Oct. 16, 2022

IT’S WORKING! IT’S WORKING!

Jason Williams: Are Bengals close to unraveling?

SPORTS, 1C

The harrowing tale of two Americans kidnapped overseas

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.

+ Your Hometown: Community news, shared by your neighbors. 16-17A

+ Arts & Life: Everything to know about that chili you’re eating. 1AA

+ Travel: To find relaxation, visit Washington’s San Juan Islands. 15AA

WOMEN OF THE YEAR

Meet the 10 women honored this year by The Enquirer

Editor’s note: This is the first part of a three-part series about the kidnapping of two Americans in the Middle East. To read the entire project and watch a 45-minute documentary film produced by The Enquirer, visit Cincinnati.com and search “Yemen.”

The Hotel: Sanaa, Yemen – 2014

Death to America. Death to Israel.”

The chants reverberate around a 13-acre hotel compound in Sanaa. There is no electricity, but power generators from the U.S. StateDepartmentkeepeverythingrunning. Shell casings litter the ground, and Marines are stationed on the roof.

Mark McAlister walks around a track at the Sheraton hotel, and he hears explosions. This is his first time in Yemen, and he often hears gunfire. Mark is a construction manager from Tennessee, but he now finds himself in the middle of a civil war.

To save an embassy, the State Department pays a private company in Florida up to $250 million to maintain and upgrade this compound. Working for Advanced C4 Solutions, Mark oversees the installation of blast walls. His team places 4-by-8 sheets

See TAKEN, Page8A

ABOVE: Boys hold weapons as Shiite rebels known as Houthis gather to protest against Saudi-led airstrikes during a rally in Sanaa, Yemen, on April 1, 2015. HANI MOHAMMED, AP

LEFT: John Hamen III and Mark McAlister take a photo together in Djibouti before traveling to Yemen for their contract work.

PROVIDED BY THE MCALISTER FAMILY

Turkey time once again

It’s time to haul out the paint, crayons, pens, ink, beads, feathers, glitter, sequins and glue for The Enquirer’s 2022 Dress the Turkey contest. Deadline to enter is 5 p.m. Nov. 11. To download your entry, go online to bit.ly/dresstheturkey

I’m fine and I’m doing well.”

dedication to Ohioans, a unique private funding model, expert leadership, and regional partnerships across the state - that’s our formula for success. Just ask the 250,000 people benefting from the jobs created through JobsOhio. See Ohio’s competitive advantage.

COVID-19 DASHBOARD LATEST SITUATION

CURRENT LEVELS

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention each week updates the community level for each county based on COVID-19 hospitalizations and cases. A high level brings a recommendation to wear masks indoors and on public transit; a medium level brings that recommendation for those with chronic illnesses and weak immune systems; a low level means to proceed normally with caution.

Changes in cases are for the last seven days ending Oct. 12.

OHIO

Hamilton County – low, with substantial transmission and falling cases

Butler County – low, with high transmission and falling cases

Clermont County – low, with substantial transmission and falling cases

Warren County – low, with high trans-

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YOUR FORECAST

Sunday will be warmer with partial sunshine for much of the day. However, big changes arrive late Sunday into Monday that will bring well-below normal temperatures for the region.

Monday will start off with variably cloudy skies, but throughout the day, expect sunshine to gradually increase. Blustery conditions can be expected throughout the day with gusts up to 35 miles per hour.

Widespread frost with threats of killing frost will be in the tri-state for Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday morning.

Tuesday is the coldest day of the week with highs in the 40s, but by the weekend temperatures will be close to 70 in the afternoon.

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

mission and falling cases

KENTUCKY

Boone County – low, with substantial transmission and falling cases Campbell County – low, with moderate transmission and falling cases

Kenton County – low, with substantial transmission and falling cases

LOCAL HOSPITALIZATIONS

The Health Collaborative, the association of the Cincinnati region’s 40 hospitals, tracks the number of COVID-19 patients in their beds, including intensive care. It also tracks how many open beds the system has. Here’s the status as of Oct. 14.

COVID-19 patients: 103, with 17 in ICU

Pct. of medical-surgical beds filled: 96%

Pct. of ICU beds filled: 93%

Want to keep up with the local buzz? Download the Cincinnati.com smartphone app for all the latest news, sports and information you need to stay informed.

TODAY IN HISTORY

Today is Oct. 16. On this date:

1793: During the French Revolution, Marie Antoinette, the queen of France, was beheaded.

1859: Radical abolitionist John Brown led a raid on the U.S. arsenal at Harpers Ferry in what was then a part of western Virginia. (Ten of Brown’s men were killed and five escaped. Brown and six followers were captured; all were executed.)

1968: Americans Tommie Smith and John Carlos sparked controversy at the Mexico City Olympics by giving “Black power” salutes during a victory ceremony after they’d won gold and bronze medals in 200 meters.

1978: the College of Cardinals of the Roman Catholic Church chose Cardinal Karol Wojtyla (voy-TEE’-wah) to be the new pope; he took the name John Paul II.

1984: Anglican Bishop Desmond Tutu was named winner of the Nobel Peace Prize for his decades of nonviolent struggle for racial equality in South Africa.

1997: In the first known case in the United States, a Georgia woman gave birth after being implanted with previously frozen eggs.

lion.

POWERBALL

Saturday’s jackpot was an estimated $454 million.

THE LOCAL BUZZ

Cincinnati is Ohio’s No. 1 city for foodies, new report suggests

A large part of a city’s identity lies within its cuisine, and the Queen City is no exception.

From diverse cultural dishes to hometown favorites, Cincinnatians take great pride in the local culinary scene

Therefore, it is no surprise that our city ranked in the top 25 for Best Foodie Cities in America by the personalfinance website WalletHub

According to the 2022 report, Cincinnati ranked 21st overall out of a list of182 of the largest cities in the nation.

ItwastheonlyoneinOhiotorankin thetop25andthesecondMidwestcity on the list behind Chicago (12). Cincinnati also ranked higher than all other cities in Kentucky and Indiana.

The site determined its rankings by comparing 182 U.S. cities based on multiple factors, including affordability, and diversity, accessibility and quality of food options. The study only considered the “city proper” and excluded surrounding cities and suburbs in the metro area.

Top 25 foodie cities in America, by rank: Portland, Oregon; Orlando, Florida; Miami; San Francisco; Austin, Texas; Sacramento, California; Seattle; Tampa, Florida; Las Vegas; San Diego; Denver; Chicago; Washington, D.C.; Atlanta; Los Angeles; Pittsburgh; Portland, Maine; New York City; Charleston, South Carolina; Oakland, California; Cincinnati; St. Louis; Richmond, Virginia; Milwaukee; and Grand Rapids, Michigan.

For the complete 2022 rankings, visit wallethub.com

– Haadiza Ogwude

Coffee festival returns to Cincinnati Music Hall next weekend

Victoria Moorwood Cincinnati Enquirer

Calling all Queen City coffee lovers: The Cincinnati Coffee Festival returns to Cincinnati Music Hall next weekend.

Described by organizers as “the Midwest’s premier coffee event,” the annual festival is a chance for coffee fans to participate in tastings, shop from local vendors, enjoy live music and demonstrations and more.

This year, the festival runs Oct. 22-23 inside the Cincinnati Music Hall ballroom in Overthe-Rhine.

Proceeds from the festival go toward the Ohio River Foundation.

Purchase tickets, ranging from $16.50 to $35, online at cincinnaticoffeefestival.com/ tickets

Here are five things you can see, do and sip at the festival:

Latte Art Throwdown

The fan-favorite Latte Art Throwdown is scheduled for 2 p.m. on Saturday. The live competition pits barista against barista in a challenge to see who can create the best latte art. Three judges will oversee the bracketstyle competition, and the overall winner will earn the title of Supreme Latte Artist of Greater Cincinnati, plus $250.

Learn more or register to enter the competition atcincinnaticoffeefestival.com/schedule/latteart-throwdown

Learn how to be a master home-brewer

Here’s a lesson you can take with you: learn how to brew a better cup of joe at home. Brewing maintenance, water quality and coffee-towater ratio will all be discussed during this demonstration on Saturday at 10 a.m

The Art of Coffee

New this year, attendees will be invited to create their own coffeethemed canvas art. Materials, including paint markers and actual coffee beans for a 3D effect, will be provided. Add on “Art of Coffee” for $25 when you purchase your admission ticket.

Local Miracle-Ear Centers are looking for qualified people to test their latest product, Miracle-Ear® with GENIUS TM 5.0 Technology for FREE*!

Here's the catch: You must have slight or moderate hearing loss and must have difficulty understanding speech in background noise situations. People who are selected will evaluate Miracle-Ear’s latest advanced digital hearing solution with Miracle-Ear GENIUS 5.0 Technology. You will be able to walk in to our office and try on Miracle-Ears that are customized just for you.

Try coffee-based mocktails

Taste coffee and teabased mocktails from Analog, a bar inside Carabello Coffee in Newport. Carabello Coffee

COO Emily Shinkle and Analog manager Cheyne Schuchardt will host a demonstration and tasting on Sunday at 10:15 a.m

Feast on chocolates, pastries and more

With over 50 vendors, the Cincinnati Coffee Festival has something for everyone. Enjoy hot coffee and cold brew, teas, chocolates, cakes, pastries and more.

Many vendors will offer free tastings and will also have items available for purchase. It’s a good idea to bring cash, as the festival website says some vendors may be cash-only.

Candidates will be asked to evaluate the instruments for 30 days to prove the manufacturer’s claims of up to 25% better speech recognition in challenging listening environments than people with normal hearing** At the end of the 30 days, if you are satisfied with the results and wish to keep the instruments, you may do so at tremendous savings. But this is only for a limited time! You must schedule your appointment before October 22, 2022. Don't wait! MIRACLE-EAR

The Cincinnati Coffee Festival returns to Music Hall Oct. 22-23. ENQUIRER FILE

Terrace Plaza Hotel’s new owner wants an emergency city loan

The Indiana developer who just bought downtown Cincinnati’s Terrace Plaza Hotel is asking the city for a $2.9 million emergency loan to stop the historic building from crumbling.

The list of building code violations there is extensive but one of the most urgent fixes includes securing the 74year-old structure’s brick facade, given the hazard it poses to pedestrian safety. In 2018, a chunk of debris fell off the exterior and struck a car and this summer, a window fell out.

CityleaderstoldTheEnquirerthey’re likely to provide help, noting the new developer didn’t cause any of the problems and that the building, which sits a block off Fountain Square, is in a key spot for downtown’s vibrancy.

The former modernist icon is now considered to have “deteriorated to the point that it is unfit for habitation,” according a spokesperson for city manager Sheryl Long. The city filed a public nuisance claim against the building’s former owner in 2019.

Stabilizing the roof, removing the deteriorating air-handling unit on top of the roof and replacing the building’s standpipe system, which stops fires from breaking out, are also top priorities. Right now, a “fire watch” is place until the public safety systems are operable again. This includes video surveillance and on-site personnel.

Safety concerns partially a city responsibility

The developer, Birkla Investment Group, already installed fencing around theperimeteroftheTerracePlazaHotel, and has blocked off lanes closest to the building on Sixth and Race Streets.

Addressing these safety concerns is partially the responsibility of the city, according to the developer’s representative Doug Moormann, vice president of Development Strategies Group Moorman said that they are working withthebuildingsdepartmentonaplan to quickly tackle a dozen of the structure’s top issues before moving forward with any plans for redevelopment.

That’s why Anthony Birkla, now owner of the 60,000-square-foot building at 15 W. Sixth St., asked the city for an emergency loan request of up to $2.9 million of district Tax Increment Financing (TIF) funds to finance these repairs. In those districts, new money collectedfrompropertytaxesissetasidein a specific fund for economic development projects.

Total repairs could cost $6 million

The total cost of these repairs at the Terrace Plaza Hotel is estimated to be around $6 million which is a number determined by contractor Turner Construction and Birkla’s in-house construction management team. Birkla will pay the remaining costs out of pocket, according to Moormann

This is a partnership that we’ve created between city and developer to help moreimmediatelyaddressandalleviate these problems,” Moormann told The Enquirer. “It’s not anything new to city

Phone records show Wagner family relations were strained in 2016

Patricia Gallagher Newberry Cincinnati Enquirer

WAVERLY, Ohio – Tensions among members of Pike County’s Wagner family were high before and after April 2016, when they allegedly gunned down a neighboringfamilyinabrewingcustody dispute.

11:04 p.m., records show. His phone received or made calls to numbers for his sons, wife, mother, brother and two friends. Between 5:55 p.m. and 10:55 p.m., he made one call to and received five from shooting victim Chris Rhoden Sr.

The former Terrace Plaza Hotel is gearing up for redevelopment. The new owner says the building has to be stabilized for public safety.

staff. We’ve been talking with them for fivetosixyearsaboutwhatneededtobe done immediately versus what needs to be done over time.”

Birkla had been trying to buy the building since 2018 and lobbied against the local preservation community’s efforts to designate Terrace Plaza Hotel as a local landmark. He was successful.

Birkla Investment Group will go before the city’s planning department next week and participate in a community discussion regarding the emergency loan request, after which the department will provide a recommendation to approve or deny funding. A date for the meeting has not been set yet.

Emergency loan request isn’t a common move

The Enquirer obtained an early October letter forwarded to members of the Downtown Residents’ Council in which Moormann explained that the request for TIF district-funded loans requires a public input process. The developer expectsthecounciltotakeuptheissuelater in the month followed by a vote by city council in early November.

The developer is seeking a loan to assist in the financing necessary to stabilize the building and create a safe environment for the public,” wrote Moormann in the letter. “... Our first priority is public safety.”

Filing an emergency loan request with the city isn’t a common move developers have to make, but it has happened in recent years. The Cincinnati CenterCityDevelopmentCorp.received a $2.9 million forgivable loan in 2020 to fund the redevelopment of the former Macy’s store building at 505 Vine Street, now known as the Foundry.

In response to a written request to the city’s buildings and inspections department, the city manager’s office further explained why the city is taking this loan request so seriously:

“The scale, location, and economic impact of this property set it apart from the typical nuisance abatement or stabilization project. Further, the fact that this new owner is not the cause of the current conditions but is seeking to remedy the conditions at the property also is an important factor. It is important to note that at present any City funding will be in the form of a repayable loan, to provide financing for a portion of needed abatement work. In the future, we will be engaging with the developer on redevelopment. At that time, we will be exploring both cash and other financial support for the redevelopment of the property.”

That emerged in court last week, as investigators in Ohio’s largest-ever criminal investigation laid out cell phone use for George “Billy”Wagner, estranged wife Angela Wagner, younger son Edward “Jake” Wagner and, to a more limited extent, older son George WagnerIV.George“Billy”Wagnerisnow facing eight counts of aggravated murder and other charges in connection to the shooting deaths of seven members of the Rhoden family and one future member.

A series of texts between Billy and Angela Wagner, beginning in late 2015, shows the couple’s relationship was frayed but not over, with conversations about living apart, their children and their grandchildren.

At one point, Billy tells Angela “Everything has turned to ---.”

Yes, I agree with you,” she replies. “Can I help you in any way?”

His response: “Bullet to the head would fix me right up.”

Later he says. “I miss you more than you will ever know” and asks her to run away with him. “I can’t leave Bulvine and Sophie,” she responds, referring to their grandchildren.

The Wagners killed the Rhodens, the prosecution maintains, in a plot to win custody of Sophie, the daughter Jake Wagner shared with victim Hanna May Rhoden

Five calls with Chris Rhoden Sr.

On the day before the Rhodens were found dead in four different rural homes on April 22, 2016, Billy Wagner’s phone showed 25 calls between 8:13 a.m. and

Prosecutors earlier told jurors Billy Wagner left his phone at home when he went to Rhoden Sr.’s trailer that night. He then asked Rhoden to call the phone – pretending it would help him find it –as a way to create an alibi.

Billy Wagner’s phone records indicate he was living at his mother’s address in the early part of 2016, given the cell towers that processed first and last calls of each day, according to Dana Forney, a criminal intelligence supervisor with the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation. That stopped when the Rhodens were killed, Forney said.

On the 21st (of April), you see this change,” Forney said, with Billy Wagner’s first and last calls of the day routed through a cell tower near where his wife and sons then lived.

Angela Wagner looked to leave

Angela Wagner’s phone records showed her desire to leave Ohio, with several searches for homes and jobs in Alaska, said Julia Everslage, who also works in criminal intelligence for BCI The family moved there from mid-2017 to mid-2018 while still facing increasing scrutiny in the Rhoden investigation.

Angela Wagner also conducted searches about sexual assault in the belief that Jake’s young daughter was being abused, Eveslage said, once landing on a 2014 Atlantic magazine article titled “Rape Culture in the Alaskan Wilderness.” Wagner also searched Facebook and news sites for information about the Rhoden deaths.

Angela Wagner used “coded language” in texts with Jake Wagner about items we believe were used to build suppressors,” Eveslage said. Suppressors are also known as gun silencers.

SAM GREENE/THE ENQUIRER

How will the Albertsons acquisition affect shoppers?

Alexander Coolidge

Kroger’s plan to acquire supermarket rival Albertsons in a nearly $25 billion deal would create a grocery juggernaut with more than 4,500 stores in 48 states.

On Friday, Kroger CEO Rodney McMullen told The Enquirer what he thought the deal would do for shoppers, workers and Cincinnati. Here are the highlights:

Question: How will the Kroger-Albertsons deal affectshoppersandtheproductsonstoreshelves?

A: “A lot of supply chain savings will really be helping improve freshness of product because we’ll have warehouses closer to the stores and you’ll be able to take a day or two out of the cycle for those fresh products as well. ... When I look at their (Albertsons’ private label) brands, they’ve done a great job. ... Between the two companies, we have an amazing portfolio.”

He said Kroger studied Albertsons’ O Organics house brand when it created its own SimpleTruth label that is now a $3 billion brand. Private label or house brands are expected to be key tools in attracting and retaining customers as more shoppers turn to generic store brands to offset the cost of inflation. Combined, Kroger and Albertsons sell $43 billion in private-label products annually.

Q: How will this deal affect Cincinnati consumers?

A: “I would expect (the impact) to be very limited. The thing that it will allow us to do is obviously bigger scale. We’ll be able to continue to invest in our associates on pay and invest in the customers on pricing. .. I’m sure we’ll learn from each other. We’ll get the benefit of that.”

Q: What does Kroger get from taking over Albertsons?

A: “It does give us national scale and we’ll be able to leverage technology and other things (using that) larger scale. ... (Although) they run smaller stores better than what Kroger does.”

A major part of the deal’s appeal is it is a “complementary” or “bolt-on” acquisition. It mostly expands Kroger into territories where it currently has a thin presence or where Kroger isn’t.

Besides Kroger stores, the Cincinnati-based grocer currently operates several regional supermarket chains in 35 states, including Fred Meyer, Harris Teeter, Ralphs, Mariano’s, Fry’s, Smith’s, King Soopers, QFC and others. The company has nearly 2,800 stores and employs 420,000 workers. The deal would

Kroger CEO Rodney McMullen says that with the Kroger-Albertsons pairing “we have an amazing portfolio.” KAREEM ELGAZZAR/THE ENQUIRER

add the Albertsons, Acme, Safeway, Vons, Jewel-Osco, Shaws and other regional names. It would give Kroger stores in five New England states, New York and Pennsylvania among others.

Q: Will job cuts be part of the $1 billion in cost savings the combined companies are looking for?

A: “We really wouldn’t expect it to be ... we aren’t assuming savings there. ... Over time, we’ve been able to grow, it’s actually gone the other way where we need more people.”

While Kroger expects to cut $1 billion in combined operating expenses, most of that is expected from improved sourcing (buying power) and more efficient manufacturing and distribution. In a complementary acquisition, there tends to be fewer overlapping functions and fewer resulting job cuts. Still, thousands of associates wouldn’t join Kroger because potentially hundreds of stores will be spun off to mollify antitrust concerns of regulators.

Q: Where will you divest stores in Los Angeles, Denver, Seattle?

A: “Both companies have professional advisors helping us on understanding the FTC (antitrust regulator the Federal Trade Commission). ... They really do look at it (market share) 3-mile circle by 3-mile circle ... so we’ll sit down with the FTC and go through it market by market.”

The deal isn’t expected to close until early 2024 following regulatory and antitrust review. To mollify regulators, 100 to 375 Albertsons stores are expected to be spun off into a separate company that would be owned by Albertsons’ shareholders.

Bernie Sanders calls Kroger’s $24.6B merger with Albertsons a ‘disaster’

Victoria Moorwood Cincinnati Enquirer USA TODAY NETWORK

U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders is calling Kroger’s latest move an “absolute disaster” after the Cincinnatibased grocery retailer announced it would take over Albertsons in a $24.6 billion deal.

The combined sales of the two grocery store chains are nearly $210 billion, putting Kroger about $10 billion shy of U.S. food sales at Walmart, the world’s largest grocer.

In a tweet, Sanders called on the White House to reject the merger.

“At a time when food prices are soaring as a result of corporate greed, it would be an absolute disaster to allow Kroger, the 2nd largest grocery store in America, to merge with Albertsons, the 4th largest grocery store in America,” the Vermont progressive wrote. “The Biden Administration must reject this deal.”

U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren reacted to the then-rumored merger in an interview with MSNBC on Thursday. The Massachusetts Democrat said the U.S. has failed to utilize antitrust laws for decades.

“For example, with grocery stores, remember how many grocery stores there used to be? And now what you have is a handful of giant chains,” Warren said.

The senator said Kroger earned almost $900 million in the third quarter of 2021, more than three times the amount it made in the same time period in 2019.

“That’s because they have a lot of market dominance,” she said. “If we move in on antitrust law, break up these giant corporations, then we get real competition and then we get markets that are truly competitive.”

Kroger and Albertsons are expected to divest 100 to 375 stores to pacify antitrust concerns, leaving Kroger to operate more than 4,500 stores nationwide. Albertsons investors will own a separate company that includes the divested stores.

Both stores currently employ a combined 710,000 associates and operate 4,996 stores, 66 distribution centers, 52 manufacturing plants, 3,972 pharmacies and 2,015 fuel centers in 48 states and Washington D.C

The Christ Hospital Heart & Vascular Institute Launches Heart Transplant and Artifcial Heart Programs

The Christ Hospital Heart & Vascular Institute, a national force in leading-edge technologies and a global leader in clinical cardiovascular research, is taking a signifcant step forward in heart failure patient care services by launching its long-anticipated heart transplant and artifcial heart programs.

“We are delighted to announce the establishment of The Christ Hospital Heart Transplant Center, which is a logical and much needed extension of our current, leading-edge heart failure therapies,” said Dean Kereiakes, MD, FACC, MSCAI, President of The Heart & Vascular Institute, and Medical Director of The Christ Hospital Research Institute. “The Christ Hospital Heart Transplant Center and the Harold C. Schott Foundation Mechanical Cardiac Support Program will provide additional resources not previously available in our region.”

Heart disease remains the leading cause of death in the United States. Of that, an estimated 6.5 million Americans live with heart failure and an additional 1 million are diagnosed with heart failure every year. Annually, about 8,000 Americans need a new heart to survive, but with the limited supply of donor hearts, only an estimated 3,500 transplants are performed. At least half of all patients remaining on a transplant list die within several years of diagnosis. In Northern Kentucky, Southeastern Indiana and Southwestern Ohio, the statistics are even more grim.

The region is grossly underserved for this resource and the gap is widening between people who need a heart and the number of available donor hearts. Ohio

is in the bottom 40% of states for transplanting patients within a year of getting on a transplant list—and compared to states of similar size, it’s at the bottom.

“The Christ Hospital Heart Transplant Program will provide additional opportunities for local and regional heart failure patients who are in need of this life-sav-

pital Heart Transplant Program,” said Dr. Kereiakes. “Dr. Bhat has successfully established several nationally recognized heart transplant programs and is a well-respected transplant cardiologist. We are also extremely fortunate to have recruited Robert D. Dowling, PhD, MD, as Surgical Director, The Christ Hospital Heart Transplant Program, and The Chris and Trey Heekin Family Endowed Chair in Cardiac Transplantation. Dr. Dowling has more than 25 years of experience performing open-heart procedures and has extensive expertise in heart transplantation.”

to do so long after any of us are still practicing.”

In concert with the heart transplant program, the Harold C. Schott Foundation program is now established for developing artifcial hearts and other mechanical cardiac support devices. This program enables the hospital to offer therapeutic options not available anywhere

of exceptional services and dedicated and credentialed heart failure physicians, nurse practitioners, nurses, pharmacists, and dietitians.

“In 1985, I was inspired by the vision of Carl H. Lindner Jr., a philanthropist who helped our organization fourish, and a good friend, who asked me, “Why should I have to go to Houston, Cleveland, Boston, or anywhere else to get the best heart care?”

My answer then and now is the same. “You don’t, Carl, we’ll bring it here.”

is a natural evolution for us. We have taken care of the sickest and most complex heart failure patients for years. Now we can offer either heart transplantation or LVADs for patients with end stage heart failure that have no other options.”

The heart transplant program launch continues to validate The Christ Hospital as a

Nationally Renowned Cardiac Transplant Physicians Join The Christ Hospital Heart & Vascular Institute to Launch Heart Transplant Program & Groundbreaking Transplant Research

The Christ Hospital Heart & Vascular Institute launched its long-anticipated regional heart transplant and artifcial heart programs after receiving an afrmative accreditation response from UNOS, the United Network for Organ Sharing.

To establish the program, The Christ Hospital recruited two exceptional, highly experienced cardiac transplant specialists.

ing procedure,” said Debbie Hayes, President and CEO of The Christ Hospital Health Network. “This expansion of our nationally renowned heart failure services is a key part of our strategy to improve the health of our community by providing everything it takes for patients and their families to receive exceptional care right here in Cincinnati.”

Dr. Bhat enthusiastically afrms that the hospital is well positioned to launch a heart transplant program. “There is absolutely no question the pieces are in place to build a successful heart transplant program,” she said.

“You need highly successful heart failure and advanced heart failure programs, as well as mechanical circulatory support device services. These are clearly well-established here— including complex surgeries, ablation procedures, and mechanical left ventricular assist device (LVAD) support.

Heart transplantation is the obvious and logical next step to complete the picture and ensure that regional heart failure patients have the best care with a full spectrum of services.”

Dr. Dowling agrees and adds that this will beneft local heart failure patients immediately.

else and will place The Christ Hospital and The Lindner Research Center at the national forefront for heart replacement.

To efectively establish this regional heart transplant program, The Christ Hospital has recruited two exceptional, highly renowned heart transplant specialists with experience launching nationally successful transplant programs.

“We are thrilled to welcome Geetha Bhat, PhD, MD, FACC, FAST, FHFSA, as Medical Director, The Christ Hos-

“Patients from this area often travel to other cities for a heart transplant and that’s an extremely difcult obstacle for them,” he said.

“The Christ Hospital has the right combination of heart failure programs, a perfect research environment and specialized heart failure surgeons and cardiologists. What we are delivering here will help many people in the region and will continue

“The Christ Hospital has the right combination of heart failure programs, a perfect research environment and specialized heart failure surgeons and cardiologists.”

“We are incredibly grateful for the support of our heart failure, transplant, and artifcial heart programs provided by The Margo and Frank Homan Family Foundation, The Chris and Trey Heekin Family, and The Harold C. Schott Foundation,” said Dr. Kereiakes. “Without this support, we would not be able to ofer these valuable, lifesaving resources to our community.”

Dr. Kereiakes added that efective heart failure treatment programs are built like pyramids, from the base up, with a foundation

That led to a decision, in 1995, when Dr. Kereiakes merged fve separate groups of leading cardiologists in Cincinnati with the goal of providing innovative heart care to the region. Access to leading-edge technology then became available through The Carl and Edyth Lindner Center for Research and Education at The Christ Hospital.

In 2005, the Lindner Heart Failure Treatment Center was launched at The Christ Hospital. This unique 28-bed unit, dedicated to the care of heart failure patients, is stafed by a team of credentialed cardiologists, nurses, pharmacists, dieticians, and staf members who specialize in the treatment of heart failure. Six years later, the hospital launched its LVAD Program for advanced heart failure patients. This lifesaving device is a surgically implanted mechanical pump to assist the heart in circulating blood to the body.

Greg Egnaczyk, MD, PhD, FACC, is the Medical Director of the Advanced Heart Failure and Left Ventricular Assist Device (LVAD) Program at The Christ Hospital and the Margo and Frank Homan Family Foundation Endowed Chair in Heart Failure. “Expanding our therapies to include heart transplantation

national destination for specialty heart and vascular care, clinical research, and innovative treatments—and now heart transplantation. It further reinforces the excellence of its exceptional cardiac programs and the physicians and staf dedicated to providing the highest quality heart care for heart failure patients in the Tristate region.

“Expanding our therapies to include heart transplantation is a natural evolution for us. We have taken care of the sickest and most complex heart failure patients for years.”

If you or someone you love has questions about heart failure or wants to schedule a second opinion cardiology appointment, please visit our website at TheChristHospital. com/Heart-Transplant or call 513-995-7882 for an appointment at a local ofce near you.

Geetha Bhat, PhD, MD, FACC, FAST, FHFSA, is Medical Director, The Christ Hospital Heart Transplant Program and Robert D. Dowling, PhD, MD, is Surgical Director, The Christ Hospital Heart Transplant Program, and The Chris and Trey Heekin Family Endowed Chair in Cardiac Transplantation.

Dr. Bhat, an expert in mechanical cardiac support, with vast heart transplantation experience, has established several nationally recognized and highly successful heart transplant programs. Most recently, she facilitated all aspects of the Advanced Heart Failure and Cardiac Transplant Program at Penn State Heart and Vascular Institute, where she was also a professor of medicine.

Dr. Dowling, a professor of surgery with a successful track record of over 6,000 open-heart operations, specializes in cardiac transplantation and mechanical cardiac support. A pioneering innovator, Dr. Dowling’s interests extend to mechanical and biomechanical designs. He has been a central fgure for innovation and development of these technologies and continues to research cardiac assist devices for severe heart failure.

“I enjoy innovating heart surgery and advancing the feld,” he said. “If some of these heart pump innovations I’m working on live up to their promise, they may improve the outcomes for patients locally, regionally, nationally, and even internationally. Existing heart failure devices are light-years from where we started, but there are remarkable breakthroughs on the horizon that will make a huge difference in terms of a patient’s quality of life.”

Dr. Kereiakes is thrilled to have these exceptional physicians join the institute and direct the expansion. “Heart failure patients will no longer have to travel beyond the region or to other states for heart transplant procedures and advanced services,” he said. “Compared with other states our size, we are at the bottom with respect to adequacy of heart transplant services. Southwestern Ohio and the Tristate region are grossly underserved, and I believe we have a moral obligation to develop a topnotch program right here.”

Both Drs. Bhat and Dowling look forward to establishing this program and agree there is absolutely no question that, at The Christ Hospital, the pieces are there, the foundation is in place, and the Tristate will have exceptional heart transplant services.

“We are embarking on a journey that Dr. Dowling and I have successfully accomplished together in the past,” said Dr. Bhat. “In this instance, we are fortunate to be working with Dr. Kereiakes—an incredible pioneer I’ve known for many decades— and the extraordinary team of cardiothoracic surgeons and heart failure specialists at The Christ Hospital.”

“There is absolutely no question the pieces are in place to build a successful heart transplant program.”

Robert D. Dowling, PhD, MD, as Surgical Director, The Christ Hospital Heart Transplant Program, and The Chris and Trey Heekin Family Endowed Chair in Cardiac Transplantation

Greg Egnaczyk, MD, PhD, FACC, is the Medical Director of the Advanced Heart Failure and Left Ventricular Assist Device (LVAD) Program at The Christ Hospital and the Margo and Frank Homan Family Foundation Endowed Chair in Heart Failure.

Taken

Continued from Page 1A

of clear PVC in front of hotel windows. It won’t stop a rocket, but it will stop shrapnel and keep glass from shattering into rooms.

When a violent militia called the Houthis invade the country’s capital, Mark and his colleagues are forced to evacuate. Six weeks later, they return.

Yemen, or at least this part of it, is in turmoil. But they have a contract.

In February of 2015, Mark is evacuated for the second time. An embassy vehicle is pummeled with gunfire outside the compound, and the contract is suspended. The U.S. government withdraws all military and diplomatic personnel from this Middle Eastern country.

The embassy closes, and the Marines never return.

America is not at war with the Houthis, but after a political uprising, leaders in Iran spend hundreds of thousands of dollars to arm this rebel group from the mountains of northern Yemen. To oust the country’s U.S.-backed government and aid a bloody conflict

with Saudi Arabia, Iran officials train the Houthis to kidnap. They train them to torture.

They train them to kill.

And once the Houthis overthrow the Yemeni government, that’s exactly what they do. In 2015, they detain hundreds of innocent people. Six of them are American. These people are not soldiers. They are journalists, construction managers and teachers.

This is a story about two of them, and it starts when Mark returns to Yemen for the third time.

The Airport: Sanaa, Yemen – Oct. 20, 2015

Mark McAlister steps off the plane at an airport with only one runway. He walks across its tarmac and sees a familiar face. His hotel manager from the Sheraton is shouting his name.

Mark waves, even though he is sick from water he drank the night before. A few minutes later, Mark gives his passport to an airport official and is told to sit down. United Nations personnel from his flight continue past him.

More than 30 minutes pass while the man with Mark’s passport talks on the phone. Mark watches a white van pull up outside. He looks around and doesn’t see his hotel manager anymore. He doesn’t see the U.N. security team he thought would escort him to the hotel. By the time the Houthis climb out of that van wearing masks and carrying assault rifles, the airport is empty. Mark can only see their eyes. Green and red patches on their sleeves say “Death to America” in Arabic.

It’s sometime after 4 p.m., and it will get dark soon.

Continued on next page

Houthis inspect amid a house destroyed by Saudi-led airstrikes in Sanaa, Yemen, on Oct. 28, 2015. HANI MOHAMMED, AP

Map of Yemen and surrounding countries. THE ENQUIRER

Turn around,” a man shouts in English. Mark asks why, and the Houthis raise their guns.

Mark is blindfolded, hands bound with a scarf. His colleague resists. John Hamen III is a former Bronze Star sergeant with too many awards to fit into one box on his discharge papers. His job here is security, and his first instinct is to escape.

A father to seven children, he eventually relents.

The Houthis shove the Americans into their van. Inside, the doors are lined with barbed wire. Mark hears his partner whisper. John has wriggled his hands free, but Mark can barely hold his head up.

The Houthis drive for 20 minutes, and Mark counts each second. One of the men talks to him, but Mark is no longer listening. His world is spinning. When the van stops, the Houthis throw Mark and John onto the ground.

They lead them into a dark room, and the interrogation begins.

The Struggle: Greenfield, Tennessee – August 2021

Pictures from Mark’s failed marriage hang on the walls, and Fox News plays in the background. Coverage of America’s withdrawal from Afghanistan fills his television. Mark is looking for his cellphone when he turns to the TV. The capital of Afghanistan is in disarray.

As a project manager, Mark helped construct buildings like the ones now turned to rubble on the news. He started working overseas in 2005. His son was in middle school, and one of his daughters had just started college. His wife was a hair stylist, and their family largely lived paycheck to paycheck.

Mark almost always had two jobs –including digging graves. It’s why he took a dangerous position and left Tennessee for Iraq, a day before his son’s 11th birthday. In Mark’s small hometown – population 2,078 – everyone seems to know him. And most go to his church. When no one knew whether he was dead or alive, there were prayer vigils. At church and at the school’s

gymnasium. There were stories on the local news.

Tonight, Mark brings up Yemen without being asked. Because no one asks anymore. In his living room, almost six years after his capture, he cries. He tries to collect himself, but he can’t stop.“People don’t realize how good they have it,” he says. Mark can barely speak now.“Life is a struggle.”

The Prison: Yemen – Oct. 20, 2015

Mark leans into John’s back, hands and wrists turning purple from the handcuffs. He might throw up.

The Houthis remove their blindfolds, ordering the Americans to squat against the wall. They leave to retrieve confiscated computers and phones.

Mark sees two windows covered by curtains. He doesn’t see the metal bars behind them. He talks to John about es-

caping, and the guards return. The Houthis ask Mark and John for passwords. They ask for names. They ask who they work for.

They threaten them with Tasers. They call them spies.

The Houthis take necklaces, shoes and watches. Looking for anything sharp, they take Mark’s glasses because they don’t want him to kill himself. They take John’s wedding ring.

Mark is thrown into a chair and John is carried to another room. Again, they ask Mark his name. They ask what he is doing in this country. He tells them he’s a quality control manager. He tells them he works at the Sheraton hotel on a contract to oversee renovations for the U.S. embassy.

“You’re CIA,” they say.

Mark can’t hear much from John’s room, except yelling. This continues until at least 3 a.m

In the hallway, Mark holds up a piece of paper with writing on it he doesn’t understand. The guards take his picture. The Houthis open a large door, Continued on next page

Sanaa International Airport in Yemen from June 2009. AP FILE

Houthis display their weapons during a gathering aimed at mobilizing more fighters for their movement in Sanaa on Feb. 20, 2020. HANI MOHAMMED, AP

laughing while pointing a rifle at Mark. They lock him into a 12-foot by 9.5-foot cell.

Mark is alone.

It is cold and damp, and there are no windows. A dim bulb in the hallway shines through a slit in the door. It only lights up the top half of the cell. When the Houthis turn off the light, Mark can no longer see the hand in front of his face.

He prays for God to stop his heart.

The Bible: Greenfield, Tennessee –August 2021

Mark answers the door fully dressed: brown pants, pink Polo shirt and boots. It’s Sunday morning, and he wakes up at 4 a.m. He tries to go back to sleep but gets out of bed an hour later.

Mark often thinks about his time in Yemen as a movie. Maybe it’s easier that way. After the flashbangs of violence depicting his kidnapping, Mark’s Hollywood film would probably start here in Tennessee.

He is sitting by the pool in his backyard, and no one else is awake.

Mark looks down the rolling hills of his property. The sky is foggy, and he reads his Bible. The very same Bible he slept with in prison. Without glasses, he couldn’t read it. But he held the book close to his heart and placed it near his head when he slept.

Today, the 63-year-old sits under a patio awning he imagined in prison. He looks at the same picture of his ex-wife an interrogator once gave him. His grass is brown and his tree limbs are overgrown. Flowers wilt by the pool. Mark’s home never looked like this before Yemen. But Mark has changed, in some ways he acknowledges and some he doesn’t. As the sun rises, he closes his Bible.

It’s time for church.

The Cell: Yemen – October 2015

The cell smells like urine.

Mark’s toilet is a hole in the floor, rattling from bombs outside. There is PVC pipe in the wall, near the ceiling above the hole in the floor. At times, the pipe allows a small circle of light into this dark hell. Mark watches it grow throughout the day. He imagines the light forming a cross, and he prays.

A small slat in the door swings open three times a day for food, mostly bread and beans. Mark refuses to eat until he sees John. In cell No. 5, Mark hears water pouring into a bucket across the hall. He wonders if the guards plan to waterboard him.

He doesn’t want to be a YouTube video.

Mark sits on an orange Igloo cooler, pressing his face into a half-inch gap in the door. He tries to breathe fresh air from the hallway, and he sits there for hours. Then, he paces from one corner of the cell to the other. Every eight-anda-half steps, he touches a cross carved into the wall.

He sings “Amazing Grace.”

The Houthis give him a 2-inch mattress and a thin quilt, but he doesn’t sleep much. When he hears the screech of unlocking doors and sees weapons aimed at him, he knows it’s time for another interrogation. The Houthis handcuff him, drape a towel over his face and shove him into another room.

They interrogate him every day, sometimes three times a day. They call him a spy and ask the same questions over and over. They ask why America is destroying their country.

Mark coughs up blood, and he asks to see John.

Back in his cell, he uses his belt buckle to carve a single line into the wall. He starts near the floor. The next day, he scratches another line. This is how he keeps track of the days. One. Two. Three. Four. Five. Six. Seven. Eight. Nine. Ten. Eleven. Twelve. Thirteen. Fourteen. Fifteen. Sixteen. Seventeen. Eighteen. Nineteen. Twenty. Twenty one.

On the 22nd day, he gets a cellmate.

SCAN ME

The Church: Greenfield, Tennessee – August 2021

On 95.1FM, radio hosts talk about depression and suicide.

Mark is driving the church bus today.

First, he picks up a man in a wheelchair who tells him about a car crash near his home. Then, he picks up a woman who is angry she cannot drive herself. Finally, Mark stops to pick up a woman whose dead husband was once the only doctor in Greenfield.

She helped deliver Mark.

Growingup,Markrodethechurchbus with his dad, who also took turns driving. Today, Mark drives past a sign for Greenfield, Tennessee, where the slogan is: “You don’t get lost in the shuffle.”

At church, Mark rarely sits. He collects donations and changes attendance numbers on a board outside the chapel. He used to be a deacon. Now, he is the

Sunday school director. At one time, his ex-wife taught classes here.

She doesn’t attend anymore.

During the service, Mark sits in a pew toward the back. He wants to see everything.Andhedoesn’twanttobetakenby surprise. Next to him are his son, his son’s fiancé and his own girlfriend, who takes notes and wears a pink polka-dot dress to match Mark’s shirt. Afterward, his son visits his fiancé’s family. Mark hasn’t met them yet. They invite him to dinner, but he declines.

He doesn’t want to miss evening service.

The Doctor: Yemen – 2015

Guards jostle the doctor awake at 2 a.m

“Do you speak English?”

It’s been three months since the Houthis abducted Dr. Abdulkader Al-

Guneid from his home, just days after his 66thbirthday.Thefactthathewasadoctor and the mayor of Yemen’s third-largest city did not matter. It’s November now, and the guards lead him to a new cell.Inside,Markisconfused.Thedoctor speaks slowly.

“I’m Abdulkader, from Taiz,” he says. I’m your new companion.”

“I’m Mark from Tennessee.”

Abdulkader encourages his cellmate to eat, and he gives Mark fruit he’s hidden from guards. Mark takes three pieces.

Abdulkader is an activist in a city sixand-a-half hours away. He’s being jailed for tweets he sent about the Houthis, a group he explains to Mark like this: In America, he says, it would be like the Ku Klux Klan ruling the country because of support from a foreign nation.

In Yemen, he tells Mark, the Houthis’ rise to power has led to years of war and years of death. His people feel hopeless.

The doctor tells Mark his city doesn’t have access to vegetables, and the Houthis urinate in their water tanks. He tells Mark it’s dark in here because a prisoner tried to hang himself by electrical wiring from the lights.

The guards took the lights out.

Mark tells the doctor about attending church three times a week and about teachingBiblestudy.Hetellshimhelikes honeyinhiscoffee.Hetellshimabouthis wife and grandchildren, the youngest born a day after he left for Yemen.

Later, the Houthis handcuff Mark and Abdulkader together, barefoot with towels over their heads. In the hallway, they’re instructed not to speak. For the firsttimeinthreeweeks,Markstepsoutside. He can barely see. It takes almost 30 minutes for his eyes to adjust. When they do, he looks down. His arms are wrinkled, his muscle gone. He pulls his skin down in flaps.

He’s lost 30 pounds.

Mark sees his prison, built on the side of a mountain. He sees blue sky, the bluest he’s ever seen. He doesn’t see John. After an hour, Mark returns to his cell. He and the doctor work out together, and Mark gets stronger. His beard grows long and ragged, but he begins to eat. The guards give Mark fish, and he shares it with Abdulkader

Before they eat, they pray.

Mark learns to tell time by the prisoners’ prayers. And he often drums on the wall with his hands. He drums a beat he believes John will recognize. When he hears a response, he knows John is alive.

But Mark grows depressed. Prison is breaking him. His family doesn’t know if he’s alive, and he worries he’ll miss his son’s college graduation at home. He worries he’ll die in here. He is

Continued on next page

Mark McAlister drives the church bus to pick up congregation members before the Sunday service on Aug. 15, 2021, in Greenfield, Tenn. MEG VOGEL/ THE ENQUIRER

A photo of Mark McAlister and his ex-wife Crystal is tucked inside McAlister’s Bible on Aug. 15, 2021. This is the same Bible he had in his prison cell in Yemen. A guard found the photo and printed it out for McAlister. MEG VOGEL/ THE ENQUIRER

To read the full story and see the accompanying documentary, scan the links below with your smartphone or visit Cincinnati.com and search “Yemen.”

walking back and forth across the cell when the shouting begins.

I gotta get out of here. I gotta get out of here. I gotta get out of here.

Mark is angry, and his shouts turn to screams. He spits. He threatens the guards and screams at the doctor. He shouts for fresh air, for sun. I gotta get out of here. I gotta get out of here. I gotta get out of here.

Mark climbs up the cell door, grabbing the bars and shaking them. Mark is rage. Mark is fury. He can’t breathe, and he doesn’t feel anything. He pounds his fists into the door and yells until his hands are cut and his arms are bloodied.

After a few minutes, it’s over. The guards threaten him with batons, and he asks the doctor for forgiveness. Then, it happens again. And again. Mark climbs the walls three or four times a week.

The doctor is scared.

The Flight: Memphis, TennesseeOctober 2015

When Crystal McAlister drops her husband off at the airport, she doesn’t say much. It’s the third time she’s taken him here for his job in Yemen. Mark says now if Crystal would’ve asked him to stay, he would have.

But she doesn’t. She doesn’t have any words left.

She’s already told him it’s not safe. She told him Advanced C4 Solutions, the company hired by the State Department for work in Yemen, would not send him back. When they do, Mark asks his employer if it’s safe. They tell him U.N. personnel will escort him from the airport to the hotel.

And he signs a form acknowledging there will be no military protection.

Mark and Crystal had been arguing about money. Even after a decade of working overseas, Crystal doesn’t think Mark leaves her enough to live comfortably. The day before Mark’s last flight, they talk about divorce.

At the airport in Memphis, Crystal says goodbye and little else. She usually watchesMarkwalkthroughsecurity.Today, she doesn’t get out of the car.

When Mark lands in northern Africa, his last stop before Yemen, Crystal ignores his calls. A few days later, she receives a phone call from Mark’s company. They ask for documentation of her husband’s work history, school and training. They don’t explain why.

The next day, the call is more urgent.

“Ms. McAlister,” an employee says, “it is extremely important that you get me these things now.”

When Crystal asks where her husband is, there is a pause.

No one knows.

Obsessed with finding Mark, Crystal stays up late searching for information about Yemen prisons. She forgets to pay bills, and she closes her beauty salon. She forces herself to adjust to a Middle Eastern time zone, eight hours ahead of Tennessee. She sends messages to peo-

Coming tomorrow

ple in Yemen through Facebook. She speaks to another American captured and released before Mark. She writes a letterforherhusband,givingittoaworker traveling to Yemen for the Red Cross.

Mark never gets it.

Crystal stays awake as many as three days at a time. To sleep, she drinks wine. She stops leaving her home, and her daughter stops trusting her to watch her grandchild. Nothing seems important, except finding Mark. That’s why she always keeps her phone with her.

Even if it never seems to ring.

The Call: Yemen – March 2016

Crystalisinbedwhenherphonerings.

It’s 7:30 a.m. The State Department tells her Mark will call, but they’ve told her this before. She falls asleep. When another call wakes her up, Crystal doesn’t recognize the number: 00000.

Hello,” she says.

“Crystal,” Mark says. “I’m fine and I’m doing well.”

She sobs, but Mark remains calm. He tells her to gather herself. He tells her he misses her, and he asks how everyone is doing. She tells him about their new granddaughter, and she tells him about all the people praying for him.

Mark doesn’t tell her his shirt has holes in it. He doesn’t tell her he hears screams every day. He doesn’t tell her it’s so cold he shakes when he tries to sleep. He tells her his captors are listening, and he tells her she sounds good. After 15 minutes, the call ends.

Back in his cell, Mark carves another line on the wall to signify the passing of another day. It’s been five months and10 days. The notches almost reach his shoulders now.

A few weeks later, the guards blindfold Mark and lead him down a hallway

in the middle of the night. It’s the same way he’s been taken countless times before. This time, the guards turn another direction.

Mark steps outside, and it’s raining. He doesn’t know if he’s being led to his execution, but he knows the rain feels good. In another building, he’s taken to a new cell. This one is smaller. There’s carpet on the floor, fresh paint on the walls and sunlight shining through a missing brick. The interrogations stop.

Eventually, the guards tell him to shave. They bring his suitcase, along with a new shirt and underwear. He changes clothes for the first time in 182 days.

“Mr. Mark,” a guard says. “You’re going home.”

The words don’t seem to sink in. Mark looks up, graying hair in his eyes.

“What about John?”

The Scrapbook: Greenfield, Tennessee – August 2021

On their patio table by the pool, Crystal moves an ashtray full of cigarettes to make room for a scrapbook. Inside are pictures from Iraq, Mark’s first job overseas. He would later work in Afghanistan, where he remembers talking to a man who spent more than seven years there. Mark asked how he could miss so much time with family. Then, Mark told the man he could never do that.

Mark worked overseas for 10 years.

In many ways, he was addicted. The work was exciting. Dangerous. Foreign. Fun. And it paid well: $166,731 a year for his Yemen contract.

While looking through the scrapbook, Crystal flinches at a photo on Mark’s phone.It’sapictureofhisprison,theone she spent months of sleepless nights searching for. She asks him to send it to

her, and Mark leaves to feed his cows.

Crystal was 17 when she started dating Mark. She kept it secret because her mom forbade it. But Mark was persistent. They married in1988 and had three kids together.

Crystal agrees to answer questions, even if she doesn’t always say much. She moved out shortly after Mark was released from prison. She returned, but their marriage was already over. They just didn’t know it yet.

For years, Mark kissed her every morning before leaving for work. Today, he doesn’t even say goodbye. She lives upstairs, and he lives downstairs. Both havebeendiagnosedwithpost-traumatic stress disorder.

“I think I tore the family apart,” Crystal says.

Shelooksoffintothedistance,puffing acigarettewhile“DustintheWind”plays on the radio.

“That’s what life is,” she says.

She turns the radio off.

The Border: Yemen – April 29, 2016

Mark has never seen so many guns in his life. In a Houthi stronghold, everyone from 7 years old to 70 holds an assault rifle. They all stare at him. He’s made it out of prison, but he doesn’t think he’s going home.

The Houthis show Mark a bombed mosque. They show him a school and a home. Another mosque, another school. All bombed. Mark counts 21 bridges destroyed to keep the Houthis from advancing.

One of the soldiers, through an interpreter, tells Mark they will never give up.

We will die fighting,” he says.

Mark sits in the middle seat of a Toyota 4Runner, knees tucked underneath him. They drive for at least nine hours. When they reach the yellow barricades of Saudi Arabia, a chain-link fence divides the countries. Soldiers stand on each side.

After 20 minutes, a window rolls down. Outside, a man holds up an iPhone and pushes a button.

“Mr. McAlister, I work for the diplomatic security embassy here in Saudi Arabia. I want you to listen to this man and follow this man across the border. You do everything he says.”

Mark nods, and the rest is a blur. The man grabs his hand. They walk about 40 yards. In what seems like an instant, Mark looks back and the Houthis are gone.

SaudiArabianofficialsrunametaldetector across his arms, legs and chest. They drive to the hospital, escorted by dozens of vehicles, where Mark undergoes a full-body scan and two examinations.

At a restaurant near the border two hours later, Mark is greeted by FBI agents. They’re the first Americans he’s seen in six months and11days. He finally feels free.

Welcome back,” they say. Then, they tell him: “John has been murdered.”

A photo from Mark McAlister’s first trip to Iraq in 2005 working as a private defense contractor. PHOTOS BY MEG VOGEL/THE ENQUIRER

A photo from Mark McAlister’s first trip to Iraq in 2005 working as a private defense contractor.

Families back home struggle with uncertainty, loss

Butler County auditor, indicted for corruption, gets GOP endorsement

fiscal officer, they would have suspended me. I am continuing to ask the voters to not rush to judgment, be patient, and allow me due process,” Reynolds said in his statement.

Butler County Auditor Roger Reynolds faces six public corruption charges. He’s being sued for civil conspiracy. The local sheriff, a fellow Republican, has called for Reynolds to resign.

Yet Reynolds is running for reelection this November.

And he stands a good chance of winning.

Reynolds ran unopposed in the Republican primary election in May and won. He is endorsed by the Butler County Republican Party and will face Democratic candidate and Oxford Township resident Mike Dalesandro in the November election.

Republicans dominate in Butler County, where former president Donald Trump won 61% to 37% in 2020. No Democrats represent Butler County on its county commission, in Columbus, or in Washington.

Reynolds said the charges are false and politically motivated in a statement he sent to The Enquirer.

Ohio county auditors handle county funds and records, including property appraisals and tax assessments. Auditor salaries are based on their county’s population. Reynolds’ salary was $106,498 in 2021.

Anne Whitesell, an assistant professor of political science at Miami University, said she believes Reynolds has a good chance of being reelected, despite the indictments.

“I think, for people who are not doing in-depth research on the candidate, those who are already inclined to vote Republican are going to just vote for him and that kind of suggests that he stands a decent chance of winning reelection,” said Whitesell

The Democrat running against Reynolds said he hopes county residents recognize the need for change, not just in the person in the party controlling the office.

“It just was really bothersome that we had someone in the office that had this cloud hanging over the office,”Dalesandro told The Enquirer. “It’s really, really hard for me to see how anybody –whether it’s Roger or anybody else in the Republican Party in Butler County – can sit there and be like, yeah, we’re going to be able to clean this up.”

Public corruption charges originally filed in February

A Butler County grand jury indicted Reynolds on five charges in February. A sixth charge was added in July. Reynolds now faces:

h One count of bribery, a third-degree felony.

h Three counts of unlawful interest in a public contract, a fourth-degree felony.

h One count of unlawful use of authority, a first-degree misdemeanor.

h One count of conflict of interest, a first-degree misdemeanor.

Reynolds has pleaded not guilty to all six charges.

A special commission appointed by the Ohio Supreme Court found in March that Reynolds’ alleged actions are not “sufficiently related to the performance and duties of his office” and decided against suspending him.

“If those judges saw evidence that I was not fit to serve as the county’s top

Reynolds said he’s running again to continue his pledge to “reduce the size of government, return tax dollars back to the citizens and maintain trust and accountability in the office.”

Trial delayed until after Election Day

Reynolds’ jury trial was initially scheduled to start on Aug. 15. The trial was rescheduled for Dec. 12, after the prosecution requested more time since prosecutor Brad Tammaro with the Ohio Attorney General’s Office was involved in a different trial in Lucas County.

Reynolds could face seven years and six months in prison if he’s found guilty of all six charges, according to Butler County Sheriff Richard Jones.

If Reynolds is convicted, he would not be able to serve as auditor. Convicted felons cannot hold an office of honor, trust or profit, under Ohio law.

The Butler County Sheriff’s Office began investigating Reynolds in August after reporting from Enquirer media partner Fox19 and complaints from West Chester resident Gerald Parks.

Jones said he believed Reynolds “should resign immediately” after the initial charges were filed in February.

“I think this particularly bothersome part is not just that like he has these allegations against him, but they are directly related to his position,” said Whitesell, who is also the associate director of the Menard Family Center for Democracy which supports community programs and research to promote civic health.

She said she thinks that makes the indictments more relevant for the election.

“Presumably if he has done these things, then you don’t want someone in the job who has done those things,” she said.

Lawsuit over Liberty Township property

Parks filed a lawsuit in September 2021 in which he accused Reynolds of using his position as auditor to increase taxes on Parks’ property and prevent its development.

In the lawsuit, Parks said he’s lived next to Reynolds’ parents on Hamilton Mason Road for over 50 years.

Parks, 88, said he was caring for his wife Helen who had cancer in October 2015, when Reynolds approached him. Reynolds allegedly said he was aware of Parks’ financial situation after Helen’s cancer and offered to buy Parks’property on Hamilton Mason Road.

Parks said Reynolds’ offer was below market value and that he told Reynolds he wasn’t interested in selling. Reynolds then allegedly gave Parks an ultimatum to either sell the property to him or Reynolds would ensure that any proposed developments on the property would never get through planning or zoning.

Parks said Reynolds then denied his application for lower taxes based on the land’s agricultural use without any notice and publicly opposed a senior living development proposed for the property.

Parks said Reynolds chased off three developers interested in the site by speaking at local government meetings.

Reynolds said he was concerned about potential development on the

Roger Reynolds, Butler County auditor, was arraigned in February in Butler County Common Pleas Court. Reynolds faces six charges related to public corruption. He pleaded not guilty.

Erin Glynn Cincinnati Enquirer

If approved, where tax money will go for mental health

In the past 15 years, the property tax for the mental health levy hasn’t increased but the demand for mental health services has, counselors, patients and mental health professionals all agree.

This November, Hamilton County voters will be asked whether they are willing to pay more on their property taxes for mental health services.

Issue 9, if approved by voters, would raise the mental health property tax rate 32% and would be the first increase since 2007.

Here’s what you need to know about Issue 9:.

Question: How much are you being asked to pay?

A: The current mental health levy costs $40.93 per $100,000 of home value. The increase would raise the cost by $13.30 per $100,000 of value.

Q: What does the mental health levy pay for?

A: The $36.5 million generated from

Continued from previous page

property because he believed it did not fit the quality of the surrounding neighborhoods. He made those comments at a Liberty Township Planning and Zoning Commission hearing in January 2021.

Reynolds also spoke at an August 2021ButlerCountyPlanningandZoning Commission hearing about a different potential development on the property. He said the development’s density would be too high for the area.

Reynolds denied Parks’ characterization of the events in court documents and said he was speaking at the meetings “in his personal capacity.”

Parks’ lawsuit also claims Reynolds made an illegal $500 campaign donation to Liberty Township Trustee Thomas Farrell.

Reynolds said in his answer that he made a donation to Farrell as he “routinely does” for Republican candidates

the tax goes to the Hamilton County Mental Health and Recovery Services Board. The board then doles out the moneyamong25agenciesthatprovidea variety of mental health services. These can include mental health crisis hotlines, psychiatric help for low-income people, housing for people dealing with mental health issues, counselors that help people going through the mental health court and mental health outreach to the homeless among many, many more types of services.

Q: Who gets the most money from the levy?

A: The Talbert House, a mental health and addiction treatment facility, received the largest share in 2022 with $7.6 million.

The next largest share went to GreaterCincinnatiBehavioralHealthServices and its staff of 700, including psychiatrists, primary care physicians, nurse practitioners, counselors, care managers and employment specialists. The organization got $6 million from the levy in 2022.

Q: What will the increase pay for?

A: The increase, if approved, would

in Butler County.

Butler County GOP mum about its endorsement

The Butler County Republican Party has endorsed Reynolds for the Nov. 8 election.

Representatives from the party did not respond to The Enquirer’s questions about the endorsement vote and background check process for candidates.

In 2005, the party narrowly voted in favor of endorsing Reynolds over former auditor Kay Rogers ahead of the primary. Reynolds ran against Rogers in the 2006 Republican primary and said he hoped to restore respectability to the auditor’s office.

“I am going to lead by example and do so with honesty and integrity,” he told The Enquirer in April 2006, ahead of the primary election.

At the time, Rogers was embroiled in

ELECTIONS 2022

generate an additional $9 million a year for the levy. It will pay for $2 million more annually in crisis response services and $2 million more in housing for the mentally ill. For many agencies that get levy money, it won’t mean additional services. The increase will keep the mental health agencies from having to make any cuts, officials said. The agencies get reimbursed for care provided that Medicaid and other sources don’t cover. Each agency has a budgeted limit for money they get from the levy, the limit determined by the mental health board

Q: What happens if the levy increase doesn’t pass?

A: If the levy fails, the entire mental health levy would be eliminated. Not only would the 25 agencies not get the additional $9 million in money from the levy, but they also wouldn’t get the cur-

a scandal over a $4 million loan taken out in Butler County’s name without county approval for a fiber-optic network. Rogers later pleaded guilty to bank fraud, mail fraud and tax evasion. She received a two-year prison sentence.

Dalesandro, the Democrat running against Reynolds this November, said he wasn’t planning to run for public office again so soon, but decided to file after the charges against Reynolds became public.

Dalesandro went to Miami University before moving out west. He served two terms on the city council of Battle Ground, Washington and moved back to Butler County a year and a half ago.

Though he’s running as a Democrat, he believes the auditor’s role is about “doing the work of the taxpayers and the taxpayers are all over the political spectrum.”

“I’m running to represent everybody. I’m not running as a partisan to only

rent $36 million from the levy. It would take at least another year for Hamilton County to attempt to put another mental health levy on the ballot.

Q: So why go for this increase?

A: Without the 32% increase, mental health services would need to be cut, Mental Health and Recovery Services Board president Patrick Tribbe and other mental health services CEOs have said. They wouldn’t say exactly what would be cut. That remains to be determined.

But budget projections show the levy would have run out of money by 2024 and would run a $37 million deficit over the next five years, according to a consultant’s report presented to the HamiltonCountyTaxLevyReviewCommittee.

Because we haven’t had an increase in the levy in a number of years, the additional money that we’re asking for is really to get us somewhat back on par with the current demand,” said Jeff O’Neil, president of Greater Cincinnati Behavioral Health Services, when asked why the increase is needed. “We’re not looking to add a lot of new things. It’s really to sustain where we’re already at.”

represent folks that agree with me. This job is about being accountable and being transparent and being available to folks,” he said.

Election Day is Nov. 8. Polls will be open from 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.

Early voting starts Oct. 12. To check your voter registration or polling location or to request a mail-in ballot, visit voteohio.gov

Erin Glynn is the watchdog reporter for Butler, Warren and Clermont counties through the Report For America program. The Enquirer needs local donors to help fund her grant-funded position. If you want to support Glynn’s work, you can donate to her Report For America position at this website or email her editor Carl Weiser at cweiser@ enquirer.com to find out how you can help fund her work.

Do you know something she should know? Send her a note at eglynn@ enquirer.com and follow her on Twitter at @ee_glynn.

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. Years of work by innovative engineers have resulted in a scooter that’s designed with seniors in mind. They created Electronic Stability Control (ESC) that makes it virtually impossible to tip over. If you try to turn too quickly, the scooter automatically slows down to prevent it from tipping over. The battery provides powerful energy at a fraction of the weight of most batteries. With its rugged yet lightweight aluminum frame, the So LiteTM Scooter is the most portable scooter ever—but it can hold up to 265 pounds—yet weighs only 40.8 pounds without the battery! What’s more, it easily folds up for storage in a car seat, trunk or even on an airplane. It folds in seconds without tools and is safe and reliable. Best of all, it’s designed with your safety in mind, from the newest technology and superior craftsmanship. Why spend another day letting your lack of mobility ruin your quality of life? Call now and fnd out how you can get a So LiteTM Scooter of your very own.

SELL US YOUR VALUABLES

If you’ve been thinking about selling your valuables, there’s no better time or place. We are buying jewelry, diamonds, fne watches, gold, silver, old coins, paintings, and more. Our experienced, knowledgeable experts will evaluate any item, no matter how small, and make you an offer. If you choose to sell, we’ll pay you on the spot. Don’t miss this exclusive opportunity.

October 18–21 (Tuesday–Friday) EVENT

YOUR HOMETOWN ENQUIRER

WEST CHESTER

VOA director and Eastern Europe bureau chief are next guests in VOA Museum’s journalism series

Voice of America acting director Yolanda López and VOA Eastern Europe Chief Myroslava Gongadze will participate in a virtual Q&A forum Thursday, Oct. 20 as part of the National VOA Museum of Broadcasting in West Chester’s “Journalism:TheOxygenofDemocracy” series.

The free event will be held from 7 to 9 p.m. at the museum.

López will speak about global press freedom and managing an international news organization in multiple war zones around the world. She’ll field questions on a big screen at the museum.

Then the audience will view short VOA news clips from Gongadze’s recent trip to Ukraine and ask her questions onscreen.

The journalism series is held the third Thursday monthly through Jan.19. Remaining dates are Nov.17; Dec.15; and Jan. 19.

A Barcelona, Spain, native and veteran journalist and producer, López has received three Emmy awards.

Gongadze is an award-winning journalist and VOA Eastern Europe Chief. She is former chief of VOA’s Ukrainian Service. She most recently studied disinformation while a Neiman Foundation Fellow at Harvard University.

Sebaly, Shillito and Dyer sponsors the series. Seating is limited to 100 people. RSVPs are requested by Tuesday, Oct. 18.

To RSVP, email admin@voamuseum. org or call (513) 777-0027.

Jack Dominic, National VOA Museum of Broadcasting

FAIRFIELD

Halloween on the Green set for Oct. 20 in Fairfield

Trick-or-treating is the theme of Fairfield’s Halloween on the Green, targeted to children ages 10 or younger.

More than 30 businesses and community organizations will set up stations Thursday in Village Green Park, from 6-8 p.m. Costumed kids can go from station to station to get treats or play games.

“This will be a great time and another opportunityforparentstogetthosecostumes on their kids,’’ said David Sheldrick, marketing specialist for Fairfield’s Parks and Recreation Department.

“It’s a nice, safe, event for people to come and trick or treat and enjoy Village Green Park.”

A performance by the STARZ Hip Hop dancers begins at 6 p.m., at the amphitheater on the green, 301 Wessel Dr. The Queen City Scale Model Boaters will guide their remote control boats on the pond.

The Dine-In Hawaiian food truck and Travelin’ Tom’s Coffee Truck will be on site as well.

There is no cost except to purchase food or drink

Sue Kiesewetter, Enquirer contributor

CINCINNATI

Spiritual Realm Paranormal Investigators announce run of spooky season public events

Spiritual Realm Paranormal Investigators announced the run of spooky season public events through the end of Oct. 22. This is a big deal for the paranormal researchers after two years of very few opportunities to invite the public to local haunted and historical locations.

“SRPI is thrilled to be back in the local community in 2022 going full force with local businesses and historical societies hosting public events,” said Ashlee St. Denis, owner and lead investigator at Spiritual Realm. “The past two years haven’t allowed many opportunities to host groups of people, so we are busy booking events all across the Tri-State area to bring awareness to the historic locations and have people participate in a real paranormal investigation.”

Spiritual Realm will be host Oct. 22 at:

h Frequent partner Butler County Historical Society Benninghofen House

h Historic Gaines Tavern in Walton (featured on A&E’s Ghost Hunters )

h Restaurant Basil 1791 in Hamilton

To learn more about paranormal ghost hunting events in the Tri-State

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.

area this Halloween season, click here https://www.srparanormal.com/ events.

Spiritual Realm Paranormal Investigators is a team of well-trained professional paranormal investigators conducting investigations using various research methods common to the field of paranormal investigating.

In addition to a professional historian on staff, the team is skilled at approaching cases with skepticism, helping to further validate any true experiences.

SRPI strives to contribute to the validity of the paranormal field while investigating, discovering, capturing and expanding our knowledge of what our ‘world’ is.

Amanda Frietsch, Spiritual Realm Paranormal Investigators ANDERSON TOWNSHIP

Arnolds, St. Joseph Home philanthropists, honored

Nominated by St. Joseph Home in Sharonville, Rich and Lynn Arnold were recently honored by the Greater Cincinnati Planned Giving Council with a Voices of Giving Award.

The 24th annual Voices of Giving Awards Event held at the Greater Cincinnati Foundation paid tribute to Greater Cincinnatians who – out of generosity and foresight – have chosen to leave a charitable legacy with a bequest or other type of planned gift to a favorite charitable organization.

Long-time residents of Anderson Township, the Arnolds have supported St. Joseph Home for over 30 years, serving in various capacities. Mr. Arnold served on the Board of Trustees for many years and, after Board leadership, continued to serve on the agency’s Advancement Committee.

He has been a steadfast volunteer for events, and while he was president of the Sharonville Chamber, he introduced dozens of new donors and friends to St. Joseph Home.

The Arnolds worked with their attorney to leave a percentage of their estate to benefit St. Joseph Home, allowing the organization to provide care to individuals who require significant medical and personal support to live happy and fulfilling lives.

St. Joseph Home provides residential, respite and adult day programs for people with complex developmental disabilities and their families.

The Greater Cincinnati Planned Giving Council is a professional association for people whose work includes developing, marketing, and administering charitable planned gifts for nonprofit institutions and a variety of other legal and financial settings.

Lisa Desatnik

CINCINNATI

Volunteer for an ORSANCO Ohio River Sweep cleanup event now through end of October

Participants have the choice to organize a cleanup event or sign up for an existing one.

Cleanup locations can be held anywhere along the Ohio River from Pittsburg to Cairo, Illinois, or at a tributary within the watershed. Volunteers will receive free trash bags, gloves and Tshirts.

Learn more at orsanco.org/riversweep or call Annette Shumard, ORSANCO communications & cnvironmental education manager at (513) 2317719.

Annette Shumard, Ohio River Valley Water Sanitation Commission (ORSANCO)

FAIRFIELD

Fairfield leaf pickup program begins Nov. 7

Fairfield’s annual leaf collection program begins Nov. 7.

Crews will be in each neighborhood to collect leaves at no cost to residents three times before the program concludes on Jan. 6, 2023.

Leaves should be placed in rows or piles between the curb and sidewalk. In areas without curbs and sidewalks, leaves should be placed adjacent to the street.

No leaves should be placed in the street. Don’t mix grass clippings, sticks, limbs or brush with leaves.

The city has been divided into three zones. City workers will be collecting leaves from streets in each zone during three, one-week periods. Residents should place leaves out on the first day of each of the three weeks.

Crews will pick up leaves in neighborhoods west of Pleasant Avenue during the following weeks: Nov. 7-11; Nov. 28 through Dec. 2; and Dec. 19-23.

Leaves will be collected from streets between Pleasant Avenue and Winton Road during the following weeks: Nov. 14-18; Dec. 5-9; and Dec. 26-30.

Pickup of leaves on streets east of Winton Road will be done during the following weeks: Nov. 21-25; Dec. 12-16; and Jan. 2-6.

Motorists are asked not to park cars near leaf piles from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. on thedayscrewsarescheduledtobeinthe neighborhood.

Those with a small amount of leaves, who miss their pickup day, or who don’t want to participate in the program can still bag leaves and put them curbside for pickup on their regular trash day.

Information: 513-867-4213.

Sue Kiesewetter, Enquirer contributor

NORTH BEND

St. Joseph Ladies Society basket raffle includes cookie sale package

The Ladies’ Society of St. Joseph Church in North Bend is holding a basket raffle fundraiser with winners to be drawn on Tuesday, Oct. 18.

All baskets are valued at $100 or more. Basket items include a handmade afghan, a 24-inch smart TV, gift cards, Halloween and Christmas items and more.

In addition, you can enter to win a $75 gift certificate to spend at our annual cookie sale on Dec. 3, plus you will be first in line and have a 10-minute head start. Chances are $1 each or 6/$5 and the deadline for ticket sales is Sunday, Oct. 16.

Tickets can be purchased after all weekend masses (9:30 a.m. Sunday) in the gathering space of the church, located at 25 E. Harrison Avenue. North Bend, or by calling the parish office at (614) 941-3661.

Tina Geers, St. Joseph Church

CINCINNATI

Northwest Exchange Club Awards

Police Officers of the Year

Northwest Exchange Club Officer

Emily Wall received Police Officer of the Year for her outstanding work with the Domestic Violence Emergency Response Team.

NCH Officer Megan Bitzer received Police Officer of the Year for her outstanding work as the NCH school resource officer.

The Northwest Exchange Club meets every Wednesday at 8 a.m. at Clovernook Country Club.

Bill Dorward, Northwest Exchange Club

BLUE ASH

Assistance League collecting items for domestic abuse survivors in October

Assistance League of Greater Cincinnati volunteers are ramping up collection of new, household items for domestic abuse survivors in October, which is National Domestic Violence Awareness Month.

Donations will be accepted at two drive-thru sites Saturday, Oct. 22, from 10 a.m. to noon. At Aeropointe Medical Building (4260 Glendale-Milford Road in Blue Ash), volunteers from Montgomery Woman’s Club will assist with collection. There will also be a drive-thru at Kroger Marketplace (4613 Marburg Ave. in Oakley).

The following items are needed (must be new):

h Twin-size blankets and sheet sets

h Double-size blankets and sheet sets

h Bathroom rugs, towels, washcloths

h Shower curtains and rings

h Laundry baskets

h Pots and pans

h Dish sets

h Silverware

The items will be used for Assistance League’s “New Beginnings” program, which assists women and children in the transition from shelter to new home. Advocates for abuse survivors visit Assistance League’s facility in Bond Hill to gather items such as new bedding, cleaning supplies and other items needed to establish a safe and peaceful home away from abusers. The program has assisted1,877 women and1,832 children since 2010.

Assistance League also provided hundreds of clothing and hygiene kits each year to women impacted by domestic violence and assault. The kits are supplied to local law enforcement agencies, shelters and hospitals.

Major funding for the “New Beginnings” program is provided by the Haile

Continued on next page

Yolanda López, acting director of the Voice of America. PROVIDED

Myroslava Gongadze, VOA eastern Europe service chief. PROVIDED

YOUR HOMETOWN ENQUIRER

Foundation, the Abbihl-Ahrens Cambridge Charitable Foundation, The Dally Foundation and the Spaulding Foundation.

People interested in becoming an Assistance League volunteer can email algc@fuse.net for complete details about membership.

Sara Cullin, Assistance League of Greater Cincinnati

WYOMING

Free talk on dog behavior: Using reinforcers effectively

Positive reinforcement is a powerful tool when it comes to teaching dogs behaviors and motivating them to want to be part of the lesson.

If you are using positive reinforcement and are frustrated because you are not having success, or you would like to learn how to be more effective in your training, this free presentation is for you.

Wyoming alumnus and Certified Dog

Trainer Lisa Desatnik, CPDT-KA, FFCP, CPBC, will be speaking at the Wyoming Civic Center on Wednesday, Oct. 26 at 7 p.m

Among what Desatnik will cover: defining reinforcing, identifying effective reinforcers for your pet, structuring the learning environment and other factors that may impact your success.

While the program is free, pre-registration is required and space is limited. Please note: do not bring your dog to this talk. To register or get more information, visit www.somuchpetential.com/ talks.

Learn more at www.SoMuchPET ential.com

Lisa Desatnik

SHARONVILLE

Shiver in Sharonville

Shiver in Sharonville is set for Thursday, Oct. 20, from 7-8 p.m. for families and kids of all ages. No registration required.

Chill out with us for our annual spooky outdoor Halloween story time and activities for families and kids of all ages on our patios, followed by a costume parade, crafts, games and trickor-treating throughout the Library.

Explore our haunted garden with spooky inflatables, twinkle lights, spiders, light-up pumpkins and silly tombstones.

Test your skills at the giant Jenga game, giant Connect 4 game, cornhole, and ring toss. Wear your costumes (not mandatory) and get your photo taken with our library team dressed up as Hocus Pocus stars.

Location: Sharonville Branch Library, 10980 Thornview Drive, Cincinnati. Call 513-369-6049 for info.

Annette Meurer, Sharonville Branch Library

WESTERN HILLS

Speaker will present German perspective from World War I

Tim Moore will be speaking at the German Heritage Museum on Oct. 16 at 2 p.m. on “A Look at World War I through the Eyes of a Typical German Soldier.” He is a 31-year veteran of the Kenton County School District where he taught

history at Simon Kenton High School and served as a Central Office Administrator. In addition, he has taught both history and education courses at Thomas More University.

He will present a living history presentation from the German perspective of the war based on the novel “All Quiet on the Western Front,” an antiwar novel written by Erich Maria Remarque about his experiences as a young boy in the German Army during World War I.

The novel follows the activities of Paul Baumer and his classmates as they move from the safe confines of the classroom to the horrors of the battlefield in some of the worst fighting of the World War I. Critics all over the world have hailed it as the 20th century’s definitive novel on war.

The German Heritage Museum is located at 4764 West Fork Road in Cincinnati.

Dr. Don Heinrich Tolzmann, German Heritge Museum

COLLEGE HILL

Local woman competing in national ‘Fab Over 40’ contest

Julie Whitney, a 62-year-old Cincinnati native, public relations professional and children’s author, is a contestant in the national “Fab Over 40” contest, which officially began on Oct. 10.

The competition benefits the National Breast Cancer Foundation, Inc., and the winner receives a $40,000 cash prize, a two-page-spread in NewBeauty Magazine and a spa vacation. After the first two days of voting, Whitney is currently in first place for her group, but has a long-way to go before the final rounds.

Says Whitney, “I am probably one of the oldest contestants, but am holding onto hope that my friends, family and others in Cincinnati will carry me through to the final round. There are

several different phases of voting, but the bottom line is that people may vote for their favorite every 24 hours throughout the competition. I can really use each and every vote on a daily basis, and hope that people who don’t even know me will vote for their hometown girl, and also help support the National Breast Cancer Foundation. However, donations are not required, and you DO NOT need to make a donation to cast your daily free vote.”

She adds, “Our finances really took a hit when my husband, like many others worldwide, temporarily lost his job as a corporate pilot during the pandemic. This money would certainly help get us back on the right track.”

You may cast a vote for Whitney every day until Dec. 15 at the following link.

https://votefab40.com/2022/juliewhitney

The voting continues in various phases throughout November and December with the finalist announced on Dec. 15.

Sandra Hill

CINCINNATI

Learn about regional nonprofit businesses at annual lunch

Join us at our October luncheon on Thursday, Oct. 20, from 5-7 p.m. Businesses and residents are encouraged to register and learn about regional nonprofit businesses who serve those in need in Northern Cincinnati and beyond.

Each of our nonprofits will share how they were inspired to create an organization to fill a community need. Several businesses will share how they have integrated their efforts to give back to the community into their culture.

In addition, we are including a fantastic opportunity for hands-on support

and team building following our luncheon!

Our host, A Child’s Hope International, is inviting our lunch guests to participate in a free packing session following our luncheon. We will form small groups to measure rice, fortified soy protein, dried vegetables and a blend of 21vitamins and minerals along a handson, human assembly line and create packets filled with a highly nutritious mixture to be shipped overseas to impoverished areas of the world.

To volunteer to pack after lunch, sign up online when you register for lunch, call the Chamber, or send an email to info@northcincychamber.com.

Lori Schutt, Northern Cincinnati Chamber of Commerce

WEST CHESTER TOWNSHIP

Lakota Stuff the Bus campaign will run through Oct. 21

A districtwide Stuff the Bus campaign begins Oct. 10 and runs through Oct. 21 in the Lakota schools.

Now in its 15th year, the campaign is an effort to collect canned goods and other non-perishable items most needed by Reach Out Lakota, a food and clothing outlet assisting families in the district.

Items can be dropped off in donation bins located at every school and facility in the district.

Among the most needed food items are macaroni and cheese, peanut butter and jelly, spaghetti and pasta sauce, sugar, cooking oil, canned fruits/meat, rice and pinto beans.

Personal care items needed include toothbrushes, toothpaste, deodorant, shampoo, socks and underwear. Allpurpose cleaners, laundry detergent and dish detergent are also in high demand.

Information: 513-874-5505

Sue Kiesewetter, Enquirer contributor

KENWOOD

Kenwood Country Club announces director of membership hire

Kenwood Country Club (KCC) has hired Michelle Tegge as director of membership and membership engagement, the club announced Thursday, Aug. 18.

A distinguished club founded in 1930 with a total membership of approximately 3,000 and a wait list of nearly 100, KCC boasts 36 holes of golf, a robust food and beverage operation, modern racquet sports and fitness facilities, a resort-styleswimcomplex,andaclassically-maintained clubhouse.

Tegge got her start at Heritage Club as member services director in 2007 and quickly advanced to the role of director of membership and marketing. Recently, she accomplished a historical goal for Heritage Club in leading it to its first membership wait list.

In addition, she oversaw many different facets at Heritage Club including membership sales, membership engagement and retention, marketing and social media, and development and implementation of member events.

A Cincinnati native and graduate of Ohio University, Tegge currently resides in Liberty Township with her husband, Bill, and their two daughters, Olivia (9) and Adeline (7).

Drew Weber, Kenwood Country Club

Julie Whitney of College Hill is a contestant in the “Fab Over 40” contest benefiting the National Breast Cancer Foundation, Inc. PROVIDED

Inside Cincinnati’s model for change

How groups convened to create police reform

Stephanie Kuzydym

They wanted a seat at the table.

They walked in the streets.

They demanded change.

They waited.

Those words could describe the people who protested following the death of Breonna Taylor, an unarmed Black woman Louisville police officers shot to death while serving a “no-knock” search warrant at her apartment in 2020.

Not this time.

This time they describe shootings and subsequent protests that happened before Taylor was born, and again when she was 3 and when she was 5 — all in a city where she didn’t live: Cincinnati.

Between 1995 and 2001, Cincinnati police shot and killed 15 Black men

Like Louisville, Cincinnati faced a Department of Justice investigation into its policing practices. But in response, Cincinnati created a first-of-its-kind police reform model that could help Louisville as it awaits the DOJ’s report on its policing practices, including use of force and concerns about discriminatory policing.

The DOJ announced its investigation of Louisville Metro Police in April 2021, after Taylor’s death and monthslong racial justice protests. Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer said last month the DOJ report is expected in the “coming weeks.”

The Cincinnati Police Department went through its investigation 21 years ago. The Department of Justice came in, reviewed policies and was about to hand down changes when a civil rights lawyer and a civil rights activist offered an invitation to the city and the Fraternal Order of Police to collaborate.

Instead of people from outside the community issuing a consent decree, the stakeholders of Cincinnati − the city, the FOP and the ACLU − hashed out their goals for police reform, creating the Cincinnati Collaborative Agreement. A fed-

eral judge oversaw the agreement, which initially focused on use of force and discriminatory policing but later became a proactive and transparent way for all sides to discuss needed changes and adjust local policies and procedures based on issues in other cities.

The collaborative agreement, which ended in 2007 with the Cincinnati police department meeting 93% of the terms and conditions, is held up today as a gold standard for use of force and police accountability reform and is the only time the DOJ combined its agreement with a private one.

Louisville FOP President Dave Mutchler said he’s interested in seeing if such a collaboration would be accepted today.

The FOP is “always interested in having a seat at the table that would be trying to solve a problem that affects everybody in the community,” Mutchler said.

Raymond Burse, chair of legal redress for the NAACP Louisville Branch, said while on its face the agreement sounds good, the NAACP has questions about it.

“Our question is given that the police bill of rights is statutory in Kentucky –

how agreeing to anything would in fact work when we have those kinds of prohibitions?” Burse said.

Jessica Wethington, director of communications for the Louisville mayor’s office, said Fischer and his team “have worked with protest leaders, the FOP and community organizations on more than150 ongoing changes”related to policing.

Usually when the DOJ finds systemic police misconduct, it negotiates a settlement with the city or county that lists specific remedies, which are included in a consent decree that a federal judge oversees.

In Cincinnati, it took a civil rights duo and another death of an unarmed Black man to pull off a different type of agreement.

More deaths and no progress

Two in 24.

That’s what the community calls the incident in Cincinnati when two unarmed Black men were killed in 24 hours. The first death came on Nov. 7, 2000.

Roger Owensby Jr. served for eight years in the U.S. Army and died allegedly of asphyxiation from a chokehold of a Cincinnati Police officer. The next day, Jeffrey Irons died in a scuffle with police Neither officer was charged.

Civil rights lawyer Al Gerhardstein was hired to represent several victims’ families.

The Black community was just boiling,” Gerhardstein recalled. “They were tired of it. They couldn’t understand why we made no progress with police violence against citizens and yet there just wasn’t any end in sight to feeling safe in our own community.

“When the Black community got really upset, there would be protests and then there would be violence, targeting the police. Then that would wake people up wearing the suits.

“They would call for a blue-ribbon panel, the blue-ribbon panel would have a couple business people on it, a couple ministers on it, maybe one or two Black business people as well. They would hold meetings that seemed designed to wait out the angst of the community.

“And once people lost their fervor and their interest in the problem, the blue ribbon panel would come out with a set of recommendations.”

Those recommendations were rarely implemented.

The Black community and police: 33 years of history

Shortly after the deaths of Owensby Jr. and Irons, Gerhardstein showed up at New Prospect Baptist Church in the Roselawn neighborhood, just north of downtown Cincinnati. He brought three white binders with him.

Iris Roley, then the program director for the Cincinnati Black United Front, a social justice collective, was floored by what Gerhardstein had inside those three-ring binders: 33 years of history

Continued on next page

Veterans demand help for Afghan allies

lum system will only delay the vetting process, but that the act — which would include more security vetting for Afghans already here — would make that happen sooner.

“This isn’t political,” Zeller told The Dispatch. “This is literally a matter of life and death.”

COLUMBUS – To James Powers, who served in the Army in Iraq, a federal bill that would help American allies from Afghanistan is a veterans’ issue.

A Canton resident, Powers was among a small group of veterans and Afghans from across the country who gathered at Republican Sen. Rob Portman’s Columbus office last week, hoping to get the senator to understand the importance of the Afghan Adjustment Act.

If passed, the bill would offer an option for permanent legal status for approximately 79,000 Afghans who came to the United States following the withdrawal of U.S. troops from Afghanistan and the fall of Kabul to the Taliban in August 2021. About 650 are living in Columbus.

It also would potentially provide pathways for an additional 300,000 Afghan interpreters and others still in the country who helped American troops during the war in Afghanistan. They were told, when they agreed to help, that they would not be left for dead when American troops withdrew from their country, explained Powers’ fellow veteran Matt Zeller, of Fairfax, Virginia.

We don’t leave fallen comrades,” Powers said. “Those creeds, those oaths we stand by, they’ve got to matter.”

As three others stood on the curb on West Broad Street — American and Afghanistan flags in their hands whipping in the wind — Powers and Zeller went into the Huntington Plaza office building, hoping to finally get a meeting with someone in the office after asking for one for weeks.

Powers, 37, was in Columbus as part of a tour that began on Sept.14 in front of thenation’sCapitol,whereaboutadozen Afghan natives and U.S. veterans sat outside for 15 days and nights on what they call a “firewatch,”a military term for standing guard or watch. Columbus was the first stop on a na-

tionwide firewatch tour in part because Powers and Zeller, who were part of the group that gathered in Washington, D.C., knew Portman helped to evacuate Afghan allies last year. The next stop was scheduled to be in Indiana.

The majority of Afghans who came to America following the fall of Kabul came into the country as humanitarian parolees.

Parolees can stay in the United States legally for two years, and then they must seek permanent legal status through the asylum system.

But the required immigration court proceedings can take years as the courts are backlogged with more than 1.8 million pending cases. Without the bill being passed, thousands of Afghans may be deported or wait years to find out if they can legally stay.

Powers and Zeller, 40, who served in Afghanistan and was in the Army from 2002 to 2015, spoke at length with Michael Dustman, Portman’s director of constituent services.

First, they thanked Dustman for the work the office and Portman did to help get Afghans who helped the United States armed forces out of danger. Then,

they began to explain why the Afghan Adjustment Act is so important, and, they believe, misunderstood.

Dustman asked questions and offered some information on other studies, bills and work the office has done.

“I appreciate what you guys are doing,” Dustman said when Zeller asked what they could do to get Portman’s support on the bill. “I’ll just ask the senator outright if he has a position on it.”

Portman’s office released a statement on the bill to The Dispatch during the meeting with the veterans saying the senator does not support it.

“It treats unvetted, random Afghans as if they were former partners when, in fact, more than 40 percent of those evacuated were not our partners,” Portman said in the statement.

The statement mentions reports from government agencies saying that the security screenings during the evacuation of Afghans were “deficient and deviated from existing regulations and procedures for vetting, and as a result, multiple security concerns being paroled into our communities.”

Zeller said he believes that waiting for the Afghans here to go through the asy-

And Zeller, who trained Afghans in American war techniques and strategies, said that it could become a national security issue due to the knowledge of those who were left behind. He worries that it could be dangerous for the United States to get a reputation for not keeping promises, too.

Safi Rauf, an Afghan American and U.S. Navy veteran and reservist who served in Afghanistan with Joint Special Operations Command, joined the meeting with Dustman after it started.

This bill is exactly what every Republican is asking for: enhanced vetting,” Rauf, of New York City, told The Dispatch outside before the meeting. “This is the bill that everybody is asking for. It’s just the misinformation that is spread is putting a lot of concern into these senators’ front-view mirror.”

Zeller said the reports Portman refers to in his statement don’t give the full picture of what happened and that if the act isn’t passed into law, there will be a real cost as Afghans who helped the U.S. are being “hunted down and killed.”

A Human Rights Watch report details how the Taliban targeted more than 100 former Afghanistan police and intelligence officers in the days after the U.S evacuation, including searching for those with ties to the U.S

“No one is going to believe us in the future,” Zeller said. “We’re doing this to finish the mission for them.”

Rauf began the firewatch at the Capitol last month with his brother Anees Khalil, a former federal contractor for the U.S. government in Afghanistan, after a firewatch for an act to expand healthcare for veterans was successful and the bill was passed.

Rauf said if this act were passed, it would be “the first right thing to happen since the evacuation.”

“Since the fall (of Kabul), everything’s been downhill,” he said.

Audrey DuBose, center, marches with Bishop Jerome McCarry through downtown Cincinnati. DuBose’s son, Sam DuBose, was unarmed when he was killed by white former University of Cincinnati Police Officer Ray Tensing. CARA OWSLEY/THE ENQUIRER

Gerhardstein

Anees Khalil, of Omaha, Nebraska, right, and Matt Zeller, of Fairfax, Virginia, stand for a photo. They were in Columbus to lobby Sen. Rob Portman’s office to support the Afghan Adjustment Act. COURTNEY HERGESHEIMER/COLUMBUS DISPATCH

between the Black community and the police and every blue-ribbon panel report.

Thirty-three years of trauma, of fights,” Roley said. “Thirteen different blue ribbon panels. Thirteen separate sets of promises that were broken. And not to give us what we needed to move forward, but just to appease.”

Families of those who had been killed had begged the DOJ to investigate Cincinnati police. Even the Sentinels, Cincinnati’s Black officers’ group, had requested a federal investigation nearly a year before the Two in 24. But they didn’t come. Instead, Gerhardstein worked with local attorneys Ken Lawson and ScottGreenwoodwhousedthosereports to draft a class-action lawsuit on behalf of the Cincinnati Black United Front and the ACLU.

It also cited ongoing evidence of racial profiling after a statistician reviewed all the traffic tickets issued in previous years for the number of Black people stopped and the locations, proving the disparity of traffic enforcement in Cincinnati.

When they filed the lawsuit, Gerhardstein extended an invitation to the city.

“We invited the city and the FOP to join us in a community-wide collaboration,” Gerhardstein said. “The only condition we put on this offer was whatever happens, it’s got to end with a court order. We don’t want another blue ribbon panel. We don’t want another handshake.”

Then came the 15th death of an unarmed Black man: Timothy Thomas

The city erupted. The mayor invited the Department of Justice to Cincinnati to investigate for civil rights violations.

This is where Cincinnati diverged from other cities whose police departments had a pattern or practice investigationbytheDepartmentofJustice.U.S District Judge Susan Dlott merged Gerhardstein’s racial profiling lawsuit with the DOJ investigation’s findings.

Dlott presided over the negotiations as all sides came to four central terms:

h Bias-free policing

h Use of force reform, including lesslethal response

h Accountability – including rapid re-

sponse h Community problem-oriented policing It was something that was forward thinking,” Roley said of the agreement. That we can get out of this conundrum of being victimized and then the oppressor.”

The agreement changed the way Cincinnati police approach a scene. Every officer learns the SARA model: Scan, Analyze, Respond, Assess. It is meant to eliminate knee-jerk reactions.

“The essence of public safety is the public word,” Gerhardstein said. “The metric for public safety is not arrest. ... In Cincy, we moved away from that as a goal or metric. We say, ‘That is not our measure of your performance, but rather it’s how well you solve problems.’ ”

The agreement also established a Citizens Complaint Authority, a unit independent of the police department. The unit’s director is appointed by the city manager. The staff investigates the police department through local complaints. They have subpoena power. They make recommendations and findings within 90 days, which is before the police chief or the mayor decide on discipline.

The process isn’t without challenges.

The Citizens Complaint Authority have a case backlog that Roley and Gerhardstein are keeping a close eye on.

Even after the Cincinnati agreement ended, the groups continued to make changes. Following Taylor’s death, Cincinnati revised its policy on no-knock warrants, making it harder to enter a property without prior notification to confiscate drugs.

“Drugs can be seized at any time,”Roley said. “So we wanted to add additional provisions before that happened. We wantedtomakesurethatifyouaredoing a no-knock warrant, that it is in service to someone in need of help.

That is the beauty of the agreement is being able to build a relationship enough to say, ‘Hey, we need to look at this. Nothing happened in Cincinnati, but what happened in Louisville — that could happen in Cincinnati.’ ”

In the last 21 years, Roley estimates the Cincinnati Collaborative Agreement has led to around 1,000 revisions of police policies.

Is ‘The Gray Lady’ Ky.’s oldest ghost?

Maggie Menderski

Two hundred and five years ago, Margaretta Varick stopped in Frankfort to see her niece while on her way to see her children in Illinois.

She never left.

Varick fell direly ill and suddenly died in an upstairs bedroom at what’s now Liberty Hall Historic Site at 202 Wilkinson St. Her family buried her in a small gravesite behind the late 18th-century home, which is now one of the oldest homes in Kentucky.

Varick was never supposed to be in the Bluegrass State long-term. The New York woman had only planned to stay in Kentucky a day or so to comfort her niece,MargarettaBrown,whowasgrieving the death of a daughter. Even so, this kind, thoughtful woman has earned herself a prominent, spooky place in Kentucky lore. Jessica Stavros, executive director of Liberty Hall Historic Site, believes the legend of “The Gray Lady,”may be the oldest ghost story in the commonwealth.

Aunt Varick, who picked up “The Gray Lady” nickname sometime in the early 20th century, is a mostly pleasant spirit known for moving rocking chairs, teleporting objects, ripping off calendar pages, and leaving gold bracelets behind for museum’s curators to find, Stavros explained, as we sat in the bedroom where Varick died more than 200 years ago.

Early accounts of Aunt Varick reference her “doing chores” and “keeping busy,” but it’s not quite clear what that means. She’s often said to have a “calming presence.” Over the years she’s appearedtoguestswhilethey’resleepingin the two residential apartments at the museum. Once, a museum employee went to raise the American flag and couldn’t find it. Eventually, it appeared neatly folded in front of Aunt Varick’s bed.

A few years ago Anna Campomanes, the museum’s educator and volunteer coordinator, had her hands full and was struggling to get in a door – when she felt it open in front of her.

She thought a colleague had helped

her, but once she was inside, she realized no one was there.

“Thank you,” Campomanes said, out loud, so the ghost could hear her. Several stories in the museum’s “ghost file” indicate The Gray Lady listens when you speak directly to her.

Aunt Varick has a reputation for being helpful ... even if that kindness might also send a chill up your spine.

A ‘ghost file’ full of more than 100 entries

Stavros says there may be older, spookyfolklorethatlivesonineasternor western Kentucky, but she has yet to find a ghost story that goes back nearly as far as The Gray Lady. That’s not for lack of trying, either.

There are dark tales around places like Waverly Hills Sanatorium in LouisvilleandtheKentuckyStatePenitentiary in Eddyville, but Aunt Varick had already been wandering the grounds at Liberty Hall for more than 60 years before those structures were even built. She first appears in the museum’s “ghost file” in 1820,justthreeyearsaftershedied.Most ghost stories in this region really don’t starttakingholduntilthelate19thcentu-

ry with the rise of the American Spiritualism Movement, Stavros explained.

Kentucky separated from Virginia and joined the Union as the 15th state in 1792. John Brown, whose family was the first generation to live in the home, became one of the state’s first U.S. senators and he served for three terms until 1805.

When Brown and his wife, Margaretta, moved to Liberty Hall in 1801, the region was very much frontier. An early 19th-century map of Frankfort shows a fewhomes,achurch,acoupleoftaverns, and not much else. Brown and his descendants occupied Liberty Hall and its neighboring Orlando Brown House until the 1930s.

The Browns understood their importanceintheformationofourstateandits history, so much so, they documented everything – the family ghost, included.

Stepping into Liberty Hall feels like steppingbackintime.Theroomsarestill furnishedwithBrowns’furnitureandthe tables are set with their china. The pages are extremely delicate, but the library is filledwiththesamebooksthattheyread.

The “ghost file” at Liberty Hall has more than 100 references to Aunt Varick’s spirit that span more than two centuries, but she didn’t become a true fix-

ture in Liberty Hall folklore until the 1880s. Mary Mason “Mame” Scott, who was part of the fourth generation of the Brown family to live in the house, was sleeping in the bedroom as a young girl when she woke up to find a tall woman veiled in gray. This happened for three consecutive nights. In her writing, she refers to Aunt Varick as “Our Beloved Ghost” and she becomes obsessed with spiritualism and the afterlife.

Mame grew up to read palms, tell fortunes and hold seances inside Liberty Hall.

‘The right place at the right time for this ghost story’

On the day we visited, the bedroom newspaper clippings from throughout the 20th century were spread out across the neatly made bed. The Gray Lady made her first appearance in The Courier Journal in 1922. In 1937, Old Kentucky Homes and Gardens wrote a story that identified the long-time cook and the Gray Lady as the two most important features of Liberty Hall. With Mame’s help, Aunt Varick became incredibly popular and that sustained itself through most of the 20th century. In 1995, the National Enquirer listed Liberty Hall as one of the top five most haunted places in the United States.

Even today, she makes regular appearances in political cartoons in the Frankfort State Journal

The bedroom also has a copy of a photograph that shows a blurred figure standing in the stairwell of the house in 1965. The picture was meant to show off repairs in the home following a terrible fire, but it unwittingly captured The Gray Lady, or it was manipulated to make it seem like it did.

You could argue either point. Stavros is a pro on both sides.

Ghoststorieswereextremelyinvogue in the1960s, Stavros says, and Aunt Varick certainly isn’t the only Victorian lady dressed in gray haunting a historic home that doubles as a museum. Stories like The Gray Lady were a reminder of your immortality, and in a way, kept people tethered to their religion. The curator at Continued on next page

“The Gray Lady” ghost is rumored to reside inside Liberty Hall in Frankfort. Margaretta Varick died in the house in 1817. In 1965, a photograph was taken with an apparition on the stairs of the home. MATT STONE/COURIER JOURNAL

Ohio makes a guest appearance in these 6 spooktacular movies

Horror movie fans in Ohio have good reason to be proud: Over the years, the Buckeye State has proved to be an irresistible setting for filmmakers seeking to induce scares in audiences.

From “A Nightmare on Elm Street” to “Super8,”perhapsOhio’sreputationasa Midwestern bellwether state makes for an ideal contrast for uncanny or unsettling stories.

“It’s very Everytown in a really wonderful way,” Daria Polatin, the creator of the recent Netflix series “Devil in Ohio,” said in a recent Dispatch interview.

To help give your Halloween movie marathonsalocalflavor,weofferseveral of the best, most famous horror flicks purportedly set in the Buckeye state.

Most of the films named here were not actually photographed in Ohio, and most are set in fictional towns rather than real places. Instead, find them on your TV screen: We’ve included a selection of major streaming services where you can view each movie.

‘A Nightmare on Elm Street’ (1984)

Just where is Elm Street in director Wes Craven’s classic chiller “A Nightmare on Elm Street”? It turns out that the notoriously ominous street — home to heroine Nancy Thompson (Heather Langenkamp), the first movie teen to contend with the ghastly Freddy Krueger (Robert Englund) — is located in the fictitious suburb of Springwood, Ohio. Craven, a Cleveland native who died in 2015, didn’t return home to make the movie: According to the Internet Movie Database (which we consulted for shooting location information), the film rolled before cameras in California.

Where to watch: Amazon Prime, HBO Max, Vudu, YouTube

‘Scream 2’ (1997)

Craven enrolled scream queen Sidney Prescott (Neve Campbell) in college in the sequel to the blockbuster horror

comedy. The made-up Windsor College is supposed to be in Ohio, though the movie was lensed in California and Georgia.

Wheretowatch: Amazon Prime, Vudu, YouTube ‘The Faculty’ (1998)

The imaginary Herrington High School in the equally nonexistent Herrington, Ohio, is the setting for this creepy flick. Josh Hartnett and Jordana Brewster star as students who have a sneaking feeling that their teachers may not quite be of this world. Director Robert Rodriguez filmed the movie in his home state of Texas.

Where to watch: Amazon Prime, HBO Max, Vudu, YouTube ‘Trick ’r Treat’ (2007)

Columbus native Michael Dougherty wrote and directed this movie — and he didn’t forget his roots, either: The movie tells multiple terrifying tales, all set on Halloween in the fictitious Warren Valley, Ohio. Anna Paquin, Brian Cox and Dylan Baker co-star in this movie, which was made north of the border: the film

was shot in British Columbia, Canada.

Wheretowatch: Amazon Prime, Vudu, YouTube

‘Super 8’ (2011)

Before he retooled the “Star Wars” franchise, director J.J. Abrams made this nifty movie about several young residents of the fictitious town of Lillian, Ohio – including Elle Fanning – who find their hometown plagued by all manner of strange happenings. Alas, the movie was (again) shot outside the Buckeye State:PhotographytookplaceinCalifornia and West Virginia.

Wheretowatch: Amazon Prime, Vudu, YouTube

‘The Killing of a Sacred Deer’ (2017)

Finally, a horror movie set and shot in Ohio — and a much-acclaimed one at that. Colin Farrell and Nicole Kidman star as a Cincinnati couple who contend with a young man who turns up with a disturbing tale to tell (Barry Keoghan).

Director Yorgos Lanthimos’ film was shot in and around Cincinnati.

Wheretowatch: Amazon Prime, Hulu, Paramount+, YouTube

the time the photo was taken was also known for pushing The Gray Lady’s story to help drive tourism.

“It’s really the right place at the right time for this ghost story to become real,’” Stavros says.

And in a way, it took on a life of its own.

Searching for her final resting place

Over time The Gray Lady has drawn hundreds to the museum who may not have otherwise found their way to the historic site.

Stavros is mindful of that while also being passionate about telling the stories of early Kentucky. Liberty Hall is about so much more than the Browns and their legacy. The museum is a relic from Kentucky’s earliest days. During tours, the staff tells the stories of both the indigenous people who lived on that land just 20 years before the Browns began building the estate and the formerly enslaved people who also lived and worked on the property.

Stavros and her team aim to tell the whole history of the house.

If people come here because they want to know about the Gray Lady, and they leave knowing how important it is to be a part of our civil discourse and our democratic process,” she said. “Hey, that’s great.”

And while she certainly isn’t fabricatingphotographsofherown,it’shard to completely ignore the story.

It’s not going anywhere, either.

Part of the house’s legend is that Aunt Varick is still lingering on the grounds because she can’t find her grave.

Not only was she never supposed to die in Kentucky in the first place, a diary clearly states that her body was exhumed in1857 with several other members of the Brown family. They were all moved and reburied on a family plot in the Frankfort Cemetery.

ButMargarettaVarickdoesn’thavea headstone there. The cemetery doesn’t have a record of her ever being interred with the rest of the family.

Kentucky’s oldest ghost story doesn’t have a final resting place, so perhaps she’ll keep herself busy with chores at Liberty Hall for quite some time.

Peter Tonguette

Neve Campbell and Jerry O’Connell in Wes Craven’s “Scream 2.” DIMENSION FILMS

That’s why Google parners with publishers like The Cincinnati Herald, a Black-owned and operated newspaper serving the community since 1955.

The Cincinnati Herald grew their direct sold adverising revenue 300% afer paricipating in our digital adverising program, one of the many ways we work with local publishers nationwide to build a stronger future for news.

Learn more about how Google suppors local news g.co/supporingnews/local

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6 THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW ABOUT THE ORIGIN OF CINCINNATI CHILI

Cincinnati chili turns 100 this month. h One hundred years since the Kiradjieff brothers served the first plate at Empress Chili, the grandfather of local chili parlors. h Somehow, it seems our local chili should be older than that, as ingrained as it is in our culinary scene. h Love it or hate it, Cincinnati chili is the city’s signature dish. h Our style of chili ladled over spaghetti with a mound of shredded cheddar cheese may not be recognized as chili by the rest of the world – and certainly not in Texas – but it has a devoted following in Greater Cincinnati. h There are even five locations in Florida for the snowbirds who head south for the winter. h But how much do you know about the origins of Cincinnati chili?

1. The roots go back to Macedonia

Macedonia is part of Greece now, but it was in the Ottoman Empire in the 1890s when the Kiradjieff brothers were born there.

Athanas “Tom” Kiradjieff and Ivan “John” Kiradjieff were from Hrupishta, Macedonia (a town known today as Argos Orestiko in Greece), although the family was Bulgarian.

That was a tumultuous period, with violent uprisings under the rule of the Ottoman Empire, and both brothers served in the Bulgarian army.

Their older brother, Argiro, paved the way to America, settling in Cincinnati around 1918 as owner of a grocery store on Fifth Street. Tom and John followed him in 1921 and soon started their own business.

2. It all started with Empress Chili

The Kiradjieffs opened the Empress Chili Parlor on Oct. 24, 1922, according to “The Authentic History of Cincinnati Chili” by local food historian Dann Woellert Woellert reported Dixie Chili founder Nicholas Sarakatsannis saying that back then, restaurants would scrape up the leftover roast beef, lamb or pork and grind it up to make chili.

“But in 1922, the Empress, they buy freshly ground beef and they cook it,” Sarakatsannis said. “No roast pork or roast beef leftovers. They use pure beef, no beans. The idea was to have plain meat chili to prove it wasn’t leftovers. And they add the spaghetti. From then on, we all copied. I had my own chili, but I copied the spaghetti.”

Sarakatsannis had worked in the kitchen of Empress before hopping across the river in Kentucky to start his parlor in 1929. Nicholas Lambrinides, who founded Skyline Chili in 1949, had worked as a grill man at Empress’s Fifth Street location.

The “Cincinnati chili family tree” has Empress Chili as its trunk.

3. Empress Chili was named for a burlesque theater

The Empress Chili Parlor was located

The Empress Burlesque Theater on Vine Street that included the original Empress Chili Parlor in the corner storefront, where Cincinnati chili was created in 1922. FILE

Cincinnati chili 100th at the library

The owners of nearly every local chili parlor – from Skyline to Price Hill Chili –will gather for a photo on Monday, Oct. 24, at 11:55 a.m., at the site of the original Empress, which is now the plaza outside the Cincinnati & Hamilton County Public Library, to honor the 100th anniversary of Cincinnati chili. Food historian Dann Woellert will also present on the history of Cincinnati chili.

in the storefront of the Empress Burlesque Theater at 814 Vine St., thus the name.

The Empress Theater had opened in 1909 in an old church building converted into a vaudeville playhouse. The Fred Karno Company, a troupe of English music hall comedians, performed at the

Empress in 1911 and 1912. The headliner was a young Charlie Chaplin. His understudy was Stan Laurel.

The Empress added Burlesk (or Burlesque) to the name in 1919, offering a mix of stripteases and comedy acts. The name changed to the Gayety Burlesk in 1937 and was torn down in 1970 when it was a neighbor of the Cincinnati & Hamilton County Public Library. The library expanded there in1982, so the site of the birthplace of Cincinnati chili is now the courtyard outside the Main Library’s entrance.

4. It’s based on a Greek stew

An Empress Chili advertisement in The Enquirer on Nov. 26,1922, declared: “Best Chili Con Carne in City.”

That means “chili with meat.”The Kiradjieffs offered an Americanized version of saltsa kima, a Greek meat stew,

that they poured over a plate of spaghetti or on top of hot dogs known as Coney Islands – both without cheese.

“Tom and John took a dish that Americans would be familiar with, used their Macedonian spices and continued to modify it to customers’ wishes,” Woellert wrote.

Those spices include cloves, cinnamon and nutmeg added to chili powder. (Despite persistent rumors and all the local parlors keeping their recipes secret, they all say there is no chocolate in the Cincinnati chili recipe.)

5. The cheese was added later

We have customers to thank for lending a hand in the creation of Cincinnati chili as we know it.

Empress originally served the chili and spaghetti mixed together. A customer suggested that they cook the chili and noodles separately, then ladle the chili on top of the spaghetti to make the presentation neater.

Another customer asked for cheddar cheese to be added to the top, and it became the new standard. The Kiradjieffs called the spaghetti, chili and cheese a “three-way” to make it easier to shout out orders to the cooks.

6. There’s only one Empress left

Although Empress Chili introduced Cincinnati chili, the company wasn’t as successful in expansion compared to the other local parlors. These days, it’s Skyline that is synonymous with Cincinnati chili. Then Gold Star, or Camp Washington Chili. Empress Chili has only one location left – in Alexandria, Kentucky.

Joe Kiradjieff, Tom’s son and former president of Empress Chili, sold the company in 2009 to Jim Papakirk, the son-in-law of John Johnson, the owner of Camp Washington Chili.

Empress deserves to be recognized and remembered for its contribution to Cincinnati. As was written on one of the restaurant’s cups: “In the beginning, Empress created Cincinnati Chili, and it was good!!!”

Additional sources: Enquirer and Post archives, Cincinnati Magazine

Kevin Necessary documents his love for Cincinnati-style chili. But first, some research. KEVIN NECESSARY/FOR THE ENQUIRER

Emilio Estevez, Sarah Jessica Parker told us their Skyline orders

Not all Cincinnatians love the Bengals or Reds. And perhaps some don’t like our incredible local beers. However, almost all Queen City natives enjoy Cincinnati chili

Do we have the numbers to prove this? No. But disliking a three-way or cheese coney is sacrilegious in these parts.

In honor of the 100th anniversary of Cincinnati chili – yes, the iconic dish has been around 10 decades – we asked some of the more notable people from our great city to give us their go-to chili orders.

Personally, I don’t think you can go wrong with a chili deluxe burrito (all chili, no bean mix) and about 10 coneys with everything on them from Skyline Chili. However, I doubt you care about my order.

From movie stars to politicians and athletes, here are the go-to orders for local celebrities.

also likes oyster crackers split in two and filled with hot sauce. While he frequents Skyline whenever he wants Cincinnati chili, he says ”you can’t go wrong with Camp Washington’s historic vibe.”

Sarah Jessica Parker: “Sex and the City” or Sex and the Cincy? The famous actress credits the Queen City for starting her acting career, and she seems to have fond memories at the Clifton Skyline. Parker even visited Skyline during her recent trip to Cincinnati. Her go-to order? “Always a large three-way.”

Gee Horton: The visual artist’s go-to Gold Star order is a veggie chili cheese sandwich with mustard, onions and habanero cheese.

Jeff Christian Jr.: Christian tried finding love on “Love Island USA,” but the Colerain High School alum seems to know he might receive hate for liking Gold Star over Skyline. He enjoys a cheese coney with onions and mustard, and a three-way.

J.R. Cassidy: We, of course, had to give our neighbors in Kentucky some love. The founder of the Kentucky Symphony Orchestra likes visiting any chili parlor. He’s up late, so whichever one is open gets his business. Cassidy orders two coneys with no cheese and light onion. He also gets the cheese on the side for his dog, or for his son whenever he is in town.

Business owners

fan of the Skyline three-way.

Local officials

Aftab Pureval: Cincinnati’s mayor enjoys a regular four-way with onions and two coneys with everything on them.

Colleen Hanycz: Xavier University’s president says her order is a Skyline “cheese coney all day long.”

Jill Meyer: The president and CEO of the Cincinnati USA Regional Chamber enjoys two chili cheese sandwiches with mustard and onions from Gold Star.

two cheese coneys.

Annie Sabo: The “Reds Live” host on Bally Sports and daughter of former Reds All-Star Chris Sabo says she’s a “Skyline fanatic,” adding that she “can down two to three cheese coneys (no mustard) with ease.” Oh, and you can’t forget the crackers.

Kelsey Mitchell: She’s a Princeton grad and a WNBA star for the Indiana Fever, but when she’s not draining shots, Mitchell enjoys eating Gold Star. Go-to order? A five-way with beans and onions.

Mary Wineberg: Wineberg won an Olympic Gold Medal in 2008 when she was part of the U.S. 4x400 relay team. However, when she isn’t outrunning the person lined up next to her, the UC graduate likes a Skyline three-way with habanero cheese.

Go-to chili orders for Cincinnati celebrities

Arts and entertainment

Emilio Estevez: Perhaps one of Cincinnati’s most famous residents, the actor and filmmaker known for “The Breakfast Club” and “The Outsiders” (although I was a big “Mighty Ducks” guy) orders half diet/half regular Dr. Pepper, two cheese coneys with no onions and an order of fries to share. He

Jeff Ruby: The popular restauranteur had perhaps the best quote of any celebrity we asked. This also came after he had recently received a care package from Skyline. “I call it a wet SOC: Spaghetti, onions and chili, wet with extra drippings from the chili to make it juicy. First time I ordered it about 20 years ago they took me literally (because) they never heard of it that way. A wet sock was delivered with the order. It was all in fun. I knew the kid who prepared my order. I think they now prepare it my way but don’t call it a wet SOC. I think they call it juicy.”

KhishaAsubuhi: The former basketball player for Cincinnati State and Indiana University is also known for her Originalitees apparel shop. She is a big

Dr. O’dell Owens: Owens, the former Hamilton County coroner and influential Cincinnati health care voice, goes down a couple of different routes when visiting Skyline. When he’s happy, he takes a coney with everything. However, if he wants to be healthier, Owens orders a coney without bread.

Sports

Anthony Brooks: He is possibly the most recognized Bengals fan in the Queen City. Tony Da Tiger enjoys a three-way and a cheese coney (no onion) from Gold Star. He also enjoys extra crispy chili cheese fries.

AdamKunkel: The Xavier basketball guard and Cooper High School in Northern Kentucky alum said he orders a three-way from Skyline.

Byron Larkin: One of the greatest players in Xavier Musketeers history, Larkin enjoys a regular three-way and

Miyan Williams: The star Ohio State University running back from Winton Woods likes coneys with no cheese, a sprinkling of onion and mustard from Gold Star.

Mo Egger: Your favorite local sports radio host enjoys “four cheese coneys with mustard and onion, and a half sweet/half unsweetened iced tea” from Skyline.

ParisJohnsonJr.: The Ohio State offensive lineman from Princeton High School likes ordering coneys with cheese, onions and hot sauce from Camp Washington

Wes Miller: He is somewhat new to the Queen City, but the Cincinnati Bearcats’ basketball coach doesn’t seem to mess around when it comes to chili. He enjoys two coneys with everything, a three-way, crackers and hot sauce and a side of chili ranch sauce.

Emilio Estevez at the Red Carpet Premiere at the Taft Theatre in 2019. Estevez enjoys Skyline Chili whenever he is in the mood for Cincinnati-style chili. TONY TRIBBLE/FOR THE ENQUIRER

Khisha Asubuhi, owner of Originalitees, is a big Skyline Chili fan. CARA OWSLEY/THE ENQUIRER

Mary Wineberg, track star, 2008 Olympic Gold Medalist and UC grad, loves ordering a Skyline three-way. FILE

Introducing the Cincinnati Coney Trail. Have you tried them all?

its doors. And, boy howdy, look how far and wide our food staple has reached since then. It basically defines Cincinnati’s place in the world. And we’re OK with that.

In celebration of 100 years of Cincinnati-style chili, we’re going all-out. Like, six-way with onions, beans and garlic all-out. Maybe even some mustard and extra cheese.

If you’re wondering what exactly happened 100 years ago, it was Oct. 24, 1922, when Empress Chili first opened

There are oodles and noodles of Cincinnati chili parlors across the land, but no fun and fantastic way to keep track of which ones you’ve been to. Well, until now, that is. So without further ado, we’d like to introduce you to the Cincinnati Coney Trail. Print it out, cut it out,

frame it, heck, project it on your bedroom wall if that’s your thing.

Use it to discover places you didn’t know existed, or use it to revisit old favorites again to rekindle your love for that smell when you first walk in the door.

You might notice that we only included one location each for Skyline and Gold Star. We know you already have your favorites, so these are ours. Plus, there’s only so much room on a map.

If you take the map with you and check the boxes off as you go, we’d love to see it in the wild! Send us your photos and accounts of your journey so we can share them with the world. You can tag us in a Tweet (@ENQThingsToDo) or email me at rtodd@cincinnati.com. The real question we’re all wondering: Can anyone visit them all in one day? *

* Not necessarily advised. Be kind to yourself.

Rasputin Todd Cincinnati

Is this the most overlooked chili parlor in Greater Cincinnati?

and his late wife, Alexandra, opened it in the late 1960s.

On a Tuesday afternoon last week, Angelo Rallis sat in the kitchen of A&A Restaurant in Mount Healthy taking orders from Tracie, the only waitress on duty that day. Rallis is 96 years old and he’s been working here at A&A since he

It was almost 2 p.m. and Tracie told me they had run out of the turkey and roast beef for the double-decker sandwiches during the lunch rush. She assured me that he still had plenty of ham and that the ham was very good.

I wasn’t there for the double-deckers anyway. I wanted to try the chili, namely

a four-way with onion. Because along with being a lunch spot offering sandwiches and burgers, A&A is first and foremost a chili parlor (just look at the old sign above the entrance and you’ll see that it advertises “homemade chili”). And it might just be the most overlooked parlor in town.

I took a seat at one of the wood-patterned linoleum booths and wondered

why no one had ever told me about this place before. It has the kind of timeworn quality and conviviality you can only find in a truly good neighborhood joint.

There is the grandma wallpaper and the oversized wall calendar, the dated chandeliers and a “no credit cards ac-

See A&A, Page6AA

Keith Pandolfi

Tracie stands behind the u-shaped counter while Rallis works in the kitchen at A&A Restaurant on Oct. 11. STEPHANIE SCARBROUGH/THE ENQUIRER

A&A

cepted” sign above the register. There’s even a pink linoleum countertop that would be considered hip by today’s standards. Over here is a photo of the firstspaceshuttlelaunch.Overthereisa fading picture of the Cincinnati skyline in its Riverfront Stadium days.

Along the U-shaped counter, a father and his four daughters were finishing lunch and the girls were getting restless. The father told Tracie that he and his kids usually come in for breakfast, but now that he’s working the second shift, he was having lunch with them instead.

A few booths down from me, a woman named Starla Cattrell and her brothers, Dave and Jeff, were having an impromptu A&A reunion. All three of them had worked here in the1970s and1980s. Starla and her husband even lived upstairs in the old apartment above the restaurant.

“How’s the place look to you now?” I asked her.

“EXACTLY the same,” Starla said.

Starla and her brothers told me Rallis is a sweetheart, though he could be tough to work for sometimes. “If he liked you, he liked you,” one of her brothers said. “But if he didn’t like you, you knew

it.” She told me how local sports teams used to come in here all the time for burgers and coneys and how Alexandra used to make some of the best homemade soups in town.

Angelo and Alexandra Rallis moved to Cincinnati from Kastoria, Greece, in 1955 to be with Angelo’s uncle, who worked at Park Chili in Northside. When I asked if his uncle was the one who taught him to make chili, Angelo snapped back, “Nobody taught me!”Despitehisage,Angelostillpulls10-12hour days at A&A and says he has no intention of retiring anytime soon.

The three-way I ordered was as good as any I’ve ever had in Cincinnati, tasting more like the neighborhood parlors like Pleasant Ridge or Camp Washington than the local chains. And like those neighborhood parlors, this place was just as much about the atmosphere as it was about the food.

A&A is the kind of restaurant that deserves more credit than it’s gotten over the years. It has another great story to tell about Greek immigrants coming to this city and making good on the American dream. And it’s an example of why a husband-and-wife team running one solid neighborhood chili parlor for a lifetime is something worth honoring.

7617 Hamilton Ave., Mount Healthy, 513-522-9079. Hours: 7 a.m.-6 p.m. Monday-Saturday. Closed Sunday.

Continued from Page 5AA

Tracie clears tables in the dining room at A&A Restaurant in Mount Healthy on Oct. 11. STEPHANIE SCARBROUGH PHOTOS/THE ENQUIRER

Angelo Rallis stands in the kitchen of A&A Restaurant. S

You should be making Cincinnati chili at home. Here’s why

Cincinnati Chili Cockaigne (adapted from “Joy of Cooking, 75th Anniversary Edition”)

5 to 6 cloves garlic, crushed

One 15-ounce can tomato sauce

2 tablespoons cider vinegar

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

Stir and add:

Given the number of chili parlors within driving distance of my house, you might wonder why I choose to make my Cincinnati chili at home.

Part of the reason was it was born out of necessity. After living away for Cincinnati for so long, I needed a recipe for the stuff that would do more justice to the canned chili or spice mixes I would often buy at a random CVG gift shop on my way back to New Orleans or New York.

Once I found that recipe (see below), I used it to not only satisfy my own cravings but also to teach my friends that Cincinnati chili is nothing to be afraid of. That the sum of its parts is little more than ground beef, onions, garlic, dried herbs, tomato sauce, apple cider vinegar and a dab of Worcestershire sauce.

But it’s more than that. Just as you can get a good gumbo from at least 100 southern Louisiana restaurants or a quality clam chowder in any random New England fish house, they are almost always better when they’re homemade.

It’s also good for every Cincinnatian worth his or her salt to understand how this stuff works. Why it tastes the way it does, what each spice adds to its flavor profile and why using fresh spices and good quality ground meat matters.

My go-to recipe is from “Joy of Cooking.” Specifically, the book’s 75th Anniversary Edition, where it can be found on page 514. In case you didn’t know, “Joy of Cooking” has some strong Cincinnati ties. Marion Rombauer, the daughter of the book’s original author, Irma S. Rombauer, lived here. And when Marion started editing the book, she included a recipe for Cincinnati chili called Cincinnati Chili Cockaigne, named after her family’s Anderson Township estate.

It’s a great recipe that will not only yield some of the best three-ways or cheese coneys you’ve ever tasted but, since it simmers for almost three hours, will also make your kitchen smell like a genuine Cincinnati chili parlor all day long.

Note: Using fresh spices, and grinding the peppercorns, allspice and cloves with a mortar and pestle or spice grinder is key

In a 4 to 6 quart pot, bring to a boil:

4 cups water

Add:

2 pounds of quality ground chuckStir until separated and reduce heat to a simmer.

Add:

2 medium onions, finely chopped

10 peppercorns, ground

8 whole allspice, ground

8 whole cloves, ground

1 large bay leaf

2 teaspoons salt

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1 1 2 teaspoons ground cayenne pepper

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 2 ounce unsweetened chocolate, grated (only slightly controversial)

Return to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer, for 2 1 2 hours cooking time in all.

Cool uncovered and refrigerate overnight. Before serving, skim off all or most of the fat and discard. Reheat the chili.

h For a 2-way, serve over cooked spaghetti.

h For a 3-way, add mild cheddar cheese, finely grated.

h For a 4-way, sprinkle on chopped onions.

h For a 5-way, top each serving with 1⁄4 cup of cooked red kidney beans.

h And don’t forget the oyster crackers and hot sauce!

A four-way, onion, from the “Joy of Cooking.” KEITH PANDOLFI/THE ENQUIRER

We’ve swapped out the meat in a Cincinnati-style three-way, and the results are glorious.

You won’t miss meat in this Cincinnati-style chili recipe

As I began the process of clearing out my mother’s home after she died earlier this year, I discovered a treasure trove of old cookbooks dating back to the 1940s. One from the early ‘80s caught my eye. “Food Editors’ Hometown Favorites Cookbook” is a compilation of recipes from newspaper food editors across the country, each highlighting their city’s regional and local specialties.

I was delighted to discover two recipes from former Cincinnati Post food editor Joyce Rosencrans, and while this vegetarian won’t be making the goetta recipe anytime soon, I decided to try my hand at making a vegetarian/vegan version of our beloved Cincinnati-style

chili.

The first few times I made it, I swapped lentils in place of the ground beef that Rosencrans’ recipe called for, and it was delicious. While the lentils provided a different mouth feel, the spice base is pure Cincinnati-style chili parlor. Later, when I picked up some Impossible Burger (plant-based meat substitute) on sale at the grocery, I decided to give it a whirl. Wow. What a gamechanger!Imighthaveactuallyweptalittle after that first bite because it was so reminiscent of the chili parlor versions I ate as a carnivorous teenager. My nonveg husband declared it his “favorite dish ever” and admitted that he wouldn’t be able to tell the difference between a meat-based chili parlor version and the Impossible version.

Want to give it a try yourself? Here’s

the vegan-adapted version of Rosencrans’ Cincinnati Chili recipe. I’ve included instructions for my lentil version at the end of the recipe.

Vegan Cincinnati-style Chili

2 pounds ground Impossible Burger

2 medium onions, finely diced

1 quart water

1 (14-16 oz.) can diced tomatoes

1 1 2 tsp. cider vinegar

1 tsp. vegan Worcestershire sauce (I use Annie’s)

Instructions:

1 Combine Impossible Burger, onions and water in a large saucepan or Dutch oven. Simmer until burger turns brown.

2 Add tomatoes with juice, vinegar, Worcestershire sauce and spice ingredients. Stir to combine.

3 Cover and simmer for three hours.

4 To serve “basic three-way chili,” ladle chili over cooked spaghetti and top with vegan cheese.

Makes 6 servings.

Lentil version: Step 1: heat water to boiling and add 4 tsp. McKay’s chickenstyle seasoning (or other vegan bouillon of choice).Stiruntildissolved.Addonionsand 2 cups dried brown or green lentils instead of Impossible Burger. Return to boil, then reduce heat and let simmer 15-20 minutes. Step 2: No changes. Step 3: Simmer 90 minutes, stirring occasionally.

LUANN GIBBS/CINCINNATI ENQUIRER

OPERATION PUMPKIN TAKES OVER DOWNTOWN HAMILTON

The Monkey Pumpkin. JOE SIMON PHOTOS/FOR THE ENQUIRER

The Mr. Spock pumpkin.

The talented vocalist for the Sly Band, Kaija.

T-Rex was spotted in Rotary Park.

The SUNDAY+ SCENE IN CINCY

Operation Pumpkin

Monday, Oct. 17

ART OPENING: As We Bloom, ArtWorks V2 Gallery, 929 E. McMillan St., Walnut Hills. Runs Oct. 17-Dec. 17.

ART: Community Mural Dedication, 4 p.m., Dillard Building, 791 E. McMillan St., Walnut Hills. ArtWorks unveils “Perspectives,” a mixed media mural designed by MZ. Icar. Free.

FAMILY: Monarch Festival, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. daily, Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden, 3400 Vine St., Avondale. Runs Oct. 1-31. Free with zoo admission. Cincinnatizoo.org

FOOD:CincinnatiTacoWeek. Enjoy $2 tacos from some of the city’s most popular taco joints. cincytacoweek. com

Tuesday, Oct. 18

FILM:Pinus:AFilmScreening, 7:30 p.m., Go Bananas Comedy Club, 8410 Market Place Lane, Montgomery. Movie follows strong Midwestern tradition of low-budget DIY horror films with a cast of local comedians, musicians and artists. Ages 18-up. $5. gobananascomedy. com

SPORTS: All Elite Wrestling presents Dynamite, Heritage Bank Center.

Wednesday, Oct. 19

COMEDY: And Then We Had Sex, Funny Bone Comedy Club, 7518 Bales St., Liberty Township. One night only. liberty.funnybone.com

MUSIC: Madeleine Peyroux and Paula Cole, Memorial Hall.

OUTDOORS: Find Your Wild Roadshow, 3-6 p.m., Pavilion Grove at SharonWoods,11450LebanonRoad,Sharonville. Great Parks field guides will be on hand with information on outdoor spaces. Enjoy cozy campfires, s’mores, hammocks, camping chairs, music and more. Findyourwild.com

Thursday, Oct. 20

COMEDY: Kurt Metzger, Go Bananas Comedy Club, 8410 Market Place Lane, Montgomery. Runs Oct. 20-23. gobananascomedy.com

LECTURE: Journalism: The Oxygen of Democracy, 7-9 p.m., Voice of America Museum, 8070 Tylersville Road, West Chester. Virtual guest speaker is VOA Eastern Europe Chief Myroslava Gongadze, who will field questions about her recent trip to Ukraine. Free, but reservations required by Oct.18. 513777-0027; admin@voamuseum.org.

MUSIC:TravisTritt&ChrisJanson: The Can’t Miss Tour, Truist Arena. With War Hippies.

MUSIC: Jeff Beck and Johnny Depp, Andrew J. Brady Music Center.

MUSIC: Black Opry, Memorial Hall. With Ruby Amanfu & Kyshona Armstrong, Julie Williams, Jeff Holden, Roberta Lea and Tae Lewis.

RECREATION: Wheel of Fortune Live, Taft Theatre. Clay Aiken hosts the game show live.

THEATER OPENING: Sister Act, Covedale Center for the Performing Arts, 4990 Glenway Ave., West Price Hill. Runs Oct. 20-Nov.13. 513-241-6550. cincinnatilandmarkproductions.com

Friday, Oct. 21

ART:ArtLocalArtShow&OhioWatercolors Society Traveling Exhibit, 710 p.m. Friday, 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturday, ArtsConnect Art Center, 9158 Winton Road, Springfield Township. thearts connect.us

ART OPENING: Jeremy Meadows, Gallery 708, 2643 Erie Ave., Hyde Park. Runs Oct. 21-Nov. 1.

COMEDY: Josh Arnold, Funny Bone Comedy Club, 7518 Bales St., Liberty Township. Runs Oct. 21-22. liberty.funnybone.com

HALLOWEEN: Spooky Tales on the Trails:RiverMonstersHike, 7 and 7:30 p.m., Lee Shelter, Fernbank Park, 50 Thornton Ave., Sayler Park. Hear about the largest and weirdest inhabitants of the Ohio River on a family-friendly walk. $5 per person. Greatparks.org

MUSIC: Marty Stuart and His Fabulous Superlatives, Memorial Hall.

MUSIC: Trivium, Andrew J. Brady Music Center. With Between the Buried and Me, Whitechapel and Khemmis.

MUSIC: Jarobi (A Tribe Called Quest), Woodward Theater. Featuring Afrofuturist Projections by Vince Fraser.

MUSIC: John McEuen & the Circle Band, Ludlow Garage.

MUSIC:Gwar, Bogart’s. With Crobot, Nekrogoblikon.

MUSIC: Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra: Langree Conducts Also sprach Zarathustra, 7:30 p.m. FridaySaturday, 2 p.m. Sunday, Music Hall, 1241 Elm St., Over-the-Rhine. cincinnatisymphony.org

THEATER: Theresa Caputo, Taft Theatre.

THEATER OPENING: Richard O’Brien’s The Rocky Horror Show, Sorg Opera House, 63 S. Main St., Middletown. Runs Oct. 21-Oct. 30. $30, $25 advance.

THEATER OPENING: The Howl-OEek-End Murders: Movie Monster Mayhem, 8 p.m. Friday-Saturday, Sharonville Cultural Arts Center, 11165 Reading Road. Interactive murder mystery recommended for ages 18-up. $50 couple, $30 single. sharonvilleculturalarts.org

Saturday, Oct. 22

CHARITY: Making Strides Against Breast Cancer, 9 a.m., Yeatman’s Cove, 705 E. Pete Rose Way, Downtown. Walk is free. New this year is a 5K race, $40. Makingstrideswalk.org/cincinnati and acsmove.org/makingstrides5k

CHARITY: Dance on Haunted Hill, 7:30 p.m., Arco, 3301 Price Ave., East Price Hill. Evening of dancing and costumes. Prizes for best costumes. DJ, tarot readings, food, beer and wine, allyou-can-eat pizza. Benefits East Price Hill Improvement Association. $35. ephia.org

COMEDY: Kevin Hart: Reality

Check, Heritage Bank Center.

FESTIVAL: Healing & Understand-

ing: We Are One, various venues around the city. Runs Oct. 22-26. 5-day music festival featuring lectures and concerts exploring race and justice in America. Events take place at Art Academy of Cincinnati, National Underground Railroad Freedom Center, Nostalgia Wine Bar, BlaCkCoffee, Christ Church Cathedral. Ccocincinnati.org/ healingunderstanding

FESTIVALS: Cincinnati Coffee Festival, Oct. 22-23, Music Hall, 1241 Elm St., Over-the-Rhine. Benefits Ohio River Foundation. $17.50-up. cincinnaticoffeefestival.com

FESTIVALS: Hocus Pocus Fall Fest, Saturday-Sunday, 700 Fairfield Ave., Bellevue.

FESTIVALS: Fall Fest Weekend, 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday-Sunday, Washington Park, 1230 Elm St., Over-theRhine. Enjoy local vendors with crafts and homemade items, baked goods, pet needs and more. Children’s activities, animal encounters, live music. Free. washingtonpark.org

HALLOWEEN: Monster Bash, 4-9 p.m., The Children’s Theater of Cincinnati, 4015 Red Bank Road, Oakley. Walkthrough Villain Village experience, character appearances by TCT production of Disney’s Descendants: The Musical, costume contest, pumpkin decorating, bounce house, balloon art, games and more. $50. thechildrenstheatre.com

HALLOWEEN:Pumpkins&Munchkins Trick or Treat Trail and Movie Night, 1-7 p.m., Marcum Park, Hamilton. Walk the spooky pumpkin trail, trick or treat with vendors and crafters. Movies at 6 p.m. Free. eventbrite.com

HALLOWEEN:TrunkorTreat&Pet Masquerade, 1-3 p.m., Testerman Park, 8373 Maineville Road, Hamilton Township. Dress the whole family for some fall fun. Kids can trunk hop for treats while puppers enjoy a pup cup. Burgers, hot dogs, Kona Ice, DJ spinning tunes, free popcorn and more. Costume march for kids and pets at 2 p.m. hamiltontownship.org

SHOPPING: Bizarre Bazaar, 3-8 p.m., Pandemonium, 3428 Decoursey Ave.,Covington.Artistsandmakersvisit. pandemonium859.com

MUSEUM OPENING: Fakes, Forgeries and Followers, Taft Museum of Art, Pike St., Downtown. Runs Oct. 22-Feb. 5.

MUSIC: Kentucky Symphony Orchestra: Brahmsicans vs. Wagnercrats, 7:30 p.m., Northern Kentucky

University’s Greaves Concert Hall, Nunn Drive, Highland Heights. The KSO stages a civil, symphonic debate between two musical parties. $35. 859431-6216; kyso.org

MUSIC: An Evening with Kurt Elling, 8 p.m., Memorial Hall,1225 Elm St., Over-the-Rhine.

MUSIC: Acoustic Alchemy, Ludlow Garage.

MUSIC: Joe Satriani, Taft Theatre. Sunday, Oct. 23

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

FILM: “Union Maids,” and “9to5: TheStoryofaMovement,” 4 p.m., Garfield Theatre, 719 Race St., Downtown. Retrospective of Dayton-based independent filmmaker Julia Reichert. Guest speakers after every screening. Other dates are Nov 6 and Nov. 13. $15, $10 advance, $5-$7 students.

FOOD:FallFoodFest,10 a.m.-4 p.m., Findlay Market,1801Race St., Over-theRhine. Sample fall dishes from local merchants, vendors and farmers at the market. $10-$20. Eventbrite.com

MUSIC: Westwood Community Band: An Afternoon at the Movies, 2 p.m., Mount St. Joseph University Auditorium, 5701 Delhi Road, Delhi Township. Free. 513-328-4853; westsidecommunityband.org

NIGHTLIFE: Wizard Fest, 7:30 p.m., Ludlow Garage, 342 Ludlow Ave., Clifton. Interactive, fantasy-themed party, cosplay contest, wizard trivia, games, themed drinks and more. All ages. $20, $15 advance. ludlowgaragecincinnati.com

OPERA: Defiant Requiem: Verdi at Terezin, 6 p.m., Rotunda at Cincinnati Museum Center, 1301 Western Ave., Queensgate. This multimedia concertdrama combines music of Verdi with video testimonials and narration to tell story of courageous Jewish prisoners in the Theresienstadt Concentration Camp (Terezin). $36. Defiantrequiem.brownpapertickets.com

OUTDOORS: Find Your Wild Roadshow, 9 a.m.-noon, Kingfisher Pavilion at Winton Woods, 10245 Winton Road, Springfield Township. Findyourwild.com

RECREATION: Meet and Greet with David Fulcher, noon-1 p.m., Hard Rock Casino, 1000 Broadway, Downtown. Bengals fans can meet Fulcher prior to the game. Free.

SHOPPING: Mainstrasse Village Flea, 9 a.m.-3 p.m., MainStrasse Village George Steinford Park, Sixth St., Covington.

SPORTS:CincinnatiBengalsvs.Atlanta Falcons, 1 p.m., Paycor Stadium. Looking ahead

CHARITY: Opera & Wellness, Nov. 6, CycleBar, 2713 Edmondson Road, Norwood. Benefits Cincinnati Opera. $30. cincinnatiopera.org

LECTURE: Bet on Yourself: A Conversation with Paula Kerger, Oct. 27, Hard Rock Casino, 1000 Broadway, Downtown. NextUpCincinnati hosts president and CEO of PBS. Register: nextupisnow.org/regions/cincinnati

Have an event you’d like us to know about? Send all the details to calendar@cincinnati.com with “Things To Do” in the subject line.

Wheel of Fortune Live comes to Taft Theatre on Oct. 20. Clay Aiken hosts. PROVIDED

Luann Gibbs Cincinnati Enquirer

It’s Cincinnati Taco Week. Get $2 tacos at a number of area restaurants and taquerias. SHARON RIGSBY

Kevin Hart brings his Reality Check Tour to Heritage Bank Center on Saturday. CHRIS

Say hello to autumn with persimmon cookies

The change of seasons leaves me spellbound. Stepping outside, I love drinking in the aroma of autumn as I gaze over the grove of young chestnuts and colorful trees beyond. The sky is a brilliant blue, and the weather is crisp enoughforsweatersandjackets.Thelittle boys have even been digging through our box of gloves and wearing them. It’ll be a couple of months until I’m ready for that myself.

One dimension of fall I enjoy is pretty leaves. I’ve never outgrown it. When I wasagirl,mymomwouldhelpusgather and press leaves of orange, red and yellow.

Even now, I still can’t help but stoop to pick up an attractive maple leaf. Today I told the boys I can’t remember ever finding as many pretty leaves as this year. The children are all helping me collect a variety, which are being pressed to hang up in the living room around our plaque with family rules.

The woods behind our house serve well in supplying us with leaves to rake together into piles to romp in. Chuckling, I recall how my brothers and I once took gallon ice cream buckets and put them on our heads as helmets, the handle served as the strap to keep them on. On our hands and knees, we crawled around the giant pile of leaves, bumping into each other, having the time of our life.

A week ago, we had a very unique camping experience with all the church ladies and girls. From the oldest grandma down to the littlest girl, we all made lots of cozy memories. As always, my highlight was sitting around the crackling fire, singing and talking. For our discussion at night, we all shared something we have learned in life. Even the little girls said what they learned.

When Hosanna’s turn came, she sweetly said, “I have learned to know Dad and Mom.” Her innocence touched my heart. Being adopted does add a

unique dimension to life. Numerous people related how they have learned to trust in God, no matter what. It was striking to me to think of all 40 of us sitting in a big circle, all have our own journey, and God meets each of us exactly where we are, increasing each of our trust in him. This fall the children have also been impressed with persimmons. In school they often see our non-Amish neighbor picking up persimmons along the road. Last night when I was getting the children ready for bed, one of them informed me that a vehicle drove in. Jesse

Persimmon Cookies

2 cups sugar

2 sticks of butter

2 eggs

1 cup persimmon pulp

3 cups flour

1 4 tsp. baking powder

1 4 tsp. pumpkin pie spice

1 4 tsp. nutmeg

1 4 tsp. ginger

1 4 tsp. allspice

1 2 cup chocolate chips

Instructions:

1. Cream together sugar, butter, eggs, and persimmon pulp.

2. In a separate bowl, mix flour and spices. After the flour is mixed well with the spices, add to the persimmon mixture.

3. Stir in chocolate chips.

4. Drop by teaspoon onto cookie sheet and bake at 350 for 16 minutes.

scampered over to the window and peered out in the darkness. Out here in the country we don’t have any street lights or even a pole light at our house.

I explained to Jesse that those outside can see in much easier than we can see out. I told him how my brothers would tell me that it makes you look like a monkey when you look out the windows after dark with your hands cupped next to your face so you could see who’s out there.

The motion light on the front porch revealed it was our neighbor who gathers persimmons. He brought us a plate

of persimmon pudding and persimmon cookies. My heart was warmed.

When I was a little girl, we children would pick up persimmons and enjoy them right there on the spot, but I never got so much into baking with them. These cookies really were a hit and didn’t have as strong flavor as some persimmon dishes.

If you have access to persimmons, you may wanna try it, and if not, I wish you’d be here to get some fresh persimmon pulp from the country store, only a skip and a hop down the gravel road from here.

Want a burst of early spring color? Plant bulbs now

Most of our autumn gardening time is spent cleaning up and putting plants to bed for the winter, but it can also be a time to be proactive about improving our gardens for next spring. The greatest example of this would be to plant spring flowering bulbs such as daffodils and tulips.

Many of us garden impulsively. We can be someplace where there are beautiful gardens, which inspires us to duplicatesomeofthebeautyinourownlandscapes. A great example of this would be the Cincinnati Zoo Blooms event held in April each year. Here you will see over 100,000 blooming tulips along with daffodils and other flowers. Most likely you leave this event mesmerized by the explosion of color. All of the colorful flowers you see at Zoo Blooms are planted in the fall.

Tulips and daffodils are the most popular spring flowering bulbs, but there are others. These flowers need to be planted in the fall to bloom the following spring. Spring-flowering bulbs require a long period of cool temps to process a chemical reaction inside of the plant to produce the blooms.

Tulipsaredefinitelythemostcolorful of all of the spring flowering bulbs. You can find a tulip in almost any color in the rainbow. The problem with tulips – and it is a big one – is they are like candy to deer. Deer grazing your neighborhood will be watching your tulips as they emerge out of the ground. They will be there the day when the flowers open up and they could be gone before you ever see them. When you plant tulips, you will need to have a deer repellent ready to go as the flower buds start to form.

If you want the spring flowers of bulbs but you do not want to have to worry about the deer, plant daffodils. Daffodils are poisonous to deer, and they know it. They won't eat them. With daffodils, however, you are limited to shades of yellow, orange, and white. You are limited with colors, but in return, you will not have to worry about the

blooms being eaten. There are a lot of other types of spring-flowering bulbs to choose from. For early spring color, you can plant crocuses or snowdrops. Muscari, also known as grape hyacinths, are low growing and great for creating a colorful border. There are also bulbs you can plant for adding fragrance to your spring landscape. The best are hyacinths. These come in shades of pink, blue, and white.

Be aware that hyacinths will also attract deer. Large growing fritillaria are also great for adding fragrance to the garden. There are also some bulbs that can create interest in the garden with their unusual flowers. Allium produce large, sphere-shaped lavender-colored flowers on tall stalks. Then the most unusual of all, are the "Naked Ladies." Yes, this is the name. Their botanical name is Lycoris. These plants produce foliage in late spring. Then the foliage dies and the

plant produces pink flower stalks, without foliage. Hence, the name "Naked Ladies." They bloom in the summer.

Spring-flowering bulbs can give you the opportunity to be very creative. Different bulbs bloom at different times. Even with tulips and daffodils there are different varieties that bloom at different times. Be sure to get a good mix so you can maximize the time you have the colorful blooms.

Persimmons. GETTY IMAGES

October is the best time for planting spring-flowering bulbs. A bumble bee prepares to land on a blue jacket hyacinth at the Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Garden during Zoo Blooms in 2021. Over 100,000 tulips of every color cover the zoo grounds during the month of April, along with daffodils, hyacinths, flowering trees and shrubs. LIZ DUFOUR/THE ENQUIRER

“The Twilight Zone” Marathon MeTV, beginning at 12 p.m. Ten classic episodes from Rod Serling’s classic 1959-64 sci-fi/fantasy anthology series The Twilight Zone air during this five-hour marathon. “Time Enough at Last,” “Eye of the Beholder,” “To Serve Man,” “It’s a Good Life” and “Nightmare at 20,000 Feet” are just some of the fan-favorite installments MeTV has on tap.

The Simpsons

FOX, 8 p.m.

Marge’s (voice of Julie Kavner) new job as a segment producer on Krusty the Clown’s (Dan Castellaneta) daytime talk show turns out to be a nightmare in the new episode “The King of Nice.”

The Equalizer

CBS, 8:30 p.m.

McCall (Queen Latifah) and the team help a widow who claims her dead husband is trying to kill her from beyond the grave in the new episode “Better Off Dead.”

The Great North FOX, 8:30 p.m.

The Tobins and some friends experience cabin fever when they are trapped in the house for days by an ice storm in the new episode “Code Enough Said Adventure.”

CELEBRITY BIRTHDAYS

Actor Barry Corbin (“One Tree Hill,” “Northern Exposure”) is 82. Bassist C.F. Turner of Bachman-Turner Overdrive is 79. Actor Suzanne Somers is 76. Guitarist Bob Weir of the Grateful Dead is 75. Producer-director David Zucker is 75. Actor MarthaSmith (“Animal House,” “Scarecrow and Mrs. King”) is 70. Actor Andy Kindler (“EverybodyLovesRaymond”)is66.Actordirector Tim Robbins is 64. Guitarist Gary Kemp (Spandau Ballet) is 63. Singer Bob Mould (Husker Du) is 62. Actor Randy Vasquez (“JAG”) is 61. Bassist Flea of the Red Hot Chili Peppersis60.Actor ChristianStolte (“Chicago Fire”) is 60. Actor Terri J. Vaughn (“All of Us,” “The Steve Harvey Show”) is 53. Singer Wendy Wilson of Wilson Phillips is 53. Rapper B-Rock of B-Rock and the Bizz is 51. Singer Chad Gray of Mudvayne is 51. Actor Paul Sparks (“BoardwalkEmpire”)is51.Actor Kellie Martin (“Christy,”“Life Goes On”) is 47. Singer-songwriter John Mayer is 45. Actor Jeremy Jackson (“Baywatch”) is 42. Actor Caterina Scorsone (“Grey’s Anatomy”) is 42. Actor Brea Grant (“Heroes”) is 41.

The Apartment

TCM, 4:15 p.m.

Best Actor Oscar nominee Jack Lemmon and Best Actress nominee Shirley MacLaine star in Oscar-winning director Billy Wilder’s iconic, Best Picture-winning 1960 romantic comedy. Lemmon plays an insurance clerk who, in an attempt to climb the corporate ladder to an executive level, lets his bosses use his apartment for their extramarital affairs, only to eventually fall for the mistress (MacLaine) of his immediate boss (Fred MacMurray). Wilder also won an Oscar for the screenplay he cowrote with his Some Like It Hot collaborator

Bob’s Burgers

FOX, 9 p.m.

At a comet watch party, Bob (voice of H. Jon Benjamin) tries to keep Teddy (Larry Murphy) from going crazy looking for signs from the universe in the new episode “Comet-y of Errors.”

Magpie Murders

Check local station(s) for day/time

h New Series!

Based on the bestselling novel written by Anthony Horowitz, the six-part series is a beguiling murder mystery with a resolution that will shock. The story revolves around the character Susan Ryeland (Lesley Manville, The Crown), an editor who is given an unfinished manuscript of author Alan Conway’s latest novel but has little idea it will change her life.

Family Guy

FOX, 9:30 p.m.

In the new episode “The Munchurian Candidate,” Lois (voice of Alex Borstein) hypnotizes Peter (Seth MacFarlane) to fulfill her sexual desires.

NCIS: Los Angeles CBS, 10:30 p.m.

The NCIS team mounts a rescue operation for two kidnapped architects who design secure buildings in the new episode “Of Value.”

I.A.L. Diamond, and the film’s outstanding cast also includes Best Supporting Actor nominee Jack Kruschen, Ray Walston, Hope Holiday and Edie Adams.

MOVIES | CONTENT BY TV WEEKLY

Bad Boys II (2003, Action) Martin Lawrence, Will Smith VICE, 6 p.m.

I Am Legend (2007, Science fiction) Will Smith, Alice Braga FX, 6 p.m.

Minions (2015, Children) Sandra Bullock, Jon Hamm TNT, 6 p.m.

The Devil Wears Prada (2006, Comedy-drama) Meryl Streep, Anne Hathaway E!, 6 p.m.

Steel Magnolias (1989, Comedy-drama) Sally Field, Dolly Parton CMT, 6:30 p.m.

Bullitt (1968, Crime drama) Steve McQueen, Robert Vaughn TCM, 8 p.m.

Halloween

(2018, Horror) Jamie Lee Curtis, Judy Greer FX, 8 p.m.

Shrek (2001, Children) Mike Myers, Eddie Murphy TNT, 8 p.m.

Sonic the Hedgehog (2020, ) James Marsden, Jim Carrey NICK, 8 p.m.

The Wedding Ringer (2015, Comedy) Kevin Hart, Josh Gad BET, 8 p.m.

Furious 7 (2015, Action) Vin Diesel, Paul Walker SYFY, 9 p.m.

Coal Miner’s Daughter (1980, Biography) Sissy Spacek, Tommy Lee Jones CMT, 9:30 p.m.

Scarface (1983, Crime drama) Al Pacino, Michelle Pfeiffer BBCA, 10 p.m.

Scream 3 (2000, Horror) David Arquette, Neve Campbell VH1, 10 p.m.

10 Things I Hate About You (1999, Comedy) Heath Ledger, Julia Stiles E!, 11 p.m.

Semi-Pro (2008, Comedy) Will Ferrell, Woody Harrelson TBS, 11 p.m.

Superbad (2007, Comedy) Jonah Hill, Michael Cera COMEDY, 11 p.m.

Sleepy Hollow (1999, Horror) Johnny Depp, Christina Ricci PARMT, 11:30 p.m.

ANSWER

ASK

Parents see recovering alcoholic boyfriend as ‘burden’ for daughter

Dear Carolyn: My husband and I are about to spend a week with our daughter and her boyfriend. They’ve lived together foraboutthreeyears.Theboyfriendhada bad year: He had a good, but demanding job, then was apparently diagnosed with anxiety. He quit the job and the anxiety morphed into alcoholism. He is recently out of detox and rehab, but not working and now is looking to start over in a new city. We like him. And we support him in his struggle. But there is no marriage, no kids, no house, and we are old enough to know and worry about the course recovery takes. Namely, two or three relapses before it sticks and lots of human wreckage. I don’t want my kid to be part of the wreckage. As far as I can tell, everyone –his family, his friends, his co-workers, us – has been understanding.

I do not want to blow this, and from everything I’ve read, my only option is sympathy and support. Ugh. I resent the burden this has placed on my daughter.

And, yes, plenty of people have gotten clean and stayed clean. But is the partner always looking over his or her shoulder? So how do I address this? I am not condemning him, but I do not want to let him off the hook. – Anonymous

Anonymous: Yeah, ugh to sympathy and support!!! Where’s a good shaming when you need one. I kid.

Alcoholism and anxiety are significant, complex problems that require ongoing care, yes. No argument there. Recovery typically involves some relapse, yes. And your daughter would have fewer obstacles to leaving if she ended the relationship now, most likely. But do not conflate your valid concerns about the potential for his alcoholism to affect your daughter negatively with any license or duty to punish him for it. You are not the law here

Your role is to trust your daughter to run her own life to her own satisfaction. Because it’s a life we’re talking about here, the way she manages it will involve error. Some of it massive, maybe with at least a temporary cost to her (and even your) quality of life.

That’s why adult members of reasonablyfunctionalfamiliesalsotendtoshare the role of each other’s backups and safety nets – when needed or asked. The help doesn’t flow just from parent to kid, either, but among all competent adults

DEAR ABBY |ABIGAIL VAN BUREN

Friends’ spontaneous meeting turns into a bitter memory

Dear Abby: I ran into a friend at the chiropractor’s, and he persuaded me to change my plans and not go to the movies but to join him on a walk on the beach. We set plans to meet by the beach and, as I was approaching the street corner, I saw him not wait for me but cross the street while he was on his phone.

When I finally caught up with him, he was chatting with a mutual friend. There was nothing urgent about the call, but he stayed on his phone. I asked repeatedly, “Are you really planning to stay on your phone while we’re going on this walk?” I knowheheardme,andourmutualfriend on the phone heard me. He continued to talk, so I turned around and left.

I thought he was extremely rude and I deserve an apology. I also think the person on the phone with him should apologize as well. The thing about this friend is, he never apologizes for anything. What do I do now?

All Talk, No Walk in California

Dear All Talk: The acquaintance who dissuaded you from going to the movie so you could walk together was rude. He made clear that whoever he was on the phone with was more important to him than you are. Because he “never apologizes for anything,” do not expect one. Instead, spend your time with people who are socially sensitive, practice basic good manners and who don’t waste your time like this one did.

Dear Abby: My stepson-in-law talks incessantly. It has cost him jobs and friends. It is often negative and gossipy – he loves telling about others’ foibles and problems. Many folks avoid him,

and though it seems he could be a good employee, it doesn’t take long before he wears everyone down. He’s close to 50 and counts on others to support him. I bite my tongue, but I feel he needs to be confronted – like maybe 30 years ago! What to do?

Cringing in Tennessee

Dear Cringing: You aren’t going to change a 50-year-old compulsive gossip. More important, I think, is what you mentioned about his counting on “others” to support him. I hope it’s not your husband. Do not bother confronting him. Recognize your stepson-in-law is on his own path, and he needs to follow it wherever it leads.

Dear Abby: I have stopped saying “blessyou”whensomeonesneezes.It’sa ridiculous custom that needs to be retired. I do not believe the soul leaves the body when a person sneezes, and I highly doubt anyone else today believes that.

I’m not a Christian, and I don’t feel comfortable invoking the blessing of a deity I don’t believe in. Some people have criticized me out for staying silent after a sneeze, and I have also been given dirty looks for my silence. Am I being rude for not blessing someone who has sneezed?

Not Saying It

DearNotSayingIt:Youarenotbeing rude; you are being true to your feelings. No rule of etiquette decrees you must say “God bless you” when someone sneezes. A polite alternative might be to say, “Gesundheit!” – the translation of which is “good health.” Those sentiments NEVER become obsolete.

Contact Abby at www.DearAbby.com

If this is a decent man who treats her well and has the strength to face his own [stuff], then theirs can be a full and wonderful life. Because, again, all lives involve hardship.

Such as: Watching your child struggle, or having to contain your worries about her so you don’t exert undue and unhelpful influence on her as she navigates one ofthetoughestchallengesshe’lleverface.

You may not want your daughter to stay in this relationship – again, valid. But she’s going to make that decision without you, and if she chooses to stay, then pursing your lips or putting him on hooks would amount to placing obstacles in his path. Needlessly. I can’t see how that helps your kid.

Try Al-Anon. Learn how not to be an obstacle to someone’s recovery. Or learn how to be the warmest, least invasive houseguest you can be. If they go on to marry, then I think it’s safe to say your kindness and support during your visit won’t have been why.

Email tellme@washpost.com

PREVIOUS SUNDAY’S ANSWER

Kubok 16 By Davide Coppo

FRANK STEWART

BRIDGE |FRANK STEWART

heart, and then dummy plays the jack.

Maintaining focus

A friend of mine told me about the time he’d had a Saturday-night date with his best girl. After a lovely evening, he drove her to her parents’ home as usual, kissed her goodnight — and was perplexed when she made no move to get out of the car. Then it dawned on him: They had been married for two weeks.

That’s force of habit — something potent and potentially dangerous.

Too many players are in the habit of playing impulsively to the first trick. Perhaps they fear that taking a little time to plan will betray weakness or uncertainty.

A friend of mine told me about the time he’d had a Saturday-night date with his best girl. After a lovely evening, he drove her to her parents’ home as usual, kissed her goodnight – and was perplexed when she made no move to get out of the car. Then it dawned on him: They had been married for two weeks.

In today’s deal, West led the ten of hearts against 3NT, and declarer promptly played dummy’s jack. When East’s queen covered, South took his king; he couldn’t afford to refuse the trick since a spade shift might be damaging.

That’s force of habit – something potent and potentially dangerous. Too many players are in the habit of playing impulsively to the first trick. Perhaps they fear that taking a little time to plan will betray weakness or uncertainty.

South next led a diamond, and West rose with his ace to continue hearts. South took dummy’s ace, cashed his diamond winners and led a club. West produced the ace and took three hearts for down one.

In today’s deal, West led the 10 of hearts against 3NT, and declarer promptly played dummy’s jack. When East’s queen covered, South took his king; he couldn’t afford to refuse the trick since a spade shift might be damaging.

South lost his contract because of Trick-One impulse: He has no rush to try winning a heart trick with dummy’s jack. South should play low from dummy on the first heart and take his king. He forces out the ace of diamonds next. West leads a second

South next led a diamond, and West rose with his ace to continue hearts. South took dummy’s ace, cashed his diamond winners and led a club. West produced the ace and took three hearts for down one.

South lost his contract because of Trick-One impulse: He has no rush to try winning a heart trick with dummy’s jack. South should play low from dum-

East wins, but he has no more hearts. (If East did have a third heart, South would still be safe; he could lose only two hearts plus the two minor-suit aces.) South can win East’s spade shift and force out the ace of clubs, winning two hearts, two spades, three diamonds and two clubs.

HOROSCOPES |HOLIDAY MATHIS

Aries (March 21-April 19).

The reason for the endeavor of the day is best summed up in four words: It’s in your blood.

Taurus (April 20-May 20).

Cleaning a closet is like a trip to the museum filled with artifacts of historical meaning and aesthetic value, if not practical use.

Gemini (May 21-June 21).

An unconscious part of you that’s much stronger than reason emerges to handle matters.

Cancer (June 22-July 22).

You rise to the occasion Don’t be afraid of conflict.

my on the first heart and take his king. He forces out the ace of diamonds next. West leads a second heart, and then dummy plays the jack. East wins, but he has no more hearts. (If East did have a third heart, South would still be safe; he could lose only two hearts plus the two minor-suit aces.) South can win East’s spade shift and force out the ace of clubs, winning two hearts, two spades, three diamonds and two clubs.

South dealer N-S vulnerable

Leo (July 23-Aug. 22).

You’re interested in people. People enjoy being around you because they feel important.

Virgo (Aug. 23-Sept. 22).

Those who bring humor to your world are the treasures of your day;

your laughter is a celebration of them.

Libra (Sept. 23-Oct. 23).

You’ll go to the source of the issue. A Taurus, Virgo or Capricorn will be part of the remedy.

Scorpio (Oct. 24-Nov. 21).

You remain optimistic even when others aren’t.

Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 21). No matter how lifechanging a decision may

Unscramble

OLIAGE

seem, make it quick.

Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 19). You’ve a talent for creating a picture in the mind of others.

Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 18). Don’t fall into the trap of doing too much Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20). Be sure to look at things in a different light before you buy them. Keep receipts. OCTOBER

at answers.usatoday.com

SUNDAY

|

BY FRANK A. LONGO

To find relaxation, visit Washington State’s

SAN JUAN ISLANDS

FRIDAY HARBOR, Wash. – Suddenly, the orcas are everywhere. h Their telltale fins pop up all about us – a pod of at least dozen. Our whale-watching boat, the Sea Lion, is one of a handful nearing them at a safe distance in the waters of the San Juan Islands nearly into Canada. h “August and September are when we see them the most,”explains Haleigh Yang, a naturalist guide with San Juan Safaris. “The orcas like it here.” h So do the visitors who board ferries at Anacortes to arrive in the San Juan Islands. They come to see the magnificent whales. They also enjoy the art galleries, wine cellars, theaters, spas, and many other attractions of this versatile destination. The islands receive more than a million visitors annually. h Located northwest of Seattle, the San Juan Islands are a loose archipelago of more than 170 islands in the Salish Sea, loose because some islands are so small that they appear and disappear with the tide. They are the remains of a mountain range that connected Washington to Canada’s Vancouver Island. h The temperature stays pleasantly cool most of the year, a primary reason – along with whale watching – the San Juan Islands are a popular destination for international travelers. Scenic beauty, fun and relaxation are as abundant as the many sea lions that sunbathe on the islands’ rocky shores.

Ferry to Friday Harbor

The big, white ferries, some holding as many as 140 cars, navigate from Anacortes and arrive at Friday Harbor, the largest town in this cluster of islands. People watch arrivals and departures from benches near the docks and the patios of restaurants, like the Downriggers. Sailing yachts dock alongside excursion boats and other watercraft.

From the harbor area, gift boutiques, clothing stores and coffee shops fan across a hill that rises from the waterfront. Casual eateries, such as Cynthia’s and the Market Chef Deli, use island-grown vegetables and meats. San Juan Island Brewing Company serves locally made ales and lagers, along with pizzas, and is packed to the rafters on trivia night. The restaurant at Friday Harbor House treats guests to an elegant dinner and a supreme harbor view.

Wall murals and sculptures throughout town display the town’s embrace of a vibrant cultural lifestyle. Theaters and performing arts venues flank bookstores and art galleries. The San Juan Islands are deemed an “arts hot spot”by the Washington State Arts Commission because of the high number of galleries, working artists and art dealers.

The San Juan Islands Museum of Art hosts exhibitions by regional, national and international artists. The Arctic Raven Gallery specializes in Arctic and Northwest Coast Native art

The Whale Museum illuminates facts about the big creatures. Orcas feed in the salmon-rich waters of the surrounding Salish Sea, as do minke whales and humpback whales, porpoise, seals and sea lions. Two types of orcas are seen in the saltwater: resident orcas that live here year-round and orcas that pass through during their migrations.

Not surprisingly, wildlife and whale-watching tours are highlights to the San Juan Islands. Tour operators work together to locate whale pods and provide thrilling experiences. Three pods with about 75 orca whales inhabit the waters of San Juan Islands.

Getting around San Juan Island

San Juan Island begs exploration. The island is about 14 miles long and 6 miles wide. The San Juan Islands Scenic Byway threads through rolling pastures and forests of cedar and fir. Islanders are dedicated to preserving their beloved open spaces, and they put conserva-

tion-focused, land-use planning into place.

The San Juan Vineyard hosts a tasting room in a bucolic setting complete with grape arbors and a picture postcard-perfect white church. Afterglow Rose is the best-selling wine among a substantial list of offerings to be sipped on the garden patio. Tastings are also available at the San Juan Distillery. It offers a wide selection of ciders, brandies and gins.

The Palindaba Lavender Farm, a sea of light purple with a scent that mellows the soul, is open to visitors. Visitors can tour the farm’s lavender distillery. A shop sells all things lavender, from soap to chocolate. The 40acre Krystal Acres Alpaca Farm welcomes guests wishing to learn about its hairy herd and shop for luxury clothing and accessories. Westcott Bay Shell Company, a working farm that grows oysters, clams and mussels, accommodates those who want their meals prepared on the spot.

For travelers looking for lighthouses, they will find a white beacon by following Cattle Point Road to the southern tip of the island. This beach is also a prime view area for bald eagles At Lime Kiln Point State Park, a 38-foot octagonal lighthouse rises from the rocky point overlooking Haro

Strait. The loudest sound is the rhythmic hush of waves. People gather on the driftwood-strewn beaches to watch for whales. Also, they hike the trails through the 36-acre state park.

The only casualty was a pig

The San Juan National Historical Park has ties to an unusual incident. British and American troops almost fought a war because a farmer killed a pig for invading his garden. The Pig War, actually a dispute about who owned the San Juan Islands, lasted from1859 to1871and determined the American sovereignty of the San Juan Islands.

The American Camp at the island’s south end showcases several wood-framed buildings, an earthen fortress, and magnificent, windswept views of the Strait of Juan de Fuca. Dark amber prairies blanket the hills leading to South Beach, the longest public beach in the San Juan Islands. Intheisland’snorthregion,theBritishCampfeatures a blockhouse, restored formal English garden and parade ground. A hiking trail loops through woods and along Garrison Bay.

Roche Harbor Resort

Near the top of San Juan Island, the village of Roche Harbor is a world unto itself. In the resort community, pastel-colored houses rests on a small hill. The historic Hotel De Haro, three restaurants, shops and spa surround the main pier. Madrona Bar and Grill is an ideal place to watch the activities of the harbor: kayakers preparing for saltwater adventures and yachtsmen readying for departure. Kayakers appreciate the quiet bays where they often glimpse otters and harbor seals.

The resort adjoins the 20-acre San Juan Islands Sculpture Park, a meadow and woodland with more than 125 artworks by Northwest artists.

More Islands just a ferry ride away

San Juan Island is the most-visited island in the archipelago; however, two other islands claim a good share of visitors. Those islands are lightly settled and blessed with natural beauty, comfortable accommodations and cultural attractions. LindaLangeandSteveAhillenaretravelwritersliving in Knoxville, Tenn.

Linda Lange and Steve Ahillen Special to Knoxville News Sentinel | USA TODAY NETWORK - Tennessee

A killer whale breaches in Friday Harbor, Wash. GETTY IMAGES

The painted house post is a symbol of welcome at the port of Friday Harbor, San Juan Island, Wash. Titled “Interaction,” the sculpture acknowledges the native presence in the San Juan Islands. LINDA LANGE/ SPECIAL TO KNOXVILLE NEWS SENTINEL

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Handcrafted in Chile, this polished brass San Miguel wall hanging looks sophisticated in any room. $165 at the-citizenry.com.

Go retro with a SMEG Basic electric kettle in a striking copper or gold finish. $239.95 at Williams Sonoma.

Milford approves one medical marijuana dispensary, rejects a second

Putting negativity aside h Forum: Politicians can say something nice about their opponents. 1D

University turns coal waste into renewable materials

GOP reps: Technology at OU a ‘game changer’

ATHENS, Ohio – A group of scientists and researchers at Ohio University are turning the legacy of the coal industry on its head by taking waste that could lead to acid mine drainage and transforming it into renewable building materials, Styrofoam alternatives and more.

Jason Trembly, director of the university’s Institute for Sustainable Energy and the Environment, is among those who have pioneered a path forward for coal waste – the product of an environmentally damaging energy source that powered the country for generations on the backs of Appalachian miners – to have a second life.

Chicago-based company contests city’s decision to allow only one store

Jeanne Houck

A medical marijuana dispensary that wants to join another planned for Milford is pushing back against the city’s new one-store rule.

A representative of Heaven Wellness LLC said it is in talks with Milford officials about opening a second dispensary, but Milford City Manager Michael Doss disputes that.

The conflicting statements are the latest fallout from Milford’s decision in June to restrict dispensaries within the community to one. One month earlier, the Ohio Board of Pharmacy issued provisional licenses for six dispensaries in the region comprising Clermont, Warren and Clinton counties, with two in Milford: Heaven Wellness and Cascade Southern Ohio LLC. The expansion was intended to better serve the growing medical marijuana patient population

Seven months earlier, Milford certified on forms submitted by dispensary license applicants that the city had not banned dispensaries or taken other action that would prohibit them from operating. That was true at the time.

Ohio law gives municipalities the power to restrict or ban dispensaries. Dispensaries can only relocate once they are operational and after receiving approval from the pharmacy board, so Heaven Wellness faces revocation of its provisional license.

The pharmacy board, which limited the number and location of licenses, has no plans to intervene, leaving the region one dispensary short.

City manager: Dispensary dropped the ball

Cascade Southern got the green light from the Milford Planning Commission in July and secured a city zoning certificate to build a 2,825-square-foot dispensary at 401 Rivers Edge Drive. Cascade Southern is owned by a group of Southwest Ohio businessmen accordingtotheapplicationsubmittedtopharmacy board: Benjamin McBride, Joshua Williams, Mark Williams and Timothy O’Hara. The address listed for the company is the same as Beechmont Ford in Union Township.

Heaven Wellness, based in Chicago, never asked to appear before the planning commission or get on the agenda, Doss said. “The city provided a permit application to Heaven Wellness but never received any filled-out application.”

Milford City Council’s vote to accept just one dispensary was made after Doss told members he was concerned about the number of medical marijuana stores seeking and winning licenses.

Doss told the committee the dispensaries could negatively affect economic development given the stigma they can carry.

Samuel Porter III of Columbus, an attorney for Heaven Wellness, provided this statement from owner Paul Lee and declined to say more:

“We are excited to have won and to be issued a provisional dispensary license from the Ohio Board of Pharmacy in the city of Milford. We are currently work-

See MILFORD, Page2B

Over the past six years, thanks to a $5 million grant from the U.S. Department of Energy, Trembly and his team at OU have developed technology that separates carbon from coal waste – allowing them to create sustainable carbon-based building materials that could be coming to market soon.

That technology captured the eyes and imagination of U.S. Reps. Bill Johnson, R-Marietta, and Troy Balderson, R-Zanesville, recently when they touredtheuniversitytoseetheworkof Trembly and his team for themselves and offer their legislative support in securing the institute additional federal funding.

“We have a wealth of coal in eastern and southeastern Ohio, and to be able to use those resources as building materials is huge,” Johnson said. “We have a shortage of building materials –the construction industry always (is) sitting around waiting.”

Not to mention, Balderson said, this kind of innovation builds on Ohio’s reputation as a leader in cutting-edge technology now that Intel will build two computer chip manufacturing facilities in Licking County, part of his district.

Gesturing to a display of carbonbased deck paneling, PVC pipes and 3D-printable filaments in his lab, Trembly smiled.

“The carbon-dioxide emissions are 60-80% less than your typical woodbased product,” he said. “And it allows us to clean up legacy mining sites

See COAL WASTE, Page2B

“The city provided a permit application to Heaven Wellness but never received any filled-out application.”

Michael Doss, Milford city manager

Jason Trembly, director of Ohio University’s Institute for Sustainable Energy and Environment, holds a 3D printed piece of carbon-based material in the shape of Ohio made from coal waste. JOE TIMMERMAN/ COLUMBUS DISPATCH

Céilí Doyle Columbus Dispatch USA TODAY NETWORK

Yes, markets stink; here’s some perspective

S&P has increased by 47% (on average).

Allworth Advice Amy Wagner & Steve Sprovach Guest columnists

Question: R.D. from Cincinnati: I’m getting tired of seeing my investments down. Are stocks going to keep dropping? And what about bonds?

A: We get it. It’s stressful when it feels like the market just keeps declining and all you see is ‘red’ when you check your 401(k) balance. But here’s the hard truth: A year like this is going to happen every once in a while. Not every year can be an ‘up’ year. That’s the risk you take as an investor. So, as we like to provide in this column, here’s some perspective.

First, understand that positive years are far more common than negative years. In fact, according to our research at Allworth Financial, over the last 50 years, the S&P 500 has produced positive returns within a calendar year 80% of the time. (2022 just happens to be a year that’s likely going to be part of the other 20%.) Second, during the five-year period following a 20% market drop, the

Milford

Continued from Page 1B

ing to secure the real estate in the city. We have had great dialogue with the city and we look forward to our ongoing discussions with them.”

Doss said he is not in any negotiations with company and does not know a Paul Lee.

Porter’s name appears in correspondence with Milford officials earlier this year about his client’s interest in opening a dispensary at 315 Rivers Edge Drive.

Pharmacy board rules don’t address Milford situation

The Ohio Board of Pharmacy contacted the city Aug. 1 to confirm it had passed a one-dispensary rule for medical marijuana but can do little more.

Doss told the pharmacy board Heaven Wellness would only be authorized to operate if Cascade Southern Ohio “ceased development plans or business operations.”

Operational dispensaries may ask the pharmacy board for permission to relocate within a region, but provisional licensees are ineligible for a move. Provisional licenses may be revoked if dispensaries do not begin operations in

Coal waste

Continued from Page 1B

where there are billions of tons of material that’s available.”

The mechanical engineering professor and his multidisciplinary team of civil engineers, chemists and physicists anticipate it will be about a year before these decking materials will be ready for commercialization, but they should ultimately be cheaper than wood-based paneling, Trembly said.

It will cost roughly $1.75 per square foot for a carbon-based panel, as opposed to a wood alternative that ranges somewhere between $2 and $6 a square foot.

“I’m hoping, if everything goes right, maybe next year you can go to Lowe’s and pick a piece off the shelf,” he said.

Across the lab, one of Trembly’s industry partners, Rudy Olson, held up a chunk of carbon-based foam, which looks suspiciously like a piece of Styrofoam dyed dark gray, but is heavier, more metallic and less malleable

Olson, the general manager and chief training officer of West Virginia-based CFOAM, explained that his company, which has partnered on previous projects with Trembly’s team at Ohio University, has developed a way to turn coal into foam. It then can be used for composite tooling in manufacturing and blast protection systems in the aerospace industry.

“This is a game changer,” Balderson

And third, when you look back since the 1960s, the market has actually produced some of its highest returns when consumer sentiment is low (and this datapoint hit a multidecade low earlier this year).

As for bonds, they definitely haven’t been the ‘safe haven’ that investors have come to consider. This is because, thanks to rising inflation and an aggressive Federal Reserve, interest rates are continuing to rise, which subsequently has caused bond prices to fall (think of a teeter-totter). But just like stocks, the bond market has its own cycle. And consider this: Historically, longer-term interest rates tend to drop at the beginning of a recession. This suggests that when a recession eventually hits (because we’re essentially always heading towards one), bonds should once again perform as expected and add value to a portfolio.

Here’s the Allworth Advice: We can’t predict the future. No one can. But we can lean on the past to help be our guide. And the fact is, stocks and bonds have consistently gained value over time. If you can remain patient – and can stomach the occasional bout of turbulence –you should be rewarded.

Q: T.M and S.M. in Delhi Township: We’re new to Medicare and just noticed we’re paying much more than

270 days. Pharmacy board regulations do not specifically address this situation and don’t indicate which entity – if any –would receive a provisional dispensary license that has been revoked, said board attorney Michelle Bohan

But Bohan said the pharmacy board has no plans to amend the rules to head off this kind of complication. The board directs licensees to get their own legal advice on these issues, she said.

“As with all other types of zoning restrictions, applicants are responsible for determining compliance with local laws addressing the prohibition or restriction of these facilities,” Bohan said.

“The board cannot and does not provide legal guidance to applicants on local zoning laws or the legality of zoning ordinances or prohibitions enacted after provisional dispensary licenses are awarded.”

Milford didn’t want to be ‘guinea pigs’

Milford banned medical marijuana dispensaries in 2017, fearing they would lead to spikes in crime, drug use and overdoses. A councilman noted then that cities near Milford were holding off on accepting the newly allowed stores and that Milford would do well not to serve as “guinea pigs.”

But the city reversed itself in June

whatwewereexpectingforourpremiums. What’s going on?

A: It sounds like you may have been hit with an IRMAA, shorthand for an ‘income-related adjustment amount.’ This is essentially a surcharge on the baseline Medicare premiums for high earners. For 2022, an IRMAA can range anywhere from an extra $68 to $408 a month for the Part B premium, and from $12 to almost $78 extra for the monthly Part D premium.

The key here to understand is that the Social Security Administration (which is in charge of Medicare) typically looks at your modified adjusted gross income (MAGI) from two years prior to determine your current premiums. So, think back to 2020. Assuming you filed taxes jointly, was your income more than $182,000? If so, then an IRMAA applies (and you should have received what’s called a ‘predetermination notice’ in the mail alerting you to this).

The Social Security Administration reevaluates IRMAAs every year, so your 2023 premiums could change. You can also appeal your IRMAA if you don’t believe it should apply to you – but just understand you’ll have to provide proof of incorrect data or a life-changing event that has significantly altered your income.

Your situation is just one reason why

2021, as the state prepared for a second round of dispensary licenses

Fifty-eight dispensaries, including six local stores, currently are operating in the state. The Ohio Board of Pharmacy issued provisional licenses for 70 more in May. Seventeen were for local dispensaries, including the two earmarked for Milford.

Three each were issued for Oakley and Monroe, two each for Norwood, Union Township and Oxford and one each for Cincinnati’s central business district, Westwood and Whitewater Township.

Medical marijuana dispensaries can be a revenue source for local governments

Columbia Township’s financial success with two medical marijuana dispensaries has not gone unnoticed.

The township expects to collect a total of about $1 million annually from its dispensaries, David Kubicki, president of its board of trustees, said. In addition to new property and payroll taxes, Columbia Township gets 2.5% of both dispensaries’ gross annual revenues.

He said the township has used its new money to buy underutilized property to put to better use, lower its waste and recycling tax rate and host more community events.

Cascade Southern will pay Milford

healthcare planning needs to be a critical part of your overall retirement planning, making the Allworth Advice fairly simple: Reach out to a fiduciary financial advisor. He or she can help you analyze potential strategies for reducing your MAGI and thereby decreasing – or even eliminating – your IRMAA down the line.

Every week, Allworth Financial’s Amy Wagner and Steve Sprovach answer your questions. 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 situationandneeds.Totheextentthatareaderhasanyquestionsregardingtheapplicability 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 SEC RegisteredInvestmentAdvisor.SecuritiesofferedthroughAWSecurities,aRegistered Broker/Dealer, member FINRA/SIPC Visit allworthfinancial.com or call 513469-7500

1.5% of its annual gross sales to fund public safety, infrastructure improvements and future development, under an agreement approved by city council in September.

Doss said an estimated 10 to 15 dispensary employees – including technicians, physicians and pharmacy staff –would generate new city income taxes and the dispensary building new property taxes.

“The projected increase in customers visiting Milford will have a residual impact on our local restaurants and retail merchants,” Doss said.

“As the dispensary gains additional recognition, the city expects local tourism and usage of our park system, recreational trails and Little Miami River to garner interest from customers patronizing the dispensary.”

Local dispensaries open now

h Columbia Township: Sunnyside dispensary at 5149 Kennedy Ave. and Verilife Cincinnati dispensary at 5431 Ridge Ave.

h Hartwell: Zen Leaf Cincinnati at 8420 Vine St.

h Lebanon: About Wellness Ohio at 1525 Genntown Drive.

h Monroe: Strawberry Fields at 300 N. Main St.

h St. Clair Township: Bloom Medicinals at 403 S. Main St.

carbon-based materials that will supply the energy industry and create highpaying jobs,” he said.

The only roadblock to that future, so far, is funding, but help is likely on the way.

President Joe Biden recently signed the CHIPS and Science Act of 2022 into law,whichsetsaside$52billiontoboost domestic manufacturing of computer chips.

The law includes a provision championed by Sen. Joe Manchin, D-West Virginia, that sets aside roughly $50 million for two carbon materials research centers, Balderson explained.

Although the particulars have not been fleshed out just yet, Ohio Universitywillhaveanopportunitytoapplyfor a portion of that funding, between $20 and $25 million, to establish a center run by the Institute for Sustainable Energy and the Environment, the congressman said.

said during the tour.

For the university’s president, Hugh Sherman, this kind of development is a key tenet of OU’s mission to serve the Appalachian region.

“This is a way for us to set the path forward and really focus on key areas and invest in them,” he said.

And far as Trembly is concerned, carbon-based materials are the future of renewable technology.

He told the Congressmen that within

10 to 15 years, commercial manufacturing facilities could employ thousands in the region, with all of them part of turning legacy coal waste into an environmentally-friendly, long-lasting material.

“There’s never going to be one silver bullet,”he cautioned. “But using coal renewables is going to be a big part of the future supply chain.”

Trembly’s goals are ambitious.

“Ideally, we want to create advanced

During the tour, both Balderson and Johnson pledged to help Trembly and his team secure that funding – starting with writing a letter to the U.S. Department of Energy describing the value of the institute’s work.

Johnson, who serves on the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, pointed out that Ohio has a legacy of innovation – from Thomas Edison’s lightbulb to the Wright brothers’ airplane to theaccomplishmentsofJohnGlennand Neil Armstrong in space.

“It’s just so exciting to me to see more futuristic breakthroughs coming out of OU,” he said.

U.S. Rep. Bill Johnson, right, reaches for recycled coal material as Yahya Almajali, left, a researcher at Ohio University, walks the congressman through the ins and outs of carbon-based renewables at Ohio University’s Institute for Sustainable Energy and Environment. JOE TIMMERMAN/COLUMBUS DISPATCH

Former candidate for Congress continues losing streak

Strictly Legal

Jack Greiner Guest columnist

Laura Loomer, a far-right former unsuccessful candidate for Congress in Florida’s 21st Congressional District in 2020 (and a loser in a Congressional primary in 2022) continued her losing streak recently in the United States Court of Appeals for the 11th Circuit. That Court upheld an order against Loomer’s media company – Illoominate –topaytheattorneyfeesincurredbythe Council on American-Islamic Relations Foundation in a failed lawsuit she and

her company had filed against the Foundation.

Illoominate originally filed a multicount complaint against the foundation based on the contention that the foundation had a hand in convincing Twitter to ban her account. Shortly after the suit was filed, the foundation produced an affidavit from a Nathan Bernard in which he admitted to pranking Loomer into thinking the foundation was the reason Twitter banned her account.

Shortly thereafter, Illoominate dropped all but one count of the complaints. The foundation then made an offer to settle the lawsuit for the sum of $1. Illoominate rejected the offer, only to have the trial court dismiss its lone remaining claim.

The foundation then filed a motion under a Florida statute that requires parties who decline a settlement offer to pay their opponent’s reasonable attorney fees. The trial court ordered Illoominate to pay the foundation’s attorney fees it incurred in litigating the case from the time Illoominate rejected the settlement offer.

On appeal, the court rejected Illoominate’s argument that the foundation’s settlement offer was made in bad faith. For starters, Illoominate waived that argument because it failed to raise it properly in prior proceedings. But the court noted that even if it didn’t waive the argument, it was still a loser. An offeror can make a nominal offer in good faith so long as the offeror has a reasonable

basis to conclude its exposure is nominal.

Here, once the foundation produced evidence that the lawsuit was based on a hoax, Illoominate should have taken pause. Indeed, as the court noted, it did. It dismissed all of its claims save one. In the court’s view, “[g]iven this context, CAIR had a wholly sufficient basis to conclude a nominal settlement was appropriate.”

Thecourtthusupheldthetrialcourt’s order,whichmeansIlloominateisonthe hook for $124,000. I’m guessing that $1 offer is looking a whole lot better now.

Jack Greiner is a partner at the Graydon law firm in Cincinnati. He represents Enquirer Media in First Amendment and media issues.

Learn to identify with, not avoid, your inner critic

I can be so mean to myself. My inner critic roasts my actions like a political attack ad, with claims that are cruel, overstated and often inaccurate. My ad would assert that I’m stupid with money, bad at decision-making and a crybaby to boot – all endorsed by yours truly.

Even financial therapists serve themselves harsh burns. “My inner monologue is brutal,” New York City-based financial therapist Aja Evans says.

Personal finance is a prime topic for inner critics to judge, as it can be emotionally loaded and involve major decisions. Learn how to identify this voice and reframe its message.

Acknowledging this voice

Internal criticisms can be limiting whentheybecomeself-fulfillingprophecies, says Lindsay Bryan-Podvin, an Ann

Arbor, Michigan-based financial therapist and author of “The Financial Anxiety Solution.” For example, why try to reel in your shopping if you’ve already labeled yourself as an overspender?

Or say your inner voice insists you’ll never understand investing. That statement could queue the following negative thought loop, Bryan-Podvin says: Because you already assume you can’t grasp investing, maybe you’re intimidated by the idea of opening a retirement account. So you don’t set one up or learn to do so. Then, well, you don’t have retirement savings or pick up any knowledge about investing. So you continue feeling like you’ll never understand it.

This kind of spiral reinforces the initial unhelpful claim, Bryan-Podvin says.

How to ID unhelpful self-criticism

To address overly critical thinking, you must first recognize it. The fancy term for these thoughts is “cognitive dis-

tortions.” In a Harvard Medical School article, Dr. Peter Grinspoon describes them as “internal mental filters or biases that increase our misery, fuel our anxiety and make us feel bad about ourselves.”

Or consider this simpler definition of a cognitive distortion, from Bryan-Podvin: “an unhelpful or untruthful thought.”

Look for clues to identify cognitive distortions. According to the Harvard article, those could include labeling, like calling yourself a bad saver, and fortunetelling,likeinsistingyouwon’tevermake much money.

What to do with your inner critic

When it comes to quieting these criticisms – or changing any behavior – Evans says that “building awareness and tracking matters.” That’s why people log calories to eat healthier foods, for example, and track spending to save money.

Similarly, Evans says that acknowl-

edging unfair claims is key to wrangling them. Perhaps in the moment, you simply say, “There’s my inner monologue again, being too harsh,” she suggests.

If noting your cognitive distortion in the moment is too hard, she says, it’s fine to write or talk about your feelings later.

One way to do so is by scheduling recurring “worry sessions,” says Alex Melkumian, a licensed marriage and family therapist and founder of the Financial Psychology Center in Los Angeles. Dedicate those times to reflect on the financial challenges worrying you and how you tend to judge yourself about them.

Or attach this reflecting time to an existing habit, like your daily walk, BryanPodvin says. Another route: Identify when that inner voice tends to yell the loudest and get ahead of it, she says. For example, if checking your spending always stresses you out, “maybe five minutes before you log in to that budget app, you spend some time lovingly challenging that inner critic,” she suggests.

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

amplifcation, thereby improving speech understanding in noise.

“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!

Laura McMullen NERDWALLET

NATION & WORLD

2022 midterm elections quickly approaching

Hundreds of seats up, many issues in spotlight

The Nov. 8 midterm elections are right around the corner, and it’s common to have some questions as you prepare to cast your ballot.

The midterms arrive halfway into President Joe Biden’s first four years. The presidency is not on the ballot for midterm elections. But hundreds of congressional seats are up for election, and those results will be crucial to Biden’s remaining time in office.

A lot is also on voters’ minds as we near November – including abortion rights, inflation, the war in Ukraine, racialjustice,climatechangeandthestate of the economy.

Here’s what you need to know:

When are the midterm elections?

How can I vote?

The 2022 midterm elections are Tuesday, Nov.8. As you prepare to cast your ballot, it’s important to doublecheck with your state’s election laws –including deadlines for voter registration and absentee ballots. In many states, but not all, you can vote early. Contact your local election officials to learn more. If you’re unsure where to go first, start by looking up your state information on the U.S. Election Commission website.

What candidates are running in the midterms?

All 435 seats in the U.S. House of Representatives are up for election dur-

As you prepare to cast your ballot, double-check your state’s election laws, like deadlines for voter registration and absentee ballots. MEG

ing the midterms, because representatives serve two-year terms. Five of the House’s additional six seats for nonvoting members – representing the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and other U.S. territories – also will be contested this year, Ballotpedia notes.

U.S. senators have six-year terms, so about one-third of the Senate’s 100 seats are up for grabs each midterm cycle. This year, 35 Senate seats are on ballots across 34 states.

Outside of the U.S. Congress, key races for governors, state legislatures, local councils and more are held Nov.8. How will the midterms determine Biden’s future in office?

When the House, Senate and presidency are occupied by members of the same political party, it’s generally easier for a president to pass their intended legislation. Democrats control both the

Series of quakes strike Hawaii

Jennifer Sinco Kelleher ASSOCIATED PRESS

HONOLULU – A magnitude 5.0

earthquake was the strongest of a series of temblors that struck Friday on Hawaii’s Mauna Loa, the largest active volcano on the planet that scientists say is in a “state of heightened unrest.”

Smaller aftershocks followed, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.

The series started with a 4.6 magnitude quake seconds before the larger one, which the USGS previously reported as having magnitude of 5.1.

POTTER/SUN-NEWS

House and Senate, and Biden – also a Democrat – has two more years left in his first term.

Historically, midterms have not gone well for the party in power, but experts note there are tight races ahead, heightening uncertainty about which party could emerge with a majority in the House, the Senate or both. Which states have governor races in 2022?

Thirty-six states and three territories will also have gubernatorial elections on Nov.8.

Some closely watched races include Democrat Stacey Abrams running against Republican Gov. Brian Kemp in Georgia, Republican Tudor Dixon facing Democratic Gov. Gretchen WhitmerinMichiganand,inTexas,Democrat Beto O’Rourke challenging Republican Gov. Greg Abbott.

Calif. governor blocks killer’s parole

SACRAMENTO, Calif. – California’s governor blocked the parole of Charles Manson follower Patricia Krenwinkel on Friday, more than five decades after she scrawled “Helter Skelter”on a wall using the blood of one of their victims.

Gov. Gavin Newsom said Krenwinkel, now 74, is still too much of a public safety risk to be freed.

“Ms. Krenwinkel fully accepted Mr. Manson’s racist, apocalyptical ideologies,” Newsom said. “Ms. Krenwinkel was not only a victim of Mr. Manson’s abuse. She was also a significant contributor to the violence and tragedy that became the Manson Family’s legacy.”

A two-member parole panel for the first time in May recommended that Krenwinkel be released, after she previously had been denied parole 14 times. Newsom has previously rejected parole recommendations for other followers of Manson, who died in prison in 2017.

Krenwinkel became the state’s longest-serving female inmate when fellow Manson follower Susan Atkins died of cancer in prison in 2009. Her attorney, Keith Wattley, said he understands Krenwinkel is the longest-serving woman in the United States.

She and other followers of the cult leader terrorized the state in the late 1960s, committing crimes that Newsom

said “were among the most fear-inducing in California’s history.”

She was convicted in the slayings of pregnant actor Sharon Tate and four other people in1969. She helped kill grocer Leno LaBianca and his wife Rosemary the next night in what prosecutors say was an attempt by Manson to start a race war.

Newsom agreed that she has been well-behaved in prison, has completed many rehabilitation and education programs and has “demonstrated effusive remorse.”But he concluded that “her efforts have not sufficiently reduced her risk for future dangerousness.”

She still doesn’t have sufficient in-

NATION & WORLD WATCH FROM WIRE REPORTS

SpaceX ferries astronauts back to Earth after stay on ISS

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – Four astronautsreturnedtoEarthinaSpaceXcapsule Friday, ending their nearly sixmonth International Space Station mission. The capsule parachuted into the ocean,justoffJacksonville,Florida,carrying NASA astronauts Kjell Lindgren, Bob Hines and Jessica Watkins, the first Black woman to complete a long-term spaceflight, and the European Space Agency’s Samantha Cristoforetti. Remaining aboard the space station are three Americans, three Russians and one Japanese.

California voters to decide on ban of flavored tobacco

SAN DIEGO – Two years ago, California banned flavored tobacco products such as menthol cigarettes and cotton candy vaping juice. But the law never took effect. Californians now will decide on the Nov.8 statewide ballot whether to toss out the law or keep it. The ban, which passed the Legislature with bipartisan support, would also prohibit the sale of pods for vape pens, tank-based systems and chewing tobacco, with exceptions made for hookahs, some cigars and loose-leaf tobacco.

sight into what caused her to commit the crimes or her “triggers for antisocial thinking and conduct” during bad relationships, Newsom said.

“Beyond the brutal murders she committed, she played a leadership role in the cult, and an enforcer of Mr. Manson’s tyranny. She forced the other women in the cult to obey Mr. Manson, and prevented them from escaping when they tried to leave,” he said.

Wattley did not immediately respond to telephone and email messages seeking comment on Newsom’s decision.

But Anthony DiMaria, nephew of Jay Sebring, one of Krenwinkel’s victims, had urged Newsom to block her release “due to the rare, severe, egregious nature of her crimes.”He said her actions incited “the entire Helter Skelter legacy that has caused permanent historical scars” and inspired at least two ritualized killings years later.

New laws since Krenwinkel was last denied parole in 2017 required the parole panel to consider that she committed the murders at a young age and is now elderly.

Also, for the first time, Los Angeles County prosecutors weren’t at the parole hearing to object, under District Attorney George Gascón’s policy that prosecutors should not be involved in deciding whether prisoners are ready for release.

German chancellor calls for EU reforms, military autonomy

BERLIN – German Chancellor Olaf Scholz on Saturday called for reforms of the European Union to make it fit for the admission of new countries as well as more military autonomy of the 27-country bloc. Speaking at the Congress of the Party of European Socialists in Berlin, Scholz advocated for gradually abolishing the principle of unanimity for decisions in foreign policy, but also in other areas such as tax policy. “If a geopolitical Europe is our aspiration, then majority decisions are a gain and not a loss of sovereignty,” the he said.

The first one was slightly offshore and south of the town of Pahala, followed by the larger quake just south of Pahala beneath a highway, the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory said in a statement.

Hawaii County Mayor Mitch Roth said there were no immediate reports of major damage or injuries. He said later there was some minor damage in Pahala

“Shaking from the larger earthquakes may have been strong enough to do minor local damage, especially to older buildings,” the observatory’s statement said. “The two earthquakes occurred within 24 seconds of each other creating shaking of longer duration and possibly greater intensity than either of the earthquakes would have created on their own.”

The aftershocks could continue for several days to possibly weeks, the observatory said.

Mauna Loa is not erupting and there are no signs of an imminent eruption at this time.

Migrants flown to Mass. certified as crime victims

ASSOCIATED PRESS

SAN ANTONIO – A Texas sheriff has certified 49 migrants flown from San Antonio to Massachusetts last month to be crime victims, a move that allows them to apply for special visas to remain in the United States.

Bexar County Sheriff Javier Salazar’s certifications allow the mostly Venezuelan migrants to apply for special U-visas pending his department’s investigation of the Sept. 14 flight to Martha’s Vineyard, according to an ACLU Massachusetts statement. Uvisas would allow the migrants to remain in the U.S. lawfully as the criminal investigation by Salazar’s department and the Bexar County District Attorney’s Office proceeds.

In another statement, Salazar said “based upon the claims of migrants being transported from Bexar County under false pretenses, we are investigating this case as possible unlawful restraint,” a misdemeanor.

The flight has been criticized as a political stunt carried out by Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis A message seeking comment from DeSantis was not immediately returned. The Treasury Department is investigating whether he improperly used federal pandemic aid.

Chile issues first nonbinary national identity document

SANTIAGO, Chile – Shane Cienfuegos became the first person in Chile’s history to receive a nonbinary national identity document Friday. Cienfuegos, 29, obtained the document after a nineyear bureaucratic and legal battle. “This isn’t my victory; it’s a collective victory,” Cinefuegos told reporters in showing off the identity card, which has an “X” for the Sex entry rather than male or female. Several countries recognize nonbinary people in identity documents, including Australia, Canada and New Zealand and the U.S.

California Gov. Gavin Newsom blocked Manson family member Patricia Krenwinkel’s parole Friday saying she is still too much of a public safety risk. REED SAXON/AP FILE

Fla. migrant flights to continue

Brendan Farrington ASSOCIATED PRESS

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Republican

FloridaGov.RonDeSantis’administration plans to continue flying migrants who entered the country illegally to Democratic strongholds, his spokeswoman said Saturday, a day after newly released records showed the state paid nearly $1million to arrange two sets of flights to Delaware and Illinois. Documents released Friday show that the two sets of planned flights will transport about 100 migrants to those two states. They were scheduled to happen before Oct.3 but apparently were halted or postponed. The contractor hired by Florida later extended the window for the trips until Dec.1, according to memos released by the state Department of Transportation.

When asked why they flights were postponed, DeSantis’ communications director, Taryn Fenske, noted that Florida has been busy dealing with the aftermath of Hurricane Ian.

“While Florida has had all hands on deck responding to our catastrophic hurricane, the immigration relocation program remains active,” Fenske said in an email Saturday.

The flights would be a follow-up to the Sept.14 flights from Texas to Martha’s Vineyard, Massachusetts, that carried 49 mostly Venezuelan migrants to the island where former President Barack Obama owns a home. Local officials weren’t told in advance that the migrants were coming.

DeSantis claimed responsibility for the flights as part of a campaign to focus attention on what he has called the Biden administration’s failed border policies.

Violent week a grim sign as killings of police rise

At least 11 officers shot in the country last week

Gene Johnson ASSOCIATED PRESS

SEATTLE – The shooting deaths of two Connecticut officers and wounding of a third punctuated an especially violent week for police across the U.S. and fit into a grim pattern: Even as more officers left their jobs in the past two years, the number targeted and killed rose.

According to organizations that track violence against police, 56 officers have been killed by gunfire this year – 14% more than this time last year and about 45% ahead of 2020’s pace. The country is on track for the deadliest year since 67 officers were killed in 2016.

While the figures include a few officers killed by accidental gunfire, the number of ambushes in which police were injured or killed in surprise attacks with little chance to defend themselves has soared since 2020 and accounts for nearly half the officers killed this year.

Such an attack apparently struck Wednesday in Bristol, Connecticut, where the state police said Bristol Police Sgt. Dustin Demonte and Officer Alex Hamzy were killed and Officer Alec Iurato was wounded when they responded to a 911 call that appears to have been “a deliberate act to lure law enforcement to the scene.”

At least 11 police officers were shot around the country this week, including one fatally in Greenville, Mississippi, and another in Las Vegas.

“Those are really scary numbers for law enforcement, not just for individ-

ual officers, but for the organizations they work for, which have to be taking this into account as they’re hiring, retaining and training officers,” said Bill Alexander, executive director of the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial, which tracks officer deaths in the line of duty.

“It’s not lost on the officers that the job they signed up for has become more dangerous,”he said. “That has to be taking a significant mental toll on the agencies at large and the individual officers doing the work.”

An off-duty officer was among five people killed in a shooting rampage by a 15-year-old boy in Raleigh, North Carolina, on Thursday evening, but it wasn’t clear if the officer was targeted. In late June, a man in the Appalachian foothills of eastern Kentucky opened fire on offi-

cers serving a warrant in a domestic violence case, killing three and wounding fiveothers–ascenethatdeputiescalled “pure hell.”

The Fraternal Order of Police reported that through Sept. 30 of this year, there had been 63 ambush-style attacks in which officers were wounded, with 93 officers shot, 24 fatally. That’s a lower number of such attacks than the first nine months of 2021, when there were 75 ambushes of officers, with 93 shot and 21 killed. The total number of ambushes in which police were hurt last year more than doubled from 2020.

The increase in ambushes and killings of police comes at a time when many departments around the country face staffing shortages, with some agencies down hundreds of officers and struggling to fill vacancies.

Police officers console one another at the scene where two police officers were killed in Bristol, Conn. The number of officers working in the U.S. has dropped in the past two years, but the number being targeted and killed has risen.

JESSICA HILL/AP FILE

Voting rights in America are at a turning point.

Social Security boost unlikely to aid Dems

Voters have ranked economy as high priority

Amanda Seitz ASSOCIATED PRESS

WASHINGTON – The news that 70million people will see an 8.7% boost in their Social Security checks next year came just weeks before Election Day, but it is unlikely to give Democrats the edge they are desperately seeking at the polls. In fact, the promise of bigger payments could call even more attention to the surging prices that have been inflicting pain on households – and the reason behind Thursday’s announcement of the program’s largest cost-of-living increase in four decades.

“It’s going to bring more money to people’s pockets, but it primes people to think about high inflation,” said Marty Cohen, a James Madison University political science professor.

“This is being done because inflation is bad, and that’s the reason for the large adjustment. It’s not an issue that Democrats want on the front burner for voters.”

Voters have ranked the economy as a higher priority than Social Security, with 71% of U.S. adults telling Pew Research Center in January that strengthening the economy was a top priority for the president and Congress versus 57% saying the same about ensuring the Social Security system is financially sound.

The 8.7% boost in benefits brought a one-word response from 76-year-old retiree and genealogy hobbyist Paul Phelps: “Ouch.”

In Phelps’ mind, the increase is so large because inflation is so bad.

Rising costs will not have any bearing on how he votes in the Nov. 8 election. Neither will the boost he will see in his monthly checks beginning next year.

“No, it’s a good example of the government running as the government should,” said Phelps, of Alexandria, Virginia.

Mary Browning, a 69-year-old Social Security recipient in Minneapolis, said she credits Democrats and the Biden

administration entirely for the revved up checks she will get starting in January. But that did not change how the self-described “die-hard progressive” plans to vote.

“I don’t think that people understand how difficult it is to get these changes through. And Biden is getting them through,” Browning said.

Yet Biden and his administration played no role in the calculation of the cost-of-living adjustment. It is arrived at by a formula based on inflation.

The White House messaging on Social Security highlights how older people will save hundreds of dollars next year thanks to the 8.7% Social Security increase, a roughly $5 monthly decrease in Medicare premiums and a new law –which Republicans unanimously opposed – that that will cut some prescription drug prices for Medicare recipients.

“Seniors are gonna get ahead of inflation next year,”President Joe Biden said Thursday. “For the first time in 10 years, their Social Security checks will go up while their Medicare premiums go down.”

A new poll by The Associated PressNORC Center for Public Affairs Research shows that only 36% of people in the

United States approve of Biden’s handling of the economy. But they are not putting all the blame for inflation on him, with 55% saying higher than usual pricesaremostlybecauseoffactorsoutside Biden’s control and 44% saying that’s happening mostly because of Biden’s policies.

Republicans have been quick to point out other ways costs are up for older people, highlighting private retirement plan losses over the last year, high gas prices and rising costs at the grocery store.

“Seniors are having to delay their retirement, retirees on fixed incomes are struggling, retirement funds are plummeting and Biden and Democrats have only themselves to blame,” said Republican National Committee spokeswoman Emma Vaughn.

Some Democratic candidates have put Social Security at the center of campaign ads attacking their opponents. In some cases, the ads have made misleading suggestions about Republican plans for Social Security, echoing recent claims from Biden that Social Security will be “on the chopping block” under a Republican-controlled Senate.

Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla., proposed plan

earlier this year that would require Congress to come up with a proposal to adequately fund Social Security and Medicare or consider phasing them out.

That idea has won little public support from Republican lawmakers. It will “not be part of our agenda,” said Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, RKy.

To Jaime Harrison, the Democratic National Committee chair, Republicans “want to cut Social Security and they’re openly plotting to raise prescription drug prices on millions of seniors.”

Nowhere has Social Security become more of a campaign issue than the Senate race in Wisconsin, where Democrat Mandela Barnes, the lieutenant governor, is challenging Republican incumbent Ron Johnson.

Johnson, one of a few politicians who expressed support for Scott’s plan, has repeatedly criticized Social Security over the years, calling it a “Ponzi scheme.” He has proposed moving Social Security from mandatory spending into the discretionary fund, which would mean the money spent on the program would not be automatic and require Congress to approve the funds every year.

During their debate Thursday, JohnsondefendedsayingSocialSecurityand Medicare should compete for money with other government programs, saying that would avoid financial turbulence down the road.

“I want to save Social Security. I want to save Medicare,” Johnson said. “I never said I wanted to cut or put Social Security on the chopping block.”

Barnes pushed back. “He’s coming for your retirement,” he said.

It is unlikely that with such meager support to overhaul Social Security that anything will be done in the coming years, said Cohen, the James Madison political scientist. The program is also extremely popular, with 74% of U.S. adults saying in 2019 that the program’s benefits should not be reduced in any way.

“Saying is one thing, and getting things done is another,”Cohen said. “It’s a program that’s broadly popular, for the reason that it benefits people. It’s somewhat untouchable.”

Ukraine, Russia work to gain advantage

ZAPORIZHZHIA, Ukraine – Regions of southern Ukraine that Russian President Vladimir Putin illegally annexed sawmoreheavyfightingSaturdayasUkrainian soldiers pressed a ground campaign to recapture one, and Russian forces fired long-range missiles and deployed Iranian-made drones in another.

And even as the fighting raged in Ukraine, two volunteer soldiers fired at other troops during target practice in western Russia, killing 11 and wounding 15 others, before getting killed. The Russian Defense Ministry called the shooting a terror attack and it underlined the challenges stemming from a hasty mobilization ordered by Putin.

A missile strike also seriously damaged a key energy facility in Ukraine’s capital region, the country’s grid operator said. Following mounting setbacks, the Russian military has worked to cut off power and water in far-flung populated areas while also fending off Ukrainian counterattacks in occupied areas.

Dmytro Pocishchuk, a hospital medic in the Zaporizhzhia region’s capital who has treated dozens of people wounded during Russian attacks in recent weeks, said people sought safety outdoors or in his building’s basement when the familiar blasts started at 5:15 a.m. Saturday.

“IfUkrainestops,thesebombingsand killings will continue. We can’t give up to the Russian Federation,” Pocishchuk said several hours later. He put a small Ukrainian flag on the broken windshield of his heavily damaged car.

Russia has lost ground in the nearly seven weeks since Ukraine’s armed forces opened their southern counteroffensive. This week, the Kremlin launched what is believed to be its largest coordinated air and missile raids since Russia’s invasion on Feb. 24.

Kyiv region Gov. Oleksiy Kuleba said the missile that hit a power site Saturday morningdidn’tkillorwoundanyone.Citing security, Ukrainian officials didn’t identify the site, one of many infrastruc-

ture targets the Russian military tried to destroy after an Oct. 8 truck bomb explosion damaged the bridge that links Russia to the annexed Crimean Peninsula.

Ukrainian electricity transmission company Ukrenergo said repair crews were working to restore electricity service, but warned residents about further possible outages. Kyrylo Tymoshenko, the deputy head of the Ukrainian president’s office, urged residents of the capital and three neighboring regions to conserve energy.

Putin may hope that by increasing the misery of the Ukrainian people, President (Volodymyr) Zelenskyy may be more inclined to negotiate a settlement that allows Russia to retain some stolen territory in the east or Crimea,” said Ian Williams, a fellow at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, a policy organization based in Washington. “A quick look at history shows that the strategic bombing of civilians is an ineffective way to achieve a political aim.”

Last week’s wide-ranging retaliatory attacks, which included the use of selfdestructing explosive drones from Iran, killed dozens of people. The strikes hit residential buildings as well as infrastructure such as power stations in Kyiv

and Lviv in western Ukraine, and other cities that had seen comparatively few strikes in recent months.

Putin said Friday that Moscow didn’t see a need for additional massive strikes but his military would continue selective ones. He said that of 29 targets the Russianmilitaryplannedtoknockoutinthis week’s attacks, seven weren’t damaged and would be taken out gradually.

The Institute for the Study of War, a think tank based in Washington, interpreted Putin’s remarks as intended to counter criticism from pro-war Russian bloggers who “largely praised the resumption of strikes against Ukrainian cities, but warned that a short campaign would be ineffective.”

In the Zaporizhzhia region, Gov. Oleksandr Starukh said the Russian military carried out strikes with kamikaze drones fromIranandlong-rangeS-300missiles. Some experts said the Russian military’s useofthesurface-to-airmissilesmayreflect shortages of dedicated precision weapons for hitting ground targets.

The neighboring Kherson region, one of the first areas of Ukraine to fall to Russia after the invasion and which Putin also illegally designated as Russian territory last month, remained the focus of a Ukrainian counteroffensive.

Kyiv’s army has reported recapturing 75 villages and towns there in the last month, but said the momentum had slowed, with the fighting settling into the sort of grueling back-and-forth that characterized Russia’s months-long offensive to conquer Ukraine’s eastern Donbas region.

On Saturday, Ukrainian troops attempted to advance south along the banksoftheDnieperRivertowardtheregional capital, also named Kherson, but didn’t gain any ground, according to Kirill Stremousov, a deputy head of the occupied region’s Moscow-installed administration.

“The defense lines worked, and the situation has remained under the full control of the Russian army,”he wrote on his messaging app channel.

The Kremlin-backed local leaders asked civilians Thursday to leave the region to ensure their safety and to give Russian troops more maneuverability. Stremousov reminded them they could evacuate to Crimea and cities in southwestern Russia, where Moscow offered free accommodations to residents.

Maj. Gen. Igor Konashenkov, the RussianDefenseMinistry’sspokesman,said the military destroyed five crossings on the Inhulets River, another route Ukraine’s fighters could take to progress toward the Kherson region.

Konashenkov claimed Russian troops also blocked Ukrainian attempts to make inroads in breaching Russian defenses near Lyman, a city in the annexed Donetsk region of eastern Ukraine that the Ukrainians retook two weeks ago in a significant defeat for the Kremlin.

Amid the fighting, two volunteer soldiers from an unnamed ex-Soviet nation who joined the Russian army fired on other soldiers during practice at a firing range in the Belgorod region that borders Ukraine and were killed by return fire, the Russian Defense Ministry said.

The shooting comes amid a mobilization ordered by Putin to beef up Russian forces in Ukraine – a hasty and poorlyexecuted move that triggered protests and caused hundreds of thousands to flee Russia. Putin said on Friday that more than 220,000 reservists already had been called up as part of an effort to recruit 300,000.

The 8.7% boost in benefits brought a one-word response from 76-year-old retiree and genealogy hobbyist Paul Phelps: “Ouch.” In Phelps’ mind, the increase is so large because inflation is so bad. SUSAN WALSH/AP FILE

Yesica Fisch and Leo Correa ASSOCIATED PRESS

A resident works to clean the debris from a damaged house after overnight Russian shelling in Konstantinovka, eastern Ukraine, Friday. ANDRIY ANDRIYENKO/AP

Walker denies past abortion ban support

Warnock never directly refers to recent allegations

Bill Barrow and Russ Bynum ASSOCIATED PRESS

SAVANNAH, Ga. – Georgia’s Republican Senate candidate Herschel Walker on Friday denied his previous support for an outright national ban on abortion, though he has insisted at various points throughout the campaign that it was a proposal he endorsed.

Walker, a staunch anti-abortion politician recently accused by a former girlfriend of encouraging and paying for her 2009 abortion, was asked during a debate with Democratic Sen. Raphael Warnock about his support for “a complete ban on a national level.” He said the moderator had misstated his position.

Walker’s claim contradicted statements he had made repeatedly on the campaign trail, including in July when he said “that’s a problem” that there is no national ban.

WalkersaidFridaythathispositionis the same as Georgia’s state law, the socalled heartbeat bill that bans abortion at six weeks, before many women know they’re pregnant. That law went into effect this year after the Supreme Court overturned the 1973 Roe v. Wade decision that legalized abortions nationwide.

The debate in Georgia’s marquee Senatecontestwasheldjustdaysbefore in-person early voting begins Monday. The outcome will help determine which party controls the Senate for the next two years of President Joe Biden’s term.

The heated exchange on abortion was one of many that highlighted stark differences between the two men on policy, personality and governing philosophy. The debate covered a wide range of topics, including abortion, personal integrity, crime and student loans, and forced both men to answer attacks that have flooded voters’ television screens and social media feeds for months.

Walker, a Georgia football icon making his first bid for public office, leaned heavily on assertions that Warnock is a

puppet of President Joe Biden, saying the Nov. 8 midterm election is about what those two “had done to you and your family”in an inflationary economy.

Warnock, who is senior pastor at Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta, answered that the election is a choice about “who is ready to represent Georgia.”

Warnock never directly brought up the recent allegations about Walker paying for an abortion, leaving that to moderators, who elicited another flat denial from the Republican nominee. Trying to shift the discussion, Walker blasted Warnock for being a Baptist pastor who supports abortion rights and suggested he doesn’t care about abortions in the Black community. Both men are Black.

“Instead of aborting those babies, why aren’t you baptizing those babies?” Walker asked.

Warnock insisted he can support abortion rights as a Christian and a pastor. “God gave us a choice and I respect the right of women to make a decision,” Warnock said, adding that Walker “wants to arrogate more power to poli-

Biden pushing for lower prescription drug costs

Colleen Long ASSOCIATED PRESS

IRVINE, California – President Joe Biden highlighted his administration’s efforts to lower prescription drug costs as part of his three-state Western tour, as he confronts a sobering inflation report in the waning weeks before midterm elections.

Biden visited a community college in Irvine, California, on Friday to meet with older adults and tout his administration’s efforts to reduce inflation and drive down costs. The trip comes on the heels of an announcement that millions of Social Security recipients will get an 8.7% boost in their benefits in 2023, a historic increase but a gain that will be eaten up in part by the rising cost of everyday living.

Biden said that still, seniors “are going to get ahead of inflation next year. For the first time in 10 years Social Security checks are going to go up while Medicare premiums go down.”

“It’s a big deal for seniors,”he added. Despite the president’s efforts, inflation is rising, and Republicans are capitalizing on higher prices, seeing openings in California and elsewhere to potentially pick up U.S. House seats.

Consumer prices, excluding volatile food and energy costs, jumped 6.6% in September from a year ago – the fastest pace in four decades. And on a monthto-month basis, such “core” prices soared 0.6% for a second straight time, defying expectations for a slowdown and signaling that the Fed’s multiple rate hikes have yet to ease inflation pressures. Core prices typically provide a clearer picture of underlying price trends.

Biden acknowledged the issue on Thursday, saying that “Americans are squeezed by the cost of living. It’s been true for years, and folks don’t need a report to tell them they’re being squeezed.”

He also returned to a metaphor he used often during his first year in office, talking about issues that Americans talk about around the “kitchen table,” touting his administration’s efforts to

lower costs even as inflation rises.

“From prescription drugs, to health insurance, to energy bills, and so much more,” he said. “We’re standing up for working people and their right to get a raise and get a better job.”

Biden also signed an executive order that will direct the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to look for additional ways to lower drug costs.

The Inflation Reduction Act signed into law earlier this year already requires that Medicare begin bargaining over the price of a handful of drugs starting next year. The agency is finetuning how that process will work, hiring new employees for a drug pricing division and is expected to pick the first 10 drugs that will be negotiated in 2023.

The new law will lower drug costs for the 49million people on Medicare in a number of other ways that have been less controversial. It makes vaccines free, caps monthly out-of-pocket insulin costs at $35, and limits out-of-pocket drug expenses at $2,000 starting in 2025.

“We took on big pharma and we beat them, finally,” Biden said, but called on Congress to go even further to bring insulin prices down for all Americans, not just those on Medicare.

ticians than God has.”

Warnock and fellow Georgia DemocratJonOssoffwontheirSenateseatsin a January 2021 special election two months after Biden won Georgia by fewer than 12,000 votes out of 5 million cast. That was the first time in two decades Democrats won federal elections in the historically conservative state,

raising questions about whether Warnock can replicate his victory in a midterm election, especially with Biden’s popularity down among Georgia voters.

Walker repeatedly blamed Warnock and Biden for inflation, thought he offered little when pressed for details about what he would do to fix it. Walker said the first step to a more stable economy is “getting back” to energy independence rather than depending “on our enemies.” The U.S. has, in actuality, never been completely free from depending on fossil fuel imports from other countries, including some with whom Washington has tense relationships, such as Russia.

In his defense, Warnock highlighted Democrats’ “Inflation Reduction Act,” with a focus on provisions he sponsored capping insulin and other health care costs for Medicare recipients, Democrats’ extension of the child tax credit and infrastructure provisions that Warnock shepherded with Republican colleagues. But Warnock also offered few specifics about any additional steps Congress could take.

Warnock also declined to engage on whether Biden should seek reelection in 2024, arguing that Georgia’s immediate choice for the Senate is more important. Senate Democratic candidates around the country have distanced themselves from Biden during the fall campaign.

Walker deviated from his friend, former President Donald Trump, by acknowledging that Biden won legitimately in 2020. But Walker wasted no time saying he’d support Trump in 2024, calling it an act of loyalty. Trump encouraged Walker to run and has endorsed him.

Both Walker and Warnock said they would accept the outcome of their Senate election.

Debate moderators drew both men into discussions of their personal lives.

Recent reporting by The Daily Beast disclosed records of an abortion receipt and a subsequent personal check from Walker to a woman who said the celebrity football icon paid for her abortion whentheyweredating.Walker’sdenials have continued even after the woman identifiedherselfasthemotherofoneof his four children.

Death toll rises in Turkey coal mine explosion

AMASRA, Turkey – Funerals for miners killed in a coal mine explosion in northern Turkey began Saturday as officials raised the death toll to at least 41 people.

Desperate relatives had waited all night in the cold outside the stateowned Turkish Hard Coal Enterprise’s (TTK) mine in the town of Amasra, in the Black Sea coastal province of Bartin, hoping for news. There were 110 miners working several hundred meters below ground at the time of the explosion Friday evening.

Their wait turned to devastation by noon Saturday. Women cried at the funeral of miner Selcuk Ayvaz, whose coffinwaswrappedintheredandwhite Turkish flag. Another miner, 28-yearold Aziz Kose, held his newborn baby just days ago. They mostly came from working-class families and went underground to the coal mines to make a living.

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan arrived at the scene and said the body of one missing miner had finally been reached, confirming 41 were dead. Erdogan was flanked by officials, miners and rescuers, as he vowed to bring an end to mining disasters, while saying he believes in “fate.”

“We don’t want to see deficiencies or unnecessary risks,” Erdogan said, and added that an investigation would reveal if anyone is responsible for the blast.Hethenjoinedfuneralprayersfor Rahman Ozcelik, 22, at a village where Turkish media said three other miners were also being mourned.

Eleven were injured and hospitalized, with five in serious condition, while 58 others managed to get out of the mine on their own or were rescued unharmed.

Energy Minister Fatih Donmez said rescue efforts were complete. Earlier, he had said that a fire was burning in an area where more than a dozen miners had been trapped.

Preliminary assessments indicated the explosion was likely caused by fire-

damp, which is a reference to flammable gases found in coal mines, Donmez said overnight. Three prosecutors were investigating the blast.

Aminerwhoworksthedayshiftsaid he saw the news and hurried to the site to help with the rescue.

“We saw a frightful scene, it cannot be described, it’s very sad,” said Celal Kara, 40.

“They’re all my friends … they all had dreams,” Kara, who has been a miner for 14 years, told The Associated Press after exiting the mine Ambulances were on standby at the site. Rescue teams were dispatched to the area, including from neighboring provinces, Turkey’s disaster management agency, AFAD, said. Dark smoke rose from the entrance of the mine, which is surrounded by forests.

A mining technician from TTK told broadcaster NTV that his team of rescue and occupational safety personnel arrived at the site Friday night. Ismail Cetin said they went down into the mine and walked about 11⁄2 miles with their kit and stretchers. They recovered nine bodies, whom he called “mine martyrs.”

Countries across the world offered their condolences to Turkey. Greece’s prime minister offered rescue assistance even though relations between the two neighbors have recently been particularly tense.

President Joe Biden delivers remarks Friday on lowering prescription drug costs for families at Irvine Valley College in Irvine, Calif.

MARIO TAMA/GETTY IMAGES

Georgia’s Republican Senate candidate Herschel Walker on Friday denied previous support for an outright national abortion ban.

PHOTOS BY GREG NASH/THE HILL

Sen. Raphael Warnock, who is senior pastor at Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta, said the election is a choice about “who is ready to represent Georgia.”

Mehmet Guzel and Zeynep Bilginsoy ASSOCIATED PRESS

Relatives of missing miners wait in front of the mine Saturday in Amasra, Turkey. KHALIL HAMRA/AP

After Ian, Fla. agriculture struggles

Hurricane hit state’s $6B citrus industry hard

Curt Anderson

ZOLFO SPRINGS, Fla. – The thousandsoforangesscatteredontheground by Hurricane Ian’s fierce winds like so many green and yellow marbles are only the start of the disaster for citrus grower Roy Petteway.

The fruit strewn about his 100-acre grove in central Florida since the storm swept through will mostly go to waste. But what are even worse are the flood and rain waters that weakened the orange trees in ways that are difficult to see right away.

“For the next six months we’ll be evaluating the damage,” Petteway said in an interview at his farm, where he estimates about a 40% crop loss. “You’re going to have a lot of damage that will rear its head.”

Citrus is big business in Florida, with more than 375,000acres in the state devoted to oranges, grapefruit, tangerines and the like for an industry valued at more than $6billion annually.

Hurricane Ian hit the citrus groves hard, as well as the state’s large cattle industry, dairy operations, vegetables like

tomatoes and peppers, and even hundreds of thousands of bees essential to many growers.

“This year will be tough, no one is disputing that, but I believe in the tenacity and passion of our citrus industry professionals to come back stronger than ever,” said Nikki Fried, commissioner of the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services.

The orange forecast for 2022-2023, released Wednesday, puts production at about 28million boxes, or 1.26million tons, according to the U.S. Agriculture Department. That’s 32% below the year before and does not account for damage from the hurricane, which will surely worsen those numbers.

Most Florida oranges are used to

make juice, and this season’s drastically lower harvest, combined with the stillunquantified slam from Ian, will press prices upward and force producers to rely even more heavily on California and imported oranges from Latin America.

“This is a gut punch. There’s no doubt about it,” said Matt Joyner, CEO of the Florida Citrus Mutual trade association. “You’ve really got about 72 hours to get the water off these trees before you start sustaining significant damage if not mortality. Trees need water to grow. They don’t need to be standing in water.”

U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio, who appeared at a Florida Citrus Mutual event last week in Zolfo Springs, about 75miles southeast of Tampa, said about $3billion in federal funding is needed to cover costs from loss of crops and trees. And, Rubio told about 500 people at the gathering, it’s crucial not to let the storm make agricultural land disappear.

When you lose land, and what happens is people can’t afford to keep doing this anymore, and that land is taken. It’s gone,” the Republican senator said. “I’ve never seen a mall turned back into agricultural land.”

Then there are the bees.

The University of Florida estimates that about 380,000 known bee colonies were in the path of Hurricane Ian as it bisected the state. The storm not only

damaged the beehives themselves, but also blew off blossoms, leading some bees to raid other colonies for the honey they need to eat.

“Masses of honeybee colonies submerged in water are in distress,” the Florida Farm Bureau said in a statement. Bee pollination is critical to the livelihood of our state’s plants and crops, and is just one example of the long-term effects of this deadly storm.”

More than 100 people died in Florida from the storm, about half of those in hardest-hit Lee County, where the powerful Category 4 hurricane came ashore Sept.28 with 155mph winds.

Hardee County, home to Petteway’s citrus and cattle operation, recorded four of those storm-related deaths. Adding to that tragedy, the long-term effects on the farm industry will add broad impacts on the community.

As Petteway drove around on a golf cart, in a neighboring pasture he spotted a brand-new donkey foal he hadn’t noticed before the hurricane. Coincidentally, not long after the storm passed, his wife gave birth to a daughter.

ThepeopleintheseruralpartsofFlorida, he said, will recover as they always have.

“This was going to be the first good yearinawhile,”hesaid.“We’rearesilient bunch. This is just another hurdle.”

Source of council meeting tape remains a mystery

LOS ANGELES – An anonymously leaked recording of crude, racist remarks and political scheming that led to the resignation of the Los Angeles City Council president and a powerful labor leader left behind a mystery: Who made the tape, and why?

The posting of the year-old recording on the website Reddit in the run-up to November’s midterm elections raised obvious suspicions of political motive. Much of the hourlong, private conversation among several councilmembers and the head of Los Angeles County Federation of Labor – all Latino Democrats –centered on fortifying their clout in the realignment of Council districts.

It has now prompted a state investigation.

The recording was made in a meeting room inside the headquarters of the politically influential labor group – known locally as “the Fed” – but it’s not known

how the recording was made during a small gathering of friends, or even who was in the room.

It’s blatantly obvious it was an insider job,” said Mark Gonzalez, who heads the Los Angeles County Democratic Party and believes the most likely target of the unknown person who recorded the meeting was federation president Ron

Obituaries

HARRISON -FranklinR.“Frank”Beckett, 80,Oct.5,2022,Harrison.Belovedhusbandof thelateRuthA.Beckett (Bingle),devotedfatherofThomasHolmes (Tina)&thelateFranklin“Frankie”BeckettJr., lovinggrandfatherofKatieBrown(Scott),Justin Holmes,MirandaDoll (Mitch),RustyStenger&ClarissaBrockman, lovinggr.grandfatherofEmilie,Aiden,Everly, Caty&Charlotte,belovedsonofthelateLillian (neeNoes)&RichardBeckett,lovingson-in-lawto AnnaBingle(thelatePaulSr.),dearbrother-in-law toPaulBingleJr.(Dianne),DonnaSchoonmaker (thelateRay)&thelateTerryBingle(thelate Dorothy).Alsosurvivedbymanynieces,nephews &otherfamilymembers.Frankwasalongtime firefighterwiththeHarrisonFireDepartment. VisitationThurs.,Oct.20at5PMuntilthetime ofmemorialserviceat7PMattheDennisGeorge FuneralHome,44S.Miami,Cleves,OH45002. MemorialsmaybedirectedtoAmericanHeart Assn.www.heart.org.www.dennisgeorgefunerals. com.

Herrera.

Herrera has since resigned.

“It had to be somebody who had the access, and who knew his calendar, who was aware of that,” Gonzalez said. “Everybody is coming up with their own speculation.”

FormerCouncilPresidentNuryMartinez, the first Latina to hold the post, resigned Wednesday after President Joe Biden joined a chorus of officials calling on those involved to step down.

Martinez was recorded in the conversationassayingthatwhiteCouncilmember Mike Bonin handled his young Black sonasifhewerean“accessory”andused derogatory terms in describing both of them, the Los Angeles Times reported Sunday.

The conversation also included crass and bigoted comments about Jews, Armenians and other groups.

The source of the tape “is a parlor game going on all over town,”said former Los Angeles County Supervisor Zev Yaroslavsky. “It may never be solved.”

CINCINNATI -C.JOSEPHBRIDEJR,bornin Rockville,MDonMay27,1936,passedawayOctober14,2022,attheageof86.Heissurvivedby hiswifeof61years,CatsyNelsonBride,3children, CrescentJosephIII,LauraBrideStrietmann,MoiraBrideFrey,10grandchildren,JayStrietmann, SeanFrey,NelsonStrietmann,GarrettFrey,JordanBride,CatherineStrietmannMatthewFrey, CrescentJosephIV,BrennanBride,ErinFrey,and hisgreatgrandchild,ParkerJosephStrietmann.

Joewasconstantlylearningandreading.Hewas knowntobeacompetitivebridgeplayer.Hislove ofSportsandSportsstatisticswasunparalleled. HestillwascompletingTheNewYorkTimes crosswordpuzzleupuntil2monthsagowhen hishandsstartedtofailhim.

Joewasafaithfilledman.HehadfaithinGod. Faithinhiswife.Faithinhisfamily.Faithinhumanity.FaithinNotreDame.Hewasableto meetpeoplewheretheywereinlife.Hecould assesstheirvalues,theirneedsandemotionsand connecttoeveryonesurroundinghim.Joewill bedearlymissedbyallwhohadthepleasureof knowinghim.

Inlieuofflowers,donationsmaybemadeto CISE(CatholicInner-CitySchoolsEducation), 100E.EighthSt45202orRighttoLifeofGreater Cincinnati,1802W.GalbraithRd45239.

VisitationWednesday,October19,20229am10amatGilliganFuneralHome,8225MontgomeryRd45236.MassofChristianBurialtofollow atAllSaintsCatholicChurch,8939Montgomery Rd45236,beginningat10:30am.Condolences maybeexpressedatGilliganFuneralHomes.com

Two other Council members who attended the meeting remained out of public view on Friday, Gil Cedillo and Kevin de Leon, holding their seats despite mounting pressure to resign.

No one at the meeting has spoken publicly about the possible source of the recording.

The discussion centered on protecting Latino political power during the redrawing of council district boundaries, known as redistricting. The once-a-decade process can pit one group against another to gain political advantage in future elections.

The California Legislative Black Caucussaidtherecording“revealsanappalling effort to decentralize Black voices during the critical redistricting process.”

The labor federation did not respond to a series of questions, including detailingwhoattendedthemeeting.Itissueda one-sentence statement that did not specifically say the meeting with the Council members was not recorded by the organization.

Ann Belew

DILLONVALE - Ann

R. (nee McGraw), visitation will be held on Friday, October 21, from 2PM until the time of Memorial Mass 3PM at St. Saviour Rossmoyne. See ThomasJustinMemorial.com for full obituary.

M.

Lucille M. Diebel, beloved wife of the late H. David Diebel, Passed away at the age of 96. The loving Mother of H. David Diebel, Devoted Grandmother of Heidi Anne (Mark) Schulter and Jaclyn (Phillip) Hardin. Dear Sister of the late Marie Woodruff, Walter & Roland Miller and Helen Tschanz. Great Grandmother of Elizabeth, Madeline and Will Schulter, and Mackenzie & Avery Hardin. Step Grandmother of Shawn Pence. Step Great Grandmother of Trevor, Samantha & Tea Marie Pence. Lucille was also a loving aunt to seven nieces and nephews. Lucille was a member of the Progress Literacy Club for years. Remembrance may be made to one’s choice. Services are private.

Franklin“Frank”Beckett

C.JosephBride,Jr

Lucille

Diebel

Fifth-generation farmer Roy Petteway looks at the damage to his citrus grove caused by Hurricane Ian on Wednesday in Zolfo Springs, Fla. CHRIS O’MEARA/AP

Michael R. Blood ASSOCIATED PRESS

Acting Los Angeles City Council President Mitch O’Farrell addresses media Thursday in Los Angeles. DAVID CRANE/THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER VIA AP

TODAY’S OBITUARIES AND DEATH NOTICES

GREENTWP. -MargaretAnnBuchanan(nee Hertsenberg).BelovedwifeofthelateRobert S.Buchanan.DevotedmotherofDonna(Chester)Clagett,Robert(Theresa)Buchanan,James (Karen)Buchanan,Michael(Brenda)Buchanan, Nancy(Tony)StengerandKatie(Tim)Glasmeier. CherishedGrandmotherof15andGreat-Grandmotherof12.SurvivedbyherbrotherCharles Hertsenberg,sistersElizabethRaymondandHelen Schweier,andmanylovingnieces,nephewsand friends.DiedTuesday,October11,2022,age90 years.AnnwasaSetongraduate(1950),alongtime residentandpublicservantoftheCityofCheviot, andadevoutandprayerfulCatholicwhosetruejoy inlifewasherfamily.Shetookgreatprideinthe manyremarkableachievementsofeachofherentirefamily,withspecialaffectionforherhusband’s, children’sandgrandchildren’sserviceinuniform. Annwillbegreatlymissedbyallwhoknewher verykindspirit.Visitation5-8P.M.Thursday, October20,2022attheNeidhard-MingesFuneral Home,3155HarrisonAve.,Westwood.Funeral Mass10:30A.M.Friday,October21,2022atSt MartinsChurch,3720St.MartinsPl.,Cheviot. BurialtofollowatSt.JosephNewCemetery.Donationsmaybemadetoacharityofone’schoice. neidhardminges.com

BevHartmann

Janet(neeDisser)Fredwest–98–Bridgetown/ Dent,Ohio.Withdeepregret,thefamilyofJanet (Disser)FredwestnotesherdeathonThursday, October13,2022.ShediedatpeaceinHospice (Hamilton,Ohio,inpatientcare).Daughter,sister, wife,mother,grandmother,andgreat-grandmother,Janetwasprecededindeathbyherhusband,David(February2009),andhersonMark (July2009).Sheissurvivedbyherthreeremaining children,Sherron(SamWiner),Steve(MaryJo), Greg,andhersisterDonnaBurson.Inaddition, sevengrandchildren,Adam,Tess,Jody,Janice, Stephen,Renee,andAndrew,filledherlife.Eight great-grandchildrenbroughtadditionaljoy.Janet servedintheWWIIeffortasasecretaryatCincinnatiMillingandMachineryandtheninNew JerseyatVentnorBoatWorks.Afterpausingto raiseherfamily,shereturnedtotheworkforce, retiringfromLaSalleHighSchoolastheExecutive Secretary/AssistanttoBrotherKevin,principal. Janetleavesalegacyofcommunityservice,findingtimebetweenacareerandfamilytoserveasa CubScoutDenMother,aGirlScoutLeader,and DirectoroftheGirlScoutDayCampProgramat MiamiWhitewaterForest.For25years,shevolunteeredcountlesshoursattheCincinnatiZoo, introducingchildrentoecosystemsandteaching themthevaluablelessonofbalanceinnature. Alongwithherhusband,Janetalsovolunteered fortheHamiltonCountyParkSystem,sharing herloveofnature.VisitationTuesday,October18, 2022from9:30A.M.untiltimeoffuneralmass at10:30A.M.atSaintAloysiusGonzagaChurch, 4366BridgetownRoad.Aprivateburialservicefor theimmediatefamilywillbeheldlater.Inplace offlowers,thefamilyrequeststhatdonationsto theCincinnatiZooandBotanicalGardenorthe Cincinnati&HamiltonCountyPublicLibrarybe considered.neidhardminges.com

SonaK.Childress

Childress,SonaK., BornNovember16, 1942,passedawayOctober12,2022atthe ageof79.Pleasesee www.hodappfuneralhome.comforthefull obituary.

BillyW.Cross

ANDERSONTWP.BillyW.Cross,age91 ofAndersonTwp.,died October12,2022.He wasthebelovedhusbandofJuneCross (neeBennett)andthe lateAgnesCross(nee Jensen),devotedfather ofCarla(Ed)Naylor,BillyCross,Tim Cross,Kristye(Mike) Brewington,andthe lateBethHarris,caringstep-fatherofJay (Jenny)andGlenn (Colleen)Weiglein. Alsosurvivedby9 lovinggrandchildren, 6great-grandchildren, andhissisterBettyHughes.Proudly servedhiscountryin theUnitedStatesNavy duringtheKoreanWar. Memorialservicewill beheldatT.P.White& SonsFuneralHome, 2050BeechmontAve., Mt.Washington,on Saturday,October 22ndat2pm.Friends mayvisitatthefuneral homeonSaturdayfrom 12:30to2pm.Ifdesired,memorialsmay bedirectedtoeitherthe DAVortheWounded WarriorProject.www. tpwhite.com

COLUMBUS -Dawn Greenwald,age67, passedawayonSeptember30,2022inColumbus,OH.Preceded indeathbyherparents, PhilipandGailGreenwald.Sheissurvived byherhusband,Peter Skottegard;daughters, Keren(GarettSimpson)Weltman,Jette (Mike)Minarcekand Anikka(Dan)Pucke; son,EricSkottegard; sisters,Dana(Suzanne Goldstein)Greenwald, Denise(Leonard)Berlin;8grandchildren; manynieces,nephews, cousinsandfriends.A celebrationofherlife willbeheldatnoonon Monday,May29that SeabrookIsland,SC. Inlieuofflowers,contributionsinDawn’s memorymaybemade toLindnerCenterof Hope.Onlineguest bookatwww.epsteinmemorial.com

PassedawayOctober 13,2022attheageof 67.PleaseseeHodappFuneralHome.com forfullobituary.

CINCINNATI -Passed awayonOctober5th attheageof65.Family willreceivefriendson Sunday,October23rd from2pmuntiltime ofFuneralServicesat 4pmatChristFellowshipChurch,5000N BendRd,Cincinnati, OH45211. neidhardminges.com

CINCINNATIPassedawayonMonday,October10,2022 attheageof96years. Belovedwifeofthe lateRobertE.Groppe, lovingmotherofGail GroppeRuth,Mark (Rebecca)Groppe andthelateKeith R.(Karen)Groppe; caringgrandmother ofLaurel,Allison,Jason,Jonathan,Megan, JordanandChristopher;caringOmaof 7great-grandchildren. Shewasalovingmother,grandmotherand great-grandmotherand willbedeeplymissed. FuneralServicewillbe heldonTuesday,October18,2022at1:30pm atNormanChapelat SpringGroveCemetery,4521SpringGrove Avenue,Cincinnati, Ohio45232.Interment tofollowatSpring GroveCemetery.In lieuofflowers,memorialcontributionsmay bemadetoHospice ofCincinnati.www. springgrove.org

MarilynGeiger

CINCINNATI -Geiger,Marilyn(neeDinger),devotedwifeofthe lateBobGeiger,loving motherofRobi(Marilyn)Geiger,Kevin(Karen)Geiger,Chuck(Michele)Geiger,andKim (Mike)Stretch,Cherishedgrandmotherof 15grandchildrenand 12greatgrandchildren, passedawayOctober3, 2022attheageof92.A MemorialMasswillbe celebratedatOurLady ofVictoryChurch,810 NeebRoad,Cincinnati, OH45233,onThursdayOct20that11am. Inlieuofflowers,Marilynrequeststhateach dayyouthankGodfor anotherday,bekind, givesomeoneahugand lovethem.

ThomasA.Hodapp

CINCINNATI -Belovedhusbandof CherylHodapp(nee Traber),lovingfatherofKate(Jimmie) Hatcher,proudPawPawofEleanorLynn andIsabelMartha Hatcher,brotherof Carolyn(thelateHarold)West,David(Molly)Hodapp,Martha (Brendan)Korteand LindaHodapp.Brother-in-lawofGail(the lateBill)Snyder,the lateMaryLynnWetzelandthelateJoyce andCarlBraun.Also survivedbynumerous nieces,nephews,great andgreat-greatnieces andnephews.Bornto EternalLifeonTuesday,October11,2022 atage80.Massof ChristianBurialatSt. ClareChurch,1443 CedarAve.,College Hill45224onFriday, October21,2022at11 AM.TheMasswillbe livestreamedandcan beviewedfromthe followinglink:https:// www.saintclareparish. org/livestreamMemorialsmaybedirectedto St.ClareChurch.Con-

JanetFredwest

RuthGroppe

DawnGreenwald

JeannieL.Hendren

CINCINNATI -Larrie

M.Howardpassedaway peacefullyonThursday, October13,2022,at theageof89.Larrieis survivedbyherbeloved children,Jack(Millie) Howard,Lisa(Dan) Shaughnessy,andDavid(Kelly)Howard,12 lovinggrandchildren, 4great-grandchildren, andherbrotherSam (Suzanne)Moore.She wasprecededindeath byherparents,Arville andBlancheMoore. Larrieenjoyeda37yearcareerasaviolinistwiththeCincinnati SymphonyOrchestra. Aconcertwillbeheld atalaterdateincelebrationofLarrie’slife. Memorialcontributionsmaybegivento HospiceofCincinnati andtheNeediestKids ofAll.Sympathymay beexpressedatwww. springgrove.org

UNIONTOWNSHIP -

KarlonMcKiddy,aresidentofUnionTownship,passedawayon Tuesday,October11, 2022,attheageof74. Shewasthewifeofthe lateRandallMcKiddy. MotherofMichelle (Ken)Ballardand Randy(Jenny)McKiddy.Grandmotherof MariaMcKiddy,ElizabethBallard,Lauren Ballard,AetherMeyer, andRyleeMeyer.SistertoSharon(Gary)

Goins,thelateJimmy Lawson,thelateGeraldineYoung,thelateRex Powers,thelateShelby Cox,andthelateTony Powers.Alsosurvived byseveralniecesand nephews.Avisitation forKarlonwillbeheld onSunday,October16, 2022,from5:00PM until7:00PM.Services

willtakeplaceatthe SummersideChurchof God,onMonday,October17,2022,at11:00

AM.IntermentatOlive BranchCemetery.

NORWOOD -Robert

GeorgeH. Ostendorf

PassedawayOctober 12,2022attheageof 84.SeeHodappFuneralHome.comforfull obituary.

MILFORD -Robert

“Bob”Ray,beloved husbandofDonnaRay, devotedfather ofDebbieRay, JerryRay,Terry(Ann)Ray, Larry(Priscilla)Ray, Robert(Billie)Ray andthelateRobert “Bobby”RayJr.,sonof thelateClarenceand NellRay,brotherof thelateTomRay,lovinggrandfatherof16, great-grandfatherof18 andgreat-great-grandfatherof2.Healso leavesbehindhisfury companion,Emma. Hepassedawayon October14,2022at theageof86.Family willreceivefriendsat EvansFuneralHome, Milford,onThursday, October20that3PM untiltimeofservices beginningat6PM. Committalservices willbeheldatGate ofHeavenCemetery onFridayat11AM. Memorialdonations maybemadetoSave aWarrior–Hillsboro, Ohio.Pleaseseewww. evansfuneralhome.com forfullobituary.

CLEVES -MatthewR. Mazzaro,50,Sep.6,2022. LovinghusbandofCindy(neeStaten)Mazzaro; belovedfatherofNick &JoeyMazzaro;dear brotherofDean(Lorinee Taylor)Mazzaro,(Don) Mills;Eric(Roxannenee Sparks)BauerandDanny Mazzaro;adoringsonof JudithMazzaro-Bauer (neeHaley)(Dave)& thelateDanMazzaro. Mattwasastarfootball playerandwrestleratElderHighSchool.Hewas aproudmemberofthe inauguralfootballteam atTheCollegeofMt.St. JosephwherehemetCindyandthenworkedasan assistantcoach.Hespent manyyearsworkingat TheMiamiCorporationwhilecoachinghissons’ variousyouthteamsbeforefinishinghisdegree atMt.St.JosephUniversity.Hethenobtaineda MastersDegreefromBradleyUniversityandsubsequentlyworkedasarecoverycounselor,humbly servingthewestsidecommunity.Helovedthe Bengals,theReds,coaching,playingpokerand traveling,especiallytoasunnybeach.Joinusin celebratingMatt’slifeonFriday,December16th at6pmatTheWoodlands:9680CilleyRd,Cleves, OH45002.Foodandfuntimesremembering Mattimmediatelyfollowingshortservice.www. dennisgeorgefunerals.com.

GREENTOWNSHIP(néeCampbell),age93, passedawaypeacefullyat homewithherfamilyby hersideonWednesday October5,2022.Beloved wifeofJeromeH.NymbergJr.(Jerry)for67 years.Lovingmotherof Dr.Jerome(Jane)NymbergIII,Timothy(Patricia)Nymberg,Daniel (Diane)Nymberg,Dr.ThomasNymberg,Susan (Dr.Kerry)CroneandMichael(thelateMichelle) Nymberg.DevotedgrandmotherofElizabeth, Stephen,Douglas(Chloe),Jeffrey(Adrienne), Gregory,Daniel,David(Allison),Kathleen(Seth), Paul,Jonathan,Caroline,Yodeet,Kaleb,William, Thomas,James(Krystal),Kevin,Kellyandgreat grandmotherofBrooks,Joseph,Lily,Elijah,JacksonandCayden.Alsosurvivedbyhernieces, nephews,otherfamilyandfriends.Visitationat St.AntoninusChurch,1500LinnemanRoad,on TuesdayOctober18,2022from9:30AMuntiltime ofMassofChristianBurialat10:30AM.MemorialsmaybemadetoHospiceofCincinnati,PO Box633597,Cincinnati,OH45263ortheJerome H.andPatriciaT.NymbergScholarshipFundat ElderHighSchool,3900VincentAve.Cincinnati, Ohio,45205(513-921-3422orioriat@elderhs. net),www.bjmeyer.com

MAINEVILLE -RichardB.“Dick”Smith, 97,ofMaineville,OH, passedawaypeacefully onFriday,October14th, 2022athisresidence,surroundedbyhischildren. BornonMarch19th, 1925toPaulandJessie(nee:Carter)Smith inKansasCity,MO.A

Navyveteran,heworked

forGeneralElectricinthejetenginesandaircraft enginesbusinessesfor44years.Hiscareerspanned multipleerasatGEincludingtheRightStuffera atEdwardsAirForceBaseinCaliforniaasaflight testengineer,followedbymarketingandmanagementpositionsatGEEvendale,includingengines forhelicopters,businessjets,largecommercial aircraftandthelaunchofthemassivelysuccessful franco-AmericanCFM-56familyofengines.He wasinductedintotheGEJetPropulsionHallof Famein1991.ForhisworkontheCFM-56joint venture,theFrenchgovernmentawardedhimthe OrderofMeritin1986.Dickhadauniqueability tomakefriends,oftenatfirstmeeting.Hekept friendsasfarbackascollegeandNavalROTCat theUniversityofCalifornia,Berkeleyinthemid1940satGE,Kenwood,IndianHillandLebanon. Well-traveled,hemaintainedfriendshipsuntilthe endofhislifeintheUS,Franceandaroundthe world.Asafriend,hewasalwayssolid,cheerful andtrustworthy.Precededindeathbyhisparents, hisfirstwife,AnneSmith,hissecondwife,Eileen “Bini”Smithandhisthirdwife,AnnaSmith. Heissurvivedbyhistwosons,Paul(Celeste) SmithofFranklin,TN,Bruce(Susan)Smithof Kannapolis,NC,histwodaughters,Joanne(Reed) VordenbergofBloomfieldHills,MIandLeslie (Larry)GrayofTaos,NM,eightgrandchildren, tengreat-grandchildrenandgoodfriendsVicky EvansandJeffandMonetLewis.Visitation,Tuesday,October18th,2022from11:30amto12:30 pmwithaservicebeginningat12:30pmallat theOswald-HoskinsFuneralHome,Lebanon. IntermentwillfollowinLebanonCemetery.In lieuofflowers,donationsmaybemadetothe LebanonFoodPantry.

JuneRininger

“Bob”AlanMace,“The PianoMan”passedaway onSaturday,October8, 2022attheageof71.He wasbornMarch1,1951, andalifelongresident ofCincinnati,Ohio.He playedpianoatSorrento’s Restaurant&Loungein Reading,Ohio,entertainingfriendsandpatrons forover27years.Hewasthebelovedhusbandof Robin;lovingfatherofJoeyMace,Andy(Jennifer) Mace,Scott(Julie)Mace,ShannonPalmerand Justin(Donna)League;cherishedgrandfather of5;dearbrotherofKathryn(Charles)Noble; adoreduncleofValerie(Richard)Stone,Stephen (Candace)NobleandAndrea(Corey)Snyder.A CelebrationofLifeservicetobeheldatNaegele, Kleb&IhlendorfFuneralHome,3900MontgomeryRd,NorwoodonThursday,October20,at11 AM,wherefriendsmaycallfrom10AMuntil timeofservice.Condolencesatwww.naegelefuneralhome.com

WESTCHESTER -BarryThomasNeyer,age67, passedawayonTuesday, October11,2022.He wasbornonJune25, 1955toDonandPhyllis Neyer.Hewaspreceded indeathbyhismother Phyllis(Holthaus)Neyer, hisbrotherJosephNeyer,andhissister-in-law Becky(Remke)Neyer.He issurvivedbyhislovingwifeof43yearsMary Josephine(Pruner)Neyer;hisfatherDonNeyer; hissiblingsDianeandJohnRose,Donnaand JoeBroderick,DaveandMarti(Kordenbrock) Neyer,DanandKris(Kroger)Neyer,Jennyand JimBerg,MaryandAmbarChowdhury,Laurie (Traveline)Neyer;hischildrenJohnandAmy (Kessler)Neyer,AvaMaryNeyer,LukeandJennifer (Cruz)Neyer,MarkandChristine(Xu)Neyer, AngelaandSanjeetGrewal,MatthewandLeona (Nwachukwu)Neyer,JosephNeyer,Elizabeth NeyerandDorianGeorge,JamesNeyer;andhis grandchildrenAlanNeyer,EricNeyer,MiaNeyer, ScarlettNeyer,DavidNeyer,AlexandraNeyer,Neal Grewal,GraysonNeyer,PaulNeyer,VioletNeyer, AriaGrewal,WilliamNeyer,CharlotteNeyer,and RyanGrewal.VisitationisonSunday,October16, from2:00PMto4:00PMatMihovk-Rosenacker FuneralHome,10211PlainfieldRoad(45241). FuneralserviceisonMonday,October17,at11:00 AMatAllSaintsChurch,8939MontgomeryRoad (45236).TheServicewillbeLiveStreamed-see https://www.mrfh.com/formoreinformation. Inlieuofflowers,donationscanbemadetothe Parkinson’sFoundationortheBarryT.Neyer‘73 MarchingBandFundatSt.XavierHighSchool Cincinnati.

MIAMITOWNSHIPJuneRininger(neeMiller),belovedwifeofJack andanabsolutelegend ofamomtoJackRonaldandBarbara.Gentle daughterofthelateEstherandAlexanderMiller.LovingsistertoAnne, Ronnie(Jan)andBarbara.Treasuredauntieto Audrey(Liam),Mandy (Ian),Lynne,Samantha(Don),Scott(Alana), Katie(Jason),Clare,Eve,Logan,Esther,Aidan,Arran(Iain),Ryan,Faith,Sarai,Euan(Carla),Luke, Lochlan,ConnorandTabitha.Adoptedauntie andfavoritecousintocountlessothers.Friend, confidanteandsteadfastlovingsupportertoso manymore.Passedawaysurroundedbysomany lovedones,listeningtoCliffRichard,onMonday, October10atnotnearlyanoldenoughage.A memorialcelebrationofoursmiling,gregarious, helpful,cheerful,chattyandinimitablegirlwill beheldonFriday,October21atDennisGeorge FuneralHomeinCleves.Visitation4pm-6pm.Servicewillstartat6pm.Pleasearrivereadytohave aweechinwag,withempathyforusheartbroken andasmileforall,nomatterhowforceditmay be.Let’sdoherproud.Memorials,ifsodesired, maybemadetotheAmericanCancerSocietyor theHamiltonCountySPCA.

LarrieM.Howard

KarlonMcKiddy

RobertAlanMace

Robert“Bob”Ray

PatriciaT.Nymberg

BarryThomasNeyer

CINCINNATI -Robert E.Sewell,95ofCincinnati passedawayonOctober

5,2022.Hewasbornin Covington,KYonAugust

2,1927,thesonofthelate

RobertEandJulia(nee Bohannan)Sewell.Bob wasa1945graduateof ShakerHeightsHigh School.Aftergraduation heenlistedintheNavy, butthewarendedduringhistimeinBootCamp. BobgraduatedfromtheUniversityofCincinnati in1956andworkedasanEngineerforTheGardnerBoardandCartonCo.Beforehisretirementhe workedforCincinnatiMilacron.Bobwasalways givingofhimselftohelphisfamily,neighbors, andcommunity.HewasamemberofHydePark CommunityUnitedMethodistChurchfor62yrs. Laterinlife,hestayedactivebyworkingoutand swimmingattheY.HeissurvivedbyhischildrenRob,Michael(Monique)andSusanSewell; grandchildrenMarissa,Robby,Michael,Katherine, JuliaandLauren;sisterJaneMcCullough;nieces AnneLovellandBethSchilling;nephewsJohn andDanCaldwell.Privatefamilyserviceswillbe heldlater.Memorialcontributionsinhishonor maybemadetoHydeParkCommunityUnited MethodistChurchorMariemontMariElders.For moreinformationandonlinecondolencesplease seewww.springgrove.org

JohnJ.Timme

91,diedpeacefullyOctober11,2022.Beloved husbandofJean(nee

Taylor)Timme for65years.

Lovingfatherof

Gregory(Pamela),Lynn(Thomas)Lindenfeld,Diane(Joseph) Jagoditz,Steven(Becky), Andrew,andRobert (GingerHalterman),father-in-lawtoLauraBell,JillMcBrideTimmeand LisaHiggins.Grandfatherto11grandchildren and13great-grandchildren.SonofthelateJohn andAnna(Moeller)Timme,brothertothelate RobertTimme.Brother-in-lawtothelateJames andLoisTaylor,Ray(lateCarol)Deidesheimer andEverestandDorothy(Taylor)Engel.Uncle tonumerousniecesandnephews.Johnserved intheUSAirForceandisaKoreanWarVeteran. JohnworkedasanelectriclinemanforCincinnati Gas&ElectricCo.,thenSupervisor,andretired after35years.Theloveofhislifewas‘hisbride,’ buthealsoenjoyedcamping(campedinalllower48states),fishing,hunting,golfing,working hiscrosswordpuzzles,drinkingBurgerbeerand eatingReese’speanutbuttercupsandcreamed herring.Johnwasa‘jackofalltrades,’invented manygadgetsandcouldfixanythinghischildren orgrandchildrenbroke.JohnwasadevoutCatholicanddevotedtoSt.PadrePio(Pray,hopeand don’tworry).Inlieuofflowers,donationscanbe madetoSt.Jude’sChildren’sResearchHospital (www.stjude.org).VisitationatHodappFuneral Home6041HamiltonAve.,CollegeHill45224 onMondayOctober17,from4-7PM.Massof ChristianBurialatSt.ClareChurch1443Cedar Ave.,CollegeHill45224onTuesdayOctober18 at10AM.TheMasswillbelivestreamedandcan beviewedfromthefollowinglink:https://www. saintclareparish.org/livestream

DianeMarieTurba

BROOKHAVEN -DianeTurbapassedpeacefully fromthisworldonOctober13,2022,surrounded byherhusband,John,andbelovedAiredales.

ACelebrationofLifeforDianeMarieTurba willbeheld1p.m.CST,Saturday,October29, atRoller-ChenalFuneralHome,13801Chenal Parkway,LittleRock,Arkansas,andwillbelive streamedonRoller-ChenalFaceBookpage.IntermentwillfollowintheTurbaFamilyPlotat PinecrestMemorialCemetery.Avisitationwill befrom6-8p.m.CST,FridayOctober28.

Therewillbeavisitationfrom6-8p.m.CST, Wednesday,October19,atRiverwoodFamily FuneralServiceinBrookhaven,Mississippi.

Hotelsavailablefortheconvenienceoffamily andfriends:

EmbassySuites11301FinancialCenterParkway, LittleRock,AR72211,501-312-9000;Home2 Suites2710S.ShacklefordRd,LittleRock,AR 72205,501-588-3000;BurgundyHotel1501MerrillDrive,LittleRock,AR72211,501-224-8051; AloftLittleRockWest716RahlingRd,LittleRock, AR72223,501-791-999 Condolencesandotherinformationareavailableonlineatwww.riverwoodfamily.com.

LEBANON -Frank HenryWinstel,Sr.,90, ofLebanon,Ohiodied peacefullyonOctober 12,2022.Frankwasborn onSeptember15,1932 inCincinnati,Ohioto FrankEandGertrude (néeRohs)Winstel.He wasagraduateofthe UniversityofCincinnati andworkedmanyyears

asamechanicalengineerintheHVACindustry, manyofthosewithhisowncompany,Associated EngineeringProducts.Frankalsoservedinthe USArmyasaFirstLieutenantandwasstationed inThule,GreenlandandWashingtonD.C.He wasprecededindeathbyhislovinganddevoted firstwife,ElaineWinstel(néeJoseph)andhislate secondwifeDorothyWinstel(néeBaird).

Inhisyoungeryears,Frankenjoyedhorsesand spendinghisweekendsontheOhioRiverboatingwithfriends.Ashegotolder,Frankenjoyed growingAfricanVioletsandlovedshowingoff hisplantsinAfricanVioletshowswinningmany awardsforhisvarietieshegrew.HeservedasPresidentoftheAfricanVioletsAssociationofAmerica inCincinnatiformanyyears.Healsoenjoyed breedingtropicalfishwinningmanyawardsfor hisuniquebreedingofguppiesandlovedbreedingAngelFish.Frankwasalsoanavidsportsfan andlovedwatchingBengals,Reds,Bearcatsand Buckeyeevents.Hissharpwitandsenseofhumor willbesorelymissed.

GREENTOWNSHIPMiriamG.Stratmann (neeJones),76.Beloved wifeofthelateThomasB.“Strat”Stratmann, devotedmotherof BrettStratmann(Maria),ShannonBrogan (Mike)&Timothy Stratmann(Ellen), lovinggrandmother ofAidan,Ava,Abby, Natalie,Bella&Georgi, beloveddaughterofthe lateAlma(neeMorgan) &JohnJones,dearsisterofAlanJones(Linda),thelateJackJones (Chris),RogerJones (thelateJinny)&Greg Jones(thelateMary Ann),alsosurvived bynumerousnieces& nephews.Thefamily wouldliketoextend aspecialthankyouto Alan&Linda,Greg& Ginny&herbestfriend LindaRiestenberg. VisitationFri.,Oct. 21,10AMuntiltime ofMassofChristian Burialat11:30AM,all atSt.JosephChurch, 25E.Harrison,North Bend,OH.MemorialstoAlzheimer’s AssociationofAmerica,https://alzfdn.org/ support-us/donate/or SetonHighSchool,c/o DennisGeorgeFuneralHome,44S.Miami Ave.,Cleves,OH45002. www.dennisgeorgefunerals.com

Robb,JulieAnn(nee Toon),belovedwife, sister,auntandcousin,passedawayonSept. 20,2022,attheageof 77.Sheissurvivedby herhusband,Mahlon “Darby”Robb,hersisters,SharonPentland andWinifredWalker, andnumerousnieces, nephews,andcousins.Shewaspreceded indeathbyherfather,WillisToonand mother,HelenToon (Widmer)andsisters, CaroleeToonandDiana(Jerry)Kakos(nee Toon).Afullobituary canbeviewedatwww. megiefuneralhome. com.

Frank,lovingfather,grandfather,andgreat grandfather,issurvivedbyhisdaughtersCynthia(John)Gormly(néeWinstel)andDeborah (John)Guentz(néeWinstel),sonsFrank(Doris) andJohn(Lynn)Winstel,grandchildrenJennifer Harkins(néeGuentz),StephenandDanielGuentz, ChadWinstel,PaigeMassa(néeWinstel),Gracie McAuley(néeWinstel),ScooterWinstel,Johnny, Jacob,Josh,Jasmine,Jason,Julieanna,Jillian,and JoselynGormly,andgreatgrandchildrenTheo andMaeHarkins.

MemorialServicewillbeheldonFriday,October 21,2022atGateofHeavenCemeterySt.Mary Chapel,beginningat12:30pm.Condolencesmay beexpressedatGilliganFuneralHomes.com

CAMPDENNISON -WHITE,WilliamLeroy,age96,formerlyof CampDennison,Ohio, passedawaySaturday, October8,2022inDayton,Ohio.Funeralservice11amWednesday, October19,atWayman ChapelA.M.E.Church, 3317HooverAve.,Dayton.Visitation9-11 am.Familywillreceive friends10-11am.IntermentWaldschmidt HistoricalCemetery, CampDennison,OH. ArrangementsentrustedtoHouseofWheat FuneralHome,Inc.

MONROE -Shirley Witzman,passedaway peacefullyonTuesday, October11,2022atthe ageof86.Shewasborn onMay2,1936inCincinnati,Ohio.Shirleywas averylovingmomand grandmaandherhappiesttimeswerewhenshe wasdoingthingswithher childrenandgrandchildren.Shewasaselflesspersonwhosebiggestconcernwasthehealthandwell-beingofherfamily andfriends.ShehadaverystrongbeliefinGod, honesty,andagoodworkethic.Shirleyissurvived bychildrenLinda(Glenn)Meade,Bob(Tracy) Witzman,Gail(Dan)Howard,8grandchildren, 5great-grandchildren,andbrotherDonLucas. PredeceasedbyparentsFrankandCatherine(nee Bachman)Lucas,brotherFrankLucas,brother RalphLucas,andsisterJaneBeckman.Visitation willbeTuesday,October18from10:00amto 11:00amatSt.JohntheEvangelistChurch,9080 Cincinnati-DaytonRoad,WestChester,Ohio 45069.Masswillbeat11:00am.Directmemorial donationstoSt.JohntheEvangelistChurchin WestChester,OhioorGlenmaryHomeMissioners inFairfield,Ohio.Moredetailsavailableatwww. muellerfunerals.com.

RobertSewell

MiriamStratmann

JulieAnnRobb

WilliamLeroy White

ShirleyWitzman

ONE GIANT LEAP

FC Cincinnati makes its first MLS playoff appearance count

HARRISON, New Jersey – FC Cincinnati’s fairy tale season will extend into the MLS Cup Eastern Conference semifinal.

Late-match heroics extenuated the biggest win in FC Cincinnati history as No. 5-seeded FCC overcame an early second-half deficit against fourthseeded New York Red Bulls to win, 2-1, Saturday at Red Bull Arena.

The victory confirmed FC Cincinnati’s progression in the MLS Cup playoffs, where the club will

next play top-seeded Philadelphia Union on Thursday at Subaru Park in Chester, Pennsylvania (8 p.m.).

The win was FC Cincinnati’s 13th overall in MLS in 2022 (13-9-13) and it stands as the most significant victory in club history.

FC Cincinnati faces a short week of prep work ahead of the game against the Union, but head

Jason Williams Columnist Cincinnati

How long for offense to be fixed?

The Bengals’ offense is close, the coaches and quarterback keep saying.

How much more time does it need to get going? Because the Bengals could be on the verge of unraveling if things aren't fixed soon.

The defending AFC champion Bengals (2-3) are one of the NFL’s biggest underachieving teams entering Sunday’s game at New Orleans.

What happens if quarterback Joe Burrow continues to struggle, coach Zac Taylor makes more head-scratching play calls and Cincinnati loses again?

The fanbase is already restless, undoubtedly fearing the decades of mediocrity leading up to last season’s Super Bowl run aren’t far enough in the rearview mirror. The expectations are sky-high for an offense that returned every key figure from the Super Bowl team.

But the Bengals rank next-to-last in the NFL in yards-per-play (4.81). They are averaging nearly a touchdown less per game than they did in the 2021regular season.

The toughest part of the schedule is yet to come. The pressure is mounting inside the locker room, and it seems frustration is starting to boil just underneath the surface among some players.

There have been signs of mounting tension in the past week.

The most obvious was the intense conversation that Taylor and right tackle La’el Collins had on the sideline after a series of bone-headed play calls cost the Bengals a touchdown late in the third quarter of Sunday’s loss in Baltimore.

On Monday, a reporter asked wide receiver Tyler Boyd if he was surprised the Bengals ran the gimmick plays instead of handing the ball to Joe Mixon in the goal-line situation.

“Absolutely,” Boyd said, according to The Athletic’s Jay Morrison.

Boyd, considered one of the NFL’s top slot receivers, isn’t getting the ball much.

Some around the team are wondering if he’ll be more outspoken if he doesn’t start being targeted more and the Bengals keep losing.

Taylor made a point in his Wednesday press conference to give Boyd a vote of confidence and emphasize the coaches are mindful of getting the ball to the seventh-year pro.

You have to wonder whether Mixon will start outwardly showing frustration if he’s running effectively and

See WILLIAMS, Page3C

Midfielder Luciano Acosta, top, celebrates with forward Sergio Santos and defender Nick Hagglund after scoring a goal against the New York Red Bulls in the second half. FCC rallied from a 1-0 deficit for a 2-1 victory. USA TODAY SPORTS

Krall placing bigger priority on minor league wins

Bobby Nightengale

The fastest way for the Cincinnati Reds to progress through their rebuild, following a 100-loss season, is developing prospects in their farm system and turningachunkofthemintoimpactbigleague starters.

The Reds’ farm system had an infusion of talent over the past calendar year because of their roster teardown. Eleven prospects were acquired at the trade deadline, plus four from trades last offseason. It’s a consensus top-10 system in the league, ranked No. 4 by MLB.com and No. 5 by Baseball America.

“I’m very excited about the players we brought in and I'm very excited about the players we have in our farm system that are moving forward,” Reds General Manager Nick Krall said. “With that said, a lot of those guys are not here (in the big leagues) right now. They’re still developing and they still need development time. That’s why they’re down there.”

The additional talent, however, did not lead to better win-loss results at the minor league affiliates. The Reds’ minor league system finished with a 298-345 record (.463 winning percentage). It was the 13th losing season in the last 15 years for the overall farm system, according to RedsMinorLeagues.com

The Reds had the seventh-lowest winning percentage among minor league teams, according to Baseball America, without including Dominican Summer League records. Two of the Reds’ affiliates finished with a winning record: High-A Dayton and the rookielevel complex team in Arizona.

There are debates about the correlation between winning farm systems and winsatthemajorleaguelevel.TheBaltimore Orioles, one of the biggest surprises of the season when they competed for a wild-card spot, had the eighthworst winning percentage in the minor leagues. The St. Louis Cardinals, known for their player development, had the ninth-worst winning percentage.

The top five teams in minor league winning percentage this season, per Baseball America, were the Tampa Bay Rays, New York Yankees, Cleveland Guardians, Detroit Tigers and Los Angeles Dodgers.

It’s still an area Krall finds important, he said, and it may lead to the Reds handling the timing of promotions differently. The Dayton Dragons had an 812-game lead in their league with twoand-a-half weeks left in the first half standings, but they collapsed down the stretch and missed clinching a playoff spot by one game. Left-handed starter

Andrew Abbott, first baseman Alex McGarry and reliever Spencer Stockton were promoted to Double-A during the first half.

“We moved players before we won –did we move players too early?” Krall said. “It would have been really good to have that team win at that level. We decided to move them. I don’t know if we necessarily do that again. It’s something that is a little bit of you live and you learn. Winning and losing is extremely important, and you’re teaching your players how to win.”

There is always some nuance beyond win-loss record in the minor leagues. There was a point this year when 21 of the 28 players at Triple-A Louisville were minor league free agents, underscoring the lack of internal depth in the upper minor leagues.

Injuries at the major league level was a factor. Hunter Greene and Nick Lodolo were locks for the Opening Day roster because Luis Castillo and Mike Minor were sidelined. Brandon Drury was supposed to start the season as Triple-A depth. Connor Overton and Graham Ashcraft received MLB opportunities due to injuries.

Still, it’s been a long-term trend. Louisville hasn’t finished with a winning season since 2011.

“We’ve got to develop our own players and get them there,” Krall said. “I think our Triple-A team was much better after we started moving players up (in the second half of the season) than

NLDS GAME 3 PHILLIES 9, BRAVES 1

Hoskins, Harper lift Phils to rout of Braves

Dan Gelston ASSOCIATED PRESS

PHILADELPHIA – Rhys Hoskins

burst out of his postseason malaise with a three-run homer and spiked his bat in triumph and Bryce Harper hit a two-run shot that sent Philadelphia Phillies fever soaring and helped carry them to a 9-1 win over the Atlanta Braves in Game 3 of the NL Division Series on Friday night.

Harper added an RBI double as Philadelphia took a 2-1 lead in the best-offive matchup against the reigning World Series champs. The Phillies can advance to the NL Championship Series with a Game 4 win at home on Saturday.

The Phillies and a sellout crowd of 45,538 fans waited 11 mostly miserable years – 4,025 days, to be exact – to host a playoff game again at Citizens Bank Park.

Phillies fans should save the rally towels – the Phillies played like a team that wants to keep Red October alive

The bats erupted in a six-run third inning that will forever be stamped on a Philly sports highlight reel. Bryson Stott got the rally going with an RBI double off Braves rookie Spencer Strider. Kyle Schwarber drew an intentional walk to set the stage for Hoskins.

Hoskins, mired in a1-for-19 postseason slump, crushed a 94 mph fastball into the left field seats for a 4-0 lead. Hoskins raised his arms in celebration, slammed his bat into the grass and he skipped his way to first base.

The exit velocity? It took about 2 seconds for Harper to bounce out of the dugout and toss his helmet in the air. Hoskins leapt into a violent elbow forearm exchange – think, Bash Brothers –with Stott as he crossed the plate.

“I don’t know if my feet touched the ground,” Hoskins said.

Strider, who pitched the first time in almost a month because of a strained left oblique, gave up one more single before he was lifted for Dylan Lee.

Playing his first playoff home game with the Phillies, Harper hammered the ball into the twilight for his second postseason homer and a 6-0 lead. Phillies fans that held hand-cut letters that spelled out “Harper”bounced in delight in stands that absolutely rocked. Harper, who embraced Philly and the Phanatic and the fans from the moment he signed a $330 million, 13-year deal in 2019, pointed to a fan that held a “Hit That Jawn” sign behind the dugout.

Jawn is a Philly noun used to describe anything.

Harper’sshotmadePhillyfeeleverything.

“I was just fired up, ready to go,” the two-time NL MVP said.

Aaron Nola, pitching the best baseball of his career, was an October ace again in shutting down a Braves team that won101games and the NL East. He gaveupfivehits,walkedtwoandstruck out six in six-plus innings.

Nola, the longest-tenured Phillie, was on it from the jump. He needed only 10 pitches in the second inning to strike out the side.

we were early. I think that’s creating our own internal depth and that’s going to be extremely important for us.”

The Reds did push some of their top-rated prospects with aggressive assignments. Shortstop Elly De La Cruz was the fourth-youngest player in Double-A at the start of August, according to Baseball America, and right-handed pitcher Connor Phillips was the fifth-youngest pitcher. Chase Petty was the second-youngest pitcher in High-A at the start of August.

“We became a younger team at all of our levels except for Triple-A,” Krall said. “At Triple-A you saw a lot of guys move up at the end. Getting age appropriate at each level is extremely important. We need those players to continue to take steps forward, but having younger and younger players come in and take spots from minor league free agents in Double-A or A-ball, that’s been a really good thing for us.”

One of the balances for all teams is the desire to challenge players. Abbott was dominant at Dayton, overpowering hitters in his five starts, but struggled at Double-A until the end of the year. Phillips was inconsistent in Double-A but had a strong September.

“That’s not a bad thing to go there and fail when you go up levels,” Krall said. “Especially when you see what they did in their last five-eight starts or their last month. They started figuring out I can play at this level, and I can do this. Maybe their season line at Double-A wasn’t as good as it was in the last part or in A-ball, but you see these players continue to develop. I’m really excited about the actual development of the player, not just did this guy go up.”

Between the Reds’ two affiliates with winning records, the Single-A Daytona Tortugas finished 20 games below .500 on the season. Krall noted Daytona finished with a negative-18 run differential, so games were close, and that level used tandem starters to monitor innings and allow more pitchers to develop as starters.

“Partofitisyou’relettingthoseguys play and develop from a pitching standpoint,”Krall said. “We have to figure out a way to balance both of those. But I really am excited about being able to have 10 guys who are considered starters in A-ball. Now they move forward and you might have a chance to have an extra starter or two from a long-term perspective because you gave that player the opportunity earlier on.

“We need to get to a point where we’re going to balance both winning and development because I do think winning teaches winning, especially in the minor leagues.”

Three catchers are lost on waiver claims

Bobby Nightengale Cincinnati Enquirer USA TODAY NETWORK

As the Cincinnati Reds work on their offseason 40-man roster, which includes reinstating nearly a dozen players from the 60-day injured list, there will be a lot of player movement over the next couple of months.

The Reds took the first step Friday and they lost three catchers trying to clear waivers. Aramis Garcia and Mark Kolozsvary were claimed by the Baltimore Orioles, and Michael Papierski was claimed by the Detroit Tigers.

Three other players cleared waivers, right-handed pitchers Raynel Espinal and Ryan Hendrix, along with catcher Chuckie Robinson, and were taken off the 40-man roster.

The Reds had 11 players on their 60day IL at the end of the season, though lefty reliever Justin Wilson will become a free agent after the playoffs end. Wilson underwent Tommy John surgery in June and will likely miss at least the first couple of months of the 2023 season.

Garcia, who was the backup catcher ontheOpeningDayroster,playedin47 games and he was sidelined for two months because of a fractured middle finger in his left hand. The 29-year-old Garcia hit .213 with one homer, two doubles and four RBI in 108 at-bats, producing a .248 on-base percentage.

Kolozsvary, 27, was billed as one of the top defensive catchers in the organization, starting for Team USA in the Tokyo Olympics in 2021. He made his MLB debut this year, playing in 10 games, but he hit .168 in 42 games at Triple-A.

The Reds claimed Papierski off waivers from the San Francisco Giants in June and he split time with Garcia when Stephenson was injured. Papierski, 26, hit .159 in 34 games with the Reds with one homer and one double in 82 at-bats.

Robinson ended the season as the Reds’ backup catcher, behind Austin Romine, and remains in the organization after clearing waivers. Robinson, who will turn 28 in December, hit .136 in 25 games with two homers and two doubles in 59 at-bats.

Stephenson will be the Reds’ only catcher on the 40-man roster once free agency begins.

The Reds currently have 34 players on their 40-man roster, which doesn’t include the players on the 60-day IL or the five pending free agents.

Guardians rally past Yankees, tie series

Ronald Blum ASSOCIATED PRESS

NEW YORK – Oscar Gonzalez singled in the go-ahead run with Cleveland’s second straight bloop hit in the 10th inning, and the Guardians overcame a two-run deficit to beat the New York Yankees 4-2 Friday and even their best-of-five AL Division Series at one game apiece.

José Ramírez led off the 10th against Jameson Taillon with an opposite-field popup that dropped 200 feet from home plate, just in front of left fielder Oswaldo Cabrera for a double. Ramírez hustled all the way and slid into third headfirst when third baseman Josh Donaldson threw the ball past second for an error.

Gonzalez, whose 15th-inning homer Saturday completed a first-round sweep of Tampa Bay in the wild-card round, followed with a 59 mph,164-foot opposite-field flare into short right off Taillon, who made his first big league relief appearance after 143 starts. Josh Naylor added an RBI double that bounced on a hop off the wall in rightcenter.

“Wejusttryfindawayonbase,”Naylor said. “If it’s a bloop hit, it’s a bloop hit. If it’s a hard-hit single, double, whatever the case it, we just try to hustle. try to make things happen on the field, try to put pressure on the defense.”

Winner Emmanuel Clase pitched 213 innings, his most in the major leagues, and combined with Trevor Stephan

and Karinchak for 413 innings of one-hit relief as Cleveland stopped a six-game postseason losing streak to the Yankees.

Clase retired Kyle Higashioka on a lineout to Ramírez for the final out of the eighth after James Karinchak walked the bases loaded. Clase threw 33 pitches, 10 more than his season high.

“It was preparing mentally and remembering when I was a starter in the minor leagues and try to do the same thing,” Clase said through a translator. Guardians relievers have thrown172 3 scoreless innings this season.

The series shifts to Cleveland for Game 3 on Saturday night. There is no travel day because a rainout Thursday had pushed Game 2 to Friday.

Giancarlo Stanton hit a two-run homer in the first inning, and Cleveland tied the score against All-Star Nestor Cortes when Andrés Giménez had an RBI single in the fourth and Amed Rosario homered in the fifth.

Aaron Judge went 0 for 5 with four strikeouts and dropped to 0 for 8 with seven strikeouts and a walk in the series. Fresh off setting the AL home run record with 62, he was booed by some fans in the sellout crowd of 47,355 after whiffing against Stephan in the seventh.

Judge is 2 for 37 with 27 strikeouts against Cleveland in three playoff series, including all four of his fourstrikeout postseason games.

“It’s the Bronx, man,” Yankees managerAaronBoonesaid.“Greathittersgo 0-for on a given day.”

ALDS GAME TWO GUARDIANS 4, YANKEES 2 (10 INNINGS)

General Manager Nick Krall thinks where and when you place prospects like Andrew Abbott in the minor league system will improve teams’ win-lost records.

KAREEM ELGAZZAR/THE ENQUIRER

How Bell became the most surprising free agent addition

Charlie Goldsmith

In the middle of March 2020, Cincinnati Bengals safeties coach Robert Livingston woke up early to go to his basement and watch film for “the love of the game.”

The front office had given him film of 25 safeties to break down before the start of free agency. But Livingston wasn’t expecting the Bengals would sign any of them. Neither did head coach Zac Taylor since the Bengals already had Jessie Bates III and Shawn Williams as the starters at that position.

Still, Livingston took a deeper dive into Vonn Bell’s game. Bell was a part of a New Orleans Saints’ defense that was one of the best in the NFL on third downs. Livingston took note of Bell’s role in it, and Livingston thought about applying different aspects of the Saints’ third down defense into the Bengals’ scheme.

Then Livingston’s phone rang with surprising news. The Bengals were thinking about signing Bell.

“We were watching him just to watch because we were in a good spot with two starters coming back,” Livingston said. “It was not something that was on the front of my brain. But once the phone call came, it was a no-brainer.”

On Sunday, Bell returns to face a New Orleans Saints team that gave up on him. The Saints drafted him in the second round in 2016 and saw him develop into a starter and a Swiss Army knife on a defense that played in the NFC Championship Game.

Bell had good reason to think the Saints would want to keep him for the prime of his career. Instead, they gave a 32-year-old safety, Malcolm Jenkins, a four-year, $32 million contract.

“They moved on from me,” Bell said. “There’s a lot more detail I can’t talk about. … You never forget that.”

Jenkins signed with the Saints about a week after the start of free agency. Most of the teams who needed a starting safety had already filled that role, and some defensive coaches weren’t interested in Bell because of the perceived flaws they saw in his game. They knew that Bell was a hard hitter and a consistent tackler, but coaches questioned his ability to make plays in coverage down the field.

Williams

Continued from Page 1C

then the coaches stop calling his number.

Last week, Mixon averaged a seasonhigh 5.6 yards per carry – more than double his season average going into the Baltimore game – and yet the Bengals mostly ignored him down the stretch. Mixon’s body language hasn't been the best at times when the offense has struggled, but he kept his emotions in check against Baltimore.

Taylor and Burrow have done a fantastic job of creating a positive culture where players and coaches don’t publicly voice their frustrations and point fingers.

It’s not the old Bengals, who were regularly hampered by disgruntled players and off-the-field distractions

“People underestimate his range,” Bengals defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo said. “One of the things we heard when he got here is, ‘He can’t do this, he can’t do that.’ Well, he can do a lot.”

Taylor was confident in what Bell could bring to the table. When Taylor was an assistant coach for the Los Angeles Rams, he faced the Saints three times.Beforeeverygame,heputtogether a scouting report on Bell for the players in Taylor’s position group.

“I’d give the presentation on the (Rams) defensive backs, and I remembered talking a lot about Vonn and how impactful he was as a player,” Taylor said. “(That’s) going back to my assistant receiver (coach) days, and then I am here as a head coach and getting the opportunity to add the guy, you feel like you’ve watched hours and hours of tape.

“When Vonn Bell is out there and available, it’s something you’ve got to talk long and hard about.”

Once the Bengals got the green light to recruit Bell, Livingston said everyone in the building was “full-go” on signing him. The Bengals had opened free agency that year by adding defensive tackle DJ Reader and cornerback Trae Waynes, but the Bengals saved some cap space for the second wave of free agency in

during the Marvin Lewis era.

Players have supported and played hard for Taylor, in his fourth season. They haven’t thrown Taylor under the bus for questionable play-calling.

“That’s not what we’re about,” Taylor said. “We want to put our egos aside. We don’t want to ever shift blame. We’re all responsible for the wins and losses, the goodthingsandthebadthings.We’reall in this thing together, and I think that’s what’s important to have a championship-caliber team.”

But the culture is being put to the test amid high expectations, poor play-calling and underperformance. Perhaps the Bengals’offense is actually close to consistently playing well. They could sure help themselves get there by ditching the cutesy play calls in critical situations.

Contact sports columnist Jason Williams by email at jwilliams@enquirer.com and on Twitter @jwilliamscincy

case a player like Bell was still on the market.

The Bengals sold Bell on a scheme that would feature Bell’s versatile skill set and his opportunity to set an example by sharing his experiences in the playoffs to a young team. The Bengals also had the No. 1 pick in the draft that year, and all signs pointed toward the Bengals drafting Joe Burrow.

Bell took a chance on the team that was coming off a 2-14 season. On March 25, 2020, Bell signed a three-year deal.

“To his credit, he believed in us,” Livingston said. “Being honest, that was probably not an easy thing to do at that time. That’s never been lost on me. I tell him all the time, he took a chance on us. I’m forever indebted to him for what he has brought to the locker room, my life, our meeting rooms and everything.”

Bell’s attention to detail in his first few months as a Bengal was something that Livingston hadn’t seen before. For three months, the two of them met on Zoom every morning at 7:30.

In their first few meetings, Livingston didn’t ask Bell many football questions. They talked about what drives Bell to be successful and who his most important influences were. They discussed Bell’s learning style and the best ways to get him up to speed.

Then, they dove into the playbook. Duringtheearlystagesofthepandemic, Livingston remembers sitting in front of the refrigerator in his basement breaking down the scheme for the Bengals’ new safety.

Bell picked up the defense fast, and he was voted a team captain before his first regular season game with the Bengals. Since he showed up to the facility to work out before sunrise, Bell set an example for the importance of putting extra work in. Livingston said Bell was a “beacon of light” after Burrow injured his knee. Bell became a player who the coaching staff now goes to for insight on potential free-agent additions, and a player who new teammates rely on to help figure out the franchise and the city of Cincinnati.

“When I got here, I didn’t know a chiropractor or a (physical therapist),”Bengals cornerback Chidobe Awuzie said. “I asked Vonn. He points us all in the right direction.”

According to Anarumo, three plays define Bell’s tenure with the Bengals. All three plays were deep passing attempts

to wide receiver Tyreek Hill, the fastest player in the NFL.

In Week 17 last season against the Kansas City Chiefs, the Bengals didn’t execute their coverage in the secondary on a play late in the second quarter. Quarterback Patrick Mahomes wound up and attempted a 70-yard pass to AllPro wide receiver.

“I remember watching Mahomes load up,” Anarumo said, “and then turning my whole body, going ‘Oh my God, who’s down there?’ ”

Bell recognized it, sprinted down the field and broke up a potential gamechanging touchdown. Without that play, the Bengals don’t clinch the AFC North title.

Then in the AFC Championship Game against the Chiefs, Mahomes attempted a deep ball to Hill in overtime. Bell and Bates bracketed Hill and didn’t give him a window to catch the ball. Bates tipped it, and Bell picked it off.

The Chiefs traded Hill to the Miami Dolphins during the offseason. Hill faced the Bengals in Week 4, and he attempted another deep route this year against Cincinnati. Bell started the play near the left sideline, sprinted halfway across the field and jumped in front of Hill to intercept another pass.

“People have said he can’t make that play,” Livingston said. “In all of those moments, against a top receiver who’s going vertical and doing the things that he’s great at, Vonn goes up and comes up with the play.”

Bell is entering the last year of his contract with the Bengals. In his age-27 season, he’s playing the best football of his NFL career.

The Saints virtually used Bell only closetothelineofscrimmageinastrong safety role, but Anarumo has Bell playing all over the field. In Bell’s third year in the system, he’s translating his football IQ into game-changing plays. Through five games, Bell leads the Bengals with three interceptions and four pass breakups.

Bell will enter the free agent market again in March. This time, he’ll have a greater market than he did after the Saints let him go in 2020.

“It’s his contract year, and he’s really playing at a high level,” Bengals defensive end Sam Hubbard said. “He’s playing great team defense, and communicating really well. Good things happen to guys who do things the right way.”

Jessie Bates knocks the ball away from Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Tyreek Hill into the arms of Vonn Bell for an interception in last season’s AFC Championship game. ALBERT CESARE/THE ENQUIRER

Head coach Zac Taylor and quarterback Joe Burrow, here talking in last week’s game against the Ravens, have been trying to get the offense back to last season’s levels. KAREEM ELGAZZAR/THE ENQUIRER

Here’s the framework for Bengals beating Saints

The Cincinnati Bengals sit at 2-3 on theyearandhavenotlookedliketheteam that won the AFC Championship last year, yet.

After dropping three games on lastsecond plays, the Bengals are looking to flip the script.

Getting to 3-3 with an upcoming home game against the Falcons in Week 7 would be ideal.

But traveling to New Orleans and defeating the Saints in the Superdome is no easy feat.

So, here’s what the Bengals must do to beat the Saints:

Score points early on offense

When the Bengals take a lead in the firsthalf,theytypicallywin.Thecoaching staff and players have acknowledged when this team starts fast and comes out ready to play, they are a hard unit to beat.

Week 1 against the Steelers, Bengals trailed 17-6 at halftime, loss

Week 2 against the Cowboys, Bengals trailed 17-3 at halftime, loss

Week 3 against the Jets, Bengals lead 20-9 at halftime, win

Week 4 against the Dolphins, Bengals lead 14-12 at halftime, win

Week 5 against the Ravens, Bengals and Ravens tied 10-10 at halftime, loss

Far too often this season the Bengals havecomeoutsluggishonoffenseandit’s hurt them in all areas. Cincinnati’s offensive line has played well in the last two games and that’s a positive. If Joe Burrow gets in rhythm early and the Bengals’ wide receivers dictate terms, this offense should be able to put up points against the Saints.

New Orleans is giving up 25.6 points per game while the Bengals are averaging 21.6 points per game.

If Tee Higgins is unable to go against the Saints, look for the Bengals to get Tyler Boyd more involved given Ja’Marr Chaseislikelytoseeadoubleteamforthe majority of the game.

NFL PREVIEW Ravens to face Giants and former coordinator Martindale

Tom Canavan ASSOCIATED PRESS

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. – There have been a lot of people looking forward to the Baltimore Ravens’ game against the Giants since coach Brian Daboll hired Wink Martindale to run New York’s defense in early February.

is, and we have a lot of respect for him,” Harbaugh said. “So again, it’s going to be a dogfight, it’s going to be a good game. We’re excited about playing in New York, and it’s going to be a good one.”

Super Saquon

Dallas

It was going to be grudge match. It was Martindale against Ravens coach John Harbaugh, the man who fired him on Jan. 21after10 seasons in Baltimore, the last four as defensive coordinator.

Bring

pressure on Saints’ backup quarterback Andy Dalton

The prime of Andy Dalton’s career is gone. The Bengals’ defense should be able to win up front and force Dalton to make uncomfortable throws.

Through five games, we haven’t seen a game where the Bengals’ pass rush completely overwhelms their opposing quarterback and there’s a few reasons for that. Cincinnati has recorded 10 sacks this year. Look for defensive end Trey Hendrickson to have a big game in his return to New Orleans facing his former team that let him hit walk in free agency.

Control the tempo of the game

Asmentionedabove,theSuperdome is a challenging place to play because of the crowd noise. The Bengals will likely beusingasilentcountonoffenseforthe entire game.

GoodthingforCincinnatiisthatBurrow has a ton of experience after last year’s Super Bowl running operating the offense using a silent count.

If the Bengals can get up on the Saints early and take the crowd out of the game, it could play in their favor.

Both teams (2-3) need a win. With Burrow and Chase returning to Louisiana for the first time since they won the national championship in January of 2020, it’s likely this is a game circled on many LSU and Saints fans calendars.

The story line has not panned out. Harbaugh and Martindale have said this week their parting was by mutual agreement. Martindale went so far as to say he needed a change.

What’s really at stake on Sunday at MetLife Stadium is this is another important game for the Ravens (3-2) and Giants (4-1) in their efforts to get back to playoffs.

After making the postseason in 2019 (14-2) and 2020 (11-5), the Ravens slipped to 8-9 last season and packed their bags after the regular-season finale. The Giants have not made the playoffs since 2016 and went 4-13 last year, leading to their third coaching change since 2018. The Giants’ start is their best since going 5-0 to open the 2009 season. The four wins have been by a total of 17 points.

“You got to focus on what you can control because I’ve said it before: This league will humble you very quickly,” Daboll said. “And there’s certainly a lot of things we can do better from a coaching staff to players, all of us collectively as an organization. That’s where we’re at.”

The Ravens have had ups and downs. They beat Cincinnati last weekend on a last-second field goal and lost to Buffalo the week before on an another game-ending kick.

Harbaugh expects another tough game this week, especially with Martindale on the opposing sideline. He might unleash a ton of blitzes or do the unexpected and cut back.

“We know the type of coach that he

Saquon Barkley has been the centerpiece of the Giants’ offense all season. He is one of four players in the NFL to lead their teams in both rushing yards and receptions. His 533 yards rushing is second to Nick Chubb of Cleveland and his 676 yards from scrimmage leads the league. He has rushed for at least 100 yards twice and has had at least 100 yards from scrimmage in all but one game. The Ravens need to slow him down to win.

Return visit

The Ravens return to the site of their season opener, where they beat the New York Jets 24-9. After that game – in which defensive back Kyle Fuller went down with a season-ending knee injury – Harbaugh said the field’s turf was “matted down” and that Fuller landed the wrong way on it. Harbaugh didn’t want to make an issue of the playing surface again this week.

Injuries

Baltimore isn’t as decimated by injuries as at the end of last season, but the Ravens were without receiver Rashod Bateman (foot) and running back Justice Hill (hamstring) last weekend.

Devin Duvernay has shown he can be a receiving and running threat in addition to an All-Pro return man, and running back J.K. Dobbins is back after missing all of last season with a knee injury. They’re capable of picking up the slack if Bateman and Hill aren’t back.

Safety Marcus Williams is out with a dislocated wrist.

Giants cornerback Cor’Dale Flott (calf) and wide receivers Kenny Golladay (knee) and Kardarius Toney (hamstring) probably will remain sidelined.

Cowboys quarterback Andy Dalton (14) is sacked by Bengals defensive end Sam Hubbard during the 2020 game at then-Paul Brown Stadium. SAM GREENE/THE ENQUIRER

Browns QB Brissett set for reunion with Patriots, Belichick

Tom Withers

CLEVELAND – Jacoby Brissett looks back fondly on his rookie season with New England, where he was thrust into a starting job, was schooled in the Patriot Way as one of Tom Brady’s understudies and won a Super Bowl.

Bill Belichick traded him the following year.

“MywelcometotheNFLmoment,”he said this week with a laugh.

At least it wasn’t his last one.

Brissett may experience some flashbacks Sunday against a New England team with a current QB situation similar to the one it had in 2016 as Belichick brings the Patriots (2-3) in to face the Browns (2-3), whose season seems at a crossroads in Week 6.

After being drafted in the third round by New England, Brissett rocketed up the depth chart and started the season’s first two games for Belichick when Brady was suspended by the NFL for the “Deflategate” scandal and Jimmy Garoppolo got hurt.

Although he was only there one season – he got traded to Indianapolis the following year – Brissett remains grateful for the early opportunity to play for arguably the best coach and with the greatest quarterback in NFL history.

“A lot of good memories,” he said. “I got my first start there. Some of the guys there are still on the team, so I know those guys. Obviously, great coached. Good players, good vets, good guys who understand the system that they’ve been running for a while, so yeah, a really good team.”

While reflecting on his time with the Patriots, Brissett couldn’t help but notice how his circumstance mirrored what’s going on in New England now.

“It brought back a couple of memories, for sure,” he said.

With starter Mac Jones (ankle) and backup Brian Hoyer (concussion) slowed by injuries, Belichick has turned to No. 3 quarterback Bailey Zappe, a fourth-round pick out of Western Kentucky.

Zappe played well in his first start

Brady an old face in a familiar place as Bucs visit Steelers

Will Graves ASSOCIATED PRESS

PITTSBURGH – Tom Brady, by his own estimation, has faced the Pittsburgh Steelers “a lot.”

Just never quite like this.

And it’s not just Brady’s jersey that’ll be different this time around when he walks onto the Acrisure Stadium (formerly Heinz Field) turf for the first time on Sunday as a member of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. It’s the team on the other side of the line of scrimmage, too.

The Ben Roethlisberger-led version of the Steelers that Brady played so often with so much on the line during his long run in New England is long gone, replaced by a group that is hurting physically and mentally.

Dropping four straight games and being on the wrong end of the franchise’s worst loss in 33 years – as Pittsburgh was last week in Buffalo – will do that.

interception and remains perhaps the best decision-maker with the ball in his hands in league history.

last week, completing 17 of 21 passes for188 yards with a touchdown and an interception in a 29-0 win over the Detroit Lions.

Jones returned to practice on a limited basis this week, but didn’t look very mobile and the Patriots will likely take a cautious approach rather than risk losing him for longer. So Zappe will probably get the call for a second week.

When Brissett was asked to be a pinch-QB for the Patriots six years ago, he came through. Veteran safety Devin McCourty’s first recollection of Brissett back then was a raw rookie, but one eager to learn.

“I just think of a hard worker,” said McCourty, in his 13th season with the Pats. “He hung onto every word. Tough and I’ve kept up with him throughout his time (in the NFL). Just to see him have some success and get another opportunity to lead a football team has been cool.

“We know we’ll have our work cut out for us.”

The Browns do, too.

“When it’s that bad across the board, it starts with me,” Steelers coach Mike Tomlin said. “We don’t need to seek comfort because there’s enough blame to go around. We need to be solution-oriented.”

That’s been difficult for Pittsburgh even in the best of times when Brady is on the opposing sideline.

Brady is 12-3 in his career against Pittsburgh, many of the victories coming in high-pressure circumstances with playoff seeding or seasons on the line. Not so much this time. The Buccaneers (3-2) are trying to find a rhythm following an uneven opening stretch while the Steelers are simply trying to find a competent brand of football.

“(The Steelers) didn’t play the way they’re capable of at Buffalo,” Brady said. “I’m sure they’ll be ready to go.”

There’s little doubt Brady will be, even at 45. Even with 321 career starts under his belt. Even with his personal life making as much news recently as his professional one. Brady currently leads the NFL in completions, has thrown seven touchdowns against one

“He’s still Mr. Brady,” Pittsburgh inside linebacker Myles Jack said. “He’s still doing his thing. There are only so many things you can show him because he’s basically seen every NFL defense since 1990.”

Jack is kidding, but only a little. Brady’s been in the league so long that Steelers rookie quarterback Kenny Pickett wasn’t quite 2 years old when New England took a flyer on Brady in the sixth round of the 2000 draft. Pickett will be making his second career start on Sunday, only 320 or so – essentially the equivalent of 20 full seasons – behind Brady.

“He’s an absolute legend,” Pickett said.

Just don’t expect Pickett to be starstruck. He showed plenty of fight during an otherwise forgettable afternoon in Buffalo, going at it with Bills defensive end Shaq Lawson for what he considered a questionable hit in the waning seconds of a blowout.

“No one can come up here and give a great speech that’s going to turn this thing around,” Pickett said. “We’ve got to go produce on Sunday. There’s nothing I’m going to tell you here that’s going to fix it. We’ve got to go do it as players, as men.”

New England Patriots quarterback Bailey Zappe runs against the Detroit Lions during last Sunday’s game at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Mass. WINSLOW TOWNSON/AP

Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Kenny Pickett (8) throws a pass during the second half of last Sunday’s game against the Buffalo Bills in Orchard Park, N.Y. The Bills won 38-3.

ADRIAN KRAUS/AP

Taft makes statement with rout of Hughes

On a night when their football game was competing against the Blink festival downtown, Taft High School’s Senators didn’t bat an eye.

In a pivotal Cincinnati Metro Athletic Conference game at Stargel Stadium, Taft smothered Hughes 39-0 forcing a running clock in the second half. In their previous seven games, Hughes was averaging over 44 points per contest.

“It’s a really big game for us,” Taft coach Tyler Williams said. “Our kids came out and executed the plan. We’re getting better each and every week. We were looking for a game like this.”

Senior quarterback Javier Ison threw a pair of touchdown passes and a trio of 2-point conversions getting the Senators out to a 31-0 halftime lead. It was the loudest pounding of the night outside of the Hughes and Taft drum crops battling away from the field in the third quarter.

“Hesteppedinatthebeginningofthe season when our starting quarterback from last year (Anton Canady) went down with a torn ACL,” Williams said. “He stepped in and took over that role. The run game has been great and we have our receivers making great plays and great catches.”

Junior Tayshawn Banks had a 70yard punt return for a touchdown in the first quarter and a pair of interceptions on the night. Senior Jay’Quan Bostic had a leaping catch in the end zone and an interception. Banks transferred from Colerain in the offseason with Bostic coming from Woodward.

“We knew the game we were getting into and we knew what kind of game we had to prepare for,” Banks said. “I had to step up and be that guy for my DBs. We have great momentum going into the playoffs. I feel good about next week, I feel good about first-round. Our team is only getting better.”

Senior Johnny Cotton also had a

ATHLETES

In a vote that ended Oct. 14, Cincinnati.com readers selected the Cincinnati Enquirer Athletes of the Week, presented by Mercy Health, from high school sports action through Oct. 9. Winners will receive certificates by the end of the sports season.

The Athlete of the Week voting occurs each week during all high school sports seasons and recognizes athletes across all sports.

Ohio football team of the week: Wilmington – The Hurricane have won five-straight contests after a 34-13 victory against New Richmond.

Northern Kentucky/Indiana football team of the week: Highlands – The Bluebirds improved to 6-2 after beating Boone County 50-0. Highlands has won consecutive games by 50 or more points.

Ohio fall boys team of the week: St. Xavier golf – The Bombers had a 298 at the Division I sectional at Miami Whitewater, winning the team portion by 10 strokes.

Ohio fall girls team of the week: Sycamore golf – The Aves were Division I sectional champions shooting a 317 and winning at Walden Ponds by 11 strokes.

Northern Kentucky/Indiana fall boys team of the week: Simon Kenton soccer – The Pioneers opened the 32nd District tourney with a 5-1 win over Walton-Verona before beating Grant County 3-2 in the finals.

Northern Kentucky/Indiana fall girls team of the week: Beechwood cross country – At the NKAC/St. Henry Invite on Oct. 8, Beechwood scored 26 team points, winning the event by 21 points.

Northern Kentucky/Indiana boys cross country runner of the week: Bradyn Hatton, East Central – He finished fourth in the sectional meet in 16:51.

Northern Kentucky/Indiana girls cross country runner of the week: Allison Kopser, Ryle – She won the NKAC bigschool championship in 18:57.

Ohio boys cross country runner of the week: Sam Mizukawa, Anderson – The senior won the Cincinnati Hills Christian Academy XC Invitational with a time of 16:14.90, helping Anderson to a second-place team finish Oct. 4.

Ohio girls cross country runner of the week: Ellie Breitenstein, Clermont

touchdown reception and a 2-point catch. Junior Charles Hawkins scored the first touchdown of the game from thebackfieldwithseniorJahmarRichardson adding the last.

“I pretty much knew the offensive game plan was good,”Hawkins said. “I was expecting it.”

Hawkins has been the main Taft running back recently and recorded a 200-yard game against Meadowdale in his first start. Senior Gavin Crawford carried the load early in the season with a 187-yard game against Roger Bacon. Moving from linebacker on occasion, Richardson had run 144 yards against Indian Hill. Last year he was a 1,018-yard rusher.

Both teams play for the CMAC-Red Division title where Withrow is in command. The Tigers were at Western Hills Friday night blowing out the Mustangs 54-0. They host Hughes next Friday, Oct. 21. Withrow already owns a 17-14 win over Taft.

“Our kids are playing lights out right now,” Williams said of Taft peaking late in the season.

Hawkins agrees.

“I think we’ve got a good shot at state,” said the young man in the No. 1 jersey.

Hughes has been playing the last three weeks with T.J. Engleman and Lorenzo Engleman Jr. who transferred from Princeton along with senior cousin Jaleel Engleman. T.J. and Lorenzo were both ruled ineligible by the OHSAA for the second half of the season.

Friday night, down two Englemans, the Big Red offense was held to a big fat zero.

Both Taft and Hughes could be factors in the playoffs with the Senators coming in as the No. 4 seed in Division IV via the OHSAA computer rankings Hughes entered Friday as the No. 5 seed in Division III.

First off, Taft plays Woodward next weekend with Hughes traveling to first-place Withrow.

Northeastern – The sophomore won the West Union XC meet with a time of 21:01.60 Oct. 8, helping CNE to a second-place team finish.

Field hockey player of the week: Hannah Kolb, Talawanda – She had a hat trick in the 3-1 win over Dublin Scioto Oct. 8.

Ohio big school football player of the week: Joshua Dugan, Elder – The junior linebacker had 11 tackles and a sack in Elder’s 24-23 win over Roncalli.

Ohio small school football player of the week: Michael Mulvihill, Blanchester –The sophomore threw for 100 yards and two touchdowns and ran for 139 yards and four scores in Blanchester’s 45-20 win over Bethel-Tate.

Northern Kentucky/Indiana football player of the week: Alex Amin, Bishop Brossart – He had two catches for 81 yards and the team’s lone touchdown of the game in a key 7-6 win over Bracken County in district play.

Ohio boys golfer of the week: Charlie Fish, St. Xavier – Fish’s 72 was the low score at Miami Whitewater on Oct. 6 as the Bomber finished as sectional medalist.

Ohio girls golfer of the week: Maureen Burns, Mount Notre Dame – Burns was the highest individual qualifier at the Division I sectional at Hamilton Elks with an 84.

Northern Kentucky/Indiana boys golfer of the week: Joel Craft, Highlands –He finished 42nd in the KHSAA state tournament with a two-round total of 157, third among local players.

Northern Kentucky/Indiana girls golfer of the week: Didi Jiradamkerng, Notre Dame – She finished 50th in the KHSAA state tournament with a two-round total of 176, fifth among local players.

Ohio boys big school soccer player of the week: Kenny Zang, La Salle – He had two goals and two assists in wins over Elder and Milford.

Ohio boys small school soccer player of the week: Ryan Nelson, Landmark

Badin defensive back Carson Cheek, right, celebrates with teammates after scoring a touchdown on a fumble recovery in the second half of the Rams’ 14-6 victory over Fenwick Friday night.

JOSHUA A. BICKEL

FOR THE ENQUIRER

Badin’s gritty victory shows why it’s unbeaten

Mark Schmetzer Enquirer contributor

Part of Bishop Fenwick’s game plan going into Friday’s game against Greater Catholic League Co-ed League-rival Badin was to hold on to the ball as long as possible in an effort to slow down the high-flying Rams offense.

The Falcons accomplished that part of the mission. They possessed the ball for almost 29 of the game’s 48 minutes and limited the Rams to 164 yards, almost 200 below the average they brought into the game, but Fenwick couldn’t generate enough offense to capitalize.

“We keep shooting ourselves in the foot,” Fenwick coach Mark Mueller said. “They’re little things, but they add up.”

The Falcons got two second-quarter field goals from junior Devin Morris – the first a school-record 49-yard effort – but Badin senior wide receiverdefensive back Braedyn Moore scored ona30-yardrunoutoftheWildcatformation late in the third quarter and junior wide receiver-defensive back Carson Cheek scooped up a Fenwick fumble and returned it 42 yards for a score early in the fourth quarter as the Rams came from behind for a14-6 win.

Junior linebacker Nate Ostendorf

Christian – He scored the game-winning goal as time expired and added another score in the 3-2 win over Winton Woods last Tuesday. He scored two more in the 4-0 over Cincinnati United on Thursday.

Ohio girls big school soccer player of the week: Samantha Erbach, Waynesville – The junior forward had two goals and four assists to help the topranked Spartans stay undefeated.

Ohio girls small school soccer player of the week: Drew Kantz, Taylor - The senior captain scored a goal to secure the 2-0 win against Madeira in a Cincinnati Hills League win. She has five goals and six assists this year.

Northern Kentucky/Indiana boys soccer player of the week: Ryder Kennedy, Dixie Heights - He had a goal and an assist in the Colonels’ 34th District championship win over St. Henry, 4-1, improving Dixie to 15-2-3.

Northern Kentucky/Indiana girls soccer player of the week: Maria Dilts, Dixie Heights – The junior was MVP of the 34th District Tournament in leading the Colonels to the championship and a record of 11-7-3.

Girls big school singles tennis player of the week: Jasmine Mu, Milford –She finished in third place in the Division I sectional tournament.

Girls small school singles tennis player of the week: Lucy Snyder, Cincinnati – The sophomore took fourth place in the Division II sectional tournament. Before the semifinals, she won three matches in straight sets. Girls doubles tennis players of the week: Lucy Glassmeyer & Ella Malafa, Mariemont – The top-seeded team beat their own teammates to secure the Division II sectional tournament in a three-set effort.

Ohio big school volleyball player of the week: Rachel Morgan, Milford –The freshman had a game-high 25 digs and led the team with 13 kills in Milford’s four-set win over Anderson.

Ohio small school volleyball player of the week: Allie Barrick, Cincinnati Hills Christian Academy – The sophomore posted 23 kills in CHCA’s five-set win over Summit.

Northern Kentucky volleyball player of the week: Lauren Ott, Notre Dame – She had 26 assists and eight digs in the Pandas’ 3-1 win over Ryle Oct. 6.

and Moore helped clinch the win with late fourth-quarter interceptions as Badin (9-0, 4-0) clinched its fourth outright championship in five seasons. The Rams shared the 2019 title with Chaminade Julienne, the last team to the Rams in the regular season. Badin extended its regular season win streak to 27 games.

“This is a huge win for us,” Moore said.

Badin coach Nick Yordy said that’s exactly the kind of game they expected from the Falcons. “Their defense is reallygood.They’llgoalongwayintheplayoffs,” he said. “We have a good defense, too.”

Badin (9-0, 4-0) went into the game ranked No. 1 in the Associated Press Division III statewide poll and first in the Division III Region 12 computer ratings. Fenwick (6-3, 2-2) was ranked third in the Division IV Region 16 ratings.

Moore tied the score with 2:50 left in the third quarter with his burst around left end after taking a direct snap. “I hid behind a blocker and saw an opening down the sidelines,” he said. “I like the Wildcat formation. It’s really fun.”

The game ended with Badin trying to execute the take-a-knee victory formation, but that couldn’t keep a minor scuffle from breaking out.

“That was a hard, tough, typical GCL game,” Yordy said.

Highlands ends skid to CovCath

James Weber Cincinnati Enquirer USA TODAY NETWORK

PARK HILLS, Ky. – After committing its fifth turnover of the game midway through the fourth quarter, it was easy to think that the Highlands football team was going to miss out on its chance to beat archrival Covington Catholic for the first time in 10 meetings.

But the Bluebirds dug deep and came from behind Friday night at CovCath’s Griffin Stadium, beating the Colonels 32-21 in a KHSAA Class 5A, District 5 seeding game.

Senior Charlie Noon’s kickoff return for a touchdown following a Highlands’ safety with six minutes left in the fourth quarter gave the Bluebirds the lead for good and reversed seven years of misfortune.

“It’s pretty amazing, knowing we’re the first team in a couple of years to come out here and win,” Noon said. “We put ourselves into a couple of holes early on, but this team fought like hell to bring it back. It’s a great feeling.”

Highlands won its seventh-straight overall to improve to 7-2 this season, 3-0 in district play with a game against Cooper next week in Fort Thomas to finish the regular season. CovCath fell to 6-2, 2-1 with a home game against Conner next week.

Highlands beat CovCath for the first time since 2015, having lost nine consecutive games including three in the playoffs. It was head coach Bob Sphire’s first win over CovCath after losing twice last season.

“Adversity is no longer the master of this program,”Sphire said. “When I got here 16 months ago, adversity was the master of this program. They couldn’t handle it. They went into the tank. It was individualism and we are no longer that football program.”

kick)

A- Alvarez 1 pass from Scalf (pass failed)

T-Machenheimer82kickoffreturn(Braun kick)

T- Machenheimer 44 pass from Nigam (Baun kick)

A- Scalf 15 rn (Goethe kick)

A- Smith 13 pass from Scalf (Goethe kick)

A- Piening 6 pass from Scalf (Goethe kick)

A- Berg 1 run (Goethe kick) Kings 37, Little Miami 7 Little Miami 0 0 0 7 - 7 Kings 14 23 0 0 - 37

K- Cameron 45 pass from Kocher (Wik kick)

K- Holubetz 8 run (Wik kick)

K- safety

K- Lyman 53 pass from Kocher (Wik kick)

K- Kelly 45 run (Wik kick)

K- Mussari 23 pass from Kocher LM- Cooper 13 pass from Maupin (Hoffman kick)

Records: K 8-1 (7-1 ECC), LM 2-7 (1-7 ECC). Milford 27, West Clermont 26 Milford

WC- Sanders 3 run (Cooper kick)

WC- Earley 3 run (Cooper kick)

WC- Henry Jr. 10 pass from Earley (kick failed) M- Davis 84 KO return (Cooper kick) M-Davis5passfromHardin(Cooperkick) M- Ray 26 pass from Hardin (pass failed)

WC- Henry Jr. 67 pass from Earley (pass failed)

M- Warther 26 pass from Hardin (Cooper kick)

Records: M 7-2 (6-2 ECC), WC 4-5 (4-4

ECC)

OTHER SCORES: Lebanon 35, Walnut Hills 20 Winton Woods

T- Bostic 12 pass from Ison (Cutts run) T- Richardson 3 run (Cotton pass from Ison)

Quarterfinals Boyle d. Errett 6-1, 6-2; Arington d. Harsman 6-0, 6-0; Thompson d.

Washington 6-1, 6-2; Brown d. Brumbaugh 6-1, 7-6(4).

OHSAA Division II district tournamentdoubles First round

Ananya-Cassidy (CHCA) d. Cate-Black (Milton Union) 6-0, 6-0; Soller-Kuwatch (Mariemont) d. Schnell-Riggs (Oakwood)

6-3, 6-2; Fraker-Yeager (Northwestern) d. Hajjar-Marburger (Summit Country Day)

6-3, 6-4; L. Larsen-C. Larsen (Indian Hill)

d. Schope-Schaefer (Alter) 5-7, 6-1, 6-4; Mac. Hitchcock-Mal. Hitchcock (Eaton) d. Singh-Pollock (IH) 6-0, 6-0; Thompson-Scharfenberger (Seven Hills)

d. Patel-Zweizig (Tippecanoe) 4-6, 6-1,

6-1; Glassmeyer-Malafa (Mar) d. Juniewicz-Parisi (Chaminade Julienne)

6-2, 6-1; Morris-Puryear (CHCA) d. O. Walrath-S. Walrath 6-3, 6-0. Quarterfinals

Annapantula-Cassody d. Soller-Kuwatch

6-1, 6-2; L. Larsen-C. Larsen d. Fraker-Yeager 6-4, 6-3; Mac. Hitchcock-Mal. Hitchcock d. Thompson-Scharfenberger 6-0, 6-1; Morris-Puryear d. Glassmeyer-Malafa 6-1, 6-3. BOYS’ SOCCER Badin 3, CHCA 0

B- Warner 2, Eldridge. Shutout: Marischen (two saves). Records: B 8-4-3, CHCA 5-9-1. Batavia 2, Clinton-Massie 1

B- Gipson, Kendrick. Records: B 11-4-1 (9-0-1 SBC), CM 8-2-6 (4-1-5 SBC). Harrison 6, Edgewood

W- Hester 9 run (Rummer kick)

W- Hester 8 run (Rummer kick)

Mitchell 86 Kickoff return (Rummer kick)

Hester 2 run (Rummer kick)

H- Koops 1 run (Anderson kick) N- Hill 4 run (Walker kick)

H- Rogers 55 run (Rogers kick)

H- Hering 16 run (Anderson kick)

(Oak Hills) d. Chappars (Bel) 6-1, 6-0; Clark (Turpin) d. Szwajkowski (Springboro) 6-0, 6-0; Chauduri (Mas) d. Braswell (N) 6-1, 6-1; Aggarwal (Mas) d. Mu (Milford) 6-0, 6-0; Jovanov (Miamisburg) d. Faulkner (But)

6-1, 6-1. Quarterfinals Brink d. Gandra 6-1, 6-0;

T-

T- Banks 70 punt return (Jackson pass from Ison)

T- Cotton 43 pass from Ison (Godrey pass from Ison)

(Chaminade Julienne) d. Bauer (Mariemont) 6-2, 6-3; Washington (Miami Valley) d. Sauser (Waynesville) 6-0, 6-0; Thompson (CHCA) d. Bauer (Tip) 6-0, 6-0; Brumbaugh (Milton Union) d. Rich (Oakwood) 6-0, 6-0; Brown (IH) d. Demmel (B)

THE BACKSTOP

SCOREBOARD

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UPCOMING

Oct. 31 at Cleveland, 8:15 p.m.

Oct. 22 at SMU, TBA

Oct. 29 at UCF, TBA

Nov. 5 vs. Navy, TBA

Oct. 29 at Tennessee, TBA

Nov. 5 at Missouri, TBA

Nov. 12 vs. Vanderbilt, TBA

Oct. 22 vs. Pitt, TBA

Oct. 29 vs. Wake Forest, TBA

Nov. 5 vs. James Madison, TBA

Kurt Busch to step away from NASCAR

LAS VEGAS – NASCAR champion

Kurt Busch will miss the rest of this season with a concussion and will not compete full-time in 2023.

The 44-year-old made his announcement Saturday at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, his home track and where he launched his career on the bullring as a child. He choked up when he said doctors told him “it is best for me to ‘shut it down.’”

“I know I am not 100% in my ability to go out and race at the top level in the NASCAR Cup Series,” Busch said. “These are the best of the best drivers, and lately, I haven’t felt my best.”

Busch said Tyler Reddick will replace him in the No. 45 Toyota at 23XI Racing next season. Reddick was signed to the team for the 2024 season, but is no longer needed to complete his contract at Richard Childress Racing because RCR signed Kyle Busch, Kurt’s younger brother and a two-time Cup champion, for next season.

“If I’m cleared, maybe you’ll see me at a few select races” next season, Busch said.

Buschwasinjuredinaroutinecrash in July that exposed a design flaw in NASCAR’s new Next Gen car.

Source: Tagovailoa, Bridgewater out of protocols

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. – Miami quarterbacks Tua Tagovailoa and Teddy Bridgewater have completed all of the return-to-play steps required by the NFL and are no longer in the league’s recently revised concussion protocols, a person with knowledge of the decisions said Saturday.

The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the moves were not announced publicly by the Dolphins.

Skylar Thompson will be the starter for Sunday’s game against Minnesota. But Tagovailoa getting cleared puts him on track to return for Miami’s Oct. 22 game against the Pittsburgh Steelers –the game where the Dolphins will pay tribute to the 50th anniversary of their 1972 perfect season. Tagovailoa returned to practice on a limited basis earlier this week. He had been in the protocols since getting hurt and needing to be taken off the field on a stretcher against the Cincinnati Bengals on Sept. 29.

That was four days after he was allowed to return to a game against the Buffalo Bills after hitting the back of his headontheturf,gettingbackonhisfeet, then wobbling. The Dolphins later said the wobble was caused by a back injury.

coach Pat Noonan said the club would enjoy and take stock of its historic victory before turning its full attention to the opponent so many members of the Cincinnati organization are connected to.

“Choppy match, I think, (and), in a lot of ways to be expected with it being a playoff game and our opponent,” Noonan said in his post-match remarks. “But we got through 45 minutes where, not a whole lot either way. In a strange way, I think the (Red Bulls) goal helped us to play a little bit and try to attack with the ball on the ground ... Just really proud of the group and their ability to go down on the road, you know, against a team that does really good to get pressure to the ball, and find a way to get back into it.

“Overall, it’s a big win for our group and a big day for our club and hopefully we can continue moving forward like this.”

How FC Cincinnati won its first playoff game in MLS

New York’s Lewis Morgan, who led his club in scoring during the regular season (14 goals), broke the first-round playoff match in suburban New York City wide open in the 48th minute. He thumped home a well-hit goal from the top of FC Cincinnati’s penalty area to ignite Red Bull Arena and put his team ahead.

FC Cincinnati goalkeeper Roman Celentano made six saves in the contest but said afterward he was partially screened on the Morgan goal.

“We were slow to get pressure on it so he gets the shot off,” Celentano said. “When he takes the shot, I see him go to hit it but I don’t see the ball but I don’t see the ball coming through. I reacted too late. At the end of the day, Lewis Morgan’s a class player and he has the ability to do what he wants with the ball.”

FC Cincinnati responded well to the setback, though. Junior Moreno scored a goal in the 60th minute and even as the tally was waived off after a videoassistant referee (VAR) review, FCC continued pushing forward.

The visitors’ fight paid off in the 74th

minute when Alvaro Barreal won a penalty kick, which captain Luciano Acosta converted to knot the match at one. The goal was Acosta’s 11th in 2022 and the first playoff goal in Cincinnati history. With the match deadlocked at two and the Red Bulls trying to find a way back into the match offensively, FC Cincinnati’s Brandon Vazquez drilled home the decisive score in the 86th minute.

The key moment in the goal was Sergio Santos’ centering feed after he used his speed to burn two defenders down the left flank.

“Very happy to come in, to help the team be able to score that goal,” Santos said via a team interpreter. “I ran down the line. I beat my man. I beat him with speed and I looked to the middle and saw Brandon there. I just had to play a good ball and he had a good finish.”

The assist was the first for Santos since his midseason acquisition by FCC from the Philadelphia Union via a trade for moments like the one he was a part of in the 86th minute Saturday.

Thegame“certainlywasn’tprettybut I do think the winning goal was a nice sequence,” Noonan said. “We needed somebody to make a play. Obviously, (Acosta) stepped up with the ‘PK’to give us some momemtum. But, at halftime, it was gonna come down to one play and who could make a quality soccer play.

That’s a credit to Sergio and him being able to find some space and some separation and, you know, a great pass in front of goal to Brandon, who was really committed to that run.”

From there, Cincinnati had to weather the rest of the 90 minutes, as well as 12 minutes of stoppage time tacked on to the end of regulation.

Next up: A familiar foe in Philadelphia Union

Remember all the talk of the new FC Cincinnati regime’s Philly connections? You’ll be hearing a lot of that in the days tocome,inadditiontoplentyofanalysis of how FCC bested the Union in their two-match regular season series.

Ray Gaddis. Alvas Powell. Noonan. GM Chris Albright. Santos. All of them contributed to helping make Philadelphia one of the most successful clubs in MLS in recent years, and they’ll all have a chance to help upset a Union team they already tied with in come-from-behind fashion on the road and hammered, 3-1, at TQL Stadium on Aug. 6

“It’s neat. I think this is a cool story in terms of my last job and our group and getting to this point and having not been here before,” Noonan said. “A very good opponent that we get to match up against. This should be fun. I said before

today, ‘we’ve got to find a way to enjoy this moment.’ This is not going to be easy, it’s not always going to look pretty but you can still have fun going out there and playing the game and trying to move on, so it’ll be no different in terms of how we approach Philly.

“I do think it’s pretty cool that we get togoandfacethetopteamintheconference, on the road, in what will be a very hostile environment and see what we’re about. It’s neat, because it’s no surprise on (Philadelphia’s) end that they’re in this position and I think our guys will be excited for the opportunity and wellaware of the challenges our opponent will pose for us.”

Philadelphia Union went19-5-10 during the regular season, earning the top seed in the Eastern Conference with a 4-0victoryagainstTorontoFConOct.9. The Union also fell just short of the Supporters Shield, which is awarded to the league’s regular-season champion.

The Union were highly effective attacking and defending. The were the top-scoring team in MLS and recorded the best season defensively in MLS history with only 26 goals allowed in 34 matches.

Philadelphia’s MLS club also has playoff pedigree. In 2020, it won the Supporters Shield during the pandemic-shorted season but lost in stunning fashion to New England Revolution in its playoff opener. In 2021, the Union were the top-seeded team in the east again, but it narrowly fell short of advancing to the MLS Cup final.

Philadelphia lost the Eastern Conference final in penalty-kick shootout to New York City FC while many of the Union’s star players were barred from playing in the match due to COVID-19 protocols.

Needless to say, and considering its last two playoff runs, the Union’s veteran players will be highly motivated to push past FC Cincinnati.

“I think as soon as we get out of this locker room, all eyes are on Philly,” Vazquez said. “It’s a quick turnaround ... We’re gonna go out with the same mentality we come out with every game. Doesn’t matter who we play. We’ve gotta play our same style and I believe that, with the group we have, anything is possible. We’ve done it before and we can do it again.”

Thursday’s match is scheduled for an 8 p.m. kickoff. It will be broadcast on FS1.

Members of FC Cincinnati celebrate as they leave the field after defeating the New York Red Bulls at Red Bull Arena Saturday. FC Cincinnati will play top-seed Philadelphia Union Thursday in the Eastern Conference semifinals. USA TODAY SPORTS

Think candidates hate each other? Not really, I found

Kevin Aldridge Columnist Cincinnati

If you can’t say something nice, then take out a political ad.

That’s the vibe most voters get during election season as their televisions, radios, newspapers, social media and mailboxes are overrun with campaign commercials and other advertisements from politicians vilifying their opponents. Many of these negative ads are misleading, and often distort or take out of context comments, actions or positions taken by a particular candidate. Worst of all, they leave voters exhausted and disillusioned with their choices, which, as politics columnist Dan Sewell said, can leave them “holding their noses when they cast their ballots.”

In these polarizing times, it’s important to take a step back and clear the negativity from the air. To remind our-

selves that just because candidates might be on opposite sides of an issue and of a different party, they are still human beings and not the embodiment of everythingevilinworld,asourtribalpolitics would sometimes have us believe. Tome,oneofthegreatestmomentsof statesmanship in the past 20 years came in 2008 when Republican presidential candidate and Arizona Sen. John McCain defended his Democratic oppo-

nent and then-Sen. Barack Obama from an untruth during a town hall event in Lakeville, Minnesota. A constituent stood up and told McCain that she couldn’t trust Obama and called him “an Arab,”playing into the conspiracy movement of the time which claimed Obama wasnotanatural-bornAmericancitizen. But McCain rejected the woman’s attack on his opponent outright.

No ma’am, he’s a decent family man, citizen, that I just happen to have disagreementswithonfundamentalissues, and that’s what this campaign is all about,” McCain said to applause.

I wanted to find out if Greater Cincinnati politicians could play nice in the sandbox, as McCain did, in our current polarized environment. If I asked those running for federal, state and local offices to say something nice or positive about their opponents, what might they say? Would they say anything at all?

So I called as many candidates as I could, especially those in heated and

“I admire Tim Ryan’s commitment to his family. It’s clear that he always puts his wife and kids first.”

J.D. Vance Republican candidate for U.S. Senate

LETTER TO THE EDITOR

Don’t lump FC Cincinnati in with the sad sack Reds

Jason Williams’ article about the current sad state of affairs with the Reds was an accurate one, but why did he feel so compelled to talk about FC Cincinnati when the story was all about the plummeting attendance at Great American Ball Par

Suggesting no one cares or knows about FCC’s chances to make the playoffs (or about the team as a whole) is absolutely ridiculous. The team is in its third year in the “majors” and is pulling in a huge number of fans − young and old.

I went to my first baseball game in two years the other day. Didn’t see many families or many kids. Not the case at FCC games.

I’ve been an FCC season ticket holder since the early days at UC’s stadium. I was reminded during the Reds game I attended why I love soccer and why its popularity is growing in the states.

Next time Williams wants to write about the sad state of the Reds, he should keep it all about the Reds and keep his opinion about FCC out of it.

Mark Sneider, Indian Hill

There was no shortage of barbs and sharp attacks lobbed during the first public debate between Democratic U.S. Rep. Tim Ryan, left, and Republican and “Hillbilly Elegy” author J.D. Vance in their race to succeed retiring Republican Sen. Rob Portman in Ohio. AP

See ALDRIDGE, Page2D

Sen. John McCain defends then-Sen. Barack Obama to a supporter who called him “an Arab” during an October 10, 2008, town hall event in Lakeville, Minnesota. PROVIDED

“[I am] grateful for J.D.’s service to

our country as a U.S. Marine.”

Tim Ryan Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate

Moms with far-apart views vie in House race

Politics: The Art of the Possible Dan Sewell Columnist

The Ohio House District 27 race pits two suburban moms who are also nurses. That’s about all they have in common.

The newly redrawn eastern Hamilton County district includes Anderson and Symmes townships, Indian Hill, Terrace Park, Newtown, part of Loveland and several Cincinnati neighborhoods. It offersatestofhowsuburbanmotherswho could swing this and other Ohio races feel about the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision this summer to overturn the fivedecade-old Roe v. Wade ruling that protected women’s ability to get an abortion.

Republican Jenn Giroux is a longtime pro-life activist who is against exceptions for abortion in cases of rape or incest.

“A child should not be punished (aborted) for the crimes of the father,” Giroux says on her campaign web site. Abortion is always wrong.”

She has long spoken out on Catholic issues, and she and her husband run the

Catholic Shop in Madeira. The Nov. 8 election nears as Roman Catholic churches are marking Respect Life Month in October with such anti-abortion messages as tiny crosses on their lawns representing aborted fetuses.

Ohio is among states that saw a postSupreme Court ruling surge in registration of female voters, thought to be largely because of their opposition to outlawing abortion.

“I strongly believe that any health care decision should be left to the patients and their health care providers … including access to abortion,” Democratic nominee Rachel Baker said in a recent interview. “The government shouldn’t be involved at all.”

The candidates also clash in the debateoverwhat’sbeingtaughtinschools, an issue that’s roiled the Forest Hills School District that is within House 27 after the school board this year passed a sweeping resolution aimed against critical race theory (which educators say isn’t part of K-12 curriculum), gender identity, ethnicity, sex education, socioeconomic class and more.

Giroux agrees with such efforts, blasting educators who “mistakenly believe that it is their job to indoctrinate our children.”

Baker, who lives in the Forest Hills district with her three children, said

such interference with professional educators “scares me a lot.” She calls it part of “a national movement to bring fear and distrust to public education and discrediting teachers.”

Giroux, married mother of nine children, has said that artificial insemination should be outlawed. And that couples who can have children naturally should have a lot of them. For one reason, she explained in a Facebook post, all those children can provide financial support to their parents after they’ve retired.

Giroux’s Facebook page offers suggestions that liberals have been waging a violent uprising against this country and working treasonously with foreign governments.

Baker has attracted support from someRepublicansinthedistrict,including former Hamilton County commissioner and Cincinnati council member Phil Heimlich.

“It’s an easy decision,”said Heimlich, who puts Giroux in the extreme GOP wing of “conspiracy-spreaders” such as U.S. Reps. Marjorie Taylor Greene, Lau-

ren Boebert and Matt Gaetz.

Heimlich praises Baker for focusing on the “bread-and-butter issues facing our communities, such as cost of living, safe streets and quality schools” while upholding the rule of law.

Giroux frequently calls out “RINOS” (Republicans in Name Only) that in her mind include Republicans Kentucky Sen. Mitch McConnell, Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine and Sen. Rob Portman. She’s called McConnell and Portman “traitors” and DeWine a “tyrant.”

She seems to have particular hostility for Portman, a resident of the district who has served in the U.S. House, held multiple White House positions under two presidents, and is retiring at the end of his second Senate term. He’ll leave Washington in January with accolades from both sides of the aisle for his long, scandal-free career.

Giroux on Facebook has called him “a political whore and Deep State sellout.”

Seriously?

Given that Portman is Hamilton County’s most prominent officeholder, it seems the county’s Republican Party leadership should consider aborting its support of Giroux’s candidacy.

Dan Sewell writes a Sunday politics for The Enquirer. He can be reached at his personal email, dsewellrojos@ gmail.com

For safer cities, elect Republicans to Ohio high court

Bob Paduchik Guest columnist

A wide array of issues are impacting every Ohioan as we draw closer to the Nov. 8 General Election. Working families are feeling the pain of Joe Biden’s disastrous energy policies, open borders are allowing the free-flow of fentanyl to children, and 40-year high inflation is squeezing family budgets tighter than ever.

Even as we work to elect Republicans like J.D. Vance and Steve Chabot who will fix Biden’s disaster in Washington, crime and public safety should not be overlooked as a top issue for voters in this election. Last year, many predicted thatBiden’s‘softoncrime’posturewould wreak havoc on cities across the United

Aldridge

Continued from Page 1D

contentiousraces,togettheirresponses. No one had a McCain moment, but all offered something positive about their opponents. The niceties came easier to some candidates than others, and most kept their responses brief. If there was an overriding theme, it was each candidate’s respect for their opponent’s commitment to family while also trying to serve their community/country.

There was no shortage of barbs and sharp attacks lobbed during the first public debate between Democrat Tim RyanandRepublicanJ.D.VanceonMonday. The two are locked in a hotly contested race for U.S. Senate that polls show is neck-and-neck as early voting begins. And while voters didn’t get to hear it from the debate podium, the two men said they respect each other’s commitment to family and service.

“I admire Tim Ryan’s commitment to his family. It’s clear that he always puts his wife and kids first,” Vance said.

Despite referring to Vance as an “a-kisser” of former President Donald Trump multiple times on the campaign trail, Ryan said he was “grateful for J.D.’s service to our country as a U.S. Marine.”

Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine and former Dayton Mayor Nan Whaley have proven they can be collegial, as the two worked together in the aftermath of a tragic mass shooting in Dayton in 2019. While locked in a battle to be the state’s next governor, Whaley said she appreciates DeWine as a family man.

“Governor DeWine cares deeply about his family and has always put them first,” she said.

DeWine highlighted his interactions with Whaley during the COVID-19 pandemic.

States. Certainly, we have seen that in Democrat-run cities like New York City, Chicago and Portland, and even in some of Ohio’s Democrat-led cities like failed mayor Nan Whaley’s Dayton, which saw skyrocketing crime under her leadership

Despite rising violent crime, activists on the Ohio Supreme Court made a disastrousdecisionthatisaslapintheface to every Ohioan who wants safer communities. In the DuBose v. McGuffey decision, activists on Ohio’s top court eliminated judges’ ability to consider public safety when setting bail, which is only accelerating the crime crisis.

Plainly put, they removed an important tool that is often used to keep dangerous people off the streets. Justices Sharon Kennedy, Pat DeWine and Pat Fischerallrejectedthatdecision,andauthored thoughtful dissenting opinions that raised important concerns, all of which proved correct with time.

During the pandemic, when I held press conferences, which were often daily, I would call all of Ohio’s big city mayors, including Mayor Whaley. I found that Mayor Whaley was concerned about people’s lives and wellbeing,” DeWine said. “She was very candid in describing what she needed from us, and we always tried to deliver on that for her.”

In the race for Ohio’s1st Congressional District seat, Republican Congressman Steve Chabot has developed somewhat of a reputation for negative campaigning. His opponent, Democrat Greg Landsman, has been on the receiving end of more than a few commercials painting him as a corrupt extremist who is anti-police.

Being characterized that way probably doesn’t engender many warm feelings toward Chabot. Still, Landsman offered this statement: “I know firsthand how hard it can be to raise a family and serve in public life. While we disagree on many issues, the Congressman has managed to balance a public career with raising his family. That merits respect.”

And aside from being follicly challenged, family men, it turns out Landsman and Chabot have something else in common.

“I respect that Mr. Landsman was a teacher. As a former teacher myself, I know both how demanding and how important that job can be. So, he, and all ourdedicatedteachers,deserveourgratitude for the time and hard work they’ve committed to our nation’s children.”

Candidates in county races were more amenable to saying something positive about their opponent, though some used an economy of words. Hamilton County Commission candidates, for example, weren’t exactly gushing with praise.

Christopher Smitherman, an independent candidate for Hamilton County

A number of disturbing cases have arisen since that decision where dangerous offenders have been allowed out on bail, and then went on to cause further harm in the community.

By voting yes on Issue 1, and for our Republican candidates for the Ohio Supreme Court, you will be casting a vote that “supports requiring courts to consider factors such as public safety, the seriousness of the offense, a person’s criminalrecord,andaperson’slikelihood of returning to court when setting the amount of bail.”

This is common sense, yet Democratic candidate for Chief Justice, Jennifer Brunner, and other Democratic candidates for the court continue to criticize this important issue. Activist judges make a habit of placing their own idealistic values ahead of both public safety and established state law, and their opposition to this issue proves they are no different.

commissioner, said he respected his RepublicanopponentMattO’Neillforbeing a small business owner and Democrat and incumbent Commissioner Stephanie Summerow Dumas because she “has committed her adult life to service.”

DumassaidSmitherman“seemstobe committed to his children” and O’Neill is “making the race interesting. Competition is always a good thing.”

Meanwhile, Steve Goodin and Pavan Parikh who are competing for the Hamilton County Clerk of Courts job describe themselves as friends.

“We met because of mutual friends from our time in the Army,” Parikh said. He’s a good man and a good dad. I appreciate his passion for our community.”

Goodin said he had a high personal regardforParikh,particularlyasafather.

I wish my kids were are well behaved as his seem to be,” Goodin said with a laugh. “ He really seems to put in time with the family. I’ve seen where he’s taken time off the campaign trail to deal with family matters, and that’s a very good thing.”

Tom Brinkman, the Republican candidate for Hamilton County Auditor, said he doesn’t look at his Democratic challenger Brigid Kelly as “the enemy.”

“She’s my opponent, but that’s all. I get along with Brigid well,” Brinkman said. He noted that Kelly and his wife have bonded as they both are battling health challenges. My wife and her have sent cards back and forth between each other. My wife and I pray for her in what she’s going through and I know she’s been pulling for my wife in what she’s going through.”

Kelly referred to herself and Brinkman as “unlikely friends.” She said they don’t agree on much but have always been able to have frank and honest conversations with each other, which has helped to build their relationship despite

Thankfully, Ohio voters are on our side. Recent polling shows that 82% of Ohioans support Issue1and only 8% are planning to vote against it.

Kennedy, who is running for Chief Justice, is a former police officer who has dedicatedherlifetoupholdingtheruleof law,bothasanofficerandasatried-andtrue jurist. She, along with justices DeWine and Fischer, are fully committed to keeping communities safe, and continue to support allowing judges to consider public safety when setting bail.

The choice could not be clearer. For Ohioans who want to keep our communities safe, remember to vote for Justices Kennedy, DeWine and Fischer for the Ohio Supreme Court. Your vote for them is a vote for commonsense interpretations of the law that are good for Ohio, and will keep violent criminals off our streets.

Bob Paduchik is chairman of the Ohio Republican Party.

viewing the world differently. Kelly said that matters and impacts how a person conducts his or herself in a campaign.

“It makes it more civil, which makes it moreappealingtopeoplewhoareturned off by elections,” Kelly said. “One thing I can say about Tom is you always know where he stands on things, right, wrong or indifferent.”

Kelly added: “A functional government is good for everybody. It’s something we all should aspire to.”

Brinkman acknowledged that it can be hard to say positive things about an opponent sometimes because “there are individuals in elected office, on both sides of the aisle, who are very hard to get along with. They don’t have good intentions.”

But the majority of officeholders, Brinkman said, are good people with good intentions who don’t regard their opponents as “evil.”

“Wegetstuckinthisusagainstthem,” he said. “There are some people who are not good people in politics, but the vast majority are people just trying to do whattheythinktheofficecallsfor.Idon’t think that makes them bad.”

Goodin sees things similarly.

“People lose track of our common humanity,” Goodin said. “They forget that there are actual people on the other side of these political arguments.”

Parikh agreed, adding he wishes Goodin well in everything he does – except this election, of course.

“Obviously, I don’t want him to take my job,” Parikh said with a laugh. “We can pick up our friendship where we left off after the election.”

Wouldn’t it be great if everyone - politicians and voters alike - could do the same?

Opinion and Engagement Editor Kevin S. Aldridge can be reached at kaldridge@enquirer.com. Twitter: @kevaldrid.

Baker

Giroux

3 things you may not know about The Enquirer

Beryl Love Executive editor Cincinnati Enquirer

When I meet people for the first time and they learn what I do for a living, it’s not uncommon to get a concerned look and hear something along the lines of, “Oh, I hear the newspaper business is very challenging right now.”

There is of course good reason for this. Traditional, print-based newspaper advertising revenue and circulation has been on a slow and steady decline for most of my career, with a particularly steep drop that hit the industry in 2008 What caused it? At the risk of oversimplifying, I’ll attempt to boil it down. The digital revolution dramatically disrupted reader habits and a business model that had been in place for generations. But as the late Paul Harvey might say, now let’s hear the rest of the story. Here are three things you might not know about The Enquirer.

We have shifted our business model

When I started in the business in the early1990s,classifiedanddisplayadvertising (think department store ads and the like for the latter) were still our pri-

mary revenue sources. Yes, circulation revenue was significant, but home delivery was in many ways a loss leader. The price of a subscription never covered the cost of paper, ink, printing presses and the daily miracle of taking a product that didn’t exist hours before and putting on the driveways of thousands of households. Print advertising revenue made it all possible. Digital advertising now rules the day. We’re in that game of course, but it’s a crowded space and generates pennies to thedollarcomparedtotraditionaladvertising platforms. So what have we done to stay viable? Diversify.

We are a growing digital business

Last week, we hit a major milestone: The Enquirer has more than 40,000 digital-only subscribers, independent of our print subscribers. Hitting that number reflects another year of double-digit growth for this new part of our business and the affirmation that people are willing to pay for digital access to professionally reported local news. I’ve said this many times before, but it bears repeating: Your support as a subscriber is vital to preserving local journalism in our community. Thank you.

We’re not liberal

Or conservative, for that matter. Yes, I

know. Some of you are rolling your eyes right now. But hang with me for a moment.

Our parent company, Gannett, values diversity. Each year we conduct and publish the results of an audit that measures the racial and gender diversity of our newsrooms against the demographic makeup of the communities we serve. But our pledge to reflect the community goes beyond race and gender.

Even though we don’t – and shouldn’t – ask employees to self-report political leanings, the truth is The Enquirer newsroom represents the same diversity of thought you likely experience in your place of work. Or church. Or on the sidelines of your kid’s soccer game. Remember,welivehere,too.(Nowisagood time to acknowledge I’m not talking about national media outlets right now. That’s a different animal, and the accusations of bias are often well earned.)

As editor, it’s my job to make sure our reporting first and foremost seeks the truth. We’re not here to drive a political agenda. Our training and code of ethics demand that our reporting is balanced and our methods transparent. You should demand that, too.

But when we dive into politically charged issues – and lord knows we have our hands full these days – we encourage Enquirer journalists to speak up if they see a story that is unfair or mischaracterizes the position they might

happen to align with personally. The discussions are fascinating and enlightening.

We’re not perfect. On any given day, I might hear from a conservative reader who is critical of our redistricting coverage. The next day, a liberal reader might write to complain about the headline on a story about Ohio's abortion laws. I like to say we’re equal opportunity offenders. But kidding aside, we take this feedback to heart. We discuss it. And we stay vigilant to our mission of reporting the facts, no matter how inconvenient they are at times.

A personal note: Though not all my colleagues take this step, I don’t vote in primary elections unless there is an “issues only”ballot available. It’s one of the many ways I keep an arm’s length from partisan politics.

As always, I value your feedback, particularly on how we are living up to our commitment to fairness and journalism that reflects the diversity of our community. In the end, we are nothing without your trust.

Enquirer Executive Editor Beryl Love writes a biweekly column that takes you behind the scenes at The Enquirer. Occasionally, he shares his thoughts on local issues, particularly as they pertain to a free press and open government. Email him at blove@enquirer.com. He can’t respond personally to every email, but he reads them all.

Break Republican corruption by voting for Democrats

Republicans are corrupt, Ohio. They care about power, not justice.

They repeatedly approved gerrymandered voting districts ruled unconstitutional seven times by the Ohio Supreme Court They procrastinated so long throughout the year-long redistricting process, we voted in illegal districts in two primaries this year − costing taxpayers an extra $20 million.

They have accepted massive campaign contributions from large corporations, then passed laws that benefit corporations − not Ohioans. The main exampleisHouseBill6,the$61milliondark money scandal a U.S Attorney called the “largest bribery scheme in Ohio history.” While the $1 billion tax case to bail out fossil fuels in Ohio is ongoing, it appears FirstEnergycashwasalsousedtointimidate people working on a referendum initiative from attempting to overturn HB 6.

Ohio Republicans are no longer a political party; they’re bona fide villains.

Laws sponsored and passed by outof-touch Republicans promote more plastic pollution (HB 242, Sen. George Lang, R-West Chester); more gun violence (HB 99, Thomas Hall, R-District 53); and more private, charter schools (with no educational oversight) that drain taxpayer dollars from public schools (HB 290, Riordan McClain, RUpper Sandusky).

Also, Ohio’s radical-right Republicans passed cruel Senate Bill 23 (Kristina Roegner, R-District 27) which eliminates women’s pregnancy and abortion health care rights and criminalizes the actions of doctors trained to keep them healthy and save their lives.

But there’s hope. In the U.S. Senate race, moderate Tim Ryan opposes Republican neophyte J.D. Vance for Rob Portman’s seat. Vance embraces Trumpianpoliticsofdivisivenessandconspiracy theory. He’s alarmingly unevolved on the war in Ukraine. He told Real America’s Voice he “doesn’t really care about what happens in Ukraine one way or another.” Ryan, a U.S. Representative since 2003, rightly responds that Vladimir Putin “cannot be allowed to gain one inch of soil in Ukraine.”

Democrat Vanessa Enoch challenges WarrenDavidsonforU.S.Representative

(District 8) under the slogan, “Make government responsible again.” Davidson voted to reject state-certified election results in Arizona and Pennsylvania following the Jan. 6 insurrection attempt.

He’s no John Boehner, folks.

The pomposity Republican incumbents demonstrate permeates Butler County, too. Roger Reynolds, endorsed Republican for reelection as county auditor, faces four felonies and two misdemeanor charges for corruption, bribery and undue interest in a public contract. Democrat opponent Mike Dalesandro is

competent and has a clean legal slate.

I’ll bet Republicans bank on party loyalty and Reynolds’ name recognition to win. If he’s convicted, they’ll appoint a Republican successor. How’s that for hubris?

Republican Sara Carruthers (District 47) refuses to debate Sam Lawrence, a Miami University student critical of what looks like pay-to-play senior housing legislation related to campaign donations she received from a nursing home CEO. Why not debate, Ms. Carruthers? Unless, like Mike DeWine, you’re afraid to be challenged on your ethics.

The Butler County Democratic Party endorses these competent candidates, too: Latisha Hazell for county commissioner; Larry Mulligan, Ohio House Representative (District 46), a teacher opposing Hall, who sponsored the law arming teachers in schools; and Chuck Horn, Ohio House Representative (District 45).

If you care about the future of democracy, here’s what you should do: break the back of Republican Party corruption and one-party rule in Ohio by voting for Democratic Party candidates.

Kathy Wyenandt is the chairperson of the Butler County Democratic Party. For more information, visit https://www. butlercountydems.org

We must talk, listen to each other to save our democracy

reach that common ground, they must be willing and able to share what is in their heads and in their hearts about things that matter to them and to listen carefully and respectfully to what others have to say.

The United States, the oldest democracy in the world, is increasingly in danger of becoming non-democratic because of extensive polarization of citizens and the leaders who represent them. There will always be differences of opinion about political issues, but the differences today seem to be more intense.

A major factor is the extensive development of social media and news coverage, which allows individuals to get manyandvariedviews.Theresultisthat people can access reports that support their prejudices and be connected to many others who agree with their views. This convinces them that they are right.

What is needed is the opportunity to exchange ideas with fellow citizens, encouraging each to develop the ability and desire to not only share their views but also to hear what others have to say. In any organization − family, community, city, state or nation − for individuals to work together, they must find common ground. This is a place where they can stand together and work together. To

My belief in the importance and power of direct discussions among citizens is formed by my nearly 18 years of experience with the Kettering Foundation and with the National Issues Forums Institute (NIFI), two organizations that work in partnership and are headquartered in Dayton,Ohio.Whatdrewmetothiswork was the focus that Kettering and NIFI placed on helping citizens interact with others about problems they faced.

Since 1982, Kettering and NIFI have worked together to promote public deliberation. This is a process that invites everyone to share their experiences and to listen to what others have to say. NIFI publishes guides that describe an issue in a non-partisan way, presenting three options about how the problem might be confronted with pros and cons about each alternative. NIFI uses these guides to invite participants around the nation to join forums where they can share their views. Kettering uses the conclusions provided anonymously by participants at the end of the forums to help determine how citizens feel about the issue.

Traditionally, forums are held in per-

son. However, during the recent pandemic, forum participants often interacted virtually through Zoom. It is possible that this may become a major process for conducting forums in the future, giving NIFI the potential to have a geographic diversity in participants and offering the opportunity to participate without leaving home. Each forum is led by a moderator who is impartial as to which alternative should be pursued, focusing instead on insuring that each participant is able to share his or her views. Participants attending a forum in person are seated in a circle, enabling all to see facesandobserveemotionalreactionsas they speak. Video conferencing also provides this opportunity.

I have moderated more than 100 forums for participants ranging from high school students to residents in retirement villages. I have found that, repeatedly, individuals start with very different ideas but often found some version of common ground by the end of the forum. It was not unusual to observe participants who had different views at the beginning of a forum joined in extensive discussion afterwards.

Today’s polarization is so intense that extensive efforts must be made to enable citizens of all ages and occupations to have opportunities to develop the skills of public deliberation and to engage on

issues that are important to them.

Teachers who use the issue guides and the deliberation process in class can help thenextgenerationhavethoseskills.But the need is acute for a larger segment of the current population to have and use these skills to find common ground.

Our nation would be a better place to live if a larger share of the population developed the skills to talk with and listen to each other. A current issue that confronts our nation is the challenge of providing access to voting for citizens. Voting is the process via which citizens determine who is going to represent them in making important decisions in their community, state and nation. Therefore, Kettering and NIFI have produced an issue guide entitled “Elections: How should we encourage and safeguard voting.” We are conducting forums to provide citizens with the opportunity to share their views.

If you would like to participate, you can go to the NIFI website (www.nifi.org) and download a free copy of the guide. If you would then like to participate in a forum, you can email NIFI at dminnich@nifi.org and we will inform you of a date for a forum using Zoom.

Bill Muse, a resident of Pleasant Ridge, is a former president of Auburn University and now serves as board member and president emeritus of NIFI.

Your Turn Kathy Wyenandt Guest columnist

Roger Reynolds, Butler County auditor, is arraigned Feb. 24 in Butler County Common Pleas Court. At right is his attorney, Chad Ziepfel. LIZ DUFOUR/ THE ENQUIRER

Your Turn Bill Muse Guest columnist

WRITING

OPINION

SUNDAY+ LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Where are all the

‘Lock him up’ chants?

I keep waiting for the chants to start. Remember“Lockherup!”directedatHillary Clinton for using a personal server for some emails while Secretary of State? Poor judgment, but not criminal, according to a full FBI investigation. Certainly, no violation of the Espionage Act or the Official Secrets Act, or a slew of other laws regulating top secret stuff.

But now, we citizens have the 2020 presidential loser, Donald Trump, cartingoffboxloadsofclassifieddocuments, without authorization of any kind. Some so secret they carry SCI (sensitive compartmented information) designation, which means they can be viewed only in special controlled environments − Mara-Lago not being one of those environments. Such action is criminal. If you or I didwhatTrumpdid,wewouldhavebeen indicted the minute evidence was gathered by the feds.

Deference aside, one wonders, where is the chant? “Lock him up!”

Seemsthatallthosefolkswhowereso concerned about national security back in 2016 are deathly silent these days. Nowthebootisontheotherfoot,andthe guy wearing it is both a loser and a person who clearly violated the laws governing federal top secrets.

Lock him up? Seems like a chant we should be hearing, doesn’t it?

Bob Wilhelmy, Loveland

Republicans stack the deck against anyone who disagrees

How refreshing it was to read the article in the Oct. 9 Enquirer that our great local humanitarian statesman, Republican William J. Seitz III is proposing to redraw the judicial districts for the Ohio Court of Appeals in order to ensure that right-mindedjudgeswilldominatethose courts. It is not enough that the Ohio Republican Party has tried to dominate both the state and congressional legislative districts by ignoring constitutional amendments overwhelmingly passed by the Ohio citizenry to ensure fair and balanced districts, but now the Republicans need to ensure that they control the judiciary so that no independent-thinking appeals court judges will rock the boat of the attempted Republican domination of every Ohioan’s life.

Seems a simpler solution would to be to declare all non-Republican voters as illegal aliens and deny them any participation in government. It is a pity the Republicans have become so out-of-touch from current mainstream thinking that their only hope of attaining positions of power is to stack the deck against anyone who disagrees with them.

Chris Noell, Hyde Park

No wonder Cincinnati is in a financial bind

In Councilman’s Jeff Cramerding’s guest column in the Oct. 9 Enquirer, he states the city of Cincinnati is in a financial bind. The recent vote to hire a new city manager was 9-0. That means all nine council members voted to hire the new manager. The new manager was

given a salary, approved by council, that was higher than any previous manager, approaching $300,000 a year.

If the city is in such a financial bind, how could Mr. Cramerding agree to pay thenewmanagersuchaoutlandishsalary? Secondly, the city hired the same firm (PoliHire) to search for a new health commissioner.Thisfirmfailedmiserably in the search for the city manager position. Again, another waste of taxpayer’s money. No wonder Cincinnati is in a financial bind.

Dennis Daly, Cold Spring

A few things Cincinnatians should know about Taiwan

Taiwan is a beacon of democracy in Asia. Freedom House ranked Taiwan as one of the freest nations in Asia, with a scoreof94/100.Taiwanesenotonlyhave a female head of state, but 42% of seats in Taiwan’s Parliament are held by women. Taiwan is home to more than 90% of the manufacturing capacity for the world’s most advanced semiconductors microchips, which are the lifeline for smart phones that are used by everyday Cincinnatians. Cincinnati and New Taipei City in Taiwan established their sister-city relationship in 1994 and regularly have student exchanges between the two cities.

Najee Woods, Bond Hill

No mail delivery in almost 2 weeks and no explanation

Can the post office tell me where my mail is? I have not received one piece of mailinnearlytwoweeks.Idonotseeany mail delivery trucks in my neighborhood, nor any mail carriers. I work from home so I check this out daily.

My bills come so late that even if I do receive them, I have to rush and send them ASAP in order to avoid late fees. Magazines that are to arrive weekly have not been seen for at least a month. Effortstoobtaininformationatthepostoffice are met with blank stares.

Many people like myself depend on the mail service for the necessities of ev-

eryday life. Can my local post office get my mail to me, or at least tell me where it is?

Susan Valera, North College Hill

Treatment of Portune reason enough to vote against Dumas

I have always thought of myself as a loyal Democrat who regularly votes a straight Democratic ticket. But that will not be the case in this election. Here is why I will withhold my vote this November from Democrat Stephanie Dumas, an incumbent Hamilton County commissioner who is seeking reelection.

In 2019, longtime Democratic County Commissioner Todd Portune was in severely declining health. He was in a wheelchair, partially paralyzed on the right side of his body. His left leg had also been amputated. While at Drake Hospital after neck surgery, he requested that thethree-memberboardofcommissioners hold their next meeting there.

Ms. Dumas rejected this change of venue. It was rumored that she felt this concession might provide some sort of political advantage to Portune. So with great difficulty, Mr. Portune managed to attend the meeting at a downtown location. He even quipped that he had to “move heaven and earth”to get there. He died in January of 2020.

This cruel treatment of a fellow commissioner may be hard for some to believe, but it is true. Anyone with doubts can Google Jason Williams’s 2019 Enquirer article entitled “PX column: We all failed on Stephanie Dumas.” Mr. Williams mentions that when Republican commissioners were in control, they held occasional meetings at Drake to accommodate Mr. Portune’s health issues.

In my experience, most people, regardless of their political affiliation, are empathetic towards those who are suffering. Ms. Dumas appears to have other priorities. Therefore, I will either vote for independent candidate Christopher Smitherman, or leave that portion of my ballot blank. I urge my fellow Democrats to do the same.

Powell Grant, Oakley

Judges should have to reveal their party affiliation to voters

Maybe I missed it and, if so, I apologize to the media source that provided it. But my wife and I have been researching party affiliation as we prepare for the midterm elections. In the past, we had some limited success as we self-educated ourselves on party affiliations. This time around, we have been frustrated after numerous Google searches by a lack of information. While it is stated that judgeships are “non-partisan,” we’ve witnessed judges in action over the last few months. Some judges void state laws; some delay enforcement of laws; some interfere with the judicial process without resolving the issue.

It is unfair to voters when a candidate seeks your vote without revealing potential attitudes aligned with their party affiliation. I won’t go so far as to call positions “biases,” but we all have opinions, and those opinions should require party identification. If a candidate disagrees with their party affiliation, they have ample time to make that disclaimer.

I’m not saying anyone should be ashamed; I am saying the voters have a need to know before entering the voting booth.

Mike Hauer, Villa Hills Government should compensate women for forced pregnancies

When government takes private property, the Constitution mandates just compensation. When the government takes the body of a pregnant girl for nine months of pregnancy, the girl must be paid compensation.

I suggest the current baby-sitting charge of $20 an hour for the duration of the pregnancy, and it should be tax-free.

Charles Hadaway, Hyde Park Republicans’ redistricting tactics a sign of desperation

Afterreadinganarticleinthepapertitled “Has your voting district changed,”it brought some very negative memories. The only reason the redistricting action came about is because the Republicans wanted to try to make sure they will win both elections coming up. They don’t feel they can win it on their on campaigning actions. I wonder why? Saying that we can’t drive others to the polls, or can’t provide water to those standing in line or movingvotingpollsfartherawayisasign of desperate people.

Mary Edwards, North Avondale Reds president Castellini got the answer he deserved

Just before Opening Day, when he gutted the roster, Reds president Phil Castellini insulted us all with his now infamous line “Well, where are you gonna go?”Then, he proceeded to put a team on the field that was so bad they had their second 100-game losing season in history. With attendance at an all-time low at Great American Ball Park, it looks like Phil got his answer. Based on his arrogance, Phil got the answer he deserved.

Tom Dorger, Hyde Park

This image contained in a court filing by the Department of Justice on Aug. 30, and redacted by in part by the FBI, shows documents seized during the Aug. 8 search of former President Donald Trump’s estate. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE VIA AP

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.

WOMEN of the year

Meet the 10 women honored this year by the Enquirer

This year’s group of Enquirer Women of the Year honorees includes women who have had their hands in major organizations across the city, working behind the scenes to make Greater Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky a better place for everyone.

This is the 54th group of Women of the Year honored for their contributions to our communities. Introduced by The Enquirer in 1968, the program annually recognizes area women who have supported philanthropic efforts and who have improved civic life through their investment of time, energy and their belief in helping others.

More than 500 women have been honored over the 54-year history of the program. This year’s class of honorees includes volunteers, CEOs, innovators, artists, fundraisers and mentors.

The women will be honored at a luncheon at the Hyatt Regency Ballroom Oct. 16.

Past honorees frequently attend the gathering. The luncheons are an opportunity for the women to connect with one another over their passion for service to the community and show their appreciation and respect for the accomplishments of their fellow Women of the Year.

The women honored have a lot in common. They are passionate about the projects to which they give their time. They are generous with that time and their resources. They are dedicated to volunteerism and to their communities. They want to make a difference in the lives of their neighbors and the communities in which they live. They are compassionate and reliable advocates for members of the community who have no voice. They are solution-focused problem solvers and women who find a way to get things done.

This year’s honorees were selected from a slate of 39 nominees. The nomination packets included letters of support from people who know the nominees personally or have benefited from their work and generosity.

Jennie Key Cincinnati Enquirer | USA TODAY NETWORK

LEFT, FROM TOP: Claudia M. Abercrumbie, Heather Britt, Kathy DeLaura, Nancy Grayson, Susan W. Hare. RIGHT, FROM TOP: Edna G. Keown Bonnie Lee Perrino, Liza Smitherman, Jen Stein, Ellen G. van der Horst

“I think there are many needs in the community. The most important is advancing racial equity, particularly around wealth. That is our No. 1 need.”

CLAUDIA M. ABERCRUMBIE

Entrepreneur creates events with diversity, inclusion as focus

Terry DeMio

Claudia M. Abercrumbie has made it her business to create positive change, especially for Black residents in the Cincinnati area. And more than that, she’s done her part so that they may be recognized and continue as change agents through their own lives.

Abercrumbie is president and CEO of The Abercrumbie Group, which, she says, creates and manages signature events that add value to the community and helps its corporate partners advance their business objectives.

It’s a big statement. And it’s a big deal, say people who know Abercrumbie and her work.

“Claudia has made a tremendous difference in our community by making a commitment to demonstrate that diversity and inclusion are very important in any area, but especially business and health,” said P. Eric Abercrumbie, her husband and the person who nominated her for The Enquirer Women of the Year 2022

A glance at her signature events shows her passion to fuel diversity and bring equity in the region:

h Men of Honor, which has honored 60 outstanding Black men in the Cincinnati region and is in its 12th year.

h All About Women conference.

h The Young Entrepreneurs of Color Pitch Competition.

h Think Tank on Equity and Inclusion in Wealth and Think Tank on Equity and Inclusion in Health.

“When we saw a need or a void, we’ve tried to provide a solution,” Abercrumbie said.

“Our Think Tank on Equity and Inclusion event was in response to the national call for racial equity in 2020,” she said.

Her concern about equity in wealth is evident in many ways, but Abercrumbie noted that she was dismayed that in 2020 venture capital investors put $150 billion into startups, but only about 1% of those funds were distributed to Black entrepreneurs.

That motivated her to create the 2021 Young Entrepreneurs of Color Pitch Competition. “It was really to introduce high school students into entrepreneurships so that we can hopefully change that statistic,” Abercrumbie said.

Abercrumbie worked for Procter & Gamble, Ethicon and the University of Cincinnati before moving into event creation with her own business, representing clients, in 2001. Her current business, with which she creates herowneventsandhostssomeclients,started in 2005, she said.

Howard Elliott, founder and president of the Elliott Management Group, has worked with Abercrumbie since the start of her business.

“Some people call Claudia an event planner,” Elliott said, “but she is actually an artist who creates signature events for clients and extraordinary, unique events for her own company.”

Her events are widely diverse, ranging from providing major concerts in the Cincinnati region to bringing together major construction companies to discuss needs here.

All of the events have a purpose and a theme, Elliott said. “Claudia’s events have a reputation for excellence because Claudia accepts nothing less than perfection from herself, her staff, vendors and entertainers.”

She was inspired by her mother’s love, she says. And by her husband’s drive. P. Eric Abercrumbie was director of Student Affairs at the University of Cincinnati for 47 years and, Claudia Abercrumbie says, influenced “literally thousands” of Black students.

But Claudia Abercrumbie’s greatest passion is to further racial equity.

“I think there are many needs in the community. The most important is advancing racial equity, particularly around wealth,” she said. “That is our No. 1 need.”

About Claudia

M. Abercrumbie

h Birthplace: Cincinnati.

h Current residence: Evendale.

h Family: Husband P. Eric Abercrumbie; daughter Erica Abercrumbie of Cincinnati.

h Education: Bachelor’s degree in business administration, University of Cincinnati, Master’s of business administration/marketing, Indiana University.

h Occupation: President and CEO of The Abercrumbie Group, which creates and manages signature events that add value to the community.

What inspires you to give back?

“I feel like I’ve been inspired and influenced by many people. I feel inspired by my

husband. We’ve been married for 35 years. For all of those years, he worked at the University of Cincinnati and inspired literally thousands of African American students over the course of their education, 47 years. Since his retirement he has also been a basketball coach at Woodward High School. I’ve been inspired to give back by Oprah Winfrey and Robert Smith, African American billionaire and investor.”

What need in the community would you like to see addressed?

“Racial inequity, both financial and health.”

Who most influenced or inspired you to care about others?

“I always say my mother, Christine Colvard, taught me how to love. We almost always had foster children in our home. She wanted to extend love to children who might not receive it. She died in 1983.”

Claudia M. Abercrumbie, 2022 Enquirer Woman of the Year. SHAE COMBS FOR THE CINCINNATI ENQUIRER

“Some people call Claudia an event planner, but she is actually an artist who creates signature events for clients and extraordinary, unique events for her own company.”

Howard Elliott President, Elliott Management Group

Studio owner, instructor uses dance to bring community together

Heather Britt was practically born dancing. From a young age she’d dance anywhere she was standing.

Cincinnati’s School for the Creative and Performing Arts helped her realize her dream, launching her into a career of dancing professionally in New York and San Francisco after graduating from high school.

In 2000, the lure of her hometown beckoned. Back in Cincinnati, Britt, 49, started a dance company that today is known as Dancefix.

There are several classes a week at Britt’s BlueAshstudioandattheCincinnatiBallet, wherepeopleofalldanceabilitiesgatherfor what’s billed as a workout, but devotees of the class liken to therapy and a party, of people from all backgrounds.

This is no beginner dance class where you start easy and move on to complicated moves. Participants jump into routines choreographed by Britt, who also runs HBDC (Heather Britt Dance Choreography.)

Britt promised there is no judgment and, over time, all the dances can be mastered.

“It’s important for Dancefix to be a mirror of the whole community,” Britt said.

Dancefix is Britt’s full-time job now, but she’s also a choreographer for the Cincinnati Ballet, has worked at the ballet in education and outreach and at Northern Kentucky University.

Her mission has always been the same: To give people the chance to dance.

Ask anyone who’s taken a class and they’llsingthepraisesofBrittandDancefix.

Cincinnati City Councilman Reggie Harris, a Dance Fix devotee, said “Dancefix is a great equalizer in the community. People from all walks of life, all parts of the region, and folks with differing social and political beliefs all come together to dance and enjoy each other’s company. This didn’t happen by coincidence. It is a direct result of Heather’s vision, leadership, and humanity.”

Britt says she is able to lift people up because she had three women who guided her career. She ticked them off:

h Consuelo Faust, owner of San Fransico-based Rhythm & Motion, showed Britt what it was like to be a successful woman business owner in the dance world and have a family at the same time. She empowered Britt to lead Rhyt&M when I brought it here to Cincinnati in 2000.

h Lois Rosenthal, a Cincinnati arts patron who died 2014, hired Britt to teach at Uptown Arts, an organization whose mission is to nurture young artists. Britt said Rosenthal saw Britt’s potential in higher education. “Lois Rosenthal first hired me to teach at Uptown Arts and saw my potential in higher education. She opened the door by introducing me to the Chair at NKU which was a giant step in my career.”

h Victoria Morgan, the Cincinnati Ballet’s former artistic director, provided opportunities for Britt to choreograph with Cincinnati Ballet at the professional level.

Britt worked at Northern Kentucky University for several years before dedicating herself to Dancefix full-time in 2016.

Britt has also choreographed contemporary ballet works for multiple organizations, including the Cincinnati Ballet and the Nashville Ballet, theatrical productions for Playhouse in The Park and commercial choreography for Zone Perfect Bars and Fleetwood Mac through Lightborne.

Cincinnati Enquirer reviewers have called Britt’s work “mesmerizing”, “exuberant”, “moving”, “eloquent”and “heartbreaking.”

Britt grew her company to 14 employees. She weathered the pandemic with online and outdoor classes.

Now her dance community is giving back to her. Britt was diagnosed with cancer earlier this summer and is in the midst of treatment. Before she had told anyone about her diagnosis, she went to a Dancefix class herself.

She had choreographed the class and

chosethemusic.StillwhenPink’s“AllIKnow

So Far” came on, tears flowed.

“My community is coming full circle for me,” Britt said. “It’s what’s giving me energy. When I found out, I just wanted to go away and hide, I felt so vulnerable. But I felt the energy.Itletmeknowthingsweregoingtobe OK.”

What inspires you to give back?

“I have expressed myself through dance since I was a young child. I want people to have that same experience. “

What need in the community would you like to see addressed?

“More access to the arts. I know there is programming that offers help, but there remains a disparity. I feel like there could be a way to reach more people.”

About Heather Britt

h Birthplace: Westwood.

h Current residence: Columbia Tusculum.

h Family: Two college-age daughters.

h Education: Graduated from the Cincinnati School for the Performing arts and became a professional dancer.

h Occupation: Business owner, Dance Fix, choreographer, dance educator, performer.

Who most influenced or inspired you to care about others?

My mom. She has always treated everyone with respect and love. She is about everything being fair. I look out for the underdog and want everything to be fair, just like she has done.

Heather Britt, 2022 Enquirer Woman of the Year. PROVIDED BY HEATHER BRITT

Sharon Coolidge Cincinnati Enquirer | USA TODAY NETWORK

“I have expressed myself through dance since I was a young child. I want people to have that same experience.”

HEATHER BRITT

Cincinnati Enquirer reviewers have called Britt’s work “mesmerizing”, “exuberant”, “moving”, “eloquent” and “heartbreaking.”

Art of the sale: Meet the woman who saved ballet in Cincinnati

BieryGolick

Her first memory is of her brother crying. He always cried.

When she was 4, Kathy DeLaura moved to Pennsylvania. Her brother was almost 3. DeLaura remembers him in a yellow snowsuit, and she remembers he didn’t talk much. He just seemed to cry.

But on the day they moved into their new home, DeLaura remembers her brother speaking an entire sentence: “What are we doing here?”

At the time, she and her siblings hated moving. But as she looks back on it, she says it’s part of what made her what she is today. It’s part of what turned her into a tireless advocate for nonprofits and a fundraiser credited with saving ballet in Cincinnati.

“I can talk to anyone,” DeLaura says.

It’s 5:30 a.m. in Washington, where she is visiting family. DeLaura, now 72, is whispering when she brings up another childhood memory.

It was raining, and DeLaura was 14. She’s not sure if she had an umbrella, but she knows she was relatively new to Mount Prospect in Illinois, near Chicago. She was always new. She moved 10 times before she turned 14.

The day started when DeLaura asked her mom what they were doing. For her mom, the answer was nothing. For DeLaura, the answer was going door to door to collect donations for March of Dimes, an organization dedicatedtoimprovingthehealthofmothers and babies.

It didn’t matter if it was raining, her mom said it would make her feel better to help others. “Hi, I’m Kathy from down the street,” DeLaura would say. “The house with brown shutters.”

Itsurprisedherhowwillingpeoplewereto listen, and how willing they were to donate.

“How much do you want?”

She hadn’t prepared for that question. Most people gave her a quarter. One person gave her $5, and DeLaura came home happy. She raised $50.

Saving the Cincinnati Ballet

In 1990, the Cincinnati Ballet was deep in debt and seemed to be on its way to more. DeLaura had worked there a few years earlier as the director of fundraising and marketing. She originally moved to Cincinnati for her husband’s work.

Now, board members asked her to come back. The job they offered was director of marketing and development. In reality, it was much bigger than that: Save the ballet.

It was a job she was made for. It’s why one colleague often introduces DeLaura by saying her middle name is “Get it done.”

At the ballet, the staff’s morale was low. In 1991, the artistic director died in a car crash Vendors were calling and asking about unpaid bills. The dancers rehearsed on the fifth floor of a building on Central Parkway where Coffee Emporium is now. DeLaura made it a point to take donors there.

“It was unpleasant,” she says. “We were the only human inhabitants of the building.”

Slowly, things started to change. In 1993, the company celebrated its 30-year anniversary. In1994, the ballet paid off previous debt and moved into a $2 million new home. DeLaura then helped hire an artistic director who served for 25 years.

DeLaura eventually became an executive director herself, before she started her own consulting company. Name a nonprofit in the region, and there’s a good chance DeLaura has helped it.

DeLaura doesn’t view herself as a salesperson. That’s part of it, asking for money. It’s also part of her. It always has been. Her mom didn’t work, so she spent a great deal of time fundraising for her daughter’s elementary school. It’s why she says there is more to fundraising than money.

DeLaura eventually became an executive director herself, before she started her own consulting company. Name a nonprofit in the region, and there’s a good chance DeLaura has helped it.

About Kathy DeLaura

h Birthplace: Albion, New York.

h Current residence: Clifton.

h Family: Husband; four stepchildren; four grandchildren; two big dogs.

h Education: Education degree from Western Illinois University.

h Occupation: Consultant for nonprofit organizations, managing director at Partners in Change.

“Fundraising changes people’s lives,” DeLaura says. When her dad was in his late 80s, he volunteered for Meals on Wheels in Florida. It made her family nervous, because he wasn’t in the best health and no one lived nearby. He had a terrible sense of direction, and he didn’t know how to print out a map.

She remembers talking to her father about how it hurt to get in and out of the car so many timesaday.Andsheremembersasking:“Why are you doing it?”

“Sometimes,I’mtheonlypersonthesepeople see, and it makes me feel good to talk with them,” he said. “I guess I got this from you.”

What inspires you to give back?

“Seeing the joy in people when they experience a live performance or take a tour of the many museums in town.

Working to remedy the disparities for people who are homeless or have disabilities, so they feel valued and included. Being engaged and seeing the passion of volunteers who work hard to make organizations successful in delivering their mission.”

What need in the community would you like to see addressed?

“Affordable housing. Discrimination of all types. Food insecurity. More accessible education opportunities for kids, no matter their socioeconomic position.”

Who most influenced or inspired you to care about others?

“My mother. She literally pushed me out the door when I was 14 to collect for the March of Dimes. Going door to door in the rain was just motivation enough to get me hooked on fundraising to change people’s lives.”

Kathy DeLaura, 2022 Enquirer Woman of the Year. SHAE COMBS FOR THE CINCINNATI ENQUIRER

Keith

“Fundraising changes people’s lives.”

KATHY DELAURA

“It not only gave validity to our young community foundation but also was really personally rewarding for me to know that, while I was at home and not in these large meetings or necessarily in the community … I was still able to feel like I was making a difference in real time for people who were really struggling.”

NANCY GRAYSON

CEO helped raise millions in COVID relief for Kentuckians

Horizon Community Funds of Northern Kentucky was a scrappy start-up when the pandemichit.Ithadraisedmillionsforcharitable giving in just three years, but the personal and economic fallout from COVID-19 challenged the company.

President and CEO Nancy Grayson said, “It really tested our ability to be able to marshal the community as a single entity really, to come together and to provide relief or to makeanimpactforthosewhoweremostdisproportionately impacted by the pandemic.”

The organization raised $2.1 million to help 85,000 Northern Kentuckians through its COVID-19 relief fund. The money went toward organizations providing food, education, housing, and other essentials.

“It not only gave validity to our young community foundation but also was really personally rewarding for me to know that, while I was at home and not in these large meetings or necessarily in the community … I was still able to feel like I was making a difference in real time for people who were really struggling,” she said.

Horizon Community Funds has also raised $50 million since 2017, investing some for future use on long-term solutions and granting $18 million to nonprofits and people in need.

For Grayson, working to help others on a large scale is something she always knew she’d do professionally.

She watched her family make charitable donations to others, especially at their church. It had a big impact on her because it showed the change a large group of committed people could make.

“So, I think it’s just part of the fabric of who I am,” she said.

What inspires you to give back?

“I really enjoy engaging with other people and meeting new people and serving as really that. Not a guide so much, but really as kind of a catalyst to get others to want to do more. And so if I can plug them into a passion that they have, it’s very rewarding for me personally. And so giving back, being connected to the community, being in philanthropy, I really enjoy just inspiring people to do more and to help others too.”

What need in the community would you like to see addressed?

“I think some of this will come from my own personal passion around it, and that really is education. I really do think that despite someone’s background, when you support them in a school setting that allows them to have hope for the future and to recognize their own individual strengths, that they can be successful. And having supportive adults in their life, whether it’s a teacher or a mentor, that’s incredibly important.”

Who most influenced or inspired you to care about others?

“My mother (Sue Humphrey), of course, just because I think she was able to have a career to balance that with a family to do so with grace and integrity. And that was very important to me, to have that model growing up was extremely important.

“I have so many different female role models, I would say, and male, too. But I’d like to highlight women right now because I feel it’s important that we show a spotlight on strong women leaders.

“Polly Page, who was my executive director at the Northern Kentucky Education Council. She was an educator, she was in

Horizon Community Funds has also raised $50 million since 2017, investing some for future use on long-term solutions and granting $18 million to nonprofits and people in need.

education policy, [and] really cared a lot about students and was tenacious about her passion and commitment to them.

“Jeanne Schroer, who’s a friend. She runs the Catalytic Fund. She had a comment and it really spoke to me … ‘You can have it all, it just may not be at one time.’ And so embracing the seasons of life that you have.

“Candice McGraw … running the airport and bringing it to the backbone that it is for our region, and our economy. Watching her do so with integrity and in a room that, when she walked in, initially may not have been as welcoming to a strong female leader, maybe as it is now. I think that she just put her head down and got work done.”

About Nancy Grayson

h Birthplace: Greenville, South Carolina.

h Current residence: Unincorporated Boone County, near Union, Kentucky.

h Family: Daughters Alex and Kate; husband Trey; and a dachshund named Oliver.

h Education: University of Kentucky (1997) and University of Cincinnati College of Law (2000).

h Occupation: President and CEO of Horizon Community Funds of Northern Kentucky.

Nancy Grayson, 2022 Enquirer Woman of the Year. SHAE COMBS FOR THE CINCINNATI ENQUIRER

Jolene Almendarez Cincinnati Enquirer

iSPACE executive director wants to make STEM available for all

Madeline Mitchell Cincinnati

Before Susan W. Hare was executive director of iSPACE, a STEM education program provider in Greater Cincinnati, she was an instructor. Before that, she was an engineer at GE Aviation

Before that, she was a high school student who failed the first math test of the semester.

“I was just going to quit,” Hare said decades later. She already had enough math credits to graduate, but her teacher convinced her to stay in the class. “He showed me how to work really hard even when I didn’t think that I could do it.”

That year, she decided to become an engineer. Hare said she didn’t know any women engineers at that time, but she wasn’t intimidated. She had a lot of people in her corner, she said, people like her father, who always encouraged and supported her.

Not everyone welcomed women into the field of engineering

But not everyone was welcoming to women in the field. Hare said there were men who doubted her subtly and others who discriminated against her openly throughout her career as an engineer. By keeping her head down, doing the work, developing a good sense of humor and relying on her cheerleaders in the industry, she said she’s always been able to “win over” her skeptics.

She shouldn’t have to, though. And womeninSTEMin2022certainlyshouldnothave to “win over”anyone because of their gender. When Hare thought about horror stories she heard recently from a young woman engineer, she teared up.

“I was just so heartbroken,” she said. “It hasn’t changed enough.”

Hare wants to be part of a change. A real change, one that opens up the world of science, technology, engineering and math for all people, everywhere.

“We’re leaving so many issues on the table that could be solved if we used all the brain power at our disposal,” Hare said. Finding her niche

That passion drove her out of the corporate world, to graduate school, and eventually to iSPACE in January of 2011.

Hare said she always loved learning, and sharing what she learned with others. She’d always dreamed of being a professor but found a niche at iSPACE that fit perfectly. Working with children across the region, Hare walked kids through experiments they’d never be able to do on their own, simulated space explorations and exposed hundreds of students to careers they didn’t know existed.

“The kids who don’t necessarily do stellar academically may show some things here that their teachers weren’t aware of, and it’s so exciting to see that,” she said.

The organization nearly closed down when the pandemic hit, but the board came tothen-retiredHareandshejumpedinasexecutive director without a moment of hesitation.

“I wouldn’t change it for a minute. But I didn’t, you know, picture this,” she said. “I hope that other people are open to opportunities that they didn’t expect. Just keep your eyes open. Something cool might happen.”

What inspires you to give back?

“So many things. One is, I was very much supported in going into engineering. But that didn’t happen to everybody. And even when I was working at GE, there were some people that didn’t want me there, as a female. But my manager and my lead engineer, they were all very supportive and helped me deal with those kinds of situations. So I felt very fortunate that I had that kind of experience.”

Working with children across the region, Hare walked kids through experiments they’d never be able to do on their own, simulated space explorations and exposed hundreds of students to careers they didn’t know existed.

What need in the community would you like to see addressed?

The disparity in education. I think if we could fix our education system, then a lot of our problems could be solved from a variety of aspects.IfIhaveabettereducation,Icouldget a better job. If I have a good education, I could solve some of these problems that are out there. If I have a good education, I could support my community better. I mean, I just think it can really help level the playing field for those who aren’t able to advance, but also it’s good for everybody. Because we’ve got smart people that we’re not using right now.”

Who most influenced or inspired you to care about others?

My father is very much a give-backer. And I feel like I’m a lot like him in that I always feel likeIneedtohaveapurpose...Whateverwe’re given, we should share, and I think we’re obligated to do that, just as members on Earth.”

About Susan W. Hare

h Birthplace: McKeesport, Pennsylvania.

h Current residence: Wyoming, Ohio.

h Family: Husband Ty Hare; daughter Katy Cunko and her husband Mike; son Matthew Hare and his wife Jessica; grandson Henry Cunko; father Chuck Wyncoop.

h Education: West Virginia University where she earned a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering, and Mount Vernon Nazarene University, where she earned a master’s degree in education.

h Occupation: Executive Director at iSPACE: The STEM Learning Place.

Susan W. Hare, 2022 Enquirer Woman of the Year. SHAE COMBS FOR THE CINCINNATI ENQUIRER

“The kids who don’t necessarily do stellar academically may show some things here that their teachers weren’t aware of, and it’s so exciting to see that.”

SUSAN W. HARE

“They came up with so many creative things. Some did poetry, and others researched how to make the world better. They looked into things like the gaps in education. I was so impressed with what they came up with.”

EDNA G. KEOWN

Community advocate believes the way forward is empowering youth

Edna G. Keown believes history untold is history lost, and the path to a brighter future is through education and empowering the youth. For the past 20 years, she has dedicated countless hours to advancing that mission.

Keown, who had a long career in human resources and consulting, left the corporate world about 20 years ago to volunteer her time to multiple Cincinnati organizations.

“I call myself a full-time community advocate,” Keown joked.

Those close to Keown said she stays out of the spotlight and quietly helps where she is needed, not for the recognition but because she believes it is the right thing to do.

Keown is active with The Black Giving Circle Committee, created to provide funds to help African American organizations succeed. Funds are held at the Greater Cincinnati Foundation.

She is a board member with the Cincinnati Park Foundation and served on the Sponsorship Committee and Advocacy Committee. As a member of the Grant Review Committee, she reviewed applications from various organizations submitted to Greater Cincinnati Foundation to be awarded grants to help fund their summer youth programs from 2019 to 2021

She also served on the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra Board and chaired the Silent Auction for the Urban League Gala in 2018 and 2019 when she served on the board of the Urban League of Greater Southwestern Ohio. This aided in raising funds to support the organization.

Keown is also on the National Speakers Forum for the Woman’s City Club of Greater Cincinnati.

Giving back is a source of happiness for Keown, who feels she has been blessed in her life and wants to pass that on to others. She takes the motto “lift as you climb” to heart, which is why most of her volunteerism is centered on education and providing opportunities for youth.

In 2002, when Keown left the corporate world, the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center held its groundbreaking. Freedom Center designed to educate

Keown, who grew up in a small town in Arkansas and lived through segregation, strongly believes in the freedom center’s mission to educate and promote social justice.

“I saw so many inequalities growing up in the south. It was segregated. There was very blatant discrimination, particularly for someone with my darker complexion. It was tough. It was very tough,” Keown said.

The only way to not repeat that terrible history, Keown said, is through education. But as the Freedom Center opened its doors, Keown said there was lots of pushback from the public, especially about its location.

“The entrance faces the Ohio River. There’s a reason for that. The river was a dividing line between a slave state and a free state,” Keown said. “ Kentucky was a slave state prior to 1865. So, many people came from Kentucky across the river, and once they were on Ohio soil, they were in a free state.Itwasastrategicmovesymbolizingthe doors opening to freedom.”

She said formerly enslaved individuals came to Ohio and settled in the area near the Banks because there were factory jobs. That area in Cincinnati even became known as “Little Africa,” Keown said.

Ambassadors: women who wanted Freedom Center to succeed

But people didn’t understand, or were unwilling to learn, many things about the Freedom Center and instead criticized its opening, she said. So Keown, with18 other women whowantedtoseethecentersucceed,decided to get together and form the Ambassadors of the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center.

She takes the motto “lift as you climb” to heart, which is why most of her volunteerism is centered on education and providing opportunities for youth.

About Edna G. Keown

h Birthplace: Joiner, Arkansas.

h Current residence: Hyde Park.

h Family: Husband Woody Keown; daughter Katrice Keown; nephew Kalyoto Shaun Sikanda.

h Education: Arkansas State University.

h Occupation: Keown worked in human resources and consulting before leaving the corporate world to volunteer her time to many Cincinnati Organizations.

The ambassadors help with everything from giving tours, educating, assisting with new exhibits, raising funds, and organizing events. Keown’s favorite activity is giving tours to children and teens.

“It’s important to teach our young people. Knowledge is power. If they understand the history and know how we struggled and succeeded despite the laws being against us, I think there will be a lot more pride about how much we’ve overcome and endured over the years,” Keown said.

Leadership program empowers youth

One year, Keown was asked to chair the annual King Legacy Breakfast hosted by the Freedom Center. That year, the organization decidedtoinvolveyoungpeopleinthebreakfast by starting the youth leadership program.

“They came up with so many creative things. Some did poetry, and others researched how to make the world better. They looked into things like the gaps in education,” Keown said. “I was so impressed with what they came up with.”

The youth leadership program also offered a scholarship to participants. In many other organizations, Keown volunteers her time to work to empower the youth through education and opportunities.

As a member of Jack and Jill, Keown helps raise funds for scholarships for underserved students. While volunteering with the Cincinnati LINKS chapter, she co-chaired a committee introducing high school students to different careers and skills.

“There are still so many challenges in this world. I believe the youth can solve them, they will solve them, if we inspire them,” Keown said.

What inspires you to give back?

“It’s my upbringing. My belief in God. Giving back is also the key to my happiness.”

What need in the community would you like to see addressed?

“More education and opportunities for our youth.”

Who most influenced or inspired you to care about others?

“My mother. She had the biggest heart and was just a loving person.”

Edna G. Keown, 2022 Enquirer Woman of the Year. SHAE COMBS FOR THE CINCINNATI ENQUIRER

Caretaker, business owner has spent life helping West Side thrive

Bonnie Lee Perrino is an expert caretaker.

The oldest of eight, she grew up looking after her younger siblings in Western Hills. As she got older, this caretaking extended into her West Side community.

The Harrison resident has cared for West Siders of all ages through her former business, Angel’s Touch Nursing Care, which provided in-home care to elderly clients, and through community service initiatives like the Cheviot Westwood Kiwanis Club, which serves local kids.

Perrino started as an in-home nurse for a local nursing company. Call it serendipity. The owner of the business won the Ohio lottery and wanted Perrino to take over. Perrino was hesitant. She was still grieving her late husband, who had died from exposure to Agent Orange during the Vietnam War, and raising two kids. But with time, she was ready.

In1995, she took over the company and renamed it Angel’s Touch Nursing Care, a nod to her late husband, “a special angel in Heaven” looking down on her.

Because her new business was based in Cheviot, Perrino wanted to get to know the community. The most natural way for her to do so? To give back.

For Perrino, it all comes down to her passion for Cincinnati’s West Side.

“West Siders stay West Siders. Very few move to the East Side, and it’s because we’re ingrained into what’s going on here,” Perrino said. “That’s what keeps communities going.”

Shortly after the launch of Angel’s Touch Nursing Care, she joined the Cheviot Westwood Kiwanis Club. At the time, there were roughly 80 or so members in the organization. She was one of six women.

“When you walk in and there’s all these men, you’re thinking ‘Oh my goodness’,” Perrino says. “It was shocking.”

But it was not going to deter her.

She joined the Cheviot-Westwood Kiwanis Club in 1996. By 1999, she was the Membership Chairperson. In 2002, Perrino became the first female co-chair of the Harvest Home Fair, the Cheviot Westwood Kiwanis’ biggest event of the year, and the fair's first female chairperson in 2005. In these roles, Perrino led the effort to raise hundreds of thousands of dollars to put back into the Cheviot-Westwood community.

Perrino also joined the Cheviot Westwood Business Association, which was renamed the Cheviot Westwood Community Association and is now called the Cheviot Community Foundation, and was president of the organization from 1997 to 2007. She also was the original chairperson for the community association’s biggest event, Westfest, billed as the West Side’s biggest street party. Proceeds benefitted the city’s annual Cheviot Nativity scene, area libraries, scholarships, winter coats for neighborhood children and school art and music programs.

By organizing fundraisers, the foundation has been able to address many of the community’s needs through purchases like a lift truck for changing signs and decorating street poles, computers for the Cheviot library and Cheviot’s first K-9 police dog.

“Our city is only one mile all the way around,” says Perrino, “but we want to keep our city strong and healthy.”

Today, Perrino is no longer owner of Angel’s Touch Nursing Care after the company merged with Hillebrand Home Health in 2021, but she is still heavily involved in West Side volunteer efforts.

She worries that people will be too busy to continue the volunteer efforts that address their area’s needs. She’s already seen the Kiwanis club membership dwindle from 160 members in the early 2000s to, now, roughly 50 members. Most of this comes from natural attrition. And new members seem hard to come by.

But there’s hope.

By organizing fundraisers, the foundation has been able to address many of the community’s needs through purchases like a lift truck for changing signs and decorating street poles, computers for the Cheviot library and Cheviot’s first K-9 police dog.

Every year, the Cheviot Community Foundation honors a select few junior high students from area schools at its Outstanding Young Citizens Banquet. The students chosen don’t necessarily have the best grades or the best athletic skills.

They are those who, like Perrino, are dedicated to giving back.

It’s a way that she, and those around her, arecaringforthenextcommunityofcaretakers.

What inspires you to give back?

“God gives us all certain talents, and it’s our job to act on those talents.”

What need in the community would you like to see addressed?

“Wow, there are so many. Because I’m in health care, I can see that it’s very hard for some people to get good health care. I would like to see better health care given to everyone, not just those who can afford it.”

Who most influenced or inspired you to care about others?

“My mother. Being the oldest, I was her helper, and I think that led me into nursing. Being the oldest, helping my mom, doing the things that I did. I was a caregiver.”

About Bonnie Lee Perrino

h Birthplace: Western Hills.

h Current residence: Harrison, Ohio.

h Family: Widowed twice, Anthony Perrino (deceased) and Edward Badinghaus (deceased).

h Children: T.J. Perrino, 47, and Mindy Sweeney, 44. Grandchildren: Mia Perrino, 20, A.J. Perrino, 19, and Dominic Sweeney, 20. Stepchildren: Ed Badinghaus, 50, Julie Diersing, 53, Eileen Badinghaus, 56, and the late Ann Lachtrupp. Step-grandchildren: Steven Lachtrupp, 38, Laura Lachtrupp, 35, Daniel Lachtrupp, 34, Megan Hamlin, 32, and Melissa Hendrix, 29. Stepgreat-grandchildren: Kaylee Lachtrupp, 16, Jackson Lachtrupp, 4, Matthew Miller, 14, Ava Miller, 12, Eleanor Hamlin, 3, Addison Hamlin, 1, Mackenzie Hamlin, 1, and Felicity Lachtrupp, 1.

h Education: St. Francis Central School of Practical Nursing, LPN.

h Occupation: Retired, former owner of Angel’s Touch Nursing Care. Community Liaison for Hillebrand Home Health, an in-home nursing care service that merged with Angel’s Touch Nursing Care in 2021.

Bonnie Lee Perrino, 2022 Enquirer Woman of the Year. SHAE COMBS FOR THE CINCINNATI ENQUIRER

“West Siders stay West Siders. Very few move to the East Side, and it’s because we’re ingrained into what’s going on here. That’s what keeps communities going.”

BONNIE LEE PERRINO

“There’s been change in the community and the organizations have been put on notice. We’re moving the needle, but we could do better.”

LIZA SMITHERMAN

Entrepreneur strives to promote inclusion, diversity in community

For Liza Smitherman, it’s all about equal opportunity.

An entrepreneur in first-generation, family-owned companies started with her husband, Albert, she’s the chief people officer of Jostin Construction and president of Brewster Pumping. As a Black woman in the male-dominated construction industry, she said she and her husband Albert put inclusion and diversity at the top of the list in their workplace. But she says it’s not always easy for everyone to pin down exactly what a diverse, inclusive environment is.

“It’snotjustaboutrace.It’sabouthowyou think about things – perspectives, it’s gender, ethnicity, beliefs,” she said. “When you are able to present that in a space, that’s where it’s creating diversity of opportunities.”

That’s why she does what she does: Make work accessible to everyone. But she wants to take that out of the workplace and spread the word in the community, becoming involved and bringing those values to her committee and board roles in various charities and organizations.

Janice Urbanik said Smitherman walks the talk. She worked with Liza in a Construction Industry Partnership group that Urbanik convened as part of the work of Partners for a Competitive Workforce. The nonprofit in Cincinnati is focused on ensuring that employers have the talent they need to compete and that people have the skills they need to get good jobs to advance their careers.

At Jostin/Brewster, Urbanik said Liz Smitherman implemented highly effective initiatives such as financial counseling, career ladders, peer support and more that were atypical for small/mid-sized businesses.

“By role modeling that small businesses could implement those successful initiatives, it led to bigger businesses to consider why they resisted,” Urbanik said. “She was an early adopter of improving the quality of jobs when that was considered a “non-starter” discussion with employers. She knew thatemployershadtodomoretoimprovethe working conditions and provide other worker supports if they wanted to attract and retain workers.”

She says Liza was at the forefront of solving the issues that the country is dealing with now in the post-pandemic workforce crisis Smitherman, who grew up in Columbus’ urban core and now lives in East Walnut Hills, said she is a big advocate for public education. All of her children grew up in the city and attended Cincinnati Public Schools. She now gives back to the community that served her kids on the Advocates for Youth Education Cincinnati committee, a local organization that provides scholarships for Black students to go to college.

On the Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center board member, she serves as chair of the nominating and governance committee. She has communicated to board members she wants to make diverse hires. Another opportunity to make an impact is on theCityGospelMissionboard,wheresheencourages fellow board members to talk frankly about the city’s current events and issues regarding diversity and inclusion, to better identify possible bias in a session called “Real Talk.” It’s a regular occurrence.

“There’s been change in the community and the organizations have been put on notice,”she said. “We’re moving the needle, but we could do better.”

She said her activism takes the form of promoting those inclusive principles. A few activities in some of the organizations actually called her to action.

“She was an early adopter of improving the quality of jobs when that was considered a ‘non-starter’ discussion with employers. She knew that employers had to do more to improve the working conditions and provide other worker supports if they wanted to attract and retain workers.”

Janice Urbanik

About Liza Smitherman

h Place of birth: Columbus.

h Current residence: East Walnut Hills.

h Family: Husband Albert; children Joshua, Justin (Olivia), Jeremy and Jade; grandsons Justin II and Jett.

h Education: Bachelor of Science in education from Bowling Green State University, Master of Education in counseling from Xavier University.

h Occupation: She is an entrepreneur in first-generation, family-owned companies with her husband, Albert. She is the chief people officer of Jostin Construction and president of Brewster Pumping.

A City Gospel Mission bike ride from Cincinnati to New York with teens from urban cores was a big accomplishment for the kids, she said, who faced a lot of challenges at home. Another function for Easterseals, a nonprofit devoted to supporting people with disabilities, demonstrated how people with developmental delays can achieve economic freedom through finding jobs to support their families.

For Smitherman, it’s been worth it. “To be able to see the value in all people, no matter who you are, that’s what we want,” she said.

Liza Smitherman has had a hand in many charitable organizations, serving on the Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center (where she is a vice chair of the board), and the Cincinnati USA Regional Chamber. She has also served on the executive committee of REDI, the board of YWCA of Greater Cincinnati (where she was named a Career Woman of Achievement in 2015), the Easterseals Tristate board, the City Gospel Mission

board, and Xavier University, her most recent board membership.

What inspires you to give back?

“Knowing that the playing field is not level and therefore, not everyone has the same opportunities and supports that other people have. Our “WHY” or purpose of our business is “to create and provide a diversity of opportunities for all.” I want to be a part of leveling the playing field by lifting people up so that they then can have opportunities to play on the field of access and stability and personal growth. There are so many wonderful organizations in our region that get it, that want to make systemic change in our community, and I want to be a part of that work.”

What need in the community would you like to see addressed?

“Mental Health is truly a public health emergency. The demand for supports more than outnumbers the supply for supports that can be provided. This is not a problem that will ever go away, and I know that there are a multitude of factors that impact the mental health crisis that we are experiencing. As a community, we must acknowledge the reality of this crisis and be intentional about implementing sustainable solutions.”

Who most influenced or inspired you to care about others?

“Growing up, my parents were two of the most giving and serving people I knew. They gave of their time, talents, and treasure in areas that they had passion for and believed in. They also wanted to be part of solutions and so rolled up their sleeves and actively supported work that had tangible outcomes.”

Liza Smitherman, 2022 Enquirer Woman of the Year. SHAE COMBS FOR THE CINCINNATI ENQUIRER

Volunteer, philanthropist uses time, talents to give back to city

Emily DeLetter Cincinnati

Jen Stein usually prefers to work behind the scenes.

But as one of The Enquirer’s 2022 Women of the Year, the dedicated volunteer and philanthropist and self-described “worker bee” involved in a number of Cincinnati organizations is finally getting her well-deserved time in the spotlight.

Stein, 56, was not born and raised in Cincinnati, but moved to the area after meeting her husband, Michael, while both worked for Bankers Trust in New York City.

Cincinnati had an immediate draw, Stein said, thanks to the “great community feel” of the city and her warm embrace by the Jewish community, which was also her first access point in getting involved with philanthropic organizations. Now, she is very settled in Cincinnati and involved in her community, living with her family in Amberly Village.

Her passion for getting involved stemmed from her father, who was the son of Irish immigrants and came from a humble background. “He was truly a self-made man and once he made his way in the world, he never forgot where he came from and always gave back,” she said. “He made big and small differences, and it was a wonderful example for me.”

And she has been involved with a large number of organizations. The Seven Hills School, the Jewish Federation of Cincinnati, Mayerson JCC, Isaac M. Wise Temple, Contemporary Arts, Center, Cincinnati Ballet and the Freestore Foodbank have all benefitted from her efforts.

Working with the Cincinnati Ballet, as a trustee, board engagement committee chair and a foundation board member holds an especially dear place to Stein. One of her first dates with her now-husband was at the Joyce Theater in New York City where the pair discovered their mutual love of ballet. In Cincinnati, she was thrilled to find the city had its own local ballet company and now is proud of her work with the organization.

Stein said she’s also extremely proud of the work she’s done with the Seven Hills School, where her children attended, from helping with programs that focus on student attraction and retention, to fundraising for building new spaces to support those efforts.

She took her expertise in investing to start her own firm, Fourth Street Performance Partners, with two partners in 1997. As she describes it, it is an institutional investment consulting firm that consults with nonprofit organizations.

Stein had always been in the investment space, but First Street Performance Partners was her first exposure to the endowment management side of things. Coming from humble beginnings, the firm now serves more than 60 mostly philanthropic clients representing more than $9 billion in assets.

But the true heart of Stein’s passion lies with Cincinnati’s vibrant Jewish community. She and her husband were welcomed “with open arms,” and it has made her feel connected to the broader community around her.

“I hope it continues to be around for my children, and my children’s children,” she said.

Since Stein came to Cincinnati, she has seen the city flourish.

“Cincinnatians want to support Cincinnati and make it the best city it can be,” she said. “To me, that’s not a challenge. It had to be done and it took time, energy and effort, but it’s so rewarding to see how people in this city will step up and work together for change.”

Stein said she chooses to involve herself in organizations that have a goal of helping people feel connected, feel welcomed.

“People really struggle with feeling accepted and feeling like they have their people, a home, someplace where they feel like

Stein had always been in the investment space, but First Street Performance Partners was her first exposure to the endowment management side of things. Coming from humble beginnings, the firm now serves more than 60 mostly philanthropic clients representing more than $9 billion in assets.

About Jen Stein

h Birthplace: New York.

h Current residence: Amberley Village.

h Family: Husband of 25 years John Stein; children Kate (22), Peter (20), Michael (20); labradoodle named Corky.

h Education: BA, Duke University (’88); MBA, Harvard Business School (’93).

h Occupation: Community Volunteer.

they belong,” she said. “A lot of stress and anxiety people feel in this world is through not feeling connected to a community. I hope that in general, we as a society help people young and old find a place where they belong.”

What inspires you to give back?

“Given the size of Cincinnati, I have always been impressed by the number and strength of the institutions our city has sustained over the generations -- the impact they’ve had and the tremendous sense of community they’ve fostered. When I first moved here in 1995, I was embraced by the Jewishcommunityanddevelopedadeepappreciation for the work of the Jewish Federation, Wise Temple and the Mayerson JCC. Later, when my husband and I were raising our children, The Seven Hills School became an important community for our entire family and helped shape my children into young adultswhohaveagoodsenseoftheirplacein the world. And over the years, I’ve come to

know and cherish so many organizations that make Cincinnati a vibrant place to live. I feel a personal responsibility to help support and further the work of these great institutions for current and future generations of Cincinnatians.”

What need in the community would you like to see addressed?

“In this highly connected modern day and age, I think a lot of people, sadly, feel disconnected and lack a sense of belonging. Organizations like synagogues/churches, schools, and community centers are vital to welcoming people of all ages, connecting them with others, and helping them develop a sense of purpose and meaning in their lives. There is much work to be done in this area.”

Who most influenced or inspired you to care about others?

“My parents had a profound influence on me. My mother was always involved in our community, one way or another -- whether she was raising funds for cancer research, volunteering at our school, or leading a local Girl Scout troop. My father was the son of Irish immigrants and came from very humble beginnings. He was a self-made man and derived a lot of personal satisfaction from helping others, in ways both big and small, but never sought any kind of recognition for his efforts. That left a lasting impression on me. Together, my parents set a wonderful example for me and my sister.”

Jen Stein, 2022 Enquirer Woman of the Year. SHAE COMBS FOR THE CINCINNATI ENQUIRER

“Cincinnatians want to support Cincinnati and make it the best city it can be. To me, that’s not a challenge. It had to be done and it took time, energy and effort, but it’s so rewarding to see how people in this city will step up and work together for change.”

JEN STEIN

“In these times that are, at best, divisive, I think the arts play such an important role to inform, to educate and to connect people.”

ELLEN G. VAN DER HORST

Volunteer, board member shares her love of the arts with Cincinnati

Ellen G. van der Horst has always been a lover of the arts. As a child growing up in Philadelphia, she fell in love with the musicals of Rodgers & Hammerstein, played the piano and even did some acting here and there. But by the time she graduated from high school, she was all business. Thus, she enrolled at the esteemed Wharton Business School, majoring in Economics and Marketing

After graduation, she moved to Cincinnati to take a job as a brand manager with Procter & Gamble followed by a 22-year career at PNC Financial Services, where she served as executive vice president.

But her interest in the arts never went away. As soon as she moved here, she signed on as a member of the Cincinnati Opera, and loved attending plays at our local theaters, especially the Playhouse in the Park.

It was only after she signed on as president and CEO of the Cincinnati USA Regional Chamber in 2006 that she realized that the arts were just as important to Greater Cincinnati as they were to her. “I realized that we punched above our weight,”she said. “I came to appreciate just how important the arts sector is to attracting and retaining talent.”

After leaving the Chamber in 2014, van der Horst decided to focus on volunteering as a way to give back to the city, something she was first inspired to do while working at PNC, which encouraged volunteer work among its employees. “I learned at an early point in my career about the value, both professionally and personally, of volunteering and giving back.”

Her first arts board experience was at the Cincinnati Opera, where she had the privilege of serving as president and chair while she was still in her thirties. “I was the youngest and the first female board president,” she said.

Van der Horst’s investment in the arts is something that has earned her a sterling reputation among the local art community’s heaviest hitters.

“Ellen has put championing the arts at the forefront of her immense community commitment,” said Alecia Kintner, President & CEO of ArtsWave, where van der Horst serves as a lifetime trustee. “She has invested time, insight, business acumen and passion into the success of Cincinnati’s arts landscape. Our region is uplifted and more competitive thanks to Ellen’s leadership and vision.”

Van der Horst put those qualities to work during the past several years by helping the Playhouse in the Park, where she assumed the role as Board President in March of 2020, just as the pandemic caused the organization to cancel all of its productions leading to a 70% loss in revenue virtually overnight. According to Playhouse artistic director Blake Robison, van der Horst was key in keeping them afloat.

“Ellen stepped up to work on a daily basis with the Playhouse’s managing and artistic directors – leading us through scenario planning, focusing our belt-tightening on the most impactful areas, and always keeping our mission and values at the forefront of the conversation,” Robison wrote in van der Horst’s nomination form.

“She tapped into her extensive business experience and also had the wisdom to filter it through the needs of a non-profit. By the end of the season, we found our way to a balanced budget and a viable artistic path forward.

Aside from supporting the arts community through her leadership, van der Horst would like to help the larger community as well. As vice chair of the Greater Cincinnati Foundation, she is keenly aware of a broad range of needs in the Cincinnati community, especially the lack of affordable housing, which is especially hard on children. “If they

“Ellen has put championing the arts at the forefront of her immense community commitment. She has invested time, insight, business acumen and passion into the success of Cincinnati’s arts landscape. Our region is uplifted and more competitive thanks to Ellen’s leadership and vision.”

Alecia Kintner President & CEO of ArtsWave

don’t have a decent, stable place to live, they don’t go to school and it’s just a spiral.”

And during a time in our country when social, economic and political polarization runs deep, van der Horst feels it is crucial that the arts not just survive, but thrive.

“In these times that are, at best, divisive, I think the arts play such an important role to inform, to educate and to connect people,” she said.

What inspires you to give back?

“I think it’s in my DNA to want to make a difference. And Cincinnati has allowed me to do so. Cincinnati is a great city with so much to offer but, like any community, it has many challengesaswell.Overtheyears,I’vevolunteered for a number of arts, education and social service organizations, all striving to make Cincinnati an even better place to live, work and play, and I’m pleased that, since retiring eight years ago, I’ve been able to do even more.”

What need in the community would you like to see addressed?

“The lack of affordable housing. Studies show that there is currently a deficit of 40,000 affordable housing units available to low-income households in Hamilton County. And unstable housing negatively impacts health, education and other outcomes. A number of organizations, including the

About Ellen G. van der Horst

h Birthplace: Philadelphia

h Current residence: Cincinnati.

h Family: Husband Ray; two adults sons Benjamin and Matthew.

h Education: Wharton School of Business, University of Pennsylvania.

h Occupation: Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park (current Chair), Cincinnati Opera (Board President), ArtsWave (Lifetime Trustee), Greater Cincinnati Foundation (current Vice-Chair), Women’s Capital Club, TriVersity Construction Company (Board), Leadership Cincinnati Class 21, The Commercial Club, Wise Temple.

Greater Cincinnati Foundation, on whose board I sit, are working to address this issue, but our entire community needs to come together to do more, more quickly.”

Who most influenced or inspired you to care about others?

“I grew up in a very caring family, which I think created the foundation for my volunteerism. And several of my mentors early in my career encouraged me to get involved in issues and organizations I cared about. Doing so helped me to grow both professionally and personally.

Ellen G. van der Horst, 2022 Enquirer Woman of the Year. SHAE COMBS FOR THE CINCINNATI ENQUIRER

1968: Mary Ambrosius, Dodie Baker, Katherine Brown, Virginia Coffey, Treva

Cromwell, Dorothy Dolbey, Dr. Vera C.

Edwards, Gretta Hastings Grant, Nancy

McIntosh, Beverly Anderson Page.

1969: Vivian J. Beamon, Jean Domer, Ann Isaacs, Lou Klingelhoffer, Marge

Molony, Jane Kirchner O’Toole, Dr. Elizabeth Overhulse, Jeannine Schmid, Ger-

aldine Thornton, Joyce VanWye.

1970: Dr. Doris Twitchell Allen, Jeanette Conyers, Peggy Geier, Olive Holmes, Edythe Hyde, Dr. Eileen M. O’Ferrell, Viola Phillips, Beverly Richardson, Ruth

Stone, Ila M. Turpeau.

1971: Marian Beck, Gladys Callender, Jo

Garber, Dr. Harriet Beecher Howes, Irene Kinkead, Catherine May, Dr. Louise

W. Rauh, Esther Roache, Alice Catherine

Rogers, Mabel V. Smith.

1972: Dr. Jane M. Dotson, Dr. Rena Ga-

zaway, Isabel Guy, Beverly Kiley, Esther

Kuhn, Martha Martin, Virginia Perin, Marian

Spencer, Thelma Stutz, Anna Ware.

1973: Ruth Barry, Suzanne Harris, Martha Leeds, Annie Laurie Magorian, Mary Elizabeth Marcum, Jane McGregor, Elizabeth Pitts, Patricia Rahe, Elsie Rusch, Beatrice Scheele.

1974: Ruth Keefe, Mary Keiser, Opal Miller, Alice Pfeifer, Barbara Robinson, Agnes S. Seasongood, Cornelia Slater, Pat Sommerkamp, Nancy Storch, Roberta Wooten.

1975: Dorothy Bailey, Mattie Kinney, Mary Margaret Long, JoAnn Orr, Peggy Pauly, Sister Mary Louise Rogers, Zell Schulman, Marian B. Swisshelm, Betty

Tucker-Zavon, Dottie Wood.

1976: Avis W. Cullen, Ruth Dalrymple, Evelyn Davis, Kathie Fairbanks, Lucille Green, Florence Kaufman, Sister Margaret Anne Molitor, Dorothy A. O’Hara, Peg Schmidt, Bobbie Sterne.

1977: Dr. Eula Bingham, Patricia Corbett, Karen Everett, Captain Anne Kirby, Mary Ann Menke, Kathryn Pettengill, Frances Jones Poetker, Joyce Salinger, Georgia Silliman, Clarise White.

1978: Hannah Hume Baird, Charlee Blaine, Mamie Ray Duff, Jane Earley, Georgia Krider, Dr. Beatrice Lampkin, Loretta Manggrum, Bettye Torrey Oldham, Virginia Ruehlmann, Mary Schloss.

1979: Dr. Carol M. Brownscheidle, Dr.

Cornelia M. Dettmer, Helen Hennegan

Diehl, Helen Levine, Caryl Miller, Grace Bochenek Moore, Dorothy Stolzenbach

Payne, Joan Portman, Emily Taylor Spicer, Jeanne Marie Stophlet.

1980: Anna Cortright, Helen H. Fix, Elizabeth D. Goldsmith, Joyce Holmes, Marlene Holwadel, Jane Jansak, Evelyn M. Kalb, Pheatter McConnell, Jean Rothenberg, Carol Weihl.

1981: Gwendolyn Carol Braddock, Sister Mary Jerome Buchert, Marienne Fields, Susanne Ernst Geier, Virginia K. Griffin, Dr. Emily R. Hess, Cathryn Hilker, Mary Middleton, Dr. Sonya Oppenheimer, Carol Nan Wheat.

1982: Linda Bates-Parker, Lois Broerman, Donna Carman, Barbara Condo, Barbara Fitch, Judi Gerding, Katherine Hanna, Sister Jean Patrice Harrington, Irma Lazarus, June Taylor.

1983: Sharry Addison, Patricia G. Brown, Almas Davidson, Pegge Garfield, Helen Hinckley, Minette Hoffheimer, Nancy Kayes, Dr. Kathleen Spellman McLaurin, Katherine Terwort, Ruth Vogelpohl.

1984: Louise Dunn, Clare A. Easton, Charlotte Hullinger, Ann Mootz, Margaret L. Peyton, Marge Schott, Sister Marianne Van Vurst, Ruth Westheimer, Virginia Wiltse, Betty Zimmer.

1985: Joan Benton, Helen K. Berry, Maxine Jo Browne, Theresa Fleming, Betty Hinson, Anne Hitson, Deborah Kendrick, Jean Leach, Barbara Rabkin, Grace Raines.

1986: Sarah E. Christensen, Betty Daniels, Jane Dumbadze, Melissa E. Lanier, Lorena M. O’Donnell, Allene W. Reed, Margaret B. Rost, Alice Skirtz, Hope Taft, Phyllis Weston.

1987: Mary Kay Allison, Frances Cohen, Susan L. Pfau, Sue Richard, Mamie Earl Sells, Eleanor Strauss, Maureen R. Sullivan, Betty White, Helen D. Williams, Cathy Cleeland Wolff.

1988: Phyllis Breen, Mary Brown, Ann V. Bullock, Jacqueline P. Butler, Evelyn B. Dixon, Sue Doan, Mona Kerstine, Dr. Bonnie Patterson, Yvonne C. Robertson, Linda J. Smith.

1989: Nancy Brown Bauer, Lois Brown Dale, Dianne Dunkelman, Theresa C. Henderson, Harriet Janszen, Alvina Montgomery, Carolyn Finn Saeks, Sister Mary Jacinta Shay, Mary E. Simons, Jacqueline Nulsen Thompson.

1990: Nancy Janes Boothe, Helen Francis Brigham, Celia May Brumm, Shirley Colbert, Carol Levy Davidow, Althea Day-Engstrand, Bernadine Kessinger, Minor LeBlond, Cleaster Mims, Sandra Sommer.

1991: Michelle Budzek, Jayne Byrnes, Anne Dorsey, Sandra Driggins-Smith, Joni Herschede, Pat Kayden, Joan Linder, Myrtis H. Powell, Janet Block Rosen, Jane Ruxton.

1992: Jane Crosset Anderegg, Ceil Dorger, Sister Rose Ann Fleming, Carolyn Ford-Griffith, Jane Haas Friedman, Mary Jane Miller, Mary Ellen Slauson, Betty Ann Smiddy, Hannah Thomas, Georgine Wolohan.

1993: Sheila J. Adams, Rosa Blackwell, Dabby Blatt, Louise Atkins Head, Odessa Walker Hooker, Madeleine Lame, Jane Loomis, Rosemary Schlachter, Marcia Spaeth, Christine U. Stubbins.

1994: Mary Anne Brennan, Ethel Clemons Buckner, Sister Barbara Busch, Nancy Heffner Donovan, Joanie Lotts, Hilda Marshall McIntire, Marjorie Hiatt Motch, Alice Sparks, Suzanne Teller, Anne M. Zaring.

1995: Laura Brunner, Anna Campbell, Fran Carlisle, Gloria Giannestras, Darlene Green Kamine, Ellie Lazarus, Dolores J. Lindsay, Carolyn F. McCoy, Alice Rogers Uhl, Miriam West.

1996: Janet H. Ach, Elaine S. Boynton, Rosemary Kelly Conrad, Colenthia H. Hunter, Lynn Marmer, Leslie Bennett McNeill, Beverly Fitzpatrick Mussari, Francie Garber Pepper, Janet B. Reid, Carol B. Striker.

1997: Juanita M. Adams, Dr. Rebecca Bechhold, Shannon Carter, Susan S. Friedlander, Barbara Gould, Sarah Blanken Kahmann, Margaret Richards, Susan Tew, Judith Van Ginkel, Kathy Wade.

1998: Sondra Thomas Britton, Dr. Evelyn V. Hess-Howett, Marie C. Huenefeld, Betsy LaMacchia, Melody Sawyer Richardson, Carole Tyler Rigaud, Barbara S. Rosenberg, JoAnn Schwartz, Sister Mary Stanton, Lynn Stern.

1999: Mary Lu Aft, Naomi Pleasant Barkley, Marja Wade Barrett, Patricia Beggs, Barbara Harshman, Annie Ruth Napier, Christine Neyer, Norma Petersen, Dianne M. Rosenberg, Lois Rosenthal.

2000: Jane Lampke Bracken, Mary Frances Williams Clauder, Sister Mary Ann Fuerst, Cinda Gorman, Francie Schott Hiltz, J.J. Johnson-JioDucci, Danya Karram, Sherrie Lou Noel, Merri Gaither Smith, Sister Alice Marie Soete, Mauri J. Willis.

2001: Shakila T. Ahmad, Sister Julia Mary Deiters, Kim Morris Heiman, Betti Joan Hinton, Sherie Ann Marek, Anzola McMullen, Liane Phillips, Phyllis Browning Reed, Mary Margaret Rochford, Sally Southard.

Continued on next page

Jeanne Stophlet gets a hug from Emily Spicer, both from the class of 1979, before the 2010 Enquirer Women of the Year luncheon. THE ENQUIRER/MALINDA HARTONG

2002: Trudi Fullen, Judith H. Gibbons, Nancy Condon Gurney, Patricia Irwin, Nancy J. Minson, Rochelle Morton, Cynthia Sheakley Muhlhauser, Susan Schiller, Marion H. Thompson, Ginger War-

ner.

2003: Nancy Barone, Nancy Schellhous

Conner, Diane Dewbrey, Karen Bennett

Hoeb, Lillian H. Jones, Katherine W.

Lawrence, Sister Ann Rene McConn, Penny Kereiakes Pomeranz, Phyllis Shapiro Sewell, Reba St. Clair.

2004: Patricia Fox Alderson, Eileen W.

Barrett, Sister Mary Jo Gasdorf, Lucinda

Templeman Heekin, Barbara H. Howard, Charlotte R. Otto, Penny Pensak, Phyllis

Layton Perry, Aurelia Candie Simmons, Gloria Nelson Turnbow.

2005: Cathy Crain, Alva Jean Crawford, Mary E. Ivers, Arlene Katz, Sara J. Kieffner, Leslie Siegel Kreines, Laurie

Nippert Leonard, Digi France Schueler, Sister Francis Marie Thrailkill, Gwendolyn Joan Wilder.

2006: Eleanor N. Berghausen, Cynthia

O. Booth, Trish Bryan, Mary Ellen Cody, Judy S. Dalambakis, Madeleine Gordon, Tamara Harkavy, Suzanne Priestle Miele, Gwen L.

Robinson-Benning, Rachel Votruba.

2007: Holly Bankemper Collinsworth, Amelia Crutcher, Beth Guttman, Carrie

K. Hayden, Suzanne Kathman, Ruthann

Sammarco, Marcella G. Trice, Yvonne

Gray Washington, DeeDee West, Judith

Wimberg.

2008: Brynne Coletti, P. Jeane Goings, Cathy Youtsey Halloran, Marty Roberts

Humes, Jacqueline Mervis Mack, Alber-

ta A. Marsh, Sue Radabaugh, Sister Fran

A. Repka, Marianne R. Rowe, Vivian

Stern Schwab, Linda Smith Berry.

2009: Suzanne Costandi, Marian Cum-

mins, Yvonne L. Edmonds-West, Crystal

Faulkner, Suzette Adouth Fisher, Cheryl

Hill, Beth Tu Hoffman, Rochelle S. Jef-

fries

Johnson, Sister Janet Linz, Ronna K.

Willis.

2010: Kathy Beechem, Iva M. Brown, Princess Davis, Ellen M. Flannery, Bar-

bara Hahn, Julie Weiss Kantor, Jo Ann

Knock, Betty Maupin Pogue, Shabana

Shakir-Ahmed, Sara M. Vance Waddell.

2011: Charlin D. Briggs, Joyce Elkus, Charlene M. Erler, Susan Abernethy

Frank, Lydia Johnson Morgan, Sheila

Munafo-Kanoza, Margaret W. Namie, Nina Paul, Gwendolyn Ivory Robinson,

Priscilla Batsche Ungers.

2012: Jennie Rosenthal Berliant, Elaine Bruening, Ruby Crawford-Hemphill, Cindy Armstrong Foster, Etta Hoeh, Louise S. Hughes, Marjorie H. Rauh, Sister Judy Tensing, Lynda A. Thomas, Shelby Wood.

2013: Pauline Banks Baumann, Barbara Bushman, Karen K. Cassidy, Jan Armstrong Cobb, April D. Davidow, Mary M. Gimpel, Joellen W. Grady, Marlene R. Johnson, Jane Portman, Sister Bonnie Steinlage.

2014: Brooke Desserich, Kelley J. Downing, Sherri Friedman, Kathryne Gardette, Sister Paula González, Mimi Hart, Sheila Hill, Linda Neenan, Kathy Rambo, Millicent “Millie” Swaine.

2015: Afreen Asif, Debbie Brant, Patti Hogan, Crystal Kendrick, Paula Kollstedt, Anne McGraw, Sharon Mitchell, Julia Poston, Rosann Sharon, Charlotte Wethington.

2017*: Karen Bankston, Suzanne Adrian DeYoung, Sister Sally Duffy, Mimi Mosher Dyer, Sandy Kaltman, Pam Kravetz, Susan Lee Landis, Jo Martin, Zeinab Schwen, Lauren Hannan Shafer.

2018: Kelly Dolan, Nancy Eigel-Miller, Maureen France, Judith Harmony, Tillie Hidalgo Lima, Chandra Mathews-Smith, Maria Ahmed Munir, Alandes Powell, Mary Burke Rivers, Mary Welsh Schlueter.

2019: Deborah Allsop, Sheila Carroll, Karen D’Agostino, Kelly Kolar-Eyman, Bari Sandler Lansberg, Phyllis McCallum, Cheryl Popp, Gayle Ann Rece, Rhonda Sheakley, Patricia Mann Smitson.

2020: Shelley Jefferson Hamler, Delores Hargrove-Young, Evelyn B. Laux, Helen O’Neal, Heather Stein Russell, Dr. Samina Sohail, Shawnteé Stallworth Schramm, Stephanie Swain, Teresa Tanner, Michele Young.

2021: Iris Simpson Bush, Ariella “Ari” Cohen, Deborah Hayes, Nirvani Head, Linda R. Holthaus, Carolyn L. Mazloomi, Candace McGraw, Ellen Muse-Lindeman, Stacy Sims, Belinda Tubbs-Wallace.

2022: Claudia Abercrumbie, Heather Britt, Kathy DeLaura, Nancy Grayson, Susan Hare, Edna Keown, Bonnie Perrino, Liza Smitherman, Jen Stein and Ellen van der Horst.

*In 2017, the awards shifted from spring, honoring the previous year’s honorees, to the fall, so the year listed shifted to be the current year.

Cincinnati Museum Center celebrates 2022’s

Claudia Abercrumbie

Heather Britt

Kathy DeLaura

Nancy Grayson

Edna G. Keown

Bonnie Perrino

Congratulations to this year’s honorees!

Liza Smitherman

Jen Stein

Claudia M. Abercrumbie

Susan Hare

Ellen van der Horst

Heather Britt

Kathy DeLaura

Join us for a special luncheon to honor these amazing women and their contributions to our community

Nancy Grayson

Susan W. Hare

Hyatt Regency Cincinnati 151 W. Fifth Street

Edna G. Keown

Cincinnati, OH

Bonnie Lee Perrino

Friday, October 21, 2021

Private Reception – 11–11:45 a.m.

Liza Smitherman

Buckeye Room, Third Floor, Hyatt

Jen Stein

Award Luncheon, Noon–1:30 p.m.

Ellen G. van der Horst

For tickets and sponsorship information visit: enquirerwoy.com