BETHEL
JOURNAL
CELEBRATING
120 YEARS page 3A
Your Community Press newspaper serving Bethel, Chilo, Felicity, Franklin Township, Moscow, Neville, Tate Township, Washington Township
THURSDAY, APRIL 13, 2017
$1.00 BECAUSE COMMUNITY MATTERS
Bethel goes Hollywood for Redford, Spacek
Resident feels threatened by letters from Loveland mayor, call for resignation Marika Lee mlee1@communitypress.com
Sheila Vilvens svilvens@enquirer.com
T
he day Robert Redford and Sissy Spacek came to Clermont County will likely be the subject of conversations for years to come. The sidewalks of the Village of Bethel were packed as locals hoped to catch a glimpse of both Redford and Spacek during the filming of “The Old Man and The Gun.” The movie also stars Casey Affleck and Danny Glover and is about “an elderly bank robber who had managed to escape from prison over a dozen times in his life before moving to a retirement community” and “looks to spice things up with another heist.” This is the first time anything like this has happened in the village, Mayor Alan Ausman said. An episode of “Mystery at the Museum” was recently filmed at the Grant Memorial Building. The subject was world walker Steve Newman, a Bethel native. “The pastor of my church told me about it,” Ausman said. The Bethel United Methodist Church, 402 W. Plane St., served as a parking area and commissary, of sorts, for the film crew. That’s how they learned about the movie, according to church secretary Vicki Holland. “We’re pleased to host that here at our church,” she said. “I think it’s a big opportunity for the town of Bethel and we are excited to have this taking place in our town.” Ausman had mixed emotions prior to filming day. He said he was pleased the village was part of a major motion picture, but closure of Ohio 125 caused him concern. Throughout the day April 4, Plane Street was intermittently closed between North Main and North Charity streets. Some filming happened in the morning hours at Wichard Oil, 518 Plane St. The transformation of Wichard into Barksdale’s Auto Repair began April 3, according to owner Mark Wichard. He and his sister, Sue Church, are co-owners of the business started by their grandfather in 1932. A throw-back to the day of full-service
THANKS TO SHANE REINERT
Robert Redford in the Village of Bethel during filming of the movie “Old Man and The Gun.”
gas stations, they still pump gas, check the oil and put air in the tires at Wichard. A location scout dropped by about six weeks ago, looked around, snapped some photos and expressed an interest in using the gas station for the movie, Wichard said The business was closed as Redford, Spacek and others filmed inside the gas station. Wichard and his family enjoyed
THANKS TO MARK WICHARD
Wichard Oil in the village of Bethel is being transformed into Barksdale’s for filming of “The Old Man and The Gun.”
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an opportunity to meet the stars. “It’s fun,” he said of the experience. “Everybody is really excited.” Another filming location was the Midway Theater, 210 W. Plane St. It’s one of the only single-screen movie houses remaining in the state, Ausman said. Like Wichard’s, the theater was built in the 1930s and originally seated about 400 people. It has changed hands several times over the years. Current owners are Julia and Duane Brandstetter. “We’re excited that the little town of Bethel gets some action,” Duane Brandstetter said. “I think this could be something the town needs,” Julia Brandstetter said. “I feel like the town needs a pick-me-up. This is great.” The theater hasn’t presented movies for a paying audience for more than a year. Brandstetter said she hopes to make improvements to the historic theater and present movies and live stage productions in the future. During Tuesday’s filming, she hoped to snap photographs of the visiting Hollywood elite and prominently display them in the theater. Bethel wasn’t the only Clermont County location where filming occurred. The stars and film crew stopped by East Fork State Park April 3.
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After receiving “scare tactic” letters from an attorney representing Loveland Mayor Mark Fitzgerald, a group of Loveland residents have called for his resignation. Five residents received a spoliation warning from an attorney repre- Fitzgerald senting Fitzgerald. The letters said they have made “false and defamatory statements” regarding Fitzgerald’s time as the city administrator of North College Hill. The letter reads that Fitzgerald’s attorney is investigating and considering whether the comments were a matter of law and instructed them to not destroy, conceal or alter any paper, electronic files or other data. In February, North College Hill council voted to settle a whistleblower lawsuit from 2014 that was filed against Fitzgerald, who was the city administrator, and Dan Brooks, who was the mayor, for misusing city funds. As part of the settlement, North College Hill agreed to never employ or contract with Fitzgerald, including any entity he has an association with. Loveland resident Ellen Mershon, who received a letter, called it a scare tactic. “There is nothing personally that I have stated that is not a matter of public record or available through a quick internet search. Mister mayor, I will not allow myself to be intimidated by you, members of council who have aligned themselves with you or the city, if it chooses to align itself with this action,” Mershon said at the Loveland City Council meeting on March 28. Fitzgerald attempted to stop discussion about the letters multiple times, saying it was a personal matter not a city matter. “It seems to me that some of our speakers and some of our colleagues are trying to inject the city into this whole discussion. It is not a matter of business of the city of Loveland. It is a matter for me and I am the mayor,” Fitzgerald said. But the letter’s reference line reads “Spoliation Warning – Possible Defamation of
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