🌱 Find The Perfect Valentine Love Story + CPD Wraps 'Safety Blitz'

Hey, everybody! It's Friday in Cincinnati and I'm back in your inbox to get you caught up on the most important things happening in town, including news about...

But first, today's weather:

Some sun, then clouds; cooler. High: 46 Low: 24.

📢 I'm looking for business owners and marketers in Cincinnati who want to build awareness, connect with customers and increase sales.

I have a limited number of sponsorships available to introduce our readers to local businesses they need to know. If that's you, then I invite you to learn more and secure your spot now.

Here are the top stories in Cincinnati today:

1. As Valentine’s Day nears, Cincinnati People asked Hillary Copsey, book advisor at the Mercantile Library, to suggest stories for the holiday. Among her top picks include "Seven Days in June" by Tia Williams, "Eligible" by Curtis Sittenfeld, and "Persuasion" by Jane Austen. See Hillary's list of the best love stories. Founded in 1835, the Mercantile Library has 80,000 volumes, in a collection that includes e-books and audiobooks. (Cincinnati People)
2. ArtWorks, the force behind hundreds of murals throughout the city, is expanding its youth program with yearlong opportunities. The nonprofit is now hiring artists ages 18-24 for year-round work in creative studios. Since beginning its mural program in 2007, ArtWorks has created over 250 large-scale outdoor works and it anticipates the new year-round studios will add 30 murals annually to those produced each summer. (The Business Journals)
3. The Cincinnati Police are wrapping up their two-week highway-focused "safety blitz." WCPO analyzed the latest CPD traffic data and found Cincinnati police pulled over 18 cars for violations since the blitz started. Ten of them were on I-71, seven were on I-75, and one on I-74. CPD issued traffic citations in all of the cases. (WCPO 9 Cincinnati)

Today in Cincinnati:

• 2023 LEAD Breakfast: Connect with Volunteering for Personal and Community Benefit At Clermont Chamber of Commerce (8:30 AM)
• Boys Basketball vs Lebanon Senior Night At Anderson High School Varsity Gym (4:30 PM)
• Jazz Ensembles Concert At Mayerson Theater (7:00 PM)
• Heather McMahan: The Comeback Tour At Taft Theatre (8:00 PM)

From my notebook:

• Severe weather can cause widespread devastation, and some states are more prone to disaster-related property damage than others. Due mainly to flooding, Ohio ranks No. 17 in the U.S. for total property damage, with an average of $336.32 per capita. See how our state stacks up against the rest of the country in this new interactive study. (NeighborWho)
• Roberto Lugo: Hi Def Archives are on view Mar. 17 to Sep. 24⁠⁠. Beginning March 17, Lugo will work in residency at the Cincinnati Art Museum for a limited time, creating ceramics in a gallery adjacent to the display of his finished works. The exhibition is “to be both homage to the village that raised me up and the legacy of Rookwood Pottery.”(Cincinnati Art Museum via Instagram)
• Enter for your chance to win two round-trip tickets and a three-night hotel stay in San Francisco, CA or Charleston, SC. CVG Airport is partnering with Breeze Airways to celebrate the airline's arrival in CVG. (CVG Airport ✈️ via Instagram)

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That's it for today. I'll see you soon!

— Sean Peek

About me: Sean Peek is a writer and entrepreneur with a degree in English Literature from Weber State University. Over the years, he has worked as a copywriter, editor, SEO specialist, and marketing director for various digital media companies. He currently co-owns and operates content creation agency Lightning Media Partners.