I have my Mom and YMCA Blue Ridge Leaders School to thank for my love of John Denver.

I went to my first concert with my mother around 1989 or 1990 at Riverbend, an amphitheater owned by the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra on the eastern edge of Cincinnati. That was two years after my mother went with a friend (she had gone to many of his concerts), the exact day I was getting home from Blue Ridge for the first time (I’d go four more times). Mom told me she wouldn’t see me that night right away because she’d be at the concert. No big deal.

But as I was coming home on the bus with all the members of area YMCA Leaders Club I was actually envious of my mother going to the concert. Now I wanted to go with her. Strange how experiences when you’re a teenager really flip viewpoints so quickly. Our minds are developing and opinions are forming so quickly.

Two years later I went with her to the concert, had pretty good seats and I was exposed to a lot more of his music. Up to that point I had heard “Follow Me,” “Sunshine On My Shoulders,” “What One Man Can Do” (still one of my favorites) and “I Want To Live.” That night at Riverbend it opened up a much broader appreciation of his music. That was the night I really became a fan.

His music was, and still is, very inspiring, comforting and thought-proking to me. Whether he was singing about love, relationships won or lost, breakthroughs in his understanding of himself or how the world is or his passion - deep and devoted - about the environment, I remember just feeling like I “got” what he was talking about. Still do. It helped spark my strong and continuing commitment to our environment.

John Denver concerts - I made it to two - were the most relaxing, peaceful things I have ever done in my life. I always loved and remembered the feeling it gave me.

My love of John Denver’s music has been a source of great teasing and ridicule by my friends. I’m way used to it by now, so feel free to launch another one, if you must. Just know over on the other half of the country - where I’ve called home a few times and for extended periods in my life - everyone loves John Denver. My passion for the singer was accepted as blind devotion to a political party. Here, John Denver obsession just gets strange looks. During my three summers as a camp counselor at Kennolyn Camps near Santa Cruz, Calif., my love for his music was well-known and appreciated.

Friday, Oct. 12, 2007 made it 10 years since JD died after his plane plummeted into the bay off of Monetery, Calif. My former co-counselor (and co-photography instructor) Julie Bliss was working that Sunday morning at the restaurant nearest where the plane crashed.

I was living with my grandmother in Springfield Township at the time. I remember logging into my America Online account that morning, glancing down to see the top story (they always teased just one) in the Welcome box and reading that John Denver was dead. I remember feeling mortally wounded, and how surreal it felt to be mourning a person I had never met.

What unfolded the rest of the day help soften the blow. Calls and e-mails (but mostly calls, not too many were online yet) started pouring into my grandmother’s house. Friends from all around the world - Kennolyn had staff from all over the world - and many from Cincinnati called me to see how I was doing and to express their sympathy. I bet 40 people contacted me that day. They were upset, too, and that was good to know. Grandma was puzzled why I was getting so many calls. It was driving her batty.

JD’s love for the environment was widely known. He started the Windstar Foundation in 1976 to bring attention to the cause - making him one of the first “green” people - an environmentalist long before caring for the environment was cool. Had Denver not died 10 years ago Friday I wonder if he would have been the one to finally get most people in agreement that something needs to be done about global climate change.

So, I thought it fitting that former Vice President Al Gore won the Nobel Prize on the 10-year anniversary of JD’s death. I bet JD, who was 53 years old when he died, was looking down and grinning ear to ear, realizing that we left here on “Spaceship Earth,” as he often referred to the planet, are finally heeding some of the warnings that he touted throughout most of his life.

Whether Gore or the Nobel judges or the reporters who reported on the award noticed - it doesn’t matter. The message is out there and something is finally being done about it. And that’s better than any John Denver song.

My blog just took an unscheduled vacation.

I didn’t give it vacation time - and it did not fill out the compulsory paperwork for such time off - it just walked out while still on the clock. Didn’t even bother to say when it would be back or cite where that clause was in its union contract to just up and leave like that.

Chalk it up to problems with my Web hosting provider, IPowerWeb. They insist the problem is on my end when I call their tech support. I tell them it keeps happening and they say it’s something wrong with my WordPress installation.

I suggest that it’s a problem with their link between my blog and the Php database. Why? Because this is the second time it just crapped out on me in two months and there just ain’t too many other explanations. They tell me that would be, well, not in their tech support handbook (i.e. “Uh, well, that’s about all I can tell you about the issue you’re having.”). Welcome to $5-a-month hosting. It still blows, but I knew what I was getting into when I signed up for the cheap crap. Any suggestions for cheap Web hosting that isn’t blowing up all the time, anyone?

Regardless of what the issue might have actually been, the site magically re-appeared sometime this morning. I’m happy it’s back, ‘cuz I was just about to spend the better part of my afternoon asking the oracle what to do about it. Now I don’t have to. So, off to write blog posts. There’s lots to talk about. Thanks for coming back and your patience. It’s good to be in service again.

The following is my Cincinnati Post column from Oct. 6, 2007. It did not appear on the Post’s Web site and a few of those who read it online have asked to have it posted. Thank you for asking for it, and here you go…

Budgets are not popular political issues. Maybe that is why few are talking about Cincinnati’s projected 2008 deficit of $20.4 million as the Nov. 6 election approaches.

I’ll tell you who is talking, though, but doing it in hushed tones, traversing on political thin ice: The city’s administrators whose job it is to count the city’s beans. Bad news. Ain’t many beans left.

Swimming pools. Health clinics. Arts funding. Saint Patrick Parade and the Findlay Market Opening Day Parade. Street sweeping. More police protection. The list of city services that means so much to so many Cincinnatians — many of which make this a wonderful place to live — are expensive.

How’d we get here? Several things, according to budget officials, but dramatically rising health care costs for the city’s employees and bigger demands on the public safety budget are good places to start looking. About 81 percent of the city’s budget goes to personnel expenses.

And it doesn’t get better anytime soon. The gap between projected expenditures and revenues continues to widen in the next few years. By 2010, general fund revenues are expected to be just under $370 million, while expenses will balloon to near $400 million.

Meanwhile, announcements keep rolling in ahead of Nov. 6 touting extended swimming pool hours, money for parades and other events that are politically popular promises. Take last week’s unanimous vote by City Council to fund city retirees health care at 100 percent — a clear violation of city law because it does not mirror coverage for current city employees — adds another $10 million to the city’s deficit for next year and into the future.

The Cincinnati Police Department had the distinction this year of becoming the first city department — probably ever — to single-handedly have more money directed toward it than all other departments combined. About 37 percent of the general operating fund goes toward police (fire gets about 25 percent). Weird thing is early on in the policy budget debate in 2006, Police Chief Tom Streicher said he did not need any more police officers (he later changed his mind). Yet at least one incumbent is promising to add more police if he is re-elected.

Next highest budget gobblers? The Health Department, which gets 8 percent of the general fund budget, followed by public services (those fixing potholes, sweeping streets and removing snow in winter), who get 7 percent. All others are in the 2 to 3 percent range.

Many city budget watchers are frustrated by the moves to promise new spending, wondering where the money will come from. Meanwhile, Milton Dohoney has asked all city department heads to identify 15 percent in possible cuts.

Council Member Chris Bortz has said the city cannot cut its way out of this mess, which he has called a “crisis.” He suggests finding new efficiencies, re-focusing priorities and combining services with other municipalities.

Whatever happens, it has to happen soon. It would be wise for the citizens to take notice and let the politicians know this is bothersome before this situation worsens.

Joe Wessels covers Cincinnati and Hamilton County government for The Post. Write to him at jwessels@cincypost.com or call (513) 352-2703.

The following is my Cincinnati Post column from Sept. 29, 2007. It did not appear on the Post’s Web site and a few of those who read it online have asked to have it posted. Thank you for asking for it, and here you go…

This week, supporters of a sales tax increase to fund a new county jail kicked off their campaign for what has become known as Issue 27.

Next week promises another anti-tax campaign kick-off, though details have not been finalized.

The big question now might as well become how much money both sides have to make their points.

Neither will say for sure, but Kathy Binns, who recently left her post as Hamilton County Commission President Todd Portune’s chief of staff to run the Citizens for a Safe Community campaign, the pro-Issue 27 group, said she plans to raise a lot.

Sources have told me that plans are in the works for the pro-Issue 27 side to buy television advertising. Suhith Wickrema, a spokesman for the No Jail Tax PAC, one of many groups against the sales tax increase that united in opposition to the plan, said he doubts they will be able to afford TV ads.

That’s OK, according to Hamilton County Commissioner Pat DeWine, who helped organize a petition drive to put the sales tax increase on the Nov. 6 ballot.

“Obviously, ours is going to be a grassroots campaign,” he said. “We may raise a little money, but we are not going to have the big money that the others have. But I think we have the people behind us.”

DeWine cites last fall’s defeat of the jail tax issue as a reason why this one will fail, too. Because of that, opponents of Issue 27 won’t need much, he said.

“I think the more people learn about the details of the plan, the more likely they are to vote against it. Our challenge is just to get the message out.”

Hogwash, Binns said. Getting their message out is exactly what she and her volunteers plan to do — and they expect to win.

“We believe we can absolutely win this thing,” she said. “Our goal is educate people. We have seen as we educate people they realize it’s nothing like what was defeated last year. Then the light bulb goes off above their head and they realize it’s a good plan.”

Portune and fellow Commissioner David Pepper, both Democrats, voted earlier this year to increase the county’s sales tax from 6.5 percent to 7 percent for eight years, starting in 2008. At that point, it would be rolled back to 6.75 percent for another seven years. In 2023, the tax would be reduced to its current 6.5 percent.

Republican DeWine voted against the plan and helped organize an effort that collected more than 27,000 signatures to get it on the ballot this fall.

Joe Wessels covers Cincinnati and Hamilton County government for The Post. Write to him at jwessels@cincypost.com or call (513) 352-2703.

Sunday evening, Melissa, Kaille and I took an impromptu trip to Ripley, Ohio - about an hour’s drive east of Cincinnati. The sun was setting, the air still somewhat heavy and warm and we were a little hungry. So, we stopped into Cohearts Riverhouse for dinner. I had not been there in several years, so it was nice to be back. I have some fond memories of that town and I was glad to feel some of those same feelings there again. It was also neat to see the improvements made to the riverfront area - including a beautiful new river walk area.

Late last month a story I wrote ran in The Post that outlines serious plans - presented through the publication of a report that cost more than $800,000 to produce - to spend several million dollars both rehabilitating and preserving Cincinnati’s most recognizable landmark, Union Terminal.

On top of the important preservation work, part of the visioning and overall plan for the Union Terminal would be creating a district that would completely transform the area around the building into a hustling, bustling neighborhood of offices, apartments, condominiums and retail shops. Plus the plan calls for building two new parking garages on either side of the main terminal building, while two giant asphalt parking lots in front of the building - along the circular drive - would be returned to green space for a park (the area that was once a popular Cincinnati gathering place, Lincoln Park).

Most notable was the building that Cincinnati City Council nearly voted to tear down in the early part of the 1970s is in pretty bad shape overall and needs about $111 million worth of critical architectural and historical preservation.

In the article I retold a story that Cincinnati Mayor Mark Mallory shared during one of his weekly press briefings. In that meet-up Mallory mentioned he was about to sit down with Cincinnati Museum Center officials - the folks now operating Union Terminal under a lease from the city - about restoration and renovation issues. He also mentioned TV talk and reality show host, former Cincinnati Council Member and Mayor Jerry Springer, crediting him with saving Union Terminal, in part, through a song he had written, sung and recorded back when he was on Council.

Springer apparently called a press conference back then on a grassy knoll, dawned a dashiki, surrounded himself with young children, strummed a guitar and sang his song called “Save the Union Terminal.” Among those children sitting with Springer was a young Mark Mallory.

When I heard about the song I went on a mad hunt to see if I could actually get a copy of it. After several calls and conversations with some very helpful people, I tracked it down. Special thanks to Jay Gilbert at WEBN-FM for getting it to me.

The lyrics talk of the grand building losing out to the “Greyhound Bus, the airplane and the hungry automobile.” Springer encourages citizens to save the building from “the wrecking ball and chain” so children can not only ask their fathers about trains, they can actually be taken to see an old train station.

If you’re a Jerry Springer fan or not, it’s a hoot to listen to. If you remember that time in Cincinnati politics, I imagine it’s pretty special to hear it again. If you love Union Terminal and you are any age, the song is a must-hear.

Audio courtesy of WEBN-FM.

As a side note, though the story was not followed by any other media outlets, it did become the highest vote-getter ever on Cinplify.com, which is very cool. Thanks again to everyone who voted for it.

Took an impromptu ride with Ella last evening and wound up at Gov. Bebb Park near Okeana in Butler County. I have some family who lives nearby (like really nearby), but didn’t call first and didn’t want to just pop in. But I rediscovered Gov. Bebb Park - named after Ohio’s 19th Gov. William Bebb, a Butler County native - and thought about how fun it would be (and close) to go there for a little car camping trip some night. As we were leaving, the sun was just lowering over the horizon and I snapped this photo with my cell phone camera…

Nod to the newly-discovered “Best of YouTube” video Podcast for this post.

I added the subscription right before I went on vacation and have, for the most part, been pleased with what I have found. Some days are better than others, like the day I got a download of the video below showing a high-tension electric wire repair man do his job, with a voice-over of the man explaining what he is doing. I found it really interesting.

I wonder if we have people around here who do that job? I imagine we do. Or maybe there a few regional people who are trained (and willing) and do this over a multi-state area?

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Never know what’s going to turn up on the Internet(s), but today I was directed to a Web site for - apparently - car racing enthusiasts (or at least written by one). The poster thinks he may have an idea that no elected leader around here has ever had - but should have. Officials should close down Interstate 275 - the nearly 84-mile circle freeway that wraps around Cincinnati - and let cars race on it.

The Web site, “GearBits,” which bills itself as “tech, culture, ideas, opinions,” thinks it would be a “road rally for the everyman.”

As much fun as I think it would be to get the Audi out there and see how fast it could go (the manual says the governer kicks in at 130 MPH), I find this idea to be, frankly, dumb. At least Mr. Poster-man thinks his idea is “99 percent likely never to bear fruit.”

I would agree, except that maybe I’d just go ahead and round up the chances to an even 100 percent.

But in the mini-research I did for this post, I did find out that I-275, as we “locals” call it, actually is officially the “Donald H. Rolf Circle Freeway.” Come to think of it, I believe I have seen a sign to that effect along the route. And come to think of that, who the hell is Donald H. Rolf?

Rolf Way is also the longest circle freeway in the country, according to Wikipedia, and the only one to travel through three states. Who knew? I think Interstates - Rolf Way, in this case - are nice for getting to my sister’s and parents’ and grandma’s house faster, but beyond that they suck. Gimme a streetcar.

That’s my Mom (Judy) on a flotation device in the swimming pool adjacent to the beach house I just got done spending a solid week in just outside of Destin, Fla. Went there with the whole family - Mom, Dad and my sister’s family and some of her in-laws.
It was a good time. To see photos, click on Mom and be taken to the set on Flickr.