A couple of months back, I mentioned that longtime central Ohio music veteran Jeff German had signed a three record deal with Slothtrop Records. Last Tuesday, Slothtrop released German’s debut album, “12 R.O.U.N.D.S.”        The impressive thing about German’s record deal is not that it happened, but when it happened – the album is being released just after German’s 50th birthday. A fixture on the Columbus music scene in the 90’s with the Flying Saucers, German shut down his music career, moved with his wife to Granville, raised a family and coached hockey. When his children were old enough, German returned to playing with the Cur Dogs, who self-released the album “Chasing Tales” in 2010. He also put in some time as a side-man, playing lead guitar with several acts, including Lydia Loveless. In 2013 German formed his current band, the Blankety Blanks, and made some recordings which found their way to Slothtrop Records, who contacted German in the fall of 2013.    

Yes, Columbus, there is a Columbus Police Department Chronic Complainers List. After publishing a January 30, 2014 cover story “Are you on the Columbus Police’s secret blacklist?”, the Columbus Free Press has obtained a copy of a so-called “Caller Watch List” through a public records request. This list, along with other documents, raises new concerns surrounding the police department’s controversial inaction on phone calls from certain Columbus residents.

Two people listed, James A. Whitaker, Jr. and Bernadine Kennedy Kent, wrote an email to Franklin County Prosecutor Ron O’Brien claiming they were unfairly included on the Caller Watch List. Their previous work as whistleblowers has provided evidence that led to the felony conviction of a vendor in the Columbus City School’s tutoring scandal.

The Free Press obtained the email trail including Whitaker and Kent’s email to O’Brien, and then another email that appears to be from O’Brien to Jeff S. Furbee, Chief Police Legal Advisor for City Attorney Richard Pfeiffer. O’Brien wrote: “Jeff – This makes no sense to me – is there a secret hit list these persons are on???”

People from Yemen and Pakistan and elsewhere have told me, and have testified in the U.S. Congress, that they have a hard time convincing their neighbors that everyone in the United States doesn't hate them. There are buzzing killer robots flying over their houses night and day and every now and then blowing a bunch of people up with a missile with very little rhyme or reason that anyone nearby can decipher. They don't know where to go or not go, what to do or not do, to be safe or keep their children safe. Their children have instinctively taken to crouching and covering their heads just like U.S. children in the 1950s were taught to do as supposed protection from Soviet nuclear weapons.

So the Republican Party pulled it off. On Friday, March 7 Ohio Libertarian governor hopeful Charlie Earl and his Lt. Governor Steve Linnabary found out they were no longer candidates. Through thuggish and authoritarian tactics the Republicans managed to knock the gubernatorial candidates of both the Ohio Libertarian and Ohio Green Parties off the 2014 primary ballot.

How did they do it?

Like any two-bit dictator, they did it by usurping the U.S. Constitution and simply outlawing all minor parties in the state of Ohio. It is very difficult to get signatures for a candidate when your party has been banned from the ballot.

In legal terms, it is called “irreparable harm.”

Before he was banished from the ballot, Earl was polling at 6% of the vote. Political pundits across the state speculated that he might cost John Kasich to lose his re-election bid. The day Earl initially announced for governor, a Republican Party Senator introduced a bill that would kill all minor parties in Ohio.

Critics aptly nicknamed the bill “The John Kasich Re-Election Protection Act.”

Café Brioso has the best pesto on a sandwich I’ve ever had. I think what makes this pesto so unique is that they use pecans. When I am downtown and in the mood for a simple soup and sandwich combo, this is one of my favorite stops. Everything on their menu is made fresh daily, from scratch, including their Foccocia (however, that is not vegan because it has dairy in it). There are a few exceptions to their house “made from scratch” products lines; their delicious and moist artisan wheat and sourdough sandwich breads are organic and locally sourced from Dan the baker. The wheat bread contains honey and the sourdough is currently the only vegan bread option. They typically offer at least one vegan soup and often a vegan fresh fruit salad can be found. Their coffee is roasted on site and can be enhanced with a vegan milk option; I’m fond of their Ohio Maple Latte with soy milk. Warning- the downtown meter readers are predatory, so don’t park at the 30 minute meters in front of the restaurant if you plan to hold a meeting or are inclined to be distracted when running into people you haven’t seen in a while, you will get a $45 ticket.