[{"_1":2,"_105":-5,"_106":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,85,95],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":-5,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":59,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":65,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":71,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6017137,"mediaKeyId","5778357-162cc6c49bbe82c566062566bb80947b","parentId",5778357,"title","Residents use public comment at Cincinnati City Council to condemn actions in Gaza and warn about immigration enforcement","audioSeconds",400,"startMs",0,"endMs",400000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5778357-162cc6c49bbe82c566062566bb80947b&start=0&end=400","thumbnailUrl","https://d352y6ypj4mjo3.cloudfront.net/AudioPlaceholder.png","articleUrl","/articles/6017137/Ohio/Residents-use-public-comment-at-Cincinnati-City-Council-to-condemn-actions-in-Gaza-and-warn-about-immigration-enforcement","mediaUrl","author","City Council of Cincinnati OH","date","2025-05-14T00:00:00Z","article","At the citizens forum before Cincinnati City Council's business meeting, several residents used their two minutes of public comment to sharply criticize the killing of Palestinians in Gaza, to call for elected officials to speak out, and to express fear about immigration enforcement and alleged local misconduct.

Jonathan Norman said the world \"watches as Palestinians are being killed and forced out of their home,\" and urged local officials to \"speak out and demand we end involvement in every entity making this evil possible.\" He described the humanitarian situation in Gaza and said the silence of politicians enables continued harm.

Lena Zareub told councilors the situation exposed a moral double standard and invoked an Arabic proverb: \"If you have no shame, then you can do anything and everything,\" and asked why local leaders would share a stage with officials she said have supported policies she described as enabling mass violence. Mohammed Ahmad said, \"It's too late. Gaza no longer exists,\" and directly addressed the mayor by name during his remarks.

Crystal Sarton spoke about personal fear for an immigrant family member and said she lives in fear that \"these ICE thugs\" could \"come into my home,\" framing her concerns as broader than a single community. Stanford Poole, another commenter, alleged city wrongdoing and accused the city of taking property from poor residents, saying \"you told the people that you go to the poor neighborhood and write them up and tell them to give you their title up where you can make a profit out of.\"

Speakers delivered statements during the public comment period; council did not debate or take formal action in response during the meeting. The public-comment segment concluded before the business portion began. Council did later proceed with scheduled ordinances, resolutions and committee referrals during the business meeting.","mediaType","Audio","parentTitle","Cincinnati City Council Meeting (May 14, 2025)","oneSentenceSummary","Multiple speakers at the citizens forum criticized U.S. and Israeli actions in Gaza, called for council to speak out, and raised fears about local immigration enforcement and property seizures; remarks were made during the public comment portion and did not result in council action at the meeting.","taxTitle","Cincinnati City Council, Cincinnati, Hamilton County, Ohio","taxId",72652,"location","Ohio","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":50,"_51":82,"_53":-5,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":83,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":84,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":71,"_72":73,"_74":73},6017143,"Reds Community Fund to contribute $850,000 for baseball field improvements in Cincinnati",40,2430000,2470000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5778357-162cc6c49bbe82c566062566bb80947b&start=2430&end=2470","/articles/6017143/Ohio/Reds-Community-Fund-to-contribute-850000-for-baseball-field-improvements-in-Cincinnati","Cincinnati City Council approved an emergency ordinance establishing a capital improvement project account for Walnut Hills Recreation improvements and acknowledged an $850,000 contribution from the Reds Community Fund to upgrade several baseball and T-ball fields across the city.

Council discussion named specific parks that will benefit from the fund: Bush Recreation Center, Ashland Recreation Center, Allison Alves Park, the Avondale T‑Ball Field and installation of a turf infield at Owl's Nest as part of the Walnut Hills Recreation Improvements project.

Council member Kramer Dean thanked the Reds Community Fund and Bill Borwinkel by name for the contribution. Council member Alvey and others said upgrades aim to create safe places for children and expand access to recreational activities.

The council referred the project account to the Capital Improvement Program (agenda item 27) and passed the emergency ordinance by unanimous roll call. The ordinance establishes the project account; the transcript did not include a detailed project timeline or final contractor selection on the council floor.","Council established a capital project account for Walnut Hills Recreation improvements and council members thanked the Reds Community Fund for an $850,000 contribution to renovate multiple baseball fields, including a turf infield at Owls Nest.",{"_33":86,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":87,"_41":88,"_43":89,"_45":90,"_47":91,"_49":50,"_51":92,"_53":-5,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":93,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":94,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":71,"_72":73,"_74":73},6017148,"Cincinnati City Council honors Addiction Services Council CEO Lisa Mertz; highlights planned 24/7 alcohol-focused recovery center",194,1422000,1616000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5778357-162cc6c49bbe82c566062566bb80947b&start=1422&end=1616","/articles/6017148/Ohio/Cincinnati-City-Council-honors-Addiction-Services-Council-CEO-Lisa-Mertz-highlights-planned-247-alcohol-focused-recovery-center","Cincinnati City Council unanimously adopted a resolution recognizing Lisa Mertz, president and CEO of the Addiction Services Council, and highlighted her leadership in developing the city’s first alcohol-focused recovery center.

Lisa Mertz told the council she was surprised by the honor and described herself as \"a product of the public system of care.\" The council praised Mertz's leadership and her use of lived experience to guide services for people with substance use disorders.

Council members and the mayor emphasized Mertz's role in creating access for underserved communities. The resolution states Mertz has served more than four years as president and CEO of the Addiction Services Council, worked as a recovery coach and peer mentor at the Hamilton County Justice Center, and is leading development of a 24/7 alcohol-focused recovery center that will include transportation and intake services.

Vice Mayor Kearney, President Parks and other council members lauded Mertz for turning personal experience into public service; multiple council members noted her recent graduation from law school and that she was valedictorian of her class. The resolution was presented and adopted by unanimous roll call.

The resolution directs recognition; it does not appropriate funds or create a city-run program. Council members and staff said the recovery center is a project of the Addiction Services Council and that the city’s role is recognition and, where applicable, coordination with funding and permitting entities. No new city appropriation for the recovery center was recorded on the council floor during the reading of the resolution.","Council passed a resolution recognizing Lisa Mertz for her work leading Addiction Services Council and noted her role in developing Cincinnati’s first alcohol-focused recovery center with 24/7 transportation and intake services.",{"_33":96,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":97,"_41":98,"_43":99,"_45":100,"_47":101,"_49":50,"_51":102,"_53":-5,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":103,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":104,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":71,"_72":73,"_74":73},6017153,"Cincinnati council approves incentive package to convert 4441 Vine Street (Crewe Tower) into housing",267,2706000,2973000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5778357-162cc6c49bbe82c566062566bb80947b&start=2706&end=2973","/articles/6017153/Ohio/Cincinnati-council-approves-incentive-package-to-convert-4441-Vine-Street-Crewe-Tower-into-housing","Cincinnati City Council voted unanimously to approve an emergency ordinance authorizing a development agreement for 4441 Vine Street, commonly referred to as Crewe Tower, clearing the way to convert the underused office building to residential use.

Council members said the deal includes a tax-incentive package intended to make the conversion financially viable. Council member Jeffries described a \"but‑for\" analysis used by the administration, saying the developer's expected return without incentives was 3.1 percent and arguing the project would not proceed without the package. \"If we don't provide the incentive, this would not happen,\" Jeffries said during the council discussion.

The ordinance was considered under emergency suspension and passed by roll call. The mayor and all council members recorded \"yes\" votes on both suspension and final passage.

Council members and the administration framed the agreement as an effort to re-use vacant or underused downtown office space to add housing and tax base. During debate Council members highlighted prior projects that converted prominent downtown buildings and said Crewe Tower would bring new residential occupancy, tax revenue and street-level activity.

Council member Owens said the proposal leverages private capital and state dollars and is \"a step in the right direction\" for increasing housing. In supporting remarks, the mayor noted the council's track record converting underutilized office buildings to housing and said the project would help revitalize the urban core.

The council record shows the item as agenda item 31; the ordinance was passed after a public discussion by council members and a roll call on emergency suspension. The administration and council did not provide a detailed implementation schedule in the hearing. No motion maker or seconder was named in the public roll call transcript.

Next steps described at the meeting were administrative: execution of the development agreement by the city manager and implementation of the tax-incentive terms. Council members said the developer has a record of similar conversions but did not provide a construction timeline or estimated unit counts during the public hearing.

The discussion included a brief economic comparison offered by council members: Jeffries compared the project's 3.1 percent developer return in the but‑for analysis to the then-available high-yield savings rates to illustrate how marginal the project's return would be without incentives. The exact fiscal details of the incentive package (length of tax exemptions, estimated total public cost) were not read into the record at the council floor discussion and were not included in the roll-call remarks.","Cincinnati City Council unanimously approved an emergency ordinance authorizing a development agreement for 4441 Vine Street, a redevelopment project the council said would convert underused office space into residential units using tax incentives supported by a \"but-for\" financial analysis.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Residents use public comment at Cincinnati City Council to condemn actions in Gaza and warn about immigration enforcement

Reds Community Fund to contribute $850,000 for baseball field improvements in Cincinnati

Cincinnati City Council honors Addiction Services Council CEO Lisa Mertz; highlights planned 24/7 alcohol-focused recovery center

Cincinnati council approves incentive package to convert 4441 Vine Street (Crewe Tower) into housing