CINCINNATI — A beloved breakfast spot is closing its original location for a renovation, while opening a third location in Hamilton County.

Sugar n Spice has been serving up wispy thin pancakes and fluffy eggs for more than 80 years. Its current Paddock Hills building on Reading Road has been around for more than 50 years and is about to expand and get a refresh - or restoration, as co-owner Adam Mayerson says.

"The building was built in the mid-1950's so, over the years, it has taken its beatings, but with love," Mayerson said. "We were wanting to make some upgrades to it eventually, but 2020 happened and that derailed a lot of our plans."

Adam Mayerson

The project, which will start in January and is expected to last until June, will nearly double the diner's capacity - from 39 seats to 69. The new addition along Reading Road will be able to house larger groups and will include ADA-compliant restrooms.

There will also be changes to the entrance, including a pick-up window for takeout orders.

Mayerson says the kitchen will be new - from top to bottom.

Adam Mayerson

"It's a true restoration as opposed to a renovation," Mayerson said. "We wanted to bring it back to its 'original life,' pick whatever decade that is; but just bring it back to life and put some love back into it like all of our loyal guests have."

While the original location is closed, a third Sugar n Spice location will open on Summit Parkway in Blue Ash next to Summit Park. Mayerson expects that diner to open in January, and says it takes its design inspiration from the original.

"We had a clean slate there," he said. "We wanted it to feel and resemble a lot of aspects and little nuances of Reading."

Mayerson's family bought the diner in 2019, after eating at the Reading Road location for four generations.

Adam Mayerson

Sugar n Spice's second location on Sycamore Street in the Pendleton neighborhood opened in 2020 and remains open.

CINCINNATI — One man was killed during a shooting Friday night at Brandy's Lounge in Roselawn off of Reading Road.

Derek Smith, 31, was identified as the victim by the Cincinnati Police Department in a press release on Saturday.

"At approximately 9:49 p.m., District 4 officers responded to a report of a person shot in the 7700 block of Reading Road," the release stated. "Upon arrival, responding officers located a victim suffering from gunshot wounds. Fire personnel responded and determined the victim to be deceased."

May Shooting: One dead, three wounded in shooting at nightclub

This is the second deadly shooting at the nightclub since May. Donta Martin, 36, was killed in a shooting at the same location, and three others were wounded.

CPD's Homicide Unit is investigating the shooting and asking anyone with information to contact the department at 513-352-3542.

CINCINNATI —

Reading Road was one of the trouble spots in Cincinnati on Thursday.

Not only was there a sheet of ice that went all the way up the hill, but there were also cars backed up two miles and people waiting for hours.

Essie Combs commutes through this area to receive medical treatment.

"We've been sitting here for about an hour now just to get down to the dialysis unit on the other side of Graeter's," Combs said.

Her center is just 500 yards down the road but she's been stuck in the same spot. She's been waiting and is frustrated.

"A few days ago the city had put salt out. No snow. There's no salt out now and I can see the sheet of ice. My driver told me there's ice over there and I can see it over here," Combs said.

The city said it did pretreat roads but that didn't stop scenes like this.

Combs was waiting on a Metro bus that rammed into cars parked on the side of the road.

A couple of hours earlier on Reading Road, a car rear-ended a jack-knifed semi.

After that, at Summit and Reading, a school bus sat at an intersection with three cars crashed into it — fortunately, no students were on board.

As the morning went on we saw crash after crash, leading to people being taken away in an ambulance to a pickup hitting a fire truck.

Crashes happened throughout the city and Combs said she's going to file a complaint with the city.

CINCINNATI —

A 16-year-old was taken to the hospital with life-threatening injuries after a shooting in Avondale Monday evening.

The shooting happened at the intersections of Reading Road and Rockdale Avenue near the Family Dollar store at around 7:30 p.m.

According to Cincinnati police, a 16-year-old was shot and taken to the hospital with life-threatening injuries.

Witnesses at the scene told WLWT that a teenage boy was crossing Reading Road when a car crept up and shot him. The vehicle then took off, witnesses said.

Police have not released any suspect information.

"I ran outside without my walker because a child is just something you run for," said neighbor Jennifer Foster.

Foster rushed to the scene at Reading Road and quickly realized the teen is someone she knows.

"I just passed him this morning, you know, and he knocked on my door yesterday morning, he said, 'Ms. Jenn, this your package because you're the only one ordered dog treats for your dog' and I said, 'Thank you baby' and he went on up the stairs and stuff," she said.

On the street corner, a sign from Cincinnati Works promoted fatherhood and brotherhood. The neighborhood is trying to stop violence in the streets.

Mitch Morris says it's a sad night in the city.

"My guys was just up here working, tonight. We came out here at 4:30 p.m., and worked and worked until it started raining. Right over here in this lot right here and so after it started raining, we called it off. Wasn't a half hour, hour later, we got a call there was a shooting up here. So we're back up here now," he said.

With more than a dozen markers on the ground and frustration and heartache in the air, the community is traumatized by another shooting.

"All I know is somebody's hurt real bad right now. It's a family that we just need to pray for," Morris said.

WLWT will provide updates when more information is available.

CINCINNATI — Police Monday identified the young woman who, along with her newborn baby, died last week after a driver struck her with his vehicle on Reading Road in Mount Auburn.

According to a Cincinnati police report, 20-year-old Korotoum Dao was walking on the Reading Road sidewalk near the Esther Marie Hatton Center for Women, where she was staying at the time, when 31-year-old Anthony Cioffi lost control of his vehicle and struck a telephone pole before striking Dao.

Dao was pregnant at the time of the crash and later gave birth to her baby while being treated at the hospital. Both ultimately died from their injuries.

Police have charged Cioffi with four counts of aggravated vehicular homicide. Deputies are holding him at the Hamilton County Justice Center on a $2 million bond.