BLINK has announced plans for possible cancellations and closures for Saturday night as the remnants of Hurricane Isaias move into the region.

While some shows have already been canceled, most of the exhibits will remain open as long the weather doesn’t become severe, and BLINK Executive Director Leslie Mooney is encouraging “everyone to come experience BLINK rain or shine.”

“BLINK is an outdoor festival, and we’ve prepared for changing weather conditions,” said Mooney. “Our teams are monitoring the forecast and have plans in place to respond as conditions develop.”

Check out a list of affected programming below. The numbers correspond to sites on official BLINK maps, which you can see here.

The following programming has been cancelled due to the weather:
• Asha AMA Fashion Show
• Skatepark Popup
• Brett Bolton Drumming Performance at Music Hall (remaining pieces will be active)
• Live performances at Installations 31, 33 & 36

The following installations may also be affected by the weather:
• Drone Show
• Corner Mapping (49)
• Kroger (29)
• Elm Street Plaza UC Lighting (46)
• All inflatable installations (20, 40, 61, 84)

You can sign up for for safety and traffic notifications by texting BLINK2026 to 77295 to connect with Cincy Alert. BLINK will also be releasing updates on its Facebook page.

“If a shower sends you inside for a bit, it’s a great opportunity to enjoy one of the many restaurants and bars in Cincinnati and Covington before heading back out to explore,” said Mooney.

The post BLINK announces weather plans for Saturday appeared first on Cincinnati CityBeat.

Taylor Marshall, one of the people arrested last year during a protest on the Roebling Bridge, pleaded not guilty to felony rioting charges Monday afternoon. This was after they were detained Monday morning and transported to Kenton County Detention Center, where they spent much of the day before being released following the not guilty plea.

Marshall declined to be interviewed for this story, instead deferring to their attorney, Ben Potash. Marshall’s detainment was unexpected, according to statements from Potash.

“Taylor came in today not expecting to be detained,” said Potash.

Marshall was offered a plea deal on Sept. 16 to take a lower charge of failing to disperse, but Judge Kenneth Easterling withdrew this deal after a contentious exchange at the hearing that day.

At the Sept. 16 hearing, Marshall came up to the dais before the judge and pleaded guilty to failure to disperse. Kenton County Commonwealth’s Attorney Rob Sanders was serving as prosecutor that day.

After Marshall entered their plea of guilty for failure to disperse, Easterling asked them, “What is it that you did?”

“Failed to disperse,” Marshall said.

“That’s a legal conclusion,” Easterling replied. “What did you do?”

“Uh, didn’t move fast enough,” Marshall said.

“Did police officers give you direction to leave the roadway, and you didn’t leave the roadway?” asked Sanders, briefly hesitating before adding, “fast enough?”

Marshall and Potash exchanged some words out of earshot, but Easterling interjected.

“This is where you tell the facts, ma’am,” Easterling said. “You need to be forthcoming about what you did.”

“OK, yes, when the police officer told me to leave the roadway, I did not leave fast enough,” Marshall said.

“You didn’t leave at all,” Easterling said. “That’s what you’re charged.”

Easterling then asked them where they lived and if they knew “that all this activity of crossing the bridge illegally was going to occur?”

“Judge, the charge is failure to disperse,” said Potash, “not conspiracy to commit a crime.”

“I get to take the factual basis for my plea,” said Easterling. “I don’t need you telling me what I need to do, sir.”

The judge then instructed the clerk to set a pretrial hearing, telling Marshall to “come back when you’re ready to confess.”

Marshall was indicted on the felony rioting charges on Sept. 24, according to court records. They were also indicted on three misdemeanor counts: resisting arrest, obstructing government operations and disorderly conduct. A pretrial conference took place before Judge Kenneth Easterling Monday morning, where Marshall was taken into custody. Their bond was set at $2,500.

Since rioting is a felony, the case was moved to the Kenton County Circuit Court, which handles felonies, before a new Judge, Mary Molloy. The arraignment hearing Monday afternoon was brief. At the hearing, Potash said Marshall had posted their bond and asked the court to waive the $2,500 and release Marshall due to their lack of criminal history. Molloy granted this request.

Potash addressed Marshall’s supporters, who had come out to see the hearing, outside of the courtroom.

“Taylor’s coming home,” Potash said. “The worst case scenario has been avoided.”

Fifteen people were arrested on the bridge last July. The arrests took place after a protest in Cincinnati branched off from a vigil for former Cincinnati Children’s chaplain Ayman Soliman, whom United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detained following the revocation of his asylum status. At the time, Soliman was held at the Butler County Jail. He was later released.

Many of the arrested protesters were initially charged with rioting, but most of the people who were arrested were given plea deals before Judge Easterling last year, wherein they admitted to lower misdemeanor charges in exchange for having their rioting charges dropped. However, Taylor was one of four protesters whose probable cause for felony rioting was upheld.

Court records indicate that Marshall had been offered a lower charge of failure to disperse, a misdemeanor, last month before it was withdrawn. Many of the protesters who were granted plea deals after the protest were offered similar deals.

Marshall and three others–Brandon Hill, Suzanne Bratt and Logan Imber–have all sued the city alleging excessive force by the police on the bridge. Marshall initially filed the lawsuit in Kenton County Circuit Court, but it moved to federal court in July. The complaint names Covington Police Officer Ross Woodward, an unknown female officer and the city as defendants.

Marshall claims to have suffered a concussion at the hands of Woodward, which led to “serious memory loss and aphasia,” which is a deterioration in speech ability. Notably, Marshall’s complaint alleges that “at no point did Plaintiff Marshall resist arrest,” but Woodward allegedly acted aggressively anyway.

All of the civil cases are ongoing.

Potash characterized charging Marshall with rioting as disproportionate.

“Whatever you may think about it, having this poor person run through the ringer for over a year for this, and now facing a felony charge is just completely out of proportion to whatever you think might have happened that day,” Potash said.

A follow-up hearing has been scheduled for Nov. 30.

This story has been updated.

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On Wednesday morning, nine animal rights activists were arrested by Cincinnati Police in front of Kroger headquarters downtown on 1014 Vine Street after a group of them chained themselves to the entrance.

At 7:30 a.m., just under 70 activists of the group Animal Equality showed up outside Kroger’s offices to protest the grocery chain’s failure to meet their goal of cage-free eggs by 2025. If you’ve driven down Vine Street at any point this summer, you’ve probably seen the protestors, as they’ve been holding near-daily protests since May.

In 2016, the corporation promised it would sell only 100% cage-free eggs by 2025, and reaffirmed that promise in 2018. But in 2022, the corporation quietly announced it would no longer be meeting that goal, as “cage-free egg supply continues to outpace customer demand,” per the company’s statement.

Eight people chained to the building and one other activist were detained and charged by police with “everywhere from criminal trespassing to resisting arrest,” said Adam Hennie, interim police chief, while at the scene.

At the protest, a lengthy row of people on Court Street just across from the demonstration held up signs asking Kroger’s higher-ups to meet with them as they yelled chants like “Kroger has blood on their hands” and “smash the locks and liberate.”

The activist group said in a statement that today’s escalation was due to Kroger staying silent to their months of requests to meet with organizational leaders. Previously, members of Animal Equality agreed with police officers to limit protests from 2 to 5 p.m.

Those attached to the door were cut free by police officers and fire personnel using bolt cutters and saws. Several protestors were eventually dragged away by police.

As of 2026, 10 states have banned the production or sale of caged-hen eggs: Arizona, California, Colorado, Massachusetts, Michigan, Nevada, Oregon, Rhode Island, Utah and Washington. Banning the sale of caged-hen eggs effectively ends the practice entirely since even out-of-state producers are affected.

Ohio has passed a law banning new caged-hen permits, but has not outlawed it entirely, leaving farms who currently operate with a caged-hen system — like the ones in use by Kroger — free to continue production. 

“Our ask today is simple: We want Kroger to meet with us and discuss a plan to fully end cages for hens,” said Dane Charbeneau, the organization’s campaign manager, in a statement. “Kroger can end this action right now by agreeing to meet with Animal Equality. By staying silent, Kroger will not make this issue — or the animals affected by it — go away.”

The post Nine animal rights activists arrested after chaining themselves to Kroger HQ appeared first on Cincinnati CityBeat.

National bookstore chain Barnes & Noble has purchased the remaining two locations of local independent bookseller Joseph-Beth.

The remaining two Joseph-Beth bookstores and bistros were located at Rookwood Pavilion and The Mall at Lexington Green in Lexington, KY.

“This decision was made for the continued success of Joseph-Beth Booksellers. For 40 years, Joseph-Beth has been more than a bookstore. It has been a gathering place for readers, families, local authors, teachers and neighbors,” said Joseph-Beth Booksellers Owner and Chairman Robert Langley in a statement. “In honoring its importance to the communities its two stores serve and to support its future longevity, this decision was necessary.”

Both stores will retain their “independent identity,” a statement reads, and both Bronte Bistros inside the current locations will remain open. Barnes & Noble said that both stores’ booksellers, author event team, community and event programming will remain with the company; now, however, Barnes & Noble’s resources and modernized operations will support Joseph-Beth Booksellers’ brand and ongoing success.

“Joseph-Beth Booksellers has a storied history and wonderful bookstores, and we are very pleased to ensure their continuity,” said CEO of Barnes & Noble James Daunt. “We especially look forward to welcoming the booksellers of these two distinctive bookstores into the company.”

The post Barnes & Noble acquires remaining Joseph-Beth Booksellers locations appeared first on Cincinnati CityBeat.

Next Thursday, the local nonprofit Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) Cincinnati will open a new adoption center in Over-the-Rhine.

Located at 1312 Main Street, the 1,795-square-foot center will have room for six dogs and ten cats at a time, plus private meet-and-greet rooms.

“This is about making adoption more accessible and creating more opportunities for animals to find homes,” said President and CEO Chris Seelbach in a statement. “Over-the-Rhine gives us the opportunity to bring adoptable animals directly into the heart of the community, where thousands of people live, work and visit every day. Someone may be walking down Main Street, see a dog or cat in the window and meet their new best friend. That’s exactly what we want to happen.”

This opening is part of a larger $3.5 million investment SPCA Cincinnati is making across the organization, including a new medical facility at Sharonville.

Back in June, CityBeat interviewed Seelbach about his plans for the center.

“It’ll be just like, uh, what’s that song, ‘How Much Is That Doggie in the Window,’” Seelbach said. “Animals really bring people joy, and so we’re bringing that possibility to meet your best friend into the heart of our city.”

Seelbach, the former City Councilman and longtime OTR resident, said opening a new location just a few feet from his home was “really exciting.”

“I love Over-the-Rhine. I’ve lived here for 22 years. It’s a huge part of my identity, and there hasn’t been this type of service that I know of, ever, in downtown or Over-the-Rhine. There’s been pretty much everything else, but never an adoption center,” he said. “So, the fact that we’re bringing the ability to adopt a dog or a cat to the urban core for the first time in the history of the entire city… I think people are going to genuinely love it.”

For more information on SPCA Cincinnati, visit the organization’s website.

The post SPCA opens new adoption center in OTR next week appeared first on Cincinnati CityBeat.

Findlay Market has once again launched their annual Halloween drive, providing free costumes and candy to children in need.

For the past several years, the Costume & Candy Drive has allowed families in need to access free Halloween costumes and accessories in preparation for trick-or-treat events in the city.

Last year, the market gave out 1,600 costumes in just one hour when the drive’s costume pickup event kicked off. This year’s drive runs through Oct. 23; the giveaway begins the next day on Sunday, Oct. 24 at 3 p.m. inside Coughlin Commons and runs while supplies last.

“We were thrilled by the overwhelming participation from local companies and schools that hosted internal drives, and we encourage workers and students across Cincinnati to consider organizing a drive within their networks to help meet growing demand,” Director of Marketing Erin Matulis said in a statement. “This is such an important event for our community.”

Costumes and candy can be dropped off during Findlay Market’s regular hours in the Market Center building. Those seeking to make large donations who would like to coordinate a pickup should reach out to Gabe Hughes at ghughes@findlaymarket.org.

For more information on the Costume & Candy Drive, visit Findlay Market’s official webpage for the event.

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For the first time, Ohio Valley Goodwill is opening a gigantic ‘resource hub’ outside of its main Woodlawn headquarters.

The new resource hub — meaning a Goodwill location that features a retail store, a donation center, an outlet store and a walk-in ‘Opportunity Center’ — is located at 6401 Colerain Avenue in Colerain Township, and will be the largest store in the region outside of the corporation’s headquarters. It’s also only the second time the corporation has opened a Goodwill outlet in the Ohio Valley area. The new location opens on Sept. 2 at 9:30 a.m.

To celebrate the grand opening, there will be plenty of promotions outside the storefront. Festivities include appearances by Ben-Gals cheerleaders, a live broadcast from Jenn Jordan of Q102, free coffee, free Kona Ice starting at 1 p.m., special coupons, $10 gift card giveaways every hour, and a chance to win special coupons or a $100 gift card. The first shopper in line at both the retail store and the outlet will receive early access.

The new Colerain store is part of Ohio Valley Goodwill’s broader $230 million, five-year regional investment strategy, with a goal of 30 stores across the Tri-State area by 2030. For more information on Ohio Valley Goodwill, visit the nonprofit’s official website.

The post Ohio Valley Goodwill opening massive new resource hub in Colerain Township appeared first on Cincinnati CityBeat.

Swimmers who were hoping to traverse the Ohio River this weekend will have to wait a little longer.

The organizers of the Bill Keating Jr. Great Ohio River Swim have announced that the annual event, scheduled for this Sunday, will be postponed because the river’s current will exceed 1 mile per hour. In advance of the Swim, organizers evaluate river stage, velocity, presence of debris, algae, bacteria and ambient weather—this year, the velocity was in excess of the event’s usual trajectory.

“The river current, which is typically around 0.5 mph for our swim, is currently running significantly faster and is not expected to return to a level we feel is safe for swimmers to cross the river this weekend,” said Event Chair Caroline Keating. “My number one priority is making sure this event is not only fun and memorable, but most importantly, safe for every swimmer who joins us. We know many of you have been training and looking forward to Sunday, which made this a tough call, but ultimately the right one.”

Participants in the Great Ohio River Swim enter the water at the Serpentine Wall in Downtown Cincinnati and swim to the Kentucky side of the river and back —approximately 900 meters — while the river is closed to motorized traffic. Some swimmers who want to go the (literal) extra mile participate in the event’s “Double Dipper” program, where they take a 2.5-mile swim downstream along the Ohio shoreline before joining participants in the traditional 900-meter course.

The new make-up date for the event is Sept. 13. On the day of the event, check-in opens at 7 a.m., with mandatory open water safety instructions at 8 a.m. and an 8:30 a.m. start. Double Dippers must be present by 6:15 a.m. to complete their 2.5-mile swim before joining the 900-meter course. Event registration is limited to the first 275 participants.

“We are incredibly grateful for your support, flexibility and enthusiasm for this special Cincinnati tradition,” Keating said. “Now we’ll turn our attention to Sept. 13 and hope Mother Nature cooperates so we can all enjoy a safe and beautiful swim across the Ohio River in a few weeks. Thank you for understanding, and we can’t wait to see you on the river!”

For more info on the Bill Keating Jr. Great Ohio River Swim, visit the official website.

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A local nonprofit focused on youth outreach has opened a new office in Over-the-Rhine.

LEAD Training — a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that develops and delivers career readiness, life skills, and social-emotional learning programs for students in grades K-12, as well as young adults — recently relocated to a new office at 1432 Vine Street, above Nostalgia Wine & Jazz Lounge.

The organization was founded in 2018 by former educator Riley O’Grady after a pivotal moment following a student’s suicide attempt. O’Grady’s experience revealed a critical gap: while many young people are academically prepared, they often lack the confidence, communication skills, and career readiness needed to navigate life beyond the classroom.

After leaving the education world, O’Grady worked as a psychology research coordinator before realizing that much of what research had already uncovered was not reaching the students who needed it most. She subsequently returned to education before ultimately launching LEAD Training to help young people build the character, confidence and skills to succeed.

“Founding LEAD was driven by what I saw firsthand as an educator and researcher: young people need more support navigating life beyond the classroom,” O’Grady said. “As our work in Cincinnati’s urban core continues to grow, staying in OTR was important to us. Our new office strengthens our connection to the students, schools and communities we serve every day.”

Currently, LEAD Training already partners with 32 schools across Greater Cincinnati, including Cincinnati Public Schools, Norwood, Reading, Deer Park, St. Bernard and Princeton.

In its present form, the organization primarily serves high school juniors and seniors, helping them explore career options, connect with apprenticeships, and access meaningful pathways with leading local employers. O’Grady and her team work alongside students to overcome barriers that can impact their success, including transportation challenges, financial constraints, limited family engagement and mental health concerns.

Last year, the organization served over 3,000 students in the Cincinnati area. With the new space, a 2,222-square-foot office leased from Cincinnati Center City Development Corp. (3CDC), LEAD can expand their reach across the city.

“3CDC’s commitment to supporting local youth closely aligns with LEAD’s mission,” said 3CDC’s EVP of Civic & Commercial Space Activations, Christy Samad, in a statement. “Through initiatives like our swim team, summer camps, youth events, and teen career fair, we share a common goal of creating opportunities for young people and helping them build successful futures. Having LEAD establish its office in OTR strengthens that shared commitment and creates new opportunities for collaboration. We look forward to seeing LEAD continue to grow its impact as it helps more students access the resources they need to succeed.”

LEAD Training will be open at the new location Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. For more information, visit the official website.

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The Ohio Bureau of Motor Vehicles has changed the way in which gender is noted on drivers licenses and state identification cards, in a move transgender advocates say was made without notice, announcement, or transition period.

A certification form called a Declaration of Gender Change no longer qualifies as a method to update the gender marker on BMV documents, something advocates say transgender Ohioans have used for years.

The form used documented proof of a gender transition attested by a physician, psychologist, or therapist to allow the change.

“Changing a policy this consequential overnight, without warning or transparency, is not an accident – it’s a choice,” said Dwayne Steward, CEO and executive director of LGBTQ+ advocacy group Equality Ohio.

Steward also called the move a “deliberate attempt at voter suppression and an intentional decision to make life harder for transgender Ohioans.”

The Ohio Secretary of State requires photo identification to vote, such as a passport, or a state drivers license, ID card, or interim ID issued by the BMV.

A spokesperson for the Ohio BMV said the bureau determined that the form “is not compatible” with state law, particularly a law that defines gender identity and sex.

“The BMV will record the sex that is stated on an individual’s birth certificate or passport as the sex that will be reflected on the Ohio drivers license or ID card,” a statement from the spokesperson said.

The BMV did not respond to questions from the Capital Journal about whether public notice was required or provided to make the change.

In the most recent state operating budget, the Ohio General Assembly implemented a “sex recognition policy” to apply to state laws. In the provision, effective as of 2025, gender identity is defined as “an individual’s internal and subjective self, disconnected from biological reality and sex and existing on an infinite continuum, that does not provide a meaningful basis for identification and cannot be recognized as a replacement for sex.”

“Sex” is defined as the “biological indication” of male and female, “without regard to an individual’s psychological, chosen, or subjective experience of gender.”

“It is the policy of the state of Ohio to recognize two sexes, male and female,” the code states. “These sexes are not changeable and are grounded in fundamental and incontrovertible reality.”

The measure comes alongside Trump administration policies that compel the federal government not to recognize transgender, nonbinary, and intersex identities, including in federal data collection.

It also comes after a 2024 Ohio Supreme Court decision in which a transgender woman appealed a decision by the Clark County Probate Court. The court approved her 2021 application for a name change on her birth certificate, but denied her request to correct the sex marker. Supreme court justices said they couldn’t “reach a consensus on how this case should be resolved,” but said the General Assembly has final say on whether further changes can be made to birth certificates. As it stands now, the court said state laws do not allow transgender individuals to correct their birth certificate based on their gender identity.

The Republican supermajority in the General Assembly has indicated they don’t plan to create more openings for transgender individuals, having passed laws banning gender-affirming care for minors, and barring transgender students from playing on sports teams based on their gender identity.

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