Monthly Archives: December 2010

Wrinkle in Time an inventive holiday offering

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Guest post by Erin Marie Schwartz.

First, let me begin by saying I never read A Wrinkle in Time so I had no idea what to expect. The popular children’s fantasy book is being staged as this year’s holiday show at the Know Theatre of Cincinnati.

The production, directed by Jason Ballweber from Four Humors Theater in Minneapolis features two Four Humors actors in principal roles as well as Know Theatre’s resident actor MJ Jergensen in the role of Mrs. Who.

The show centers around Meg (Alisa Mattson) and her brother Charles Wallace, played by Darnell Benjamin. These two, who haven’t seen their father in more than two years, set off on a journey to find him and bring him home. Accompanying them on the journey are a colorful group of characters including Mrs. Who, Mrs. Which and Mrs. Whatsit. Also joining them on the journey is neighbor boy Calvin (Chris Wesselman) who says he’s “just along for the ride”.

Some of the most touching interactions occur between Meg and Calvin. Their portrayal of youngsters just beginning to explore the excitement of their first romantic relationship is spot-on.

There is a difficulty in bringing a fantasy/science fiction story to the stage and while Know gets an ‘A’ for effort, the final effect was somewhat less than stellar.

That being said, a creative use of lights, sound and staging are used throughout the play. The floor and walls are painted with an array of stars and a variety of objects are used onstage to produce effective and inventive sounds. When was the last time you saw an overhead projector, let alone one used for sound effects? The minimally decorated stage is the perfect forum for this production.

In conjunction with the performances, Know is promoting a book drive sponsored by Give Back Cincinnati and benefiting the Peaslee Child Development Center. New or gently used books can be dropped off during Know’s regular business hours or before any performance of “Wrinkle.”

A Wrinkle In Time runs December 9-11, 16-19, and 21-23. All performances begin at 8pm with the exception of December 11 which includes a 3pm matinee show in addition to the 8pm performance.

Tickets are $15 the week of the show, $12 if purchased in advance. Tickets may be purchased online or by calling the box office at (513) 300-5669.  The Know Theatre is located at 1120 Jackson Street in the arts district of historic Over-the-Rhine.

Light Up OTR to kick off new holiday tradition

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Traditions like the Duke Energy Train Display, ice skating on Fountain Square, and the Cincinnati Zoo Festival of Lights remind us that the holiday season is upon us in Cincinnati.  And soon, the Over-the-Rhine neighborhood will have a holiday tradition of its own.

“Light Up Over-the-Rhine” takes place this Friday, December 10.  Beginning at 8 p.m., teams of volunteers will walk throughout the neighborhood, placing luminaries along its major streets.  A total of 943 luminaries will be placed, representing the number of historic buildings in Over-the-Rhine.  Event organizers hope to create a warm glow that will “symbolize safety, the coming of the holiday season, and unity.”

At 10 p.m., a lighting will take place for the first annual OTR Christmas tree, located in the courtyard of Neon’s Unplugged.  Guests will be able to affix an ornament to the tree for a $2 donation to the Over-the-Rhine Foundation.  Throughout the evening, Neon’s will be serving craft cocktails created by mixoligist Molly Wellman and offering a variety of drink specials.

Anyone interested in helping to assemble and disperse the luminaries should meet at Neon’s at 6 p.m.  With the support of people from the neighborhood and the city, Light Up OTR will hopefully be a success and become another great holiday tradition for Cincinnati.

You can RSVP for Light Up Over-the-Rhine on Facebook.

Price Hill leaders to use citizen-directed budgeting process in new $40k challenge

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Price Hill Will is taking community engagement to the next level. The neighborhood non-profit recently unveiled the $40K Challenge, an exciting and innovative new project designed to engage citizens in the neighborhood planning process.

As part of the challenge, $40,000 will be invested in East and West Price Hill, with the goal of empowering citizens to help create worthwhile community projects that make a broad impact on the neighborhood.

While Price Hill Will has utilized public participation in the past, this new project is trying something fairly new – a process called citizen-directed budgeting. This budgeting process calls for citizens to create the criteria for project proposals and ultimately decide where investments should be made.

“This type of public engagement is becoming increasingly important with the budget challenges everyone is facing,” explained Diana Vakharia, Director of Operations at Price Hill Will. “Citizens have to be involved in the weighing of the costs and benefits…when they’re in the room that’s when priorities emerge, and more importantly, that’s when we find creative solutions.”

Over the last month, a committee of Stewards, representing various groups in the neighborhood, has been meeting to ensure that the process reaches a large group of people and makes the greatest possible impact.

The $40K Challenge will be launched with a kickoff event open to the public from 9am to 11:30am Saturday, December 11, at Elder High School’s Schaeper Center (map). Taking part in the process will be Price Hill residents, community leaders, Price Hill Will, and an independent facilitator.

The meeting will take the themes created by the Stewards and allow the community to work together to refine these themes, possibly add to them, and make funding proposals that will be voted on by the entire community.

“We will measure success by how many residents not previously involved become engaged in community building,” added Vakharia. “We’re hoping this process reveals Price Hill’s goals for the community, while increasing the number of people working to achieve those goals.”

Jimmy Heath House to start welcoming new residents to Over-the-Rhine today

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These days, development news in Over-the-Rhine is seemingly ubiquitous. The historic neighborhood is growing at a rapid rate and with new businesses constantly opening; new residents are flowing in. However, starting today another group will be calling the neighborhood home.

On Friday, Over-the-Rhine Community Housing (OTRCH) hosted a ribbon cutting for the Jimmy Heath House (map). The new permanent supportive housing development transformed 14,300 square feet of space in six historic buildings. The housing development includes 25 apartments for the chronically homeless, offices for case managers, as well as public meeting spaces to accommodate the social service needs of its residents.

OTRCH officials say that the development, named after homeless advocate and former Streetvibes editor Jimmy Heath, is based on the housing first principle; a concept that clinical and social stabilization is more affective when homelessness is eliminated.

“Housing First is a nationally recognized evidence-based best practice. Many cities and counties around the country already have Housing First programs in place or plans to initiate one,” Mary Burke Rivers, OTRCH Director, said in a press release. “The positive outcomes from the model are astonishing, and we are proud of our partners who have joined us in this progress.”

The benefits, of these new housing developments, extend beyond their social benefits. Studies show that significant economic gains can be had as well by reducing the cost often associated with homeless individuals. On average, studies indicate that it costs between $35,000 and $150,000 annually to support a homeless individual, while housing communities such as the Jimmy Heath House lower that average to just over $16,000 annually.

“People who are chronically homeless make up 34 percent of the homeless population and spend years cycling between the streets, shelters, jail cells, and emergency rooms,” Rivers said.

Residents of the complex are scheduled to start moving in as early as today.

“We’re looking forward to the possibilities for our residents: being able to connect with family members for the first time in years, going to a clinic instead of the emergency room, not drinking just to numb the bitter cold,” said Andy Hutzel, director of housing services for OTRCH. “We have one tenant, Paul, who will be able to get off of crutches after nine years because he can finally rehabilitate an injury following his fall from a roof – an impossibility while he was living under the 6th Street viaduct.”

Cincinnati to examine bus rapid transit as part of expanding transit network

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As Cincinnati moves forward with the development of the Midwest’s first modern streetcar system, a political leader is pushing for even greater transit improvements that would compliment an increasingly diverse collection of alternative forms of transport.

Cincinnati Vice Mayor Roxanne Qualls is proposing a robust network of bus rapid transit (BRT) that would connect the region’s commuters with major employment centers like Uptown and Downtown. Qualls believes BRT is a cost-effective and innovative transit strategy.

“Bus rapid transit incorporates many of the advantages of light rail, but is cheaper and can be implemented quickly,” Qualls said in a prepared statement. “Cities around the world and the country are giving commuters a great transit option now with rapid transit.”

Many cities around the United States and internationally are beginning to look at BRT more closely as a cheaper alternative to building dedicated rail transit systems. After first being popularized in Bogota, Columbia, bus rapid transit now exists in 33 cities throughout the world with an additional 22 systems planned.

What differentiates BRT routes from other bus routes is the dedicated lanes they use. These dedicated corridors are often complimented by signal prioritization and timing that allows for faster travel times over long distances.

“Cities are looking to rapid transit to meet increased commuter demand and to spur development,” Qualls stated. “Because the conversion to rapid transit is faster and cheaper than developing light rail, it is an important interim step that helps build transit ridership and provides a great service in the near term.”

While some transit experts agree that BRT can serve as an integral part of an overall transit system, others believe that BRT can be compromised when pitched as an inexpensive alternative to light rail.

“If you look at Oakland, who was studying BRT, they’ve been working on the project for a long time and recently had the City of Berkeley decline to even study dedicated lanes even though that was the plan all along,” explained Jeff Wood, Chief Cartographer, Reconnecting America.  “They felt like they could do it cheaper than light rail, but now they aren’t even going to get any of the benefits of bus rapid transit.”

As part of Vice Mayor Qualls’ motion, BRT would be a portion of a larger multi-modal transit plan that would include the streetcar and light rail according to Cincinnati’s existing rail plan. Major corridors would include I-75, I-71, Queen City Avenue, Harrison Avenue, Vine Street, Reading Road, Madison Road, and Martin Luther King Drive. Qualls suggessted the city aggressively pursue state and federal funds to pay for the development of bus rapid transit.

Those interested in learning more about bus rapid transit have the opportunity to meet with BRT expert Jack Gonsalves at the OKI Regional Council of Governments Board Room (map) on Monday, December 6 at 1pm.  Gonsalves will be joined by a variety of local leaders to discuss BRT and how it might be developed in Cincinnati.

Second City entertains at Playhouse in the Park with Cincinnati-themed comedy

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The two-time Tony Award winning Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park is currently running a fantastically funny production by one of the nation’s premier comedy empires. Second City’s semi-improvisational show Cincinnati: Pride and Porkopolis jokes about all the Queen City’s quintessential items – from the Bengals to Cincinnati-style chili, and from Marge Schott to Jerry Springer.

In a format somewhat similar to Saturday Night Live, the show features numerous short sketches that will leaves the audience laughing hysterically.

Chicago-based Second City has produced such talent as Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, John Candy, Chris Farley, Mike Meyers, Tina Fey, Stephen Colbert, Jane Lynch, Martin Short, Eugene Levy, and Steve Carell.  Cincinnati native Mick Naiper directs this production’s cast: Ryan Archibald, Katie Caussin, Joe Dempsey, Sayjal Joshi, Anthony LeBlanc, and Andel Sudik.

Cincinnati: Pride and Porkopolis runs Tuesday through Sunday every week until its closing on January 9. Shows on the weeknights will also feature a special segment of improvisation that includes a mix of games and scenes based completely on suggestions from the audience.

The full schedule of performances can be found online where you can also purchase tickets and find more information. The Playhouse box office (map) can also be reached by calling (513) 421-3888.

New state-of-the-art UV water treatment facility to be powered by the sun

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The City of Cincinnati and Greater Cincinnati Water Works (GCWW) broke ground earlier this month on a $30 million state-of-the-art Ultraviolet (UV) Disinfection Treatment Facility. The 19,600 square-foot facility, which is being built at the Richard Miller Treatment Plant on Kellogg Avenue, will make GCWW the largest water utility in North America to use UV disinfection following sand filtration and Granular Activated Carbon absorption.

UV disinfection does not use chemicals or produce significant levels of regulated disinfection by-products. Sand filtration removes larger particles from source water while GAC removes organic substances such as pharmaceuticals.

“We have spent the past 10 years conducting research with national and international groups to determine the best method to protect our customers from microorganisms that are resistant to chlorine disinfection,” said David Rager, GCWW director. “UV disinfection uses UV light, in low doses, to inactivate disease-causing organisms often found in water effluents that can end up in our source water.”

Officials say that in an effort to reduce GCWW’s carbon footprint, the new facility will include 160 solar panels. When paired with a second solar installation on an existing GCWW facility, significant environmental impacts are expected to be achieved annually:

  • 28,100 gallons of gasoline emissions offset– equivalent to offsetting emissions of 48 cars
  • 346,000 Kwh of energy – enough to power 33 homes
  • $151,000 in electricity costs

The UV disinfection treatment project is scheduled to be completed by the end of 2012. GCWW did receive rebates of approximately $150,000 from the State of Ohio for solar energy initiatives.

“Cincinnati has some of the best drinking water in the country and we are going to make it better,” Mayor Mark Mallory said. “This state-of-the-art new treatment facility illustrates the City’s commitment to continuous improvement. Our goal is to be on the cutting edge providing the cleanest, safest, tastiest drinking water in the country.”