Bill Rinehart

Amateur and professional astronomers are excited about the appearance of a comet in the early morning sky. The comet NEOWISE was first noticed in March, and named for the Near-Earth Object Wide-Field Infrared Survey Explorer telescope that spotted it.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell says after Congress passed the first pandemic relief bill, he thought the smart thing to do was to re-evaluate the situation in July. "We're now in July." McConnell says there's a high likelihood there will be a third, final rescue package. He toured a COVID-19 testing lab in Covington Thursday morning.

The amount of COVID-19 testing in Hamilton County has climbed significantly. Interim Health Commissioner Greg Kesterman says by the end of Wednesday, about 6,000 people will have been tested at pop-up sites run by the Ohio National Guard alone. But the increase has overwhelmed other functions.

It's not uncommon to find insects trapped in amber. In fact, an entire movie franchise has been built around it. But now, scientists have confirmed the existence of a bug inside a piece of opal. The find could aid in the hunt for life on Mars.

Cincinnati City Council will meet in a special session Friday to discuss passing a mask ordinance. Mayor John Cranley says it's in response to rising numbers of COVID-19.

Anderson High School will keep its mascot until Thursday at least. That's when the Forest Hills School Board meets again and could vote on the issue. The Redskins mascot is seen by some as racist. Others argue it honors the history of Native Americans.

The Flying Pig marathon and its associated events won't happen this year, but organizers say they already have next year's dates selected. Pig Works, the umbrella organization, says the health and safety of participants and spectators comes first.

The Urban League of Greater Southwestern Ohio will use a million dollar grant to monitor police reforms and investigate claims of police misconduct outside of Cincinnati's city limits. The money will establish the Center for Social Justice at the Urban League, with work expected to launch in mid- to late July.

For the first time, a Juneteenth flag is flying at Cincinnati's City Hall. The red and blue flag with a white star recognizes the date the last slaves in Texas were informed of the Emancipation Proclamation.

Following a largely peaceful protest Friday night that devolved into broken windows, graffiti and looting, Cincinnati Mayor John Cranley on Saturday issued a 10 p.m. curfew for the entirety of Downtown Cincinnati that will remain in effect through Sunday night. 

People in the eastern United States are getting a treat this spring - if you consider more cicadas than usual a treat. Five different cicada broods have emerged instead of the one that was expected.

In any other year, AAA releases predictions about travel and gas prices for Memorial Day weekend and the summer vacation season. But this isn't any other year.

Highways and roads in Ohio are getting a little more crowded. Traffic levels have increased as the state's stay-at-home orders have been lifted.

Cincinnati Police commanders and the head of Cincinnati's Fraternal Order of Police want Hamilton County judges to start sending more people to jail. FOP President Dan Hils says 149 people have been shot in the city this year; 101 of those happened since stay-at-home orders went into effect.

Only about half of Cincinnati residents have responded to the 2020 Census. The city trails Hamilton County, which has an estimated 61% return rate, and the state of Ohio, which has an average of 64%. The national average is around 59%. The head of Cincinnati's city planning department says the difference doesn't come as a huge surprise.

As businesses start to reopen, the Catholic Archdiocese of Cincinnati has released guidelines for the resumption of public masses. In a letter, Archbishop Dennis Schnurr says masses will resume May 25.

Ohio will be cutting about $775 million in spending to meet a budget shortfall caused by the coronavirus pandemic. Governor Mike DeWine's cuts include $355 million to K-12 education, but he says it shouldn't hurt the most vulnerable people, because the poorer districts won't be cut as deeply.

Workers across the country will be returning to the office over the coming weeks and months. But the CEO of one commercial real estate company doesn't see dramatic changes in the workplace.

An overflow hospital facility set up for Southwest Ohio is closing. The Duke Energy Convention Center was set up to handle COVID-19 patients, but now will be demobilized. UC Health says if needed, the site will be ready to reactivate within days.

The Public Library of Cincinnati and Hamilton County is making staffing and salary changes because of the coronavirus pandemic. The library system closed March 13, and many of the 839 employees have been working from home since then, answering phone calls and conducting video story times.