College Hill

Settled in 1813, College Hill has about 16,000 residents within a 3.4-square-mile neighborhood, and is Cincinnati’s fourth largest and most diverse neighborhood. A variety of housing options — an eclectic mix of stone, brick and wood homes of every style and in every price range — make it possible for many to spend a lifetime in the neighborhood. The community owes much of its character to the 19th-century colleges that gave the neighborhood its name, and though Farmers’ College and the Ohio Female College are long gone, their campuses left behind a legacy of park-like streets. The vibrant Hamilton Avenue business district is a hub of activity, with a host of new projects planned or underway from the College Hill Community Urban Redevelopment Corp.: a new senior housing development, a storefront facade improvement program, small business recruitment and new brewery.

Clovernook Center for blind and visually impaired empowers artists

By Newsroom

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Arts + Culture

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January 15, 2013

Wanda Owens, who lost her vision to multiple sclerosis when she turned 20, says working as an artist is something she’s wanted to do since she was a little girl; and at the age of 64, she’s fulfilling her childhood dream. Beginning Feb. 9, her work will be featured in an exhibit titled “Illuminated Soul” at Clovernook Center for the Blind and Visually Impaired’s Willoughby Art Gallery. Owens will have 20 ceramic pieces on display and available for purchase. She’s completed all of her work in the studio, and since she is a Clovernook artist who participates in classes on site, she will receive 100 percent of the proceeds—something Alison DeFisher, manager of communications at Clovernook, says empowers the artists. “A lot of people have described it as an outlet for them, to be able to participate in art and be able to express themselves and increase independence because it’s not traditionally something a person who is blind is thought to be able to do,” says DeFisher. Art classes are by appointment and take place weekly at Clovernook’s studio, and they are open to anyone who is blind or visually impaired. Scott Wallace, recreation specialist at Clovernook, leads individual painting and ceramics classes, in addition to group classes, depending on participants’ goals and interests. “I’m blessed to have a wonderful teacher who is very encouraging,” says Owens. “Everything he says, I can do, and he helps me to see color.” She says Wallace will help her pick out paint colors by reminding her of shades. He will, for example, tell her that the shade she is currently looking at is slightly darker than baby blue; and this will remind her of what baby blue looks like, which enables her to choose the appropriate shade so she can proceed in portraying her vision. “It’s really a spiritual experience,” says Owens. “I asked God to bless the labor of my hands, and He has.” Owens is a former singer, and this is something she says inspires her artwork, though there is nothing specifically in her pieces that reflect her pastime. Two things that Owens says she tries to feature in all of her works, however, are “clowns and the Lord.” Owens says she loves to laugh, so she always tries to incorporate that element of joy into her pieces. “Illuminated Soul” will begin with an opening reception from noon to 5 p.m. Feb. 9, and it will remain open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., and by appointment through March 8. The opening reception for “Illuminated Soul” will be featured on the first day of this year’s Macy’s Arts Sampler. Do Good: • Support Wanda Owens by viewing or purchasing her pottery at "Illuminated Soul." • Make a donation to support the Clovernook Center for the Blind and Visually Impaired. • Volunteer your services to help fulfill the Clovernook Center's mission. By Brittany York Brittany York is a professor of English composition at the University of Cincinnati and a teacher at the Regional Institute of Torah and Secular Studies. She also edits the For Good section of SoapboxMedia.

Shield gives back to those who give daily

By Newsroom

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Diversity

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January 8, 2013

The Shield started in September 2000 during a crisis. A Cincinnati police officer was killed in the line of duty, and his family, which was from out of town, couldn't afford to fly in on short notice. Tom Streicher, who was Cincinnati’s police chief at the time, knew something had to be done; he offered up his credit card to ensure the officer’s family was where they were needed—by the fallen officer’s side. “It was a leadership issue,” says Satch Coletta, a retired officer and trustee for the nonprofit that was soon to launch. “What are the odds, should something happen? Something should be there.” In that moment of need, police chiefs came together to make contributions and began to fund a new nonprofit. The organization has continued to operate ever since, thanks to community donations, and in large part, to the willingness of officers who take payroll deductions to contribute. The organization’s board, which is composed of 10 officers—current and retired—works entirely on a volunteer basis. They meet monthly during lunch breaks to fulfill The Shield’s mission: to assist the families of officers killed or critically injured in the line of duty. Policing is a dangerous job, and according to Coletta, “It’s not a matter of if we’re going to pay money out, it’s a matter of when and how much.” The funds are available to families immediately—prior to workers’ compensation or life insurance, says Coletta. “If it happens at one in the afternoon, at 1:01 p.m., there’s a benefit committee that’s ready to spring into action to aid an officer or his family.” Coletta knows the circumstances surrounding the loss of an officer all too well. In 1978, Officer John Bechtol, next-door neighbor and friend whom Coletta trained with, died after a vehicle struck his police cruiser. There was no immediate support available for the family . “Back then, policemen, not that they make a great fortune now, made even less; and to be able to set funeral arrangements and getting people in and situated—things along that line…” were very difficult, he says. The funds are not just meant for funeral arrangements and families’ transportation, however. “Say he would have survived the crash,” Coletta says, “he would have been in very serious condition, say in ICU for a long time. You would expect the spouse to be there in ICU. If their job doesn’t pay, The Shield would entertain paying the spouse’s wages because they’re already down one. We don’t want them to suffer additionally.” In times of need, Coletta says people always want to help, but the organization’s goal is to create an emergency fund that can create interest, so that there is enough money available to families, prior to the moment when the unthinkable occurs. “The family knows what’s needed, and we work on the things to try to aid them,” Coletta says. “But it’s one of those things where at the time, that’s one less thing they have to worry about.” Do Good: • Provide corporate or community support by donating to The Shield. • Contact The Shield about volunteer opportunities and upcoming events. • Connect with The Shield and share the organization's page on Facebook. By Brittany York Brittany York is a professor of English Composition at the University of Cincinnati and a teacher at the Regional Institute of Torah and Secular Studies. She also edits the For Good section of SoapboxMedia.

Breaking the cycle of bad eating, one banana at a time

By Newsroom

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Diversity

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December 11, 2012

The Nutrition Council of Greater Cincinnati is working to break the cycle of unhealthy eating habits, one banana, one yogurt parfait and one recipe at a time. And, they are doing it one family at a time. The Council, in its 35th year, just wrapped up its latest series of "What’s Cooking?" classes for parents and caregivers of kids in Camp Washington and Winton Hills. The classes, offered each fall and spring, are a four-part series that meet for about an hour after the school day ends at schools with Head Start programs. They are designed to show parents how to make quick, affordable and healthy meals for their families. Each week is themed, and participants receive take-home tools like measuring spoons and grocery cards. Parents also get multiple recipes that encourage cooking at home, rather than relying on packaged and processed foods. The classes and the Council’s work come at a time when the nation—and Cincinnati—is getting fatter. Childhood obesity has more than tripled in the past 30 years, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Currently, one in four Cincinnati Public School kindergarten students is overweight (13.9 percent) or obese (11.7 percent). “I think what strikes me is that things I am aware of and take for granted, not everyone does,’’ says Tracy Wilking, the nonprofit’s special project manager, who worked at the Winton Hills location this fall. In 2011, nearly 100 families participated in the cooking sessions. And of those, according to the Council’s web site: • 85 percent reported they changed one action to improve a targeted health behavior.• 67 percent of families increased their consumption of fruits and vegetables.• 67 percent said they decreased their child’s sweetened beverage intake. Wilking says it is not uncommon to hear parents share how the instruction really does change cooking habits, from eating as a family to introducing fresh fruits and vegetables at meals. One recent participant told one of the Council workers that she had completely changed how her family was eating. The Council targets very young children, before habits are established and before they start kindergarten. Wilking says many parents may not have been taught how to eat healthy, and the earlier the Council and others can share information with parents, the more likely the cycle of poor food choices can be broken. In addition to the cooking series, the Council also visited 38 Early Childhood Education classrooms in the Cincinnati area over 17 days to teach parents and their kids how to make healthy snacks. Recently, they made fruit and yogurt parfaits. “A little education really can go a long way,’’ says Wilking. “This work is reaching individuals and those with the power to reach someone else.” Do Good: • Make a donation • Volunteer your time or skills. • Like the Council on Facebook.• Follow the Council's news on Twitter. By Chris GravesChris Graves, assistant vice president of digital and social media at the Powers Agency, is using several of the Council’s recipes at home with her two teens.

Union Cooperative Initiative works to build sustainable local jobs

By Newsroom

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Diversity

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December 11, 2012

Kristen Barker isn’t surprised if you haven’t heard of the Cincinnati Union Cooperative Initiative. In fact, she pretty much planned it that way. She wants CUCI to demonstrate success in the form of job creation — and not just talk about it, she says. And that is beginning to happen. The group, created in 2010 by Barker and three other friends who work in social justice and peace, is modeled after the nearly 56-year-old Mondragon worker-owned cooperative in the Basque region of Spain. CUCI formed after Mondragon signed an historic agreement with the United Steelworkers in 2009 to launch union cooperatives in the United States. The model is meant to develop sustainable jobs using worker ownership alongside the collective bargaining process. For two years, Barker and co-founders Phil Amadon, Ellen Vera and Flequer Vera have been raising money, creating partnerships with key unions and studying efforts elsewhere to bring the worker cooperative to life. Last weekend, the Cincinnati group celebrated a series of successes that included the launch of its first co-op — an incubator farm that is training farmers, supplying a CSA and three retail outlets and employing six people. The 30-acre farm is in College Hill, near Winton and North Bend roads. It is currently also studying four other potential co-ops that include a Cincinnati railway manufacturing co-op, a food hub, an energy retrofitting co-op and a jewelry maker co-op. Each project is a different stage of feasibility studies and includes partnerships with universities and trade councils, as well as other local, state and federal groups. “These are super exciting projects,’’ says Barker. “The time is right for this. The ideas have been incubating and germinating. This feels really huge.” But what really excites Barker is the likelihood that Cincinnati may be the pilot city for Mondragon, which employs more than 83,000 people in 256 countries, if it chooses to bring its operations to the U.S. “It was our dream to bring Mondragon here, and we have been successful,’’ she says, adding that they hosted a Mondragon co-op that is looking to expand. “I feel very confident that jobs will flourish, and in the future, thousands of jobs will flourish.” Barker, a single mother of a special needs daughter, says the work has been time-consuming and difficult, but well worth it. “I am from Cincinnati and I want this area to thrive. I want jobs to stay here. I want families to live in a beloved community where all are valued, at peace and doing work that is equitable.” Do Good: • Sign up for the CUCI email newsletter to receive information about news and events. • Contribute to help fund the feasibility studies and other related initiatives. • Volunteer your skill or trade by emailing Barker. By Chris Graves Chris Graves is the assistant vice president of digital and social media at the Powers Agency.

Faces Without Places founder wants to see homeless program expand

By Newsroom

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Diversity

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November 13, 2012

Karen Fessler has a message she wants you to hear loud and clear: Faces Without Places is alive, well and kicking. For years, the nonprofit, grassroots organization that has provided nearly $1.5 million in educational support for homeless children in Greater Cincinnati was affiliated with the Cincinnati Public Schools. But about two years ago--and for a variety of reasons--the organization split with the school system, says Fessler, who is a board member and a founding member of the 17-year-old group. But its mission remains intact, says Fessler. “The most important part of the program is that we get kids out of shelters, we get kids off the streets and we show them that education is a way to experience a larger world,’’ says Fessler. “We want to broaden our reach. We want to broaden our horizons.” Fessler declines to discuss what led to the parting of ways, but adds the founders of the program all left their jobs at CPS as well. “But none of us lost our passion for the kids and the mission of Faces Without Places,’’ she adds. “I want people to know that we are here, and we are committed to providing services. We are toughing it out through thick and thin--for the kids.” The nonprofit helps about 3,000 school children annually in Greater Cincinnati. Last year, the group provided 7,702 services to 3,013 children, according to its website. Those services included providing taxi services to school for 112 students, uniform vouchers for 777 students, backpacks and supplies for more than 839 students and Payless gift cards for 320 students so they could get a new pair of shoes, a luxury for many, Fessler says. The nonprofit is best known for its Yellow Bus Summer Camp, which completed its 15th year this past summer. Last year, 152 children attended the eight-week camp that focuses on reading and day trips. Earlier this month, the group’s biggest fundraiser--the Yellow Bus Ball--raised more than $23,000, most of which will go to fund the camp. “The ball is critical because we have to have money to pay teachers and buy supplies,’’ Fessler says. “We can get grant money for field trips, but the fundraiser really helps us be able to put on the camp to the degree we have always done it.” Fessler has worked with thousands of homeless children over the years, and she readily admits she is biased toward teens. “A lot of people don’t realize this, but these kids are completely out on their own; they are either staying at friends' or living eight, nine, 10 kids piled up in an apartment,’’ she says. “They are squatting and some are living on the streets trying to negotiate life … they are all living life on the edge. I am most impressed by their sheer tenacity and their desire to find a better life.” Do Good: • Register for the Mt. Adams Yellow Bus Pub Crawl on Saturday, Nov. 17. • Attend the 5th annual Chili Taste Off on Dec. 9 at Northside Tavern. • Contribute to Faces Without Places' wishlist of school and personal hygiene supplies. • Sign up for the monthly email newsletter. • Give back while you shop. By Chris GravesChris Graves is the assistant vice president of digital and social media at Powers Agency

Salvation Army-owned property in College Hill soon to be apartments for seniors

By Newsroom

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Development News

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October 30, 2012

The undeveloped property at 6381 Center Hill Avenue in College Hill will soon become apartments for senior citizens and people with disabilities. The final plans for the development were approved Friday by the City Planning Commission. The Salvation Army owns the Center Hill property, which will soon become 96 apartments available to residents 60 years of age and older who meet specific income requirements. There will be 95 one-bedroom apartments and one two-bedroom apartment for the resident manager. Plans also include a kitchen, dining room and recreation areas for residents. “Dwellings for senior citizens are in high demand,” says Felix Bere, senior city planner for the City of Cincinnati. “These apartments will also cater to a segment of the population that needs a place to live.” Construction on the property is expected to start in February 2013; completion is slated for the second quarter of 2014. By Caitlin Koenig Follow Caitlin on Twitter

Big plans in the works for Cincinnati

By Newsroom

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Architecture + Design

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October 23, 2012

As many areas of Cincinnati are being rejuvenated, including OTR and Washington Park, the City of Cincinnati approved a comprehensive approach to focus on development in the city as a whole, not just targeted neighborhoods. Last Friday, the City Planning Commission approved and adopted Plan Cincinnati, which was designed with input from residents. The Plan is an opportunity to strengthen what people love about the city, what works and what needs more attention, says Katherine Keough-Jurs, senior city planner and project manager. The idea is to re-urbanize suburbanized Cincinnati; in a sense, to return to the strengths of the city's beginnings. Cincinnati was established just after the American Revolution in 1788 and grew into an industrial center in the 19th century. Many of those industries no longer exist in the city, which is part of why Cincinnati has become more suburbanized in the past 50 years. One of the long-term goals of the Plan is to bring new industries to Cincinnati. With a new approach to revitalization, Cincinnati is blazing the trail for other cities. With a focus on building on existing strengths rather than tearing down structures and creating new ones, the Plan aims to capitalize on the city's “good bones” and good infrastructure. Cinicinnatians had a huge role in developing the Plan. The first public meeting for the Plan was held in September 2009, when residents offered their insights into “what makes a great city?" and "what would make Cincinnati a great city?” A steering committee of 40 people representing businesses, nonprofits, community groups, local institutions, residents and City Council helped develop the Plan. The Plan also got support from a grant from the Partnership for Sustainable Communities, which the City received in 2010. The grant allotted $2.4 million over three years to support the Land Development Code, which combines and simplifies Cincinnati's codes, reviews the development process, implements Form-based Codes and considers more creative uses for land. The grant allowed the city to start implementing some of the ideas voiced in public meetings. Visionaries included youth, too. City staff worked with community centers and Cincinnati Public Schools to develop an art project for children. They were given clay pots and asked to paint their fears for the city on the inside and their dreams for the city on the outside. The children saw the big issue was quality of life, just like the adults did. “It was an interesting way to get the kids involved and thinking about the future,” Keough-Jurs says. The Plan aims to strengthen neighborhood centers—the neighborhoods’ business districts. It maps out areas that people need to get to on a daily basis and found that most are within about a half-mile of the business districts. But in some neighborhoods, residents can’t access their neighborhood centers. The accessibility of a neighborhood center is based on walkability—not just for pedestrians, but also about how structures address walking. For exampke, if a pedestrian can walk from one end of the neighborhood center to the other without breaking his or her pattern (the window shopping effect), the area is walkable; if he or she has been stopped by a parking lot or vacancies, it’s not walkable, Keough-Jurs says. The neighborhood centers are classified in one of three ways in the Plan: maintain, evolve or transform. Some neighborhoods have goals to maintain levels of walkability, whereas others need to gradually change or evolve. Still others need to completely transform in order to strengthen their business districts. “Cincinnati is at the heart of the region,” Keough-Jurs says. “If we strengthen Cincinnati, we strengthen a region.” The next step for the Plan is to go before the Cincinnati City Council, specifically the Livable Communities Committee, which is chaired by Vice Mayor Roxanne Qualls. By Caitlin Koenig Follow Caitlin on Twitter

Clovernook offers opportunities, programs for visually impaired

By Newsroom

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Diversity

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October 9, 2012

If you’ve heard of the Clovernook Center for the Blind and Visually Impaired, then you may already be familiar with the many ways they assist disabled Cincinnatians. But it might surprise you to learn what else is happening at the center’s North College Hill campus. Did you know, for example, that Clovernook is home to the nation’s second largest Braille print house? Its annual output currently includes 26 magazines—Braille versions of household names like Rolling Stone, Martha Stewart Living and National Geographic—as well as 168 book titles. Clovernook also contracts with various government and private entities to produce everything from IRS file folders to packaging for items available at stores like Target. Founded in 1903 on land procured by William Procter, Clovernook served as Cincinnati’s first home for blind women, and continues to maintain strong business ties with P&G. Visitors can schedule a guided tour of the grounds, which feature the historic Cary Cottage. In keeping with its mission, Clovernook’s staff—42 percent of whom experience some level of visual impairment—work to inspire self-sufficiency by offering art and recreational activities, youth services, independent-living and vocational training as well as counseling and job placement. A longstanding practice of employing from within has resulted in jobs for some patrons, but the overriding goal is placement within the larger community, says Jessica Salyers, Clovernook’s manager of development and media relations. “Kroger is one company that makes [hiring disabled individuals] a priority,” Salyers says. “But some companies don’t realize or forget that you can make jobs accessible for people with disabilities or impairments. Our employment specialists have had success working with local companies to get them to think about providing those opportunities.” Taking advantage of Clovernook’s services starts with a brief evaluation to gauge the level of visual impairment as well as personal goals and skillsets. Trained social workers then help to identify potential solutions for clients’ needs. “Sometimes we’re able to provide a short-term solution, but then if the individual’s eyesight becomes worse later, we reopen their case,” Salyers says. “Some individuals work with our specialists for quite a long time.” Salyers notes key differences between Clovernook and area organizations like the Cincinnati Association for the Blind. For example, many of Clovernook’s youth services are available to children 8 years and older. “If we know a family that has an infant that’s been diagnosed with visual impairment, we’ll do everything possible to refer them to another organization,” Salyers says. “And they’ll refer older kids to us for our youth services, which are very focused on summer camps. It’s not at all competitive; it’s about serving as many people in the community as possible.” Clovernook’s calendar routinely features art exhibits, fundraisers and special events. “We love to have people on-site here,” Salyers says. “We have events coming up, as well as a lot of volunteer opportunities. We love to be more connected to people in our community.” Do Good: • See paintings and pottery this month by Lynn Jansen, a Clovernook artist and board of trustees member who is visually and hearing impaired. “Candelite Terrace” explores Jansen’s memories of light and color in the neighborhood where she grew up. The exhibit will remain open Monday-Friday, 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. until Oct. 26. • Donate or volunteer by contacting 513-728-6261 or csevindik@clovernook.org. • Celebrate “White Cane Safety Day,” Oct. 15, which kicks off with a City Hall rally at 10:45 am, followed by a walk to Fountain Square. By Hannah Purnell Follow Hannah on Twitter.

Cake pro leaves banking for baking

By Newsroom

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Entrepreneurship

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July 31, 2012

When Torie Hancock applied for a job bagging groceries in high school, she didn’t get it. Instead, she settled for a bakery job, where she bagged bread and prepped customers’ orders. Bored, she soon turned her attention to cake decoration. “I’d watch the cake decorators, and then go in and practice after they left. When I got the hang of things, I’d decorate the cakes and cookies for display cases,” she says. Despite attending college and entering the a career in banking, she never stopped decorating cakes, and eventually earned a degree in baking and pastry from the Art Institute of Cincinnati. “I learned a lot more than I thought I would – basic cooking skills, chocolates, sugars. The hands-on experience was priceless,” she says. On July 1, Torie quit her finance gig to develop her business, Go Ahead Bake My Day, full time. Cake is Torie’s specialty, and she says she’ll create nearly any design or flavor, with cakes, cupcakes and cake puffs (similar to a cake lollipop) her most commonly requested items. “I make everything myself at home,” she says, noting that her next step is growing her business and moving into a storefront. Although she honors requests for gluten-free, vegan and other specialty cakes, Torie says she most commonly creates sugar-free confections, and even has a neighbor unofficially assigned to test her new recipes. When she’s not baking, she enjoys Cincinnati’s foodie scene, and can be found sampling local fare at Roc-A-Fella’s Pizza, Sammy’s Gourmet Burgers & Beers, Pappadeaux Seafood Kitchen or Kabuto. By Robin Donovan

Plan, Build, Live encourages community feedback

By Evan Wallis

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Development News

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April 24, 2012

City and neighborhood leaders, led by Vice Mayor Roxanne Qualls, have been building support for a new approach to development regulations for more than four years. Much of that has been developed through the program Plan, Build, Live. Plan, Build, Live is a program driven by community feedback and discussion, all gathered via the project's website. The website encourages people to share their ideas about how a city should be designed. This weekend, instead of just online, Cincinnati residents and business leaders will come together to shape our future through a citywide Urban Design Workshop. The Workshop takes place from April 28 to May 2 to help create a "form-based code" that can be used by neighborhoods all over Cincinnati -- and help shape how development happens in Cincinnati in decades to come. "Traditional zoning focuses on the use of the building and how far the building is off the street or how large the building is," says Della Rucker, public engagement office for Plan, Build, Live. "Form-based code flips that around and focuses on how a property contributes to the experience people have in the area. How it creates a vibrant, walkable community." Plan Build Live is funded by a $2.4 million grant from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). Local funding is provided by the City of Cincinnati, the Metropolitan Sewer District of Greater Cincinnati, the Cincinnati Health Department, and the Mill Creek Restoration Project. One of the Plan Build Live tools, a form-based code, encourages strong neighborhoods, business districts, and downtowns by focusing on the shapes of buildings, streets and sidewalks. Form-based codes can helps maintain or enhance a mixed-use, pedestrian-friendly environment that offers a mix of residential options, transportation methods, workplaces, shopping and more. Traditional zoning codes encourage patches of similar use, forcing long distances between work, home and play. Form-based codes allow different uses to cluster – restaurants, apartments, drug stores and grocery stores, for instance – as long as they stick to rules that address the ways they relate to the neighborhood. Form-based codes are not planned to replace other types of zoning in Cincinnati, but they are intended to give neighborhoods a more flexibility. A key difference of form-based codes is that even people who are not trained planners help put them together. Participants only need to be willing to share their ideas. During the Workshops, citizens will meet with planners, architects and engineers to talk about what they like and want to see -- both in Cincinnati's neighborhoods and on several "special opportunity" sites. The preliminary Workshop focuses on creating a city-wide form-based code that will serve as a framework for the fall workshop, which will focus on four neighborhoods: Westwood, College Hill, Madisonville and Walnut Hills. The estimated completion date is 2013, but feedback and participation from residents and business owners is critical to helping the city implement the program. By Evan Wallis