Here's the latest briefing from Hamilton County on response to the windstorm damage:
http://www.wlwt.com/video/17486291/index.html
Tuesday, September 16, 2008
An Update from Duke Energy
For those still dealing with power problems (and are still able to access online information), here's a communication from Duke Energy late yesterday:
Ladies and Gentlemen:
I hope you will be able to see this message, but fear that some will not. I will do my best to get updates to you as they become available, and so if any recipients are aware of one or more members of either Council or the Commission whom you believe will not have been in a position to view this note, please respond and I’ll try to make contact another way.
We are dealing with an unprecedented situation in the Midwest. Today – Monday, September 15, 2008 – is a day of assessment from the Company’s perspective, and continues to be as of this writing. We know that there is service at the hospitals and other critical health care facilities in the area – these are always our top priority. There has been much interaction with the Emergency Management personnel in all of our Southwest Ohio and Northern Kentucky service areas; there has also been communication with the two Governors’ offices to clear the way for vehicles coming to, or returning to, the service area to assist with restoration.
At the peak of damage last evening, we had approximately 700,000 customers out of service in Ohio and Kentucky combined. As of this morning, we were down to 590,000 known outages, about 90,000 of which were in Kentucky. We will continue working around the clock to restore service, and all available crews are being summoned to assist with restoration. Some of these will be coming from the Carolinas, and still others will be those who had been dispatched to go the gulf for help with the impacts of Hurricane Ike – the latter are now being recalled. By the time everyone gets here tomorrow, we should have a much more thorough understanding of the extent of the damage. Meanwhile, the people on the ground here at the time of the initial storm strike are already working to restore service and have made some headway today.
We urge customers to contact us if they believe they are experiencing an outage, at 513-651-4182 or at 1-800-543-5599. We further urge that you inform any constituents who may contact you that a downed power line is a potentially deadly hazard, and that they should not go near it. Food left in a closed refrigerator is good for up to 8 hours, and that in a freezer good for 24; still, the old saw is true: if in doubt, throw it out.
More information will follow as I get it.
Ladies and Gentlemen:
I hope you will be able to see this message, but fear that some will not. I will do my best to get updates to you as they become available, and so if any recipients are aware of one or more members of either Council or the Commission whom you believe will not have been in a position to view this note, please respond and I’ll try to make contact another way.
We are dealing with an unprecedented situation in the Midwest. Today – Monday, September 15, 2008 – is a day of assessment from the Company’s perspective, and continues to be as of this writing. We know that there is service at the hospitals and other critical health care facilities in the area – these are always our top priority. There has been much interaction with the Emergency Management personnel in all of our Southwest Ohio and Northern Kentucky service areas; there has also been communication with the two Governors’ offices to clear the way for vehicles coming to, or returning to, the service area to assist with restoration.
At the peak of damage last evening, we had approximately 700,000 customers out of service in Ohio and Kentucky combined. As of this morning, we were down to 590,000 known outages, about 90,000 of which were in Kentucky. We will continue working around the clock to restore service, and all available crews are being summoned to assist with restoration. Some of these will be coming from the Carolinas, and still others will be those who had been dispatched to go the gulf for help with the impacts of Hurricane Ike – the latter are now being recalled. By the time everyone gets here tomorrow, we should have a much more thorough understanding of the extent of the damage. Meanwhile, the people on the ground here at the time of the initial storm strike are already working to restore service and have made some headway today.
We urge customers to contact us if they believe they are experiencing an outage, at 513-651-4182 or at 1-800-543-5599. We further urge that you inform any constituents who may contact you that a downed power line is a potentially deadly hazard, and that they should not go near it. Food left in a closed refrigerator is good for up to 8 hours, and that in a freezer good for 24; still, the old saw is true: if in doubt, throw it out.
More information will follow as I get it.
Monday, September 15, 2008
Information Regarding High Wind Storm
There's a lot of work taking place right now to restore power and full service/access Countywide.
Here's some basic information as you negotiate through the next couple days:
Energy/power: Duke Energy is working hard to restore power, and has made a good deal of progress overnight and this morning. Work crews are coming here from multiple states to help. Still, more than 500,000 people were without power as of mid-morning.
To report electric problems: 651-4182
To report gas problems: 651-4466
Web Site (includes information on their work to bring power back throughout the County): www.duke-energy.com
Food: be very careful regarding any food that has been kept in your refrigerator or freezer:
- Any frozen food in a full freezer should be discarded after 48 hours
- If the freezer is only half-full, discard food after 24 hours.
- Our Health Commissioner made clear today that you should NOT taste food to determine if it’s still safe to eat
- If your refrigerator has been above 40 degrees for more than two hours, the food within should be discarded.
For questions, call the Health District’s Food Safety Hotline: 513-946-7949
Closed Roads:
For a full list of closed roads, go to http://www.hamiltoncountyohio.gov/hc/roadclosings.asp.
If you have any emergency-related questions, you can call our Emergency Operations Center at 263-8200. Or you can call my office directly, at 946-4409.
Here's some basic information as you negotiate through the next couple days:
Energy/power: Duke Energy is working hard to restore power, and has made a good deal of progress overnight and this morning. Work crews are coming here from multiple states to help. Still, more than 500,000 people were without power as of mid-morning.
To report electric problems: 651-4182
To report gas problems: 651-4466
Web Site (includes information on their work to bring power back throughout the County): www.duke-energy.com
Food: be very careful regarding any food that has been kept in your refrigerator or freezer:
- Any frozen food in a full freezer should be discarded after 48 hours
- If the freezer is only half-full, discard food after 24 hours.
- Our Health Commissioner made clear today that you should NOT taste food to determine if it’s still safe to eat
- If your refrigerator has been above 40 degrees for more than two hours, the food within should be discarded.
For questions, call the Health District’s Food Safety Hotline: 513-946-7949
Closed Roads:
For a full list of closed roads, go to http://www.hamiltoncountyohio.gov/hc/roadclosings.asp.
If you have any emergency-related questions, you can call our Emergency Operations Center at 263-8200. Or you can call my office directly, at 946-4409.
Friday, September 12, 2008
Tourism Investments Pay Off: Part II
More great results were reported today regarding our tourism industry, affirming once again the effectiveness of investments we have made over the last couple years to attract more visitors and conventions to our region.
As the Enquirer reports , http://news.cincinnati.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080912/BIZ01/309120063/1001/BIZ, July 2008 hotel occupancy rose to about 66%, up a full 11% from the year before. And January through July occupancy for 2008 was up 7% over the same time last year. This growth defies national occupancy numbers, which, due largely to the bad economy, are actually down 2.5% in the same time period.
As the article makes clear, this success is the direct result of the decision we made to upgrade our convention center to be competitive with peer cities, and the accompanying decision to aggressively market the new center, as well as all the other assets of our region, to both conventioneers, and regular tourists and families from near and far. A couple years ago, we just weren't on the map as a destination, but that's clearly changing.
Strategically, it's hard to overstate the importance of this type of growth for a region. The only way to drive sustained economic growth is to consistently bring in new money and new spending into our area. To get outsiders to visit, and spend, on our products, in our stores and restaurants, in our venues. And that is exactly what these efforts are achieving.
Congratulations to all those working so hard to make this success happen.
As the Enquirer reports , http://news.cincinnati.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080912/BIZ01/309120063/1001/BIZ, July 2008 hotel occupancy rose to about 66%, up a full 11% from the year before. And January through July occupancy for 2008 was up 7% over the same time last year. This growth defies national occupancy numbers, which, due largely to the bad economy, are actually down 2.5% in the same time period.
As the article makes clear, this success is the direct result of the decision we made to upgrade our convention center to be competitive with peer cities, and the accompanying decision to aggressively market the new center, as well as all the other assets of our region, to both conventioneers, and regular tourists and families from near and far. A couple years ago, we just weren't on the map as a destination, but that's clearly changing.
Strategically, it's hard to overstate the importance of this type of growth for a region. The only way to drive sustained economic growth is to consistently bring in new money and new spending into our area. To get outsiders to visit, and spend, on our products, in our stores and restaurants, in our venues. And that is exactly what these efforts are achieving.
Congratulations to all those working so hard to make this success happen.
Thursday, September 11, 2008
Remembering and Respecting 9/11
Seven years ago, we were all stunned by the events of this day. The tragedy, the heroism, the national unity and purpose that followed, must never be forgotten.
For months following the 2001 tragedy, as we looked back at our pre-9/11 world, it's safe to say we were collectively embarassed by what we saw in light of our new perspective. As the terrorist attack was being conceived and planned in our own country, our headlines that summer were consumed with shark attacks, the Chandra Levy scandal, and other relatively trivial stories. How silly we looked. How unprepared, and unfocused, and distracted, from the true challenges of our world.
Sadly, as we paused to remember 9/11 today, it brought that same feeling about the prior days we have seen. Up until today, the talk of this week has been about "lipstick-gate." Feigned offense and personal charges back and forth. Political ads that stretch the truth and dwell on the trivial. And a media falling over itself to cover and analyze every wrinkle and aspect of the trivial.
Even as we face all the challenges of this world and economy, and we have a presidential race that should be the perfect vehicle to debate and address these issues, we seem to be rapidly reverting back to the summer 2001 focus on the small.
Today, due to 9/11, the national campaigns agreed to take a "timeout" from the week's nonsense to focus on the deeper issues in our country. Thankfully, it became a day to be serious, to be thoughtful, to think about a broader and unified national purpose.
Is it too much to ask that this timeout last at least through the election, and ideally beyond?
Taking the timeout for just one day misses the entire point.
For months following the 2001 tragedy, as we looked back at our pre-9/11 world, it's safe to say we were collectively embarassed by what we saw in light of our new perspective. As the terrorist attack was being conceived and planned in our own country, our headlines that summer were consumed with shark attacks, the Chandra Levy scandal, and other relatively trivial stories. How silly we looked. How unprepared, and unfocused, and distracted, from the true challenges of our world.
Sadly, as we paused to remember 9/11 today, it brought that same feeling about the prior days we have seen. Up until today, the talk of this week has been about "lipstick-gate." Feigned offense and personal charges back and forth. Political ads that stretch the truth and dwell on the trivial. And a media falling over itself to cover and analyze every wrinkle and aspect of the trivial.
Even as we face all the challenges of this world and economy, and we have a presidential race that should be the perfect vehicle to debate and address these issues, we seem to be rapidly reverting back to the summer 2001 focus on the small.
Today, due to 9/11, the national campaigns agreed to take a "timeout" from the week's nonsense to focus on the deeper issues in our country. Thankfully, it became a day to be serious, to be thoughtful, to think about a broader and unified national purpose.
Is it too much to ask that this timeout last at least through the election, and ideally beyond?
Taking the timeout for just one day misses the entire point.
Tuesday, September 9, 2008
Eliminating Our Onerous Travel Tax
Five years ago, I saved myself about $1,000 by driving to Dayton, flying to Cincinnati, and then flying again to my ultimate destination. I wrote the President of Delta Airlines a letter at the time, and stated the obvious--this just didn't make sense. And I know this sentiment is one almost all citizens in this area share.
More than just not making sense, this situation is becoming a greater and greater disadvantage to our region, its citizens and businesses. While we often deliberate, debate and vote as a community on fees and taxes that may cost a citizens several or tens of dollars a year, at our airport we have a travel "tax" that costs hundreds of dollars per flight. For businesses, or citizens and families, that travel often, the "tax" will total thousands. This puts a squeeze on our citizens' budgets, not to mention our businesses' competiveness. It also poses a clear hurdle to attracting as many visitors and tourists as we would like.
Sadly, since my flight five years ago, the situation hasn't gotten any better.
Hamilton County has an appointment to the CVG Airport Board. And I met early last year with the leadership of that board. My primary message was clear--we should do all we can to invite lower-cost competitors into the marketplace. We have to lower prices. And my message was the same to our appointee on the board, James Miceli.
I was thrilled to see today that the board is working on this goal. They are trying to get a low cost carrier to come to CVG, and figure out ways to keep them here once they get here (in the past, Delta would knock them out of the market by reducing fares):
http://news.cincinnati.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/AB/20080909/BIZ01/309090068/
I talked to Mr. Miceli, and told him how much I supported and encouraged what they are doing, to keep me updated, and to let us know if we can help in any way.
We've been at this point before, and I know we'll all believe it when we see it. But one way or another, we've got to fix this unacceptable tax on our region.
More than just not making sense, this situation is becoming a greater and greater disadvantage to our region, its citizens and businesses. While we often deliberate, debate and vote as a community on fees and taxes that may cost a citizens several or tens of dollars a year, at our airport we have a travel "tax" that costs hundreds of dollars per flight. For businesses, or citizens and families, that travel often, the "tax" will total thousands. This puts a squeeze on our citizens' budgets, not to mention our businesses' competiveness. It also poses a clear hurdle to attracting as many visitors and tourists as we would like.
Sadly, since my flight five years ago, the situation hasn't gotten any better.
Hamilton County has an appointment to the CVG Airport Board. And I met early last year with the leadership of that board. My primary message was clear--we should do all we can to invite lower-cost competitors into the marketplace. We have to lower prices. And my message was the same to our appointee on the board, James Miceli.
I was thrilled to see today that the board is working on this goal. They are trying to get a low cost carrier to come to CVG, and figure out ways to keep them here once they get here (in the past, Delta would knock them out of the market by reducing fares):
http://news.cincinnati.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/AB/20080909/BIZ01/309090068/
I talked to Mr. Miceli, and told him how much I supported and encouraged what they are doing, to keep me updated, and to let us know if we can help in any way.
We've been at this point before, and I know we'll all believe it when we see it. But one way or another, we've got to fix this unacceptable tax on our region.
Friday, September 5, 2008
National Recognition for County Child Support Efforts
One of the most challenging responsibilities we shoulder as a County is to enforce child support obligations by parents.
In one way, our job is simple: support the needs of children by enforcing the law. This can mean coming down hard on deadbat dads who are ignoring their responsibilities.
At the same time, it gets complicated because we know that simply locking people up for child support problems is not only expensive (and uses limited jailspace), but for those without means, it also will not likely lead to either gainful employment or the ultimate payment of child support. Indeed, it may push payments back even further, harming the child we're trying to help.
Like a lot of other issues in our criminal justice system, this requires a common sense balance, with a constant eye on the ultimate goal: supporting the children.
Given this challenge, it was great to see Hamilton County receive national recognition, by the National Association of Counties, for our efforts in this area: http://www.naco.org/CountyNewsTemplate.cfm?template=/ContentManagement/ContentDisplay.cfm&ContentID=28626.
In particular, the article highlighted innovative efforts we have made 1) to identify parents who owe child support, 2) to enforce payment through a range of tools, and 3) to connect parents to job training and gainful employment that will allow them to meet their obligations.
This third issue is a new approach I am excited about: http://www.hcjfs.hamilton-co.org/Update_Newsletter/2008html/July/UpdateArticle1_0807.htm. The Seek Work program is a new effort that connects unemployed or "under"-employed people who owe child support to our Super Jobs Center (which, as described below, has had wonderful results recently). Once there, they have the opportunity to find the work that will help them pay their obligation. Obviously, the more people who we can get on this path, the better.
The national attention on our efforts is great. But far more important, this common sense, balanced approach should help kids get the support they need and deserve.
In one way, our job is simple: support the needs of children by enforcing the law. This can mean coming down hard on deadbat dads who are ignoring their responsibilities.
At the same time, it gets complicated because we know that simply locking people up for child support problems is not only expensive (and uses limited jailspace), but for those without means, it also will not likely lead to either gainful employment or the ultimate payment of child support. Indeed, it may push payments back even further, harming the child we're trying to help.
Like a lot of other issues in our criminal justice system, this requires a common sense balance, with a constant eye on the ultimate goal: supporting the children.
Given this challenge, it was great to see Hamilton County receive national recognition, by the National Association of Counties, for our efforts in this area: http://www.naco.org/CountyNewsTemplate.cfm?template=/ContentManagement/ContentDisplay.cfm&ContentID=28626.
In particular, the article highlighted innovative efforts we have made 1) to identify parents who owe child support, 2) to enforce payment through a range of tools, and 3) to connect parents to job training and gainful employment that will allow them to meet their obligations.
This third issue is a new approach I am excited about: http://www.hcjfs.hamilton-co.org/Update_Newsletter/2008html/July/UpdateArticle1_0807.htm. The Seek Work program is a new effort that connects unemployed or "under"-employed people who owe child support to our Super Jobs Center (which, as described below, has had wonderful results recently). Once there, they have the opportunity to find the work that will help them pay their obligation. Obviously, the more people who we can get on this path, the better.
The national attention on our efforts is great. But far more important, this common sense, balanced approach should help kids get the support they need and deserve.
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