VIEWPOINTS 8A • WESTERN HILLS PRESS • JUNE 1, 2016
WESTERN HILLS Editor: Richard Maloney, rmaloney@communitypress.com, 248-7134
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EDITORIALS | LETTERS | COLUMNS | CH@TROOM
What’s your neighborhood story? Seemingly, when someone wants to demolish their so called “landmark” building, the preservation community always cries foul. Now, the old Dennison Hotel serves as a new line in the sand battle ground. Why? For perspective we need to ask: “Why do so many of our neighborhoods experience a birth to death life cycle? What vital signs are necessary in order for a neighborhood to resuscitate itself and be deemed “reborn”? Why are so many moving back to “invest” in our urban cores and first ring suburbs? Ultimately, the money moves because the neighborhood story changes. How a neighborhood changes depends on the public’s perception of
every neighborhood story subtitle: Is it getting worse, or is it getting better? Locally, the power of story is profound. Jim Grawe World War I COMMUNITY PRESS encouraged our city leadGUEST COLUMNIST ers to disavow the contributions made to Cincinnati heritage by its ethnic German citizens - and our iconic, urban core German neighborhoods took a long turn for the worse. Interestingly, by celebrating our German heritage in a story telling way, the perception of these neighborhoods improved. Fortunately, there was enough of the area’s
architectural heritage remaining, although dilapidated. The visual props tremendously helped the storytellers. Without them, there would be no walking tours to kindle our imaginations and stoke a “move back” preservation vision. These buildings are the ‘vital signs’ that romanticize the neighborhood story - the storyline’s lifeline that connects the past with the present and the future. Thankfully, this time-machine thinking is resurrecting these buildings, and in turn the Downtown living experience. Sadly, the Joseph Auto Group now wishes to build an office tower by demolishing the structurally sound Dennison - a landmark and a featured character in a story that helps us see the urban area in a new golden age.
Arguably, Joseph has leading man qualities. However, many believe the neighborhood script will not showcase the tower’s talent. Dennison will die, and the replacement tower’s starring role will be that of a hitman. Surely, the majority who enjoy the story’s preservation theme will not see the neighborhood as getting better. I’m reminded of a conversation with my German cousin. I marveled at the rhyme and reason in which the Germans redevelop their public realm, preserving and repurposing their best buildings - and their stories. He simply shrugged his shoulders and said, “We build it for the next guy.” By contrast, here at home, redevelopment that trumpets the “new and improved” at the expense of
our “best of the old” too often screams, “Me First!” to the determent of the neighborhood story. It’s a story that, like the public realm, belongs to all of us. Even though the Dennison is protected by the laws of the local historic district, the Historical Conservation Board is considering Joseph’s demolition request. Hopefully, the power of the purse will not encourage these appointed board members to disavow our architectural heritage. Ideally, these “city leaders” will think to make the next generation smile when asked, “What’s your neighborhood story?” Jim Grawe is a resident of Covedale and co-author of “East Price Hill’s Incline District Story.”
IT IS EASY TO FALL INTO A TRAP It is important to start with some history. I was in business for more than 40 years and have been retired for more than 12 years. What I am about to tell you is from experience and totally for the good of those who are willing to accept an artificial raise in income. Your wages are an important factor in your life. The most important factor is not how much you make, but what it will buy. That is determined by all of the costs that go into the final product. I am going to bring some truth into an increase in the minimum wage. I dealt with it for my entire business career. Let’s start with beginning workers. If they are given a raise in
the minimum, all of the people who are above them in the wage scale will be receiving a proportionately highEd Levy er wage. In addition, COMMUNITY PRESS all of the taxes GUEST COLUMNIST that are assessed on wages will be added to the costs of the product or service you are making or providing. When you go to the store, you will find that very soon your wages will buy less than they did. There are other factors working against you. Imports will have started to replace the
products you make. Or, your employer will start using automated machines that reduce your value to your employer. Let me give you a good example. In our business, The Clifton Shirt Co. in Loveland, we had a very loyal work force. We did everything we could to keep them. It is easier to compete when your training costs and absentee losses are minimal. Our union was a plus factor as they promoted our sales. During one negotiation session, they asked for a 20-cent an hour raise. My response was, would you settle for 25 cents? Loyalty was a valuable asset. Times changed. We had eight skilled operators and one semiskilled person on a critical
operation. An expensive new machine had been invented. We bought two. They replaced nine skilled with two motivated unskilled operators. Machines do not take time off and as wages increased our costs dropped since the cost of the machines remained constant. Competition rapidly changed our operation. Imports and non-union shops became powerful competitors. The loyalty of our customers became a victim of lower prices. Our only advantage was prompt delivery. Even that became less as lower costs allowed higher inventories. One only has to look at container ships with pre-packaged containers set up for cheap and
prompt delivery. This explains job losses and small, if any wage growth here. If the government wants to really help workers, it will make it profitable to hire people and profitable to take a job. This can be done by reducing the size and cost of government. It will also be necessary to reduce useless and costly regulations. One last and dangerous thought for working folks is the rapid development of robots. You might be replaced by a machine. P.S. Some of my minimum wage starters made it to management positions. Edward Levy is a resident of Montgomery.
CH@TROOM May 25 question What is your all-time favorite movie - the one that you will always watch if you come across it while channel-surfing? Why do you like it?
“Really tough call. For spectacular scenery and weak acting, it’s ‘The Eiger Sanction.’ For the most intensity, ‘Argo.’ Best portrayal of Jack Nicholson by Jack Nicholson, ‘As Good As It Gets.’ Reasons are all personal. Wife and I engaged on the Eiger Glacier while skiing. I took many trips to Tehran before the Ayatholla and as the unrest grew to gunfire in the alley where I was staying. Jack Nicholson has played so many ‘Jack Nicholson’ roles, he has become my favorite. Yet, I despised ‘Anger Management’ and ‘Chinatown.’ ‘You can’t handle the truth!’ is even more iconic than ‘Heeere’s Johnnnie.’” D.B.
“My favorite, all-time, No. 1, most awesome, incredibly meaningful, deep and amazing movie is the ‘70s classic ‘Harold and Maude,’ which tells the quirky story of a love affair (but mostly relationship) between an 18-yearold over-privileged young
“My all time favorite movie is ‘Step Brothers’ with Will Ferrell and John C. Reilly. It is one of the funniest movies I have ever seen. I find myself laughing just thinking about the interactions of the two step brothers in the film.”
THIS WEEK’S QUESTION Describe your “brush with greatness.” Every week we ask readers a question they can reply to via email. Send your answers to rmaloney@communitypress .com with Ch@troom in the subject line.
C.S.
man with a death obsession (not what you may think) and a 79-year-old concentration camp survivor with a spunk for life. If you have never seen this powerful movie you must. If you have seen it over 100 times, as someone I know, it’s past due time to immerse one’s self in it yet again. This movie is quirky, no doubt, but it holds so many deeper philosophical insights and positions on life that have been permanently woven into the fabric of my life. “Although not asked, you must be wondering what other movies round out my all-time Top 5 and they are: ‘Pay It Forward,’ ‘Out Of Time,’ ‘My Cousin Vinny’ and ‘The Shawshank Redemption.’ Rush out to Netflix or the library and enjoy all of these gems soon.” M.J.F.
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“My favorite movie of all time is ‘Animal House.’ It is a comedic time piece from the 1970s about college life around that time frame from a male perspective. There were many future stars in that movie that got their start including John Belushi and Kevin Bacon to name two. “Every time I see that movie it makes me smile and think about the good old days. Go Figure!” T.D.T.
“Easy A!”
Dalmesha Sloss
“Jaws.”
Patrick Hijduk
“Apocalypse Now.”
Jim Longano
“The Spitfire Grill.”
Debra Higgins Robertson
“My Cousin Vinny.” Because it makes me laugh
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out loud every time I watch it.”
“Saturday Night Fever.”
“Tombstone,” dock Saints.”
“’The Notebook’ because it is a beautiful love story.”
Susan-Mkac Gilmore Fultz
Boone-
Steven Leicht
“The Italian Job.” love the mini’s.”
Barbara Brown
“Eight Men Out.”
Ryan Sainola
“Steel Magnolias.”
Cassandra Jane
“Twister.”
Molly Miller
“Urban Cowboy.”
Nicole Stewart
“Pleasantville!”
Stephanie Collins
“‘Spencer's Mountain,’ a great family movie.”
Pamela Robinson Porter
“Say Anything.”
Shawnda Walker
“Tombstone.”
Cody Painter
“’50 First Dates,’ ‘Gone in 60 Seconds.’” Shannon Kessel
“Dirty Dancing.”
Sherry Johnson
Connie Gille Painter
Jennifer Jackson House
“Forrest Gump” – Life is like a box of chocolates!”
“‘The American President,’ great love story with very smart dialogue.”
Elizabeth Mason-Hill
“Everyone knows the only correct answer is ‘The Shawshank Redemption.’”
Brandon Kidwell
Terry Smith
“‘Grease’ 1 in a million movie”
“’Steel Magnolias’ ... can recite entire scenes along with the movie.”
“Love love the ‘Godfather.’”
Suzie McGuire Langen
“‘Crazy Stupid Love’ because it’s completely unpredictable.”
Linda Girard
“Brave heart and the patriot.”
Sharon McDonald
“‘Home Alone 1’ and ‘2.’ And ‘Frequency.’
Angela Bonney Cottrell
“I just can't choose between my top three .... sorry, but they are ‘Gone With The Wind,’ ‘Excalibur’ and ‘Mr. Holland’s Opus.’” Roxie Held
“The Blind Side.”
Marc Wicher
“The Sound of Music.”
7700 Service Center Drive West Chester, Ohio 45069 phone: 923-3111 fax: 853-6220 email: westernhills@communitypress.com web site: www.communitypress.com
Lori Marksberry Hendricks
Sharon McDonald
“‘Funny Farm’ with Chevy Chase. Because it's hysterical. It makes me laugh out loud.” Teresa Davis
“‘The Princess Bride’ till I die.” Bethany Pancerzewski Spence
“‘The Blind Side,’ “The Longest Yard,’ ‘National Treasure’ and ... ‘ELF.’” Rami Tannus
“The Sandlot.”
Megan Wiggins Nack
“‘Friday Night Lights,’ ‘Gone With the Wind,’ ‘Bad Santa.’” Robin Auntb Grote
Kathy Wagner Williams Western Hills Press Editor Richard Maloney rmaloney@communitypress.com, 248-7134 Office hours: 8:30 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday-Friday See page A2 for additional contact information.