This podcast is about you: The Cincinnatian. Let The Enquirer’s Beryl Love and guest hosts make the complicated local issues affecting your daily life easy to understand – and have some fun in the process. Our guest list is a who’s who of Greater Cincinnati, and we celebrate the quirky awesomeness that defines this place we call home. Why? Because that’s SO Cincinnati.
S2 Ep30: Rob Portman talks Trump, Dr. Fauci, donating salary and helping Ohio companies fight coronavirus
Apr 02, 2020
Show notes
U.S. Sen. Rob Portman hasn't been holding daily press conferences to update Ohioans on the novel coronavirus, but the Greater Cincinnati Republican has been doing critical work to help fight the pandemic. Portman has President Trump's ear, a relationship that's helped major Ohio companies quickly clear bureaucratic hurdles in efforts to make and receive critical products to combat the novel coronavirus, both locally and nationwide. Among the companies Portman is helping: Procter & Gamble, Cardinal Health and GOJO Industries (maker of Purell hand sanitizer). Does Trump and his administration return Portman's calls if he'd have voted against the president on impeachment a few months ago? It's question Portman was as a guest his week on The Enquirer's That's So Cincinnati podcast. Here's a look at some of the topics Portman discussed on the podcast: Phone call with Trump
Portman said he talked on the phone with President Trump on Wednesday, in part, about helping Central Ohio-based Cardinal Health to receive federal approval of the companies donation of the 2 million hospital gowns to the national stockpile of personal protective equipment. In his afternoon press conference that day, Trump praised Portman for working with the administration on behalf of Cardinal Health. Asked whether that happens if Portman had voted to impeach the president, Ohio's junior senator said: "There’s no question it’s useful to have a constructive working relationship with the administration. On the impeachment thing, I didn’t think the issue rose to that level of high crimes. I didn’t think the American people should be told, ‘This guy’s out of here. You don’t have a chance to vote for him one way or the other', because we were in the middle of an election – and still are. I just don’t think in that case, it was the right thing to do." Portman added: "But if I had gone the other way, it’d be very hard to have the kind of relationship you want to have. You try to be constructive and you try to be respectful. You kind of choose your battles. My job is to represent Ohio and get things done. It’s not to give speeches and get on cable TV and throw out the red meat. That's not the job you’re hired to do as an elected official." Respect for Dr. Fauci
Portman had been regularly attending Dr. Anthony Fauci's briefings on the coronavirus while the Senate was in session. Portman had a chance to talk with the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases after one of the sessions. "I went up to him afterwards and said, ‘You know, I’m praying for you,' " Portman said. "He kind of looked at me. I don’t think he’d heard that from many people. I said, ‘Because you’re so re-assuring. You are so capable with your experience and your knowledge and your style.' He’s just calm. He gives you a sense of confidence. ... He made the point to me early on, ‘Rob, we gotta have the ability to know what’s going on by having more testing.' " Helping P&G
Portman has been in contact with Procter & Gamble CEO David Taylor. They've talked about what role the Cincinnati-based company can play in manufacturing products to help fight the virus. The company is making and donating face masks. Said Portman: "Procter & Gamble is making some hand sanitizer in Ohio, their Lima plant. They’re also looking at other ways to help. I’m not sure they’ve announced it yet. I think they’d like to look at everything – ventilators, face masks. They just want to be sure they’re able to produce it and produce it in volumes and make sure it’s something that’s needed. So they’re looking partly to people like me to help find out from the feds what are the priorities here." Donating $29,000
Portman is donating his Senate paychecks in April and May to five organizations across Ohio that are helping with coronavirus relief. His annual salary is $174,000, meaning he's giving up $29,000. "It’s a token amount," Portman said. "I just wanted to do something small to help. Mostly, I did because I was starting to hear from people, including friends of mine, who have lost their jobs. A lot of people are suffering right now, and I’m in a position to be able to do it." Find out more about Portman's role in fighting coronavirus and how he's personally handling by clicking the Audioboom link at the top to listen to the full That's So Cincinnati episode for free. You can also subscribe and listen for free on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and most other listening platforms. Portman's interview begins at the 28:30 mark of the episode.
S2 Ep29: That's So Cincinnati: Gov. DeWine on his phone call with Trump, lessons from Haiti, looking back on election decision
Mar 26, 2020
Show notes
Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine and two of his granddaughters were walking into a Columbus pub to grab a carryout meal on St. Patrick's Day – and what would've been Ohio's primary Election Day – when his cellphone rang. It was President Trump calling. In an interview with The Enquirer's That's So Cincinnati podcast, DeWine said the president called to discuss the governor's decision to delay the election amid the coronavirus crisis. Did he agree with your decision? "Well ..." DeWine paused and chuckled. The governor then added: "The day before, somebody asked him about the election, and he had made some comment. And then the next day, he said something that was very favorable about me, so I think that's why he called me. It was a relatively short call." Indeed, Trump praised DeWine in comments the president made on March 17, saying the governor is "doing a great job" and is "definitely somebody who knows what he is doing." On March 16, just hours before Election Day, DeWine's administration called for the polls to be closed due to a health emergency. It was a chaotic day for the governor and all of Ohio, confusion DeWine now wishes he would've avoided. "Look, if I had it do over again, I would've done it earlier," DeWine said of deciding to delay the primary. "It was the right decision. Just didn't reach that decision, frankly, until that (March 16) morning." In a rare interview outside of his daily coronavirus press conferences, DeWine also discussed how he's drawn upon experiences from his personal life to help guide his decisions the past few weeks. In particular, Gov. DeWine has reflected the mission work he and his family have been doing in Haiti since the mid-1980s. "Where we've learned about public health is in Haiti," DeWine said. "We saw a lot of public health issues. When AIDS didn't really have a cure, we met Paul Farmer down in Haiti – who remains a friend and someone who we learned a lot (from) in regard to pubic health. All those things were important." Dr. Farmer is a United Nations special adviser who's spent several years working on public health issues in Haiti. What does DeWine think about the bipartisan praise he's received from top Ohio Democrats? What advice has his wife of 52 years given him during the crisis? And how much longer does DeWine think we're going to have to stay home? Find out the answers and much more from Gov. DeWine's chat on That's So Cincinnati. DeWine's interview begins at the 18:42 mark in the episode.
S2 Ep28: That's So Cincinnati: Cranley's crisis experience, 'media-induced panic,' delayed election, covering coronavirus
Mar 20, 2020
Show notes
Leading in a time of crisis is nothing new for John Cranley. The Cincinnati mayor told The Enquirer's That's So Cincinnati podcast that he's reflected on his experience of helping the city through the 2001 riots while leading the city's response to the new coronavirus. Cranley was a member of city council in 2001, when civil unrest occurred after an unarmed black man was shot and killed by a police officer during an arrest attempt. Logistically, the experiences were similar – daily press conferences to keep citizens informed, long meetings with leaders to monitor the situation and helping residents not to panic. "Literally days on end I would spend with Mayor (Charlie) Luken in the mayor's office," Cranley said. "It was a similar mindset that we're going through now. It was incredibly stressful and people were scared." He later added: "There is something to be said for experience." Also on this week's episode, Enquirer Executive Editor Beryl Love takes listeners behind the scenes to discuss what it's like to lead a large news organization during the time of a huge news story. Love addresses the positive feedback from readers, and provides insight into how he responds to what some people are calling a "media-induced panic." That's So Cincinnati cohosts Jason Williams and Sharon Coolidge discuss the fallout from a delayed election and what's next for figuring out when Ohioans can cast their votes.
S2 Ep27: That's So Cincinnati: Primary preview, Betsy Sundermann on the West Side, working with City Council colleagues
Mar 11, 2020
Show notes
Cincinnati's heavily populated West Side finally has a representative on Cincinnati City Council, and Betsy Sundermann has a message for Westwood and the Price Hill neighborhoods: "I'm listening to you," the Republican said on The Enquirer's That's So Cincinnati podcast this week. Sundermann was appointed to council last week to replace Amy Murray, who left for a job in the Trump administration. She's the first West Side resident to hold a seat on council since 2009, when then-West Price Hill resident Greg Harris was on council. East Price Hill's Sundermann has already started to take an in-depth look to see how City Hall treats the West Side. She has asked the administration to provide data on citywide economic development projects to see if the West Side is getting its fair share of funding. "Every time I talk to community councils, they always say, 'No one's listening to us at City Hall. They only listen to the East Side and Downtown,' " Sundermann said. "Now I can go and say, 'I'm listening to you! Tell me all of your problems.' " Sundermann also talked about helping to restore civility on a council that's been plagued by infighting and scandal. "I don't have any preconceived notions about anyone," Sundermann said. "I'm not going into this hating anyone. Everyone's telling me what I should think about people, but I'm going to make my own decisions." She added: "I'm going to try my best to get along with people. That doesn't mean that I'm going to vote for what they want me to vote for. But I'm going to be respectful and I will calmly negotiate things with people are who willing to do that with me." Find out more about Sundermann by listening to her in-depth chat for free on That's So Cincinnati. Click the Audioboom link at the top to listen here or go to Apple Podcasts, iHeart Radio, Spotify and other listening platforms.
S2 Ep26: That's So Cincinnati: Overhauling City Hall, COAST's Curt Hartman, Dem council contenders, road ahead for Tamaya Dennard
Mar 04, 2020
Show notes
The "R" word has been mentioned a lot in Cincinnati politics the past week: Reform. Should Cincinnati voters implement a recall provision in the city charter? Should City Council have a mandated attendance policy? Should each City Council members' $65,000-a-year salary be cut? Should city law be changed on how open council seats are filled? Few people know city law better than COAST attorney and Republican Hamilton County Common Pleas Judge candidate Curt Hartman, who joins That's So Cincinnati podcast this week to address all these questions and more in the wake of the Tamaya Dennard scandal. Enquirer Opinion Editor Kevin Aldridge pinch hits as a co-host alongside political columnist Jason Williams, and they discuss the top contenders to replace Dennard on council. Also, there was another special guest this week. You'll have to listen to find out who it was.
S2 Ep25: That's So Cincinnati: Dennard's possible replacement; all you need to know about Issue 7
Feb 27, 2020
Show notes
Democrats could have an open seat on Cincinnati City Council soon, with the possibility of Tamaya Dennard either resigning or being removed from office amid legal troubles. Who could be in line to fill the seat? Cincinnati.com City Hall reporter Sharon Coolidge and political columnist Jason Williams broke down potential candidates on their That's So Cincinnati podcast this week. Here are some of the potential candidates they talked about: Ryan DuPree: She's executive director of Walnut Hills-based Christ Emmanuel Christian Fellowship, where her parents – Bishop Michael Dantley and Pastor Carol Dantley – have led the congregation for decades. Bishop Dantley has been a supporter of Mayor John Cranley, who once attempted to hire Dupree to work on the mayor's staff. Dupree has never run for public office before, but she is widely liked by establishment and progressive Democrats. She sits on the board of the Community Action Agency, and her work and relationships have helped her gain a strong understanding of city issues. Dupree would bring a fresh perspective to City Hall, and there's a good chance she'd be the front-runner for the seat. Lesley Jones: The Mount Airy pastor is one of the city's leaders fighting for racial healing. Jones was an endorsed Democrat in the 2017 council race, her first attempt at political office. She finished 12th in a field race where the top nine win a seat. Alicia Reece: The one-time Cincinnati vice mayor and state lawmaker is currently running for Todd Portune's former seat on the Hamilton County Board of Commissioners. That blockbuster local primary between the Roselanwn resident and former state lawmaker Connie Pillich is a toss-up, and Reece's strong base of city Democratic support could lift her to victory. But if she loses, Reece will likely have party leaders pushing for her to get the seat. Sedrick Denson: The former City Hall aide to Councilman Wendell Young, Denson is in his first term as a state representative. He lives in Springfield Township, so he would have to move back into the city. Ozie Davis: The popular Avondale resident is well known in city politics. He recently sat on the Cincinnati Public Schools board, but lost his bid to keep the seat as a write-in candidate last fall. Davis was an endorsed Democrat for council in 2017, when he finished 11th in his first political race. Also on this week's episode: SORTA board member and Cincinnati USA Regional Chamber executive Brendon Cull talks in-depth about the Issue 7 transportation levy that'll be on the March ballot in Hamilton County.
S2 Ep24: A Keating and a coffee shop owner: Looking at 5 Republicans vying for big local seat
Feb 19, 2020
Show notes
No one knows Cincinnati politics better than Pete Witte, who some jokingly call the "Mayor of the West Side." The West Price Hill resident and small business owner is plugged in with both Republicans and Democrats and he offers his insight and analysis on That's So Cincinnati about:
The candidates to replace Republican Amy Murray on Cincinnati City Council
Who he thinks should be the front-runner for Murray's seat
The lack of West Side representation at City Hall
John Cranley's run for governor in 2022
Plus, co-hosts Jason Williams and Sharon Coolidge offer their take on Murray's seat and Cranley's chances of winning statewide.
S2 Ep23: That's So Cincinnati: Mann's mayoral flirtation, original 'Gang of Five,' Amy Murray tribute
Feb 12, 2020
Show notes
David Mann sure sounds like he's going to run for Cincinnati mayor. But the city councilman isn't quite ready to go all in just yet. "My wife and I are having a lot of conversations, and I'm talking to other people," Mann said on The Enquirer's That's So Cincinnati podcast this week. "There seems to be some interest (from the community), and I'm continuing to look at it very actively." Asked about a timetable for when he'll decided, the Clifton Democrat said: "If I'm going to think about it, I've got to start raising money. That's something I'm going to initiate soon. That's not an announcement. That kind of is a step in the process." Mann, 80, talked more in-depth about why he wants to make another run at the mayor's seat, which he's held twice in his long career in public service. He also talked about:
His vision for the future of Cincinnati
Definition of "progressive"
Current state of City Hall
Working with council's original "Gang of Five" in the 1980s
S2 Ep22: That's So Cincinnati: 'Mad Hitchhiker,' calling ICE, scuba diving in the Ohio River
Feb 05, 2020
Show notes
Some say long-time Hamilton County trial Judge Robert Ruehlman is controversial. There's no doubt he's tough – and can be tough-talking from the bench. Ruehlman has been in the news a lot in the past year, notably for his public lambasting of Cincinnati City Council's so-called "Gang of Five" Democrats and for not hesitating to call ICE on suspected illegal immigrants. But there's also a human side to the West Side Republican. He showed that in an in-depth interview this week on The Enquirer's That's So Cincinnati podcast. Specifically, Ruehlman went into details about how the case of early 1980s serial killer Michael Beuke has affected him. Ruehlman was the prosecutor on the case of the so-called "Mad Hitchhiker." Beuke, who was from West Price Hill, had gone on a nearly monthlong shooting spree across Greater Cincinnati in 1983. He committed his crimes after being picked up as a hitchhiker. Beuke was convicted that year for murdering one man and also found guilty for the attempted slayings of two other men. He was sentenced to the death penalty by then-Judge Norbert Nadel. The state executed Beuke in 2010. Here are some samples of Ruehlman's podcast interview reflecting on Beuke:
Ruehlman said Bueke's life is example of the dangers of bullying. The case made Ruehlman impress upon his seven children to never bully. "Everybody made fun of him because he was kind of funny looking. He was kind of frail. They called him 'Pukey Beuke'. And then one day he just decided he was gonna start killing people. ... You feel sorry for him, but he has a brutal killer."
Ruehlman called the Lucasville prison several times on the day Beuke was executed by lethal injection. Ruehlman, who became a judge in the late 1980s, said he kept getting reports that Beuke was still talking even after receiving the injection. "I was kind of nervous because, believe it or not, just from a religious point of view, I'd never been in favor of the death penalty. But I believe in following the law as a judge. Killing somebody? Yeah. I was involved in his execution. It was that the first person that I was (involved with in a death penalty case). It was hard, although he deserved it.
Ruehlman also addresses why he calls ICE. And he talks about life away from the bench, including his decadeslong passion for scuba diving and spearfishing. He regularly dives off Key West and in the Ohio River. Yes, the Ohio River. And you won't believe some of the things he's found at the bottom of the big muddy. Click the Audioboom link above to listen for free. Or subscribe and listen for free on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, iHeart Radio and most other listening platforms.
S2 Ep21: That's So Cincinnati: King of waffles, addiction in restaurant industry, waterless fire hydrants, 'shock the world'
Jan 29, 2020
Show notes
It's a double-feature of guests this week on That's So Cincinnati. Jean-François Flechet, owner of Taste of Belgium: He tells the unique story of how he went from crunching data at Nielsen to building a Cincinnati waffle-making empire. He offers a candid assessment of The Banks, where Flechet has one of his four restaurants. Flechet also discusses his efforts to help the restaurant industry overcome the stigma of substance abuse. Gabe Davis, Hamilton County prosecutor candidate: The Democrat discusses why he's running for office; his background growing up as the son of a police officer; and what he would do if elected to the top office in local politics. He also has a message for those who are doubting whether he can win the primary. Also this week, That's So Cincinnati co-hosts Jason Williams and Sharon Coolidge address the issue of "waterless" fire hydrants, a public safety issue that has come to light in the wake of last fall's massive house blaze in North Avondale. What other hydrants around town have low water pressure? The city has no idea, and fire officials are pushing City Hall to address the issue.
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