TNR 5.9.11

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131 years in print Vol. CXXXII Issue LV

THE INDEPENDENT STUDENT NEWS ORGANIZATION AT THE UNIVERSITY OF CINCINNATI | WWW.NEWSRECORD.ORG

THE NEWS RECORD WVU downs THOR cats MONDAY | MAY 9 | 2011

Bearcats claim weekend series

sports | 6

entertainment | 3

UC cracks down on ‘Bearcat’ usage “They came in last week and told me that no one can use the ‘Bearcat’ word in the Baba Budan’s Bearcat Café is not the state of Ohio,” Kohli said. Kohli — who opened the business in only local business the University of November 2010 — said Cincinnati has its eyes he already had the on regarding trademark name incorporated infringement. before he opened Bearcat Trading, his establishment a convenience store in Clifton. located in the heart The university, of Clifton’s Gaslight however, has federally District at 272 Ludlow trademarked specific Ave., has become uses of the word —rohit kohli the most recent “Bearcats,” said owner of bearcat trading establishment to Greg Hand, UC enter the scope of the spokesperson, and university’s legal team. Rohit Kohli, owner of Bearcat Trading, is required to monitor and control all uses of those trademarks at the risk of said he received a visit last week from a UC representative informing him that the use losing them. UC is currently in litigation with of the word “Bearcat” in the store’s name was trademark infringement. The representative Baba Budan’s Bearcat Café on McMillan Avenue regarding a similar case of alleged ordered Kohli to cease and desist from trademark infringement. using the term in the store’s name. James Sprague | News Editor

I’m just a little guy. I don’t use their colors … I don’t use their symbol. I don’t even use their font.

Marisa Whitaker | Senior Photographer

THE NAME GAME The Bearcat Trading convenience store on Ludlow Avenue is being looked at by UC for using of “Bearcat.”

Faculty, students work to end fee

There have been cases of other universities losing their trademarks in court due to failing to enforce against unauthorized use, Hand said. UC’s trademarks currently include specific uses of the words “University of Cincinnati,” “Cincinnati” and “Cincinnati Bearcats.” The university logo, UC symbol, C-Paw, the Bearcat mascot and the Bearcat eyes, are also university property, according to UC’s trademarks and licensing brochure. Kohli, though, said he does not understand why the university is focusing on his store, which sells nothing related to or makes any attempts to appear affiliated with UC. “I’m just a little guy,” Kohli said. “I don’t use their colors … I don’t use their symbol. I don’t even use their font.” Kohli, who has intentions of opening another store in Clifton by December, said he plans to contact a lawyer regarding the situation.

PHOTOs BY EAMON QUEENEY | PHOTO EDITOR

Jason Hoffman | Senior Reporter

The Horseshoe Cincinnati casino will not open until 2013 due to a miscommunication between Ohio legislators and developers concerning taxation. The delayed opening comes after the Ohio House of Representatives failed to pass a budget last month, forcing casino developer Rock Ohio Caesars LLC to hold off on orders for construction supplies. “We have missed the steel order in Cincinnati that would allow us to be closed this winter for interior work,” according to Rock Ohio Caesars LLC. “We’re reviewing our construction schedule, but it is safe to say that our current circumstance pushes the casino opening to 2013.” Thursday night, the legislature passed the budget outlining that the Commercial Activities Tax (CAT) — a 0.26 percent tax— be applied to all gross receipts from the casino instead of the previous speculation that it would only apply to revenues. “[Gov. John Kasich] wants the casinos to succeed and create prosperity for Ohio, but also he wants to ensure the taxpayers of Ohio have an equal seat at the table,” said Rob Nichols, Kasich’s press secretary. Rock Ohio Caesars LLC disagreed with the decision. “We are fundamentally opposed to the unprecedented application of the Commercial Activities Tax on unrealized revenue, which will increase taxes and negatively impact the economic development plans, job creation and investment commitments already approved by Ohio voters,” Rock Ohio Caesars LLC said in a statement Friday. “We firmly believe that it is unlike any other tax in Ohio, and we

Anthony Orozco | NEWS EDITOR

International students and University of Cincinnati faculty agreed to put down a proposed fee after 78 percent of graduate students convinced the faculty to nix the idea. The proposed quarterly $50 international student fee would have been used to hire staff to process student information and possible program creation. “There is a very high proportion of international students that are graduate students relative to other groups on campus,” said Jay Zambito, treasurer of the Graduate Student Governance Association. “When we first heard about the international fee, we took a couple different steps to notify the graduate student body. We sent out a survey and invited [UC International Services Director] Ron Cushing to our assembly meeting so that he could lay out his proposal.” The survey, which had a brief description of the services that the fee would help pay for and two possible responses of for or against, was distributed to graduate students by email April 28. The survey received 1,118 responses with 874 were against the fee. The GSGA invited Cushing to answer questions from the student body Wednesday afternoon. “In addition, I received lots of individual feedback against the fee at a recent GSGA meeting and through email,” Cushing said. “The decision [to cancel the fee] was made by senior leadership in the provost’s office including myself, that, if the students were not in support of the fee, we would not pursue it.” GSGA officers said they recognized Cushing’s willingness to get student opinion. “Ron is a great resource to the University of Cincinnati and he is a great resource to the international student body,” Zambito said. “The see fee | 2

3 4 5 6

Entertainment College Living Classifieds Sports weather

Monday

77° 59°

tue

80° 64°

wed

84° 64°

thu

86° 61°

cinco de

mayo Celebration turns McMicken commons into fairground OYE COMO VA Katy Bertki (above) takes a ride on the mechanical bull as Zumba Shelly (right) gets into the groove at the Cinco de Mayo celebration on McMicken Commons Thursday. Hundreds of students lined up for free frozen drinks and Chipotle burritos. The event was hosted by the Residence Hall Association, the Office of Programs and Services, Student Government and Diversity Student Group of the year, Latinos En Accion.

fri

74° 56°

see casino | 2

Shorter streetcar route planned

Budget problems force cutback in scale, distance Jason Hoffman | senior Reporter

INSIDE

Casino delayed till 2013

A $28 million deficit in the Cincinnati budget’s first fiscal quarter is threatening the proposed streetcar project, Mayor Mark Mallory announced last week. The city may be financially unable to supplement the construction given its current budget and to cuts Gov. John Kasich made to funding for the streetcar project. To combat the financial issue, Mallory borrowed $64 million to complete the first stages of construction through federal loans, according to Vice Mayor Roxanne Qualls’ website. Mallory, however, is still pushing for the streetcar. The revised plan will have the streetcar operate annually on income from $3 million in revenue from the Horseshoe Cincinnati casino. The plan outlines $200,000 in advertising, $425,000 to $675,000 in fare revenue from passengers, and $400,000 in parking meter revenue once the system is operational, according to the Cincinnati City Council website.

The streetcar issue has caused much turmoil at City Hall and was brought to a head by the resignation of previous council member Jeff Berding mid-April. “Actions taken by you and the majority of council have shown that we cannot be trusted to oversee a project of this magnitude,” said Berding, a former supporter of the streetcar plan, in a letter to Mallory. The city’s plans for the streetcar currently include a “first stage” from Fountain Square to Findlay Market with the possibility of future lines linking the living and commercial quarters, The Banks on the river and uptown areas like the University of Cincinnati and the Cincinnati Zoo, according to city council’s website. “It has been estimated by our consultant, [HDR Engineering], way back in 2007, to cost somewhere between $1.9 and $2.4 million per year,” Berding said. “This expenditure cannot be met by [tax revenue], especially given our ongoing budget deficit.” A ballot initiative is currently

sam greene | online editor

STREETCAR OR DIE Mayor Mark Mallory continues his pursuit of a Cincinnati streetcar despite a shorter route that reaches from Fountain Square to Findlay Market. gaining steam in the hands of conservative activist group, Coalition Opposed to Additional Spending and Taxes (COAST). The petition could appear on the ballot for municipality voters in 2012. The petition states; “The city shall not spend or appropriate any

NEWSRECORDNEWS@GMAIL.COM | 513.556.5908

money on the design, engineering, construction or operation of a streetcar system ... Further, the city shall not incur any indebtedness or contractual obligations for the purpose of financing, designing, engineering, constructing or operating of a streetcar system, or any portion thereof.


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TNR 5.9.11 by The News Record - Issuu