23 minute read
NEWS
NEWS NEWS
Cincinnati Police Department officers continue to have a presence in local schools, to the consternation of some students and community members.
PHOTO: ROBIN JONATHAN DEUTSCH, UNSPLASH Cincinnati Police Department officers continue to have a presence in local schools, to the consternation of some students and community members.
PHOTO: ROBIN JONATHAN DEUTSCH, UNSPLASH Cops to Remain in Cincinnati Public Schools after Board of Education Vote Cops to Remain in Cincinnati Public Schools after Board of Education Vote Studies and educators continue to implore schools to reconsider police.
BY ALLISON BABKA S tudies may show that police in schools aren’t useful, but a local district has decided to keep them anyway. During a Sept. 12 meeting, the Cincinnati Public Schools Board of Education voted 6-1 to continue using school resource o cers (SROs) from the Cincinnati Police Department in school buildings. Board member Mike Moroski was the lone vote against the practice. According to the CPS youth services unit website, SROs are police o cers who “enforce laws on school grounds.” An article from EducationWeek says that SROs typically are armed and carry handcu s and other restraints. CPD has the third-oldest SRO program in the S tudies may show that police in schools aren’t useful, but a local district has decided to keep them anyway. During a Sept. 12 meeting, the Cincinnati Public Schools Board of Education voted 6-1 to continue using school resource o cers (SROs) from the Cincinnati Police Department in school buildings. Board member Mike Moroski was the lone vote against the practice. According to the CPS youth services unit website, SROs are police o cers who “enforce laws on school grounds.” An article from EducationWeek says that SROs typically are armed and carry handcu s and other restraints. CPD has the third-oldest SRO program in the nation, the department says. nation, the department says.
Increasing arms
Increasing arms e number of schools welcoming e number of schools welcoming police into their halls has risen in recent years. According to EducationWeek, about 45% of schools had an SRO in place at least once a week during the police into their halls has risen in recent years. According to EducationWeek, about 45% of schools had an SRO in place at least once a week during the 2017-2018 school year, with another 2017-2018 school year, with another 13% saying they brought in police who were not SROs. e National Association of School Resource O cers shares similar data, pointing to a 2018 report by the National Center for Education Statistics that shows 42% of public schools had at least one SRO present at least one day a week during the 2015-2016 school year.
Both gures are a contrast to the 2005-2006 school year, when only 32% of schools had an SRO, EducationWeek says. And the University of Connecticut Center for Education Policy Analysis says, “In 1975, only 1% of schools reported having police o cers on site, but by 2018, approximately 58% of schools had at least one sworn law enforcement o cial present during the school week.” e number of police in schools has been rising since the ‘90s, when the 1999 Columbine High School mass shooting and attempted bombing put safety on more schools’ radars. Continued school shootings like those at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut (2012) and
13% saying they brought in police who were not SROs. e National Association of School Resource O cers shares similar data, pointing to a 2018 report by the National Center for Education Statistics that shows 42% of public schools had at least one SRO present at least one day a week during the 2015-2016 school year. Both gures are a contrast to the 2005-2006 school year, when only 32% of schools had an SRO, EducationWeek says. And the University of Connecticut Center for Education Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas (2022) have pushed school administrations to bring in even more police with state and national funding. “ e federal Community Oriented Policing Services in Schools Program (COPS) distributed $68 million to jurisdictions in 2000, resulting in the hiring of 599 SPOs in 289 communities across the country,” the Brookings Institution says. Policy Analysis says, “In 1975, only 1% of schools reported having police o cers on site, but by 2018, approximately 58% of schools had at least one sworn law enforcement o cial present during the school week.” e number of police in schools has been rising since the ‘90s, when the 1999 Columbine High School mass shooting and attempted bombing put safety on more schools’ radars. Continued school shootings like those at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut (2012) and Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas (2022) have pushed school administrations to bring in even more police with state and national funding. “ e federal Community Oriented Policing Services in Schools Program (COPS) distributed $68 million to jurisdictions in 2000, resulting in the hiring of 599 SPOs in 289 communities across the country,” the Brookings Institution says.
Doubts about e ectiveness Doubts about e ectiveness
Before the Sept. 12 meeting, students and community members urged Cincinnati Public Schools Board of Education members to vote against using SROs again, to no avail. Members a rming the police attempted to calm protesters.
“You haven’t been ignored at all. We’ve listened to you. Just because it isn’t the result you want doesn’t mean we’re not listening. Your voices do matter,” board member Kareem Moncree-Mo ett said after the vote.
rough tweets, board member Mike Moroski outlined why he’d voted against the resolution. “Firstly, I began asking for an audit of our MOU with CPD about three years ago. I was troubled that we had no oversight of the program,” Moroski said in part on Sept. 12. “Secondly, I have assigned to the Administration *and* Board, at least three times, that we nd *any* data that speaks to the e cacy of the SRO program, i.e., how does it *help* our Before the Sept. 12 meeting, students and community members urged Cincinnati Public Schools Board of Education members to vote against using SROs again, to no avail. Members a rming the police attempted to calm protesters. “You haven’t been ignored at all. We’ve listened to you. Just because it isn’t the result you want doesn’t mean we’re not listening. Your voices do matter,” board member Kareem Moncree-Mo ett said after the vote. students be better versions of themselves. I have yet to see any such data,” he continued. School resource o cers are under increased scrutiny, as studies have shown that policing overwhelmingly targets or a ects students of color. A report from Brookings urges schools to reconsider partnering with police. From the authors: “Rates of youth violence were plummeting independent of law enforcement interventions. Additionally, SPOs [school police o cers] have been linked with exacerbating
rough tweets, board member Mike Moroski outlined why he’d voted against the resolution.
“Firstly, I began asking for an audit of our MOU with CPD about three years ago. I was troubled that we had no oversight of the program,” Moroski said in part on Sept. 12.
“Secondly, I have assigned to the Administration *and* Board, at least three times, that we nd *any* data that speaks to the e cacy of the SRO program, i.e., how does it *help* our students be better versions of themselves. I have yet to see any such data,” he continued.
School resource o cers are under increased scrutiny, as studies have shown that policing overwhelmingly targets or a ects students of color. A report from Brookings urges schools to reconsider partnering with police. From the authors:
“Rates of youth violence were plummeting independent of law enforcement interventions. Additionally, SPOs [school police o cers] have been linked with exacerbating
School resource School resource o cers are under o cers are under increased scrutiny, increased scrutiny, as studies have as studies have shown that policing shown that policing overwhelmingly overwhelmingly targets or a ects targets or a ects students of students of color. A report color. A report from Brookings from Brookings urges schools urges schools to reconsider to reconsider partnering with partnering with police.
police. racial disparities in justice involveracial disparities in justice involvement and youth being driven deeper into the juvenile and adult criminal justice systems. Rather than preventing crime, SPOs have been linked with increased arrests for noncriminal, youthful behavior, fueling the schoolto-prison pipeline.” In addition, a recent study from the ACLU of Ohio speci cally called out the presence of Cincinnati Police Department o cers in and around local public schools. e organization recommended that the Cincinnati Public Schools system address what the ACLU calls “discipline disparities” that a ect Black students the most. e ACLU and its Campaign for Smart Justice partnered with the Young Activists Coalition to research disciplinary practices at the school system from 2021 to 2022 and said the research showed an “over-policing” of Black students as well as “racially disparate discipline” in the schools that perpetuated the school-to-prison pipeline. “ e contract between the police and the district grants CPD unilateral power over school policing, while CPS remains in the dark,” the ACLU and YAC concluded in the study. e Cincinnati Police Department also is dealing with a spate of recent public incidents regarding o cers using racial slurs while on duty. O cer Rose Valentino recently was red for using the n-word near a school, while o cer Kelly Drach was suspended for seven days without pay for calling telemarketers “sand n-words” (both o cers used the actual phrases in the moment, according to records). According to the Education Commission of the States, Ohio requires school resource o cers to have just 40 hours of training. Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine signed a law in June permitting teachers to be armed with just 24 hours of training, though Cincinnati Public Schools immediately passed a resolution proment and youth being driven deeper into the juvenile and adult criminal justice systems. Rather than preventing crime, SPOs have been linked with increased arrests for noncriminal, youthful behavior, fueling the schoolto-prison pipeline.” In addition, a recent study from the ACLU of Ohio speci cally called out the presence of Cincinnati Police Department o cers in and around local public schools. e organization recommended that the Cincinnati Public Schools system address what the ACLU calls “discipline disparities” that a ect Black students the most. e ACLU and its Campaign for Smart Justice partnered with the Young Activists Coalition to research disciplinary practices at the school system from 2021 to 2022 and said the research showed an “over-policing” of Black students as well as “racially disparate discipline” in the schools that perpetuated the school-to-prison pipeline. “ e contract between the police and the district grants CPD unilateral power over school policing, while CPS remains in the dark,” the ACLU and YAC concluded in the study. e Cincinnati Police Department also is dealing with a spate of recent public incidents regarding o cers using racial slurs while on duty. O cer Rose Valentino recently was red for using the n-word near a school, while o cer Kelly Drach was suspended for seven days without pay for calling telemarketers “sand n-words” (both o cers used the actual phrases in the moment, according to records). According to the Education Commission of the States, Ohio requires school resource o cers to have just 40 hours of training. Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine signed a law in June permitting teachers to be armed with just 24 hours of training, though Cincinnati Public Schools immediately passed a resolution prohibiting armed teachers on campus. hibiting armed teachers on campus.
National Register of Historic Places Adds King National Register of Historic Places Adds King Records Studio Buildings in Evanston
Records Studio Buildings in Evanston BY ASHLEY MOOR AND KATIE GRIFFITH
BY ASHLEY MOOR AND KATIE GRIFFITH
King Records’ inclusion on the National Register of Historic Places could generate more grants to preserve and renovate the site.
PHOTO: HAILEY BOLLINGER King Records’ inclusion on the National Register of Historic Places could generate more grants to preserve and renovate the site.
PHOTO: HAILEY BOLLINGER
The King Records Legacy Foundation has achieved another milestone on its path to preserving the history of King Records.
On Sept. 6, the King Records studio buildings, located at 1536-1540 Brewster Ave. in Evanston, were o cially listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Being placed on the National Register of Historic Places will provide certain tax credits, easements and grants for those developing the property, and it also will give King Records even more “gravitas,” as Charlie Dahan, co-author of King Records’ nomination proposal, calls it.
“[Being on the National Register of Historic Places] gives this building gravitas,” Dahan told CityBeat in a previously published interview. “ e federal government is saying this is a signi cant place in American history — that it’s not just signi cant in Cincinnati and Ohio, but is signi cant to every U.S. citizen from Alaska to Florida to Maine.”
King Records’ spot on the National Register of Historic Places cements its status as an iconic xture in the nation’s music history. From the 1940s into the early 1970s, the Cincinnati label produced several celebrated and legendary musicians, including James Brown, Bootsy Collins, Philip Paul and Otis Williams.
In June, the Ohio Historic Site Preservation Advisory Board approved the nomination of the King Records complex to be listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Nominations for properties in Ohio are processed by the State Historic Preservation O ce, and then the approved proposals are sent to the National Park Service, which ultimately makes the nal decision.
King Records’ old studio/o ce on Brewster Avenue was named a historic landmark by the city in 2015, and in 2018 Cincinnati City Council approved a land swap with the existing owner of the former studio property, who had been threatening demolition of the dilapidated buildings. e city owns several of the original parcels at 1540 Brewster Ave. at portion was constructed in 1921 and in part is “a one-story brick warehouse that houses 17,604 square feet and occupies .69 acre,” Dahan said. Adjoining that building is a “one-story utilitarian garage” that Dahan describes as being in fair condition.
When that space operated as King Records, the building on the rst parcel had two oors. e second oor held o ces, storage, a remix studio and the art department. e rst oor contained a large studio and areas for shipping and receiving, printing, inspection and insertion, plating and testing, machine shop, press room and mill room, according to a sketch in e King Records Story by Darren Blase. e remaining parcels, which are privately owned today, are at 1548 Brewster Ave. – three interconnected structures, 26,434 square feet on .414 acres. is portion of the property is not listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Since forming in 2020, the King Records Legacy Foundation has been crafting a vision for a historic complex that will permanently mark Evanston as the birthplace of a special sound that in uenced the nation. e placement on the National Register of Historic Places will aid in that vision, which includes the creation of a learning center on the property that
The King Records Legacy Foundation has achieved another milestone on its path to preserving the history of King Records. On Sept. 6, the King Records studio buildings, located at 1536-1540 Brewster Ave. in Evanston, were o cially listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Being placed on the National Register of Historic Places will provide certain tax credits, easements and grants for those developing the property, and it also will give King Records even more “gravitas,” as Charlie Dahan, co-author of King Records’ nomination proposal, calls it. “[Being on the National Register of Historic Places] gives this building gravitas,” Dahan told CityBeat in a previously published interview. “ e federal government is saying this is a signi cant place in American history — that it’s not just signi cant in Cincinnati and Ohio, but is signi cant to every U.S. citizen from Alaska to Florida to Maine.” King Records’ spot on the National Register of Historic Places cements its status as an iconic xture in the nation’s music history. From the 1940s into the early 1970s, the Cincinnati label produced several celebrated and legendary musicians, including James Brown, Bootsy Collins, Philip Paul and Otis Williams. In June, the Ohio Historic Site Preservation Advisory Board approved the nomination of the King Records complex to be listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Nominations for properties in Ohio are processed by the State Historic Preservation O ce, and then the approved proposals are sent to the National Park Service, which ultimately makes the nal decision. features interactive aspects, including a recording studio, performance space, rotating and permanent exhibitions and an abundant collection of historic artifacts. “On behalf of the King Records Legacy Foundation and what we stand for, we are extremely pleased to see this major step come to the light for the local to global community,” Kent Butts, the board chair and executive director of the King Records Legacy Foundation, said in a statement to CityBeat. “It is well deserved and long overdue! We are honored to be stewards for King Records and be a part of assisting in the success of this as well as other endeavors on its behalf.” e King Records Legacy Foundation has entered into a development agreement with the city to renovate the King Records complex – an agreement that will likely be nalized by the end of September. For now, the group is working with at least a three-year agenda and an initial, tentative $20 million budget. So far, the foundation has secured $200,000 in private funding and a pledged $1 million from the city. As Beth Johnson, executive director of the Cincinnati Preservation Association, told CityBeat in a previously published interview, a spot on the National Register of Historic Places creates an opportunity for the foundation to apply for historic tax credits. “One of the most important things is, it does open the building up to be eligible for historic tax credits, which, in combination with both the Ohio historic preservation tax credit as well as the federal, can provide up to 45% credit on expenses in regards to the rehabilitation of the building,” Johnson said in August.
King Records’ old studio/o ce on Brewster Avenue was named a historic landmark by the city in 2015, and in 2018 Cincinnati City Council approved a land swap with the existing owner of the former studio property, who had been threatening demolition of the dilapidated buildings. e city owns several of the original parcels at 1540 Brewster Ave. at portion was constructed in 1921 and in part is “a one-story brick warehouse that houses 17,604 square feet and occupies .69 acre,” Dahan said. Adjoining that building is a “one-story utilitarian garage” that Dahan describes as being in fair condition.
When that space operated as King Records, the building on the rst parcel had two oors. e second oor held o ces, storage, a remix studio and the art department. e rst oor contained a large studio and areas for shipping and receiving, printing, inspection and insertion, plating and testing, machine shop, press room and mill room, according to a sketch in e King Records Story by Darren Blase. e remaining parcels, which are privately owned today, are at 1548 Brewster Ave. – three interconnected structures, 26,434 square feet on .414 acres. is portion of the property is not listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Since forming in 2020, the King Records Legacy Foundation has been crafting a vision for a historic complex that will permanently mark Evanston as the birthplace of a special sound that in uenced the nation. e placement on the National Register of Historic Places will aid in that vision, which includes the creation of a learning center on the property that features interactive aspects, including a recording studio, performance space, rotating and permanent exhibitions and an abundant collection of historic artifacts.
“On behalf of the King Records Legacy Foundation and what we stand for, we are extremely pleased to see this major step come to the light for the local to global community,” Kent Butts, the board chair and executive director of the King Records Legacy Foundation, said in a statement to CityBeat. “It is well deserved and long overdue! We are honored to be stewards for King Records and be a part of assisting in the success of this as well as other endeavors on its behalf.” e King Records Legacy Foundation has entered into a development agreement with the city to renovate the King Records complex – an agreement that will likely be nalized by the end of September. For now, the group is working with at least a three-year agenda and an initial, tentative $20 million budget. So far, the foundation has secured $200,000 in private funding and a pledged $1 million from the city.
As Beth Johnson, executive director of the Cincinnati Preservation Association, told CityBeat in a previously published interview, a spot on the National Register of Historic Places creates an opportunity for the foundation to apply for historic tax credits.
“One of the most important things is, it does open the building up to be eligible for historic tax credits, which, in combination with both the Ohio historic preservation tax credit as well as the federal, can provide up to 45% credit on expenses in regards to the rehabilitation of the building,” Johnson said in August.
Cincinnati Reds Eliminated from 2022 Postseason Contention, Face Another Losing Season
BY ALLISON BABKA
The Cincinnati Reds don’t have much to cheer about as 2022 winds down.
PHOTO:RON VALLE
Aslow start, nagging injuries and lagging o ense doomed baseball in Cincinnati this year. e Cincinnati Reds were eliminated from all postseason contention after losing a double-header to the Pittsburgh Pirates at Great American Ball Park on Sept. 13. is means that the Reds will not compete for a Wild Card spot, will miss the postseason yet again and will have another losing season. e Reds previously were eliminated from the National League Central race after the Sept. 10 loss to the Milwaukee Brewers. As of press time on Sept. 19, the St. Louis Cardinals and the seemingly immortal Albert Pujols are leading the Brewers in the NL Central by eight games.
As of press time, the Reds are 58-89 on the 2022 season and are 28.5 games behind the NL Central-leading Cardinals. Even if the Reds were to win all 15 of their remaining games – a highly unlikely scenario – the team still would be upside down on its record with a win percentage of just .451 at best. Earlier this year, baseball experts had predicted that the Reds were on pace for a 125-loss season – the lowest for any team since 1900, thanks, in part, to the franchise’s worst start ever.
Postseason action has been hard to come by for the Reds, who also did not see any extended play in 2021. During the COVID-shortened 2020 season, the Reds made it to the Wild Card playo s but lost to the Atlanta Braves without scoring at all; before that, Cincinnati hadn’t been to the postseason since 2013. e Reds have had just ve winning seasons out of the last 21; that will worsen to ve of 22 seasons, once 2022 wraps up. is is what fans had feared when team owners cut payroll and traded prominent players before the season even began and then again at the Aug. 2 trade deadline – yet another “rebuilding season” instead of a playo run.
Fan enthusiasm and trust have been waning since the Reds lost free agents like 2021 All-Star out elder Nick Castellanos during the o season and traded away big contributors like Jesse Winker, third baseman Eugenio Suárez and pitcher Sonny Gray. is summer, the team also traded out elder Tommy Pham, starting pitcher Luis Castillo, out elder Tyler Naquin, starting pitcher Tyler Mahle and in elder Brandon Drury.
Just before the start of the season, Reds owner Bob Castellini said that he wanted to concentrate on developing younger players, which heralded a cut in payroll. Feeling betrayed and fearing that 2022 would not be a legitimate push for playo glory, a large group of fans raised more than $4,000 ahead of Opening Day for a billboard urging Castellini to sell the Reds to someone who would invest in winning. at I-75 billboard and fans’ growing lack of trust in the team elicited a sharp response from the Reds’ chief operating o cer – and Bob Castellini’s son – Phil Castellini, who told 700 AM WLW radio that Cincinnatians essentially would just have to deal with it when the team refused to pay for productive veteran players. Phil Castellini later walked back his comments and sent an apology note to Reds sta . e Cincinnati Reds’ nal weeks include series against the Boston Red Sox, Milwaukee Brewers and Pittsburgh Pirates. e 2022 season-ending series will be against the Chicago Cubs Oct. 3-5 at Great American Ball Park.
Rosie Red feasts on unique snacks at Cincinnati’s Great American Ball Park.
PHOTO:ALLISON BABKA
3 ings to Do Now at the Reds Are Knocked out of Extended Play
e Reds are putting up another postseason goose egg, but there’s still plenty of sports goodness in Cincinnati as the 2022 regular season winds down:
Go to the park anyway
Playo baseball is great, but there’s beauty in the sport regardless of a championship chase (though, yeah, that would be nice). Nine innings of chess in a riverside park with meat cones for a snack? Sign us up. When it comes to ticket prices and concessions, Great American Ball Park is one of the cheapest MLB stadiums to take a family of four, according to e Hustle. Besides, players are still performing. Starting pitcher Nick Lodolo has shown sizzle on the mound, out elder Aristides Aquino has been in the highlight reels for home-run heroics and amazing elding, and speedball rookie Hunter Greene had 11 strikeouts against the Cardinals after his rehab stint in Louisville. Plus, 2023’s new battles with every single franchise – including each American League team – are really only a few months away.
Listen for Votto in the broadcast booth
First baseman Joey Votto hasn’t played since Aug. 16, thanks to surgery on his rotator cu and bicep, but that doesn’t mean he’s far from Great American Ball Park. As one of the best interviewees anywhere, Votto continues to join broadcasters for game insights and plain-old tomfoolery. He recently talked to John Sadak and Cooperstown inductee Barry Larkin in the booth about everything from crafting a good swing to the view of the eld to the ongoing retirement/ victory lap for the St. Louis Cardinals’ Albert Pujols, all while re-upping an old conversation about nipples that dugout reporter Jim Day would rather forget. Also, fans can vote for Votto to receive the Roberto Clemente Award at mlb.com/community/ roberto-clemente-award.
Focus on other sports
If you’re too sad to stick with baseball but still need to cheer, Cincinnati has a few other teams that would love to have some support. e Cincinnati Bengals – led by quarterback and Sports Illustrated cover boy Joe Burrow – began its regular season on Sept. 11 with a close loss to Rust Belt rivals the Pittsburgh Steelers, but the Super Bowl LVI runners-up have plenty of steam left for fans at the newly named Paycor Stadium. FC Cincinnati notched a huge win over the San Jose Earthquakes on Sept. 10 and are unbeaten in the previous nine matches as of press time. e Cincinnati Rollergirls also had a bout on Sept. 10 – their rst in more than two years, thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic – and are looking forward to another on Oct. 8. Meanwhile, the Cincinnati Cyclones are gearing up for a new season on the ice in Heritage Bank Center in October, complete with cheap beer, jersey nights, bobblehead giveaways and fun themes. (AB)
