Volume 3 | Issue 1 | January 8, 2016 by The Northsider Monthly Newspaper

JANUARY 2016 | LIFE & CULTURE 45223

A FREE COMMUNITY PUBLICATION

2 NEWS

4 EDUCATION

3 FEATURE

8 ENVIRONMENT

NORTHSIDE BUSINESS

WHEN YOU SEE MY NAME:

NORTHSIDE,

SMOG DEMYSTIFIED

ASSOCIATION RAFFLE

WORDPLAY PUBLICATION

MEET THE GANTRY

Win Free Market Items!

LIVE MUSIC ALMOST EVERY NIGHT OF THE WEEK. SHOWS ARE FREE! CHECK INDIVIDUAL LISTINGS FOR SHOWTIMES. 4163 HAMILTON AVE CINCINNATI, OH 45223 (513) 542-3603 NORTHSIDE-TAVERN.COM HOURS: MON – SAT: 5:00PM – 2:30AM SUNDAY: 7:00PM – 2:30AM HAPPY HOUR: MON-SAT 5-8PM

Join Our Loyalty Card Program Shop with us in December, and you could win unique market products! Every Wednesday 4-7pm, Rain or Shine North Presbyterian Church, 4222 Hamilton Ave www.northsidefm.org

Visit Cincinnati’s ONLY

GREEN DENTAL OFFICE* Brokering Fine Homes Since 1946

Emily Buzek Valentino Sales Vice President

2716 Observatory Avenue Cincinnati, Ohio 45208 Cell (513) 602-7414 E-mail evalentino@comey.com

Keeping Northsiders smiling since 1982!

Thielen Dental Practice

Christopher Thielen, D.D.S. LLC General Dentist Cosmetic, Implant & Family Dentistry 513 541-5655

“Northside’s most prolific Realtor” – Cincinnati Enquirer, June 2013

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* Environmentally conscientious: Proud to be the only OHIO-EPA DEED GOLD AND GREEN compliant dental office in Cincinnati! THE NORTHSIDER MONTHLY

COVER ARTIST

CONTRIBUTORS

WHAT’S INSIDE

EDITOR IN CHIEF AND ART DIRECTOR:

NEWS IN NORTHSIDE: NORTHSIDE COMMUNITY COUNCIL �� 2 NORTHSIDE BUSINESS ASSOCIATION �� 2

Leo Pierson D’Cruz and Michelle D’Cruz

WRITERS IN THIS ISSUE:

LETTER FROM THE EDITOR: BLACK LIVES MATTER �� 3

NORTHSIDER MANAGEMENT TEAM:

HAPPEN HAPPENINGS �� 5

Ollie Kroner, Mati Senerchia, Karen Andrew, Jarrett Shedd, Kamall Kimball, Jonathan Sears, Barry Scwartz, James Heller-Jackson, Leo Pierson D’Cruz and Michelle D’Cruz

SPIRITS: NEW YEARS RESOLUTIONS �� 6

PAPER ROLLERS:

LUKE LEHENBAUER

Happen Inc. Volunteers led by Tommy Reuff

Luke Lehenbauer is the Creative Service Team Lead at Epipheo, in downtown Cincinnati. As acting Team Lead, you can find him overseeing Epipheo’s team of Animators, Style Artist, Animatic Artists, Sound Designers, Composers, Writers, Story Leads, and Freelancers. The cover illustration is representative of the diverse people of Northside in Winter. Yes, Northside is walkable, has great housing options, is close to downtown, has beautiful parks, and some really amazing history; But the thing that really makes Northside, is it’s people. There are so many diverse people living amongst each other here, and this is the biggest reason Luke and his family will continue to live in and contribute to Northside for years to come.

CALL FOR ARTISTS/COVER ART The Northsider is seeking monthly cover art submissions from local artists. Artists will be paid $40 for published covers. All 2 dimensional pieces will be considered. One stipulation of publication is that the piece or a print be donated to The Northsider Annual Art Auction Fundraiser that will help support the paper. If you are interested in having your artwork considered: Email: northsidermonthly@gmail.com Subject line: Cover Art Submission

Ollie Kroner, Jim Swafford, Leo Pierson D’Cruz, Libby Hunter, Tommy Reuff, Brett Kollmann Baker, Kamal Kimball, Casey Moothart, Nick Mitchell, Steve Sunderland, Scott Holzman, Monica Murphy, Cynthia Allen

DELIVERY TEAM: Kamall Kimball, Riccardo Taylor, Karen Andrews, Sue Wilke, Stephen Davis, SaraLynne Thoresen, ThoraLynne McKinney, Mati Senerchia, Noeli Senerchia, Jacob Walker, Daisy Walker, Evan Hunter-Linville, Owen Hunter-Linville, Lauren & Meredith Shockely-Smith

EDUCATION: WHEN YOU SEE MY NAME �� 4

GOINGS ON ABOUT NORTHSIDE: BEE HAVEN HONEY �� 6 DAROU SALAM OFFERS AFRICAN CUISINE �� 7 DEVELOPMENT: MEET THE GANTRY �� 8 ENVIRONMENT: SMOG DEMYSTIFIED �� 10 FOOD CULTURE: FAMILY-OWNED BUSINESS SERVES UP TREATS �� 11 MADE IN NORTHSIDE: SPREADING THE LURVE ��12 OPINION: CANCER JUSTICE �� 13 CREATIVE WRITING: NORTHSIDE HARDWARE �� 14

MISSION STATEMENT

COMMUNITY: FREE TAX-PREPARATION �� 14

As an independent monthly communication, The Northsider’s mission is to engage and inform about life and culture in the Northside Neighborhood. As such, The Northsider is committed to providing timely, quality and informative community news and opinions while embracing the diversity of the neighborhood.

WELLNESS: LISTENING FOR SILENCE �� 15

Northsider, LLC. is a Nonprofit Limited Liability Company overseen by the Northside Community Council. The Northside Community Council is a volunteer, community-based organization that provides an opportunity for all individuals and groups in the community to participate in Northside’s present and to chart Northside’s future. As such, it is committed to bringing people of diverse backgrounds and opinions together in an atmosphere that fosters cooperation and communication.

SCREEN: HAPPEN FILM CRITICS �� 16 EVENTS �� 16

The Northsider Monthly is published on the first Friday of the month and is distributed to businesses and residents in the 45223 zip code.

4114 Hamilton Avenue Northside | 513-541-2073

Live Music, Spirits, Suds, and Fun! THE NORTHSIDER MONTHLY

NEWS IN NORTHSIDE

Northside Community Council Annual Meeting: Our January 25 meeting is Community Council’s Annual Meeting. We will be reporting on the year’s accomplishments and holding elections for our 2016 board. Our slate of candidates will be listed on Northside.net and on our Facebook page, www.facebook.com/ NorthsideCommunityCouncil. If you can only attend one meeting a year, this is a good one to catch!

New Position for 2016: With so much going on in Northside, it can be difficult to keep up. To help stay on top of things and spread the word about our activities, NCC will be adding a Communications Secretary position to the board in 2016. The Communications Secretary will be responsible for managing our social media accounts, press releases, and websites. We would love to hear your feedback on the best ways to reach you.

Neighborhood WiFi: Our neighbor Deandre Williams approached Community Council about the feasibility of installing a neighborhood wireless internet. He introduced examples of other neighborhoods who have implemented similar programs and explained the benefits to local residents and businesses. A group has formed to explore the concept and identify potential funding.

What do you think Northside should work on? Come to the next Community Council Meeting - 7PM January 25th at McKie Rec Center.

to the number of tickets a business can earn and enter, and all undrawn tickets remain in the raffle for the remainder of the year to increase the chances of a new business winning. In short, the more a business participates, the more chances they have to win this coveted prize.

of any urban business district. Let’s face it, you can’t buy our products and services at the Malls (LOL), and we’re proud of that fact! Join us this year in spreading the word, and join us at our monthly meetings held the 1st Monday of each month at Happen Inc. 4201 Hamilton beginning at 6pm for a chance to win your free featured ad space!

FOR FREQUENT UPDATES: Find us on Facebook!

OLLIE KRONER President, Northside Community Council, olliekroner@gmail.com

Northside Business Association The Northside Business District welcomes in the New Year! We had a great year in 2015 and looking forward to an even better year in 2016. The NBA would like to encourage all of our businesses, residents, patrons, and followers to spread the word beyond the boundaries of our community that “Northside is alive, vibrant, and open for business.” To that end, the NBA has initiated a new program to help spread that message. NBA has partnered with

both the “Northsider” and “City Beat” for recurring monthly ad space for Northside. This includes a reserved space for a monthly featured business in Northside. For all NBA member businesses who attend a meeting, participate in an NBA project, or help out in a number of NBA sanctioned works in the community, those businesses would receive a ticket for each activity to be entered into our monthly NBA raffle for a chance to win the featured advertising spaces available each month. There is no limit

The NBA would like to spread the word throughout the region that Northside is the best entertainment and shopping district for unique, creative, and eclectic treasures, at the best values

JIM SWAFFORD President, Northside Business Association

THE NORTHSIDER MONTHLY

LETTER FROM THE EDITOR

Black Lives Matter When the news broke that a grand jury chose not to indict the officer who shot and killed 12 year old Tamir Rice, I attended a Black Lives Matter rally in OTR. According to the Enquirer report, over a hundred other people felt moved to attend as well. I did not intend to do so, but I spoke at that event. I’d like to share with you a few things I had to say that evening, and a few things I’ve said elsewhere. First, I am not Black, so I do not share the African American experience in this country. I am Latino. From my lived experience as a Latino, I do understand something of the gap that exists between White folks and those of us who do not identify as such. I began to learn this lesson in my youth. As a young boy in primary school, my White peers made up a racially motivated “nursery rhyme” that compared me to a monkey. The monkey has a long history of symbolic use to demean and humiliate African Americans in this country. Clearly, not only African Americans. As a college undergraduate, friends and I were locked in conversation while walking down a main street. We were speaking in Spanish. Another student felt it appropriate to inform us that in this country, we speak English. Otherwise, he told us in more unfriendly terms, we were all welcome to go back to our own country. Having to explain that I was born in this country, that this is my country, too, is something I have grown uncomfortably used to. Having to defend the fact that my multilanguage background is a source of cultural and historical pride has always saddened me. As a parent THE NORTHSIDER MONTHLY

raising a dual-lingual child who is learning to read at the age of three, it hurts to know she will face similar discriminatory actions one day not far off. On average, African American parents begin to speak about race to their children around age 3. White parents begin to speak about race to their children around age 11. Again, this is an average. As a Latino parent, I began to speak in racial terms to my daughter when she was born. She is a truly intelligent and beautiful, brown child. It is important for her to know those two things always. Regarding death at the hands of police, Latinos are twice as likely to be killed by an officer when compared to their White counterparts. African Americans are three times as likely to die. “Although black men make up only 6 percent of the U.S. population, they account for 40 percent of the unarmed men shot to death by police” in 2015, according to a recent Washington Post study. The sadness and frustration that I and so many others have felt and continue to feel with a “justice” system that devalues the black lives and brown lives that have contributed so much to our culture, history and humanity, I cannot fully capture those emotions in printed language. The feelings of generational loss, of pain and suffering that are passed on from parent to child across time exist at the bodily level. One of the best outlets for this suffering is through community organizing and building. We all have much to learn from our African American friends, colleagues, neighbors, and fellow human beings.

Tamir Rice

The sooner we all realize that Justice for Tamir Rice is granting justice for us all, the better off we will be as a nation and as a people. #Blacklivesmatter TO REACH OUT DIRECTLY TO THE NORTHSIDER MONTHLY TEAM: Email: northsidermonthly@gmail.com

LEO PIERSON D’CRUZ Leo Pierson D’Cruz is Principal and CCO at Reverb Art + Design and the new Editor in Chief of The Northsider Monthly. He is also a candidate for State Representative of Ohio’s 32nd District. Follow him on Facebook and Twitter @lpdcruz

EDUCATION

When You See My Name: Debut Publication of the WordPlay Press! out that mission each time she enters the WordPlay space. There are hugs and warm greetings, often a surprise or two tucked into her bag to share with the children, inviting questions, discussion, and introspection. Every step of her writing guidance is infused with compassion and respect for each child’s unique path of self-expression.

11 children sat around the large oak table that Saturday afternoon. Pencils and paper were temporarily forgotten, all eyes were focused on the blackboard. WordPlay Writer-in-Residence Pauletta Hansel, chalk in hand, was laying out the steps for a recipe. A recipe? Absolutely! A Recipe for Me, one of the many engaging writing prompts children dive into each week in our young writers circles. Pauletta brought in brownies from Bonomoni Bakery down the street, and talked to the children, ranging in age from 5-12, about what goes into making brownies. “You start by listing ingredients, but how much of each? And what do we do with those ingredients to get the end result? But how in the world would 4

you tell someone how to make you? What ingredients are essential to who you are, and in what proportions?” WordPlay’s Writer-in-Residence program brings free professional creative writing instruction to the students of WordPlay, from the very youngest writers in Kindergarten, to seniors in high school. Just over 85% of those children meet the criteria for receiving free lunch at school, which means many of the 150+ students participating in WordPlay’s weekly programs face daily struggles. Helping families who face such hardships is central to WordPlay’s mission, as is celebrating each student’s individual voice and creativity. Pauletta Hansel, now in her second year as Writer-in-Residence, carries

December 1st marked a huge milestone for WordPlay and the Writerin-Residence program, the debut of the WordPlay Press and its first publication of student writing from the 2014-15 school year, When You See My Name. An anthology of writing from our young writers circles for students in grades K-8, When You See My Name is available for purchase for $20, either online through www.wordplaycincy.org/ donate, or you can walk in during the writing center’s open hours to pick up your copy (Monday - Thursday 2:30 - 6 pm, and Saturday 12 - 4 pm). 100% of proceeds from each copy go directly back to our young writers programs, which are free to all who participate. In her intro to this first publication, WordPlay Executive Director Libby Hunter writes,

“THE DAILY RHYTHM OF OUR NORTHSIDE WRITING CENTER IS DRIVEN BY RELATIONSHIPS. WE ARE GIVING CHILDREN FROM DIVERSE BACKGROUNDS, NEIGHBORHOODS, AND SCHOOLS A PLACE WHERE THEY CAN WORK AND CREATE TOGETHER, COME TO KNOW AND TRUST EACH OTHER, THEIR TUTORS, AND MOST IMPORTANTLY - THEMSELVES. THIS COLLECTION OF WRITING IS IN ESSENCE A SERIES OF

SELF-PORTRAITS OF OUR YOUNGEST SCHOLARS, AGES 5-12; A TESTAMENT TO THEIR BRAVE EXPLORATION OF SELF AND IDENTITY THROUGH CREATIVE WRITING. THIS WAS A FIRST FOR MANY OF THEM. “ For the current school year, the Writers-in-Residence continue to lead both the Saturday and Thursday young writers circles, but the focus of the WordPlay Press’ second publication, to be released in summer 2016, is the teens. Throughout the year, Pauletta is leading writing projects for WordUP, WordPlay’s after-school teen program for high school students from Hughes and Aiken High Schools, as well as the WordPlay Cincy Scribes, a weekly poetry, creative writing and spoken word workshop for teens led by teaching artist Desirae Hosley. The WordPlay Writer-in-Residence programs also partners with local schools, providing fun, immersive creative writing experience to classrooms at no cost. In April, WordPlay will be partnering with Chase Elementary School and the Northside branch of the Public Library on a public poetry project for National Poetry Month - stay tuned for fun details to come. For more information on how to purchase an anthology, enroll a child, volunteer or otherwise get involved, call 513-541-0930, email info@ wordplaycincy.org, or stop by WordPlay, 4041 Hamilton Ave. 45223.

LIBBY HUNTER WordPlay co-founder and Executive Director

THE NORTHSIDER MONTHLY

HAPPEN HAPPENINGS

Teen Hall Riverboat Dinner and Dance On the evening of Saturday, December 12, members of Happen’s Teen Hall, along with Happen staff and volunteers, attended a dinner and dancing cruise aboard a B&B riverboat to celebrate the work and community of Happen’s Teen Hall. Teen Hall began two years ago to give local teens a place to meet and develop projects that benefit the community and the teen members. Over that time the teens have been involved in neighborhood clean ups, Happen’s Family Art Picnics in Fergus Park, and community gardening along with their own monthly Saturday night meet ups in Happen’s studio. Over the past year Teen Hall members began planning what would become their Riverboat Dinner and Dance and while they knew what they wanted to do they weren’t sure how they were going to make it happen. That’s when an anonymous donor stepped in to cover the full cost of the dance with the understanding that the teens would have to earn their way on. Starting in early November, with the help of a number of volunteers, Happen hosted 16 Teen Hall Sessions covering everything from table manners to Caribbean dance. By taking part in just three of these sessions, teens could earn their ticket to the big dance. But by attending six sessions teens would earn VIP status for the dance, which included a limo ride to the riverboat, gift cards to Sidewinder Coffee & Tea, and custom designed a, 3D printed anchor pendant as a memento of their big night.

THE NORTHSIDER MONTHLY

While the teens could take part in any of the 16 sessions to earn their spot for the dance special emphasis was placed on a handful of events focused on job skills. With the volunteer help of a local human resources executive teens were coached in job application and resume techniques and took part in practice interviews to help them begin to build the skills they’ll need in their early adulthood. All in all, 17 of 24 teen hall members earned their way onto the riverboat dance to enjoy a meal and a night of dancing with each other and the volunteers who helped make their big night a reality. Happen, Inc. would like to thank everyone involved in Happen’s Teen Hall Riverboat Dinner and Dance, with a special “thank you!” from all the teens to the anonymous donor whose generosity serves a perfect example for them to follow as they grow into young adults. FOR MORE INFORMATION: Visit: www.happeninc.org Call: (513) 751-2345 E-mail: admin@happeninc.org

HAPPEN, INC. Art activities for parents & children 4201 Hamilton Ave (& Chase)

SPIRITS

GOINGS ON ABOUT NORTHSIDE

New Years Resolutions

Bee Haven Honey

The ol’ New Year’s resolution—because there’s really only one time of year to try to get yourself back on the right track, amirite? Well, if you decide to take a dry month (don’t), then you may as well start reading the next article. For the rest of us imbibers, what better way to convince yourself that you’re actually sticking to your resolution this year than by cutting back on beer (with all its carbs and calories) and starting to drink spirits like an adult person. There are some choice spots to check out in Northside for all of your brown and clear spirituous needs.

Last month we spotlighted Chocolat Latour. So, this month we wanted to dig deeper into the story of Chocolate Bee, the joint venture between Shalini Latour of Chocolat Latour and Sam Zurek Gordon of Bee Haven. The development of this business is not an uncommon story in Northside: passion meets opportunity meets collaboration. For Sam and Shalini, their meeting point was Jan Young, the owner of Cluxton Alley coffee.

Littlefield, Spring Grove Ave. Oh, sweet, sweet, bourbon. Is there a more American beverage? I think not! Bourbon—neat, on the rocks, or with a splash of water—is the best bang for your ethanol-fueled-caloric buck, and Littlefield has over 70 different bourbons for your guilt-free enjoyment. Arcade Legacy, Spring Grove Ave. New year, new games, new drinks! Let your body figure out what’s getting more stimulation, your brain or your liver, while you enjoy a house cocktail and practice serving up tall, frothy glasses of virtual liquid in Root Beer Tapper.

Barrio Tequileria, Spring Grove Ave. Tequila? Tequila. From south of the border, Barrio is serving up over 20 different tequilas for you to enjoy in a flight, on the rocks, or in one of their delicious house margaritas. Lime, salt, tequila? Tequila, salt, lime? How does that go again….? Bartender! Ruth’s Parkside Café, Blue Rock St. There is only one cocktail ruling as the undisputed monarch of the clear spirits realm, The Martini. Whether you prefer vodka or gin, shaken or stirred, olive or twist (ha!), Ruth’s will pour you a martini that is sure to be colder than the weather waiting for you outside. Junker’s Tavern, Langland St. Who are you kidding? It’s the end of the month, and you may as well drop the charade and get back to the beer. Ease back into your old, beer-y self with a Boilermaker (beer and a shot of choice). Guarantee you won’t find a cheaper (or stiffer) drink anywhere else in Northside.

BRETT KOLLMANN BAKER Bret Kollmann Baker is a Northside resident, liquid enthusiast, and Co-owner/Chief of Brewing Operations at Urban Artifact.

Jan and Shalini knew each other from sharing a table at Northside Farmer’s Market. Sam and Jan also knew each other through the Farmer’s market. Jan understood that both were looking for an opportunity to have a storefront, but neither was able to do so on their own. When Jan had a vacancy coming up in summer of 2015, she put the bug in the ear of her two friends. The idea was to do a joint store highlighting both businesses. I asked Sam what her reaction was when Jan approached her with the idea. She told me, “I had a good feeling about this. We both have a lot of respect for Jan, and if she thought this was a good idea, I thought, ‘let’s give this a try!’” Sam told me how her business has grown. She started out by reading

The Secret Life of Bees. In 2005, she asked her parents if she could stick a couple hives in the back yard. “It was a hobby,” Sam explained. “Then you go from two to thirty hives. Now it’s a hobby out of control!” Having too much honey, her mother and her began to sell some of it. Today she has to visit 17 locations around Southwest Ohio just to keep up with all of her hives. And still, she needs to outsource a little to other bee keepers in order to keep up with demand. Be Haven stocks their shelves with honey, candles made from bees wax, salves and other bee-based products. Asked what customers should pick up this time of year, “Oh the salves are very popular! People get dry, cracked hands and lips because of the winter air.” And on the honey? “There is a wildflower honey from earlier in the summer. It has a light, mellow flavor.” Or for something a bit deeper, with a more amber color, try the late summer variety. “It all depends on the flowers, the weather, time of year, etc. People are surprised when I tell them how these factors affect the flavor outcome. It’s all about the learning experience! Visit 4037 Hamilton Ave. Wed-Sat 12-7, Sunday 12-5

LEO PIERSON D’CRUZ

Serving Northside lunch + dinner Monday–Friday & dinner Saturday

THE NORTHSIDER MONTHLY

GOINGS ON ABOUT NORTHSIDE

Darou Salam Offers African Cuisine Cheikh Ndiaye came to the United States from Touba, Senegal well over a decade ago. He was in his 20s then. He’s now in his early 42 and owns two flourishing businesses on Northside’s Hamiliton Avenue. He took over ownership of Darou Salam grocery store in 2012 and he and his wife, Adja, started the restaurant in the former Picnic and Pantry space in October. On the day I went in to interview Cheikh, the restaurant door was wide open and the smell of the kitchen had made its way to the street. There was a constant stream of customers walking in and out. They were all from West Africa; many from Senegal. Cheikh seemed to know everyone. People walked in, exchanged smiles, and greeted Cheikh with a respectfully extended handshake.. “I know a lot of them,” Cheikh explained. “These are folks who came in from day one.” I didn’t always understand everything what was being said between people. There was a mix of languages being spoken around me. Wolof is a common Senegalese language. French is as well. Everybody who came in made sure to greet me, though. As a person who speaks both Spanish and English, it is not uncommon for me to be in a multi-lingual environment. And I was pleasantly surprised when two customers greeted me in fairly fluent Spanish. Darou Salam provides an amicably global atmosphere for the person open to a little off-thepath exploration.

is no other West African restaurant nearby. My customers come from Senegal, Mauritania and Mali, but they live in Westwood, College Hill and also in Northern Kentucky. So when Picnic and pantry moved out, it was another good opportunity to start the shop right across the street [from the grocery]. Cheikh and Adja were intentional about their chef, who goes by Sokhna. For West African cuisine, Cheikh indemnified her as the best in the city. She has twelve years of experience in New York City, plus 5 years here in Cincinnati. Altogether, she has been doing this for at least 20 years. According to Cheikh, “Even in NY, everybody knows who she is. Everybody knows the name Sokhna.” If you’re new to Darou Salam, Cheikh recommends, “Try the fish or the chicken! My chicken is 100% better than any chicken around. Rice and fish is a typical dish, as is rice and lamb.” To drink, try a bottle of Sorrel or Bouye. Bouye is from the Baobab Tree, and Sorrel is one name for a type of hibiscus used to make the drink. If you’re looking for a bit more zing, get the Ginger. Darou Salam is open 12-11pm, seven days a week. The food is excellent. If you haven’t already done so, give them a try. FOR MORE INFORMATION: Visit 4163 Hamilton Ave. Open every day from 12-11pm

LEO PIERSON D’CRUZ

Asked why he decided to open the restaurant, Cheikh said, “People were saying open the restaurant because it will be more convenient for them. There THE NORTHSIDER MONTHLY

DEVELOPMENT

Northside, meet the Gantry. It’s impossible not to notice the prominent 131-unit rental living community and retail space currently under construction on the corner of Blue Rock and Hamilton Avenues. Slated for first tenants to being occupancy in December, the building has been dubbed “The Gantry,” named after a mechanism used in lumber yards like the one that previously occupied the site for over 50 years. The new, mixed-use development is a project of Milhaus Ventures, an Indianapolis-based development and property management company. In total, it features two fourstory and one three-story building, as well as 8,000 square feet of groundlevel retail along the business corridor on Hamilton Avenue.

Neighborhood activists and architects contested the development, which many felt was not in keeping with the existing historic character of the community. In 2006, the City of Cincinnati purchased the land parcel and the property sat vacant until 2012, when city council passed a motion to involve the community in the process of redeveloping the corner. A steering committee comprised of local architects, nearby residents, and community members was formed as part of the community vetting process. Through a competitive process the city selected Milhaus Ventures to develop the corner, and brought designs before the steering committee and community council.

The process of turning a vacant industrial space into a high-density residential and retail development didn’t happen overnight. When the Myron G. Johnson & Son Lumber Co. closed in 2005, the site almost became a suburban-style Walgreens.

“It looked like it was really going to be a value to Northside from an economic standpoint,” steering committee member Michael Wizer recalls, “but Northside is really a group of eclectic people with their own opinions.” Northside Business Association

President Bruce Demske also sat on the steering committee and was a strong proponent of the development, “There was consensus amongst the business association members. We want density, period.” The new development is expected to bring an influx of new and affluent residents attracted to the unique and quirky small businesses for which Northside is known. An increase in affluent residents will certainly bring positive economic changes to Northside. But, others wondered, would this increase in wealthier residents be a harbinger of changes that could push out socioeconomic diversity? “Northside is absolutely changing in terms of its demographic, gentrifying in a certain way,” Wizer said, “but it’s hard to gauge what effect the Gantry will have on the demographic simply because the demographic is shifting in a bigger way.” Demske pointed out that “You still don’t have to look very far to see that Northside has a fair share of lowincome housing...though every year

we have less. It’s something to think about in a neighborhood that is proud of our diversity and draws a lot from that diversity.” In addition to discussion about how the development would affect local business and housing prices, reception also varied regarding the appearance of the building. Some residents questioned how the modern aesthetic of the building, which differed from existing buildings on Hamilton, would fit into the historic character of the neighborhood. Local architectural intern and community council member Mary Jo Minerich helped to push for a simplified appearance to the building that she hoped would help to make it feel more integrated into the community. “It has a lot to do with the position of the site, that’s what makes it a lightning rod for commentary,” Minerich said. Some voiced concerns that the building was generic, as though it could have been plucked out of Clifton or Over-TheRhine. “There is this sense that this THE NORTHSIDER MONTHLY

“FROM THE BEGINNING WE WORKED HAND IN HAND WITH THE COUNCIL AND THE BUSINESS ASSOCIATION. NOW WE JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE STICK TO WHAT WE PROMISED WHICH IS THAT WE’RE HERE TO HELP THE COMMUNITY AND TO WORK WITH THE COMMUNITY.” —JODI RIDINGS, THE DIRECTOR OF RESIDENTIAL SERVICES AT THE GANTRY

neighborhood is special and deserves something special,” Minerich said. Despite some misgivings, “all the right questions were asked,” according to Wizer, and Milhaus ultimately received the community council’s blessing to move forward with construction. “The community had a bigger hand in this than nearly any other development in Cincinnati. Milhaus came to the table and was open to community input,” said Demske, “it was to their credit that they solicited our input and actually listened to it.” Jodi Ridings, the Director of Residential Services at the Gantry, echoes that sentiment. “From the beginning we worked hand in hand with the council and the business association. Now we just want to make sure that we stick to what we promised which is that we’re here to help the community and to work with the community.” Ridings explained that the Gantry is focused on bringing in “a demographic that can help THE NORTHSIDER MONTHLY

support local businesses.” The units are market rate, ranging in price from $683 for a 385 sq. ft. studio to $1,545 for a two-bedroom, two-bath apartment. Though the apartments are fresh and bright, with large windows and energy efficient features that make the property a silver LEED certification candidate, the property is also streamlined and minimal to encourage residents to venture into the community rather than staying insulated inside the apartment community. As Gantry Marketing Manager Jordan Hovanec explains, “The Gantry does not have any physical amenities within the building like a fitness center because we want the residents to be able to go out and enjoy Northside. Northside itself is the amenity.” The Gantry will not only bring in new residents in support of local business, it also features retail space built into the ground level. Kathleen Norris of Urban Fast Forward is in charge of recruiting

initial retail tenants. “I specialize in independent retail and restaurateurs,” Norris explained, “and I certainly won’t bring you an Applebee’s!” Though the retail is at a slightly higher cost per square foot than other spaces in Northside, Norris underscores the unique opportunity that the Gantry brings. “With this new construction, businesses can start with a neutral space and make it what they want. It’s bigger than almost any available space [already in Northside].” Announcements of the initial retail partners are expected in early 2016.

Individuals interested in leasing options, employment opportunities, or with questions on the new property are encouraged to reach out to Jodi Ridings at jodi.ridings@gantrylife.com

KAMAL E. KIMBALL Kamal has called Northside home since February and loves all that the neighborhood has to offer! When she’s not stuffing her face at Melt or Django, she can be found listening to live music at Northside Tavern.

As the move-in dates for new residents and businesses draw near, many look forward to the changes the Gantry will bring to the community with excitement, curiosity, and maybe even a little trepidation. “People are protective of their neighborhoods,” Norris said, but “the Gantry is going to bring so much to Northside.” You can stay up to date on goings on at the Gantry via Facebook and on their website, www.gantrylife.com. 9

ENVIRONMENT

Smog Demystified OZONE – CAN’T LIVE WITH IT, CAN’T LIVE WITHOUT IT Hearing about the VW scandal was a gut punch – I thought, “We bought this car to help lessen global warming, not make it worse!” Later I learned our VW is causing excess smog, not excess greenhouse gas. Smog? Is that still a thing? Our VW is emitting excess Nitrogen Oxide (NO) and Dioxide (NO2), not Nitrous Oxide (the bad greenhouse gas). When Nitrogen Oxides react with their gaseous co-conspirators Carbon Monoxide (CO) or VOC’s (such as evaporated gasoline) , ozone is formed. And ozone is the main component of smog. Heat really ramps this up, which is why in the summer there are those warnings to avoid gassing up during the daytime. The Nitrogen Oxides come from combustion – such as occurs in cars and electric plants (especially coal plants, but natural gas plants too). Same for Carbon Monoxide and VOC’s! How convenient… But wait isn’t ozone supposed to protect us from UV rays? Yes, but that is ozone in the Upper Atmosphere. Smog is ozone in the Lower Atmosphere. 10

Ozone is very reactive, and accordingly only lasts approx 22 days after it’s created (too short to cause much global warming). Think of ozone as a tiny version of the fireworks called Bang Snaps (or Snap-its or Whipper-Snappers). Left alone ozone doesn’t do anything, but as soon as it bangs into something it leads to a tiny explosion. When you breathe in ozone it bangs into and reacts with your small lung pipes (called bronchioles). Just like when your older sibling hit you in the thigh yelling “Charlie Horse!”, two things happen: first the bronchiole swells, and second the muscles in the bronchiole spasm. A bronchiole tube is only about 1mm across to begin with. Make the tube swell. The hole gets smaller. Make the tube spasm. The hole gets smaller still. The smaller hole makes it hard for air to move through, and some of the holes get so small the moving air makes a whistling sound (wheezing). Hello Asthma! Smog is kind of like second hand smoke. For a whole city. This is what makes smog so bad. People with lung problems, such as

children with asthma, are already susceptible to wheezing. So throw some ozone in there and you’re sending that kid to the ER. An older person with emphysema? Same thing. How bad is the smog in Cincinnati? Actually kind of bad (especially in summer)-- for two reasons. First the Ohio Valley has a lot of Coal Electric Plants all along the Ohio River. As you’ll remember Coal Plants emit all the ingredients needed for smog – namely Nitrogen Oxides + Carbon Monoxide / VOC’s. Second because smog is a little heavier than air it likes to settle in low-lying areas like valleys. Just like where we live! Children in the city of Cincinnati have a significantly higher rate of asthma than in the surrounding areas, and smog is thought to be a significant factor. Unthank you VW! And coal -- you too.

CASEY MOOTHART Casey Moothart is new to Northside. His family unproudly owns a VW “clean” diesel. Also he is a Pediatrician. THE NORTHSIDER MONTHLY

FOOD CULTURE

Family-Owned Bakery Serves Up Treats Each morning Blue Rock Street awakens with the delightful scents of sweets and fresh baked breads wafting from the Bonomini Bakery. The scents filling the air in and around this Northside bakery are created by third generation owners and brothers Joseph and John Bonomini. These aromas and the neon red bakery sign jutting out from the Northside business entice passersby to come in. Immediately upon entering there is a small display case home to cakes beautifully decorated with pastel flowers. Next to the small case are two large glass cases lined with tray after tray of colorful baked goods that make anyone who walks in feel like a child again. It’s almost impossible to stop and focus on just one tray. Beyond these cases, behind the counter, is a wall length case stocked with fresh baked breads. The family has been dishing up treats in Northside for nearly 90 years. Joseph and John’s grandfather, Joseph Voltz, paved the future for his family and Northside residents when in 1927 he opened Voltz Bakery on Virginia

Avenue. But, in 1974 the City of Cincinnati bought and demolished Volz Bakery to make way for the HamiltonColerain Connector. Two years later, in 1976, Joseph and John’s parents, Virginia and her late husband Leonard, decided to reopen the bakery in their current location on Blue Rock Street, which had previously been home to the Blue Rock Bakery. In the mid 1980s, Virginia’s sons John and Joseph took over the bakery. Today Virginia is still active in the bakery and continues to go in to help with customers. The brothers serve as both owners and bakers arriving at 2 every morning to prepare treats for their loyal customers. “I think we’re still in business today because we offer good quality products,” Virginia Bonomini said. “We have a wide variety of products, and everything in our store is made from scratch on site.” The cases are filled with treats including doughnuts, breakfast rolls, Danishes, coffee cakes, jellyrolls, and fresh baked breads. Bonomini Bakery offers seasonal treats including Paczki,

available from mid-January to Fat Tuesday, and hot cross buns, which are available throughout Lent. However, Virginia believes their most popular item is their German doughnut the klunker. These doughnuts have are composed of a deep-fried cake doughnut coated in a sugar glaze. The bakery’s klunkers even earned a spot in the “101 Amazing American Doughnut Shops with Serious Street Cred” from New York Magazine’s Grub Street. A SeriousEats.com blog post raves about the klunkers stating, “Unlike many cake doughnuts, which dry out easily and crumble too soon, the klunkers retained both their firmness and moisture throughout the day, when hands continually went to grab them.” Sustaining a family business is not easy. Only one-third of family-owned businesses survive the transition from the first to second generation and only 12 percent survive the transition to the third generation, according to a CNN Money article. The bakery received a wave of new customers as people moved to Northside and the neighborhood

changed as more independently owned businesses opened. But as a result of their longstanding reputation in the area, a large number of the Bonomini Bakery’s customers are the same people who have been supporting the Bonomini family for years. Some customers are former Northside residents who return to the area just to visit the Bonomini Bakery. “We have some older customers who come in and still remember buying breakfast rolls before they would walk to school,” Virginia said. Bonomini Bakery has remained successful without creating a website or having a large social media presence. However, a simple Google search will result in numerous rave reviews from customers. Today, the bakery continues to open at 5 a.m. Monday through Saturday, with a few loyal customers who continue to wait outside every morning. FOR MORE INFORMATION: Visit: 1677 Blue Rock St. Open: Monday-Saturday, 5am–6pm Call: 513-541-7501

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MADE IN NORTHSIDE

Spreading The Lurve FOUNDED BY FORESTRY SCHOLAR-TURNED-ENTREPRENEUR MARK HEIMAN IN 2012, LUR IS A WOMEN’S APPAREL RETAILER THAT CREATES PRODUCTS FROM 100% RECYCLED MATERIALS BY REUSING COTTON SCRAPS AND POST-CONSUMER PLASTIC BOTTLES. ITS UNIQUE FABRIC FINISHING PROCESS SAVES UP TO 70% OF THE WATER AND ENERGY SPENT BY TRADITIONAL MANUFACTURERS. passionate about sustainability,” said lur graphic designer and Northside resident David Sweitzer. “I love that our company has values and a vision I believe in. We go against fast fashion methods, pay fair wages to workers, and give back to the community,” added Flading.

Left: Snapdragon Top/Right: Passion Flower Swing Jacket

lur Offers SociallyConscious and EcoFriendly Women’s Apparel Did you know that the fashion industry is the second largest polluter in the world? Though it is commonly overshadowed by oil tycoons, the world of fashion is the second-dirtiest industry on the planet. We, the consumers, now wear polyester (made from oil) more than any other fabric. This is a harsh reality, and one of the many reasons why the pioneers at Northside’s lur are changing the rules to the game. Founded by forestry scholar-turnedentrepreneur Mark Heiman in 2012, lur is a women’s apparel retailer that creates products from 100% recycled materials by reusing cotton scraps 12

Designs by Val Lindsey. Photos by David Sweitzer

and post-consumer plastic bottles. Its unique fabric finishing process saves up to 70% of the water and energy spent by traditional manufacturers. It also avoids using environmentallydamaging dyes by utilizing the natural colors inherent in the very fiber of their products. Through ethical fashion, Heiman has created a culture that allows lur to attract consumers and employees alike. In fact, lur’s marketing coordinator Elizabeth Flading once worked at the Kismet boutique store in Athens, Ohio that sold lur products. “I asked the (store) owner to connect me to lur because of my interest in the environment and fashion,” said Flading. “My favorite thing about working for lur is working in an environment with other like-minded individuals who are

lur extends its philanthropy to the people and communities in Guatemala that make up the lifeblood of their company. Each product sold provides a full week of vocational training to a woman in Santa Cruz, Guatemala, one of the most poverty-stricken regions in the world, and home to where lur’s products are made. lur’s products are made to look good and persevere. Its best-selling products are the passion flower swing jacket and the snapdragon top. “Both are versatile and have a timeless look,” said Flading. “One of my personal favorites is the juniper skirt. It’s a simple, long pencil skirt but has a slit at the knee which gives it a cool edge. It can be worn year-round with tights and boots, which is always a good characteristic.”

Shop lur’s catalog and see how you can help them change the world at lurapparel.com or www.facebook. com/lurapparel. lur products are also available at Pangaea Trading Company, 325 Ludlow Ave., Clifton. “People are welcome to stop by and tour our warehouse,” said Mavis Concave, of lur’s marketing and outreach department. “Please call first in case we are in the middle of a big shipment.” FOR MORE INFORMATION: Visit: 1646 Hoffner Street Open: 9 a.m. - 5 p.m., Monday-Friday Call: (513) 873-5657

NICK MITCHELL Nick is a touring musician and the cofounder of Grasshopper Juice Records. He and his wife moved to Northside three years ago in appreciation of its alternative culture.

Flading also mentioned a new line of product development for 2016, which includes bags and purses. “Maybe we will even make some custom Northside totes for people to take to Apple Street Market,” she hinted. THE NORTHSIDER MONTHLY

OPINION

Cancer Justice Requires New Thinking, Leadership, and Action Cancer deaths for poor and minorities in Hamilton County are dramatically increasing, and too readily accepted by the health establishment. Cancer is now the number one killer of poor and minorities in our county. These deaths translate into twenty year life expectancy differences in Hamilton County neighborhoods. (N. Maseru and C. Jones. “Why Do We Die: Cincinnati Mortality Data Project. City of Cincinnati Health Department, 2011.) Sadly, there is no task force headed by a major health official or politician to call for a change in this reality. Our hospitals have continued to operate in a “business as usual” approach and business is “good.” But not for minorities and poor individuals. Access to timely care is not coordinated by the hospitals. So, questions arise as to where best to go for screening, education, language access, support and care. Changing this reality will require new thinking, leadership, and action. New Thinking: Every organization that works with poor people and minorities could be thought of as a cancer prevention agency. Right now, health concerns, including cancer, are not the

major focus of these organizations. Rightly organized for food, housing, education, family and individual emergencies, these organizations that work with the poor are flooded with demands that make up Hamilton County’s “safety net.” Unfortunately, cancer screening and education often falls into this category. Cancer care requires newer thinking about how to address the countywide crisis. Can the FreeStore, the Homeless Coalition, AMOS, CAIN, Christ Church Cathedral, Santa Maria, Closing the Health Gap, CILO, and other service agencies add cancer education to their goals? Which agencies are places where the population will feel comfortable with sharing fears and realities about cancer? Who will help citizens find their ways through the maze of questions about what is cancer? Who will help with providing a serious education, print materials that are bilingual and in-person discussion groups, to review cancer’s complexities? Once believing that cancer may be a possibility, who will coach individuals and their families to take the necessary steps in a timely fashion? Who will help with

transportation logistics, meetings at health clinics, appointments at hospitals, and contact with other cancer survivors? New Leadership: It might be said that health is too important to be left solely to hospitals and doctors. Agencies that serve the poor have the kind of leadership that is vitally needed in changing the quality of health options for their constituencies. Identifying a person within the agency to serve on a Cancer Prevention Council would start a process that could bring major results. This Council could look at each agency as a “home” for being open to educational and support for each individual. Being a leader means agreeing to find support for transportation, making contacts with the American Cancer Society for coming to the agency, and creating a “road map” that gets people to screenings and treatment in a timely manner. Using Harold Freeman’s, MD, approach to lay patient navigation, with each lay patient navigator having key responsibilities for linking people to health centers and hospitals, each agency becomes a key force for reducing cancer deaths. (H. Freeman. A Model Patient Navigation Program. Oncology Issues. September/ October 2004.) Eventually, the Cancer Prevention Council will need to link to the health systems directly and to the political systems that support healthcare as well. Unified in an organization promoting rapid reduction of cancer, the Cancer Prevention Council can represent an important social force for health in our city. New Action: In order to have “Cancer Justice” in Hamilton County, that is, equally high quality access to cancer

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screenings and treatment for all, individuals should expect that visiting a social service agency is also visiting a health agency. Agencies on board with the mission of reducing cancer deaths need to offer a set of activities that include education about the realities of cancer, a place to meet a lay patient navigator, and action to get through any obstacles to getting rapid screening and timely treatment. With such a “home” for any individual, the chances of being screened in the early stages of cancer are strongly improved and life with cancer increased. More effective practices by agencies in educating and providing support, also provide a base for greater pressure on the health systems to take more seriously the cancer needs of the poor and minorities. Changing the status quo, the acceptance of high numbers of death due to inadequate screening and treatment, has to be a major priority for all in our community. Our health systems must face a new kind of accountability in demonstrating that minorities and the poor have just as much a chance to be successful in their cancer treatment as nonpoor. Our health systems will need to change the boundaries for thinking and acting differently about who deserves full treatment. Cancer, in sum, is a moral concern: no poor person with the possibility of cancer should have a second thought about where and when they will be treated. The cancer plague can be stopped with this new approach.

STEVE SUNDERLAND Steve Sunderland is director of the Peace Village Cancer Project. 13

CREATIVE WRITING

COMMUNITY

CAIN Offers Free Tax-Preparation NORTHSIDE HARDWARE The paint above the paint is peeling. A stack of bolt cutters above the office desk. The nails are sold only by the box now. “you work here?” “yes ma’am.” “I heard you all got everything” “almost. what do you need?” I wonder, where did the old things go? The things that for years nobody needed, are still somehow missed. Nostalgia. Generations of price tagsan oil lamp. dusty wide mouth jars. cap thread gaskets. skeleton keys. Things are starting to make a little more sense and you can see where everything was back when nobody knew where anything was. Bill did. Kevin, I think he’d be proud.

SCOTT HOLZMAN Director of Programming scott@chasepublic.com

Get help from an Ohio Benefit Bank counselor or DIY! Churches Active in Northside (CAIN) is making it possible for people to file their taxes for free again this spring. CAIN will have tax counselors available Monday evenings from 6 -7 p.m. and Tuesdays and Thursdays from 10 a.m. - 1 p.m. at their 4230 Hamilton Ave. location from Jan. 5 through April 14. For the month of February, tax filing is also available at the Northside Farmers Market from 4 - 7 p.m. All sessions are first come, first served. Those earning under $65,000 per year as an individual or $95,000 as a couple are eligible to e-file their taxes for free through the Ohio Benefit Bank. One can self-file through a link on CAIN’s website, www.cainministry. org or can use an Ohio Benefit Banktrained tax counselor for assistance at CAIN or at Northside Farmers Market. One advantage to filing taxes is the Earned Income Tax Credit. Some childless individuals making under $14,000 or families making under $53,000 can qualify to get supplemental income in the form of a “tax credit”. The amount of the credit depends on how many children a family has, what one’s exact income level is, and how much tax is owed. For some working families, it can mean an additional $5,000 from the IRS within two weeks of filing. A working individual without children may get up to $500 back. It is also possible to file for the Earned Income Tax Credit for the last few years prior to this one if you were unaware of it and didn’t file.

The Ohio Benefit Bank hopes to help people keep more of their refunds, instead of having people lose a portion of their refund to pay for filing their taxes with a for-profit tax service. By working through the Ohio Benefit Bank program, CAIN can help individuals file their taxes electronically for free. Those eligible for a refund with a bank account can expect payment within two weeks. CAIN can also do SNAP (food stamp) and Medicaid health insurance applications all year long. For those interested in having their taxes filed for free at CAIN should bring tax documentation and bank information for direct deposit to CAIN during the pantry hours listed above. It would also be ideal to bring a copy of last year’s return as well, if that is available. For those interested in self-filing, a link is available on CAIN’s website: www.cainministry.org. To donate, volunteer or read or write reviews, visit www.cainministry.org

MONICA MURPHY Monica Murphy is a Catholic Worker working for CAIN as a full-time volunteer and certified OBB Tax Counselor.

Interested in filing your taxes for free but not able to make it to CAIN during business hours? Check out the United Way's Make Work Pay website: www.makeworkpay.com/taxassistance or call 2-1-1, the United Way's referral line. It can connect you with the United Way's other partners in free tax filing.

THE NORTHSIDER MONTHLY

WELLNESS

Listening for Silence Less well-known is the silence that Quakers foster. They believe that God’s “still small voice” is heard in the quiet. Their unprogrammed worship services may contain long periods of quiet. It is only when someone has heard that voice that he or she breaks the silence through sharing.

Through the years, some of my favorite times have been the early morning hours. I’ve treasured the solitude of awakening at 3 or 4 o’clock in the morning as a child on the farm, and as an adult at home in Cincinnati. The quality of silence at this time is almost pristine, as if the entire human world agrees that now is the time for rest. Even when visiting New York, the

city that never sleeps, I have found that a vast spacious quiet gradually draws over the metropolis at night.

Currently there are studies showing that coloring produces positive changes in the brain similar to those occurring through meditation. While I am all for adult coloring books, there is no doubt in my mind that it differs from meditation. Coloring gives us something to do and quiets the nervous system. A conscious intention around silence is quite another matter.

Winter is a particularly beautiful time to explore silence. When big snow spreads a blanket that insulates and dampens, nature gifts us with stillness.

Like all phenomena, I believe there are gradations to silence. “PLEASE be quiet!” We have all heard that and the resulting lack of talking. This is probably the grossest manifestation of silence.

Silence is hard to come by. We are so used to continual sound that the action of sitting in silence can be disturbing. We are all pretty up-to-date on the meditation methods which have been perfected by contemplative Buddhists over the last 2500 years.

Listening for the silence. Wherever we are, we have the opportunity to listen for the absence of sound. The gap between musical beats, traffic sounds, or kids playing can be quite large. We can rest in the gaps.

City Silence

JANUARY 4 - JANUARY 29 MONDAYS, WEDNESDAYS, AND FRIDAYS 5:15 - 5:45 P.M. FREE Turn off your digital devices and turn on your capacity for stillness, focus, wonder, creativity, compassion and awe.

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Witnessing the silence. More than the lack of auditory sounds, the voices in one’s head become less pronounced and an internal spaciousness begins to flower. Sitting in the silence. A state that is very hard to attain in most of our lives, except for nanoseconds. I would say it is akin to becoming one with silence. In January, City Silence will be offered at Future Life Now here in Northside. This wonderful Cincinnati-based program provides opportunities to sit with others in silence all over the city and around the world. Look for a location and time that works for you at http://citysilence.org/.

CYNTHIA ALLEN Cynthia Allen is a partner in Future Life Now, a holistic health center here in Northside. As a Feldenkrais Practitioner and Senior Trainer in Movement Intelligence, she is an expert in walking, joint health and just about anything related to movement. Reach her at 513-541-5720, www.futurelifenow.com, or email her at cynthiaallen@futurelifenow.com.

What Is Bones for Life®? THURSDAY, JANUARY 14 6:00 - 7:30 P.M. FREE

The Ego and Soul of Leadership WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 27 6:00 - 8:30 P.M. Details at futurelifenow.com

SCREEN

Happen Kid Film Critics

NIGHTMARES AND DREAMSCAPES: STORIES FROM STEPHEN KING “THE END OF THE WHOLE MESS” This month, the Happen’s Kid Critics get a second look at one of the primary names in horror - Stephen King - thanks to this 2006 TNT mini-series adaptation of Nightmares and Dreamscapes his short story collection. As most adult readers (as well as film and television audiences) know, King is the living master of supernatural and psychological horror, with a role call of novels (Carrie, Cujo, The Shining, and Misery to name a few) that have become cultural touchstones as a result of a plethora of adaptations. To introduce the Kid Critics to our latest installment in this series, I posed a couple of key questions. The first, if you could change any one thing about the

world, what would it be? And the follow-up question was, what would be the negative consequences of your proposed change? “The End of the Whole Mess” presents the story of filmmaker Howard Fornoy (Ron Livingston) who documents the tragic journey of his genius-level younger brother Robert (Henry Thomas), after he attempts to use his great intellect to solve a major global and societal challenge. The critics tackled this “Mess” with sharp insight. –TT Stern-Enzi Each month, Happen’s Kid Film Critics receive their own Happen film critic packet and a press badge. TT SternEnzi, Cincinnati film critic, provides insight about the film and guides the children as they write reviews.

“The End of the Whole Mess” centers on humanity’s flaws and how the greatest danger is often the one that lies within human nature. The story features two brothers, a genius and a prodigious filmmaker who grew up amongst a world of violence, pain and cruelty, and work together to create world peace. The actors, soundtrack, and visual effects all work together to make you feel like everybody is doomed. Nevertheless, I found the movie worth watching and I came away from it depressed but glad that someone out there knows that happy endings aren’t always satisfying. -Eliza This film is interesting and dark. It makes you think about humanity on a more personal level - for example with all the violence and war now what would happen if it all ended and what the consequences be. While gloomy and morose, the film is also about hope and love between the two brothers, with guilt playing a part as well. -Luci “Different from all the monster horror, this film focuses on the horrors that people may be living. It points out all the problems of today and puts them into a long, depressing, boring mess. The film focuses so much on the messages it forgets to make it interesting for the audience.” –Henry

EVENTS NORTHSIDE LIBRARY 1.6.16 / Preschool Storytime Enjoy books, songs, activities and more, while building early literacy skills. Ages: 3-6. 10am 1.12.16 / Games Galore! Come play Wii games, board games and Pokemon. All ages. 6pm 1.13.16 / Preschool Storytime Enjoy books, songs, activities and more, while building early literacy skills. Ages: 3-6. 10am 1.18.16 / Evening Arts Come create a Martin Luther King, Jr peace craft! All ages. 6pm

1.20.16 / Family Storytime Enjoy books, songs, activities and more, while building early literacy skills. Ages: 3-6. 6pm 1.23.16 / Family Movie Enjoy “Martin’s Big Words”! All ages. 3pm 1.27.16 / Preschool Storytime Enjoy books, songs, activities and more, while building early literacy skills. Ages: 3-6. 10am 1.27.16 / Afternoon Art Come create a winter craft! All ages. 4pm

http://www.cincinnatilibrary.org/branches/northside.html 16

LABOITEAUX WOODS: 1.15.16 / Family Science Night Bring your family to Trailside Nature Center as we delve into the world of science. Spend time outdoors exploring the stars in our telescope and rotate through indoor experiments. Trailside Nature Center, Burnet Woods. 7-9pm. Fee: $5/family, $2/person. Contact: 751-3679 or email michael.george@cincinnati-oh.gov. 1.15.16 / Exploring Winter Adaptations Warm up on a winter hike as we go in search of wildlife and conclude with S’mores at the new fire pit. 5400 Lanius Lane. 12–1:30pm. Ages: Families with children 6+. FREE with reservations. Contact: 513-542-2909 or email jason.watson@cincinnati-oh.gov.

1.18.16 / Wildlife Detectives! Holiday Break Day Camp Campers create their own secret agent portfolios then discover basic evidence collection techniques and solve a wildlife mystery. Communicate in code and develop critical thinking skills as we embark on the investigative trail. 5400 Lanius Lane. 9:30am-2:30pm. Ages 5-11. Fee: $25/ child. Contact: 513-542-2909 or email jason.watson@cincinnati-oh.gov.

VISIONARIES + VOICES 1.6.16 / Envelope Mail Art Exhibit This exhibit showcases relationshipbuilding through art. 800 Vine St., Main Library of the Public Library of Cincinnati and Hamilton County. THE NORTHSIDER MONTHLY

Join us in January as we explore how every life is respected, valued, and welcomed in our faith community.

Screening: Tues Feb 2, 6:30 PM Oakley Cinemark

“We welcome all people regardless of gender, race, age, culture, ethnic background, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, economic circumstances, family configuration, or difference of faith perspective. We celebrate the worth, dignity, and gifts of every person as a child of God.” - Our Reconciling Statement Progressive Faith Community All are welcome at God’s table Sunday Worship 10:30 AM LGBTQ-Friendly Methodist Church 3416 Clifton Ave, 45220 THE NORTHSIDER MONTHLY

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