CityBeat | The Fall Guide

ABOUT THIS GUIDE

This guide for voters was prepared by the League of W Voters of the Cincinnati Area (LWVCA) to provide a foru candidates and information on the ballot issues.

The candidate materials in this guide were assembled following manner:

The information for the Hamilton County candidates is and compiled by the League of Women Voters of the C Area (LWVCA). LWVCA uses the following criteria: The CINCINNATI’S NEWS AND ENTERTAINMENT selected SOURCE OCTOBER 2020 | FREE by |LWVCA were advertised to the candidates, informed that each response would be printed as recei that all candidates would be solely responsible for the c of their replies. Because of the nonpartisan nature of th candidates were informed that any reference to other c is prohibited. Because of space limitations, candidates informed of the word limit requirements and were advis reply over the word limit would be cut off at the correct

In making this information available to the public, the LW neither endorses nor rejects the views of any candidate party. The League does not and cannot assume respon any candidate’s reply, or for the candidate’s motive in m

The summaries and background for the Hamilton Coun City of Cincinnati ballot issues were prepared by the Le Women Voters of the Cincinnati Area volunteers. Desc of other ballot issues come from the Hamilton County B Elections.

The information in this guide is current as of Septembe LWVCA’s online voter guide VOTE411.org includes add candidate information not included in this guide as well updates candidates may have made to their profile info after our publication deadline as stated above.

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NEWS

The entrance to the Cincinnati Police Department’s firing range and training facility in Evendale P H OTO : N I C K S WA RT S E L L

Will a Police Firing Range in Lincoln Heights Finally Move?

Some residents of Lincoln Heights say living next to a 70-year-old police firing range is traumatic.

Now, pressure is growing to move the range to a less-inhabited area.

BY N I C K S WA RT S E L L

A

licia Franklin’s 4-year-old son is terrified to go outside most days during the daylight hours due to the almost constant sound of gunfire and occasional shouting coming from a location about 500 yards from their Lincoln Heights home. Due to the noise, her oldest son, who is 10, struggles to concentrate on the schoolwork he is doing remotely during the pandemic.

Calling law enforcement wouldn’t do any good for Franklin or her neighbors.

The police are the ones doing the firing.

Since 1947, the Cincinnati Police Department has operated a firing range and training facility at 10139 Spartan Drive, which sits between the municipalities of Evendale, Lincoln Heights

and Woodlawn.

On a recent weekday shortly after noon, the fusillade of pops and bangs bounced off the ranch-style houses that line Prairie Avenue in Lincoln Heights and the neat lines of apartments in nearby Cincinnati Metropolitan Housing Authority development Marianna Terrace.

“For more than 30 years, I’ve heard these gunshots,” Franklin says. “My kids have to deal with this all day, every day.

They can’t just go out and play when they want to. I’m a stay-at-home parent who works from home. I hear these gunshots while I’m on calls all day. This is unfair to the community. It’s time for this gun range to go.”

Residents of Lincoln Heights and the other communities bordering the range have long complained about the noise.

But recently, the push to have the site relocated has intensified. The mayors of the three municipalities asked the city in July to close up shop and move somewhere farther from residential areas.

Hamilton County Commissioners have offered the city help in moving the gun range, and some Cincinnati City Council members are joining the push to relocate it.

Council held a hearing Oct. 6 about the possibility of moving the range.

Some council members have even toured a potential alternative location.

Cincinnati police indicate they’re open to moving the range if a suitable location can be found. CPD officials say vital training that helps officers respond to situations like the 2018 Fifth Third shooting downtown takes place at the range and it simply can’t be closed.

But residents and elected officials in Lincoln Heights, Woodlawn and Evendale say there are numerous reasons the range should be moved — and quickly.

University of Cincinnati Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders Professor Brian Earl calls the noise from the range so close to residential areas “too much.” Earl says

he took a sound meter on a tour of the area around the range and found noise regularly exceeded 85 decibels — the level at which sound becomes harmful to human ears.

“I was able to be an ear witness when I got a tour of the neighborhood,” he says.

“We have an acoustic reflex when our ears tell us it’s too much. My ears were doing that.”

Earl said he was concerned about the psychological effects of the shooting sounds on young people around the range.

Many residents and elected officials have raised concerns about the trauma of hearing gunfire so regularly, saying it likely causes what experts call adverse childhood experiences, or ACEs. Those experiences contribute to behavioral and learning challenges throughout a person’s lifetime.

“If the children can be accustomed to silence, to family laughter, we’ve done something,” Earl says.

Princeton City Schools Superintendent Tom Burton has similar concerns.

Some of the district’s students live near the range.

“Each one of our students deserves an environment that is conducive for learning,” he says. “Our students are hearing gunfire throughout the day.

That’s not OK. We know the trauma that

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causes.”

Beyond the psychological issues that could stem from exposure to gunfire, there are also potential physical impacts, including lead exposure from spent rounds.

Center for Closing the Health Gap President and CEO Renee Mahaffey Harris is concerned about that potential.

“Lincoln Heights’ gun range has not been assessed in 80 years,” she says.

“Lead poisons the soil, poisons the water and emits particles into the air.”

There are other concerns as well.

Evendale Mayor Richard Finan says the range’s 30 acres would be much better put to use as a manufacturing facility that could provide jobs for nearby residents. The range technically sits in Evendale’s jurisdiction.

“A gun range is not the highest and best use of this property,” Finan says.

“We’re not too impacted by the noise, but the economic side of it is this is a valuable property right alongside I-75.”

A number of attempts have been made to convince the city to move the range, but those have stalled in the past. Then-police union President Keith Fangman pushed back against an effort

by Cincinnati officials to move the range in 1999, calling it a “smokescreen” to aid Lincoln Heights in annexing the land the range was on for economic development.

But now CPD officials say they’re open to relocating it if a suitable replacement site can be found. Moving the range could be on the table, but so could enclosing it — a $2.9 million project, according to city reports.

Hamilton County Commissioners recently passed a motion advocating for the relocation of the gun range. And a number of Cincinnati City Council members are also on board.

Councilman P.G. Sittenfeld says it will take more work to nail down how to move the range, but pledged to make sure that happens. It could take federal help, too. Sittenfeld says both U.S. Sens.

Sherrod Brown and Rob Portman are engaged in the conversation around moving the range.

“We’ll be meeting again soon to distill what needs to be done, what funding needs to be secured, to move forward with this,” Sittenfeld said at the conclusion of the Oct. 6 hearing.

“I understand the importance of having a gun range where our Cincinnati Police Department’s 1,000 members can practice target shooting and where the K-9 units are trained,” Councilwoman Jan-Michele Kearney, who convened the Oct. 6 hearing, said last month. “But it must not be located in a residential area. We are harming the neighboring communities, and that

must stop. We know that Black and Brown communities are more likely to be victimized by environmental hazards, adding to the higher rates of health problems. The gun range is yet another example.”

Lincoln Heights was one of the first predominantly Black municipalities in the country when it incorporated under Black leadership in 1947 — the same year the gun range opened — and today almost nine in 10 of its residents are Black. Like many small municipalities, it has struggled with revenue issues and other troubles, but those have been compounded by the fact that the land Lincoln Heights’ founders were allowed

by Hamilton County to incorporate did not include factories and other tax revenue-generating industry sought during an earlier 1939 incorporation attempt. That first attempt was stymied by the opposition of the community’s white neighbors.

Despite that, Lincoln Heights still thrived for a time as its residents found gainful employment in the area’s bustling industrial corridor. But that began to change in the 1970s and 1980s as deindustrialization began. Unemployment rose, tax revenues fell, and Lincoln Heights suffered population loss and poverty even as nearby suburbs boomed.

Throughout Lincoln Heights’ rise and decline, the shooting range has been a constant “Gunfire has been the soundtrack of our entire lives,” Lincoln Heights resident Carlton Collins says. “We need to understand that there are maybe 10,000 people who can hear these gunshots.

Enough is enough.”

Collins is a member of The Heights Movement, a community advocacy group seeking to boost Lincoln Heights and its residents. One specific goal of the organization: Get the gun range moved and use the land to benefit Lincoln Heights.

Collins, along with Heights Movement Vice President Daronce Daniels and other advocates, held a news conference outside Cincinnati City Hall Sept. 17.

The event also drew leaders from the Greater Cincinnati Urban League, Princeton City School District and other groups to express support for the drive to relocate the range.

Daniels, an educator and coach at Princeton, said that he heartily supports police training, but that keeping the gun range in the area is not an option.

“You’re asking another generation of kids hearing gunshots and explosions and police yelling ‘shoot, shoot’ while they’re trying to concentrate on school,” Daniels said.

Riverfront Live Presents:

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BLACKBERRY SMOKE with Wild Feathers *acoustic show

Thursday, October 22, 2020 DOORS OPEN AT 5:30PM All Ages | Tickets $25.00 - $40.00

Pigeonholing Blackberry Smoke has never been easy. Since emerging from Atlanta in the early ‘00s, the quintet – vocalist/lead guitarist Charlie Starr, guitarist/vocalist Paul Jackson, bassist/vocalist Richard Turner, drummer Brit Turner and keyboardist Brandon Still – has become known for a singular sound indebted to classic rock, blues, country and folk.

“That’s one of my favorite things about Blackberry Smoke albums – there’s a lot of variety.”

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by citybeat staff HAUNTED HOUSES + PUMPKIN PATCHES + OUTDOOR ADVENTURES + THE PERFECT S’MORE + MORE

F

all is officially here and with the advent of October comes all things spooky, cozy and pumpkin spicy. Like the rest of this year, this season will feel a little different due to the pandemic, but that doesn’t mean fall is canceled (although bobbing for apples might be).

This guide has stuff to do for every vibe, from stay-at-home cuddlers to outdoor explorers to those in search of traditional autumn essentials — all to entertain you as you socially distance your way through ’til winter.

Plus, there’s no better time for a thematic mask than Halloween.

CINCINNATI NATURE CENTER photo: Vincent DiFrancesco

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DENT SCHOOLHOUSE photo: Provided by Dent Schoolhouse

HAUNTED HOUSES

compiled by car rie michaels

KINGS ISLAND’S TRICKS AND TREATS FALL FEST photo: Provided by Kings Island

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HERITAGE VILLAGE’S HAUNTED VILLAGE photo: Provided

by Heritage Village

While some haunted houses are taking a break this season because of concerns surrounding COVID-19, these spooky outdoor attractions (except for Dent Schoolhouse, which is indoors) are offering socially distant frights and Halloween horrors.

ALL HALLOWS EVE TERROR TOWN The former grounds of the Old West Fest have been transformed into a Dodge City ghost town, literally. Well, almost literally. A prop fabrication and haunted attraction team has transformed the space into an immersive 19th-century Terror Town with shops, vendors, restaurants, bars and live music. There are also theater performances, games and a 30-minute haunted trail (recommended for those 16 and older) that leaves from a desecrated church. Due to COVID-19, the park will have social distancing guidelines in place and masks are required.

Through Nov. 14. $25; $35 for an “unfeigned horror red bracelet.” 1449 Greenbush Cobb Road, Williamsburg, allhallowsevellc.com.

BRIMSTONE HAUNT Home to three separate attractions, guests can opt to venture through Brimstone Farm’s Haunted Hayride, the Forgotten Forest or Psychosis. The farm was a prosperous place until it was laid bare by the curse in the corn. Now it’s home to monsters, madmen and all other iterations of macabre characters whose main goal is to cause chaos on your twisted hayride. The Forgotten Forest, a higher-intensity scare experience, is a quarter-mile walk through a supernatural wood. Psychosis offers “disturbing scenes of horror that will pull you further from reality” in an indoor experience. Brimstone Haunt promises frequent sanitation and asks that all guests wear masks in structures and when social distancing cannot be maintained. Through Oct. 31. $15 Haunted Hayride; $15 Forgotten Forest;

$8 Psychosis; $27 combo (Haunted Hayride and Forgotten Forest; +$20 fast pass. 472 Brimstone Road, Wilmington, springborohauntedhayride. com.

DENT SCHOOLHOUSE According to legend, the bodies of several missing Dent Schoolhouse students were discovered in barrels in the building’s basement — and the janitor did it. Housed in an actual public school, Dent offers real ghost tours and lights-out experiences for those looking for a true fright, plus lights-on tours for kids and wimps. Tickets must be purchased online.

Capacity has been cut in half this year so nights can sell out. Masks and social distancing are required. Through Nov. 13. $20-$25 general admission; +$20 fast pass; +$30 front of the line.

5963 Harrison Ave., Dent, frightsite.com.

HERITAGE VILLAGE’S HAUNTED VILLAGE Described as a “slight fright,” this haunted attraction is completely kid-friendly and a lower-key haunted experience that won’t leave the youngsters with recurring nightmares until Christmas. A “ghost host” will lead private groups on tours through the recreated 19th-century village, “meeting ghosts, witches, pirates, a mortician, a fortune teller and a cursed archaeologist along the way.” Tickets must be purchased in advance for timed entry.

Face masks required for those ages 6 and older; social distancing will be enforced. 6-10 p.m. Oct. 9-10; Oct. 16-17; Oct. 23-24. $8; free for members and kids 2 and under. 11450 Lebanon Road, Sharonville, heritagevillagecincinnati.org.

KINGS ISLAND’S TRICKS AND TREATS FALL FEST Kings Island’s Halloween Haunt has been canceled for the 2020 season and instead the park is offering a family-friendly Tricks and Treats Fall Fest. There is themed food, like Zombie Poutine and pumpkin spice funnel cake (and alcohol), plus COVID-friendly trick-ortreating, corn and hay mazes, live game shows and performances, tractor rides, monster makeovers and more. Halloween costumes are encouraged but note: “Costume masks may only be worn during the Tricks And Treats Costume Contest. Costume masks must be worn in conjunction with a COVID-19 face covering.”

Through Nov. 1. $29.99 -$55. 6300 Kings Island Drive, Mason, visitkingsisland.com.

LAND OF ILLUSION Why only have one haunted house when you could have six...and a haunted trail? Land of Illusion has multiple themed frights to choose from: Killer Klowns, Temple of Terror, Phobia, Dr. Psycho’s Haunted Estate, Big Mama’s Revenge, the Historical Mystery Mansion and the Middletown Haunted Trail — the “longest and scariest trail in the Midwest.” They also have a full bar — the Voodoo Lounge and Creepy Cafe — and live music/DJs or comedy acts on weekends. Land of Illusion is asking their guests to follow social distancing guidelines (they’ll also be doing timed groups in the attractions) and to wear masks inside of buildings. Through Nov. 2. $50; $75; season passes available. 8762 Thomas Road, Middletown, landofillusion.com.

QUEEN CITY IS HAUNTED/NEWPORT IS HAUNTED/COVINGTON HISTORIC AND HAUNTED TOUR American Legacy Tours is leading three special haunted jaunts this season. For Queen City is Haunted, take a walking tour of downtown and OTR and listen to stories of grisly murders, ghastly deaths and other disturbing tales buried deep within Cincinnati’s storied past.

In Newport, take a lantern-led walking tour and be regaled with tales of murder, suicide, decapitation and the horrifying origin of Bobby Mackey’s famous portal to hell. In Covington, learn about the controversies, feuds and spirits that haunt the neighborhood after wealthy slave-holding families faced off against ardent abolitionists in the 1860s. American Legacy Tours also offers an “Ultimate Queen City is Haunted” tour. Tour sizes have been reduced due to COVID-19. Some haunted tours available through Nov. 7. $25-$35. Get start locations and details at americanlegacytours.com.

SANDYLAND ACRES HAUNTED HAYRIDE Hold on tight: During this hellish hayride through a cornfield, riders are stalked and taunted by creatures hidden among the crops.

Familiar faces like Texas Chainsaw Massacre’s Leatherface and a bloodied take on Santa Claus appear alongside zombies, backwoodsmen, clowns and chainsaw-wielders. Sandyland Acres is asking their guests to follow social distancing guidelines and wear masks at all times. Once you’re in the wagon, you can’t move from your seat until the ride is over. Cash only. Through Oct. 31. $15. 4172 Belleview Road, Petersburg, sandylandacres.com.

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NELTNER’S FARM photos: Grace Lawler

compiled by olive collins niesz

PUMPKIN PATCHES

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It’s that time of year again: Time to head to any one of these local farms to pick your own pumpkin, drink apple cider and capture that perfect fall photo for social media. Here are some Greater Cincinnati spots offering autumnal fun and seasonal produce (some even have hard cider, wine and craft beer this year). Note: It’s always wise to check each farm’s website or Facebook page for COVID updates before you visit.

BLOOMS & BERRIES Blooms & Berries is celebrating their 80th year of farming in 2020. The Loveland staple offers activities like a 5-acre corn maze, pumpkin bounce pad, hayrides and mini train rides; sweet treats like caramel apples, apple cider and fresh pies; and a brand-new beer garden for the adults, offering craft beer and wine from noon to 6 p.m. on weekends. Reserve your ticket online prior to your visit. 9:30 a.m.-7 p.m. daily. Through Nov. 1. $10 Monday-Friday; $12 Saturday-Sunday; free children 2 and under. 9669 S. State Route 48, Loveland, bloomsandberries.com.

BROWN’S FAMILY FARM MARKET “Pumpkins, pumpkins everywhere!” boasts their website, but that’s not all they offer. Head to Brown’s for apple butter, fall decorations, locally grown produce and more. Hayrides and the Barrel Train run on weekends, when you can also enjoy a corn maze, food trucks and farm animals. 9 a.m.-7 p.m. daily; hayrides 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Through Oct. 31.

Free admission. 11620 Hamilton Cleves Road, Hamilton, facebook.com/brownsfarmmarket.

BURGER FARM & GARDEN CENTER This Newtown farm has brand new features for the 2020 Fall Fun at the Farm event, including weekday hayrides and walking maze puzzles.

They also offer dozens of activities like ziplines, peddle carts, the Pumpkin Land scavenger hunt, a giant straw castle and more. Reserve timed tickets online to ensure social distancing. 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Through Oct. 31. $12 adults; $8 seniors; free children 2 and under. Weekday hayrides 1:30-5 p.m. TuesdayFriday. $5; free children 2 and under. 7849 Main St., Newtown, burgerfarms.com.

BURWINKEL FARMS Burwinkel offers all the classic fun: corn mazes, sunflowers for a photo op, a Halloween

scavenger hunt and, of course, a pumpkin patch with gourds ready to be picked. Choose from different activity packages to best suit your family’s needs. Best of all, check out the maze and fall fields that literally say “thank you” to essential workers. 10 a.m.-6 p.m. daily; hayrides 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.

Through Oct. 31. Check the website for additional weekly hours. $8 with hayride; $5 walking. 4359 Hamilton Cleves Road, Ross, facebook.com/ burwinkelfarms.

COUNTRY PUMPKINS This Kentucky farm is offering a brand-new Pumpkin Ridge family package this season. For $20 per family, you will enjoy corn launches, access to the play area, a visit with baby calves and leave with two large pumpkins. Go on a hayride, try out the turbo slide and get lost in the 4-acre corn maze for varying prices. 4-7 p.m.

Monday-Thursday; 2-7 p.m. Friday; 10 a.m.-7 p.m. Saturday; noon-5 p.m. Sunday. Through Oct. 31. 1835 Sherman Mount Zion Road, Dry Ridge, countrypumpkinsky.com.

EVANS ORCHARD CIDER MILL With over 20 acres of pumpkins, everyone is sure to go home with their perfect pick. Evans also offers a play area for kids, hayrides, a corn maze and, best of all, an apple cannon. Don’t leave without shopping the market for fresh produce, honey, jams, baked goods and more. 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday; noon-6 p.m. Sunday.

Through Oct. 31. Prices vary depending on activity, but a visit to the pumpkin patch is free.

198 Stone Road, Georgetown, evansorchard.com.

GORMAN HERITAGE FARM Pick a flower from the sprawling sunflower fields and a pumpkin from the market to fall-ify your porch. You can also grab a bite from a food truck, meet farm animals and stroll through corn and sunflower mazes. Purchase your tickets in advance. 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Monday-Friday; 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday. Through Oct. 31. $5 adults; $3 children and seniors; free children 3 and under.

10052 Reading Road, Evendale, gormanfarm.org.

HIDDEN VALLEY ORCHARDS HVO boasts two large pick-your-own pumpkin patches and an apple tent for your fall produce needs. With live music on the weekends, hard ciders in the Crate Room, ice cream in The Coop, apple cider donut sundaes and kid-friendly I-Spy walkabouts, there is something to do for the whole family. Noon.-9 p.m. Thursday and Friday; 10 a.m.-9 p.m. Saturday; 10 a.m.-7 p.m. Sunday.

Through Oct. 31. Free admission. 5474 State Route 48, Lebanon, hiddenvalleyorchards.com.

IRONS FRUIT FARM During October weekends, take a hayride out to the patches to pick a pumpkin (pay by the pound) and take a stroll through the corn maze.

Visit the bakery for apple fritters, assorted pies, cider donuts and more. Keep an eye on the website for events like visits from local craftspeople, food booths and mini train rides.

Market 9 a.m.-6 p.m. Monday-Saturday; 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Sunday; corn maze and pumpkin patch 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Friday; 10 a.m.-5 p.m.

Saturday and Sunday. Through Oct. 31. Corn

maze and pumpkin patch $7 adults; $5 ages 5-12; free children 4 and under. 1640 Stubbs Mill Road, Lebanon, ironsfruitfarm.com.

KINMAN FARMS Come out to Kinman for the 14th-annual Fall Fest. For $10 you get access to picnic shelters, hayrides, the corn maze, a carnival tent, the Great Pumpkin Express and more. For an extra few bucks, play some lazer tag, ride a pony and grab a bite to eat at Kinman’s Grill. Reserve your tickets online prior to your visit. 10 a.m.-10 p.m. Friday and Saturday; noon-7 p.m. Sunday; 9 a.m.-7 p.m. Monday-Thursday for produce purchases. Through Oct. 25. $10. 4175 Burlington Pike, Burlington, kinmanfarm.com.

MCGLASSON FARMS McGlasson has every type of fall produce you can think of: apples, sweet potatoes, pumpkins, squash and more. Indulge in caramel apples, apple fritters and cinnamon donuts, all washed down by fresh cider. Pick up a fall mum to keep your pumpkin company on your porch. 9 a.m.-6 p.m. Monday-Friday; 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Free admission. Cash or check only for purchases. 5832 River Road, Hebron, mcglassonfarms.com.

NELTNER’S FARM Pick your own pumpkin, enjoy a horse-drawn wagon ride and meet farm animals in the new outdoor petting zoo. The farm also features a model train display and train and pony rides for children. Finish your day with home-cooked goods and local wines. No advance tickets or reservations needed to have fun on this farm. 9 a.m.-6 p.m. weekdays; 10 a.m.-6 p.m. weekends.

Through Oct. 31. $5 weekends; free weekdays (not all activities are available); some events and activities cost an additional fee. 6922 Four Mile Road, Melbourne, neltnersfarm.com.

NIEDERMAN FAMILY FARM Pick your own pumpkin for 50 cents per pound and make your way through the sunflowershaped maze at Niederman’s Fall Fun on the Farm event. Come with an appetite to enjoy fall treats like cinnamon donuts, kettle corn, caramel apples and hot roasted nuts. This year’s admission fee includes access to a jumping pillow, corn maze, hayride, play cabins, Barnyard Butt Buster, tube swings, Ball Zones and more.

Also currently booking private bonfires ($100).

6-9 p.m. Thursday; 6-10 p.m. Friday; 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Saturday; 1-6 p.m. Sunday. Through Oct. 31. Purchase tickets online in advance. $12. 5110 Lesourdsville West Chester Road, Hamilton, niedermanfamilyfarm.com.

SHAW FARMS MARKET Shaw’s encourages visitors to “start a new family tradition with pumpkins, a 15-acre corn maze, hayrides and 2 interactive playgrounds.” Swing by the market for their famous Shaw Sweet Corn and a variety of seasonal produce. Don’t forget to check out their collection of Amish-made goods such as cheese, bacon and cottage ham.

9 a.m.-6 p.m. daily. Through Oct. 31. Admission varies per event. 1737 State Route 131, Milford, shawfarmmarket.com.

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CINCINNATI NATURE CENTER photos: Vincent DiFrancesco

OUTDOOR FUN

inter vie w by maija zummo 14

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Adventure Crew is a Greater Cincinnati nonprofit that is “dedicated to connecting city teens with nature through engaging recreation, education and conservation activities,” says Associate Director Miriam Wise.

According to Wise, they offer outdoor adventure to students in 24 area schools, including all Cincinnati Public Schools’ high schools, select CPS seventh and eighth grade classes and five Northern Kentucky schools to help teens “develop the courageous spirit to step out of their comfort zone and discover new worlds — outside in nature and inside themselves.”

Adventure Crew also recently released an Outdoors for All guide. As the name suggests, this isn’t just aimed at teens; it’s for everyone. The free handbook lists a variety of resources for those interested in everything from backpacking and biking to camping, climbing and fishing.

And since Adventure Crew seems like the expert in outdoor fun, we asked Wise to recommend seven fun fall things to do.

Learn more about Adventure Crew and find the guide at adventurecrew.org.

DO A MILFORD DOUBLE HIKER “Milford is a great destination for outdoor adventurers, with loads of hiking, biking and kayaking options in or near its historic downtown. Valley View Foundation is an Adventure Crew fall favorite for the ‘scavenger hike’ adventures we create for our teens, but anyone can explore the wetlands, woodlands and prairie along 5 miles of trails at this lesser-known gem. For a great fall ‘double hiker,’ head to Valley View for a morning walk before venturing into downtown Milford for lunch. (Little Miami Brewing Co. is a fun option with plenty of outdoor seating where you can take in views of its namesake river.) After you’ve refueled, double back to Cincinnati Nature Center’s Rowe Woods (admission fee required) for more time on the trails. With 14 miles of them, you’re sure to find some solitude among the fall foliage. If your timing is right, the changing leaves reflected in Powel Crosley Lake make for a beautiful photo op.” Valley View Foundation, 790 Garfield Ave., Milford, valleyviewcampus.org.

Cincinnati Nature Center, 4949 Tealtown Road, Milford, cincynature.org.

EXPLORE EVERYBODY’S TREEHOUSE AND MOUNT AIRY FOREST “Adventurers of all abilities are welcome at Everybody’s Treehouse in Mount Airy Forest.

Thanks to a series of ramps, the treehouse is

the only universally accessible treehouse in our region. Everybody’s Treehouse was built from natural materials sourced from Mount Airy. How cool is that? After you explore the treehouse, take time to walk the nearby trails: Mount Airy is massive for a city park, spanning almost 1,500 acres. Adventure Crew especially loves hiking the stone steps for a workout. They were placed to help hikers up a steep 0.3 mile trek. Keep an eye out along the steps for fossils! There are a number of reservable shelters with charcoal grills that are ideal for a fall cookout (or even just making s’mores). Stroll down to the arboretum for an autumn photoshoot by the picturesque lake and gazebo. Be aware that certain sections of the forest are designated for bow hunting during the fall and winter.” 1212 Trail Ridge Road, Mount Airy, cincinnatiparks.com.

FIND FEATHERED FRIENDS AT FERNALD PRESERVE “Grab your binoculars and take a short jaunt to Hamilton to visit Fernald Preserve. Once there, spend some time with your eyes on the sky: Fernald is a favorite destination for bird watching. More than 250 bird species have been spotted at the preserve, and fall is a great time to look for migrating birds that don’t normally live in our area. All that biodiversity is a testament to the fact that the preserve is a remarkable environmental success story. During the Cold War, the site was home to a uranium processing facility, one step in the production of nuclear weapons. Following billions of dollars of cleanup and restoration, the site was transformed into a nature preserve with 7 miles of trails that let you explore forests, wetlands and prairies. Many of the trails go through wide-open spaces without much shade, so we’d recommend a hat and sunglasses for this outing. (Note that the visitors center is currently closed because of COVID19.)” 7400 Willey Road, Hamilton, energy.gov/ lm/fernald-preserve-ohio-site.

CAMP OUT AT MIAMI WHITEWATER FOREST “Our annual Adventure Crew campout is a big highlight for our teens. We’ve camped at destinations around the city, and we especially enjoy Miami Whitewater Forest. One of the Great Parks of Hamilton County, Miami Whitewater Forest has endless adventure possibilities. We love taking an outing here to hike, bike, paddle, fish, toss a disc and watch for birds. You can even bring along your horse for trail rides or hit the golf course for a quick nine. Whatever your outdoor interest, Miami Whitewater has you and your family covered. They even have a dog park for your furry friends. Campgrounds at Miami Whitewater are walking distance from the harbor, where you can rent bikes to enjoy the shared-use paved trails. If you’d prefer not to tent camp, RV campsites are available. All sites include a fire ring, perfect for roasting marshmallows and telling ghost stories. Check the Great Parks of Hamilton County website for site availability.” 9001 Mt. Hope Road, Harrison, greatparks.org.

LEAF THROUGH A GOOD BOOK AT BURNET WOODS “When Adventure Crew kids aren’t out on adventures, many have quick and easy access to Burnet Woods in Clifton. Managed by Cincinnati Parks, Burnet Woods features almost 90 acres of trails and is located off multiple bus lines. Bookworm meets earthworm when you settle down for a read at Burnet Woods. The Clifton branch of the Cincinnati & Hamilton County Public Library sits adjacent to the park, across Ludlow Avenue; we recommend stopping in at the library to pick up a page-turner and then heading over to enjoy the changing leaves in this urban oasis. In between chapters, take a stroll around the fishing lake at Burnet, where city anglers catch and release bluegill, catfish and largemouth bass. For a more active adventure, check out the Burnet Woods disc golf course.” 3251 Brookline Ave., Clifton, cincinnatiparks.com.

TAKE A PEACEFUL STROLL AT SPRING GROVE “Another great greenspace that’s easily accessible to city dwellers is Spring Grove Cemetery & Arboretum. Take in the historic beauty of the third-largest cemetery in the nation as you wander the resting place for so many well-known Cincinnati entrepreneurs, politicians and community leaders. You may be surprised by how many names you recognize!

Download a map from the cemetery’s website to take the self-guided walking tour. More than 40 miles of winding roads take you past preserved woodlands, serene lakes and gorgeous fall foliage. If you want to learn more about that foliage, this is the place to do it: Some 1,200 different types of plants grow in Spring Grove, and more than 1,000 of them are labeled. Don’t miss the magnificent white oak, the oldest tree in the cemetery, on your stroll through the grounds.” 4521 Spring Grove Ave., Spring Grove Village, springgrove.org.

DAY TRIP TO YELLOW SPRINGS “While we don’t venture out of Greater Cincinnati during our Crew adventures, our staff loves Yellow Springs for a quick fall day trip. Visit the recently reopened Glen Helen preserve to see the village’s trademark springs — their distinctive color, a perfect complement to fall foliage, results from the water’s high iron content — plus a waterfall and rocky cliffs along the preserve’s 20-plus miles of hiking trails. Or head to Clifton Gorge State Nature Preserve to hike along the Little Miami State and National Scenic River where it cascades through a beautiful gorge. The preserve offers 3 miles of trails and abuts John Bryan State Park, so you can combine the two for a longer walk. If biking is more your thing, hop on the Little Miami Scenic Bike Trail, which passes right through Yellow Springs. Be sure to allow some time to explore the village itself: The ‘hippie’ town boasts lots of locally owned shops and restaurants. To really get into the fall spirit, head to Peifer Orchards just outside of town to stock up on pumpkins, apples and cider.” Yellow Springs, Ohio, yellowspringsohio.org.

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FALL FOOD

compiled by hailey bollinger and maija zummo

If you haven’t indulged in some kind of pumpkin spice or made a s’more this season, has it really been fall? Here are two recipes — one for each favorite — provided by the local experts at O Pie O and Grateful Grahams.

O Pie O went from a Findlay Market pop-up to an East Walnut Hills restaurant, renowned for flaky and decadent sweet and savory baked goods from founder and chief baker Lou Ginocchio. They also just recently opened a new location in Over-theRhine, with a focus on grab-and-go baked goods and carry-out bites — a perfect fit for our current dining climate.

Guests can expect O Pie O favorites, plus a larger menu of popovers, galettes and biscuits.

Grateful Grahams is Cincinnati’s artisan vegan graham cracker company helmed by Rachel DesRochers. “Grateful Grahams is a gratitude company created to spread the message of gratitude one graham at a time,” DesRochers says. “We want folks to think about what they are grateful for with every bite, and finding that while eating a delicious, soft artisanal graham cracker is the best way.”

The graham crackers are available locally at Whole Foods, Kroger, several other specialty markets and online.

O Pie O, 1527 Madison Road, East Walnut Hills; 32 E. 13th St., Overthe-Rhine, opieo.com. Grateful Grahams, gratefulgrahams.com.

BROWN BUTTER PUMPKIN PIE photo: facebook.com/opieobakery

O PIE O’S BROWN BUTTER PUMPKIN PIE recipe provided by lou ginocchio INGREDIENTS: Favorite 9” pie crust, lightly parbaked 1 pound of high-fat butter; set aside 75ml ¾ cup brown sugar ⅓ tsp or slightly rounded ¼ tsp Kosher salt ⅓ tsp or slightly rounded ¼ tsp ground ginger ⅓ tsp or slightly rounded ¼ tsp ground allspice ⅓ tsp or slightly rounded ¼ tsp ground cinnamon ⅓ tsp or slightly rounded ¼ tsp ground cloves 2 large eggs 1 egg yolk 1 cup canned pumpkin ⅓ cup heavy whipping cream 3 Tbsp whole milk 1 tsp molasses ½ tsp vanilla bean paste or extract 1 ½ Tbsp water ¼ cup carrot juice Small saucepan Fine mesh sieve or cheesecloth

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INSTRUCTIONS: Do ahead: Brown 1 pound of butter (preferably high fat) on the stovetop on a low simmer (some bubbling) until browned.

Be careful not to burn. Strain melted liquid through a fine mesh or cheesecloth to remove most solids. Set aside 75 ml for the recipe in a small microwave-safe bowl; save the rest for other browned butter goodness. Refrigerate both until ready to use. 1. Combine dry ingredients in a large bowl: brown sugar (break up all lumps), Kosher salt, ground ginger, ground allspice, ground cinnamon, ground cloves. 2. Combine and beat egg mixture in a small bowl. 3. Measure out canned pumpkin in a medium-sized bowl.

For better consistency and flavor, avoid fresh pumpkins. Canned pumpkin is a better choice for a traditional pumpkin pie. 4. Combine whipping cream, whole milk, molasses, vanilla, water and carrot juice in a large pitcher. 5. Preheat conventional oven to 340 degrees (325 in convection oven, times will vary). 6. Melt browned butter in the microwave for 30 seconds. If not fully melted, nuke for another 10 seconds. If still not

melted, buy a new microwave. Add butter to dry mix in a large bowl — combine with spatula. Will be thick. 7. Slowly add egg mixture to the bowl and combine with spatula. Switch over to your whisk and further combine the mixture. 8. Switch back to the spatula, and slowly add pumpkin to the mixture, being careful not to splash. Mix with spatula until well-combined. 9. With your spatula slowly mixing, carefully pour in the remaining liquids from the pitcher. Switch to the whisk and vigorously whisk mixture for approximately 2 or 3 minutes. 10. Pour mixture into your favorite, lightly parbaked 9” pie crust. 11. Bake on the middle rack at 340 degrees for 30 minutes, turn, another 30 minutes, turn, another 15 minutes, turn, and another 15 minutes. Pie is done when it is well browned and puffed up in a dome. It will also give a “solidified jiggle” when shaken. 12. Let cool on counter for at least 2 hours before serving.

GRATEFUL GRAHAMS S’MORE photo: Hailey Bollinger

THE PERFECT GRATEFUL GRAHAMS S’MORE

provided by rachel desrochers

RACHEL DESROCHERS KIDS MAKING S’MORES photo: Provided by Rachel DesRochers

“We make a dairy- and egg-free product that I believe to be the best addition to any s’mores,” says Grateful Grahams founder Rachel DesRochers.

The vegan grahams come in four flavors: original, chocolate, chocolate chocolate chunk bites and peanut butter chocolate chip bites.

“I love a down and dirty s’more — you know the ‘regular’ kind,” says DesRochers. “Don’t get me wrong: There is nothing wrong with that: a Kraft ’mallow, a Hershey’s bar and some Grateful Grahams. Trust me, it’s delicious. But since we are talking s’mores, let me share some of my favorite ways (to make them).”

She recommends the following combos: . Grateful Grahams Peanut Butter bites, a piece of Maverick Chocolate and a big fluffy roasted mallow; . Grateful Grahams Chocolate Grahams, a “schmear of Nutella,” a slice or two of strawberries and a roasted, toasted mallow; . Original Grateful Grahams, a Sweet Ace Cakes Peanut Butter Marshmallow and Chocolats Latour Dark Chocolate; . Grateful Grahams Chocolate Chocolate Chunk Bites,

an Andes mint and roasted toasted marshmallow.

“We’ve also added sprinkles, nuts and caramel to our s’mores bar, too,” she says.

In terms of whether or not to burn your marshmallow or lightly toast it to make the perfect s’more, DesRochers says “you do you.”

“I love a toasted — not burnt — mallow,” she says. “I take my time, keep that little mallow turning. My kids pop it in and catch it on fire and, my youngest, barely gets it hot...because then he’d need to wait for it to cool down before he took a giant bite.”

DesRochers says they make s’mores in the microwave, too, not just over a backyard fire.

“In about 15 seconds (in the microwave), our mallow puffed up really big and just got the chocolate soft enough,” she says of a recent creation.

“I’ve also made a big pan of them in the oven; it’s a great, quick way for a crowd. Fill a sheet pan with your Grateful Grahams, top them how you want, pop in the oven — 350 degrees is fine — and cook for about a minute. Keep an eye on them, but it shouldn’t take them too long.”

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BRAXTON’S GRAETER’S PUMPKIN PIE ALE photo: Provided by Braxton Brewing Co.

PUMPKIN BEERS

compiled by citybeat staff

TAFT’S FRISCH’S PUMPKIN PIE ALE photo: Provided by Taft’s Brewing Co.

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The flavors of fall have arrived — in coffee, in baked goods and, of course, in our frosty brews. Local breweries are ready to usher in changing leaves, campfires and spooky season with seasonal sippers perfect for cozying up next to a fire. From the infamous — and controversial — pumpkin spice, to other fall flavors like candied pecan and s’mores, here are a few options to get you in a festive fall spirit.

GRAETER’S PUMPKIN PIE ALE FROM BRAXTON BREWING CO. Braxton Brewing Co. and Graeter’s have once again teamed up for a sweet seasonal beer release: Graeter’s Pumpkin Pie Ale. The beer, inspired by the scoop shop’s Pumpkin Pie ice cream, is brewed with fresh pumpkins, lactose and pumpkin pie spices. The brewery says, “Notes of golden brown pie crust are created by brown sugar and a combination of malts, making this beer an ode to a timeless harvest staple and your favorite flavors of fall.” 27 W. Seventh St., Covington, braxtonbrewing.com.

THE GREAT PUMPCAN AND S’MORE GRATITUDE FROM MADTREE Back on tap (not in cans this year), the Great Pumpcan is a “delicious ale full of spice and flavor perfect for autumn.” As far as S’more Gratitude goes, this seasonal chocolate vanilla porter is a collab with local Grateful Grahams vegan graham cracker company. Inspired by the flavor of s’mores, the brew features vanilla beans, lactose, cocoa powder and cacao nibs for “all the goodness with a lot less mess” than the traditional campfire treat. 3301 Madison Road, Oakley, madtreebrewing.com.

HOME SWEET HOME FROM FIFTY WEST BREWING CO. A seasonal fall brew, Home Sweet Home features “sweet potato, molasses, cinnamon, toasted pecans, and vanilla beans for a toasty and perfectly spiced nod to Mom’s Sweet Potato Pie.” 7668 Wooster Pike, Columbia Township, fiftywestbrew.com.

BLUMPKIN BLACK PUMPKIN ALE FROM DARKNESS BREWING That’s right, y’all: Blumpkin season is back.

For all you folks who spent a little too much time on Urban Dictionary growing up, get your

mind out of the damn gutter: We’re talking about the seasonal black pumpkin ale from Bellevue’s Darkness Brewing! The 7.1% black pumpkin ale is brewed with real pumpkin and pumpkin pie spice from Colonel De’s Gourmet Herbs & Spices. 224 Fairfield Ave., Bellevue, darknessbrewing.beer.

CHEATING THE GALLOWS PUMPKIN ALE FROM BAD TOM SMITH This 6.2% ABV brew features nutmeg, cinnamon and allspice with roasted malt and vanilla. The brewery says it’s “a slice of pumpkin pie in a glass.” 5900 Madison Road, Madisonville, badtomsmithbrewing.com.

PUMPKIN ALE FROM WOODEN CASK BREWING CO. Wooden Cask says this 6.1% ABV brew features more than 25 pounds of pumpkin puree and 12 pounds of molasses. It’s finished with pumpkin pie spices. 629 York St., Newport, woodencask. com.

FRISCH’S PUMPKIN PIE ALE FROM TAFT’S BREWING CO. Cincinnati’s Taft’s Brewing Co. and local diner chain Frisch’s Big Boy have collaborated on an autumn essential (for pumpkin spice lovers). The Frisch’s Pumpkin Pie Ale made its debut on Aug. 11 and is available at all Taft’s locations and in stores. The brew features hints of cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg, plus vanilla and lactose for a decadent and creamy flavor.

Frisch’s Pumpkin Pie is a regional classic for Thanksgiving dinners, and this flavorful merge will no doubt sell out quickly. According to a response comment made by Taft’s on their Facebook page, “You should still see (the beer) in early fall if it’s not all purchased by then!”

Taft’s Ale House, 1429 Race St., Over-the-Rhine; Taft’s Brewpourium, 4831 Spring Grove Ave., Spring Grove Village, taftsbeer.com.

JACK-O-PUMPKIN ALE FROM SAM ADAMS Cincinnati-based brewery Samuel Adams has released their fall Jack-O Pumpkin ale just in time for the season. The limited-release brew features aromas of cinnamon and nutmeg and is available at dozens of area stores. Samuel Adams Cincinnati Taproom, 1727 Logan St., Over-the-Rhine, samueladams.com.

VIVE PUMPKIN HARD SELTZER FROM BRAXTON BREWING CO. The Covington-based brewery introduced their newest spiked seltzer in mid-September featuring a popular fall infusion of pumpkin spice. Like the brand’s other hard seltzers, the VIVE Pumpkin Spice Hard Seltzer contains 100 calories, 2 grams of carbs and has a 5% ABV. It is available in stores across Ohio, Kentucky and Tennessee. 27 W. Seventh St., Covington, braxtonbrewing.com.

FLESH OF THE PUMPKIN FROM ALEXANDRIA BREWING CO. Nothing can introduce this beer better than the people at A.B.C themselves. ”Once a year

we go searching for little pumpkins. After we find our victims, we rip out their innards and remove their skin leaving nothing but their sweet flesh. We then take that flesh, combine it with a Baltic Porter malt base and mash all that flesh right in. The fluid left is boiled with hops and pumpkin pie spices, put into a fermenter. It then has brown sugar added to make a beer that is fitting for the fall season.” 7926 Alexandria Pike #1, Alexandria, alexandriabrewingcompany.com.

YAMMY BREWS FROM PLATFORM BREWING CO. Platform’s seasonal Yammy brews are back, offering three different ways to enjoy the autumnal spud in sud form. The brew comes in Yammy Yammy, featuring flavors of roasted yams with hints of cinnamon, nutmeg and clove; the S’mores Yammy, featuring flavors of marshmallow, graham cracker, chocolate and lactose mixed with sweet potato ale; and the Candied Pecan Yammy, spicing up the traditional Yammy Yammy with caramelized brown sugar, pecan and vanilla. The beers are available via pick-up or delivery in six-packs or you can order a 12-pack featuring all three Yammy brews. 1201 Main St., Over-the-Rhine, platformbeer.co.

PUMPKIN SPICE LATTE BROWN ALE FROM MT. CARMEL BREWING CO. This brew is a riff on Mt. Carmel’s Coffee Brown Ale, adding “notes of pumpkin spice and vanilla lactose cream.” 4362 Mt. Carmel Tobasco Road, Mt. Carmel, mtcarmelbrewing. com.

PUMPKIN ALE FROM RIVERTOWN BREWERY AND BARREL HOUSE Rivertown’s Pumpkin Ale is making its reappearance this year, with all the spices and pumpkin flavors that almost convince you that you are sipping down a pumpkin pie instead of a spiked ale. The brew is available now in the taproom or via six-packs at local retailers.

6550 Hamilton Lebanon Road, Monroe, rivertownbrewery.com.

CHASE THE DEVIL BBA STOUT FROM FRETBOARD BREWING Blue Ash’s Fretboard Brewing is serving up a unique spin on the seasonal sipper. Their Chase the Devil stout is made with habanero, chocolate and coffee — a brew sure to warm you up as the weather cools down. The seasonal beer is available on tap and in cans for a limited time. 7800 Creek Road, Blue Ash, fretboardbrewing.com.

SPICED APPLE CIDER AT SONS OF TOIL BREWERY Taking their already delicious apple cider as a base they then add in allspice, cinnamon, and brown sugar to make it even better. A great blend to really warm up your belly as the seasons get colder. 14090 Klein Road, Mt. Orab, sonsoftoilbrewing.com.

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2020 VOTER GUIDE

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As well as extended Voter Information including additional questions and information from the candidates and polling place locator, can be found on our voter guide website: www.VOTE411.org

GENERAL INFORMATION ABOUT THIS GUIDE This guide for voters was prepared by the League of Women Voters of the Cincinnati Area (LWVCA) to provide a forum for candidates and information on the ballot issues.

The candidate materials in this guide were assembled in the following manner: The information for the Hamilton County candidates is solicited and compiled by the League of Women Voters of the Cincinnati Area (LWVCA). LWVCA uses the following criteria: The questions selected by LWVCA were advertised to the candidates, who were informed that each response would be printed as received and that all candidates would be solely responsible for the content of their replies. Because of the nonpartisan nature of the guide, candidates were informed that any reference to other candidates is prohibited. Because of space limitations, candidates were informed of the word limit requirements and were advised that any reply over the word limit would be cut off at the correct number.

In making this information available to the public, the LWVCA neither endorses nor rejects the views of any candidate or political party. The League does not and cannot assume responsibility for any candidate’s reply, or for the candidate’s motive in making it.

The summaries and background for the Hamilton County and City of Cincinnati ballot issues were prepared by the League of Women Voters of the Cincinnati Area volunteers. Descriptions of other ballot issues come from the Hamilton County Board of Elections.

The information in this guide is current as of September 7, 2020.

LWVCA’s online voter guide VOTE411.org includes additional candidate information not included in this guide as well as any updates candidates may have made to their profile information after our publication deadline as stated above.

IS THIS YOU? •

I like to know what’s happening in my community, in my state and country.

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I want all elections to be conducted fairly.

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I want voters to have unbiased information about candidates and issues.

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I am interested in discussions of public policy.

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I like to have new ways to network with people.

If this sounds like you, then we welcome you to check out the League of Women Voters of the Cincinnati Area. We’re a grassroots organization that includes women and men who value good government and fair elections. Join us! Contact us and let’s talk about your interests!

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3 WAYS TO VOTE Vote at your polling place on Election Day Election Day is Tuesday, November 3, 2020. Polls are open from 6:30 am until 7:30 pm. By law, if you are in line at 7:30 pm, the polls must stay open to allow you to vote. Contact your county Board of Elections (call 513-632-7000 or visit www.votehamiltoncountyohio.gov ) or visit www.vote411.org to check your voter registration and to find out your polling place and precinct. Sometimes several precincts share the same polling place. To assure that your vote is counted, verify that you are voting in the correct precinct!

Above all, if you are sure you are at the correct polling precinct and voting a regular ballot is not an option for whatever reason, don’t leave the polls without voting a provisional ballot.

A provisional ballot is the same as a regular ballot ONCE THEY VERIFY YOUR REGISTRATION AND ID. Give poll workers the information they request and your vote will be counted.

Vote by mail In Ohio you may obtain an absentee ballot for ANY reason. The process is explained on the Board of Elections (BOE) website https:// votehamiltoncountyohio.gov/voting-options/mail/ Questions? Call (513) 632-7000.

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If you did not receive a vote-by-mail application in the mail around Labor Day, obtain one by printing it from the BOE website, by phoning the BOE at (513) 632-7000, or by picking one up at the Board of Elections Office or any Hamilton County Public Library.

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Submit it to BOE office by mail or drop it off in secure drop box at Board of Elections Office, 4700 Smith Rd, Cincinnati, OH 45224.

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Your ballot will be mailed to you after October 5 or when the application is processed. Use the BOE website or phone (513) 632-7000 to check the progress of your vote-by-mail ballot.

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Return your completed ballot – Place it in the BOE drop box

by November 3, 2020 7:30 pm; OR use USPS with a postmark stamped at your post office by November 2, 2020. Postage is required if mailed.

IMPORTANT: Mail is slower these days, so allow at least 5 days for each mailing, or use the BOE drop box if time is short.

Vote early in-person Registered voters may vote beginning on October 6 for the November 3, 2020 election. (Ohio has no online voting) Location for early voting in Hamilton County: Hamilton County Board of Elections 4700 Smith Rd.; Norwood, OH 45212 513-632-7000 https://votehamiltoncountyohio.gov/ Travel and bus routes: https://votehamiltoncountyohio.gov/wp-content/ uploads/2019/11/Driving-Directions-and-Bus-Routes-to-4700-SmithRd1.pdf Early voting days and hours are as follows: Oct 6-9 T-F 8am-5pm,

Oct 26-30 M-F 8am-7pm,

513-281-VOTE (8683)

Oct 12-16 M-F 8am-5pm

Oct 31 Saturday 8am-4pm,

info@lwvcincinnati.org

Oct 19-23 M-F 8am-6pm,

Nov 1 Sunday 1-5pm,

www.lwvcincinnati.org

Oct 24 Saturday 8am-4pm,

Nov 2 Monday 8am-2pm

www.facebook.com/lwvcincinnati

Oct 25 Sunday 1-5pm,

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GENERAL INFORMATION FORMS OF IDENTIFICATION Acceptable PHOTO ID: (must not be expired) • Ohio Driver License/Ohio State ID/ Ohio Interim Documentation (must show your name and current or former address) • State of Ohio or Fed. Govt photo ID (must show your name and current address) • Ohio Concealed Weapons ID (must show your name and current address)

Acceptable DOCUMENTS as ID: (must show your name, current address, and be dated within 12 months) • Utility Bill, including cell phone bill • Bank Statement • Government Check • Payroll Check • Government Document • Military ID Issued by Dept. of Defense

A voter presenting an Ohio driver license or Ohio ID card that shows voter’s former address is permitted to cast a regular ballot so long as the voter’s current residential address has been updated with the Board and appears in the official poll list of registered voters for that precinct.

Voters who do not provide any ONE of these documents at the precinct will still be able to vote using a provisional ballot and providing the last four digits of their social security number or appearing at the Board Office within 7 days of Election Day to provide ID.

FEDERAL OFFICE CANDIDATES Joe Biden Democrat Vice President: Kamala Harris

Check Vote411.org for information candidates may have added after print deadline.

Occupation: Former Vice President of the United States, former U.S. Senator from Delaware Campaign Website: http://joebiden.com/ Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/ joebiden Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/JoeBiden Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/ joebiden

PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES (CHOOSE 1 CANDIDATE)

YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/ joebiden Further Information: Candidate had not responded as of print date.

Description: President of the United States – 1 to be elected – 4 year term

Donald Trump Republican

Base Salary: $400,000 Term: 4 years, limit of 2 terms Responsibilities: The President is: the head of state of the United States of America; the Chief Executive Officer; and, the Commander in Chief of all military forces. The powers of the President are prescribed in the Constitution and federal law. The President appoints the members of the Cabinet, ambassadors to other nations and the United Nations, Supreme Court Justices, and federal judges, subject to Senate approval. The President, along with the Cabinet and its agencies, is responsible for carrying out and enforcing the laws of the United States. The President may also recommend legislation to the United States Congress.

Note: All candidates who will appear on your state’s ballot are listed below but only those that meet the following criteria were invited to respond to the League’s questions in this guide.

1. The candidate must have made a public announcement of her/his intention to run for President.

2. The candidate must meet the Presidential Election Campaign Fund Act’s minimum contribution threshold requirements for qualifying for matching funds, based on the most recent data publicly available on the Federal Elections Commission website.

3. The candidate must qualify for the ballot in enough states to win a majority of electoral votes.

Vice President: Mike Pence

US HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Description: Representative to Congress - 1 to be elected (per district) – 2 year term Salary: $174,000 Term: 2 years Responsibilities: To represent the people of Ohio, their district, and the United States in dealing with matters of national and international importance. The general welfare should be a prime concern.

Questions We Asked: Q1: What kinds of policies, if any, will you pursue to promote social and racial justice in our community?

Q2: What will you do to support a vibrant economy in our area?

Q3: How will you ensure the right to safe, secure elections?

Q4: Where do you stand on efforts to protect our water, air, and land? Include how you would address climate change.

500 character limit for each response

DISTRICT 1 (CHOOSE 1 CANDIDATE) Steve Chabot Republican

Occupation: President of the United States

Website: http:// www.stevechabot. com

Campaign Website: https://www. donaldjtrump.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ DonaldTrump/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/ realDonaldTrump Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ teamtrump YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/ channel/UCAql2DyGU2un1Ei2nMYsqOA Further Information: Candidate had not responded as of print date

Howie Hawkins Nonparty Vice President: Angela Walker Jo Jorgensen Libertarian Vice President: Spike Cohen

Facebook: http:// Steve Chabot SteveChabot

Twitter: twitter.com/

Occupation: U.S. Representative, Ohio’s First Congressional District Education: Bachelors Degree, College of William and Mary; Juris Doctorate, NKU’s Chase Law School

justice reforms and re-entry programs.

These reforms will help non-violent offenders transition from incarceration to job and skills training programs, enabling them to resume their lives as contributing members of society. To improve relations between police and the communities they serve, I’ve authored legislation to encourage cities to use the Cincinnati Collaborative Agreement as a model for their communities.

Q2: When the pandemic caused most states to shut down a thriving economy with the lowest unemployment rates in a generation, we knew we needed to act to help the American people survive this unprecedented challenge. As Ranking Member of the Small Business Committee, I worked closely with a bipartisan group of House and Senate Members on the Paycheck Protection Program, which has helped save a quarter-million jobs in Hamilton and Warren Counties, more than any other congressional district in Ohio.

Q3: We must ensure that every vote validly cast is counted accurately and in a timely manner, which requires both appropriate voting options for all eligible voters, and protections against foreign interference. I voted for the CARES Act which provides the Postal Service access to $10 billion to help process mailed ballots this November.

I’ve also supported federal grants to help state and local governments update their elections infrastructure and protect their systems from foreign cyberattacks.

Q4: As a father and grandfather, it’s extremely important to me that our children and grandchildren have clean air to breathe and clean water to drink. In my lifetime, we’ve made incredible strides in cleaning up our environment, but we don’t need the heavy hand of government forcing one-size-fits-all regulations on every community. That’s why I worked with the late Todd Portune on legislation (now law) to promote flexible solutions that lead to cleaner water at a much lower cost to taxpayers.

Kevin David Kahn Libertarian

Experience: U.S. Representative, Ohio’s First Congressional District, 19952009, 2011-present; Hamilton County Commissioner, 1990-1995; Cincinnati City Councilman, 1985-1990 Political Philosophy: Conservative Republican

Website: http:// Kahn4Congress. com

Endorsements: SBA List; Club for Growth Action; Cincinnati Right to Life; National Right to Life

Kahn4Congress

Facebook: http:// facebook.com/

Candidate’s Question Responses:

Twitter: twitter.com/Kahn4C

Q1: In Congress, I’ve worked in a bipartisan manner to enact critical criminal

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FEDERAL OFFICE CANDIDATES CONTINUED FROM 3 Occupation: Entrepreneur and Business Owner. I own a Manufacturer’s Representative agency that works with USA manufacturers of industrial valves and fittings to export Made in USA products around the world.

Education: University of Southern California, Marshall School of Business MBA; University of Washington, Jackson School of International Studies - M.A East Asian Studies; Middlebury College - A. B. International Politics and Economics Experience: I have been involved in executive and management roles in the manufacturing industry for the past 23 years with a heavy emphasis on sales management. I have served on the Board of Directors of both a public company and non-profit organizations Political Philosophy: Libertarian - All individuals are sovereign over their own lives, and should be free to live them in a manner of their choosing as long as it does no harm, nor interfere with others living their lives as chosen. I oppose government interference in any voluntary or contractual relationship between consenting adults whether social or economic. Individuals own their own bodies and labor and have inherent rights over them that other individuals, groups or government may not violate.

Endorsements: Ohio Stand United Ohio’s largest pro-Constitution organization with chapters in over 88 counties and ~60,000 members; De - Escalate Ohio Now! Heartbeat Movement - Goals are to Change Public Policies, Justice Reforms, Drug Policies, Gun Reforms, Police Accountability and Transparency on a State and Federal Level; Libertarian Party of Ohio; Hamilton County Libertarian Party; Jeremy “Spike” Cohen - Libertarian Party Vice-Presidential Candidate; Mike Mains City of Harrison Councilmember Affiliations: Chairman, Hamilton County Libertarian Party; Vice Chairman, Sycamore HS Ice Hockey Association Board; Midwest-USA Chinese Chamber of Commerce (past Vice-Chair and Treasurer); Let Us Vote 4 A Balanced Budget Amendment; FAIRtax Organization; Downsize DC; American Promise Candidate’s Question Responses: Q1: End the 49 year old War on Drugs.

It has led to policies that specifically target and are unequally enforced against our racial minorities and other marginalized groups. Continue supporting the current legislation to end Qualified Immunity. Police should be required to carry private misconduct insurance, and receive compensation increase to cover the expense, but they need external accountability to their actions. End Civil Asset Forfeiture andNo Knock Warrants to restore Due Process.

Q2: I advocate for the dismantling of the current income and asset based tax system and move to government revenues being earned via a consumption tax. I am a proponent of the FAIRtax method of taxation. It would allow those working to keep all of their income, and make payment of taxes more voluntary as each can control how much they consume. I will also vote against any federal budget that requires deficit spending. Adding to the debt only steals economic opportunity from our future generations Q3: I will support all methods of voting, including absentee mail-in, early inperson and election day in-person to give all voters the option to participate in the method most comfortable to them. I would also encourage more transparency on the intelligence our agencies collect on

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the issue of concerted attacks by foreign governments on our election process.

There can be national guidelines prepared on steps to protect voting systems against these attacks that can certified by the Election Boards.

of force, and institute better training for law enforcement officers. Though Cincinnati isn’t perfect, we have made tremendous strides toward improving police/community relations. We still have more to do, but there is a roadmap to improvements.

Q4: The federal government’s role should be minimized to providing the necessary information to make informed decisions on how to interact with the environment and ensuring that there is a free-market mechanism to allow individuals to take preferred environmentally related decisions. Eliminate subsidies we give to energy companies so that the true cost of energy is factored into market decisions.

We should continue encouraging all zero-emission sources of energy. Require carbon neutral production.

Q2: To create good paying jobs in our community, we must have significant federal investment in infrastructure. As our roads and bridges have fallen into disrepair, we are in dire need of building our communities back to not only create jobs now, but to attract future jobs that require a reliable broadband and transportation infrastructure.

Kiumars Kiani (Write-in)

Candidate did not respond as of print date

Kate Schroder Democrat Website: http://www. kateforcongress.com Facebook: http:// facebook.com/ kateforcongress2020 Twitter: twitter.com/kateforcongress Occupation: I have spent my career working in healthcare and public health policy, including 3 years in best practice research for hospitals and 12+ years in global public health. I have also spent 3 years in legislative politics at both federal and local levels Education: I received my B.A. from Indiana University (1999) and an MBA from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania (2004). Growing up in Cincinnati, I attended Ursuline Academy for high school and Nativity for grade school.

Experience: In addition to my work in public health and healthcare policy, I have served on the Cincinnati Board of Health since 2016.

Political Philosophy: At our core, we’re all people, and most of us want the same things. We want to see a doctor when we’re sick, our kids to have access to good education, and jobs that allow us to take care of our families. We want to be treated with dignity and respect. With all the negativity and divisiveness in our political system, I’m running to be a low-ego problem solver who helps bring people together to get things done for our community -- to work hard to advance these shared goals.

Endorsements: I am proud to be endorsed by EMILYs List, DCCC Red to Blue, Barack Obama, Moms Demand Action, Kamala Harris, Pete Buttigieg, Planned Parenthood, AFLCIO and many labor unions, League of Conservation Voters, J-Street, and many more organizations. Locally, I have been endorsed by Mayors John Cranley, Nan Whaley, and Sen. Cecil Thomas, Reps. Brigid Kelly, Cathy Ingram, and Commissioner Denise Driehaus.

Affiliations: I am a lifelong member of the Democratic Party and am proud to send my children to Cincinnati Public Schools.

Candidate’s Question Responses: Q1: We have an obligation to acknowledge racism in our institutions and work collaboratively to do better. I support the Justice in Policing Act which would eliminate the use of chokeholds, curb use

Q3: We must make sure that voters can access their ballots safely and securely though expanded vote-by-mail options, an online option for ballot requests, fully funding the USPS, increased ballot drop boxes in communities, and more polling locations so that voters who wish to vote in person can do so in compliance with public health guidelines.

Q4: If elected, I will help champion investment in renewable energy and innovative technologies that are sustainable and help reduce our emissions. I will support the U.S. recommitting to the Paris Accord and work to create measurable goals for reducing our dependence on non-renewable sources and our own emissions. In Cincinnati, the City is embarking on an ambitious project to use 100% renewable energy over the next three years. In Congress, I would help to showcase and build upon this example.

DISTRICT 2 (CHOOSE 1 CANDIDATE) Jaime M. Castle Democrat Website: http://www. castleforuscongress. com Facebook: http:// www.facebook.com/ Jaime-Castle-for-UsCongress-Democrat-Ohio-District-2 Twitter: twitter.com/jaimecastleOH2 Occupation: Teacher for Cincinnati Public Schools Education: Bachelor’s of Science in Communications Education from Miami University Experience: As a leader: PTO President, President of the Board of Trustees at Heritage Unitarian Universalist Church, director of ten theater productions, soccer coach of three teams, Chair of the Spring Auction at HUUC. Political Philosophy: Politicians should be public servants, putting the interests of the people first. They should never serve for selfish reasons and they should legislate and govern in a way that benefits not only the society as a whole but also

with individual human rights protected.

I believe in a “Goldilocks” approach to the size of the government - big enough to oversee the safety of its people and to support those who struggle and small enough to allow for personal freedoms. A just right size.

Endorsements: Hamilton County Democratic Party Clermont County Democratic Party Ohio Students for Gun Legislation LEAP Equality Cincinnati PAC Affiliations: Local 1520 Cincinnati Federation of Teachers Candidate’s Question Responses: Q1: I think a lot of these policies will need to be locally crafted and it starts with the leadership in each community. The Federal level can provide the basic guidelines such as the current legislation drafted (H.R. 7120) ending qualified police immunity & lowering the criminal intent standard for a law enforcement officer for misconduct in a federal prosecution. We also need to make sure that law enforcement has what they need: body cameras, and modern technology to keep their data bases update Q2: I want to strengthen the U.S. Small Business Administration. Right now we need to get small businesses the necessary funding to make it through the pandemic - it is crucial to our economic recovery. Even before the shutdown, I wanted to be a champion for folks struggling to navigate the regulations, zoning, and tax rules when starting and maintaining a business. We need to offer better and more accessible support and resources. I also want to grow clean energy and recreational initiatives.

Q3: States need the technology to allow folks to request an absentee ballot online & ballots should not require postage to be sent back to the Board of Elections.

There should be official ballot drop boxes located throughout a county spaced out so that folks do not have to travel great distances to cast their vote. Election Day should be a national holiday so people are not restricted to off work hours. Voting technology (the machines and software) need to be secured to the highest degree.

Q4: Restore regulations that have been lessened or cancelled & make sure that regulations are being enforced. I think that changing campaign finance so that big corporations cannot give money to politicians is important too as much of this pollution is the result of legislators looking the other way. Term limits would limit the corruption as well. We need to invest in green/clean energy and technologies that clean our earth. We need to transition companies with a plan like the Citizens Climate Lobby

James J. Condit, Jr. (Write-in)

Candidate did not respond as of print date

Brad Wenstrup

Candidate did not respond as of print date

POLL WORKERS NEEDED Poll workers are needed in Hamilton County on Election Day. Qualifications: be a registered and active voter, a U.S. citizen, be able to speak, read, and write fluently in English, and comfortable using electronic technology. You cannot be a candidate for any office to be voted on the ballot or a convicted felon. Poll worker training is required. Must be available to work on Election day from 5:30am-8:30pm and the Monday night set up from 7:00-9:00pm. To become a poll worker, you can apply online at votehamiltoncountyohio.gov/become-poll-worker/register.

STATE OFFICE CANDIDATES OHIO STATE SENATOR 8TH DISTRICT

(CHOOSE 1 CANDIDATE)

Salary: $60,584* Term: 4 years Responsibilities: To represent the people of the district and the state of Ohio in dealing with matters not allocated to the federal government. *Base salary.

Write-in candidates do not automatically appear on ballot, and have to be added to ballot at the polls.

Questions We Asked: Q1: In what ways would you change our election system to be prepared for crises that impair the right and equal access to vote?

Q2: What solutions do you propose to address challenges and inequities in the healthcare system?

Q3: What will you do to combat gerrymandering and ensure voterapproved redistricting reforms are implemented?

Q4: What policies do you favor around criminal justice reform?

500 character limit for each response

Louis W. Blessing III Republican Website: http://www. citizensforblessing. com Facebook: http:// www.facebook.com/

citizensforblessing/ Twitter: twitter.com/lwblessing3 Occupation: I am the incumbent state Senator for the 8th District, as well as a licensed professional engineer.

Education: BSEE, BA Mathematics, University of Cincinnati Experience: I have nearly 8 years of experience in the Ohio Statehouse; first as a state Representative (29th District, 20132019), and then as a state Senator (8th District, 2019-present). I have 15 years experience as an electrical engineer, and 10 as a P.E. Political Philosophy: I consider myself a pragmatic legislator who is most comfortable finding solutions that all sides can agree on. I’m a believer that markets work well, and are more capable of improving social mobility than government micromanagement. I’ve been a strong supporter of a low and broad tax base, reining in spending, and ensuring our regulations are efficient and serve their intended purpose. I also believe in the dignity of work, and helping those who’ve fallen on hard times get back on their feet.

Endorsements: FOP Queen City Lodge #69, Ohio Chamber of Commerce, Ohio Federation of Teachers, Buckeye Firearms, Ohio Education Association, Ohio Right to Life, Ohio State Medical Association, Greater Cincinnati Right to Life, International Union of Operating Engineers Local 18, Ohio Farm Bureau Federation, Affiliated Construction Trades (ACT) Ohio, Ohio Association of Public School Employees, NFIB, Ohio Society of CPAs, Various mayors, councilmen, trustees, members of the General Assembly, and Congressmen.

Affiliations: Too many to list Candidate’s Question Responses: Q1: Having chaired the House Committee

through which many election issues passed - Government Accountability & Oversight - it is a generally accepted practice that wholesale changes to election law first come into effect during an off year election. Ohio currently has a robust, no fault absentee voting system with early voting beginning on 10/6. Voters can vote by mail, early in person at the BOE, or on election day on 11/3. Social distancing and sanitation supplies will reduce the risk of Covid-19.

Q2: A big issue that we’re currently working on is SB 198, which addresses surprise billing. I’m committed to fixing this issue in a future General Assembly, if it’s not fixed through SB 198. The rising cost of prescription drugs is another substantial problem in ensuring that Ohioans have access to quality, affordable health care. We’ve been working in concert with the administration on clearer price transparency and better accountability from the pharmaceutical industry.

Q3: I was a co-sponsor of S.J.R. 5 in the 132nd General Assembly, and voted favorably for it in committee (Rules & Reference) and on the House floor. This led to Ohio Issue 1 passing at the ballot in 2018 by a 3-1 margin. This Constitutional amendment had three goals: promoting bipartisanship, keeping communities together, and creating compact districts.

Given that 2021 will be a redistricting year, it’s best that we allow the process that was set in place to work before considering any changes.

Q4: My political philosophy with respect to criminal justice reform is that our jails are crowded and expensive; many of those incarcerated are drug addicted, have mental health issues, or both; and that a felony on your record in many cases guarantees you’ll be on Medicaid and welfare for life, both of which are expensive programs. To that end, I am a co-sponsor of SB 3 - a large, criminal sentencing reform bill - and I voted affirmatively for it on the Senate floor.

Daniel Brown Democrat Website: http:// votedanielbrown. com Facebook: http:// facebook.com/ brownohsenate Twitter: twitter.com/brownohsenate Occupation: Insurance Fraud Investigator Education: I graduated from Xavier University with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration in Management.

I am also currently attending Xavier and

working towards my MBA. Experience: I am a United States Marine Corps veteran. I served honorably from 2005 – 2010. In the military we put aside our personal goals to work as a team to accomplish the overall mission. This attitude is sorely missed in the politics of today.

Political Philosophy: I believe that government should be efficient, effective, and lean. I believe that our government works best when we have politicians who work in good faith to get things done with each other and put the needs of all Ohioans first instead of their own. We need to start over and fix our political maps to create a more responsible state legislature.

Endorsements: Cincinnati AFL-CIO Senator Sherrod Brown Gun Sense Candidate Distinction Hamilton County Democratic Party Equality Cincinnati PAC Ohio Students for Gun Legislation Affiliations: Democrat Candidate’s Question Responses: Q1: Our election system needs common sense updates. We should be creating ways to make voting more accessible to everyone, instead of restricting access to voting and purging voters from our database. The first common sense solution would be to create an online system to register to vote by mail. If you can update your registration online, we can certainly request an absentee ballot. Second, we need to greatly expand the locations to drop off our ballots in each county.

Currently we have only one Q2: The Affordable Care Act created the opportunity for states to expand Medicaid coverage to each state. We have to protect this expansion because it allows thousands of Ohioans to receive access to quality and affordable healthcare. The next election is going to decide which direction the country moves to. Ohio has to stand up for these expansions, and embrace new expansion in the future when they are created. Families should not have to file bankruptcy to have access to their healthcare.

Q3: This is the most important issue facing Ohio today. We have seen unprecedented corruption in Ohio. The Republican Speaker of the House faces criminal charges for being apart of a multi-million racketeering conspiracy. This is not the first corruption charge that Republicans have faced in Columbus either. The first thing we need to do is to draw new and fair maps that represent the people of Ohio.

We need new representatives in Columbus to ensure this occurs.

Q4: Common Sense. We live in a world that can have multiple truths. Not all police officers are bad people and their job is

THEY REPRESENT US: TRU The League of Women Voters of the Cincinnati Area encourages everyone to stay engaged in our community by keeping in touch with your elected officials. Our members make a commitment to our community as we volunteer our time to research, edit and publish, in the spring of each year, They Represent Us (TRU): A Public Officials Guide for Hamilton County, Ohio.

Online it can be found at https://my.lwv.org/ohio/cincinnati-area/studies/ tru-they-represent-us Or you can call 513-281-8683 for printed copies.

difficult, and at the same time we have seen people (especially people of color) die by the hands of police officers. We must correct this issue. If we can build trust and confidence in our police and build better ties to our communities, we will keep both police and the people safe. We have to create solutions by working together, and having conversations with each other.

OHIO STATE REPRESENTATIVES Salary: $60,584* Term: 2 years Responsibilities: To represent the people of the district and the state of Ohio in dealing with matters not allocated to the federal government. *Base salary.

Questions We Asked: Q1: In what ways would you change our election system to be prepared for crises that impair the right and equal access to vote?

Q2: What solutions do you propose to address challenges and inequities in the healthcare system?

Q3: What will you do to combat gerrymandering and ensure voterapproved redistricting reforms are implemented?

Q4: What policies do you favor around criminal justice reform?

500 character limit for each response

OHIO STATE REP - DISTRICT 27 (CHOOSE 1 CANDIDATE) Sara Bitter Democrat Website: http:// sarabitter.com Facebook: http:// Bitter4BetterOH Twitter: twitter.com/ Bitter4BetterOH Occupation: Mom, Attorney, Disability Rights Advocate, and Candidate for Ohio State Representative Education: BA in Political Science from the University of Cincinnati, Juris Doctor from Case Western Reserve University School of Law, and Law Trainee graduate Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental Disabilities (LEND) program Experience: Assistant to the Special Counsel to the President at White House Clinton Administration, National Field Director ReelAbilities Film Festival North America, Co-Chair 2015 Cincinnati ReelAbilities Film Festival, Outreach Cincinnati Children’s UCCEDD Political Philosophy: As a mother of two children living with a disability, I understand that caregivers’ voices need to be heard in Columbus. I will use my legal training and experience as a disability rights advocate to fight for all families.

Healthcare, education and workforce are my top priorities. I will also work to create a bi-partisan “Disability, Mental Health and Addiction Caucus” in the Ohio legislature to promote public policies that help protect all families. “Bitter for Better” Endorsements: Hamilton County Democratic Party, Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 69, Ohio Association of Professional Firefighters, Ohio Federation of Teachers, Ohio Education Association, UAW CAP, CONTINUES ON 6

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STATE OFFICE CANDIDATES CONTINUED FROM 5 Moms Demand Action Distinction, Equality PAC, Swing Left, Emily’s List, NDRC and Eric Holder, Sierra Club, UFCW Local 75, Sheetmetal Local 24, AFSCME Council 8, OAPSE, OCSEA AFSCME, SEIU District 1199, Ironworkers Local 44, Sierra Club, Cincinnati Building Trades, IBEW Local 212, AFL-CIO, Matriots, LIUNA Local 265 Affiliations: Democratic Party Candidate’s Question Responses: Q1: I would work to reduce physical barriers that prevent access to polling places. I would increase training for poll workers. I’d ensure proper voting equipment which supports the needs of all people including people with a with full range of disabilities like visual and hearing impairments, mobility limitations, and intellectual disabilities. Advocate for online applications for mail-in voting. And add multiple secure voting ballot drop boxes instead of just the 1 at Hamilton County BOE. Q2: Protect Medicaid, Medicare, Social Security and the Affordable Care Act’s pre-existing clause. All are currently being threatened. People and families need these health programs and people with pre-existing conditions need health care coverage, especially during this pandemic.

I would also propose that OH’s insurance laws stop being in conflict with federal parity laws. Insurance should cover mental health and substance use disorder services just like they must for physical health services.

Q3: If elected I will work to combat gerrymandering and ensure voterapproved redistricting reforms as an Ohio State Representative. In 2021, the Ohio legislature will redraw the US Congressional and state legislative lines.

I was endorsed by the NDRC and Eric Holder and I will pledge to fight against gerrymandering and produce fairer maps in the 2021 redistricting process. It is important to elect more Democratic state legislative candidates so we can ensure fair maps are drawn in Ohio.

Q4: I favor declaring “racism as a public health crisis.” Prohibiting law enforcement from targeting people based on race, ethnicity, national origin, religious affiliation, gender identity or sexual orientation & from using quotas for (arrests, stops, citations). Requiring AG to create a database tracking officer-involved shootings and excessive force uses; Crisis Intervention Teams to respond to mental health situations; Requiring mental health training; More conditions on juvenile interrogations.

I NEED HELP! Call the Election Protection toll-free hotline for voting information or to report problems Election Protection and Voting Info Hotline: 1-866-OUR-VOTE (English) 1-866-Ve-Y-Vota (Spanish) 1-844-YALLA-US (Arabic) 1-888-API-VOTE (Asian &

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Tom Brinkman Republican Website: http:// www.GoBrinkman. com Facebook: http:// Tom Brinkman Twitter: twitter.com/

GoBrinkman Occupation: Life Insurance Sales Education: BA from The George Washington University in Washington DC Experience: Served in the Ohio General Assembly 2001 to 2008 and 2015 to present Political Philosophy: Lower taxes and less government Endorsements: Coalition Opposed to Additional Spending and Taxes (COAST) Affiliations: Coalition Opposed to Additional Spending and Taxes (COAST) Candidate did not respond to questions

OHIO STATE REP - DISTRICT 28 (CHOOSE 1 CANDIDATE) Jessica E. Miranda Democrata Website: http:// jessicaforohio.com Facebook: http:// www.facebook.com/ JessicaforOhio/ Twitter: twitter.com/JessicaEMiranda Occupation: State Representative Education: Talawanda High School Experience: Winton Woods School Board President, mother of three, small business owner, and current Representative for HD-28.

Political Philosophy: I am a public servant, not a politician. The work that I am doing is to best serve my constituents, and to guarantee that our economy and society is fair to everyone.

Endorsements: President Obama, Senator Sherrod Brown, Emily’s List, Planned Parenthood, and various labor organizations and other progressive groups.

Candidate’s Question Responses: Q1: I would make our electoral system more accessible to voters by expanding vote by mail, early voting, and the ways in which you can vote. I oppose methods of voter disenfranchisement and would also work to eliminate those. We can’t prevent crises from occurring, but we can guarantee that our voting process is protected and functioning regardless of the circumstance.

Q2: I support expanding medicaid and medicare, and fighting at the state level to defend attacks on the Affordable Care Act. I will continue to fight to make sure my constituents have access to affordable healthcare by supporting an expansion of a public option, lowering prescription drug costs, and working with healthcare experts to address to root of the inequalities in the healthcare system.

Q3: If I am able to win this seat again in November, we will have a chance to break the Republican supermajority in Columbus, which means that we can ensure accountability in the redistricting process. Gerrymandering is one of my top

issues, and I promise to uphold the voterapproved redistricting reforms when we redraw the maps next year.

Q4: I believe that there is a way to keep our communities safe and work to end the systemic injustice of our current system. I support sentencing reform, decriminalizing the drug crisis, and devoting more resources to education instead of incarceration.

Chris Monzel Republican Website: http:// www.monzel.com Facebook: http:// chrismonzel Twitter: twitter.com/ chrismonzel Occupation: GE Aviation - Engineer Education: Purdue University, BS Aeronautical-Astronautical Engineering; University of Cincinnati, MS Aerospace Engineering; Harvard University, Masters of Public Policy Experience: Nine years on Cincinnati City Council 2001-2010; Eight years as Hamilton County Commissioner 2011-2018 Political Philosophy: The best form of government is the one closest to the people.

Candidate’s Question Responses: Q1: As Hamilton County Commissioner I have already made changes to improve equal access to voting by working bipartisanly, with my fellow Commissioners, Todd Portune & Denise Driehaus, to move the Board of Elections to a central location in the county with free parking as well as providing a 24/7 drive-thru drop box for absentee voters. As a State Legislator I would work bi-partisanly to develop voting protocols to ensure the right and the ability for everyone to fairly & safely vote.

Q2: One solution I implemented was the establishment of Cradle Cincinnati which reduced infant mortality (death before 1 year of age) by 15% in Hamilton County. Ohio is ranked as one of the worst states in America for infant fatality, ranking 41st out of 50. I will work to reduce infant mortality throughout all of Ohio.

Additionally, the rising cost of healthcare is hurting families across our state. I will address issues such as surprise billing & clearer price transparency in our healthcare costs.

Q3: In May of 2018 Issue 1 was passed overwhelmingly by the voters of Ohio.

Ohio is the first state in the nation to draw congressional districts using a hybrid of state legislators and a state commission.

I was supportive of Issue 1 which was approved to combat gerrymandering & establishing fair districts. As your State Representative for House District 28, I will ensure that these voter-approved bi-partisan redistricting reforms are fully implemented and carried out fairly for our citizens.

Q4: As County Commissioner, in a bi-partisan effort, I helped create the Hamilton County Office of Re-entry.

Connecting with community resources such as employment, housing, and health care, can be very challenging for men & women being released from incarceration.

The Office of Re-entry connects those returning citizens to resources & helps them navigate the reentry process, thus increasing public safety, reducing recidivism & saving taxpayers dollars. I’ll work to expand this program across Ohio.

OHIO STATE REP - DISTRICT 29 (CHOOSE 1 CANDIDATE) Cindy Abrams

Candidate did not respond as of print date

Harrison T. Stanley (Write-in) Independent Website: http:// writeinstanley29. com Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/WRITE-INHarrison-Stanley-for-Ohios-29th-HouseDistrict-106565821110321 Twitter: twitter.com/writeinSTANLEY Occupation: Published research archaeologist, certified electrical technician, currently working towards my degrees in Archaeology and Anthropology at the University of Cincinnati.

Education: July 2020 Shaffer Honors College of Leadership 2016-present University of Cincinnati 2014-2016 West Suffolk College Experience: Held multiple elected executive positions in non-profit organisations and clubs. Formal education in legal compliance (archaeological curation and workplace health and safety).

Political Philosophy: I am an American first, an Ohioan second, and a political independent third. Growing up in an activeduty military family I learned that honor, duty, and integrity are important above all else. I’m not looking to launch a political career, I’m just trying to serve our state and our fellow citizens the way I know how, by doing what ought to be done. Until all of our people are treated equally with dignity and compassion by our government, I’ll keep fighting.

Affiliations: Ohio ACLU - Member Society for American Archaeology - Member Archaeological Institute of America Member Phi Delta Theta - Member Liberal Gun Club - Member National AfricanAmerican Gun Association - Member Candidate’s Question Responses: Q1: Firstly I would challenge HB680.

This bill when introduced went through the House’s State and Local Government Committee, had a single supporter, overwhelming opposition (by multiple voter advocate organizations including the Ohio LWV, ACLU, & AARP), and still passed the House along partisan lines. Universal mail-in ballots and multiple county ballot drop-off boxes at no cost to voters are reasonable, safe, and logical approaches to supplement in-person voting during crises.

Q2: Medicare-for-all, in the simplest terms.

There is already a bill stuck in committee in the House (HB292, introduced 6/19/19) that sets out a state funded program that would replace the existing medicare/ medicaid in the state and expand coverage to all in Ohio. With this, total costs to individuals would be reduced, equal access to quality healthcare could be greatly improved, and by cutting out insurance companies, money spent can actually go towards care, not lining executive pockets.

Q3: After the ACLU and LWV backed Ohio A. Philip Randolph Institute v. Smith lawsuit challenging districting that created a 12-4 GOP advantage in Ohio (resulting in them winning more seats than their proportion of total votes) was found to be

STATE OFFICE CANDIDATES a political question by the SCOTUS, we’re no better off than a decade ago. The only way to fight this oppression is to beat a rigged system and elect candidates with enough backbone to see democracy win.

This isn’t a partisan issue, it’s democracy at risk.

Q4: I am a supporter of the #8cantwait campaign which advocates for immediate implementation of 8 researched-backed methods that could be enacted at the departmental policy level for cities. Beyond that, I am a proponent for a statewide licensing system for law enforcement, similar to the existing systems for dozens of other professional careers. An armed police officer requires less training and accountability than my barber, there’s obviously something wrong with that.

OHIO STATE REP - DISTRICT 30 (CHOOSE 1 CANDIDATE) Tom Roll Not Identified Website: http:// tomroll.wixsite.com/ ohrep Facebook: http:// www.facebook.com/ Tom-Roll-for-OhioState-Representative-30th-District-2020108823350884858/?modal=admin_todo_ tour

I see for our health-care system is some form of universal Medicare. This will present new problems, but will resolve the main problem: health care for profit - a system which benefits the rich. One of the six reasons for our constitution listed in the preamble is “...promote the general welfare...”. I feel it’s time to do so.

Q3: Passage of provisions of the AACA would resolve these issues. Presently, 90% of American citizens do not have a say in the policy-making of our government (see: “Corruption Is Legal in America” video on my web site). The Ranked Choice Voting provision of the AACA would greatly aid in this area. AACA passage must occur at local and state levels and then escalate to the federal level (such as occurred with Women’s Suffrage, Civil Rights, and other democracy-oriented movements).

Q4: “Defund the police” is a terrible catch phrase. “Reallocation of funds” doesn’t capture the headlines as well, but it better exemplifies how I feel. Being a police officer may be the hardest job there is in our country. Ensuring that only the best attain the position of a police officer is of paramount importance, and may in the long run reduce the need for use of force in many situations. However, some humans will always deviate from proper social behavior where use of force is warranted.

Bill Seitz Republican Facebook: http:// facebook.com/bill. seitz

Occupation: Pharmacist (retired) Education: Oak Hills High School 1969 University of Cincinnati College of Pharmacy - 1980 Experience: This is my first attempt at running for a political office.

Political Philosophy: One’s liberty ends where the next individual’s begins. This is a simple philosophy, but difficult in practice.

Endorsements: I claim no endorsements from any politically oriented group.

Affiliations: None Candidate’s Question Responses: Q1: Our electoral process is broken. It is systemically corrupted by the influence of money. Reducing the influence of money in politics is my campaign platform. I intend on doing this by introducing to the General Assembly as many provisions as possible found within the model legislation known as the American Anti Corruption Act (AACA) - see https://anticorruptionact.org/ whats-in-the-act/ . In doing so I hope to repair and resolve the damage done to our electoral process by money.

Q2: As a pharmacist, I have seen several problems with our health-care system.

Almost all are rooted in a for-profit corporate system. The least-worst scenario

Occupation: Attorney Education: B.A., University of Cincinnati; J.D., University of Cincinnati Experience: See “qualifications” below Political Philosophy: Conservative Endorsements: Ohio Republican Party, Ohio Education Association Affiliations: Western Economic Council, Westwood-Cheviot Kiwanis Club, Westwood First Presbyterian Church, American Legislative Exchange Council, Green Township Republican Club, Delhi Historical Society Candidate’s Question Responses:

A SINGLE VOTE IS IMPACTFUL The simple numbers show how you can take the power of the vote back.

How important is a single vote?

If 100 people are eligible to vote and each person registers AND votes, then 51 votes decide the election.

If only 60 people of the 100 eligible to vote register AND ALL 60 vote, just 31 votes win the election.

If only 60 people register of the 100 eligible to vote, but only half (30) of them vote … then it takes just 16 votes to win the election.

Because many people did not vote, a small group of active voters — just 16 people — controlled the outcome for all 100 of the people.

When you choose NOT to vote, you give more clout to every vote that is recorded.

this session to greatly expand the use of telehealth opportunities and to end the practice of “surprise billing” from nonnetwork providers. More needs to be done to expand scope of practice to safely allow intermediate healthcare professionals to provide services at lower cost.

AFL-CIO; OCSEA; AFSCME; Planned Parenthood; Ohio Federation of Teachers; Cincinnati Women’s Political Caucus; The Matriots; UAW-CAP Council; International Union of Operating Engineers; OAPSE; 1889 Friends of the Sentinels; NARAL ProChoice Ohio

Q3: I dispute the premise that the current system creates “gerrymandering”. Voters have largely segregated themselves along a rural/suburban/urban divide. The convoluted redistricting reforms approved by voters will be followed, but I expect no significant changes at the end of the day.

Affiliations: Member, United Food and Commercial Workers Union

Q4: The Ohio Innocence Project and the Ohio Justice and Policy Center will attest that no one has championed these reforms more than I have. We have worked to compensate the wrongfully convicted, reduce the chance of mistaken lineup identification, and offer reduced time to persons taking job training and education projects while in prison. I support HB 1, granting additional flexibility on sealing records, and SB 3, reducing most drug possession charges from felonies to unclassified misdemeanors.

OHIO STATE REP - DISTRICT 31 (CHOOSE 1 CANDIDATE)

Q1: Only the legislature may change the date, time, and manner of holding an election – certainly not any unelected bureaucrat. Ohio’s 28-day window for no fault absentee voting and in person voting, which exceeds most in the U.S., already prevent “crises that impair the right and equal access to vote.” We have used federal money to help local boards prepare for in person voting this fall.

Q2: We have already acted in the House

WHY SHOULD YOU VOTE? Your Vote Can Be Powerful!

Lyndon Johnson once said that the vote is, “…the most powerful instrument known to man.” But to be powerful, it has to be used by the people…Elected officials may or may not listen to our concerns but they value our vote. Voting gives you the credibility to make your concerns a top priority for legislators.

But if voting does not matter to you, then you certainly won’t matter to politicians.

Brigid Kelly Democrat Website: http:// www.brigidkelly.com Facebook: http:// facebook.com/ brigidkellyohio brigidekelly

Twitter: twitter.com/

Occupation: State Representative, OH-31 Communications Director, UFCW Local 700 Education: MA, University of Cincinnati (Human Resources) BSBA, Xavier University (Entrepreneurial Studies/ Marketing) Experience: Current State Representative (running for third term); Former member, Norwood City Council; More than a decade of experience fighting for hardworking people, their families, and our communities Political Philosophy: Putting families first and politics last.

Endorsements: SEIU District 1199; Equality Cincinnati; Ohio Education Association; UFCW Local 75; Cincinnati

Candidate’s Question Responses: Q1: Elected officials should be passing legislation that makes voting more accessible, not less. We should pass automatic voter registration. There should be more drop boxes for ballots and expanded access for in-person early voting. The state should have an online application for absentee ballots; postage on absentee applications and ballot returns should be paid. Absentee ballots postmarked on Election Day should be accepted.

Q2: We need ensure that people in our state have access to quality, affordable health care. A first step should be declaring racism a public health crisis (and following through on ten action items in the resolution). The state should make more widely available implicit bias training for its employees and contractors. Ohio should also focus and invest more in mitigating the social determinants of health (like access to health care, healthy foods, good jobs, healthy environment).

Q3: Redistricting should be a transparent process that ensures voters pick their elected officials instead of the other way around. Meetings related to redistricting should conform to the same standards as any other public meeting (including scheduling and availability of records).

We should work in a bipartisan way to create fair maps that can be approved by a majority of both parties, instead of citizens having to go through multiple sets of maps in the next decade.

Q4: Criminal justice reform is necessary and overdue-our justice system should work the same way for everyone, regardless of race or income. Folks are in jail who shouldn’t necessarily be, spending more time than they often should; then, they have too many challenges finding work and building a better life. Jails should not have to be used as places for detox or rehab. The system of cash bail should be eliminated (or changed) as it can be an impediment for low-level offenders being able to get out.

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STATE OFFICE CANDIDATES CONTINUED FROM 7

OHIO STATE REP - DISTRICT 32 (CHOOSE 1 CANDIDATE) Catherine D. Ingram Democrat Website: http://www. ingramforthepeople. com / www. cathyingram..comom Facebook: http://

cathyingram Twitter: twitter.com/cingram32

Occupation: Ohio Realtor; Ohio Legislator; certified Ohio Notary Public; Business and education consultant Education: Woodward HS; Knoxville College,(HBCU) Knoxville TN; undergrad; University of Cincinnati BS Marketing UC College of Business; MBA Experience: Corporate; CG&E; CINergy;(Duke; Exec Director MBEMP (Cin USA Chamber) ; instructor NKU, COEHS; TMC grad inst.; community council frm VP; various boards of directors; former Rec commissioner ; education consultant; current legislator, Mother; G Scout Political Philosophy: That our Nation was established to be a democracy to create opportunities for life progress for individuals and families. All opportunities should be for all Americans regardless of differences such race or physical characteristics, religion, sexuality, gender identity, et al. That justice should be for all regardless.

Endorsements: Equality Cincinnati PAC; OEA; Emily’s List; The Matriots; CWPC; Ohio Society of CPAs; Ohio Assn of Plumbers and Pipe-fitters PCE ; HCDC; Cincinnati AFL-CIO Labor Council; Emily’s List; NARAL Pro-Choice; OCSEA/ AFSCME Local 11; Local 4; Planned Parenthood; UFCW 75; HCDC; OFT;

CFT; ; Gr Cincinnati UAW CAP Council; Senator Sherrod Brown; IBEW; CDP; OH Legislative Black Caucus Affiliations: CABR, Cincinnati Ambassador; NAR; OH Realtors; Girl Scouts of Western Ohio; CWPC; Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.; Mt. Auburn Community council; MLK Corridor Steering Committee; Uptown Neighborhoods group; Women in Government;Ohio Legislative Black Caucus; National Council of State Legislators; Ohio School Boards Assn.

Candidate’s Question Responses: Q1: We must make sure that all of our Emergency response systems are aligned and prepared to react as a whole to expose and deny any Pandemic specifically on a national, state, and local level. Coordination of services and resources must be in place and prepared at all times. Our ability to vote by mail or in person should be expanded. More drop boxes. We must require systems’ accountability for safety for all electors. We must demand transparency in how a future event will be expeditiously managed.

Q2: Part of the silver lining of the Pandemic is that it has exposed systemic inequities which have always existed in our country. As evidenced by the disproportionate mortality of black and brown people due in part to poor healthcare access despite your economic status and poverty to compound it. Medical research must focus on how to eliminate disparities. Preventive care must address the individual and should be available to all at minimal or no costs. Investments in prevention for will save us.

Q3: My first voice is for the sake of my constituents and to ensure that that can help the lead to the best for all Ohioans. It will be important for me and my colleagues to know and adhere to what is required for formulation and function of the “committee” and the ensuing process to draw district lines. The make-up of the participants will be very important and I expect to argue as to how they address the demographics of the entire state. I am pushing for a complete Census count of Ohio and 32.

WHY SHOULD YOU VOTE? VOTING CONNECTS US The simple act of voting gives us a connection to our community and the decisions that affect all of us. In 1835 Alexis de Tocqueville wrote Democracy in America giving three good reasons to vote that are still valid today.

He called voting a “ritual observance” that fosters patriotism.

This is true patriotism--informed, thoughtful voting on issuesand for candidates that will represent us best. Research your candidates, learn about the issues, demand true and civil debate and then cast YOUR vote in confidence.

Second, Tocqueville reminds us that voting combats an apathy that destroys the political process. The people that tell you your vote doesn’t matter are depending on you to believe them and then stop caring about what you can do. Keeping voters away from the ballot box is a common strategy in many locations. If you give up, if you don’t vote, you’re giving more power to these people.

Finally, Tocqueville tells us that voting is about stirring the interests of the populace for their locale. To be effective citizens of our country we must first be active citizens in our community. By becoming involved in elections, we become interested and involved in our local government, which has long-lasting and direct impacts on state and national politics.

Q4: Complete bail reform; Alternatives to incarceration for low level offenders; Elimination of minimum sentencing; Focus on rehabilitation through meaningful programming for reentry to decrease recidivism; Align work of Judges, Prosecutors and Public defenders to eliminate “hurry up’ plea bargaining; Require documentation and reporting of disparities in sentencing for like crimes; Dismantle the the use of For-Profit Private Prison System Corporations which incentivize incarceration.

Dadrien Washington Democrat Facebook: http:// www.facebook. com/DadrienWashingtonfor-StateRepresentative-106793940764691/about/ Occupation: I am a security contractor with a secret clearance so I can not or allow to explain what I do for my country.

Education: Associate degree in Technical and Network support.

Experience: Security Guard Government contractor Computer analyst Political Philosophy: We are Better together!

Affiliations: Former CYC Mentor Candidate’s Question Responses: Q1: First, I would extend early voting out from 28 to 40 days. Next, polling locations would open for 24 hours on election day, because I believe that all voters should have access to vote at their polling locations without being constricted by time.

Q2: I propose a tiered level health care system. Tier level 1 may include free or $20-$25 health urgent care clinics operated by students who are practicing medicine.

Q3: What will you do to combat gerrymandering and ensure voterapproved redistricting reforms are implemented?

Q4: I favor Medication-Assisted (MAT), public defense reform, and drug law reform.

OHIO STATE REP DISTRICT 33 (CHOOSE 1 CANDIDATE) Sedrick Denson Democrat Website: http:// votedenson.com Facebook: http:// www.facebook.com/ VoteDenson/ Twitter: twitter.com/

sedrickdenson Occupation: Partner with 4CI Community Engagement Consultant Education: Attended University of Cincinnati BA Organizational Leadership

Experience: Served as Chief of Staff to Councilman, Wendell Young with City of Cincinnati, SW Ohio Director for Ohio Environmental Council, Outreach Director for For Our Future, Political Philosophy: Leaving politics out of how we value people.

Endorsements: Ohio Democratic Party

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Hamilton County Democratic Party Ohio Environmental Council ( More to come) Affiliations: National Action Network Board Member NAACP - Member Urban League Young Professionals - Member African American Chamber of Commerce Candidate’s Question Responses: Q1: In these troubling times facing our nation, we are tasked with finding ways to make sure state laws and policies are fair. One of the most fundamental and easiest thing we can do is make make voting accessible to all. What needs to be in place are policies that ensure no matter what crises we are faced with, all elections are protected for voters to have safe and fair processes for all to vote.

Q2: Solutions for addressing our healthcare system have always been a priority. Healthcare in my opinion is something that should not have space for politics but unfortunately have controlled the process. Simply put, I believe all Ohioans should have access to affordable healthcare that addresses all families.

The right to affordable healthcare is the right thing to do and something that party affiliation should not have a role in.

Q3: Gerrymandering has been a major issue in Ohio. Ensuring that voters have to opportunity to vote for the best representation is extremely important to ensuring fair elections. I will continue to support all efforts to ensure Hamilton County and all Ohio voters have fair districts. I will also continue to commit to working with parters who are working for fair districts and work to purpose legislation that support those efforts.

Q4: Criminal justice reform is something we have a lot of work to do in order to be a state where people are treated fairly. I support policies that will give individuals the opportunity that be faced with a system that treats them fairly and gives them a honest chance as a returning citizen. We have the opportunity to allow citizens to return to society and provide them with resources and options that gives them a sense of dignity and pride to be a productive citizen. This area is a priority for me.

Mary L. Hill Republican Website: http:// votemaryhill.com Facebook: http:// (18)Mary L.Hill Twitter: twitter.com/ MaryRep33 Occupation: Seasonal Income tax prepare Education: Completed three years of college at Raymond Walters College Experience: 15 years in Insurance industry, 14 years in Financial industry, 11 years as payroll director/benefits manager Political Philosophy: Anything worth doing is worth doing right. You can do the right thing, or the wrong thing but the worse thing is to do nothing at all.

Endorsements: Right to Life, Police Chief Village of Woodlawn Affiliations: ProKids, North East Rep. Women Club, Woodlawn Community Improve Corporation, Active Woodlawn Inc. Candidate’s Question Responses: Q1: Many depend on the US mail, so during these times I would have more temporary help added to US mail service.

Also have the mail service to stay open

STATE OFFICE CANDIDATES 24/7 to ensure all mail is delivered on time.

The counting of voted to be extended until the next morning around 5 or 6:o’clock.

The board of Election to hire more help and extended hours also on election day.

Special bus service on election day to and from polls.

John O’Donnell

Q2: The cost of medication in the USA is a health care issue especially for our senior citizens. Many times their pills are broken in half to make them last until they receive the next months social security check.

Many must make the decision to buy food or their medication. I would look into the method used when an insurance company pays for a drug it is much less than when an individual pays for the same drug. I do consider this to be an inequality in the healthcare system.

(CHOOSE 1 CANDIDATE)

Q3: I will push for a fairer distribution percentage by voters in district regardless of party affiliation.

Q4: The policies around criminal justice reform is correcting some social economic conditions in our every day society. racism, income inequality,a fairer justice system from the bottom up. The violence that is condoned within our systems must be addressed. R evaluate how we appoint lawyers for those who cannot afford a lawyer. We need to revisit the rules around our parole system.

OHIO STATE SUPREME COURT - COURT OF APPEALS (CHOOSE 1 CANDIDATE) Salary: $164,000

Term: 6 years, commencing 1/1/21 Responsibilities: Constitutional court of judicial review.

For more information about judicial candidates visit: JudicialVotesCount.org Questions We Asked: Q1: List your judicial experience (courts and years).

Q2: What about your non-judicial legal experience qualifies you to be a judge?

Q3: Why are you running for this particular court seat?

Responses trimmed to 500 characters.

Sharon L. Kennedy

Candidate did not respond as of print date

Candidate did not respond as of print date

OHIO STATE SUPREME COURT - COURT OF APPEALS Salary: $164,000

Term: 6 years, commencing 1/2/21 Responsibilities: Constitutional court of judicial review.

For more information about judicial candidates visit: JudicialVotesCount.org Questions We Asked: Q1: List your judicial experience (courts and years).

Q2: What about your non-judicial legal experience qualifies you to be a judge?

Q3: Why are you running for this particular court seat?

Responses trimmed to 500 characters.

Jennifer Brunner Email: judgejenniferbrunner@gmail. com Website: http://www. jenniferbrunner.com Social Media: https://www.facebook.com/ BrunnerCommittee/ and https://www. facebook.com/Justice-for-the-PeopleJudge-Jennifer-Brunner-for-OhioSupreme-Court-101751074823700/ https://twitter.com/JenniferBrunner https://www.instagram.com/ jenniferlbrunner/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/jenniferbrunner-7584153 Occupation: Judge, Ohio Tenth District Court of Appeals Education: J.D. Capital University Law School, Order of the Curia; B.S. SociologyGerontology, Miami University, Cum Laude Work Experience: Court of Appeals Judge since 2014; 17 years private law practice, during period of 1987 through 2014 when not in elected public service (founded what

IF I’M AT THE RIGHT POLLING PLACE AND PRECINCT TABLE, BUT NOT ON THE REGISTER, I’LL VOTE A PROVISIONAL BALLOT! A provisional ballot is used to record a vote if a voter’s eligibility is in question and the voter would otherwise not be permitted to vote at the voter’s polling precinct. The content of a provisional ballot is no different from a regular ballot, but it is cast “provisionally” until election officials can verify the voter’s eligibility to vote in that particular precinct at that election. If you cast your provisional ballot and provided acceptable proof of identity, you typically do not need to provide any additional information to the Board of Elections.

Above all, if you are sure you are at the correct polling precinct and voting a regular ballot is not an option for whatever reason, don’t leave the polls without voting a provisional ballot.

was initially home-based law firm in 1988 with 3 small children at home); USAID Rule of Law Expert for 4 engagements in Republic of Serbia on Judicial Reform and Government Accountability (anticorruption) and 1 engagement in Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, all during period of 2012-2015; International Election Observer in Arab Republic of Egypt for 3 engagements in 2014-2015; Secretary of State of Ohio 2007-2011 (first female elected); Franklin County Common Pleas Court Judge 2000-2005; Ohio Secretary of State’s office deputy director and legal counsel 1983-1987; Ohio Senate legislative aide and committee secretary 1978-1981, Member of 5 state/local boards: Ohio Student Loan Commission early 1990’s, Franklin County Board of Elections 1997; Ohio Cultural Facilities Commission 2011-2012; Ohio Counselor, Social Worker, Marriage & Family Therapist Board 2012-2014; Central Ohio Transit Authority Family: Married since 1978 to attorney Rick L. Brunner from Columbiana County, Ohio, 3 adult children and 5 grandchildren with another on the way; 2 rescue dogs Affiliations: 2008 John F. Kennedy Profile in Courage Award Recipient for work as Ohio’s 52nd Secretary of State – https://www.jfklibrary.org/events-andawards/profile-in-courage-award/awardrecipients/jennifer-brunner-2008; current Board Chair, The Legacy Fund of the Columbus Foundation, supporting central Ohio LGBTQ+ nonprofit organizations; former board member of Clevelandbased Center for Community Solutions (research and advocacy on health policy) 2012-2019; American, Ohio and Columbus Bar Associations; American Judges Association; Oxfam Sisters of the Planet Ambassador; Member of US Global Leadership Coalition Ohio Advisory Committee; religious affiliations: Catholic and United Church of Christ (protestant) Endorsements: Cleveland Construction and Building Trades Council; SEIU Local 11199; Communication Workers of America District 4; Ohio Federation of Teachers, Bar Association Rated-2002 Highly Recommended, Bar Association Rated-2014 Highly Recommended Candidate’s Question Responses: Q1: Judge, Tenth District Court of Appeals, elected 2014, reelected without opposition 2016 • Serve as one of eight judges in jurisdiction of 1.2 million people reviewing cases filed as of right from lower courts at county and municipal level (civil and felony and misdemeanor cases, probate, family law and administrative law), state court of claims cases, administrative law decisions and holding original jurisdiction in government-related cases.

• Participate in three-judge panels that hear oral argum Q2: My 17 years private practice experience with people from all walks of life has helped me better understand how the law affects people, in a wide variety of life situations. To be a lawyer is a calling to serve society and to uphold and protect the rule of law. I have worked for clients ranging from economically disadvantaged single mothers to one who was running for president (Jerry Brown in 1992).

My private law practice experience includes trial and appellate work for clients in common pleas court.

Q3: I love the law, I love Ohio and I enjoy helping people. I am privileged, having traveled to every county in this state when I served as Secretary of State, to have worked with Ohio’s 88 county boards of elections as we together served Ohioans.

I chose to run for the Ohio Supreme Court

for three reasons: First, I want to be a part of a court that ensures that the first decision interpreting the state constitution’s new provisions for fair districts for Congress and the Ohio General Assembly.

Judi French Email: JusticeJudiFrench@ gmail.com Website: http:// JusticeJudiFrench. com; http:// FriendsofFrench. com Social Media: http://Facebook.com/ JusticeJudiFrench Occupation: Justice, Ohio Supreme Court Education: B.A. (Political Science); M.A. (History); J.D. (Law with honors), The Ohio State University Work Experience: Justice, Ohio Supreme Court (2013-present); Judge, Tenth District Court of Appeals (2004-2012); Chief Legal Counsel to the Ohio Governor (20022004); Assistant Attorney General/Chief Counsel to the Attorney General of Ohio (1997-2002); Chief Legal Counsel, Ohio Environmental Protection Agency (19931997); Associate Counsel, Steelcase, Inc. (1993); Associate, Porter Wright Law Firm (1988-1993).

Family: Married with two children and two grandchildren Affiliations: Court Liaison, Ohio Access to Justice Foundation Board; Volunteer, Franklin County Children’s Services College Bound Program; Member, Federal Appellate Rules Committee; Member, First Community Church; Member, OSU Moritz College of Law National Council Endorsements: Ohio Fraternal Order of Police; Ohio Chamber of Commerce PAC; Ohio Farm Bureau AGGPAC; NFIB Ohio; Affiliated Construction Trades Ohio (ACT Ohio); Ohio State Medical Association PAC, Bar Association Ratings“Highly Recommended”; 2014 “Highly Recommended” by the Ohio State Bar Association Commission on Judicial Candidates; 2010 “Highly Recommended” by the Columbus Bar Association Judicial Committee Candidate’s Question Responses: Q1: – Justice, Ohio Supreme Court 2013 – present – Appointed January 2013; elected November 2014.

– Serve on seven-member court with statewide jurisdiction over all legal matters, including discretionary and nondiscretionary appeals, original actions, death-penalty appeals, and disciplinary matters.

– Serve as frequent presenter before high school, college, law school, legal professional, and general public audiences on matters of access to justice, civic education, law, and campaign policy.

Q2: For more than two decades, I have dedicated my career to public service.

Before becoming a judge, I had served as chief legal counsel to the governor, an assistant attorney general, and a state government lawyer. Those years in public service are critical to my understanding of state laws, my adherence to constitutional limitations, and my commitment to careful and efficient decision making on behalf of all Ohioans.

I also have legal experience in the private sector, having worked in a law firm Q3: I first aspired to be a justice because CONTINUES ON 10

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Candidate’s Question Responses:

it offers interesting, challenging, and meaningful work that serves the public interest. I aspire to be reelected to the office because I want to continue that work, both on and off the bench. As a justice, I am able not only to bring attention to needs within the legal profession, the judiciary, and the public as a whole, but also to advocate for change to meet those needs.

Q1: 1. Advocate for a statewide database of arrest and sentencing data with demographic information, which would identify racial and other disparities.

2. Recruit staff from different races, ethnicities, religions, experiences, and income levels. 3. Attend implicit bias training regularly and require my staff to do the same. 4. Develop a program to match low income litigants with attorneys who want appellate experience—with a mentoring system—so that all low-income litigants may have legal counsel.

OHIO APPELLATE COURT - COURT OF APPEALS DISTRICT 1

(CHOOSE 1 CANDIDATE) Salary: $164,000

Term: 6 years, commencing 1/2/21 Responsibilities: Constitutional court of judicial review.

For more information about judicial candidates visit: JudicialVotesCount.org Questions We Asked: Q1: What kinds of policies, if any, will you pursue to promote social and racial justice in our community?

Q2: Would you approve requests for noknock warrants from law enforcement?

If so, what considerations influence your decision?

Q3: How will you work to provide all defendants coming through your courtroom equal treatment, regardless of race, gender, ability to pay, or mental status?

Q2: Appellate court judges do not issue search warrants. Moreover, the Ohio Judicial Canons prohibit judicial candidates from making pledges about issues that may appear before the Court. I believe that answering this specific question will violate the Canons. Generally, I have read that no-knock warrants disproportionately affect minorities. It is the responsibility of those in authority to investigate whether disparities exist and work toward eliminating inequalities.

Q3: All parties—criminal and civil— deserve equal and respectful treatment.

When elected, I will: 1. Attend, and require my staff to attend, implicit bias training to ensure that unconscious biases do not affect decisions. 2. Encourage the public to watch oral arguments to ensure that judges are treating counsel and parties respectfully. 3. Recruit staff with different life experiences than me. 4. Deliberately think through every decision to ensure that it is based solely on the facts and the law.

Russell J. Mock

500 character limit for each response

Ginger Bock

Website: http://www. judgerussellmock. com

Website: http:// www.gingerforjudge. com Facebook: http:// www.facebook.com/ GingerForJudge/ Twitter: twitter.com/ gingerforjudge Occupation: Staff Attorney for Judge Thomas Beridon.

Education: J.D. University of Cincinnati College of Law, Summa Cum Laude. B.A. Miami University, Cum Laude.

Experience: My primary focus has been appellate advocacy. I have argued before the Supreme Court of Ohio, the U.S. Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals, and multiple Ohio Courts of Appeals. I currently serve as the Staff Attorney for Judge Thomas Beridon.

Family: Married with two children (6 and 4) and two rescue dogs.

Endorsements: Hamilton Co. Democratic Party; Sen. Sherrod Brown;1889 Friends of the Sentinels; Bold New Democracy; Cinci AFL-CIO Labor Council; Cinci Federation of Teachers; Cinci UAW CAP Council; Cinci Women’s Political Caucus PAC; CWA Local 4400; Equality Cincinnati PAC; Greater Cincinnati Building Trades; IBEW Local 212; Ironworkers Local 44; Ohio AFSCME Power In Action; OAPSE/ AFSCME Local 4; Plumbers and Pipefitters Local 392; Sheet Metal Workers Local Union 24; United Food and Commercial Workers Local 75 Affiliations: NAACP (Lifetime Member); Cincinnati Bar Association (Member); American Constitution Society (Member); National Association of Women Lawyers (Member); Finneytown Elementary Parent Teacher Association (Chair of the Grants Committee) Political Party Affiliation: Democrat

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Facebook: http:// www.facebook.com/ JudgeMock/ judgemock

Twitter: twitter.com/

Occupation: Presiding and Administrative Judge, First District Court of Appeals Education: B.A. The University of Dayton J.D. Pettit College of Law, Ohio Northern University Experience: I have been a judge for 16 years and have over 64,000 cases of judicial experience. In 24 years of practicing law, I had over 150 criminal and civil jury trials as a judge, prosecutor and attorney. I have sat as a judge on the Ohio Supreme Court.

Endorsements: Hamilton County Republican Party Affiliations: Ohio State Bar Association, Cincinnati Bar Association, Ohio Judicial Conference, Ohio Courts of Appeals Judges Association, Ohio Commission on Professionalism, Advisory Committee of Court Security to the Ohio Supreme Court, Judicial Ethics, Professionalism & Diversity Committee, Grants Committee for the Cincinnati Bar Foundation Candidate’s Question Responses: Q1: The work I do on a daily basis is focused on seeking justice in each case I consider. The most important thing I can do is to ensure that every person in our community feels like they have equal access to the courthouse. That can be accomplished by fully and fairly considering each case that comes before me strictly on the merits, and never saying anything that might give someone the impression that their wrongs are not addressable, their needs are not respected, and their humanity not valued.

Q2: Judges that serve on the state appeals court are not authorized to approve search warrants of any kind. R.C. 2933.21 limits that authority to certain judges. While it might seem attractive to make some general comments here on the subject, it would be irresponsible and unethical for me to do so. I do not have the luxury of being able to make broad statements about entire categories of the law. Each case is unique. Each person deserves-and is entitled to receive--full and fair consideration.

Q3: Defendants convicted of a crime are entitled to appeal his or her conviction to the court of appeals without cost. In the 4 years I have been the presiding judge of the court of appeals, 200 defendants have received representation appointed by the court at no cost to them. The court works closely with many organizations to help meet the needs of those outside the area of criminal law. And over 16 years, I have retained and developed a staff who share my desire for equal treatment for everyone.

HOW TO FIND OUT ABOUT JUDICIAL CANDIDATES Voters often don’t have much information about judicial candidates. Because most citizens do not routinely interact with judges in their communities, they tend to know very little about how judges conduct themselves in the course of doing their jobs. In addition, state rules do not allow judicial candidates to discuss their views on controversial issues because judges must be impartial on the bench. It is important for voters to understand the role of the courts and the important qualities to consider when evaluating judicial candidates.

To learn about candidates for judge in your area consider reading candidates’ campaign literature, visiting campaign websites, and talking with people who know the candidates, including practicing attorneys.

The League of Women Voters of Ohio again this year joins the Ohio State Bar Association, the Bliss Institute for Applied Politics at the University of Akron, the Ohio Newspaper Association and Ohio Broadcasters Association in a statewide, nonpartisan, online judicial voter’s guide at www.judicialvotescount.org.

In order to make a decision, when voting on judicial candidates, consider the answers to the following questions: To what extent has the candidate practiced in the area(s) of law the court handles?

What work or other experience has the candidate had that will particularly qualify the candidate to perform the duties of a judge on this court?

What is the candidate’s legal philosophy? Political philosophy?

Consider the candidate’s integrity, judicial temperament, and level of commitment to public service and the administration of justice.

Also, consider who is paying for any advertising about any particular judicial election. For our democracy to function, judges must carry out their tasks impartially and independently. Judges’ decisions should not follow public opinion or promote special interests or even reflect their personal beliefs. Judges’ decisions should be based on facts and law. This judicial impartiality protects fair trials and upholds the rule of law.

HAMILTON COUNTY OFFICE CANDIDATES COUNTY COMMISSIONER Salary: $96,000 Term: 4 years Responsibilities: Exercises financial control of County expenditures; authorizes public works; purchases land and buildings; lets contracts; plans and administers welfare. The Board of County Commissioners also appoints other officials to operate various departments within the county.

Questions We Asked: Q1: How would you develop a constructive partnership between Hamilton County and the City of Cincinnati?

Q2: What will you do to support a vibrant economy in our area?

Q3: What would you do to improve storm water management and lead abatement?

Q4: What kinds of policies, if any, will you pursue to promote social and racial justice in our community?

500 character limit for each response

COMMENCING 1/2/2021 (CHOOSE 1 CANDIDATE) Andy Black Republican Website: http:// www.BlackForHamiltonCounty.com

At this moment, Hamilton County is in the midst of a financial crisis that has been exacerbated due to COVID-19. In order for us to get our budget back on track and inspire growth, we need to fundamentally change how we look at our county finances. A big part of this is getting underutilized assets, such as Paul Brown Stadium, off the county books so we have resources to invest in infrastructure and other core services.

Q3: We have a Storm Water District and oversight committee, but this group lacks funding of any significance to take on projects beyond inspection and maintenance of the program. I would push for a level of funding to initiate the creation of plans for addressing water quality especially for new and redevelopment projects. We cannot be caught flat-footed if and when federal regulations are enacted to require quality improvements. Once we have a plan, we will the establish priorities moving forward.

Q4: It is clear that our community and our nation is engaged in a dialogue about what our society should look like moving forward. I believe that as a commissioner, the most effective thing I can do is create an environment where people of all backgrounds feel safe and have opportunities to succeed. By unlocking funds currently committed to the maintenance and operations of underutilized facilities owned by the county (e.g. Paul Brown Stadium), we will have the ability to invest in our community.

Herman J. Najoli

Facebook: http:// www.Facebook.com/ BlackForCommish

Website: http:// drnajoli.com/

Twitter: twitter.com/Black4Commish

Facebook: http:// facebook.com/ DrNajoliForCommissioner/

Occupation: Senior Vice President Education: Miami University (Oxford, OH), B.A. Bellarmine University (Louisville, KY), M.B.A. Experience: Nearly 20 years of private sector experience has prepared me to take on the critical tasks of balancing our county’s budget, as well as generating economic growth and job creation.

Political Philosophy: There is no better place to live in this country than Hamilton County. This community has provided so much for me, and I can’t imagine growing my business and raising my kids anywhere else. Having given me so much, I feel the responsibility to give back. We are presented with so many opportunities and a bright future for our community - we just need the right leadership to propel us into an era of growth and success. Visit www.

BlackForHamiltonCounty.com to learn more.

Endorsements: Congressman Brad Wenstrup Affiliations: Northeast Hamilton County Republican Club; Hamilton County Republican Party Leadership Council; Portman for Senate Campaign & Chabot for Congress Campaign.

Candidate’s Question Responses: Q1:It has become clear that the relationship between the city and the county has deteriorated significantly, which only serves to stifle our ability to grow. We’ve seen this when it comes to MSD and now most recently as it relates to the Banks project. It is my belief that new leadership and a fresh perspective is required to get this relationship back on track and I would propose setting up a joint strategic planning committee comprised of key elected officials and staff.

Q2: Economic growth of Hamilton County is at the center of my campaign.

DrNajoli

Twitter: twitter.com/

Occupation: As an educator, I teach International Business and Global Issues at Indiana Wesleyan University. As a public servant, I serve the developmentally disabled and homeless. In 2015 I won the CBC Forty Under 40 award. I am a father, friend, and futurist.

Education: I have a Bachelor of Arts degree - Economics and Commerce (Nairobi U., 2000); two Masters degrees - Organizational Leadership (Regent U., 2004) and Advanced Leadership Studies (IWU, 2009); and Doctoral degree – Organizational Leadership (IWU, 2012).

Experience: Serving students for over 20 years shaped my humility and empathy.

Serving the developmentally disabled and homeless for over 15 years refined my resilience and maturity. Serving as a coach for the past 5 years shaped my authenticity and niceness.

Political Philosophy: Basic to all solutions is the need for a new way of thinking that is wisdom-based. Hamilton County needs a new voice that will bring the voices of common residents into County government. My doctoral study researched 193 carefully selected leaders and discovered that wisdom and citizenship behavior are related. As Commissioner, I will call for us to move forward in creating jobs, be first in safety, and lead into the future. I am Independent and not beholden to any political party interests.

Endorsements: I am fiercely Independent - the first Nonpartisan to ever make it to the ballot for Commissioner in Hamilton County’s 230-year history. I will serve all of Hamilton County and not cherry-pick

groups or unions like a career politician.

I am a leader of all people. I submitted 6,847 signatures for this current run for office. No one else has ever done that. Party candidates submit only 50 signatures. I value the voices of the common people on the streets who signed my petitions. I will serve all.

Affiliations: Serving on the Hamilton County Tax Incentive Review Commission (TIRC) since January 2019. Served on the WCPO Community Advisory Board for two years. Soccer coach and volunteer (Athletic Association, Education Commission, PTO, Fish fry, Festivals) at St. William School Parish. Soccer coach at St. Lawrence School. Basketball coach at St. William. Track and Field Coach at St. Catherine. West End Pride Youth Soccer Coach for FC Cincinnati. Parent Ambassadors for the Cincinnati Squash Academy (CSA). Winner of the Forty Under 40 Award (September 2015) hosted by the Cincinnati Business Courier (CBC).

Devoted father and shepherd to two awesome kids (Son, 14 and daughter, 11).

Leader of relief missions to Kenya with my wife of 16 years through Maisha Bora (Better Life), a family initiative supported by numerous friends.

Candidate’s Question Responses: Q1: As I crisscrossed the county petitioning for signatures, I heard repeatedly from many that we deserve a better government. Our residents recognize that government is supposed to be for the people, of the people, and by the people. I have outlined a very comprehensive, downloadable plan at drnajoli.com/platform. In a nutshell, it is an audacious effort branded BETGOV – a combination of the words ‘better’ and ‘government’ for Brilliance, Efficiency, Transparency, Growth, Ownership, and Vision.

Q2: I will propose a Hamilton Entrepreneurial & Economic Drive (HEED).

It will have two vibrant components: 1. I will champion entrepreneurship through the creation of an Office of Resident Advancement through Networked Growth, Entrepreneurial Creativity, and Investment in Neighborhoods for Commercial Innovation (ORANGECINCI). 2. I will advance a groundbreaking initiative to be named Hamilton Economic Reinvestment Action for Local Disbursement (HERALD).

See my platform agenda: drnajoli.com/ planks Q3: I have stated clearly that the Metropolitan Sewer District (MSD) must be transformed into a Major Success Demonstration (MSD). See my 5-point SEWER strategy by searching YouTube for ‘Metropolitan Sewer District (MSD) VERGE’. Lead, particularly in home environments, is an emergency scenario. I will ensure that we are prepared for every kind of unique scenario by unleashing my Standards, Education, Responsiveness, Volunteers, Execution (SERVE) plan.

Search YouTube for ‘Emergency Management VERGE’.

Q4: I will fight for people living dangerously on society’s margins through a County Office for Regional Research on Eliminating Causative Tendencies in Individuals with Vulnerability Experiences (CORRECTIVE). I will bring comfort, relief, and hope in a gentler and compassionate manner. I will use arts and culture to transform community development through the nation’s first ever Commissioner’s Union for Robust Artistic & Cultural Yearning (CURACY). I will establish a SEVEN HILLS LAB (drnajoli.com).

Alicia Reece Democrat Website: http:// votealiciareece.com Facebook: http://

aliciareececountycommissioner Twitter: twitter.com/aliciareece Occupation: Marketing Consultant Community Developer Radio Producer/ Host Education: Graduate- Withrow High School International Studies Academy BS in Mass Communications from Grambling State University Experience: Cincinnati City Council & Vice Mayor OH State Representative Deputy Director OH Tourism Dept Pres OH Legislative Black Caucus Founder, OH Voters Bill of Rights Amendment Radio Host & Producer Marketing and Branding Consultant Political Philosophy: To work to achieve Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s Dream - a world where everyone has an equal and fair opportunity at the American Dream I want our county to be vibrant, affordable, safe, fair, and inclusive Endorsements: Laborers 265 Afscme Council 8 Equality Cincinnati Cincinnati Mayor John Cranley, Senator Cecil Thomas, Women Political Caucus Pres. Barbara Myers, Former Mayors Mark Mallory, Charlie Luken, Former Congressman David Mann, Lincoln Heights Mayor Ruby Kinsey Mumphrey, Woodlawn Mayor Brian Poole, Forest Park Mayor Charles Johnson, School Board Members Harriet Russel, Ryan Messer, & Mike Morowski, OH Reps. Sedrick Denson & Cathy Ingram, Councilman Greg Landsman Affiliations: Democrat Party Candidate’s Question Responses: Q1: As someone who served three terms on City Council, I am familiar with how city government operates and personally know many of the people currently serving on council. This gives me a unique perspective to see situations from both sides in disputes. Also, while I was a state representative, I had a reputation for reaching across the aisle to work with my GOP colleagues. I understand the need to respect diverse voices and the importance of looking for common ground so all sides have an impact.

Q2: The coronavirus has had a severe impact on all of us. Our priorities must be to help people with food and shelter, while assisting businesses to regain stability and expand jobs. We need a comprehensive pro-growth agenda that provides relief to struggling citizens while rewarding work, small businesses and economic development. Over the years, I helped expand the convention center and build the MLK interchange. I will bring together support for similar transformative projects in the future.

Q3: Residents are tired of politicians bickering while their homes are flooded.

City and county officials must remember their first priority is to help residents, not protect their turf. As commissioner, I would convene a task force representing all sides in the stormwater dispute and give it a deadline to issue recommendations.

For lead abatement, the Ohio EPA has innovative programs to remove lead from childcare centers. I would work with the CONTINUES ON 12

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Q4: I have always been a champion for justice and racial equity. As the president of the Ohio Legislative Black Caucus, I was able to work with a bipartisan group of elected officials, community leaders, and chiefs of police to get an executive order from the governor for establishing use of force standards statewide. We must now enact these policies into law to show we are serious about reform. Accountability is essential to rebuilding trust and cooperation between law enforcement and the community.

COMMENCING 1/3/2021 (CHOOSE 1 CANDIDATE)

will put us in a strong position as we recover from the COVID-19 slowdown.

Q3: The Board of County Commissioner assembled a task force to evaluate how we can better address storm water runoff in Hamilton County. I am particularly interested in how we can provide incentives for green infrastructure in construction projects to help manage storm water better.

Q4: In May of 2017, The Board of County Commissioners established the Economic Inclusion Advisory Council in order to assist the Office of Economic Inclusion. The advisory council has been instrumental in achieving our goal of diversity and equity integration across all county departments. The Board has also moved to declare racism a public health crisis in Hamilton County, and we have set goals to achieve as we tackle health inequities.

Denise Driehaus Democrat

Matthew Paul O’Neill Republican

Website: http:// DeniseDriehaus.com Facebook: http:// DeniseDriehaus Twitter: twitter.com/ DeniseDriehaus Occupation: Small Business Owner, Public Servant Education: B.A. Miami Experience: I have been a small business owner, a state legislator for 8 years, and privileged to serve as your county commissioner since 2016.

Political Philosophy: Progressive.

Practical. Collaborative.

Affiliations: Democratic Party Candidate’s Question Responses: Q1: There are many examples of successful county-city collaboration, including, the creation of the Law Enforcement Assisted Diversion Program, our work to ensure a complete count in the 2020 census, and our response to COVID-19. The county and city aren’t always going to have aligned interests, but we will.continue to make progress as long as leaders on both sides remain focused on accomplishing our common goals.

Q2: During COVID-19, The Board of County Commissioners developed grant programs to help small businesses stay afloat during this difficult time. Prior to the crisis, we made an investment in our tourism economy, gaining control of the Millennium Hotel. We also invested in reclaiming brownfields for future development through the Port. We learned from the last recession, that making key economic development investments now,

Website: http:// electmattoneill.com Occupation: Senior Accountant for Treasury Protech Home Medical A publicly traded health care company Education: 1980 St Xavier High School 1984 Miami University BS Accounting and Finance 2002 Xavier University MBA Passed CPA exam 1988 Experience: 4 years Senior Accountant for Treasury at Protech Home Medical, Wilder, KY 11 years as Senior Accountant Xavier University, Cincinnati, OH 4 Years as Business Manager at Chaminade-Julienne High Dayton, OH Political Philosophy: Fiscal Conservative Center Right Endorsements: Cincinnati Right to Life Preferred Affiliations: St. Cecilia Catholic Church Candidate’s Question Responses: Q1: One issue seems to be related to employee compensation issues. I will focus on trying to make the compensation issue narrow over a period of time, The result would be regardless of who owns and manages the operation, compensation becomes less of an issue as time passes.

Having not been on the inside of either the city of county government before, I don’t have a “ we have always done it that way” attitude from either side.

Q2:: Support police. When police are told to stand down, lawlessness takes hold quickly. People get shot, buildings

Voting with Disability or Confinement

burn down, jobs disappear. Voters need to know that I will not be calling for defunding police. I will be an advocate for getting businesses open again and fighting against arbitrary rules shutting down businesses. Taxes in Hamilton County have skyrocketed in recent years.

I will oppose future tax increases and try to repeal those that should have already expired like Union Terminal.

Q3: I noticed in Liberty Township and West Chester, many subdivisions have retention ponds. I would like for neighborhoods across the county to have similar retention ponds. Regarding lead abatement, I think the priority is to determine how many homes need remediation. After that, an estimate could be made of the total cost to solve the problem. Once the cost is known, a funding source needs to be determined.

With the funds identified, how long will it take? Is that a reasonable amount of time?

Q4: Poverty, poor education and crime are all connected. I would like for those in prison to have incentives to gain education and work skills in exchange for a reduced sentence. I would like for the county to have a program to hire them upon release so that individuals would now have better skills and more income thus less reason to re-offend. I think the Police Collaborative Review needs to be funded as a percent of each community’s police budget. The city has one and the county should as well.

COUNTY PROSECUTOR

(CHOOSE 1 CANDIDATE) Salary: $101,271 Term: 4 years Responsibilities: To investigate and prosecute crimes committed within the county, to defend the county in court, and to give legal advice to county agencies and townships.

Questions We Asked: Q1: What kinds of policies, if any, will you pursue to promote social and racial justice in our community?

Q2: What will you do to foster trust with the voters you represent?

Q3: What should be considered when determining a recommendation for bail?

Q4: Do you support prosecuting youth accused of serious crimes as adults?

Please explain how youth should be treated throughout the justice system.

500 character limit for each response

Joseph T. Deters Republican Website: http:// www.joedeters.com Facebook: http:// www.facebook.com/ VoteJoeDeters/

Persons who cannot vote at a polling location on Election Day or in person at the board office due to personal illness, physical disability, infirmity or confinement may receive and return a ballot by mail or in person through two boards of election employees. This includes voters confined to a nursing home or jail.

Twitter: twitter.com/VoteJoeDeters

Voting from the Hospital

Experience: 1992-1999: Hamilton County Prosecutor, 1999-2004: Ohio’s 44th Treasurer of State, 2004-Present: Hamilton County Prosecutor

Applications for persons who are hospitalized or whose minor child is hospitalized due to an accident or unforeseeable medical emergency occurring after 12:00pm noon on the Saturday before Election Day, will be accepted until 3 pm on Election Day. Questions? Contact Candice Kloepfer | 513-632-7069.

Occupation: Hamilton County Prosecutor Education: University of Cincinnati (Undergraduate), University of Cincinnati College of Law (Law School)

Political Philosophy: The responsibility of the Prosecuting Attorney is to seek justice in all cases. I take that responsibility seriously and follow it in all my dealings.

Endorsements: I am proud to be

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endorsed by the Fraternal Order of Police, the Cincinnati Area Board of REALTORS, Cincinnati Right to Life, the Hamilton County Republican Party and many other organizations and individuals.

Affiliations: I am a member of the Cincinnati Bar Association, National District Attorney’s Association, the Ohio Prosecuting Attorney’s Association, and continue to serve on the New St. Joseph’s Cemetery Board of Trustees. Previously, I served on the University of Cincinnati Board of Trustees, Ohio Organized Crime Commission, and the Southern Ohio Leukemia Foundation.

Candidate’s Question Responses: Q1: I’ve spent my entire career bringing justice to the victims of crime without regard for race, gender or sexual orientation. Whether popular or not, I pursue justice. I will continue to dedicate resources for programming designed to provide healing to those with drug and mental health issues. It takes real leadership to know when to go hard and when to give someone a break and that kind of leadership only comes from experience prosecuting the toughest cases.

Q2: What I have done and will continue to do to build trust is use my experience prosecuting felonies to bring justice to situations where an injustice has occurred.

I believe the voters, who have elected me Hamilton County Prosecutor six times, understand that. Voters have seen me prosecute violent criminals for over 20 years. That is real leadership - that is real experience. Everything else is just talk and I am the only candidate in this race with that level of experience and leadership.

Q3: Keep in mind the Prosecutor does not set bond - Judges do. The main factor to be considered in setting bail is whether the defendant is a flight risk. The more violent the crime, generally, the higher the flight risk. On the other hand, low level non-violent defendants should, generally, receive an own recognizance bond. Bond is not a one size fits all scenario. States that have done away with cash bonds have seen a rapid and dramatic increase in all kinds of crime.

Q4: Sadly, there are some instances where justice demands a juvenile be prosecuted as an adult. This is due to the limitations of the juvenile justice system, which loses jurisdiction over youths at a young age. Simply put, it would demean the seriousness of certain violent crimes (such as Murder or Rape) to treat them as juvenile offenses. My commitment to seeking justice for victims of crime demands we do more in these select cases. All such juveniles should get full Constitutional protections.

Fanon A. Rucker Democrat Website: http:// fanonrucker.com Facebook: http:// www.facebook.com/ FanonRuckerForProsecutor Twitter: twitter.com/fanonrucker Occupation: Attorney with the Cochran Law Firm. Former Hamilton County Municipal Court Judge and prosecutor.

Education: Hampton University, B.A. Psychology ‘93 University of Cincinnati J.D. ‘96 Experience: Prosecutor: Cincinnati, Woodlawn, Lincoln Heights, Lockland,

HAMILTON COUNTY OFFICE CANDIDATES and Moscow(1996-2007); Private Practice Areas: Civil Rights, Employment, Housing Discrimination, Business Litigation in State and Federal Court(2000-2007); Municipal Court Judge(2007-2019) Political Philosophy: “Cooperation is better than conflict, unity is better than division, empowerment is better than resentment, bridges are better than walls. It’s a simple, but powerful concept: We (The People) are stronger together.” Although these words are from the Democratic Party national platform, they accurately summarize my personal life and political philosophy. We as a society can achieve justice, but only if we work together. My personal experiences in leadership confirm the truth of this statement.

Endorsements: A long list of current and former elected officials, religious leaders, and community activists endorse me in this race. The full list of endorsements can be found at fanonrucker.com.

Affiliations: Elected/Appointed Leadership Positions – President, Seasongood Good Government Foundation (2017 – Present) – Association of Municipal and County Judges of Ohio, Trustee (2010 – 2019) – Association of Municipal and County Judges of Ohio, Secretary (2018 – 2019/Retirement) – Supreme Court Appointee, Bail Reform Committee (2019 – Present) – Supreme Court Appointee, Ohio Bar Examiner (2019 – Present) – Supreme Court Appointee, Rules of Superintendence (2014 – 2019) – Supreme Court Appointee, Judicial Election Grievance Review Board (2015 – 2019) – Cincinnati Bar Association, Finance Committee (2017 – 2019) – Cincinnati Bar Association, Nominating Committee (2017 – present) – Cincinnati Bar Association, Trustee (2003 – 2007) – Bar Exam Grader (1998 – 2007) – President, Black Lawyers’ Association of Cincinnati (2001 – 2003) – Cincinnati Academy Leadership for Lawyers (CALL) (2001) – Mayoral Appointee to Cincinnati Action Now, Police and Justice Committee (2001-2003) – Federal Magistrate Judge Selection Committee (2002) – Board Member, Boys Hope Girls Hope (2002 – 2006) – Board Member, Catholic Inner-city Schools Education (CISE) Fund (2003-2007) – Board Member, Cincinnati Paralegal Association (2003 – 2006) – Board Member, Children’s Law Center (2004 – 2007) – Steward, Allen Temple AME church (2006- Present) – Board Member, Elementz Youth Center (2011 – 2014) – Prince Hall Masonic Order, Statewide Orator/Lecturer (2010 – Present) – United Supreme Council, 33rd Degree (2011 – Present) Candidate’s Question Responses: Q1: As prosecutor, promoting social and racial justice will be an important priority of mine. The Hamilton County Prosecutor’s office has not hired a black male in over 20 years. As prosecutor, I will be intentional about having an office that accurately reflects Hamilton County. This is absolutely essential to restoring trust in our community. Without trust our criminal justice system cannot work.

Q2: As I mentioned above, restoring trust is an integral part in making our criminal justice system function for everyone. To this end, I will create a conviction integrity unit to restore our ability to properly serve justice in Hamilton County. I will also be a full time prosecutor with a full time commitment to Hamilton County. We will have a robust community relations team that will make sure that the voices of our communities are heard. In addition, we will bring a laser focus to violent crime.

Q3: The Ohio Rules of Criminal Procedure provides the terms for the consideration

of bail. I used these factors to set bail innumerable times over the years. I will follow the U.S. Supreme Court which stated that pre-trial detention should be the exception and not the rule. I will work to eliminate cash bail for non violent offenses and focus on pre-trial detention for those who pose a serious risk to the community.

As in New Jersey, this will result in the reduction of violent crime and homicides.

Q4: Children should be treated as children, with the understanding that they can be influenced to be successful or to fail in life. Consequently, other than mandatory bind overs our office will focus on retaining juvenile court jurisdiction over minors charged with crimes.

COUNTY CLERK OF COURTS (CHOOSE 1 CANDIDATE) Salary: $111,110 Term: 4 years Responsibilities: To enter judgments and collect court costs for appellate and common pleas courts, and also to issue and transfer automobile and water craft certificates of title.

better understand the concerns of ALL people and how best to remedy the current deficiencies plaguing our offices and communities.

Q2: I would address the office budget to determine existing redundancies and financial waste. The savings can then be put towards truly modernizing the office. Technology should supplement, not replace, the office employees.

Technological modernization will enhance communication between official offices, simplify the filing process, and promote office transparency. The public’s access to reliable information will help reduce costs while making the justice system accessible to everyone!

Q3: As Clerk, accessibility and transparency will go hand-in-hand. We will increase accessibility by providing affordable/free procedural and substantive information for a multitude of common legal issues (ie. small claims, evictions, moving violations, etc). By having a department dedicated to providing these types of resources to the public, not only will it help those seeking justice but also ensure justice isn’t dependent on cost. No one should have to go broke defending their legal rights.

Questions We Asked: Q1: What kinds of policies, if any, will you pursue to promote social and racial justice in our community?

Q2: What improvements would you implement in the office of the Clerk of Courts?

Q3: In what way(s) would you make the Clerk of Courts more accessible to people without lawyers?

500 character limit for each response

Alex Glandorf Republican Website: http:// www.alexglandorf. com Facebook: http:// www.facebook.com/ AlexGlandorf4Clerk/ Twitter: twitter.com/AlexGlandorf Occupation: I am a licensed attorney and small business owner. I own and operate an international sports agency that currently represents nearly 70 clients competing in over 30 countries on 6 continents.

Education: LaSalle High School; Xavier University; Universiteit of Maastricht (Netherlands - Study Abroad); University of Dayton School of Law; Sorrento Lingue (Italy - Legal Study Abroad).

Experience: Licensed attorney; Proven management experience; Effective communication skills; Ability to bridge cultural differences; Adept in identifying and designating individuals to responsibilities where they can thrive; Accustomed to working as a team.

Endorsements: Hamilton County GOP; Fraternal Order of Police, Lodge #69; Ohio Right to Life.

Affiliations: Republican party Candidate’s Question Responses: Q1: The first thing I would do as Clerk would be to organize a sit-down that included local politicians, judges, police, and community leaders in order to discuss ways to increase community involvement, provide access to information, and make the workings of the county more transparent. By opening the lines of communication and accessibility, we can

Aftab Pureval Democrat

assist people without an attorney get legal guidance to represent themselves. The Help Center has won a national award and assisted thousands of people with their cases, including eviction cases. We also offer online help and more services online to help people get their business done who cannot afford a lawyer. Our courts should be accessible not just for some of us, but for all of us.

COUNTY SHERIFF

(CHOOSE 1 CANDIDATE) Salary: $110,624 Term: 4 years Responsibilities: To provide services to the courts, to oversee the county jail, and to act as chief law enforcement officer for the county.

Questions We Asked: Q1: In what ways might law enforcement evolve in the next five years? How would you prepare the Sheriff’s Office for those changes?

Q2: What can the Sheriff do to improve public trust in law enforcement?

Q3: How should the Sheriff’s Office further the use of alternatives to imprisonment?

500 character limit for each response

Bruce Hoffbauer Republican

Website: http:// VoteAftab.com Facebook: http:// www.facebook.com/ AftabforOhio/ AftabPureval

Website: http:// Brucehoffbauer.com Facebook: http:// Brucehoffbauerforsheriff Twitter: twitter.com/

Twitter: twitter.com/

Occupation: Hamilton County Clerk of Courts Education: BA - The Ohio State University, JD - University of Cincinnati Experience: I worked for one of the largest law firms in the country, then moved home to Cincinnati to serve as a special assistant U.S. attorney, then became a lawyer for P&G and now I am serving as the Clerk of Courts.

Family: Married to my wife Whitney, and we have a 10-month-old son Bodhi.

Endorsements: Equality Cincinnati, AFLCIO, UFCW, SEIU, Mom’s Demand Action to End Gun Violence, the Hamilton County Democratic Party, National Association of Social Workers, Cincinnati Federation of Teachers, the Friends of the Sentinels, and Senator Sherrod Brown.

Affiliations: Democratic party Candidate’s Question Responses: Q1: I got involved in public service because of justice reform. As the Clerk, we’ve added more services online to increase access to justice. We’ve also launched an award-winning Help Center to help people who can’t afford an attorney. In my next term, I want to end cash bail and provide sentencing statistics to end implicit bias in sentencing.

Q2: As Clerk, we’ve made significant improvements in the office. We’ve modernized technology and added new services online, we created a new website for the first time in 20 years. We also invested in our employees, paying everyone a living wage of $15 an hour and offering paid family leave. We added protections for the LGBTQ community.

And we did it all while saving taxpayers over $2 million. I will continue to invest in technology and to make customer service a top priority.

Q3: In 2017, we launched a Help Center to

Bruce4Sheriff Occupation: Currently a retired Police Lieutenant with the Cincinnati Police Department Education: Graduate of Elder High School. Associates degree in Law Enforcement Technology from the University of Cincinnati and a Bachelors degree in Criminal Justice from the University of Cincinnati and graduate from the Southern Police Institute at U of L Experience: Cincinnati Police Officer for 34 years. Started career in Law Enforcement in 1985 as a Hamilton County Deputy Sheriff assigned to the Workhouse and Justice Center Political Philosophy: Republican. I believe in clear leadership, fiscal discipline, following the rule of law, and community engagement.

Endorsements: Hamilton County Republican Party endorsed candidate.

After the primary, the list of endorsements, including some unions FOP 69, Cinti. Area Board of Realtors, Sheriff Jim Neil, Former CPD Police Chief and current Chief of the Detroit Police Dept. James Craig. More endorsements coming this week.

Candidate’s Question Responses: Q1: One of the most important aspects of being an effective leader is having the ability to adapt to and effect change.

Law enforcement is no exception. In my almost 35 years as a police officer how law enforcement has done the job has changed dramatically, and almost all of that change has been positive. the public needs to know that we will make changes to policy and procedures when necessary.

As I said before, we need to constantly be looking to improve.

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HAMILTON COUNTY OFFICE CANDIDATES CONTINUED FROM 13 Q2: Also, the community needs to know that we will admit when mistakes are made. Like any large organizations, people will make mistakes and there will be missteps. A true leader is willing to accept responsibility when this happens.

I have never been one to shy away from responsibility or push blame elsewhere to avoid it myself. If mistakes are made, I will confront them head on and be transparent with the public at all times.

Q3: The Hamilton County Sheriff’s office has done a great job of increasing options as it pertains to alternatives to imprisonment, such as the heroin recovery pod and utilizing the Talbert House. When possible, we should look to utilize these resources that will assist people in making corrections to their life and returning to society. The state legislature and Congress have the responsibility to make decisions as it pertains to criminal justice reform. As Sheriff I will uphold the law.

Charmaine McGuffey Democrat Website: http:// mcguffeyforsheriff. com McGuffeyForSheriff

Facebook: http:// www.facebook.com/

Twitter: twitter.com/CharmMcGuffey Occupation: Retired Major with the Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office and currently an Independent Consultant on issues related to justice reform.

Education: Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice from the University of Cincinnati. Specialized training: Ohio Peace Officer, Crisis Intervention Skills Instructor, Victims Assistance & Hostage Negotiation, Certified Instructor Trainer/ Training for Trainers.

Experience: Thirty three-year veteran, Ham County Sheriff’s Office;. held rank of Sergeant, Lieutenant, Captain, then Major, highest ranking woman ever to serve; lead hostage negotiator; Commander of Jail & Court Services; balanced $36 mil annual budget.

Political Philosophy: Life-long Democrat and am passionate about the fair treatment of people, in particular related to a fair system of justice. I may be considered progressive because I believe that justice reform is past due in our community, however, I believe that policies of fair treatment, fiscal responsibility, safety for prisoners and our community are not progressive-only values. I am a strong supporter of labor with the emphasis on safe working conditions, fair wages, and benefits for all workers.

Endorsements: Sherrod Brown Aftab Pureval 1889 Friends of The Sentinels Cecil Thomas Yvette Simpson John Cranley P.G. Sittenfeld Chris Seelbach Greg Landsman Wendell Young JanMichele L. Kearney Roxanne Qualls Denise Driehaus Stephanie S Dumas Victoria Parks Catherine Ingram Sedrick Denson Brigid Kelly Iris Roley Bobby Hilton Laverne Mitchell Aaron Brown James Wolf Thaddeus Hoffmeister Ryan Messer Dwight Tillery Cinti Women’s Pol Caucus Matriots Cinti AFLCIO Cinti Fed of Teachers UFCW75 UAW CAP AFSCME OH8 Affiliations: Board Member, Women’s City Club and Cincinnati Union Bethel; Member, Human Rights Campaign; former member of the Ohio Jail Administration Board;

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former volunteer for the HOOPS Program for Disadvantaged Children; Member, Leadership Cincinnati Class 39 Candidate’s Question Responses: Q1: Law enforcement will and must evolve to build trust with the community. The culture of any organization begins at the top and I am committed to leading the Sheriff’s Office with integrity, accountability, transparency and a commitment to community engagement. We will create a culture of excellence, a culture where every deputy in the department is committed to equal justice for all. I will also establish a Citizens Review Advisory Board that would be the first of its kind in the State of Ohio.

Q2: Improving public trust with the community is critical. I will build trust by continuing to engage the community with a focus on community policing. I want our deputies to be respected and I also want them to be respectful. I will create a Community Liaison Unit to improve transparency and communication with the public. I will invest in training that emphasizes building skills in community policing, de-escalation, and implicit bias, equal to those used when responding to crimes of violence.

Q3: Policing mostly is trying to resolve situations faced by members in our community damaged by poverty and its root causes. I will collaborate and align our response to such incidents with mental health/social service professionals working with our deputies. I will champion alternatives such as electronic monitoring and no-cash bail for non-violent misdemeanor offenders so people don’t languish in jail simply because they cannot afford bail. It just pushes people further and further into poverty.

COUNTY RECORDER

(CHOOSE 1 CANDIDATE) Salary: $78,594 Term: 4 years Responsibilities: To record deeds, mortgages, plats, liens, and other written instruments.

Questions We Asked: Q1: If elected, what will be your top 3 priorities?

Q2: In what way(s) would you make information held by the Recorder’s Office more easily available to the public?

Q3: How will you improve fraud detection and/or prevention?

Endorsements: Cincinnati Area Board of Realtors, Realtors PAC, Equality Cincinnati PAC, Cincinnati AFL/CIO, Laborers Local 265, AFSCME Ohio Council 8, Greater Cincinnati Building and Trades, United Food and Commercial Workers Local 75, Cincinnati Federation of Teachers, Greater Cincinnati UAW CAP Council, 1889 Friends of the Sentinels, United States Senator Sherrod Brown, Ohio State Senator Cecil Thomas, Former Hamilton County Recorder Wayne Coates, Hamilton County Democratic Party Candidate’s Question Responses: Q1: We need a Marine prosecutor in this position to protect our homes, help our veterans, and to remove unlawful restrictive covenants from our deeds. 1) First priority is to protect our homes. Since 2017 criminals have stolen over 1.5 million dollars worth of property by filing false deeds at the Recorders office. One of the victims reported it cost over $11,000 to get their property back. We need to implement a fraud alert system to protect our homes.

A fraud alert system will deter criminals from operating here, provide the county early detection for criminal investigation, and will protect you the homeowner. We are the only county in southwest Ohio without a fraud alert system. 2) Second priority is to help our veterans by improving the Recorder’s Veteran ID card by collaborating with business to get veterans the financial help they need. 3) Finally we need to work with our legislature to pass laws allowing redaction of racist covenants in our deeds.

Q2: I would digitize all deeds so that the information is on the website. The goal is to be able to do a title search electronically.

On April 20, 2018 the Recorder’s office released access to images for deed books from 1967 to 1988. We need to continue this process. I would also improve community outreach at the office by being proactive with providing outside presentations and would target veteran organizations to highlight the veteran ID card. I would also consider weekend hours for the office.

Q3: On my first day in office we will finally implement a fraud alert system. This should have been done years ago. Since 2017 we have had two major instances of sophisticated criminal enterprises filing fraudulent deeds at the Recorder’s office effectively stealing homes. In 2018 Butler, Warren, Clermont, and Montgomery counties all implemented fraud alert systems. We still do not have one. A fraud alert system will deter criminals from targeting our county and will protect our homes from fraud.

500 character limit for each response

Norbert A. Nadel Republican

Scott Crowley Democrat

Website: http:// www.norbertnadel. com

Website: http:// votescottcrowley. com Facebook: http:// www.facebook.com/ votescottcrowley/ Occupation: Assistant Prosecuting Attorney Education: University of Cincinnati College of Law with honors Experience: I have been practicing law since 2011. I served on active duty in the U.S. Marine Corps as a Judge Advocate.

I left active duty in 2015. Currently I am a prosecutor for the City of Cincinnati. I also serve as the Veteran Treatment Court prosecutor.

Political Philosophy: Liberal

trustworthy and do the job taxpayers pay them to do.

Endorsements: Current Endorsements: Fraternal Order of Police Queen City Lodge #69 and Cincinnati Right to Life PAC. In past elections I have received the following endorsements: Cincinnati Area Board of Realtors, Coalitions Opposed to Additional Spending and Taxes, Citizens for Community Values Action PAC, Labor Unions including Cincinnati Firefighters.

Affiliations: Advisory Board, Ronald McDonald House of Greater Cincinnati.

Chairman, Board of Trustees, Chase College of Law Foundation. Member, Cincinnati Citizens Police Association.

Candidate’s Question Responses: Q1: As promised, I have done the following: • As your Taxpayer Watchdog I will continue to tirelessly advocate for efficient government and lower property taxes. • Released access to over one million additional images of Deed Books online. • Copies can be made, free of charge, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, online.

Q2: As your Recorder, I have initiated the following changes at no additional cost to Taxpayers: • Expanded business hours (7:30am to 4:30pm and until 5:00pm with afterhours passes). • Created Information Desk to help customers use the Recorder’s Office. • Simplified website to allow customers better access to online copies free of charge. • Veterans get free identification cards which help to get benefits and merchant discounts.

• Creating a digital library of Historical Documents.

Q3: As a former Federal Prosecutor and Judge, I make it a priority to protect records as your County Recorder. I work with our County Prosecutor and State Legislators in promoting stricter penalties for fraudulent deed transfers and protecting documents by redaction of sensitive personal information on our website.

COUNTY TREASURER

(CHOOSE 1 CANDIDATE) Salary: $80,807 Term: 4 years Responsibilities: To collect taxes in the county and its subdivisions, disburse expenditures, and invest the county’s funds.

Questions We Asked: Q1: Has the COVID-19 pandemic highlighted any changes you recommend in running the Treasurer’s office?

Q2: What improvements would you implement in the office of the Treasurer?

Q3: How will you make information more available to the public?

500 character limit for each response

Facebook: http:// Norbert Nadel NorbertNadel

Jill Schiller Democrat

Twitter: twitter.com/

Website: http:// voteschiller.com

Occupation: Hamilton County Recorder Education: University of Cincinnati undergraduate, Chase College of Law, Ohio Peace Officer Basic Training Program.

Experience: Current Recorder, former Judge in three courts - Domestic Relations, Municipal and Common Pleas, former Federal Prosecutor, former public school teacher Political Philosophy: We need public officials to be honest, hard-working,

Facebook: http:// www.facebook.com/ voteschiller/ jillschill

Twitter: twitter.com/

Occupation: Non-Profit Consultant Education: J.D., Temple University, 2003 B.A., Ursinus College, 1998 B.A., Central High School of Philadelphia, 1994

HAMILTON COUNTY OFFICE CANDIDATES Experience: Attorney, Obama’s White House Office of Management & Budget staff, non-profit executive, small business owner.

Political Philosophy: I’m a proud Democrat who believes in the power of people to help each other. I believe in making government more effective, more efficient, and more responsive to the needs of the community.

Endorsements: Hamilton County Democratic Party, IBEW Local 12, Laborers Union 65, Building Trades Council, Ohio Students for Gun Legislation, Equality PAC, CFT, AFL-CIO, AFSCME, The Matriots Affiliations: Cincinnatus Association; Duke Energy Children’s Museum Advisory Board.

Candidate’s Question Responses: Q1: The pandemic underscores the need to make tax collection as easy as possible for taxpayers, be it through the advertising of the TOPS installment program or more electronic payment methods. It’s vital that we reach out to individual homeowners having trouble with payments due to the economic side of the crisis to ensure we give them every opportunity to find a payment plan that works. Equally important, those property owners who can pay but choose not to must be made to pay.

Q2: First, improve the level of customer service. We will ensure someone answers the phone when you call and provides you with polite, efficient service. The office staff must reflect the community it serves and we will hire with an eye toward diversity of race and gender. As above, make it easier to pay taxes through easier online payment methods and greater use of the installment program. Engage with the community and schools through educational programs on savings, finances, and investing.

Q3: First, make sure the website is updated regularly to provide current information. Add informational mailers to tax bills to ensure all property owners receive important updates. Publish regularly in the local press to make sure Treasurer’s Office news is known. Hold community meetings to answer questions and get to know taxpayers, while making sure they know of all services available to them through the office.

Charlie Winburn Republican Website: http:// winburnfortreasurer. com Facebook: http:// www.facebook.com/ CEWinburn/ Twitter: twitter.com/CharlieWinburn Occupation: Consultant & Executive Pastor Education: Harvard Business SchoolAuthentic Leadership Development University of Cincinnati- Masters of Education Experience: - 30 years of budget and finance experience. -Has worked for state & local government -15 years of Public service as an elected official for the City of Cincinnati. Chairman of the Budget & Finance Committee.

Political Philosophy: We must treat everyone with dignity and civility.

Endorsements: *Hamilton County Republican Party *Fraternal Order of Police Queen City Lodge 69 *Greater Cincinnati Area Local American Postal

Workers Union *Cincinnati Right to Life PAC

Endorsements: Hamilton County Republican Party

Candidate’s Question Responses:

Candidate’s Question Responses:

Q1: The COVID-19 has created a major crisis in our nation and must be taken seriously by all Americans. I will do all I can to continue the COVID-19 Pandemic measures that Robert Goering, our current County Treasurer, is presently executing such as effective social distancing, wearing masks, and assigning staff, when appropriate, to work remotely from home.

Q1: Average.

Q2: Establish a County Treasurer economic development round table made up of property owners, realtors and business leaders to study the feasibility of job creation, entrepreneurship, and expansion of our tax base as it relates to the following: • Establishment of a residential and commercial link deposit with financial institutions to expand our tax base • Investment in specific and sound mega-projects using general debt obligation bonds • Collaboration w/ Port Authority on infra-structure projects Q3: One thing I would do to make information more available to the public is conduct a social media campaign and virtual on-line town hall meetings three (3) times a year with the citizens of Hamilton County to help them understand the mission of the County Treasurers office. Additionally, I will create a 24 hour costumer service hotline to get back with citizens the next day to expedite their concerns.

COUNTY ENGINEER

(CHOOSE 1 CANDIDATE) Salary: $114,914 Term: 4 years Responsibilities: To oversee the construction, maintenance, and repair of all bridges in the county, and of county roads and other public improvements except buildings in the county.

Questions We Asked: Q1: How would you rate Hamilton County’s infrastructure?

Q2: Optional Explanation: How would you rate Hamilton County’s infrastructure?

Q3: How will you manage or prioritize projects and funding?

Q4: How will data collected by the office be used in future decision making?

Q2: In general, the roads maintained by the Office of the County Engineer are in average condition and the bridges are in above average condition. Available funding has not been able to keep up with the rate of deterioration nor the cost of inflation. A concerted effort has been made to prioritize projects and to leverage local funds against other funding sources to improve the overall condition.

Q3: The office is currently upgrading how we rate the condition of our roadways, using new technologies, to provide a timelier and consistent method for our maintenance and replacement programs.

Bridges are inspected annually per State and Federal methodologies allowing us to properly prioritize repair and replacement.

I will continue to search for outside funding sources to help make the local dollars go further.

Q4: I intend to use data collected on our roads and bridges to determine trends in our aging infrastructure. In general, the worse roads with the highest public impact will be repaired first. There are exceptions where the cost to repair a marginal road brings a better return on the investment of public funds.

COUNTY CORONER

(CHOOSE 1 CANDIDATE) Salary: $130,661 Term: 4 years Responsibilities: To determine the cause of death of persons dying in a violent or suspicious manner and to issue death certificates.

Questions We Asked: Q1: What kind of interaction, if any, does the Coroner have with other public health agencies?

Q2: Has the COVID-19 pandemic highlighted any changes you recommend in running the Coroner’s office?

Q3: What role does the Coroner play in law enforcement?

500 character limit for each response

Lakshmi Kode Sammarco Democrat

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Eric J. Beck Republican Facebook: http:// www.facebook.com/ BeckForEngineer Occupation: County Engineer Education: Bachelors of Science in Civil Engineering, Michigan Technological University Surveying coursework at Cincinnati State Technical and Community College Experience: Employee of the Engineer’s Office for over 30 years. Have had varying areas of responsibility; bridge inspector, bridge technician, Bridge Engineer, Construction/Maintenance Engineer, Deputy Engineer and County Engineer Political Philosophy: I have a conservative political philosophy when it comes to spending the public’s money to maintain and improve our transportation infrastructure. Safety and a good transportation system are a priority.

Website: http:// Sammarco4coroner. com coroner

Facebook: http:// Sammarco for-

Twitter: twitter.com/Coronersammarco

shares the information. We track diseases and deaths. We keep statistics and work with boards of health. We teach the public how to stay safe.

Q2: Personal safety and safety of our personnel is tantamount. We take extra precautions and we wear masks and gloves.

Q3: The coroner works with law enforcement in investigating suspicious deaths. We process the evidence in all criminal cases. We work in many task forces to keep people in our communities safe.

COURT OF COMMON PLEAS Salary: $121,350 Term: 6 years Responsibilities: To preside at trials of both civil and criminal cases; to supervise the jury commission, grand jury, and other departments of the court.

Questions We Asked: Q1: What kinds of policies, if any, will you pursue to promote social and racial justice in our community?

Q2: Would you approve requests for noknock warrants from law enforcement?

If so, what considerations influence your decision?

Q3: How will you work to provide all defendants coming through your courtroom equal treatment, regardless of race, gender, ability to pay, or mental status?

500 character limit for each response

GENERAL DIVISION TERM COMMENCING 1/1/2021 (CHOOSE 1 CANDIDATE) Melba D. Marsh Website: http:// melba marsh.com Facebook: http:// MelbaMarsh ForJudge Twitter: twitter.com/ JudgeMelba Occupation: Common Pleas Court Judge Education: J.D., University of Cincinnati College of Law; B.A., College of Mt. St. Joseph; Seton High School Experience: Over 30 years of Judicial Experience; 7 years on Hamilton Municipal Court and over 23 years on Hamilton County Common Pleas Court Family: Single Endorsements: FOP Queen City Lodge #69 Affiliations: St Joseph Catholic Church - West End; Former Board Member of Queen City Educational Foundation

Occupation: Coroner and Board Certified neuroradiologist

Political Party Affiliation: Republican

Education: University of Cincinnati college of medicine Case western reserve - metro health: radiology UCLA medical centerNeuroradiology

Q1: In 1999, I was appointed by former Ohio Chief Justice Thomas Moyer to serve as a member of The Ohio Commission on Racial Fairness. In the May 26, 2017 edition of The Cincinnati Enquirer, the headline read “Everyone in the Pool?” , concerning the topic of jury inclusion.

As then Presiding Judge of the Court, I made my feelings known in that article.

Ohio should adopt a jury selection method similar to that of Indiana where nearly 100% of the population would be eligible to serve as a juror.

Experience: Hamilton County Coroner since 2012 Political Philosophy: Integrity, excellence, innovation Endorsements: FOP, hamilton County Democratic Party, AFLCIO, cincinnati fir Candidate’s Question Responses: Q1: We are all a team. Our office discovers where health care fails and

Candidate’s Question Responses:

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HAMILTON COUNTY OFFICE CANDIDATES CONTINUED FROM 15 Q2: Ohio’s “No-Knock” requirements are FAR more stringent than most states.

Specific facts must be shown: WHO poses the risk of harm, WHO occupies a location, WHO is likely to be found at that location, WHAT is the basis of police belief that a particular person will be found at the location. Judges take an oath to follow the law. As long as “No-Knock” warrants are authorized by Ohio Law, I will use my experience and judgment to meet requirements necessary in considering the validity of the request Q3:: No matter who walks into the courtroom and for whatever reason – criminal defendants, attorneys, police or witnesses - my goal is to make their court appearance a positive one. In other words, to follow the principles of “Procedural Justice” as taught through a variety of courses by the Ohio Judicial College.

Procedural Fairness or Procedural Justice is the way people perceive fairness of court proceedings. The principles are: Voice, Neutrality, Respect, Trust, Understanding and Helpfulness.

Q3: The first thing I would do is attend implicit bias training. I have attended this type of training in the past but would seek out implicit bias training specific to judges.

This would help me identify and avoid any potential disparity. But above and beyond training I think the best thing is to act in accordance with the Golden Rule. I would strive to treat each person that comes before me as I would want myself or my family to be treated.

GENERAL DIVISION TERM COMMENCING 1/2/2021 (CHOOSE 1 CANDIDATE) Pat Dinkelacker Website: http:// judgedinkelacker. com

Heidi Rosales

Facebook: http:// judgepatdinkelacker

Website: http:// heidirosales.com

Occupation: Judge - Hamilton County Court of Common Pleas General Division

Facebook: http:// Heidi Rosales for Judge Occupation: I am currently a Senior Assistant Solicitor for the City of Cincinnati, specializing in Labor and Employment.

Education: I earned a B.A. in History from the University of Dayton in 1992 and a J.D. from the University of Arkansas, Little Rock William H. Bowen School of Law in 1995.

Experience: I have been practicing law for 24 years. I have been a solo practitioner, public defender, prosecutor, law firm associate and government lawyer. I have represented a variety of clients in both civil and criminal law.

Family: I am married and my husband and I have one son who attends a Cincinnati Public School.

Endorsements: Hamilton County Democratic Party U.S. Senator Sherrod Brown Equality Cincinnati PAC Cincinnati AFL-CIO UFCW Local 75 Cincinnati Women’s Political Caucus Cincinnati Federation of Teachers Ohio AFSCME Power in Action Greater Cincinnati UAW CAP Council Bold New Democracy Thaddeus Hoffmeister, Mayor of Wyoming, Ohio Affiliations: Ohio Audubon Society Political Party Affiliation: Democrat Candidate’s Question Responses: Q1: I would pursue two specific policies that would create transparency, lead to accountability and increase diversity in our courts. A criminal sentencing data base, that is publicly accessible, would shine a much needed light on how judges administer justice. To quote a judge panelist in a webinar that I attended on this subject,”data collection is the solution to systemic racism.” Expanding the pool of potential jurors from voters to state ID holders would increase diversitiy in juries.

Q2: As a judge I would be required to follow the law. The law requires an officer to affirm, based on a good cause belief, that there is a risk of serious physical harm to the officers executing the warrant and the officer would be required to list the facts upon which they have that belief.

Because this is such a serious request I would very carefully review the facts

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upon which the request is made and hold the request to the steep standard that is spelled out in the statute.

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Education: Elder High School Xavier University University of Dayton Law School Experience: Assistant Hamilton County Prosecuting Attorney Judge, Hamilton County Court of Domestic Relations Judge, Hamilton County Court of Common Pleas General Division Judge, First District Court of Appeals Family: Spouse: Kathy Children: Brian, Kevin, Leah, Julie Grandchildren: George, Camden, Greyson, Gemma, Lainey, Isabelle, Walker, Xander, Maren Endorsements: Republican Party Cincinnati Right to Life Cincinnati Police F.O.P. Lodge #69 Plumbers & Pipe Fitters Local #392 Cincinnati Fire Fighters Union Local 48 Affiliations: Member of Our Lady Lourdes Parish (various programs at Lourdes) Ohio Judicial Conference Ohio Common Pleas Judges Association Candidate’s Question Responses: Q1: Follow the law. This is what a judge is expected to do. When a judge, like me, adheres to the oath taken as a judge to follow the law, this promotes trust by the community in our justice system. Treat all who come into my courtroom with dignity and respect. As a judge, I have unfailingly done just that. Win or lose I want everyone to know they were treated well in my courtroom. Be fair and seek just resolutions for all.

Q2: Yes, if the legal justification was present and the factual circumstances dictate it. To do otherwise would irresponsibly put people’s lives at risk.

Having stated that, I do not believe in all my years as a judge I have been asked by law enforcement to approve such a request. I would consider the risk to the law enforcement personnel, the target of the warrant, the safety of all others in any way connected to the serving of the warrant and if all other options have been evaluated and ruled out.

Q3: As a judge I have always treated everyone who has come to my courtroom with respect, dignity and fairness. Every person is a human being. All human beings in America have the inherent right to be treated equally and fairly without regard to status, gender, race, sex or otherwise.

I certainly adhere to this legal and moral

mandate and my staff has always been taught and trained to do the same. I work hard every day to ensure equal treatment to all. Plain and simply, it is the right thing to do.

Christian A. Jenkins

Judge/

GENERAL DIVISION TERM COMMENCING 1/4/2021 (CHOOSE 1 CANDIDATE) Curt C. Hartman

Website: http:// christianajenkins. com

Website: http://www. hartmanforjudge. com

Facebook: http:// www.facebook.com/ ChristianJenkinsfor-

Facebook: http:// www.facebook.com/ curt.hartman.52

Occupation: Managing partner at Minnillo & Jenkins Co., LPA Education: JD University of WisconsinMadison BA Penn State University Experience: Attorney since 1995 focusing on labor, employment, consumer and class action law Family: Married for 28 years with two daughters ages 22 and 16 Endorsements: Hamilton County Democratic Party Equality Cincinnati PAC Cincinnati Federation of Teachers U.S. Senator Sherrod Brown UFCW AFL-CIO Sentinel Police Association Affiliations: Ohio Association for Justice, Cincinnati Bar Association, National Association of Consumer and Bankruptcy Attorneys Political Party Affiliation: Democrat Candidate’s Question Responses: Q1: Fair and equal treatment of all before the Court and respect for Constitutional rights are top priorities. All litigants appearing in Court will be treated with dignity and respect. I will support the compilation and publication of sentencing and other vital statistics to promote transparency and equitable treatment. I will also support the reinstatement of a docket to handle complex and commercial matters in Hamilton County to allow for a more efficient allocation of judicial resources.

Q2: Rule 4.1 of the Ohio Code of Judicial Conduct provides that a judicial candidate cannot make pledges, promises or commitments about issues that may come before the court that are inconsistent with the impartial performance of the adjudicative duties of the judicial office.

Accordingly, the response to this question is that I would carefully follow controlling law as applicable to the facts of each case presented.

Q3: I will advocate for the compilation of historical county-wide sentencing statistics, including variations based on race and other factors. I will also support an effort to systematically address the many problems with the cash bail process. More details are available at www.christianajenkins.com And although the question only asks about equal treatment of “defendants,” please remember that the court also hears many civil cases in which “plaintiffs” also deserve fair and equal treatment.

hartmanforjudge

Twitter: twitter.com/

Occupation: Attorney, private practice; former Judge, Hamilton County Common Pleas Court, 2017-2018 Education: B.S., United States Naval Academy, 1987; M.A., Georgetown University, 1988; J.D., Vanderbilt Law School, 1994.

Experience: Serving as a judge on the common pleas court (2017-2018), I have already presided over the type of cases handled in this court; as an attorney in private practice, I have handled those same type of cases for individuals and small businesses.

Endorsements: Greater Cincinnati Right to Life PAC Candidate’s Question Responses: Q1: Previously as a judge, I demonstrated such a commitment in the courtroom.

I’d reduced previously set bonds when I thought the bond acted more as pre-trial punishment; to ensure a fair trial, I rejected the effort of a prosecutor to remove an African-American woman from a jury when a homeless black man was facing up to 16 years in prison; and I would not impose a harsher sentence because a defendant did not take a plea offer and, instead, exercised his constitutional right to a jury trial.

Q2: Judges must not rubberstamp warrant applications which make broad generalities concerning a whole swath of society. I recognize that knock-and-announce is embedded in the Fourth Amendment and that any exception is reserved for the most extreme circumstances only when the police clearly demonstrate with evidence (not speculation) that a particularly identified individual at the actual location to be searched poses a real, imminent and serious threat, not simply a speculative or minimal risk.

Q3: I have a proven track record on the bench of treating all defendants fairly and with respect. I demonstrated patience with each defendant to confirm that he or she understood fully the process. I recognized that the court had a duty, independent of defense counsel, to ensure a defendants’ constitutional rights were protected and not violated. And I understood and appreciated the gravity involved in the potential of all defendants losing their freedom and liberty, and acted accordingly.

For additional information on: Clermont County candidates and issues visit www.lwvclermont. com, send mail to P.O. Box 733, Milford, OH 45150 or email LWVCLERMONT@GMAIL.COM Butler County candidates and issues visit www.oxford.oh.lwvnet.org or send mail to P.O. Box 504, Oxford, OH 45056.

HAMILTON COUNTY OFFICE CANDIDATES Chris Wagner Website: http:// www.chriswagnerforjudge.com Facebook: http:// www.facebook.com/ chriswagnerforjudge Occupation: Attorney. Chief of Compliance, Hamilton County Clerk of Courts. 129th President of the Cincinnati Bar Association.

Education: St. Xavier High School; Xavier University, B.A. International Relations; University of Cincinnati College of Law, J.D. Experience: Chief of Compliance, Hamilton Co. Clerk of Courts; Managing Atty, Cincinnati Regional Office of Ohio Atty General; Special Asst. United States Atty SD of Ohio; Special Asst. United States Atty ND of Ohio; Cuyahoga Co. Asst. Prosecutor.

Family: Married to Nora Burke Wagner.

Chris and Nora are the parents of three children Collin (17), Claire (15) and Ryan (12).

Endorsements: Hamilton County Democratic Party; Equality Cincinnati; Sen. Sherrod Brown; AFL-CIO Cincinnati Labor Council; Cincinnati Federation of Teachers; Bold New Democracy; IBEW Local 212; AFSCME Local 8; UFCW Local 75 UAW CAP; Laborers’ International Union of North America Local 265.

Affiliations: Cincinnati Bar Association, President, President Elect, Vice President, Secretary, Board Member (2013-Present); Hamilton County Justice Reform Commission (2007 - 2010); Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic Church, Parishioner; Cincinnati Chapter NAACP, Member; UC College of Law Mock Trial Team, Coach (2013-2016); Southeast Cincinnati Soccer Association, Board Member (2017-2019); Youth Soccer and Little League Coach.

Political Party Affiliation: Democrat Candidate’s Question Responses: Q1: Implementing cultural awareness and implicit bias training for the Judiciary and Courthouse Staff. Instituting local bail bond reform by leveraging local non-profit partnerships and with the input of the county jail to provide better options for release. Increased mental health and drug treatment options expanded to a greater number of eligible cases. Supporting Hamilton County Courthouse in joining a unified state-wide sentencing database as proposed by Justice Michael Donnelly.

Q2: A judge must fairly and impartially apply the law without favor or bias based upon the facts presented. That is why a judge is held to a higher standard than other candidates for office. A judge or judicial candidate cannot promise or

pledge future decisions. “No-knock” warrants are seldom utilized in Hamilton County. When these warrants are requested, scrutiny must be given to the danger and risk to police and all parties and whether the request is proportional to the crime investigated.

Q3: In my 20-year career, I acquired the experience, breadth, and patience to show respect to all people in court. The key is to allow everyone time to have their say.

I will show our community that everyone should be treated with dignity and respect regardless of race, gender, sex, sexual orientation, ability to pay, and/or mental status. I would like to work with the local bar association to expand legal referrals for low-cost consulting so that more people can benefit from legal advice in Court.

GENERAL DIVISION TERM COMMENCING 2/9/2021 (CHOOSE 1 CANDIDATE) Jennifer Branch Website: http:// branchforjudge.com/ Facebook: http:// www.facebook.com/ JBranchForJudge/ Twitter: twitter.com/ BranchForJudge Occupation: For 32 years I have been a trial lawyer representing the poor, victims of civil rights abuses, and people who have been discriminated against on the basis of race, gender, LGBT identity and disabilities.

& Pipefitters Local 392, IBEW Voluntary Fund, UFCW, Gr. Cinti Building Trades Political Party Affiliation: Democratic Party Candidate’s Question Responses: Q1: As a common pleas court judge I would strive to make the parties, victims, witnesses, and lawyers feel that they were treated with respect and fairness in my courtroom. I always ask the judge in my client’s cases to instruct the jurors that “all persons are equal before the law.” This is an important reminder for everyone in the trial that no matter what position a person holds in the courtroom - all parties are equal under the law.

Q2: While as a judge I will decide each case on its merits, as a civil rights lawyer I am aware of the danger of no-knock warrants. In one case, a Black mother was holding her baby and shielding her children in the bedroom as she looked out to see who was breaking into their home. An officer charged up the stairs and shot and killed her and shot her baby. Her death was preventable. Had the police served the warrant in a less dangerous manner, her children would not be growing up motherless.

Q3: I will follow the code of conduct which prohibits judges from discriminating against persons on the basis of race, sex, gender, religion, national origin, ethnicity, disability, age, sexual orientation, marital status, and socioeconomic status. But I will go further and collect data on my decisions and those of my fellow judges to determine if our bail and sentencing decisions are implicitly biased.

Elizabeth Callan

Education: In 1987, I graduated from Case Western Reserve University School of Law cum laude, earning a J.D. degree. In 1984, I graduated from New York University with honors, earning a B.A. degree majoring in both Politics and Philosophy.

Experience: I started practicing law in 1987 at Cincinnati Legal Aid representing low income families in complex litigation and housing. Since 1997 I have represented civil rights clients who were injured by government officials or discriminated against at work Family: I am married, am a stepmother and a grandmother.

Endorsements: As of September 1, I have been endorsed by the Hamilton County Democratic Party, and the following PACs: Equality Cincinnati, NARAL Pro-Choice Ohio, Cinti Women’s Political Caucus PAC, Friends of the Sentinels, Sherrod Brown, PG Sittenfeld, Bold New Democracy, Ohio Chapter of National Association of Social Workers, Cinti Federation of Teachers, Cinti AFL-CIO Labor Council, Plumbers

For information on the organization of Hamilton County government and who provides what services see KNOW HAMILTON COUNTY, an online publication of the League of Women Voters. https://my.lwv.org/ohio/cincinnati-area/studies/ourwork-know-hamilton-county

Website: http:// www.judgeelizabethcallan.com Facebook: http:// judgeelizabethcallan Twitter: twitter.com/ judgecallan Occupation: Judge Education: University of Cincinnati, B.A. University of Miami, J.D. Experience: Judge Callan has been an attorney for 15 years. She first found her love for justice working with the public defender, then advocated for victims of abuse as a prosecutor. Her last role was as a civil litigator handling complex business matters.

Endorsements: Equality Cincinnati PAC FOP Queen City Lodge #69 Affiliations: Judge Callan has served on a board of Lighthouse Youth Services and the YWCA of Greater Cincinnati. She volunteers significant time to organizations

helping the youth in Hamilton County, such as the Saturday Hoops program in Overthe-Rhine. Judge Callan and her family are parishioners at All Saints church. She is a Cincinnati Business Courier Forty Under Forty Recipient and a member of the Cincinnati Chamber of Commerce Leadership Class 44.

Candidate’s Question Responses: Q1: As a fundamental belief, I treat all who enter the courtroom with dignity and respect. A person’s background, where they are from, how much they earn, or his or her social/racial make-up does not matter to me--I work to make sure that justice is administered fairly in the courtroom. I also approach hiring staff with a commitment to diversity and inclusion.

Outside of the courtroom, I participate and volunteer with organizations dedicated to social and racial justice in our community.

Q2: While I appreciate the inherent danger in the increasing use of no-knock warrants, the Code of Judicial Conduct does not permit me to disclose information “regarding the probable or actual decision in...a legal proceeding” before the court.

Due to that restriction, I cannot state how I would decide such a request. I will emphasize that I took an oath to follow the law and I do that--I also use my independent judgment to make decisions.

Overall, I take the community’s safety very seriously.

Q3: Every day in the courtroom I draw on my experiences with the public defender and the prosecutor’s office (as an advocate for child victims), to ensure I fully appreciate each litigant’s experience and background. I take the time to listen, to understand the facts of each case, and to consider meaningful methods of problem solving and rehabilitation. I also make sure each attorney advocate in the courtroom is doing their job in this way. Equal treatment is what is expected with me as Judge.

GENERAL DIVISION TERM COMMENCING 2/10/2021 (CHOOSE 1 CANDIDATE) Stacey DeGraffenreid Candidate did not respond as of print date

Alan C. Triggs Website: http:// triggsforjudge.com Facebook: http://@ alantriggslaw Twitter: twitter.com/ triggslaw Occupation: Judge, Hamilton County Municipal Court Education: Concord Law School, LLM; University of Akron Law School, JD; Memphis State University, BBA Experience: I have over 25 years of legal experience of which 15 years in a judicial capacity. I am a former Cincinnati Assistant Prosecutor, former Hamilton County Municipal Court Magistrate Judge, and current Hamilton County Municipal Court Judge.

Family: Married with one teenage daughter.

Endorsements: Hamilton County Democratic Party The Collective PAC Equality Cincinnati PAC Cincinnati AFLCIO Labor Council Cincinnati Federation CONTINUES ON 18

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HAMILTON COUNTY OFFICE CANDIDATES CONTINUED FROM 17 of Teachers Greater Cincinnati Building Trades Union UFCW Local 75 IBEW Local 212 Political Party Affiliation: Democrat Candidate’s Question Responses: Q1: There are 3 major polices that I will pursue to promote social and racial justice: 1. The creation of a statewide criminal sentencing database to promote fairness in sentencing. A felony sentencing database will enhance public confidence and trust in Ohio’s criminal justice system.

2. The commitment to scaling back and eliminating the use of cash bonds for individuals accused of low-level and non-violent crimes. 3. The commitment to providing equal access to the courts.

Q2: I must be convinced that exhaustive efforts were made to support the accuracy of the location, the individuals sought, and that one of the following circumstances applies: 1. Announcement of the officers presence will increase the chance of injury or death to themselves or others 2.The announcement is meaningless since the occupants are already aware of their presence, or the premises is vacant 3.Announcement of their presence will lead to the destruction of evidence or escape of the suspect.

Q3: For the past quarter-century, I have worked tirelessly to make a difference at the Hamilton County Courthouse. I have promoted equal treatment by: 1. Promoting treatment over incarceration for addicted individuals; 2. Eliminating the use of cash bonds for individuals accused of low-level non-violent crimes; 3. Providing equal access to the courts; 4. Making sure all individuals have the opportunity and time to be heard.

GENERAL DIVISION TERM COMMENCING 2/11/2021 (CHOOSE 1 CANDIDATE) Thomas O. Beridon Website: http:// www.judgeberidon. com Facebook: http://@ electberidon Twitter: twitter.com/

judgeberidon Occupation: Hamilton County Court of Common Pleas Judge Education: J.D., University of Cincinnati B.S., Ohio University Experience: I am currently serving as Judge on the Hamilton Court of Common Pleas. Before I was elected I was a practicing attorney for nearly 20 years.

Family: I live with my wife, two children, and my dog in Pleasant Ridge.

Endorsements: Hamilton County Democratic Party, Equality Cincinnati, Cincinnati AFL-CIO, Cincinnati Federation of Teachers, AFSCME, UFCW, PlumbersPipefitters Local 392, National Association of Social Workers, FOP, Sentinels, Affiliations: Cincinnati Bar Association Ohio State Bar Association Talbert House - past Board Member Nativity Parish past Parish Council President Cincinnati Works- former Chair, Legal Advisory board Hamilton County Criminal Justice Commission, former Member Political Party Affiliation: Democrat Candidate’s Question Responses:

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Q1: I believe my influence in the community begins in my courtroom. I treat everyone who appears before me with dignity. I also perform monthly objective reviews of how I am performing my sworn duties with regard to both pre-trial procedures and sentencing. Finally, I make a point of getting out in the community and connecting with people so that in the event they appear in court they will be more comfortable and understand that the judiciary works for the community.

Q2: Common Pleas Judges do not deal with warrants for physical locations; we see warrants for phone and electronic records. Having said that, I recognize that no-knock warrants involve a high level of risk and danger, and the requirements should be extremely stringent if they are to be issued.

Q3: I perform reviews of my procedures, including sentencing. For example, in my courtroom we track sentences including demographic data so that I can make sure sentences are in line with what I would expect based on the offense. When setting a bond, I understand that its purpose is to ensure that the defendant returns to court, and setting a high bond regardless of ability to pay is counterproductive. These are just two examples; more change is necessary, and I will keep working to achieve it.

Robert A. Goering Website: http:// goeringforjudge.com Twitter: twitter.com/ GoeringRob Occupation: Hamilton County Treasurer 1991-current Small Business Owner 1999-current Adjunct Professor of Law Attorney at Law Education: Chase College of Law, Highland Heights, KY Degree: J.D.-May 1986 Denison University, Granville, OH Degree: B.A.-May 1982-Cum Laude Mariemont High School, Cincinnati, OH Diploma: 1978-Class Rank: Third Experience: Eagle Scout Phi Beta Kappa Leadership Cincinnati Class XV and Steering Committee Hamilton County Budget Commission - current President Hamilton County Investment Advisory Committee- President 1991-current Hamilton County Treasurer -1991-current Family: Wife: Monica Sons: Will, Doug and Roman Endorsements: In my previous elections I have been supported by numerous Elected Officials, Unions, Individuals and Political Organizations. The only important Endorsement is from you on Election Day November 3,2020.

Affiliations: Admitted to U.S. Supreme Court; U.S. District Court, Southern District of Ohio; U. S. District Court, Eastern District of Kentucky, Cincinnati Bar Association - member and service on various committees and subcommittees; Volunteer Lawyers for the Poor; Incorporator of the Hamilton County Land Reutilization Corporation (County Land Bank)- Board Member 2012-present, Board President 2016-current.

Political Party Affiliation: Republican Candidate’s Question Responses: Q1: Social and racial justice are the cornerstones of our republic. The Preamble to the Ohio Code of Judicial Conduct is specific that “the judiciary plays a central role in preserving the principles of justice and the rule of law.” As a Common Pleas Court Judge, I will continue to

pursue policies that promote social and racial justice. I have done this in the tens of thousands of cases before the Board of Revision that I serve as President. We treat all Complainants fairly and equitably.

Q2: While few such warrants are issued by the Court that I seek, the rules are statutory. I will fairly, independently and impartially decide no-knock requests based on the Ohio Rules of Criminal Procedure, Rule 41 and the ORC 2933.231. I will require a statement that good cause exists that there is a risk of serious physical harm to law enforcement, the facts upon which this is based including names of individuals that pose a threat, and verification of the specific address to be searched.

Q3: In my 3 decades of public service, I have treated people fairly and equally regardless of race, gender, ability to pay and or mental status. I believe it is inherent that judges respect and honor all litigants so as to enhance confidence in the public trust and our great legal system. By treating everyone fairly and with dignity, I will ensure public confidence in the courts independence, impartiality, integrity and competence.

GENERAL DIVISION TERM COMMENCING 2/12/2021 (CHOOSE 1 CANDIDATE) Ethna Marie Cooper Website: http:// judgeethnacooper. com Facebook: http:// facebook.com/ judgeethnacooper Twitter: twitter.com/JudgeCooper1 Occupation: Judge, Hamilton County Court of Common Pleas, 2003 to Present; Presiding Judge, Hamilton County Felony Veterans Treatment Court, 2011 to Present Education: A.B. Smith College, J.D. University of Notre Dame, Instructional Program for Lawyers Mediation Training, Harvard Law School Experience: Private Practice-Litigation, Arbitration, and Mediation, 1980 to 2001; Judge, Hamilton County Municipal Court, 2001 to 2003; Judge, Hamilton County Court of Common Pleas, 2003 to Present; Presiding Judge, Hamilton County Felony Vet Court 2011-present Family: Married, 3 adult children, I grandchild Endorsements: Equality Cincinnati; Hamilton County Republican Party; Fraternal Order of Police, Queen City Lodge #69; Cincinnati Right to Life; Plumbers & Pipefitters Local 392 Affiliations: Ohio Association of Common Pleas Judges; Notre Dame Club of Greater Cincinnati; St. John Fisher Parish, Newtown, Ohio Political Party Affiliation: Nonpartisan judicial election Candidate’s Question Responses: Q1: The best way for me to promote justice in the community is to make sure i promote social and racial justice every day in my courtroom by upholding my oath of office. Justice must be blind to race, gender, religion, and politics. Everyone who appears before me is treated with dignity, fairness and respect by me and I insist on that from everyone in my courtroom.

Q2: No knock warrants are governed by statute and only the Legislature can change it. I was never presented with a no knock warrant request on the Municipal Court bench. Since 2003, on the Common Pleas bench, I have been presented with hundreds of requests to suppress search warrants but have never been asked to suppress a no knock warrant. Every search warrant before me is meticulously reviewed to ensure they fully comply with the statute. I am not a rubber stamp.

Q3: I work hard every day to be the best person and judge that I can be. Every defendant who appears before me is a unique individual who deserves to be treated with basic human dignity and a good judge respects that human dignity in all of us. If people are treated with dignity, they will receive equal treatment under the law regardless of who they are.

Wende Cross Website: http:// wendecross4judge. com Facebook: http:// wendecrossforjudge Twitter: twitter.com/ CrossWende Occupation: Magistrate, Hamilton County Juvenile Court Education: I have a Juris Doctor degree from the Salmon P. Chase College of Law, and a Bachelor of Arts degree from Miami University.

Experience: In addition to serving as a Magistrate in juvenile court, I have served as a federal prosecutor for the U.S. Department of Justice. I have experience in civil litigation, and have served as a criminal defense and civil rights litigator.

Endorsements: Hamilton County Democratic Party, U.S. Senator Sherrod Brown, Equality Cincinnati PAC, AFL-CIO, The Collective PAC, Greater Cincinnati UAW Cap Council, Cincinnati Federation of Teachers, AFSCME Ohio Council 8, United Food & Commercial Workers Labor Union, Bold New Democracy, and Cincinnati Women’s Political Caucus.

Affiliations: Cincinnati Bar Association, NAACP, Black Lawyers Association of Cincinnati, Impact 100, Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., Madisonville Community Council Political Party Affiliation: Democratic Candidate’s Question Responses: Q1: I will work to eliminate disparities so that justice is for everyone. Improving the culture of the court system by treating everyone with dignity and respect regardless of race, gender, class, identity or nationality is my primary goal. I will seek to build public confidence by promoting transparency in sentencing so as to hold judges accountable and eliminate mass incarceration. I will work to strengthen bail reform so that people are not treated differently because of their income status.

Q2: Ohio has a long standing “knockand-announce” rule. The rule protects the physical safety of people and property from the sudden entrance and against any shock or embarrassment that may follow.

Violation of that rule can form the basis of a Motion to Suppress evidence. I will follow the law as codified by the Ohio Revised Code and other legal precedent.

Q3: I will first recognize the humanity of the every person coming before me.

Judges have the power to make people feel better or worse when they are most vulnerable. I will seek to improve the lives of all people before me. I will Issue orders and judgments fairly and impartially.

HAMILTON COUNTY OFFICE CANDIDATES Everyone coming before me will be treated with respect and dignity. I will seek to understand and give litigants the ability to be fully heard. I will also give consistent application of the law in an unbiased manner.

my courtroom equally and with the utmost dignity and respect.

GENERAL DIVISION TERM COMMENCING 2/13/2021 (CHOOSE 1 CANDIDATE)

Website: http:// www.judgekubicki. com Facebook: http:// www.facebook.com/ JudgeKubicki/ Twitter: twitter.com/JudgeKubicki Occupation: Judge, Hamilton County Court of Common Pleas Education: Salmon P. Chase College of Law, J.D. 1993, cum laude; The Ohio State University, B.A. 1984, Political Science.

Experience: Judge, Hamilton County Court of Common Pleas, February 2003 – present; Presiding Judge, January 2012 – December 2012, January 2019 December 2019, January 2020 - present, Santen & Hughes, Associate and Partner, November 1992 – December 2002.

Family: Married with two children Endorsements: Equality Cincinnati; Plumber, Pipefitters & M.E.S. Local 392; Fraternal Order of Police Queen City Lodge #69; Cincinnati Right to Life Political Party Affiliation: Republican Candidate’s Question Responses: Q1: As a judge for over 17 years, my primary job is to apply the law as written in a just, equitable matter and with fairness to all parties. In that role I am not in a position to make public policy, however, I do work to ensure equal access to justice in my courtroom every day. I am also presiding administrative judge for the Court of Common Pleas. Mindful of racial disparities in our justice system, I have created a blue ribbon panel to study potential changes to our jury selection system.

Q2: The execution of no-knock warrants present unique issues concerning public safety. I am deeply saddened by the death of Breonna Taylor in Louisville during the execution of such a warrant. I have not approved such a warrant during my judicial career and can assure that any future request would be subject to a high level of scrutiny. Any decision to ban the practice, however, is ultimately one for the legislature.

Q3: One of the most important things I do as a judge is to maintain both the manifest appearance of impartiality on the bench and true impartiality with regard to my decisions. It is important to me to respect everyone regardless of race, color or creed and to ensure that no one leaves my courtroom feeling they were treated unfairly. Public defenders are appointed to any criminal defendant without the ability to pay. Mental health and substance abuse treatment are options for those who need.

Alison Hatheway Website: http://www. hathewayforjudge. com Facebook: http:// Alison Hatheway for Judge Twitter: twitter.com/AlisonHatheway Occupation: Director of the Juvenile Division of the Law Office of the Hamilton County Public Defender.

Education: BA, Speech Communications, Muskingum College, New Concord, OH Juris Doctor, Salmon P. Chase College of Law, Highland Heights, KY Experience: Current, Director, Juvenile Div, Hamilton Co Public Defender; 2012-18 Team Leader, Juvenile Div, Hamilton Co Public Defender; 2007-12 Staff Attorney, Hamilton Co Public Defender; 2011-19 Group Fitness Instructor, YMCA; 19982005 News Reporter/Anchor Family: Married. Three children.

Endorsements: Cincinnati Women’s Political Caucus; Cincinnati AFL-CIO Labor Council; IBEW Local 212; UFCW-Local 75; Ohio AFSCME Power in Action; UAW CAP; Cincinnati Federation of Teachers; Thaddeus Hoffmeister, Mayor of the City of Wyoming, Ohio; Aftab Pureval, Hamilton County Clerk of Courts; Senator Sherrod Brown; Collective PAC; 1889 Friends of the Sentinels; Bold New Democracy; Equality Cincinnati PAC Affiliations: Cincinnati Association of Criminal; Defense Lawyers National Association for Public Defense; Black Lawyers Association of Cincinnati; Black Public Defender Association; Silverton Democratic Club, Officer Political Party Affiliation: Democrat Candidate’s Question Responses: Q1: It’s time for “Smart Justice,” which means that when appropriate, working to find alternatives to incarceration and utilizing programs that promote accountability, but also protect against disparities. My approach will always be to act thoughtfully, fairly and effectively. As Judge, I will work with other system actors to promote equal enforcement of the law; reform cash bail; and create programs that will rehabilitate, reduce recidivism, and strengthen protections for vulnerable populations.

Q2: As a judicial candidate, I am bound by the Cannon of Judicial Ethics. I cannot say how I would rule on a case, but I can say I will follow the law.

Q3: Right now, we have a criminal legal system that is punitive, expensive, ineffective and full of disparities. As a long-time public defender, I have had the privilege to defended and work for children and adults from many different backgrounds. It is time that we also have judges who are diverse in background and experience and are a reflection of the community they serve. I will be thorough and fair, and I will treat every person in

Charles J. Kubicki, Jr.

PROBATE DIVISION

(CHOOSE 1 CANDIDATE)

Salary: $121,350 Term: 6 years, commencing 2/9/2021 Responsibilities: the administration of decedent’s estates, consent for medical treatment, the appointment of guardians for minors and incapacitated adults and the supervision of their property, civil involuntary commitments of the mentally ill, adoptions, birth record corrections and registrations, changes of name, issuance of marriage licenses, supervision of testamentary trusts (those created by will)

and interpretation and enforcement of inter vivos trusts (those created during a person’s lifetime), land appropriations, and will constructions.

For more information on judicial candidates visit: JudicialVotesCount.org

Pavan Parikh Website: http:// www.pavanforjudge. com Facebook: http:// www.facebook.com/ pavanforjudge Twitter: twitter.com/

pavanforjudge Occupation: Assistant Vice President, Government Relations Officer & Legislative Counsel, Federal Home Loan Bank of Cincinnati (2015-Present); Judge Advocate, U.S. Army Reserve (2013-Present) Education: Xavier University: B.A. Philosophy (Minors in Natural Sciences and Economics); St. Louis University School of Law: J.D. (with a Certificate in Health Law, a Certificate in International & Comparative Law, and a Concentration in Criminal Litigation) Experience: Adjunct Professor, UC Law (2016-2018); Adjunct Professor, Xavier University (2016-2018); Chief Legal Counsel, Ohio Senate Minority Caucus (2011-2015); Staff Attorney/Bailiff, Judge Nadine Allen – Hamilton County Court of Common Pleas (2011) Family: Wife, son, and dog.

Endorsements: Hamilton County Democratic Party, Ohio Young Democrats, Equality Cincinnati Political Action Committee, Cincinnati AFL-CIO, Cincinnati Federation of Teachers, UFCW Local 75, Ohio AFSCME Power in Action, CWA Local 4400, LiUNA! Local 265, IBEW Local 212, Greater Cincinnati UAW-CAP Council, Bold New Democracy, VoteVets. org, Run for Something, 1889 Friends of the Sentinels, Working Families Party, Our Revolution - Greater Cincinnati, IndianAmerican IMPACT Fund Affiliations: American Legion (PaidUp-For-Life Member); Ohio Ballot Board (Board Member); Cincinnati Bar Association (Board of Trustees); River City Correctional Facility (Facilities Governing Board); American Constitution Society – Cincinnati Lawyers Chapter (Co-Chair); Potter Stewart American Inn of Court (Barrister); Xavier University Mentorship Program (Mentor); Cincinnati Bar Association – Veterans & Military Law Committee (Chair); Truman National Security Project (Partner); Asian Pacific American Bar Association of Southwest Ohio (Board Member); Xavier University State Politics Internship (Co-founder and Advisor); Ohio Center for Law Related Education (Volunteer Competition Judge); Cincinnati Chamber of Commerce C-Change Class 11 (Member); Venue Magazine – Great Leaders Under 40 (Award Recipient); Cincinnati Business Courier Forty Under 40 (Award Recipient) Political Party Affiliation: Democratic Party Candidate’s Question Responses: Q1: I will engage in education with community partners to remove barriers to accessibility to the Probate Court.

I will develop legal clinics to provide low-cost or free estate planning services low-income individuals to protect their families. I will work with local law schools to found clinics to encourage Black law students to working as mental health law attorneys to guarantee counsel or estate planning attorneys to address the under-

representation of Black attorneys in these fields.

Q2: While the Probate Court would not handle no-knock warrants, in the realm of justice reform the Court does have a responsibility to reform its mental health docket to reduce contact of individuals with health issues with the police. We need to reduce reliance on inpatient services. We can expand outpatient services to work with case workers in community agencies to improve treatment outcomes. I will also be dedicated to working with lawmakers to remedy the gaps in services and accessibility.

Q3: I will audit all functions of the Court to determine any disparities that exist and work to eliminate them in utilization of services, timeline delays, or outcomes. I will reform wide-ranging indigence policies to ensure that people of limited income can still access the Court. And in order to ensure a diverse workforce who respects everyone, I will institute a process for all vacancies to ensure diverse candidates are considered and I will require implicit bias training for all employees.

Ralph Winkler Website: http:// judgeralphwinkler. com Facebook: http:// Judgeralphwinkler Twitter: twitter.com/ Judgewinkler Occupation: I have been the Hamilton County Probate Judge since 2015.

Adoptions, guardianships, mental health court, marriage licenses and estates are among the 80 unique functions I oversee.

I manage all probate court staff and set a yearly budget.

Education: University Of Cincinnati Bachelor of Business Administration, NKU Chase College of Law - Juris Doctor, American Academy of Judicial Education Diploma of Judicial Skills Experience: From 1999 – 2020 I have served our community as a Judge in the Hamilton County courts. I have presided over 70,000+ cases. I served as an Assistant County Prosecutor, practiced private law and served as a judicial law clerk before taking the Bench Family: I have been married to my wonderful wife Teresa for 39 years. We have 3 lovely and intelligent daughters, 3 great son-in-law’s and 7 super fantastic grandchildren.

Endorsements: Cincinnati Pipe Fitters and Plumbers Local 392, Cincinnati Ironworkers Local 44, Cincinnati Firefighters Local 48, Cincinnati Police FOP lodge 69 .

Affiliations: American Judges Association, National College of Probate Judges, Ohio Association of Probate Judges, Ohio Judicial College, Ohio State Bar Association, Cincinnati Bar Association, Vineyard Westside Church, High School Sunday school teacher and sports coach.

Political Party Affiliation: Ohio Judicial races are non partisan in the general election . I am endorsed by Republican, Democratic and independent individuals and organizations.

Candidate’s Question Responses: Q1: As a judge, I have presided over 70,000 cases. I seek to treat all community members equally with dignity and respect.

As probate judge, I have promoted access to justice by implementing Zoom hearings CONTINUES ON 20

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HAMILTON COUNTY OFFICE CANDIDATES CONTINUED FROM 19 and creating e-filing for 24/7 access to the court. I work with partner agencies to increase diversity among adoptive families. I engage in outreach by speaking at high schools, volunteering to help the homeless, and leading my church outreach. Visit probatect.org to meet my Magistrates.

Q2: While not typically a probate function, I would consider approving a no-knock warrant in extreme circumstances such as human trafficking or high-level drug dealers. Because no-knock warrants create an inherently high risk to citizens and law enforcement, the parameters of their use should be carefully scrutinized and regularly reviewed. Through my years as a criminal judge, I am acutely attuned to protecting citizen’s constitutional rights, while balancing the needs of law enforcement.

Q3: During 20 years as a judge and having worked for the public defender and prosecutor, I encountered people from diverse races, religions, LGBTQ and national origins. In probate, I meet those with mental illness and those who need guardians. Employing kindness, compassion, and dignity, and expecting the same of my staff, I seek to give equal treatment to every person . Anticipating the historic recognition of same-sex marriage, I prepared to immediately issue licenses to same-sex couples.

DRUG COURT DIVISION

(CHOOSE 1 CANDIDATE) Salary: $121,350

Term: 6 years, commencing 1/3/2021 Responsibilities: Accepts or rejects any case referred and has full authority to conduct arraignment, accept pleas, enter findings and dispositions, conduct trials, order treatment, pronounce and enter sentence.

For more information on judicial candidates visit: JudicialVotesCount.org

Kim Wilson Burke Website: http://www.

JudgeKimBurke.com Facebook: http:// www.facebook.com/ JudgeBurkeDrugCourt Occupation: judge, Hamilton County Court of Common Pleas, Drug Court Division Education: B.A. - Ohio State University, 1980 J.D. - Ohio State University College of Law, 1983 Experience: Drug Court judge since 2001, prior municipal court judge, prior juvenile court magistrate, prior civil litigator in large law firm, prior city of Cincinnati trial attorney and prior assistant city prosecutor.

Family: I am a divorced mother of two: a son, age 24 and a daughter, age 27. I am also the oldest of my parents’ six children.

Endorsements: Equality Cincinnati PAC Political Party Affiliation: Republican Candidate’s Question Responses: Q1: For over nineteen years I have made it my mission, practice, and purpose to make sure that all persons who come in contact with drug court are treated equally.

Social and racial justice begin with being seen, and then being acknowledged as

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a human being who is as worthy of the same consideration as any other person.

In my courtroom, I will always continue to promote and administer justice.

Q2: As drug court judge I do not sign search warrants, therefore I have never signed a no-knock warrant.

Q3: I have, and will continue to provide equal treatment to all persons who come through drug court. Race, gender, ability to pay or mental status are not, and should not be barriers to addressing addiction issues. Acknowledging and addressing a drug court client’s status and/or situation, and providing specific tools to address them, is what drug court does well. There is no place for discrimination in my court.

Nicole Sanders Website: http://Nicolesandersforjudge. com Facebook: http:// Nicole Sanders For Judge nsanders4judge

Twitter: twitter.com/

Occupation: Magistrate Judge, currently presiding over delinquency cases in Hamilton County Common Pleas, Juvenile Court Division Education: Attended and Graduated from the University of Cincinnati and University of Cincinnati College of Law.

of divorce, dissolution of marriage, annulment, separation, and child custody matters.

For more information on judicial candidates visit: JudicialVotesCount.org

Anne B. Flottman

Twitter: twitter.com/FlottmanAnne Occupation: I have served as a Magistrate in the Warren County Domestic Relations Court since February 2014. Prior to joining that court, I was a partner at Wood and Lamping with a practice focused on domestic relations law.

Education: J.D. University of Cincinnati; M.A. English Literature, Xavier University; B.A. English and Spanish, University of Kentucky Experience: 2014- present: Magistrate, Warren Co. Domestic Relations Court 2007-2014: Partner, Wood Lamping LLP 2002-2007: Law Offices of Anne B. Flottman 1999-2001: law clerk and associate- Wagner and Bloch, LLP 198999: English Instructor, Xavier University

Endorsements: Hamilton County Democratic Party Equality Cincinnati PAC Fanon A. Rucker, Retired Municipal Judge and Hamilton County Prosecutor Candidate Thaddeus Hoffmeister, Wyoming Mayor Cincinnati Women’s Political Caucus Equality Cincinnati Bold New Democracy UFCW Local 75 AFSCME, Ohio Council 8 Cincinnati AFLCIO Labor Council Cincinnati Federation of Teachers Greater Cincinnati UAW CAP Council

Endorsements: Hamilton County Democratic Party, United States Senator Sherrod Brown, AFL/CIO, Cincinnati Federation of Teachers, Cincinnati Women’s Political Caucus, 1889 Friends of the Sentinels, IBEW Local 212, AFSCME, UFCW Local 75, Equality Cincinnati, The Honorable Thaddeus Hoffmeister, National Association of Social Workers, Working Families Party, Bold New Democracy, Our Revolution

Q1: I will work with the other judges on the bench to have common sense bail reform, and ensure that the courthouse staff is reflective of the community as a whole. I plan to work with the other judges on the bench to reform the Courthouse hours to address those concerns of those whose working hours exceed the regular 9- 5 business hours and end the cattle call of cases in the morning so that those who have cases have time to enter the Courthouse and participate in their case.

Q2: I as a current Magistrate Judge and Judicial Candidate, I am precluded from answering and addressing issues that may come before me as a Judicial Officers.

Q3: Equal treatment is easy to provide because everyone will be treated with respect. When you respect everyone, those labels used to divide don’t matter because you don’t give the labels any significance.

DOMESTIC RELATIONS DIVISION

(CHOOSE 1 CANDIDATE) Salary: $121,350

Term: 6 years, commencing 7/1/2021 Responsibilities: To handle cases

Website: http:// judgeamysearcy. com

Facebook: http://www. facebook/com/pg/ AnneFlottmanforJudge

Family: Married almost 40 years to Thomas R. Flottman. We have three sons: Ted - married to Melissa with 19 mo. old Ronan; Will - married to Lauren; Augustus.

Candidate’s Question Responses:

Amy Searcy

Website: http://www.

FlottmanforJudge. com

Experience: 17 years of diverse legal experience as a prosecutor, civil litigator, appellate attorney and Magistrate Judge.

Political Party Affiliation: Democrat

can identify and eradicate them. We’ll find partners to help families treat the mental health/substance abuse issues causing their conflict. We will increase free/low cost legal assistance. We will improve the Court’s daily efficiency to respect people’s time and resolve their cases quickly.

Affiliations: Trustee of Ohio Women’s Bar Association, Board Member of Ohio Chapter of Association of Family and Conciliation Courts, Volunteer Lawyers’ Committee for The Immigration and Refugee Law Center, Ohio Bar Association, Ohio Association of Magistrates; Past member of Cincinnati Academy of Collaborative Professionals.

Political Party Affiliation: Democratic Candidate’s Question Responses: Q1: First, my Court will increase access to justice with a policy of inclusion and diversity. Our Court staff and magistrates must reflect the beautiful diversity of Hamilton County so that people feel comfortable coming to our court, and so we can respond better to our residents’ needs and concerns. Next, I will partner with Drug Court, Juvenile Court, and Veterans’ Court to combine and streamline our resources to help every family, every way we can. I will be a public servant to ALL the public.

Q2: As a Domestic Relations Court judge, I do not have cause to issue warrants.

However, I support a thorough review of the need and efficacy of such warrants that includes all partners - law enforcement, public defenders, community agencies, and general division judges.

Q3: We will broaden the racial/ethnic diversity in the Court staff so we reflect and respond more equitably to all residents of our county. Each public servant in my Court will study our implicit biases so we

Facebook: http:// JudgeAmySearcy Twitter: twitter.com/ JudgeAmySearcy Occupation: Judge, Hamilton County Domestic Relations Court Education: Wm. Henry Harrison High School; Xavier University; Chase College of Law Experience: 12 years on the bench as Judge and Magistrate; Judge Domestic Relations Court in Hamilton County since 2014; attorney for 30 years.

Candidate’s Question Responses: Q1: The calling of a judicial officer is to provide equal justice to all. in the last 6 years, I have made it easier for anyone to file in our court by instituting electronic filing - making our court a leader in the region when other nearby counties do not offer this. In addition, petitioners for protective orders now receive text messages when the Order has been delivered. I have received national recognition for making my courtroom friendlier and calm so all parties can come to agreeable terms.

Q2: It is improper for judicial candidates to take positions on how they may rule.

For those who feel that “no-knock” warrant laws should be changed, they should pursue changes through the legislature.

It creates a problem with equitable administration of the law for judges to indicate that they will use a power granted them while others do not. Attorneys cannot “judge shop” for the judge who indicates they will use certain rules where others do not.

Q3: All parties in my courtroom have always received equal treatment regardless of any status. Domestic Relations parties are either petitioners/ plaintiffs or respondents/defendants, and they each have equal footing when making their case. Whereas in a criminal court, the burden of proof is on the prosecutor to prove guilt, in domestic relations court, the burden of proof is on all parties to prove their position on parenting issues, equitable property distribution and all final orders.

JUVENILE DIVISION

(CHOOSE 1 CANDIDATE) Salary: $121,350

Term: 6 years, commencing 2/14/2021 Responsibilities: To rule in cases involving persons under 18 years of age.

The Juvenile Court has authority in cases of delinquency, unruliness, juvenile traffic offenses, abuse, neglect, and dependency.

The Juvenile Court may be part of the Court of Domestic Relations or the Probate Court.For more information on judicial candidates visit: JudicialVotesCount.org

HAMILTON COUNTY OFFICE CANDIDATES Kari L. Bloom Website: http:// votekaribloom.com Facebook: http:// www.facebook.com/ KBforJudge Twitter: twitter.com/ KBforJudge Occupation: I am a trial attorney at the Hamilton County Public Defender’s Office.

My work allows me to represent the county’s indigent population and protect their rights during criminal prosecutions.

Education: I graduated from the University of Cincinnati, College of Law in 2011 with a Public Service designation.

In 2008, I graduated from Bowling Green State University with a degree in Political Science.

Experience: After graduating from law school, I worked for the United States Air Force as a civilian attorney. In 2012, I started as a trial attorney in the public defender’s office, where I’ve worked for 6 years. I also spent 3 years as a legislative liaison.

Family: Nick Klingensmith, Fiancé Endorsements: Hamilton County Democratic Party, Cincinnati Mayor John Cranley, Former School Board Member Ozie Davis, Cincinnati Councilmembers PG Sittenfeld & Greg Landsman, OH Senator Cecil Thomas, State Representatives Sedrick Denson & Brigid Kelly, Ret. Judge Fanon Rucker, Cincinnati Federation of Teachers, IBEW Local 212, UAW CAP, Cincinnati AFL-CIO Labor Council, Bold New Democracy, AFSCME Council 8, Ohio Young Democrats,

Laborers Local 265,Equality Cincinnati PAC, Run for Something Affiliations: Cincinnati Association of Criminal Defense Laywers Political Party Affiliation: Endorsed Democrat

John M. Williams Website: http://www. judgejohnwilliams. com

Candidate’s Question Responses: Q1: I have worked as a public defender for almost my entire career. I have seen the differences in how justice is administered based on race, income, and class. My experience also gives me insight into how those charged with crimes have likely been victimized, and vice versa. We must consider each person as a whole if we are going to achieve criminal justice reform. My courtroom will be a hub for social services to provide resources and opportunites for restorative justice.

Q2: Being a Judge means following the law at all times. Ohio law requires all warrants to include a sworn statement with specificity in name, location, property to be searched, and what crime law enforcement is pursuing with the warrant.

As a Judge, I will require all search warrant applications to comply with Ohio law and exercise extreme scrutiny before approval.

Abolishing no-knock warrants can only happen if there is a change to Ohio’s laws.

Q3: The law requires Judges to administer justice equally under the law. That means that I will have an open and accessible courtroom, I will hold attorneys to high standards, require professionalism at all times, and treat each person with respect. I will bring transparency to the court. Further, I will ensure that the court has a staff diverse in experience, race, and culture who have all been trained in the importance of recognizing their own biases.

Facebook: http:// Judge John Williams judgejwilliams

Twitter: twitter.com/

Occupation: Judge. Leading Hamilton County Juvenile Court since 2011.

Implemented programs that achieved national, state and local recognition.

Responsible for approximately 290 employees, detention facility, probation department and behavioral health clinic.

Education: St. Xavier High School ‘79 Xavier University, B.A. ‘83 Thomas Cooley Law School, J.D. ‘92 Experience: As Judge, I presided over thousands of cases involving abused, neglected and delinquent children, as well as family matters. My experience includes over 30 years as judge, magistrate, organizational leader, prosecutor, and small business owner.

Family: Married to my wife, Sarah, for 23 years. Father of 3 sons and my dog Lily.

Endorsements: Cincinnati Fire Fighters Union, Local 48; Cincinnati Fraternal Order of Police, Queen City Lodge 69; Hamilton County GOP; Cincinnati Right to Life PAC; Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Mechanical Equipment Service Techs, Local 392; and International Association of Sheet Metal, Air, Rail and Transportation Workers (SMART), Local 24.

Judicial Instructor; Ohio Judicial College, Faculty; Potter Stewart Inn of Court; Ohio Association of Juvenile Court Judges, Member; Ohio State Bar Association, Member; Cincinnati Bar Association, Member; Xavier Baseball, Dad; Irish Heritage Center of Cincinnati, Member; and St. Mary’s Church, Member.

Candidate’s Question Responses: Q1: Each day, I strive to provide access to justice for all. For example, our Court dramatically expanded school and community diversion opportunities; 67% of these cases involved children of color. Our Kids in School Rule! program achieved a 95% graduation rate for kids in foster care; racial minorities comprised 81.5% of the kids served. In 2017, our Court partnered with Legal Aid to open a free Custody Clinic, which served over 1,700 low-income families seeking a safe home for children at risk.

Q2: As Judge, I have never issued a noknock warrant. During my 10 years as a prosecuting attorney, I never advised law enforcement to pursue a no-knock warrant.

No-knock warrants should be reserved for only the most extraordinary circumstances.

Q3: Examples of our ongoing commitment to provide equitable treatment include: addressed implicit bias through a detention screening tool to guide intake decisions; selected by Georgetown University School Justice and Diversion Pathways Program to work with school and community partners to promote racial equity and address disparate discipline for vulnerable students; and developed a school threat assessment program that received the Ohio State Bar Association 2020 Innovative Practice Award.

Affiliations: American Bar Association,

HAMILTON COUNTY BALLOT ISSUES ISSUE 1: PROPOSED TAX LEVY (RENEWAL) - CITY OF CHEVIOT A majority affirmative vote is necessary for passage.

A renewal of a tax for the benefit of the City of Cheviot for the purpose of current expenses at a rate not exceeding seventyfive hundredths (0.75) mill for each one dollar of valuation, which amounts to seven and five tenths cents ($0.075) for each one hundred dollars of valuation, for five (5) years, commencing in 2020, first due in calendar year 2021.

FOR THE TAX LEVY | AGAINST THE TAX LEVY

A renewal of a tax for the benefit of the City of Cheviot for the purpose of general construction, reconstruction, resurfacing, and repair of streets, roads, and bridges at a rate not exceeding three (3) mills for each one dollar of valuation, which amounts to thirty cents ($0.30) for each one hundred dollars of valuation, for five (5) years, commencing in 2020, first due in calendar year 2021.

FOR THE TAX LEVY | AGAINST THE TAX LEVY

ISSUE 4: PARTICULAR PREMISES LOCAL OPTION - JUDGMENT ENTRY KNOWLTON’S TAVERN (LB LLC, INC) - CINTI 15-A

Shall the proposed charter as reported by the charter commission of the City of Deer Park be adopted?

medical service, administrative, or communications personnel to operate the same, including the payment of any employer contributions required for such personnel under section 145.48 or 742.34 of the Revised Code, for the purchase of ambulance equipment, for the provision of ambulance, paramedic, or other emergency medical services operated by a fire department or firefighting company, or for the payment of other related costs at a rate not exceeding three (3) mills for each one dollar of valuation, which amounts to thirty cents ($0.30) for each one hundred dollars of valuation, for a continuing period of time, commencing in 2020, first due in calendar year 2021.

nuisance to the public by Hamilton County Court of Common Pleas on June 3, 2020 be permitted in this precinct?

YES | NO

ISSUE 6: PROPOSED CHARTER CITY OF DEER PARK A majority affirmative vote is necessary for passage.

A copy of the full text of the proposed charter is posted at this polling place.

ISSUE 2: PROPOSED TAX LEVY (RENEWAL) - CITY OF CHEVIOT

A majority affirmative vote is necessary for passage.

YES | NO

FOR THE TAX LEVY | AGAINST THE TAX LEVY

A majority affirmative vote is necessary for passage.

Shall the sale of beer and intoxicating liquor at 1326 Knowlton Street, Cincinnati, Ohio 45223, which was adjudged to be a nuisance to the public by Hamilton County Court of Common Pleas on August 16, 2019 be permitted in this precinct?

ISSUE 7: PROPOSED TAX LEVY (ADDITIONAL) - COLERAIN TOWNSHIP

ISSUE 8: PROPOSED TAX LEVY (RENEWAL) - VILLAGE OF ELMWOOD PLACE

A majority affirmative vote is necessary for passage.

A majority affirmative vote is necessary for passage.

An additional tax for the benefit of Colerain Township for the purpose of providing and maintaining fire apparatus, mechanical resuscitators, underwater rescue and recovery equipment, or other fire equipment and appliances, buildings and sites therefor, or sources of water supply and materials therefor, for the establishment and maintenance of lines of fire-alarm communications, for the payment of firefighting companies or permanent, part-time, or volunteer firefighting, emergency

A renewal of a tax for the benefit of the Village of Elmwood Place for the purpose of current expenses at a rate not exceeding ten (10) mills for each one dollar of valuation, which amounts to one dollar ($1.00) for each one hundred dollars of valuation, for five (5) years, commencing in 2020, first due in calendar year 2021.

A renewal of a tax for the benefit of the City of Cheviot for the purpose of current expenses at a rate not exceeding four and twenty-five hundredths (4.25) mills for each one dollar of valuation, which amounts to forty-two and five tenths cents ($0.425) for each one hundred dollars of valuation, for five (5) years, commencing in 2020, first due in calendar year 2021.

FOR THE TAX LEVY | AGAINST THE TAX LEVY

ISSUE 3: PROPOSED TAX LEVY (RENEWAL) - CITY OF CHEVIOT A majority affirmative vote is necessary for passage.

YES | NO

ISSUE 5: PARTICULAR PREMISES LOCAL OPTION - JUDGMENT ENTRY WARSAW FOOD MART, LLC - CINTI 20-B A majority affirmative vote is necessary for passage.

Shall the sale of beer and intoxicating liquor at 3406 Warsaw Avenue, Cincinnati, Ohio 45205, which was adjudged to be a

FOR THE TAX LEVY | AGAINST THE TAX LEVY

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ISSUE 9: PROPOSED TAX LEVY (RENEWAL) - VILLAGE OF GLENDALE A majority affirmative vote is necessary for passage.

A renewal of a tax for the benefit of the Village of Glendale for the purpose of current expenses at a rate not exceeding ten (10) mills for each one dollar of valuation, which amounts to one dollar ($1.00) for each one hundred dollars of valuation, for four (4) years, commencing in 2020, first due in calendar year 2021.

FOR THE TAX LEVY | AGAINST THE TAX LEVY

ISSUE 10: REFERENDUM ON ORDINANCE NO. 2019-10 (BY PETITION) - VILLAGE OF GOLF MANOR A majority affirmative vote is necessary for passage.

The Ordinance prohibits housing discrimination, discriminatory practices relating to employment, discriminatory practices relating to public accommodations, and discriminatory practices relating to educational institutions for Protected Classes such as age, race, color, religion, ethnicity, national origin, ancestry, disability, marital status, family status, military status, sex, gender identity or expression, or sexual orientation. The Ordinance establishes a Human Rights Commission within the Village and grants authority to the Human Rights Commission to receive complaints for violation of the Ordinance and the authority to investigate, reconcile or adjudicate those complaints including the right to assess a civil penalty of five hundred dollars ($500). Each day upon which a continuing violation occurs shall constitute a new and separate violation. Certain exemptions are recognized within the Ordinance as it applies to religious or denominational corporations, institutions, or associations.

Shall Ordinance No. 2019-10 entitled An Ordinance To Combat Discrimination And For The Guarantee Of Equality And Inclusion, be approved?

YES | NO

ISSUE 11: PROPOSED TAX LEVY (RENEWAL) - VILLAGE OF GREENHILLS A majority affirmative vote is necessary for passage.

A renewal of a tax for the benefit of the Village of Greenhills for recreational purposes at a rate not exceeding seven tenths (0.7) mill for each one dollar of valuation, which amounts to seven cents ($0.07) for each one hundred dollars of valuation, for five (5) years, commencing in 2020, first due in calendar year 2021.

FOR THE TAX LEVY | AGAINST THE TAX LEVY

ISSUE 12: PROPOSED TAX LEVY (ADDITIONAL) - VILLAGE OF NORTH BEND A majority affirmative vote is necessary for passage.

An additional tax for the benefit of the Village of North Bend for the purpose of police, fire and EMS services and protection, at a rate not exceeding two (2) mills for each one dollar of valuation, which

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amounts to twenty cents ($0.20) for each one hundred dollars of valuation, for five (5) years, commencing in 2020, first due in calendar year 2021

ISSUE 15: PROPOSED TAX LEVY (RENEWAL) - VILLAGE OF TERRACE PARK

FOR THE TAX LEVY | AGAINST THE TAX LEVY

A majority affirmative vote is necessary for passage.

ISSUE 13: PROPOSED TAX LEVY (ADDITIONAL) - SPRINGFIELD TOWNSHIP A majority affirmative vote is necessary for passage.

An additional tax for the benefit of Springfield Township for the purpose of providing and maintaining fire apparatus, mechanical resuscitators, underwater rescue and recovery equipment, or other fire equipment and appliances, buildings and sites therefor, for sources of water supply and materials therefor, for the establishment and maintenance of lines of fire-alarm communications, for the payment of firefighting companies or permanent, part-time, or volunteer firefighting, emergency medical service, administrative, or communications personnel to operate the same, including the payment of any employer contributions required for such personnel under section 145.48 or 742.34 of the Revised Code, for the purchase of ambulance equipment, for the provision of ambulance, paramedic, or other emergency medical services operated by a fire department or firefighting company, or for the payment of other related costs at a rate not exceeding two and one-half (2.5) mills for each one dollar of valuation, which amounts to twenty-five cents ($0.25) for each one hundred dollars of valuation, for a continuing period of time, commencing in 2020, first due in calendar year 2021.

FOR THE TAX LEVY | AGAINST THE TAX LEVY

ISSUE 14: PROPOSED TAX LEVY (ADDITIONAL) - SPRINGFIELD TOWNSHIP A majority affirmative vote is necessary for passage.

An additional tax for the benefit of Springfield Township for the purpose of providing and maintaining motor vehicles, communications, other equipment, buildings, and sites for such buildings used directly in the operation of a police department, for the payment of salaries of permanent or part-time police, communications, or administrative personnel to operate the same, including the payment of any employer contributions required for such personnel under section 145.48 or 742.33 of the Revised Code, for the payment of the costs incurred by townships as a result of contracts made with other political subdivisions in order to obtain police protection, for the provision of ambulance or emergency medical services operated by a police department, or for the payment of other related costs at a rate not exceeding two and one-half (2.5) mills for each one dollar of valuation, which amounts to twentyfive cents ($0.25) for each one hundred dollars of valuation, for a continuing period of time, commencing in 2020, first due in calendar year 2021.

FOR THE TAX LEVY | AGAINST THE TAX LEVY

A renewal of a tax for the benefit of the Village of Terrace Park for the purpose of current operating expenses at a rate not exceeding two and eight tenths (2.8) mills for each one dollar of valuation, which amounts to twenty-eight cents ($0.28) for each one hundred dollars of valuation, for five (5) years, commencing in 2020, first due in calendar year 2021.

FOR THE TAX LEVY | AGAINST THE TAX LEVY

ISSUE 16: PROPOSED CHARTER AMENDMENT - VILLAGE OF WOODLAWN A majority affirmative vote is necessary for passage.

The Charter Review Commission for the Village of Woodlawn (the “Village”) recommends the following changes: • Changes in Section 2 of the Charter regarding procedures for resolutions and ordinances; change “Village Clerk” to “Clerk of Council”; change and establish new processes and standards for Council meetings including executive session; and change standards regarding conduct and ethics of council members.

• Changes in Section 3 to include clarifying language regarding executive power; include a process for appointing an acting manager in event of a vacancy and change the date of the Mayor’s annual report.

• Changes in Section 4 to clarify the process, appointment, hiring, responsibilities and authority of various Village employees; allow the Village to establish procedures for contracting and competitive bidding; revise the qualifications and duties of the Finance Director.

• Changes in Section 5 to change reference of “Acting Mayor” to “Vice Mayor”.

• Changes in Section 6 eliminate the requirement that Mayor and Municipal Manager sign notes issued on behalf of the Village.

Shall the proposed revised charter be adopted?

YES | NO

ISSUE 17: PROPOSED TAX LEVY (RENEWAL) - CINCINNATI CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT A majority affirmative vote is necessary for passage.

Shall a levy renewing an existing levy be imposed by the Cincinnati City School District for the purpose of providing for the emergency requirements of the school district in the sum of forty-eight million dollars ($48,000,000) and a levy of taxes to be made outside of the tenmill limitation estimated by the county auditor to average seven and thirty-four hundredths (7.34) mills for each one dollar of valuation, which is seventy-three and four tenths cents ($0.734) for each one hundred dollars of valuation, for a period of five (5) years, commencing in 2021, first due in calendar year 2022?

FOR THE TAX LEVY | AGAINST THE TAX LEVY

EXPLANATION: This proposed renewal property tax levy request is to provide funds to meet the needs of the Cincinnati

City School District ($48,000,000per year for a five-year period, starting in 2021).

The County Auditor determined the valuation of the district and set the average amount of the levy required to produce the amount needed at 7.34 mills ($0.734 for each $100 of tax valuation). This levy request is for a renewal of a levy passed by voters in 2016 and must be approved again or it will expire in December 2021.

WHAT THE LEVY WILL DO: This renewal levy, if passed, will continue to fund two Cincinnati Public Schools (CPS) priorities set with passage of the original levy in 2016. The levy will maintain $15 million in annual funding for expanding affordable access to high quality preschool for nearly 5,000 3- and 4-year-old children through CPS and Cincinnati Preschool Promise (CPP) community-based providers. The remaining $33 million will be used for learning programs for the 36,000 CPS K-12 students by continuing college, vocational and career-readiness programs; expanding quality neighborhood school options; and increasing access to learning technology for all students.

BACKGROUND: Prior to the 2016 levy, a group of community leaders and educators began planning in response to information from numerous studies that indicated young children benefit significantly from pre-kindergarten education and they are more successful in later grades. Most indicators suggested that in today’s world, youngsters who are able to participate in a preschool beginning at age three will have a far better educational experience than if they wait until age five. They formed the Cincinnati Preschool Promise (CPP) and developed plans for 1. providing tuition assistance based on family income, and 2. working with existing providers to help them meet certain Ohio standards of excellence.

While the 2016 levy was placed on the ballot by the Cincinnati Public Schools (CPS) (as has this one), it was agreed that $15 million of the total sum will be directed to preschool education expansion in the Cincinnati Public preschools and in community-based preschools. Upon its passage, participants in the committees of CPP organized into a Board of Managers to lead the preschool expansion effort the levy would fund. In the past five years, CPP has worked with numerous community providers to help them meet higher quality standards. They developed financial qualifications for students’ tuition assistance. As of May 2019, 1,484 students had received tuition assistance, 94 preschools participated in tuition assistance, and numerous providers improved their “Star” ratings. As a result, at the end of Year 1, youngsters who experienced the programs offered by CPP schools scored significantly higher on the Kindergarten Readiness Assessment given

by CPS. The remainder of the 2016 levy was used

by CPS to meet the needs of the district created by reductions in state funding, increased enrollment (+20% since 2012), quality school options, and increased need for improved technology at all levels.

Moreover, CPS has improved curricula at all levels to meet the “E” goals for students i.e., by graduation CPS’s goal is that students will be prepared for Education (beyond high school), Enrollment (armed services), or Employment.

At its March 2, 2020 meeting, the Cincinnati Public Schools Board of Education adopted a resolution that determined the necessity of a renewal tax in excess of the ten-mill limitation. This request is for an “emergency” levy, which is a property tax that serves as a limited operating levy for a maximum of five years.

HAMILTON COUNTY BALLOT ISSUES If approved, it will yield a specific dollar amount (stated in the ballot request), which must remain constant no matter what happens to property values in the district over the life of the levy. Thus, the millage figure could increase or decrease over time as property values fluctuate, but the number of dollars for the school district would remain at $48 million per year. This levy, a renewal, will not raise taxes, if approved.

ARGUMENTS FOR THE LEVY: Taxpayers will not be paying more because this is a renewal levy.

CPS needs these funds to continue the pre-school efforts which are showing good progress. More high-quality preschool programs available to all 3- and 4-yearolds are needed to prepare these children for kindergarten and to sustain the effects in later grades.

CPS also needs these funds to support the increased enrollment in its schools, especially when state funds continue to decrease.

If this renewal levy fails, millions of dollars dedicated to preschool funding for thousands of 3- and 4-year olds will be lost and CPS may be forced to reduce many academic and career-training programs and scale back classroom technology and learning materials.

ARGUMENTS AGAINST THE LEVY: The amount of this levy continues to be a burden on taxpayers, especially given the loss of income many families have experienced due to the pandemic.

The number of preschool students being served is far from the original goal of 5,000 preschool students.

Not enough low-income parents are receiving assistance for preschool programs.

The work to increase high quality preschools, especially in low-income neighborhoods would be substantially reduced.

ISSUE 18: PROPOSED TAX LEVY (SUBSTITUTE) - NORWOOD CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT A majority affirmative vote is necessary for passage.

Shall a tax levy substituting for an existing levy be imposed by the Norwood City School District for the purpose of providing for the necessary requirements of the school district in the initial sum of three million three hundred ninety-five thousand dollars ($3,395,000), and a levy of taxes be made outside of the ten-mill limitation estimated by the county auditor to require eight and nineteen hundredths (8.19) mills for each one dollar of valuation, which amounts to eighty-one and nine tenths cents ($0.819) for each one hundred dollars of valuation for the initial year of the tax, for a continuing period of time, commencing in 2020, first due in calendar year 2021, with the sum of such tax to increase only if and as new land or real property improvements not previously taxed by the school district are added to its tax list?

DEFINITIONS OF BALLOT TERMS TAX LEVY: Taxes that are assessed to homeowners and businesses based on their property values. These monies are used to fund government functions as well as special programs or activities determined to be of significant benefit to the citizens. Tax levies may be placed on the ballot for public vote by a government entity (County Commissioners, City Council, Township Trustees) or taxing authority (School Board, Vocational District, Park Board, Library Board) RENEWAL LEVY: A Renewal Levy is the CONTINUANCE OF AN EXISTING LEVY with the collection rate at the same dollar amount as when the levy was originally approved.

REPLACEMENT LEVY: A replacement levy is a NEW LEVY FOR THE SAME PURPOSE AS THE EXISTING LEVY but with a different collection rate than the levy it replaces. The collection rate uses the assessed value of the property at the time of the replacement.

COE: Current Operating Expenses MILL: The property tax is measured in mills; a mill is one tenth of a cent.

This translates to $1 for each $1,000 taxable value of the property.

FOR THE TAX LEVY | AGAINST THE TAX LEVY

CPT: Continued Period of Time

ISSUE 19: PROPOSED TAX LEVY (ADDITIONAL) - WINTON WOODS CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT

MARKET VALUE: The market value of property is determined by the County Auditor. The valuation considers regional and neighborhood economic conditions, building improvements and land value. By state law, there is a full reassessment to each parcel every six years, followed by a computerized update three years later. The last full reappraisal in Hamilton County was in 2011.

A majority affirmative vote is necessary for passage.

An additional tax for the benefit of the Winton Woods City School District for the purpose of current operating expenses at a rate not exceeding six and ninety-five hundredths (6.95) mills for each one dollar of valuation, which amounts to sixty-nine and five tenths cents ($0.695) for each one hundred dollars of valuation, for a continuing period of time, commencing in 2020, first due in calendar year 2021.

ASSESSED VALUE: Assessed Value is 35% of the Market Value of a property. In Ohio, property taxes are determined by the Assessed Value.

TAX RATE (mills): The Full Tax Rate is the total millage for the year, most of which is approved by voters in the taxing district. The Effective Tax Rate is the annual total millage reduced by state mandated reductions such as the rollback and the homestead exemption. This is stated in mills, not dollars.

FOR THE TAX LEVY | AGAINST THE TAX LEVY

EXTENDED INFORMATION AVAILABLE ONLINE

The League of Women Voters of the Cincinnati Area has extended election information available on www.vote411.org From VOTE411, you can get your own personal ballot, polling place location, general guidance on how to choose a candidate, links to news articles and additional candidate information including biographies, endorsements and more Q & A’s.

Visit VOTE411 today!

Thanks to all the volunteers for putting the Guide together.

League of Women Voters of the Cincinnati Area Voter Guide Credits

League of Women Voters of the Cincinnati Area Co-Presidents: Elizabeth Brown, Pinky Kocoshis Voter Service Vice President: Desirae Futel Voter Guide Editor: Desirae Futel, Mary Kate Genis Vote411.org: Liz Shockey LWVCA Staff: Hope Fountain LWVCA volunteers who assisted with this publication: Nancy Dawley, Carolyn Miller, Marcia Futel, Margy Maddox, Burt Roehr, Kate Elliot, Sandy Sommer, Leanne Montgomery, Kathy Heekin, Mary VanAusdall, Angela Connolly, Janet Steiner, Tricia Williams, Kimberly Jacobs, and our dedicated office volunteers!

This publication would not be possible without the cooperation and assistance of the Hamilton County Board of Elections: Director of Elections and Deputy Director of Elections, Sherry Poland and Sally J. Krisel and their staffs.

MAKE DEMOCRACY WORK! When you give to the League of Women Voters of the Cincinnati Area (LWVCA) Education Fund, you make democracy work for our community. With your help, we can continue to offer this trusted resource free to the public. Support the League today with your tax-deductible gift!

Donations can be made via PayPal, debit, or credit card at http://www. lwvcincinnati.org/donate.html or via check by completing the form below and mailing it with your check to: LWVCA, 103 William Howard Taft Rd, Cincinnati, 45219 □ Yes! I would like to support the LWVCA’s Voter Education efforts with a gift of □ $25 □$50 □$100 □ Other _____ Make checks payable to: LWVCA Education Fund Name: ___________________________________________ Address: ________________________________________ City: _________________ State: _____ Zip: ___________ Email: ________________________________ Thank you for your generosity to support increasing civic participation in our community!

WWW.LWVCINCINNATI.ORG

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VOTER CHECKLIST PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES Vote for not more than 1 pair F Joseph R. Biden/Kamala D. Harris (Democratic) F Howie Hawkins/Angela Walker (Nonparty) F Jo Jorgensen/Spike Cohen (Libertarian) F Donald J. Trump/Michael R. Pence (Republican) F Write-in: ___________________ Certified Write-in Candidates Brian Carroll/Amar Patel (Write-in) Tom Hoefling/Andy Prior (Write-in) Dario Hunter/Dawn Neptune Adams (Write-in) Jade Simmons/Claudeliah J. Roze (Write-in) Kasey Wells/Rachel Wells ((Write-in) President R19 Boddie/ Eric Stoneham (Write-in) Vote for not more than 1 in each category U. S. REPRESENTATIVE TO CONGRESS (1ST CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT) F Steve Chabot (Republican) F Kevin David Kahn (Libertarian) F Kate Schroder (Democratic) F Write-in: ___________________ Certified Write-in Candidates Kiumars Kiani (Write-in) (2ND CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT) F Jaime M. Castle (Democratic) F Brad Wenstrup (Republican) F Write-in: ___________________ Certified Write-in Candidate James J. Condit, Jr. (Write-in) JUSTICE OF THE SUPREME COURT Full term commencing 1-1-2021 F Sharon L. Kennedy F John ODonnell JUSTICE OF THE SUPREME COURT Full term commencing 1-2-2021 F Jennifer Brunner F Judi French STATE SENATOR, 8TH DISTRICT F Louis W. Blessing III (Republican) F Daniel Brown (Democratic) STATE REPRESENTATIVE 27TH DISTRICT F Sara Bitter (Democratic) F Tom Brinkman (Republican)

STATE REPRESENTATIVE 30TH DISTRICT F Tom Roll (Nonparty) F Bill Seitz (Republican) STATE REPRESENTATIVE 31ST DISTRICT F Brigid Kelly (Democratic) STATE REPRESENTATIVE 32ND DISTRICT F Catherine D. Ingram (Democratic) STATE REPRESENTATIVE 33RD DISTRICT F Sedrick Denson (Democratic) F Mary L. Hill (Republican) COUNTY COMMISSIONER Full term commencing 1-2-2021 F Andy Black (Republican) F Herman J. Najoli (Nonparty) F Alicia Reece (Democratic) Full term commencing 1-3-2021 F Denise Driehaus (Democratic) F Matthew Paul ONeill (Republican) COUNTY PROSECUTOR F Joseph T. Deters (Republican) F Fanon A. Rucker (Democratic) COUNTY CLERK OF COURTS F Alex Glandorf (Republican) F Aftab Pureval (Democratic) COUNTY SHERIFF F Bruce Hoffbauer (Republican) F Charmaine McGuffey (Democratic) COUNTY RECORDER F Scott Crowley (Democratic) F Norbert A. Nadel (Republican) COUNTY TREASURER F Jill Schiller (Democratic) F Charlie Winburn (Republican) COUNTY ENGINEER F Eric J. Beck (Republican) COUNTY CORONER F Lakshmi Kode Sammarco (Democratic) JUDGE OF THE COURT OF APPEALS, FIRST DISTRICT F Ginger Bock F Russell J. Mock

STATE REPRESENTATIVE 28TH DISTRICT F Jessica E. Miranda (Democratic) F Chris Monzel (Republican)

JUDGE OF THE COURT OF COMMON PLEAS Full term commencing 1-1-2021 F Melba Marsh F Heidi Rosales

STATE REPRESENTATIVE 29TH DISTRICT F Cindy Abrams (Republican) F Harrison T. Stanley (Write-in)

Full term commencing 1-2-2021 F Pat Dinkelacker F Christian A. Jenkins

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Full term commencing 1-4-2021 F Curt C. Hartman F Chris Wagner Full term commencing 2-9-2021 F Jennifer Branch F Elizabeth Callan Full term commencing 2-10-2021 F Stacey DeGraffenreid F Alan C. Triggs Full term commencing 2-11-2021 F Thomas O. Beridon F Robert A. Goering Full term commencing 2-12-2021 F Ethna Marie Cooper F Wende Cross Full term commencing 2-13-2021 F Alison Hatheway F Charles J. Kubicki, Jr. DRUG COURT DIVISION Full term commencing 1-3-2021 F Kim Wilson Burke F Nicole Sanders PROBATE DIVISION Full term commencing 2-9-2021 F Pavan Parikh F Ralph Winkler JUVENILE DIVISION Full term commencing 2-14-2021 F Kari L. Bloom F John M. Williams

5 THINGS TO KNOW 1. Go to the right polling place.

Polling locations can change.

Check vote411.com to find yours.

2. Bring I.D. Check page 3 of this guide for acceptable forms of I.D. 3. Get a ballot.

Ask a poll worker for a provisional ballot if you’re registered to vote but not on the list.

4. Get help.

Poll workers are there to answer any questions you may have.

5. Stay and vote.

Even if the line is long, don’t leave without voting.

DOMESTIC RELATIONS DIVISION Full term commencing 7-1-2021 F Anne B. Flottman F Amy Searcy NO STATE ISSUES HAMILTON COUNTY ISSUES: A majority affirmative vote is necessary for passage.

ISSUE 17 PROPOSED TAX LEVY (RENEWAL) CINCINNATI CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT F FOR TAX LEVY F AGAINST TAX LEVY YOUR LOCAL ISSUES ______________________________ ______________________________ ______________________________ ______________________________ ______________________________ ______________________________ ______________________________ ______________________________ ______________________________ ______________________________ ______________________________

WRITE-IN CANDIDATES This Voter Guide identifies write-in candidates by placing (Write-in) next to their name.

You can also get a writein list from your Precinct Election Official (PEO).

To vote for a write-in candidate, completely darken the box to the left of the blank line and write in the candidate’s name as it appears on the write-in list. Ask your PEO for help if you have questions.

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ARTS & CULTURE

The Aronoff Center for the Arts P H O T O : C I N C I N N AT I A R T S A S S O C I AT I O N

A Quarter Century of the Arts The Aronoff Center turns 25 in October and is celebrating its continued mission of engaging and inspiring the community — despite the COVID shutdown

BY A N N E A R E N ST E I N

T

he Aronoff Center for the Arts turns 25 this month and although COVID shut down public commemorations, the center’s quarter century shows there’s much to celebrate.

Designed by world-renowned architect César Pelli, the Aronoff Center is home base for the Broadway in Cincinnati series and the Cincinnati Ballet, as well as dozens of local organizations’ stage performances — all held in the Aronoff’s three venues, which accommodate audiences from 2,719 in Procter & Gamble Hall to 437 in the JarsonKaplan Theater to 150 in the Fifth Third Bank Theater. The Weston Art Gallery occupies the lower level, making the Aronoff a true arts hub.

Up until the statewide shutdown in mid-March, the Aronoff racked up

impressive numbers over its 25 year history: 16,297 performances, attendance for all programs at 10.9 million and an estimated economic impact at a jaw-dropping $450 million. There’s little doubt that downtown Cincinnati’s turnaround took root when the Aronoff’s construction began in 1993 on the corner of Walnut and Seventh streets (despite controversy at the time that the new center would mean the end of OTR’s Music Hall).

“We’re really proud to be a part of a successful downtown, COVID notwithstanding,” says Steve Loftin, president of the Cincinnati Arts Association (CAA), which manages both the Aronoff Center and Music Hall.

The Broadway series may be the building’s best-known occupant but the

CAA’s strong advocacy for community engagement was a priority before the concrete was poured, Loftin says. That commitment extends from providing office space for local arts groups to offering rental subsidies to performers and providing a range of programs benefiting thousands of students and adults.

“Early on there was an emphasis to include spaces that were right-sized and hopefully affordable for the local arts producers to use,” he says. “We invited input from those we anticipated would use the building and it was pretty collaborative.”

But the Aronoff’s rental fees are often beyond the means of small groups. The same year the Aronoff opened, the late Bill Friedlander worked with the Greater Cincinnati Foundation to establish the Aronoff Center Rental Subsidy Program, administered by CAA. Grants are awarded in January and provide direct rebates on rental fees. Recipients include Cincinnati Music Theatre, Contemporary Dance Theater and de la Dance Company.

After the Aronoff opened in 1995, the CAA recruited individuals for the Building Diverse Audiences Advisory Committee. Stephen Dobbins was a founding member in 1996 and is now committee chairman, a passionate

advocate for community arts initiatives.

Dobbins says that the 11 members represent Cincinnati’s ethnic, racial and age demographics and take seriously their roles as CAA representatives promoting the arts throughout the community. “(BDAAC has) been very effective to help bring programs not only to Cincinnati but also throughout the region,” he says.

He cites the committee’s work with school programs as its proudest accomplishment, inspiring the committee to maintain a network (CAA Connectors) to inform community agencies and organizations about their activities.

Joyce Bonomini, CAA vice president for education and community engagement, calls BDAAC her “conscience” and says the group is genuinely focused on broad inclusion. She adds the committee is a powerful resource for her department’s efforts to respond to the pandemic’s impact on community programs that extend far beyond school field trips.

Bonomini lists Artists in Schools, SchoolTime, Arts in Healing and the Overture Awards as CAA’s flagship programs, with over 100,000 youths and families participating throughout the Greater Cincinnati area.

OCTOBER 2020

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CULTURE

Community Input Shapes the New Identity of Downtown’s Up-and-Coming Historic West Fourth District

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

With developments stirring, a walk around the West Fourth Street Historic District will soon parallel its former glory. The corridor was established in the early 19th century with hotels, mansions and luxurious entertainment sites housed in Italianate and Renaissance-style architecture. It landed a rank on the National Register of Historic Places in 1976.

Since its prestigious inception, the area has shifted in and out of hot spot status. High-end shopping destinations such as McAlpin’s and Tower Place Mall came and went, parking garages and hotels have been erected and dismantled. Beloved businesses like Koch Sporting Goods, Bromwell’s and Main Auction Galleries still thrive, but a focus on creating more residential space never trended down, distorting the neighborhood’s sense of place and direction.

Recent developments led by The Loring Group aim to reverse the distortion and promise to open at least 10 new small businesses by year’s end.

The local real estate company seized 15 properties in and around Fourth Street with over 30,000 square feet of vacant retail space.

This purchase solidified 17 to 20 new and pre-existing storefronts in the district. The project, called Historic West Fourth, was officially launched in October 2019. Since then, a quiet reawakening has ensued from Plum Street, wrapping west around Central Avenue.

“Historic West Fourth pays homage to the past,” says Andrew Naab, director of commercial development at the Loring Group. “Fourth Street used to be this grandiose corridor that had retail and shopping. It had some of the old homes and mansions — the first apartment for William Howard Taft — it had this burgeoning history and now, as we are in 2019-2020, we’ve realized it’s making a comeback again.”

Citing over $500 million by various investors in the district, The Loring Group isn’t the largest investor but they are dominating the comeback by owning the most property there. Renovations to the residential space above the once-vacant commercial spots was the first step, followed by filling the voids below.

The key was finding businesses that would make great tenants and contribute to the vitality and growth of the neighborhood, Naab says. The journey was about creating a brand to “give away” to the community, spinning a

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web of commerce with the input of existing and to-be businesses and residents.

“It couldn’t just be a Loring Group initiative,” Naab says. “It had to truly be a community-owned initiative that was sponsored by The Loring Group. It won’t be successful without that community buy-in and support.”

Community input generated a diverse set of retail and entertainment spots slated to open in the coming months. Included are breweries, restaurants, beauty salons, a yoga studio and more. Familiar names like Deeper Roots Coffee, Listermann Brewing Company, Handzy and Nina’s Yoga & Wellness Studio are bringing their second locations to the area.

Ninety percent of properties have been leased and over 60% of those are to women and other minority-owned businesses, Naab says. Perfectly Poshed opened in August and is the only Black-owned beauty supply that carries strictly ethnic products, according to its website.

In September, more tangible changes materialized as the block saw Rebel Mettle Brewery and Nina’s Yoga & Wellness Studio open their doors. It didn’t take long for downtown residents to take note.

Dan and Katie Arendt live on The Banks and enjoy exploring local breweries. The tactical, simultaneous grand openings of Nina’s and Rebel Mettle lured the couple to check out the area. They have since found themselves frequenting the establishments.

“We’ve really enjoyed the Rebel Mettle area because it’s a much more relaxed vibe than we get living on The Banks,” Katie says. “And it’s nice to go there and have a laid-back atmosphere with good beer.”

The two businesses are disrupting the model of others like them, boasting distinct qualities. Veteran-owned Rebel Mettle is lager-centric, an atypical focus in the industry today. And Nina’s is the only yoga studio in the city to use infrared heat for hot yoga sessions.

Despite these exclusive offers, the area remains approachable while complementing surrounding neighborhoods like Over-the-Rhine.

“Our goal was to find the strongest and best operators here in the city,” Naab says. “Not so we would compete with places like OTR, but (so) that we would complement OTR so people feel like they can go to and from OTR to Fourth Street and vice versa and explore a different part of downtown

OCTOBER 2020

Downtown’s Historic West Fourth is seeing renewed development P H OTO : V I N C E N T D I F R A N C E S C O

that until recently was pretty quiet.”

Rebel Mettle owner Mike Brown was considering a location in OTR but ultimately chose the Fourth Street District. In an email he said that the neighborhood transformation will not only generate jobs but also create a “vibrant destination” or an “All-in-one shop so to speak. You can spend all day here, shopping, eating and having a drink or two.”

As rolling openings continue, the neighborhood will welcome womenowned Koko, a sustainable living shop, and its sister plant store, Forage, which have locations in Louisville and Columbus, among others; Covington’s female-owned sister stores Handzy and Gumdrop; Hair Art Studio; and Better Blend Nutrition. Naab says he looks forward to launching a Historic West Fourth Business Association, further achieving the project’s goal of community collaboration.

“There needs to be some type of entity that connects all of these business owners,” he says. “Then that will make for a much more sustainable district.”

Nina DeMers, Nina’s Yoga & Wellness Studio owner, said that collaboration is a community-defining term. She wants to devise opportunities such as holding

yoga sessions at Rebel Mettle Brewery and creating an internet cafe in her lobby so people can bring their Better Blend smoothies or Deeper Roots coffee and enjoy the space.

DeMers had been thinking about coming to downtown for a while and finally chose the area because it wasn’t saturated with options, she says. Her original Fairfield location will remain open.

“If the residents are always turning over and there’s not a community being built then you’re not going to see growth,” DeMers says. “We are building a community and that is what builds success.”

Once everything is up and running, the future holds block parties or happenings similar to Final Fridays and those that involve family-friendly activities, Naab says.

For now, Historic West Fourth has one final lease to secure — formerly Tina’s Bar — then it will be able to call itself complete, although it is just the beginning of a lasting evolution for the neighborhood.

For more information about development in the Historic West Fourth district, visit historicwestfourth.com.

CULTURE

People’s Safety Reimagined Aims to Make Public Safety in Cincinnati a ‘Holistic Endeavor’

BY M AC K E N Z I E M A N L E Y

Thousands of Cincinnatians have protested police brutality and systemic racism over the summer and now into autumn. Across the country, activist groups have proposed suggestions for reform and altogether new ways of approaching policing. One such group includes the Cincinnati-based People’s Safety Reimagined.

The organization bills itself as “a political action committee that is reimagining public safety by way of an amendment to the Charter of the City of Cincinnati, which would fundamentally replace ‘police’ with a comprehensive Public Safety Department.”

That amendment fell “just a hair short” of the signatures needed to put it on the ballot this November, PSRe’s campaign manager Jeremy Schlicher says. But their work will continue into 2021. (They’re looking at next year’s spring and fall elections to see if it makes sense to put it on the ballot, alongside considering other avenues for implementation.)

Schlicher, an Over-the-Rhine resident, says that their volunteer base, who hail from 29 different Cincinnati neighborhoods, are eager to continue.

From July 23 to Aug. 13, they collected about 6,870 signatures; of those, Schlicher says 3,871 were validated — 4,680 valid signatures would have been needed to land on the ballot.

“The challenge with this is that the people who sign a petition have to meet two requirements: One, they must live in the city of Cincinnati, which is a lot harder to define than what I think most people realize because it is kind of an amoeba with pockets in it,” Schlicher says. “And then you need to be registered to vote.”

Through their own internal validation, the latter issue accounted for about 1,500 signees, many of whom believed they were registered to vote but had moved and had not yet updated their information. According to Schlicher, they found almost 750 signatures that the Board of Elections invalidated that PSRe believes shouldn’t have been.

“As a steering committee, we’ve discussed that (voter registration) obviously is an issue, particularly with the November 3 election coming up,” Schlicher says, “and one of our next steps (has been going) to these 1,500ish people and saying, ‘Hey, we want to help you update your registration because we want to make sure that we enfranchise your vote.’”

The PSRe public safety proposal hinges on five concepts: to refocus,

restructure, retool, reinvest and rebuild.

“One of the central tenets of our group is the understanding that public safety is a holistic endeavor,” says steering committee member and Clifton resident Maliq Matthew, “and that better-resourced, more politically enabled communities are safer communities; not all of what public safety entails has to even go through the police department.”

About 36%, or $152.6 million, of the city’s $411.9 million operating budget goes to the Cincinnati Police Department. PSRe, An image from a protest in June in front of the Hamilton County Courthouse as outlined in their amendP H OTO : H A I L E Y B O L L I N G E R ment language, would lower it to 25%. PSRe aims Collaborative has built should be made We agree with (Cincinnati Police Chief to create the Public Safety Departstronger and that without reimagining Eliot Isaac) that police officers are ment, which would consist of no more the role of police officers and restrucexpected to solve too many problems, than seven divisions, including health turing CPD to include mental health and we agree that the City also needs and human services, peace officers, and social services units, lasting change to ‘focus on employment and housing enforcement, felony crimes and a citiis not possible. and education.’ To that end, we call for zen complaint authority.

“Where are we holding these people Public Safety funding to be redirected Only the Felony Crime Division, accountable? There’s (a lack of ) to programs that support economic meant to investigate violent and felony accountability there. It’s that sort of inclusion and development. crimes, would be equipped with lethal tension of: How do we hold the cops “Reinvesting in a reimagined vision of weapons. Instead, the amendment cites accountable to what they agreed to do?” public safety will lead to more positive that Peace, Mental Health and Social says Petra Hostetler, PSRe’s volunteer outcomes than will the status quo of Services Officers would be used to despokesperson. “Can you really negotispending an undue portion of taxpayer escalate and defuse conflicts without ate with people who don’t want to dollars on inefficient and ineffective the use of deadly force. negotiate and shouldn’t that power be policing strategies.”

Schlicher says that, according to data within the people?”

The group cited programs and from the city’s Cincy Insight, only 9% Hostetler, a resident of Price Hill, departments they looked to while draftof police service calls between January said that money should be targeted not ing the amendment, which included 2017 and the present have dealt with at the symptoms of crime, but at the Eugene, Oregon’s mobile crisis unit crime. Only 0.7%, he says, handled source of the problem via reinvesting in known as Cahoots; Portland, Oregon’s violent crime. (The New York Times communities and positive programs. and L.A.’s peace officers; and, closer reported that, in 2020 so far, serious “One of the things that’s come across to home, Alexandria, Kentucky’s 2016 violent crimes have made up 1.2% of during the course of our campaign is decision to hire a social worker instead all CPD service calls. These statistics how much hunger there is out there of another police officer. are similar to other cities, including for this,” Matthew says. “But we didn’t Of course, there are other activist Baltimore, Seattle, San Diego and New invent that energy. We just recognized groups proposing measures throughout Orleans.) it, distilled it and tried to perform to it.”

Cincinnati. One of those, which PSRe “When we speak about public safety, As 2021 approaches, the group will references in their mission statement, lots of people think about police continue working on fleshing out the is the Collaborative Agreement — a brutality as a beginning or end of it… If amendment, reaching out to communiset of reforms put in place following we’re talking about better communities, ties and seeing if there’s a path forward the 2001 killing of Timothy Thomas, we’re also talking about public health, to get the charter amendment to voters. the 15th Black man to be shot in five mental health, education,” Matthew “On a personal note, but I think as a years by CPD. The agreement aimed to says, adding housing and food security group we’re pretty confident as well, implement more community-oriented as other elements that need to be priI’m 100% confident that we will get policing, as opposed to aggressive oritized. If those issues are addressed, our signatures the next time around,” tactics. Two years ago, an independent the need for police engagement lessens, Schlicher says. “For one, we’d have review found that the city hadn’t held he says. more than three weeks to do it.” up several parts of the deal. Activists As stated on PSRe’s website: “An have been calling for a much-needed evidence-based, proportional restrucrefresh. turing of public safety will allow for To learn more about People’s Safety PSRe said that the foundation the more efficient and effective operation.

Reimagined, visit psrecincinnati.org.

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The Aronoff’s Procter & Gamble Hall P H O T O : C I N C I N AT I A R T S A S S O C I AT I O N

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“Ironically, that’s helped us because we now have parents educating their kids at home and they are desperate for quality product, especially in the arts, that they can share with their kids,” Bonomini says.

With field trips on indefinite hiatus and theaters closed, Bonomini heads a national task force to craft virtual products “as fluid as the decision-making in schools.”

“It’s not just a performance. It’s a Q&A with the artist and classroom resources that can be used for synchronous or asynchronous learning,” she says.

Other programs are re-emerging.

Arts in Healing is returning to three hospice locations and to the veterans hospital. The Overture Awards, recognizing outstanding high school performing artists, is being reconfigured.

Bonomini is also working on Conversations Through Art, a series of discussions with well-known BIPOC artists about racism’s impact on their lives and their work. BDAAC brought the idea forward following an emotional meeting with CAA senior staff in the wake of George Floyd’s murder. Although no dates have been announced, Bonomini says the presenters are being confirmed and she hopes to take the program to a national audience.

Although attendance numbers won’t match those of previous years, Bonomini says the number of schools and individuals requesting program content underscores the arts’ role in selfexpression and healing. She’s optimistic that funding sources will continue their support.

“I’ve seen how art can heal the world,”

she says. “Art is transformative.”

Steve Loftin is equally passionate about the Aronoff’s role in continuing as a force for community engagement and involvement as the arts emerge from the pandemic. Both he and Bonomini agree that technology has taken on an even greater role in communication, production values and program development.

“Virtual performances certainly don’t have the magic of a live performance, but it keeps the interest alive,” Loftin says.

And although artists and audiences are desperate to return, Loftin cautions that live performances “aren’t happening anytime soon.”

“We have to recalibrate our operations processes and build trust with our audiences so that they can make their own decisions on when to attend,” he says.

Loftin says that laying off 46 full-time and over 60 part-time employees was “disheartening and heartbreaking” but he hopes to bring people back as activity picks up.

As for the building itself, Loftin reports it’s in great shape, with work being done on the infrastructure.

What COVID hasn’t affected is pride in the Aronoff Center’s mission.

“We serve everyone,” says Dobbins.

“There’s no other place in Cincinnati where you can experience world-class performances as well as local, regional and national artists.”

And, just for emphasis, Loftin adds: “We are the Aronoff Center for the Arts.”

The Aronoff Center for the Arts is located at 650 Walnut St., Downtown.

More info: cincinnatiarts.org.

FOOD & DRINK

New menu items at Nada, including the lamb barbacoa tacos P H O T O : P R O V I D E D BY N A D A

Mexican Restaurants Reimagined: the Upscale and the Casual Downtown’s Nada launches a new menu under a new executive chef and Agave & Rye opens its fifth location in Rookwood R E V I E W S BY PA M A M IT C H E L L

N

ada has been a reliable part of downtown Cincinnati’s dining since 2007, although it closed for several months after the coronavirus lockdown in March — along with the other Boca Restaurant Group establishments on that stretch of Sixth Street (Boca and Sotto). Nada reopened this Labor Day weekend with a new executive chef, Johnny Curiel, and an expansion of its focus from purely Mexican

food with an emphasis on tacos toward “a diverse palate of flavors and dishes inspired by the cultures of Peru, Colombia, El Salvador and Mexico,” according to owner David Falk.

I could hardly wait to see what they had come up with for the new menu, and celebrated my September birthday there with my daughter and her husband.

You can still enjoy tacos and

margaritas at Nada, but the Small Plates section of the menu now includes more than a dozen additional offerings, and three Large Plates (serving two to four) to tempt those who have big appetites — or at least enough people at the table to tackle these interesting-sounding dishes. We didn’t go in that direction, although beer-can roasted Peruvian chicken and Cote de Boeuf Argentina — featuring an 18-ounce bone-in prime rib with an array of tasty sides — would make a fantastic feast.

Instead, we started with excellent queso and some of the best housemade chips in town ($9), then selected a variety of small plates. (At the end of the meal, we agreed that nothing that graced our table had surpassed the creamy, mildly spiced queso and perfectly crisp tortilla and plantain chips.)

We skipped tacos this time, although I was intrigued by several of the descriptions, including the lamb barbacoa with avocado tomatillo and mole sauce ($15, includes sides) and roasted mushroom with asparagus succotash and sweet corn purée ($9 for two tacos, no sides). I’m already planning future visits to sample not only these tacos but

also maybe the roasted chicken.

Our server helped explain and recommend items from the Small Plates section and we took her advice when ordering jalapeno cornbread ($9) and chile relleno ($9). The cornbread, drizzled with honey, was too sweet for my taste, though my kids didn’t think so. The relleno had a nice balance of flavors including just the right amount of heat, but I wished it wasn’t quite as small as it turned out to be.

Empanadas stuffed with roasted chicken, diced veggies called sofrito and aji verde, a spicy Peruvian green sauce ($9), were unremarkable, but I loved the chilled Hamachi Aguachile ($14), a ceviche-style marinated tuna with mint, lime, jalapeno and other flavors. It was the best thing I ate all night, queso aside.

I also enjoyed a couple of cocktails, including the house Paloma, a tequila drink made with grapefruit juice that is often referred to as the national cocktail of Mexico (not the margarita, which apparently is more popular in the United States). That and the house margarita — dubbed the “Nadarita”

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— go for $12 each, while other cocktails and sangrias range from $10-$14.

Patio and rooftop dining options have been a godsend this summer and fall, both for patrons and for the establishments that use outdoor dining to stay in business during the pandemic.

Following the advice of health officials who recommend outdoor over indoor gatherings, we requested patio seating.

But patios often come with their own set of problems.

We struggled to fully enjoy our dinner due to the traffic noise on Nada’s busy corner of Walnut and Sixth streets. Propane heaters — two of them near our table — while necessary for warmth on a somewhat chilly night, overwhelmed us with gas fumes intermittently throughout the evening.

Of course, this won’t be a problem for much longer as diners find the sidewalks too cold for lingering. With distanced tables, good ventilation and other precautions, I’m confident this restaurant will make indoor dining as safe as possible under these difficult circumstances.

Happily, Nada has a beautiful interior, with tasteful décor, a bar that makes a striking centerpiece for the main dining area, and a staircase leading to a second-floor space that includes restrooms, private dining and high-quality art and furniture.

A few days after dinner at Nada, I stopped for another Mexican meal at the recent addition to the growing Agave & Rye chain, which has taken over the large space in Rookwood that formerly housed a branch of Bravo!

Italian Kitchen. This is the fifth location for Agave, which started in Covington and also has locations in Liberty Township, Louisville and Lexington; they are opening two additional restaurants in Troy, Ohio and New Albany, Indiana this fall.

The patio at this Norwood/Hyde Park shopping center has a suburban feel: instead of being on a downtown street corner, you’re on the edge of a parking lot. It was definitely quieter than at Nada. Heaters dot the outdoor space, but they weren’t on the night we dined.

Potted plants created a pleasant buffer near our table and the ambiance felt good.

The restaurant was crowded for 6 p.m. on a weekday, and we learned that it happened to be Whiskey Wednesday, featuring attractive discounts on selected drinks. Some might call the interior décor at this place “funky,” thanks to bright chandeliers, oversized wall hangings and a Day-of-the-Dead motif. Because the indoor bar was packed with young people, I felt safer on the patio.

The style of service at Agave is decidedly casual. Tacos come out in metal

baskets lined with wax paper and most of the non-alcoholic drinks are served in plastic glasses. You get a fork wrapped in a paper napkin, and other utensils on request. The downscale accouterments seemed a little incongruous with tacos priced at $5-$11.50 each, the average price being around $7.

The menu at Agave includes a section called Not a Taco, where you can find such things as an Epic Burger ($8, plus $3.50 for fries), Epic Chicken Sandwich ($8.50) and something called Yummy Tummy Lo Mein ($12, more if you add protein).

But the staff pushes the tacos, and there are 20 to choose from, so we tried a couple of them. Having dined at the original Agave & Rye when they opened a few years ago in Covington, I remembered that a) most of the tacos will have unusual filling ingredients, and b) the tacos come in hard shells inside a soft shell. I like the double shells because you can enjoy the taste of the crunchy shell without having it fall apart in your hands, thanks to that layer of flour tortilla holding it all in. Each taco is stuffed with filling, so two is plenty for most people.

The funky fillings, for the most part, didn’t wow me. If you’re more open to experimentation than I am, there are tacos with sticky rice, maple syrup, French fries, a sunny-side-up egg or mac and cheese. Or stick to more traditional combos, such as the Good Wolf ($6), featuring pork carnitas and refried beans, or the Alderman ($6.75), with carne asada steak and corn salad.

We tried one taco called Big Thumper ($10.50), whose main ingredient was gamey-tasting kangaroo meat accompanied by sticky rice, barbecue jam and a fried egg. The Bee’s Knees ($5) was a lot simpler, just a couple of ingredients along with the honey lime grilled chicken, but it didn’t have much taste. The Birria Street Tacos (3 for $12), from a section of shareable appetizers, sounded delicious: slow-braised beef with Guajillo chilies and Oaxaca cheese on grilled corn tortillas. However, the filling was sparse and the dish was a bit greasy overall.

Drinks wise, I ordered their riff on a Manhattan called Agave & Rye ($11) and we each had a glass of pricey cabernet sauvignon ($15). Several of the cocktails come in regular or “epic” sizes.

The world “epic” is dotted all over the Agave & Rye menu, including their epic nitro ice cream dessert.

All told, go to Nada for elevated, thoughtful Latin/Mexican fare in a glam setting, or spend a little less and experience the epic at Agave & Rye. Nada, 600 Walnut St., Downtown, eatdrinknada.com. Agave & Rye, 3825 Edwards Road, Norwood/Hyde Park, agaveandrye.com.

THE DISH

Three New Brews: Cartridge Brewing, Rebel Mettle Brewery and Braxton Cincinnati Open Their Doors

BY S E A N M . P E T E RS, W IT H H A I L E Y B O L L I N G E R

The local beer brewing community, like everyone else these days, has seen a dramatic shift in the status quo since March. Fortunately for the thirsty crowd, Cincinnati’s sudsy industry is resilient by nature and has a good share of entrepreneurs who are determined to keep the beer flowing.

At a time when many folks feel like they could use a drink or two, there are new and exciting developments unfolding around the city to make sure no pint glass goes dry.

Cartridge Brewing Housed in the historic Peters Cartridge Factory on the bank of the Little Miami River in Mainville, Cartridge Brewing is a brewpub poised to serve the public what it wants: fresh beer. Co-founder and COO Kyle Hackbarth wants public demand to decide what beers they’ll feature, but to start, there’s the usual suspects everyone hopes to find on a beer list.

“You get a lot of breweries now that announce their flagships before they’re even open,” Hackbarth says. “Our plan is to have eight to 12 rotating beers of all different styles that are made in-house on our 15-barrel system. Instead of us feeding the customer what we think they’re going to enjoy, we want the customers to determine what our flagships will be... the clientele are smart.”

The space, located along the Little Miami Bike Trail and Little Miami River, is part of a larger redevelopment operation by Bloomfield Schon, which will eventually renovate the former factory to offer 15,000 square feet of commercial space and 130 market-rate apartments, according to their website.

The hop seed was planted when Hackbarth and his now-wife Lindsey (brand experience director of the brewery) met in college at Purdue University and realized they both shared a love of craft beer. They dreamed of eventually opening their own brewery, but their plans were halted after the tragedy of 9/11, when Hackbarth decided to enlist in the army. After almost a decade of service, he was honorably discharged in 2012.

Several years later, Hackbarth embarked on a new career and he and his family moved to Cincinnati, where his brewery dreams were awoken once again. An opportunity to obtain space within the Cartridge Factory’s new redevelopment program presented itself, and after one site visit and a meeting, he signed the letter of intent

to make his dream a reality.

The team behind Cartridge Brewing has partnered with several local businesses to build an establishment that extends beyond a place to drink housebrewed beers. In addition to their eight to 12 rotating brews — with varieties including (but not limited to) kettle sours, stouts and pilsners — Cartridge will also be a sit-down restaurant boasting a wine project and full-service bar.

And it seems certain Cartridge Brewing will have no trouble pouring whatever’s in demand with Adam Mills as head brewer. Mills is former lead brewer of Rockford Brewing Company and Raven Brewing & BBQ and winner of the “Brewer/Brewpub of the Year” award at the 2017 Great American Beer Festival. 1411 Grandin Road, Mainville, cartridgebrewing.com.

Rebel Mettle Brewery In what was once a parking garage on West Fourth Street in Cincinnati’s historic downtown, Rebel Mettle Brewery is now open for business. The usual grocery list of headaches and red tape were encountered prior to their grand opening, but the current pandemic posed a wholly unexpected obstacle that the brewery’s CEO, Mike Brown, has taken great care to address in as safe and responsible a manner as possible. The brewery, which specializes in lagers, had to turn away customers opening day so they could properly maintain social distancing guidelines.

“We’re Michael Phelps with an anchor strapped to our left leg,” Brown says.

“It is the responsible thing to do. And, obviously, we’re a business and we need to maintain being afloat, but at the same time we’re not going to risk anybody’s health or well-being over a dollar. So, we’re going to adhere to all the CDC guidelines very specifically.

And when those guidelines maybe lift or change, we will shift fire as well.”

Brown is a veteran of the United States Air Force, where he left with an E-5 ranking. He’s taken the same patriotism and disciplined energy found within the ranks of our country’s armed services and focused it on beer.

The Stubentiger, a pale American lager, is one you’re sure to see a lot of folks drinking in front of the TV on game day thanks to its light body, utilitarian flavor and crisp, clean finish — perhaps Stubentiger is Rebel Mettle’s shot at a Bud Light killer, but that’ll be a question for Director of Brewing Joshua

Cartridge Brewing P H OTO : S E A N M . P E T E RS

Deitner next time CityBeat stops in for a pint.

“Rebel Mettle is focused on our love of lager and love of community,” says Brown in a press release. “Above our doors, you will find signs that read, ‘Everyone is Welcome.’ We’ve created a warm, authentic and hospitable environment that celebrates opportunity, justice and freedom.” 412 Central Ave., Downtown, rebelmettlebrewery.com.

Braxton Cincinnati Braxton’s new Pendleton development is, as co-founder and CEO Jake Rouse puts it, more of a long-term win in regards to his company’s acquisition of 3 Points Urban Brewery’s facility, equipment and head brewer.

The transition began in late June of this year when Rouse started talks to take over the Cincinnati brewery after a 3 Points investor indicated they wanted to get out. The long-term win comes for 3 Points, Rouse explains, because the minds behind it are now freed up to focus their resources on Nation Kitchen & Bar, their core business. It’s a win for Braxton since this Pendleton spot is their first true Cincinnati location and a major milestone in the Rouse familyowned company’s growing influence over the region.

“We have wanted to put a brewery in Cincinnati for as long as we’ve been open. But it really had to make sense,” Rouse says. “We really didn’t want to build a brewery in the middle of a neighborhood that is already anchored by a great brewery. We knew if we really wanted to be in Cincinnati, it had to be an opportunity to take over something

that may not have worked, rather than to build brand new.”

The building itself needed very little work done to the infrastructure, since its intended purpose hasn’t really changed; it’s only been handed over to new owners. While it’s going to take a little time before they’re ready to resume the daytime co-working space 3 Points was known for, that’ll certainly be on Braxton’s agenda to resume once the coronavirus pandemic is under control.

“We fell in love with the location because the neighborhood reminds us a ton of Covington. It’s got a great infrastructure and a great density of people living there. We wanted to create an environment that paid homage to Braxton and all the facilities that we have ... we braxtonized it,” he says.

The newly braxtonized facility was branded for Braxton with the painting of a mural and installation of a living wall (great for photo ops), but that doesn’t mean it’s a hard reset.

Patrick Mulrey, head brewer for 3 Points, was retained, so fans of the former tenant’s beer needn’t worry they’ve truly lost what once was. We can expect to see some locationspecific brews coming out of Braxton’s Pendleton location, so be sure to keep an eye on their taps for something new soon. 331 E. 13th St., Pendleton, braxtonbrewing.com.

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MUSIC

Curt Kiser as Carriers P H OTO : C H R I S VO N H O L L E

Keep Calm and Carriers On Curt Kiser returns with a new Carriers single and a serious desire to do more

BY B R I A N BA K E R

C

urt Kiser could be the poster boy for the old adage, “All good things come to those who wait.” After he parted ways with local band Pomegranates in 2013, Kiser retreated from music other than occasional guitar accompaniment at church services. But within two years he had come up with a songwriting/performing project that he dubbed Carriers.

Over the next two years, Kiser met Afghan Whigs bassist and local producer extraordinaire John Curley and the National’s drummer Bryan Devendorf through random chance, and assembled a rotating collective of musicians to play Carriers gigs. All that activity resulted in Carriers’ Best New Artist nomination and a stunning live

performance featuring Kiser, Curley and Devendorf at the 2017 Cincinnati Entertainment Awards ceremony.

Kiser had been recording with Curley at Ultrasuede and began leaking songs to radio and the press in 2017, but it would be another two years before he turned his recordings into Carriers’ debut album, Now is the Time for Loving Me, Yourself & Everyone Else, released just over a year ago. The long wait for the actual release of the full set was well worth it; Now is the Time... took home the Album of the Year at last year’s CEAs. Having just signed with a booking agent, Kiser and the touring version of Carriers were playing extensive out-of-town shows after the release

of Now is the Time... — Kiser had to drive from a gig in Washington, D.C. in order to attend last November’s CEA show — and he was looking forward to more roadwork. Early this year, just before the coronavirus pandemic hit, Kiser wrote a brand new song — a raw, vulnerable and beautiful track titled “Without You” — which he recorded himself at home. The song was digitally released in late August, almost a year to the day after Carriers’ debut album dropped.

“It started as a loop, then I added the guitar progression,” Kiser said in a recent email interview. “The melody for the first verse came to me and, before long, I had the majority of the song written. It felt close to complete when I added the high pitched-octave lead part over the choruses. Those late-night sessions that go into the early morning are my favorites and definitely when I write the most.”

When Kiser originally conceived the song, he was attempting to impart a sense of who he was in the world in the context of turning 30 and his evolution as both an artist and an adult. The song

had already begun making its way into the public consciousness when life came to a screeching halt. At that point, “Without You” suddenly seemed to have an even deeper and more pervasive message.

“When I first wrote it I was thinking about my own experience and it was a prayer for me going into 2020,” says Kiser. “I played it once at Northside Tavern, a few livestreams and then it became a song I wanted to release. The sentiment for sure became more poignant once everything was shut down.

I think I was aware of the duality pretty soon after. I feel like there is always a sense of knowing people are going to interpret a song differently, but the interpretation feels pretty universal this time around.”

For the time being, “Without You” will remain a digital-only release, although Kiser would definitely be down for a physical vinyl release somewhere down the road. As for the decision to allow his home demo to be the officially released version of the song, Kiser remains convinced that it was the

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right thing to do.

“I wasn’t feeling so sure about it at first,” he says. “A few friends took a shot at taking it somewhere I couldn’t, but I realized I liked the original mix. Sometimes it’s nice to have that pressure out of my hands, but after showing some people and receiving positive feedback, I decided to trust my ear on this one. I sent it off to (local musician/engineer) John Hoffman to master it and it was ready to go.”

There is also a distinct possibility that “Without You” will show up on Carriers’ sophomore album, whenever that happens, although it will likely be in a slightly altered form by that time.

“It could be fun to re-record with the band,” Kiser says. “I enjoy collaborating and seeing where a song can go.”

Like everyone whose creative spirit has been chained in the basement during the pandemic, Kiser is itching to get back in front of people to continue supporting Now is the Time..., but he’s just as anxious to begin work on a second Carriers album. He’s stockpiled a sizable amount of material, not just work done during the quarantine, but also some of it dating to the earliest days of the band.

“Album two has been ready to record for a while now. I do have just about all the demos recorded in some

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fashion. Some of them are songs from early Carriers days and then there are about 50 to sift through and decide which ones are album two or three,” he says. “Usually, by the time I’m ready to record, I’ve got so many new songs to choose from, but I’m trying to not make another double album this time around.”

For that reason, “Without You” is not necessarily a signpost pointing toward Carriers’ sonic direction going forward.

“I’m still trying to figure that out,” Kiser says. “I write a lot of songs. Some are upbeat with layers of synth and guitar, some are Folk tunes that I’m trying to figure out how I want them to sound, and some I feel very certain of what I’m trying to accomplish. I’ve got groups of songs that sound good together and pretty cohesive, then I’ve got other vibes I was just enjoying at that time. I think the next record will end up being a nice blend of tunes with production that ties it all together.”

For all of the uncertainty surrounding the next phases of reopening and the potential for a spike in COVID cases, Kiser is anxious to return to the studio and the road. But given recent events beyond the upheaval of the coronavirus, he’s more aware than ever of his role as a translator of the current zeitgeist into musical entertainment.

“It’s all coming together, slowly but

OCTOBER 2020

Curt Kiser as Carriers P H OTO : C H R I S VO N H O L L E

surely,” Kiser says. “I’m gathering the people who are going to be a part of it and figuring out the best plan of action for making a record safely during a pandemic. We need a large studio for this one but I’m excited to make it happen.

This pause has been important for multiple reasons. Greater issues in society have taken center stage, as they should, and I felt like I needed to rethink what I’m doing, why I write music, and who

I’m writing for. I’ve always written honest songs but with the current climate, there is just so much that humanity needs right now — justice, equality, hope, freedom and healing are at the top of that list. I want my life and music to always reflect and inspire this.”

Listen to the new Carriers single and learn more at facebook.com/carriersband.

SPILL IT

Rapper/Producer Chloe Hotline Releases ‘CYNTHIA’ Mixtape

BY J U D E N O E L

If you compare your debut record to the works of Kate Bush, SOPHIE and Gucci Mane, you’d better have the creative chops to back it up. Fortunately, Cincy-based rapper/producer Chloe Hotline isn’t merely flexing her eclectic tastes on her Spotify profile’s “CYNTHIA Vibes” playlist, which features all of the above — plus Britney Spears.

She instead synthesizes the grandiose visions of these Pop stars into CYNTHIA: a mixtape that’s ominous, experimental and undeniably her own.

Released in March, the record was tailor-made for a time of retreat. As the reality of a global pandemic began to set in across the country, Chloe Hotline’s music carved out an intimate and introspective niche in the local Hip Hop scene. “(I went for) a dull, cold cinematic theme with its bright spots,” she says over text messages. “When I started the project about a year ago, it was way happier and more poppy, but all of that got darkened when the winter months hit.”

A pair of headless mannequins on the cover art, gifted by Chloe’s sister, complete the atmosphere of isolation.

Like Kanye West, whom she cites as a longtime influence on her production, she recontextualizes club-ready genres like Chicago Footwork and ’80s Electro, exploring themes of heartbreak, childhood and gender identity.

Don’t let CYNTHIA’s cohesive sound shape your expectations for her other work, though. Chloe plans to release an “orchestral” album inspired by movies like Jaws and Great Expectations in the near future, and the handful of singles she’s released on Spotify since May seem to favor a brighter sonic palette.

“My approach is always melody first,” she says. “I tend to look for more cute, cloudy sounds just naturally. It’s literally the opposite of how everyone tells you. Drums first is always the standard but I disregard that completely.”

Chloe self-produces the majority of her instrumentals, but she’s been rapping for even longer. She cut her first song in 2009, at a studio at her cousins’ house in Detroit. Since then, she’s made music under nearly 20 aliases, initially emulating artists like Big Sean, Kanye West and Tyler, the Creator.

The influence of the latter two is still seen in her recent output — especially on songs like “Talvia,” a bleak slice of breakup R&B, and diss track “No Stray Bullets,” which pairs conversational flows with hazy Soul samples.

Lately, though, she’s been listening

to Alternative Pop from the turn of the millennium — namely Esthero and Roisin Murphy.

“Locally, I really like what’s going on,” she adds. “LAMB$ is a pioneer in the city, and he’s still going strong. And Suicide Rascal is someone who I’ve been inspired by recently, just seeing him work and grow.”

Learn more and listen to Chloe Hotline at chloehotline.bandcamp. com.

Kent Meloy Launches Cincinnati Quarantunes Project

BY B R I A N BA K E R Given the productive year he had just experienced, longtime local musician/ producer/filmmaker Kent Meloy was feeling pretty good about his 2020 prospects. After a long Cincinnati band run that included Collins Gate in the 1990s, and Staring at the Sun, Kid Jupiter and Kelp in the new millennium, Meloy had finally released his first solo album, Inconceivable. And he and his band Oh So Luminous — an evolutionary extension of Kelp — had also released You Have Always Been, their 2019 debut.

After its release, Meloy was stoked about the coming new year, right up until the planet caught fire. With the pandemic’s rise and Cincinnati’s increasingly stringent social gathering restrictions finally resulting in a full lockdown, Meloy conceived a challenge for his fellow songwriters and musicians, both in the local scene and throughout the wider world. He launched a Facebook group page under the title “Cincinnati Quarantunes” and tossed down a creative gauntlet: write a song a day, inspired by or in reaction to the quarantine.

“When Ohio first shut everything down, seeing so many of my musician friends suddenly completely locked out from performing was painful,” Meloy says. “For several of them, this was their only income and I wanted to do something to help. I figured if we tried spinning some new songs together maybe that might help, in some microscopic way.”

Meloy was gratified by the response that followed his challenge, first with the number of posted submissions and

Chloe Hotline P H O T O : P R O V I D E D BY C H L O E H O T L I N E

then with the subsequent formation of Live Virtual Open Mic Night, an idea suggested by Sara Daigneault and LaTanya Foster, who helped facilitate the first two events. Participation tapered off in the wake of larger issues that ultimately and understandably commanded the public’s attention.

“It slowed down a lot when the protests began, and I know that, for me at least, the Quarantunes began to feel a little frivolous compared to the real anger and pain that had been laid raw,” Meloy says. “I’m starting to see some new posts now; we’ll see where it goes.

We might do another Open Mic soon.

The time might be right for at least a little frivolity.”

With the initial flurry of Quarantunes submissions, Meloy realized he should probably be leading by example, so he began churning out material at the prescribed pace. In relatively short order, in the cloistered atmosphere of near-total quarantine, he produced two full albums of material, Unintentional, and its follow-up, the appropriately

titled Addendum.

Although the foundational style of the albums could be described as a bracing blend of Indie/Alt Rock and Power Pop, the songs run the gamut of Meloy’s voluminous influences — his early exposure to Kiss, his subsequent love of Rush, the miasma of Prog from the 1970s, the discovery of the Ramones and so many others in the pages of Trouser Press, his proximity to the potent Pop music scene in central Illinois where he spent his teenage years, the Synth Pop giants of the ‘80s and the advent of Alternative Rock in the ‘90s.

In many ways, last year’s Inconceivable and this year’s quarantine albums were forged in the crucible of his influences and steered by the bands he has contributed to over the past three decades. But his first solo album was critical to his current situation.

Learn more and listen to Kent Meloy at kgmeloy.com.

OCTOBER 2020

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C I T Y B E AT. C O M

63

The Word on the Street

PUZZLE AC R O S S

1. Checked out, as a joint

BY B R EN DA N EM M E T T Q UIG LE Y

6. Island where Aloha Beer is brewed

10. With 28-Down, it can check for COVID

14. Bullies dish it out 15. Hair transplant piece 16. Verse foot 17. Brewer of Old Style beer 18. Sign that your baby is growing up fast?

20. General who lent his name to some chicken

23. Miracle on Ice team

58. Former TV ministry

24. Long-lasting tang?

59. Put a steak on ice?

19. Day of the wk. you supposedly eat tacos

29. With 52-Across, genre of music that uses the slang in the theme answers

63. Like some voices

22. They go both ways 25. Linear, briefly

67. Balance bike alternative

26. Reads someone the riot act 27. Some E.B. White characters, for short 28. See 10-Across

68. Treat that some dunk

30. Free commercial, in short

35. “Get on your feet�

69. Instruments with G-C-E-A tunings

35. “As ___, so below�

37. Mutter paneer sphere

70. Class about crabs

34. It’s a plus

38. Skirmish between two boxers?

41. League that played their 2020 games in the Disney Bubble

36. Hannibal’s transports 39. Attendee 40. LGBT rights activist Windsor

DOWN

1. Typing test?

41. “I’ll pass�

2. Makes ashamed 3. Persuades to commit perjury

44. Kunta Kinte’s novel

4. “Friends� finale?

45. Viking stories 49. Collagist Jean

6. Relating to the eye

50. The night before

7. Stand-up comic Macofsky

51. 2015 Masters winner Jordan

5. Bomb part

42. Fraternity member

43. Give notice to 46. Sink 47. Gambled 48. Like peanuts and crabs 51. Sr. or soph’s spot 53. “We’ve reached peak 2020 and everything sucks,â€? in three letters 54. Handles, as on ĂŠpĂŠes 56. Voice higher than tenor 59. Corp.’s money man 60. A/C measurement 61. Melodramatic cry after seeing a pest 62. PC extension for some apps 64. “There ___ known knownsâ€?

L AST MONTH’S ANSWERS:

8. Friendly squeeze

52. See 29-Across

9. “WHY WHY WHY?!�, gruntwise

53. Just unpeeled Edam?

10. Unleashes the hounds

55. Monorail vehicle

11. Aircraft carrier, e.g.

57. Phrase said

12. “Eh? Eh?�

64

66. Message from a Galaxy far, far away

65. Party suffix

13. Commerce overseeing org.

33. “___ a feature, not a bug!�

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when the penny drops

32. Dir. in geocaching

21. Band that’s big in Japan

31. Temporary tattoo inks

DELIVERY CONTRACTORS NEEDED

CityBeat needs contractors to deliver CityBeat every Wednesday between 9am and 3pm.

Qualified candidates must have appropriate vehicle, insurance for that vehicle and understand that they are contracted to deliver that route every Wednesday. CityBeat drivers are paid per stop and make $14.00 to $16.00 per hr. after fuel expense. Please reply by email and leave your day and evening phone numbers. Please reply by email only.

Phone calls will not be accepted. sferguson@citybeat.com

C I T Y B E AT. C O M

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OCTOBER 2020

oC TO BE R 12 -1 8, 2 02 0

cincy tacoweek. com