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A themed dinner experience puts mystery on the menu

Calé brings Cincinnati strangers together over four courses and one secret ingredient.

Things to Do

One of the hottest tickets on the Cincinnati dining scene comes with a dress code, a secret ingredient and a table full of strangers.Why it matters: Calé, created by Alex Driscoll and Caroline Leach, is both a dinner party and a social experiment. It&#x27;s built around adventurous food and making new friends.

Cincinnati's lead pipe challenge isn't just the pipes

Greater Cincinnati Water Works has replaced 10,000 lead service lines since 2018, but getting homeowners to say yes remains a huge hurdle.

News

Cincinnati is a national model for not only replacing lead service lines but also for figuring out how to get homeowners to agree to the work.Why it matters: Lead service lines remain a public health concern nationwide, and the <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="EPA estimates roughly 4 million remain in service" data-vars-click-url="https://www.epa.gov/ground-water-and-drinking-water/lead-service-lines" data-vars-content-id="6bd24e66-1ec4-437e-a5b9-205f4e94bf26" data-vars-headline="Cincinnati&#x27;s lead pipe challenge isn&#x27;t just the pipes" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.epa.gov/ground-water-and-drinking-water/lead-service-lines" target="_blank">EPA estimates roughly 4 million remain in service</a>.<ul><li>But some cities have struggled to resolve the issue, with a<a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text=" 2037 federal deadline" data-vars-click-url="https://www.nlc.org/initiative/lead-and-copper-rule-series/" data-vars-content-id="6bd24e66-1ec4-437e-a5b9-205f4e94bf26" data-vars-headline="Cincinnati&#x27;s lead pipe challenge isn&#x27;t just the pipes" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.nlc.org/initiative/lead-and-copper-rule-series/" target="_blank"> 2037 federal deadline</a> looming to replace them. </li></ul>

Mayor Pureval cheers on downtown, regional growth

The leader spoke about the city's future at an Axios Cincinnati launch party.

Development

Missing out on the World Cup and Sundance has fueled <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="new hotel projects" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/cincinnati/2026/07/28/fidelity-hotel-latest-sign-of-downtown-surge" data-vars-content-id="9214a2f7-c76b-48db-8ff7-b326c9ab6b8f" data-vars-headline="Mayor Pureval cheers on downtown, regional growth" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/cincinnati/2026/07/28/fidelity-hotel-latest-sign-of-downtown-surge" target="_self">new hotel projects</a> to land the next big event, Mayor Aftab Pureval told Axios Cincinnati.Why it matters: The city&#x27;s growing, not wallowing, and is taking an intentional approach to attract new businesses, residents and tourists, Pureval said at Thursday&#x27;s newsletter launch party.

Poll: Would you vote for JD Vance for president?

The Middletown native could seek the Republican presidential nomination in 2028.

Politics

The next presidential election is still two years away, but Vice President JD Vance is considered an <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="early favorite for the GOP nomination" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/2026/07/06/vance-summer-trump-heir" data-vars-content-id="5a5baa61-fa5a-40b6-8e2f-253395a77e84" data-vars-headline="Poll: Would you vote for JD Vance for president?" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/2026/07/06/vance-summer-trump-heir" target="_self">early favorite for the GOP nomination</a>. Would the Middletown native have your vote?

UC students cash in on co-op jobs

Co-ops are paid jobs built into academic programs that give students work experience before graduation.

Education

For University of Cincinnati students, going to college can come with a significant paycheck.Why it matters: The school&#x27;s <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="cooperative education (co-op) program" data-vars-click-url="https://www.uc.edu/co-op" data-vars-content-id="9dfcffac-8e1a-44ef-8ea6-a23b2403374c" data-vars-headline="UC students cash in on co-op jobs" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.uc.edu/co-op" target="_blank">cooperative education (co-op) program</a> lets students earn money and build a resume before graduation, while employers get a months-long look at people they might eventually hire.

Metro offers new routes as back-to-school bus trips return

Thousands of Cincinnati Public Schools students are back on Metro buses this week.

Transit

School is back, and regular Cincinnati Metro riders are about to get thousands of new seatmates.Why it matters: Sharing a bus with the back-to-school crowd may be familiar to some after decades of CPS partnering with Metro.<ul><li>But the system carrying those students has <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="gotten more robust" data-vars-click-url="https://www.go-metro.com/reinventing-metro/" data-vars-content-id="269b207e-0dfa-4f53-8a52-6796033f78fa" data-vars-headline="Metro offers new routes as back-to-school bus trips return" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.go-metro.com/reinventing-metro/" target="_blank">gotten more robust</a>, with new routes and more frequent service.</li></ul>

CPS faces mounting pressure over income tax proposal

Cincinnati Public Schools' earned-income tax proposal could be headed for a reversal Monday

Cincinnati Public Schools&#x27; earned-income tax proposal could be headed for a reversal Monday after Republicans and Democrats came out against it in recent days.Why it matters: Everyone seems to agree CPS needs more money, but disagree on the best way to raise it.<ul><li>Monday&#x27;s meeting may be the last chance to settle on a plan before the Wednesday deadline to place items on the November ballot.</li></ul>

Cincinnati State finds next president in-house

Robbin S. Hoopes will replace Monica Posey as president next month.

Cincinnati State looked nationwide, but found its next president Robbin S. Hoopes sitting in the office down the hall.Why it matters: The longtime provost has helped oversee a decade of enrollment growth and an expanded role in the region.<ul><li>He will succeed Monica Posey, who retires Aug. 31.</li></ul>

New Xavier medical school aims to ease Ohio doctor shortage

It's one of several schools in the region looking to expand their medical education.

Xavier University is moving closer to opening Ohio&#x27;s first new medical school in nearly 50 years.Why it matters: The new school is part of a broader regional effort to keep more physicians in Greater Cincinnati as statewide and national shortages grow.

UC's student-built satellite deploys into orbit

Astronauts released the satellite from the International Space Station.

Aerospace

University of Cincinnati students are celebrating a milestone nearly a decade in the making after astronauts released their satellite from the International Space Station.Why it matters: Researchers hope the mission will help design safer spacecraft and spacesuits for future deep-space missions.

Axios North of Cincy

Next generation of Cincinnati tennis takes the court

North of Cincy

Axios Columbus

Axios Richmond

Ohio explores 3-year bachelor's degrees

Columbus

Axios Future of Health Care

Axios Vitals

Axios Cleveland

Ohio kindergarten vaccine rates decline

Cleveland

A line chart that shows kindergartner vaccine exemption rates and the U.S. average from 2011-12 to 2025-26. The local rate rose from 0.6% to 3%, with faster gains after 2020. It remained below the national average each year, which increased from 1.6% to 4.2%.

Ohio kindergartner vaccination exemptions

Data: CDC; Note: Data collection methods can vary from state to state; Brad Jennings/Axios

Education 📚

UC students cash in on co-op jobs

Next generation of Cincinnati tennis takes the court

Ohio explores 3-year bachelor's degrees

Ohio kindergarten vaccine rates decline

Metro offers new routes as back-to-school bus trips return