July 24, 2022

THE TEE HIGGINS

From quiet Tennessee kid to Bengals star

SUNDAY+

We’ve expanded our Sunday print edition to give you more of the local coverage you’ve asked for. Look for Sunday+ inside today’s Enquirer.

+ Our History: How the Great Migration impacted the Reds. 4A + Your Hometown: Community news, shared by your neighbors. 16-17A + Arts in a Minute: Art Museum takes you into the bedroom. 3AA

Athlete overcomes hardships during his youth to play on biggest stage in game

ABOVE: Tee Higgins stands in front of his childhood home in Oak Ridge, Tenn., on June 10. The 23-year-old Cincinnati Bengals receiver retold the story of an incident that nearly took his mother’s life.

best cornerback in football. When he got to the end zone, he rightfully celebrated.

Tamaurice William Higgins, 6foot-4, 215 pounds and usually a quiet guy, danced like he was 6.

LEFT: Higgins catches a touchdown pass during Super Bowl 56 in February.

Lytle Park Hotel ranked among the best hotels in the world

International travel has been rising this summer, with more countries opening their borders post COVID-19 pandemic.

Due to this, Travel + Leisure released its annual ranking of the100 best hotels in the world, and a downtown Cincinnati hotel made the list.

Lytle Park Hotel, located at 311 Pike St.,rankedNo.71amongtheTop100Hotels in the World and No. 5 among the top 15 city hotels in the continental U.S.

In May, the magazine also recognized Lytle Park Hotel on its 2022 list of the 500 best hotels around the globe.

The original T+L 500 list was not ranked. Lytle Park was the only hotel in Ohio included in the T+L 500 list and the T+L top 100 rankings.

Travel + Leisure based its rankings on the World’s Best Awards survey conducted by the travel site, asking readers to share their opinions on the top hotels, resorts, cities, islands, cruise ships, spas, airlines and more.

YOUR FORECAST

Sunday is hot and humid with highs in the low-to-mid 90s. When you factor in humidity, it will feel like the upper 90s and low 100s.

Fortunately, there will be a breeze as winds could gust up to 25 miles per hour, so the shade will be helpful in addition to water and breaks if you’re outside.

Storms develop late Sunday and last through Monday morning. Heavy downpours, strong gusty winds and hail will be possible in any storm. The overnight storms will be the start of an active weather week with daily chances of rain and storms as temperatures slip in the 80s.

CORRECTIONS AND CLARIFICATIONS

The Enquirer is committed to accuracy and will correct all errors of substance. To reach us, contact reader representative Robin Buchanan at 513-768-8308 or email her at accuracy@enquirer.com. Please include whether you are responding to content online, in social media or in the newspaper.

LOTTERIES

Hotels were rated on their facilities, location, service, food and overall value. Properties were classified as city or resort based on their locations and amenities.

Lytle Park Hotel is part of the Autograph Collection, a group of independent upscale and luxury hotels within the Marriott International portfolio. The hotel is a combination of two historical buildings and Lytle Park.

The hotel has 106 oversized guestrooms, including 18 suites, and over 11,000squarefeetofmeetingandevent space.

In addition, the hotel features a central wine and cocktail bar in the main lobby; Subito, a fine-dining Italian restaurant and lounge; and Vista at Lytle Park, the city’s only four-season rooftop bar and event space that has breath-taking views of Lytle Park, downtown Cincinnati and the Ohio River.

For the complete list of the 2022 World’s Best Award Winners, visit Travel + Leisure’s website – Haadiza Ogwude

COVID-19 VACCINE DASHBOARD

LATEST IN ROLLOUT

OHIO

Doses received: 25,038,055

Residents with one dose: 7,482,172 or 64%

Residents fully vaccinated: 6,892,130 or 59%

Eligible now: Ages 6 months and up.

To register: Go online to gettheshot. coronavirus.ohio.gov to check eligibility and book an appointment or get a link to vaccine providers. Or call 833-427-5634.

KENTUCKY

Doses received: 9,625,975

Residents with one dose: 2,992,944 or 67%

Residents fully vaccinated: 2,593,203 or 58%

Eligible now: Ages 6 months and up. To register: Go online to vaccine. ky.gov, call 855-598-2246 (hearing impaired 855-326-4654).

jackpot is an estimated $790 million.

Saturday’s jackpot was an estimated $119 million.

TODAY IN HISTORY

Today is Sunday, July 24, the 205th day of 2022. On this date in:

1847: Mormon leader Brigham Young and his followers arrived in the Great Salt Lake Valley in present-day Utah.

1866: Tennessee became the first state to be readmitted to the Union after the Civil War.

1911: Yale University history professor Hiram Bingham III found the “Lost City of the Incas,” Machu Picchu, in Peru.

1915: The SS Eastland, a passenger ship carrying more than 2,500 people, rolled onto its side while docked at the Clark Street Bridge on the Chicago River; 844 people were reported killed.

1937: The state of Alabama dropped charges against four of the nine young Black men accused of raping two white women in the “Scottsboro Case.”

1959: During a visit to Moscow, Vice President Richard Nixon engaged in his famous “Kitchen Debate” with Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev.

1969: The Apollo 11 astronauts – two of whom had been the first men to set foot on the moon – splashed down in the Pacific.

1974: The U.S. Supreme Court ruled that President Richard Nixon had to turn over subpoenaed White House tape recordings

1975: An Apollo spacecraft splashed down in the Pacific, completing a mission which included the first-ever docking with a Soyuz capsule from the Soviet Union.

Why 22 million Americans delay trying a hearing device to solve their hearing problem.

Inadequate Information

Most people lose hearing gradually and may not realize they have significant loss. Your family and friends adapt by speaking to you more loudly and clearly.

Stigma and Cosmetics

Some people reject hearing aids because they are concerned of what other’s will think. This does not need to be a barrier to improving your hearing. With advances in technology your hearing solution can be nearly invisible to others. Once your quality of life is improved, cosmetics will be of less

concern to you.

Not Realizing the Importance of Hearing

Another reason for rejection of hearing aids is that people have forgotten how important hearing is to their quality of life. However, untreated hearing loss can lead to anxiety, stress, fatigue, withdrawal from family and friends, impaired memory, reduced alertness and personal safety, reduced job performance and earning power and diminished overall health.

Cost

Your hearing solution will be based on your type of loss and

Is it a good idea to buy a hearing aid by mail or online?

lifestyle. Many factor’s go into your hearing aid purchase and will affect the price. Which type and style is best for you?

What features do you need?

What’s included in the price?

(Warranty, 30-day trial period, Free cleaning and adjustments) Your hearing healthcare provider should present to you clear and easily understood pricing options as well as financing options. Be sure to freely ask any questions that will help you make an informed decision.

Source: Better Hearing Institute, Washington, DC

So you’ve decided to acknowledge your hearing loss. What should you expect from your hearing device?

Not all hearing aids perform the same with every type of loss, this is why it’s important to receive a hearing test to determine your unique solution. Don’t expect your friend’s hearing aid style to work for you.

Hearing aids will allow you to: 1) hear soft sounds that you could not hear without amplification 2) prevent loud sounds from becoming uncomfortable 3) recognize speech, not just noise Fit and comfort. Since your hearing aid is custom, you should expect a comfortable

fit. Discuss your lifestyle and needs with your hearing healthcare provider & understand your options. Expect benefits. Your ability to understand speech should demonstrably improve in the listening situations important to you. Work with your hearing healthcare professional to

adjust your hearing solution to meet your specific needs. Expect an adjustment period. Follow the instructions of your hearing healthcare provider and give your new hearing aids a chance. Most people need a period of adjustment before getting used to their improved hearing.

For years, you’ve seen the magazine ads for amazingly cheap hearing aids that are “every bit as good” as more expensive hearing aids provided by hearing-care professionals. More recently, a growing number of companies have been selling hearing aids via the Internet. The problem is that hearing aids are not merely amplifiers. They are sophisticated digital devices and require professional services including:

1) Audiometric testing to determine your unique hearing needs.

2) Selection and programming of the hearing aids to match your hearing loss. 3) Verification testing to ensure that you’re receiving maximum benefit. 4) Aftercare service, such as reprogramming, cleaning and adjustment

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has said: “Hearing aids should be properly fitted by a licensed hearing healthcare professional (such as an audiologist or a hearing aid dispenser) so that the amplification matches your hearing loss. If not fitted properly, too much amplification may cause additional hearing loss.” The FDA has not approved any hearing aid for over-the-counter sale.

Source:

Won’t hearing aids make me seem old?

As you may know there is still a strong stigma associated with wearing hearing aids. But, if hearing aids help you function like a normal hearing person, for all intents and purposes, the stigma is removed. Hearing aid manufacturers are well aware that cosmetics are an issue to many people. That’s why today we have hearing aids designed to be hidden both behind the ear and deep inside the ear canal. In addition to being virtually invisible, these devices have several acoustic advantages, including the elimination of squealing or feedback. In order to learn about your options and if this technology is right for you, contact your local Miracle-Ear professional.

How the Great Migration impacted the Cincinnati Reds

second phase of the Great Migration, after World War II. Attracted to jobs on the docks and shipyards, Oakland’s Black population, went from 3% in1940 to 35% in 1970.

If not for the Great Migration, the Cincinnati Reds’ history wouldn’t be as rich as it is today.

“Rickey,”a new book on baseball great Rickey Henderson written by Howard Bryant, includes a map of Black athletes, celebrities and activists who grew up in Oakland, California, having found their way to the Bay Area through the Great Migration.

Among them are Henderson, Boston Celtics legend Bill Russell, the Pointer Sisters, Black Panther Party founder Huey Newton and three of the greatest Reds players ever: Frank Robinson, Vada Pinson and Joe Morgan

The Great Migration

The Great Migration was the mass movement of 6 million Black people to the North, Midwest and West from 19101970, both for better job opportunities and to escape the racist Jim Crowe laws in the South.

“The Great Migration was a hope, but it was also a revolution for Black people in search of an America yet undiscovered, the one promised in the textbooks and the fancy speeches, the America where hard work and industry would translateintoopportunitynomatterwho you were – without being in danger of getting shot for trying to vote,” Bryant wrote.

The Black population of Cincinnati, the closest northern city for those who didn’t want to go far from their southern roots, more than doubled to nearly 50,000 between 1910 and 1930.

The West Coast boomed during the

Vada Pinson’s father, Vada Sr., was a longshoreman. He moved the family from Memphis, Tennessee, to Oakland when Vada was 6 years old in 1944.

Frank Robinson was the youngest of 10 children. His mother, Lula Mae Shaw, moved the family from Beaumont, Texas, to Oakland in 1939, when Robinson was 4. They lived in a multi-family tenement.

“It was a regular house with a regular garage, except that eight families were living in the eight rooms and one family was living in the garage,” Robinson said.

JoeMorgan’sfamilymovedfromBonham, Texas, to East Oakland in 1948 when he was 5. His father and other relatives got jobs at the Pacific Tire and Rubber Co.

“We were one of the first Black families to move into our neighborhood,” Morgan said. “Soon after our move, the neighborhood, sure enough, became all Black. They didn’t call it ‘redlining’ then, and no organizations protested, but this wastheall-too-commonpatternthatdeveloped in northern cities.”

Frank Robinson, Vada Pinson, and Curt Flood rose to stardom in high school

McClymonds High School in West Oakland was nicknamed the “School of Champions” for its high number of allstar athletes. Future MLB stars Robinson, Pinson and Curt Flood played together on the school’s baseball team. Robinson and Bill Russell were basketball teammates.

If it wasn’t for the OAL (Oakland

Continued on next page

Vada Pinson, left, and Frank Robinson celebrate the night the Reds cinched the pennant, Sept. 26, 1961. THE ENQUIRER/HERB HEISE

Athletic League) and the coaching I got from George Powles at McClymonds, I’d never be here,” Pinson, the former Reds outfielder, said in 1966. “That’s where I was first noticed. Frank Robinson had been the big hero out of school ahead of me and I think his success dragged me along too, got me fired up to play ball.”

Coach Powles had an eye for talent. He enlisted Robinson for his American Legion team when he was 14. Young Frank rode his bicycle to games. On his first at-bat he hit the ball over the center fielder’s head for a home run.

Baseball saved us,” Flood told the Oakland Tribune in 1970. “We all could have gotten into trouble without any trouble.” Flood had watched his brother getcaughtupinstealingandpettycrime.

Pinson, a pitcher in high school, was more interested in music. Powles told him to choose between “the trumpet or the bat.”

He chose baseball.

“Frank was shy,” their former coach said in 1970. “Even when we had him overatthehouse,he’dhardlylookatyou. But Curt was always the extrovert. Vada was in-between.”

In 1953, Robinson’s senior year, the McClymonds Warriors won the championship. Robinson, the star third baseman, hit .424. Flood, a sophomore, hit 429.

Signed by the Cincinnati Reds

After graduating, Robinson signed a $3,500 contract with Reds scout Bobby Mattick

Mattick spent decades scouting for the Reds, mostly out of Oakland.

“Everybody signed with him,” said outfielderJoeGaines,whospent1960-62 with the Reds. “If there were 30 guys in the area that signed, 25 of them signed with Cincinnati.”

Flood transferred to Oakland Tech, graduating in 1956, and signed with the Reds. Sent to spring training in Tampa, he was embarrassed to go to a Black boarding house with Frank Robinson and Chuck Harmon rather than the hotel for white players.

Although the color line had been brokenin1947,teamswereslowtointegrate.

The Reds fielded their first Black players in 1954 (Nino Escalera from Puerto Rico batted right before Harmon made his debut).

With Robinson in left field and Flood in center, the Reds needed to make room in the outfield to bring up Pinson in1958. They tried Flood at third base for a bit, then traded him to the St. Louis Cardinals.

Some wondered if the Reds feared having too many Black players at one time.

“There was a quota on a lot of ball clubs,” Robinson said. “If you saw a few [Black players] at spring training at a major league camp where there was more than four, you said, ‘Uh-uh, someone’s got to go.’”

RobinsonandPinsonwerestarsofthe 1961 NL pennant-winning Reds team, andRobinsonearnedMVP.Tradedtothe Baltimore Orioles in 1965 in what is regarded as one of the worst trades in baseball history, Robinson won another MVP as the Orioles won the World Series that year.

Joe Morgan’s path to the Queen City

MorganhadplayedballatCastlemont High School in Oakland, winning the OAL championship in 1961. Scouts were more interested in his teammate, pitcher Rudy May, who had an 18-year big-

Curt Flood was a seven-time Gold Glove center fielder and three-time All-Star. DARRYL NORENBERG/US PRESSWIRE

league career.

At Oakland City College, Morgan was the team’s leading hitter and base stealer, which finally got him noticed. He signed at age 19 with the Houston Colt 45s (now the Astros) for $500 a month and a $3,000 signing bonus.

In the minors with the Durham Bulls, Morgan faced racism as the only Black player on the team. In Winston-Salem, NorthCarolina,hewasnotallowedinthe same hotel as white teammates. Black fans were relegated to a section of the right-field stands that were fenced off like a cage.

Morgan nearly quit but stuck it out.

It would be nice to say that I changed mymindbecauseoftheexampleofearlier Black players who had it together, like Jackie Robinson,” Morgan said. “…But my decision came from my own sense of shame and embarrassment. When I thought of facing my father and telling himthatIhadquit–Isimplycouldnotgo ahead.”

Despite a solid stint at Houston, the All-Star second baseman got on the bad side of Astros manager Harry Walker. He went to the Reds in 1971 via blockbuster trade that gave Cincinnati key pieces of the Big Red Machine.

Morgan was the NL MVP in 1975 and 76, leading the Reds to World Series championships both years.

Challenging the system

With St. Louis, Curt Flood won two World Series and seven Gold Gloves. But he dared to challenge baseball’s reserve clause, which prevented a player from moving to another team unless traded.

In 1969, he sent a letter to Commissioner Bowie Kuhn:

“After 12 years in the major leagues, I do not feel I am a piece of property to be bought and sold irrespective of my wishes. I believe that any system which produces that result violates my basic rights as a citizen and is inconsistent with the laws of the United States and of the several States.”

Kuhn refused his request to sign with another team, so Flood filed a $1 million lawsuit against the league.

The Supreme Court ruled against Flood,buthesetthestageforfreeagency a few years later, although it came at the cost of his career.

Sources: Enquirer, Cincinnati Post and Oakland Tribune archives; “Rickey” by Howard Bryant; “A Well-Paid Slave: Curt Flood’s Fight for Free Agency in Professional Sports” by Brad Snyder; Society for American Baseball Research; Urban Migration & Gentrification website by Jack Delisio; U.S. Census; A Changing Oakland website; “Three Warriors” by David Hegler

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Landsman vs. Chabot race is getting ugly

Democrat is challenged over charity involvement

Scott Wartman

Greg Landsman helped found a charity that helps kids learn to read.

Nowit’sthebasisofacomplaintfrom a Republican-leaning nonprofit with ties to a former cabinet official in the Trump administration.

As the election nears and control of Congress hangs in the balance, accusations have started flying in the 1st Congressional District race in southwest Ohio. The district covers all of Warren County and part of Hamilton County.

Republican groups in the past week went on the offensive against Landsman, the Democratic candidate and Cincinnati city councilman.

Landsman is locked in a contentious race against U.S. Rep. Steve Chabot, a Republican from Westwood who’s represented the Cincinnati area district for 26 years.

Landsman’s form questioned

Earlier in the week, the Washington, D.C.-based Foundation for AccountabilityandCivicTrustfiledacomplaintover what it didn’t find in Landsman’s financial disclosure form. The story was first reported in the Daily Caller, which was founded by Fox News host Tucker Carlson.

Landsman, in his form filed in April, didn’t mention the philanthropic venture fund Every Child Capital.

The fund buys books for low-income children and funds literacy programs and prenatal care, according to Landsman and the organization’s website. It’s managed by KnowledgeWorks, a nonprofit focused on education.

Landsman reported compensation of more than $5,000 from KnowledgeWorks in his financial disclosure report.

The complaint, addressed to the HouseCommitteeonEthics,won’tlikely result in much, if any, action. Errors of omission on financial disclosure documents frequently occur but rarely result in more than the committee asking for

the candidate to submit an amendment, according to filings on the ethics committee’s website.

An attorney with the House Commit-

tee on Ethics declined to comment.

Complaints like this in a campaign aren’t unusual. The Foundation for Accountability and Civic Trust, which is a

nonprofit and not a foundation, has routinely made similar complaints against Democratic politicians, often multiple times a month.

The complaint alleges Landsman should have listed his role as a “special advisor” to Every Child Capital. Instead, his financial disclosure lists no positions at any organization.

Landsman told The Enquirer he was never an officer or director of Every Child Capital and that’s why it’s not on the report.

Landsman created Every Child Capital and served as a senior advisor, according to his biography on the Cincinnati City Council’s webpage In a 2017 Enquirer editorial, he said he helped manage the fund.

When asked this past week by The Enquirer about his role with Every Child Capital, Landsman said he was a paid consultant to the fund through his firm, Landsman & Associates. When asked how much he made, Landsman said in a text message he’s “not sure, but I suspect whatever I made as an education and child advocacy consultant is a lot less than what Chabot has made off the stock market since becoming a member of Congress.”

‘Must be strictly enforced’

The financial disclosure reports are important to determine if a candidate or member of Congress has a conflict of interest, wrote Kendra Arnold, the Foundation for Accountability and Civic Trust’s executive director, in the complaint filed July 13 with the ethics committee. The foundation provided The Enquirer with a copy of the complaint.

“This law is extremely important and it must be strictly enforced,” Arnold wrote. “The failure of candidates and members to follow the most basic ethics rules leads to public distrust in our elected officials as a whole.”

In a statement to The Enquirer, Landsman called the complaint “crap.” He said it was Republicans rewarding Chabot for voting against certifying the 2020 election results in Pennsylvania.

“First, people are struggling with costs and the chaos around Roe, and

Continued on next page

U.S. Rep. Steve Chabot, left, faces Democrat Greg Landsman, right. ENQUIRER FILE PHOTOS

If it’s a high-profile trial, Levy is there

Veteran reporter works for Law & Crime network

Jason Williams and Sharon Coolidge

If it’s a high-profile national trial, chances are Cincinnati-based veteran courts and crime reporter Angenette Levy is there.

The Law & Crime network host and correspondent has been on the ground in the past year for the trials of Kyle Rittenhouse in Wisconsin, Johnny Depp-Amber Heard in Virginia and Derek Chauvin in Minnesota.

And a big reason why Levy’s been

there: Courts in those states allow cameras in the court room.

Levy,theformerLocal12reporterand anchor, is outspoken about the need for federal courts to begin following most state courts and allow cameras in the courtroom.

“It’s time,” Levy told The Enquirer’s “That’s So Cincinnati” podcast. “With the technology, we have to evolve and give people a peek into the system.”

Here in Cincinnati, the issue of cameras in the courtroom came up amid the recent federal public corruption trial of former city councilman P.G Sittenfeld

Federal court policy prohibits cameras and all electronic devices in the courtroom for federal trials, something that has frustrated the public and journalists, particularly on high-profile cases

Levy recalled a recent discussion she had with a federal court source.

“This person said they think it hinders justice and people start performing because they believe they’re on a stage and they’re playing to the cameras. And maybe a little bit of that is true,” Levy said. “But I believe in transparency. Courts should be accessible to everyone. Why are we not getting a peek inside? I think it’s silly. People are going to perform whether there’s a camera there or not. Court is kind of a theater.”

Law & Crime is a digital network that

serves a similar purpose as Court TV. Law & Crime live streams high-profile cases on its website and social media platforms. Levy has been with the network since late 2020, and Law & Crime often sends her across the U.S. to provide live reports from trials.

Levy was in Florida this week reporting on the trial of the Parkland school shooter.

Levy cohosts Law & Crime’s “Sidebar”daily podcast. She also hosts the local radio show “Simply Medicine” at 2 p.m. on Saturday on 55KRC.

Listen to “That’s So Cincinnati” for free on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, iHeart Mediaandotherpodcastplatforms.The episodeisalsoavailableforfreebyclicking the link at the top of the article.

Chabot and this right-wing group want to focus on this crap,” Landsman said in his statement. “They are not super sleuths. This is literally in my council bio. Every Child Capital has helped thousands of children get free books and expecting mothers access prenatal care.”

Landsman told The Enquirer there was no intent to omit his involvement with Every Child Capital. In a text to The Enquirer, he said “he’ll make a call to see if I need to amend anything” to his financial disclosure report.

Chabot’s campaign responded to Landsman by touting Chabot’s work ethic and making another reference to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. Landsman has said he worked for Pelosi, DCalif., for about one year in 1999.

“Landsman can try to deflect from his swelling list of scandals with distractions and cheap attacks,” said Chabot campaign manager John Gomez in a statement.

Tax lien surfaces

It wasn’t just about financial disclosure reports.

Recently, the National Republican Congressional Committee circulated a story from the Washington Free Beacon

about a tax lien filed against Landsman’s consulting firm, Landsman & Associates, by the Ohio Department of Taxation in March.

The Free Beacon is a publication largely critical of Democrats and that has the backing of Republican megadonor Paul Singer, according to reports from the New York Times and other publications.

The Enquirer confirmed the existence of the lien for $656.94 in unpaid withholding tax.

Landsman’s campaign manager Leslie Grubb responded in a text message the bill was paid and the issue was resolved when brought to his attention.

“He went online and paid it once he got this,” Grubb said. “The account numbers didn’t match up, which is very strangeandwhyitwasn’tresolvedearlier.”

You can expect to see a lot of this type of finger-pointing in this close race.

The two campaigns and organizations on both sides of the aisle almost daily send out statements, releases and complaints sniping at each other, with Landsman and the Democrats hammering Chabot on his anti-abortion stance, voting against the transportation bill that will pay for the Brent Spence Bridge Project, taking campaign contributions from hotel magnate Steve Wynn. Chabot has tried to tie Landsman to the

scandals of P.G Sittenfeld and to Pelosi Ethics complaint

Inthecomplaintwiththeethicscommittee, the foundation’s executive director described the organization as “a nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting accountability, ethics, and transparency in government and civic arenas.”

The ethics complaints listed on the group’s site are almost all against Democrats.

Arnold, the foundation’s executive director, said the nonprofit has filed complaints against Republicans. When The Enquirer asked who, she could only name one, Trump’s former White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows. The foundation filed a complaint against him in 2018 when Meadows was a member of Congress over a severance package Meadows gave a staffer.

If a lot of their complaints are against Democrats, it’s because there aren’t other organizations filing them, Arnold said.“IfweseeoneagainstaRepublican not being filed, we’ll file that too,” she said.

The organization was once run by Matthew Whitaker, who served a year as acting attorney general under former President Donald Trump. Before becoming acting attorney general in 2018,

Whitaker earned $1.2 million as president and executive director of the foundation, according to the nonprofit’s tax filings.

As the foundation’s president, Whitaker led the criticism against former Democratic presidential candidate HillaryClintonforheruseofaprivateemail server.

ThesourcesoftheFoundationforAccountability and Civic Trust’s funding are murky and tied to dark money groups, according to a 2018 article from the Center for Responsive Politics.

The nonprofit’s most recent tax return from 2019 showed $600,000 in contributions but did not disclose the sources.

After paying Arnold that year, the foundation’s second-biggest contractor was Creative Response Concepts, an Alexandria, Virginia consulting and PR firm that gained notoriety for helping createSwiftBoatVeteransforTruth,the group that attacked 2004 Democratic presidential nominee John Kerry’s Vietnam war record.

Arnold said Whitaker is no longer involved in the organization. The donors are anonymous, she said.

“That way we’re not beholden to anyone for anything,” Arnold said. “So for example, I don’t know the specific donors, my only goal is to file ethics complaints.”

Blink Cincinnati reveals changes for 2022

First wave of artist set list to be given Monday

Haadiza Ogwude Cincinnati

The show must go on.

Brave Berlin, the co-founder of Blink Cincinnati, announced its split from the nation’s largest art, light and projection mappingfestivalonJuly14.Buteventorganizers are still looking to bring plenty of excitement to the Queen City this fall.

In the months leading up to the Oct. 13-16 festival, organizers of Blink Cincinnati plan to announce the artist set list in three “waves,” including their first wave announcement Monday. In this announcement, Blink members will provide an update on event leadership and planning. They will also discuss the festival’s future and what attendees can expect this year.

Justin Brookhart, executive director ofBlinkCincinnati,gaveTheEnquireran exclusive sneak peek.

The festival’s overall mission will remainthesame,butBlinkorganizershave made quite a few changes for 2022. In the past, the Blink partner group selected the artists it would showcase. This year, however, the group wants to expand its reach and grow the event by providing opportunities to all interested artists.

AccordingtoBrookhart,theywillcontinuecelebratinglocaltalentbutwillalso introduce Greater Cincinnati residents to renowned international artists.

“What’s a little bit different about this year is we did an international call [to artists] across all of our disciplines. So across projection mapping, mural painting, light installations, and even our musician category ... We use that to then curate and decide what the show is gonna look like this year,” Brookhart said.

International artists included in the first wave announcement are: British visual artist Shantell Martin; British Afrosurrealist visual artist Vince Fraser; Portuguese visual artist and illustrator, AddFuel; and Australian-based interdisciplinary artist Wendy Yu in collaboration with Elementz, Cincinnati’s premier Hip Hop cultural art center.

Additionally,Blinkwillfeatureprojection mapping by international artist Graffmapping at the iconic mural, “Cincinnati Toy Heritage,” which is designed by local artist Jonathan Queen

When asked about participating in Blink Cincinnati 2022, Martin, a biracial queer artist from London, said, “I’m a huge advocate for community participation bringing artwork to the local communities or spaces. That mixture of local artists and international artists, I think, is always super fun.”

Martin’s iconic black and white drawings typically explore the themes of in-

tersectionality, identity and play. She has hosted several prestigious solo shows at some of the most renowned art institutions in the world, including the 92Y gallery in New York City, the Albright-Knox Gallery and the New Britain Museum of Contemporary Arts.

The theme for Martin’s piece has yet to be decided, but it will likely be a sitespecific mural featuring her signature monochrome drawings.

Martin says she hopes her work will encourage Greater Cincinnati residents to find a creative, artistic outlet in which they can use to generate conversations about issues important to their communities.

“I try to make work that is open and playful at the same time,” Martin said. “I like people to feel inspired to create themselves. I like to encourage freedom of expression. I’d like to encourage people to think about things or to question things.”

Blink’s Monday announcement will also reveal several local artists involved in this year’s festival.

Cincinnati-based mixed-media artist Michael Coppage will extend his BLACK BOX project with a large-scale projection installation. Local artist Jason Snell will incorporate projection mapping onto the ArtWorks Mural, “Ezzard Charles: The

Cincinnati Cobra,” which he also designed.

Production powerhouse Lightborne and other local favorites such as DogFish Crew, Linz & Lamb, Jessica Wolf and Mallory Feltz will also display artwork.

Blink organizers also recently announced expansion plans for Northern Kentucky. They were made, in part, due to societal changes caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

“How do we activate that space really well with the understanding that many things have changed about the region andaboutsocialbehaviorsince2019?So, how do we make sure that we’re creating installations that account for the fact that people may want a little bit more space in between them when enjoying some of these?” Brookhart said.

With the expanded space, Blink 2022 won’t limit its work to the streets: The event will have installations at historic and architecturally significant buildings.

Returning projection artist Sean Van PraagwillhavehisworkdisplayedatThe American Building. The Black Music Walk of Fame in The Banks will have an installation for Cincinnatians to enjoy. And a project by the Italian projection companyAntalessVisualDesignswillbe featured at the Mother of God Church in Covington, KY.

The first wave announcement will also discuss partnership changes and the addition of a Blink advisory committee.

Brookhart said it was a goal of his to expand the partner group and include more voices to help inform Blink’s work this year. This led to the formation of the BlinkadvisorycommitteethatBrookhart says comprises “incredible influencers and thought leaders and community members inside of the Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky regions.”

We wanted to kind of expand that group a little bit more and just make it feel a little bit more collaborative, a little bitmorerepresentationalofthediversity of the Cincinnati region and of what the artworkwewerehopingtorepresentthis year,” Brookhart said.

Included in the committee are people like visual artist Gee Horton, filmmaker and producer for Four by Three Productions Chase Crawford and FC Cincinnati creative director Kaila Pettis

British visual artist Shantell Martin is known for performing her black and white drawings for a live audience. CONNIE TSANG

Pictured is a live art installation by Martin that was created during the 13th annual Keep a Child Alive Black Ball in New York City. WWW.ROYROCHLIN.COM

Higgins

Continued from Page 1A

Because when he was 6, there was not a lot of dancing.

But that was far behind him now as he juked and jived in the end zone. As Burrow ran to celebrate with him. As time slowed down.

Tee Higgins had come a long way to be here. From this town in Tennessee From abject defeat and want.

There are a lot of come-from-nothing stories in pro sports, too many really. LeBron James once said he would like to read less of those because that would mean kids wouldn’t have to do so much overcoming in their young lives.

But, as James also said, nothing is given, everything is earned.

Few know that more than Tee Higgins.

Tee Higgins at 6: ‘I want to see my mom’

Tee remembers his sister coming to his kindergarten class. It was Oct. 18, 2005. This was not normal.

When he got in the car, his sister, Keke, told him this was bad: Their mom had been shot twice. In the head.

They rolled up to the tan house he had always known, a place so familiar before this moment. Now, wrapped in yellow crime tape, with ambulances and police and firetrucks all up and down the block.

“We pulled up and I said, ‘I want to see my mom,’ ” Tee remembered while walking in front of the house where the shooting happened. He knew she’d been shot which made him think the worst.

“They wouldn’t let me see her and they flew her off in a helicopter. It was crazy.”

Tee knew little. Now, he matter-offactly speaks of the shooting, having learned that it was her drug dealer boyfriend who had fired the gun.

Camilla Stewart, who everyone knew as Lady, began using crack when she graduated high school and spent her 21st birthday in jail. She spent the next two-and-a-half years in jail after being arrested for possession of drugs. It became a habit she couldn’t kick no matter how hard she tried.

Gunned down in her home, she was still alive when she had been airlifted to Knoxville, but things did not look good for Lady.

Tee and Keke waited. Tee moved in with Stewart’s sister, Denise Davis, the obvious choice of stand-in parent once everyone knew that Lady had been shot. Tee’s father was not really around. And Denise had a young son. He maybe could help Tee through this.

Sitting in the living room Tee knew as a child, Denise says Tee was, as he is today, quiet and easy to deal with.

The only thing Tee wanted to do was go play somewhere, come back, eat and lay down,” Denise said. Meanwhile, Lady held on at the hospital. She seemed to be rallying. A

month passed. Tee went back to kindergarten.

Tee is, as his aunt said, his own guy. Always was.

Heplayslikehispersonalitydictates. He goes about his business quietly. Do the work, the rest will take care of itself. Those lessons came early. He learned how to entertain himself. He learned how to work hard. He learned that it wasn’t how loud you talked but how you performed that mattered.

And he tries, as he always has, not to let things distract him from his goals. In fact, at times, his goals have saved him.

When he was little, when his mom wasn’t around, when he wasn’t at school or at Denise’s house, he was at Oak Ridge’s Scarboro Community Center where he would play basketball and hang out with other kids his age. The basketball court was his escape.

From a young age, Tee’s athleticism was on display. Barbara Spratling, the manager of recreation at the Scarboro Center, knew early on Tee had the potential to be different.

“Tee’s real reserved, real

Continued on next page

and

quiet

Cincinnati Bengals receiver Tee Higgins (right) sits on the couch with his parents Eric Higgins and Lady Stewart and his dog Cinco at their home in Knoxville, Tenn., on June 10 PHOTOS BY SAM GREENE/THE ENQUIRER

A photo of Lady Stewart and Eric Higgins is framed in their home in Knoxville, Tenn., on June 10

Denise Davis, aunt of Tee Higgins, talks about the time Higgins spent living with her as a child in Oak Ridge, Tenn., June 10

“My biggest source of motivation is my mom. I just want to make the rest of her life easy.”

Tee Higgins Cincinnati Bengals receiver

very humble as a kid,” Spratling said. “He just kept to himself but he was a great athlete.”

Asked if he could have found trouble if he’d wanted to growing up, he agrees. The drugs. The violence. The dangerous shenanigans. It would not have been hard.

But he wanted something more.

I knew what I wanted to do with my life so I had to stay away with those types of things.”

Bengals wide receivers coach Troy Walters spends more time with Tee than anyone else during the NFL season. If there’s anyone who can attest to Tee’s personality, it’s Walters.

“He’s quiet, doesn’t talk a whole lot but is confident,” Walters said. “He is humble. I still kind of consider him a kid. He’s got a kid-like attitude and nature. He’s still young and still growing. He’s getting better each year and that’s what you ask for.”

You can thank his mother for that.

More than six weeks after Lady Stewart was shot, after160 screws and a metal plate were placed in her head, after what doctors called a miracle, she came home to Oak Ridge.

But she wasn’t finished using.

While Tee was being taken care of by Denise and beginning his journey with youth sports, Lady was in and out of jail. But on August 19, 2007, Lady checked herself into a halfway house at the Serenity shelter in Knoxville and has been sober since.

Tee would make visits to the shelter on the weekends to see his mom. Lady was open with Tee about what she was going through and why she was trying to get better.

“What I experienced in my life, you don’t have to go through it,”Lady said of what she would tell Tee. “I did it for you. You saw the end results and where it could lead you.”

It wasn’t just the hard lessons he recalls.

Tee remembers, smiling at the thought, when he and Lady would eat dry Ramen Noodles together.

“One of my best memories at the halfway house for some reason,” Tee said. “It was really good at the time. I probably wouldn’t like it now but at the time it was good.”

After years of trying to get clean, Lady said she simply got “sick and tired of being sick and tired.” She would look at KeKe and Tee and realize they deserved more.

With the help of the halfway house, her own will and the support from her family, Lady overcame her addiction.

For me, it was either death or jail going in and out. I got to the point where I didn’t care about either.

“Then just one day I was like my babies deserve so much more and I’m going to get myself together so they can have that. So they won’t be ashamed of their mother. I made mistakes but I’m going dust myself off and, with the help of God, that’s what I did.”

Tee knows this.

“My biggest source of motivation is

my mom,” he said. “I just want to make the rest of her life easy.”

Football would help.

Tee Higgins: The Oak Ridge legend

When Tee was just becoming a teenager, he began living with his mother again. And, not uncoincidentally, his sports career started to take off. They were exactly what each other needed at thetime.Teeneededmotivationanddirection and Lady needed support and purpose.

Together, they became a duo on a mission to achieve all the potential that

was in store for the both of them.

Tee’s physical skillset and athleticism allowed him to do things most kids his age couldn’t. He was 6-foot-3 in the eighth grade. But that didn’t mean it came easy for him.

If Tee hadn’t decided to pursue a career in football, he could have played Division I basketball with all the attention he received from college scouts. He was talented enough and had scholarship offers.

As a freshman in high school, Tee made the varsity squad and even played in the state championship game that year. To this day, he’s the best basketball player to come through Oak Ridge High School, according to Aaron Green, the men’s varsity basketball coach there. Bray can still recall Tee’s “SportsCenter” dunks and his clutch gamewinning shots.

Without question … he played wherever he wanted,” Green said. “He was just really skilled. He could have played high-level basketball if he wanted to. Not many kids get the option to play high-level basketball and high-level football and he was one of the guys who could do that.”

Lady didn’t miss any of Tee’s games and her presence was felt by all who attended the games. Despite seeking

Continued on next page

Tee’s physical skillset and athleticism allowed him to do things most kids his age couldn’t. He was 6-foot-3 in the eighth grade. But that didn’t mean it came easy for him.

Third-year Cincinnati Bengals receiver Tee Higgins poses at midfield of Jack Artmstrong Stadium, the home field of Oak Ridge High School in Oak Ridge, Tenn., on

Cincinnati Bengals receive Tee Higgins drives a tour of his hometown, Oak Ridge, Tenn., on June 10. Surviving a tumultuous childhood, Higgins lived with various family members while his parents struggled with addiction and time served in incarceration. PHOTOS BY SAM GREENE/THE ENQUIRER

Tee Higgins (right) laughs with Barbara Spratling, manager of the Scarboro Community Center, in Oak Ridge, Tenn., on June 10 Sparling recalled Higgins growing up at the center, spending summers playing basketball in the gym and online games in the computer lab.

Continued from previous page

success early on, Bray said Tee never got cocky and stayed humble.

Again, thank his mother for that.

“She kept him on a tight rope… (she) didn’t put up with no nonsense,” Bray said.

Tee started to focus on his football career more when former Oak Ridge football coach Joe Gaddis convinced him his size could make him an exceptional football player.

Gaddis’ predictions proved to be true as Tee went on to be a two-time Tennessee Class 5A Mr. Football winner before earning several DI offers as a fivestar recruit. As a senior, he caught 68 passes for 1,044 yards and 18 touchdowns. He also served as his team’s punt returner and scored three touchdowns while returning punts.

Tee was rated the No. 15 prospect in the nation by Rivals.com following his senior year.

With the University of Tennessee right up the road, it seemed like a nobrainer Tee would become a Vol. But after a visit to the University of Clemson, Tee changed his mind. He retracted his commitment to Tennessee and chose to become a Clemson Tiger

He said it was because he felt like family there.

Tee went on to have a prolific career at Clemson where he caught 135 career receptions for 2,448 yards with 27 receiving touchdowns in 30 starts. His 27

career receiving touchdowns tied for the most in school history with current NFL stars DeAndre Hopkins and Sammy Watkins. Then, it was time to see if he could make it to the next level.

Tee Higgins becomes a Bengal

The Bengals had the No. 1 pick in the 2020 NFL Draft and outside of quarterback, their biggest positional need was at wide receiver, one who could eventually replace longtime wide receiver A.J

Tee Higgins poses in front this alma mater, Oak Ridge High School in Oak Ridge, Tenn., on June 10. “I guess I’ve been a big cat all my life,” Higgins said, referring to his time as an Oak Ridge Wildcat, Clemson Tiger and Cincinnati Bengals. SAM GREENE/THE ENQUIRER

Green.

The Bengals knew they were selecting Joe Burrow with the first pick in the draft early on so the focus turned to who they would select in the second round to start Day 2 of the NFL draft When head coach Zac Taylor and director of personnel Duke Tobin set their draft boards, they never thought Tee would fall out of the first round.

As the first night of the draft started towinddown,TaylorandTobinrealized they might have a shot at drafting Tee. The Bengals viewed being able to draft him as essentially having two firstround picks.

Tee doesn’t know why he fell out of the first round and he doesn’t care. He’s sure he is exactly where he’s supposed to be.

With his first rookie NFL paycheck –which was more money than he had ever seen in his life – there was no question in his mind what he would do with that money. The first thing he bought was a house for his mom.

He is clearly happy at that house to be now with his mom and his dad, Eric, who is back in their lives after serving a 12-year stint in prison on drug charges.

In prison, it was well known that when Clemson played, that was Eric’s time in front of the TV. In fact, until Tee donned a Bengal jersey, Eric had never seen his son play competitively in person. That changed on Sept. 13, 2020, against the Los Angeles Chargers in Paul Brown Stadium

It was unbelievable … it was overwhelming,” Eric said of the moment. “It was something that I always wanted to see but didn’t know if I would see it on that level. I was so proud.”

Now, his parents drive from Oak Ridge to watch Tee play. It’s one of the reasons Tee is glad the Bengals picked him. Proximity to home.

Lady and Eric proudly “soak up” all the moments together.

And that includes the Super Bowl, where Tee did what he always has done: The job at hand.

Tee Higgins, now: ‘I feel like there is definitely a higher level that I can reach’

Although Tee is entering his third season in the NFL, in many ways he’s just getting started.

When Tee was drafted by the Bengals, it was at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic and the NFL canceled all offseason workouts. Tee essentially learned the playbook and all of the intricate details of the Bengals’ offense through Zoom.

When he reported for training camp, he didn’t have the luxury of banked reps with his new quarterback like every other rookie wide receiver gets in a normal year.

So it was a bit of a slow start. He was also dealing with an injury during his rookie training camp that impacted his play and he dealt with lower body injuries throughout the season.

Despite the injuries, Tee played in all 16 games that season and led the team in receiving yards and receiving

Higgins catches

Third-year Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Tee Higgins appears as the special guests at the Knox News Sports Awards at the Tennessee Theatre in Knoxville, Tenn., on June 9 Higgins gave an interview and speech to the award winners in the crowd. SAM GREENE/THE ENQUIRER

One

of the main reasons the optimism remains so high around Tee is his age. He’ll enter his most important season to date at just 23 years old.

touchdowns. His 67 catches ranked third among NFL rookies in 2020 and the optimism around Tee and what he could become for the Bengals was high.

Tee returned for the 2021 season in great shape.

Primed for a breakout season in his second year, Tee quietly suffered a shoulder injury in Week 2 when Cincinnati traveled to Chicago. A defensive lineman for the Bears fell on Tee’s shoulder and he came out for the ensuing play. Not one to back down from pain, Tee played through the game with the shoulder, even scoring a touchdown against the Bears.

The shoulder injury never went away but missing games and practice wasn’t an option in his eyes. He played the entire season through it and recorded career bests in several statistical categories. Tee started14 games and caught 74 passes for 1,091 yards and six touchdowns in 2021.

One of the main reasons the optimism remains so high around Tee is his age. He’ll enter his most important season to date at just 23 years old.

Barring any major setbacks, Tee has the potential to cash in on three NFL contracts by the time he’s 30.

The Bengals and Tee will likely engage in contract negotiations next offseason ahead of the fourth and final year on his rookie deal in 2023.

Tee is more than aware of what’s in front of him and is excited about the opportunities that lie ahead.

“I feel like there is definitely a higher level that I can reach,” Tee said. “And I’m looking forward to reaching that level.”

Following the Super Bowl loss to the Rams, Tee underwent shoulder surgery to fix his labrum and was unable to participate in the Bengals’ offseason workoutprogram.Hespenttheentireoffseason rehabbing with Cincinnati’s training staff and is on track to be ready to go when the Bengals start training camp on July 27.

On the weekend we spent together in Oak Ridge in June, he told me he was writing down his goals for the year. He was pretty tight-lipped about the specifics. But they probably include getting another 1,000-yard season which could help the Bengals get another chance at a Super Bowl ring.

“Stay tuned,” he said.

Cincinnati Bengals receiver

Tee Higgins looks at a display of his high school jersey outside the locker rooms at Oak Ridge High School in Oak Ridge, Tenn., on June 10 Higgins was named an All-American in three consecutive seasons. PHOTOS BY SAM GREENE/ THE ENQUIRER

Cincinnati Bengals receiver Tee Higgins takes a walk down a Hall of Fame at the Scarboro Community Center in Oak Ridge, Tenn., on June 10. Higgins appears on the wall, citing his three years as an All-American football player at Oak Ridge High School.

Pinto is here to stay, in his dream job

UC president committed to making sure students feel welcome on campus

Madeline Mitchell Cincinnati Enquirer

Fresh off a Florida vacation, University of Cincinnati President Neville Pinto says his days off feel like forever ago. He’s one week back in the office of his dream job.

He came to the university as a professor of engineering in 1985. It was a great university then, he says, but no one knew it. Now, the world knows.

UC will welcome its largest incoming class this fall. A lot of people will credit that to the Bearcats’ trip to the Cotton Bowl in December or even the Bengals’ Super Bowl run, both of which put the city in the spotlight. Not Pinto.

Sure, that helped, he says. But this wasn’t an accident. University leadership worked for years to build UC out and make it an appealing destination for students internationally. The university added and renovated buildings, promoted its widely acclaimed cooperative education program, invested in faculty and research and strengthened its athletics to make everyone on campus feel part of something. Part of a team. Part of the Cincinnati community.

So much so, actually, that returning students want to live on campus more than ever before. It’s created a housing shortagethatPintosaysadministrators are aware of and problem-solving this summer.

It’s a good problem to have,” Ryan Hays says. He’s the president’s chief of staff and executive vice president of the university.

Pinto is typically averse to media attention and rarely participates in interviews. Most of his public-facing comments come from his sporadically active Twitter account. He isn’t shy so much as humble. When asked about his favorite accomplishments as president, he waves his hand and backtracks immediately.

“First of all, I wouldn’t call them my accomplishments. This is very much a team-driven institution,” Pinto says. “I guess I am the designated figurehead leader, but we have a tremendous team around us.”

About UC, however, Pinto is anything but humble. He says his goal as the university’s leader has been to reenergize and refocus on student life and to incite a cultural shift on campus that instills confidence in students, faculty and the university as a whole.

“In my mind, it’s about each of us on the leadership team waking up every day recognizing that the next generation of leaders, citizens, creators, inventors, artists is right here on our campus today,” he says.

Always a Bearcat

Celebrating those students at commencement is of Pinto’s most beloved traditions, he says. He loves watching as graduates find and wave to their loved ones in the crowd. This spring marked the first “back to normal” ceremony since the pandemic began.

Before giving his first of three ceremony addresses in April, Pinto told The Enquirer he was nervous. He always gets nervous, he says, but “that’s a good thing” because it keeps his adrenaline up and makes him stay focused and alert. Otherwise, graduation could be boring, he says.

He walked the back halls of the arena congratulating students before they filed into the main concourse, while grads whispered among themselves: “It’s the president!”

The following week, Pinto was “on the other side” of commencement at Georgia Institute of Technology cheering on his son, who followed in his father’s footsteps by graduating with a degree in engineering.

In his office this summer, talking to an Enquirer reporter with Hays and executive director of communications John Bach at his side, Pinto smiles a lot. He wears a suit and a tie with tiny polka-dots and he uses his hands when he speaks. He answers questions directly and cracks jokes occasionally. When asked if his plan is to retire from UC, if he sees himself staying here, he laughs and quips back: “Are you trying to be the next president of University of Cincinnati?”

He’s not leaving, he says, or at least he’s not trying to. As long as the university will have him, and as long as he feels that he is pushing the institution forward, he plans to stay.

“You can take that to the bank,” says Pinto, who is 64. His contract with UC runs through June 2027.

Investing in innovation and inclusion

A large part of Pinto’s plan to push UC forward is embedded in the Next Lives Here initiative, a vision including strong partnerships with the city of Cincinnatiandsurroundingbusinesses to jumpstart innovation and make positive impacts on society.

The 1819 Hub and Cincinnati’s Innovation District were borne of this vision and a $100 million investment from JobsOhio. Another $530 million has gone into research and the Digital Futures complex, which the university intends to be a home for breakthroughs in artificial intelligence, robotics and other technologies. The complex in Avondale will open this fall.

A few years ago, when the university embarked on the Next Lives Here mission, Pinto says he wasn’t sure Cincinnati was ready for it. He had hoped it was and had reason to believe the university’s urban connections would bolster his vision but admits the plan required a leap of faith. Pinto says he’s been overwhelming pleased with the city’s response that proved yes, Cincinnati is a place where investment in innovation will thrive.

But having the right facilities and research funding isn’t enough. Pinto says his next task is to break higher education away from its “ivory tower”reputation of isolation.

“We’ve got to permeate into our communities,” he says.

Part of that is bringing in more Cincinnati students. Pinto says he recently met with new Cincinnati Public Schools superintendent Iranetta Wright to discuss city students’ access to higher education.

And once they get to campus, Pinto says, he’s working to ensure they feel safe. Because historically and recently, not all students have.

In the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic, a UC professor gained national attention for calling the virus “the Chinese virus.” He was not asked to return to the university.

Still, some Asian and Asian American students on campus lamented that more should be done to prevent them from harassment and harm. Pinto told The Enquirer he understands their pain, being of Asian descent himself, although he recognizes South Asian minorities like him were not facing the brunt of COVID-19 racial attacks.

Pinto says the university follows up with any student who reports an incident of discrimination or makes known to UC officials that they’ve been harassed.

“The reality is, we are not always aware,” Pinto says. Sometimes people don’t speak up because they are scared, or because that’s not how they were raised. Self-advocacy is not admired among some cultures, he says, but he’s hoping that those constructs melt away in time. He wants students to report problems, he says, so he and his teammates can fix them.

Last month Pinto recommended, and the board of trustees approved, cutting ties with university founder Charles McMicken. McMicken was a slave owner who fathered children with at least one enslaved woman.

Pinto says he knows there is still a long way to go, but he’s committed to making sure students feel welcome on UC’s campus. Because every day, he looks forward to returning to the Fifth Third Arena and watching them each walk across the stage at commencement. I had three kids,” of his own, Pinto says. “Now, I have 47,000. That’s exactly how I feel about them.”

Neville Pinto is the 30th president of the University of Cincinnati. He’s been in the position since 2017. LIZ DUFOUR/THE ENQUIRER

Isaac Smitherman, 21, talks with Neville Pinto, president of the University of Cincinnati, just before one of four graduations at the Fifth Third Arena in the Shoemaker Center on April 29

YOUR HOMETOWN ENQUIRER

ROSELAWN

Play Ball Weekend celebration at Reds Youth Academy in Roselawn

The Reds and Reds Community Fund joined with Major League Baseball to celebrate the return of Play Ball Weekend June 10-12.

The P&G MLB Cincinnati Reds Youth Academy served as the focal point for most of the weekend’s festivities, including for the kickoff event on Friday, June 10, which featured a Reds ‘home field takeover’ at the USA Softball CMetro Tournament game between the Cincinnati Diamonds and Cincinnati Sluggers.

Special guests at the takeover included Cincinnati Mayor Aftab Pureval, Reds President & Chief Operating Officer Phil Castellini, Reds Hall of Famer Tom Browning, Cincinnati Police Sergeant Tim Fritz, Reds mascots and the Reds Rally Pack. Reds Community Fund Executive Director Charley Frank emceed the program

Before reading a Play Ball proclamation officially declaring June 10 as Play Ball day in Cincinnati, Pureval shared his excitement about being able to represent the U.S. Conference of Mayors and its nationwide partnership with MLB

Over 1,000 kids who participated in Play Ball Weekend activities across Greater Cincinnati. Each child received Reds tickets, tickets to the Reds Hall of Fame and Museum presented by Dinsmore, a Franklin bat and ball set, and a free MLB.TV subscription.

Brendan Hader, Cincinnati Reds

CINCINNATI

The Great Urn Return and Scatter Day!

With cremation on the rise locally and nationwide, Arlington Memorial Gardens will host The Great Urn Return and Scatter Day! on Saturday, Aug. 6 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m

Cremation is on the rise, with more than 50% of families in Greater Cincinnati opting for cremation over traditional burials in 2021. According to the National Cremation Association of North America, this number is now closer to 60%nationwide,withexpectationsthat thisnumberwillhaveclimbedto70%by 2030. But what happens after the cremation takes place is rather surprising.

According to an independent study conducted by Arlington, it is estimated that approximately 15,000 households in Greater Cincinnati have cremated remains still sitting in their homes – many of which have been stored in closets, attics, garages and basements.

Says Applegate, “Many families keep their loved ones at home for a variety of reasons. Usually, it’s because they want to keep them close but sometimes cremated remains end up placed in closets, on mantels, in attics, basements or garages. At Arlington, we strongly believe our loved ones deserve to be honored for their time spent here on earth, with permanent memorialization, assuring that their legacy will live on, and also bring peace and closure to the family. Unfortunately, many families are unaware of the numerous memorialization options available for cremated remains which enables them to honor the life and legacy of their loved one.

For this reason, an exclusive, firsttime event on Aug. 6 has been created. We invite families with cremated remains of their loved ones to make an appointment at Arlington’s breathtaking and expansive grounds to learn about all the options available and if they choose, take advantage of a free scattering.”

For more information or to schedule your appointment, call our office at 513521-7003 and speak with Angie.

Free scattering opportunity is only available on Aug. 6 and registration is required. Only human remains may be scattered or placed within the Arlington grounds. Authorization to scatter documentation will be required.

Julie Whitney, Phillippi-Whitney Communications LLC

NORTHERN KENTUCKY

Honorable Order of Kentucky Colonels Award 314 grants

totaling $3.1 million

Through donations from Colonels in Kentucky and around the world, the Honorable Order of Kentucky Colonels (HOKC) will award $3.1 million to support 314 charities throughout the Com-

monwealth. This year’s Good Works Program will positively impact more than 3.9 million Kentuckians.

The Good Works Program focuses on areas that include: Community enhancement, community support, education, homeless and low income, health rehabilitation and life skills, historic preservation, veteran services and youth services. Northern Kentucky area charities will receive 22 grants totaling over $233,000.

Northern Kentucky area recipients werescheduledtobeannouncedJune17 at New Day Ranch Visit kycolonels.org to learn more.

Eric Patterson, Honorable Order of Kentucky Colonels

DOWNTOWN

KeyBank promotes director of Key@Work

KeyBank has promoted Cincinnatibased senior vice president Rachael Sampson to director of its Key@Work program, which provides businesses with financial wellness tools and benefits for their employees. Sampson will continue to serve as director of Key4Women. In her new role, Sampson will lead the strategic direction and dayto-day management of both Key@Work and Key4Women, bringing greater alignment to the delivery of Key’s Financial Wellness offerings through both programs. Sampson joined KeyBank in 2006 and has previously served as relationship manager, commercial banking, for KeyBank’s Cincinnati market. She holds a Bachelor of Business Administration from Thomas More University and is a master’s of Business Administration candidate from the University of Cincinnati. Sampson is very active in the community, serving on a number of women organizations and nonprofit boards.

Meg Lower, KeyBank MARIEMONT

Cincinnati Sports Club continues to grow

The Cincinnati Sports Club is once again improving and expanding its offerings, continuing to provide the local community with a hybrid health club experience, as it has for more than 30 years.

As part of the Club Vision 2025 v2.0 Master Plan, the new multi-purpose venue within the Club’s expansive 16acre campus opened over Memorial Day weekend. This new, mixed-use space is now being used for a variety of fun, indoorofferings–includingindoorpickleball, volleyball, badminton, Taekwondo and futsal

The venue also includes both a high schoolandjuniorhighschool-sizedbasketball court for members to use. It is uniquely designed with a movable and partitioned wall, so two different activities may take place simultaneously. It may also be rented for large gatherings, social events and charitable occasions.

Construction is also complete on the club’s upgraded functional fitness area, where both a new floor and turf area were installed. This new space houses new Matrix equipment, sleds, cable machines, racks and Olympic training platforms, along with more dumbbells and plates.

To schedule a visit to campus, call 513-527-4000 or visit CincinnatiSports Club.com

Julie Whitney, Phillippi-Whitney Communications, LLC

MADEIRA

Groundbreaking ceremony held for Madeira School addition

Groundbreaking ceremonies were recently held for an addition to Madeira Elementary School (MES). The new educational space will address the district’s growing enrollment.

Designed by the architects at MSA Design, the space will be built by HGC Construction. Plans include 12 new classrooms, a new media center, maker space, and steam lab. Renovations will transform the existing steam room and media center to choir and band rooms.

The addition was planned after a feasibility study to evaluate current and future classroom needs indicated the district would be out of classroom space in several years at the middle school level. Madeira Elementary School’s footprint had enough available space to add classrooms and parking so plans were made for the district to begin housing grades K-5 at Madeira Elementary School and grades 6-8 at Madeira Middle School beginning in the 2023-2024 school year.

Diane Nichols, Madeira City Schools

SHARONVILLE

Cincinnati SAR gives living history presentations to attendees in Sharon Woods

On June 11, at the Sharon Woods Village History Center, demonstrations and reenactments from the Revolutionary War to modern military reenactments were made for the public.

The Cincinnati Chapter of the Sons of the American Revolution had a tent along the military timeline reenactment trail.

Eight of our members: Ohio Society President John H. Bredenfoerder, Cincinnati SAR President George Stewart, Highlanders Chapter President Gary Duffield, Bob Bowers, Ed Bonniwell, Tim Madden and Mike Gunn joined Brad Jarard, who was deployed as a reenactor

Michael Gunn, Cincinnati Chapter of the Sons of the American Revolution

FAIRFIELD

Fairfield schools honor retirees

Retirees from the Fairfield Schools were recently honored by the Fairfield Board of Education.

Employees from the 2020-2021 school year who turned in resignation for retirement letters after May 2021and those from the 2021-2022 school year who turned in letters by early April received gift bags in appreciation of their service.

Those honored from the 2020-2021 schoolyear,thebuildingtheyworkedat, and their position were:

h Susan Lindberg, senior high, intervention specialist

h Steven Smith, freshman, intervention specialist

h Debora Benson, South, educational assistant

h Laurie McCoy, senior high school, secretary

h GeorgiaSmagac,West,foodservice assistant

h Donna Kimmel, West

h Marcia Dennett, freshman, educational assistant

h Sue Shepherd, West, nurse

h James Myers, freshman, custodian

h Brenda Scheidt, West secretary

Those honored from the 2021-2021 schoolyear,thebuildingtheyworkedat,

How to share news from your community:

Visit www.cincinnati.com/share to submit news and photos to be considered to run in Your Hometown Enquirer and the Community Press and Recorder. Specific event information can also be submitted at events.cincinnati.com and by emailing calendar@cincinnati.com for consideration in The Enquirer’s Calendar listings.

and their position were:

h Nancy Finn, North, teacher

h Rosemary Sherlock, Central, educational assistant

h Michael Browning, senior high school, teacher

h Allan Blevens, custodian, (now deceased)

h Brian Jones, Crossroads, custodian

h Valerie Isaac, Crossroads

h Sheila Clements, senior high school, custodian

h Teresa Day, senior high school, head cook

h Phyllis Gethers, Central, reading

h Lisa McMullen, Crossroads, math

h Laura Griffin, district office, instructional specialist

h Karen Sides, East, teacher

h Susan Emmons, district office, secretary

h Debi Freimuth, district office, instructional specialist

h Greg Thomas, district office, speech and language

h Susan Buckley, Central

h Roger Martin, district office, assistant superintendent

Sue Kiesewetter, Enquirer contributor

AURORA

13th annual Oser-Roth Fest

July 30 raises funds for ‘angels’

The 13th annual Oser-Roth Fest will take place from noon to midnight on Saturday, July 30 at Mission Heights Farm in Aurora, Indiana.

This all-day event includes live music, games, swimming, food and fun for allages,cappedoffbyaspectacularfireworks display.

Since2010theOserandRothfamilies and their friends have raised more than $500,000.00forthethephysicallychallenged “angels” who receive their wishes at the event.

All products and services for this event are donated, so all proceeds from the raffles, merchandise sales and games go towards the gifts. Bands scheduled to perform include Lacey Lane, Jason Owens, L*A*O*T and The Gamut.

Mission Heights Farm is located at 4340 Veraestau Lane, Aurora, Indiana. For more information about the event and profiles on this year’s “angels” or to donate, please visit Oser-Roth & Friends Fest on Facebook, or visit www.oserrothfest.com. Enjoy a day of fun and fellowship and watch the “angels’ ” wishes come true.

Tina Geers, Oser Roth Fest

ANDERSON TOWNSHIP

Mercy Health Presents

Pelvic Health Awareness

Seminars on July 28

Simply put, it’s not normal to pee your pants or soil them or experience chronic pelvic pain. Yet men and women of all ages live with pelvic floor dysfunction that causes urinary incontinence, a lack of bowel control, pelvic pain, or, in women, pelvic organ prolapse.

Mercy Health has a pelvic therapy program that can help identify and treat common pelvic health problems and it invites the public to attend seminars taking place at two locations on July 28:

h 1 p.m. at the Mercy Health – Fairfield HealthPlex, 3050 Mack Road, Fairfield. To register, go to EventBrite.com and search: Fairfield Pelvic Health Awareness Seminar or call 513-682-1212

h 6p.m.attheMercyHealth–Anderson HealthPlex, 7495 State Road, Cincinnati. To register, go to EventBrite.com and search: Anderson Pelvic Health Awareness Seminar or call 513624-1871

During these free seminars, you will learn about Mercy Health’s wide array of rehabilitation and personal training services, including specialized physical therapy for patients experiencing pelvic

Continued on next page

Members of the Cincinnati Sluggers softball team at the Play Ball Weekend kickoff event at the Reds Youth Academy. PROVIDED BY EMILEE CHINN, CINCINNATI REDS

YOUR HOMETOWN ENQUIRER

health issues. We evaluate each patient thoroughly before designing a treatment plan to address their unique needs with the goal of helping people find relief, be healthier and live better.

Mercy Health

LEBANON

23rd Lebanon Blues Festival

The Lebanon Optimist Club is bringing top blues musicians to the streets of downtown Lebanon for a two-day Blues Music Festival Friday, Aug. 5 and Saturday, Aug. 6. The festival also features delicious food vendors and unique artisan and craftsmen booths.

The festival runs from 5-10 p.m. on Friday night and 11 a.m. until 11 p.m. on Saturday.

Friday night entertainment will be a Youth Showcase featuring talented young people from the Pinetop Perkins Masterclass. These talented young musicians will be joined on stage by blues great Bob Margolin, who will also headline the Saturday night entertainment.

Saturday’s performers include:

h Keith “T-Bone” Colbert

h Liz Pennock and Dr. Blues

h Blackjack Davey and The Rhythm Kings

h Leroy Ellington Band

h The Drifter Kings

h Linden Davis

h Authorized Personnel

h Bob Margolin and Friends

TheLebanonBluesFestivalistheprimary fundraiser for the Lebanon Optimist Club and is produced 100% by volunteers. All proceeds from the festival are reinvested in the Lebanon and Warren County community through grants to child-focused organizations. Since 1994, the Lebanon Optimist Club has raised over $618,710 and donated every dollar back to our community.

For more information about the Lebanon Blues Festival, contact the Lebanon Optimist Club at lebanonoptimist@gmail.com or 513-268-6069.

Cathy Feinauer, Lebanon Optimist Club

MIDDLETOWN

Thunderfest Cruise-In returns to downtown Middletown July 30

The Butler County Warbirds will do a noon flyover as part of Middletown’s Thunderfest Cruise-In July 30.

Classic cars, hot, street and rat rods, pulling tractors, motorcycles, jeeps and trucks will all be featured. Vehicles will be staged along North Broad Street between Central Avenue and Donham Plaza. A World War II plane, courtesy of the Warbirds Museum, will do the flyover of downtownMiddletown,saidJeffPayne, Downtown Middletown director.

“All the restaurants will be open, there will be food trucks, we’ll have a disc jockey, vendors and it’s all in a Designated Outdoor Refreshment Area,” Payne said.

Downtown businesses will present about 25 serious and fun awards. There will also be a grand prize awarded by Miller Insurance, Thunderfest’s main sponsor.

The first 90 registrants will receive a plaque. Each hour all the vehicles will partake in a ‘cackle’ where participants rev up their motors simultaneously.

Sue Kiesewetter, Enquirer contributor

GREATER CINCINNATI

5th annual Payton’s Lemonade Stand on July 30

We are getting ready for the fifth annual Payton’s Lemonade Stand on Saturday, July 30, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. We have 50 stands all throughout Cincinnati, Northern Kentucky and Eastern Indiana. We’re in Loveland, Delhi, Fort Thomas, Lawrenceburg and everywhere in between.

Hosts this year include local businesses, baseball teams, nonprofits, girl scout troops, dance teams, soccer teams, fire departments and the cutest kids around hosting in their driveways.

Payton’s Lemonade Stand is a nonprofit, 501(c)3 that provides care and supporttokidsfacingmedical,economic and personal hardships. While raising funds at these lemonade stands, we

strive to empower our next generation of philanthropists.

We hope you can visit a stand near you on July 30 and support these kids in this wonderful cause.

For a list of locations and to see how you can donate virtually, visit our ttps://paytonslemonadestand.org.

Jess Obert, Payton’s Lemonade Stand LIBERTY TOWNSHIP

Month-long Stuff the Bus effort underway for Lakota students

A month-long Stuff the Bus effort to collect school supplies for students in the Lakota Local School District has begun and culminates July 27 with a Stuff the Bus effort at The Square at Liberty Center.

Several community organizations headed by the Cincinnati Children’s Liberty Community Advisory Committee are asking for donations of specific items. The requested items are not included with school supply kits being purchased by the district for students in grades K-8 using dollars from the American Rescue Plan, said Betsy Fuller, district spokeswoman. They include:

h Earbuds and headphones with an audio jack

h Pencil pouches

h Hand sanitizer

h Tissues

h Resealable plastic bags in both the gallon and quart sizes

Items can be dropped off during normal business hours at the following locations through July 26:

h Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center Liberty Campus main entrance, 7777 Yankee Road

h Liberty Township administration building, 5021 Winner’s Circle Dr.

h MidPointe Library, Liberty Center location, 7100 Foundry Row

h Lakota Schools Central Office, 5572 Princeton Road

h Voice of America MetroPark, 7850 VOA Park Dr., off of Cox Road

The final collection will be from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at The Square at Liberty Center on July 27.

Sue Kiesewetter, Enquirer contributor

CINCINNATI

Sneaker drive for back to school

Radio One Cincinnati announced its inaugural Back to School Sneaker Drive. During July, Radio One Cincinnati will be accepting new closed toe shoe donations for younger children’s sizes 10c through youth size 6, beginning July 1 through July 29. Larger shoe sizes will also be accepted for older children.

This year’s goal is to collect at least 500 pairs of shoes so that many schoolaged children will have the opportunity to go back to school in style.

Listeners can drop off their new shoe donations at the Radio One Cincinnati Offices’ main lobby located at One Centennial Plaza, 705 Central Ave., Suite 200 in Cincinnati from Monday-Friday between 9 a.m. and 5:30 p.m.

Radio One Cincinnati’s staff will also be at the One Centennial Plaza courtyard each Saturday in July (except July 29)fromnoonuntil3p.m.playingmusic and collecting donations for those who cannot make it out during the week.

This campaign will run during a fourweek promotional period, fully integrated across 101.1 The Wiz, 100.3 Cincy’s RnBStation,1230AMTheBuzzand101.5 LaGrande’ Station, along with all associated websites and social media platforms.

Angel Wright, Radio One Cincinnati

NORTHERN KENTUCKY

2022 Blacktop League registration closes Aug. 1

The Blacktop League will open its 29th season at the beginning of August. Games begin on Monday, Aug. 15, will end by Thursday, Oct.13, and are played on Monday through Thursday evenings.

The league is open to boys’ and girls’ teams entering grades 3 through 8. Registration is now open and team (preferred) and individual applications are now being accepted through Aug. 1.

For more information, contact Director Kevin Bundy at (859) 653-8941 or kbundy21@aol.com or visit our website at www.blacktopleague.com.

Scott Eaton, Blacktop League

Great-grandmother reflects on Underground Railroad walk

Hope for the future continues to grow

Doyle and Sheridan Hendrix

MOUNT VERNON, Ohio – Patti Jamieson was about to give up.

It was spring of 2002, and she and her 13-year-old son, Andy McGough, had been driving through the backwoods of southwest Ohio on a mission.

They, along with Patti’s two younger sons and mother, were searching for a 73-year-old woman named Joan Southgate on the outskirts of Xenia, about four miles from Wilberforce University, a historic Black college in Greene County.

Afewweeksearlier,Pattihadtracked Joan down to ask if she and Andy could join the Clevelander for a day during her months-long journey to retrace Ohio’s Underground Railroad.

Joan was following a path that would take her from Ripley, Ohio – a village on the banks of the Ohio River across from Kentucky – all the way back home to Cleveland, a city codenamed “Hope” by 19th century freedom seekers.

But now, in Xenia, Patti and Andy were lost.

The little caravan, which included Andy’s family as well as a journalist and her mother, pulled over. The newspaper reporter said she thought they had passed three petite figures near a bridge off U.S. Route 35.

Could that be them?

They regrouped and saw a trio of older women standing by the side of the road.

Andy, his brothers, grandmother and Patti piled out of their minivan in a series of giggles.

“And it was you!” Patti said recently, talking to the now 93-year-old greatgrandmother. “You’re so short and your sister and your friend were so short that (one of us) thought you were little kids waiting on the school bus!”

Twenty years later, seated at a table in the Mount Vernon Middle School library,PattismiledasshegraspedJoan’s hand, recalling the decades-old confusion. The older woman’s bright blue eyes crinkled with laughter behind her oval-shaped glasses.

As a seventh-grader, Andy did a history project on slavery. Inspired, Patti had reached Joan all those years ago in the hopes that Joan could provide Andy with a first-person perspective.

Andy, now 33-years-old but whose full beard and backwards baseball cap arestillunabletomaskhisboyishsmile, chuckled at his mother’s memory.

He has carried Joan’s legacy throughout his life by sharing her story and the stories of the freedom seekers she honored.

If you don’t remember the past,”Andy said. “How are you going to help the future?”

RIPLEY: THE FIRST STOP

For many enslaved people crossing the Ohio River from Kentucky on their way to freedom, Ripley was a likely stopping point.

Ripley, settled in1804 – just a year after Ohio was granted statehood – was one of the state’s most active stations on the Underground Railroad. Historians estimate that about 40% of successful freedom seekers trekked across the Ohio River. Ripley’s location along the river, proximity to nearby free Black settlements and the number of abolitionists living in town made it a prime location for freedom seekers to cross, according to historians.

Unlike other small towns, Ripley was aplacewherebothBlackandwhiteresidents worked together as abolitionists, moving those who made it across the river out of danger’s way. Abolitionists there were led by the Rev. John Rankin, a Presbyterian minister and architect of Ripley’s Underground Railroad. He built his hilltop home in 1828, where historians estimate that Rankin, his wife, Jean, and their 13 children personally assisted more than 2,000 enslaved people on their path to freedom.

Long before Joan Eveyln Southgate began what she calls “The Walk,” she was a retired social worker turned local activist and writer.

Joan frequently walked around her East Cleveland neighborhood, but at 4foot-9 with four grown children and seven grandchildren, her efforts to stay in shape did not include ambitions to walk across the entire state.

But one day, she was struck by the prospect of embarking on a really long walk–thekindofwalkthathundredsof thousands of Black freedom seekers endured more than 150 years ago.

As a child, growing up in Syracuse, New York, Joan always felt shame when slavery was a part of a history lesson. As the only Black kid in an all-white class, Joan was isolated and made to feel as though enslaved people’s suffering was somehow their fault.

Decades later, Joan wanted to shift that narrative. During a walk one day in February 2001, she started to think about what it would mean to highlight freedom seekers’ bravery.

“I started thinking what that would’ve been like,” she said. “Walking where there are no signs, no directions, no true pathways, and then, in that walking, it wasn’t walking. … It was running. It was escaping.”

It became desperately important thatJoanfindawaytohonorthememory of those who had made that perilous journey to freedom in the North during the early to mid-19th century.

Joan said it felt like an ancestor whispered a simple command to her: Walk.

“It really was an awakening,” she recalled. “It needed to happen right then and there.”

CINCINNATI: A CITY IN CONFLICT

When it came to slavery and abolition, Cincinnati was a city in conflict.

Although Ohio was a free state and its neighbor, Indiana, also had a strong network of Underground Railroad conductors, its prominence as a steamboat port and ties to commerce with Kentucky meant the slave trade was very visible. Northern cities could decry slavery from afar, but many Cincinnatians witnessed the evil firsthand.

Still, there was a brave contingent of Cincinnati conductors. In 1850, the Queen City had the third-largest population of Black residents in the country.

Early Black communities, especially those along the riverfront, were significant in providing refuge for freedom seekers.

Today, Cincinnati is home to the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center, situated along the same riverfront that beckoned hundreds of enslaved people one step closer to freedom.

She started training immediately: one hour of free weights three days a week, and a four- to six-mile walk four to five days a week, with the goal of eventually walking 10 miles a day during her journey.

Joan and a friend consulted Oberlin University’s archives to get a better sense of what her route might entail.

Along the way, she stayed in the 21st century equivalent of safe houses –homes of friendly strangers and acquaintances who offered shelter. A band of volunteers, made up of family and friends, walked and drove alongside Joan.

Friends helped Joan plan a path within what experts say are 3,000 miles worth of Underground Railroad routes in Ohio, eventually charting a 250-mile course through Ripley, Cincinnati, Wilberforce, Columbus, Mount Vernon, Oberlin and Cleveland.

Fourteen months later, beginning on April 2, 2002, she walked across Ohio –averaging10 to12 miles a day. It took her two months.

But she didn’t stop there.

In September 2002, Joan made a quick, one-week 100-mile hike” from Cleveland to Edinboro, Pennsylvania, just south of Erie. In May 2003, she picked back up in Edinboro, completing the final 169-mile stretch through New York and into the city of St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada a month later – a total of 519 miles from her start in Ripley, Ohio the year before.

Joan’s final leg ended on the steps of the British Methodist Episcopal Church, founded in 1820 by African American freedom seekers. One of the most famous members of the congrega-

tion, Harriet Tubman, lived in town from 1851 to 1858 and led about 70 enslaved people from the United States to freedom through the Underground Railroad.

WILBERFORCE: AN HBCU’S HOMETOWN

Named for the early abolitionist and British parliamentarian William Wilberforce, the Greene County community in southwestern Ohio became a powerful force in improving the lives of enslaved people.

A decade before the Emancipation Proclamation was signed, Wilberforce College was established in 1856 to provide education and teacher training for Black youth. The African Methodist Episcopal Church purchased the college in 1863 to ensure its survival during the Civil War, making it the first Blackowned and operated college in the nation.

The small community served as an important stop for freedom seekers on the Underground Railroad, with a hub of seven stations throughout the village. Today, Wilberforce is home to two historically Black colleges and universities: Wilberforce University and Central State University.

Joan’s maternal grandparents, the Fletchers, also belonged to British Methodist. Later when Tubman retired toAuburn,NewYork,theFletcherslived there, too. Joan said her mother, Evelyn Claracy Harris, remembers keeping watch over “Auntie Harriet” with the other Black children when the elder would stop to rest.

“The children could sit and sort of feel like they were protecting her if she fell asleep,” Joan said.

Asachild,hermotherwouldtellJoan and her siblings to “keep plugging.”And if something was too difficult, she would offer an empathetic but steadfast, “Well, just try.”

Joan – never one to be satisfied with a patient refrain – once asked her mother, “Ma, how do you keep going?”

Her mother replied, “I promised myself and a few old folks I’d put my feet in the path every single day.”

As a teenager, Andy remembers worrying about Joan when they met. Even at13-years-old he towered over her petite frame as they started the six-mile walk from Xenia to Wilberforce.

He thought to himself, “Oh my gosh, she’s gonna walk all the way across Ohio like this?”

But his fears quickly gave over to curiosity and a growing sense of admiration.

Hisfirstimpressionofherstaturebetrayed her commitment to the walk –Andy had never met anyone as determined as Joan.

As they toured an Underground Railroad stop off of Wilberforce University’s campus, taking turns hiding in an alcove that once sheltered freedom seekers, Andy realized that nothing, not her age nor the number of miles she was traveling, would stop Joan.

Céilí

Joan Southgate and Andy McGough pose for a portrait at Mount Vernon Middle School, 20 years after they met during Joan’s walk to retrace a path through the Underground Railroad. Joan’s walk has shaped Andy’s life. He shares the story of Joan and of those who made that journey hundreds of years ago with his crew at the logging company he started.

A 2001 letter from Joan Southgate to Cleveland Plain Dealer’s Margaret Bernstein as she prepared for her walk across Ohio along Underground Railroad routes is shown. During her walk, Margaret chronicled Joan’s journey throughout the pages of the Plain Dealer. PHOTOS BY JOSHUA A. BICKEL/COLUMBUS DISPATCH

Their blossoming friendship inspired Joan to alter her route and walk through Andy’s hometown the following month.

On May 8, 2002, the day she came to Mount Vernon – then, as now, a small, overwhelmingly white city in rural Ohio – the middle school’s auditorium was packed. Hundreds of kids from sixth through eighth grade gathered to hear Joan speak.

Former Cleveland Plain Dealer reporter Margaret Bernstein was in Mount Vernon that day and reported on Joan’s walk throughout her journey.

After Joan spoke, a crowd of more than 100 students, teachers, parents and curious Mount Vernon residents marched to the town’s Public Square, with Andy, Joan and then-Mayor Richard Mavis at the helm.

THE KELTONS IN COLUMBUS

Columbuswashometoanactivenetwork of Underground Railroad stations and a thriving Black community, more than a dozen of which acted as conductors along the local line. Although there is no definitive public register of all Underground Railroad sites in Columbus, research done by the Friends of Freedom Society found there are well over 20 documented local stations, including private homes, schools, churches and businesses.

Perhaps the best-known station in Columbus was the Kelton House, a Victorian-era home first built in 1852 in what’s now is known as Downtown’s Discovery District. Fernando and Sophia Kelton – two wealthy, well-liked and fervent abolitionists – built their family home on bucolic East Town Street two years after the 1850 Fugitive Slave Act became law, which required people in free states to capture freedom seekers.

The Keltons’ home became a safe house, sheltering those who passed through Columbus on their way north. There was no written record of the couple’s conductor activities, so it’s unclear exactly how many freedom seekers passed through the Kelton residence. One such individual though, a 10-yearold girl named Martha Hartway fleeing Virginiain1864,wastakeninbytheKeltons after she was too weak to continue and became a member of the family.

Red, white and black umbrellas bobbed up and down Main Street as everyone schlepped through the misty May rain to City Hall where the mayor commended Joan’s efforts to honor freedom seekers, according to an article Margaret wrote for the Plain Dealer.

“(Joan) could talk about diversity, equity and inclusion before it became a cliché,” Margaret said. “I often referred to her as a pied piper. The quirkiness of what she does kind of jolts people out of their normal, working-day lives.”

When the seasoned reporter met Joan for the first time, Margaret noticed that Joan’s words – recalling the hardship Black ancestors endured and the respect they are owed – set the pace of every footstep she took.

“Ever the poet,” Margaret said, Joan’s feet would tap out as she said the words, ‘What was it like and how can I praise them?’”

Because when Joan wasn’t walking, she was talking.

All along, she had been speaking at schools, churches and museums about the legacy of the Underground Railroad and slavery’s brutal stain on U.S. history. But she learned from these experiences, too.

When I started out on the walk, I didn’t know ‘Hope’ was the Underground Railroad codename for Cleveland,”Joan said. “I learned that from the kids, like Andy, at the schools.”

She told kids your history does matter,” Margaret said. “It’s not just enslavement and dehumanization – it’s actually about extreme courage.”

Margaret, who works as the director of advocacy and community initiatives for Cleveland’s NBC-affiliate, WKYC, said now is the right time to honor the importance of Joan’s walk, even though it is 20 years later.

SCHISMS IN MOUNT VERNON

Eastbound from Columbus, Knox County’s Mount Vernon was an alternate route some freedom seekers traveled on Ohio’s Underground Railroad. Conflicting ideologies about race and slavery created major schisms in Knox County preceding the Civil War. Mount Vernon was home to Daniel Decatur Emmett, the author of the song “Dixie,” which became the unofficial Confederate anthem. While there were many residents willing to hand over freedom seekers to bounty hunters, there were also a number of abolitionists who ran safe houses in Mount Vernon and the surrounding area.

In 1834, 30 members of the local Presbyterian Church, frustrated by the proslavery sentiments among the congregation, formed their own antislavery church, which was eventually known as the First Congregational Church. Members acted as conductors, sent delegates to abolition meetings and hosted antislavery speakers.

The church’s role on the Underground Railroad was affirmed in 1895 with the addition of stained-glass windows at the front of the sanctuary, which portray King David and the prophet Elijah as Black men. Attitudes about race and conversationssurroundingchangearenottaking nearly as long to evolve as they used to, Joan said.

She sees it in the nationwide Black Lives Matter protests in the wake of George Floyd’s murder and in the growing awareness of deep-seated racial inequities.

She sees it through Restore Cleveland Hope, her nonprofit group dedicated to promoting Cleveland’s history on the Underground Railroad, housed at the historic Cozad-Bates House.

She sees it in the feedback from the book she co-wrote with another former Plain Dealer reporter, Fran Stewart, called “In Their Path” – part memoir, part guide to Ohio’s Underground Railroad routes.

And she sees it acutely in Andy.

CIVIL WAR’S BEGINNINGS IN OBERLIN

Although it is a small college town in northeastern Ohio, Oberlin’s contributions to the antislavery movement were vast and lasting. One freedom seeker reportedly said upon arriving in Oberlin that “all the abolitionists in the country must live right there together.”

Oberlin was founded on the ideals of interracial cooperation, a place where religious and political beliefs rooted in the abolition movement could thrive. Antislavery and Black candidates were elected to local office, Oberlin College was the first U.S. college to admit both women and Black students, and its public school system was integrated long before it was required by law.

The town gained national attention in 1858 for its role in the WellingtonOberlin Rescue, when several dozen Lorain County residents were arrested to protect John Price. A Black man who

had escaped a northern Kentucky farm two years earlier, Price had lived and worked in Oberlin as a free man since his arrival. After Price was taken by a bounty hunter, hundreds of local residents protested his capture. Several men broke down the door where Price was being held, hid him at the home of an Oberlin College professor, and swiftly transported him to Canada.

Years later, the rescue gave Oberlin a new nickname: “The Town that Started the Civil War.”

The last time they saw each other –before The Dispatch brought them together for a conversation in February –was at Andy’s high school graduation party in 2007. Since then, Andy has graduated from college, worked for General Motors in Detroit, come back home, spent a stint at a nearby AK Steel and started his own logging company.

“I was telling some of my younger crew members that weren’t even born when this happened,” Andy said. “I was just explaining them the story, and that’s just one more group of people that knows.”

Joan’s walk – and her influence on his own life – gives Andy hope that future generations of curious seventhgraders will learn not just from the injustices of slavery, but the racism that has guided so many, well beyond the Civil War.

“As long as the history continues to be taught to everybody, it won’t repeat itself,” he said.

And while progress will always be met by setbacks, the speed with which racism and cruelty are being held accountable is remarkable, Joan said.

CLEVELAND: CODENAME HOPE

Codenamed “Hope,” Cleveland was one of the last stops on Ohio’s Underground Railroad.

Although early residents were more focused on growing the community rather than taking up the slavery debate, New Englanders who eventually migrated to the Great Lakes region brought with them a disdain for the institution. With Oberlin to the west and Ashtabula to the east, Cleveland eventually became a key destination for abolitionists and freedom seekers.

Completion of the Ohio Canal in1830 linked Cleveland to southern Ohio waterways, connecting the city to both

commerce and access to Underground Railroad lines. William Wells, once a freedom seeker himself, helped smuggle dozens of people from Cleveland to Detroit and Buffalo, where they could easily complete their journeys into Canada. In 1842 alone, he ferried 69 freedom seekers across Lake Erie to Canada.

Today, Cleveland is home to Joan Southgate’s nonprofit group, Restore Cleveland Hope, which is dedicated to promoting Cleveland’s history on the Underground Railroad. It is housed at the historic Cozad-Bates House.

“Things are moving faster,” she added. “Way faster. I mean, look what’s happened in my life that I never could have imagined. Barack Obama? Are you kidding me? In my lifetime? No way. No way.”

Andy also knows how impactful it is to recognize his hometown’s connection to the Underground Railroad.

“We’re very rural here,” he said. “And the thought process here for the social justice stuff is not as prominent.”

After catching up for a while, sitting in the Mount Vernon Middle School library, Joan asked Andy if he was married. He shook his head.

“No, no, I’m not married. Just me. No, no kids. My sheep. Sheep and cats.”

Joan, beaming with pride, laughed. Oh, I love you.”

The former middle school history nerd blushed deeply and smiled. “I’m happy to see you, too,” Andy said.

ASHTABULA: OHIO’S LAST STOP

Ashtabula was one of the last cities along Ohio’s Underground Railroad, located less than 20 miles from the OhioPennsylvania border along Lake Erie’s shores. Northern Ohio was once the Western Reserve area of Connecticut, and many New Englanders with their antislavery ideals ultimately migrated to the area. These migrants saw Ohio, a free state bordered by then-slaveholding Kentucky and Virginia (before it split into West Virginia), as an ideal location to help freedom seekers.

Staunchly abolitionist residents openly declared themselves in opposition to the Fugitive Slave Act. Many of Ashtabula’s early settlers fought in the RevolutionaryWarandrejectedtheidea that freedom was not granted to all. An 1850 editorial in the abolitionist newspaper Ashtabula Sentinel read that “no fugitive slave can be taken from the soil of Ashtabula County back to slavery.”

Even local sheriffs – including the county’s first, Quintas Atkins – rejected slaverylaws.AtkinsoperatedanUnderground Railroad station, codenamed Anno Mundi, Latin for “one world.”

Before the pair could head home, an older woman named Helen Rosser approached Joan and Andy at the library. Rosser, a longtime computer technology and health aid, was set to retire at the end of the week.

“Idon’tmeantointerrupt,butIwanted to tell this lady I remember her. I remember you being here,” she said, gesturing toward Joan. “I can’t tell you how many years ago it was when you were walking through town. It’s so nice to see you. ... What was your name again?”

The 93-year-old smiled before answering in her soft-spoken crackle:

“Joan Southgate.”

Céilí Doyle is a Report for America corpsmemberandcoversruralissuesin Ohio for The Dispatch.

On May 30, 2009, Joan led a group of folks who walked a portion of her original 2002 journey to celebrate Joan’s efforts to save the only pre-Civil War-era building in Cleveland’s University District neighborhood, the Cozad-Bates House. COURTESY OF JOAN SOUTHGATE

In a photo from April 2, 2002, Joan Southgate takes a drink of water during a moment of reflection in front of the John Rankin House in Ripley, Ohio. Twenty years later, Joan recalled that it was her mother’s spirit that encouraged Joan throughout the 519-mile journey GARY LANDERS/CINCINNATI ENQUIRER

Progressives aim for post-Roe boost

Anger might help Dem candidates in primaries

Anna Staver State Bureau

COLUMBUS – Cutting an ad that accuses Ohio’s Republican Party of supporting 10-year-olds giving birth is one way to get voters’attention. Seeking endorsements from national gun control advocates like Gabby Giffords is another.

They’re bold moves for candidates in an increasingly red state, University of Cincinnati Professor David Niven said. But with turnout expected to be in the single digits for Ohio’s unusual Aug. 2 primary for state House and Senate seats, anything candidates can do to earn votes might be worth it.

“This is the classic Iowa caucus formula. You never get big turnout, so you win those races on enthusiasm and fervor,” Nevin said. “If someone from the political edge was ever going to win a Democratic primary this setup is the best they could hope for.”

For Statehouse candidates, it’s go big or go home

The big, statewide races for governor and U.S. Senate were decided in the May primary along with the congressional candidates. Kids are out of school. Families are on vacation. And most candidates say voters have no idea about the August primary when they canvas.

“It’s kind of a forgotten election,”said Jerry Miller, the associate director of undergraduate studies for Ohio University. “I think it is going to come down to who remembers and how people perceive it to be important to them.”

And how important it is may depend on how angry voters feel.

“I think, frankly, the Democratic Party is tired of winning races and then having elected officials who don’t stand up for them ...,” Democratic candidate Gavi Begtrup said.

Begtrup is running for House District 27 in the Cincinnati suburbs. An open seat that will likely be one of the most competitive races in November. However, he hasn’t shied away from controversial topics such as abortion, gun control and LGBTQ+ rights.

He compared Ohio to the Republic of Gilead from “The Handmaid’s Tale” after news broke that a 10-year-old girl traveled to Indiana to obtain an abortion. He actively sought the endorsement of his former boss former U.S. Rep. Gabby Giffords and the gun control group Moms Demand Action. And he’s been clear about his disdain for bills that would ban transgender girls from playing on female sports teams.

“You can call me progressive or libertarian or an old-school, ‘stay out of my life’ Republican,” Begtrup said. “I call it standing up for kids, and that’s what it’s all about.”

Carolyn Harding, an environmental activist from Bexley near Columbus, says the “activist voice” is exactly

what’s missing in state government. That’s why she decided to run, and it’s why she stayed in the race after redistricting pitted her against incumbent Rep. Dontavius Jarrells, D-Columbus.

“We need strong activists who will stand up and do the right thing – even if the party doesn’t support it,” Harding said. “I’m more issue-driven than I am party driven.”

Jarrells, who earned the endorsement of Ohio’s Chamber of Commerce, told the USA TODAY Network Ohio Bureau that he doesn’t see himself as a moderate but as someone who can pass legislation.

“At the end of the day, when we go into the statehouse, Democrats are in the minority,” Jarrells said. “We have to work with Republicans. I know how to do that and have done it successfully.”

And he thinks that’s why the voters who have already lived in his district are eager to support him.

They’ve seen him answering their calls during the pandemic and passing

out water during the AEP power outages.

Harding, on the other hand, labels herself as “definitely, definitely a progressive” who believes in universal healthcare, raising the minimum wage, assault rifle bans and putting her training as an actor to good use for “causing the good kind of trouble.”

“Progressives have pushed moderates quite a lot,” Harding said. “Universal healthcare is becoming more of a common value because of us.”

To November and beyond

But she recognizes that freedom to push comes, in part, from living in a safely Democratic seat in Franklin County. House District1, which Harding or Jarrells will almost certainly represent, has four registered Democrats for every Republican. And no one from the GOP filed to run.

“We’re putting our energy and our capacity behind people who are solid progressives,” said Diane Morgan, the mobilization coordinator for Sen. Bernie Sanders’ group Our Revolution. “But we have to get as many Democrats elected as possible whether they are progressive or not.”

She backed political newcomer Morgan Harper over U.S. Rep. Tim Ryan in Ohio’s Democratic primary for U.S. Senate this year, but she’s 100% team Ryan for the general election.

Whether bolder, louder and potentially more progressive Democrats can win in the general election is a question people from across the political spectrum aren’t sure how to answer.

“There hasn’t been energy in Ohio from that side of the equation,” Nevin said. Republicans moved steadily to the right over the last decade while “Democratsarestillkindofinthepolitepolitics mode.”

Anna Staver is a reporter for the USA TODAY Network Ohio Bureau, which serves the Columbus Dispatch, Cincinnati Enquirer, Akron Beacon Journal and 18 other affiliated news organizations across Ohio.

Americans’ true abortion stance complicated

Americans’ sentiments about abortion are complicated and sometimes contradictory, a complexity many public opinion polls on the highly charged topic fail to capture.

With both sides loudly magnifying survey results to suit their emotionally charged talking points, nuances are often sacrificed for the sake of political expediency. That means voters and policymakers are often denied a true picture of where the public stands in the wake of last month’s U.S. Supreme Court ruling that abortion is not a constitutional right, experts say.

“When most polls are used to justify support or opposition to abortion, they do not accurately reflect the true state of public opinion about abortion,” said professor Andrew Smith, who formerly conducted the Ohio Poll and now is director of the University of New Hampshire’s Survey Center.

That’s not to say that years of accumulated polls haven’t established key points of consensus:

• Most in the U.S. don’t want to end all rights to have an abortion.

• At the same time, a majority wants some restrictions on the controversial procedure.

The bottom line of most Americans’ stance on abortion: “It depends.”

“The American people think there are good reasons for having abortions .. and generally less-good reasons for which they don’t support abortions,” Smith said.

In 2020, five sociologists at the University of Notre Dame undertook what was billed as the largest known, indepth interview study of “everyday” Americans’ attitudes toward abortion. Instead of short phone polls or online surveys, they completed 217 one-onone interviews, averaging 75 minutes apiece.

“Abortion attitudes are more com-

plex than survey statistics suggest,”the researchers concluded. “Many interviewees gave us an initial answer to a survey-style question before disclosing that that’s not really how they feel. Surveys miss the ways that Americans offer disclaimers and caveats, contradict themselves, hedge their responses, change their minds, and think through things in real time.”

Others have come up with similar findings.

In contrast to the claims of activists, and to divergent Democratic and Republican Party platforms, the ethical statusofabortionisnotabinaryonefor a great many Americans,” said a July 2021 study of questions used in the General Social Survey, performed for the past 50 years by the independent research organization NORC at the University of Chicago.

Similarly, Politifact found in May 2022 after examining numerous polls that “public opinion data on abortion is murkier and more contradictory than either supporters or opponents of abortion rights would like to admit. Views on abortion are intensely personal, and often paradoxical.”

The “it depends” attitude toward abortion showed up in the NORC/University of Chicago study: “When thinking about the morality or legality of a woman’s decision to have an abortion, Americans take into account the differing circumstances in which she does so, and position themselves in the middle ground.”

How the complexities of those “dif-

fering circumstances” come into play are displayed in a Harvard-Harris Poll shortly after the high court’s 6-3 decision. While 55% opposed the ruling that wiped out a constitutional right to an abortion, 37% still wanted their state to limit abortions to cases of rape or incest. Another 12% wanted them barred beyond the sixth week of pregnancy.

The Centers for Disease Control and Preventionreport in its most recent figures (2019) that 43% of abortions occur within the first six weeks, when many women may be just finding out they are pregnant.

Thus, while Americans solidly support abortion rights overall, this poll indicates that the country is almost evenly divided on whether they should be legal beyond six weeks – when 57% of abortions occur, per the CDC.

That’s approximately the time when abortions are banned under Ohio’s newly enacted law based on cardiac activity. The CDC shows that more than seven out of10 abortions in the Buckeye State take place after six weeks of gestation.

Virtually all surveys show that approval for abortions drops dramatically the further along a pregnancy has progressed.

A Monmouth Poll after the court ruling found 60% disapproved of overturning Roe v. Wade, versus 37% approving. Again, respondents were most comfortable with abortion during the initial weeks of pregnancy; 66% said the woman should have more rights than the fetus during the first trimester.

However, those numbers flip for the last two trimesters to give priority to the rights of the fetus.

Likewise, a Suffolk University/USA TODAY poll just before the ruling showed that while 60% wanted abortion to remain legal for the first trimester, only 30% backed “midterm abortions” and just 19% favored “late-term abortions.”

Data provided to the Ohio Department of Health show that around 88% of surgical abortions occur within the first 12 weeks of pregnancy.

“Every question I have seen that

asks whether the Supreme Court should overturn Roe shows a majority against,” Karlyn Bowman, a longtime polling analyst now with the American Enterprise Institute, told PolitiFact. Even so, “Americans have always been willing to put significant restrictions on its use.”

Suffolk’s poll of Ohio indicated less support for keeping Roe v Wade than the country as a whole. A few weeks before the ruling, 48% of Ohio poll participants said they would oppose a court overthrow, while 44% would favor it.

Nationally, the same polling firm found that 61% were against overturning Roe, and 28% for the change.

In 2014, Pew measured Ohioans as basically dead even on the controversy: 48% said abortion should be legal in all or most cases, and 47% said the opposite. Nationwide that same year, Pew found 55% were in favor of abortion being legal in all or most cases, 40% opposed. Pew’s current breakdown: 61% for abortion rights, 37% opposed.

A July 2019 Quinnipiac Poll showed that Ohioans opposed the state’s law banning abortions after six weeks based on cardiac activity by 52% to 39%.

Mike Gonidakis, president of Ohio Right to Life, said Ohioans are more opposed to abortion rights than those across the rest of the nation. He points to the election of solidly pro-life governors in every election but one since 1992, a period dominated by Republicans.

“We’ve got to keep working to change hearts and minds,” he said. “We’re only one election cycle away from going back to pro-choice.”

Kellie Copeland, executive director of Pro-Choice Ohio, said Ohioans are “absolutely not” more in favor of restricting abortion rights.

“When it comes to the impact on upcoming elections and how people would vote, we have seen research indicating that when voters who support abortion rights believe that abortion is ‘on the ballot’, they are more motivated to vote and majorities support laws that would protect abortion from being banned,” she said.

Turnout is expected to be in the single digits for Ohio’s unusual Aug. 2 primary for state House and Senate seats COLUMBUS DISPATCH FILE

Most want some rights, yet also seek restrictions

Protests on both sides of the abortion issue outside the U.S. Supreme Court in 2005. AP FILE

You know those postcards you receive in the mail asking you if you want to sell your house?

We called one of the senders.

We ended up speaking to Cincinnatibased investor Vena Jones-Cox, who has over 30 years in the business.

Cox, 54, is the owner of East Price Hill-based We Really Do Buy Houses and hosts her own radio show, “Real Life Real Estate Investing,” on WMKV-FM (89.3).

Know those ‘sell your house’ postcards? We called one

properties a week that deserve followups.

Q: Your postcard was one of the most thoroughly-written ones in our stack.

A: Unlike some investors, I won’t tell you that I want to buy your house for all cash in any condition because I think that can be confusing for some people. When I read that, I think, “what do you mean all cash? Any condition? Do you think something is wrong with my house?”

Q:Oneofthecardswereceivedread “FINAL NOTICE” in all capital letters.

Of the nine companies we called using numbers printed directly from the postcards, Cox’s company was among just two who didn’t lead us to an automated message.

Question: Is this a typical way to conduct outreach to potential sellers?

A:We’vebeendoingthatforyears,but themarketissotightrightnowthat investors are sending out even more of these mailers. In fact, even non-investors who want to buy a house to live in send letters to the houses they like, asking the homeowner to sell. I’d say homeowners are easily receiving 10 times as many of these postcards as we were five years ago.

Q: How many people actually call back?

A: About 1-2% call back and of those, 95% of folks aren’t really ready to sell right now. They just want to know how much money I think their house could sell for. If they do want to sell and their house doesn’t need a lot of work, we usually refer them to a listing agent who can help them get full retail price since we provide a cash offer below market value.

Q:WhatneighborhoodshereinCincinnati do you typically target? I’m assuming it’s the ones that people are scrambling to move into.

A: I wouldn’t advise any real estate investor to approach it that way because it’s a waste of time and money. We’re not necessarily looking for any particular area,butinsteadwe’relookingforpeople who might have a property and a reason to sell it. One of the most common reasons an investor would reach out to a homeowner would be because their house looked like it was vacant.

Q:Whatotherwayscanyoutellthat a home might be up for grabs?

A: If a property is about to be auctioned off by the Hamilton County Sherriff, they stick an orange sticker on the door. Then we know that this is a homeownerwhoisabouttolosetheirproperty and lose control of the selling process. That’s when we step in.

Q: Do you have staff that drive around looking for these houses?

A: It’s mostly me. But I don’t go huntinginaparticulararea.Ispendtimedriving around the neighborhoods that I already have an appointment in. It’s fairly easy for me to see between 10 and 20

A: See,thatfeelsthreatening.Ireceive that postcard myself four or five times a week. The reason there are so many of these types of cards is that’s a template youcanjustbuyontheweb.Itissetupto indicate there is some sort of urgent thing going on and you need to respond to it right away.

Q: Almost like a bill.

A: Almost. If you get this postcard and you weren’t in the real estate business, you’d be confused and frightened. I belong to the Real Estate Investors Association of Greater Cincinnati and we’ve been telling our members for years not to send that out. It’s a constant effort to train new investors about stuff like this.

Q: Once you’ve bought a house, what do you do with it?

A: We’re interested in buying those homes that could be difficult for regular people to fix up and sell quickly, which are typically going to be ones that are in highdollar areas. But, those aren’t usually good rentals and I have a preference that wherever I can – based on the repair costs, purchase price and what kind of financing we’re able to get – to fix them up and rent them.

Q: How many homes do you hold on to in your portfolio vs. resell?

A: That depends. I’ve owned four-tofive recent rental houses in Cincinnati that when they went vacant, other homeowners came to me and asked to buy them. Not investors ... homeowners. The market is so nuts right now that sometimes I put a for-rent ad in the paper and I mostly get phone calls from potential buyers instead of renters. There are hundreds, if not thousands of less rentals now available than there were two years ago.

Q:Atonepointdoyouletgoofthose houses you’re renting out?

A: If I get an offer that’s so good that I could take that money and go buy two other houses, then I’ll sell it. Other times, I’ll buy a rental property and for no reason I can determine, there’s turnover. We’re looking for people who will stay.

Real estate investing is a lot more complex than it looks on the surface to people who attend a single seminar and get excited about the industry. I know a lot of new investors who don’t have a lot of money that just want to buy, fix and sell. That can be a really smart decision at the beginning of your investing career

High gas prices push Ohio toward electric vehicles

Millions of dollars and major economic projects are set to come into Ohio as the car market increasingly shifts to electric. High gas prices have only underscored the urgency for Ohio to press the pedal, said advocates, as the state moves to expand electric vehicles.

COLUMBUS – Sam Owens, 24, dreamed for a long time of owning an electric vehicle. After all, he works for a company dealing with charging stations. But with electric cars being more expensive to purchase, the upfront sticker price always held him back – until now.

As gas prices started to rise, Owens, whose car used premium gas, was feeling pain at the pump. It often cost more than $60 to fill his tank.

“I knew that it was going to get a lot worse before it got any better. And so, that was kind of like the tip of the iceberg for me,” he said.

In May, the resident of Dublin in suburban Columbus became a Tesla owner. And with gas prices still high, he has no regrets,havingpaidjust$102over2,000 miles.

Electric vehicles are a growing trend

Owens is not the only one pushed to buy an electric vehicle by eye-popping gas expenses, according to Zach Doran, president of the Ohio Automobile Dealers Association. Anecdotally, dealerships across the state have seen more interest in electric vehicles.

Google searches around electric vehicles seem to line up. During the last year in Ohio, the two largest spikes in searches were when gas prices reached record highs in March and later surpassed $5 per gallon in June.

Even before gas prices increased, interest in electric vehicles has been steadily growing as more people grow comfortable with electricity as a fuel,

said Doran Sales of electric vehicles in Ohio have been on a steady upward trend since 2015, according to data from the Alliance of Automotive Innovation. But last year saw a spike with 38,583 electric vehicles sold – almost 18,000 more than the previous year.

The number of new electric vehicle registrations is also growing year after year, according to data from the Bureau of Motor Vehicles. There’s been more than 1,000 registrations per month this year so far – a monthly mark that began just April of last year.

Part of the increase is due to the price points of electric vehicles becoming more affordable, said Doran. More customers are realizing they’re very high performing, too.

Perhaps the biggest reason is that automobile manufacturers are hedging their bets on electric being the future. Honda wants 80% of its vehicles powered by electricity or hydrogen by 2035. General Motors and Ford want to sell only electric vehicles by the same year. Billions of dollars have been and will be invested, advocates said.

Yet, electric vehicles make up just 1% of Ohio’s market, according to Doran. Of the194,500 new passenger car registrations over the past12 months, about19% were hybrid or full electric vehicles, per the Bureau of Motor Vehicles. Ownership is very concentrated in urban areas.

But the nearly 36,700 electric cars on Ohio roads right now will only increase in number, and Ohio needs to be prepared, said state Sen. Michael Rulli,

East Price Hill investor talks about local market

Vena Jones-Cox stands in front of a rental property that she owns on Waxwing Drive in Blue Ash. STEPHANIE SCARBROUGH/THE ENQUIRER

“I knew that it was going to get a lot worse before it got any better. And so, that was kind of like the tip of the iceberg for me.”

Sam Owens resident of Dublin near Columbus

Continued from Page 21A

R-Salem.

“We have over 108,000 jobs in auto manufacturing here, and many of those jobs involve making gas vehicles or gas vehicle parts,”Rulli said. “With so many jobs at risk, it is urgent that we take action now.”

Some work done to boost the electric vehicle industry

Private companies are trying to keep up with expected demand.

Recently, Ford announced a $1.5 billion investment to assemble electric vehicles near Cleveland. Foxconn is attempting to gain a foothold in the industry in the Mahoning Valley. Rulli said he’s been talking with multiple companies involved with electric vehicles who are looking to establish locations.

However, “other than the major cities, there’s not infrastructure to support EV charging stations,” said Phillip La Susa and Kevin Futryrk, representing CleanFuelsOhio.“Weneedtogettothat (point) ... so that when it is 2035, we are positioned to be able to handle the increased load.”

The number of charging stations in Ohio totals around 1,035, according to the U.S. Department of Energy. About a decade ago, there were only 150.

A 2020 study by the Ohio Department of Transportation noted that con-

centration of chargers around cities “do not provide practical solutions for EV drivers on travel corridors due to the long dwell times required to charge.” Another report this year stated that Ohio has no highway routes compliant with the latest federal standards for electric vehicle travel.

Some work has been done to build a more electric-friendly driving environment. Utilities such as American Electric Power pitched in rebates to encourage cities and others to build charging stations. The state has set aside some funding in the past and conducted multiple studies assessing economic and infrastructural needs.

Ohio is also in the process of crafting a plan, due in August, on how it will use $140 million of incoming federal money

to build up charging infrastructure. A draft plan suggests upgrading and installing chargers at 39 locations and more,witheachnewsitecostingupto$1 million.

Rulli is trying to pass Senate Bill 307 to promote the industry even more. Included are tens of millions of dollars for auto businesses to help train and acquire materials for electric vehicles. It would exempt up to $2,000 on the sales tax for electric vehicles until 2032.

“For a technology that is so cutting edge, that can catapult Ohio into a leader in the country, I think it’s a very small amount of money to throw back into the movement,” he said.

Possible hurdle: Skepticism among many Republicans

Multiple lawmakers have doubted whether the current electrical grid can handleasteepinfluxofelectricvehicles.

“That whole ‘Let’s all get electric cars’ thingsoundedreallygooduntilyourealize in 100 degree heat … everyone needs to charge up and cool off at the same time,” Rep. Kyle Koehler, R-Springfield, wrote on Facebook during widespread power outages last month.

Rulli insists that as long as the grid is properly prepared, things will be fine. He said funding is being worked on for additional natural gas plants to provide more electricity by 2025.

Currently, his legislation would subsidize utilities to help electrify the grid for electric vehicles. That’s gotten pushback from consumer groups as well as

fuel companies that want to step into the charging business.

“This line of business should not be opened to monopoly utilities who issue monthly electric bills to their captive Ohio customers,” said Michael Haugh, with the Office of the Ohio Consumers’ Counsel, which represents Ohio utility customers, to lawmakers.

The state senator said he plans on getting rid of the utilities portion. A credit could still be given to those who want to set up charging stations, but it would be universal and not limited to utilities.

Perhaps the largest hurdle is skepticism among many Republicans, who controlstategovernment,overanything perceived to be combating climate change. For instance, there’s been false accusations online that Democratic President Joe Biden is using high gas prices to force people to adopt electric vehicles. Rulli acknowledged that many of his colleagues may have that sentiment. But he said he’s been winning lawmakers over and anticipates a vote could come on his bill.

“I feel that the electric vehicle revolution,itreallyshouldn’tbeapoliticalparty [thing], especially when you’re talking about Ohio jobs,” he said. “This isn’t just about saving the Earth. These are jobs for their constituents.”

TitusWuisareporterfortheUSATODAY Network Ohio Bureau, which serves the Columbus Dispatch, Cincinnati Enquirer, Akron Beacon Journal and 18 other affiliated news organizations across Ohio.

Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine talks to members of the media June 2 at an assembly plant in Avon Lake, Ohio. Ford announced it will add 6,200 factory jobs in Michigan, Missouri and Ohio as it prepares to build more electric vehicles. DAVID RICHARD, AP

School can’t discipline off-campus hate speech

tervention, and the school must especially respect an interest in protecting a student’s unpopular expression.

The Cherry Creek School District in Colorado recently saw its efforts to expel a student for his anti-Semitic comment on Snapchat dashed by the Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals. The district couldn’t make a case that the comment created a substantial disruption to the school’s educational mission.

The case arose from a group of district students’ photoshoot during a visit toalocalthriftshoponaFridayevening. Whilethere,oneofthestudentsdonned a foreign military hat from the World War II era. Another student (identified asC.G.intheopinion)tookapictureand posted it on Snapchat with the caption “Me and the boys bout to exterminate the Jews.” C.G. removed the post after a few hours and posted an apology.

Unfortunately for C.G., one of his Snapchat friends took a screenshot of the post. It found its way to the school administration. The next Monday, the school suspended C.G. and ultimately expelled him for one year for violating district policies. C.G. took the matter to federal court, contending the school violated his First Amendment right to free speech. The trial court dismissed his complaint and C.G. appealed.

On appeal, the court noted that schools may restrict student speech only if it “would substantially interfere with the work of the school or impinge upon the rights of other students.” And while schools are given leeway to regulate speech that occurs under its supervision, that leeway gets curtailed when the speech occurs off campus in a setting unrelated to school activity. As the court noted, in that instance, the school will have a heavy burden to justify in-

In reversing the trial court’s decision, the appellate court relied on a 2021 U.S Supreme Court case that had upheld a student’s right to express herself using vulgar language. In that case and in C.G.’s case, the students spoke outside of school hours from a location outside the school; did not identify or target any member of the school community; and transmitted the speech on a personal cellphone to a private group of recipients. Those three factors helped to persuade the court that the student’s speech was protected.

In addition, the district introduced very little evidence that the school’s mission was substantially disrupted. The district presented an e-mail chain in which the parents of one student expressed concern over the speech, but as the court noted, this did not rise to the level of a substantial disruption.

Further, the court noted that the school apparently didn’t consider the comment a threat. The morning he was suspended, C.G. came to school, was not searched by security, and went to his first-period class before being escorted to the dean of students’ office.

The district also contended that it was entitled to qualified immunity on C.G.’s claim since the law was not entirely clear on the issue of off-campus speech. The appeals court sent that issue back to the trial court to decide.

Schoolofficialsarenodoubtfrustratedbytheirinabilitytoregulateoffensive student speech. But the First Amendment exists to protect unpopular or offensive speech just as much as it exists to protect acceptable speech. It is in this sense the cost of freedom.

JackGreinerisapartnerattheGraydon law firm in Cincinnati. He represents Enquirer Media in First Amendment and media issues

Housing

Continued from Page 21A

but the ultimate goal should be something that is generating money every month for a long time.

Q: How many homes do you have right now in that portfolio?

A: If I was taking a wild guess, I have somewhere between 20 to 30 total units and a handful I co-own with other people. But there’s no goal number of houses I’m aiming to own at once.

Q:Whatdoyouthinkmotivatesthe larger, national investment companies?

A: The investment hedge funds own thousands of properties have their own investorsthattheyhavetoappease,soit makes sense they are more dollar driven. I think hedge funds largely get a bad rap because people feel threatened that an out-of-town company is buying tons of properties in their neighborhood. But if they’re providing us with rentals that we actually need and spending good money to fix up former eyesores,thenIthinkit’sagoodservice.

They’ve kind of commodified singlefamily rentals as of late, which is new since apartments have traditionally been their market. I know people think we’ve got to stop them from buying

these properties, but in my experience, they’re not buying the houses that local homeowners could actually afford to buy. If they’re taking properties “away” from anybody, it’s from investors like me.

Q: So in your case, do you feel that investing is more personal since you haveahigherstakeintheplacewhere you live and work?

A: Oh, absolutely. Everybody I know whoownsrentalsisinterestedinhaving one of the best properties on the block aswellas getting and keeping good people as opposed to trying to get the highest possible rent. Small independent investors are much more focused on having a good business relationship with our renters.

Q: Anything else you want readers to know?

A: If I were to give one piece of advice to people who want to stop receiving these postcards, I’d say just call the number and tell them to take your information off the list. But be sure to leave your name and property address because we won’t know who you are if you don’t leave your full information. Everyone will take you off the list if you request it.

Sydney Franklin reports on the business of real estate in Cincinnati. Follow her on Twitter @sydreyfrank_ and send story tips to sfranklin@enquirer.com.

A view of the back of the postcard that Cincinnati-based investor Vena Jones-Cox sends to potential sellers. STEPHANIE SCARBROUGH/THE ENQUIRER

You can get Social Security benefits from ex

A: In theory, you make a very valid point. With a Roth IRA (or Roth 401(k)), you contribute with money you’ve already paid taxes on, essentially “locking-in” your tax rate at the current moment in time. With a tax-deferred account like a traditional IRA or 401(k), you’re getting an up-front tax break and waiting to pay your taxes later.

binary decision; you don’t have to put all your money in a Roth-style account or all your money in a tax-deferred account. We like the idea of having a mix of both,butasalways,consultatrustedfinancialplanner and/or tax professional to discuss your particular situation.

Question: H.D. in Cleves: My ex-husband died. WastoldIcouldgetaSocialSecuritywidow’sbenefit. Is that true?

A: Yes, ex-spouses can qualify for a survivors benefit assuming they meet a few criteria. First, your marriage to your late ex-husband must have lasted at least 10 years; you must be at least 60 years old (or 50 if you’re disabled); you are single, or if you’ve remarried, your new marriage occurred after you turned 60 (or, again, 50 if you’re disabled). (Note: If you’re caring for a child from the marriage who is younger than 16 or became disabled before age 22, there are some exceptions to these rules.)

Assuming you qualify, you’re able to claim 100% of the benefit your ex was receiving at the time of his death once you hit your Full Retirement Age (FRA). If he died before claiming, you’re entitled to receive what he was eligible to receive. And generally speaking, if you claim before your FRA, your benefit will be reduced.

And, just as a reminder, if you’re currently claiming benefits off your own work record, you don’t get both benefits. Social Security pays the higher benefit. (We should also note that any claiming you do off of your ex’s work record will not impact anyone else who may also be doing so, such as another ex-spouse or a widow.)

Here’s The Allworth Advice: As always with Social Security, there can be nuances that make every single situation unique and more complicated than what ‘general’advice can cover. We recommend talking with someone at Social Security at 1-800-772-1213 (TTY 1800-325-0778) if you have specific questions about the ex-spouse survivor benefit. And a fiduciary financial advisor can be a helpful ally if you need guidance regarding how this benefit works within the scope of your retirement strategy.

Q:PhillipinMariemont:Youguysarealwayssaying how you prefer Roth savings vs. a regular 401(k) that’s tax deferred. But I can’t see how paying 22% tax now is better than paying 12% once I retire and have a lower income.

So, yes, it makes sense to analyze the tax situation you’re in now versus the one you think you’ll be in during retirement. If you believe your taxes will be higher in the future, contributing to a Roth now is a good option. If you think your taxes will be lower, a tax-deferred account would be better.

However, just to clarify … we’ve never said to save solely in a Roth-style account (unless it’s been advice for a young investor who’s currently in a low tax bracket). We talk about Roth IRAs and Roth 401(k)s because we think they’re great tools to have as part of your overall financial planning arsenal due to their tax-free growth. Having accounts with different tax structures gives you and your money more flexibility, both now and in retirement – especially when it comes to tax planning and income distribution strategies.

The Allworth Advice is that it doesn’t have to be a

If you, a friend, or someone in your family has a money issue or problem, feel free to send those questions to yourmoney@enquirer.com

Responses are for informational purposes only, and individuals should consider whether any general recommendation in these responses is suitable for their particular circumstances based on investment objectives, financial situation and needs. To the extent that a reader has any questions regarding the applicability of any specific issue discussed above to his/her individual situation, he/she is encouraged to consult with the professional adviser of his/her choosing, including a tax adviser and/or attorney. Retirement planning services offered through Allworth Financial, an SECregistered investment advisor adviser. Securities offered through AW Securities, a registered broker/dealer, member FINRA/SIPC. Call 513-469-7500 or visit allworthfinancial.com

ONCE A CEMETERY, WASHINGTON PARK IS NOW ‘THE GATEWAY TO CINCINNATI’

Idon’t remember the first time I set foot in Washington Park, but like many a Cincinnatian, both now and from the past, there are many memories inextricably linked to its eight acres. The sound of the Cincinnati Pops, echoing off Music Hall during the first Lumenocity, way back in 2013. The taste of countless iced coffees sipped while walking through the park on my way to work. The glow of the sun bursting through the thousands of spring tulips.

I’ve walked through and experienced so much in that park, I sometimes like to consider the iterations of my former selves, and if they are somehow still there.

But the Washington Park of today isn’t the Washington Park of seven years ago, or 10, or 30, or 120. In its 10th year post-renovation, what is Washington Park? I spent some time in the park recently to reflect on this public space.

The Park of the Present: Greenspace respite

I set off from my office on Sixth Street on foot on a recent Thursday to enjoy the atmosphere at our esteemed Over-the-Rhine hot spot. The 15-minutewalkmadeclearthatall-blackwasapoorwardrobechoicefor

Eerie, fascinating Philippi, West Virginia, is worth a day trip

PHILIPPI, W.Va. — The country roads of West Virginia often reveal hidden delights for inquisitive travelers who are fascinated by quirky and sometimes touching bits of local history and lore.

My family and I found such a delight last month while making a detour for a rest stop in Barbour County, about 40 miles south of Morgantown.

The stop revealed stories about the first land battle of the Civil War, a poignant and macabre example of 19th-century psychiatric treatment and medical experimentation and, last but not least, a local tie to The Addams Family – yes, that Addams Family

Although we’ve often driven through north-central West Virginia, this was

our first stop in Philippi, a town of about 3,000 people located at the intersection of U.S. routes 119 and 250.

The sight of a beautiful and unusual covered bridge spanning the Tygart Valley River first lured us away from the gas station we’d stopped at near the center of town.

During our explorations, we learned that the 312-foot-long, two-lane “double barrel” bridge was built in 1852 and was once used as a barracks by Union soldiers during the Civil War.

But our real dive into local history would begin at the old train station next to the bridge, where stood a historical marker titled “Philippi Mummies,”and a banner hung proclaiming the dates for an upcoming “Lurch Fest.”

See PHILIPPI, Page11AA

Steve Stephens

Special to The Columbus Dispatch

Built in 1852, the covered bridge in Philippi marked the site of the first land battle of the Civil War. STEVE STEPHENS

The Col. Robert McCook monument as seen through foliage by the Porch. LEYLA SHOKOOHE FOR THE ENQUIRER

9 PLACES TO TAKE COOKING CLASSES IN CINCINNATI AREA

Say hey, good looking – what you got cooking? If your answer is, “Nothing, I can’t cook. I’m ordering dinner from Uber Eats,” you might want to invest in cooking classes. Cincinnati has several cooking schools that can teach you, and in many cases, your children, how to cook up a brand new recipe.

Artichoke

1824 Elm St., Over-the-Rhine; www.artichokeotr.com

An artichoke is a vegetable – and also the name of this venue, which offers informal one-hour classes and sitdown two-hour classes. All events are BYOB (bring your own booze). Guests sample whatever is being made in class and get copies of the recipes to bring home. Past classes include “Steakhouse Secrets,”“Intro to Indian” and “Italian Seafood Risotto dinner.” All classes are reservation-only and require advance payment. The establishment also sells a variety of cookware, kitchen tools and appliances, seasonings and more.

Hours are Tuesday through Friday from10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Saturday from 9 a.m.to6p.m.,andSundayfrom10a.m. to 4 p.m. Classes usually take place on Thursday evenings, between 6:30 and 7:30 p.m.The one-hour demonstration-only style classes accommodate up to eight students and cost $50 per person.

Baker Hunt Art & Cultural Center

620 Greenup St., Covington; www.bakerhunt.org

This three-acre center offers cooking classes tailored to specific age groups. The class categories available are parent/child team classes, date nights, specialty workshops and youth multi-week boot camps.Their children’s cooking classes include “Lego Cooking Camp,” “Food Around the World Cooking Camp” and “Harry PotterCookingCamp.”Cookingclassesfor adults include “Bastille Day Dinner Date,” “Beer Brewing Lecture and Demo Interactive Class” and “Colonel De Spice Class – Surf and Turf.” The center also teaches drawing, painting, ceramics and mosaics, mind and body, assorted media and fiber arts classes.

Classes are taught from Monday through Saturday. The earliest classes start at 9 a.m., and the latest classes end at 9 p.m. There are one-day workshopsthatlastone-and-a-halftothree hours. Prices range from $30 to $150. They offer two to four-week classes with one class per week, and each class lasts one-and-a-half to three hours. The cost ranges from $40 to $200. There are eight-week classes with one class per week, and each class lasts one-and-a-half to three hours. These classes cost $95 to $200.

Jungle Jim’s International Market

5440 Dixie Highway, Fairfield; www.junglejims.com

Jungle Jim’s is famous for selling food from all over the world. It also offers a variety of cooking classes that last two to two-and-a-half hours in duration. They offer hands-on and demonstrative classes. Both types of classes provide the students with a sample of the dish, a complete recipe pack and wine or beer samples.

Demonstration classes hold a maximum of12 students. Hands-on classes are smaller in size. Jungle Jim’s also offers daytime, couples, express, beer and food, wine and food, wine tasting and virtual classes. There are a wide variety of classes such as Grilled Tuscan Dinner, Italian Menu for the Grill and Steakhouse Dinner.

Most classes are held from 6 to 8 p.m.Classesrangeinpricefrom$87.50 to $175. They also hold classes in TuscanyandEmilia-Romagna,Italy.Inthe past eight years, more than 200 Jungle Jim’s students studied in Italy.

Macaron Bar

1206 Main St., Over-the-Rhine; www.macaron-bar.com

Do not let the name fool you. This venue is not a bar but a bakery that is focused exclusively on French macar-

ons.Itoffersthreecategoriesofhandson classes that teach how to make the macaron cookie. Students usually work in pairs, and a single-ticket student may get paired with another.

“Intro to Macarons” is a three-hour class that teaches how to make the cookie shell and some filling flavors. “Macarons for Kids” is for kids ages 8 to 12. A parent or guardian must be present during the classes. “Advanced Macarons – Decorating” teaches the techniques of piping melted chocolate, using sprinkles and edible inks, and piping special shapes and colorful designs. The “Intro to Macarons” and “Advanced Macarons – Decorating” classes do not admit children under age10 and require a paying adult to accompany a child under age 15. Students take home all of the macarons that they make.

Hours are Monday through Thursday from noon to 8 p.m., Friday from noon to 9 p.m., Saturday from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m., and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. The two adult classes cost $109 per student, and the kids’ class costs $75 per student.

Out of Thyme

11915 Montgomery Road, Symmes Township; outofthymechef.com

If you heard the phrase “out of time,” you might think that this venue was a clock shop. However, Out of Thyme is a cooking studio that offers hands-on cooking classes, which are usually two to two-and-a-half hours in duration. The students eat a meal after the cooking is complete and receive recipes to take home with them. Classes are separated by age group. Some of their classes are “Sweet and Savory Breakfast Baking,” “Cook the Book: Star Wars Galactic Baking” and “Cocktails and Appetizers.”

They usually host three to four public classes per month including a kidsonly class (ages 9 to 14), one for adults (21and older) and one general class (14 and older). Hours are Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sat-

urday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. There are also evening classes from Tuesday through Friday that commence at 5:30 or 6 p.m. and last two to three hours. A full bar is available for all classes and events. Classes generally cost $60 to $85 per person.

Sur la Table 2673 Edmondson Road, Norwood;www.surlatable.com

Sur la table means “on the table” in French. This store sells pots, pans and a variety of cookware. It also teaches four types of cooking classes: in-store classes, online classes, private events and Sur La Table Culinary Institute. They offer a wide variety of classes including French, Italian, Greek, Mediterranean, Asian, Mexican, American, South American and baking.Class sizes range from one to 16 students. Attendees work in groups of four for two to three hours to complete a meal set to a class theme.

Classes are held every day of the week. The cost ranges from $59 for Knife Skills and Family Fun to $79 for all other basic courses.In the summer, they host kids (ages 7 to 11) and teens (ages 12 to 17) camps, which are two hours in duration per day for four to five days. The camps range in price from $199 to $249.

Tablespoon Cooking Co.

1731 Elm Street, Over-the-Rhine; www.tablespooncookingco.com

Though it has “tablespoon” in its name, the school works with all dining utensils. It provides hands-on classes such as Fresh Pasta, Cinnamon Rolls and Knife Skills. The school offers Camp Tablespoon for kids in the summer.

Classes typically take place on weekday evenings and Saturday mornings. The school sells tickets to the classes, which cover instruction from their professional chefs, two drinks from their bar and all the food that the students make and eat in

class. Tickets usually cost $95 to $115 per person.

The Learning Kitchen

7659 Cox Lane, West Chester; www.thelearningkitchen.com

This cooking school teaches classes for kids, adults and date nights. They offer Children’s Summer Culinary Camps for kids between ages 8 and 16. Each student or couple gets a workstation equipped with ingredients, two induction cooktops, a cutting board, a chef’s knife and kitchen tools. There are American regional and international cooking classes such as An Evening in Rome, Authentic Chinese: Sichuan and Easy French Cooking.

Hours are Monday through Friday from 4 to 8 p.m., and Saturday from 3 to 7 p.m. Individual classes cost $75 to $85 per person. Date night classes cost $170 to $200 per couple. There are also Parent-Child Date classes, which cost $130to$150.Duringclasses,theschool sells soft drinks, beer, wine and hard seltzers.

Turner Farm

7400 Given Road, Indian Hill; www.turnerfarm.org.

The cooking school, which teaches both private and public classes, is located on a working organic farm. Chef Katy Turner teaches students how to cook seasonal and healthy meals featuring ingredients from Turner Farm or other local growers and producers. After cooking, the guests dine and drinkwinetogether.Someoftheclasses include Cast-Iron Halibut with Roasted Vegetables, Blackberries, and Arugula; Moroccan Millet Salad with a Side of Wild Greens (Vegetarian), and Cast-Iron Vegetable Lasagna (Vegan).

The farm is open Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Cooking classes tend to start at 6 p.m. and end at 8 or 8:30 p.m. The cost varies but often ranges from $100 to $120.

Couples prepare dessert during date night cooking class at Out of Thyme. PROVIDED/OUT OF THYME

Charles Infosino Special to Cincinnati Enquirer/USA TODAY NETWORK

Why is there a full-blown bedroom on display at the Art Museum?

I knew the exhibit was coming. And thanks to an advance catalog, I actually knew a great deal about it. But despite all that, I didn’t grasp just how fascinating it would be.

Now I get it. The exhibit is called Unlocking an Art Deco Bedroom by Joseph Urban, and it’s at the Cincinnati Art Museum through Oct. 2.

And as the title suggests, the centerpiece of the show is a bedroom. Not just any bedroom, though. It’s a teenage girl’s bedroom constructed in 1929. But what an extraordinary bedroom it was.

Elaine Wormser was the daughter of a noted Chicago attorney and his wife, Helen Goldsmith, who had been raised in Cincinnati. Elaine’s bedroom was part of the 27th-floor penthouse of the then-new Drake Tower, overlooking Lake Michigan at the northernmost point of the Magnificent Mile.

Never one to be outdone, Leo Wormser, Elaine’s dad, hired Viennese designer, illustrator and architect Joseph Urban to create the room for his daughter.Urbanwasnorun-of-the-millinterior designer. He was a multifaceted visionary who did everything from design sets for the Metropolitan Opera and the Ziegfeld Follies to introduce Americans to the design wonders of the Wiener Werkstatte. He also designed the interiors for Marjorie Merriweather Post’s Palm Beach estate, Mar-a-Lago, now owned by former President Donald Trump.

We don’t know much about why he designed the room the way he did. But what is immediately evident is he found a way to be youthful and elegant all at the same time. It’s filled with the stylized formality of art deco – it has black glass walls – but its furnishings are bright and brash in a way that only an American might fully appreciate.

For my part, all I can say is that the photos don’t do the room justice. In person, the crisp and eccentric patterns of the rug, for instance – it’s a reproduction, not the original – and the playful

ottomans at the foot of the elevated bed are dazzling. And thanks to the way the reconstructed room sits in the museum gallery, we can view the room from several different vantage points.

The bedroom is just the beginning of this thoughtful and probing exhibition. Remember, this is ultimately Joseph Urban’s exhibition, not Elaine Wormser’s. We see dozens of his illustrations, including one of his remarkable frescolikepaintedwallshecreatedfortheRoof Garden in Cincinnati’s Hotel Gibson, which stood at the corner of Walnut and E. Fifth streets until1977. There are brief clips of his Ziegfeld Follies designs that were captured on film.

When Elaine and her mother moved out of the Drake following her father’s death in 1934, they salvaged almost everything from her beloved bedroom. Later, when Elaine married banker Thomas J. Reis, she moved to Cincinnati and brought all of those bedroom remnants with her. In time, she donated

them to the Cincinnati Art Museum.

Much of them, especially the fabric portions, were in an iffy state. But thanks to the remarkable work of Cincinnati Art Museum’s restorers and conservators, Elaine’s bedroom has been recreated to a state it probably has not enjoyed since the day the original was completed. This behind-the-scenes work is something we are not usually privy to. We see the final product, but rarely do we get to see the painstaking process of how it all happened. But this time, the museum had the foresight to chronicle much of that work and devoted an entire gallery with the “how” behind the exhibit’s restorations. It’s an inspired decision.

Museum +

Late last year, the Cincinnati Art Museum announced that the next step of its multi-year plan to open up access to

its building would be a new, intensely landscaped entrance to the museum, a one-way boulevard that would wend its way up the hill from Eden Park Drive to the museum’s multi-columned front entrance. In the past, vehicles entered from Art Museum Drive, at the rear of the building.

The new entrance – it’s called the Wyler Family Entrance – is now open. You can see the beginnings of the landscaping, which will include “grass walks” and sculpted meadows filled with wildflowers and indigenous grasses. It will be several years before the plantings reach their peak. But in the meantime, we have the benefit of a grand new approach to the building and a greeting from Jim Dine’s 12-foot-tall sculpture “Pinocchio (Emotional).”

‘Peter Pan’ revisited

Staging the much-loved musical version of “Peter Pan” has become much more complicated since it premiered in 1954. At the heart of the problem is the sometimes garish portrayal of the Native Americans and, in particular, their primary musical number, “Ugg-aWugg.”

Many productions have attempted to sidestep what many regard as a demeaning portrayal of Native Americans. But few have done it particularly well.

That may be about to change. Recently, MacArthur Award-winning Native American playwright Larissa FastHorse (“The Thanksgiving Play”) wrote that she has accepted an offer to rewrite the script for an unnamed “national tour.”

Her approach, she says, is not to fix the show. She wrote of going to see the show recently.

“I was surprised by how much the show really works,” she wrote. “There is a reason it toured for decades. It is not a show that needs to become something else. It simply needs to not cause harm.”

No word on when we will get to see the production. But perhaps, nearly 120 years after J.M. Barrie’s character first appeared in print, we will finally have a Peter Pan for the modern age.

Joseph Urban’s design for Elaine Wormser’s Chicago bedroom managed to be elegant and playful all at the same time. It is the centerpiece of Unlocking an Art Deco Bedroom by Joseph Urban, at the Cincinnati Art Museum through Oct. 2. The large black-and-white portrait at the center of the photo is of Joseph Urban. DAVID LYMAN FOR THE ENQUIRER

“I just wanted something that had some energy that was simple and clean.”

‘RULE THE JUNGLE’

We have a new Bengals mural downtown

Taylor Burnette Cincinnati Enquirer/USA TODAY NETWORK

When the owners of Kitty’s Sports Grill went to open up on Super Bowl Sunday, there was a line stretching all the way down the block.

Billy Watson, who runs the place with his wife, Betty, described a stark contrast to the way business had gone for Kitty’s the previous two years. The pandemic changed the way business flowed in, Watson said. However,withoneoftheBengals’strongestseasonsin decades came a refresh for Kitty’s – not only increased

business but a fresh new mural.

The old mural was always a popular venue for photos, both by patrons and other Bengals fans who were just passing by on game days. But it was time for a refresh, as it was peeling and flaking because of weathering on the building.

Enter the new post-Super Bowl look on the side of the Kitty’s building facing Elm Street. A stronger tiger for a stronger season, which Watson hopes will bring in more customers.

Kitty’s commissioned Benjamin Thomas (@daysta-

rart), a local artist who frequently does murals around Cincinnati, to create the new piece. They decided on the more aggressive design of the tiger, Thomas said, out of the three he proposed.

“I just wanted something that had some energy that wassimpleandclean,”Thomassaid.“Ididn’twantitto be like a lot of stuff all over the place. I wanted to be pretty direct and supportive to the season that the Bengals had, and just supporting that into the future.”

The new mural by Benjamin Thomas on the side of Kitty's Sports Grill. TAYLOR BURNETTE/THE ENQUIRER

Mural artist Benjamin Thomas

helps

I made my way down to the far end of my brother-in-law’s field, and the sun rose higher. It was pushing 100 degrees. From one tree to the next, I scooped 2year-old Joshua and carried him 20 feet down the line to the next tree, where I carefully planted 20-inch chestnut saplings.

Elijah tagged along with us, getting hot and tired and occasionally asking to be carried. “At the end of this row, we’ll rest in the shade next to the woods,” I promised. Running ahead, he waited for us in the cover of the towering trees. Soon Joshua and I were sitting next to himonapileofdirt.Igazedoverthefield with 1,930 trees. Julia and Austin were helping elsewhere in the field. Hosanna and Jesse took rides on the trailers hitched to tractors, slowly making their way throughout the field, delivering trees and drinks. Joshua spied Daddy’s yellow tractor, bringing cold water and drinkstothe40-pluschurchpeopleputting in posts, planting and sliding shelters over the young trees.

My mind traveled to that unforgettable day we planted our chestnut trees in our 11-acre field. Daniel, determined to do all he could to make things flow smoothly and get the chestnuts in as early as possible, had planted grass seeds as soon as the beans were harvested. With the help of Daniel’s dad andseveralothers,wemarkedoffwhere each tree would be planted. Long straight rows of little flags were stuck in the ground, keeping the promise of a chestnut grove in the making.

On the morning of the planting, I had sleepily rolled over in bed to discover Daniel’s space to be empty. Pulling back the curtain, I peered out. Way back yonder in the field, I spied the headlights of our tractor going back and forth, back and forth, as he planted the last grass seed in preparation of several people placing the rest of the flags while others plant trees in the field closest to the house. Later, when I took a breakfast

sandwich out for him, he admitted that he’d been at it since 2:30 that morning.

Now I gazed over the field full of men, women and children, but no Daniel.

The trees had arrived on a special day. We were delighted to have Daniel’s dream of getting chestnuts fulfilled on

his birthday, Aug. 28. This year as the date rolls around, I am sad not to be able tocelebrateitasalways.Yet,Ilookatthe field of chestnuts and marvel at the blessings God has given. Blessings of allowing Daniel to be motivated to plant the grove will provide many years of

livelihood for the children and me.

Soon the tractor came driving down the row, ready to spread more trees to be planted. Julia took the children to the house to cool off, and I could now move more swiftly along the rows. As I planted, I thought of a young woman in a neighboring community whose husband was in an accident yesterday. I couldn’t help but cry as I packed dirt around the tender roots. Here her beloved hung between life and death. How intense, how entirely grueling.

By lunchtime, a crew of sweaty sunkissed faces headed up to the house, ready for shade and food. Virginia had prepared a refreshing summer lunch of sandwiches, chips, fruit slush, cake and iced coffee. The slush hit the spot, especially on a hot day.

Fruit slush is a fine pairing with a summer lunch of sandwiches, chips and cake. GETTY IMAGES

Monday, July 25

FAIRS: Pendleton County Fair, 4 p.m. Monday-Sunday, Pendleton County Fairgrounds, 68 Fairgrounds Road, Falmouth. Runs July 25-31. pcyouthfair.com

SPORTS: Cincinnati Reds vs Miami Marlins, Great American Ball Park. Runs July 25-28.

Tuesday, July 26

ART: Voices from Czechia,10 a.m.-5 p.m. Tuesday-Friday,11a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday, Kennedy Heights Arts Center, 6546 Montgomery Road, Kennedy Heights. Runs July 16-Sept. 17. Free.

MUSIC: Backstreet Boys, Riverbend Music Center.

MUSIC: Collective Soul & Switchfoot, PromoWest Pavilion at Ovation.

SPORTS: Florence Y’alls vs Frontier Greys, Thomas More Stadium, 7950 Freedom Way, Florence. Runs July 26-28. florenceyalls.com

Wednesday, July 27

FAMILY: Madcap Puppets in the Park, 7-8:30 p.m., Delhi Park, 5125 Foley Road, Delhi Township. Bring blanket, chairs and snacks. Free.

MUSIC: Sad Summer Festival, PromoWest Pavilion at Ovation.

OPERA: Morris and Friends, 7:30 p.m., Music Hall,1241Elm St., Over-theRhine. Hosted by world-renowned bass and Cincinnati Opera artistic advisor Morris Robinson. Concert features selections from opera, gospel and musical theater. cincinnatiopera.org

Thursday, July 28

COMEDY: Ran Barnaclo, Go Bananas Comedy Club, 8410 Market Place Lane, Montgomery. Runs July 28-31. gobananascomedy.com

COMEDY: Darren Fleet, Funny Bone Comedy Club, 7518 Bales St., Liberty Township. One night only. liberty.funnybone.com

DANCE:SalsaontheSquare, 7 p.m., Fountain Square, 520 Vine St., Downtown. Free.

FESTIVALS: Glier’s Goettafest, 5-11 p.m. Thursday-Friday, noon-11p.m. Saturday, noon-9 p.m. Sunday, Festival Park, 1 Levee Way, Newport. Runs Thursday-Sunday July 28-Aug. 7. Free admission. goettafest.com

FESTIVAL: St. Dominic, 4551 Delhi Pike, Delhi Township. 7 p.m.-midnight Thursday, 5 p.m.-midnight Friday-Saturday, 3-11 p.m. Sunday. Texas Hold ‘em tournament Thursday in O’Connor Hall. Adults-only Friday with $5 admission. 513-471-7741.

OPERA: Cincinnati Opera Summer Festival: Castor and Patience, 7:30 p.m. Thursday, 7:30 p.m. Saturday, School for Creative and Performing Arts, 108 W. Central Pkwy, Over-theRhine. cincinnatiopera.org

THEATER: Shakespeare in the Park, 7 p.m., Cottell Park, 5847 Irwin Simpson Road, Mason. Free.

Friday, July 29

ART: Art After Dark, 5-9 p.m., Cincinnati Art Museum, 953 Eden Park Drive, Mount Adams. Free.

ART: Final Friday, 5-9 p.m., Pendleton Art Center, 1310 Pendleton St., Pendleton. Admission is free. 513-421-4339; pendletonartcenter.com

ART: Art After Hours, 7-9 p.m., Carrico Branch Library,1000 Highland Ave., Fort Thomas. See works of 17 regional artists. Free.

COMEDY: Chris Porter, Funny Bone Comedy Club, 7518 Bales St., Liberty Township. Runs July 29-30. liberty.funnybone.com

COMEDY: Donny Baker, Blue Note, 9660 Dry Fork Road, Harrison. bluenoteharrison.com

FAMILY: Crafts and Critters CruiseIn & Car Show, 5-9 p.m. Friday,11a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday, Pinball Garage, 113 N. Third St., Hamilton. Benefits City of Hamilton Police K9 Unit. Free admission.

FESTIVALS: SharonFest, 6 p.m.midnight Friday, 4 p.m.-midnight Saturday, Gower Park, 10997 Thornview Drive, Sharonville. sharonfest.com

FESTIVAL:St.AnnAnnualFestival, 3064 Pleasant Ave., Hamilton. 6-11:30 p.m. Friday-Saturday. 513-863-4963.

FESTIVAL: St. Bartholomew, 9375 WintonRoad,SpringfieldTownship.6-11 p.m. Friday, 5-11 p.m. Saturday, 4-9 p.m. Sunday. 513-522-3680.

FESTIVAL: St. Margaret of York SMOY Fest, 9483 Columbia Road., Loveland. 6-1:30 p.m. Friday, 5-11:30 p.m. Saturday, 3-8 p.m. Sunday. 513697-3100; smoyfest.org

MUSIC: Tinsley Ellis, Ludlow Garage.

MUSIC: Paint the City White, 8 p.m., Newport Aquarium, 1 Levee Way, Newport. Ages 21-up. $75 VIP, $50 general. cincyticket.com

MUSIC: Fifth & Vine Live, 7-11 p.m. Friday-Saturday, Fountain Square, 525 VineSt.,Downtown.Friday:JohnMoreland, the Dead Tongue. Saturday: White Denim. Free. myfountainsquare.com

MUSIC: Friday Flow: Tiffany, 6-10 p.m., Washington Park, 1230 Elm St., Over-the-Rhine. Free. washingtonpark.org

OPERA: Cincinnati Opera Summer Festival: Aida, 7:30 p.m. Friday, 3 p.m. Sunday, Music Hall, 1241 Elm St., Overthe-Rhine. cincinnatiopera.org

SPORTS: Cincinnati Reds vs Baltimore Orioles, Great American Ball Park. Runs July 29-31.

SPORTS: Florence Y’alls vs Sussex County Miners, Thomas More Stadium, 7950 Freedom Way, Florence. Runs July 29-31. florenceyalls.com

THEATER: Shakespeare in the Park, 7p.m.,RapidRunPark,4450Rapid Run Road, West Price Hill. Free. Saturday, July 30

CHARITY: Literacy 5K, 7:30 a.m., Corinthian Baptist Church parking lot, 1920 Tennessee Ave., Bond Hill. $20. eventbrite.com

FAMILY: Madcap Puppets: The Story Quest, noon and 2 p.m., Memorial Hall,1225ElmSt.,Over-the-Rhine.Free, but reservations required. memorialhallotr.com

FESTIVAL: Afrifest Cincy 2022: Taste of Africa, noon-8 p.m., Burnet Woods Bandstand, 3298 Clifton Ave., Corryville. Celebrates African cultures in the local community. Free admission. eventbrite.com

FESTIVAL: Danger Wheel, noon-8:30 p.m., Nation, 1200 Broadway St., Pendleton. Adult Big Wheel races. Free for spectators. dangerwheel.com

FESTIVAL: Oser-Roth Fest, noonmidnight, Mission Heights Farm, 4340 Veraestau Lane, Aurora. oserrothfest.com

FESTIVAL: Our Lady of Lourdes Festival, 2832 Rosebud Drive, Westwood. 5 p.m.-midnight Saturday. 513922-0715; lourdes.org

FESTIVAL: St. James Antiochian Orthodox Church Mediterranean Food Fest, 6577 Branch Hill Miamiville Road, Loveland. 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Saturday,11a.m.-9 p.m. Sunday. $2 admission or two cans of food.

MUSIC: Rev Run & DJ Ruckus, Big Boi and Montell Jordan, Great American Ball Park, following the Reds vs. Baltimore Orioles game.

MUSIC Outlaw Music Festival, Riverbend Music Center. With Willie Nelson, ZZ Top, Gov’t Mule, Larkin Poe.

MUSIC: Buddy Guy and John Hiatt & the Goners featuring Sonny Landreth, Taft Theatre.

MUSIC: Kool Moe Dee, Ludlow Garage.

MUSIC: Sarah Shook & the Disarmers, Southgate House Revival, Sanctuary.

MUSIC: Greta Van Fleet, Heritage Bank Center.

THEATER: Shakespeare in the Park, 7 p.m., Keehner Park, 7211 Barret Road, West Chester Township. Free. Sunday, July 31

FAMILY: Sunday Showtime, 7-8:30 p.m., Hirsch Recreation Center, 3630 Reading Road, Avondale. Free. cliftonculturalarts.org

FAMILY: Fiona’s Sundae Fundae, 6-8 p.m., Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden, 3400 Vine St., Avondale. Graeter’s ice cream passport and sampling stations around the park. $30. cincinnatizoo.org

FAMILY: Circus in the Parks, 2 p.m., Stanbery Park, 2221 Oxford St., Mount Washington. Free.

FESTIVAL: Cincinnati Festival of Faiths, July 31-Aug. 7, various locations around the city.

MUSIC: OneRepublic, Riverbend Music Center. With Needtobreathe.

SPORTS: Florence Y’alls vs Schaumberg Boomers, 6:30 p.m., Thomas More Stadium, 7950 Freedom Way, Florence. florenceyalls.com

THEATER: Jerry’s Girls, Warsaw Federal Incline Theater, 801 Matson Place, East Price Hill. Runs July 6-31. 513-241-6550.

THEATER: Shakespeare in the Park, 7 p.m., Washington Park, 1230 Elm St., Over-the-Rhine. Free.

THEATER: Into the Woods, 3 p.m., The Carnegie,1028 Scott St., Covington. Runs July 31, Aug. 18 and Aug. 27. 859957-1940; thecarnegie.com

Looking ahead

CHARITY: CASA for Clermont Kids Fundraiser, Aug. 2, RJ Cinema Distillery & Taproom, 4450 Eastgate Blvd., Union Township. $25. casaclermontkids.org

CHARITY:2022RegionalGala&Afterparty, Aug. 20, Contemporary Arts Center, 44 E. Sixth St., Downtown. Benefits CAC. $250 VIP, $150. $20 afterparty. cincycac.org

Join the world's most famous hippo for Fiona's Sundae Fundae at Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden. This special zoo visit features a Graeter's ice cream passport and sampling stations around the park. AMANDA ROSSMANN/THE ENQUIRER

Luann Gibbs Cincinnati Enquirer

Austin rockers White Denim play a free show on Fountain Square on Saturday night. LISA WEBB/SPECIAL FOR THE REPUBLIC

Darren Fleet plays a special engagement one night only at Funny Bone Comedy Club. See him Thursday, July 28. PROVIDED

How to tell if your trees are vulnerable to storm damage

In the past month, we have had two occasions of severe storms causing significant damage to many trees. When we have these events, almost everyone is caught off guard when major branches – or even a whole tree – is blown down. In the least of these situations, there is a mess in the yard. At the most, they can cause major damage to your home and property.

It is hard to determine when a tree might become more vulnerable to wind damage. The first thing to do is to take a good look at your trees. A tree with dead branches is definitely something to be concerned about. A tree with leaves, but the leaves are small and thin, should also cause concern. If your tree is losing bark, this too is a bad sign.

The unhealthy symptoms visible in the canopy of the tree would also be an indication of an unhealthy root system. Trees with a weak root system are the most vulnerable for being uprooted.

The vulnerability of the tree to damage could also be dependent on the type of tree. In the most recent storms, I personally found most of the damaged trees to be Black Locust. Black Locust are a native tree with invasive characteristics. They are not a desirable tree that is bought and planted. They naturally spread by seed and are commonly found where trees and other plants are growing naturally.

There are other trees such as Silver Maples and Bradford Pears that tend to be much more vulnerable to wind damage in storms. This is because the wood is soft. They are also vulnerable because the main branches arch narrowly in a vertical direction from the trunk. Trees growing in this form are vulnerable because the wind creates leverage to break the branches out from the center of the tree.

If you have trees you are concerned about, have them evaluated by a certified arborist. Like many professions, almost any arborist can refer to themselves as “certified,” but a legitimately certified arborist will obtain their certification distinguished as “ISA.” This means their certification is from the International Society of Arboriculture.

A certified arborist can make recommendations to improve the health of the tree. They can also recommend and perform pruning to reduce the wind resistance in the tree. They can also recommend using cables to stabilize vulnerable branches.

When storm damage occurs, it can be

frustrating to find tree limbs scattered throughout your yard from trees in your neighbors’ yards. There are extreme situations when an entire tree blows over and some or all the tree lands in your yard.

Storm damage to trees is considered to be an act of nature. For this reason, thepersonwhoownstheyardwherethe branches or tree lands is responsible for the cleanup. Hopefully you have a good relationship with your neighbors. If this happens, you can work together on the cleanup. If you do not, you will be responsible for removing anything that lands in your yard.

An exception to this would be if you

can prove that a neighbor’s tree is a threat to your property because it has not been maintained properly. For example, if your neighbor has a tree that is in poor health or dead. In this situation, you should communicate your concerns to the neighbor. If they are unwilling to rectify the situation, you should have your concerns validated by a certified arborist. Then you can notify your neighbor of the evaluation and they could now be responsible for any damage to your property. If you have these concerns, work with your insurance company for specific answers as how to proceed.

Worried about storms damaging trees in your yard? Learn how to spot signs of vulnerability.

GREEN BAY PRESS-GAZETTE

DARKNESS BREWING IN BELLEVUE AND BASTILLE DAY IN MONTGOMERY

Darkness Brewing celebrated its sixth anniversary with a Summer Street Fair on Saturday, July 16, in Bellevue. The Bastille Day celebration in the city of Montgomery took place on Saturday, July 16. The event celebrated 30-plus years of friendship with Montgomery's sister city of Neuilly-Plaisance, France.

The fun continues inside at the Darkness Brewing Summer Street Fair. PHOTOS BY DAVID KLENK/THE ENQUIRER

Adam Lusso poses with some of his Star Wars inspired artwork at the Darkness Brewing Summer Street Fair.

Brian Lalley adds details to a storm trooper’s drink at the Darkness Brewing Summer Street Fair.

Jess Turk works on a art piece behind her booth at the Darkness Brewing Summer Street Fair.

Hotel California, an Eagles tribute band, performs on the South Stage at the Bastille Day celebration. PHOTOS BY JOE SIMON FOR THE ENQUIRER

Bastille Day featured two stages of live entertainment, nine food vendors, beer and wine and artists.

Alfio's in Hyde Park serves a variety of empanadas along Montgomery Road. Here, they’re served up at the Bastille Day celebration.

Blake Ruff from the Cave Man Crepes food truck with his Nutella and Strawberry Crepe at the Bastille Day bash.

Ruben Contreras of Montgomery, Sofia Morales of Mexico City and Eleazar Contreras of Montgomery at the Bastille Day gathering.

Tom and Jenna Weinkam, Josh and Casey Newbanks, Michael Baer and Frank and Nicole Molena at the event.

a physical excursion of any distance, but the temperature cooled off under themassivetreecanopyinsidethepark.

I love walking through Washington Park. The concrete walkway from the entrance at the southeast entrance alone is enough to excite me with the potential of what could happen or be waiting to happen there. Because I have seen a lot happen there.

When I was a younger lass, I worked for a period of time at Music Hall. It was here that I first became intimately acquainted with Washington Park. My office was a closet inside an office, so escaping into the daylight was a daily necessity. I would traipse across the great green lawn to the inner busy arteries of Over-the-Rhine to fetch lunch and cross back, and these walks became what I called Work Walks (Author’s note: Work Walks can happen anywhere, but they must happen during your official work day to be properly referred to as such.)

On this particular Thursday Work Walk, the park was exactly how I like it best: comfortably populated with people and pets, but not too overly crowded. (That’s not to say Washington Park doesn’t have wonderful moments when it is overly crowded, but we’ll get to those in a bit.) I could walk through comfortably, leisurely, and take some time to more closely investigate the bits of history that can be found throughout the park.

The Park of the Past: History lessons

Have you ever taken a closer read of the three gravestone markers lining the sidewalk to one of the southwest entrances? I’m truly not sure I ever had. I crouched down for longer than my 30something knees appreciated and read the worn stone testaments to Cincinnatians long dead, including one for Harriet Key, whose enduring love story can be found at bit.ly/washparklove

Other tributes to the past are nearby. There’s a huge Parrott rifle cannon from the Civil War era near the center of the treed area. An 1883 monument to Friedrich Hecker, a lawyer and Union Army commander, topped with his bust looks out from next to the dog park. And a monument to Civil War Col. Robert L. McCook is nestled in the shrubs lining whatisnowtheWashingtonParkPorch.

There are100-year-old trees and artifacts from the park’s earlier iterations sprinkled throughout. (See: the iron fence lining the Race Street side, the massive boulder that used to be a water fountain, and the architectural elements in the landscaped bed by the interactive water feature).

When has history ever been very far away from the present? Never, and certainly never more so than in this particular park. I’ll mention now the fact that the park was once a cemetery, with the remains of deceased individuals interred in its depths. Then there’s the recent past of the park, the time when it was regarded as a blight on the region, and when it was known as the place where a woman was killed by a police cruiser in 2010. There’s the even more recent past, when Lumenocity lit up the park with tens of thousands of visitors and the National played a political rally.

We do ourselves no favors by not re-

membering that this park hasn’t always been a playground for daytrippers and residents alike. I’m not here to make any statements of morality based on these facts, I’m simply recounting these facts because I think they are important to recall when considering the sum total impact of the park’s presence in our city.

The Park of the Future: Community collective

I stopped by the park a few days later, in a (slightly) less historical and ruminative mindset, to check out the July City Flea. The City Flea is basically a curated outdoor market with tons of vendors and even more people milling around.Itwasarealsmorgasbordofhumanity – children shrieking, parents talking, couples kissing, dogs barking. The lawn was full of white tents and the sprayground and playground were full of children and the bandstand churned with passers-by. I love the relentless hustle-and-bustle of people living their lives, all intersecting in one place for a brief period of time.

I stopped at one booth to scope out some earrings and struck up a conver-

sation with the vendor, who, serendipitously, was extremely well acquainted with the park. Jess Molic, the proprietor of Off the Beaten Path, has been at every single City Flea since it started in a parking lot off Vine Street and has watched the event explode at its current home in Washington Park.

“I honestly think it’s like the gateway to Cincinnati if you’ve never been here,” said Molic when asked what the park means to her.

I like that thought. Washington Park isn’t just a park: it’s an anchor for so much of the current iteration of Overthe-Rhine. The park’s renovation was part of a chain of similar events throughout the neighborhood. The financial investment and subsequent widespread impact made possible by the success of post-2012 Washington Park is undeniable.

But it also anchors a lot of my life. I’ve learned rueful lessons outside Ubers on its perimeter and admired the beauty of Music Hall from its benches. I’ve heard bands I loved, seen people I cared about, had work meetings, gone on dates, and celebrated birthdays, all in that park.

It’s been a great beginning for better

things. And probably serves that purpose daily in a lot of lives.

It is always easier for us as a species to venture out of our comfort zones in increments. If someone starts first with WashingtonPark,theymightgettoVine Street next. After Vine Street, maybe it’s Main Street. Then maybe Court Street, The Banks.

If that happens, there’s no limit to what the future can hold.

Breadcrumbs

h There are more than 10,000 tulips that bloom every spring. The Cincinnati Parks people hosted a tulip dig in 2020, giving away bulbs, and people went nuts on social media.

h I watched the solar eclipse of 2017 in Washington Park with a bunch of friends and to this day, seeing tiny crescent moons as filtered through the leaves of the trees remains one of the coolest things I’ve ever seen and one of my favorite memories in the park.

h Washington Park is one of the oldest parks in the city, with its land being given to the city in 1860. The first was Piatt Park, created in 1817.

Continued from Page 1AA

Washington Park in Over-The-Rhine as seen on June 29. ALBERT CESARE / THE ENQUIRER

A view of the gazebo at Washington Park. DAVID KLENK/THE ENQUIRER

Dalyla Montgomery sits on the waterfall at Washington Park. ALBERT CESARE/THE ENQUIRER

Philippi

Continued from Page 1AA

Fortunately,theanswerstoalltheobvious questions awaited us inside the former B&O Railroad depot, built in 1911 and now the Barbour County Historical Museum (www.barbourcountyhistoricalmuseum. org).

When we stepped inside, the first thing we saw was a mannequin depicting the huge character “Lurch” from “The Addams Family” television series.

We were immediately welcomed by museum guide Marisa Terwilliger.

“Admission is free, but it’s $1 to see the mummies,” she informed us. Sold.

Terwilliger, who works at the museum through AmeriCorps, was a terrific guide who told great stories.

Philippi, we learned, was the site of the first organized land battle – actually more of a skirmish – of the Civil War, on June 3, 1861.

Reportedly, no one was killed at the Battle of Philippi, where Union troops attacked and scattered a Confederate force. But the battle did result in the first amputations of the war, including a leg of 18-year-old Confederate soldier James Hanger. Hanger would later design an articulated artificial leg for himself using barrel staves, then found a company producing artificial limbs. The Hanger Orthopedic Group is still a leading supplier of prosthetics.

The Battle of Philippi was also the first in history in which both sides arrived at the battlefield by train, according to some accounts.

As for our admission to the mummy room, it was money well-spent.

Displayed are two human bodies preserved in 1888 by local farmer and amateur (mad?) scientist Graham Hamrick, who was hoping to sell his secret mummification formula, and actually received a patent on the process.

The bodies he used were two deceased inmates of the Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum in nearby Weston, whose remains went unclaimed by their families.

Hamrick never made money from his formula, but the mummies did tour Europe with P.T. Barnum before eventually finding their way back to Philippi.

However, the real story in the mummy room isn’t the weird science and weirder marketing of the 19th century,

but the sad fate that often awaited those whom society deemed abnormal.

Terwilliger recounted the somber circumstances of those unfortunates who found themselves committed to the state lunatic asylum.

The pretexts for commitment were many, especially for unusual or inconvenient women. The mummies are believed to be two such female inmates, one who died of tuberculosis, one who died in childbirth.

Among the interpretive displays is a copy of a letter one of the women had sent to her family, asking to be allowed to come home to Philippi.

The letter was returned unopened.

On a lighter, if no less ooky, note, the creepy and kooky, mysterious and spooky presence of Lurch was, as it turns out, easily explained. The 6-foot 9-inch actor who portrayed the character in the 1960s television series, Ted Cassidy, grew up in Philippi and is still, understandably, a hometown hero. Cassidy, who died in1979, will be celebrated Aug. 6, outside the museum at the town’sannualLurchFest(search“Lurch Fest” on Facebook).

The festival will also feature live music, craft beer, arts and crafts vendors, and a costume parade and contest. (Yes, I’d probably go as Uncle Fester.)

For more information about Philippi, visit www.philippi.org

Steve Stephens is a freelance travel writer and photographer. Email him at sjstephensjr@gmail.com

This B&O Railroad depot, built in 1911, is now the Barbour County Historical Museum. PHOTOS BY STEVE STEPHENS

Who can't go visit the museum after reading the historical marker outside?

The tale of the Philippi mummies is both weird and tragic. Visitors will even find a tie to Columbus in the Philippi museum.

90 Day Fiancé: UK discovery+ h New Series

Leaving the United States for the first time, the hit 90 Day Fiancé dating/ relationship reality franchise lands in the United Kingdom. The series follows eight loved-up Brits and their longdistance lovers for 90 days to see if it’s the real deal and they should get married, or if they’ve made a big mistake and should call the whole thing off. Episodes are available Sundays.

Shark Week 2022

Discovery Channel, beginning at 7 p.m.

Discovery’s weeklong summer event returns for its 34th installment, promising bigger sharks, bigger breaches, and even bigger findings from scientists and researchers in the field. Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson is on hand to serve as the first ever master of ceremonies for Shark Week, which this year will feature over 20 new specials. Those specials will include travels to exotic, shark-filled locales such as the Exuma Islands in the Bahamas and Papua New Guinea, spotlighting breakthrough information about these elusive creatures as well as the discovery of a new, undescribed species. Tonight’s initial lineup consists of four specials, kicking off with Return to Headstone Hell, which is only available on the linear Discovery Channel. The other three specials following that will air on the linear channel and also be available to stream on discovery+: Great White Battleground; Jackass Shark Week 2.0, which finds the cast of Jackass returning to Shark Week; and Great White

Open Ocean

Who Do You Think You Are?:

“Allison Janney”

NBC, 7 p.m.

Award-winning stage, film and television actress Allison Janney traces her maternal family tree and uncovers a remarkable story that ties her to some of America’s first British settlers. She discovers that her 10-times greatgrandmother and her 11-times great-

CELEBRITY BIRTHDAYS

Actor JohnAniston (“DaysofOurLives”) is 89. Comedian Ruth Buzzi is 86. Actor Mark Goddard (“Lost In Space”) is 86. Actor Chris Sarandon is 80. Comedian Gallagher is 76. Actor Robert Hays (“Airplane!”) is 75.

Actor Michael Richards (“Seinfeld”) is 73.

Actor Lynda Carter is 71. Director Gus Van Sant is 70. Country singer Pam Tillis is 65.

“Renovation

grandfather were born in England but died in Massachusetts in the mid 1600s. As she seeks details about their lives, she learns that the family’s journey to North America almost ended in tragedy.

Ugliest House in America

HGTV, 8 p.m. h Season Premiere

Good Girls actress Retta is on the road again, touring homes that the owners hope are enough of an eyesore to earn them a $150,000 renovation from Alison Victoria.

Patagonia: Life on the Edge of the World: “Mountains”

CNN, 9 p.m.

Cameras take viewers on a journey from the foothills of the Patagonian Andes, where pumas hunt guanacos on the wild grasslands of the steppe, before climbing up into the dizzying heights of the Andes, which is home to the third largest expanse of ice in the world. This is a place where humans and animals were once locked in conflict, but changing attitudes have seen former enemies become allies.

Renovation Island

HGTV, 9 p.m. h Season Premiere

In “New Normal,” Bryan and Sarah Baeumler make the hard decision to sell their Canada home and relocate the entire family fully to Wellington, Florida. Now that they are a quick flight away from their Bahamas resort, renovation plans begin on their new home all while still keeping a close eye on what is happening at the bustling Caerula Mar Club.

Around the World in 80 Days

MOVIES!, 2:05 p.m.

Back in the era when Hollywood regularly produced all-star comedies on an often epic scale, few of those movies came bigger than this 1956 Best Picture Oscar-winning adaptation of Jules Verne’s novel about English gentleman Phileas Fogg (David Niven), who wagers that he can circumnavigate the globe in a mere 80 days. Given that this story takes place in 1872, Fogg has set himself up for a herculean challenge, which he gladly takes, and he sets off on his trek with his trusty valet (portrayed by Cantinflas) on various modes of 19th century transport, most famously a gas balloon. The incredibly fun film is truly epic, spanning the globe and running around three hours. But things move along quickly thanks to the crisp, Oscar-nominated direction by Michael

“Around the World in 80 Days”

UNITED ARTISTS

Anderson; the colorful, Oscar-winning cinematography by Lionel Lindon; Victor Young’s Oscar-winning musical score (Young also composed the famous song “Around the World” for the film, but it somehow did not get an Oscar nod); and the delightful cast, which also includes Robert Newton and Shirley MacLaine in just her third feature film.

MOVIES | CONTENT BY TV WEEKLY

Tombstone (1993, Western) Kurt Russell, Val Kilmer CMT, 6 p.m.

The Secret Life of Pets 2 (2019, Children) Patton Oswalt, Kevin Hart DISNEY, 7 p.m.

White Chicks (2004, Comedy) Shawn Wayans, Marlon Wayans VICE, 7 p.m.

Just Go With It (2011, Romance-comedy) Adam Sandler, Jennifer Aniston E!, 7:30 p.m.

Knives Out (2019, Mystery) Daniel Craig, Chris Evans PARMT, 7:30 p.m.

A League of Their Own (1992, Comedy-drama) Tom Hanks, Geena Davis BBCA, 8 p.m.

Paris Blues (1961, Romance) Paul Newman, Joanne Woodward TCM, 8 p.m.

Transformers: The Last Knight (2017, Action) Mark Wahlberg, Anthony Hopkins FX, 8 p.m.

Silverado (1985, Western) Kevin Kline, Scott Glenn CMT, 9 p.m.

Armageddon (1998, Science fiction) Bruce Willis, Billy Bob Thornton AMC, 10 p.m.

Rachel, Rachel (1968, Drama) Joanne Woodward, James Olson TCM, 10 p.m.

Ant-Man and The Wasp (2018, Action) Paul Rudd, Evangeline Lilly TBS, 11 p.m.

Juice (1992, Crime drama) Omar Epps, Tupac Shakur VH1, 11 p.m.

Moneyball (2011, Drama) Brad Pitt, Jonah Hill BBCA, 11 p.m.

Bumblebee (2018, Action) Hailee Steinfeld, John Cena FX, 11:30 p.m.

Jumanji (1995, Children) Robin Williams, Bonnie Hunt FREEFORM, 11:30 p.m.

All times listed are Eastern/Pacific Time. Shows air one hour earlier in Central/Mountain Time.

Lopez

Actor KadeemHardison (“A Different World”) is 57. Actor-singer Kristin Chenoweth is 54. Actor Laura Leighton (“Melrose Place”) is 54. Actor John P. Navin Junior is 54. NBA playerturned-actor Rick Fox (“Greenleaf,” “Oz”) is 53.

Actor-singer Jennifer Lopez is 53. Director Patty Jenkins (“WonderWoman”)is51.Ac-

tor Jamie Denbo (“Orange Is The New Black”) is 49. Actor Eric Szmanda (“CSI”) is 47. Actor Rose Byrne is 43. Country singer

Jerrod Neimann is 43. Actor Summer Glau (“Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles”) is 41. Actor Sheaun McKinney (“The Neighborhood”) is 41. Actor Elisabeth Moss is 40. Actor Anna Paquin is 40. Actor Megan Park (“The Secret Life of the American Teenager”) is 36. Actor Mara Wilson (“Mrs. Doubtfire,” “Matilda”) is 35. Actor Sarah Steele (“The Good Fight,” “The Good Wife”) is 34.

Sister eyes having guests at annual family beach vacation

Dear Carolyn: My sister and I live in different states, but our families spend every Christmas together and take a beach trip to the same beach every year for the past 16 years. These occasions are the highlight of our and our kids’ year. Sometimes the beach is one week, sometimes two. This year it’s one, due to college schedules and the soaring cost of vacation rentals.

LAST SUNDAY’S ANSWER

FIND THE WORDS

Wife takes over TV after retiring

DearAbby: My wife and I have been married 47 years. Since she retired from her job, she has become addicted to her DVR. She records everything she can think of to watch “later.” She has shows she recorded from last year but hasn’t watched, and they take up 90% of her DVR disc. She uses only about 10% for new shows that she watches to make room for other programs. So, every night,wehavetowatchwhatshehasrecorded that day to make room for the next day’s recordings.

If I say anything about it, she gets very upset and it causes tension. I don’t mind some of the shows, but there aren’t that many I will spend time watching. I wish there was a support group for husbands of women who are addicted to their DVRs so we could understand what’s going on in their heads. How should I deal with the problem?

Saved for Later in Texas

Dear Saved: If there is a support group for husbands of compulsive wives, I am not aware of it. The solution may be to inform your wife that she can now stream many of the shows she’s been saving on the DVR. A compromise might be viewing ONE of the archived programs a night in addition to the new ones, if possible. However, if she’s not agreeable, consider buying yourself your own television set. That way, you are not obligated to watch anything you don’t wish to.

Dear Abby: I was offered a beach condo. I invited my friend “Sara,” then another and another. These women had heard of each other, but didn’t really know each other. I assumed we could all

CRYPTOQUIP

have a great time. When I told Sara I had invited others, she backed out!

It has been three months, and she has refused all invitations to get together. We used to talk daily and see each other weekly. I have apologized. How do I get Sara to forgive me for not having given her a “heads up” before inviting the others? Was what I did so bad that she would end a long friendship?

Missing Her in South Carolina

Dear Missing: No. I suspect Sara may have other reasons for taking 10 steps back, and inviting others to join you was the straw that broke the camel’s back. Was she jealous? Did she need time alone with you to confide in you? Have you been able to discuss with her the reason for her extreme reaction? It might save the relationship if you could find out. However, if Sara’s unwilling to talk about it, perhaps you should consider yourself lucky to have seen this punitive side of her so YOU can step back.

Dear Abby: What is the proper response when someone tells you their relative is going into hospice? “Congratulations, that’s wonderful” doesn’t seem right. But “I’m so sorry” doesn’t seem appropriate either, since hospice is an affirmative action often welcomed bythepersonwhoisill.Iwouldappreciate your thoughts.

Correct Response

Dear Correct: An appropriate response would be, “I’m sorry to hear this. But if it means the end of your loved one’s suffering, it’s the right decision.”

Contact Abby at www.DearAbby.com orP.O.Box69440,LosAngeles,CA90069.

My sister mentioned she wanted her best friend (who lives in her same town) to come for a night. I said sure – it will be my sister’s birthday that night as well, and we have one extra bedroom. Then she mentioned that it’s actually her best friend plus the friend’s college friend and his daughter. When I said we wouldn’t have enough bedrooms, she said her best friend planned to camp on the lawn.

I am trying to identify what about this bothers me most so that I can try to address it, but am struggling. I am pretty sure I can shut down the camping on the lawn, as I’m confident it’s a violation of the lease agreement I signed – the friend can sleep on a couch or something if this all transpires. I think what probably bugs me most is that my sister is choosing to spend time with her best friend (and two complete strangers?) during a short window we have for our families to be together.

I think maybe a lesser concern is that I knowtheburdenwillfalltometocookfor and clean up after these people. When I asked my sister exactly what the plan was, so I could plan meals, she told me I’m too controlling and it will all just work out. Can you help me sort my feelings?

I’msurethere’ssomethingI’mridiculously non-self-aware about here.

Beach Bummed

Beach Bummed: No, I think you have a decent handle on your various resentments, plus all the evidence you need to justify them. Your sister is asking a lot. So have a good hard grump about it with a favored confidant who is not your sister. Then drop it, for a few reasons.

First, it’s one night. Breathe.

Second, it’s your sister’s birthday. She wants what she wants

Third, it’s the beach. Randomness works there better than it does just about anywhere else. Maybe the friends will surprise you by being gracious and entertaining company. Grace invites

grace. As for the food and cleanup,order pizza, boil pasta, put birthday candles in box brownies. Your sister says it’ll be fine so it’ll be fine.

Fourth, they already thought of banishing themselves to the yard, so you don’t have to do it for them. If your rental agreement prohibits it, then you must, too, of course – but if it doesn’t, don’t stand in their way!

Fifth, let’s talk about we-do-this-every-year traditions. They are the best. Usually. But they can snap under the weight of change if you aren’t ready to be flexible. With kids in college, you’re already near the end of an era. The next era will likely bring all kinds of extras and walk-ons from your kids If you go at your sister with all your objections now, before you even know what it’s going to be like, then you can sound rigid and judgy. If instead you have an example of being open andwelcomingandhavingoutsideguests kill the vibe, then you will have standing to say, “Ehhh ... we tried this, remember?”

Email tellme@washpost.com

ASK CAROLYN |CAROLYN HAX

Kubok 16 By Davide Coppo

DEAR ABBY |ABIGAIL VAN BUREN

BRIDGE |FRANK STEWART

Stuck in wrong hand

Reports are that when a red cruise ship collided with a blue cruise ship, the passengers were marooned. That may be just a rumor, but today’s declarer certainly had trouble at his 3NT; he was marooned in the wrong hand at a crucial moment.

North-South reached the best contract, but only after some groping.

South meant his jump to 2NT as invitational to game.

North wasn’t sure whether his own rebid of three clubs was forcing or an attempt to sign off. South wasn’t sure either, but when he continued with three spades, suggesting solid spade stoppers, North bid 3NT and hoped for the best.

island, otherwise known as dummy.

To get un-marooned, he can lead his four of clubs to dummy’s jack at Trick Two. East takes the queen and leads a heart, but South can come to his ace of clubs, cash his second high spade and return to dummy with a high heart to run the clubs for nine tricks.

HOROSCOPES |HOLIDAY MATHIS

Aries (March 21-April 19).

Because you’re feeling grounded and confident, everything gets simpler.

Taurus (April 20-May 20).

Libra (Sept. 23-Oct. 23).

You know where you want to end up. Find someone who’s been there and ask for a guided tour.

Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 19). Doing what you said you would do may be hard.

(Regular partnerships should discuss as many auctions as possible and agree on what they mean. Worldclass partnerships discuss their methods for hundreds of hours.)

West led a spade, and South saw nine tricks: two spades, two hearts and at least five clubs. He took the king of spades, cashed the ace of clubs and led a club to dummy’s jack.

East took the queen and carefully did not return a spade, which would have revived South’s second spade trick; East shifted to a heart. South won in dummy and ran the clubs, but when he led a diamond next, East won and led another heart. The defense won the rest for down one.

South got marooned on a desert

Reportsarethatwhenaredcruiseship collided with a blue cruise ship, the passengersweremarooned.Thatmaybejust a rumor, but today’s declarer certainly had trouble at his 3NT; he was marooned in the wrong hand at a crucial moment. North-South reached the best contract, butonlyaftersomegroping.Southmeant his jump to 2NT as invitational to game. North wasn’t sure whether his own rebid of three clubs was forcing or an attempt to sign off. South wasn’t sure either, but when he continued with three spades, suggesting solid spade stoppers, North bid 3NT and hoped for the best. (Regular partnerships should discuss as many auctions as possible and agree on what they mean. World-class partnerships discuss their methods for hundreds of hours.)

Westledaspade,andSouthsawnine tricks: two spades, two hearts and at least five clubs. He took the king of spades, cashed the ace of clubs and led a club to dummy’s jack. East took the queen and carefully did not return a spade, which would have revived South’s second spade trick; East shifted

to a heart. South won in dummy and ran the clubs, but when he led a diamond next, East won and led another heart. The defense won the rest for down one. South got marooned on a desert island, otherwise known as dummy. To getun-marooned,hecanleadhisfourof clubs to dummy’s jack at Trick Two. East takes the queen and leads a heart, but South can come to his ace of clubs, cash his second high spade and return to dummy with a high heart to run the clubs for nine tricks.

North dealer N-S vulnerable

You’ve a strong drive to make sense of contradictions and inconsistencies.

Gemini (May 21-June 21).

You will delight in taking control of your surroundings and changing things to create your own world with good company.

Cancer (June 22-July 22).

With the right balance, intense ingredients can make the recipe sing.

Leo (July 23-Aug. 22). A relationship you thought was mostly transactional in nature will surprise you

Virgo (Aug. 23-Sept. 22).

Try to understand and address the core of what you want. Choose the healthiest route.

Scorpio (Oct. 24-Nov. 21).

Your kindness and neighborly gestures will boomerang back to you

Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 21). A brief meeting with a VIP will require craft and practice.

Unscramble these Jumbles, one letter to each square, to form six ordinary words.

Insert numbers 1-9 in each box with every row, column and 3x3 box containing the digits just once. Difficulty level ranges from Bronze (easiest) to Silver to Gold

Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 18). The changes you make in yourself will inspire others and transform relationships.

Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20). People will take you seriously, so speak carefully and decide what’s worth expressing.

JULY 24, 2022

Can’t

Eurostar has new e320 high-speed trains.

ALL ABOARD!

Skip the flight, take the trains to travel Europe

Lucie Grace Special to USA TODAY

“It’s not the Orient Express, but you’re halfway there”my father jokes with me at his house in the U.K., bidding me farewell as I’m setting off on a trains-only journey back to my summer home in Croatia. h Train travel is on the rise as many European Union countries increase their railway routes and services. ÖBB (Austrian Railways) are leading the sector, having laid on a host of new long-distance routes, and France’s TGV, Italy’s Trenitalia and Sweden’s SJ networks are following suit. h While flying from London to Croatia would be quicker, there’s an appeal to train travel in Europe this summer. With airports and airlines in disarray, coupled with the new and affordable – and comparatively short – train rides, taking a few days to reach Croatia’s capital seems a pleasant way to do it. I’m not in a rush to get to my home in Zagreb.

My most expensive ticket was from London to Paris

The first leg of my journey, the Eurostar from St. Pancras International in London to Gare du Nord in Paris, is a tried and tested favorite. The longstanding route connects the U.K. to France and beyond and is a pleasant ride of just 212 hours.

The Eurostar is the most expensive ticket on this adventure. A one-way bookingfromLondontoPariscostsanywhere from $70 to $350, with prices rising the closer you get to your departure date. Mine was booked 28 days in advance, and I paid $110 for a standardclass seat. You can use the railway’s app or website to make your reservation, and international credit cards are accepted.

Leaving London on a Tuesday in June, the 12:30 p.m. Eurostar departure arrives in Paris at 4 p.m., with enough time to make the last entry at Musee D’Orsay – a quick hop on the efficient RER subway train from Gare du Nord. Because my next train doesn’t depart from Paris until early the next morning, I stay with friends in a leafy suburb within Neuilly-sur-Seine

The best deal on this trip was Paris to Milan

Day 2 begins with the most scenic and exciting ride of the trip. Taking

Trenitalia’s new high-speed service from Paris to Milanis comfortable and exhilarating.

The Frecciarossa high-speed trains are equipped with Wi-Fi, charging ports and spacious seating. I booked one month in advance for the best price and paid $37 for the 612-hour journey, the best deal on the trip.

I depart Paris Gare du Lyon at 7:37a.m., and the train zooms through France before passing the Graian Alps intoItaly.Mountainsandvalleysbehind us, the sleek, spacious Frecciarossa train arrives at Milano Centrale at 3p.m., a little behind schedule. After grabbing a much-needed pizza, I drop my bags off at the home of an old friend who kindly hosts me for the night.

Staying in Milan wasn’t strictly necessary. There are numerous high-speed trains to Venice from Milano Centrale I could take the same day. Many other

Clouds hang over the Dolomites in the northern Italian province of South Tyrol on June 28. A three-hour train journey from Venice to Trieste offered views of the mountain range rising and falling from sight. MATTHIAS SCHRADER/AP

passengers jump off the train to catch a connecting train to Venice. But given that my trip coincides with the infamous Milan Design Week, I opt to spend the next morning wandering the city looking at finely crafted furniture

A quick trip to Venice

Thursday starts with another highspeed Frecciarossa service – the train stops at Verona and Padua before Santa Lucia in Venice, taking 212 hours and costing $32. Arriving in Venice by train is one of the greatest travel joys available in Europe. Stepping out of the station straight onto the Grand Canal truly never gets old.

You can book these trains easily using the Trenitalia website or app, which is available in English, accepts international credit and debit cards and stores your tickets for you

A ride to Trieste with a view

On Friday, I jump on the local train from Venice to Trieste, paying $19 for the three-hour journey that passes the Dolomites. I grabbed a window seat on the left side of the carriage to have a view of the mountain range rising and falling from sight. I arrive in Trieste at 1 p.m. just in time to check in to my room at ControVento Hostel, one of the most well-presented hostels I’ve ever seen, located on the third floor of a former Serbian palace. In the evening, I eat my way around Trieste, taking in the former Austro-Hungarian port by its flavors, which are very much Italian now

Two trains for $37

The last leg of my quest launches on Saturday, leaving Trieste at 12:50 p.m. on a ÖBB train bound for Ljubljana, Slovenia, which costs $11. I change trains in the Slovenian capital and board my final carriage, another ÖBB service costing $26 that takes just over two hours to reach Glavni Kolodvor in Zagreb and arrives at 8:45 p.m. Both legs are bookable online at ÖBB (Austrian Railways).

The total cost of five days of trains, crossing five countries, was $235; a highly enjoyable, eco-friendly journey that proved entirely stress-free – something you can’t put a price on.

Lucie Grace is a British freelance travel writer based in Croatia.

PHOTO PROVIDED BY EUROSTAR; ILLUSTRATION BY AUDREY TATE/USA TODAY NETWORK

Right meow

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Hauspanther’s set of three eco-friendly wool felt cat toys are the purr-fect minimalist playthings, scented with kitty-pleasing lanolin. $8.99 at shop.hauspanther.com.

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Simply styled with strong nylon and captivating colors, the Sleepypod Everyday Collar is lightweight, durable and an excellent addition to your pooch’s aesthetic. $21.59 at sleepypod.com.

This smartly designed Baxton Studio Vere litter box cover keeps the box hidden from view and doubles as a side table. $173.99 at chewy.com.

Pope’s Indigenous tour signals a rethinking

Catholic Church radically reconsiders legacy

Nicole Winfield

Jackson allowed to hear race case

Mark Sherman ASSOCIATED PRESS

Francis’trip to Canada to apologize for the horrors of church-run Indigenous residential schools marks a radical rethink of the Catholic Church’s missionary legacy, spurred on by the first pope from the Americas and the discovery of hundreds of probable graves at school sites.

VATICAN CITY – Pope

Francis has said his weeklong visit, which begins Sunday, is a “penitential pilgrimage” to beg forgiveness on Canadian soil for the “evil” done to Native peoples by Catholic missionaries.

It follows his April 1 apology in the Vatican for the generations of trauma Indigenous peoples suffered as a result of a church-enforced policy to eliminate their culture and assimilate them into Canadian, Christian society.

Francis’ tone of personal repentance has signaled a notable shift for the papacy, which has long acknowledged abuses in the residential schools and asserted the rights and dignity of Indigenous peoples. But past popes have also hailed the sacrifice and holiness of the European Catholic missionaries who brought Christianity to the Americas –something Francis, too, has done but isn’t expected to emphasize this trip.

Cardinal Michael Czerny, a Canadian Jesuit who is a top papal adviser, recalled that early on in his papacy, Francis asserted that no single culture can claim a hold on Christianity, and that the church cannot demand that people on other continents imitate the European way of expressing the faith.

“If this conviction had been accepted

The

by everyone involved in the centuries after the ‘discovery’ of the Americas, much suffering would have been avoided, great developments would have occurred and the Americas would be allaround better,” he told The Associated Press in an email.

The trip won’t be easy for 85-year-old Francis or for residential school survivors and their families. Francis can no longer walk without assistance and will be using a wheelchair and cane because of painful strained knee ligaments. Trauma experts are being deployed at all events to provide mental health assistance for school survivors, given the likelihood of triggering memories.

“It is an understatement to say there are mixed emotions,” said Chief Desmond Bull of the Louis Bull Tribe, one of the First Nations that are part of the Maskwacis territory where Francis will deliver his first sweeping apology on Monday near the site of a former residential school.

The Canadian government has ad-

mitted that physical and sexual abuse were rampant in the state-funded, Christian schools that operated from the 19th century to the 1970s. Some 150,000 Indigenous children were taken from their families and forced to attend in an effort to isolate them from the influence of their homes, Native languages and cultures.

The legacy of that abuse and isolation from family has been cited by Indigenous leaders as a root cause of the epidemic rates of alcohol and drug addiction on Canadian reservations.

“For survivors from coast to coast, this is an opportunity – the first and maybe the last – to perhaps find some closure for themselves and their families,” said Chief Randy Ermineskin of the Ermineskin Cree Nation.

Associated Press religion coverage receives support through the AP’s collaboration with The Conversation US, with funding from Lilly Endowment Inc.TheAPissolelyresponsibleforthis content.

US takes action to save sequoias

LOS ANGELES – The U.S. Forest Service announced Friday it’s taking emergency action to save giant sequoias by speeding up projects that could start within weeks to clear underbrush to protect the world’s largest trees from the increasing threat of wildfires.

The move to bypass some environmental review could cut years off the normal approval process required to cut smaller trees in national forests and use intentionally lit low-intensity fires to reduce dense brush that has helped fuel raging wildfires that have killed up to 20% of all large sequoias over the past two years.

“Without urgent action, wildfires could eliminate countless more iconic giant sequoias,” Forest Service Chief Randy Moore said in a statement. “This emergency action to reduce fuels before a wildfire occurs will protect unburned giant sequoia groves from the risks of high-severity wildfires.”

The trees, the world’s largest by volume, are under threat like never before. More than a century of aggressive fire suppression has left forests choked with dense vegetation, downed logs and millionsofdeadtreeskilledbybarkbeetles that have fanned raging infernos intensified by drought and exacerbated by climate change.

Theforestservice’sannouncementis among a wide range of efforts underway to save the species found only on the western slope of Sierra Nevada range in central California. Most of about 70 groves are clustered around Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks and some extend into and north of Yosemite National Park.

Sequoia National Park, which is run by the Interior Department and not subject to the emergency action, is considering a novel and controversial plan to plant sequoia seedlings where large trees have been wiped out by fire.

The Save Our Sequoias (SOS) Act, which also includes a provision to speed upenvironmentalreviewsliketheforest

service plan, was recently introduced by a bipartisan group of congressmen including House Republican leader Kevin McCarthy, whose district includes sequoias.

The group applauded Moore’s announcement Friday but said in a statement that more needs to be done to make it easier to thin forests.

Work planned to begin as soon as this summer in12 groves spread across the Sequoia National Forest and Sierra National Forest would cost $21million to remove so-called ladder fuels made up of brush, dead wood and smaller trees that allow fires to spread upward and torch the canopies of the sequoias that can exceed 300 feet in height.

The plan calls for cutting smaller trees and vegetation and using prescribed fires – intentionally lit and monitored by firefighters during damp conditions – to remove the decaying needles, sticks and logs that pile up on the forest floor.

Some environmental groups have criticized forest thinning as an excuse for commercial logging.

Ara Marderosian, executive director of the Sequoia ForestKeeper group, called the announcement a “well-orchestrated PR campaign.”

He said it fails to consider how logging can exacerbate wildfires and could increase carbon emissions that will worsen the climate crisis.

WASHINGTON – The Supreme Court on Friday took a step that will allow new Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson, the first Black woman on the court, to take part in a case that could lead to the end of the use of race in college admissions.

Jackson, who joined the court June 30 following the retirement of Justice Stephen Breyer, had pledged during her confirmation hearing to sit out the case involving Harvard’s admissions policy because she was a member of the school’s board.

The Harvard dispute had been joined to a similar lawsuit involving the University of North Carolina. The court split the case in two, allowing Jackson to hear arguments and vote in the North Carolina case. Harvard is a private institution, while North Carolina is a public university.

JacksonwasamemberofHarvard’s Board of Overseers from 2016 until the spring. It is made up of alumni and is one of Harvard’s two governing bodies. She is a graduate both of Harvard College and Harvard Law School.

Federal law requires all judges to recuse from cases in which “impartiality might reasonably be questioned,” including close ties to a party, financial interest in the outcome or participation at an earlier stage of the case.

The court has taken similar steps before. In 2020, Justice Sonia Sotomayor discovered a conflict in a dispute from two states over presidential electors.

Mega Millions jackpot now up to $790M

ASSOCIATED PRESS

DES MOINES, Iowa – Lottery officials on Friday raised the Mega Millions grand prize to $790million, giving players a shot at what would be the nation’s fourth largest jackpot.

The next drawing is on Tuesday. The jackpot has grown so large because there hasn’t been a winner in three months. A ticket purchased in Tennessee won $20million in the April15 drawing. Another jackpot ticket, worth $110million, was sold in Minnesota for the April 12 drawing.

The 27 consecutive drawings without anyone matching all six numbers has allowed the jackpot to grow from its $20million starting point.

Thehighlightedpretax$790million prize is for a winner who takes an annuity option, paid out in 30 annual payments. Most players choose the cash option, which for Tuesday’s drawing would be $464.4million.

Mega Millions is played in 45 states as well as Washington, D.C., and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

The jackpot for Saturday’s Powerball drawing was an estimated $119million. The last jackpot winner was June29, when a ticket sold in Vermont won the $366.7million prize.

legacy of abuse and isolation from family in Catholic residential schools has lasting negative effects on Canadian reservations.

JESSIE WARDARSKI/AP

Sequoias, the world’s largest trees by volume, are under threat like never before. GARRETT DICKMAN/NPS VIA AP, FILE

For toddlers to teens, impact of a father fgure is lifelong

Thai PM wards off 4th oust attempt

BANGKOK – Thai Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha sailed through his fourth and final no-confidence vote in Parliament on Saturday, ahead of a general election next year.

The vote came after four days of debate targeting Prayuth and 10 of his Cabinet members for economic mismanagement and their failure to prevent corruption. All 10 ministers also survived the vote, thanks to the ruling coalition government’s majority in Parliament.

Prayuth won 256 confidence votes, with 206 against and nine abstaining. CholananSrikaew,headofthemain opposition Pheu Thai Party, said the vote result was disappointing as it didn’t reflect public sentiment. “We know we cannot win in the Parliament, but we will not lose in the general election,” he said.

A retired general, Prayuth has weathered three earlier censure motions since 2020. No targeted Cabinet ministers have ever been ousted by no-confidence voting in Thailand’s history. Prayuth, 68, came to power during a 2014 coup and was later elected in 2019 general elections.

Over the past four days of censure debate, Prayuth was the key target of the opposition parties. Opposition chief whip Sutin Klungsang said that Prayuth’s key failure was economic management. Prayuth, who is also Defense Minister, was also accused of spying on political dissidents with Pegasus spyware, and of misusing the country’s budget.

Prayuth has defended his government’s record, noting that Thailand’s economy is stable despite rising energy prices and high inflation.

Sri Lanka urged not to use force on protesters

Groups say it ‘sends dangerous message’

Bharatha Mallawarachi ASSOCIATED PRESS

COLOMBO, Sri Lanka – International human rights groups on Saturday urged Sri Lanka’s new president to immediately order security forces to cease use of force against protesters after troops and police cleared their main camp following months of demonstrations over the country’s economic meltdown.

A day after President Ranil Wickremesinghe was sworn in, hundreds of armed troops raided a protest camp outside the president’s office in the early hours of Friday, attacking demonstrators with batons. Human Rights Watch said the action “sends a dangerous message to the Sri Lankan people that the new government intends to act through brute force rather than the rule of law.”

Two journalists and two lawyers were also attacked by soldiers in the crackdown. Security forces arrested 11 people, including protesters and lawyers.

“Urgently needed measures to address the economic needs of Sri Lankans demand a government that respects fundamental rights,” Meenakshi Ganguly, South Asia director at Human Rights Watch, said in a statement. “Sri Lanka’s international partners should send the message loud and clear that they can’t support an administration that tramples on the rights of its people.”

Also condemning the attack, AmnestyInternationalsaid“itisshameful that the new government resorted to

such violent tactics within hours of coming to power.”

“The protesters have a right to demonstrate peacefully. Excessive use of force, intimidation and unlawful arrests seem to be an endlessly repetitive pattern in which the Sri Lankan authorities respond to dissent and peaceful assembly,” said Kyle Ward, the group’s deputy secretary general.

Wickremesinghe, who previously served as prime minister six times, was sworn in as president a week after his predecessor, Gotabaya Rajapaksa, fled the country. Rajapaksa later resigned while exiled in Singapore.

Sri Lankans have taken to the streets for months to demand their top leaders step down to take responsibility for the economic chaos that has left the nation’s 22million people struggling with shortages of essentials, including medi-

cine, fuel and food.

While the protesters have focused on the Rajapaksa’s family, Wickremesinghe also has drawn their ire as a perceived Rajapaksa surrogate.

Armed troops and police arrived in trucks and buses on Friday to clear the main protest camp the capital, Colombo, even though protesters had announced they would vacate the site voluntarily.

Sri Lanka’s opposition, the United Nations, and the U.S. have denounced the government’s heavy-handed tactics.

Despite heightened security outside the president’s office, protesters have vowed to continue until Wickremesinghe resigns.

On Friday, he appointed as prime minister a Rajapaksa ally, Dinesh Gunawardena

Police commanders and army soldiers stand guard outside the president’s office, after troops and police cleared the main camp of protesters following months of demonstrations Saturday in Colombo, Sri Lanka. ERANGA JAYAWARDENA/AP

Russia hits Ukraine’s Black Sea port

region.

The attacks on key infrastructure marked new attempts by the warring parties to tip the scales of the grinding conflict in their favor.

Susie Blann ASSOCIATED PRESS

KYIV, Ukraine – Russian missiles hit Ukraine’s Black Sea port of Odesa just hours after Moscow and Kyiv signed deals to allow grain exports to resume from there. Ukraine’s Foreign Ministry denounced Saturday’s airstrikes as a spit in the face” to Turkey and the United Nations, which brokered the agreements.

Two Russian Kalibr cruise missiles hit the port’s infrastructure and Ukrainian air defenses brought down two others, the Ukrainian military’s Southern Command said. Odesa regional governor Maksym Marchenko said an unspecified number of people were injured in the attack.

Command spokeswoman Nataliya Humenyuk said no grain storage facilities were hit in Odesa. Turkey’s defense minister, however, said he had spoken with Ukrainian authorities and one missile struck a grain silo and another landed nearby but neither affected loading at Odesa’s docks.

“It took less than 24 hours for Russia to launch a missile attack on Odesa’s port, breaking its promises and undermining its commitments before the U.N. and Turkey under the Istanbul agreement,” Ukrainian Foreign Ministry spokesman Oleg Nikolenko said. “In case of non-fulfillment, Russia will bear full responsibility for a global food crisis.”

Nikolenko described the missile strike on the 150th day of Russia’s war in Ukraine as Russian President Vladimir Putin’s “spit in the face of U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who made great efforts to reach agreement.”

Guterres’ office said the U.N. chief “unequivocally condemns” the strikes.

Yesterday, all parties made clear commitments on the global stage to ensure the safe movement of Ukrainian grain and related products to global markets,” the Guterres statement said.

“These products are desperately needed to address the global food crisis and ease the suffering of millions of people.”

It was not clear how Saturday’s Russian airstrikes would affect the plan to resume shipping Ukrainian grain by sea in safe corridors out of three Ukrainian Black Sea ports: Odesa, Chernomorsk and Yuzhny. Ukraine and Russia signed identical deals Friday with the U.N. and Turkey in Istanbul backing the plan, which Guterres hailed as “a beacon of hope” for a world in which food prices are rising rapidly.

The agreements sought to clear the way for the shipment of millions of tons of Ukrainian grain and some Russian exports of grain and fertilizer that have been blocked by the war. Ukraine is one of the world’s largest exporters of wheat, corn and sunflower oil, but Russia’s invasion and naval blockade of its ports halted shipments.

Documents obtained by The Associated Press showed the deals called for the creation of a U.N.-led joint coordination center in Istanbul where officials from Ukraine, Russia, Turkey

would oversee the scheduling and searches of cargo ships.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in his nightly video address that the agreements offered “a chance to prevent a global catastrophe

a famine that could lead to political chaos in many countries of the world, in particular in the countries that help us.”

The head of Zelenskyy’s office, Andriy Yermak, said on Twitter that the Odesa strike coming so soon after the endorsement of the Black Sea deal illustrated “the Russian diplomatic dichotomy.”

The U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine, Bridget Brink, denounced the Russian strike on Odesa’s port as “outrageous.”

The Kremlin continues to weaponize food,” she tweeted. “Russia must be held to account.”

Along with the strike on Odesa, Russia fired a barrage of missiles Saturday at an airfield and a railway facility in central Ukraine, killing at least three people, while Ukrainian forces launched rocket strikes on river crossings in a Russian-occupied southern

In Ukraine’s central Kirovohradska region, 13 Russian missiles struck an airfield and a railway facility. Gov. Andriy Raikovych said at least one serviceman and two guards were killed and another16 people were wounded in the strikes near the city of Kirovohrad.

In the southern Kherson region, which Russian troops seized early in the invasion, Ukrainian forces preparing for a potential counteroffensive fired rockets at Dnieper River crossings to try to disrupt Russian supply lines. Still, Russian troops have largely held their ground in the Kherson region just north of the Crimean Peninsula, which Russia annexed in 2014.

In the Zaporizhzhia region, Russian forces at a checkpoint are blocking 1,200 vehicles carrying people fleeing the area and four people have died after being stranded there for days amid high heat, said Ivan Fedorov, mayor of the city of Melitopol that is now under Russian control.

Fighting also raged unabated in eastern Ukraine’s industrial heartland of the Donbas, where Russian forces tried to make new gains in the face of stiff Ukrainian resistance.

Earlier this week, the Ukrainians bombarded the Antonivskyi Bridge across the Dnieper River using the U.S.supplied High Mobility Artillery Rocket System, said Kirill Stremousov, deputy head of the Russia-appointed regional administration in Kherson.

Stremousov told Russian state news agency Tass that the only other crossing of the Dnieper, the dam of the Kakhovka hydroelectric plant, also came under attack from rockets launched with weapons supplied by Washington but wasn’t damaged.

HIMARS, which can fire GPS-guided rockets at targets 50 miles away, out of reach of most Russian artillery systems, have significantly bolstered the Ukrainian strike capability.

In addition, Ukrainian forces shelled an automobile bridge across the Inhulets River in the village of Darivka.

Unclear how airstrikes would affect the plan

Police experts inspect a crater caused by a shell explosion Saturday outside the National University of Urban Economy in Kharkiv SERGEY BOBOK/AFP VIA GETTY IMAGES

Jan. 6 hearings traced arc of ‘carnage’

Demonstrate efforts to sway election, fuel riot

Calvin Woodward and Eric Tucker ASSOCIATED PRESS

WASHINGTON – In a methodical, even mannerly process rarely seen from Congress, the House committee investigating the events surrounding Jan.6, 2021, exposed behind-the-scenes machinations laying bare the lengths former President Donald Trump and his inner circle went to keep him in power and the extent to which those closest to him knew his case about a stolen election was false. Some told him that directly; others humored him.

With seven Democrats working with two Republicans on the outs with their party, the committee did what Trump’s two impeachment trials couldn’t – establish a coherent story out of the chaos instead of two partisan ones clawing at each other.

“American carnage,” Rep. Jamie Raskin, D-Maryland, lead manager of the second Trump impeachment case and a committee member on this inquiry, said ofthelatter’sbottomline.“That’sDonald Trump’s true legacy.”

Trump was told the rioters were out to find his vice president, Mike Pence, at the Capitol and hang him. And he was said to believe Pence deserved to be hanged. Trump was told many of his supporters that day bore arms. He didn’t “effing care.”

“They’re not here to hurt ME,”he said, according to testimony.

The committee pinpointed a range of renegade – if not criminal – options that were floated in the White House as Trump and his allies contemplated an executive order to seize voting machines and other steps that democracies don’t take.

“The idea that the federal government could come in and seize election machines, no,” Pat Cipollone, the White House counsel, said as he recounted a White House meeting that devolved into a screaming match. “I don’t understand why we even have to tell you why that’s a bad idea for the country.”

Trump leaned on Republican-led states to find more votes for him and or appoint fake electors. He hectored Pence to do what he didn’t have the power – or the will – to do, when called upon to certify the election.

When all else failed, Trump told his supportersto“fightlikehell”andencouraged them to march down to the Capitol, saying he’d be joining them.

Trump’splottingwasfoiledbyRepublicans in the states that mattered, conservative aides, bureaucrats and loyalists-to-a-point who ultimately said no to him.

When Trump pressed his vice president to derail the certification of Joe Biden’s election, Pence said no.

The Republican election official in Georgia said no to cooking the results to deliver Trump the state. The Republican House speaker in Arizona, pressed to appoint fake electors, invoked his oath and refused.

Two Justice Department leaders in succession said no to him. When he moved to appoint a compliant third, Justice officials told him in the Oval Office that if he did so, they would quit and the new man would be left “leading a graveyard.”

All of that left the president with an

inept cadre, mostly of outsiders. One sells pillows.

We’ve got lots of theories,” Trump lawyer Rudy Giuliani told Rusty Bowers, Arizona House speaker. “We just don’t have the evidence.”

Attention now shifts to the Justice Department, where Attorney General Merrick Garland says its criminal investigation of the matter is its most important ever.

Some legal experts have identified a range of potential crimes for which the ex-president might conceivably be prosecuted. Corruptly obstructing an official proceeding. Conspiracy to defraud the U.S. Inciting a riot. Even seditious conspiracy. But these crimes are easier to talk about than to prove beyond a reasonable doubt, especially against a former president.

As the hearings unfolded, Democrats found themselves standing in admiration, if not awe, for the deeply conservative Rep. Liz Cheney, R-Wyoming, the poker-faced Republican on the committee who, despite her measured words, madeclearhericydisdainforTrumpand the many Republicans in Congress who appear to remain in thrall to him.

She did not countenance the Trump defenders who argued he was manipu-

Nielsen says 17.7 million watched Thursday’s Jan. 6 hearing

An estimated 17.7million viewers watched Thursday night’s hearing of the House committee investigating the Jan.6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol. The Nielsen Company said that is second to the 20million who saw the first committee hearing on June 9, the only other one of the eight sessions held in prime time.

Ten networks aired this past week’s hearing live, down from the 11 that showed the June 9 session. The conservative network Newsmax dropped out this time.

The six daytime hearings average 11.2million viewers, with a peak audience of 13.2million on June 28, when ex-White House aide Cassidy Hutchinson testified about former President Donald Trump’s behavior. An estimated 13.6million of Thursday’s viewers, or 77 percent, were age 55 and older, Nielsen said. Only 705,000 viewers were 18 to 34.

MSNBC said the 4.7million people who watched its coverage represented the network’s biggest prime-time audience since the night of the event that the committee is investigating.

Public hearings are expected to resume in September.

Associated Press

lated by outside “crazies.”

President Trump is a 76-year-old man,”she said. “He is not an impressionable child. Just like everyone else in our country, he is responsible for his own actions and his own choices.”

Facing a Trump-backed primary opponent in August, her congressional seat in deep-red Wyoming in danger, she framed the stakes for fellow Republican lawmakers at the first hearing: “I say this to my Republican colleagues who are defending the indefensible: There will come a day when Donald Trump is gone, but your dishonor will remain.”

Trump, Pence stump for rivals in Ariz.

Jonathan J. Cooper ASSOCIATED PRESS

PEORIA, Ariz. – Former President Donald Trump and his estranged vice president, Mike Pence, held rival campaign events in Arizona on Friday, turningthegovernor’sraceintoabroaderreferendum on the Republican Party’s future.

Trump and Pence both talked up the successes of their administration and hammered President Joe Biden, but neither directly addressed the other or the growing rift between them.

Pence, who last week added his name to a growing list of GOP establishment figures endorsing housing developer Karrin Taylor Robson, offered only an oblique critique of the Republicans still pushing the lie that Trump lost because of fraud.

If you elect Robson, Pence said, “you can send a deafening message heard all across America that the Republican Party is the party of the future.”

He was more direct later on Twitter: “Some people want this election to be about the past, but elections are always about the future. Democrats would love nothing more than for Republicans to takeoureyeofftheballandfocusondays gone by.”

Robson says the 2020 elections weren’t fair,”accusing “liberal judges”of changing the rules late in the cycle and the media and big tech of suppressing conservativevoices.Butshehasstopped short of saying Trump lost because of fraud.

Her main rival, former television anchor Kari Lake, has embraced Trump’s election lies along with his combative approachtohispoliticalenemiesandthe media.

“No one understands better than Kari how to fight back against the fake news media and the radical left,” Trump said Friday evening during his own rally in Prescott Valley, one of the most conservative areas of Arizona.

Trump took aim at two Arizona Republicans who refused to go along with

his efforts to remain in office after losing to Biden. He said state House Speaker Rusty Bowers, who testified last month to the House Jan. 6 committee, “participated against the Republican Party.” He saidGov.DougDuceyhasfailedtosecure the border with Mexico.

Robsonisalawyerandhousingdeveloper who is locking up support from mainstream GOP figures growing increasingly comfortable with breaking from Trump. In addition to Pence, her supporters include former New Jersey Gov.ChrisChristieandterm-limitedGov. Doug Ducey, who famously silenced a call from Trump while certifying Democrat Joe Biden’s 2020 presidential victory in Arizona.

Telegenic and already well-known from her decades anchoring the evening news in Phoenix, Lake has energized Trump’s most ardent supporters in Arizona. But she faces a potentially close contest with Robson, whose family’s vast fortune has allowed her to vastly outspend Lake with early voting underway.

“As your governor I want to bring those America First Trump policies here toArizona,”Lakesaid.“We’regoingtosecure that border. We are going to restore honesty and faith in our elections.”

PencehighlightedLake’spastsupport

for Barack Obama’s presidential campaign and a “not my president” meme the then-news anchor posted as Trump prepared for his 2017 inauguration.

“Youneedagovernorthat’ssupported every conservative cause from Ronald Reagan to Donald Trump,” Pence said of Robson, who worked in the Reagan administration and raised money for Trump’s campaign along with her husband, housing developer Ed Robson, one of Arizona’s wealthiest residents. Robson has also donated to Democrats.

Robson, Pence and Ducey also discussed border security during a second event in Tucson at the headquarters for theBorderPatrolunion,whichstaunchly supported Trump but broke with him and endorsed Robson.

Securingthebordertakestwothings: resources and will power,” Robson said. President Trump and Vice President Pence already showed that it can be done.”

Trump and Pence have occasionally taken different sides in primaries this year, but this is the first time that they will have appeared in the same state on the same day to rally for their preferred candidates. The split-screen moment marks a more confrontational phase in their relationship as they both consider running for president in 2024.

It also comes just a day after the House Jan. 6 committee revealed new details about the violent insurrection at the U.S. Capitol that fractured the relationshipbetweenthetwomen.Thecommittee recounted how Trump refused to call off the mob attacking the Capitol as Pence, just feet away from rioters, was whisked to safety.

The committee played audio from an unidentified White House security official who said Pence’s Secret Service agents“startedtofearfortheirownlives” at the Capitol and left messages for their loved ones in case they didn’t survive. Shortly afterward, at 2:24 p.m. on Jan. 6, 2021, Trump tweeted that Pence didn’t have the “courage” to block or delay the election results as Congress was certifying Biden’s victory.

Mike Pence let me down,”an unidentified White House employee testified Trump telling him at the end of the day on Jan. 6.

Trump did not talk about Pence Friday night, but did push back against earlier testimony by former White House aide Cassidy Hutchinson, who said she saw a White House valet cleaning up a mess after an angry Trump smashed a plate and the remains of his lunch on a wall.

“Theyhavemethrowingfood,”Trump said. “I don’t throw food in the White House.Idon’tthrowfoodanywhere.Ieat the food.”

Trump and Pence will again cross paths this week as the former president returns to the nation’s capital for the first time since leaving the White House.

Arizona, a longtime Republican stronghold whose move toward the centeracceleratedduringTrump’spresidency, was central Trump’s push to remain in power despite his loss. Trump pressed state officials to block the certification of Biden’s victory and, when he failed, his allies in Congress objected to counting the state’s 11 electoral votes.

Since the election, Trump supporters have recounted ballots and analyzed vote-countingmachinesinanattemptto prove something was amiss.

Federal and state election officials and Trump’s own attorney general have said there is no credible evidence the election was tainted.

“American carnage,” Rep. Jamie Raskin, D-Md., lead manager of the second Trump impeachment and a committee member on this inquiry, said of the latter’s bottom line. “That’s Donald Trump’s true legacy.” J. SCOTT APPLEWHITE/AP FILE

Former President Donald Trump speaks at a Save America rally Friday in Prescott, Ariz. ROSS D. FRANKLIN/AP

WHO declares monkeypox emergency

‘Extraordinary’ situation as more cases are found

Maria Cheng ASSOCIATED PRESS

LONDON – The chief of the World Health Organization said the expanding monkeypox outbreak in more than 70 countries is an “extraordinary” situation that now qualifies as a global emergency, a declaration Saturday that could spur further investment in treating the once-rare disease and worsen the scramble for scarce vaccines.

WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus made the decision to issue the declaration despite a lack of consensus among members of WHO’s emergency committee. It was the first time the chief of the U.N. health agency has taken such an action.

We have an outbreak that has spread around the world rapidly through new modes of transmission about which we understand too little and which meets the criteria in the international health regulations,” Tedros said.

I know this has not been an easy or straightforward process and that there are divergent views among the members” of the committee, he added.

Although monkeypox has been established in parts of central and west Africa for decades, it was not known to spark large outbreaks beyond the continent or to spread widely among people until May, when authorities detected dozens of epidemics in Europe, North America and elsewhere.

Declaring a global emergency means the monkeypox outbreak is an “extraordinary event” that could spill over into more countries and requires a coordinated global response. WHO previously declared emergencies for public health crises such as the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2014 West African Ebola outbreak, the Zika virus in Latin America in 2016 and the ongoing effort to eradicate polio.

The emergency declaration mostly

World Health Organization Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus made the decision to issue a declaration that monkeybox is a public health emergency despite a lack of consensus from the emergency committee. JOHANNA

GERON/AP FILE

serves as a plea to draw more global resources and attention to an outbreak. Past announcements had mixed impact, given that the U.N. health agency is largely powerless in getting countries to act.

Last month, WHO’s expert committee said the worldwide monkeypox outbreak did not yet amount to an international emergency, but the panel convened this week to reevaluate the situation.

According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than 16,000 cases of monkeypox have been reported in 74 countries since about May. To date, monkeypox deaths have only been reported in Africa, where a more dangerous version of the virus is spreading, mainly in Nigeria and Congo.

In Africa, monkeypox mainly spreads to people from infected wild animals like rodents, in limited outbreaks that typically have not crossed borders. In Europe, North America and elsewhere, however, monkeypox is

spreading among people with no links to animals or recent travel to Africa.

WHO’s top monkeypox expert, Dr. Rosamund Lewis, said last week that 99% of all the monkeypox cases beyond Africa were in men and that of those, 98% involved men who have sex with men. Experts suspect the monkeypox outbreaks in Europe and North America were spread via sex at two raves in Belgium and Spain.

“Although I am declaring a public health emergency of international concern for the moment, this is an outbreak that is concentrated among men who have sex with men, especially those with multiple sexual partners,” Tedros said. “That means that this is an outbreak that can be stopped with the right strategies in the right groups.”

WHO’s emergencies chief, Michael Ryan, explained what preceded the director-general’s decision:

(Tedros) found that the committee did not reach a consensus, despite having a very open, very useful, very considered debate on the issues, and that since he’s not going against the committee, what he’s recognizing is that there are deep complexities in this issue,” Ryan said. “There are uncertainties on all sides. And he’s reflecting that uncertainty and his determination of the event” to be a global emergency.

Before Saturday’s announcement, Michael Head, a senior research fellow in global health at Southampton University, said it was surprising WHO hadn’t already declared monkeypox a global emergency, explaining that the conditions were arguably met weeks ago.

Some experts had questioned whether such a declaration would help, arguing the disease isn’t severe enough to warrant the attention and that rich countries battling monkeypox already have the funds to do so; most people recover without needing medical attention, although the lesions may be painful.

“I think it would be better to be proactive and overreact to the problem instead of waiting to react when it’s too

late,” Head said. He added that WHO’s emergency declaration could help donors like the World Bank make funds available to stop the outbreaks both in the West and in Africa, where animals are the likely natural reservoir of monkeypox

In the U.S., some experts have speculated whether monkeypox might be on the verge of becoming an entrenched sexually transmitted disease in the country, like gonorrhea, herpes and HIV.

“The bottom line is we’ve seen a shift in the epidemiology of monkeypox where there’s now widespread, unexpected transmission,” said Dr. Albert Ko, a professor of public health and epidemiology at Yale University. “There are some genetic mutations in the virus that suggest why that may be happening, but we do need a globally-coordinated response to get it under control,” he said.

Ko called for testing to be immediately scaled up rapidly, saying that similar to the early days of COVID-19, that there were significant gaps in surveillance.

“The cases we are seeing are just the tip of the iceberg,” he said. “The window has probably closed for us to quickly stop the outbreaks in Europe and the U.S., but it’s not too late to stop monkeypox from causing huge damage to poorer countries without the resources to handle it.”

In the U.S., some experts have speculated that monkeypox might become entrenched there as the newest sexually transmitted disease, with officials estimating that 1.5million men are at high risk of being infected.

Dr. Placide Mbala, a virologist who directs the global health department at Congo’s Institute of National Biomedical Research, said he hoped any global efforts to stop monkeypox would be equitable. Although countries including Britain, Canada, Germany and the U.S have ordered millions of vaccine doses, none have gone to Africa.

“The solution needs to be global,” Mbala said.

Supreme Court leak probe: Still no answers

WASHINGTON – Less than 24 hours after the unprecedented leak of the draft opinion that overturned Roe v. Wade, Chief Justice John Roberts ordered an investigation into the “egregious breach.”

Since then? Silence.

The Supreme Court won’t say whether it’s still investigating.

The court also won’t say whether the leaker has been identified or whether anyone has been disciplined.

Or whether an outside law firm or the FBI has been called in.

Or whether the court will ever offer an accounting of what transpired.

Or whether it has taken steps to try to prevent a repeat.

To these and other emailed questions, Supreme Court spokeswoman Patricia McCabe said by email: “The Court has no comment.”

Roberts announced the investigation on May 3, the day after Politico published its explosive leak detailing the draft of Justice Samuel Alito’s opinion. Court Marshal Gail Curley was tapped to lead the investigation.

The story filled the airwaves, news pages and online comment sections. There were calls for impeachment if a justice was involved. Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky saidtheleakwasapressurecampaignto “sway” the outcome and he suggested

the “lawless action should be investigated and punished to the fullest extent possible.”

Justice Clarence Thomas, the longest tenured member of the court, said the court had been irrevocably harmed.

When you lose that trust, especially in the institution that I’m in, it changes the institution fundamentally. You begin to look over your shoulder. It’s like kind of an infidelity that you can explain it, but you can’t undo it.”

If any justice was swayed, it didn’t manifest itself in a visible way. The draft was largely incorporated in Alito’s final opinion, which added in responses to points made by the dissenting justices,

NATION & WORLD WATCH FROM WIRE REPORTS

Congressman calls for change at MBTA after Boston train fire

BOSTON – A Massachusetts congressman is calling for changes in the way the Boston-area public transit system operates after a fire on a train prompted one passenger to jump into a river and others to scramble out of windows. Democratic U.S. Rep. Seth Moulton told WCVB-TV on Friday that “it’s a total embarrassment and “we’ve got to change it.” Moulton, a member of the House transportation committee said he doesn’t want the federal government to have to take over. Nobody was injured and an investigation is ongoing.

Plane crashes near Calif. lifeguard competition; pilot rescued

HUNTINGTON BEACH, Calif. – A small plane towing a banner crashed in the ocean Friday during a lifeguard competition that turned into a real-life rescue along Southern California’s popular Huntington Beach. The young lifeguards were told to stay on the beach, while the professionals quickly paddled out to the single-engine Piper Cub that floated on its wings. The pilot was taken to the hospital with bumps and bruises out of precaution, said Jennifer Carey, a spokesperson for the city of Huntington Beach.

and on June 24, a conservative majority of the court overturned Roe and eliminated a nearly 50-year-old right to abortion.

Abortions have largely stopped in at least nine states, and the decision is expected to lead roughly half the states to ban or severely restrict abortions.

The court finished its work for the summer on June 30, after which the justices’ law clerks began leaving for their next jobs. That means roughly three dozen people who likely had access to the draft opinion, out of about 70 in all, are no longer within easy reach of investigators.

Roberts should close the investigation, said Gabe Roth, leader of the court transparency group Fix the Court.

“There’sjustsomanyotherthingsthe marshal’s office needs to worry about right now that’s far more important than the leak. The justices’ safety is under threat probably more now than in years past,” Roth said.

Thesecurityconcernsreachedalarming levels in early June, when police arrested an armed man near Justice Brett Kavanaugh’s house after he called 911 and said he was going to kill Kavanaugh

The courthouse has been closed to thepublicsinceMarch2020,acombination of the coronavirus pandemic and threats to the court and the justices that led, shortly after the leak, to the installation of 8-foot-high, hard-to-climb fencing.

There’s little precedent in Supreme

Pakistan death toll from monsoon rains, flooding reaches 304

ISLAMABAD – The death toll from more than five weeks of monsoon rains and flash flooding across Pakistan has reached 304, authorities said Saturday. Since mid-June, the deluge has swollen rivers and damaged highways and bridges, disrupting traffic. Almost 9,000 homes have been fully destroyed or partially damaged. Particularly hard-hit was the volatile, impoverished southwestern Baluchistan province, where 99 people died in rain-related incidents and subsequent flooding, followed by 70 dead in southern Sindh province.

Court annals for the leak and investigation.

This was a singular and egregious breach of that trust that is an affront to the Court and the community of public servants who work here,” Roberts said when he announced the investigation.

In 1973, Chief Justice Warren Burger was infuriated by the leak of the outcome of the Roe case a few hours ahead of its announcement. Burger threatened to subject employees to lie detector tests, but the leaker quickly came forward and explained it had been an accident.

If the leak of the Alito draft was deliberate, it might have been from someone who was so upset by the prospect of overturning Roe that informing the public at the earliest possible moment was of paramount importance.

Or it could have come from a supporter of the decision who worried that one of the five justices in the majority was wavering. In this scenario, the leak was intended to make it harder for a justice to vote to leave Roe standing, if significantly weakened.

The public might never know. Then again, Supreme Court clerks often go on to prominent legal jobs. Six of the nine justices once served as law clerks.

Sometime in the next few decades, one or more of them might appear for a confirmation hearing for a judgeship or some other high-ranking government job where they might be asked if they leaked the document or know who did.

Chinese court says it executed man who set ex-wife on fire

TAIPEI, Taiwan – A Chinese man convicted of killing his former wife by setting her on fire was executed in southwestern Sichuan province on Saturday in a domestic violence case that haddrawnnationaloutrage.TangLuset his ex-wife on fire in September 2020 while she was livestreaming on Douyin, a short video platform. The 30-year-old woman, known online as Lamu, died a few weeks later. The Ngawa Tibetan and Qiang Autonomous Prefecture Intermediate People’s Court said it had carried out Tang’s execution early Saturday.

Nikki Tran of Washington, holds up a sign with pictures of Supreme Court Justices Clarence Thomas, Brett Kavanaugh, Samuel Alito, Amy Coney Barrett and Neil Gorsuch, as demonstrators protest outside of the U.S. Supreme Court, on May 3 in Washington. JACQUELYN MARTIN/AP FILE

(bornJanuary11,1944) madehistransitionfrom thislifeonJuly11,2022. Hewasprecededindeath byhisparents,Dorothy MAlthaus(neeEllis)and RaymondC.Althaus.As hisdearfriend,(Laurie Althaus)heaskedmeto sharewithyouthatheis atpeace.Ronlovedhis manypetsinhislifetime, hisfavoritepetwasPixel,hischerishedcompanion forthepast10years.HewasdrivenbyhisvolunteerworkwithHospiceofGreaterCincinnati andTheCincinnatiAssociationfortheBlindand VisuallyImpaired.Hewasanactivememberand volunteeratToastmasters(Club#472).Hewas honoredtobeastepfathertoJulie,Fran,andDavid Cooper.Helovedwatchingthemgrowintoyoung adultsandsupportingthemintheirpersonalendeavors.WhenIaskedotherswhowereclosestto Ronoverhislifetimewhattheyknewofhimthere wasaconsistenttheme;Hewas,kind,gentleand caring,alwaysshowedasincereinterestinothers, willingtobespontaneousyetalwaysconsistent andreliable.ThethingthatcharacterizesRonis simplyintegrity.Hedidn’tinsistonitinothers, buthedidrequireitofhimself.Hewasaprivate manwithakindsoulwhowillbegreatlymissed. Professionally,Ronwashighlyregardedinhisfield ofManufacturingandSupplyChainManagement inmanagementandconsultingroles.Heserved asanofficerandtrainerforAPICS.Ron’sserves willbeprivatehowever,hisfavoritecharitieswere AmericanCancerSocietyandHospiceofGreater Cincinnati.Heaskedthatinlieuofflowersplease donatetothem.www.vittstermeranderson.com

SusanRaeBrown(neeWoodard),bornOctober5,1948,inBloomington,IL,toJackT.and W.RowenaWoodard,diedonJune30,2022,in Cincinnati,OH.

Sue’sformativeyearswerespentinBloomington;Winnemucca,NV;andDecatur,IL.She graduatedfromStephenDecaturHighSchoolin 1966andcompletedherbachelor’sdegreefrom MiamiUniversity,Oxford,OH,in1992.She retiredfromMiamiUniversityin2006,after31 plusyears.

SuemarriedBruceBerryandtheyhadtwo daughters,AnneandErin.In2005,Suemarried MichaelBrownofCincinnati.SheandMichael spentmanywonderfulyearstogether.Theywere greatbluegrassmusicfansandtraveledfarand widetoattendconcerts.Theylovedtodinewith friends,andcelebratedmanymilestonestogether, includinghavingthesamebirthday.

Suewasanavidreaderandalongtimeactive bookclubmember,athoughtfulgiverofgifts,and shedevotedmuchtimeandenergytopolitical activities.Suewascurious.Shelovedtotravel andexperiencedifferentcultures.Shelovedto learnandenjoyedstimulatingconversationwith friendsandfamily.

SueissurvivedbyherhusbandMichael;her daughtersAnne(Jason)Schneider,andErinBerry;Michael’schildrenChris(Kelley)Brown,and JenniferSchwambergerandherchildren;abrother Dan(Maureen)WoodardofHarristown,IL;sistersMaryMillsofDecatur,Becky(Rick)Snowof Williamsville,IL;andgrandchildrenAaronJacob KirbyandBiancaTarantino.Sueleavesbehind manylifelongfriendswhomshelovedandconsideredfamily.Shewillbesorelymissed.

Amemorialserviceandcelebrationoflifewill beheldatalaterdateforfriendsandfamily.

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*Additionalinformationindisplayobituaries Obituariesappearinprintandonlineatwww.cincinnati.com/obituaries

CINCINNATI -Geraldine“Gerry”CourtneyHauck passedawaypeacefullyattheendofafullandremarkablelifeonJune12,2022,attheageof101.

ACincinnatinative,shewasbornonApril24, 1921,andremainedintheareathroughouther life.Summerswerespentonthefamily’sfarmin thecountrysideofMontgomery,nowthesiteof BethesdaHospital.SheattendedWithrowHigh Schoolwhereshefirstencounteredherfuturehusband,AndyHauck.

Gerry’sdrivetoworkandsucceedinlifeleadher toamodelingcareerinNewYorkafterbeingtold bylocalmodelingagenciesthatshewoulddowellthere….andshedidjust that.Herclassicbeautyleantitselfwelltodoprintworkwithnameslike RJReynold’sTobacco,CocaCola,Ford,GM,andtheUnitedStatesArmed Forces,aswellasrunwaywork.Gerrymodeledforanumberofyearsuntil marriageandthestartofherfamilyinCincinnati.

BarbaraEBeyer,age 68,passedawayaftera briefillnessonJuly13, 2022.Barbwasborn onApril11,1954,in Minneapolis,MinnesotatoparentsDonaldF BeyerandFernLBeyer (Stewart).Barbissurvivedbyherhusband AlanScalf,herbeloved WeimaranerScout,her sisterJanetBurns(Beyer),hertwobrothers JohnBeyerandJames Beyer,andmanynephewsandnieces.Inher honor,pleasedonate toButlerCountyHumaneSociety,https:// butlercountyhs.org/ make-a-donation/,or theOhioOrnithologicalSociety,https:// ohiobirds.org/donations/#!form/Donations.

GerryandAndyHauckmarriedin1946afterAndycompletedhis5years ofmilitaryservice.HealsobeingaCincinnatinative,couldn’tthinkof livinganywhereotherthantheirbelovedQueenCity.Andywasinevery mannerofspeaking,theloveofGerry’slife.

Abusinesspersonbynature,Gerrywasguidedbyherfathertoown property.Sheobtainedandoperatednumerousapartmentbuildingsin theCincinnatiareawhereyoungprofessionalsfoundfurnisheddwellings thatwerebeautifullyappointedandmaintained.

Gerry’sfamilywasherprideandjoy.Shewasoftenheardsayingthat “DadandIalwayslovedourchildren.”Havingtwosonsandtwindaughters theirhomewasanactivescenefilledwithpetsofeverysort,sports,boating, gardening,andsomemischiefofcourse,withfouryoungstersunderroof. Gerrywasknowntohaveawonderfulsenseofhumor-oftendescribed asabitstealthandverydry.Shelovedlivelybanterwhichwasnotably accompaniedbyadevilishglintinhereye.

SheisprecededindeathbyherhusbandAndy,son-in-law,JosephRippe, andhersisters,LaverneCasinelliandBillieLloyd.Gerryissurvivedbyher childrenCourtneyHauck,MelissaRippe,MelindaSherman(Bob),and AndyHauck(Barb)aswellasfivegrandchildrenandtengreatgrandchildren.Includedareheryears-longcaregiversDeb,Diana,andChristinewho loved“LadyH”andhavebecomeextendedfamilymembers. Aclosedgatheringforfamilyhastakenplace.Shouldonewishtodonate inhermemorypleaseconsiderHospiceofCincinnatiatP.O.Box633597, Cincinnati,OH45263-3597oronlineathttps://hospiceofcincinnati.org/ donate/

Thefamilywouldespeciallyliketothankallwhomhaveheldherintheir heartsandprayersthroughtheserecentmonths.

SusanRaeBrown

BarbaraE.Beyer

Geraldine“Gerry”CourtneyHauck

CINCINNATI -Carl(akaBert)AlbertHuetherJr., 84,ofCincinnati,OH,passedawayonJuly17,2022. Hehadknownhiswife,CarolHuether(neeHaeckl) sincehighschool.Theyweremarriedfor63years. BertandCarolhavethreechildren,Laurie,Linda andCarlwhoaremarriedtoDon,Howardand Maggie,respectively.Hewasproudofhischildren andgrandchildren(Jonathon,Joseph,Meganand Matt)andenjoyedgatheringhisfamilytogether asmuchaspossible,withtravelbeingthemain enjoyment,withtripstoTNandKYlakes,Alaska, andRhineandDanuberivercruises.

BertgrewupinClifton,asuburbnorthofCincinnatiwithasister,Lou(nee Crawford)andparentsCarlandGertrudeHuether.HeandCarolgraduated fromHughesHighSchoolwhereheplayedbaseball,bowled,andplayedthe trombone.BertgraduatedfromTheOhioStateUniversityin1959where heplayedtwoyearsofbaseballandmarchedforoneyearinTheBestD*** BandintheLand(TBDBITL).BertandCarolalsomarriedin1959before drivingacrosscountrysohecouldfulfillhisU.S.Navyresponsibilities(two years)onKodiakIsland,Alaska.Theywereintroducedtowonderfulfishing, diggingclamsandstillhavefriendsthattheymadeduringthattime.

Berthadwantedtogotograduateschoolandafterthenavy,theymoved toNorthCarolinawherehegothismaster’sinscience.Theythenpackeda trailerandleftforCaliforniaalongwiththeirfirstchildanddog.Hegraduated withhisPhDinGeneticsin1966andtookapositionattheUniversityof Cincinnati.TheypackedupthetraileragainandleftforCincinnatiwithtwo childrenandthesamedog.Hespentthenext40yearsatUCasaprofessor ofbiology.Hewasproudofhisteaching(HumanGeneticsandBiologyin

CINCINNATIChernin,Anne,age 88,passedawayJuly 20,2022,belovedwife ofthelateSherburne Chernin,dearsisterof thelatePearlSpyridon.

Gravesideserviceswill beheldonMonday, July25at11:00AM

attheUnitedJewish CemeteryinWalnut Hillsat3400MontgomeryRd,Cincinnati,Ohio45207.Inlieu offlowers,memorial contributionstoJewish NationalFundwould beappreciated.www. weilkahnfuneralhome. com

CINCINNATI -69, passedawayJune20, 2022.Forserviceinformationvisitwww. springgrove.org

RonaldHaggard

Haggard,Ronald Dean.LovinghusbandoflateLoisEleanorHaggardfor62 years.DearFatherof Micheal,Mitchelland thelateMarkHaggard. Cherishedgrandfather ofMike,Tyler,AustinandAlexHaggard andthelateCaleb. Great-grandfatherof Laylianna,Addilynan Jiaden.Brothertolate BillandJimHaggard. PassedawayJuly19th attheageof85.Ron wenttoUniversityof Cincinnatiandhada careerasanarchitect. Inadditiontobeing marriedfor62years andraisingthreegreat kids,oneofhismost proudaccomplishmentswasworking onthenewCincinnati Red’sStadium.Inhis freetime,heenjoyed golfing,goingtothe beachwithhiswifeand family,watchingFox5 newsandeatingSkylineChili.Inhislater years,everyonewho methimcommented thathewasthesweetestmantheyhadever metandhefinished everysentencewitha big“Thankyou!”He willbedeeplymissed byhisfamilyandrescue dogJack.Agraveside servicewillbeheldat 11a.m.onWednesday, July27,2022,atRose HillBurialPark2421 PrincetonRd,Hamilton,OH45011

CINCINNATI - Lois “Mickey” Hauck, 89 passed away July 22, 2022. She was born on December 3, 1932 in Cincinnati, the daughter of the late Arthur and Iris (nee Noll) Ortman.

Beloved wife of the late Irwin “Irv” Hauck. Loving mother of Debby (Terry) Jennings and Michael Hauck. Cherished grandmother of Michelle (Anthony) Davis and Jeff (Cortney) Jennings and great-grandmother of Benjamin and Grace Davis and Nicholas and Isabelle Jennings. Dear sister of the late Joann Schwarberg.

Private family services will be held and interment will take place next to her late husband, Irv, at Spring Grove Cemetery.

Memorial contributions in her honor may be made to Hospice of Cincinnati.

Online condolences may be made at www. springgrove.org

aHumanContext)whichreachedthousandsofstudents.Bertalsohelped indevelopingtheUCgreenhouse,conductingteacherinstitutes(funded bytheNationalScienceFoundation),creatingtheAcademyofFellowsfor TeachingandLearning(AFTL),expandingArtsandSciences,helpingthe HonorsCollegetobeauniversity-widesystemandestablishingtheGenetic Counselingprogram,nowhousedatChildren’sHospital.Afterretiring,he gotinvolvedwiththeUCEmeritaBoardandhelpedexpandandguideit toitspresentstate.

Fromcollegethroughhisearlyeighties,Bertenjoyedplayinghandball withfriendswhichwerealwayscompetitivematchesthatusuallyended withalunch.Healsocoachedhisson’sanddaughter’sbaseballteamsand eventriedhishandatsoccer,whichatthetimeheknewlittleabout.Bert wasincrediblygivingofhistimeandefforttonumerousorganizations.In retirement,hebecameaMasterGardenerandvolunteeredattheCincinnati Zooformanyyearsbeforehealthissuesbecameaproblem.Helovedbeing outinnatureandweekendscouldfindhimchoppingwoodforthefireplace oraddingtreesandplantstotheirlargeyard.

HisfriendsandfamilywereincrediblyimportanttohimandBerttruly enjoyedfindingoutaboutpeople’slives.Helovedaskingquestions,especiallyonesdealingwithlifegoals,suchas“whatdoyouwanttodowith yourlife?”Eachofhisgrandchildrencanattesttohisinquisitivenature! Bertwillbetrulymissedbythosewhoknewhim.Inlieuofflowers,please senddonationstotheGeneticCounselingProgramatChildren’sHospital: (https://www.cincinnatichildrens.org/education/clinical/student-grad/genetic-counseling/endowment,click,“makeagiftnow”ortotheUCEmeriti Board:(www.foundation.uc.edu/give,select“searchfundsbyname”and enter“EmeritiScholarship”(S201318).Informationaboutthememorial serviceisforthcoming.

GenevieveH.Harden

CINCINNATI -GenevieveHelenHarden died peacefully July 17atthe ageof98atTw inTowers SeniorLivingCommunit y inCincinnati.She w asborninMay ville, WItoMartinand OtiliaBachhuber,thethird offourchil d ren.She attended MayvilleHigh Schooland theUniversity ofWisconsin-Whitewater, worked inteaching and bankinginMilwaukee,and married Robert Harden,herbeloved husband of66 years.She moved toCincinnati w ithherfamily in1966,and resided thereformostofthelast56 years.She wasamemberofSt.Bartholomew’sparishinFinney tow n,and aMeals-on-Wheelsand Providence Hospitalvolunteer.Sheissurvived by herfour children,ThomasM.Harden(SylviaMihich)of Lexington,MA,Judy Wood (DanielMader)of Cincinnati,JosephG.Harden(DianeHarden)of Garland,TX,and JohnR.Harden(SusanHarden) ofBluffton,SC;by 7grandchildren,CaraZestermann,StephanieOsborne,JenniferHendricks, RobertJ.(R.J.)Harden,SaraMihichHarden, Ashley Maddalena,and JayeMihichHarden;by 13great-grandchildren;by hersister-in-law Marie Bachhuber,and by anieceand 6nephews.Her family remembersherasalovingmotherand grandmother,and forher kind and empathetic heart.FuneralonThursday July 28,2022,atTw in Towers,5343HamiltonAvenue,Cincinnati,OH 45224, w ithvisitationat11:30a.m.and Massin WilsonChapelat12:30;burialatGateofHeaven Cemeter y.Expressionsofsympathy may bemade inhermemor y toMealsonWheelsatmealsonwheelsamerica.orgortoAlzheimer’sAssociation at www.alz.org/cincinnati/donate.Condolences toHodappFuneralHome.com.

CINCINNATIBett y JaneHaubner (Earp),passe d aw ay onWednesday,July 20, 2022attheageof97. Belovedw ifeofNormanHaubnerfor75 years;lovingmother ofMarianJaneStehlin (Dan),JamesHaubner (Doris),CarolHinrichs(John),Nanc y Con d ra(Mar k ),Roy Haubner(Cin dy ), an d PattiShepar d ; gran d motherof13; great-gran d mother of27.Visitation w ill beheld Tuesday,July 26thfrom10am-12pm atMihovk-RosenackerFuneralHome,5527 CheviotRd .(45247) followe d by Massof ChristianBurialat 12:30pmatSt.James Church,3565Hubble Rd .(45247).Inlieu offlowers,memorials suggested toCincinnatiChildren’sHospital MedicalCenter www mrfh.com

CINCINNATI -Elizabeth“Bett y ”Rose Hetzerpassed away on July 16,2022attheage of90surroun de d by family.Bett ywasborn toAlbertand CatherineDoergeronAugust

6,1931inCincinnati, Ohio.Sheleavesbehind hertwochildren, Denise(Russ)Ruberg an d Ken(Jean)Hetzer;grandchildrenKen, Ryan,Ashle y,Kristen, Kor y and Becky and 10 great-gran d chil d ren; brotheran d sisters DottieBehne,Robert Doerger,TomDoerger and Cathy Powell.Betty ispreceded in deathby herlovinghusband of 71 years,JohnHetzer. Avisitation w ill behel d atOurLa dy ofLourd esCatholic ChurchonFriday July 29,2022at9:30am. FuneralMass w illfollow at10:30am.Family invitesfriendstojoin themforacelebration ofBett y ’slifeatAstonOaksGolfCourse follow ingmass. www springgrove.org

RuthElizabeth Listermann (Purcell)

CINCINNATI -beloved husband of43 yearsto DeborahHillner,lovingfatherofSara,Brian(Amber)and Lauren(WillThomas);Preston,Jacoband thelateAlyssaHillner, deargrandfatherofChaseand onegranddaughteronthe way,sonoflateRudolph &lateDorothy,brotherofBruce(lateJune)Hillner. Paul wenttohisheavenly homeonWednesday,July 20,2022atage70,afterabravebattle w ithblood cancer.Paulgrew uponthefamed Jersey Shoreand wastheBigKahunaofhisneighborhood,mastering surfingand teachingotherstohang-ten.Hegraduatedw ithaBMinTrumpetPerformanceand Masters inWind ConductingfromUniversit y ofCincinnati’sCollege-Conservator y ofMusic(CCM).Heled anillustrious40+ yearcareerastheSrAsstDean ofAdmissionsatCCManddirectorofthePrepBrassChoir,shapingfuturemusiciansacrossmultiplegenerations.Paul’sfavoriteinstrument was thetrumpet,ashe’s well know nthroughoutthecommunit y forcreating magic“tooting”hishorn.Aver y faith-filled man,Paulserved onmultiple committeesinhisparish, wasthe directoroftheguitargroup,and played trumpetatmany massesthroughouttheliturgical year.Paulleavesahuge holeintheheartsofhisfamily,colleaguesand friends.He wasaselfless and lovinghusband,father,and friend toall whohad theprivilegetomeet him-makinganyonelaugh w ithhis whimsical dad jokes.Thefamilywould liketothank Dr.JamesEsselland thestaffattheBlood CancerCenterof Jew ishHospital-Mercy Healthforalltheirunendingcareand lovingsupportforPauland hisfamily.Visitation w illbeheld Monday,July 25,2022at HodappFuneralHome,6041HamiltonAvenue,CollegeHill,45224from 4-7PM,MassofChristianBurialatSt.MargaretMar y Church,1830West GalbraithRd,NCH,45239at10:45AMonTuesday,July 26,2022.Inlieu offlowers, donationscanbemadetoaspecialCCMMemorialScholarship fund inPaul’shonor.Togive,call(513)556-2100orvisit www.UC.edu/ giveand choosetheCollege-Conservator y ofMusicScholarshipFund.In thecommentsection,please w rite:“InMemor y ofPaulHillner.”If you’re unableto donatefinancially,pleaseconsider donatingblood tohelp your localcommunit y,asPaul donated countlesspintsofblood throughout hisservice w ithHoxworthBlood Center.Condolencesand moreinfoat hodappfuneralhome.com.

CINCINNATI -Devote dd aughterRuth ElizabethListermann (neePurcell),bornin Cincinnati,OhioJuly 6,1946,tothelateRobertand MariePurcell, wascalled hometobe w iththeLord July 16, 2022,surrounde d by herlovingchil d ren. Services w illbehel d July 27,2022atSpring GroveFuneralHomes

4389SpringGroveAve. Cincinnati,OH45223. Visitation w illbeginat 1:00pm,Funeralservicebeginsat2:00pm www.springgrove.org

Carl(akaBert)AlbertHuetherJr.

AnneChernin

JohnW.Godby

Lois “Mickey” Hauck

PaulR.Hillner

BettyJaneHaubner

Elizabeth“Betty” RoseHetzer

CINCINNATI -FranklinD.Mikel,85ofCincinnatipassedawayJuly 15,2022.Hewasborn onNovember3,1936, thesonofthelateMillardandLoveVetta(nee Carter)Mikel.Beloved husbandofthelateHelen(neeMcGlaun)Mikel. LovingfatherofPam (Richard)Jones.CherishedgrandfatherofWillieandJeremiahJones. DearbrotherofGary(Cheryl)Mikel,Ronnie (Sandy)Mikel,Charlotte(thelatePhilip)Wroda andthelateBarbara(Tom)Eaglin,Art(Emma) MikelandJamesMikel.Alsosurvivedbysisterin-lawLinda,manyclosenieces,nephewsand multipleexchangestudentsandteachersacross theworld.

FrankwastheCo-ChairmanoftheCincinnati-LiuzhouSisterCityCommittee.Heandhislate wifeAnnieweretheheartandsouloftheTeacher ExchangeProgram.TheyhosteddozensofteachersfromLiuzhouintheirhomethroughtheyears andtheywereaffectionatelyknownas“Mommy Annie”and“DaddyFrank.”Thoseteachersin LiuzhoustillfeelthelovethatFrankandAnnie showedthem.Frankcoordinatedthehostfamilies andactivities,andwasalwaysavailabletoperform hismany“dutiesasassigned.”Hewasaquietman whopreferredtodohisworkbehindthescenes.

AnnieandFrankareHonoraryCitizensofLiuzhouandwillbemissedbymanyinCincinnati andLiuzhou.Theytrulyweretheepitomeof citizenambassadors.

MemorialservicewillbeheldonThursdayJuly 28,10AMatCedarsofLebanonChapel(onthe groundsofSpringGroveCemetery,4521Spring GroveAve.)wherefamilyandfriendswillbereceivedfrom9AMuntilthetimeofservice.

Memorialcontributionsinhishonormaybe madetoAmericanCancerSocietyorCin-Liu SisterCityCommittee(checkstobemailedto 3412FerncroftDr.Cincinnati,OH45211). Onlinecondolencesmaybemadeatwww. springgrove.org

Belovedhusbandof MaureenLuebbeMullen,andthelateCarolAnnMullen(nee Sander).Lovingfather ofMark(Mona),Paul, Ken(Terry),Christy(Tom)Stoll,Terri (Mark)Javorsky,and Tom(Shannon)Mullen. Cherishedgrandfatherof Neil(Cari),Priya,Wilson,Sam,Charlie,Julia,Henry,Lindsey(Nick), Craig,Ross,Carley,Austin,Brady,Sophie,Danielle (Troy),Cassian,Rachael,Benjamin(Stacy),Kayla,Taylor,Riley,andLucas.StepfatherofNancy Hager,Lynn(Bob)Smyth,Bob(Jan)Luebbe,and Gayle(Travis)Hunt.DearbrotherofJan(Tony) Schaefer,Tom(MaryLou)Mullen,Pat(lateFred) Fox,Mike(Kathy)Mullen,Rick(Karen)Mullen,andMarty(Carol)Mullen.Alsosurvivedby numerouslovingextendedfamilyandfriends. JimwasaproudgraduateofElderHighSchool, XavierUniversity,XULegionofHonor,afootball playerandcoach,andco-ownerofWoodySander Ford.Passedawaypeacefullysurroundedbyhis familyonWednesdayJuly20,2022.Age83years. VisitationThursdayJuly28thfrom4PMto8PM attheElderHighSchoolSchaeperCenter,4005 GlenwayAve.,45205.MassofChristianBurial10 AMFridayJuly29thatSt.TeresaofAvilaChurch, 1175OverlookAve.,45238.Ifdesiredmemorial maybemadeto:Alzheimer’sAssociation,National AtaxiaFoundation,orElderHighSchool.Dalbert, Woodruff&IsenogleFuneralHomeproudlyservingthefamily.www.dwifuneralhome.com

Julie Mathews

Beloved wife of Scott Mathews, loving mother of Greg (Candace) Mathews and Maggie (Pat) Markus, devoted gramma of Desmond, AJ, Bryce, Carter, Julia and Jude, sister of Steven (Michelle) Bahr, Karin Coolidge and sister-in-law of Steven Mathews, Michele (Dan) Kaiser, beloved daughter of Jerry and the late Annette Manthei and daughter-inlaw of Judy Mathews and the late Jim Mathews, aunt of several nieces and nephews. Passed away suddenly, Friday, July 22, 2022. Age 57. Visitation will be at the Vitt, Stermer & Anderson Funeral Home 4619 Delhi Rd. Thursday, July 28th from 5-8PM. Memorials may be made to the Connor Johnson Cain Scholarship Fund. www.vittstermeranderson.com

ErnieG.Pierani

GREENTOWNSHIPErnest(Ernie)George Pierani,bornApril27, 1940inCincinnati, OH.Passed away Saturday,July 16,2022.

Ernie wasmarried to ElainePingfromJuly 14,1962tillthetimeof her deathonDecember 12,1998.

Ernieissurvive d by sonsSteve(Missy) an d Doug(Noreen). Grandchildren;Laney, Molly (Coby)Bromen, Emma,Leoand Hannah.SistersPhyllisNieblingand Pam(Randy) Mass.Brother-in-Law toLin d aDempster, Ju dy Pingan d Luise Pierani.Preceded in deathby parentsEdward and EdithPierani, brotherEddy Pierani and brother-in-law Jerr y Niebling.

Memorialmay be madetothecharit y of yourchoice.

Celebrationoflife w illbeheld atalater date.

CINCINNATI -George R.Ranz,97,passed away onWednesday,July 13, 2022.He wasthebeloved husband ofthelateJo

AnneRanz(neeMitchell)for71 years;loving fatherofMitch(Joanie)

Ranz,Leslie(Dennis)

Lauc k ,Scott(Nanc y ) Ranz,Joe(Julie)Ranz, JamieRanz,an d Mar y JaneRanz;cherished grandfatherof13;treasured great-grandfatherof23; dearbrotherofNorb Ranz;and specialfamily friend toLisaBrewer and JeanRanz.

George wasapartofthe1943classofElder HighSchooland aproud memberofthefirst statechampionshipbaseballteam.He wenton toOhioStatetobeafour-yearletter w innerand captainofthebaseballteam.George wasa devoted OSUfanforany sport.Hecoached baseballat St.Ignatiusfor decadesand played animportant roleinstartingbaseballatLaSalleHighSchool. Georgealsospent decades workinginthepress boxatLaSallefootballgames.

Inadditiontosports,Georgeenjoyed hisgarden w ithhisnephew Albert Krismer’sguidance. He wasproud ofhistomatoes, despitehavingan aversiontothem,sohisfamily happily reaped the benefits.George wasalwayssupportiveofhis kids, grandkids,and great-grandkidsintheirsporting endeavorsand lifemilestones, whetheritbein Cincinnati,Columbus,orIndiana.He w illbe missed tremendously by family and friendsalike. MemorialGathering w illbeheld Saturday,July 30thfrom9:00–10:30AMatMihovk-Rosenacker FuneralHome5527CheviotRoad (45247),followed by MassofChristianBurialat11:00AMat St.IgnatiusLoyolaChurch,5222NorthBend Road (45247).Inlieuofflowers,memorialsrequested toHospiceofCincinnatiorSt.IgnatiusTuition Assistance:InMemor y ofGeorgeR.Ranz.Online condolencesmay bemadeat www.mrfh.com

DELHI -Beloved husband ofthelateRose(nee Moorman)Pohlman.

CINCINNATI -beloved sonofMar y and thelateJamesMcHugh, brotherof Kelly (Antonin)Snelerand the lateBrian,uncleof Jenny (Gar y )Flo yd and greatuncleofLarkinand MasonFloyd Dennispassed away on Friday,July 15,2022at age66.Visitationat Holy CrossImmaculataChurch30Guido St.Mt.Adams45202on Saturday July 30from 9:30AMuntilMemorialMassofChristian Burialat10AM.Condolencesathodappfuneralhome.com

ERLANGER -R.Richard “Dick”Pieschel,age 78,ofErlanger, Kentucky passed away on Tuesday,July 19,2022. He wasborninCovington, Kentucky on August26,1943toWalterL.and Mar y Dolores Pieschel(neeSchrage). Visitation w illbeheld onMon d ay,Jul y 25, 2022from5:00pm8:00pmatNewcomer Cremations,Funerals, and Receptions,4350 DixieHighw a y,Erlanger, Kentucky 41018. MassofChristianBurial w illta keplaceon Tuesday,July 26,2022 at10:30amatSt.Pius XChurch,348Dudley Road,Edgewood, Kentucky 41017.Burial will follow massatMotherofGo d Cemeter y inLatonia, Kentucky Toview thefullobituar y orleaveaspecial messageforhisfamily, pleasevisit www.newcomercincinnati.com.

KevinOver

GOSHEN - KevinRichard Over,65, passe d aw ay Jul y 20, 2022.Heissurvive d by his w ife,Sheila,his chil d ren;Stephanie (AaronSalva)Overand ShaneOver,hisbrothers;Jerr y (Susan)Over an d James(Patricia) Over.He waspreceded in deathby hisparents,Williamand Sara. Services w illbehel d We d nes d ay Jul y 27, 2022atTrinit y United MethodistChurch 5767WolfpenPleasant HillRd,Milford,OH 45150.Funeralat2PM w ithreceptiontofollow www.evansfuneralhome.com

CINCINNATI -93, passe d aw ay onJul y 16,2022.Forfullobituar y pleasevisit www springgrove.org

Lovingfather of Karen(late K eith)Hills, Mi k e(Jean) Pohlman,Barb(Dan) McPhillips,Joe(Jill)

Pohlman,Pegg y (Joe)

Walter,Chris(Christ y) Pohlman, Kathi(Gregor)

McCurrachand Tom(Cassie)Pohlman.Devoted grandpaofNathan,Emily (Josh)and JacobHills, Marissaand RyanMcPhillips,Alyssa(Alex)and BrettPohlman,Samantha(Ryan)andKatelyn Walter,Erica,Brookeand ChristopherPohlman, Gemmaand LachlanMcCurrach,Ethanand CarterPohlman.GreatgrandfatherofAnnabelle, Liamand William.DearbrotherofthelateConrad “Jake”(Irene)Pohlmanand Charlotte(Ray) Gels.Brotherinlaw ofMart y (lateRon)Wittwerand thelateMar y (George)Lakerand Ed Moorman.Died onJuly 20,2022surrounded by family attheageof88.Jerr ywasa KoreanWar Veteranand FiremanfortheCity ofCincinnati for37 years.He wasanactivememberofHoly NameSociet y and alsohad a key roleinthebirth oftheCincinnatiFirefightersMemoriallocated onCentralAve. dow ntow n.VisitationFriday July 29thfrom9amuntiltimeofprayersat10:30amat Neidhard MingesFuneralHome,3155Harrison Ave.,Westwood followed by FuneralMass11am atOurLady ofVictor y Church,Delhi.BurialatSt. JosephOld Cemeter yw illbeprivate.Memorials may bemadetoHospiceofCinti.,Box633597, Cinti.,OH45263ortotheTimBrow neMemorialScholarshipFund ,Box872Springboro,OH 45066 whichbenefitsstudentsattendingElder and SetonHighSchools.

JamesA.“Moon”Mullen

Dennis McHugh

R.RichardPieschel

JosephA.Pirraglia

Jerome“Jerry”Pohlman

CINCINNATI -Belovedwifeofthelate RobertSchumacher, lovingmotherofBarbara(Jack)Ulm,Michael(Laurie)SchumacherandJoyce(Bob) Marois,deargrandmotherofSandy,Sherry,JackandJoeUlm, Anne(Adam)Shukwit, ElizabethSchumacher,Danielle(James) JarczykandMichelle Marois,greatgrandmotherof6.Lillian passedawayonMondayJuly18,2022at age97.VisitationatSt. AnnChurch2900W. GalbraithRd.,45239 onWednesdayJuly27 from10AMuntilMass ofChristianBurialat 11AM.Donationsmay bemadetoOhioLiving FoundationorSt.Ann Church.Condolencesathodappfuneralhome.com

Carol(neeMyers)

Schwarz

CINCINNATI,OH -Age74,passedaway onMay27,2022.Survivedbytwochildren, A.Herbert(Amanda) SchwarzandCarol (Christopher)Marks; grandchildren,Joy SchwarzandSarah, Margaret,andRobert Marks;sister,GailCason;niece,WendyTaylorandnephewAdam Cason.Visitationat CharlesC.YoungFuneralHome,Ross,OH onJuly28,2022from10 a.m.untilthememorialserviceat12noon. www.charlesyoungfuneralhome.com.

MichelleSlageter

WESTERNHILLSVisitationwillbeTuesday,July26from5PM to8PMintheChapel atLaSalleHighSchool. Pleaseparkintheback andenterthroughthe CourtYard.Funeral MasswillbeWednesday,10:30AM,in StMartinofTours Church.Burialwillbe private.Forfullobituaryanddonationinformation,pleasevisit www.newcomercincinnati.com.

CINCINNATI -SEARS,GraceE.(neeMeyer). BelovedwifeofthelateRalphW.Sears.Loving motherofJoseph(Mary)SearsandStephenSears. DevotedgrandmotherofStephanie(Sean)Moshier,Benjamin(Abi)SearsandElizabethSears.Great grandmotherofCarterandDillonSears.Dear sisterofthelateMildredStegmanandthelate Robert,Norbert,HarryandMarvinMeyer.Also survivedbynumerousniecesandnephews.Passed awayJuly17thattheageof96.GraceAttendedSt. AloysiusSchoolinElmwoodPlaceandOLAHigh School.Sheworkedasabookkeeperfornumerous companies.Workedasavolunteeratherparishesasapart-timesecretary,CCDteacher,youth ministryworker,andbereavementcommittee. VisitationwilltakeplaceattheHodappFuneral Home,7401VineSt.,Carthage,Thursday,July 28thfrom5PMuntil7:30PM.MassofChristian BurialwilltakeplaceatSt.JamesoftheValley, 411SpringfieldPike,Wyoming,Friday,July29th at10AM.Memorialdonationsmaybemadeto WestsideCampaignAgainstHunger(WSCAH) 263W.86thStreet,NewYork,NewYork10024. Orgoto:WSCAH.org/donate.Condolencesto hodappfuneralhome.com

WESTCHESTER -JamesP.WilliamsonJr.of WestChester,OHwenthometobewiththeLord WednesdayJuly20,2022.BornJanuary31,1938, tothelateJamesP.andMaryL.(neeCooney) Williamson.JimwasagraduateofSt.XavierHigh School.Afterhighschool,JimattendedXavier UniversityandenlistedintheArmyReserves. AftertheReserves,Jimstartedhislifelongcareer atWesternSouthern.JimenjoyedlifeafterretirementinPortCharlotte,Fl.Jimwasanavidlover ofsports,especiallytheNFL.Jimwasaquietman, whohadagenerouswayabouthim.Hewillbe dearlymissedbyhislovedones.Heispreceded indeathbyhissisterandbrother-in-law,Mary Gail(neeWilliamson)HedgeandHarryOHedge. Jimissurvivedbyhisnephew,Toby(Lynn)WilliamsonofHamilton,OH.Hisgreat-nephewand nieces,Eric(Jana)DavisofHamilton,OH,Kelly (Troy)PhillipsofCharleston,SC,andLisa(Derek)CollinsofHamilton,OH.Aswell,asseveral great-greatniecesandnephewsandJim’sfavorite caregiverSummerNickell.Visitationfollowedby MassofChristianBurialwillstartat10:00am TuesdayJuly26,2022atQueenOfPeaceChurch, 2550MillvilleAve,Hamilton,OHwithFr.Jeff Silver,Celebrant.DonationsmaybemadetoSt. JudeChildren’sResearchHospital.AvanceFuneral Home,4976WintonRoad,Fairfieldisservingthe family.www.avancefuneralhome.com

JulieTamborski

MASON -TAMBORSKI,Julie,age58,of Mason,Ohiopassed awaypeacefullySunday,July10,2022.For fullobituaryplease visitwww.routsong. com.Serviceupdates tofollow.

M.MarilynZeh

M.MarilynZeh(nee Cain)wifeofthelate LouisJ.ZehJr.,belovedmotherofJohn L.Zeh,CarolAnn(Jeffrey)Rhines,andthe lateAnthonyE.Zeh, deargrandmotherof ZacharyL.(Amanda)Rhines,JustinA. Rhines,andVictoria Eden(Darius)Farivar, alsosurvivedbyseveralniecesandnephews. July20,2022,atage 88.MassofChristian BurialatSt.JohnFisher Church,Newtown,on Mon.Aug.1,at10AM. Friendsmayvisitatthe ChurchonMon.from 9-10AM.Memorials toAmericanCancer SocietyorAmerican HeartAssociation.T. P.WHITE&SONS FuneralHomeserving thefamily.

CINCINNATI -James PaulWaltonbornOctober20,1938inColumbus,OhiotothelatePaul andLouise(Stroup)Walton.Hepassedawayto bewiththeLordonJuly 16,2022.

JimattendedTheOhio StateUniversity,wherehe wasapitcherforthe1957 -1960baseballteam.He

wasaloyalBuckeyefanhiswholelife.Jimwasalso anavidgolferatWyomingGolfClub,andserved asPresidentintheearly90’sandalsoservedon theBoardofDirectors.HewasactiveasavolunteerintheWyomingcommunityandenjoyed coachingtheWyomingHighSchoolbaseball teamformanyyears.Oneofhisfavoritehobbies wasservingasCommissionerofseveralFantasy Leaguesyear-round.

JimretiredfromtheKrogerCompanyin1988 andafterwardsbecameanAccountantforthe PresbyterianChurchofWyomingforthenext fifteenyears.

JimwasthebelovedhusbandofDarylAnn (Denecke)Waltonfor30years.HewasalovingandcaringfathertoJamesWalton,Jr.Jeffrey Alan(LynnDanen)WaltonandVictoriaWalton Fugitte.Hewasalsotheadoringgrandfatherof MacyFugitte,AnnabelleandClarissaWalton, cherishedbrother-in-lawtoDonald,Diane,and DavidDenecke,andlovinguncletoAllisonand JohnHoward,KristinandMikeCurto,Shannon andMikeSteward,andCarolineDenecke.Proud greatuncletoLukeHoward,SamanthaHoward andMadelynCurto.Hewillbegreatlymissed. MemorialdonationsmaybemadetothePresbyterianChurchofWyoming,225WyomingAve., Wyoming,OH45215 AprivateburialhastakenplaceatSpringGrove CemeteryandArboretum.

Belovedhusbandto LorrettaYoung(nee Cross)for47years, lovingfatherofNathan (Julie)Young,Christy (Jason)RothandStephen(Jenna)Young, deargrandfatherof Thea,Miles,Jillian, Anthony,Peter,Elliott andTheodore,brotherofMichael(Ann) Young,Regina(John) WinrightandMathew (Nancy)Young,uncle ofmanyniecesand nephews.Passedaway surroundedbyhis familyonFriday,July 22,2022.Age69.VisitationwillbeTuesday, July26thattheVitt, Stermer&Anderson FuneralHome4619 DelhiRdfrom5-8PM. FuneralMasswillbe Wednesday,July27th 10AMatSt.Dominic Church.Memorials maybemadetothe St.DominicEducationFund.www.vittstermeranderson.com

WESTCHESTER -age95,passedawaypeacefully Monday,July18,2022,surroundedbyhisfamily. BelovedhusbandtoLois(neeSchira)Zenzfor68 happyyears.LovingfathertoMaryMaier, James(Teri)Zenz,Susan(Joseph)Hoffman,LauraZenz(DarenHenry),andMichael(Kelley)Zenz.ProudgrandpatoJenniferAster,CindiMonk,RyanMaier,NathanMaier, Michelle(Alex)Godofsky,MelissaZenz(Andrew Wapiennik),MichaelZenz,KelseyHoffman,Angela Hoffman,EveHenry,FayeHenry,LukeDarling, NickolasZenz,andKatherineZenz;greatgrandpa toQuinn,Trey,Austin,David,Brendan,James,Eli,Jack,andConnor.Also survivedbysister-in-law,CarolynSchiraofDefiance,OHandFredKnoop ofNewMartinsville,WV.Precededindeathby:son,ThomasZenz;sonin-law,ArthurMaier;parents,AlbertandDellaZenz;andsisters,Elizabeth Iozzo,KathleenClendenin,Sr.LillianZenz,andMaryRoseBucciarelli.Al wasbornWednesday,April13,1927inShelby,Ohiowhereheresideduntil hisenlistmentintheU.S.NavyduringWorldWarII.Hethenrelocatedto Defiance,OhiofollowinghisgraduationfromUniversityofNotreDame. Alhada29-yearcareerwiththeBoyScoutsofAmerica,servingtheDan BeardCouncilandretiringin1991astheScoutExecutiveoftheIllowa Council.Afterretirement,hecompletedtheAgingStudiesProgramatthe UniversityofIowaandenjoyedservingontheboardofdirectorsofseveral non-profitorganizationsthatservetheelderlypopulation;in2007The CouncilonAgingofSouthwestOhiopresentedhimwiththePresident’s Awardinrecognitionofhisservice.Hehighlyvaluedcommunityservice, andovertheyearsenjoyedvolunteeringhistimetotheUnitedWayandas aPTAofficer,scoutmaster,schoolboardmember,andEucharisticminister. Inthatsamespirit,hedonatedhisbodytotheUniversityofCincinnati CollegeofMedicineformedicaleducationandresearch.Alwasadevoted andlovingfatherwhokeptfamilyandfaithfirst.Thefamilywouldlike toacknowledgeandthankHospiceofCincinnatiandthededicatedteam thatprovidedAlwithgraceandlovewhileintheircare.AMemorialMass celebratingAl’slifewillbeheldatSt.JohntheEvangelistCatholicChurch. WiththethreatofCovid,thefamilyappreciatesyourunderstandingoftheir desiretokeeptheserviceprivate.Youmayjointheserviceviathelinkhere orlocatedonthechurchwebsite.MemorialsmaybemadetoSocietyofSt. VincentDePaulofSt.JohntheEvangelistChurch,9080Cinti-DaytonRd., WestChester,OH45069,BarrettCancerCenter,UCFoundation,POBox 19970,Cincinnati,OH45219orHospiceofCincinnati,P.O.Box633597, Cincinnati,Ohio45263.MuellerFuneralHomeishonoredtoservethe ZenzFamily.

LillianM. Schumacher (neeFlynn)

JamesP.Walton

GraceSears

MarkS.Young

AlbertW.Zenz

WON’T BE DETERED

Time for Reds’ front office to reveal plan

Nightengale

It was the question on everyone’s mind from the moment the Cincinnati Reds began parting with key players from last year’s 83-win team.

What is their plan?

Manyoftheoffseasonmovescanbe explained by ownership’s desire to slash player payroll. And now that the Redshavethethird-worstrecordinthe Majors, shifting from a playoff contender to a rebuilding club in one calendar year, it’s time for the Reds to show their plan.

Trading Luis Castillo for top prospects should be step one. Trading players on the verge of free agency is a way to add younger depth, something they didn’t have when injuries struck during their 3-22 start to the season, is another step.

What the Reds do with Tyler Mahle

See REDS XTRA, Page4C

“I grew up a catcher. I’ve been catching my whole life. I want to stick around behind the plate, obviously, as much as possible,” catcher Tyler Stephenson said after suffering a possible season-ending broken clavicle Friday night. Stephenson earlier this season missed time with a concussion and a broken thumb. SAM GREENE/THE ENQUIRER

Stephenson wants to stay at catcher despite devastating shoulder injury

As he slid into his seat for his postgame interview on Friday night with a broken right clavicle, Cincinnati Reds catcher Tyler Stephenson could still feel the bones near his shoulder rubbing against each other.

Afewhoursafterbreakingapartofhis collarbone, Stephenson joked that he didn’twanttosneezeandreaggravatethe injury. He knew he was going to be sleeping in a chair for a bit.

Following a third unlucky injury in an unfortunate season for one of the best young catchers in MLB, Stephenson was still confident that he didn’t want to change positions.

“Igrewupacatcher,”Stephensonsaid. “I’ve been catching my whole life. I want to stick around behind the plate, obviously, as much as possible.”

Iknowinjuriesaregoingtohappen.If it does come to a point where something physically is not going to allow me to catch,that’sadifferentstory.Obviously,I know what my decision is. I want to catch.”

In Friday’s 9-5 win over the St. Louis Cardinals, Stephenson suffered a potential season-ending injury. Stephenson said the broken clavicle won’t require surgery, but he has a long rehab process ahead of him.

In the top of the first inning, Stephenson took a foul tip off a 100 mph pitch to his right shoulder. Reds manager David Bell heard the collision between the ball and Stephenson’s shoulder from the dugout. Bell and a trainer went out onto the field to evaluate

See STEPHENSON, Page3C

“Trading Luis Castillo for top prospects should be step one. Trading players on the verge of free agency is a way to add younger depth,” Reds reporter Bobby Nightengale writes. USA TODAY SPORTS

UC tight ends Whyle, Taylor on Mackey Award watch list

Keith Jenkins Cincinnati Enquirer USA TODAY NETWORK

University of Cincinnati tight ends

Leonard Taylor and Josh Whyle both were named to the preseason watch list for the John Mackey Award, presented annually to the top tight end in college football.

The Mackey Foundation on Friday announced the list that includes the two Bearcats and 52 other FBS tight ends.

Cincinnatiisoneoffiveschools(Georgia, Michigan, Penn State and South Carolina) with multiple players on the list. Taylor, a 6-foot-5, 255-pound graduate student, had career-highs in catches

(28), yards (268) and touchdowns (four) last season.

TheSpringfield,Ohio,nativestarted13

of14gamesin2021,catchingapassineverygame.Taylorhasrecordedacatchina team-best 24 straight contests dating back to the 2020 season-opener.

Whyle, a 6-foot-6, 250-pound senior, had 25 catches for 320 yards and six touchdowns a season ago, including five scores over a four-week span.

The La Salle High School product earned an All-American Athletic Conference honorable mention in 2021after appearing on the preseason watch list for the Mackey Award last summer

Whyle finished the 2020 campaign with 28 catches for 353 yards and six touchdowns and earned second-team All-AAC honors.

Cincinnati first-year offensive coordi-

nator Gino Guidugli said earlier this year he plans to run a lot of offensive sets this season with Taylor and Whyle on the field at the same time.

Whyle and Lenny have got to be a huge part of the offense,”he said. “I think we’ve got to do a better job of personneling some things with those two guys and playing to their strengths and not asking them things that are kind of outside of that.ButIthinkour12personnelpackage (one running back and two tight ends) last year gave people some fits, and those guys’ ability to run and catch the ball is obviously a matchup issue on defense.”

Guidugli, Taylor, Whyle and the Bearcats open the season Sept. 3 at Southeastern Conference foe Arkansas.

Josh Whyle, a 6-foot-6, 250-pound senior, had 25 catches for 320 yards and six touchdowns last season.

PHIL DIDION/THE ENQUIRER

Convincing win tempered by Stephenson injury

Bobby Nightengale

It’s the type of season where the Cincinnati Reds lose even on a day when they beat the St. Louis Cardinals and scored seven runs against Adam Wainwright.

Reds catcher Tyler Stephenson left Friday’s game in the first inning with a broken right clavicle. It was devastating news in the club’s first game following the All-Star break.

The potential season-ending injury darkened the Reds’ 9-5 win at Great American Ball Park. The Reds have a 2224recordingamesStephensonstarts,an impressive mark for a team that is 22 games below .500.

“Our dugout, it was very deflating,” Reds Manager David Bell said. “I will say our players did a nice job of rallying around each other and staying with it for the game. Played well the rest of the game, but it was tough.”

With two outs in the top of the first inning,PaulGoldschmidtfouleda100-mph cutter directly to Stephenson’s collarbone, catching the top of the chest protector. Stephenson immediately grimaced and slumped to the point where hismaskfelloff,butheconvincedatrainer he was OK to remain in the game.

“When I went out there, I actually thought he was coming out,” Bell said. “I mean, it was loud from where I was. WhenIgotoutthere,hedidn’tseemtobe in as much pain as I expected.”

Said Stephenson: “I’ve taken foul balls before in very different spots. I’ve never had one up in that area. I thought it was fine.”

Two pitches later, Goldschmidt hit a ball directly in front of the plate. Stephenson, who made one throw back to the mound after the foul ball, sprinted to grab the swinging bunt, but he was unable to throw the ball to first base and fell to the ground. He told pitcher Graham Ashcraft that he felt a pop.

It was a clean break, Stephenson said, anditwon’trequiresurgeryifithealscorrectly.TheRedsdidnotannounceatimetable for his return.

I can still feel it,” said an upbeat Stephensonwhilewearingaslingpostgame. “It’s going to be a tough couple of days. I have to sleep in a chair. If I move wrong, I canstillfeelthebonesrubbingupagainst each other.

“We’ll be back. I don’t know when.”

The Reds, after losing Stephenson, responded to a two-run deficit in the second inning with three consecutive hits against Wainwright in front of 25,597 fans. After a Kyle Farmer double put two runners in scoring position, Tyler Naquin lined a two-run single into shallow left field. Donovan Solano followed with a two-runhomer,hissecondoftheseason.

That put us in the right direction and steered us to win that game,” Ashcraft said. “It could’ve went in the complete opposite direction.”

One of the reasons the Reds played well ahead of the All-Star break, winning six of their final nine games, was their lineupreturningtofullstrength.TheNos.

6-7-8 hitters in the Reds lineup Friday combined for four hits, five runs and seven RBI.

Wainwright exited in the sixth inning after issuing back-to-back walks. Naquin, facing Cardinals reliever Jordan Hicks, lined a two-run triple into center field past a diving Dylan Carlson.

It was the first time Wainwright allowed seven earned runs in a start since July 19, 2019, which also came at Great American Ball Park. That Reds lineup featured Ryan Lavarnway, Yasiel Puig, Scooter Gennett, Phillip Ervin and José Iglesias.

“It’s baseball, things aren’t going to go yourway,”Ashcraftsaid.“Therearegoing to be issues. Tonight was one of those nights. I felt like we handled it pretty good as a team and did what we’re supposed to do.”

Ashcraft, the Reds’ rookie right-hander, had one of those starts that was equally electric and maddening.

Ashcraft struck out eight, matching a

season high, with a quality slider to pair with his101-mph cutter. On the flip side, he failed to complete five innings in 112 pitches, and he gave up four runs.

“From what has happened the last couple outings, it’s definitely a step in the right direction,” said Ashcraft, who had allowed 12 runs in his last 13 1/3 innings before Friday’s start.

Ashcraft was one pitch from escaping the second inning without giving up a run. Facing leadoff hitter Tommy Edman with two runners in scoring position, Ashcraft issued a seven-pitch walk.Ashcraftwasstunnedtheseventh pitch, an elevated cutter inside the strike zone, was called a ball. He took a few steps off the mound toward the dugout, then shouted “No way!” when he realized it wasn’t an inning-ending strikeout.

Three pitches later, Tyler O’Neill bounced a single through the right side of the infield to drive in two runs.

“Umpires have bad days too,” Ashcraft said. “I’m not going to say too muchaboutit.It’ssomethingyou’vegot to roll with.”

The Reds had to roll with a lot of punches in their first game out of the All-Star break. With the trade deadline looming in less than two weeks, which could change who is left in the clubhouse, they’re now without their franchise catcher.

I’m bummed,” said Joey Votto, who homered in the third inning. “(Stephenson) has played very well this year and has been fighting through some things. Most importantly, the Reds fans don’t get to see him play which is not good either. He’s such a good player.”

Up next

Cincinnati Reds

vs. St. Louis Cardinals

Game 3 of a 3-game series

When: 1:40 p.m. Sunday

Where: Great American Ball Park

TV/Radio: BSO/WLW-AM (700)

The Skinny: Tyler Mahle returns from a shoulder strain. A popular trade target, Mahle can make two starts ahead of the Aug. 2 trade deadline. Mahle has yielded a 2.58 ERA in his last seven starts. Cardinals righty Miles Mikolas gave up three hits and one run in seven innings against the Reds last weekend.

Pitching matchup

Reds starter: Tyler Mahle Throws: Right Record: 3-7 ERA: 4.48

Cardinals starter: Miles Mikolas

Throws: Right Record: 7-7 ERA: 2.54

Continued from Page 1C

Stephenson, and Bell said Stephenson seemed healthy enough to stay in the game.

Stephenson had never been hit by a foul tip in the collarbone, but he was confident at the time that he would be fine. Reds starting pitcher Graham Ashcraft threw a ball on the next pitch, and Stephenson didn’t feel any discomfort as he lobbed the ball back to the mound.

But then on a short dribbler that landed just in front of the plate, Stephenson fielded the ball and attempted to throw. He started his throwing motion and felt a pop in his shoulder.

After the game, Stephenson felt the same discomfort.

“If I move wrong, I can still feel the bones rubbing up against each other,” Stephenson said. “The first time I broke something was this year, and why not make it two?”

It’s been an unfortunate season for ar-

guablytheReds’bestplayer.InApril,Stephenson took a foul tip off of his face mask and missed two weeks with a concussion. In June, he was hit by a foul tip and broke his thumb, which caused him to miss a month.

On Friday, Stephenson likely suffered his most serious injury of the season.

“Stuff happens, sadly,” Stephenson said. “It’s part of a game. We play it and stuff happens. A fluke concussion and thenafoulballandthenanotherfoulball. It’s like stuff happens, sadly, as bad as that is. I don’t know.”

Whenever he has been healthy, Stephenson has been a crucial part of the lineup. He has provided more value working with the Reds’ young pitching staff.

Stephenson always had a standout reputation as a hitter, and he has a .319 batting average this season. Over the last year, Stephenson’s growth behind the plate turned him into a player who’s viewed as a future All-Star.

He’s building confidence,” Ashcraft said. “When you have a guy like him back there who’s a big target, he’s fun to throw

to. He makes the ball look good back there and makes you feel really comfortable.”

“I’m bummed,” Reds first baseman Joey Votto said. “He has played very well this year and has been fighting through some things. Most importantly, the Reds fansdon’tgettoseehimplay,whichisnot good either. He’s such a good player. He’s lucky to be here in Cincinnati, and Tyler is wearing a Reds uniform. He’s here to entertain. It bums me out that he doesn’t get to show his skills in front of the Cincinnati fans.”

Stephenson said he didn’t want to put a timeline on his rehab process, and the Reds will use Michael Papierski as their startingcatcherforthenearfuture.BackupcatcherAramisGarciaisontheILwith an injured finger on his left hand. During batting practice on Friday, Garcia was able to throw but wasn’t catching yet.

Bell said Stephenson’s injury luck is an “unfortunate part of the game” at the catcher position. Bell didn’t see anything that Stephenson could have done differently to prevent his concussion, his broken thumb or his collarbone injury.

Going forward, since the previous injurieshavebeenoutofStephenson’scontrol, Bell sees Stephenson remaining at catcher.

“That’s his position,”Bell said. “That’s where he plays. I’m actually looking at it the other way. I think he’s just going to keep getting better and better as a defensive catcher. I think we all know this. That position is just so valuable. You can impact the game in so many ways. I’m really excited about Tyler’s career in general, but also just Tyler as a catcher.”

Designated hitter Donovan Solano is congratulated after hitting a two-run home run in the Reds’ four-run second inning of Friday’s series opener. SAM GREENE/THE ENQUIRER

Tyler Stephenson is batting a team-best .319 with a .372 on-base percentage, six home runs and 35 RBI in 166 at-bats. SAM GREENE/THE ENQUIRER

Mahle knows that the trade rumors are just business

Bobby Nightengale

Tyler Mahle will see his name floated in many trade rumors over the next week and a half, but that’s nothing new to him.

Mahle was a part of trade rumors all winter before the start of the season. Now he’s one of the top pitchers available on the trade market, along with teammate Luis Castillo, with several contenders showing interest in preliminary trade discussions.

“It is what it is,”Mahle said. “I’ve said this before: I understand it’s a business. That’s all it is, really. It doesn’t hurt my feelings or anything. I’m going to go out there and pitch. That’s all I can do and all I can control.”

Mahle, on the15-day injured list with a right shoulder strain, is scheduled to return Sunday. That lines him up for two

Reds Xtra

Continued from Page 1C

will offer a telling clue. There’s an argument that he makes sense as an extension candidate because he’ll enter his age-29 season in 2024, but there are teamswhoviewMahleasasmalltickbelowCastillo,asmallergapthantheirstats and track records may suggest.

The Reds haven’t been in this position at the trade deadline, driving the seller’s market, since 2015. They whiffed, holding onto the top trade targets for too long until they neared free agency, and it cost them for years.

There have been reports about which players the Yankees and other contenders deem off limits, but those seem premature. They know the Reds’ general asking price for Castillo and that won’t dramatically change before the trade deadline.

Remember, these teams aren’t just tryingtoaddCastillototheirrotation,but it’s a chance to keep a frontline starter away from a rival team. If the Blue Jays tradedforhim,asanexample,thatweak-

starts ahead of the Aug. 2 trade deadline, a key window to show opposing teams he’s healthy.

He performed well before the injury, which Mahle always labeled a minor issue. He posted a 2.58 ERA with 52 strikeouts in 4513 innings in his last seven starts. Mahle, who pitched poorly in April, entered the All-Star break with a 3-7 record and a 4.48 ERA, but he’s rated highly in fielding independent metrics. Plus, he’s pitched better on the road.

The 27-year-old righty is 0-5 with a 4.99 ERA at Great American Ball Park and 3-2 with a 3.83 ERA in any other ballpark.Astradechatterpicksupfollowing the MLB Draft, Mahle likes to stay updated on which teams are reportedly showing interest.

“For myself, I like to keep updated,” hesaid.“Iknowwhat’sgoingon.It’sjust fun to listen to see what everyone has to say and all that stuff. Like I said, it doesn’t change my mind on anything. I

ens the Yankees’ playoff rotation. There has been speculation about the Reds wanting to package Mike Moustakas’contract–he’sowed$27millionover the next15 months – in a trade with Castillo. The Reds didn’t rule out that idea in preliminary trade talks last year, a league source said, but teams haven’t heard that when discussing Castillo this year.

It doesn’t make sense to lessen the return for Castillo. More financial flexibility won’t make the Reds a contender next season. They need more impact young talent. Moustakas will enter the last year of his contract next year anyway.

Brandon Drury, Donovan Solano, Tommy Pham, Tyler Naquin and Hunter Strickland are free agents at the end of the season and available rentals on the trade market.

There is a sizeable market for Drury, who is versatile and hitting well outside of Great American Ball Park. He’s on a team-friendly contract with the seventhhighest slugging percentage in the National League, so the Reds should seek a legitimate prospect in trade talks.

OneteamthatinquiredaboutSolanoa few weeks ago said the Reds had a high asking price for him. Solano missed most

Why Do I Hear... But Not Understand?

amplifcation, thereby improving speech understanding in noise.

just like to sit back and watch what everyone is saying.”

Mahle won’t become a free agent until after the 2023 season, eligible for his final year of salary arbitration next winter, so the Reds are expected to maintain a high asking price for Mahle during trade talks.

Have the Reds ever approached Mahle about a contract extension?

“Not really, no,” Mahle said. “But I think that’s between me and them.”

One thing that could affect which teams are pursuing Mahle is his vaccination status. He didn’t travel with the Reds to Toronto in May because he was unvaccinated, forfeiting about $96,000.

It’s something on the mind for all American League teams, particularly AL East clubs, with the chance they play in Toronto during the postseason. The Blue Jays showed interest in Mahle last offseason, too.

Some players, including Kansas

of the first half with a hamstring injury, but the Reds believe he carries a lot of value, particularly as a hitter who crushes left-handed pitching.

Some teams are wary about Naquin’s injury history, missing a month this year withaleftquadstrain,whichcouldaffect his trade market. Pham hasn’t hit well at all in July, which may lower his trade value despite his track record of success in the playoffs.

Retired Enquirer columnist Paul Daugherty wrote last November: “The Reds best offseason move will be to decide who they are and what they want, then commit to it. They haven’t done that in forever. And it has killed them.”

It was true then and it’s true now.

The Reds were rebuilding from 201418. They recognized fans’ patience was dwindling, so they traded for three starting pitchers in 2019 and made an all-in push for 2020. Reds officials say they lost more than $40 million during the pandemic-shortened 2020 season without fans, and two years later they are back in a rebuild.

There was a way to thread the needle from the Reds’ all-in team to the next wave of young players without entering a

City’s Whit Merrifield, said they’d consider taking the COVID vaccine if they were acquired by a playoff team.

“I don’t think so, but we’ll see,” said Mahle, asked if he’d become vaccinated for a playoff contender. “I think I’d have to deal with that when it comes.”

NEXT FOR CASTILLO: Luis Castillo, the top pitcher on the trade market, is scheduled to make his first start following the All-Star break on Tuesday or Wednesday, manager David Bell said.

He’ll be pitching on at least a couple of more days than regular rest after throwing an inning in Tuesday’s AllStar Game.

“He’s the only one that pitched obviously,” Bell said. “Give him a normal break between his inning at the All-Star Game and his next start.”

The Reds will carry a six-man rotation until the trade deadline, which is what they did at the beginning of July before Mahle’s injury.

full-blown rebuild, but that changed when ownership mandated a lower payroll. No front office trades closer Raisel Iglesias in a salary dump to make the team better.

Fan patience was thin before the Reds made all their offseason trades and before team president Phil Castellini made tone deaf comments on the club’s home opener.

General Manager Nick Krall said the organization wanted to “eliminate peaks and valleys.” Clearly, no team wants to eliminate peaks, but the Reds can’t keep changing strategies and expect to have long-term success.

TheRedsdon’thaveaguaranteedcontract on the books past the 2023 season. Theyhavethreestartingpitchers,Hunter Greene, Nick Lodolo and Graham Ashcraft, who are all younger than 25 years old. Tyler Stephenson and Jonathan India are franchise players. After the trade deadline, the Reds should have at least a top-10, if not a top-five, farm system.

It’s a blank slate for constructing a team with several young impact players.

Now it’s time for the Reds’ front office to show they have a plan to build a contender.

Until recently, there was no practical way to identify dead regions of hearing cells in the ear. However, a new British-developed procedure using standard test equipment now allows for identifcation of dead hearing cell regions. The study suggests that the presence or absence of dead regions may have serious implications in the ftting of hearing aids. This research reveals that amplifying dead cells is a mistake which will result in poorer speech understanding in noise. A new microcircuit is now available that can be programmed to bypass the dead cells. As a result, the patient’s usable hearing cells receive

“We are employing a like method using a sound feld speech in noise procedure”, said Lowell Scott of Acute Hearing. “This test simulates hearing in a noisy crowd. We are able to achieve maximum speech understanding by frequency shaping this new hearing aid.”

The results have been phenomenal.

Acute Hearing Centers is offering this new frequency-shaping hearing instrument on a 30-day satisfaction trial. “Your satisfaction is absolutely guaranteed,” Scott said.

If you hear, but are having trouble understanding conversation, take advantage of the complimentary demonstrations offered this week.

Call Acute Hearing Centers today to schedule your no-obligation appointment!

Hall of Fame Class of 2022 an idyllic postcard of the diversity in baseball

Bob Nightengale Columnist

COOPERSTOWN, N.Y. – Dave Winfield has been attending Baseball Hall of Fame ceremonies the past 20 years since his own induction, but this one, he says, just could be the most historic weekend of em all.

This seven-member Class of 2022 ties together more than 150 years of baseball history, going back to the roots of the first Black ballplayers, to Cubans who fled their country for freedom, to Dominicans and white players, all wonderfully interwoven.

It starts with Bud Fowler, the first Black professional baseball player; to Buck O’Neil, the face of Negro League baseball; to Gil Hodges, the Brooklyn Dodgers teammate of Jackie Robinson who broke the color barrier in 1947 when they were together; to Minnie Minoso, the Latino version of Jackie Robinson; to Tony Oliva, who idolized Minoso and credits him for opening the door for others;toJimKaat,whoplayedwithOlivaon the Minnesota Twins; to David Ortiz, who was mentored by Oliva while with the Twins before becoming a hero with the Boston Red Sox.

Itwillbeanidyllicpostcardofbaseball diversity since its beginnings.

This is so cool for so many reasons,’’ Winfield told USA TODAY Sports. “Jim Kaat and Tony Oliva were on the teams I followed when I grew up in St. Paul, so I’ve known them well. I’m so happy for Buck O’Neil; I just wish it had happened when he was alive. And I’m honored to speak on behalf of the Bud Fowler family.’’

Winfield plans to stop by the gravesite of Fowler in Franklin, New York, 30 minutes outside Cooperstown, where he laid for 74 years in an unmarked grave, with a headstone that now reads in part: “Black Baseball Pioneer.” He will pay his respects and Sunday let the baseball world know all about him, playing in 21 states and territories during his career, battling hatred and racism every step of the way,

the Jackie Robinson who came before Robinson, when he speaks to the throng of fans.

Bud was born in 1858, before they even allowed Black people to play anything, before Jackie Robinson was born, before the Negro Leagues,’’Winfield said, “but there was a Black man playing baseball. It was a game he loved, a game he played, a game he coached, and a game promoted for many years.

“I’m telling you, this is going to be so special, not just for me, but all of us.’’

The star of the ceremony will be Ortiz, the beloved Red Sox slugger who still is reveredthroughoutNewEngland,particularly after his infamous speech “This is our (expletive) city’’after the 2013 Boston Marathon bombing. He helped end the Curse of the Bambino by leading the Red Sox to their first World Series title in 86 years, with the Red Sox going on to win three championships in nine years.

“He was not only a great player on the field,’’ Commissioner Rob Manfred said, “but what he did in the community, what he meant to the Boston community in times of crisis, those sorts of public things. But maybe more importantly, the littlethingsthathedidthroughouthiscareerthroughhisfoundation,he’sthekind of player that makes our game what it is.’’

Ortiz also becomes the first player elected into the Hall of Fame who tested positive for steroids in his career, an anonymous test in 2004 that was leaked to The New York Times.

Ortiz’s test result could have been a false positive, and certainly there have beenplentyofotherstaintedwithperformance-enhancing drug suspicions from Mike Piazza to Pudge Rodriguez to Jeff Bagwell. Whether he was clean or not throughout his career, it’s not about to sully his celebration.

“Just forget about the numbers and forget what he did in the field,’’ said future Hall of Famer Albert Pujols, who is retiring after this season from the St. LouisCardinals.“Tome,it’swhathedoes off the field with his foundation and the impact that he has made and the life changes that he has made for others. That’s what I admire the most about David Ortiz. He’s humble and never forgets where he comes from. That’s something

really special and that’s somebody that I can respect so much.

“I’m honored, humbled, as a Dominican player – and I can speak for all the Dominicans – I think we are so proud to see another Dominican player getting inducted into the Hall of Fame. I know our countryisgoingtobepartying,maybefor months, but just really excited just to see David and everything that he has accomplished in his life and his career.’’

Detroit Tigers All-Star and future Hall of Famer Miguel Cabrera, who’s from Venezuela,calledOrtizarolemodelforall Latino players, and talked about the impact he made on his own career.

“To me, he’s like my big brother,’’ Cabrerasays.“WhenIfirstcameintothebig league, he (treated) me like family. Him being in the Hall of Fame is everything because he brings so much to this game and outside of this game.”

Manny Machado of the San Diego Padres, who ridiculed teams earlier this season for not celebrating Pujols’ legacy, says that Ortiz still remains underappreciated. He wasn’t just a slugger who led the Red Sox to World Series championships, but who was bigger than life, on and off the field.

“To me, he’s an ambassador of the game,’’ Machado says. “We look up to him. He’s the swaggiest, most humble, happiest, mad(dest); he did it all. Going intotheHallofFameisgoingtobespecial for not only him and his family, but for all Dominicans.”

The brotherhood is no different in Minnesota, who welcomed Oliva with open arms after he left Cuba. He didn’t know a word of English when he joined the Twins, but he had five other Cubans on the team with him, including All-Star Camilio Pascual and future MVP Zoilo Versalles. Oh, and a white pitcher from Michigan by the name of Jim Kaat.

I remember when I arrived here in Minnesota,’’Oliva said, “Jim Kaat told me that you’re going to feel at home because one-third of our team is from Cuba. He was right. It was like family’’ Oliva came to Minnesota in 1961 and never left. He was so beloved that U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar recently helped arrange for Oliva’s brother, Juan Carlos Oliva, to secure a visa so they can be togeth-

David Ortiz helped end the Curse of the Bambino by leading the Red Sox to their first World Series title in 86 years, with the Red Sox going on to win three championships in nine years. USA TODAY SPORTS

er at the Hall of Fame induction ceremony. They last saw each other in 2009.

I was very, very, very happy to see himcometotheUnitedSates,’’Olivasaid. “A lot of people worked very hard f(for) him to be here. The people here are so wonderful.’’

Now, he’ll be going into the Hall with hisformerteammateandlongtimefriend in Kaat, a slugger he mentored in Ortiz, and a man he idolized in Minoso.

“I don’t think I would ever go to the Hall of Fame without Minnie Minoso,’’ Oliva said. “When I was a little kid, I listened to the Cuban winter baseball league about Minnie Minoso. He was everything in baseball.

“He was the Jackie Robinson of Latino players. He should have been in the Hall of Fame a long time ago. He could have beenintwoHallofFames–theoneinthe Negro Leagues and the white league. The era he played was tough. The years I played were tough. But he had such a great attitude. He deserves this so much.

This ceremony is going to be beautiful for everyone.’’

The induction promises to be a living historylessonofmenshowingtheircourage, surviving in a country steeped in racism, refusing to back down, fighting back, and rising into baseball immortality.

Baseball’s Hall of Fame will never look so glorious. Follow Nightengale on Twitter: @Bnightengale

Like millions of older Americans, I struggle with mobility. For years, I watched my quality of life slip away, as I was forced to stay home while friends and family took part in activities I’d once enjoyed. I thought I’d made some progress when I got a mobility scooter, but then I realized how hard it was to transport. Taking it apart and putting it back together was like doing a jigsaw puzzle. Once I had it disassembled, I had to try to put all of the pieces in the trunk of a car, go to wherever I was going, and repeat the process in reverse. Travel scooters were easier to transport, but they were uncomfortable and scary to drive, I always felt like I was ready to tip over. Then I found the So LiteTM Scooter. Now there’s nothing that can hold me back.

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Anticipation for upcoming Bengals season is palpable

can not wait to ROAR in PBS, Who Dey!”

“It feels like we have unfinished business,” @BengalsCaptain tweeted, “so @thewhobae and I are beyond excited to see our guys back in action!”

Hear that Bengal growlin’?

It’s been a long cold lonely winter . . . and spring . . . and summer, but rookies report to training camp Saturday, veteransarriveafewdayslater,practicestarts the following day, and here they come a prowlin’.

“SO FREAKING EXCITED,” @bengaljims_BTR tweeted with a dancing gif.

And why not?

“A welcome respite from bad Reds baseball,” @ChrisSchloemer tweeted.

And then some.

Reds 2022 is like colonoscopy prep. “Here, drink this. It’s good for you. It tastes awful, but the effects are worse.” Long lockout. Short spring. Untraditional road opener. Un-presidential remarks back home. Unprecedented 3-22 start. Enough improvement to turn your anger to apathy, but not enough to avoid the bottom of a bottom-heavy division at the break.AnewselloffwillturntheloneAllStar into another ex-Red any day now. Even with no COVID-19 restrictions this year, attendance might end up worse than last season.

Maybe you enjoyed elements of Reds 2022, or an improved FC Cincinnati offered a refreshing alternative, but the post-Super Bowl Bengals were your energy drink.

Free agency? Rebuilt the offensive line. The draft? Bolstered the defense. The schedule? Revealed five prime-time games. Season tickets? Sold out. You could use your Reds savings for Bengals (or Bearcats) football.

Now instead of providing an occasional jolt out of the malaise, the Bengals are back to work to carry out your dreams, every single day.

So pumped!!” @thebengalorian tweeted. “WHODEY!

“Pumped as (all get-out)!” @Brandon_BigRed5f tweeted . . . or something to that effect.

SO STOKED!” @peppypatty64 tweeted.

@AurileusFC posted a dancing-dog gif and the word “MOOD.” Point taken.

I asked Monday on Twitter what the Bengals reporting means to you, after all this time.

“It’s been too long!” @cincyjames83 tweeted, with a “CAN YOU FEEL IT!”Ace Ventura gif. “I’m ready!

If the online calculators work, there were 160 days between Super Bowl Sunday and Rookie Reporting Day on Saturday. But who’s counting?

This is the first time in a long time (I’m) more excited about my NFL team thanmyCFBteam,andI’mprettyexcited for both,” tweeted @biff_maxwell, referring to Ohio State. “Best time of year is right around the corner.”

Take another look at the calendar.

Christmas time has come,” @stumbelina tweeted.

It’s Christmas in July!” @adkinlk83 tweeted. “This team is hungry. Don’t let yourself be fooled into the opinion that last year was a Fluke. The Bengals are here to stay and work for Arizona begins next week. Who Dey!”

Arizona, as in Super Bowl LVII.

Excited for the new season and retooled roster,” @kenschn48830495 tweeted. “Explosive plays, and new

highlights to cheer as a season ticket holder.Ifeeltherewillnotbeafalloffthis season after the super bowl appearance and that a deep run in the playoffs is a given. Another super bowl appearance?”

Why not?

One Team, One Goal,” @DaltonSignature tweeted. “It’s time to rally the players together to pick up where they left off when the final second came off the scoreboard, #SBLVI. W/ new reinforcements on the O-line, the focus to balance it all is key. All 3 phases of the game played to perfection – to #SBLVII.”

This feels so different from a year ago, when hopes were high for a competitive team, for a change. Sure, you could dream of a Super Bowl. Or even just a playoff win.

Now? Will just a return to the Super Bowl be enough?

The journey began Saturday.

“Mike our boys r reporting back to work, we have unfinished business to attend to,” @TonyDaTiger96 tweeted, “& that business is not complete until we leave (Arizona) with the lombardi in hand! For me it also means we are this much closer to the start of the season,

“I think the theme here is unfinished business,” @tlewis96 tweeted. “Time to put your head down and get to work. Bring that smoke and let them know, it was not a fluke! Be even more hungry! WHODEY BABY LETS ROAR!!!!!!”

And if that’s not enough . . .

“Well, I’m so all in this season that I need to be spoken to rationally,” @ladykateblacket tweeted, “as I’ve read/listened to all the content about new players & how vets are growing/improving I’m ready to believe they will be undefeated, every O (drive) = TD, every D (stand)=sackorINT.Everyawardwillgo to a Bengal.”

If you can’t be irrational now, when can you?

“And after they win the Super Bowl,” @ladykateblacket added, February 12 will ever after be Joe Burrow Day in Cincinnati.”

If you can’t dream big now, when can you?

We can talk later about ways to fully seize this season, with all its expectations, in ways you might never have imagined. It is entirely possible the Bengals will not score on every drive. They were not the only team that seemed to improve over the offseason. As I write this, there is legitimate concern about whether Jessie Bates will play.

As fans, we worry.

But after the Super Bowl loss and a season of discontent with the Reds, we can bathe in our Bengaldom and foresee greatness. We can toast the new entrants into our Ring of Honor, Willie Anderson and Isaac Curtis, and imagine which current Bengals will join them one day. We can envision a Super Bowl championship this time, after coming so close last time, and now it is about to start.

Enjoy this. You waited for this. You deserve this.

Who dey think gonna beat dem Bengals? Nobody!

Email Bass at mbass@mikebasscoaching.com or reach out to him @SportsFanCoach1 on Twitter if you want to be included next week. His website is MikeBassCoaching.com.

Mike Bass Special to the Cincinnati Enquirer

Defensive end Sam Hubbard holds an AFC Championship T-shirt after the Bengals beat the Kansas City Chiefs 27-24 in Kansas City last Jan. 30.

KAREEM ELGAZZAR/THE ENQUIRER

Elder’s Ramsey facing new challenge minus sons

Scott Springer

Elder’s Doug Ramsey has been coaching the Panther football team with a son on the team for most of the last decade. Among the changes in 2022 is an empty car ride home.

Oldest son Montana (Tanner) Ramsey graduated in 2014 and played some with former Indiana/Northwestern quarterback Peyton who graduated in 2016. Youngest son Drew came on in the fall of 2018 and just graduated.

Yet, on a sweltering late July morning, the veteran Panther coach is still going, trying to toughen up his latest group for another rigorous Greater Catholic League-South run.

Coach of back-to-back state champions in 2002-2003, Ramsey won a GCLSouth title in Peyton’s senior (fall 2015) year and made it to the Division I state final in Drew’s sophomore season (fall 2019).

“I don’t know anything else to do,” Ramsey said. “(It’s) year No. 26 coming up. It’s a little bit different not having anykidsaroundlikeI’vehadforsomany years. I’m just out here coaching and enjoying the kids I’m around.”

The kids he’s around are as Westside tough as they come. Many have been coming to Elder’s fabled Pit since they were in diapers. However, including top rusher and receiver Drew Ramsey (108 receptions, 1,061 yards), the Panthers lost deep threat Andrew Harp, and quarterback Ben Hambleton who threw for 2,822 yards and 22 touchdowns in Elder’s 6-6 (2-1 GCL-South) 2021 campaign.

Ramsey says four quarterbacks are vying for the top spot now including rising seniors Ben Schoster and Jack Reuter. Schoster went 8-for-11passing for 72 yards and a touchdown appearing in four games last year. Reuter started two seasons at Walnut Hills before transferring last year then tearing an ACL.

At Walnut Hills he threw for 1,019 yards and eight scores as a freshman with four rushing touchdowns. In seven games his sophomore year (limited due to coronavirus pandemic restrictions) he threw for 744 yards and four scores

while running for 198 yards and eight tallies.

“We talk team, team, team all the time but I said, ‘At this point of the season,alotofitisaboutyou!’”Ramseytold his men. “This is the time you’re going to take all the reps you can, bust your butt every play. You’re trying to make yourself look good so you can get on the field.”

Ramsey has toyed with the idea of playing two quarterbacks. He did some last year using Hambleton as the primary thrower but going to his son Drew in close yardage and goal-line situations.

Thetopreturningrusherandreceiver is rising senior Luke Flowers who rushed for 341 yards and six touchdowns while catching 32 balls for 230 yards. Count Flowers in as a diehard Panther for life.

“I grew up coming here since I was

the ripe old age of one or two,” Flowers said. “My family always came before I was born. It’s a dream come true really. Being a captain? It’s crazy! I’m very thankful for it.”

On the receiving end, Jake Re offers up burner speed to stretch the field and the Panthers could have an interesting target in 6-foot-8-inch rising senior Carson Browne who comes over from the Elder basketball team.

Flowers is a captain along with offensive lineman Evan James, linebacker Samari Freeman and safety Zack Gutekunst, a traditional Elder multi-sport player who tied for the league lead in interceptions last season with three. He added 53 tackles, a sack and two fumble recoveries as well.

“Last year we had some good guys but since they’re gone we can’t really stop playing,” Gutekunst said. “I think we have guys stepping up to fill their

shoes. I think we’ll be fine. We’re going toplayfastandhard.That’sprettymuch what you’ve got to do.”

In front of Gutkeunst, 6-foot-2-inch, 208-pound linebacker Maddox Arnold has turned some heads at camps at the University of Cincinnati and Ohio State. Arnold saw varsity time as a freshman last season and will only get bigger and better.

“He’s going to be part of a pretty solid linebacker corps,” Ramsey said. “We have four legit linebackers. We should be a very good defensive football team.”

Strategy-wise, Elder may not throw as much due to the physical size of their offensive line and the running ability of Flowers and the quarterbacks.

Elder starts the season on the road at CovingtonCatholicFriday,Aug.19.Their home opener is the following week when Pickerington Central visits from Columbus Aug. 26.

Unlike the hearing aids of the past, this new

makes everything sound clearer, not just louder. It uses speechprocessing algorithms to enhance a person’s voice while automatically reducing background noise. You can understand every word clearly, even in noisy environments.

“I don’t know anything else to do,” Elder coach Doug Ramsey said. “(It’s) year No. 26 coming up. It’s a little bit different not having any kids around like I’ve had for so many years. I’m just out here coaching and enjoying the kids I’m around.” ENQUIRER FILE

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TRANSACTIONS

Rafael Devers on the 10-day IL. Selected the contract of OF Jaylin Davis from Worcester (IL). Transferred INF/OF Kike Hernandez from the 10-day IL to the 60-day IL. CHICAGOWHITESOX—AddedRHPDavis Martin from Charlotte (IL) as the 27th player for a doubleheader. CLEVELAND GUARDIANS — Recalled LHP Konnor Pilkington from Columbus (IL). DETROIT TIGERS — Optioned RHP Angel De Jesus to Toledo (IL). Reinstated RHP Will Vest from the paternity list. Reassigned RHP Garret Hill to Toledo, retroactivetoJuly22(servedas27thman for a double header).

HOUSTON ASTROS — Signed LHP Trey Dombroski.

KANSAS CITY ROYALS — Signed OF Gavin

Cross to a minor league contract.

MINNESOTA TWINS — Signed RHP Michael Feliz to a minor league contract. Placed LHP Caleb Thielbar on the 15-day IL, retroactive to July 19. Recalled RHP Yennier Cano from St. Paul (IL).

NEW YORK YANKEES — Placed RHP Michael King on the 60-day IL. Recalled RHP Clarke Schmidt from

UPCOMING

Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. Selected the contract of RHP Shane Greene from Scranton/Wilkes-Barreandplacedhimon the active roster. Optioned OF Tim Locastro to Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.

TORONTOBLUEJAYS—SentLHPAndrew Vasquez to FCL on a rehab assignment. National League ARIZONA DIAMONDBACKS — Agreed to terms with CF Druw Jones on a minor league contract.

CHICAGO CUBS — Signed RHPs Cade Horton,

Larson reflects on 2nd chance

PHILADELPHIA – Kyle Larson tried to explain the feeling of his role as the public face of the Urban Youth Racing School when a fan – one of many –wantedasecondofthe2021NASCAR’s champion’s time.

“Yo, Kyle, can I steal a selfie,” he asked.

Larson obliged the request and flashed a smile, just a few seconds out of his day, but a moment years in the making as part of his role with the Philly-based program that creates opportunities in racing for minorities.

Larson might seem an unlikely ambassador in the wake of his 2020 suspension for using a slur during an iRacing event that cost him his ride driving for Chip Ganassi. He instead built on his existing relationship with the program and grew it into something deeper: Zoom calls with students, buying race simulators, making personal appearances – all while mending fences with the Black community and spreading the word of UYRS’ mission statement.

“The journey that he was on was extraordinary,” NASCAR President Steve Phelps said. “We asked him to do a seriesofthings,andhedidsomuchmore than that. To have the school embrace him like they did, that true love affair that exists between the school and Kyle, I think is amazing.”

Sure enough, take a look at Larson now: Reigning Cup Series champion, wildly popular with grassroots racing fans, a dedicated mentor at UYRS and

hey, he even won an ESPY this week for best driver. Of course, Larson wasn’t on hand to accept the award in Los Angeles – he was out racing Wednesday night on the half-mile dirt track at Port Royal Speedway in Pennsylvania.

The entire Hendrick Motorsports fleet of Larson, Chase Elliott, William Byron and Alex Bowman were among a handful of NASCAR drivers that raced Friday at the UYRS Grand Prix in Philadelphia. The race team with Richard Childress Racing driver Austin Dillon won the fundraising event.

The NASCAR stars teamed with UYRS students and local personalities onamakeshifttrackonthepropertyofa Philadelphia children’s museum. The race was held on a small slice of city property, but the couple of hundred fans, school buses filled with kids, food trucks and DJ’s cranking out tunes gave the course the party vibe that has made street racing so appealing to NASCAR.

Dan Gelston ASSOCIATED PRESS

NASCAR driver Kyle Larson, center, talks with members of the Urban Youth Racing School before the start of a race on the grounds of the Please Touch Museum in Philadelphia on Friday. DAN GELSTON/AP

Here are the top linebackers to keep an eye on

The beginning of the high school football season is less than a month away with Greater Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky scheduled to kick off Friday night lights on Aug. 19.

The Enquirer is continuing its series of the top10 positional rankings heading into the season with its top linebackers. In case you missed it, the area's top wide receivers and offensive linemen were unveiled last week and the defensive rankings began this week with defensive linemen.

Check back each week to Cincinnati.com as the series continues, with linebackers up next. Rankings are based on a variety of factors, including recruiting information, All-Ohio, all-district and all-league recognition along with stats from previous seasons.

Joe Ginnetti, Moeller (Sr.): Ginnetti, a 6-foot-2-inch, 225-pound linebacker, is ranked the No. 115 overall recruit in Ohio for the Class of 2023 by 247Sports The senior led the Greater Catholic League-South in tackles (108) last season to go with a half sack, two fumble recoveries and a pair of interceptions, helping lead Moeller to a regional title.

Ginnetti was named honorable mention All-Ohio, second-team all-district and first-team all-conference. He holds offers from Air Force, Akron and Central Michigan .

Wyatt McPherson, Monroe (Sr.): McPherson was all over the field for the Hornets last season, averaging12.9 tackles per game. He went on to lead the SouthwesternBuckeyeLeagueintackles (142) to go with a sack, an interception and two fumble recoveries. He was named second-team All-Ohio in Division III and first-team all-district.

Giovanni Higgins, St. Bernard (Jr.): Higgins was named second-team AllOhioinDivisionVIlastseasonwhilealso earning first-team all-district honors. HigginsfinishedeighthintheMiamiValley Conference in tackles (74) and third in sacks (12). He also recorded a pair of forced fumbles and fumble recoveries.

Qierstin Williams, Winton Woods (Sr.): Williams was one of many key

pieces to a Winton Woods defense that made life difficult on opposing offense last season en route to a Division II state championship. Williams, a first-team all-Eastern Cincinnati Conference selection,rankedsecondintheleagueintackles (85) to go with 1.5 sacks and four interceptions. Williams holds offers from Walsh University and Ohio Dominican.

Jake Bates, Mason (Sr.): Bates was a first-team all-Greater Miami Conference selection last season after ranking second in the league in total tackles (90). The senior also had 1.5 sacks, two forced fumbles and three fumble recoveries. Bates picked up his first Division I offer from Butler University in June.

Josh Bowling, Simon Kenton (Sr.): The 6-foot-2, 225-pounder is one of the top returning tacklers in Northern Kentucky with 123 last year, 81 solo. He will

be a big key to the Pioneers’hopes of improving from last year’s 2-9 record. SK's big weakness was defense, allowing 42 points per game, but the Pioneers were young on that side if the ball and return most of their starters.

Nick Hoying, Kings (Sr.): Hoying led the Knights with 62 tackles last season from his linebacker spot while also picking up six sacks, four forced fumbles and an interception, helping lead Kings to an ECC championship. Hoying was named second-team All-Ohio in Division II and first-team all-district.

Jadyn Thomas, Lockland (Jr.): Thomas was named the MVC-Gray's Defensive Player of the Year after he finishedsecondintheconferenceintackles with 100. Thomas also had 1.5 sacks, forced a fumble and returned a fumble fora60-yardtouchdown.InDivisionVII,

Thomas was second-team All-Ohio and first-team all-district.

Mitchell Berger, Beechwood (Sr.): The versatile and athletic playmaker on both sides of the ball is a big key for Beechwood’s chances at a third-straight state championship. Beechwood doesn’t publish defensive statistics, but he was an integral part of a unit that allowed only seven points per game and he was namedfirstteamall-regiononbothsides of the ball.

Ronald Cutts, Taft (Sr.): Cutts was a key part of a Taft defense that helped steer the Senators to the regional semifinals and a Cincinnati Metro Athletic Conference title. Cutts, who holds offers fromAkron,ToledoandNotreDameCollege, led the CMAC in tackles (129) to go along with five sacks, four forced fumbles and a pair of fumble recoveries. He was named second-team All-Ohio in Division V and first-team all-district.

Best of the rest: Bryson Bastin, Ross (senior); Saleem Ford, Hughes (senior); Ryan Coyle, Cincinnati Country Day (sophomore); Kent Guyer, Roger Bacon (senior); Jack Lonaker, Cooper (junior); BenHilvert, Taylor (senior); RayConey, Fairfield (senior); Max Bonner, St. Xavier (senior); Dane Tomlin, Western Brown (senior); Dickie Engel, Reading (sophomore); Wyatt Walker, Edgewood (junior); Kavi Bivins, Fairfield (senior); Matthew Humbarger, Fairfield (senior); Nick Scally, Milford (senior); Chris Lewis,Aiken(senior);Ya'VaHarris,Purcell Marian (senior); Kaden Starks, Badin (senior).

Shelby Dermer and James Weber Cincinnati Enquirer

Beechwood linebacker Mitchell Berger earned first-team all-region honors in 2021. JAMES WEBER/THE ENQUIRER

Moeller linebacker Joe Ginnetti led the GCL-South in tackles last season. TONY TRIBBLE

FORUM

THE UNITED STATES OF ABSOLUTISM: WHY CAN’T WE FIND A MIDDLE GROUND?

Kevin Aldridge Columnist Cincinnati Enquirer USA TODAY NETWORK

Few things annoy me more than when someone who doesn’t know me at all tries to tell me who I am.

“You’re a liberal, I’m a conservative, and there’s no chance we’ll ever agree on anything (I’ve read your columns),” a disgruntled reader recently told me in an email.

He was unhappy about what he perceived to be an imbalance of views in The Enquirer’s letters to the editor in general, but specifically on the topic of Roe v. Wade. In his opinion, I was using my editorial authority to purposely exclude anti-abortion points of view because as a liberal,” I’m convinced “a conservative’s opinions aren’t worth printing.”

This dissatisfied reader, however, conveniently ignores the letters and guest columns from conservative writers that we do print, includingpastoneshehimselfhadwritten.Iliken it to those conservative talking heads who go on various media platforms and complain about those media platforms censoring or stifling their point of view. Maybe I’m the only one who sees the oxymoron there.

Perhaps The Enquirer doesn’t print as many conservative letters as this reader would prefer, but if I truly believed a “conservative’s opinions aren’t worth printing,”why would I publish any at all? Why would The Enquirer invite alternative voices such as Gil Spencer, Christine Marallen, Mack Mariani and Rachel Citak to sit on our editorial board as community members?

This is the type of nonsensical debate we find ourselves trapped in these days in America

and it happens across the political spectrum. We make assumptions about who people are and their motives. We conveniently ignore facts and truths because they don’t fit the narrative we want to believe about the “other side.”

We’re not interested in authentic dialogue and finding common ground. We just want to be angry at each other, take cheap shots and fight incessantly. While I try to keep the faith that reasonable people can come together to form a more perfect union, I’m starting to believe that all we really want to do is topple our divided house.

The truth is, none of us are all of any one thing – conservative, liberal, good or bad. Most people are incredibly complex individuals who live in areas of gray, not black and white. But as Americans, we don’t respond well to gray.

American writer and activist James Baldwin once said, “We live in a complex country that insists on being simple-minded.” There are no simple, easy solutions to the problems we face in our country or the world, for that matter. And people can be enigmatic. To pretend otherwise is folly.

For example, the abortion issue is incredibly complex, with a lot of cases that will continue to come up that will call for common-sense medical decisions, not absolute political positions. As the ordained pastor of a church, I am “pro-life,” but I grapple with the notion of forcing a woman – and sadly in some cases, a child – who has been raped to birth the baby of her rapist. Shouldn’t there be reasonable exceptions for when the mother’s life is at stake or the child has serious health problems or deformities? Anyone not wrestling in their soul with these questions isn’t taking the matter seriously.

Plus, we live in a democratic republic, not a theocracy. So while my strong Christian convictions should drive the choices in my life and my household, do I have the right to force my religious beliefs on American Jews, Muslims, atheists or agnostics? Even God doesn’t do that. Instead, God gave us one of his greatest gifts – free will, the ability to choose for ourselves.

I also support the right to bear arms. Yet I am

See ALDRIDGE, Page4D

Prideful politicians think they know what’s best for us

I am overwhelmed by our “brain trust” in Columbus. They know how best to advise physicians on the practice of their vocation, in spite of a physician’s training and years of experience with patients. They know how best to advise psychologists and social workers in dealing with the dilemmas of actual people who come to them for help. They know better than all of the theologians and philosophers who, since before the Greeks, have yet to come to an agreement as to when personhood/ensoulment begins.

Perhaps most important, is that our Columbus brain trust (mostly older white men) knows best what a woman should do in every conceivable instance of an unwanted/unexpected pregnancy. After all, women have child-like minds, and are far more likely to be victims of hysteria. Surely, we have been blessed, and should reelect these beneficent paternalists in November. After all, what can a little hubris hurt?

Wesley Hinton, Milford

Wanting my vote? Must put good of US first

trol of my country’s future.

Politicians, please take note: The reasons I vote for a particular person are many. Sometimes it has to do with the political party’s agenda. Sometimes it is the goals of the candidates themselves.

I do not vote only based on party lines. I believe in doing the research to determine what and who will do the best for my country – even if some are Democrats and some are Republicans, or neither party. But when the votes are counted, I will support whoever is elected to office for this is how democracy works.

At the next election, I will again make my choices known with my vote.

In the past, I liked President Donald Trump’s policies and believed that they were good for the country. More equitable trade agreements and protecting our borders are still good ideas. His Warp Speed response to the COVID-19 virus was commendable, but I still don’t understand why so many of his followers have become anti-vaxxers Their attitude seems to obscure President Trump’s efforts to protect us.

I was willing to put up with President Trump’s constant outbursts and ag-

grandizing himself in the hope that his policies could be attained. But I started to worry when he chose his Cabinet, first choosing experts and then promptly dismissing them if they didn’t agree with his views. One after another was replaced. Apparently, he did not want advisors, only people who didn’t question him. Still, I hung in there. He was a successful businessman; maybe this would work. I was hopeful.

Then came the presidential campaign. Toward the end of that presidential campaign, even before election day, President Trump began ranting and raving to the extent he appeared to be totally out of control. His demand that his opinions be accepted, even in spite of facts to the contrary, were troubling. His actions, shouting and raging, frightened me.

I had no choice but to let my hopes die. This is not the person I want in con-

I am currently reading “Atlas Shrugged.” A synopsis by the author (Ayn Rand) states heroes are thinkers who demonstrate a commitment to their work and to the world around them. They choose their goals without putting their own desires above the facts. Villains in the story defy reason and evade facts. They are in constant conflict with reality.

Does this sound like any of our current group of politicians? Which ones are putting the good of the country as their primary goal? Which ones are stirring up discontent instead of working together to bring us all together?

Our world is a dangerous place. War, disease, drought, extreme weather and prejudice are in the newspapers daily. We need heroes to help us navigate through the chaos.

Let me be clear. I will not vote for Donald Trump or any of his yes-men/ women.

If you want my vote, don’t tell me what is wrong with your opponent or whose shirttails you are hanging on. Tell me who you are. Tell me how you plan to unite and strengthen this country. Tell me how you plan to accomplish your goals.

I want to vote for those who will make this country a better place for all of us to live. Be one of those people. I want you to succeed.

Give unborn the same chance at life you were given

Kathryn Lawrence Guest columnist

During the spring of the year, it is hard to deny the birth of new life in nature. I had robins building a nest to prepare for their new hatchlings. I am fortunate to have a nest right outside my kitchen window, where I can watch the nest being built, the eggs being laid, and the mom and pop robins taking turns sitting on the eggs.

If they did not think that their eggs would hatch some day, why do they work so hard towards the day that the young birds crack open their shells? Maybe that mother bird should just throw her eggs out of the nest and go on her way. Why not? Because it is the law of nature.

We, as humans, and especially as women, are part of that natural law. Nature has given us the special role of bringing new life into the world. Once the egg is fertilized by the sperm it becomes a separate entity (23 chromosomes from mom and 23 chromosomes from dad). A unique DNA that identifies it as a unique person.

This DNA will determine the characteristics of this new life. A life that is unique and separate from the mother and father.

As women, we need to recognize this special role we have in nurturing this new life to birth. I recently read an article by a young man, conceived through

rape, who was expressing his gratitude to his mother for giving him life and not aborting him. He understood the angst she had in making the decision to give him life, but was grateful she loved him unconditionally. The feminist movement and modern science has squashed this aspect of our

human nature and sees pregnancy as something unworthy. However, it is a denial of female sexuality. Nature brings male and female together. The result of this copulation is new life. We need to be more proactive in supporting this new life than in killing it because it interferes with our plans.

Modern sexuality keeps telling our children to have sex, but does nothing to develop that human sexuality is more than just having sex. Maybe we need to do more about teaching our young people and all people true respect for human sexuality and the unique role that women have in nurturing new life for nine months in womb.

Unlike the robin who is motivated by instinct, we have intellect and free will. This puts us into a higher realm of nature. We can understand the natural law, and we can understand when we go against the laws of nature. The Declaration of Independence states: “the law of nature and Nature’s God…right to life, liberty, and pursuit of happiness. Give the unborn the chance for life just like you were given a chance to live your life.

Kathryn Lawrence is a retired elementary school teacher who lives in Green Township.

Vote ethics, common sense to end corruption in Ohio

campaign coffers by engaging in payto-play legislation. Ohioans deserve fair, ethical, transparent leaders who put citizens first.

I love living in Ohio, but we have a fundamental problem here with government corruption.

Corruption became endemic when one-party, Republican Party, rule became the norm in Ohio. Add gerrymandered voting districts that favor Republicans over Democrats – sometimes as much as 70% to 30% – and we have legislators who take dark money bribes in exchange for legislation that aids corporations, not everyday Ohioans.

I’m running for Ohio State House of Representatives, District 47 against Republican incumbent Sara Carruthers. I believe Carruthers has displayed questionable ethical behavior in office.

The Enquirer reports that in 2021, Carruthers (R-Hamilton) proposed allocating $300 million of unrestricted federal COVID-19 relief funds to Ohio nursing homes – a blank check. Ten days later, her campaign received almost $40,000 from the CEO of a chain of nursing homes, his wife, and his

business partner. The money was almost half her declared contributions. She received another maximum contribution two weeks later from a lobbyist who publicly backed the bill. Lawmakers should not fatten their

If elected, I’ll work to repeal HB 6, our biggest threat to clean, sustainable energy. The law bails out Ohio’s two aging nuclear power plants and two coalfired plants with a $1.3 billion tax on Ohioans to pay for fossil fuel energy –through the next decade. HB 6 also destroys clean energy initiatives.

FirstEnergy (now Energy Harbor) gave $60 million in dark money donations to Ohio legislators to pass HB 6. When the FBI arrested then-House Speaker Larry Householder and four Republican cronies in the bribery and racketeering scandal in 2020, southern Ohio’s U.S. Attorney called it “likely the largest bribery and money-laundering scheme ever in the state of Ohio.”

Vox Media has called HB 6 the “worst energy bill of the 21st century.”

Not to mention that Carruthers voted to allow Householder to remain in office.

Legislators need compassion and common sense when initiating and supporting legislation. Carruthers voted to support HB 99, which lowers to 24 hours the time needed to train armed

teachers in schools. She also supports HB 616, Ohio’s version of the “Don’t Say Gay” bill. She voted for HB 61, the “Save Women’s Sports Act.” This bill separates sports teams by sex, with some female athletes subject to genital exams.

If elected, I promise to sponsor and advocate for laws that support everyday Ohioans and help save the environment. It’s simple; if we don’t act on climate change today, other policy decisions ultimately mean nothing.

As we commit to a clean environment, solutions to other problems will become more apparent. Embracing cutting-edge technology supporting sustainable energy will help grow the jobs of the future.

Supporting small businesses – and making corporations pay their fair share of taxes – will lower worker taxes. Ohio is one of only six states with no Corporate Income Tax.

Let’s build a better future for Ohio. Vote for me in November. I promise to put Ohioans first.

Samuel Lawrence, of Oxford, is the Butler County Democratic Party candidate for Ohio House of Representative in District 47. For more information, visit https://www.samforohio.com

Your Turn

Samuel Lawrence Guest columnist

Representative Sara Carruthers, R-Hamilton, listens to a statement in the House of Representatives at the Ohio Statehouse in Columbus on June 26, 2019. SAM GREENE/THE ENQUIRER

Judy Greulich lives in Dent

President Donald Trump speaks to supporters from The Ellipse near the White House on Jan. 6, 2021, in Washington, D.C. MANDEL NGAN, AFP VIA GETTY IMAGES

Catholic Pro-Life Committee members protest in front of Sagua Mañagu Birthing Center and MPG in Tamuning, Guam, on Dec. 26, 2020. FRANK SAN NICOLAS/PDN

Don’t be an easy target for cyber criminals

J. William Rivers

Guest columnist

Ransomware. Hacking. Business Email Compromise Scams. Last year, $6.9billioninlossesdueto cyberscams and attacks were reported to the Internet Crime Complaint Center. Sadly, this is probably just a fraction of the actual losses suffered by businesses and individuals during the year.

Cyber crimes are on the rise at an alarming rate. Every computer, network and personal device is vulnerable as criminals and nation-state actors find new ways to access our private information each day.

Foreign adversaries are focused on stealing business trade secrets from innovative American companies. They relentlessly attack our public and private sector computer networks and have stolen volumes of information in an effort to illegally obtain advanced technologies, trade secrets and other

valuable data.

There is also a large criminal component that is driven by greed and money. They are using tools like ransomware, which is a type of malicious software program allowing hackers to encrypt someone’s data and hold it hostage until their monetary demands are met. These groups have used ransomware to attack almost every kind of target imaginable. Schools, hospitals, governments, gas pipelines, even 9-1-1 call centers have been victimized.

The hackers are reckless with their attacks and have demonstrated that no organization or public safety group is off-limits. In fact, hackers sponsored by the Iranian government compromised the network of a U.S. children’s hospital last year. Their dangerous actions put the health and safety of young patients at risk.

To prevent becoming victims of these types of cyberattacks, we need to strengthen our defenses and not be easy targets. Using multifactor authentication, strong passwords, actively backing up our networks, and keeping up with security patches are important

steps to take and can provide a good amount of protection.

Many cyberattacks involve social engineering, like phishing, and rely on the user to interact with a bad link or attachment via email or text. If we don’t fall for these traps, we can better protect our networks. If individuals do become victims of a cyber scam, the FBI recommends they report it to the Internet Crime Complaint Center at ic3.gov

IC3 provides the American public with a direct outlet to report cyber crimes to the FBI. IC3 routinely analyzes and investigates these reported attacks to track the trends and threats coming from cyber criminals. This data is then shared with our intelligence and law enforcement partners to help prevent future incidents.

Public-private collaboration is also essential to combating the cyber threat. Only by working together can we protect America’s values, ingenuity, critical infrastructure and business information. The FBI encourages businesses to develop a relationship with our offices and our cyber special agents prior to any cyber incident. These ex-

perts have intelligence that can help mitigate threats and also possess significant technical assistance capabilities.

Businesses should also have cyber incident response plans that include contacting the FBI as soon as an intrusion is detected. We have Cyber Task Forces in each of our 56 field offices that can provide victims with technical information and support to stop ongoing incidents and prevent additional malicious activity.

These teams have specialized expertise and can go after cyber criminals in any jurisdiction. If you come to the FBI quickly and share what you know about the attack, we can use our unique investigative and intelligence capabilities to help you understand and respond to these cyber incidents.

The cyber threat is real, and the complexity and number of attacks is increasing rapidly. By working together, we can improve our collective ability to protect against this serious threat.

J.WilliamRiversistheSpecialAgent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Cincinnati Field Office.

Cincinnati Children’s no longer takes my insurance

Ketteler Guest columnist

As a freelance writer and content producer, I tell patient stories for Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center. Now I’ve got a story of my own to tell.

My family is about to lose our health insurance coverage at Children’s because the hospital cannot strike a deal with Dayton-based health insurer CareSource Ohio. We’ve been buying CareSource Marketplace insurance for the past seven years from the Ohio marketplace. Each year, I have chosen CareSourcespecificallybecausewehavetwo young children.

This change, which begins Aug. 1, doesn’t affect the Medicaid version of the insurance. It only affects those who buy it via Healthcare.gov. With CareSource pulling out, there are no remaining marketplace plans where Cincinnati Children’s is in network.

So now, about 1,000 families like mine are effectively cut off from care at Cincinnati Children’s – which, to be clear, is the ONLY place to go for most pediatric specialty care in the area.

Do you know how many videos I’ve produced where the main message is the patient-centered care available at Children’s? The way families and providers talk. It’s religious almost. And it’s true. Every person I’ve met associated with Children’s has been exemplary. My own experiences there with my children have been exceptional.

In fact, the first thing you see on their home page is, “We’re here for every family, every child, every future.”

But apparently, when money is on the table, “every family” is negotiable,

Aldridge

Continued from Page 1D

sickened by not only the mass shootings that have made national headlines, but the almost daily shootings we see in Cincinnati. I know that background checks, bans on assault weapons and guns in the hands of teachers still won’t stop a deranged individual intent on murdering others. However, I also know that we can’t sit back, do nothing and watch our children and fellow Americans continue to get gunned down in schools, churches, synagogues and grocery stores.

Maybe we need to try all of it – automatic weapons bans, metal detectors, background checks, limits on ammo, teachers with guns, more school resources officers, increasing mental health services, you know the score. Anythingthatmakesithardertokilland saves lives. Law-abiding citizens and patriots have made sacrifices throughout our history to make our country safer for all.

A view outside the Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center’s new Critical Care Building in Avondale on Sept. 24, 2021. The new $600 million dollar investment is an eight-story, 632,500-square-foot addition to the main campus. It adds 249 private rooms to the hospital that are 50 percent bigger than current rooms. ALBERT CESARE/THE ENQUIRER

andallthemessagingintheworldabout patient-centered care just goes out the window.

Is it CareSource’s fault? Is it Cincinnati Children’s fault? Is one party being overly greedy? Is someone being taken advantage of? There are theories in all the places I frequent on Facebook. My neighborhood moms’ group is on fire with anger. But as an average consumer of health care, I have absolutely no idea.

I know that Cincinnati Children’s is ranked No. 3 among pediatric hospitals in the nation. I know that, according to what they report on their site, their total operating revenues for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2021, were about $2.75 billion and their expenses were about $2.5 billion, leaving a revenue of about $2.2 billion. I know that when I work

And yes, the U.S. does need to get a handle on immigration. But we need to do so compassionately and fairly. We cannot welcome refugees from wartorn Ukraine with open arms while simultaneously slamming the door shut on Haitian migrants and Mexican asylum-seekers fleeing political instability, natural disasters and drug cartels. BeinganAmericanisaprivilege,andthose seeking to come here from other countries should have to get in line and follow the rules. But we also can’t become so rigid that we fail to recognize there are times when it is appropriate, even humanitarian, to bend those rules to aid those in distress. America, a nation of immigrants, is best known for building bridges not walls.

And Black lives matter to me, too, especially mine and my loved ones. I also know that police are integral to the safety and security of our communities. If someone breaks into my home, I’m calling the police. I just don’t want them to mistake me for the robber when they arrive and shoot me because I’m a Black man in a nice, mostly white, suburban neighborhood. I’ve said it before – I’m

with other children’s hospitals in the country (I write and produce content for several) many are trying to compete with Cincinnati Children’s, but can’t match their dollars. Is Cincinnati Children’s a more expensive hospital, demanding higher reimbursement rates?

Or is CareSource a money-hungry insurance company?

Who knows? None of it is transparent. CareSource Marketplace families are only getting talking points, not answers. Nobody who is a decision-maker in the matter seems to care about us. We’re expendable and it’s just the cost of doing business.

You might be thinking, just get new insurance, lady. Well, when you are selfemployed – as I have been for 20 years –your options are limited. I love what I do

not anti-police, I’m anti-bad policing. And if you aren’t anti-bad policing, too, the problem isn’t me, it’s you. Weeding outbadactorsinpoliceprecinctsshould be just as important as ridding our streets of criminals.

Respect is a two-way street. Police deserve it for the risks they take to keep us safe, but they also need to give it. Rather than defunding the police, let’s better train them to deescalate. And we wouldn’t have to worry about qualified immunity if officers were more qualified to deal with diversity.

These are just some of the uncomfortable, gray areas that require each of us to have the most serious minds, the most honest of conversations, and the most open hearts, not merely spouting goofy soundbites or repeating cable TV talking points.

Perhaps our biggest flaw as a nation is our absolutism. The notion that there is only one right perspective and it belongs to my side. That smacks of hubris and will likely one day result in our nation’s downfall unless we change course. Each of us must possess the humility and wisdom to understand that

and make a nice living because I’m good at it. But health insurance has always been the asterisk in all of it. Healthcare. gov was a godsend for our family. My husband is a stay-at-home-dad and works part-time. (The reasons are too complicated to enumerate here, but trust me when I say it’s the best choice for our family’s health.)

We’ve used Cincinnati Children’s services many times in the last decade. My husband and I took ADHD parenting classes there. One of my children saw a Children’s school-based therapist. That same child sees a neurologist there to help manage Tourette’s and OCD. My other child recently had a fracture fixed at their orthopedic clinic.

Still, my family is one of the lucky ones. The stories I’ve been reading about other families affected – those who have children with complex issues requiring ongoing care, or children who have bonded with therapists – are devastating.

Plus, it’s not like there are actual choices about where to go in Southwest Ohio if your child needs any specialty care. Adult hospitals don’t want to touch pediatric cases. Pediatricians refer directly to Children’s. The hospital effectively has a monopoly. I’ve never looked at that as a problem, because when you have the best in your backyard, why would you need to go anywhere else?

But now there is a gate around it. I can look in and tell amazing patient stories. But if I want to take my own children there, I need to be prepared to pay out of pocket. I doubt Children’s will commission me to tell that story.

Judi Ketteler (@judiketteler) creates health care content and is a columnist for Cincinnati Magazine. She’s also the author of “Would I Lie to You? The Amazing Power of Being Honest in a World That Lies.”

what we do know is vastly outstripped by what we don’t know. Avoiding assumptions, keeping an open mind and being willing to listen to and consider other points of view, particularly those that diverge (sometimes wildly) from our own will be keys to mending our broken nation.

Aftertradingafewemailsandrevealing some personal insights with this disgruntled reader, his tone changed.

“I appreciate that you shared this. I didn’t know some of it, and it does give mealittledifferentperspective,”heconceded. “I wasn’t looking for a fight. I simply get frustrated with the media (print and broadcast)…The bottom line is that I want the hometown newspaper to survive...”

Whodathunkit? Something else this “liberal” and a conservative can agree on.

It’s amazing the common ground we can find when we are more interested in hearing than being heard.

OPINION

SUNDAY+ LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Trump must be barred from ever holding public office again

As disturbed, outraged and saddened as I am by the recent U.S. Supreme Court decisions on a number of issues, I do not want us to lose sight of the singularly important work that is being done by the January 6th Commission.

The findings and revelations on display so far do beg the question: What will it take for our justice system to ensure that the former president is permanently barred from ever holding any office again?

Is it his knowingly lying about election fraud? Pressuring the vice president to overturn the election? Conspiring with lawyers to send fake electors and pressuring state officials to “find more votes?” Inviting a violent response and planning to personally lead an armed crowd to the Capitol?

I look forward to the final hearing and the committee’s recommendations (with possible criminal referrals) to the Justice Department, especially since it has been reported Donald Trump is considering running again in 2024. A wannabe dictator’s”attempt at seizing power must never again threaten our constitutionally enshrined peaceful transition of power.

Marta Lehman, College Hill

Remain vigilant despite fatigue from COVID-19

Nationwide, COVID-19 infection rates, hospitalizations and deaths are on the rise again. As the pandemic drags on, many of us are experiencing feelings of frustration and loss of control over our lives. Some have labeled this as “COVID fatigue.”

The following are a few things that I have personally found to be helpful in dealing with this issue: Get vaccinated and boosted as all the medical experts recommend; wear a mask whenever you are in an indoor setting where you will be unable to socially distance; Use hand sanitizer immediately after leaving a public place.

By taking these three simple measures, you at least will have the peace of mind of knowing that have done all you can to protect yourself and your loved ones.

Dave Smile, MD, Blue Ash

Rational discussion, reason must prevail

My family, my friends and I are resolute in supporting the ideals of a democratic government, social justice and equality, but would like to offer the following observations and musings on what we perceive to be unwarranted attacks on those principles.

It is easy to articulate tolerance/acceptance of others when you only associate with individuals who are mirror reflections of yourself. It is less complicated to direct others as to what they should do with their bodies when you will never personally face the choices/ decisions being denied. It appears that a few individuals, who stridently dic-

tate that everyone has an unrestricted right to bear arms, primarily consist of a strident faction within the minority of Americans who actually own firearms.

It seems that the proponents of arming teachers to better provide for the safety of students in schools (including, at least, one Ohio legislator who operates required classes on firearm training) have been strangely silent about the 77 minutes it took nearly 400 heavily armed and highly trained officers to stop one deadly mass murderer and yet they expect a kindergarten teacher to do better.

It appears, to us, there are many who faithlessly profess a commitment to individual over state rights only believe those rights extend to a select group of adherents who think and act in the manner that they, themselves, define as acceptable.

Increasingly (and somewhat inconceivably to us), so-called patriots who declare a strong allegiance to the principles of a democratic form of government are unconditionally willing to embrace an autocratic and terrorizing form of leadership, empowered by the tools of oppression, deception and pandemonium.

There seems to be an emergent number of dogmatists who aspire to blur, or even eliminate, the separation of church and state doctrine with a vision of a restrictive, monolithic religion representing their own narrow perspective of “right and wrong.”

There are those who robotically react to challenging viewpoints with a type of anti-intellectual, anti-critical thinking hysteria – willing and eager to wipe out entire histories of diaspora, the Holocaust, gender inequality, sexual and gender identification, and so forth.

By this point you may be thinking, that with all these judgmental observa-

tions about various “others,” how are we any different in our protestations from those we infer are guilty of intolerance and narrow-mindedness? Perhaps, it is, that we are willing to discuss, defend and modify our views in the light of rational discussion and reason. Are you?

Dr. Lanthan Camblin, Professor Emeritus at the University of Cincinnati, Clifton No bail for those who commit gun offenses

With regard to gun violence: Banning this, making that more against the law, etc., seems a lot harder than it should be. Anyone with a firearm who shouldn’t have one should get no bail. Anyone committing a crime or waving a firearm – no bail. Anytime a firearm is used illegally – no bail. It will also make us a lot safer. Seems like a lot easier fix than some of the rules our lawmakers come up with.

Thomas Fester, Bridgetown Housing situation more complicated than it appears

The Enquirer article on investors buying up homes was interesting but left out a crucial point: most of the houses that investors buy won’t pass FHA or other mortgage program underwriting.

How many homeowners can buy a house without a mortgage? Investors get good deals on these houses specifically because their condition makes it unlikely that a homeowner could get a mortgage. The whole housing situation is much more complicated than articles like these make it appear.

Perhaps journalists could widen their research and speak to everyone involved in housing to get a more com-

plete picture of a complicated subject.

Anera Shell, Delhi

Restoring civility and respect for each other

Regarding, “It’s time to start thinking about the unimaginable choices in front of us,” and “We need to call for Constitutional Convention,” (July 17): Thanks to Robert Rack and L. Terry Clausing for their opinion pieces regarding the realities we face as a nation and ways to do something about it. The letters and guest columns chosen for publication on this issue also reflect a wish among readers to restore civility and respect for one another. It is an encouraging experience when I often find the Sunday Forum section disturbing.

Marcia Kaplan, Clifton

Elect officials with community’s best interests at heart

Over 30 years ago, a group of young couples volunteered to start a support group at the hospital where I worked to help parents grieving the loss of their baby due to miscarriage, stillbirth or ectopic pregnancy. These volunteers helped the hospital staff and each other learn the importance of honoring their loss, moving through their grief and, when ready, learning ways to support getting pregnant again.

In 1981, a procedure called in vitro fertilization was introduced in the U.S For many couples, IVF was then, and is now, their only hope of conceiving a child of their own.

With Roe v. Wade’s reversal, I am worried about the repercussions on families, especially those who are trying to conceive. Unfortunately, the next step for many legislators involves a “life begins at conception” bill that would outlaw IVF.

At the national level, Congressman Steve Chabot is a co-sponsor of the Life at Conception Act. I personally know couples who have used IVF to conceive. I would like Congressman Chabot to justify his decision to ban IVF for those families. Chabot is out of touch with the needs of our families, and for that reason, I cannot support him.

It’s time to elect representatives with our community’s best interests at heart.

Antoinette Asimus, College Hill

Is weather really the worst it’s ever been?

We are bombarded every day with stories about how the weather events of today are the worst ever and are proof that we must take drastic action to save the planet. Take a few moments to look at the National Weather Service website. The NWS in Louisville has compiled a list of “Top Ten” weather events in Kentucky. You might be surprised to learn that the top three extreme heat events occurred before 1940. So when the politicians and the media tell you that the weather is worse than it has ever been, you will know “the rest of the story.”

Maurice Whigham, Florence

Rep. Bennie Thompson (D-Miss.), center, opens a public hearing before the House committee to investigate the January 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol on July 12 in Washington D.C. JACK GRUBER/USA TODAY

WRITING LETTERS OR OP-EDS: Letters of up to 200 words may be submitted by filling out the form at static.cincinnati.com/letter/ or emailing letters@enquirer.com. Include name, address, community and daytime phone number. Op-eds are submitted the same way except they should be 500-600 words and also include a one-sentence bio and head shot. Submissions may be edited for space and clarity.