Restaurant Review: Basi Italia in Victorian Village

I am headed there tomorrow for lunch! Yum!

http://www.basi-italia.com/

clipped from www.columbusunderground.com By swampkitty | August 27, 2009 10:32am When I ask those in the know where to get good Italian in Columbus, an answer that inevitably comes up time and time again is Basi Italia. Unbelievably though, although it’s been on my radar for ages, I never got around to eating there until a couple of days ago. Part of that is because it’s hidden away in a part of Victorian Village that I don’t normally travel. It’s that sort of blink and you’ll miss it place that you have to know about to notice, and it’s not the type of place you’ll stumble upon going about your day. I can imagine it is wildly popular with neighborhood folks, because it looks right at home among the quaint houses in that area. Baby Wedge Salad ($5) Pasta Pomodoro ($9) The lump crab and sweet corn risotto ($12)

Sen. Ted Kennedy speaking at 2008 HRC Equality Convention

I was honored to shake his hand.

Downtown Commission OKs razing City Center

clipped from columbus.bizjournals.com Columbus’ Capitol South Community Redevelopment Corp. says the demolition of City Center mall could begin as early as next month after the city’s Downtown Commission gave approval to raze the building at a Tuesday meeting. Chairman Stephen Wittmann said the commission unanimously approved the demolition of City Center and also reviewed conceptual renderings of the city park that will take its place. The demolition and Columbus Commons park project, estimated to cost between $15 million and $20 million, make up the first phase of plans for the site that include a $145 million office and retail development. Wittmann said he considered the initial idea of tearing down a building only two decades old “disturbing,” but said the decision stems from a vision of the long-term outcome. Capitol South has yet to detail how it’s funding the park after plans to seek federal stimulus dollars to fund much of the project fell through.

Home price index rises in 18 of 20 metro areas

clipped from www.usatoday.com NEW YORK (AP) — Home prices posted their first quarterly increase in three years in the quarter that ended in June, adding to evidence that the housing slump is easing. The Standard & Poor's/Case-Shiller's U.S. National Home Price Index, out Tuesday, was up nearly 3% from the first quarter, though it was still down almost 15% from the second quarter last year. Home prices are at levels not seen since early 2003. Prices have fallen 30% from the peak in the second quarter 2006. The monthly index of 20 major cities increased 1.4% from May to June, second straight month the index registered a gain. All but two cities, Las Vegas and Detroit, saw home prices rise in June from May, and Dallas and Denver clocked their fourth-straight monthly increases. You might be interested in: Home prices fall a record 19.1% in year; declines slowing Home price decline slows in many places Home sellers frustrated as short-sale deals collapse Stock futures point to modestly higher open

Columbus Dispatch: Developments Downtown tout urban convenience, suburban feel

clipped from www.dispatch.com Developments Downtown tout urban convenience, suburban feel Rick Basco has gotten used to the looks. "I can sit on the patio and watch people go by, and so many of them just stare out the (car) window as if they can't believe this is here," said the North Carolina transplant. The curious looks aren't surprising. Basco's new home, Neighborhood Launch condominiums, seems as though it might have been plucked out of Chicago or Montreal and dropped onto Gay Street in Downtown Columbus. Here's a snapshot of the projects. • The Annex at River South, developed by Lifestyle Communities, features 134 apartments and 76 condominiums on Front Street. All are being built at once and are expected to open between Oct. 1 and the end of the year. • Neighborhood Launch, developed by the Edwards Cos., is scheduled to include 300 condominiums along Gay Street between 4th and 6th streets. The projects are proceeding despite tepid housing sales and a glut of Downtown condominiums.

Columbus Dispatch Highlights the Weinland Park Area of Columbus

Please click on the link to read the entire article.

clipped from dispatch.com Weinland Park is known for its poverty, violence and drug problems, but some residents see a community with potential Sunday,  August 23, 2009 3:44 AM By Mark Ferenchik THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH On the front of a worn brick apartment building on N. 4th Street in the Weinland Park neighborhood, someone scrawled the words "Short North Jungle." Click to enlarge map" /> It's a landmark drivers see as they pass through the neighborhood on their way from Downtown to Clintonville or the Ohio State University area. And an unfortunate symbol, some say. "That's the billboard for our community," said Robert Caldwell, a neighborhood resident and former president of the Weinland Park Community Civic Association. But it's not the complete story. A sign next to a church a few blocks away announces "Fresh bagels in the morning!" as well as Wi-Fi. Last weekend, the civic association presented its annual community festival featuring family events and music.

Katie Couric Profiles HRC's Voices of Honor Tour on CBS News

clipped from www.hrcbackstory.org August 20, 2009 12:28PM Michael Cole Check out Katie Couric’s Notebook  last night on CBS Evening News where she discusses the Voices of Honor tour – a project of the Human Rights Campaign and Servicemembers United to build support for repeal of the Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell policy: Learn more about the Voices of Honor tour including upcoming stops (they’re in Omaha this evening).

Watch CBS Videos Online

Barney Frank Confronts Woman At Townhall Comparing Obama To Hitler

I love BARNEY!!!!

Columbus' German Village Featured on the Today Show

Go to 2:26



Travel + Leisure magazine editor Mark Orwoll went on the Today Show to discuss "traveling abroad in your own backyard" and featured Columbus' own German Village as a great alternative to traveling to Germany, citing the historic preservation, great dining and retail and of course the annual Oktoberfest.

Bike between Short North Shops for FREE

clipped from www2.nbc4i.com By Denise Yost Managing Editor, nbc4i.com Published: August 18, 2009 COLUMBUS, Ohio—There’s a new way to get around the Short North. It’s free and parking is easy. Residents and visitors don’t need their own bicycles to take part in Everyone Bikes in the Short North, NBC 4‘s Mikaela Hunt reported. You just must be willing to borrow one. “It seems like a no-brainer approach. It makes your neighborhood more approachable and discoverable,“ said Josh Quinn, a store owner and Everyone Bikes organizer. Dave Hunegnaw tried a bike share for people at his business earlier this summer. “It went over so well that we said, ‘Why don’t we do this all over the Short North?‘“ Hunegnaw said. You can now quickly get to all the stores on the Short North corridor that you always wanted to discover, but never had the time. To participate in the program, just check in with the nearly ten businesses already housing some bicycles. They need to see a credit card and driver’s license, but borrowing a bicycle is free.

Breaking News: Franklin County Commissioners approve domestic partner benefits.

Great news. We all need to thank Commissioners Marilyn Brown, Paula Brooks and John O'Grady and their teams!!

clipped from www.dispatch.com Tuesday,  August 18, 2009 12:55 PM By Barbara Carmen The Columbus Dispatch Citing a desire for fairness, Franklin County commissioners this morning voted to offer insurance benefits to partners of gay and unmarried employees. "It's about integrity," Commissioner Marilyn Brown said after the board unanimously approved a new employee handbook that includes benefits and policy changes.  "I am so proud we are enacting this among our benefits. It enhances our ability to attract and retain the best employees." Commissioners oversee 1,500 employees, who provide everything from social services to dog adoptions. The new handbook does not affect employees of other elected officials, such as judges, the auditor or the sheriff. But Brown said she hopes to encourage others to offer domestic partner benefits. The benefit is expected to increase by less than 1 percent, or $575,000, the cost to the county in 2010 for its share of a $69 million self-insurance benefits program, which other groups also tap into.

Noise Study Completed for Downtown Area Racetrack Complex

If you are concerned about this issue, please educate yourself and get involved.

clipped from www.columbusunderground.com By Walker | August 15, 2009 1:03pm | Filed under Development | Comments ROAR Columbus, the group of local businesses and residents founded to research the proposed Cooper Stadium Racetrack Complex has just posted up the executive summary of their noise impact study. As expected, their findings reveal that the noise generated would cause substantial disruption to thousands of residents and businesses in neighborhoods and areas including Franklinton, Downtown, German Village, Brewery District, the Whittier Peninsula and Scioto Mile. The full executive summary can be read here.

Zeno's on 3rd Ave in Harrison West being sued by the State over Smoking Ban

Click on the link to read the entire article.

clipped from www.dispatch.com Saturday,  August 15, 2009 3:03 AM By Timothy Magaw THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH The state is suing two bars -- one in Columbus and one in Cincinnati -- for violating the state's 2-year-old smoking ban. The bars -- Zeno's Victorian Village in Columbus and O'Neal's Tavern in Cincinnati -- are the targets of the first lawsuits filed by the attorney general's office. They were filed on behalf of the Ohio Department of Health. Local officials have cited Zeno's for nine violations and fined the bar more than $28,000. O'Neal's has been cited 12 times and fined more than $21,000. The state filed suit against Zeno's yesterday in Franklin County Common Pleas Court. "Sometimes that wakes them up right away and helps us resolve the matter," Attorney General Richard Cordray said. Columbus Public Health first sent a warning letter to Zeno's in July 2007. The latest complaint was sent three weeks ago. Zeno's appealed the city's fines last year but lost.

FindFred.com’s Lahoti Gives Back While Bringing the Community Together

Click on the link to read the entire interview.

clipped from www.edgeunitedstates.com And now, there’s a new site for gay men to do all those things we want to do with each other. FindFred is designed to foster friendships through cutting-edge online technology that is as entertaining and aesthetically appealing as it is accessible. But the best thing about it is what CEO Rajesh Lahoti built into it from the start: FindFred members give back to the gay community simply by joining. In an exclusive interview with Lahoti for EDGE, the Columbus, Ohio-based entrepreneur details his plans for the site, the way he sees the ’Net going in terms of relationships, and where we might end up. As gay men, we constantly create places to meet, cruise, dish, and just enjoy each other’s company. Options for encounters have multiplied dramatically with the Internet.

Merion Village: Neighborhood association president talks about this great neighborhood.

Click on the link to read the entire interview.

clipped from www.columbusunderground.com The Merion Village neighborhood was officially established as such nearly 25 years ago, and has seen huge changes since then. Bob Leighty first moved to the neighborhood in 1988 and currently serves as President of the Merion Village Association Board. We recently sat down with Bob to discuss the history of the neighborhood (which can be explored more deeply this Saturday with the Columbus Landmarks walking tour), some of the ongoing development projects along the Parsons Avenue corridor, and some of the other social events that the MVA hosts to keep life enjoyable on the south side of Columbus. WE: When did the name Merion Village come along? BL: Well, actually, the name was already in existence. It was registered with the city and the neighborhood association already existed. We are actually 25 years old next year. 1985 is when it was founded, and we are going to have a party of some sort… we just haven’t planned it yet.

Comfest Death Update: LSD was found in the brain of the 18 year old man.

clipped from www2.nbc4i.com By Denise Yost Managing Editor, nbc4i.com Published: August 6, 2009 COLUMBUS, Ohio—Toxicology results show that LSD was found in the brain of an 18-year-old man who died at Comfest in June. Police were called to Comfest on June 27 and found Bryan Barbin, who had four to five stab wounds. Barbin died from his injuries at Grant Medical Center. In late June, officials announced that his death was ruled accidental, not criminal. According to the Franklin County coroner’s office, toxicology exams found LSD in the victim’s brain and that his blood tested positive for marijuana.