CityBeat | January 8, 2025 by Big Lou Holdings

ADVICE COLUMN

Bad Advice

In his

Bad Advice

new column, Bad

Advice, writer Collin Preciado will be giving you the worst advice you’ve ever heard.

BY COLLIN PRECIADO

In his new column, Bad Advice, writer Collin Preciado will be giving you the worst advice you’ve ever heard.

BY COLLIN PRECIADO

Dear Collin,

My wife and I just had our second child and I’ve started to have concerns about raising them without religion. My first son is just about to go into kindergarten and he’s started to ask about death. This came about when we watched the Lion King and Mufasa dies after being murdered by Scar. My son asked why Mufasa wasn’t waking up after he was thrown off a cliff and run over by wildebeests. After I explained that he had died and that everyone eventually dies, my son asked where we go when we die, and I told him I’m not really sure.

This lack of an answer appears to have had a distressing effect on my son. He now asks about death a lot. He always points out cemeteries he sees as we pass them in the car. Sometimes he’ll start to pout in the back seat and tell me he doesn’t want me to die. My wife and I grew up Catholic, but neither of us really believe in God, and yet I still feel as if telling him he will go to heaven will get rid of the anxiety he is currently experiencing. My wife thinks it’s just a phase and he will outgrow it, but I am not so sure. Should we lie to him about an afterlife so he can stop worrying? Or should we just hope he will get over it?

Sincerely,

My wife and I grew up Catholic, but neither of us really believe in God, and yet I still feel as if telling him he will go to heaven will get rid of the anxiety he is currently experiencing. My wife thinks it’s just a phase and he will outgrow it, but I am not so sure. Should we lie to him about an afterlife so he can stop worrying? Or should we just hope he will get over it?

Doubting Thomas

Sincerely,

Doubting Thomas

Dear Doubting Thomas,

Thanks for spoiling the Lion King for me. I’ve never seen it. Dick.

Dear Doubting Thomas, Thanks for spoiling the Lion King for me. I’ve never seen it. Dick.

As far as your kid’s fixation on death goes, you seem to have nailed down why religion exists in the first place. We can either believe that life has an otherworldly purpose and continues forever even after we die, or we can suppose that we’re temporarily circling the drain of meaningless nonexistence. One of those options is far less troublesome

to kindergartners.

I’m not saying it’s right to lie to your child, but it is your duty as a parent to make them feel safe and secure, and since you’ve already completely bungled the death talk and scared the shit out of your kid, you sort of have to lie at this point and do whatever you can to stop them from thinking about graveyards all day.

You could saddle your child with the shame and guilt of the Catholicism you grew up with, or you could use this as an opportunity to come up with your own religion since they’re all made up anyway. You could say the universe was laid like an egg by a giant chicken who loves us and when we die we all go live on a giant farm with our whole family, and that would still make about as much sense as any of the other religions already out there. All your son really wants to know is if he and everyone he loves is going to disappear forever one day. If you can convince him otherwise, then he can go back to focusing on real kid stuff like Santa Claus or the Easter Bunny.

Dear Collin,

My fiancé and I are finalizing our wedding party. There’s only one problem. His brother, who I hooked up with once, is currently included as one of his groomsmen.

That we hooked up is no secret per se, but I’m not sure my fiancé is aware of it. It happened before my fiancé and I started dating so it wasn’t like we cheated or anything, but I always just assumed he knew and now I’m not so sure. It seems too late to bring it up in case he doesn’t know.

Any advice on how to get my fiancé to drop his brother from his groomsmen list?

next to your fiancé, and not a single person would question it.

Your only option here is to balance the scales. You’ll need to find someone your fiancé has hooked up with and make them a bridesmaid. You’re probably not going to find someone with as high of stature as a sibling, because if we’re being completely honest that’s pretty weird and will probably hang over your entire marriage, but maybe you’ll get lucky once you start asking around.

next to your fiancé, and not a single person would question it. Your only option here is to balance the scales. You’ll need to find someone your fiancé has hooked up with and make them a bridesmaid. You’re probably not going to find someone with as high of stature as a sibling, because if we’re being completely honest that’s pretty weird and will probably hang over your entire marriage, but maybe you’ll get lucky once you start asking around.

Any advice on how to get my fiancé to drop his brother from his groomsmen list?

Sincerely,

Wedding Worrier

Sincerely, Wedding Worrier

Dear Wedding Worrier,

Unfortunately, brothers have a guaranteed reserved spot in a wedding party. Your fiancé couldn’t remove his brother out of the rotation even if he wanted to. Even if the brother was a convicted serial killer on death row, he would still somehow be there on your wedding day standing up at the altar

Maybe you’ll find out someone in your wedding party has already hooked up with your fiancé so you won’t have to change a thing. As long as you have someone on your side that he’s awkwardly avoiding eye contact with during the ceremony, the drama will cancel each other out, at least for your wedding; I’m sure there will be plenty more drama down the road for you two.

Send me your unsolvable problem at badadvice@citybeat.com. What’s the worst thing that could happen? I’ll be sure to let you know.

Collin tells a reader how to talk about death with their children.

PHOTO: SHUTTERSTOCK

Collin tells a reader how to talk about death with their children.

PHOTO: SHUTTERSTOCK

STATE OF THE FREE PRESS 2025

The story being censored could be yours (whether you know it or not).

By Paul Rosenberg, Senior Editor, Random

Lengths News

Since 1976, Project Censored has identified the most important stories of each year on the basis of the exposure that was denied to them by forces beyond the First Amendment. Its goal is to educate students and the public about the importance of a truly free press for democratic self-government. This list covers the most under-reported stories of 2024, as compiled by the project. Capsules have been edited for space. More details are available at projectcensored.org.

With any “Top 10” list, there’s a natural tendency to look first at number one, and neither I nor Project Censored would discourage you from doing that, when

it comes to their annual list of the top censored stories of the year. This year, the top story is about workplace deaths and injuries — with striking racial disparities, particularly for much-maligned foreign-born workers. Injury rates for southern service

workers — predominantly Black — are especially alarming, 87% in one year, according to one poll. Sensationalized deaths and injuries make the news all the time, but workplace deaths and injuries (nearly 6,000, and 2.8 million respectively in a year) are

another matter altogether. They’re a non-story, even when advocates strive to shine a light on them. But this pattern of what’s deemed newsworthy and what isn’t leads to a deep point. In the introduction to the list, Associate Director Andy Lee

Roth writes that “readers can only appreciate the full significance of the Project’s annual listing of important but underreported stories by stepping back to perceive deeper, less obvious patterns of omission in corporate news coverage.” And I couldn’t agree more. This has always been a theme of mine as long as I’ve been reviewing their lists, because the patterns of what’s being blocked out of the public conversation are the clearest way of seeing the censoring process at work — the process that Project Censored founder Carl Jensen described as “the suppression of information, whether purposeful or not, by any method … that prevents the public from fully knowing what is happening in its society.”

It’s not just that somehow all the news assignment editors in America overlooked this or that story. Where there are patterns of omission so consistently, year after year, they can only be explained by systemic biases rooted in the interests of particularly powerful special interests. What’s more, in addition to patterns of omission in the stories as a whole, one can

also find intersecting patterns within individual stories. The above description of the top story is an example: race, class, region, citizenship status and more are all involved.

At a big-picture level, there are three dealing with cyber issues and four that are each clearly dealing with the environment, corporate misconduct, harm to consumers and race. Or perhaps I should say seven dealing with race, the more I think about what “clearly” means. Two of the four stories I counted as dealing with race involved global environmental issues, which almost always have an obvious racial component, while a third, “Abortion Services Censored on Social Platforms Globally,” disproportionately impacts minorities in the U.S., as well globally. Those I counted as “clearly” with no problem. But another three are pretty damn clear, too, with a moment’s thought.

For example, story number seven, “Military Personnel Target Gen Z Recruits with Lurid Social Media Tactics” clearly involves cyber deception of social media consumers with the aim of luring them into a dangerous workplace from which they cannot simply resign once they realize they’ve been lied to or conned. But in addition to cyber, consumer and workplace harm, the target audience and resulting recruits are undoubtedly disproportionately non-white, though that’s not explicitly dwelt on. The same could be said for two other stories: “New Federal Rule Limits Transcript Withholding by Colleges and Universities” and “Controversial Acquitted-Conduct Sentencing Challenged by US Commission.” Anything involving education or the criminal justice system is bound to involve disproportionate harm to minorities, as statistics invariably show. In fact, all 10 could well reflect this reality. But that’s enough to make my point clear.

I’m dwelling on race because it’s important, but also because it’s easily highlighted in this context. But there are other hidden connections to be found in these stories as well. I’ll leave those as an exercise for the reader, as they say in the trade. But the point is, as you do more than just simply read these stories — as you reflect on them, on why they’re censored, whose stories they are, what harms are being suffered, whose humanity is being denied — you will find yourself seeing the world more from the point of view of those being excluded from the news, and from the point of view that you’re interconnected with them at the least, if not one of them too.

Thousands Killed and Injured on the Job, with Significant Racial Disparities

addition, “More than half of survey respondents reported observing serious health and safety standard [violations] at work,” and “most workers worried about their personal safety on the job, most believe that their employer prioritizes profit over safety, most do not raise safety issues for fear of retaliation, and the vast majority (72%) believe that their employer’s attitude ‘places customer satisfaction above worker safety.’”

in Deaths and Injuries

Working in America is becoming more dangerous, especially for minorities, according to recent studies reported on by Truthout and Peoples Dispatch, while the same isn’t true for other developed nations.

Workplace fatalities increased 5.7% in the 2021-2022 period covered by the Bureau of Labor Statistics or BLS’s Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries, Tyler Walicek reported for Truthout “Nearly 6,000 U.S. workers died on the job,” he wrote — a 10-year high — while “a startling total of 2.8 million were injured or sickened” according to another BLS report.

The racial disparities were sharp. The average workplace death rate was 3.7 deaths per hundred thousand fulltime workers, but it was 24.3% higher (4.6 deaths) for Latiné workers and 13.5% higher (4.2 deaths) for Black workers. The majority of Latiné deaths (63.5%) were of foreign-born workers, and 40% of those were in construction. “It’s not hard to imagine that communication lapses between workers on an active construction site could feasibly create dangerous situations,” Walicek noted.

Transportation incidents were the highest cause of fatalities within both groups. Violence and other injuries by persons or animals were second highest for Black workers, for Hispanic or Latiné workers it was falls, slips, or trips. Black people and women were particularly likely to be homicide victims. Black people represented 13.4% of all fatalities, but 33.4% of homicide fatalities — more than twice the base rate. Women represented 8.1% of all fatalities, but 15.3% of homicide fatalities — a little less than twice the base rate.

The non-fatal injury rate for service workers in the South, particularly workers of color, is also alarmingly high, according to an April 5, 2023 report by Peoples Dispatch summarizing findings from a March 2023 survey by the Strategic Organizing Center or SOC. The poll of 347 workers, most of whom were Black, “found that a shocking 87% were injured on the job in the last year,” they reported. In

“Compared to other developed countries, the United States consistently underperforms in providing workers with on-the-job safety,” Project Censored noted. “Walicek argued that this is a direct consequence of ‘the diminution of worker power and regulatory oversight’ in the United States.” U.S. workplace fatality rates exceeded those in the UK, Canada, Australia and much of Europe, according to a 2021 assessment by the consulting firm Arinite Health and Safety, Walicek reported.

“Workers are increasingly organizing to fight back against hazardous working conditions,” Project Censored noted, citing a civil rights complaint against South Carolina’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration or SC OSHA filed by members of the recently-formed Union of Southern Service Workers or USSW “for failing to protect Black workers from hazardous working conditions,” as reported by the Post and Courier of Charleston, South Carolina. The USSW complaint alleged that “from 2018 to 2022, SC OSHA conducted no programmed inspections in the food/beverage and general merchandise industries, and only one such inspection in the food services and warehousing industries.” On April 4, 2023, when it filed the complaint, USSW went on a one-day strike in Georgia and the Carolinas, to expose unsafe working conditions in the service industry. It marked the anniversary of Martin Luther King’s assassination while supporting a sanitation workers strike in Memphis, Tennessee. Then on Dec. 7, USSW sent a petition to federal OSHA requesting that it revoke South Carolina’s state OSHA plan “because the Plan has failed to maintain an effective enforcement program.”

Neither the BLS findings nor the conflict between the USSW and SC OSHA have received much corporate media coverage. The BLS fatalities report was released in December 2023, with no U.S. daily newspaper coverage when Project Censored’s analysis was done. There was a story on the Minnesota findings by FOX in Minneapolis-St. Paul the month the report was released. And a full story on Green Bay ABC affiliate WBAY on April 12,

2024, “as part of its coverage of ‘Work Zone Safety Awareness Week.’” Project Censored noted.

“Corporate coverage of the conflict between the USSW and SC OSHA has also been scant,” they noted. While independent, nonprofits like DC Report, “have consistently paid more attention,” there were but two corporate examples cited covering the second action: Associated Press and Bloomberg Law, but neither addressed the issue of racial disparities.

In conclusion, Project Censored noted, “The corporate media’s refusal to cover the harsh realities of workplace deaths and injuries — and the obvious racial disparities in who is hurt and killed on the job — makes the task of organizing to address occupational safety at a national level that much more difficult.”

A “Vicious Circle” of Climate Debt Traps World’s Most Vulnerable Nations

Low-income countries who contributed virtually nothing to the climate crisis are caught in a pattern described as a “climate debt trap” in a September 2023 World Resources Institute report authored by Natalia Alayza, Valerie Laxton and Carolyn Neunuebel.

“After years of pandemic, a global recession, and intensifying droughts, floods and other climate change impacts, many developing countries are operating on increasingly tight budgets and at risk of defaulting on loans,” they wrote. “High-interest rates, short repayment periods, and the coexistence of multiple crises (like a pandemic paired with natural disasters) can all make it difficult for governments to meet their debt servicing obligations.”

“Global standards for climate resilience require immense national budgets,” Project Censored noted. “Developing countries borrow from international creditors, and as debt piles up, governments are unable to pay for essential needs, including public health programs, food security, and climate protections.”

In fact, The Guardian ran a story describing how global South nations are “forced to invest in fossil fuel

projects to repay debts,” a process critics have characterized as a “new form of colonialism.” They cited a report from anti-debt campaigners Debt Justice and partners which found that “the debt owed by global south countries has increased by 150% since 2011 and 54 countries are in a debt crisis, having to spend five times more on repayments than on addressing the climate crisis.”

Like the climate crisis itself, the climate debt trap was foreseeable in advance. “A prescient report published by Dissent in 2013, Andrew Ross’s “Climate Debt Denial,” provides a stark reminder that the climate debt trap now highlighted by the World Resources Institute and others was predictable more than a decade ago,” Project Censored notes. But that report highlighted much earlier warnings and efforts to address the problem.

The concept of an ecological debt owed to the global South for the resource exploitation that fueled the global North’s development was first introduced “in the lead-up to the 1992 Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro,” Ross noted. Subsequently, “The Kyoto Protocol laid the groundwork for such claims in 1997 by including the idea of ‘common but differentiated responsibilities’ among nations, but climate activists did not fully take up the call for debt justice until the Copenhagen summit in 2009.” Prior to that summit, in 2008, NASA climatologist James Hansen estimated the U.S. historical carbon debt at 27.5% of the world total, $31,035 per capita.

While a “loss and damage” fund “to assist developing countries that are particularly vulnerable to the adverse effects of climate change” was established at the 2022 Climate Summit, its current commitments ($800 million) fall far short of the $100 billion more each year by 2030 which the 14 developing countries on the fund’s board have argued for. Some estimates place the figure much higher, “at around $400 billion,” according to a Euronews story last June.

The climate debt trap “has received limited news coverage,” Project Censored notes. Aside from The Guardian, “independent news coverage has been limited to outlets that specialize in climate news.” Neither of the two corporate media examples it cited approached it from debtor countries’ point of view. In May 2023, Bloomberg’s “analysis catered to the financial interests of international investors,” while a December 2023 New York Times report “focused primarily on defaults to the United States and China, with less focus on how poorer countries will combat deficits, especially as climate change escalates.”

Saltwater Intrusion

Threatens U.S. Freshwater Supplies

Sea-level rise is an easy-to-grasp consequence of global warming, but the most immediate threat it poses — saltwater intrusion into freshwater systems — has only received sporadic localized treatment in the corporate press. “In fall 2023, saltwater traveling from the Gulf of Mexico up the Mississippi River infiltrated the freshwater systems of the delta region, contaminating drinking and agricultural water supplies as well as inland ecosystems,” Project Censored notes. “This crisis prompted a scramble to supply potable water to the region and motivated local and federal officials to issue emergency declarations.”

While outlets like Time, CNN and CBS News covered the saltwater intrusion at the time, they “focused almost exclusively on the threat to coastal Louisiana,” but “a pair of articles published in October 2023 by Delaney Nolan for The Guardian and [hydrogeologist] Holly Michael for The Conversation highlighted the escalating threat of saltwater intrusion across the United States and beyond.”

“Deep below our feet, along every coast, runs the salt line: the zone where fresh inland water meets salty seawater,” Nolan wrote. “That line naturally shifts back and forth all the time, and weather events like floods and storms can push it further out. But rising seas are gradually drawing the salt line in,” he warned. “In Miami, the salt line is creeping inland by about 330 feet per year. Severe drought – as the Gulf coast and midwest have been experiencing this year – draw the salt line even further in.”

“Seawater intrusion into groundwater is happening all over the world, but perhaps the most threatened places are communities on low-lying islands,” such as the Marshall Islands, which is “predicted to be uninhabitable by the end of the century,” Michael wrote. Here in the U.S., “Experts said the threat was widespread but they were especially concerned about cities in Louisiana, Florida, the Northeast, and California,” Nolan reported.

“Fresh water is essential for drinking, irrigation and healthy ecosystems,” Michael wrote. “When seawater moves inland, the salt it contains can wreak

havoc on farmlands, ecosystems, lives and livelihoods.” For example, “Drinking water that contains even 2% seawater can increase blood pressure and stress kidneys. If saltwater gets into supply lines, it can corrode pipes and produce toxic disinfection by-products in water treatment plants. Seawater intrusion reduces the life span of roads, bridges and other infrastructure.”

While Time, CNN and CBS News focused narrowly on coastal Louisiana, Project Censored noted that some news outlets, “including FOX Weather and Axios” misreported the threat as “only temporary rather than a long-term problem.” More generally, “corporate media typically treat saltwater intrusion as a localized issue affecting specific coastal regions,” they wrote. “Aside from a brief article in Forbes acknowledging the growing problem for coastal regions in the US and around the world, corporate media have largely resisted portraying saltwater intrusion as a more widespread and escalating consequence of climate change.”

Natural Gas Industry Hid Health and Climate Risks of Gas Stoves

While gas stoves erupted as a culture war issue in 2023, reporting by Vox and NPR (in partnership with the Climate Investigations Center) revealed a multi-decade campaign by the natural gas industry using tobacco industry’s tactics to discredit evidence of harm, thwart regulation, and promote the use of gas stoves. While gas stoves are a health hazard, the amount of gas used isn’t that much, but “house builders and real estate agents say many buyers demand a gas stove,” which makes it more likely they’ll use more high-volume appliances, “such as a furnace, water heater and clothes dryer,” NPR explained. “That’s why some in the industry consider the stove a ‘gateway appliance.’”

In a series of articles for Vox, environmental journalist Rebecca Leber “documented how the gas utility industry used strategies previously employed by the tobacco industry to avoid regulation and undermine scientific evidence establishing the harmful health and climate effects of gas stoves,” Project Censored noted.

“The basic scientific understanding of why gas stoves are a problem for health and the climate is on solid footing,” she reported. “It’s also common sense. When you have a fire in the house, you need somewhere for all that smoke to go. Combust natural gas, and it’s not just smoke you need to worry about. There are dozens of other pollutants, including the greenhouse gas methane, that also fill the air.”

The concerns aren’t new. “Even in the early 1900s, the natural gas industry knew it had a problem with the gas stove,” Leber recounts. It was cleaner than coal or wood — its main competition at the time, “but new competition was on the horizon from electric stoves.” They avoided scrutiny for generations, but, “Forty years ago, the federal government seemed to be on the brink of regulating the gas stove,” she wrote. “Everything was on the table, from an outright ban to a modification of the Clean Air Act to address indoor air pollution.” The gas industry fought back with a successful multiprong attack, that’s being mounted again today, and “Some of the defenders of the gas stove are the same consultants who have defended tobacco and chemicals industries in litigation over health problems.”

Documents obtained by NPR and CIC tell a similar story. The industry “focused on convincing consumers and regulators that cooking with gas is as risk-free as cooking with electricity,” they reported. “As the scientific evidence grew over time about the health effects from gas stoves, the industry used a playbook echoing the one that tobacco companies employed for decades to fend off regulation. The gas utility industry relied on some of the same strategies, researchers and public relations firms.”

“I think it’s way past the time that we were doing something about gas stoves,” says Dr. Bernard Goldstein, who began researching the subject in the 1970s. “It has taken almost 50 years since the discovery of negative effects on children of nitrogen dioxide from gas stoves to begin preventive action. We should not wait any longer,” he told NPR.

“By covering gas stoves as a culture war controversy, corporate media have ignored the outsize role of the natural gas industry in influencing science, regulation, and consumer choice,” Project Censored noted. Instead, they’ve focused on individual actions, local moves to phase out gas hookups for new buildings and rightwing culture war opposition to improving home appliance safety and efficiency, including the GOP Housepassed “Hands Off Our Home Appliances Act.”

Abortion Services Censored on Social Platforms Globally

On the first national election day after Dobbs, PlanC, a nonprofit that provides information about access to the abortion pill, posted a TikTok video encouraging people to vote to protect reproductive rights. Almost immediately, its account was suddenly banned. This was but one example of a worldwide cross-platform pattern.

“Access to online information about abortion is increasingly under threat both in the United States and around the world,” the Women’s Media Center or WMC reported in November 2023. “Both domestic and international reproductive health rights and justice organizations have reported facing censorship of their websites on social media platforms including Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok as well as on Google.” The governments of South Korea, Turkey and Spain have also blocked the website of Women on Web, which provides online abortion services and information in over 200 countries. At the same time abortion disinformation, for fake abortion clinics, remains widespread.

“Women’s rights advocacy groups are calling the Supreme Court’s overturning of Roe v. Wade the catalyst for the suppression of reproductive health information on social media,” Project Censored noted. “Hashtags for #mifepristone and #misoprostol, two drugs used in medical abortions, were hidden on Instagram after the Dobbs decision, the WMC reported,” as part of a wider pattern.

Within weeks of the decision, U.S. senators Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) and Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) wrote to Meta, Ars Technica reported, questioning what the company was doing to stop abortion censorship on their platforms. “The senators also took issue with censorship of health care workers, Ars Technica wrote, “including a temporary account suspension of an ‘organization dedicated to informing people

in the United States about their abortion rights.’”

“US state legislatures are currently considering banning access to telehealth abortion care,” Project Censored noted. “Furthermore, CNN reported that ‘at the end of 2023, nine states where abortion remained legal still had restricted telehealth abortions in some way.’”

There are similar censorship problems with Meta and Google worldwide, according to a March 2024 report by the Center for Countering Digital Hate or CCDH and MSI Reproductive Choices, which provides contraception and abortion services in 37 countries. This sparked a Guardian article by Weronika Strzyżyńska. “In Africa, Facebook is the go-to place for reproductive health information for many women,” MSI’s global marketing manager, Whitney Chinogwenya, told the Guardian. “We deal with everything from menopause to menstruation but we find that all our content is censored.” She explained that “Meta viewed reproductive health content through ‘an American lens,’” the Guardian reported, “applying socially conservative US values to posts published in countries with progressive policies such as South Africa, where abortion on request is legal in the first 20 weeks of pregnancy.”

Abortion disinformation is also a threat — particularly the promotion of “crisis pregnancy centers” or CPCs which masquerade as reproductive healthcare clinics but discourage rather than provide abortion services. WMC reported on a June 2023 CCDH report, which “found that CPCs spent over $10 million on Google Search ads for their clinics over the past two years.” Google claimed to have “removed particular ads,” said Callum Hood, CCDH’s head of research, “but they did not take action on the systemic issues with fake clinic ads.”

“Women’s rights organizations and reproductive health advocates have been forced to squander scarce resources fighting this sort of disinformation online,” Project Censored noted, which has gotten some coverage, but “As of June 2024, corporate coverage of abortion censorship has been limited.” The sole CNN story it cited ran immediately after the Dobbs decision, before most of the problems fully emerged. “There appeared to be more corporate media focus on abortion disinformation rather than censorship,” they added. “Independent reporting from Jezebel, and Reproaction via Medium, have done more to draw attention to this issue.”

Global Forest Protection Goals at Risk

The UN’s goal to end deforestation by 2030 is unlikely to be met, according to the 2023 annual Forest Declaration Assessment, Olivia Rosane reported for Common Dreams in October 2023. The goal was announced to great fanfare at the 2021 UN summit in Glasgow, but the failure of follow-through has received almost no notice.

The same month, the World Wildlife Fund issued its first Forest Path-

“The two largest tropical forests are at risk of reaching tipping points. This would release billions of tonnes of carbon and have devastating consequences for the millions of people who depend on the stability of their ecosystems. It would also have a global impact on our climate and catastrophic effects on biodiversity.

ways Report, in which it warned: The problem is money, according to the report. “We are investing in activities that are harmful for forests at far higher rates than we are investing in activities that are beneficial for forests,” the coordinator of the report, Erin Matson, told Common Dreams. To meet the UN’s 2030 goal would require $460 billion annually, according to the report, but only $2.2 billion is being invested. Meanwhile more than 100 times as much public finance is “committed to activities that have the potential to drive deforestation or forest degradation,” known as “gray” finance, the report explained.

While the overall picture is dark, not all countries are failing. “Well over 50 countries are on track to eliminate deforestation within their borders by 2030,” the report noted. As the report’s lead author, Mary Gagen, noted in an article published by The Conversation, “Global forest loss in 2022 was 6.6 million hectares, an area about the size of Ireland. That’s 21% more than the amount that would keep us on track to meet the target of zero deforestation by 2030, agreed in Glasgow.” At 33% over the necessary target, loss of tropical rainforests was “even more pronounced,” Gagen reported.

In her article, Gagen emphasized

four key recommendations: (1) Accelerate the recognition of Indigenous peoples and local communities’ right to own and manage their lands, territories and resources. (2) Provide more money, both public and private, to support sustainable forest economies. (3) Reform the rules of global trade that harm forests, getting deforesting commodities out of global supply chains, and removing barriers to forest-friendly goods, and (4) Shift towards nature-based and bio economies.

Corporate media in the U.S. ignored both reports, though one story in the Washington Post discussed the subject the month after both reports were issued, but “made no direct reference to either of them,” Project Censored summarized. In contrast, “International outlets, including Germany’s DW and France 24, a state-owned television network, did produce substantive reports based on the Forest Declaration Assessment.”

Military Personnel Target Gen Z Recruits with Lurid Social Media Tactics

“If the military was a great, honorable profession, then they wouldn’t need to spend $6 billion a year bribing people to join,” journalist and veteran Rosa del Duca explained. Nonetheless, 2022 was the worst year for recruitment since 1973, when the draft was abolished. That’s the background to the story Alan MacLeod reported for MintPress News about the military, “using e-girls to recruit Gen Z into service.”

While MacLeod also deals with the army sponsoring YouTube stars — male and female — to “join” for a day as part of whole spectrum of social media efforts, his main subject is Army Psychological Operations Specialist Hailey Lujan, whose online videos feature “sexually suggestive content alongside subtle (and sometimes not-so-subtle) calls to join up,” Macleod reports. “The 21-year-old makes content extolling the fun of Army life to her 731,000 TikTok followers. ‘Don’t go to college, become a farmer or a soldier

instead,’ she instructs viewers in a recent video. ‘Just some advice for the younger people: if you’re not doing school, it’s ok. I dropped out of college. And I’m doing great,’ she adds.”

Project Censored noted, “Lujan’s videos seemingly violate the code of conduct of the image-conscious US military, and it is unclear what role the military has in producing Lujan’s content.” But that ambiguity is part of the allure.

“There are many active duty service members with large social media followings, but what makes Lujan stand out is her offbeat, Gen-Z style humor and how she leans into the idea that she is a military propaganda operation,” Macleod writes.

“With videos titled ‘My handlers made me post this’, “’Not endorsed by the DoD :3’ or ‘most wholesome fedpost’, she revels in layers of irony and appears to enjoy the whole ‘am I or aren’t I’ question that people in her replies and mentions constantly debate.”

“I can’t believe she’s getting away with posting some of this stuff,” said del Duca in an interview with MintPress News, “Everyone learns in boot camp that when you are in uniform, you cannot act unprofessionally, or you get in deep trouble.” The Defense Department didn’t respond when MacLeod reached out for clarification.

“Lujan is not the only online military influencer, but her overt use of her sensuality and her constant encouragement of her followers to enlist make her noteworthy.” Project Censored noted. “She is using her femininity to recruit legions of lustful teens into an institution with an infamous record of sexism and sexual assault against female soldiers.” MacLeod wrote.

“The branches of the US military are no stranger to partnerships with entertainment giants that traditionally engage viewers from all walks of life — as in armed forces’ partnerships with the National Football League. But this new attempt to appeal to niche youth audiences has not been scrutinized,” Project Censored said.

“It is now well-established (if not well-known) that the Department of Defense also fields a giant clandestine army of at least 60,000 people whose job it is to influence public opinion, the majority doing so from their keyboards,” MacLeod reported, adding that a 2021 Newsweek exposé “warned that this troll army was likely breaking both domestic and international law.”

As of May 2024, Project Censored reported “no new coverage on this

specific instance” that appears to take such lawbreaking to a new level.

New Federal Rule Limits Transcript Withholding by Colleges and Universities

More than six million students have “stranded credits” due to the practice of colleges and universities withholding students’ transcripts to force them to repay loan debts. But a new federal Department of Education regulation will make withholding more difficult, Sarah Butrymowicz and Meredith Kolodner reported for The Hechinger Report in December 2023. Transcript withholding “has become a growing worry for state and federal regulators,” they wrote. “Critics say that it makes it harder for students to earn a degree or get a job, which would allow them to earn enough to pay back their debts. But the system of oversight is patchwork; no single federal agency bans it, state rules vary and there are significant challenges with monitoring the practice.”

The rule was part of a package also intended to “strengthen the U.S. Department of Education’s ability to protect students and taxpayers from the negative effects of sudden college closures,” the DOE said in a press release. It went into effect in July 2024. Specifically, it prevents withholding a transcript for terms in which a student received federal financial aid and paid off the balance for the term.

“As Katherine Knott reported for Inside Higher Education ... the new policy is part of a set of regulations intended to enhance the DOE’s oversight of institutions by providing additional tools to hold all colleges accountable,” Project Censored explained. “But these protections do not apply to institutions that accept no federal student aid, including many for-profit colleges.” However, “The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau is also investigating transcript withholding, which the Bureau has deemed abusive because the practice is ‘designed to gain leverage over borrowers and coerce them into making payments.’”

“It’s a huge step forward, and it’s really going to benefit a lot of people,” Martin Kurzweil, an official at consulting firm Ithaka S+R, told Knott. The firm first identified the problem in a paper three years ago. He called the decision “stunning,” given it was just three years since his firm identified the problem. “That’s lightning speed in policy terms,” he told Knott. “It speaks to the salience of this issue and unfairness in transcript withholding. I commend the Education Department for taking this so seriously.” Practically, it’s essentially a national ban, he added. “I suspect that for a lot of institutions, it’ll be more trouble than it’s worth to try to carve off a term that was completed but not fully paid for. It’ll be administratively difficult.”

Another expert — Edward Conroy, a senior policy advisor at the New America think tank, told The Hechinger Report something similar: that it probably helps all students, not just ones getting federal aid. “It wouldn’t completely surprise me if one of the institutional reactions was, ‘We’re just going to stop doing this period,’” Conroy told them. “The number of students who are paying completely out of pocket isn’t that big; you don’t want to have separate administrative systems.”

This has already been seen at the state level, The Hechinger Report noted:

“For instance, in 2022, Colorado passed a law prohibiting withholding transcripts from students requesting them for several reasons including needing to provide it to an employer, another college or the military. Carl Einhaus, a senior director at the Colorado Department of Education says that most institutions found it too burdensome to differentiate between which transcript requests were required by law to be honored and which weren’t and have opted to grant all requests.

Corporate news coverage has been limited as of May 2024, Project Censored noted. There has been only limited corporate news coverage of the transcript withholding rule. When the rule package was announced in October 2023, the Washington Post published a substantive report on the package, emphasizing the protections from sudden college closures, but only briefly noted the issue of transcript withholding. Early reporting in U.S. News & World Report and the New York Times (in a partnership with The Hechinger Report) did cover the issue. But the government’s response has gone virtually unnoticed.

Controversial Acquitted-Conduct Sentencing Challenged by U.S. Commission

You might be surprised — even shocked — to learn that federal judges can determine defendants’ sentences based on charges they’ve been acquitted of by a jury. But in April 2024, the United States Sentencing Commission (USSC) — a bipartisan panel that creates guidelines for the federal judiciary — voted to end the practice as it applies to “calculating a sentence range under the federal guidelines.” The change will significantly limit federal judges’ use of acquittedconduct sentencing, as the legal news service Law360 and Reason magazine reported. The commission voted unanimously “to prohibit judges from using acquitted conduct to increase the sentences of defendants who receive mixed verdicts at trial,” Stewart Bishop reported for Law360 , but was “divided” on whether its proposal ought to apply retroactively. There are still narrow circumstances where such conduct can be considered — if it underlies a

charge the defendant is found guilty of as well as the acquitted crime. Acquitted conduct had been allowed under a lower standard — if the judge found the charges more likely truth than not, rather than the jury’s standard of “beyond a reasonable doubt.”

It’s “a practice that has drawn condemnation from a wide range of civil liberties groups, lawmakers, and jurists,” C.J. Ciaramella reported for Reason, which in turn has “raised defendants’ scores under the federal sentencing guidelines, leading to significantly longer prison sentences.”

But now, “Not guilty means not guilty,” chair of the USSC, U.S. District Judge Carlton W. Reeves, said in a press release. “By enshrining this basic fact within the federal sentencing guidelines, the Commission is taking an important step to protect the credibility of our courts and criminal justice system.”

Project Censored noted that “Acquitted-conduct sentencing partly explains why two Black men from Virginia, Terence Richardson and Ferrone Claiborne, have been serving life sentences for the murder of police officer Allen Gibson in 1998 despite being found not guilty by a federal jury in 2001,” a case whose reconsideration has been reported on repeatedly by Meg O’Connor at The Appeal. The initial travesty of justice in this case was that police hid exonerating evidence from their original attorneys, and because of that, they pled guilty to lesser state charges. That was then used to give them life sentences in federal court, even though they were acquitted of

murder in that trial. An evidentiary hearing was ordered by the Virginia Supreme Court in February, 2024, and the judge in that hearing allowed some new evidence to be introduced — but not all of it. Still, it’s possible that Richardson could be released from prison.

There’s been little corporate media coverage. Project Censored cited one story in Bloomberg Law, but nothing in the New York Times nor the Washington Post as of June 2024. In addition, “Richardson’s and Claiborne’s cases have received nearly no national coverage by corporate outlets,” except for a March 2023 BET report, “which addressed coerced confessions but not acquitted-conduct sentencing.”

Generative AI Apps Raise Serious Security Concerns

Generative artificial intelligence (AI) apps carry considerable risks, some poorly understood, which can result in exposing sensitive data and exposing organizations to attacks from bad actors. In response, both government and businesses have taken steps to limit or even block AI access to data.

Congress “only permits lawmakers and staff to access ChatGPT Plus, a paid version of the app with enhanced privacy features, and forbids them from using other AI apps or pasting blocks of text that have not already been made public into the program,” Project Censored noted. A follow-up regulation banned the use of Microsoft’s Copilot AI on government-issued devices. And the National Archives and Records Administration is even more restrictive. In May 2024 it “completely prohibited employees from using ChatGPT at work and blocked all access to the app on agency computers.” What’s more, “Samsung decided to ban its employees’ use of generative AI apps (and develop its own AI application) in May 2023 after some users accidentally leaked sensitive

data via ChatGPT,” Priya Singh reported for Business Today in April 2024.

Programs such as ChatGPT and Copilot are built by a training process that collects and organizes data which can be regurgitated in response to just a snippet of text. They are then “aligned” with an added layer of training to produce helpful output — which is what ordinary users normally see. But something as simple as asking ChatGPT to repeat a word endlessly can cause it to break alignment and reveal potentially sensitive data, Tiernan Ray reported for ZDNet in December 2023. Researchers from Google’s DeepMind AI research lab found that ChatGPT “could also be manipulated to reproduce individuals’ names, phone numbers, and addresses, which is a violation of privacy with potentially serious consequences,” he reported. “With our limited budget of $200 USD, we extracted over 10,000 unique examples,” the researchers wrote. “However, an adversary who spends more money to query the ChatGPT API could likely extract far more data.”

And while training data itself can hold sensitive information, users are constantly adding new sensitive data that can also be exposed. In an article for tech news site ZDNet , Eileen Yu cited a survey of some 11,500 employees in the US, Europe (France, Germany, and the UK), and Asia (Australia, China, Japan, Singapore, South Korea), which found that “57 percent of employees used public generative AI tools in the office at least once weekly, with 22.3 percent using the technology daily,” and that “31 percent of employees polled admitted entering sensitive information such as addresses and banking details for customers, confidential HR data, and proprietary company information into publicly accessible AI programs (and another 5 percent were unsure if they had done so).”

“Corporate media have given a lot of breathless coverage to the existential threat to humanity allegedly posed by AI,” Project Censored notes.“Yet these outlets have been far less attentive to AI apps’ documented data security risks and vulnerability to hackers, issues that have been given exhaustive coverage by smaller, tech-focused news outlets.”

Paul Rosenberg is a Californiabased writer/activist, senior editor for Random Lengths News, and a columnist for Al Jazeera English and Salon.

ARTS & CULTURE

One Tote Bag, One Suit, One Beer

In the Cincinnati area, however, the landscape has changed.

“It’s almost like we had a bell curve kind of thing, where before the clown paint, it was tough. And then when I was still unknown, it was like, okay, the clown paint attracts fun people. But now I attract a lot of people.”

Regardless, the Softmaxplus universe is expanding.

Sawan continues to sell books and create content. As of late, Sawan has pursued more longer-form, sketchbased videos. Right after his rendezvous with Hyland at the Imperial Theatre, he was joined by Tone Branson of Improv Cincinnati. The pair spent two hours improvising — and headbutting — throughout the historic space, loosely following a script Sawan occasionally pulled out for clarification.

Production was touch-and-go. Occasionally, the team paused to regroup. What’s going on in this scene? Were they accounting for continuity? And was there still time for the requested fan shout-out at the end? The approximate two-hour shoot of the improv side of things ultimately yielded a 21-minute video and a handful of shorts.

Getting to know Softmaxplus, the clown about town

One Tote Bag, One Suit, One Beer

Getting to know Softmaxplus, the clown about town

BY NADYA ELLERHORST

MMarta Hyland, development director of the Imperial Theatre, is in the hot seat.

arta Hyland, development director of the Imperial Theatre, is in the hot seat.

A suited individual holds out a microphone and lets her speak about the site’s history, fundraising goals and place in the community. Nearby, a camera crew executes pans, tilts and zooms, all while teetering on the edge of an open orchestra pit. Once the interview concludes, the team begins discussing a shot list for the former vaudeville house and movie theater.

But this isn’t the work of a news anchor or a journalist. This is the doing of a clown.

Meet Softmaxplus.

In the summer of 2023, Michael Sawan donned the now-iconic getup he thrifted from Casablanca Vintage and channeled what he calls “a strong tradition of guy in a suit doing interviews” for internet videos. His objective? Marketing the four books (and counting) he’s authored.

Having dabbled in video editing, Sawan began taking classes at Improv Cincinnati to help give his videos an edge, yet initial success (sans face paint) was minimal. In spite of the whimsical plaid suit, cold calling strangers with a camera yielded little returns.

“They’re already on the defensive, and they already aren’t comfortable, and usually it wasn’t great,” Sawan explains.

While taking improv classes, Sawan

learned about the art of being a clown. And with a smattering of makeup from Cappel’s, the next summer, Softmaxplus was manifested. A greater openness from pedestrians followed.

“I noticed almost immediately that fun people would come up to me,” Sawan says. “So we could skip all the question-and-answer — they were ready to rock. They wanted to talk to the clown on camera.”

During a particularly fateful shoot in June 2024, a shadowboxer happened to be in the frame as Softmaxplus waxed poetic at the Northside UDF. The clip took off, and it remains one of Sawan’s most viral.

Now, Softmaxplus maintains thousands of followers across Instagram, TikTok and YouTube. Many regional spots and events, from Kenwood Towne Centre to BLINK, have begun to harbor the odds of a Softmaxplus sighting.

But he doesn’t do it alone. Content is usually filmed guerilla-style on camcorders with a two-person camera team, creating a feel videographer Kevin Doyle calls “better than a crappy Handycam…but it still has that kind of raw analog element to it.”

“You’re capturing this moment that you might never get to capture again,” fellow videographer Aaron Ellis says. “You’re very present with what’s going on.”

No matter the setting, there’s a fearlessness to Softmaxplus. He’s scaled dumpsters in broad daylight, chanted in Latin alongside the highway and taped

flyers where he probably shouldn’t have (like impounded Big Boy statues). He is the man who cracked open a cold one on Local 12 during a morning segment and is considered a cryptid by the City of Covington. While he pushes the envelope of what might be considered “conventional” — and sometimes ventures into the mildly anarchic — that’s sort of the point.

“Generally, I feel like people are a little too cautious,” Sawan says.

The origin of the clown’s now wellknown calling cards are surprisingly simple, most being objects that Sawan just had on hand. The Miller High Life? That amber nectar offers the cheapest yet still palatable buzz. The bag? It allows him to say “My writing’s been in The New Yorker…tote bag.” The ubiquitous red microphone? He had the bright pop filter for a decade or so before this gig; its resemblance to a clown nose was pure and convenient coincidence. And his alter ego’s name is a riff on the softmax function, a machine learning concept Sawan chanced upon in a writer’s group.

But as Softmaxplus has become more known, Sawan acknowledges the need to keep things fresh.

“I think what got me by at the start was I was local, and people were amused just to see places they recognized,” Sawan says.

He recounts a recent trip to Gatlinburg, where Softmaxplus could interact with the public as a relative unknown.

In a departure from his more unpremeditated methodology, Sawan recently premiered the first episode of The Softmaxplus Show on YouTube (18+ only) and plans to source sketches for forthcoming installments.

Sawan credits numerous friendsturned-collaborators who’ve contributed their own creativity in one way or another. His real-life improv colleague BJ Casey plays Softmaxplus’s brother, Bo Jangles. Ellis is another Improv Cincinnati contemporary, and Sawan knows Doyle from his previous days in the local music scene. With an abundance of fan homages, including a mural by artist Technique2012, Sawan sees even more chances to connect with artistic minds (he subsequently interviewed a masked Technique2012 on the show).

Yet Softmaxplus, the alias embedded in the social handles, and Michael Sawan, the name printed on the book covers, are, in a sense, one in the same.

Sawan’s life is not clown-exclusive. Alongside his exploits across the city, nation and his basement-turnedsoundstage, Sawan, a Cincinnati native and Walnut Hills High School alum, works a day job and remains involved in Improv Cincinnati. He continues to write, but he admits that much of his current time is devoted to video editing. Yet Softmaxplus, the alias embedded in the social handles, and Michael Sawan, the name printed on the book covers, are, in a sense, one in the same. “This isn’t really a character,” Sawan says. “Like, I’m just kind of doing what I do. I forget I’m wearing the paint more often than not.”

“This isn’t really a character,” Sawan says. “Like, I’m just kind of doing what I do. I forget I’m wearing the paint more often than not.”

To learn more about Michael Sawan and Softmaxplus, visit softmaxplus.com.

Softmaxplus (center) with camera crew

PHOTO: AIDAN MAHONEY

Softmaxplus (center) with camera crew

PHOTO: AIDAN MAHONEY

CULTURE

Greater Cincinnati Events to Look Forward to in 2025

BY JONATHAN KEILHOLZ

WWe’re willing to bet you’ve got a shiny new calendar from that awkward office gift exchange or the aunt who famously spends Christmas Eve in Staples (and you don’t ask questions.) Thankfully for you, CityBeat is here to help find events that are new and “you” in 2025. Before another Brat Summer, we must plow through “Why Do I Live Here?” Winter. The key to curing cabin fever in our temporary Hoth-like home is getting creative and trying new things with those we love — or at the very least, making plans for later in the year — because, as little orphan Annie sang, the sun’ll come out tomorrow.

e’re willing to bet you’ve got a shiny new calendar from that awkward office gift exchange or the aunt who famously spends Christmas Eve in Staples (and you don’t ask questions.) Thankfully for you, CityBeat is here to help find events that are new and “you” in 2025. Before another Brat Summer, we must plow through “Why Do I Live Here?” Winter. The key to curing cabin fever in our temporary Hoth-like home is getting creative and trying new things with those we love — or at the very least, making plans for later in the year — because, as little orphan Annie sang, the sun’ll come out tomorrow.

The following is a chronological list of fun Cincinnati-area events to have on your calendar this year:

January: Ice Rink at Fountain Square

When: Rink is open daily through Feb. 19; see website for details.

Where: Fountain Square, Downtown

When: Rink is open daily through Feb. 19; see website for details.

Where: Fountain Square, Downtown

What: Sometimes, we just need to embrace the season — and this is something you can do without really any planning (my favorite)! No reservations are required; you just walk up and fight for your life on the ice. It’s perfect for a date night or you can pretend you’re Michelle Kwan or Adam Rippon all by yourself. Cost: $10 (including admission and skate rental). Children ages 3 and under are free with paid adult admission and must be accompanied on the ice at all times.

February: The Cincinnati Ballet’s The Wizard of Oz

When: Performances from Feb. 21 through March 2

April: Greater Cincinnati Restaurant Week

June: Cincinnati Pride Parade and Festival

When: June 28

Where: Sawyer Point and Yeatman’s Cove

When: June 28

Where: Sawyer Point and Yeatman’s Cove

What: Every color of the rainbow will paint the Cincinnati Pride Parade and Festival, featuring floats, performances, resources and overall positive vibes. The event draws thousands of participants and supporters each year, creating a space for people to come together in support of LGBTQ+ rights and visibility. There’s music, food, drinks, local artisans and activities for all ages, making it a cornerstone event for our city’s LGBTQ+ community and allies.

Cost: Free

July: Cincinnati Music Festival

When: July 24-26

April: Greater Cincinnati Restaurant Week

When: April 7-13

When: Performances from Feb. 21 through March 2

Where: Cincinnati Music Hall, Over-the-Rhine

What: Who knew the yellow brick road traveled along Central Parkway? While we wait for Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande to bring Wicked: For Good to the big screen, let’s get reacclimated with the original classic — The Wizard of Oz — at Music Hall. This is a phenomenal opportunity to enjoy fantastic special effects, gorgeous sets and incredible costumes — all while clicking our heels with the Cincinnati Ballet and the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra.

Cost: Remaining ticket prices on the official website start at $39 (as of publishing date).

March: Cincinnati Reds Opening Day Parade

When: March 27

March: Cincinnati Reds Opening Day Parade

Where: Downtown Cincinnati

When: March 27

Where: Downtown Cincinnati

What: Cincinnatians celebrate the start of spring by stepping up to the plate and into formation — and this year, they get to do it earlier than ever. On March 27, Findlay Market will sponsor the 105th annual Cincinnati Reds Opening Day Parade. The details of the route are still being hammered out, but we do know the Reds will take on the San Francisco Giants at Great American Ball Park. (By the way, the late great Pete Rose will be honored at the Reds game on “Pete Rose Day,” scheduled for May 14).

Cost: Free

When: April 7-13

Where: Restaurants all over Greater Cincinnati

What: Hungry? During the Greater Cincinnati Restaurant Week, participating restaurants offer special menus at discounted prices, giving you the chance to sample a variety of cuisines at a great value. It’s a fantastic opportunity to try new spots, revisit local favorites or enjoy a high-end dining experience for less. The event often includes more than 100 restaurants, ranging from casual eateries to fine dining establishments, and may feature exclusive dishes and promotions.

Cost: Menus vary; see website for details.

May: Taste of Cincinnati

Where: Paycor Stadium, Downtown What: Music lovers from all over the country will be in town for the Cincinnati Music Festival, celebrating R&B, jazz, hip-hop and soul. The event features a stellar lineup of iconic and contemporary artists — like Earth, Wind & Fire and Janet Jackson — delivering unforgettable live performances. With a storied history dating back to 1962, the festival has become one of the largest and most anticipated music events in the Midwest.

Cost: Ticket prices range from $60 to $600

August: Western & Southern WEBN Fireworks/Riverfest

May: Taste of Cincinnati

When: May 24-26

Where: 5th Street in Downtown Cincinnati

What: If you can’t tell, I really like food. And the Taste of Cincinnati is the ultimate foodie adventure, serving up more than 100 local and regional food vendors, live music and other entertainment on several stages. Whether you’re savoring award-winning dishes, relaxing with a beverage or browsing unique finds from local artists, there’s something for everyone — including family-friendly food, drinks and treats. (A representative with the Cincinnati Regional Chamber of Commerce tells us more information will be released soon, so stay tuned for updates.)

Cost: Free

When: Aug. 31 (Labor Day Weekend) Where: Sawyer Point and Yeatman’s Cove What: Baby, you’re a firework! The Western & Southern WEBN Fireworks and Riverfest is a Cincinnati tradition, lighting up the city and closing out the summer since 1977. The family-friendly event kicks off at noon, with food, music and activities for all ages. The grand finale is the dazzling fireworks show, perfectly synchronized to WEBN’s (102.7 FM) soundtrack. You can enjoy the view from Smale Park, Newport on the Levee or even a riverboat cruise.

Cost: Free

September: Oktoberfest Zinzinnati

When: Sept. 18-21

September: Oktoberfest Zinzinnati

When: Sept. 18-21

Where: Sawyer Point and Yeatman’s Cove What: Prost! Oktoberfest Zinzinnati is Cincinnati’s huge tribute to German culture, tradition and beer, earning its distinction as the largest Oktoberfest celebration in the nation. The festival transforms downtown into a hub of dancing

Where: Sawyer Point and Yeatman’s Cove

What: Prost! Oktoberfest Zinzinnati is Cincinnati’s huge tribute to German culture, tradition and beer, earning its distinction as the largest Oktoberfest celebration in the nation. The festival transforms downtown into a hub of dancing

Oktoberfest Zinzinnati

PHOTO: AIDAN MAHONEY

Oktoberfest Zinzinnati

PHOTO: AIDAN MAHONEY

and delicious Bavarian-inspired food. You can take part in traditions like the iconic “Running of the Wieners” dachshund race and the world’s largest chicken dance. (A representative with the Cincinnati Regional Chamber of Commerce tells us more information will be released soon, so stay tuned for updates.)

Cost: Free

October: America’s River Roots Festival

When: Oct. 8-12

Where: Along the Ohio River

What: We’re rollin’ on the (Ohio) River! The America’s River Roots Festival is a celebration of music and culture along our riverfront to kick off America’s 250th celebration. The event brings together talented performers from genres like Americana, folk and bluegrass for an unforgettable weekend of live music. Perhaps the coolest part will be the steamboat cruises, offering rides on historic riverboats, including the Steamboat NATCHEZ from New Orleans and the Belle of Louisville.

It’s a blast whether you’re a music enthusiast or simply looking for a fun way to enjoy Cincinnati’s vibrant arts scene in the fall.

Cost: Free

November: Pumpkin Chuck Festival

When: Nov. 1

Where: Stanbery Park

What: The Pumpkin Chuck Festival is pretty self-explanatory (and a good way to release some pent-up energy): it’s an annual event celebrating all things pumpkin right after Halloween, including a signature competition where people use catapults, trebuchets and other “creative” machines to launch pumpkins as far as humanly possible. Along with the pumpkin chucking, the festival often features music, food trucks and family-friendly activities, making it a pumpkin perfect event for anyone.

Cost: Free admission; launch up to three pumpkins for $5 each or chuck your own for $15 each

December: Festival of Lights

When: TBA (The festival typically begins around Thanksgiving and runs through early January)

Where: Cincinnati Zoo

What: Well, would you look at that? Suddenly, it’s the holidays again — and we end with an oldie but a goodie. The Festival of Lights at the Cincinnati Zoo features more than four million twinkling lights, stunning displays and festive fun. Visitors can hang out with Santa, take a ride on the classic holiday train and warm up with a seasonal treat or three. Some years feature unique exhibits or animal encounters, so keep an

eye out for updates!

Cost: Adults (age 13 and up): Around $22 for tickets purchased in advance, and higher if purchased at the door. Children (age 2–12): Around $17 for tickets purchased in advance. Children under 2: Free admission

You can find many more events at visitcincy.com and CityBeat is always updating the Events page on our website.

Did we miss something good?

Let us know what else is happening in your neck of the woods by emailing request @citybeat.com.

The Cincinnati Pride Parade PHOTO: LYDIA SCHEMBRE

ONSTAGE

NNFalcon Theatre Sustains Excellence in Newport’s Arts Scene

BY NOAH MOORE

Falcon Theatre Sustains Excellence in Newport’s Arts Scene

BY NOAH MOORE

estled in the heart of historic Monmouth Street in Newport, Kentucky, between a boutique and a costume gallery, Falcon Theatre stands as a testament to the city’s evolving cultural landscape. This modest venue, marked by its distinctive blue awning, has quietly become a cornerstone of the local arts scene, playing an integral role in the transformation of Newport into a vibrant, artsfriendly suburb of Cincinnati. Falcon Theatre is more than just a place for performances; it has become a beloved community hub for those who appreciate the power of intimate theater.

Founded in 1989 by theater veterans Ted Weil and David Radtke, Falcon Theatre’s origins trace back far beyond its current Newport home. The company initially operated out of the historic Westwood Town Hall in Cincinnati, beginning with a limited scope — no regular season and minimal resources. Despite these humble beginnings, the founders’ shared vision to explore new, bold theatrical works quickly set them apart from other regional theater companies.

“We just had money to do another one and didn’t have a regular season at first,” said Weil, Falcon’s producing artistic director and co-founder. “We started doing a couple of things, like so many other companies. It began as a project and grew from there. We wanted to explore work that was a little different, the kinds of things other theaters weren’t doing.”

The theater’s name evokes feelings of soaring through art or being unburdened by boundaries, but the story behind its name is more casual. Radtke had proposed the name Falcon Theatre without much explanation, and the small group had liked it.

“We were all like, it’s kind of a neat name. I mean, I kind of like it. I don’t know why, but it’s cool,” Weil said with a chuckle. “It wasn’t until probably six months later that Dave told me he stole it from a movie. It was actually from the movie Beaches. It was the theater company or the film company that employed Bette Midler.”

With Midler in mind, Falcon’s early productions, including Christopher Durang’s Beyond Therapy, John Steinbeck’s The Grapes of Wrath and Alfred Uhry’s Driving Miss Daisy, set the tone for what would become a legacy of bold, thought-provoking theater. As the company’s reputation grew, so did its ambition. Falcon Theatre eventually moved to its current location on Monmouth Street in downtown

Newport, expanding its seasons from a handful of shows to a broader range of productions, including musicals such as Jesus Christ Superstar and Once on This Island.

Newport, expanding its seasons from a handful of shows to a broader range of productions, including musicals such as Jesus Christ Superstar and Once on This Island

With continued success in its mainstage series, Falcon Theatre began broadening its impact through community engagement initiatives. Programs like Falcons Take Flight, a staged reading series for new plays, and HIVoices®, a collaboration with local health organizations, reflect the theater’s commitment to creating meaningful, socially relevant art. Even 35 years after its founding, Falcon Theatre continues to hold fast to its mission of producing intimate, bold and innovative theater.

“We still try to do a lot of local premieres and work that people haven’t seen or maybe tackle things a little differently,” said Weil. “But I would say the execution of that has changed and certainly the way we position it has changed over time as the market has evolved. But every show in this year’s season is a premiere for Greater Cincinnati. There’s nothing that’s been done anywhere here.”

Falcon Theatre’s 2024-2025 season

kicked off in September with POTUS, a hilarious, fast-paced comedy by Selena Fillinger that centers on the women keeping the president alive. The play premiered in 2022 on Broadway in a star-studded production with Rachel Dratch and Julianne Hough. November saw the production of Mindgame, a gripping psychological thriller set in a mental hospital, which had been a hit in London.

excitement about Hangmen and The Shark is Broken, two productions he had long hoped to stage. “Those shows were ones we were just really gung-ho about. To be lucky enough to get three of those in one season is pretty cool for us.”

The rest of the season features three more regional premieres. In February, Hangmen by Martin McDonagh — fresh off a Tony-nominated Broadway run — explores a British executioner’s deep moral struggles. Following that, Mr. Parker by Michael McKeever takes a heartfelt look at a man navigating his journey of self-discovery, exploring themes of age, sexuality and the search for forgiveness. The season culminates in May with The Shark is Broken, a comedy by Ian Shaw and Joseph Nixon, which hilariously recounts the behind-the-scenes chaos of filming the iconic movie Jaws “POTUS, the minute we read it, we knew we wanted to do it, and we knew we wanted to do it in the fall of an election year,” said Weil. He also expressed

“POTUS, the minute we read it, we knew we wanted to do it, and we knew we wanted to do it in the fall of an election year,” said Weil. He also expressed

As evidenced by the diverse synopses of its upcoming shows, Falcon Theatre’s season strikes a balance between comedy and drama, vivid reality and absurdist humor, from the confines of a presidential suite to the sun-baked set of an ‘80s mechanical shark boat. This eclectic mix of new works is a hallmark of Falcon’s programming philosophy, designed to engage a wide variety of tastes and interests.

“Almost everybody will find something they like in our season. That’s something we try hard to achieve — to make sure we offer a broad range of shows,” he said. “And the fact that we’ve been doing this for this long and we are still continuing to do it and that people like what we’re doing, yeah, that’s great.”

To learn more about Falcon Theatre and its 2024-25 season, visit falcontheater.net.

Falcon Theatre was founded in 1989 by theater veterans Ted Weil and David Radtke.

PHOTO: RICK PENDER

Falcon Theatre was founded in 1989 by theater veterans Ted Weil and David Radtke.

PHOTO: RICK PENDER

FOOD & DRINK

Instant Classic

Vintage on Race is a delicious addition to downtown.

REVIEW BY CAROLINE BECKMAN

Sports bars are not a new concept to Cincinnati. Neither are innovative eateries with modern décor and creative flavor combinations. These concepts aren’t often seen together, but downtown’s newly-opened Vintage on Race dares to combine the two, with bold and delicious results.

Located in the Foundry building in the heart of downtown and a block away from Fountain Square, Vintage on Race catches your attention with a large, welllit “V” sign, beckoning hungry visitors like a lighthouse. You enter the restaurant through a large, winding ramp leading to the host’s stand. The inside is spacious, airy and industrial with high ceilings and two bars, one at the very back and one toward the front, wrapping around a large cabinet and facing a stage. Except for a huge flat-screen TV and a wall devoted to memorabilia of Cincinnati’s sports teams, Vintage on Race looks like the bar of an upscale hotel.

The dinner menu is divided into five categories: Shareables, greens, handhelds, plates and sides.

When I first visited Vintage on Race, I popped in to get an order to-go. While I waited I had a glass of Luccio Moscato D’Asti ($13 for a glass, $52 for a bottle). The wine was sweet, fruity and light.

To start, I had a citrus kale salad ($14), which includes kale, citrus dressing, cashews, shaved parmesan, dried cherries and oranges. I’ve never liked kale, but I like citrus and parmesan, and the combination of sweet and savory ingredients intrigued me. That combination was almost excellent but came just shy of hitting the mark. The oranges and dried cherries, however, were by far the highlight of the salad. The oranges were juicy, and the cherries were rich and flavorful.

Vintage on Race’s menus are a balance of innovative and unexpected flavors and combinations such as the creamy gochujang grits (which blends a Korean fermented soybean-based condiment and a Southern classic), balanced with old favorites such as biscuits and gravy or the classic Caesar salad. Vintage on Race adheres to the trappings of a sports bar and grill while elevating the classics and introducing new flavors. Both adventurous and cautious eaters will find something to enjoy at Vintage on Race. There are three menus: Dinner, brunch and drinks. The drinks menu is laid out as expected; there are categories for beer, wine, cocktails and happy hour specials. (There is also a limited but intriguing zero-proof section, for the designated drivers and those who don’t drink.) The brunch menu features cocktails, lunch items, game day items (a section focused on nachos and wings), bread-based items and sweets, eggs and sides that are both breakfast- and lunch-oriented.

I also had a side of the mac and cheese ($10). While so much of Vintage on Race’s menu is comprised of experimental flavor combinations, chef Robert Grace stuck with the basics with the mac and cheese — it was simple, creamy and tangy. The only twist was the use of shells instead of elbow macaroni, cavatappi and other common pasta shapes. If you’ve ever had Velveeta Shells and Cheese, this is sort of an elevated version of that.

The highlight of this visit, and perhaps of Vintage’s entire menu, was the whipped feta with sriracha honey, toasted naan and herbs ($16). Alternating between sweet, tangy and spicy, the whipped feta perfectly complemented the crunchy, crispy naan. I cannot overstate how delicious the whipped feta is. The whipped feta is in the “shareables” category, but trust me, you’re going to want to keep it all to yourself. The whipped feta alone is reason enough to visit Vintage on Race.

One cold December Saturday, I treated myself to Vintage on Race’s brunch. The restaurant was definitely in the Christmas spirit, with trees and tinsel all around and modern Christmas songs playing full-blast on the speakers. The space was surprisingly empty for a Saturday, although people filtered in after me;

some of my fellow diners were SantaCon attendees in full SantaCon regalia, adding to the Christmas spirit. The choice was difficult, as the brunch menu is filled with intriguing options, but I went with sangria, the classic benedict, and my favorite, the whipped feta. The sangria ($12) is a mix of red wine, pineapple, vanilla, a citrus blend and prosecco, and the citrus blend is the dominant flavor. The classic benedict dish ($14) was a delicious, simple take on a breakfast favorite, with eggs covered in a creamy hollandaise sauce atop an English muffin. (The classic benedict comes with Canadian bacon, but I had the dish without it.) The highlight was the hangover hash, a creamy, gooey, peppery ball of potatoes and cheese that would be sure to ease even the most brutal hangover. For my third visit, I had a quick lunch at the bar. I started off with the Velvet Elvis ($15), a seasonal cocktail comprised of Bulleit bourbon, strawberry, cinnamon, ginger and a lemon wedge that I picked as much for the name as for the flavors. (I’ve always been an Elvis fan.) The predominant flavors were strawberry and bourbon.

To eat, I had the creamy gochujang grits ($7). Before I tried the gochujang grits, I wondered what had inspired the chef to combine Korean and Southern flavors. After trying the savory, creamy and subtly spicy dish, all I wanted to know was why nobody had thought of that sooner.

While Vintage has varied and interesting offerings in all meals, the sides and shareables are where the menu really shines. Whether you’re looking for something familiar, an introduction to new flavors, or a gathering place for good vibes, Vintage on Race has you covered. Vintage on Race is currently open from 11 a.m. to midnight on Monday through Friday and from 10 a.m. to midnight on Saturday and Sunday.

Vintage on Race, 500 Race St., Downtown. More info: vintageonrace.com.

Vintage on Race is located in the Foundry building in the heart of downtown.

PHOTO: PROVIDED BY 3CDC

The whipped feta is one of the stars of Vintage on Race’s menu.

PHOTO: CAROLINE BECKMAN

MUSIC

January Local Music Spotlight

Catch these 10 Cincinnati concerts featuring local acts in January

BY BRENT STROUD

This new year promises new events, releases, highlights and likely even fresh bands and artists, all rooted in Cincinnati’s vibrant creative music community. January offers a chance to resolve to experience more of what the city has to offer or check out something new. Here are just some of the events around the city to take you anywhere, from an underground punk show to a honky tonk or to a posh nightclub and anywhere in between to start your new year off right.

Joe’s Truck Stop at Southgate House Revival

Start the new year off with an oldfashioned Southern partying tradition — what Hank Williams called “Honky Tonkin’.” Local roots favorite Joe’s Truck Stop will host Honky Tonk Thursdays in January and February at Newport’s Southgate House Revival. The gettogethers will include dance classes at 7 p.m. featuring guest instructors teaching two-steps, waltzes and more ahead of the 7:30 p.m. dance. Beginners are encouraged to come out. On top of that, there’ll be vintage and Western wear pop-ups and food to make it a real

for performances from local pop star on the rise Sappha (pictured), DJ and hip-hop artist Devin Burgess (otherwise known as Kei$ha) and singer Luna Bruja, all hosted by local designer and MC, Gregory. There will also be handmade jewelry and work from artist Morgan Bochenek. 9 p.m. Jan. 11. Free. Somerset, 139 E. McMicken Ave., Overthe-Rhine, instagram.com.

Ricky Nye w/ Josiah Wolf and Teddy Mechley at Schwartz’s Point

Hot off the recent sold-out shows with his former band, The Raisins, local award-winning and internationally praised piano player and vocalist Ricky Nye will lead a trio of heavy hitters at the historic Schwartz’s Point jazz club from 7-10 p.m. for this Sunday session. Nye performs all over the world, helping keep older music traditions alive. He was inducted into the International Boogie Woogie Hall of Fame in 2013 and is a frequent winner of local awards. 7 p.m. Jan. 12. Free. Schwartz’s Point Jazz & Acoustic Club, 1901 Vine St., Over-the-Rhine, thepointclub.weebly.com.

Daredevils (pictured), soulful, femalefronted rock and roll from Akron’s The Sweet Spot, and the debut of new local band The Beakes. 9 p.m. Jan. 19. Free. The Comet, 4579 Hamilton Ave., Northside, facebook.com/events

Touchdown Jesus, Your Arms Are My Cocoon (Chicago) and Devils Cross Country

The Comet

shindig worth stepping out to. 7 p.m. on Thursdays in January and February. $10. Southgate House Revival, 111 E. Sixth St., Newport, southgatehouse.com.

Muwosi at Ghost Baby

Muwosi, whose stylish neo-soul approach and voice as smooth and lavish as the velvet seating that lines the glammed-out underground bar that is Ghost Baby, performs three sets throughout the night under the chandelier and mirror ball light of the former subterranean storage tunnels turned posh nightclub. 8:15 p.m., 10:15 p.m. and 11:45 p.m. Jan. 10. Free. Reservations encouraged. Ghost Baby, 1314 Republic St., Over-the-Rhine, ghostbaby.com.

Sappha and Guests for Capricore at Somerset

Imani Productions hosts this varied showcase of local talent and celebration of Capicorn at the stylish and expansive high-concept bar Somerset. The night starts out with an earth-themed poetry open mic hosted by Lucky Lee in the lounge before moving to the main bar

Kae Savage, Grandace, Fox the Paradox, Nineball and Zac Lexa for Digital Disruption at The Comet Digital Disruption, billed as “a night of genre-bending sounds,” features varied takes on electronic music and hip-hop and approaches things from a different angle. The night features grunge-influenced hip-hop from Kae Savage (pictured), glitched visuals and subverted industrial hip-hop from Fox the Paradox, Grandace’s inventive and atmospheric hip-hop, fast-paced acid house from Nineball and soundscapes from Zac Lexa. 9 p.m. Jan. 16. Free. The Comet, 4579 Hamilton Ave., Northside, instagram.com.

West

Union, Deej & Her Band and Swan Dive at MOTR Pub

Deej (pictured) makes a type of slightly timeless and hypnotic slow-burn soul that would fit in any era of pop music from the last 50 years. She’ll perform with her band to bring the songs to life and appears with one of the city’s newest bands, West Union. Swan Dive rounds out the bill. 9:30 p.m. Jan. 18. Free. MOTR Pub, 1345 Main St., Overthe-Rhine, motrpub.com.

The Dolly Daredevils, The Sweet Spot (Akron) and The Beakes at The Comet

This Sunday night rock and roll show features the raw power of garage rock from the all-female trio The Dolly

Touchdown Jesus (pictured), featured on CityBeat’s 2024 best of local music playlist, Cincinnati Wrapped, blend genre, tone and style into explosive freeform compositions that pull from free jazz, math rock and punk among others but maintain the strength of easy appeal and catchy listenability. Your Arms Are My Cocoon, on tour from Chicago, juxtaposes screaming emo era-influenced vocals with tender, lo-fi electronic melodies. Devils Cross Country’s varied and melodic noise rock rounds out the bill. 9 p.m. Jan. 24. Free. The Comet, 4579 Hamilton Ave., Northside, instagram.com.

The

Montvales, The Harmed Brothers (Oregon) and Rae Fisher at Woodward Theater

Also from the CityBeat best of 2024 list, The Montvales (pictured) make a somewhat rare local appearance this month. The show is a return of sorts to their Woodward Theater performance early last year celebrating the release of Born Strangers, a fully realized record of the duo’s moving songwriting working within the traditions of country and roots music while challenging ideas and taking on a range of emotions The duo and their band appear with The Harmed Brothers, Americana pop from Portland, Oregon, along with local serial collaborator and heartfelt vocalist Rae Fisher. 7:30 p.m. Jan. 25. $15 in advance and $18 on the day of the show. Woodward Theater, 1404 Main St., Overthe-Rhine, woodwardtheater.com.

DJ Boywife, DJ Rory Corp and DJ Liot at Mecca

There’s something wild in the night in Cincinnati and a touch of high gloss glam for local nightlife. This should be an ideal example of this glamor, featuring DJ Boywife (pictured), DJ Rory Corp and DJ Liot at Over-the-Rhine’s Mecca for “Corporate Rave” at this Saturday night party and throwback to rave. CityBeat released a story late in the summer on the recent renaissance in club culture in the city and it only seems to be growing. With events like this happening every weekend across the city, Cincinnati club culture is alive and thriving. Time TBA Jan. 25. Mecca, 27 E. 15th St., Over-the-Rhine.

Muwosi

PHOTO: SAMUEL GREENHILL

SOUND ADVICE

NAJEE

Jan. 11 • Ludlow Garage

The award-winning saxophonist and flute player Najee is set to bring the art of elegance to a Cincinnati stage this month. He is renowned as one of the pioneers of contemporary jazz music, beginning his career nearly four decades ago.

Jerome Najee Rasheed made his solo debut in 1986 with his Grammynominated debut album, Najee’s Theme. Highlights from the album include songs like “Betcha Don’t Know” and the title track, which showcase Najee’s ability to blend jazz with R&B in a seamless and alluring way. His emphasis on R&B paired with his warm and smooth sound makes for a lush, immersive experience for listeners.

After almost 40 years of experience in the industry and continuously topping R&B and jazz charts throughout his career, Najee has established himself as an icon in the world of contemporary jazz. His latest album, “Savoir Faire,” is all about living elegantly and exploring a sophisticated romance.

Najee’s artistry has been recognized many times throughout his career. He is a recipient of the United States Presidential Lifetime Achievement Award and NAACP Image Award for “Best Jazz Artist” in 2006. He has toured in the U.S., Africa and Europe throughout his career, always moving through his experiences with gratitude.

Najee has collaborated with several other icons in the music industry, including Quincy Jones, Prince and Chaka Khan.

Throughout his career, Najee has gained respect and recognition for his genuine passion for music and connecting with people. This passion is what has continually enchanted his fans throughout the years. His magical skills on the saxophone have captivated audiences for decades and will continue to do so for years to come.

Najee plays Ludlow Garage at 7:30 p.m. on Jan. 11. More info: ludlowgaragecincinnati.com. (Alanna Marshall)

MESHELL

NDEGEOCELLO

Jan. 24 • Ludlow Garage

Meshell Ndegeocello just keeps evolving through a genre-jumping musical career informed by her perspective as a bisexual woman of color who possesses boundless creative energy. Ndegeocello’s latest album, No More Water: The Gospel of James Baldwin, is her 14th studio recording over the last three decades, a conceptually curious effort that, as its title would suggest, celebrates her roots through the contributions of various African-American artists and intellectuals, none more important than Baldwin.

No More Water is her second album for the Blue Note label in two years

following 2023’s stellar, Grammywinning The Omnichord Real Book, a kaleidoscopic musical and narrative journey that delved deeper into jazz than anything in her discography. No More Water is a sister companion of sorts, 17 tracks clocking in at more than 76 minutes, which is even longer than its predecessor. As ever, Ndegeocello’s bass is prominent, but she doesn’t hesitate to revel in the multifarious contributions of collaborators who add sonic nuance and vocal texture.

“No one does anything alone,” Ndegeocello said in a recent New York Times interview about the inclusion of musical collaborators on her projects.

“There are artists like Prince and Stevie Wonder who can do that all themselves. I just like (the) band experience. I just think there’s something very African about it. It makes the music feel a certain way.”

“Another Country,” inspired by Baldwin’s novel of the same name, feels like a culmination of Ndegeocello’s recent

work, a moving tribute to those who came before with an incessant rhythmic pattern, a spare piano line and hypnotic guitar synthesizer backing Justin Hicks’ penetrating voice, which delivers lyrics envisioning a country more welcoming to those with brown skin.

Even more direct is “Baldwin Manifesto 1,” which features spoken-word artist Staceyann Chin as she delivers the incisive ruminations of the project’s namesake: “The artist’s struggle for integrity is a kind of metaphor for the universal and daily struggle of all human beings on the face of this terrifying globe to get to become human beings.”

The album closes with the atmospheric “Down at the Cross,” another searching meditation on the possibility of a better, more inclusive world than the one Baldwin endured. It’s Ndegeocello’s reminder that we’re not there yet. Meshell Ndegeocello plays Ludlow Garage at 7:30 p.m. on Jan. 24. More info: ludlowgaragecincinnati.com. (Jason Gargano)

Meshell Ndegeocello

PHOTO: THE KURLAND AGENCY

Najee

PHOTO: KIM FIELDS, WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

BRITISH MOVIES

BY BRENDAN EMMETT QUIGLEY WWW.BRENDANEMMETTQUIGLEY.COM

42. Prefix with dermis

1. Whispery audio category that gives people tingles

5. Skilled

Choices of time 14. Seehorn of “Better Call Saul”

15. Massacre site of 1968

16. Scholastic sports grp.

17. British version of a 1969 Peter O’Toole? 20. “America’s Got Talent” judge Mandel 21. Certain fraternity chapter 22. “___ Hot American Summer”

23. “Zip it!”

25. 1992 Robert Redford caper set in England?

27. Tightwad

31. 1985 comedy with the joke “Flames, on the side of my face, breathingbreathe- heaving breaths”

32. Singer Shannon

33. Michael of R.E.M.

35. Nose-in-the-air type

38. Moo goo ___ pan

39. 1960 Jack Lemmon rom-com set in England?

43. Aretha Franklin’s singing sister

45. Because of

46. “Are We There ___?” (Ice Cube comedy)

47. Not to mention

50. Fade away

52. With 62-Across, 1983 Chevy Chase comedy set in England?

55. High-speed Internet inits.

56. Smelter input

57. Small intake

58. Stupid

62. See 52-Across

67. Alpine transport

68. Sherpa’s home

69. TV’s Nick at

70. Best Breakthrough Athlete award, for one

71. “I rock!”

72. Till stack

Down

1. Exasperated outcry

2. “Get lost!”

3. Response to 2-Down

4. Salad slice

5. Adams of “The Fighter”

6. Salon application

7. The Liberty Tree was one

8. Fruit-peeling device

9. It’s always sold in mint condition

10. Cuckoo bird

11. Publishing house started by Dave Eggers

12. “___ Moon” (1973 Ryan and Tatum O’Neal film)

13. Spars

18. Bidding

19. Commuting option

24. “What God wrought?”

25. NHRA drag racing class

26. Greek letters

27. “___ of Tomorrow” (2014 Tom Cruise movie)

28. Archie Bunker’s creator

29. Graphical representation of prevailing weather patterns of an area

30. Variegated

34. Atlas abbr.

36. Grp. with Venezuela and Algeria as members

37. Sample

40. Some

41. Throat part

44. Two-time Oscar winner Mahershala

48. C-worthy

49. Like some salad dressings

51. Weather-affecting current

52. Nick of “Lorenzo’s Oil”

53. Kaffiyeh wearers

54. Sleep disorder

59. Tennis score

60. Stand-up comic Bargatze

61. “___ Wide Shut” (Kubrick’s final movie)

63. Be nosy

64. Jason Bourne, e.g.

65. Western omelet ingredient

66. Bullring cheer LAST PUZZLE’S ANSWERS: