[WINNER]
WESTWOOD WORKS: When a group of Westwood residents decided to form Westwood Works (WW) last winter, they envisioned it as a more positive, productive counterpart to the Westwood Civic Association, which is known for its strident rhetoric. One of WW's first actions was to invite the nonprofit ArtWorks to paint a public mural in the neighborhood, something the association had opposed. It's now completed and a dedication ceremony was held last weekend. The young artist Jesse Boone received a proclamation from State Rep. Denise Driehaus at the event. Painted on the side of a restaurant that previously featured a stark black wall, the mural will help brighten the area and should be welcomed by all. Speaking of which...
[LOSER]
MARY KUHL: Always one who loves to complain at any opportunity, activist Mary Kuhl of the Westwood Civic Association lambasted the mural the same day. After a group of residents left the dedication to attend an art show where Kuhl was working, they commented to her about how much they liked the mural. The irritable activist flew into a tirade about how bad the mural was and how it didn't reflect the neighborhood. Unknown to Kuhl (we hope), one of the residents who got an earful was the mother of one of the young artists who helped create the mural. D'oh! As comedian Rachel Dratch has left Saturday Night Live, maybe Mary can take over the role of playing Debbie Downer. It's a natural fit for her.
[WINNER]
LOCAL NAACP: We don't always like his tactics, but local NAACP President Christopher Smitherman is close to achieving some success on an issue that had many doubters. The NAACP's Cincinnati chapter is negotiating a deal with 10 area construction companies that's designed to ensure there's substantive minority representation on the workforce for large construction projects, like the $400 million casino that will be built at Broadway Commons. Although still being finalized, the pact would be signed on a case-by-case basis and specifically aimed at ending the use of minority-owned firms as pass-throughs for larger, white-owned companies to meet inclusion goals. Hats off to Smitherman and the firms participating in the talks.
[LOSER]
STAN CHESLEY: Whenever we criticize renowned liability attorney Stan Chesley, we're accused by anonymous online critics of being anti-Semitic. We're willing to take that risk again. Chesley, the liberal-poseur who donates cash to candidates like Jean Schmidt and Phil Heimlich, is in hot water once more. This time, the Kentucky Bar Association has two complaints against him. In the first, disciplinary officials are asking that Chesley be disbarred for allegedly mishandling a $200 million settlement in the 1990s, related to the diet drug fen-phen. In the second, he allegedly mishandled a $90 million settlement in 2006, won from the Covington Diocese for sexual abuse committed by priests. Two people also are suing Chesley over the latter matter. Instead of meddling into local political races, we suggest the counselor tend to his own affairs, so to speak.
