CityBeat | December 13, 2023

2

C I T Y B E AT. C O M

|

DECEMBER 13-26, 2023

VOL. 27 | ISSUE 51 ON THE COVER: FOP PRESIDENT CANDIDATE DEON MACK COVER PHOTO: AIDAN MAHONEY

PUBLISHER TONY FRANK EDITOR-IN-CHIEF ASHLEY MOOR DIGITAL CONTENT EDITOR KATHERINE BARRIER STAFF WRITERS MADELINE FENING KATIE GRIFFITH CREATIVE DIRECTOR HAIMANTI GERMAIN ART DIRECTOR EVAN SULT GRAPHIC DESIGNER ASPEN SMIT CONTRIBUTING CRITICS THEATER CRITIC: RICK PENDER DINING CRITIC: PAMA MITCHELL CONTRIBUTING WRITERS ANNE ARENSTEIN, BRIAN BAKER, BRIAN CROSS, JASON GARGANO, GREGORY GASTON, NICK GREVER, KELSEY GRAHAM, DEREK KALBACK, DEIRDRE KAYE, MACKENZIE MANLEY, JUDE NOEL, KATHY SCHWARTZ, MARIA SEDA-REEDER, LEYLA SHOKOOHE, SAMI STEWART, STEVEN ROSEN, P.F. WILSON STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER AIDAN MAHONEY

04 NEWS 08 FEATURE 12 ARTS & CULTURE 16 EATS 23 MUSIC 27 CROSSWORD

CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS HAILEY BOLLINGER RON VALLE CATIE VIOX SENIOR DIGITAL MARKETING CONSULTANT MARK COLEMAN PROMOTIONS MANAGER CHANELL KARR THEMED WEEK SOCIAL MEDIA MANAGER ZOE BRUMER DISTRIBUTION TEAM TOM SAND, STEVE FERGUSON

BIG LOU HOLDINGS EXECUTIVE EDITOR SARAH FENSKE VICE PRESIDENT OF DIGITAL SERVICES STACY VOLHEIN DIGITAL OPERATIONS COORDINATOR ELIZABETH KNAPP DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS EMILY FEAR CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER GUILLERMO RODRIGUEZ CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER CHRIS KEATING

CIT Y BE AT | 811 R ACE ST., FOURTH FLOOR, CINCINNATI, OH 4 5202 PHONE: 513-665- 4700 | FA X: 513-665- 4 368 | CIT Y BE AT.COM PRINTED ON RECYCLED PAPER WITH SOY-BASED INKS. PLE ASE RECYCLE THIS NE WSPAPER! THANKS. :)

© 2023 | CityBeat is a registered trademark of CityBeat Communications, LLC. All rights reserved.

No part of this publication may be reproduced without written permission.

CityBeat covers news, public issues, arts and entertainment of interest to readers in Greater Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky. The views expressed in these pages do not necessarily represent those of the publishers. One copy per person of the current issue is free; additional copies, including back issues up to one year, are available at our offices for $1 each.

Subscriptions: $70 for six months, $130 for one year (delivered via first–class mail).

Advertising Deadline: Display advertising, 12 p.m. Wednesday before publication; Classified advertising, 5 p.m. Thursday before publication.

Warehousing Services: Harris Motor Express, 4261 Crawford Street, Cincinnati, OH 45223.

DECEMBER 13-26, 2023

|

C I T Y B E AT. C O M

3

Lebanon is Still Trying to Outlaw Abortion, Despite Issue 1 Passage

NEWS

BY M A D E L I N E F E N I N G

C Ramp and tug workers picket outside DHL Express at CVG in Hebron, Kentucky on Dec. 7.

PHOTO: PROVIDED BY TEAMSTERS

DHL-CVG Workers Strike for Higher Wages, Safer Working Conditions The strike comes as millions of holiday packages pass through DHL’s air hub facility in Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport.

BY M A D E L I N E F E N I N G

U

nion workers at DHL’s air hub facility in Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport (CVG) are on strike, the Teamsters confirmed to CityBeat.

As of 8 a.m. on Dec. 7, 1,100 workers at DHL-CVG, the company’s largest express air hub, are withholding their labor at the Hebron, Kentucky facility.

“For too long, DHL has walked all over our rights to collective action,” Gina Kemp, a DHL-CVG ramp and tug worker, said in a media release. “We were forced to go on strike to put an end to DHL’s illegal anti-union behavior. This company’s repeated acts of disrespect — from the tarmac where we work to the bargaining table — leave me and my co-workers with no choice but to withhold our labor.”

The bargaining table The Teamsters, the union representing DHL-CVG workers, voted to authorize the strike on Dec. 3, saying DHL was dragging its feet at the bargaining table.

DHL-CVG is the company’s largest logistics hub in North America.

Employees voted to join the Teamsters union in April, representing the air hub’s 1,100 ramp and tug workers.

Organizing leaders told CityBeat that ramp associates are paid as low as $20 per hour to have life-threatening jobs at the delivery airport. Workers load

4

C I T Y B E AT. C O M

|

and unload nearly 400,000 pounds of cargo per day using equipment they described as dangerous and outdated.

There were at least 22 emergency workplace injuries at DHL-CVG last year, including broken, crushed and dislocated limbs, according to Kenton County Airport Board records.

DHL spokesperson Daniel McGrath told CityBeat the strike is meant to pressure the company into “unreasonable” contract terms.

“Unfortunately, the Teamsters have decided to try and influence these negotiations and pressure the company to agree to unreasonable contract terms by taking a job action in CVG Thursday morning,” McGrath said.

McGrath said the company “remains committed” to reaching a deal with the union, but that contingency plans, including supplemental staff, were prepared ahead of the strike.

“DHL Express was fully prepared for this anticipated tactic and has enacted contingency plans, which include replacement staff at CVG Hub and removing flights and volume away from CVG to other key strategic DHL locations throughout the Americas Region,” McGrath said.

McGrath told CityBeat that DHL expects striking workers will receive “sympathy support” at various pickup and delivery locations across the

DECEMBER 13-26, 2023

country.

“We are prepared for these additional sympathy actions with replacement staff to ensure we maintain full-service capabilities for our customers,” McGrath said.

The strike comes as many Americans order and ship packages for the holiday season, millions of which pass through the DHL-CVG, as well as the Amazon air hub, which is on its own labor organizing path.

The latest with Amazon Employees pushing for a union at KCVG, located in the same air space as DHL-CVG, have been asking for a standard $30 per-hour wage, among other changes like improved health benefits, on-site translation for nonnative English speakers, and more.

When asked if KCVG employees would receive peak holiday pay this year, an Amazon spokesperson told CityBeat the company is increasing pay overall for its employees.

“This year, we invested $1.3 billion in additional pay for hourly employees across U.S. customer fulfillment and delivery, bringing our average hourly wage to over $20.50,” said Amazon spokesperson Mary Kate Paradis.

Amazon’s gross profit for the 2023 fiscal year was $256.202 billion, an 18.52% increase year-over-year for the world’s largest retailer.

ity leaders in Lebanon, Ohio haven’t given up on their quest to outlaw abortion, even after Ohioans approved an amendment protecting abortion rights in November.

During a Nov. 28 meeting, the Lebanon council unanimously passed a resolution that acknowledges “unborn children are legal and constitutional persons who are entitled to the equal protection of the laws.” The resolution defines unborn children as “the unborn offspring of human beings of the species homo sapiens from the beginning of the biological development of that human being, from fertilization, throughout pregnancy until live birth [...].”

The resolution also calls upon U.S. Congress to enact legislation to enforce the Fourteenth Amendment, saying it would guarantee “equal protection for unborn children nationwide and in Ohio.”

“The Fourteenth Amendment situated its equal protection guarantee within a common-law and statutory context that prohibited abortion,” the resolution reads.

Mayor Mark Messer authored the resolution, which was co-sponsored by council’s six members.

Lebanon has done this before, and the ACLU sued This is far from the first time Lebanon has tried to legislate abortion care within city limits. In May of 2021, Lebanon’s council passed an ordinance that designated the city a “sanctuary city for the unborn,” making providing or facilitating an abortion a first-degree misdemeanor punishable by up to six months in jail or a fine up to $1,000.

The anti-abortion ordinance originated from a Right To Life of East Texas campaign called “Sanctuary Cities for the Unborn,” in which anti-abortion advocates help small cities draft ordinances to ban abortion outright.

Lebanon was the first city in Ohio to adopt such an ordinance before the entire state was subject to anti-abortion legislation following the overturn of Roe v. Wade.

The American Civil Liberties Union of Ohio filed a federal lawsuit against the city of Lebanon in May 2022, specifically targeting the ordinance’s vague language around criminal charges for those “aiding and abetting” another person’s abortion.

In February 2023, the city ended up

West Chester, Other Townships Impose Restrictions on Recreational Marijuana Days Before Legalization

BY K AT I E G R I F F IT H

R Lebanon City Hall P H O TO : FA C E B O O K . C O M / L E B A N O N O H

agreeing in court to a stipulation to remove the “aiding and abetting” language from its ordinance, narrowing the scope of the ban to only barring health care providers from performing abortions or prescribing abortion medication in the city. Lebanon has no abortion care provider within city limits, and it never has. What remains of the law, which is still on the books, deputizes individuals to report cases of abortion care within city limits, making no exception for cases of rape or incest.

CityBeat reached out to all Lebanon city council members, the mayor and the city’s legal department, asking how the Nov. 28 resolution would be enforceable after the passage of Issue 1, but there was no response as of press time.

ecreational marijuana became legal in Ohio last week, after the passage of Issue 2, but some municipalities are imposing temporary limitations on the sale and cultivation of the drug.

During a Dec. 5 meeting, the West Chester Board of Trustees voted to pause the sale and cultivation of marijuana in their township. The Board voted unanimously in favor of a 360-day moratorium in an “emergency resolution,” one day after Fairfield City Council voted to ban marijuana dispensaries within city limits until September 2024.

Only one Fairfield City Councilmember, Matt Davidson, voted against the moratorium.

Three “emergency resolutions” were addressed in the West Chester Board of Trustees meeting on Dec. 5, one of which was “Resolution 51-2023,” which imposes a moratorium on the sale and cultivation of recreational marijuana.

“As with any new law there remain substantial questions as to the functionality of the new statutes,” Township Administrator Larry D. Burks read during the meeting. “West Chester is proposing a 360-day moratorium on this […] so it can properly vet and analyze the new law once it is fully understood and implemented. This moratorium is not an attempt to thwart the will of the voters. It is simply a chance to properly understand the details and intricacies of the new law so that West Chester

The proposal to legalize recreational marijuana in Ohio was State Issue 2 in the Nov. 7 election.

P H O T O : A P H I W AT C H U A N G C H O E M , P E X E L S

does not serve as a test case for the law’s implementation.”

West Chester residents will still be able to use cannabis in West Chester.

Last month, Ohioans voted to pass Issue 2 during the state’s Nov. 7 general election. On Dec. 7, the possession of marijuana and home-cultivation for Ohioans 21 and older became legal.

The passing of Issue 2 allows adults 21 and older to use and possess marijuana, along with cultivating up to six plants per person and twelve plants per residence. Of-age Ohioans are now able to legally buy and apply to sell marijuana in a highly regulated recreational

Cincinnati Earns Top Marks in Human Rights Campaign’s LGBTQ+ Equality Survey

BY M A D E L I N E F E N I N G

C

incinnati has been recognized by the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) as one of the nation’s top cities for LGBTQ+ inclusivity.

HRC announced in November the twelfth edition of the Municipal Equality Index (MEI), a comprehensive assessment by HRC and the Equality Federation Institute.

The index evaluates municipal policies, laws and services concerning LGBTQ+ equality. In the 2023 MEI, 129 cities, including Cincinnati, scored a perfect 100. The perfect scores in the 2023 report are an eightfold increase from 2022.

Kelley Robinson, president of the Human Rights Campaign, praised the resilient efforts of cities and towns across the country.

“Even when anti-LGBTQ+ extremists

in state capitals are working to undermine their progress, mayors and city council members keep fighting to make sure that LGBTQ+ people in their communities - especially trans people - are supported and lifted up to the fullest extent possible.”

Earlier this year, HRC declared a “National State of Emergency for LGBTQ+ Americans” for the first time, citing an uptick in hateful and harmful rhetoric and policy, particularly against transgender people.

While Cincinnati was one of eight “all star” Ohio cities on the national list, Ohio lawmakers have railed against transgender rights and healthcare all year. The bills outlined below have yet to become law yet, but all have advanced closer to the governor’s desk: House Bill 6, or the “Save Women’s

Sports Act,” seeks to ban transgender girls and women from competing in sports from kindergarten through college.

House Bill 8, or the “Parents’ Bill of Rights,” would force all teachers and school staff — including social workers and school counselors — to out LGBTQ+ students to their parents.

House Bill 68, or the “Save Adolescents From Experimentation Act,” would ban gender-affirming care in the state of Ohio for minors.

House Bill 183, or the “Bathroom Bill,” would require that all restrooms and locker rooms in Ohio’s schools and colleges be designated for use by individuals who are one “biological sex.”

House Bill 245 seeks to ban drag performances in “public places,” other than “adult cabarets.” The bill specifically

economy.

West Chester and Fairfield will impose limitations on details of the law. The two townships voted just days before recreational marijuana legalization became official, while Colerain Township imposed limitations in October.

On Oct. 27 — before the November election took place or was decided — the Colerain Board of Trustees voted to ban marijuana retail shops within township limits.

After 360 days, the West Chester Board of Trustees will reevaluate the issue.

calls out drag performers by referencing “performers or entertainers who exhibit a gender identity that is different from the performer’s or entertainer’s gender assigned at birth using clothing, makeup, prosthetic or imitation genitals or breasts, or other physical markers.”

The report underscores the challenges felt by LGBTQ+ communities facing state-level legislation on transgender-inclusive health benefits for municipal employees, with 42 cities unable to offer the same benefits to dependent minors due to state law restrictions.

Fran Hutchins, Executive director of the Equality Federation Institute, emphasized the crucial role of local-level protections amid increasing attacks on LGBTQ+ rights at the state level.

“Local advocates and community leaders are finding new, creative ways to keep their communities safe, to let queer and trans people know they are loved and belong, no matter what discriminatory state laws are passed,” said Hutchins.

DECEMBER 13-26, 2023

|

C I T Y B E AT. C O M

5

6

C I T Y B E AT. C O M

|

DECEMBER 13-26, 2023

DECEMBER 13-26, 2023

|

C I T Y B E AT. C O M

7

8

C I T Y B E AT. C O M

|

DECEMBER 13-26, 2023

FOP President Race

g n i k a e Br barriers CityBeat sat down with trailblazing Sergeant Deon Mack to discuss his vision for the Cincinnati Police Department’s union

BY M ADELI N E FEN I NG

O

ne of the year’s most consequential elections has yet to take place in Cincinnati, and only roughly 1,600 people are registered to vote.

The Fraternal Order of Police Lodge #69 (FOP), the union representing current and retired Cincinnati Police Officers, will elect its next president on Dec. 18. The era of former CPD sergeant Dan Hils’ presidency could usher in a historic change of leadership in sergeant Deon Mack, 48. This is Mack’s second time running for FOP president, but, if Mack wins, he’ll be Cincinnati’s first ever Black FOP president. His challenger, officer Ken Kober, did not respond to CityBeat’s request for an interview.

Term-limited Hils has been elected by CPD officers to lead the union for eight years straight. He’s drawn controversy with his hawkish criticism of the Black Lives Matter movement and progressive watchdog programs like the Citizen’s Complaint Authority and the Black United Front.

CityBeat sat down with Mack to discuss what a postHils FOP would look like under his leadership.

CityBeat: Where did you grow up and how did you get into law enforcement?

Deon Mack: I was born and raised in Avondale, Cincinnati. I’m a product of Cincinnati Public Schools. I graduated from Withrow High School. I attended University of Cincinnati, where I hold bachelor’s degrees in criminal justice and psychology. I graduated from the University of Cincinnati, began my law enforcement career in the Hamilton County Prosecutor’s office, and during my time there, I was the first victims advocate to be African American serving under Mike Allen in the prosecutor’s office.

It became readily apparent very quickly the need for me to be across platforms from common pleas to municipal to juvenile because I was the only African American. By and large, many of our victims of crimes were African American. That process allowed me to really get a stronger grasp on how to be empathetic when dealing with people — how to understand and

Deon Mack is running to be the new president of the Fraternal Order of Police Lodge #69 (FOP).

P H OTO : A I DA N M A H O N E Y

explain the process.

I transitioned from the prosecutor’s office to the City Police Department in 2002. I broke into District 1. I was there for a very short period and the then-police chief Tom Streicher saw something in me and asked me to be a part of the Vortex Unit, which was credited with the change in Over-the-Rhine, getting Over-theRhine to be what it is today. That evolved into several other units; it went to Safe Streets and then it was a Gang Unit. I served there across those three units for approximately 18 years. Then I came back to [district patrol] where I was promoted to sergeant in District 3.

I was promoted out of District 5 to go to District 3.

How do you feel about the closure of District 5? Was it the right call?

District 5 hosts a real special place in my heart. I’m very, very upset about the closing of the district.

Largely, because I thought it could have been done better.

How so?

I thought we could have enquired a bit more with our [fellow officers], which would have given a better perspective on how best to serve the citizens of Cincinnati, and that wasn’t done. Our [union members] offer a unique perspective that maybe even some of our

DECEMBER 13-26, 2023

|

C I T Y B E AT. C O M

9

CityBeat sat down with Mack to talk about his vision for the union representing Cincinnati police officers.

P H OTO : A I DA N M A H O N E Y

city leaders may not have. And so I understand making decisions that are necessary for the department. I encourage that. However, I also encourage us utilizing the talents and resources that we have to really help drive those decisions. When you don’t utilize the tools and talents, they tend to make decisions that are not as informed, because it’s not your day to day.

In July, nearly 100 FOP members voted to demand CPD keep District 5 after an officer was struck with his own baton and taser while responding to a call. Do you think the elimination of District 5 makes officers less safe?

Yeah, 100%. Not only that, I think the timing of the shift was not thought out as well, particularly because we’re down, you know, several hundred officers right now.”

Why do you think recruitment and retention is down at CPD? How do you want to see that addressed?

Mack: We must rebrand ourselves. Law enforcement, by and large, has to go through a rebrand, you know?

We are seeking qualified individuals, and to do that, we must look in a couple of different directions. We must not only look at some of our universities and colleges, you must also look at integrator programs that could be inclusive of even those who may not reach our 21-year age threshold.

I think it would aid us to have a bit more diversity in our ranks. Now, that doesn’t take anything away from the strong men and women that we have currently working in our police department, because we have some excellent men and women who go out each and every day to protect lives.

Historically, there hasn’t been a lot of collaboration

10

C I T Y B E AT. C O M

|

between the FOP and the Sentinels, which serves as a voice for officers of color. What would that relationship look like if you were to be FOP president?

We would absolutely extend an olive branch. It’s important that we all work on the same page. I can’t say that we’re always going to see eye to eye, there’s going to be things that we differ on, I’m okay with that, but we must be willing to at least have the ability to sit down and have an equitable conversation.

Dan Hils has not been known to prioritize positive relationship building with outside organizations. Do you think that’s been damaging over the past eight years?

I’ll first start by saying this…Dan is a good guy, all right, I think sometimes his personal feelings may come into play. I think by and large, he’s been a good person.

However, his comments, yes, have been disparaging.

That’s one of the platforms that I run on, that we have a president who is willing to speak for us all, who is willing to have a well thought out, well organized statement when made to the community.

Furthermore, if you’re going to be the president, you must look the part. We spend a ton of money as officers to be a part of this organization. You must have a president who is representing you, who is well spoken, who is well dressed and who understands [the union] not only from the policing side, not only the political side, but the business side of it as well.

Last year saw several instances of officers saying the n-word on the job, with a mix of disciplinary outcomes.

How do you view that year of revelations?

Certainly using disparaging rhetoric should not be tolerated from any of our members. I don’t care what the nationality is. Now, I will say, yes, officers are under an

DECEMBER 13-26, 2023

enormous amount of stress. That doesn’t excuse anyone for the use of certain language or certain derogatory comments.

However, we also have to look at the context. There were a few incidents that should have been argued and should have been vigorously defended to say, hey, yes, we know X happened. However, let’s look at the reason why. I think once we understand the reasoning behind anything that was said, or any comment that’s made or any action by our officers, then we better understand why it was done. And then that gives us a better perspective on how we go about disciplining things.

Do you think the city’s zero tolerance policy allows for that level of nuance?

It allows very little, I believe. Again, we could have done a bit more research from a city’s perspective on how we implemented [the rule] and what it absolutely looks like. When you speak of a really fine or really bold line, like if you crossed this line that’s it, I think that’s a bit tough. We have to again go back to the understanding part, once we understand the whys, then we can answer the question on how we move forward.

Dan Hils has been an unapologetic, outspoken critic of the Black Lives Matter movement, the Cincinnati Black United Front, the Citizen Complaint Authority. In a department where more than a quarter of officers are Black, why do you think Dan Hils was elected term after term for eight years?

We had a period of time where we had the highest of elected officials providing their opinion on things, and I think some of that was adopted.

That is why [it’s important to] have a president that’s

going to give a well thought out statement, who’s not going to, just on a whim, give a comment and not think about the ramifications of those comments, how those comments are going to be received by the community and how those comments are going to impact our police officers.

How do you view the Citizens Complaint Authority?

How would you approach that relationship?

The FOP has not had the best relationship with the Citizens Complaint Authority, and that has a lot to do with both sides.

I think we can take a deeper dive into best practices for Citizens Complaint Authority, and how we can still accomplish the goal of its intended purpose for citizens to be able to have a place to complain about something. Let’s face it, some complaints, a good majority of complaints, are complaints that we can merely look at body cam video and answer those questions. But to bring officers in, and to, in some cases, really kind of make them feel like they’re the ones not telling the truth is tough. We have to take a deeper look at how we go about the investigations. Our equipment, in many cases, tells the story. So, to bring me in to berate me about a situation that may have happened nine months or a year ago, and I’ve dealt with 20,000 other situations since then, and then to say, what a bad job you did, it’s unfair. Yeah, that’s unfair.

Would you say some officers are more involved in the union than others? Some demographics more than others?

I will say, one of the things I’ve attempted to get across to our younger members is this: We want you to be a part of this organization. In fact, we need you to be a

part of this organization. And so how do we get you involved? Well, we have to meet you where you are.

What does that look like?

We still operate in processes that are set in the 1900s.

We’re in the 21st century. It is time for us to meet our members where they are. Our meetings are set on a specific day at a specific time. Not always are our members – particularly our younger members who routinely are on second shift, or they work nights, because many of them don’t have the tenure to get first shift – making it to the meetings.

So, what do we do? Well, we look at some of the advancements in technology that we have. We utilize those technological advancements to reach our officers, whether it be through virtual platforms, we’ve got to think outside the box.

What sort of feedback are you hearing from officers about what they want to see from the FOP? From a new FOP president?

The one thing that I conveyed to them on a regular basis is that I will be committed to being the first president who listens, who seeks your feedback, who seeks your input on what things could be done to better our organization. And a few of the things that our members have come to me with center around our upcoming contract.

Many of our Suburban departments are offering raises in excess of 10%. It makes it very enticing for them to want to leave, and we must understand CPD has always been the pinnacle of law enforcement here locally, but we’re getting cherry picked.

What would you say are the key differences between you

and your opponent Ken Kober?

We were classmates, we came out of the same academy class. I have nothing ill of Ken to say. However, it is no secret that Ken has been a part of the organization there for some years. My question would be, what has changed? Because from my point of view, and from the view of the officers that I come in contact with that I supervise, that I talk to on a regular basis, they don’t think very much has changed.

Again where we differ, I’m a strong, outspoken, big presence, and I’m not afraid to have these tough conversations, but also the president must be able to leverage relationships. Networking, they must leverage their network. These are important. We have to leverage the relationships and leverage the networks that we have to get the things that we need. And yes, there’s going to be a time for me to have to be tough in the media, to have to, you know, hold our leadership accountable. What I have to be is calculated in how I do it. Because if I’m not, then what I will do is what my grandmother used to say: I would cut the nose to spite the face.

You would be the first Black FOP president in Cincinnati. How does that feel?

I’d also be the third in the country.

It’s an awesome responsibility, it’s an honor. You know, I don’t make much of being the first African American, it’s not something I use on my platform. I don’t, because I’m inclusive of everyone. I am as down the line as you get. And I’m not just partial to one side, I’m partial to all sides, because our members make up a variety of nationalities. They deserve a president who will be there and give the same respect to them, regardless of their color, regardless of their nationality,

DECEMBER 13-26, 2023

|

C I T Y B E AT. C O M

11

ARTS & CULTURE The Hero’s Journey

Secrets, survival and strength lie at the heart of Jessica Strawser’s latest novel, The Last Caretaker.

BY N ATA L I E C L A R E

H

ow much would you risk in order to protect someone?

What if the stakes were life and death — and what if that person was a stranger? Jessica Strawser poses these questions and more in her latest novel, The Last Caretaker, which was released this month by Lake Union Publishing.

This harrowing tale follows a woman who finds herself swept up in a web of secrecy and survival when she takes a job as resident caretaker of a secluded nature preserve.

The fictional grounds of Grove Farm Nature Reserve are idyllic in many ways. The environment is serene, and it’s the perfect place for a person to relax and maybe even heal. That’s exactly why Katie, Strawser’s heroine, comes to Grove. She needs a fresh start. And Grove needs a new caretaker, according to her best friend and Grove employee, Bess.

There’s something almost certainly amiss about the property, though.

When Katie moves into the on-site residence, she learns that the previous caretaker, Grace, had left her post abruptly and without explanation.

Subtle clues throughout the house point to a hasty, or perhaps unplanned, exit. Then, late one night, Katie wakes up to find a terrified, injured woman at her door who is seeking “instructions” from the caretaker. Katie is clueless about the information she needs. But soon she learns that the property she now calls home has been functioning as a safe haven for survivors of domestic violence and abuse. It’s part of an underground network that helps women escape their homes, relocate and establish new identities.

The network and all involved operate with extreme secrecy. Grove employees, including Bess, don’t know of its existence. Contacts within the network don’t even know one another’s real names. As Katie uncovers clues and deepens her involvement, she begins to realize the high level of risk of being the new caretaker, and all the while, she’s haunted by a question that grows more and more urgent: What exactly happened to Grace?

The novel was released officially

12

C I T Y B E AT. C O M

|

on Dec. 1 but enjoyed an early digital release in November. It was selected

by Amazon editors as an Amazon First Reads pick and was made available in Kindle format. It has since become a number-one bestseller in “Women’s Friendship Fiction” and “Marriage & Divorce Fiction” on Amazon. It topped the Kindle Store charts at number eight upon its release.

Like Strawser’s previous novels, The Last Caretaker strikes a balance between suspense and human drama as it centers women’s stories in realistic contemporary settings. Bestselling authors like Mary Kubica (Just the Nicest Couple) and Rochelle B. Weinstein (This Is Not How It Ends) have praised the novel as “a relevant, harrowing mystery with page-turning suspense” (Kubica) and “a powerful read from start to finish, thought provoking, and unputdownable” (Weinstein). Lisa Barr (Woman on Fire) called the story “a dark, winding journey that forces the protagonist to grapple with how far she would go to do the right thing, and at what price.”

In a conversation with CityBeat, Strawser says inspiration for The Last Caretaker struck while she was hiking through Long Branch Farm & Trails in Goshen, Ohio. A resident caretaker lives on site, much like the fictional setting of the novel, and she wondered what that role could be like. The secluded nature of the residence initially brought about questions of safety (a concern that’s unique to women, she says). But then she considered a different perspective.

“What if, instead of wondering, ‘Am I safe out here, is this a false sense of security?’ you were thinking, ‘I am the master of my own domain, I can make my own rules?’” Strawser said. “What if you used [the house] to protect people who feel vulnerable?”

Strawser says she also pulled inspiration from experiences she had after her 2018 novel Not That I Could Tell was released. The topic of domestic violence plays a key role in the story, and in settings like book clubs and public readings about the book, personal conversations around the topic unfolded.

“I sat in a book club meeting in an

DECEMBER 13-26, 2023

Jessica Strawser has written six novels, including The Last Caretaker.

P H OTO : C O R R I E S H E F F I E L D

affluent neighborhood very close to my own home where a group of women described to me how they had hidden one of their own book club members from her abusive ex-husband years before, in the house that I was in,” said Strawser. “I’ve walked into libraries and been pulled aside by the librarian who said, ‘I’m so sorry, I can’t lead this book club discussion, my therapist recommends against it.’ I’ve had all these encounters that have really just been touching, from the respect that it’s amazing to see how people show up for each other.”

She continued, “Some of the stories were really brave. To sit with a group of women who were smiling and crying, but also kind of laughing, about how they bonded together and helped one of their own members overcome the situation was amazing.”

The Last Caretaker carries echoes of those experiences, though the story and its characters are entirely fictional. Still, the realism of the novel’s premise is ever present. Grassroots networks that enable women to escape the dangers of an abusive relationship do exist, and by design, they’re shrouded in mystery.

“They’re often called whisper networks—women will whisper to each other that there’s danger. I do know that

they exist, and I did not attempt to find out how many of them there actually are. That just seemed irresponsible,” Strawser explained. “But because nobody knows how they work, that gave me some creative license to dream up who would be involved and to come up with this ensemble cast of characters.”

Indeed, The Last Caretaker introduces a number of people who are part of the network. Each one of them has a different reason for taking on the risks of being involved, and each of them has a profound personal story that motivates them — except for Katie.

“Her only reason is just being in the right place at the right time, or the wrong place at the wrong time depending on how you look at it,” Strawser said. “I thought that raised an interesting question for her but also for me as the writer and hopefully the reader: Does anybody really need a reason other than knowing that somebody needs help?”

That question sets the stage for a riveting, heroic story about a woman who must rise to the occasion to do the right thing.

The Last Caretaker is available now in print and digital form. You can learn more about Strawser and her work at jessicastrawser.com.

CULTURE CULTURE

Sticker Sticker and and Stationery Stationery Store, Store, The The Sticker Sticker Shop, Shop, Opens Opens in in Wyoming Wyoming

BY K E LS E Y G R A H A M

BY K E LS E Y G R A H A M

T

he charming city of Wyoming he charming city of Wyoming is now home to a new local is now home to a new local business, The Sticker Shop. The business, The Sticker Shop. The shop opened at the end of October and shop opened at the end of October and sells a variety of stickers, stationery and sells a variety of stickers, stationery and scrapbooking items. The Sticker Shop is scrapbooking items. The Sticker Shop is owned by writer and disability advocate owned by writer and disability advocate Amy Webb (her daughter was born Amy Webb (her daughter was born with limb differences and she has been with limb differences and she has been outspoken about what it’s like to raise a outspoken about what it’s like to raise a disabled child), whose love of collecting disabled child), whose love of collecting stickers started as a child and blosstickers started as a child and blossomed into a lifelong passion. somed into a lifelong passion.

The idea for the shop came from The idea for the shop came from Webb’s desire to inspire people to have Webb’s desire to inspire people to have more in-person connections. While more in-person connections. While much of her work has been online-orimuch of her work has been online-oriented through her blog This Little Miggy ented through her blog This Little Miggy Stayed Home and personal Instagram Stayed Home and personal Instagram account, and she’s made genuine account, and she’s made genuine friendships through the internet, she friendships through the internet, she acknowledges the “prickliness” that has acknowledges the “prickliness” that has seeped into almost every online platseeped into almost every online platform. “I love the online world,” she said. form. “I love the online world,” she said.

“I don’t think it’s inherently negative. I “I don’t think it’s inherently negative. I think it’s a tool, and it depends on how think it’s a tool, and it depends on how you use it. That said, I was still just tired you use it. That said, I was still just tired from being online.” from being online.”

Webb’s childhood passion drove her Webb’s childhood passion drove her to open a sticker shop to encourage to open a sticker shop to encourage in-person connections and bonding. “A in-person connections and bonding. “A lot of it just had to do with wanting to, lot of it just had to do with wanting to, both on a personal level but also on a both on a personal level but also on a bigger level, really just inspire people, bigger level, really just inspire people, particularly kids, to get analog again,” particularly kids, to get analog again,” said Webb. said Webb.

Walking into the shop creates a Walking into the shop creates a semi-throwback feel with a modern ‘80s semi-throwback feel with a modern ‘80s vibe featuring pastel purple walls and a vibe featuring pastel purple walls and a holographic bubble letter logo. “Sticker holographic bubble letter logo. “Sticker collecting was such a nostalgic part of collecting was such a nostalgic part of my childhood,” said Webb. “I kind of my childhood,” said Webb. “I kind of consider the whole shop a love letter to consider the whole shop a love letter to my Gen-X childhood.” my Gen-X childhood.”

The shop includes a collection of new The shop includes a collection of new and vintage sticker packs and a sticker and vintage sticker packs and a sticker wall filled with rolls of stickers where wall filled with rolls of stickers where you can tear individual sheets off, you can tear individual sheets off, which has become a quick fan favorite. which has become a quick fan favorite.

Not only are the sheets 60 cents each, Not only are the sheets 60 cents each, but Webb has found that many adults but Webb has found that many adults are taken back to the sticker shops of are taken back to the sticker shops of their childhood. “People always want their childhood. “People always want to tell me about the shop in their town to tell me about the shop in their town that has a wall of stickers, which is what that has a wall of stickers, which is what I had, too,” said Webb.

I had, too,” said Webb.

Another popular throwback are the Another popular throwback are the scratch-and-sniff sticker packs, some scratch-and-sniff sticker packs, some of Webb’s favorites. She explained that of Webb’s favorites. She explained that one of the “OG” sticker companies of one of the “OG” sticker companies of the ’80s, TREND, recently re-released the ’80s, TREND, recently re-released their beloved scratch-and-sniff stickers, their beloved scratch-and-sniff stickers, all featuring their original designs and all featuring their original designs and scents. scents.

“Sticker “Sticker collecting collecting was was such a nostalgic part such a nostalgic part of of my my childhood,” childhood,” says says Amy Webb.

“I kind Amy Webb. “I kind of of consider the whole consider the whole shop shop a a love love letter letter to to my my Gen-X childhood.”

Gen-X childhood.”

Amy Webb’s childhood obsession with collecting stickers inspired her to open The Sticker Shop.

Amy Webb’s childhood obsession with collecting stickers inspired her to open The Sticker Shop.

P H O T O : T H E S T I C K E R S H O P I N S TA G R A M P H O T O : T H E S T I C K E R S H O P I N S TA G R A M

Webb also spends time tracking Webb also spends time tracking down stickers from vintage sticker coldown stickers from vintage sticker collectors online and ordering others from lectors online and ordering others from South Korea, which she learned is a South Korea, which she learned is a big sticker and stationery hub. Some of big sticker and stationery hub. Some of her favorite Korean stickers she sells in her favorite Korean stickers she sells in the shop come with cardboard scenes, the shop come with cardboard scenes, which have pop culture references like which have pop culture references like the living room from Friends and more the living room from Friends and more generic play scene backgrounds to generic play scene backgrounds to place stickers on. place stickers on.

It was also important for Webb to find It was also important for Webb to find stickers to represent all kinds of people. stickers to represent all kinds of people.

There are stickers depicting kids wearThere are stickers depicting kids wearing wigs and going through treatment ing wigs and going through treatment and others showing individuals with and others showing individuals with gastrostomy tubes, which Webb said gastrostomy tubes, which Webb said therapists and other people working therapists and other people working in hospital settings have been excited in hospital settings have been excited to find and share with their patients. to find and share with their patients.

Additionally, there are sign language Additionally, there are sign language sticker sets. sticker sets.

With so many stickers, customers With so many stickers, customers need a place to store them all, and need a place to store them all, and Webb has thought of that as well. She Webb has thought of that as well. She offers three types of sticker books, offers three types of sticker books, which she mentioned many people are which she mentioned many people are getting for kids to start their own sticker getting for kids to start their own sticker collections — something Webb began collections — something Webb began doing years ago with her own children. doing years ago with her own children.

Even though it’s called The Sticker Even though it’s called The Sticker

Shop, customers will also find a variety Shop, customers will also find a variety of stationery and scrapbook supplies. of stationery and scrapbook supplies.

“There’s much more than just stickers,” “There’s much more than just stickers,” said Webb. Towards the back of the said Webb. Towards the back of the shop is a collection of vintage statioshop is a collection of vintage stationery, some of which dates back to the nery, some of which dates back to the ’50s and ’60s, along with Lisa Frank and ’50s and ’60s, along with Lisa Frank and Hello Kitty designs. “That’s been really Hello Kitty designs. “That’s been really fun for me to hunt, find and collect,” fun for me to hunt, find and collect,” Webb said.

Webb said.

Along with providing a spot for people Along with providing a spot for people to connect and engage, Webb also made to connect and engage, Webb also made sure to include letter-writing sets and sure to include letter-writing sets and scrapbooking supplies as a way for scrapbooking supplies as a way for people to document their lives. “I truly people to document their lives. “I truly believe in the power of writing and stobelieve in the power of writing and stories and keeping track of that,” she said. ries and keeping track of that,” she said.

“Whatever way you record your life, it’s “Whatever way you record your life, it’s worth your time doing that.” Central to worth your time doing that.” Central to the store’s design is a desk in the middle the store’s design is a desk in the middle of the space, where Webb welcomes cusof the space, where Webb welcomes customers to sit down and write letters. tomers to sit down and write letters.

Journaling is a record-keeping Journaling is a record-keeping method with mental health benefits method with mental health benefits that is close to Webb’s heart, and she that is close to Webb’s heart, and she hopes to introduce both kids and adults hopes to introduce both kids and adults to it through her store. From travel and to it through her store. From travel and gratitude journals to notebooks from gratitude journals to notebooks from the United Kingdom, Webb is on a misthe United Kingdom, Webb is on a mission to offer items that you can’t easily sion to offer items that you can’t easily find at big online retailers like Amazon. find at big online retailers like Amazon.

Another way Webb documents her Another way Webb documents her own life is through scrapbooking. She own life is through scrapbooking. She sells a collection of binders, along with a sells a collection of binders, along with a variety of filler paper that customers can variety of filler paper that customers can mix and match — ranging from stickymix and match — ranging from stickyback photo pages to pages designed to back photo pages to pages designed to hold tickets from concerts and shows. hold tickets from concerts and shows.

Another perk to visiting The Sticker Another perk to visiting The Sticker Shop is that Wyoming Community CofShop is that Wyoming Community Coffee is next door. You don’t even need to fee is next door. You don’t even need to walk outside to place an order after a walk outside to place an order after a trip to The Sticker Shop because the two trip to The Sticker Shop because the two shops are connected. Webb explained shops are connected. Webb explained that Sara Aschliman, who owns Wyothat Sara Aschliman, who owns Wyoming Community Coffee, proposed the ming Community Coffee, proposed the open archway idea so that The Sticker open archway idea so that The Sticker Shop customers could easily use the Shop customers could easily use the coffee shop’s accessible bathrooms, coffee shop’s accessible bathrooms, something Aschliman asked for Webb’s something Aschliman asked for Webb’s opinion on when the coffee shop first opinion on when the coffee shop first opened due to her background and opened due to her background and knowledge. knowledge.

Outside of her sticker shop and writOutside of her sticker shop and writing career, Webb is a passionate and ing career, Webb is a passionate and knowledgeable disability advocate. “I knowledgeable disability advocate. “I was so lucky in getting the exact space I was so lucky in getting the exact space I wanted, and a big part of that was there wanted, and a big part of that was there were no steps; I knew it was completely were no steps; I knew it was completely flat,” she explains. While the space flat,” she explains. While the space didn’t need a major overhaul, one didn’t need a major overhaul, one addition she made sure to install was addition she made sure to install was an accessible button on the front door. an accessible button on the front door.

“It’s not cheap to renovate places, but “It’s not cheap to renovate places, but it’s also really important that people do it’s also really important that people do what they can,” said Webb. what they can,” said Webb.

Since opening, Webb has received an Since opening, Webb has received an enthusiastic and welcoming response enthusiastic and welcoming response from the Wyoming community, which from the Wyoming community, which is one of the reasons why she chose is one of the reasons why she chose the location. She plans to host monthly the location. She plans to host monthly workshops, with some of the first sesworkshops, with some of the first sessions focusing on calligraphy and bullet sions focusing on calligraphy and bullet journaling. “With each workshop, it’s journaling. “With each workshop, it’s not just you coming and learning the not just you coming and learning the things,” she explained. “You’ll get the things,” she explained. “You’ll get the pens you need to do it and the paper — pens you need to do it and the paper — whatever’s kind of part of it. So you’ll whatever’s kind of part of it. So you’ll get a little starter pack of the skill we’re get a little starter pack of the skill we’re teaching you.” teaching you.”

The Sticker Shop, 434 A Springfield The Sticker Shop, 434 A Springfield Pike, Wyoming. Info: instagram.com/ Pike, Wyoming. Info: instagram.com/ thestickershopcincinnati. thestickershopcincinnati.

DECEMBER 13-26, 2023

|

C I T Y B E AT. C O M

13

CULTURE

Campaign Underway to Save Wyoming Fine Arts Center

BY K AT I E G R I F F IT H

C

incinnati’s Wyoming Fine Arts Center is seeking $60,000 to stay in business through the beginning of 2024. If the community arts center doesn’t receive funding, it may not be able to keep its doors open through January, according to a press release from Nov. 28. An end-of-year campaign is underway to gain the necessary funding.

The release states that an “expected source of funds” did not come through in 2023. In order to sustain its variety of programming — including art, music and dance classes — a total of $250,000 needs to be raised annually. The nonprofit was founded in 1995 and at one point served 1,000 people per week from 208 zip codes.

“Prior to the pandemic, we served over 1,000 individuals a week from 208 zip codes, but this did not necessarily translate into financial giving for the organization,” Executive Director Ramona Toussaint said in the release.

“Now that enrollment is lower, we depend on community support more than ever. Unfortunately, donors take time to cultivate and we need help now. We need time to build a runway to establish long-term stability.”

In part of the Wyoming Fine Arts Center’s 30 years of service to the community, it survived mostly on programming fees, the release states, which is

The Wyoming Fine Arts Center provides art, music and dance programming to Wyoming residents.

P H O T O : FA C E B O O K . C O M / W YO M I N G F I N E A R T S C E N T E R

“unheard of” among nonprofit organizations. The center’s mission is to educate, create experiences and nurture art appreciation for all people through teaching, programming, interdisciplinary experiences and community

partnerships.

An “unanticipated” hole in the budget is a result of the center’s inability to implement its development plan created in 2018 on account of switching to “survival mode” during the pandemic.

Creators of Reimagined Tarot Deck to Take Part in Discussion, ‘Vibe Check’ Readings in Cincinnati

BY K AT H E R I N E BA R R I E R

G

et ready to pass the vibe check, Cincinnati. The creators of a holistic tarot deck and guidebook that promotes self-care and reflection are stopping in the Queen City for a panel discussion and tarot-reading event this December.

The Sacred Web Tarot Deck & Guidebook were created by Dayton, Ohio, mother-son team Jannie Bui Brown and James Brown IV to be an inclusive, holistic experience that reimagines the narrative around traditional tarot canon and its gender binary to deepen the spiritual experience.

The deck contains 78 digitally illustrated cards that ditch tarot’s traditional, gendered imagery, names and interpretations, plus a 79th card, “The Sacred Cosmic Self,” which depicts “a genderless being floating in space which aligns with The Sacred Web’s mission to inspire self-discovery by

14

C I T Y B E AT. C O M

|

The source of substantial funding imagined in the development plan did not materialize, leaving the community center short on funds with limited time to recover.

“If this hole cannot be filled, the center is at imminent risk of running out of money and will be forced to close our doors,” the press release states.

“To continue to make an impact for so many, an end-of-the-year fundraising campaign is underway. The hope is the campaign results in a bridge to get the center through December and to confidently continue to serve the community in 2024 and beyond.”

The Wyoming Fine Arts Center needs $60,000 to continue to serve the community and put its development plan into action. Donations can be made here or by mail to: 322 Wyoming Ave., Wyoming, OH, 45215.

“The Wyoming Fine Arts Center is a well-established, invaluable component of the community,” Board President Brad King said in the release.

“Coming from modest means, founder Paul Bartel’s life was transformed by art; he wanted to create that kind of access for others. Please help us keep Paul’s dream of a rich and vibrant arts culture in Wyoming alive.”

Learn more about the Wyoming Fine Arts Center by visiting musicartdance.org.

numerology and astrology guidance, yoga poses, chakras, mudras and mantras.

Jannie and James Brown will be in Cincinnati on their “Come Sit With The Sacred Web” event series on Wednesday, Dec. 20 at Household Books in Walnut Hills and Thursday, Dec. 21 at Over-theRhine cocktail bar Lost & Found.

At Household Books, the Browns will take part in a moderated discussion from 6-7 p.m. that explores the creation of the deck and the cultural elements of tarot, which has roots in a card game that dates back to at least the 15th century. And at Lost & Found, they will be doing one-on-one “vibe checks” — two-minute, single-card readings — from 6-7:30 p.m. to help guests set their intentions for the new year.

At both events, Household Books will be selling The Sacred Web Tarot Deck & Guidebook.

The Sacred Web Tarot Deck was created in Dayton, Ohio.

P H OTO : T H E SAC R E D W E B

reframing challenging life experiences as opportunities to evolve and grow.”

And the guidebook uses they/them

DECEMBER 13-26, 2023

pronouns to promote inclusivity, and it associates the cards in the deck with the energy of gemstones and crystals,

Household Books, 2533 Gilbert Ave., Walnut Hills. More info: householdbooks.org. Lost & Found, 22 E. 14th St., Over-the-Rhine. More info: lostandfoundotr.com.

DECEMBER 13-26, 2023

|

C I T Y B E AT. C O M

15

FOOD & DRINK

A pizza topped with crispy onions from Companion P H O T O : P R O V I D E D BY C O M PA N I O N

A Perfect Pair

Pop-up Companion serves a flavorful spin on Neapolitan pizza at Oakley Wines.

BY K E LS E Y G R A H A M

M

att Owens, executive chef and co-owner of Companion, grew up making pizzas alongside his grandma. “She’d invite all the grandkids over and do sheet pan pizza and make pizzas for everybody, and I just always loved that,” said Owens. “Ever since I was a kid, I always liked cooking. My grandma was one of my initial influences and was a great cook.”

He turned his love of cooking into a career and attended the New England Culinary Institute in Vermont. One of his first chef jobs was taking the reins as the executive chef of Harvest Pizzeria in Columbus in 2011, where he worked for four years. Though his career took different turns along the way, he returned to the basics during the pandemic: making pizza.

“During the pandemic, I bought myself a pizza oven,” Owens said. “I had been working on my pizza dough recipe for a long time and actually got back into making pizzas during the

16

C I T Y B E AT. C O M

|

pandemic as a way to get creative again and develop things just for fun.” And with this creative outlet, the idea for Companion sprung to life.

Owens saw a space in Cincinnati for his style of pizza, which he refers to as Neopolitan-ish slow dough. “I like to call it Neopolitan-ish because it’s kind of inspired by Neapolitan pizza, but I don’t follow the traditional recipes,” said Owens. As for the slow dough process, Owens explains that his pizza dough goes through a 72-hour fermentation process, which is longer than most recipes require. “This allows the yeast to leaven at a slow and steady pace, and it develops a better gluten structure and more complex flavor to the dough,” he said.

When he first started thinking about launching Companion, Owens reached out to the owners of The Rhined and Oakley Wines, Stephanie and Dave Webster, whom he had gotten to know while he worked as the manager of Findlay Kitchen. “They have a history of

DECEMBER 13-26, 2023

Companion owner Matt Owens P H O T O : P R O V I D E D BY C O M PA N I O N

supporting small pop-up restaurants,” said Owens. He also liked that their locations’ focus on natural wines, which he thinks is the perfect complement to his pizzas and one of the reasons he chose to name the restaurant Companion. “It just kind of struck me that pizza and wine are kind of natural companions, so that’s where the companion part comes from,” he said.

Companion started hosting their

pop-up kitchen at Oakley Wines in June of this year and has returned most Sundays ever since. Each week, they offer a rotating menu, which thus far has consisted of almost 20 different pizzas and a medley of flavorful salads and small plates.

“I try to think of every pizza as a composed dish,” said Owens. “I try to balance all the different elements of taste — sweet, sour, salty, fatty, bitter,

Companion’s wedge salad P H O T O : P R O V I D E D BY C O M PA N I O N

umami, and all that, to hopefully get some unexpected and delicious flavor combinations altogether.” He aims to keep the rotating menu inventive and fun to keep people coming back. “I just don’t want it to be expected,” he said.

“So if it’s a little unexpected, if it’s a little fun, that’s kind of where some of the inspiration comes from. More than anything, hopefully, it all just tastes delicious,” said Owens.

Some of Owens’ pizza creations include a crispy onion pizza, which he describes as a mix between “French Onion Soup and the best parts of Green Bean Casserole,” and a finocchiona pizza, made with a caramelized fennel cream sauce, rich Taleggio cheese, shaved Brussels sprouts and pistachios, topped with a drizzle of spicy Calabrian buckwheat honey and fennel fronds.

Owens searches for the best quality ingredients, which can be difficult for a small pop-up business. He focuses on sourcing ingredients from the best and most trusted in the industry, like using Stanislaus tomatoes and Grande Cheese varieties. Still, Owens also makes it a point to use seasonal ingredients in his recipes, like with his seasonal butternut squash pizza that was a part of the fall menu, and

sources ingredients locally when possible. “Findlay Market has been a huge resource,” he said.

Outside of Companion’s Sunday residency at Oakley Wines, they’re also available for catering events throughout the year, which Owens notes is easier to do since they are a pop-up restaurant.

“Being a pop-up restaurant, we move a lot of equipment to Oakley Wines each week, so it’s simple to move equipment to do catering and events.”

Owens hopes to one day have a brickand-mortar location for Companion, where he plans to pair his inventive recipes with natural wines and small plates.

But for now, he looks forward to his residency at Oakley Wines every other Sunday through the end of the year, where they’ve already started to grow a following and a group of loyal regulars.

“I’m just really grateful for the support that we’ve gotten,” said Owens.

“Not only from Oakey Wines but the people in the neighborhood and the people who have found us on Instagram and come to check us out.”

For upcoming dates when Companion will be at Oakley Wines, along with their rotating menu, visit instagram.com/companionpizza.

DECEMBER 13-26, 2023

|

C I T Y B E AT. C O M

17

EATS

Eat, Drink and Be Cozy at These Greater Cincinnati Restaurants and Bars With Heated Igloos and Patios

BY C IT Y B E AT STA F F

Braxton Brewing Co.’s igloos feature a cozy ski resort theme.

P H OTO : C O U RT E SY B R A X TO N B R E W I N G C O.

I

t’s getting cold out here in Cincinnati, but just because the mercury’s dropping doesn’t mean you have to move the party inside. There are a number of restaurants, bars and breweries in the Queen City offering ways to eat, drink and stay warm on their patios and rooftops this winter, whether you’re looking for an igloo to cozy up in with your friends and family or if you want to gather ‘round a firepit with other winter revelers.

Here are some of the Greater Cincinnati restaurants and bars that will keep you warm this winter.

Braxton Brewing Co. (Covington) 27 W. Seventh St., Covington Keep cozy in one of 10 heated rooftop igloos featuring a ski-resort theme.

Order piping hot pizza from Dewey’s to enjoy in the igloo, and to drink, Braxton has 15 beers on tap, as well as two wines (a red and white option), High Noon vodka sodas and a small selection of liquor. You can reserve an igloo for $35 for a two-and-a-half-hour time slot.

Each one seats up to eight people and

18

C I T Y B E AT. C O M

|

includes a Bluetooth speaker.

Shires’ Rooftop 309 Vine St., 10th floor, Downtown Shires’ Rooftop has brought back its igloos and special garden greenhouses for the season. Reservations are required in advance for parties of two, four and up to eight people to snag a spot for up to two hours. Each dome has a heater and individual speakers, plus a food and drink minimum.

Fifty West Brewing Company Burger Bar 7605 Wooster Pike, Columbia Township Fifty West is again transforming into a winter wonderland with their ice skating rink, fire pits and large heated tents.

They’ve also got hot beverages (boozy and otherwise) to help chase away any winter blues.

Rusk Kitchen + Bar 2724 Woodburn Ave., East Walnut Hills Rusk Kitchen + Bar, one of Cincinnati’s newest restaurants, is offering heated

DECEMBER 13-26, 2023

igloos so guests can continue to enjoy its rooftop even throughout the colder months. A reservation is good for two hours in the igloo, and each igloo offers the restaurant’s full bar and menu, as well as a speaker. Guests can make their reservation on OpenTable for a $5 fee.

Covington Yard 401 Greenup St., Covington The food container park has transformed into Covington Winter WonderYard for the season. Featuring two towering trees made of kegs, an enormous Advent Calendar stuffed with daily giveaway goodies, a light tunnel, themed hangout containers, photo ops and tons of holiday lights, Covington Winter WonderYard aims to capture “the nostalgia of loading up the car with family and friends and heading out into the neighborhood to enjoy the wonder of holiday displays.” Guests will be able to enjoy heated and covered seating, as well as a special menu of themed holiday cocktails, like the food park’s warming signature Hot Chocolate Flights, and food from Hangry Omar’s.

Frosthaus 115 Park Place, Covington Enjoy frozen cocktails, ice cream, tater tots and flatbreads in a private igloo for up to eight people. Reservable for two or three hours for $25. There is a food and drink minimum of $75 or $100, depending on the day and time.

The Blind Lemon 936 Hatch St., Mt. Adams Walk down a set of stairs to find a secret, little hideaway: The Blind Lemon, Mt. Adams’ favorite backyard bar since 1963. Outside, the relaxed garden patio is like a boho blend of Bourbon Street and Paris cafe life — one of the most romantic drinking destinations in the city. The bar has a large, outdoor wood-burning fireplace to warm you up, weather permitting.

deSha’s American Tavern 11320 Montgomery Road, Symmes Township With its lodge-like setting and fireplace, deSha’s is also amping up cozy season vibes with private dining igloos on their

to enjoy any of Somerset’s spaces, but if you want to secure a specific spot, you can do so on their website for a fee.

AC Upper Deck 135 Joe Nuxhall Way, The Banks Get a birds-eye view of The Banks from the igloos at the AC Upper Deck. Each can seat eight people and includes a heater. Igloos are $32 to reserve, and there is a food and drink minimum.

The Porch at Washington Park 1230 Elm St., Over-the-Rhine Located in Washington Park, The Porch is an outdoor bar and gathering place with beer, seltzers and liquor from local brands like Boone County Distillery, Rhinegeist and Fifty West. In the colder months, standing heaters keep guests nice and toasty.

Moerlein Lager House

Covington Yard now features two towering Christmas trees made of illuminated kegs.

P H O T O : FA C E B O O K . C O M / C OV I N G T O N YA R D

patio. “Each igloo features a heated fireplace, air purifier, festive string lights, lanterns, and plants for a cozy ambiance,” says deSha’s. The igloos are $25 to reserve for lunch, $40 for dinner Sunday through Thursday and $50 on Fridays and Saturdays. They’re recommended for up to six guests, but can seat up to eight for families with small children. Call 513-247-9933 to make a reservation.

Little Miami Brewing Company 208 Mill St., Milford Founded by brothers-in-law Dan Lynch and Joe Brenner, Milford’s Little Miami Brewing Company sits on the banks of its namesake river, pouring beers alongside a selection of brick-oven pizzas and other tasty bites. In the colder months, the brewery warms up with fire pits that face the river.

Narrow Path Brewing 106 N. Karl Brown Way, Loveland

Head to Loveland to book one of these adorable garden domes, which you can reserve for 45 minutes for $25 to enjoy some beers from Narrow Path. These seat up to eight people.

Queen City Radio 222 W. 12th St., Over-the-Rhine The former auto body shop-turned multi-level Over-the-Rhine hang features rotating taps of local, regional and national beer, canned and bottled brews, and a small cocktail program.

Enjoy a boozy bev gathered around one of Queen City Radio’s outdoor fire pits, or warm up with one of their outdoor heaters.

Pig Candy 5901 Kellogg Ave., California Located in a former historic jail near Coney Island, Pig Candy specializes in smoked, barbecued meats with pulled pork, smoked and sliced turkey and grilled bone-in chicken thighs on the menu. The name “Pig Candy” comes

from their specialty: a fluffy gluten-free waffle pressed with pulled pork and topped with peach maple glaze. The restaurant has put tarps and heaters up on the patio to keep guests warm this winter.

Pins Mechanical 1124 Main St., Over-the-Rhine The winter weather is nothing to worry about at Pins — you can enjoy one of their cocktails or a brew around the fire pits on their rooftop patio. Indoors, this Over-the-Rhine bar has pinball machines and duckpin bowling lanes, plus other “old school” entertainment options like foosball, bocce ball and shuffleboard.

Somerset 139 E. McMicken Ave., Over-the-Rhine This winter, Somerset has transformed its garden spaces into oases of revelry and relaxation with firepits for its gazebos and heaters and heaters for its pergola. Reservations aren’t required

115 Joe Nuxhall Way, The Banks Experience The Banks at wintertime from the comfort of one of Moerlein Lager House’s eight heated igloos. Each igloo can fit up to 14 people and features three high-top cocktail tables, an electric fireplace and a personal igloo concierge who will keep the drinks flowing. Your reservation is good for up to 90 minutes, and while the rental fee is $300, that will be returned to you in the form of vouchers to be used at Moerlein Lager House or the food and beverage stalls at the Servatii Christkindlmarkt this December.

Chill Room by Velocity Esports Newport 1 Levee Way, Newport This winter, you can warm up at Newport on the Levee with Velocity Esports’ Chill Room. This new experience, set up at Aquarium Plaza, offers guests a cozy, holiday-themed spot to escape the cold and enjoy a cocktail, beer or wine along with a selection of light bites and appetizers. The Chill Room will be open Friday through Sunday but can be booked for private events during the week.

Catch-a-Fire Pizza 9290 Kenwood Road, Blue Ash; 511 N. Broadway St., Lebanon The woodfired pizza joint offers reservable igloos at its Blue Ash and Lebanon

DECEMBER 13-26, 2023

|

C I T Y B E AT. C O M

19

20

C I T Y B E AT. C O M

|

DECEMBER 13-26, 2023

Catch-a-Fire Pizza’s igloos come with fun winter decor, lights and Bluetooth speakers.

P H O T O : C O U R T E S Y C AT C H - A - F I R E P I Z Z A

for fire pits and live music. They also wrap their patio to keep it warm.

locations. Each igloo features fun winter decor, lights and Bluetooth speakers.

They are $35 to reserve and sit up to six people, and you can order food and drinks from the full menu.

Comfort Station 793 E. McMillan St., Walnut Hills Located in a former 100-plus-yearold rest area, Comfort Station is an airy nightlife destination full of hip cocktails and outdoor lounge spots.

Though they typically offer a choice between two different atmospheres, one through an old women’s restroom door and one through an old men’s restroom door. The main floor space is replete with original skylights, plush blue velvet seating and a living plant wall. From the main bar, you can access the back patio, which has multiple seating nooks, including an elevated perch with cushions, as well as a cozy fire pit.

MadTree Brewing 3301 Madison Road, Oakley The heated, winter tent is up at MadTree’s taproom for the season.

The tent is dog-friendly and the perfect place to gather with loved ones all winter long. You can also hang out around the fire pits outside.

Mecca OTR 1429 Walnut St., Over-the-Rhine This hip OTR hideaway is a welcoming hangout for those interested in no-frills drinking, L.A. vibes and vinyl tunes.

Find the main courtyard entrance tucked away down 15th Street, and cross the big-ass gravel patio, past colorful street-art murals, a panoply of rainbow lighting and a plethora of communal seating to enter a world of hanging plants (in summer the patio is decked out in greenery) and the most creatively decorated — dare we say selfie-ready — bar bathrooms in the city. The patio keeps cozy in the colder months with a fire pit to gather ‘round with friends.

Head to Fifty West Brewing Company’s Burger Bar for ice skating and other wintertime fun.

P H OTO : C O U RT E SY F I F T Y W E ST B R E W I N G

Big Ash Brewing 5230 Beechmont Ave., Anderson Township This beer co-op was founded by a group of 25 homebrewing friends in an Anderson Township basement in 2011 and expanded to 52 friends by 2019.

The group obtained the old El Rancho

Grande restaurant space on Beechmont Avenue, gutted it and transformed it into Big Ash Brewing. Featuring a selfserve tap wall (with 28 taps), specialty pizzas and a spacious outdoor patio, Big Ash Brewing is an ideal spot for a casual night of eating, drinking and socializing. Head to their outdoor biergarten

The Monkey Bar & Grille 7837 Old 3C Highway, Maineville As a family-owned operation, this place has not allowed any monkey business since its transformation from a biker bar, but it does permit a lot of fun. Enjoy fine bourbon or a frosty brew while chatting with friends outside next to one of their outdoor fire pits, and grab a bite from one of their rotating food trucks.

DECEMBER 13-26, 2023

|

C I T Y B E AT. C O M

21

22

C I T Y B E AT. C O M

|

DECEMBER 13-26, 2023

MUSIC

Big Bad Voodoo Daddy P H OTO : S E A N O ’ L E A RY

A Jazzy Holiday Tradition Big Bad Voodoo Daddy bring their own take on the sounds of the holiday season to their Taft Theatre show.

BY GA R I N P I R N I A

I

n the mid-1990s, the Ventura, California, band Big Bad Voodoo Daddy burst onto the swing revival scene and joined a bevy of other similar artists like Cherry Poppin’ Daddies, Squirrel Nut Zippers, and the Brian Setzer Orchestra. That genre — which infused Big Band music from the ’30s and ’40s with modern jazz and rock music — changed the musical landscape for a few years. Big Bad Voodoo Daddy appeared in Swingers; they covered the theme song for 3rd Rock from the Sun’s fifth season; they appeared in an episode of Party of Five; and they even performed at the 1999 Super Bowl Halftime Show alongside luminaries Gloria Estefan and Stevie Wonder.

But when you Google the band, the question “What happened to Big Bad Voodoo Daddy?” pops up.

“Yeah, what did happen to us? We got older. I lost my hair,” founding member and percussionist Kurt Sodergren told CityBeat. “That should come up too for the answers.”

The fact is, since the band’s 1989 inception, they haven’t stopped touring or releasing records.

“We’ve always been plugging away, but I don’t miss having to wake up early and do three interviews on a radio show before we actually do the show,” he said.

“But that was a great time. I loved it.”

The band started out as a punk group, and lead singer and co-founder Scotty

Morris folded in the jazz aspect. But because of their roots, they’re able to navigate both worlds, including playing “festivals that are more like punk rock with a crazy energy,” according to Sodergren.

To add to that energy, around 20 years ago they started performing their Wild and Swingin’ Holiday Party shows in support of their Christmas records. In 1997, they released the EP Watchu’ Want for Christmas. In 2004, they released Everything You Want for Christmas, featuring covers of “Blue Christmas” and “Mr. Heatmiser.” And then in 2014 came It Feels Like Christmas Time.

“Christmas is such a tradition-filled holiday, so we wanted to make seeing Big Bad Voodoo Daddy’s Christmas show another one of those traditions,” Sodergren said. “I think it’s a really good show because we kind of do our wild stuff and then we do these other songs that are a little bit more traditional, but they still are Big Bad Voodoo Daddy songs. We will play ‘You & Me & the Bottle Makes 3 Tonight (Baby)’ and ‘Go Daddy-O.’ We really want to make it a fun show for everybody. If we played all Christmas music, I think everyone would rip their hair out.”

Some of those tear-your-hair-out songs include Gene Autry’s ‘Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer,’ ‘Santa Claus Is Coming to Town,’ and Chuck Berry’s

‘Run Rudolph Run.’ Another aspect to the holiday show is to bring joy to the fans, considering the holidays can be stressful and lonely.

“People can come and no matter what kind of day they’re having, it’ll put a smile on their face,” he said. “Obviously, I wish every day for everybody was good, but sometimes it’s not. It is important to get away and remember the joy in life.

We can get bogged down sometimes, especially around the holidays. We just want to supply a good time for people so they come in and have a blast.”

California’s warm climate isn’t exactly rife for getting in the mood for the holidays — Santa wears shorts! — so the Michigan-born Sodergren appreciates touring colder climates during this time of year.

“Some of my favorite times have been maybe touring in Canada during this huge blizzard in the bus, and it took 12 hours to get to where we needed to be,” he said. “But we were all right at the front where the big windows are just watching the snow come down. There’s something about extreme weather like that that I really love.”

Next year marks the 30th anniversary of their debut self-titled full-length album. Even though they’ve been around for decades, some things never change — like fans confusing them with the Cherry Poppin’ Daddies.

“I love it when [the audience]

sometimes screams out the song ‘Zoot Suit Riot,’” Sodergren said. “We even do it as a joke sometimes, too. Not the song, but we’ll yell that out sometimes. It’s pretty funny. And those guys are great.

We toured with them. We used to always challenge them to a basketball game if there was a court, and they just whipped our ass every time. They have some really, really tall members in their band.”

BBVD hasn’t released a new album since 2017, but in 2024 they hope to release some new singles and a greatest hits album on vinyl.

“I’d say our legacy maybe is just adding some good music to the Great American songbook,” he said. “I don’t know if a lot of people are going to cover our tunes, but I think that we’ve written some really great songs, and Josh [Levy] has arranged some other non-original songs to really give it our stamp.”

It’s also about consistently putting on a great show.

“I think we’re still doing it,” he said.

“I think seeing a band with horns and all live stuff and no backing tracks or anything like that is an awesome thing,” he said. “It’s great to see live music with people actually playing instruments, and I’m glad to be part of that.”

DECEMBER 13-26, 2023

Big Bad Voodoo Daddy play Taft Theatre on Dec. 20 at 8 p.m.

Info: tafttheatre.org.

|

C I T Y B E AT. C O M

23

24

C I T Y B E AT. C O M

|

DECEMBER 13-26, 2023

SOUND ADVICE LEFT AT ORION Dec. 13 • MOTR Pub On December 13, Left at Orion will coat MOTR Pub in thick layers of sonic color. This powerful trio surrounds their audience with lush shoegaze music, lifting the listener from the venue, and sending them into the ether.

Left at Orion, which officially formed this past summer, emerged from the Cincinnati shoegaze band Slow Glows.

After a successful six-year run, releasing two full length albums and playing countless shows and festivals, Slow Glows guitarist and singer, Kelli Redding, felt it was time to explore new avenues. After a short break, Redding and longtime collaborator/bass player Ian Corby began writing new material, and soon set their sights on establishing a new group. Once Ian Hilvert, of the local band Sungaze, joined the project on drums, Left at Orion was finally ready for their new musical journey.

The show on Dec. 13 is the second in a month-long residency at MOTR Pub. Each week, Left at Orion is joined by a different artist, adding variety and diverse crowds to each experience, ultimately giving the band an opportunity to spread their new name and gain new listeners.

A debut album is currently in the works for Left at Orion, which will include an incredible new song called “Radio Wave,” a work that tips its hat to classic shoegaze, dream pop and experimental bands like Slowdive and Galaxie 500. The band is halfway through the recording process, and are set to finish the album by the end of this year.

When asked about taking on the month-long residency at MOTR Pub, Redding tells CityBeat, “For us, the residency is about getting back out there, sharing our new songs and hoping people enjoy them as much as we do.”

Left at Orion and Coast Off play MOTR Pub on Dec. 13 at 9 p.m. Info: motrpub.com. (Eric Bates)

BONE THUGS-NHARMONY Dec. 15 • MegaCorp Pavilion In 1991, Bone Thugs-N-Harmony formed in Cleveland as B.O.N.E. Enterpri$e. At the time, the city’s music scene was more known for Nine Inch Nails than hip-hop. But rappers Bizzy Bone, Wish Bone, Layzie Bone, Krayzie Bone and Flesh-N-Bone sang about growing up in the streets and even named their sophomore

Left at Orion P H OTO : SY D N E Y G R EG O RY

album, 1995’s platinum-selling E. 1999 Eternal, in homage to their east side neighborhood.

The album produced the Grammywinning single “Tha Crossroads,” which is based on their mentorship with the deceased rapper Eazy-E; he produced their first two albums. The spiritual tune became the highest-charting rap single at the time, and the video has 154 million views.

In 1996, Wish Bone told the L.A. Times, “When we found Eazy-E, we found our way out. Then he died right before [the success] happened, and it seemed like we were gonna be left in the streets right back where we came from.” Well, that didn’t happen. They continued to release chart-topping records, including 1997’s The Art of War. This summer, the group performed with Queen Latifah, LL Cool J and the Roots as part of “The F.O.R.C.E. Tour.”

One reason they’ve lasted so long is because of their melodic and soulful rapping style, eschewing the straight-up gangsta rap of the ’90s, though earlier songs like “Thuggish Ruggish Bone” have elements of it.

They’re touring as part of the celebration of the 50th anniversary of hiphop, and their contribution has been

Bone Thugs-N-Harmony P H OTO : L I N DA F LO R E S, F L I C K R

immense. Kid Cudi, who’s also from Cleveland, might not exist without the group as a torchbearer. The group hasn’t released a new record since 2017’s New Waves, but brothers Layzie Bone and Flesh-N-Bone have new records out.

Not many hip-hop groups can say they’ve worked with Tupac and Phil

Collins — the group sampled his song “Take Me Home” and Collins appears in the music video — but BTNH can. And not many hip-hop groups have lasted for 30 years, but they have.

Bone Thugs-N-Harmony play MegaCorp Pavilion on Dec. 15 at 7 p.m. Info: promowestlive.com. (Garin Pirnia)

DECEMBER 13-26, 2023

|

C I T Y B E AT. C O M

25

26

C I T Y B E AT. C O M

|

DECEMBER 13-26, 2023

SZA CROSSWORD

BY B R EN DA N E M M E T T Q U I G L E Y W W W. B R E N DA N E M M E T TQ U I G L E Y.C O M

Across

38. With 40-Across, deer sleep?

65. Poor collection

1. Australian Dame Everage

39. Evening things

66. Approvals

5. “The Merry Widow” composer Franz

40. See 38-Across

67. Blue ribbon

10. Pasta, beer, or bread, for short

41. Eliciting a slap across the face

14. Vittles

42. One on your side

Down

15. Madder than mad

43. Actor Firth

16. River to the Caspian Sea

1. Notes on a staff

44. Story with too many characters to keep track of

2. Appliance next to a washer

31. “Let me get you next time”

3. Kicked a ball through a defender’s legs in soccer

32. Vietnamese village in 1969 headlines

4. “Wolf Like Me” creator Forsythe

33. Big source of energy

5. Give an attitude

35. U-turn

6. Math problem?

36. Shoot-em-up weapon

7. Island nation whose anthem is “La Dessalinienne”

37. Goes in some video games 39. Game with tackle-free scrums

8. Polished off

43. To the point

9. Adjusting, as some images

45. Picture book subject

10. Dumbbell exercise

46. Places where brothers live

17. Storage unit on a floppy

47. Slightly damage

20. Blue stater: Abbr.

50. Pleasant smell of cheeses wafting by?

21. Horn sound 22. “Get back to me in a bit”

55. Hasty glance

23. Loosens an architectural band?

57. What collection agencies collect

26. Skill helpful when asked “do you know what I’m thinking?”

24. Rubs one out?

25. Dense black hardwood

46. “Please excuse my dear ___ Sally” (order of operations mnemonic)

18. Yanks an award out from a tight spot?

21. Title where if you switch the first two letters you get a Christmas decoration

58. Hottie

29. “Totes through with this” 30. “Mixtape” from the ‘90s

27. Steffi who won Wimbledon seven times

59. Drab aliens with enlarged bald heads nibble a bit?

28. What a pollster accounts for

61. Sharpshooter Calamity

11. Get up

47. “The Floor Is Lava” “substance”

30. Victory ___

62. Four laps, often

12. Knocks down

48. World Autism Awareness Month

32. Space Race goal

63. Unwashed and unshaven

13. Get the “fuck” out

34. IVF egg

64. HP rival

19. Court claim

49. Kingdom 51. Some Dutch exports 52. “I told ya so!”

53. Designates for development

54. Put forth 56. Healthy bread choices

60. Herb used in some grappas 61. Quick punch

LAST PUZZLE’S ANSWERS:

' , 0 ( $ 6 , ) ' $ 0 6 $ * ( ' $ 1 7 , % ( 6 ( 7 0 ( / / / $ 8 ' ( 6 1 $ * + 2 7 ( / & $ / , ) 2 5 1 , $ $ 2 .

3 6 7 & $ 0 ( 5 $ 6 3 , 7 ) , / ( 6 ( ; ( 6 $ 6 3 ( 1 2 / 2 $ ' 5 ( 6 2 5 7 7 2 3 / $ 1 % 1 ( 9 ( $ 5 ( 6 2 6 , ' , ' 9 ( 5 % & + 2 . ( ) ' $ $ 6 $ 5 ( ; ( 6 / / 2 ' * ( $ & 2 0 3 / $ , 1 7 / 8 % ( + 2 < $ 6 1 2 8 7 ( - ( & 7 ( & 2 1 $ / $ 1 1 $ 5 .

6 + 2 ' % ( 1 7

DECEMBER 13-26, 2023

|

C I T Y B E AT. C O M

27

We’re saving a seat for you!

Metro is hiring operators.

• Great pay and benefits • Paid training including CDL training • $2000 bonus paid after training We can’t fill the rest of the seats until we fill the driver’s seat, so apply today. www.go-metro.com/careers