TNR 5.31.12

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THE NEWS RECORD END OF AN ERA

132 YEARS IN PRINT VOL. CXXXI ISSUE LVI

THURSDAY | MAY 31 | 2012

Longtime director of journalism steps down spotlight | 9

A LOOK BACK

Some of 2011-12’s most memorable moments year in photos | 10

City’s unemployment down, hiring up BEN GOLDSCHMIDT | SENIOR REPORTER

Unemployment in Cincinnati is at its lowest since late 2008, and the job market appears to be reinvigorated. The unemployment rate in the Greater Cincinnati area dropped to 7.1 percent in April — the lowest it has been since December 2008, according to the Ohio Department of Jobs and Family Services. The low unemployment rate ranks Cincinnati below the national rate for April, which was 7.7 percent, and also below Ohio’s rate, which was 7.4 percent. Ohio has seen steady job growth in the past few months.

Since January, the state has created 18,600 jobs — 13,600 in the private sector and 5,000 government jobs — said Chris Bournea, public information officer for the Ohio Department of Jobs and Family Services. “We are seeing fewer layoffs, and the size of layoffs has decreased since the height of the recession,” Bournea said. “Initial unemployment claims are below those of the past several years.” A total of 11,300 jobs were created in the city in April alone, bringing encouragement to economists, struggling families and college graduates alike, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. This means April saw approximately 66 percent of the year’s job growth in Cincinnati.

The majority of these jobs can be found within the service industry — which has generated 7,600 new jobs since last year. Reports by the Ohio Department of Jobs and Family Services attribute this to growth in the professional and business services, leisure and hospitality, educational and health services, and utilities sectors. Manufacturing has been a surprising area of growth in the past year as well, having been one of the first industries to suffer in the 2008 economic crisis. In the past month, the industry has produced 1,900 jobs, and in the past 12 months it has created 8,300.

“We believe the economy is slowly strengthening, and the job market is improving,” Bournea said. “However, there is still risk in the economy.” The national debate over the deficit, concerns about the world economy, events in Europe and business and consumer confidence are potential problems despite promising numbers, Bournea said. Sometimes good economic times can produce poor numbers, Bournea said. “In regards to the potential increase in the unemployment rate, a rise is not unexpected in times of economic growth due to more individuals seeking work,” Bournea said.

Ono says veterans to be priority RYAN HOFFMAN | SENIOR REPORTER Veterans at the University of Cincinnati might see increased support in the coming school year. “The [veteran services] taskforce has met, and we developed a plan to better support veterans at UC,” said UC Provost, Santa Ono. Ono didn’t respond to an email after attempts to reach him by phone, however, seeking further details regarding the taskforce’s plan. The news comes two months after Ono received a letter from ONO Drake Taylor — a former student worker in the Veteran Certifying Office — expressing several concerns about the program. As a former student worker, Taylor said he was concerned about the reduction of student workers’ hours in an office that was already short staffed. In a move to save on expenditures at the end of the fiscal year, the Registrar’s Office cut student workers’ hours across the board, said Douglas Burgess, vice president of the Registrar’s Office. Other concerns included lack of staff and the lack of a veterans’ service center capable of providing a singular location for processing and advising, Taylor said. David Frese, a veteran who works in the admissions enrollment management office at UC, expressed similar concerns over the state of veteran affairs. The continual growing number of student veterans had left the certifying officials short-staffed, Frese said. Currently, there are two certifying officials within the register’s office who are responsible for certifying the 1,300 veterans attending UC. Frese was unavailable for comment as of press time regarding the progress the Provost’s office has made. Ono plans to make SEE VETERANS | 7

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THE GREAT DEBATE Moral discourse goes beyond Commons TYLER BELL | TNR CONTRIBUTOR While the anti-abortion demonstration, which took place on McMicken Commons last week, has ended, ethical discussions about the event persist. Finance and accounting student David Weber, a member of UC Students for Life and a Center for Bio-Ethical Reform (CBR) volunteer said the displays of dead fetuses on McMicken Commons last Thursday and Friday were intended to shock students into

PHIL DIDION | SENIOR PHOTOGRAPHER

HARD TO IGNORE Students, faculty and staff were greeted by anti-abortion billboards and advocates this past Thursday and Friday.

MADISON SCHMIDT | STAFF REPORTER

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VOICING THEIR OPINIONS University of Cincinnati students, faculty and staff were given an opportunity to reach out to anti-abortion protesters via a free speech board on McMicken Commons. Some were in support of their ideas, others were not.

opening a dialogue about abortion. Sheets of six feet by 10 feet black canvas with pictures of recently aborted fetuses juxtaposed against photographs of genocide victims were displayed. The purpose of the demonstration is to relate two “basic facts,” said Jane Bullington, director of Knoxville CBR projects. “That abortion is an act of violence that kills babies, and to show that abortion is an act comparable to genocide so people see it as a human rights violation.” She said she knows the images are unsettling and admits that aspect is part of their educational process. “Horrifying images have been part of social reform for 250 years,” said Fletcher Armstrong, director of CBR Southeast. He likened the group’s methods to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s need to expose injustice and upset the status quo. “Just shouting a conclusion doesn’t work,” Fletcher said. “Give people facts so they can reason their own conclusion. [Students] get angrier at me than they do at the issues.” Some students said they believe the graphic nature of the images are obscene and goes beyond what is allowed by the First Amendment’s Freedom of Speech. Other students felt the images of violence

against black Americans and Holocaust victims were unfair to their cultural heritage. “As an African-American woman, I was personally offended by the picture of a black man being lynched [being] compared to an aborted fetus,”said third-year communications student Paulette Burks during a meeting at UC’s Women’s Center. Burks was one of many at the meeting who felt CBR’s methods were exploitative and that their primary mission was to shame female students into not having abortions. “It’s a matter of common decency,” said Ashley Feist, a fourth-year human geography student. “Free speech is good, but this is unacceptable.” Feist asserted that exposure to graphic images should be a choice, and students who have undergone or are considering abortions shouldn’t be made to feel wrong or immoral. Due to the size and location of the displays, they were difficult to ignore for students who pass through McMicken Commons, Feist said. Feist said such violent imagery shouldn’t be allowed on campus, and, when it is, students should be given enough notice to either avoid the demonstration or be able to SEE DEBATE | 7

Study says Banks will generate $276M annually

Nation & World Opinion Photo Finish Spotlight Year in Photos Classifieds Sports

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ALEX SCHROFF | STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

SIGMA SIGMA SCANDAL The Bearcat mascot takes aim in a game during the Sigma Sigma Carnival May 15. Three student groups have had funding suspended for Fall quarter 2010 due to charging patrons for tickets to games hosted by the groups. PHIL DIDION | SENIOR PHOTOGRAPHER

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Development of The Banks, downtown, will generate hundreds of millions in revenue for the city and Hamilton County, according to a University of Cincinnati study. Phase 1a of The Banks, completed in spring 2011, is expected to generate an estimated $91.6 million for the city of Cincinnati, according to a study released April 22 by the UC Economics Center. Phase 1a consists of 300 fully leased luxury apartments known as Current at the Banks. With 71 percent of the tenants are under the age of 35, according to lease data. The apartments have also attracted the majority of residents from outside of the city, including 20 percent outside of the 15-county metropolitan area. Phase 1a also includes 97,000 square feet of commercial space. The Holy Grail, Johnny Rockets and a Cincinnati Police station are the three tenants now open at The Banks. Five new attractions are also anticipated to open soon, including restaurants, such as Mahogany’s and live-music venues, such as the Tin Roof. Once Phases 1b and 1c are fully occupied and running, The UC study predicts an

increase in economic activity within Cincinnati and Hamilton County valued at up to $276 million per year. “There has been a great response since the building activity,” said Jeff Rexhausen, the UC Economics Center’s associate director of research. Although slow economic times resulted in the slow building process of The Banks, it has been a great positive to the city by rebuilding an area that was not producing tax revenue, Rexhausen said. Since 2008, the project will have created an estimated 3,600 construction jobs and a projected $600 million in salaries. Continuing effects of the project will create an additional 2,400 jobs, according to the study. To date, the city has invested $30 million to the project and has had $85 million of investments made from Carter and The Dawson Co. — master developers of The Banks. This is not including the $1.3 billion already invested from 1998-2004 in the redevelopment of Cincinnati’s Central Riverfront. Although the study only includes the work conducted and the predicted economic value of Phase 1, The Banks project is expected to achieve a projected $2.5 billion in economic growth during the next 10 to 12

NEWSRECORDNEWS@GMAIL.COM | 513.556.5908

ALEX SCHROFF | STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

QUEEN-SIZED INVESTMENT Research done by the UC Economics Center projects huge returns for the City of Cincinnati once development of The Banks is complete. years, according to the study. “These investments are helping create a vibrant riverfront — where people can live, work and play,” said Scott Stringer, executive vice president of Carter. “The investments made by the public parties are starting to pay off and we’re happy to help the city and county complete the vision of the riverfront.”


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