Rondez Martin, 15 and a Mariemont High School student, recently participated in the Junior Olympics. A Cincinnati Golden Gloves for Youth program student since he was 7-years old, Rondez says he likes boxing  under the supervision of the Golden Gloves coaches, and he likes to be around the people involved in the Golden Gloves program at the Over-the-Rhine gym, 1715 Republic Street, traveling to matches, and meeting other coaches and boxers. 

Christina LaRosa is the Cincinnati Golden Gloves for Youth (CGGY) Executive Director and the granddaughter of LaRosa’s Cincinnati-based pizza chain founder Donald “Buddy” LaRosa, who brought a Golden Gloves program to the city. She is also in-house Counsel for LaRosa’s Inc.

This Golden Gloves program has generated National and World champions, including Cincinnati’s late Aaron “The Hawk” Pryor, who became World Junior Welterweight Champion from 1980 to 1985 and was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 1996. Pryor was voted by the Associated Press as the #1 junior welterweight of the 20th century in 1999. With hundreds of youth passing through CGGY, Christina LaRosa said some of the other boxers also have been good enough to turn pro. Christina, who became executive director of the program in 2018, says she is trying to continue this legacy of her grandfather and her uncle, Michael, who is President of the CGGY Board of Trustees. “Family members have grown up around boxing,” she said.

She said, “Boxing is like a second home or family, where kids can come spend time doing something positive for a few hours a day.” 

The free, after school program is available weekdays.

“We have from 30 to 35 youth participating in the program on a weekday night, including two girls who are now active. However, there are about 150 kids who are active in the program,” Christina said.

CGGY provides at-risk children, adolescents, and young adults with a cost-free opportunity to participate in the sport of competitive Olympic-style youth boxing in a safe, supportive, and positive environment, encouraging development of essential physical, psychological, and social skills and competencies, according to the organization’s website.

“The program includes teaching boxing fundamentals, physical strengthening and developing coordination, as well as how to defend one’s self. Some of the kids we have are at-risk youth, and we have been able to keep them out of trouble, by teaching them about discipline and respect, which are important parts of the program,” Christina added.

The Olympic sport of competitive youth amateur boxing is a uniquely effective outreach tool to engage at-risk children, adolescents, and young adults in a positive activity promoting development of physical, psychological, and social skills, according to the program website.   

CGGY coaches include head coach Rua’shee Warren, a three-time Olympian and winner of two World championships, and five assistant coaches.

“Our amateur boxing programs are open year round (Monday – Friday, 4:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.) to young men and women, ages 8 to 18, at all levels of physical fitness,” Christina said.

It should be noted that amateur boxing provides a safe, fun environment for boxers to train and compete in. Boxers are required to have mouthpieces as well as special safety gear when sparring. The safety gear is designed to absorb impacts rather than transfer them keeping the boxer safe. The physical condition of boxers is evaluated before and after each bout through physicals as well as the referees during bouts. Amateur boxing referees exercise more control in the ring than professional boxing and are constantly evaluating boxers throughout each bout. Amateur boxing ranks as the safest sport among contact sports such as football and wrestling. And according to a National Safety Council accident report, amateur boxing ranked 23rd on its list of injuries, below hockey, gymnastics and skating.

Cincinnati Golden Gloves Board members are  Michael LaRosa, President; John Burns, VP; Janice Neumann, Treasurer; Bill Burwinkel Chair, Governance Committee; Ryan Ernst, Chair, Philanthropic Committee; Candice Tolbert, Chair, Programming Committee; members Mark LaRosa, Steve Caudill, Johnny Burns, Frostee Rucker, Jonah Neuman; Athlete Representatives Peter Frakes Jr.; Javaughn Dula, Geonte Smith, Brandon McKinstry, Camren McKinstry.

Community Partners will likely utilize some of the classroom/office space in the (former) Elmwood Place Elementary School building where CGGY anticipates moving its program when the City of Cincinnati begins demolition of the current boxing gym as part of their Findlay Recreation project. 

Feature Image: A Cincinnati Golden Gloves for Youth boxer spars with an assistant coach. Photo provided by CGGY.

Cincinnati Golden Gloves Olympians:

• Raymond Russell (Munich 1972)
• Tony Tubbs (Moscow 1980)
• Tim Austin (Barcelona 1992) – Bronze Medal
• Larry Donald (Barcelona 1992)
• Gerald Tucker (Atlanta 1996)
• Ricardo Williams Jr (Sidney 2000) – Silver Medal
• Dante Craig (Sidney 2000)
• Ron Siler (Athens 2004)
• Rau’shee Warren (Athens 2004)
• Rau’shee Warren (Beijing 2008)
• Rau’shee Warren (London 2012)
• Duke Ragan (Tokyo 2020) – Silver Medal

NOTE: Rau’shee is the ONLY American boxer to qualify and compete in three Olympics.

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By Julia Mace, UC Foundation

    Benya Coleman, A&S ’26, and Silas Curry, CECH ’27, say that without the support of the Marian Spencer Scholars Program, they would not be enrolled at the University of Cincinnati.

     Minutes away on the UC Health campus, nurse practitioners, therapists, nutritionists and social workers at the UC Gardner Neuroscience Institute improve the lives of patients with ALS and provide multidisciplinary personalized care.

    What these students and patients have in common is they were supported by donors to Next, Now: The Campaign for Cincinnati. The University of Cincinnati Foundation’s fundraising campaign for UC and UC Health officially ended in June, having raised $2.19 billion in overall donor support.

    The campaign was launched publicly in 2019 in conjunction with the university’s Bicentennial year.

Scholarships transform lives: Campaign donors provided paths to student success by creating 793 new scholarship and fellowship funds during the life of Next, Now. This includes the Marian Spencer Scholars, a program that provides 10 Cincinnati Public School graduates a year with full UC tuition, room and board, and additional resources and experiences. The program is in its third year, and there are currently 30 Spencer Scholars.

    “I would not have been in college without the scholarship,” Coleman says. “I’m able to become a doctor, which is my dream career. I am beyond thankful, and I hope in the future I can do something like this for someone else.”

     During the campaign, the university received the largest donation to scholarships in its 200-plus-year history from the estate of Hugh H. Hoffman, MBA ’63. Hoffman’s $56 million estate gift created the Hoffman Honors Scholars program across three undergraduate colleges and will also provide support for UC student-athletes. The inaugural cohort of 12 Hoffman Honors Scholars will begin in the 2024-2025 academic year.

During the life of the Next, Now campaign, 37,287 unique donors contributed to scholarship funds at UC.

Hoffman estate supports UC Gardner Neuroscience Institute ALS patients.

    The Hoffman estate also gave $13.5 million that will revolutionize research and patient care related to amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) at the ALS Multidisciplinary Clinic at the UC Gardner Neuroscience Institute.

    This gift will impact nearly 200 patients in the Tri-State region each year. Since the UC Gardner Neuroscience Institute opened its standalone outpatient facility in 2019, clinicians have provided care for more than 80,000 patients across 1,800 United States zip codes.

    “ALS care at UC continues to grow in scope of care and research opportunities,” says Robert Neel, MD ’00, a specialist in ALS and autoimmune neuromuscular disorders and director of the ALS Multidisciplinary Clinic. “The Hoffman gift has opened new research doors already, and we have recently hired our dietician and counselor to help with care. Both are scheduling patients. I have never been so excited to be in this field.”

     Evolving student and patient spaces: UC’s campus has transformed since the Next, Now launch. The College of Allied Health Sciences, Carl H. Lindner College of Business and College of Law have new student-focused spaces and buildings. The list of new facilities includes Clifton Court Hall, the university’s largest classroom building, serving the College of Arts and Sciences.

    Donors also supported new facilities, patient care initiatives and research at UC Health, Greater Cincinnati’s academic health care system. Philanthropic investments allowed for the construction of the UC Gardner Neuroscience Institute’s new outpatient facility as well as renovation of the inpatient Neuroscience ICU and construction of a new state-of-the-art emergency department at UC Medical Center.

     The new University of Cincinnati Cancer Center Blood Cancer Healing Center, also powered by philanthropy, hosts 30 inpatient beds, outpatient clinics, 24-hour symptom support, infusion therapies, stem cell and cellular therapies and 40-plus clinical trials.

     Faculty research and scholarly innovation: Through the campaign, donors invested in research, innovation and the work of UC faculty members. This includes creating 33 new chairs and professorships to recruit and retain faculty excellence; 29 of these positions were endowed.

    Other gifts expanded new lines of research into areas like cancer treatment. A collaboration between BSI Engineering and the nonprofit GIVEHOPE created a pilot grant program for research at the University of Cincinnati Cancer Center. These pilot research grants, awarded annually to investigators studying the causes, disease path and treatment for pancreatic cancer, are now a key pipeline for early-stage research that can lead to national funding and clinical trials.

    This philanthropic partnership has made it possible for nine faculty researchers to launch 18 new studies into the causes and treatments of cancer.

     A new era for UC Athletics: Donors propelled UC Athletics forward at the start of the campaign by funding renovations at Nippert Stadium and Fifth Third Arena. The Day One Ready campaign supported UC’s more than 450 student-athletes as part of the university’s move to the Big 12.

    UC Athletics celebrated the largest gift in its history from Larry and Rhonda Sheakley, spearheading the multimillion-dollar Indoor Practice Facility and Performance Center. This facility will feature a 120-yard field, nutrition station, weight room and sports medicine offices, among other amenities. It will be the permanent, all-weather home for UC football to train year-round, and a versatile practice facility for other UC sports.

    The upgraded men’s and women’s basketball team facilities at Fifth Third Arena, including locker room enhancements, were funded entirely by donors.

     The generosity of Bearcat supporters established student-wellness initiatives involving access to mental health services and additional registered dieticians.

     Donors supporting the Women’s Excellence Fund immediately impacted female student-athletes by increasing each team’s nutrition budget, recovery tools, special equipment and facilities.

    Additional campaign facts:

• 165,378 donors gave to the campaign.
• Donors were from all 50 states, Washington, D.C., and 49 countries.
• 92.3% of gifts were under $1,000.

    The Foundation’s previous campaign, Proudly Cincinnati, raised $1.1 billion by its June 30, 2013, close.

    Neville G. Pinto, President, University of Cincinnati, said: “Our Bearcat family of donors and alumni has made a vast impact by supporting our students through scholarships, soaring new spaces, and life-altering opportunities for our student-athletes. This benevolent partnership has positioned us as we embark on the next 200 years of UC greatness.”

    O. Richard Bundy, III, President, University of Cincinnati Foundation: “Our donors have demonstrated a commitment to excellence, ensuring that no one has to leave Cincinnati to receive the best possible education or world-class health care. Their generosity has allowed us to break through to the next level in academics, athletics, research, technology, innovation and culture.”

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Contributed by   

Public Library

The Cincinnati & Hamilton County Public Library opened the new Mt. Healthy Branch after renovating a 10,000-square-foot CVS building. The opening celebration on Nov. 2 provided guests with activities, CHPL Swag giveaways, and refreshments to celebrate the $6.3 million building as part of the Library’s Facility Master Plan. 

Saturday began with an opening ceremony and ribbon-cutting, where Eva Jane Romaine Coombe Director Paula Brehm-Heeger, Vice President of the Library’s Board of Trustees Christopher Harding, Mayor Jennifer Moody of Mt. Healthy, Hamilton County Commissioner Alicia Reece, and Mt. Healthy Branch Manager Lacey Wehrle gave remarks about the Mt. Healthy Branch’s opening.  

“The current branch has been serving the Mt. Healthy community for 73 years. That’s many years of special memories. Now, with the beautiful new Mt. Healthy Branch, we’re excited to continue this history and reaffirm our commitment to this community,” said Eva Jane Romaine Coombe Director Paula Brehm-Heeger. “Built as part of our Facility Master Plan implementation, this new Mt. Healthy Branch was designed to be a place where the entire Mt. Healthy community can gather, learn, explore, and more.” 

More than 1,000 guests took part in Saturday’s festivities exploring the library branch. The new building features more interior space, improved accessibility, expanded parking, a drive-thru, a meeting room, and study pods. The building also includes a family-friendly kids space with play equipment, a communal space for teens, and comfortable spaces for reading and gathering. 

The new library is one block from the previous storefront location. Learn more about the project at: https://chpl.org/next-generation/mt-healthy/.

The Facility Master Plan is guiding our multiyear improvement project called Building the Next Generation Library and was made possible through the generous support of Hamilton County as a result of the 1 mill levy that passed in May 2018. 

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By Jaelynn Mitchell

Photos by Michael Mitchell

On November 2, fans gathered at Cincinnati’s Hard Rock Casino for an unforgettable evening of music and entertainment, as The Jacksons delivered a powerhouse performance celebrating their iconic hits, family legacy, and the extraordinary moments that shaped their journey. With a setlist spanning the heights of their chart-topping career, the concert was filled with both electric energy and moving tributes.

The show opened with a touching tribute to Tito Jackson, who had recently passed away in September. His guitar, jacket, and signature bowler hat took the spotlight on the stage at the beginning of the show. The group then kicked things off with a bang as the crowd immediately danced to the iconic beat of “Can You Feel It,” setting the tone for a night that paid homage to the magic the Jacksons bring to music. Original member of The Jackson 5 and The Jacksons, Marlon Jackson, warmly welcomed the audience to the world of the Jackson family with his brother, Jackie, and nephew Taryll, who is the son of the late Tito Jackson.

An interlude gave fans a rare, intimate glimpse of the Jacksons’ early life through a special video montage. In the video, family members, Katherine and Joe Jackson appeared alongside music industry legend Berry Gordy, each recounting memories of the Jacksons’ beginnings. A highlight was hearing Jackie, Tito, Jermaine and Marlon share stories from their old bedroom, a setting where their dreams began. Marlon, on stage, expanded on these stories, recalling how their journey started with a simple family moment—when a broken television led to them singing a song for their mother. Katherine’s recognition for their talent, and Joe’s eventual acknowledgment after seeing them perform, marked the start of rigorous rehearsals that would eventually see them touring small venues to make a name for themselves.

Marlon described one performance at a retirement home that left a lasting impact on the group when an elderly woman asked the brothers the name of their group. On learning they hadn’t chosen one, she suggested that they call themselves “The Jackson 5.” This moment solidified their identity as a family band on the brink of stardom. The show then segued into a thrilling Jackson 5 medley with renditions of “I Want You Back,” “ABC,” “The Love You Save,” and “Dancing Machine.” A performance of “Never Can Say Goodbye” by backup singer Haydon Eshon and Taryll Jackson took the stage next with a heartfelt performance of “I’ll Be There,” a nostalgic and emotional tribute to his father.

The night took on a somber tone as Marlon spoke about the significance of September 10, a date forever etched in the family’s history. He explained how their last concert with their brother, Michael, was on September 10, 2001, and their final show with Tito had been on September 10, 2024. As the screens displayed a touching slideshow honoring Michael, Joseph, and Tito, the song “Gone Too Soon” by Michael Jackson played softly in the background, prompting the audience to reflect on the legacies of these three.

Taryll then performed Tito’s song, “Love One Another,” in a powerful homage to his father, followed by Marlon and Jackie’s rendition of “Can’t Let Her Get Away,” an MJ track from the album Dangerous. For the grand finale, The Jacksons brought the house down with an exhilarating performance of “This Place Hotel: AKA Heartbreak Hotel,” followed by “Shake Your Body (Down To The Ground),” which had the entire audience dancing and singing along.

Over 70 people attended a meet and greet for the brothers after the show, including Ms. Renee Sudderth from Atlanta, who purchased a prized $500 guitar signed by the group.

The Jacksons’ concert was not just a trip down memory lane—it was a reminder of the enduring bond of family and the lasting impact of their music. For fans, it was a night filled with both joy and bittersweet memories, a night that honored the loved ones who passed while celebrating the present.

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By Erica Garrett

Collective Empowerment Group

Program Manager

On Friday, October 25. The Collective Empowerment Group (CEG) of Metro Cincinnati presented its 2024 Business Excellence Awards Green & Gala and Fundraiser. This year was a memorable and exquisite showstopper! The room was filled with bright and vibrant faith-based leaders, business owners, and community partners who were excited to celebrate excellence around this year’s theme, “Evolve & Thrive.” As promised, it was such an exciting event that was hosted by two Award Winning MCs Courtis Fuller and Michelle Hopkins. We are incredibly grateful to Fifth Third Bank as they returned as this year’s Title Investment Sponsor and for the second year, our Title Corporate Sponsor was First Financial Bank. Additional Sponsors included Union Savings Bank, Guardian Savings Bank, and Clearview Construction. Hamilton County Commission President Alicia Reece, Vice Mayor Jan-Michelle Lemon Kearney, and Sen. Nina Turner joined the stage and rallied our guests as this is a critical election year.    

Entertainment was provided by P Ann Entertainment with P Ann Everson Price and Friends which included the All-Star Band TRIO WITH David, Stewart, Carleton Tolliver and Steven Williams. The event opener showcased several of Cincinnati’s finest vocalists who absolutely “nailed it.” 

“We are grateful to all who came to show their support as together, we embrace our ever-changing landscape and continue to flourish,” said CEG President Dr. Paul Booth Jr.

It was an evening of highlights that included, our Top 10 Businesses of the Year and for the first time, two CEG Member Churches of the Year; New Mission Missionary Baptist Church — Pastor Tracy Ventus and Union Baptist Church Rev. Dr. Orlando B. Yates.

This year we also introduced two brand-new Legacy Awards for two very impactful CEG leaders who recently passed. The inaugural recipients for each award included Cynthia Booth for the Pastor Eugene Ellington Legacy Award and Kathye Lewis Norman for the Dhana Donaldson Legacy Award. Both exemplify the qualities to build a track record of achievement and impact that reflects a brilliant intellect, commitment to excellence, dedication to African American culture, and connections for effective partnership. Presentations were supported by out-of-town family and friends who were excited to witness both honorees.

Live dancing performances included David Choate of Revolution Dance Theatre and Kathye Lewis Norman of Lets Dance Academy. The event continued to fill the room with surprises as we all took part in a tribute to love, as CEG is an organization that marries both churches and businesses together, with the Ultimate Merger and Celebration of love for the recent nuptials CEG’s President Dr. Paul Booth Jr. and First Lady Jarvis Booth with an incredible song tribute sung by Jessica Lynne Moon, Lead Singer for the All-Star Band Trio. A special gift was provided by JC Battle & Sons to the longest-married couple in attendance, Pastor Emeritus Damon Lynch Jr. and First Lady Barbara Lynch who will enjoy a ride in the Classic Beauty, vintage limo for a special occasion.

Thank you to our Honorary Chair, Kala Gibson Executive Vice President of Fifth Third Bank who provided his time, and financial support and led the charge with powerful remarks to encourage faith-based leaders and business owners to continue to Evolve and Thrive as they impact the community around us and beyond.

2024 Top 10 Business Awardees

Tier 1: Congratulations to CEG’s Tier 1, Top Business Awardees of the Year. Who had a combined total in revenue of $17,730,393 for 2022 and 2023! Angelita Jones — CEO Eastern Personnel Services, Sheila Holmes Howard, SHH Realty Group LLC, Ownerland Realty, Chuck Futel — Chuck Futel and Associates, Jeremy Sibert — Clearview Construction.

Tier 2: Congratulations to our Tier 2 Awardees who had a combined total revenue of $3,889,838 for 2022 and 2023! Tony Dickerson- Goodies, Fred Harrison — Fresh Coat Painters of Cincinnati East, Steven Easley- Easley Blessed Media,

Tier 3: Congratulations to our Tier 3 Awardees who had a combined total revenue of $1,700,812 for 2022 and 2023! Crystal Render — Magnificent Morsels Catering, Simone Charles — Social B. & Co. Hospitality Group, Christina Davis — Davis Cookie Collection.

This year, all of our CEG Award Recipients have a combined total of $23,321,043

Special Thank You’s: CEG’s Program Manager and Event Director Erica Garrett, CEG Board of Directors, P Ann Everson Price, Steven Easley of Easley Blessed, First Lady Jarvis Booth, Shawnise Lewis, Aretha Chapman, Social B. & Co. Hospitality Group, Chuck Futel, CEG Ambassadors: Annette I. Bell, Brittany DeBruce, Tom Jefferson, Candace Johnson, Alam Veal, Rita Grant, Denise Kelley, Robin Robinson Naomi White, Video Participants; Devoe Sherman, Jessica Shely, Lauren Vinson, Lawarence Cain Jr.

JC Battle & Sons: Provided the Classic Beauty Vintage Limo ride and The Dhana Donaldson Tapestry to the Award Recipient

CEG would like to share the updated version of Sheila Holmes Howard’s updated BIO as a Tier 1 Top Business Award Recipient and apologize for the errors that were made in our Program Book. “I joined The Collective Empowerment Group, Cincinnati Chapter in 2017 as a Strategic Partner Business member, and before I knew it, I was the co-chair of the Strategic Partner Committee for 6 years, and not long after that, I was a Board member of CEG for 3 years! As a co-chair, the duties were to grow the business membership with qualified and vetted businesses, host networking and speaker events throughout the year, and assist the members with references and tools to uplift their business. CEG also has a phenomenal faith-based membership, and the Strategic Partners collaborate and partner with them as well. I have been blessed with assisting many CEG members and their families achieve their real estate dreams and working with other Strategic Partners businesses.” Sheila Holmes Howard, SHH Realty Group LLC, OWNERLAND REALTY

Day of Coordinator: Epiphany Davis of “Have an Epiphany”

Photography: Pete Coleman

Audio Visual: Blessed: Social Butterly

Floral Décor: Blossoms Florists

Balloons: Haute Ballons

David Choate: Revolution Dance Theatre

Lets Dance Academy

Collective Empowerment Group is a nonprofit, ministry, and marketplace organization that provides opportunities and programming for Community Development and Economic Empowerment to Business and Churches in our city.

Interested in joining: visit our website www.cegcincinnati.org.

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By Michelle Otten Guenther,

CEO

Queen City Book Bank

The Queen City Book Bank (QCBB) was excited to host a community-wide Book Giveaway Day on Tuesday, October 22. Doors were open from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., welcoming visitors and distributing a total of 4,255 books to community partners, families, children and teachers. Thanks to numerous generous book drives and donations throughout the year, QCBB can distribute these wonderful books to those who need them most — children and families in our city.

CEO of Queen City Book Bank, Michelle Otten Guenther shared, “I am incredibly grateful to all our many volunteers who make this day possible! QCBB is truly about the community showing up to prioritize literacy. We are incredibly lucky to have so many friends and supporters who share in our mission.”

Local author, Chuck Aardema, joined in the fun signing and donating copies of his book, “In My World,” to visitors. There were even surprise guests from the University of Cincinnati Women’s Basketball Team. These athletes worked alongside elementary students from Stacey Jones’ middle school class, volunteering and enjoying story time with them.

Jones shared, “Today we visited one of my favorite places in Cincinnati and my students got the chance to make their mark on literacy. We had a wonderful time at the QCBB touring the facility, learning about their important mission, and most importantly, how we can help. We also had the honor of meeting members of the UC Women’s Basketball Team. They were awesome and even autographed my students’ copies of the book they read to us.”

About the Queen City Book Bank:

Queen City Book Bank works in tandem with the community to champion the development of literacy through tutoring, little free libraries, literacy outreach and guaranteeing book access for our neighbors. The QCBB program will provide 10 new books annually to more than 30,000 under-resourced elementary students in the Greater Cincinnati area.

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Dot Christenson

Project Chair

Charter Committee of Gr. Cincinnati

One hundred years ago Cincinnati citizens rose up against political corruption and amended the City Charter to adopt a Council/City Manager form of government. The new 1924 Charter replaced a patronage and spoils system with a professional city manager, competitive bidding for city contracts, a civil service system instead of bribery and nepotism, candidate selection by petition, and proportional representation voting.  The result was dramatic: balanced representation on City Council, Council control of the budget, elimination of previously required city employee kickbacks, and bribery for contracts. Cincinnati went from its national reputation as the worst managed city in the country to the best managed over the next decade.

Thanks to the new proportional representation (now called Ranked choice voting), the first African American, Frank A.B. Hall, was elected to Council in 1931. By 1935 the first woman was elected. Since 1924, 27 minority members have served on Council and five have been Mayor: Theodore Berry, Ken Blackwell, Dwight Tillery, Mark Mallory and Aftab Pureval.

The 1924 Charter has been amended many times. In the 1990’s, the Council candidate who received the most votes became mayor. Later, mayor and Council terms increased from two to four year terms, and a separate election of the mayor was established. Recently Council terms were reduced back to two years.

The Charter Committee of Greater Cincinnati has been celebrating the Century of Charter Government with a series of programs to review Cincinnati’s unique story and increase awareness of the need for citizen participation. The kick-off event was earlier at the Cincinnati Type and Print Museum, 2703 W. 8^th Street. Exhibits there show significant aspects of the history of the present Charter. 

Remaining programs are:

October 15,  Roxanne Qualls, Women and Change

7 p.m. Woman’s City Club, Mt. Auburn Presbyterian Church, 103 Taft Road.

November 16, Dan Hurley, The Cincinnati Story

10 a.m. Cincinnati Hamilton County Public Library, 800 Vine Street

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Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden’s much-anticipated Harry and Linda Fath Elephant Trek opened to the public on October 1.

“Linda and I couldn’t be more thrilled to see the elephant herd thriving in their new space,” said Harry Fath, whose generous lead donation made Elephant Trek possible. “It’s important to us that future generations get the chance to see and be inspired by these amazing creatures. The work that Cincinnati Zoo does to care for elephants here and in Asia is something that we are proud to support. In short, our motivation for this gift was to give a gift to the citizens of Greater Cincinnati.”

The herd that will call Elephant Trek home includes bull elephant Sabu, females Anuk, SheRa, Jati, Mai Thai, and Schottzie, and two young males, Kabir and Sanjay.  

Visitors will be transported into a different world as soon as they enter Elephant Trek through the Komminsk Asian Waterfall Garden. The Asian-themed landscaping throughout the habitat was designed to mimic the natural environment found in the forests of Southeast Asia and includes plants that grow there and others that are native to the Cincinnati area, such as Catalpa, but resemble those found across the world. A large variety of elephant ears plants are on display.

“The idea was to create a forested habitat that followed the streams to the open grasslands where the elephants would be grazing by the watering hole,” said Cincinnati Zoo’s director of horticulture Steve Foltz.

Food options include the new Trunk Stop, Mai Thai’s Market, and The Grove Food Court

According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Speciee, Asian elephants are listed as Endangered in their native range across southern and southeastern Asia. Elephant populations are in decline due to various factors including habitat loss/degradation and poaching. The International Elephant Foundation (IEF) estimates there are 40,000-50,000 Asian elephants remaining

Cincinnati Zoo is committed to protecting Asian elephants in the wild and is a leader in the Association of Zoos and Aquariums’ Saving Animals From Extinction (AZA SAFE) Asian Elephant Program, an AZA initiative to leverage collective expertise to protect species’ future. Phase 2 of Elephant Trek will open in the spring of 2025 and will include habitats for siamangs, babirusa, rhinoceros hornbills, and small-clawed otters.

You pay more than $10 less per ticket, on select days, when you purchase tickets online! That’s a $40 savings for a family 

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The Urban League of Greater Southwestern Ohio (ULGSO) hosted its high energy Annual Diamond Gala in early September at the Sharonville Convention Center. 

The evening kicked off with a high-energy performance featuring Soul, Motown, R&B and Funk from Cincinnati’s own, Soul Pocket featuring Dee Marie, Yolanda Colvin, and Ingrid Rachel. Guests enjoyed dinner and dessert by the bite provided by ten of Cincinnati’s favorite Black restauranters and caterers. 

This year’s headliner was the legendary, genre-defining producer, DJ and hip-hop artist, Mannie Fresh. Starting out as one of the best DJs in New Orleans, Mannie Fresh evolved into a multi-platinum, Grammy-nominated powerhouse. He has been pivotal in creating hits for acclaimed artists such as UGK, Trina, Gucci Mane, and The Notorious B.I.G. 

This party with a purpose was an opportunity to celebrate the life-changing work of the Urban League and to support its mission to end generational poverty through programs focused on financial empowerment, workforce development, entrepreneurship, leadership engagement and advocacy. 

“Our recently released, “State of Black Cincinnati” report clearly illustrated that we still have a long way to go to impact generational poverty in our community,” said Urban League President and CEO, Christie Kuhns. “The programs of the League are uniquely designed to disrupt the cycle of poverty by providing people with the training, mentoring, and support necessary to be successful both personally and professionally. The gala is an opportunity to celebrate and share the stories of those whose lives have been positively changed because of our programs and it’s also our biggest fundraiser of the year.” 

The League’s Gala made a triumphant return last year after postponement due to Covid in time to celebrate the organization’s 75th anniversary. 

The Urban League of Greater Southwestern Ohio is on a mission to end generational poverty through programs focused on financial empowerment, workforce development, entrepreneurship advancement, leadership engagement and advocacy. To learn more, visit www.ulgso.org.

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Cincinnati Public Schools (CPS) held a dedication and ribbon-cutting ceremony for Dr. O’dell Owens Center for Learning, honoring the school’s namesake. 

The September 12 event was at the school at Alms Place, in Walnut Hills, replacing the Lighthouse School.

The new learning center will serve students with disabilities, CPS said.

Owens was a pioneer in medicine. He established the University of Cincinnati’s in vitro fertilization program and achieved Cincinnati’s first successful conception and delivery, as well as the first pregnancy from a frozen embryo.

Owens went on to serve as the Hamilton County coroner, president of Cincinnati State University and interim health commissioner.

Owens died in November of 2022 at the age of 74.

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