March 2023 Hamiltonian Magazine

Big Blue’s inseparable Jaycee Taylor and Katelyn Polido

BY REID MAUS

ONE Hamilton is Connecting Communities

BY KIEH KIRBY

Catch colon cancer early

Cancer screenings save lives.

That’s why Kettering Health and the Cincinnati Bengals are reminding their communities to schedule a screening and catch cancer early. Colon cancer is the third most diagnosed cancer and on the rise in young adults. Scheduling a colon cancer screening can make all the difference.

Check out your screening options at ketteringhealth.org/crucialcatch

March's Crossword Puzzler

8 Dynamic Duo Jaycee Taylor and Katelyn Polido

10 Student

NJROTC standout Wesley Fox

15 Teacher

Wilson Middle School Shannon Beilby 16 School

News from around the district 18 Things

March events around town

Publisher One Pride Publishing, LLP

Photographer

Bailey Osborne

Graphic Design

Eric Marquard

Writers Kyle Boomershine, Grace Carr, Dan Clemens, Richard O Jones, Kieh Kirby, Reid Maus, Megan E. Smith, Maggie Viox

Printing

Hamilton Graphics

A SPECIAL THANKS TO ALL THOSE WHO HELPED!

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FULL SERVICE PRINT SHOP Hamilton Graphics 513-737-1413 hamiltongraphicsprinting.com

ACCOUNTANT & CPA’S Baker & Associates 513-896-1234 baker-cpa.com

ATTORNEY Kruger and Hodges Attorneys at Law 513-894-3333 Thehometownlawyers.com

AUTOMOTIVE Eric’s Auto Service 513-867-0770 Ericsauto.com

Rose Automotive 513-863-7878 Roseautomotivegroup.com

BANKS & CREDIT UNIONS

AllWealth Federal Credit Union 513-868-5881 allwealth.org

Telhio Credit Union 877-221-3233 telhio.org Cemetery

Greenwood Cemetery 513-896-9726 Greenwoodch.com

DENTISTRY Clements Family Dentistry 513-887-7027 clementsfamilydentistry.com

ENTERTAINMENT

Pohlman Lanes & Family Entertainment Complex 513-795-7694 pohlmanlanesfec.com

Sorg Opera House info@sorgopera.org sorgoperahouse.org

FINANCIAL 9258 Wealth Management 513-863-4015 9258wealth.com

FITNESS

TerraLuna Pilates & Massage Terralunawellness.net

FOOD & BEVERAGE

McDonald’s 513-887-6557

Richard’s Pizza 513-894-3296 richardspizza.com

Tano Bistro 513-795-8654 www.foodbytano.com

Wings on Brookwood 513-844-1312 wingsonbrookwood.com

FUNERAL HOME Brown Dawson Flick Funeral Home 513-895-5412 browndawsonflick.com

HEALTH AND WELLNESS

Butler Behavioral Health Services 513-881-7189 bbhs.org

Community First Solutions 513-785-4060 community-first.org

Envision Partnerships klatta@envisionpartnerships.com Envisionpartnerships.com

Kettering Health Network 513-867-2000 ketteringhealth.org/forthamilton

HOME MORTGAGE

Kris Brown 513-893-6308 kris.brown@fcmhomeloans.com

INSURANCE

Joe Conrad Insurance Agency 513-738-1117 joeconradinsurance.com

Hal Kresser Agency 513-942-5770 kresseragency.com

Wilks Insurance Agency, Inc. 513-868-9000 wilksinsurance.com

IT / NETWORK Integrated Network Systems 513-826-4364 integratednetworksystems.net

LANDSCAPING

Jason’s Lawn Maintenance 513-276-9290 Jasonslm.com

MAKEUP

Mona Lisa’s Permanent Makeup 513-892-1116 www.monasmakeup.com

NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS

17 Strong 17StrongHamilton.org

PET CARE

West Side Animal Clinic 513-892-5916 westsideanimalclinichamilton. vetstreet.com

REAL ESTATE

Jeff Boyle Group 513-275-1120 jeffboylegroup.com

RETAIL

Renaissance Fine Art Supplies 513-795-7035 rfasupplies.com

S.A.N.E. 513-894-1235 Sanefcs.com

SALONS

The Main Look 513-896-9456 Themainlook.com

SCHOOLS, COLLEGES, AND EDUCATION

Badin High School 513-863-3993 badinhs.org

3 Noted _________ singer Cyrena Pocock, had deep Hamilton roots

7 Shannon Beilby teaches 8th grade science at _________ Middle School.

8 Ty Smallwood created a group called ONE _________ at the Hamilton Freshman Campus this year.

9 This year is the 10th anniversary of the _________ H Showcase for the Hamilton Show Choir.

DOWN

1 The general manager of Greenwood Cemetery is Dan _________.

Word Play

2 Wesley Fox played _________ for the Hamilton Big Blue this year.

4 You can go see “The Pirates of Penzance” March 23–26 at _________ Auditorium at Miami Hamilton.

5 Jaycee Taylor and Katelyn Polido both played baseball at _________ _________ Little League.

6 The first chef of the month in the magazine was _________ Runzer.

March 2023 Crossword

7 This month’s student spotlight is _________ Fox from Hamilton High School.

9 This year is the 10th anniversary of the H Showcase for the Hamilton Show Choir.

Dan ear. ates

milton.

5 Jaycee Taylor and Katelyn Polido both played baseball at Little League.

6 The first chef of the month in

DYNAMIC DUO

WEST SIDE LITTLE LEAGUE has long been a pipeline for Hamilton high school’s baseball program. The same names you’d hear playing for the All-Star team at Indianapolis and Williamsport. Just a few years later, those same names would be ringing through the speakers at Big Blue’s Stang Field. However, two former West Siders have blazed their own path on the diamond down the hill from Stang Field.

Jaycee Taylor and Katelyn Polido have been inseparable on and off the field ever since they played for the 12 year-olds back in 2017 when West Side fell short at Regionals, and are now gearing up for their senior season for the Big Blue.

In 2022 Taylor and Polido led the Big Blue in hitting, but not long ago the pair were two girls playing a sport dominated by boys. “I remember there being a lot of pressure,” said Polido. “The coaches would put pressure on you a little bit, saying ‘c’mon girl are you going to be able to get a hit?”

Though the pressure was there, they never let it set in to their play or the enjoyment of the ride. “It was probably some of the best times of my life,” said Taylor. “I remember hitting my homerun at regionals and the crowd went crazy.”

Taylor hit a home run in a regional win over Michigan, which highlighted her time playing for West Side.

The inseparable Jaycee Taylor and Katelyn Polido

BY REID MAUS

Hamilton has long gotten behind the all-star team, and no moment better signifies that than the parade to celebrate the welcoming of West Side as they come home from the state tournament. It typically is the memory that is most ingrained in a young ballplayer’s mind. Friends, family, and fellow Hamiltonians cheering you on as you hoist a state championship banner, but for Katelyn and Jaycee nothing topped just being on the field with your best friend. “The best part was playing with (Jaycee),” said Polido. “Watching her hit her homerun or being on base when she came to the plate. All those moments.”

Going through that together has made Taylor and Polido inseparable, even to

JAYCEE TAYLOR

this day. “Playing together has made our relationship stronger than it already was,” said Taylor. “We would go from practice, to hanging out after practice. We are just always together.”

Now, the pair patrols the left side of the infield for the Big Blue, Polido plays shortstop and Taylor plays third base. You can ask any baseball or softball coach in America, having history among your infielders is important to be a great team. It shows at Hamilton. “I love to play together, because we have so much chemistry,” said Polido. “We are right next to each other, every game. There are some plays that other ballplayers wouldn’t make that Jaycee and I make. We can just read each other.”

The pair are gearing up for their senior season of softball. They’ve been starting since they were sophomores. Their freshman year was lost due

to COVID. In the two years they’ve started, they’ve led the Big Blue in hitting. Jaycee Taylor batted .500 as a sophomore and .471 as a junior. Katelyn batted .505 as a sophomore and .474 as a junior. Both have been honored for the Greater Miami Conference for the all conference team. “I don’t think I’d be as good as softball if I didn’t play baseball,” said Taylor. “It’s still pretty much the same game, but it just helps knowing both games a bit.”

Taylor also credits part of their success to the discipline that was installed in them by their baseball coaches back at West Side. “I feel like baseball coaches are a lot harder on you at a young age than softball coaches,” said Taylor. “They never let you slack off.”

Jaycee recalls being younger and having to take a lap every time she

would miss-play a ground ball at practice. Safe to say, she learned quickly to not make those mistakes. They’re no longer two girls playing together on the 12-year-old all star team. Now, they’re seniors, who have to lead. “Since underclassmen look up to us, it kind of becomes our team,” said Taylor. “We’re not there to boss [underclassmen], but to help teach them.”

One of the biggest learning points, as Polido points out, is to encourage the younger players to keep their heads up regardless of the outcomes.

The GMC is the best softball conference in the state of Ohio. After all, Lakota West is the reigning state champion team. Every game is so tough to win, it’s why the girls have listed their top priority to finish above .500 in their senior season.

KATELYN POLIDO

Wesley Fox

This NJROTC and football standout works hard both inside and outside of the classroom

BY EVELYN DUGGINS

HAVING A SENSE of community and belonging throughout school is one of the most important things in a teenager’s developing years, and we are thankful here at Hamilton High to have so many opportunities for our students to really be themselves and to participate in something they love.

One senior here at HHS, Wesley Fox, has really found a place to thrive in our unit of the NJROTC and on our football team. To quote one of Wesley’s teachers and long-time family friend Pamela Johnson, “I have had the privilege of knowing Wes since the day he was born. It is so rewarding as

a family friend and teacher to watch Wes embrace his potential and expect the best of himself. He is so thoughtful in everything that he does. Looking to conquer each day and the future to the best of his ability. In every sport, NJROTC expectation, and academics Wes is involved in, he gives his all.

I cannot wait to witness the amazing things Wes will continue to achieve after graduation. There is no doubt in my mind that he will find success in whatever he chooses to do.”

As a student leader, Wes is very active in the NJROTC, having the rank of Master Chief Petty Officer of the unit and he considers this unit his second family. After high school, Wes would like to attend Miami University to major in political science or The Citadel to major in intelligence and security studies. Regardless of what college he attends, Wes would like to follow in his father’s footsteps and enlist in the United States Marine Corps as an officer. Wesley’s NJROTC instructor, Gunnery Sergeant Todd Mcalister, describes him as a “Young man who walks the walk and talks the talk, no nonsense with a passion that’s driven by goals and standards he’s made for himself. He’s a nice young man, works hard, a great student and classroom leader. He’s been with us for two years, and boy do we wish we had him all four years. The Marines are getting another good young man from Hamilton!”

Outside of NJROTC, Wes also has an impressive reputation in sports and academics. Quoting another one of Wesley’s teachers, Gabrielle Rierden, “Beyond NJROTC, Wesley has shown his willingness to work hard through his involvement in multiple sports programs both at our school and outside. Over the past few years, he has been involved in football, baseball, and wrestling. Outside of school, he played for a competitive travel baseball team. While participating in all of these activities Wesley did not let his academics slip. He did

an excellent job of managing his time to accommodate his athletic and academic commitments. As my teacher aide, Wesley has always been extremely responsible and trustworthy. In my class of all sophomores, Wesley has acted as a good role model for my students to look up to and aspire to be like.”

Wes is a perfect example of everything Hamilton High wants their students to become; someone who is passionate, motivated, and respectful. It is incredibly clear how much effort Wesley puts into everything he does, and the recognition he gains from it is absolutely deserved. We at the Hamiltonian wish Wesley the best of luck in his future, and we hope to hear of your successes sometime soon!

Family Owned & Operated For Over 25 Years

HOURS

HAMILTON

“Wesley Fox is a young man who walks the walk and talks the talk. He’s no nonsense with a passion that’s driven by goals and standards he’s made for himself.”

— njrotc instructor , gunnery sergeant , todd m calister

WILSON MIDDLE SCHOOL / 8TH GRADE SCIENCE

Shannon Beilby Teacher Spotlight

BY MEGAN E. SMITH

SHANNON BEILBY has been teaching for 13 years, five of which have been with Hamilton City Schools at Wilson Middle School. Prior to teaching, she worked as a cashier at Kroger, server at Bob Evans, and worked at a day care center during her high school and college years.

When asked what (or who) inspired Shannon to begin teaching, she recalled her experiences as both a student and a child of a teacher.

“I have always wanted to do something where I could make a difference. Growing up, I loved school and I always had the best teachers,” Shannon stated. “My mom was in special education, and watching her with the kids and the joy she was able to bring to them really inspired me to want to be that light for kids as well. Knowing that I had the chance to make a difference, and help those in ways they didn’t even know they needed, is something that is so special to me.”

Many of Shannon’s students continue to appreciate the difference she has made on their lives long after they have moved onto high school and then adulthood.

“I love the relationships that I have been able to build throughout my 18 years of teaching,” Shannon exclaimed. “Being able to be a part of weddings,

graduations, and continuing to be a role model for these kids is a dream.”

Shannon describes her teaching style as “relaxed, but structured.” While the image of an erupting volcano may not invoke relaxation for a majority of people, Shannon finds ways each year to make lessons about molten rock and hot gases fun for her students.

“One of my favorite projects we do all year that the students ask about on day one is the volcanoes,” Shannon

said. “Seeing the creativity and effort these kids put into building their volcanoes is such a joy, and I love being a part of it. I have been doing this every year, and every year students surprise me with how they are able to make some of these volcanoes.”

In addition to creativity, Shannon is also continually surprised by her students’ reactions to her lessons and experiments.

“I had a student look at me one day and say ‘You know what Mrs. Beilby, this is actually really cool and I never thought it would be.’ Hearing those words are so powerful, and help remind me why I became a teacher in the first place.”

Shannon’s experience in teaching has given her wisdom that she shares with students and fellow teachers: • FOR STUDENTS: Be organized! It is amazing how much better your grades and attitude will be if you can find what you are looking for. • FOR NEW TEACHERS: Don’t let the fear of striking out keep you from playing the game. I tell my students that every year and I think it applies to teachers as well. Teachers need to know that there are going to be days, lessons, or classes that are going to be a challenge for them, but don’t stop swinging. Keep trying your best and keep having fun and love what you do. Eventually, the hit will come.

School District Update

CONGRATULATIONS to Badin High School seniors Mary Giffen and Jimmy Zettler, who were named National Merit Scholarship finalists in mid-February.

Being a National Merit Scholarship finalist is one of the most prestigious academic designations in the country. Giffen and Zettler scored in the top 1 percent of U.S. high school students who took the Preliminary Scholarship Aptitude Test (PSAT), which is the National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test, in the fall of their junior year.

Only 15,000 high school seniors are now eligible for the 7,250 scholarships—worth $30 million—that will be awarded in the spring by the National Merit Scholarship Corporation.

Giffen and Zettler are tied for No. 1 in the Class of 2023 at Badin. It’s the first time that Badin has had two National Merit finalists in the same year since the 2015-16 school year.

Giffen is the daughter of Michael and Marie Giffen of Liberty Township and a graduate of Mother Teresa Catholic Elementary School. Zettler is the son of Jim and Edwina Zettler of Fairfield and a graduate of Sacred Heart School. While neither has selected a college as yet, they know the majors they are planning—Biology or Biochemistry for Giffen as a Pre-Med option; and Mechanical Engineering for Zettler with an MBA in the future. Among the potential schools under consideration are Dartmouth College, Purdue University, Saint Louis University, the University of Alabama, the University of Notre Dame and the University of South Carolina.

Badin head boys basketball coach

Pat Kreke announced his retirement effective at the end of the season. Kreke, a 1975 Badin High School graduate, spent four years on the Badin bench, including the last two years as head coach.

Kreke is a member of the Badin Athletic Hall of Fame and was the catcher on Badin’s first-ever team to reach a state championship game, the 1975 baseball team. He won 380 games during 30 years as the head boys’ basketball coach at Fenwick, guided Fenwick to the 1981 Class A state baseball title, and was an assistant on the Fenwick squad that captured the 1982 Class A state basketball crown.

A Xavier University graduate, Pat is also in the Butler County Sports Hall of Fame and the Ohio High School Athletic Association Hall of Fame.

Eleven Badin student-athletes, seniors in the Class of 2023, signed to play

college sports next season during a recognition ceremony on February 6. Caitlin Burger, the GCL Coed Division girls soccer Player of the Year and a second-team All-Ohio selection, will play Division I women’s college soccer at Wright State University.

Three All-Ohio football players signed: Jackson Martin, first team all-state and the GCL Defensive Player of the Year, will play Division I FCS football at the University of Dayton. Reese Anzalone will play at the University of Findlay and Kaden Starks at Georgetown (Ky.) College.

Five baseball players signed: infielders Diego DeCello to Marietta College and Caleb Jackson to Bluffton University; and three pitchers to junior college: Justin Hoevel and Aiden VanDeHatert to Lincoln Trail (Ill.) College, and Corbin Ausman to Frontier (Ill.) Community College.

Patrick Ray, who helped the boys volleyball program win the Ohio Division II state title in 2022, will play men’s volleyball at Olivet Nazarene (Ill.) University; and Erin Beeber (Sacred Heart) will play softball at Marietta College.

Junior Paige Harris earned a first place award in the painting category for her water color “Urban Renewal” at the annual “Tomorrow’s Artists Today” exhibition at the Middletown Arts Center. Harris was one of 23 Badin artists who had a total of 41 pieces of artwork juried into the event. Other winners included senior Olivia Blanton, who had second place and an honorable mention; junior Emmy Demmel, who also had a second place and an honorable mention; freshman Lexi Brecht, a third place award; and senior Eva Groh, an honorable mention.

GROUP OF ELEVEN

ART WINNERS

J-Term 2023

CINCINNATI CHRISTIAN SCHOOLS places a high value on excellent academic preparation of its students, but also equally values their holistic development. One of the intentional opportunities through which the faculty addresses this is CCS’s January Term (J-Term) program. January 2023 was the school’s second year offering J-Term at the Junior/Senior High Campus.

J-Term takes place a week prior to the students’ return to their regular second semester classes, and allows them to participate in enrichment courses or service opportunities. Students in the senior high may choose a fullday course, two half-day courses, or a domestic or international trip. This year, some students and chaperones traveled to the Dominican Republic to serve at CCS’s sister school and in the surrounding village. Another team served with Samaritan’s Purse in Houma, Louisiana rebuilding homes destroyed by hurricane Ida in 2021. Yet another team of students served each day in the greater Cincinnati area with Habitat for Humanity. A men’s retreat took a group of young men to Indiana where they participated in spiritual disciplines and a variety of activities such as paintball and axe throwing. Still other students with an interest in learning more about a potential career worked with a professional in a Career Shadow course. The Church Worship Behind the Scenes class gave students experience with the technical and

practical components of planning and implementing a worship service.

At the JH/SH Campus, students in the Bountiful Blessings course participated in local service, as they made mats for the homeless and collected clothing and supplies. Other classes included on-campus and off-campus components, such as Fitness for Mind and Body and another class that served at Matthew 25 Ministries, participated in a week-long Bible study, and had a field trip to the Ark Encounter in Williamstown, Kentucky.

Additional J-Term courses included T-Shirt Quilts and College & Scholarship Prep. The Gym Rats & College Knowledge course explored aspects of college basketball. The Escape Rooms class worked on puzzles, visited escape rooms, and then constructed an escape room for the Family Game Night classes to participate in. Students in a Home Repairs & Construction class learned design, drywall, plumbing, and electrical skills. The Creative Writing class spent time writing and visiting with several authors. Greek Week offered students the opportunity to learn components of the Greek

language and visit Greek restaurants as well as a Greek Orthodox Church and the art museum. The Journalism 101 class spent the week learning components of journalism and then created a newspaper detailing each of the J-Term courses.

Junior high students also participated in J-Term. Students selected four oncampus courses and rotated through those 90-minute sessions each day of the week. Junior high courses included Outdoor Survival Skills, STE(A)M Building, Math in Sports, Family Game Night, Bountiful Blessings, History of Basketball, Musical Theater, Homestead Science, Candy Making, and Preparing for Your Future.

As CCS students participate in these diverse J-Term experiences, they have the opportunity to gain new knowledge, learn new skills, and develop new perspectives. They experience camaraderie and the value of teamwork, many times developing connections with other students whom they may not know as well. They give of themselves in service, take skills with them that they can use for a lifetime, and have fun in the process!

Things to Do

March 4, 2023

Double H Showcase 2023

Time: 6 a.m. – 11 p.m.

Location: Hamilton High School Auditorium

Description: Hamilton High Schools 10th Anniversary of their show choir competition.

March 16, 2023

17STRONG Neighborly Social Mixer at MBW

Time: 6 – 8 p.m.

Location: Spooky Nook Champion Mill—Municipal Brew Works

Description: Sometimes the good work of connecting neighbors to neighbors can also be about having FUN together! You are cordially invited to the first 17STRONG Neighborly Social Mixer on Thursday, March 16th from 5-7 p.m. at Municipal Brew Works–Spooky Nook

Champion Mill location. Whether you are a 17STRONG veteran volunteer or want to get more involved with making Hamilton and its 17 neighborhoods stronger and more connected, you are encouraged to attend! Or maybe you just want to hang out with a bit of casual civic conversation thrown into the mix, then you should come too… Don’t drink? Don’t worry, they have non-alcoholic options too. Good things are happening in Hamilton and all of the seventeen neighborhoods because of passion-driven volunteers, connectors and servant-leaders. Let’s come together and see what good and fun will come! Save the dates now for the 2023 Quarterly 17STRONG Volunteer Mixer: 3/16, 6/15, 9/14, 12/14.

March 17, 2023

2nd Annual St. Patrick’s Day

O’Dora Dash

Time: 10:30 a.m.

Location: 130 Riverfront Plaza, Hamilton, Ohio 45011

Description: 9–10 a.m. Event sign in and day-of registration inside The Casual Pint (check in, pick up race number, sign waiver, get event beer & grab a piece of Ann Marie’s Irish Soda Bread!) 10 a.m. Ohio’s Shortest ST Patrick’s Day Parade

10:30 a.m. First Dashers gets dashin’!

11 a.m. Winners are announced, prizes given out, shenanigans commence! Note: 50 percent of registration fee covers beer, remaining 50 percent will be donated to the Hamilton Community Foundation.

March 18, 2023

Fitton Show Stoppers – Cincinnati Ballet: Classical & Contemporary Time: 7:30 – 10 p.m.

Double H Showcase 17STRONG Neighborly Social Mixer

Cincinnati Ballet St. Patrick’s Day O’Dora Dash

Location: Fitton Center for Creative Arts

Description: Experience a stunning mixed repertory performance from Cincinnati Ballet’s Second Company, CB2. These young and talented dancers come from around the country to perform alongside the main company and in community performances throughout the region. These future stars perform a variety of ballet pieces for a powerful, exciting evening of dance.

March 19, 2023

Shamrock Showdown presented by Kettering Health

Time: All Day

Location: Spooky Nook Sports Champion Mill

Description: Spooky Nook Sports Champion Mill’s Shamrock Showdown

March 2023

volleyball tournament presented by Kettering Health is coming soon! The Shamrock Showdown will host girls 12U–18U in both Club and Open divisions March 11–12, 2023. Don’t miss your chance to compete at the new complex featuring more than 690,000 sq. ft. of volleyball courts, entertainment, a fitness center, and more!

March 23 – 26, 2023

The Pirates of Penzance

Time: Thursday – Saturday 7 – 10 p.m., Saturday and Sunday 2 – 5 p.m. Location: Parrish Auditorium

Description: COME, FRIENDS WHO PLOUGH THE SEA! Join us for this light-hearted tale of a band of inept pirates, a gaggle of silly maidens, a bungling police force, and an apprenticeship gone wrong. Check out inspringartsproductions.com for tickets.

March 31, 2023

Art + Wine: Seascapes

Time: 6:30 – 8:30 p.m.

Location: Fitton Center for Creative Arts

Description: Choose from two inspirational paintings by Cincinnati artist Frank Duveneck, “Marine” or “Horizon at Gloucester.” Create unique art while enjoying wine and snacks. Knowledgeable instructors blend individualized hands-on painting instruction with art history and technique lessons, while also creating a wonderful social and educational experience that encourages creativity. All supplies, two drinks, snacks, and pre-prepared canvases are included in the cost of the workshop. Students will be asked to select their choice of inspirational paintings at registration.

The Pirates of Penzance

Art + Wine: Seascapes Shamrock Showdown

ALL FOR ONE

A MAJOR MILESTONE for any Hamilton City Schools student is when they step into the halls of the Hamilton Freshman Campus for the first time, shoulder to shoulder with their peers all across the city. Garfield Griffins and Wilson Knights together as one. East side versus west side rivalries are no more. To achieve camaraderie and unity among classmates in his first year as the freshman principal, Ty Smallwood created ONE Hamilton, a group for freshmen associated with 17STRONG. At the beginning of the school year, students were asked to locate which Hamilton neighborhood they live in. Then they were invited to join the inaugural 2021-2022 ONE Hamilton group and eventually apply to be a Neighborhood Champion. The goal was to have 17 champions, one for each

Connecting communities with ONE Hamilton

BYKIEH KIRBY

distinct neighborhood in Hamilton— and in the first year, each of those 17 seats were filled with many more classmates joining the group as action team members!

17STRONG is a movement among Hamilton’s 17 neighborhoods that believes the city is stronger when its residents are more engaged, informed, and connected. They’re known for their we > me slogan, an effort to highlight that positive community change is possible when we all work together. “Our vision for Hamilton’s neighborhoods is to celebrate, not separate. We aim to identify and amplify what makes our neighborhoods special, and to provide a structure that would be inclusive of all Hamiltonians. In turn, we will create stronger, more

identifiable areas throughout Hamilton that will make us better as a whole because neighborhoods are the strategic building blocks of overall community developments.”

The ONE Hamilton 17STRONG group of freshmen are passionate about our city. This group gives space for freshmen to vocalize ideas or concerns about their community. One specific way they can move their ideas into action is by applying for the 17STRONG microgrant—a grant open to any Hamilton resident. Up to $2,500 is awarded if your application is accepted. Many students proposed ways to improve their neighborhood’s crosswalks, increase communal activities and more. One grant was awarded for the ONE Hamilton group

in 2022—a composting project in Highland Park. This was the first time many of these students had applied for a 17STRONG microgrant, but I can tell you it won’t be the last. Current freshman Eckley Bridges, from the Armondale neighborhood said, “The reason I came out and signed up for 17STRONG is because I wanted to help my community. I wanted to help the neighborhood that I’m going to live in, the city I’m going to live in and the community that I live in right now… Principal Smallwood told me that Armondale is one of the least active neighborhoods when it comes to talking to each other, so I would love to see more activity in every neighborhood, not just Armondale… The way I see Hamilton, is the place where I’m going to be for my whole life hopefully... I have big aspirations for Hamilton. I want this to be the best place for my [future] kids, my wife, my family, for everyone who lives here, and I think we can accomplish that with this group right here.”

As the 2022-23 school year began, principal Smallwood quickly started the application process for the next round of ONE Hamilton 17STRONG Neighborhood Champions. To his surprise, more than 100 freshmen applied. Twice a month, the group gathers together to talk about the city,

their unique neighborhoods, and ways they can get involved. “The students lead this. The coolest part about it for me is that I just get to drop a little seed and then they run with it. We have a lot of support staff who help as well—our librarian and secretary. It’s a really fun addition to the school, to have these

YEAR-2 MEMBERS

kids lead. These kids are amazing. They all talk about how they want to stay here and invest locally,” said principal Smallwood. Some of their meetings included guest speakers such as city manager Joshua Smith, 17STRONG board chair Kathy Klink, and director of neighborhoods, Brandon Saurber. Hearing directly from others about the impact of a connected community ignited a spark in these freshmen that will hopefully only continue to grow.

The next round of 17STRONG microgrants are available now to any Hamilton resident with an idea to create a safer, cleaner or more engaged neighborhood. Current freshmen are already hard at work coming up with ideas to improve their community and connect their neighbors. You too can join the movement at 17stronghamilton.org where you can learn which of the 17 neighborhoods you live in or apply for the upcoming microgrant due on March 17.

THE LITTLE CHICAGO CHRONICLES

Chasing “Auto Theft” Rings

BY RICHARD O JONES

THE INCOMING administration of Mayor Harry Koehler, Safety Director Tom Boli, and Chief of Police Otto Kolodzik had their hands full with the rampant crime in Hamilton, not all of it Prohibition-related devilry. Police arrested only two drunks over the weekend that ushered in 1926, calling it the “most quiet celebration in history,” but eight automobiles were stolen from city streets.

Even though the incoming chief had no police experience, he had been employed by insurance companies tracing stolen automobiles and aiding officials in gathering evidence against auto theft rings. One of his first acts in re-organizing the department was to increase the auto recovery department from one detective to two handpicked officers, veteran detectives Robert Dinwiddie and Robert Leonard. In his first meeting with the whole department, on January 21, when he handed out a new set of policies and practices, Kolodzik emphasized the

need to thwart the increasing number of automobile thefts before even mentioning vice.

At that meeting, he and Boli both encouraged patrol officers to take advantage of ordinances against loitering, even though the Ohio Supreme Court said a year previously that such ordinances were unconstitutional and a better version hadn’t made it through the city council yet, as a way to discourage young men from scoping out automobiles to steal.

Officers made a loitering arrest just after midnight on February 9, when they found three men in front of 518 Millikin Street changing tires from one automobile to another. Willard Brucks claimed ownership of one of the cars, saying he recently purchased it from a dealer in Reading. Earl Blum, who lived at the address, said he owned the other one. The third man was Buck McRoberts. It’s not clear why they were arrested for loitering, given that

they discovered that the identification numbers stamped on the motor blocks on both cars had been altered. Blum presented a bill of sale that turned out to be a forgery. The car had been stolen from a Harrison, Ohio, man on the last December 26.

At their arraignment the following day, the loitering charges were dropped, but the three men were hit with various other warrants related to the sale of stolen automobiles. Blum, who said that he was a core maker at the Black and Clawson plant, cooperated with the police, telling them that he was given a coupe by a man named Clem Wilson in exchange for keeping a large leather grip for him while Wilson went to Florida. Blum said he was trading the car for Brucks’s sedan, but he wanted to keep the tires, and that’s what they were doing when arrested.

Wilson, 24, had lived on South Second Street and was a known character to Hamilton police. He had been arrested the previous fall in Eaton, by a marshal who caught him and Roscoe Doty, also of Hamilton, altering the numbers on the motor of a Cadillac coupe stolen from a garage on Dayton Street in Hamilton. They were released on bond after their arrest and did not show up for their court date and were then being sought by authorities in Florida. Blum said McRoberts and Brucks filed off the old numbers and stamped new ones for the stolen sedan based on the numbers of an existing bill of sale: “The car was made for the bill of sale, not the bill of sale for the car.”

In a search of Blum’s garage, detectives discovered the valise allegedly left there by Clem Wilson. It contained “complete machinery for manipulation of stolen cars of all makes,” the Evening Journal reported. “A score of bill of sale blanks, three perfectly modeled notary seals of the state of Ohio, a complete set of punches and jiggs to imprint

numbers on automobile motors, and fake stamps of the Butler County and Hamilton County clerks of court offices were found in the grip. A complete hand-operating printing outfit was also found.” They also found documents relating to other car thefts in the area, some of them bearing forged signatures of actual employees of various car dealerships and government agencies.

Four days later, on February 13, Detectives Dinwiddie and Leonard were searching for a car stolen early that afternoon from Washington Street and spotted it being driven north on Central Avenue that afternoon. “They gave chase and commanded the fleeing autoist to halt. The command only caused the driver to step on the accelerator. The pursuit continued east on Hanover Street to Eighth Street. When the driver made another turn, Dinwiddie fired four times. The man jumped from the car and attempted to escape on foot, but was captured.

That incident involved the forty-third automobile theft in Hamilton that year, prompting local insurance agents to band together to offer cash rewards for information leading to the arrest and conviction of anyone connected with the theft of automobiles or automobile accessories. The rate of theft in Hamilton caused insurance rates to skyrocket to $4.50 for $100 worth of

theft insurance. In similar-sized Ohio cities, Marion for instance, the rate was as low as seventy cents. “The offering of the reward is with the hope that people who see persons acting suspiciously about cars will promptly report to the police,” the Evening Journal explained without attribution. “An investigation will hurt no one, but may lead to an important arrest.”

“There are at least two more gangs of automobile thieves and accessory thieves at work in Hamilton and we will continue our war on these men until they are weeded out,” Kolodzik said.

Leonard and Dinwiddie believed they had cracked such a ring on February 18 in a raid on a garage at 806 Hooven Avenue, arresting Clarence Baker, 22, who lived there. Police uncovered seven tires, a fan, a radiator, for boxes of headlight bulbs, two inner tubes, a dome light switch, a box of tail light gloves, three inner boots, a box of patches, and 50 feet of wire. Most of the loot had been stolen from a garage in Cincinnati. Later, police arrested accomplices John Agnew, who had lived until recently at 1100 South Second Street in Hamilton before moving to College Corner, and Louis Brucks, 23, the brother of Willard Brucks, who had been arrested just days prior.

Baker made a detailed confession that revealed that Brucks and Baker

worked in Springfield, Middletown, and Hamilton. He admitted having stolen cars in Springfield and Middletown and brought one of them to Hamilton. The cars had been seized by police at the home of his father-in-law, Manly Graves, on Fair Avenue. They would also strip cars down and sell off what parts they could and the rest for junk. On February 16, Judge Kautz of the Municipal Court fined Baker $300 and costs for having an automobile with a defaced motor number, $300 and costs for making false statements of registration, and $200 and costs for improper tags.

Kolodzik complimented his automobile recovery squad and other detectives on their brilliant work during the past 10 days and said their work was the finest in the history of the department. Just before the approach of midnight Thursday evening, March 4, Earl Murphy, the night marshal at Eaton, received a call about a strange automobile parked in a residential neighborhood. The deputy marshal stationed himself at the front window of the house and watched the car. When he saw two men approaching the automobile, he walked out the house’s front door with a flashlight in one hand and a revolver in the other.

The two men saw him coming and galloped the last few paces, jumped into the automobile, and started the engine. “I’m an officer of the law!”

Murphy shouted as he stepped up on the passenger side running board and demanded their names and the nature of their business. Neither man answered him, but the driver shifted the car into gear while the other man scuffled with Murphy. The gun in Murphy’s hand discharged and the driver struck Murphy on the wrist with a club, causing him to drop the revolver into the floor of the couple. As the passenger shoved the officer from the running board, the car sped off and disappeared, but not before Murphy noted the license number: A87296.

The next morning, Marshal Willard Armstrong called nearby jurisdictions with the license number. Chief of Detectives Frank Clements and Detective Robert Dinwiddie traced the number to an automobile owned by the county dog catcher, William Hunt. “Instead of questioning Hunt, detectives searched for the car, found it, and then drove it to headquarters,” the Evening Journal reported, where they discovered a bullet hole in one of the seat cushions. When questioned later, Hunt said he loaned the car to John Agnew, who was out of jail on a $2,000 bond furnished by his lawyer, and Lou Zimmerman Thursday afternoon on the promise it would be returned at 7:30, but that Agnew didn’t return the car until four a.m. Friday morning, rousing Hunt from his bed. Agnew was then alone.

Hunt did not give up the information willingly and became unruly, so the detectives charged him with disorderly conduct. Investigation revealed that Lou Zimmerman was playing cards in Hamilton at the time of the attack on Murphy, so suspicion against him was dropped, and the identity of Agnew’s companion would remain a mystery.

Earlier in the day, Hunt had left Sheriff Luther Epperson with the impression that the automobile had been stolen. When Epperson heard of Hunt’s encounter with Hamilton police, he asked the county commissioners to abolish the office of county dog catcher, which was technically a deputy sheriff. They did, and Hunt was removed from his position.

Chief Kolodzik accompanied Detectives Joe Evans and Dinwiddie to deliver a search warrant on Agnew’s house but found neither stolen goods nor liquor. “Residents at the Agnew home complained that every room in the house was ransacked and the house was left in a chaotic condition,” the Evening Journal reported. Agnew was charged with disorderly conduct and taken into custody. Deputy Marshal Murphy identified him as the driver of the car.

Indignation was high in Eaton and the city courtroom crowded to capacity when Clements and Boli took Agnew there on March 9 to answer the charge

of assault and battery against Murphy, a war veteran and a popular officer. Agnew pleaded not guilty and was held under a $400 bond. His lawyer told newspapers that when Murphy jumped up on the running board of the car he was driving, Agnew thought the deputy marshal was a bandit, and that’s why he cracked his hand with a baton.

Officials in Hamilton said that the case against Agnew and Louis Brucks for the thefts of automobiles and accessories hinged “entirely upon whether or not Clarence Baker, another alleged thief, turns state’s evidence.” Baker had implicated both men in his confession but had refused to take the stand against them. Buck McRoberts was brought to trial in May, but Judge Walter Harlan acquitted him with a directed verdict.

Still, Kolodzik and Boli’s interest in breaking down the “auto theft rings” seems to have had some palpable effect as by March 13, insurance brokers reported that premiums had reduced by as much as twenty percent. “Insurance men claim the reduction in the rate has been because automobile thievery in Hamilton has been greatly reduced in recent months,” the Evening Journal reported, giving the credit to the new administration and restructured police force, noting that of the dozens of automobiles stolen so far in 1926, only four had not been recovered.

Spotlight Recipe

Chef Monique Runzer’s

Sweet & Sour Ribs over Jasmine Rice

MY FATHER, DENNIS, has been making these ribs for years right around New Years Eve. I have made a few modifications to the recipe along the way and am proud to present this to the masses. Enjoy!

INGREDIENTS

• 2 lbs pork ribs, about 1½ lb, (See note #1)

• 2 tbsp olive oil

• 10 cloves garlic

• 1 thumb-sized ginger

• 3 stalks scallions cut into halves

• 5 tbsp white sugar

• 4 tbsp black rice vinegar divided

• 1 tbsp light soy sauce

• 1 tsp dark soy sauce

• One large can pineapple chunks

• ⅛ tsp salt

• Toasted sesame seeds for garnishing (Optional)

• Scallions, finely chopped for garnishing (Optional)

• Jasmine Rice (Follow rice cooking instructions)

INSTRUCTIONS

Blanch the Ribs

1. Put pork ribs into a large soup pot. Fill it with plenty of room temperature water. Bring it to a boil then leave to simmer.

2. Skim off the foam appearing on the surface with a spoon. After about three minutes, drain the ribs.

Braise the ribs

1. Pour oil into a clean wok (or deep pan, pot) then add the drained ribs, garlic, ginger, pineapple (drained but save the juice) and scallion. Stir fry over medium heat until the ribs become a little golden on the surface.

2. Add sugar, black rice vinegar (keep one tablespoon for later use), light soy sauce, dark soy sauce and salt. Top up with hot water enough to just level with the ribs and pour the pineapple juice in (just whatever is left in the can).

3. Bring to a full boil then turn the heat to low. Cover and leave to simmer for about 50 minutes (see note #2).

Reduce the Broth

1. When the time is up, uncover and pick

out all the garlic, ginger and scallions. Add the remaining one tablespoon of black rice vinegar. Turn the heat up to high to boil down the liquid.

2. Stir from time to time. Once the liquid becomes just thick enough to coat the ribs. Remove from the heat immediately. Be attentive not to overcook as it’ll cause the sugar to burn. It took me about eight minutes but it may vary in your case.

Garnish and Serve

1. Transfer the ribs to a serving bowl/ plate. Sprinkle sesame seeds and scallions over to garnish.

2. They may be eaten while warm or at room temperature. Serve them with plain, brown or my favorite Jasmine rice.

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Noted Opera Singer Had Deep Hamilton Roots

BY RICHARD O JONES

TO LOCAL MUSIC lovers, she was known as Cyrena Pocock, a Camden girl with deep Hamilton ties, but to the world of opera, she was called “the Stradivarius of voices” and her professional name, Cyrena van Gordon.

Her mother was Cora Murphy, whose father was one of the founders of the Miami Valley National Bank in Hamilton, which consolidated with the First National Bank. Her mother was from the pioneering van Gordon family and her brothers were Clarence Murphy, a long-time Butler County Common Pleas Court judge, and William E. Murphy, who had been an Ohio Legislature representative from Preble County. In 1872, Cora married Oscar Pocock at the First Methodist Church on Ludlow Street, and settled in Camden, just over the Preble county line north of Seven Mile.

On September 4, 1892, the Pococks had their only child, Cyrena van Gordon Pocock.

As a child, Cyrena began singing in the choir at the First Methodist Church and soon became a featured soloist there, at the Presbyterian Church, and recitals all over Hamilton, Oxford, and Preble County. At the age of 15, Cyrena enrolled at the Cincinnati College of Music as a piano student. One day, she was practicing the piano and singing along. “Her voice so rich, clear, and powerful” that the college’s famed voice teacher, Mme. Dotti overheard

her and immediately took her under her wing, according to a Cincinnati Enquirer feature. “Renowned, even in her student days [she] was destined to become in later years one of the foremost singers of operatic roles.”

She graduated from Camden High School in 1910, then in 1912, a “childhood romance” compelled her to elope to Greensburg, Ohio, to marry Shirley B. Munns, an Oxford ear, nose, and throat specialist, but she continued her operatic training and singing performances.

In the spring of 1913, the famous Italian conductor Cleofonte Campanini, then

the artistic director of the Chicago Opera, saw Cyrena performing at “The Pageant of Dark and Lightness” in Cincinnati. “He pronounced her voice the most promising contralto that he had heard in this county,” the Evening Journal would report on her Chicago debut. She spent the summer mastering ten different roles and studying with linguists to learn Italian pronunciation in preparation for her first season with the Chicago Opera Company. She did not begin her career with minor roles but as a star.

A dozen or so Hamilton residents trekked to Chicago that November when Cyrena made her debut there

CYRENA VAN GORDON AND PRINCE SASCH OF THURN AND TAXIS, CIRCA 1923.

as Amneris in “Aida,” which left the Chicago critics amazed: “She is vocally and physically well adapted to take the heroic roles in grand opera impressively. She is statuesque in style and temperamentally brilliant... She is more than commonly tall [about six feet, according to other reports], splendidly well-proportioned, graceful, and good-looking woman.”

In 1919, Cyrena went to the East Coast and performed Amneris for an audience of 30 or 50,000 at a racetrack in Sheepshead Bay in August and made her New York debut in October at the Aeolian Hall, where she was again the darling of big-city media. The New York Tribune wrote: “Miss van Gordon has many things in her favor. There are few women as handsome either in face or figure who are before the public today, and few with more beautiful and none fresher, voices. It is a voice of truly luscious quality, sufficiently powerful, and possesses no breaks throughout its scale.”

More than 300 Hamilton residents, dubbing themselves “Cyrena’s Own,” took the train to Cincinnati Music Hall on March 18, 1921, for the first of three performances of “Lohengrin,” Cyrena’s first homecoming performance. The local press estimated the event garnered some $1,600 in Hamilton ticket sales.

“Her ascent in the field of grand opera

although her success was practically instantaneous,” the Evening Journal noted when she came to Cincinnati again in 1925 in “La Gioconda,” sadly noting that her role as Laura was not among her “most important,” although her voice was “marvelously rich and flexible.” When she returned in 1926 to sing the role that made her famous, the Cincinnati Commercial Tribune gave a particularly glowing review: “Cyrena van Gordon, opulent of voice and picturesque to see, was an almost ideal Amneris.”

She made several recordings for Columbia Records and many highprofile performances in New York (including the prestigious Metropolitan Opera Company), Philadelphia, and San Francisco. In 1922, she sang six concerts at Wrigley Field in Chicago on a platform built over the baseball diamond, the conductor on the pitcher’s mound. Producers installed

electric lighting for the event, 66 years before the stadium would install a permanent system. In 1933, she sang “The Star Spangled Banner” for the opening of the Chicago World’s Fair. In 1935, she performed for Eleanor Roosevelt at a White House luncheon.

While she traveled the world with opera companies, Dr. Munns maintained his medical practice, first in Oxford and then in Chicago, but that union ended in August, 1931, in a publicized divorce. Cyrena claimed that Dr. Munns had become abusive and had struck her twice, once in January “after a social gathering,” and once in June, when “Dr. Munns knocked her unconscious to the floor at their home.” The doctor did not contest the charges and she asked for no alimony because she was “self-supporting.” The following year she married Howard Smith, a millionaire with homes in New York and San Francisco.

Cyrena did not perform in Hamilton after her days as a church soloist, but in November 1935, the city got quite excited when a front-page story announced a recital at Hamilton High School in a benefit for the Musical Arts Club. Sadly, the concert was canceled at the last minute, no cause given.

She died at the age of 67 in New York’s Bellvue Hospital, and her body was returned to Camden to be buried beside her parents.

More than 300 Hamilton residents, dubbing themselves “Cyrena’s Own,” took the train to Cincinnati Music Hall on March 18, 1921, for the first of three performances of “Lohengrin.”

Part of History

BEFORE GREENWOOD Cemetery existed, Hamilton’s earliest burials were found scattered throughout the city. Other burial sites could be found between the Third Ward Cemetery between Third, Fourth, and Sycamore streets (Ludlow Park), the Rossville Cemetery at Park and D Street (Sutherland Park). With the community needs in mind, Hamilton leaders established the Greenwood Cemetery Association in 1848 with land purchased from David Bigham. The cemetery contains more than 1,800 remains from the two pioneer cemeteries.

Greenwood Cemetery was modeled after the Spring Grove Cemetery in Cincinnati, Ohio, which was designed by landscape architect Adolph Strauch. Most of the work laying out the cemetery was done by prominent Hamilton citizens like John W. Erwin, John M. Millikin, and Governor William Bebb.

Greenwood Cemetery has been around for a long time and the general manager Dan Peters was able to walk me through some of the history. On July 22, 1994, Greenwood Cemetery became a registered historic district,

BYKYLE BOOMERSHINE

listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The cemetery contains 5 contributing buildings and is designed in the style of a landscaped park and garden with mortuary art and statues among the graves.

Greenwood Cemetery is proof that when a person dies, their history and stories do not die with them. For 170 years, Greenwood Cemetery has been the final resting place for over 60,000 people. Deceased veterans from the American Revolution and the Civil War are buried at Greenwood

Hamilton’s Greenwood Cemetery is an intrical piece of both the city’s and America’s history

Cemetery. You might recognize the names of just some of the people that happen to be buried at Greenwood Cemetery including Matthew Hueston, whose land was the basis for forming Hueston Woods State Park; Clark Lane, an industrialist who donated the library to the City of Hamilton;

Homer Gard who in 1926 donated a camp to the YMCA in honor of their late son, Campbell Gard; Ray Combs, a Hamilton native and host of “Family Feud” from 1988–1994; and John Reily, a Revolutionary War soldier and teacher who helped write the Ohio

Constitution before holding numerous positions in Butler County.

It’s not just those who have made major contributions to Hamilton, Butler County, the State of Ohio, and the nation that are buried at Greenwood Cemetery. On July 14, 1872, there was a circus parade in Hamilton. This procession, featuring performers and animals from the P. T. Barnum Circus, wasn’t to encourage Hamilton residents to attend the circus, but a march of remembrance for a fallen comrade. The troupe was escorting the body

of Charles Carter, a 32-year-old circus employee who had drown the previous morning. Every season after that, when the circus visited Hamilton, the grave of the showman was visited and decorated by the show people as a tribute of remembrance and respect.

Walking through the cemetery, you can see how Hamilton changed as did the cemetery. From the initial days of Fort Hamilton, until its days as a manufacturing hub. Despite its 170-year existence, the cemetery still has the capacity to be around for 100 more.

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