funky G and the Groove Machine. Gapper, Mr. Redlegs, Rosie Red, and the Reds Rally Pack will also be on-hand to entertain the crowd.

“This is a unique opportunity for Reds fans to send off their team as we take the first step in the 2010 Postseason,” Bob Castellini said following the Reds final victory of the season Sunday afternoon. “It’s sure to be an exciting experience for our fans, and we want to show our players, coaches and staff that all of Reds Country is behind them as they begin their playoff run.”

Reds fans first gathered on Fountain Square immediately following the teams division-clinching performance against the Houston Astros on Tuesday, September 28. Following that game hundreds of fans gathered on Cincinnati’s central gathering space to celebrate the big win and meet several players who celebrated at Mynt Martini later that night.

The Reds (91-71) will face the Philadelphia Phillies (97-65) in the first-round of the playoffs. Philadelphia will hold home field advantage, and host the Reds on Wednesday, October 6 at 5:07pm and Friday, October 8 at 6:07pm.  The Reds are scheduled to host the Phillies on Sunday, October 10 in game three of the NLDS.