Get the Show on the Road

Heading to Indy this weekend for the Final Four? Stop by the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Museum between games and you might see a familiar face.

Joe Hale, long-time head of the Cinergy Foundation and a tireless cheerleader for worthy Cincinnati-area causes, is back in his home state of Indiana running an iconic shrine to open wheel racing with fans and followers around the world. He talks with Cincinnati People about his time in Cincinnati, including a stint as chair of the Flying Pig Marathon, and what brought him out of retirement to his return to the Midwest.

Work Hard, Play Hard

After 18 months of hard work–and in the middle of a global pandemic–the Designated Outdoor Refreshment Area at The Banks is now open! Tracy Schwegmann, The Banks' marketing director/property manager, tells how DORA is the light at the end of the tunnel for the businesses and the community.

Reason to Believe

Longtime TV news anchor Pete Scalia reflects on the challenges he and his wife Amy have faced, from chronic illness to infertility and even a tree falling into their living room, never mind navigating a pandemic.

Betsy Ross catches up with Scalia in his studio to see what’s next for him and how he’s finding ways to inspire and help support others through the work of his new foundation, P. S. Never Give Up.

Jim Moehring’s Quest for the Holy Grail

On the eve of the 10th anniversary of the popular bar and restaurant at The Banks, Jim Moehring, owner of Holy Grail Tavern & Grill, talks about the COVID-19 challenges that he and his staff weathered over the past year. Learn how the establishments at The Banks have banded together to help each other through these challenging times.

"Food as Medicine" with Colleen Lindholz, President of Kroger Health

Over the last year we've all become more conscious about taking care of ourselves and our family. Colleen Lindholz, president of Kroger Health, discusses Kroger’s “Food as Medicine” initiative and Kroger’s next steps in COVID testing and vaccinations.

Valentine's Day advice from the "Queen of Romance"

By: Betsy Ross

Pure Romance founder Patty Brisben on how to elevate your romantic holiday

Whether it's a new relationship or one that's been going for a while, this pandemic has tested even the most romantic of couples. How do you keep relationships going through these challenging times? We chatted with Patty Brisben, the founder of Pure Romance, for suggestions on how to make your Valentine's Day special, especially after a year when we’ve been more or less homebound (with or without or significant others).

“With most relationships, since we’ve been at home, somewhat in tight quarters with one another and with the whole family, I think we’ve learned a lot about each other,” said Patty. “And I think what you’re going to see is a shift in relationships.

“I work with thousands of consultants who work with millions of women, and I hear from them how people are putting more emphasis on their relationships. I think you’ll see people pivot and their relationships will get stronger, with people knowing, now, exactly what it is that they need to keep those relationships healthy.”

This is also a good time, Patty said, for all of us to set aside time to take care of ourselves, as well as our partners. “First and foremost, I am all about taking care of us,” Patty said. “That’s why I started the Patty Brisben Foundation because we are so far behind research on women’s sexual health. We as women are constantly putting everybody else’s needs way before our needs. And I think it’s time that we need to stand up and make sure that we are taking care of ourselves, that we’re getting the proper amount of sleep, exercise, time to ourselves.

“Because if we’re unhealthy emotionally, we’re unhealthy everywhere,” she said. “And I think women being able to communicate this to our families, is very important. Just say, even to yourself, ‘I need to give back to myself. It’s important that I do. It’s important that I look at what my needs are and make a schedule for that.’

“Sometimes we don’t allow ourselves to do that, because we feel we’re being selfish. Sometimes you might do a better job if you take that 10, 15 minutes, half an hour, to yourself. It gives your mind a chance to clear and you’ll do a much better job if you give back to yourself.”

So how do we put aside all the stresses we’re dealing with and still celebrate Valentine’s Day? Patty suggests making the celebration a family affair. “I’m going to go back to when my children were little,” she said. “Most children are not going to stay up and make it to midnight for New Year’s Eve, but everybody wants to celebrate it, right? So if you have small children, what I would suggest is maybe you make a big deal of Valentine’s Day at dinnertime. Maybe you make cupcakes or cookies and make it a celebration for them, too. But also let them know, let your significant other know, that after the kids go to bed, it’s time for you two.

“But I hate to look at Valentine’s Day as the one day that we spend together. For me, the day is a reminder that our relationship is something to take care of, to pay attention to, every day, because we want to have a quality life with our significant other.”

As we start to ease back into our lives outside our homes and away from our families, Patty expects that our relationships will take on a new look after we’ve spent so much time together. “I think we should hit a reset button,” she said. “I think in this time together we’ve learned a lot about who we are and more than anything, the strength that we have in coming together and uniting. I think we’re going to look at our relationships very differently and not take them for granted.

“It’s important that we remember this time and remember that we only had each other to get through this. I hope that, when all this is said and done, that we will continue to build on that strength and what we have come through together as a family, as a unit, as a couple, as a parent and for ourselves, and that we will continue to do better.”

To learn more about the Patty Brisben Foundation for Women’s Sexual Health, visit www.pattybrisbenfoundation.org.

To learn more about Pure Romance, go to www.pureromance.com.

Former Bengal Max Montoya on Chiefs vs. Buccaneers

Max Montoya understands what it feels like to be at Sunday’s big game. As a Bengals Offensive Lineman, he played in the game twice. He and his daughter, Fox19 Anchor and Reporter Alison Montoya sit down with our own Betsy Ross to talk about the game and more.

Eric H. Kearney: Black-Owned Businesses are an Important Part of Cincinnati

Videography by: Shae Combs

Eric H. Kearney, president and CEO of the African American Chamber, discusses new economic impact study which shows Black-owned businesses made a $1.4 billion impact on the region’s economy and what that means for Cincinnati.

Learn more about the study in our Cincinnati by the #s section.

Frank Duveneck: American Master and Cincinnati Native

By: Stephanie Denzel

Videography by: Shae Combs

Frank Duveneck is a name synonymous with Cincinnati’s rich art history. Born in Covington in 1848, Duveneck’s brilliant and inspiring work made a substantial and enduring impact on the international art world of his time.

Now, more than 90 examples of the Covington’s native’s work is on display at the Cincinnati Art Museum. With 35 pieces on loan from collections across the country, this exhibit gives a fresh, in-depth look at this important artist.

See Duveneck’s work for yourself by purchasing tickets online. Advanced registration for timed entry is required.

Cincinnati Mayor John Cranley Announces Two New Initiatives to Support Bars & Restaurants at The Banks

Cincinnati Mayor John Cranley announced two new initiatives to support and drive revenue to bars, restaurants and retail at The Banks. The plan includes a Designated Outdoor Refreshment Area (DORA) at The Banks as well as the creation of a pedestrian walkway on the most eastern block of Freedom Way. Both initiatives are in the planning phases and are working toward an opening by Cincinnati Reds Opening Day, planned for April 1, 2021.

The DORA designation will allow patrons of participating eateries and pubs to carry up to a 16 ounce open alcoholic beverage in a designated cup anywhere within the boundaries of The Banks from Heritage Bank Center to Paul Brown Stadium and from Mehring Way to Second Street. To create the pedestrian walkway and urban park setting, Freedom Way will be permanently closed to vehicular traffic between Joe Nuxhall Way and Walnut Street. This closure will also provide additional outdoor service areas for those bars and restaurants.

“With the creation of a DORA and pedestrian walkway at The Banks, we open the opportunity for more outdoor dining and entertainment options as well as more vibrancy and revenue at The Banks,” said Cincinnati Mayor John Cranley. “This next phase of energy and experiences at The Banks will provide a boost to our restaurants and bars when they need it most.”

“We look forward to the excitement these initiatives will bring to Opening Day and every day at The Banks,” said Phil Castellini, COO of the Cincinnati Reds. “We thank Mayor Cranley for helping to build upon the robust and continuously evolving vision for this area.”

“The Mayor’s announcement is much needed good news as we close this year of innovation and perseverance - for all at The Banks,” said Jim Moehring, co-owner of The Holy Grail Tavern & Grille at The Banks. “These initiatives provide new avenues for growth as we solve against current challenges, and tremendous opportunity as all of us move forward.”

Cincinnati named best racing city

On the strength of the popularity of the Flying Pig Marathon powered by P&G, Cincinnati ranks first for runners among midsize cities by RaceRaves, the premier online resource to discover, review and track races and connect with other runners.

While Cincinnati was tops among midsize cities, only Boston earned a higher score among all cities in the RaceRaves poll. "And the #1 reason for its nationwide popularity among runners," the article says, "is the ham-mazing Flying Pig Marathon, the only two-time winner as America's Rave Race." 

Also earning kudos was the female-centric Queen Bee Half Marathon, scheduled in October each year. 

"We're honored to play such an important role in seeing Cincinnati ranked tops for runners," said Iris Simpson Bush, CEO of Pig Works, the umbrella organization for the Flying Pig, Queen Bee and TQL Beer Series. "But you only have to drive downtown or in the neighborhoods on Saturday mornings to see why we're ranked number one: The runners who train in all kinds of weather are the ones who earned the city this honor." 

Registration is open for the 23rd edition of the Cincinnati Flying Pig Marathon weekend, April 30-May 2, 2021. For information and registration link, visit www.flyingpigmarathon.com. 

Getting back into sports safely

From the pros to college, high school and youth sports, athletes are getting back on the field to prepare for the fall. But after a long layoff away from the field or the pitch, athletes may need extra time and attention to get back to the game. Ken Rusche from Oxford Physical Therapy has advice on getting back into sports safely, from the pros to the weekend warrior.

Defending Flying Pig Champion Looks at Future of Running

Anne Flower holds a number of titles: Two-time and defending Flying Pig Marathon champion is one of them; Olympic Marathon Trials participant is another; and now, perhaps most notably, Doctor.

Dr. Flower is wrapping up her residency in emergency medicine at the University of Kentucky this month and will be heading closer to home, in Northern Kentucky, to start her practice this summer. In between her shifts at UK before the running calendar was shut down, the Anderson High School grad was one of four former Pig champions to participate in the USA Olympic Marathon Trials in Atlanta (joining Caitlin Keen, Autumn Ray and Amy Robillard in the field).

We’ll talk running in a moment, but first, Anne reflects on being on the frontlines of medicine during the pandemic. “I think we were blessed in central Kentucky in the sense that we were not the first wave,” she said, “we got to see how Europe and then New York City dealt with the pandemic and then when it finally got here, we were ready.”

A recent New York Times article described running as “a natural for social distancing” and Anne says her running routine helped her make it through med school. “I ran a little through high school and college, but when I was stressed and doubting myself in medical school and not really sure this was what I wanted to do, running was really something that was rewarding every day,” she said.

“It got me outside, definitely did incredible things for my mental health, especially when the sun’s out. I’m here in Lexington, so I can go out on the trails, I can go out to the horse park and get away from it for a little while.”

Running opportunities, at least in an organized sense, have been few and far between for all runners since the spring shutdown, which makes Anne’s appearance at the Olympic Marathon Trials even more special. “Oh my gosh, so much imposter syndrome,” she laughed. “You’re walking down the hallway at the hotels and you’re seeing all the Olympians, it was so amazing.

“They treated us all like we might be one of the top three, everything from organizing travel so that when you got off the plane, there was someone there to direct you toward the bus or train and when you checked in at the Omni, all the stops were pulled out for us. There was so much athlete support, it was really, really cool.”

The Olympic Marathon Trials, held at the end of February, just made it under the wire before activities began to shut down to control the pandemic. So what does Anne think it will take to get running events back on the calendar, given her unique perspective as a runner and as a doctor?

“I think that spacing out people would be the best way to mitigate corrals,” she said. “Also making sure there’s some signature form that says you haven’t had symptoms in 14 days. Maybe that’s part of picking up your packet now, the accountability that you sign to say that you don’t have symptoms.”

She also said the development of faster, more reliable rapid testing at the event sites might make participants feel safer about returning to the start line. “I know that folks like the NBA and other sports organizations are interested, so there’s a lot of effort being put toward it. It will be interesting to see where biomedical research goes with that.”

As for her own schedule, even with a new job on the horizon, Anne’s planning to continue running. “I love traveling for races. I got to fly to Moab last October (for the Dead Horse Ultra) and to see a new city, run a race the first day and then travel for three or four after, was really fun.

“I don’t know if I need to do 50 miles again, but I would love to run marathons when the world opens up, in Europe and Japan and Chamonix and all these incredible places. Even San Francisco, they shut down the entire city and you get to run through it for the morning, so that’s my hope. I love marathons so hopefully I’m staying on with that.”

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COVID-19 pandemic effects on movie sets

Cincinnati-native and photographer Brian Douglas talks about what it was like to be on a movie set when the COVID-19 pandemic first started and what it could be like on a movie set when he gets back to work.

Pure Romance Soars in Virtual Times

While other companies shut down, Pure Romance geared up to meet soaring demands during stay-at-home orders. The company enjoyed a 60 percent increase in sales in March and April, including a 160 percent jump in lingerie sales. Pure Romance President and CEO Chris Cicchinelli sits down with our own Betsy Ross to talk about Pure Romance's success during the COVID-19 pandemic and how consultants are using technology in creative ways.

Grilling the Perfect Jeff Ruby Steak

You have your Jeff Ruby Meal Kit, now cook it like a Jeff Ruby Steak. Learn how with Britney Ruby Miller.

To purchase your Jeff Ruby Meal Kit, visit https://www.jeffruby.com/.

Ultra Marathoner competes in global race in his backyard

Harvey Lewis sits down with Game Day's Betsy Ross to talk about his ultra marathon experience in his own city while competing with thousands of runners across the globe.

In this unprecedented time, we will support our small local businesses, together

By: Eric H. Kearney

We will get through this, TOGETHER.

Party politics, blame, and the division of our differences are luxuries that will have to wait.

In this unprecedented time, we can only get through this TOGETHER.

TOGETHER, we will support our small local businesses, now and when we return to our new normal. In this time of uncertainty, we will show our love for our communities and our neighbors. You and I, TOGETHER.

Keantha Brandy is our neighbor. Her grandmother taught her to make cheesecakes. Now, Keantha is the small business owner of Key’s Cheesecakes and Pies. We will show Keantha our support.

Curt Moody is our neighbor. More than 35 years ago, Curt opened an architecture firm, a field that had very little minority representation. We will show Curt and Moody Nolan our support.

Alecia Kintner is our neighbor. Alecia runs ArtsWave, the engine for arts in the Cincinnati Region. ArtsWave funds organizations like Kick Lee’s Cincinnati Music Accelerator, which works to make sure there are no starving artists in Greater Cincinnati. In addition to hundreds more, ArtsWave also supports The Children’s Theatre of Cincinnati which educates, engages, and entertains audiences of all ages through diverse theatre productions. We will show Alecia our support.

Rev. Damon Lynch, Jr. is our neighbor. He is the pastor of New Jerusalem Baptist Church. His congregation, like many others, is finding new and exciting ways to share the Good News. We will show Rev. Lynch our support.

Matt Cuff is our neighbor. He runs a for-profit social enterprise that hires, develops, and trains individuals with barriers to employment. His small business, Just Q’in glorifies and honors God by providing authentic, well-prepared food, while creating a warm and loving environment for all guests, no matter their faith. We will show Matt our support.

Michael “Funky” Forgus is our neighbor. Faith is also the driving force behind Funky’s Catering Events. As weddings and events are postponed, Funky’s is innovating by offering family-style carryout and delivery meals. We will show Michael our support.

Ronald Evans, Jr. is our neighbor. His One Love Unity Apparel is more than t-shirts. They host free lunches, dinners, and music in the park - turning no one away. We will not turn them away. We will show Ronald our support.

Jason Vaughn is our neighbor. He oversees Frisch’s Big Boy restaurants. For our convenience, his team recently added essential items like half gallons of milk, loaves of bread and bags of sugar to their carryout menu. We will show Jason our support.

Britney Ruby Miller is our neighbor. She is the president of Jeff Ruby Culinary Entertainment. Her father, Jeff Ruby, built a restaurant empire in our community. Last week, in what Mr. Ruby called, “the saddest day of his career,” Britney was forced to lay off more than 600 employees. She is working with the Ohio Restaurant Association and the National Restaurant Association to make certain ALL restaurants benefit from federal assistance. We will show Britney our support.

Kenyatta Morris is our neighbor. As the owner of KP Heating and Cooling, he believes that no one should have to wait for repairs to heating and cooling systems. He should not have to wait for our assistance. We will show Kenyatta our support.

The Greater Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky African American Chamber of Commerce supports the work of Governors DeWine and Beshear to halt the spread of COVID-19. They are taking strong measures that will have a devastating impact on our small local businesses but are necessary to flatten the curve and save lives.

Our businesses, the heartbeat of our communities, cannot survive without our support. Our small local businesses can only get through this if we support them and support each other.

Black and white.

Democrat and Republican.

Rich and poor.

You and I.

We will get through this, TOGETHER.

Eric H. Kearney is the President/CEO of the Greater Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky African American Chamber of Commerce.

Flying Pig winner tells her story of triumph and tragedy in “My Race for Life”

Cincinnati native and UC medical school graduate Alison Bedingfield Delgado, the 2005 winner of the Flying Pig Marathon, is the author of a new book, “My Race for Life: Finding New Strength After Tragedy.”

The book chronicles her win at the Flying Pig as well as her near-fatal accident years later when a car hit her bicycle, leaving her with broken bones and head injuries. Alison had to come back not once, but twice, from severe brain trauma to return to medical school and miraculously, return to running.

Her story has been told by ESPN and Runners World, among others, but this is the first time Alison has written about her journey herself. The book will be released in April.

Cincinnati People visited Alison at her pediatric clinic in Park City, Utah, where she talked about what winning the Flying Pig Marathon meant to her:

Amy Robillard goes for the gold

By Betsy Ross

The last time Amy Robillard toed the start line of a marathon, she qualified for the Olympic Marathon Trials. The next time she does it, it will be at the Trials on Saturday, February 29 in Atlanta.

Robillard qualified for the Trials with a personal best 2:43:51 at the Indianapolis Monumental Marathon in November—the second time she’s made the field. The first time was four years ago, running the Trials in Los Angeles in nearly 80-degree weather—the hottest temperature for any U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials. It was hot enough that more than a quarter of the men’s and women’s fields dropped out of the event.

Amy wasn’t one of them.

She finished in the blazing Southern California sunshine in 3 hours and 11 seconds, out of Olympic contention but with the determination that she’d get back to the Trials in four years.

“It was a deer in the headlights race early, but it was also an awakening in the sense that no matter what level you are, a marathon is a marathon, the 26.2 is the same for everyone. I went into that race seeing runners that I had seen on the covers of Runners World magazine, and it scared me at first, then I saw some of the big names going down and I was still going.

“You have to adjust to tough conditions, you have to be smart, to adjust your expectations, I remember thinking this is going to be one of my slowest marathons, and that’s OK. I needed to show my kids and my family out there that you can finish. And I didn’t want to freak out my kids, either, because I’ve never not finished, and I didn’t want to think mom’s not at the finish, something’s wrong.”

Immediately after the 2016 Trials, Amy was determined to return in 2020. “I wasn’t satisfied,” she said. “I wasn’t satisfied with the outcome of it, and I wanted to do a marathon I’m capable of doing at the Trials. Not falling into the pitfalls of ‘Do I belong here, can I run with these people, why am I here, because I qualified.’ I forgot about that whole part, so I want to give myself another shot to see what I can do.”

People in Cincinnati know her as a runner, with victories in three Flying Pig half marathons (2011, 2012 and 2016) and two marathon wins (2014 and 2015). But at the University of Arizona she was a student-athlete in swimming (she still coaches the sport).

Running was for training until her family moved to Cincinnati when, just after the birth of their son, Jameson, they found out he had a rare genetic disease that required a bone marrow transplant. Then, running became her release. Whether it was power walking through the halls of Children’s Hospital or running through the Clifton neighborhoods, running became therapy.

“The route was a little more than a quarter mile from one end to the other, and when Jameson was having treatments or was finally asleep, I would power walk and jog the first floor. The security guards would tell me where to run and where not to run, and I had a little bit of a support team there.”

That led her to enter her first Flying Pig half marathon (in 2011). “Just over the short time we’d been here, I’d already started knowing people at Children’s, the families, the nurses and doctors that we had, it was an instant family, and it was inspiring that people took me in.” 

With the Olympic Marathon Trials coming up next month, Amy’s now concentrating on squeezing in her final training miles around her coaching schedule and kids’ calendars (she and her husband also have an older daughter). While her training miles are important, Amy just finds that running gives her a much-needed break.

“I don’t do a lot of conscious thinking when I run, I just go out and things get sorted out. A lot of times my training is unconventional, I don’t have a planned workout, but when I have the chance to run, I release things I don’t know I’m holding onto. It’s my time.”

Amy’s family is planning to join her again for the Trials in Atlanta, and she knows she’s fortunate to be going back, because not everyone gets a second chance to make an Olympic team. “I’m grateful,” she says. “I’m representing everyone who has supported me and been along this journey with me. Because there are many runners who can’t be there.

“I’m very grateful I’ve been able to put it together and have the support I have so I can get there. There are so many people who wish they were here. It doesn’t matter if you do marathons or a 5K. A runner’s a runner. If you get out and run, you’re a runner. And just the fact I’m representing them, all I can do is give it a shot. I’m just grateful.”

The U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials will have nearly 600 hopefuls, the largest Trials field ever. The top three men and three women will represent the United States at the Tokyo games. The men’s field will take off at 12:03 pm, the women at 12:13 pm. on Saturday, February 29. The Trials will be broadcast on NBC.