CINCINNATI —

It’s a day that has been celebrated since 1984.

Police departments and local community groups get together ahead of the school year to promote unity with block parties, barbecues and festivals.

It’s known as “National Night Out”.

The night is meant to foster positive relationships between police and the communities they protect.

The Cincinnati police held an event in every district.

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Other departments like Miami Township, Middletown and Clearcreek Township also held events.

Clearcreek Township Officer Eric Ney was spotted out at the event Tuesday night.

Ney was recently released from a rehab facility after being shot in the line of duty last month.

Event times vary by department, so check with your local precinct for more information.

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To learn more about National Night Out, click here.

Five members of an Amish family are recovering after a driver crashed into their buggy Saturday afternoon in Missouri.

Truman Gingerich, 38, and his wife Ada Gingerich, 33, were returning from a church service with three of their six children, three daughters ages three, five and seven.

According to the crash report from the Missouri State Highway Patrol, a 71-year-old driver of a 2003 Mercury struck the rear of the Gingerich buggy.

All five members of the Gingerich Family were taken to area hospitals.

They’ve all been released except the 5-year-old girl.

"The Lord was looking out for them because they shouldn’t be here," said Dan Atkinson.

Atkinson is a friend and neighbor of the Gingerich family and was one of the first people to arrive at the crash site.

The broken pieces of the buggy are lined up against a fence on the Gingerich property.

"I looked for it. I realized when I saw the broken wheels everywhere that the pieces of the buggy were all over the highway," Atkinson said.

Truman Gingerich later told Atkinson the real horror of the crash, wondering if his daughters would survive.

"He said, Dan, you don’t understand how hard it was when I looked up, and I tried to get up, and I could see my little girls lying in the highway, and they were lifeless," Atkinson said. "And he tried to get to them, and he was trying to get up off the ground, and when he got to them, he said he couldn’t get them to wake up or nothing,"

Atkinson spent part of Tuesday with extended Gingerich family members taking a buggy to be repaired for Truman’s family to use.

The family horse also had to be put down at the crash site due to injuries.

Residents of the Holden community have been rallying around the Gingerich Family, including providing them with meals and raising money to help with medical expenses.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol cited the driver for careless and imprudent driving.

The case has not yet been referred to the Johnson County Prosecutor for possible criminal charges.

BALTIMORE — Restaurants are the backbones of communities across the country. They bring us to the freshest bodies of water, different countries, and the most unique spaces without leaving the comfort of our neighborhoods. Three years after the start of the pandemic, restaurants are still fighting to stay alive.

A year ago, we visited Baltimore to check in on restaurants that never received their funds from the government's Restaurant Revitalization Fund, and now, a year later, we are checking in.

Every restaurant has something different their customers always come back for. Here in Baltimore, it's likely you'll find it to be seafood. However, those signature flavors disappear if a business can't stay afloat. The Local Oyster is one restaurant that worries about its future.

"The Local Oyster started in 2015. We have been shucking oysters and serving crab cakes for the last seven years," said Patrick Hudson, one of the owners. "We were not generating any revenue; we were simply incurring losses and debt throughout the entire pandemic."

The Local Oyster has already had to close one of its locations in Arlington, Virginia. The restaurant's last spot remains standing, but shakily.

"Thinking about business before COVID is sort of like thinking about college; it was just a haze. It's like I can't even really remember what it was like. It's just so different," Hudson said.

Hudson says they are one of the thousands of businesses who saw their approval for the restaurant revitalization fund revoked last year. Congress provided $28.6 billion in grants, but funding dried up and two-thirds of the restaurants that were approved for funding received nothing.

"What that does is it leaves the local oyster in a position where we have hundreds of thousands of dollars of debt going forward, and to be honest, I don't know how sustainable that is. I don't know if that's going to last," Hudson said.

It's been over a year since that bad news was delivered, but the ripple effects of the pandemic continue to affect them every minute, of every day.

"And it's kind of surreal and people will come up to me during service and say, 'Well, I'm really glad you survived the pandemic' and I just have to shake my head," Hudson said. "We're gonna be struggling with the impact of the pandemic for the next generation of restaurant owners."

Damye Hahn runs Faidley's Seafood just a few minutes down the road.

"It would be like equating you to having a year and a half worth of mortgage payments that you haven't been able to pay, and all of a sudden, you get a job. Well that you're gonna be able to pay your mortgage, but that year and a half of mortgage payments is still hanging out there," Hahn said. "We just felt like the hits just kept coming and once we thought everything was beginning to get better than this incredible inflation hit. And it has been difficult again."

They've been in business for more than 130 years. Yet, these last few have been unmatched.

"We've had to raise prices. We've had to cut items off the menu that we can't carry anymore because they are just too expensive," Hahn said. "Fishing, it's been terrible to try to get fish because the poor guys, all their boats are diesel, and the diesel is outrageous. Fish and seafood have gone up dramatically. Some of it two and three times what we paid in 2019."

These are the kinds of roadblocks that can change a restaurant's identity.

"We consider ourselves really ambassadors of the Chesapeake region, so we make sure that we gave local fish, local crab, local oysters, real local seafood," Hahn said.

It worries Hahn about the future of the industry.

"This industry is so important because we tell the story of the Chesapeake, but there's restaurants that tell stories of the farms and other industries," Hahn said.

DENVER, Colo. — The local craft beer scene and farm-to-table movement have shifted a focus on where our food comes from, and the trend is far from over. We're now seeing that same concept make sweeps in the fashion industry.

Behind every piece of clothing is at least one artist and an art form, that in many cases, has been replaced by fast fashion.

"You know your grandma probably knows how to sew but your mom doesn't know how to sew or your dad doesn't know how to sew," said Skye Barker Maa, the owner of Factory Fashion.

However, at Factory Fashion in Aurora, Colorado, the art of design is being nurtured.

"People want to know where their clothing is made. They want to know where their food is grown. They want to know what it's made of and what it includes and make sure that the people who are making the clothing are taken care of," Barker Maa said. "For us, for small batch, we're trying to check as many of those boxes as well."

The concept of small-batch manufacturing is simple. Barker Maa explains it encompasses creating on a smaller scale in a more intimate setting and straying away from the concept of mass production. That's where many artists are initially pushed.

"You're probably going to call New York or L.A., a big house where they do everything and they are going to tell you, 'Yes, we'll help you if you make three to 500 of those,' so you're probably not going to have that money. You're going to be not ready to make a 300 garment investment in something if you don't know if it's real or not," Barker Maa said.

Just like we've seen with farm-to-table food and local craft beer, shopping is following this local movement.

"I think we went through this huge phase of trying to get as much as we can for as little as we can and I'm not suggesting that doesn't exist anymore, but I also think we're now willing to pay a little more to understand the full scope of how our products come to us," Barker Maa said. "The more you start paying attention to where everything comes from, the more you understand the people who are behind the products that you wear."

Many of those people, like designer and sewer Geli Hayes, have stories of dedication.

"I basically am self-taught. I started sewing about five years ago, bought my first sewing machine, actually skipped my rent just to buy my first sewing machine and some fabric back then. And that's how I knew I loved it because I'm not going to skip rent for anybody," Hayes said.

For her, it's about seeing that fabric turn into a finished garment.

"Sometimes, when I'm here, at the job, they have to like tell me to go home because I just want to keep sewing," Hayes said.

Small-batch fashion has given Hayes the creative freedom and opportunities she says she likely wouldn't have gotten at a larger operation.

"I think if I were to be actually working for a huge manufacturer or a huge factory, I wouldn't have for one got the position let alone learn stuff on the way," Hayes said.

"That's the bigger differentiator for us, is providing an opportunity for people to be local and providing an opportunity for them to be financially flexible as they move through the process," Barker Maa said.

Artists like these are in every city across this country that's why these designers say don't pass by the local shop.

While everyone was isolated during the worst of the pandemic, there was a boom in at-home rollerskating. When people got back into more typical life, the passion for roller skating continued. A rink that closed down just before the pandemic in Scarborough, Maine, has come back in a big way.

Roller skaters from the area say Happy Wheels is a generational gathering place.

"I didn't have a lot when I was a kid," roller skater Clayton Kennedy said. "You could get into a ring for 35 cents."

"Every Tuesday, this is date night," roller skater Dianna Gaudreau said.

Happy Wheels is one of the many skating rinks in the country that opened its doors in the 70s. However, in December 2019, Happy Wheels met the fate of so many others and closed down.

"Oh it was sad, it was sad," roller skater Tim Gaston said. "Forty-six years of my life in that building, you know?"

"I wanted to ball my eyes out," Happy Wheels worker Oleg Serikov said.

Derek Fitzgerald had worked for Happy Wheels for 25 years. He grew up in the building.

"You know, you pull the rug out from somebody for their job is one thing, but people that work here and people that skate here, it's their way of life," Fitzgerald said.

When the building was sold, he couldn't stop it from closing.

"I think that they just had a lot of other companies under their corporate umbrella, if you will," Fitzgerald said. "So this was an easy and easy thing to try to sell off and reduce their corporate footprint. So they sold it to a developer and the developer didn't need the roller rink, but needed the property."

According to the Roller Skating Association, there are about 1,400 skating rinks across the country. During the pandemic and shortly after, 35 to 40 closed down due to people retiring or financial concerns.

In Scarborough, Fitzgerald and the community were determined to open it back up. So Fitzgerald bought a new building and became the owner of the new location. Everybody chipped in to make it happen.

"A lot of volunteers came in that were former employees or just friends that have skills like carpentry or have skills were laying tile or painting or hanging doors," Fitzgerald said. "So we literally put the place together."

"My father was a carpenter, so I had some kind of knowledge and we just did a lot of stuff, put the railings up with the built the concession area and just a lot of different things," Gaston said.

Fitzgerald says opening a rink is a significant investment that doesn't have a fast return.

"You don't see a lot of rinks being built from this from the ground up," Fitzgerald said. "This is probably one of the first in probably at least a decade in the country."

Fitzgerald may be the first of many to come. The Roller Skating Association says 84 people are registered as 'future members' looking to open rinks all over the U.S.

For Fitzgerald and all his friends that have become family, re-opening Happy Wheels was more than worth it.

"Place has got a pretty good crowd tonight," Kennedy said. "It's been like this since it opened. And it's going to be like this as long as people can move."
 

PORTLAND, Maine — For almost two decades Dean's Sweets has been serving the locals and visitors of Portland, Maine, alongside the dozens of people who order online.

"My husband Dean and I started this business just about 18 years ago and we started it in our home kitchen," said Kristin Thalheimer Bingham, the co-owner of Dean's Sweets.

All these years later, they are facing the reality of inflation and many businesses like them are heading into a crucial season for business.

Bingham said about 50% of their revenue is made during the holiday season.

"The supply chain has gotten to be more of an issue recently," said Dean Bingham, the co-owner of Dean's Sweets.

"Especially in this last eight months, nine months, 2022 everything has just kind of shot up and skyrocketed," Thalheimer said. "We were taken a little bit unaware by even just a few months ago. To see that sugar has increased 10% to 15% last spring and then it increased again over the summer, same with chocolate."

That's along with other items like cocoa, butter, cardboard, packaging and shipping materials. It's all making them question if it's time to raise their prices.

"I think we're going to take another good look at it as we head into the holiday season," Thalheimer said.

They say it's not something they want to do.

Thalheimer worries a rise in prices could change that and cause people to skip purchasing that chocolate gift.

"I'm as aware as anybody else about inflation and I hate to be one of the contributors but on the other hand if all of my costs are going up I cannot afford to stay in business if I'm not recouping my costs and making a little money for myself," Dean said.

They've tried to ease the pain in other ways.

"For a long time I thought my mantra was, make more sell more and you sort of make up for the increase in price by volume but we're starting to realize that you can't do that," Dean said. "Volume has costs associated with it too because the more that you sell, the more you need to buy and the more help you need."

Buying that treat is attached to a sense of happiness they don't want to see disappear and a moment of magic they hope a rise in cost won't ruin.

"I've always felt that chocolate was one of those things that you may not buy a pound but you can buy one or two pieces and that's going to help you get through some of the stresses of the other difficult times," Dean said.

"We are always conscious of the fact that we want to be a place where people can come and get a little gift for somebody and find something nice for themselves so we want to keep it that way," said Thalheimer.

CINCINNATI — Partners and supporters of BLINK will celebrate the official completion of Ohio’s largest mural with a dedication Saturday morning.

The mural, an homage to Cincinnati's rich musical culture, features pioneering legends like Mamie Smith, The Isley Brothers, James Brown, Doris Day and Bootsy Collins. Collins, a Cincinnati native best known for the group Parliament-Funkadelic, is scheduled to attend the dedication. Mural artist Tristan Eaton, ArtsWave CEO Alecia Kintner and BLINK executive director Justin Brookhart will also be in attendance.

The dedication will take place in front of the completed mural at 100 W. 5th Street from 10:30–11 a.m.

BLINK, a light and arts festival spanning 30 blocks, drew an estimated 2 million people during its four-day run from Oct. 13-16.

DENVER, Colo. — It really is amazing how much you can learn when a beehive is right in front of you. That's especially true when you have the help of someone like Mike Rosol. He's not just any beekeeper; he's attending to bees who live on the properties of major companies like Gates Corporation.

Gates Corporation is a leading manufacturer of application-specific fluid power and power transmission solutions. Head of sustainability, Christopher Thomas, says it is prime to their mission for employees to be a part of direct impact within the community.

"We have a global footprint, offices, manufacturing, distribution, all around the world but have maintained our presence here in Denver, Colorado since our beginnings over 100 years ago," said Thomas. "We encourage people to find those causes, those missions, that make sense both to them but also what's our impact, what's the greater impact that we can create."

For Gates, the partnership with a company like Free Range Beehives was a no-brainer. Companies like IBM and Google have followed suit, dedicating budget lines to saving the bees. Co-founder and VP of operations at Free Range Beehives, John Rosol, explains there is no time to waste when educating people on the declining bee population.

"So, our goal at Free Range Beehives, and what we hope the goal of similar beekeepers and the corporations we work with, is to establish these populations that are good for the environment and the bees," Rosol said. "The situation is quite severe, unfortunately. The bees are facing threats from a number of sources that are primarily human-caused. A world without bees doesn't have humans in it. They are critical pollinators both for agriculture and for the natural world."

There are a few reasons this effort is so different than simply having a hive in your backyard. Expert beekeepers are on site taking care of the hives, companies have more funds to invest, and thousands of employees are impacted by the education they provide.

"Bees are incredibly interconnected with humans and they pollinate 1 out of 3 three bites of food we eat, so over 30% of our crops come from bees, and those are things like avocados, onions, and coffee, which I know I couldn't' live without," Rosol explained.

They found a void to fill, all while connecting these companies to the communities they are a part of.

"There's lots of people here and generally if the leadership cares about these kinds of initiatives, it trickles down," Rosol said.

Another co-founder of Free Range Beehives, Dave Mathias, says by having these partnerships the bees have a better chance of rebounding.

"The impact as it relates to educating employees and the community can be very fruitful. We do a lot of engagement with employees where we take them into the hives," Mathias said. "Any company can write a check to an organization and we just appreciate and I know our clients and partners appreciate that it's something that they are doing that has direct and measurable impact within the community."

They say it's a win-win situation. It's an effort to save the declining bee population and an opportunity to make great impressions and investments within communities.

If you would like to learn more about Free Range Beehives and the work they do, click here.

Black Americans have long articulated a clear vision for the kind of social change that would improve their lives.

The Pew Research Center recently explored Black Americans’ views about how to overcome racial inequality. The 2022 report found Black Americans “have a clear vision for reducing racism but little hope it will happen.”

“Most African Americans know their history,” said Spelman College professor Cynthia Neil Spence. “We know that from the stories that our grandparents have told us, our great-grandparents have told us. And those stories have always, in fact, been centered around the disenfranchisement of us based on who we are and based on how we were born.”

That same Pew report stated nearly 70% of Black adults see racial discrimination today as the primary obstacle to success.

“We still have the highest maternal mortality rates. We still have the highest rates of poverty,” Spence said.

“The systems that we currently have in place are not developed in a way that would meet the needs of most Black business owners and entrepreneurs in this country," said Alex Camardelle, vice president of policy and research at the Atlanta Wealth Building Initiative.

The Pew report stated that after George Floyd’s death in 2020, more than half of Black adults said the increased attention on racial equality would lead to meaningful change. In a survey one year later, nearly two-thirds said it hadn’t led to change.

“America is having to really just take an inventory of itself and look in the mirror and decide how are we going to be equitable and equal moving forward," said
Kyle Walcott, president of the Emerging 100 of Atlanta.

“I’m really a bit tired of hearing what the problems are. We have a George Floyd bill that yet has not been approved. We have a John Lewis Voting Rights Act that has not been approved. We have individuals who are serving at the federal government and the state governmental level, who have demonstrated behaviors that suggest that they don’t really care," Spence adds.

According to the Pew report, just 13% of Black adults say equality for Black people in the U.S. is very likely.

“It’s difficult, you know, as a Black person to think about, ‘When is that change going to come?’” Walcott said. “Things don’t happen overnight, and so how long are we going to wait, you know, on the government, the structures, the leaders who are in charge? We need the people that are in charge of the changing, the regulatory frameworks and the policies to be on the front lines.”

“I’m born and raised in the South. So, I’m in a community that’s hard-wired to believe that things won’t change or that the pace is just going to outlive me," Camardelle said.

“It’s time now for us to sit around tables and to build out sustainable strategies for addressing inequalities in our society,” Spence added. “This is what works, and let’s do it. Let’s make a difference.”

CINCINNATI —

An entire community is on edge as police search for a murder suspect who gunned down a landscaper in Corryville Tuesday.

Nicholas Kenan, 43, was a landscaper for Uptown Properties. He was shot to death on the job outside of an apartment complex on Bellevue Avenue.

His company said he was picked at random by the gunman who demanded money. Kenan didn’t have any, and he was shot to death on the spot.

The sound of the fatal gunfire was caught on a nearby doorbell camera.

“Just to hear about what happened was terrifying,” Chelsea Griffis said.

Griffis is a cleaning service employee for an Uptown Properties contractor. She was at work Thursday just a few feet from the place Kenan was shot. She's on high alert.

“I don't have my headphones, and I'm aware of my surroundings a lot more. I'm actually kind of scared,” Griffis said.

Some residents said they are moving out.

“It’s just really unsettling and scary,” Julia Ventura said. Her lease is up in a few weeks, but she would move out sooner if she could. “We definitely don't feel safe around here.”

Uptown Properties is offering a $10,000 reward for information leading to the arrest of a suspect. They’ve also helped to set up a GoFundMe for Kenan’s family.

CHIMAYO, N.M. —

The Chimayó village in northern New Mexico may be small, but its influence is anything but.

Every year during Holy Week, an average of 300,000 people make their way to El Sanctuario de Chimayó. The church is known to have healing properties and bring blessings to those that seek them.

"It was always just to get back to God," Nina Steffen, from Rio Rancho, said.

The annual tradition involves a pilgrimage to the small Catholic church from people around the world.

The event was canceled in 2020 and 2021 due to the coronavirus pandemic and health concerns.

"It feels good. We need to see the people walking again. It was so sad for two whole years. It was really, like depressing not to see any of the people walking," Sylvia Montoya, an early trekker, said.

Montoya added the pilgrimage is an annual tradition for her family.

Despite driving this year, she said she made the walk several years ago, along with her mother, sister, and brother.

"My mom did it two years ago, and she did it from Galisteo," Montoya said. "Her and my sister and my brother."

A similar experience for Steffen.

She said she's been visiting the holy sanctuary for the past 22 years, joined by a group of local military moms.

"What really started it was our sons. I'm [with] a group of Blue Star Moms that have sons and daughters in the military," Steffen said. "We've just done it every year to ask God to protect our kids."

Steffen added she often spends her time praying for her son, Howard.

He's currently stationed in Jerusalem.

"I got my dirt from the hole. I got the holy water," Steffen said. "They talk about God's country. This is the ultimate God's country, right here. It's just so peaceful."

Some people, like Nicole Guzman, started their trek a day before Good Friday, in order to beat the crowds.

"This is the first time in like the past three years that I have done it. I would normally do it every year," she said.

Guzman started around 11 a.m. in Truchas, an almost three-hour walking journey to Chimayó.

Like many, she embarks on the journey for a special reason.

From praying for good health to fulfilling religious promises.

"A lot of people pray. A lot of people meditate. We met a lady back there that was meditating on her way this way carrying the cross," Guzman said. "This year, I kind of just did it for my family. I have my stepmother's mom, that was really sick. And in the process, we found out that she had passed, so this was for her more than anything."

Despite her personal loss, Guzman continued to walk on.

Not just for her own family, but for others in need of prayer and guidance.

"I know a lot of us carry a lot of burdens, and this gives us time to meditate and to think about it. At the end of the day, God has us and he's going to push us the rest of the way," Guzman said.

The pilgrimage dates back hundreds of years.

El Sanctuario de Chimayó is one of the most-visited holy sites in the United States. The sanctuary sees the most visitors during Holy Week but is open year-round.

A Massachusetts community is coming together to help two young children after their parents' sudden deaths just days after Christmas.Chris and Michelle King both died unexpectedly, leaving behind their two children: 6-year-old Josephina, known as JoJo, and 1-year-old Miles.The Sagamore, Massachusetts, couple was beloved. Michelle King was a high school math teacher and Chris King was an engineer. Bourne Police say the tragic deaths are not under investigation. Family members said the deaths were due to medical conditions. In just a couple days, an online fundraiser to support the King children has raised more than $69,000. The family says that money will be put into a trust for the kids.

Sunday marks the start of Kwanzaa and one woman is turning to education to celebrate the special tradition.

It's a seven-day, non-religious holiday observed in the United States. Kwanzaa is meant to honor African Americans' ancestral roots.

"It’s so important to convey this tradition because it’s ancient. It’s not new, it’s old, and it brings us together," Doris Fields, who celebrates Kwanzaa, said.

The tradition often involves symbolic items like a candle holder (Kinara), unity cup (Kikombe cha Umoja), placemat (Mkeka), crops (Mazao), corn (Muhindi) and gifts (Zawadi).

Fields has celebrated the holiday for over 35 years, from paying homage to ancestors to sharing hopes for the new year.

"Usually there are people in their 90s [who attend], and they have so much wisdom," Fields said. "They have so much to offer to us."

While Fields' annual events may look smaller due to the coronavirus pandemic, she said she doesn't stop the opportunity to teach.

On Sunday, her home was a haven for a small group of friends, eager to learn more about the tradition.

"There were people here who had not had Kwanzaa with us before, so it's very nice to be able to share our thoughts," Fields said.

The holiday involves seven principles, represented by candles: unity, self-determination, collective work and responsibility, cooperative economics, purpose, creativity and faith.

"I’ve been celebrating Kwanzaa with my family. probably for the last like 10 or 15 years," Markella Clinton, who also celebrates Kwanzaa, said. "It’s something I look forward to every year. It’s a great family excuse. It’s a great community motivator as well because you don’t just have to be family to be able to come and enjoy."

According to UCHealth, a not-for-profit health care system, Kwanzaa is the fastest-growing holiday in the world.

As popularity increases, Clinton said it's important to ask important questions.

"Don’t be afraid to ask questions. Don’t be afraid to look for information," Clinton said. "Educate yourself, because it’s not a religious holiday. It’s about community engagement and having faith in yourself and having faith in your community."

The celebration lasts until Jan. 1.

In Towson, Maryland, there is a street called Dunkirk Road. There are 32 homes on Dunkirk, where families of various races, religions, and political views live. The neighbors are all close friends.

Related video above: Beautiful Christmas display set up in New Hampshire

So when Matt Riggs, who lives on the block with his wife Kerry, found out his neighbor across the street was struggling with depression in December of 2020, he decided to spread some holiday cheer. Riggs, who had been having a hard time himself during the pandemic, hung his Christmas lights early because he needed some joy. He managed to get one of the strands across the street, over a tree, and connected it to his neighbor's house.

Soon, house by house followed, connecting their lights until the entire block was lit. Riggs tells CNN they all did it again this year, with one neighbor making a metal sign by hand that reads "Love lives here."

An enlightened idea

"I was decorating for the holidays and I was a little bit early. It was actually before Thanksgiving, but it was such a dark time for all of us. I really didn't want to wait anymore," Riggs recalls of last season. "I wanted to go ahead and get things lit up. So, I was climbing the tree and running lights up in my tree and I wanted to see if I could get them to go across the street. And I was so excited when I did get them to go across the street and stay lit."

Riggs' neighbor Leaba Commisso was next.

"Once Matt did it, I talked to my across-the-street neighbor and I was like, 'Hey, let's do it too,'" she says. "It'll bookend the block, you'll drive through one light and then when you leave the block, you'll drive out of it. But it's a lot harder to hang those lights than one would imagine."

That's where Tom Desert came in. He's the handy neighbor who soon figured out how to rig one strand after another, making a canopy over the block and planting anchors in each lawn to hold the strands in place.

"Once there was a job to be done, Tom came out and he was helping us because it's really hard. They're heavy, those lights," Commisso says. "Tom was able to get our lights up and then we were like, everybody let's do it. "

She says a bunch of neighbors got in the car and "cleared out Home Depot."

A message of love

Neighbor Melissa DiMuzio, decided to add a nice touch. While binging shows on Netflix, she bent wire hangers into a sign that reads "Love lives here." She wrapped it in lights and Desert helped get that displayed too.

"I had missed out on actually hanging my own strand, and I really wanted to participate," DiMuzio tells CNN. "It was moving to see just like six or seven light strands going across the street. And so I made the sign."

DiMuzio polled neighbors on what the sign should say.

"That gave me permission to think outside of the happy holiday arena," she says. "The last one was love lives here, which is actually on a wooden plaque in my garage that my mom gave me."

Desert says it was a perfect fit.

"We have 32 homes on this block and despite the differences in opinions and beliefs, however you want to look at that, everybody here loves one another," he says. "I think that love lives here is explanatory of how it works on this block."

Commisso agrees.

"It is a very special place," she says "We parent everybody else's children around here."

This year, the block even added a big mailbox, where kids can leave their letters for Santa Claus to mail to the North Pole.

When everything comes down in January, Desert is in charge of that too.

"I might have to take a day off to take it down. At least the high ones," he says. "They are about 30 feet in the air on the highest peaks of the block."

The neighbor who Riggs was originally hoping to cheer up is doing better these days, he says. The collective light display has lifted everyone's spirits.

"We all suffer that from time to time," Riggs says. "This time last year she was in a dark place and I was too. I'd applied for and been offered three jobs and they were all rescinded because of COVID and I was just broken and defeated. I think anybody that needs a little light in their life, this would be a great neighborhood to go through."

Experts say disturbing videos surrounding the recent deaths of two men will take a psychological toll on many in the black community.

The images of the moments leading up to the deaths of George Floyd and Ahmaud Arbery have spread widely.

A psychology professor we spoke to says seeing those videos is comparable in a lot of ways to trauma.

“What concerns me most about it is people don't realize the impact of that and being exposed to it,” said Dr. Rheeda Walker, a professor of psychology at the University of Houston and the author of the recently released book,

“The Unapologetic Guide to Black Mental Health.”

Echoing these concerns, Rwenshaun Miller says the distribution of these videos is piling on during an already stressful time. Miller is the founder of a nonprofit aimed at increasing awareness for black mental health, called

Eustress, Inc.

“Especially during the time of a pandemic, you would think that you know one of the main concerns would be us addressing the issues when it comes to the virus, but now we also still have to deal with the weight of being black in America,” said Miller.

The National Alliance on Mental Illness notes that African Americans are 10% more likely to be impacted by psychological stress. However, only about 30% of black Americans with a mental illness will get treatment each year.

Both Miller and Walker suggest writing as a form of coping. Miller says it's good to have someone you can trust to talk it out with. Walker even takes it a step further, saying you could join or contribute to advocacy groups to channel your emotions into positive efforts toward change. Both strongly suggest taking breaks from social media or the news.

“Watch what you consume. It's one thing for us to be aware of what's going on, but then it's another thing to be obsessed with it,” said Miller.

“We want to be informed, that's important. We want to know what's going on, but maybe take it in smaller doses or maybe turning things on later in the day rather than starting the day with this exposure,” said Walker.

Walker says it's important to pay attention to your feelings. Don't just ignore them. And even if you're a bit overwhelmed, it's okay to step back.

CINCINNATI — Valerie Lane finally has a new place to call home.

WCPO 9 first reported her story last month.

A ceiling in Lane's Westwood apartment had collapsed, and rain had soaked much of her clothing, furniture and other belongings. The landlord told all the building’s tenants they had to move by Sept. 30, but Lane was struggling to find a place to go.

RELATED: She has eight days to move but nowhere to go

Many readers and viewers responded to Lane’s story with offers to help. On Friday, help arrived.

Movers hired by Neighborhoods United began loading up her belongings to take them to her new home at City West in Cincinnati’s West End.

“I feel better,” she said Friday, sitting on her couch as her living room ceiling dripped and movers worked around her. “I feel better that I am, you know, at least going toward a better thing.”

Eric Clajus | WCPO

Neighborhoods United raised $2,000 to help Lane — initially planning to use that money to temporarily move her into a hotel so she could leave her place in Westwood, said chair Brian Garry.

But Lane didn’t want to leave her possessions behind because she has been robbed in the past, Garry said, so she stayed in Westwood until Garry found her someplace to move.

“She’s a disabled senior citizen, and she deserves better than this,” Garry said. “Normally, I’m a pretty connected person, and I can find people housing. I went to all of my resources — all of them. I exhausted my resources. Nobody could do anything.”

Finally, Garry said, he helped Lane find a place at City West. Neighborhoods United paid her application fee and security deposit, he said, and Garry took Lane to sign her lease and pick up her keys Thursday.

‘It can’t be this cold-hearted’

Lane, 64, has a housing choice voucher, the federal housing subsidy more commonly known as Section 8. The voucher was set to expire earlier this year, but she got an extension through the end of September. Garry said he helped her get another extension through the end of October.

Finding a place to accept the voucher was difficult, Garry said, and took much longer than he initially had hoped after first learning about her situation from the WCPO 9 story.

“The market has just gone through the roof, and affordable housing is at an extreme shortage,” he said. “I’m very thankful for the community, because they did come together.”

Courtesy of Brian Garry

Lane gave up hope more than once over the past six weeks, she said.

“It just seemed like don’t nobody care no more. And I say, it can’t be this cold-hearted,” she said. “But I’d say, I know God wouldn’t keep you here for this much pain and not give you a good outcome.”

Lane said she’s eager to have everything moved into her new home so she doesn’t have to think about the apartment in Westwood anymore.

Other tenants, including a woman with a little boy, are still living in the building because they have not been able to find anywhere to move, she said. Lane said she’s hoping maybe they can move to City West, too.

Now that Lane’s outlook is brighter, she said, she has a message for everyone who is following her story.

“Just have a little heart,” she said. “Just be there for each other. And this world will be a whole lot better.”

Lucy May | WCPO

Lucy May writes about the people, places and issues that define our region — to celebrate what makes the Tri-State great and shine a spotlight on problems we need to address. Poverty is an important focus for Lucy and for WCPO 9. To reach Lucy, email lucy.may@wcpo.com. Follow her on Twitter @LucyMayCincy.

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. — An after-school activity has the power to change a person's life. Wrestling did exactly that for one Colorado veteran who is sharing that same passion with kids today.

Wrestle Like A Girl is a non-profit organization that started in Colorado Springs and has expanded across the nation.

"I'm a two-time world bronze medalist in women's wrestling, a combat veteran in special operations, and the founder and CEO of Wrestle Like A Girl," said retired Sgt. Sally Roberts.

Roberts said she first started wrestling in middle school while living in Washington.

"My mom had been married five times, and I didn't like being at home after school. So, I would go out and shoplift and break into houses," Roberts said. "I actually got arrested so many times that I was given an ultimatum by the juvenile detention officer: I could either find an after-school activity, or I would face going to juvenile detention."

Roberts said she was cut from several sports because coaches said she did not know how to play well with others.

"When I looked at the list of offerings, I saw that wrestling was a no-cut sport. And I thought, 'That's it, as long as I go out and wrestle and I don't quit, then I won't face juvenile detention,'" Roberts said. "And that one single decision forever changed the trajectory of my life.

Without wrestling, Roberts does not know if she would have become the person she is today.

"It teaches you resiliency, bravery, courage. You're going to get knocked down countless times in wrestling, and all you have is yourself to get back up," Roberts said.

Roberts said she started Wrestle Like A Girl around five years ago.

"I wanted to name the organization 'Wrestle Like A Girl' because it was taking this derogatory term that girls felt shameful about, and we gave it power, we gave it position, we gave it authority," Robert said.

Cheyenne Dyess, 16, is one of the ambassadors of Wrestle Like A Girl. Dyess began wrestling around six years ago.

"When I was in middle school, there was no girl's program that I could enter. So, I wrestled only boys or the occasional girl that would come in," Cheyenne said.

Now, Cheyenne wrestles at Vista Ridge High School, where the boys' and girls' teams practice together.

"Being on this team is like no other. You are there for each other, just like you're there for your family," Cheyenne said.

Cheyenne was diagnosed with cancer in January of 2015 and has been cancer-free for about four years.

"Fighting cancer definitely taught me that things are temporary, and you can go through anything and fight through it," Cheyenne said. "It's really just your mindset. The pain is only temporary, and one of our practice rules is you can always do one more. So, that's really instilled just throughout wrestling, and I had that mindset throughout cancer."

Roberts said Wrestle Like A Girl bridges the gap between access and opportunity when it comes to wrestling.

This story was originally published by Colette Bordelon on Scripps station KOAA in Colorado Springs.

HAMILTON — This week's Pet Pal is Voodoo, who came into Animal Friends Humane Society in Hamilton as a stray.

According to Kelley McClaughry, Animal Friends' dog care coordinator, Voodoo is a 2-year-old pittie mix who loves giving kisses.

McClaughry said they recommend a meet-and-greet with Voodoo and any potential family, especially if that family has another dog. Animal Friends Humane Society has a living room type area that would be similar to a room in the house called a Real Life Room of a new owner where people can meet-and-greet with a potential new pet.

"The best way to meet the dogs is to come in see their personalities and actually take them out and walk them and hang out in our Real Life Room here," McClaughry said. "They're a totally different dog outside of the kennel."

Animal Friends Humane Society is open 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. everyday except Wednesday and Thursday, when they're open 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. You can see profiles of their animals at their website at https://www.animalfriendshs.org/ .

HAMILTON, Ohio — In what has been a difficult year for most people, a Hamilton barbershop is working to put smiles on the faces of kids and their families.

Plush Cuts Barbershop, located in the 800 block of Central Avenue, hosted its sixth annual Christmas toy drive Wednesday. A steady stream of people came into the shop and picked out toys.

Owner Shawn Jarrett said this is the barbershop's biggest toy drive yet.

“We’ve seen a need in the community and the pandemic doesn’t help,” he said.

Jarrett, who grew up in Hamilton and has been in business since 1996, said he feels a deep connection to every kid who walks through his door.

The barbershop collected more than 500 toys, and more than 90 people showed up before noon to pick one.

“I see how hard it is for people," Jarrett said. "Some people can’t afford a haircut, so we want to give people a break.”

Fellow business owners Slim Life Ministries and Singletary Construction helped Jarrett make the toy drive a success. Dozens of Plush Cuts customers also donated to the total as the shop adopted three families this year who had special needs and requests.

“Many families asked for shoes. We even got a bike and other toys with the money," Jarrett said. "This year is bigger than last year. It grows every year and it gets better.”

MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. — The issue of missing and murdered Indigenous people has gained more attention in recent years, but many who have lost their own say it’s not enough. A new state office that's the first of its kind in the country is working to change that.

Janice Hannigan, Roma L. Jim and Mary Johnson are just a few of the missing Indigenous people in the U.S.

Nicole Matthews, the executive director of the Minnesota Indian Women’s Sexual Assault Coalition, says most people don't know about the missing Indigenous people.

“Why hasn’t Sheila St. Claire from Duluth, who’s been missing for six years, why isn’t her story isn’t out there? Why don’t we know her name? How come we don’t know about Jojo Boswell, who's been missing for decades, and was 19 when she went missing," Matthews said.

Advocates say a lack of communication, combined with jurisdictional issues between state, local, federal and tribal law enforcement, makes it difficult to start the investigative process.

“Our relationship to the federal government is much different than other racial and ethnic groups. This is our land, everybody that is in this country is standing on Indian land," Matthews said. “So if a non-Native person comes onto our land and rapes a Native woman, our tribes have no recourse. So, if the states or the feds who do have jurisdiction in those cases decline prosecution, that person walks.”

It’s why Matthews was the Vice-Chair of the Missing and Murdered Women’s Task Force in Minnesota and that has led to the country's first State Office for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Relatives.

Sen. Mary Kunesh spearheaded this effort in the Minnesota Senate.

“I’m still floored that we were able to do this good legislative in kind of a short amount of time," Kunesh said. “They were able to use funding’s through the governor’s office to initially create this but it will also be supported through public safety dollars.”

The office now has permanent funding, which means it’s not going anywhere. One of their main efforts is building a data base that will track those names and cases.

“We need to be able to have that liaison there that’s going to be able to go walk between and work between all these different agencies," Kunesh said.

Having no database has made gathering information tough. However, the task force was able to pinpoint some jarring statistics.

“In our task force work, we learned in a ten-year period, in any given month, there were anywhere from 27 to 54 Native women that were missing," Matthews said. “Native women represent about 1% here in Minnesota, but we represent about 8 or 9% of the murdered women in Minnesota. So that is a huge disproportionate impact on our communities.”

Marisa Cummings, the CEO of the Minnesota Women’s Resource Center says there is distrust in government from some tribal members, especially women. 

“I’m thinking about the lack of trust our people have with systems in this country. Systems that have been designed to exterminate us," Cummings said.

Now there is an opportunity to create trust through this office and its partnerships.

“I think the office can be a starting point if the office is staffed with native women that the community trusts," Cummings said. “All of these implicit biases, manifest in ways of oppression. So a lot of times our families, when they go to report someone missing, they are not believed, a lot of times a woman reporting a sexual assault, they are not believed, or deaths are considered explosion. She got really drunk and she just died somewhere and not acknowledging the psychical violence she experienced that left her in a field in the freezing cold.”

These women say Gabby Petito's case is not only a reminder of why this office is so crucial in Minnesota, but also how it can be adopted in every other state.

“The response that Gabby Petitio received is the response that all of us deserve," Matthews said.

“But I think we’re entering a time now where we’re demanding that there is some accountability and some equity in the way that these systems work in our country. Systems that we designed to eliminate us as the original people of this land," Cummings said.

“Minnesota has obviously made this a priority and recognizes this is an investment in our communities now but like we say in the Native communities, investment in the next seven generations to come," Kunesh said.

MONTGOMERY, Ohio — For Edward Zha and Katherine Wen, cooking is about more than food.

It’s about celebrating their Chinese heritage and sharing it with others.

That’s more important than ever now, they said, because of the COVID-19 pandemic and the anti-Asian rhetoric that has accompanied it.

“During this crisis, like, Asian hate and all that, we really need to be proud of ourselves and show who we really are,” said Edward, a 13-year-old eighth-grader at Mason Middle School.

“We shouldn’t be ashamed of showing our culture and things that we enjoy,” added Katherine, a 15-year-old sophomore at Sycamore High School. “I think with food, you don’t really need to know a certain language or be part of a culture. Anyone can enjoy food from any culture, so I think that’s really nice.”

The teens have been honing their cooking skills – and building their pride – as part of a new youth program launched by the Greater Cincinnati Chinese Cultural Exchange Association. The program has eight youth leaders who oversee its three pillars: sharing food, performing arts and storytelling.

Lucy May | WCPO

“I cannot tell you how excited I am, because I personally see the growth of these youth,” said Felicity Tao, the association’s co-chair. “I really think all of these young kids have the potential to be leaders in the community. They can really serve the community, and it’s always a way for them to discuss their passion.”

Edward and Katherine lead the cooking group, and both will be sharing what they’ve learned during the Asian Food Fest this weekend. They will oversee a secret menu booth and serve some of their tastiest dishes.

‘I get to find my true identity’

Edward will be making Biang Biang Mian, a spicy noodle dish that he first tasted at an authentic Xi’an restaurant in Columbus that his family likes to visit. It’s named for the sound that the dough makes when hitting the board as it’s being prepared.

He likes the dish so much that he got a recipe from YouTube and learned to make it himself. Now Edward sells the noodle dish to neighbors and friends.

“I always loved cooking, and then since COVID came in, my mom had a lot of Zoom meetings, because she’s a Chinese teacher,” he said. “Most days I would cook lunch or dinner by myself. And I would use YouTube and watch a lot of simpler dishes. And gradually I went to harder dishes and my own cultural dishes.”

Katherine said she started cooking more during COVID-19 quarantine, too, and usually made lunch for herself when she attended classes virtually last school year.

Lucy May | WCPO

For the Asian Food Festival, she’ll be making Zongzi, or sticky rice dumplings. Her Zongzi will be wrapped in reed leaves and stuffed with dates, although she said other varieties can be stuffed with meat or egg yolks.

“Zongzi is eaten for a holiday. It’s the Dragon Boat Festival,” she said. “It’s nice to be able to cook food from your culture and celebrate traditional holidays and be able to show it to people who’d like to learn.”

Edward joined the GCCCEA youth program a few months ago, he said, because cooking is his passion.

“My family is, like, really into cooking. My dad’s cooking is better than my mom’s – don’t tell her that,” he said with a grin as his mom stood a few feet away. “I feel like whenever I cook with them, I get to find my true identity with them. And it’s a lot of fun.”

Katherine enjoys cooking, too, she said, but joined the youth program primarily to meet people.

Passion, enthusiasm and commitment

“I’ve made a lot of new friends through this program,” she said. “And also volunteering with a lot of festivals and things, it’s just a lot of fun being able to help the community with things like that.”

Tao said Edward and Katherine have taken charge of the secret menu booth for this weekend’s Asian Food Festival with very little involvement from GCCCEA’s adult leaders.

“They were planning, and they were deciding on the menus, and they will cook some of the food on-site as well,” she said, in addition to staffing the booth to sell the food and talk with people who stop by. “Their passion and their enthusiasm and their commitment make us think they can run this program, and we will support them however we can.”

It’s all part of the goal of the youth program to help youth embrace their cultural identity, become strong leaders and serve the community, she said. While the group is open to youth from any background, Tao said, it has been especially important for Asian American youth during the pandemic.

Lucy May | WCPO

“We are very proud of our heritage culture, and there is no reason that they don’t belong here,” Tao said. “So by discovering themselves, connecting with others, hopefully they will find it’s a little easier for them to embrace their own culture.”

The Asian Food Fest will be from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 9, and from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 10, on the new Court Street Plaza on East Court Street between Vine and Walnut streets in downtown Cincinnati. More information is available online.

Lucy May writes about the people, places and issues that define our region – to celebrate what makes the Tri-State great and shine a spotlight on issues we need to address. To reach Lucy, email lucy.may@wcpo.com. Follow her on Twitter @LucyMayCincy.

CINCINNATI — Greater Cincinnati’s Black and brown women business founders soon will have a new opportunity to grow their companies.

Black Girl Ventures is teaming up with Kroger for a pitch program that will give business owners a chance to win cash prizes, get technical training and grow their networks.

Business owners have until Sept. 28 to apply for the program, which will take place Nov. 4.

The BGV Pitch Program mixes “the premise of Shark Tank and Kickstarter,” said Shelly Omilâdè Bell, the founder and CEO of the Black Girl Ventures Foundation.

“It’s pitching and crowdfunding together,” she said. “But crowdfunding has an opportunity cost attached to it. You have to have a network already. You have to have great production prowess. And so we actually create that production and we crowdfund alongside the founders so they’re not having to do it all by themselves.”

To participate, founders must have been in business for at least a year, must have a product that has been tested and works, and they must be generating some revenue.

“We want to be able to grant people who can actually expand or grow based off of the grant,” Omilâdè Bell said. “The reason that we ask for you to be at least a year in business and to have an actual functioning product, or minimum viable product, is because that’s where we can be the most helpful. We can actually be instrumental in your journey.”

Omilâdè Bell launched Black Girl Ventures in Washington, D.C., in 2016. She said the organization’s goal is to help women of color access capital to grow their businesses, thereby creating jobs and strengthening communities.

Since its founding, Black Girl Ventures has funded 264 women of color, held more than 30 BGV Pitch Programs across 12 cities and has served more than 2,000 participants. Participants in the group’s pitch programs are collectively generating more than $10 million in revenue and supporting 3,000 jobs.

Omilâdè Bell said she wanted to bring a pitch competition to Cincinnati because of the good work of MORTAR, Lightship Capital and other local organizations and corporations that are working to support minority business owners. She said she connected with Kroger after the killing of George Floyd last year prompted so many companies to amplify their efforts to help minority-owned businesses and minority communities.

Courtesy of Black Girl Ventures

As part of its work with Kroger, Black Girl Ventures has selected six Cincinnati Fellows. They are local business owners who will organize the Cincinnati pitch competition and work with the founders who apply to be part of it. They are:

· Alexis Williams, founder of Selfie City Cincy

· Alice Msachi, owner and CEO of NKC Accounting

· Erikka Gray, CEO and co-founder District 78

· Calisha Brooks, founder of Soul Care

· Terri Hurdle, founder of T Marie Consulting

· Cyrina Thomas, chief plastic officer at Precious Plastic Cincy

“Their mission on the ground is to give people an opportunity for access to capital through the pitch competition,” Omilâdè Bell said. “We have helped them map out and understand the Cincinnati ecosystem itself.”

That allows the fellows to advocate for other business owners and learn more about the good work happening throughout Greater Cincinnati, she said.

“We’re trying to break that barrier of you don’t know what you don’t know,” Omilâdè Bell said. “So you know that these efforts for Black and brown women exist, and you know there are other leaders in the communities besides some of the people that just have become the go-to.”

Eight businesses will be chosen to take part in the pitch competition out of all that apply. The pitch competition will allow all those in the audience to vote with their dollars using Black Girl Ventures' Raisify platform for the founders whose pitches they like best.

Omilâdè Bell said the Cincinnati companies that take part in the upcoming pitch program don’t necessarily have to make products that could be stocked in Kroger stores.

“We’re pretty industry agnostic,” she said. “In Cincinnati, we want to make sure that we’re pulling in a pool of people who absolutely need support, especially considering the number of businesses that have had to shut down or pivot during the pandemic. And we’re still not out of the pandemic. So we want to make sure that we can be as supportive as possible.”

More information about the BGV Cincinnati Pitch Competition is available online, including how to apply and how to RSVP.

Lucy May writes about the people, places and issues that define our region – to celebrate what makes the Tri-State great and shine a spotlight on issues we need to address. She has been reporting on women- and minority-owned businesses in Greater Cincinnati for more than 20 years. To reach Lucy, email lucy.may@wcpo.com. Follow her on Twitter @LucyMayCincy.