CINCINNATI (FOX19) - The new Cincinnati City Council will take office Thursday, December 1, 2011, at 11:00 a.m. 

There will be four new council members out of nine, the most in many years.  The new members are Chris Seelbach, Yvette Simpson, P.G. Sittenfeld, and Christopher Smitherman. 

The event will take place in Council Chambers, Room 300 in City Hall, but only people with tickets will be admitted to the main gallery. 

The balcony is open to the general public, as long as seats are available.  Doors to the balcony open up at 9:30 a.m. 

Copyright 2011 FOX19.  All rights reserved.

WASHINGTON, DC (FOX19) - First District Ohio Representative Steve Chabot spoke Wednesday in favor of House Bill H.R. 822, a law that would extend concealed-carry reciprocity nationwide, for people traveling between states that permit concealed-carry of firearms.  Presently, states make individual deals to allow this. 

The bill passed easily, 272 to 154, with nearly all Republicans and about a quarter of Democrats supporting it.  Locally, the New York Times reports that Mike Pence and Todd Young of Indiana, Chabot and Mike Turner of Ohio, and Geoff Davis of Kentucky voting yes, and Ohio's John Boehner and Jean Schmidt not voting.  All are Republicans. 

Here's a transcript of Chabot's speech: 

Mr.

CINCINNATI (FOX19) - Mayor Mark Mallory and the Democratic Cincinnati Council members and candidates will make a joint announcement 11:00 a.m. Friday at the Westin about a new initiative through the Cincinnati Health Department.   Mayor Mark Mallory will be joined by Vice Mayor Roxanne Qualls, Council Members Laure Quinlivan, Wendell Young, and Cecil Thomas, and candidates for City Council Yvette Simpson, Chris Seelbach, P.G. Sittenfeld, and Nicholas Hollan.

All except the mayor are running for election or re-election next Tuesday.  A release from Mallory's office says he and the Democrats will show their united conviction to increase health services for Cincinnatians.

Copyright 2011 FOX19.  All rights reserved.