Local News

What You Need To Know About All-Star Weekend

2015 MLB ALL-STAR SUMMER EVENTSFriday, July 10 - Tuesday, July 14T-Mobile All-Star FanFest at Duke Energy Convention CenterFriday-Monday, 9:00 a.m.-8:00 p.m. ETTuesday, 9:00 a.m.-6:00 p.m. ETSaturday, July 11The Color Run MLB All-Star 5K, Presented by Nike, 9:00 a.m. ETBudweiser MLB All-Star Concert, part of the Pepsi Music Series at Paul Brown Stadium, 8:00 p.m. ET0000017a-3b40-d913-abfe-bf44a54b0001Sunday, July 12All-Star Sunday at Great American Ball Park featuring:SiriusXM All-Star Futures Game, 3:00 p.m. ETAll-Star Legends & Celebrity Softball Game(following Futures game)Sunday, July 12 - Tuesday, July 14MLB All-Star Summer Pepsi Block Party12:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m. ETEast Freedom Way (between Joe Nuxhall Way and Rosa Parks St)Monday, July 13Gatorade All-Star Workout Day at Great American Ball Parkfeaturing: Gillette Home Run Derby presented by Head & Shoulders, 8:00 p.m. ETTuesday, July 14All-Star Game Red Carpet ShowPresented by Chevrolet, 1:00 p.m. ET86th MLB All-Star Game at Great American Ball Park, 7:00 p.m. ETAll times subject to changeMETRO FAN SHUTTLE Ride the free Metro Fan Shuttle for the most convenient way to enjoy festivities throughout Downtown and Over-the-Rhine, July 10-13.The Metro Fan Shuttle will provide free service to many of the events and activities taking place at Washington Park, Duke Energy Convention Center and Fountain Square during the four days leading up to the big game.The shuttle will run every 10 to 12 minutes according to the following schedule:• Friday, July 10: 7-10 p.m.• Saturday, July 11: noon – 10 p.m.• Sunday, July 12: 10 a.m.-9 p.m.• Monday, July 13: 11 a.m.-2 p.m. and 6-9 p.m.Look for specially marked bus stops at the following locations:• On 5th Street mid-block between Walnut and Main (Government Square Area E)• On Sycamore Street at 4th Street• On 4th Street at Race Street• On Elm Street at 6th Street• On Elm Street at 12th Street• On Race Street at 13th Street• On Race Street at 6th Street• On 5th Street at Elm Street DOWNTOWN STREET CLOSURESTuesday, July 149 a.m.The below streets will have restricted access, allowing cross traffic only. - 2nd Street- 3rd Street- Vine Street- Walnut Street11 a.m.The above streets will be closed completely - no cross traffic will be permitted. 4 p.m.All streets will reopen. Due to anticipated traffic, expect long delays. 0000017a-3b40-d913-abfe-bf44a54a0003 There are 20 Cincinnati baseball-inspired mustache statues around the city. Each mustache resembles the handlebar style sported by Reds mascot Mr. Redlegs, and measures 8 feet wide, 2.5 feet high and weighs approximately 850 pounds.ALL-STAR LEGENDS & CELEBRITY SOFTBALL GAME ON JULY 12THThe All-Star Legends & Celebrity Softball Game is a six-inning softball event featuring celebrities from TV, movies, music and more, plus MLB legends competing together.Celebrities Scheduled to Appear:Entertainment icon Snoop Dogg; “The Hunger Games” franchise star Josh Hutcherson; comedic actor and lead in the Fox animated series Golan the Insatiable Rob Riggle; star of the upcoming “Fantastic Four” Miles Teller; co-host of EXTRA and Fox Sports Live Charissa Thompson; ACM winner and platinum-selling country chart-topper Justin Moore; Cincinnati native Nick Lachey; Macklemore; Olympic Softball Gold Medalist Jennie Finch; Grammy nominated, multi-platinum artist and actress Jordin Sparks; ACM’s New Artist of the Year Award winner Cole Swindell; star of Disney Channel’s I Didn’t Do It Olivia Holt; Cincinnati native and Emmy Award-winning actor and director Chad Lowe; Head Football Coach at The Ohio State University Urban Meyer; plus Wounded Warrior Amputee Softball Team players Tim Horton and Todd Reed; Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Andy Dalton; and ESPN college football analyst Kirk Herbstreit.MLB Legends Scheduled to Appear:Cincinnati Reds legends Sean Casey, Paul O’Neill, Eric Davis and Aaron Boone; Baseball Hall of Famers Andre Dawson, Rollie Fingers and Ozzie Smith; and MLB legends Fred Lynn and Vlad Guerrero.Below is a brief, chronological schedule of MLB All-Star Week Community Activities:Wednesday, July 8th · 10:30 a.m. – Bank of America All-Star Youth Baseball Clinic with Boys & Girls Clubs at the P&G Cincinnati MLB Urban Youth Academy (Cincinnati, OH)· 3:00 p.m. – MLB Cincinnati Reds Howell All-Star Field (Dayton, OH)Thursday, July 9th · 12:00 p.m. – Queensgate All-Star Field Dedication with The Scotts Company (Cincinnati, OH)· 3:00 p.m. – P&G Cincinnati Zoo & Reds Community Fund Community Makeover: Seven Hills Neighborhood Houses, P&G All-Star Park and Dyer All-Star Fields (Cincinnati, OH)Friday, July 10th · 11:00 a.m. – Ron Oester Field at Withrow All-Star Complex (Cincinnati, OH)· 3:30 p.m. – Miracle League Game (Great American Ball Park, Cincinnati, OH)· 6:30 p.m. – Don Johnson All-Star Field Dedication at the P&G Cincinnati MLB Urban Youth Academy (Cincinnati, OH)o Additionally, this event will serve as the Opening Ceremonies of the Jr. RBI (Reviving Baseball in Inner Cities) ClassicSaturday, July 11th · 9:00 a.m. – The Color Run MLB All-Star 5K presented by Nike (Downtown Cincinnati, OH)· 9:00 a.m. – TeamSmile Dental Screening Event, supported by Church & Dwight Co., Inc., maker of Arm & Hammer Dental Care products (U.S. Bank Boys & Girls Club)· 12:30 p.m. – Jr. RBI Classic Community Service Event/The Giving Fields (Melbourne, Kentucky)· 2:00 p.m. – TVCA Veteran In-Processing (VIP) and Welcome Center (CityLink Center, Cincinnati, OH)· 5:30 p.m. – Make-A-Wish Welcome Reception (Hilton Netherland, Cincinnati, OH)Sunday, July 12th · 2:00 p.m. – Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Waiting Room Unveil/Starlight Fun Center Donation (Cincinnati, OH)Monday, July 13th · 10:00 a.m. – MLB Cincinnati Meinken All-Star Field (Covington, KY)Tuesday, July 14th· 10:00 a.m. – Boys & Girls Club Activity Room Dedication, Sheakley Boys & Girls Club (Cincinnati, OH)

Mayor: Cincinnati Is Safe, I Take Responsibility For July 4 'Melee'

91.7 WVXU | By Tana Weingartner

Published July 6, 2015 at 3:59 PM EDT

Cincinnati leaders are driving home a singular message following Saturday's events on Fountain Square that ended with two police officers injured and seven arrests.

They say the city is safe.

"Saturday night was an unacceptable event and I take personal responsibility for what happened," says Mayor John Cranley. "The fact is that there was programing to young people - unchaperoned young people - with a program that went past the curfew in the midst of a holiday weekend."

The head of 3CDC, which operates Fountain Square, Steven Leeper, also says the agency takes responsibility.

"We're not going to let that happen again," says Cranley. "All such events will be examined and the police will approve or disapprove on a going forward basis before we allow any such planning of event like that from happening again."

What Happened

Cincinnati Police Captain Mike Neville says a near capacity crowd was assembled on Fountain Square Saturday night for a hip hop concert. Some people started throwing firecrackers and other items at officers. One officer was struck twice while trying to break things up and make an arrest. Eight officers were patrolling the square. Nearly sixty more were called in to quell what some have called a "melee." Seven people were arrested.

As police were clearing Fountain Square, a man from out of town was involved in an altercation. He was taken to the hospital were he was treated and released. Police say he has a concussion, broken nose and other facial injuries. Despite a notation on the police report, Captain Neville says the event is not being labeled a hate crime at this time. Videos circulating on social media suggest the man may not have been an innocent bystander, though Neville and other city leaders say they've not yet seen those videos and police are still investigating.

All-Star Game

As for this weekend's All-Star Game, the police chief says there will hundreds of officers on duty along with plenty of citizens on patrol, city ambassadors, and a slew of other law enforcement agencies working behind the scenes.

"Downtown and Fountain Square is safe and will be safe this weekend," says Cranley.

Assistant Fire Chief Ed Dadosky has been working on the All-Star Game security plan for more than a year. He says the city is prepared, noting the city regularly handles similar, if not larger, crowds each year for Riverfest. He also pointed to the successful 2012 World Choir Games.

"This is really a series of one day events and we've handled these types of events in the past," says Dadosky.

"There are varying levels and layers of security... we don't anticipate anything but we're assured that we do have the federal, state and local resources in place should we have any type of incident that needs to be addressed."

Read More

WVXU's Ann Thompson reported last month on the city's All-Star Game security plans.