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Spice up your holiday with a special “Holiday at Home” feature with DCDC

December 23, 2020 By LIbby Ballengee

After a year that’s kept us all at home, streaming our entertainment, I think it’s safe say we’re feeling a little Netflixed out. We’ve seen it ALL. Well, if you’re looking for something holiday themed, original, fabulous and local – check out the Dayton Contemporary Dance Company’s virtual “Home for the Holidays” performance this weekend.

Whether you’re new to modern dance, or a connoisseur, this show is both an opportunity for new patrons experience dance, as well as a dose of what longtime arts fans have been missing this year. It’s a beautiful way to celebrate the holidays with our own world-class dance company through cheerful dance and song!

How to tune in? That’s the best part: it’s at your convenience. Buy a ticket and enjoy a single viewing of the performance sometime from Saturday, December 26, 2020 until Tuesday, December 29, 2020.

“This production will beckon us towards the memories that remind us of the things we treasure most: family, community, and home,” the company stated. They invite the community to “let this moving, joyful experience warm your family’s heart during the holiday season.”

Not only is this cozy production a great way to break up the online monotony with something cultural and original, purchasing access to this performance is also a great way to support this treasured local arts institution. All performing arts organizations could greatly use the community’s support during this challenging time.

After the performance, there will be a special feature where DCDC’s dancers perform their favorite holiday fireside stories. The company invites you to follow along with their special craft making session, which is perfect for the entire family. This is an up close and personal way for the dancers to share their memories of hope and joy with the community.

Ticket Information

Get your tickets at daytonlive.org or call 937-228-3630. $26.50 each.

This broadcast will be available for a single viewing between 12 a.m. on Saturday, December 26, 2020 and 11:59 p.m. on Tuesday, December 29, 2020. Information about how to access the stream will be included on your email confirmation.

Dayton Contemporary Dance Company: www.dcdc.org

Filed Under: Arts & Entertainment, Community, DMM's Best Bets, The Featured Articles Tagged With: Christmas, Dayton, Dayton Club Scene, Dayton Live, Dayton Ohio, DCDC, Events, Holiday, home, seasonal, showtimes, Things to Do, Things to do in Dayton, Victoria Theatre, virtual

The Rubi Girls present “The Show Must Go On” virtually

November 25, 2020 By LIbby Ballengee

The Rubi Girls in the “Show Must Go On 2020” at The Brightside

Every nonprofit has had to pivot their fundraisers to online events, and The Rubi Girls are no exception. The group has awarded millions to a variety of local charities, and they’re determined to keep giving, especially now, when the need is greatest.

The Rubi Girl’s annual Thanksgiving production “The Show Must Go On” will be presented online on Saturday November 28th at 7:30pm and will also be accessible anytime after it starts.

The Rubi Girls were formed over 35 years ago, when a small group of friends started putting on drag shows for their own amusement. They later became a 501c3 dedicated to helping others. They’ve truly shown that giving to others can be outrageously fun and rewarding!

The tickets to the virtual performance and fundraiser are $25, which comes with your own copy of the 2021 Rubi Girls calendar. Calendars can be shipped anywhere in the US or picked up at the Rubi Girls Clubhouse on Friday November 27th from 11-2pm or Saturday November 28th from 11-2pm.

TO BUY TICKETS: https://www.therubigirls.com/shop

 

Filed Under: Arts & Entertainment, Charity Events, Community, DMM's Best Bets, On Stage Dayton, The Featured Articles Tagged With: Dayton, Dayton Ohio, daytonmostmetro, Downtown Dayton, Events, Fundraiser Rubi Girls, rubi girls, Things to Do

Mavin Gaye’s “What’s Going On” brought to life by the Dayton Contemporary Dance Company

November 20, 2020 By LIbby Ballengee

Almost 50 years ago, Marvin Gaye, the Prince of Motown, released the album What’s Going On to great acclaim. On Sunday, November 22, the Dayton Contemporary Dance Company (DCDC) invites you to join them for an online watch party as their dance artists interpret the music of one of the world’s greatest vocalists!

The classic 1971 soul album was written at a tumultuous time in American history, when the Vietnam war was raging, young people were disillusioned, while millions of Americans continued to fight for racial justice. Nearly 50 years later, the songs and emotions from What’s Going On resonate now more than ever. 

DCDC is interpreting Gaye’s work at the newly remodeled Rose Auditorium, inside the Dayton Art Institute. However, one piece will be shot on location at the Balsley House in the Oregon District. Both locations offer a new and exciting experience for DCDC fans and dancers alike!

After the virtual production, DCDC invites audiences to Lights Up!, a curated online conversation with the artists, which will immediately follow the performance via zoom. 

The initial broadcast of this performance premieres on Sunday November 22nd at 4pm. There will also be a rebroadcast available for viewing between 12 a.m. on Saturday November 28 and 11:59 p.m. on Sunday November 29. Information about how to access the rebroadcast will be included on your email confirmation.

HOW TO WATCH:

FIRST WATCH: Sunday, Nov 22, 2020 at 4:00pm
Ticket link: https://www.daytonlive.org/events/whats-going-on-first-look/
 
SECOND TIME AROUND: 12 a.m. on Saturday November 28 and 11:59 p.m. on Sunday November 29.
Ticket link: https://www.daytonlive.org/events/whats-going-on-second-time-around/
 
COST: $25
 

NOTE: Information about how to access the live watch party via Zoom will be included in your email confirmation. Please plan to log into the Zoom event at least 15 minutes before the watch party begins

MORE INFO: Visit dcdc.org or visit DCDC on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram

Filed Under: Arts & Entertainment, Community, DMM's Best Bets, On Stage Dayton Tagged With: arts, Dayton, Dayton Club Scene, Dayton Contemporary Dance Company, dayton dance, Downtown Dayton, Marvin Gaye, online, Things to Do, Things to do in Dayton, virtual

New patio opening with live music at The Brightside

October 22, 2020 By Dayton Most Metro

New patio at The Brightside

The Brightside, one of Dayton’s newest music and event venues, has been fighting to come back since their COVID shutdown mid-March. Although they’ve hosted private events and weddings, as well as some exclusive virtual concerts this summer, they’ve been pretty quiet.

Owners Carli and Hamilton Dixon used the “downtime” to focus on continuing to improve the building. They took the formerly abandoned coal warehouse at the corner of 3rd and Keowee, and have transformed it into one of the coolest event spots in downtown Dayton. This summer, they repainted the entire exterior, added a new mural and signage, finished a brand new loft space, and most recently, added a patio.

The patio’s first use is happening on Thursday October 22, 2020 with live music from local blues band Wolf Moon Revival from 7-10pm. There will be a food truck on site on what promises to be a lovely, warm evening in late October. The band plans come to back the following Thursday as well (October 29). The venue and the band are making the most of new patio while the weather holds out. Both events are no cost to attend but donations for musicians appreciated.

Dixon’s Violin performs at The Brightside on Sunday October 25th

“We saw the weather was going to be pretty nice the end of October and thought, why not put the new patio to use now?” the venue’s music booker, Libby Ballengee of Venus Child Productions, told us. “We are so excited to have outdoor space to utilize, and couldn’t wait to have live music back!”

 

They also have planned to bring back Dixon’s Violin, a mesmerizing musical act the venue hosted last year to critical acclaim. He will also be performing outdoors at The Brightside on Sunday October 25th from 4-6pm. Dixon, who is no relation to the owners, has performed at Burning Man, TED and Eletric Forest, to name a few. He is sure to delight audiences of all varieties! Tickets are required to attend Sunday’s show, which are $20 in advance, $25 day of show.

The new mural at The Brightside

If weather does not hold out for those shows, they will be pulled inside to the Brightside’s voluminous ballroom, where patrons will be spaced out 6′ apart and be able to order drinks from a contactless ordering system. The venue has also added UV cleaning systems to filter the air in all of their HVAC units.

“We’re doing everything we can to ensure our guest’s safety,” Ballengee continued. “That’s one reason we’ve held off hosting live music. We want to make sure we can host in a way that is safe for our guests, staff and musicians.”

Guests are required to wear masks if they are standing, and are asked to practice social distancing. For more information visit the venue’s website at thebrightsidedayton.com

HOW TO GO:

Thursday October 22, 2020: Wolf Moon Revival

Music 7-10pm

Address: 905 E 3rd St, Dayton

Food truck: Phatty Wagon

No cover – tips for musicians appreciated!

All ages!

 

Sunday, October 25, 2020: Dixon’s  Violin

Music 4-6pm (Doors 3pm)

Address: 905 E 3rd St, Dayton

Tickets required: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/dixons-violin-outside-concert-dayton-4-pm-show-tickets-125024909871

All ages!

 

Thursday October 29, 2020: Wolf Moon Revival

Music 7-10pm

Address: 905 E 3rd St, Dayton

No cover – tips for musicians appreciated!

All ages!

Filed Under: Arts & Entertainment, Community, DMM's Best Bets, Downtown Dayton, The Featured Articles Tagged With: Dayton, Dayton Music, Dayton Ohio, Downtown Dayton, Events, Things to Do

For the Love of Beer and Community – An Interview with Mike Schwartz

July 22, 2020 By Brian Petro 2 Comments

Update: Mike has sold Belmont Party Supply and posted this photo and message on his  Facebook page:

“Thanks for the Memories!

May the Schwartz Beer Be With You Always”

Please enjoy this repost of this interview with Mike from 2013.

Belmont Party Supply Logo

Belmont Party Supply: the epicenter of great beer knowledge in Dayton.

The craft beer business has been booming for the last two decades. Since the late 1980’s, craft beer has been slowly nibbling at the edges of the big name beers that people knew well and enjoyed. Sam Adams led the charge at a time when there were roughly 90 breweries in the United States. That number has grown to over 2,500 in 2013, and it looks like there is no slowing down. Dayton has multiple breweries and brew pubs opening in the area, adding to the seventy that already dot the state of Ohio. As this beer explosion was happening, there was a business that was quietly growing with it. Belmont Party Supply, owned by community supporter and beer advocate Mike Schwartz, will be celebrating 30 years of business next year. They also have been named by several websites and magazines as one of the best beer stores in the world. While beer lovers see Mike as a cornerstone of the Dayton beer scene, it was something that may not have come to pass if events played out differently.

“I actually quit drinking beer, because I am not a fan of carbonation, and I don’t like cold beer,” Schwartz said, sipping a Bell’s Expedition Stout at the Trolley Stop. “I didn’t know anything about drinking a warm beer like English ale. I was so slow at drinking my beer it would turn warm, and obviously we all know what an American major tastes like when it turns warm.” He quit drinking beer around the same time he bought the Belmont Party Supply in January of 1984. It was two years before the craft beer movement was even truly born, and he bought Belmont as it was going out of business. Mike had been sidelined by illness from his day job as an electrician, ultimately bought the failing shop for one reason. “I was bored!”

Mike_and_I

Author Brian Petro and Mike Schwartz after beer tasting at Trolley Stop

The explosion of craft beer in the late 1980’s helped his business, and his knowledge of beer, grow. That growth eventually led to some problems in the middle of the 1990’s. “They were putting a lot of crap on the shelves. Very expensive crap. I started to see breweries putting money on their labels and not in their beers. The consumers stood strong. I had to react by tasting beers before I put them on the shelf. At one time I had distributors bringing me beers to evaluate before they carried them. It was that bad.” Mike developed a reputation in the area as the guy that knew beer. “I used to have my beer manager collect the samples. She would sit down and pour the beer on Friday afternoon. Then she would tell me what to evaluate it as. I would evaluate it. She would not tell me the price. I would evaluate it by how much money I thought they put into it and how it fed into the style.” He had good taste even then. He was selling North Coast and Avery beers before they were widely popular.

Mike Schwartz with pink hair

Isn’t he a good sport? And pretty in pink?

He gained some of his vast knowledge of beer the same way most of us do: trial and error, tasting many different beers, and learning about their flavors through experience. He also went the extra step and became certified. “First of all I took the Beer Judge Certification Program (BJCP). If you are a brewer, that will teach you how to brew. It will teach you all the physics, the science behind all the beers. What they are supposed to be, how they are supposed to taste, and what makes them taste that way. Yes, you have certain ingredients, but it’s how your treat that certain ingredient to get the flavor you want.” There is another program, the Cicerone program, which is for beer handlers. Mike suggests that if you are a beer lover, either of those programs would be beneficial for your knowledge of beer. He also networked to learn more behind the scenes information about the beers and the programs he loves. He has met such beer luminaries as Gordon Strong, one of the creators of the BJCP and a master brewer in his own right; Randy Mosher, 27 year veteran of home brewing, author, and part owner of Five Rabbit Brewery in Chicago; and Fred Karm, brewer at the increasingly popular Hopppin’ Frog brewery in Akron, OH. Some of the luminaries in the beer world he had the pleasure to interview, and those interviews are posted on the Belmont Party Supply’s website for all of our benefit. Mike’s reputation grew as his business grew, and soon he was not just known through the state or the region, but the world.

For those of you not in know, Belmont Party Supply is known well beyond the confines of Dayton. Mike spoke about one of the incidents that illustrated how widely known this local beer store is. “My wife went out to San Diego last year for a family wedding and people that grew up next door to us flew in as well. They had just come back from Belgium. They were doing a brewery tour, and they asked they tour guide if they ship to the United States. The tour guide asked ‘Where are you?’, and our friends said in Ohio, right by Dayton. He responded by saying ‘Do you know Mike Schwartz over at Belmont Party Supply? He carries our beer. That to me is an impressive thing.” BeerAdvocate has rated it as one of the best in the country, and RateBeer has it ranked as one of the top beer places in the world. After being in the business for thirty years, Mike knows what it takes to create a successful business. “I did not do that all alone. I am the guy at the top but it took great people working for me, and the customers that requested beers. We worked hard with the distributors. I could not have done it without the distributors. We carry some of their slow moving items, and when we do that, they feel the need to pay us back.” And pay him back they have. One of the beers he was paid back with was the ultra rare and highly desired Westvleteren 12. “It came in through Shelton Brothers Importing, through a distributor of course. We carry all of Shelton Brothers beers, and they have showed us appreciation by giving us some one offs.” It is smart business practices like this that allow Belmont to carry beers no one else has, and end up with beers that everyone will want.

Brewtensils interior

This is utopia for beer brewers in the Dayton community.

Mike Schwartz’s beer expertise is not just in tasting in and selling it, but brewing it as well. Brewtensils started as shop within Belmont Party Supply, helping local brewers make their own beers at home. It eventually grew into its own shop right next door, offering not only brewing supplies but brewing classes and contests as well. His favorite style to brew is imperial stouts. “It is very English, it tastes better the warmer it gets. I have had bartenders pour me a glass and put it in the microwave for ten to fifteen seconds to knock that chill off.” The classes not only give Mr. Schwartz a chance to help local brewers pursue their craft, they also give him a little insight into what brewers are starting to explore. Many big beer trends start in kitchens of amateur brewers, so this becomes a little lab for him to observe. What is he seeing on the horizon? “I really think you are going to see more herbs going into beers. People are more conscious of nature. Some of the people herbs are using for flavor and bitterness are phenomenal. Your saisons are increasing now. You can play all kinds of games with saisons with herbs, ginger, lemongrass, all kinds of stuff. I see that coming around the corner, I really do.”

Beer brewing classes and tastings around town are just a few ways Mike stays in touch with the community. And he is a big supporter of this community. He is part of the brain trust that is bringing Big Beers and Barley Wines back for its fifth year at the Roundhouse on October 5.  For the connoisseurs of craft beer and looking for more local flavor, this is one of the last big beer festivals of the year. The list of beers for this year’s festival is impressive. Revolution Brewing’s Very Mad Cow stout is almost worth the price of admission on its own. Mike has other reasons other than supporting local breweries and beer lovers. “This organization (the Resident Home Association) came to me and asked me to do a beer tasting for them. I said ‘No, I want to do a festival. I want to do a knockout festival.’ I told them they would have to handle all the money, but I will not accept any users or advisors fees. No one will make a penny off of this. This is the fifth one, and now we’re typically putting in $8000 to $10,000 a year in profit.” He gives back quite a bit to the community that supports him, not just locally, but nationally. He has done charity work for others as well, like our veterans. “Probably the neatest thing I have ever done in this trade was helping my sister down in Columbia, SC, home of Ft. Jackson. She belonged to an Elks Club, and she asked me to come down and do a beer tasting for the Wounded Warrior Walk. It is the hospice for wounded warriors. We raised quite a bit of money. I got to meet some high ranking officials down there. One high ranking officer invited me out to the firing range to fire some of the big guns. I wasn’t able to go because I was flying out the next day.”

Big Beers and Barley Wines

You have a date with some great beer for a good cause on October 5.

The wisdom Mike has about beer and his willingness to share it is obvious to anyone who speaks with him for any length of time. It makes Mike a quiet but influential figure in the beer community, and he knows there is plenty of room for everyone. “I think the breweries have a great chance in Dayton, especially with Columbus, Cincinnati, Indianapolis, and Kentucky not too far away.” And he thinks Dayton has just started to hit its stride. “I don’t know what happened to Dayton. It has one of the world’s best water supplies. It is very comparable to English water. It is beautiful ale water, and there is plenty of it here.” When asked if he thought that the Miami Valley was getting too many breweries and brew pubs too soon, his answer was a very quick “Absolutely not.” He even sees some lessons that the “fizzy yellow beer” producers can teach all of these new brewers. “Back in the late 1800’s, Anheuser Busch was making a European style lager. They almost went belly up until they decided to lighten the beer up by using rice. Anheuser Busch actually listened to the consumer, adjusted, and hit a home run. Americans were looking for a lighter, drier finish. I don’t have a problem with yellow, fizzy beer. There is a beer for everybody, and we all need to accept that and honor someone’s beer. If that’s what they like, that’s what they like. If everyone is drinking that beer, they leave my imperial stout alone!”

Mike Schwartz is not just a lover of beer; he is a lover of the industry and the community that supports him. He gives that love right back in a way that raises all the people around him. He does what he can to make sure everyone gets the help they need. His view of success sums it all up quite nicely: “If you work hard all your life and you take all the proceeds and experience and keep it to yourself, you really haven’t gained anything. But if you can share it with other people and do good for unfortunate people, which makes me feel good. That’s success right there. You can live in your mansions, but if you can’t share it, you haven’t succeeded at life.” I would gladly raise a glass to that sentiment.

Filed Under: Dayton Dining, Dayton On Tap, Happy Hour, The Featured Articles Tagged With: Ale, Beer, Belmont Party Supply, Brew pub, brewery, Brewtensils, Business, community, Craft Beer, Dayton, Dayton Ohio, DaytonDining, Downtown Dayton, English ale, imperial stout, lager, local, Oregon District, pub, Stackers, Things to Do

An Interview with Jared Grandy- Former Community-Police Relations Coordinator

June 29, 2020 By Jason Harrison

Daytonians joined activists around the country at the end of May in rising up against police brutality following George Floyd’s state-sanctioned murder in Minneapolis over Memorial Day Weekend. All of this led to an awakening of sorts, wherein white people rather suddenly seemed to come to an understanding that racism hadn’t, in fact, been eliminated in the 1960s and anti-Black racism continues to be a driving force in every imaginable sector of American life.

In the absence of a robust organized resistance, Dayton city leadership and police were able to squash local discontent by Sunday, May 31st, when a 7 PM curfew enforced by armored military vehicles, helicopters, and eerily fascist police announcements threatening arrest cleared the streets, paving the way for Mayor Nan Whaley to declare “Black Lives Matter” even after her city government used the very tactics activists have been marching in the streets to dismantle.

It was against the backdrop that I wanted to speak to someone who’s been at the forefront of trying to solve the problem of municipal police states since well before white people began paying attention. Jared Grandy is the former community-police relations coordinator whose resignation coincided with the national unrest over police brutality. The story he told me over a nearly 90-minute talk holds stark lessons for how high the mountain is that we must climb in Dayton if we care as much about equality and justice as public proclamations and social media say we do.

Jared Grandy

Grandy was the type of civil servant every Daytonian should want out of a city worker. Born and raised in Dayton and a graduate of our public schools who found his passion for learning at Sinclair Community College before undergraduate studies at the University of Cincinnati and law school at Northern Kentucky University, he represents the best of who we can be as a city. 

What he found, however, when he assumed the community-police relations coordinator role, however, wasn’t a welcome mat rolled out for someone with deep roots, a solid legal understanding, and a passion for the city. Instead he ran face-first into Dayton’s bipartisan white supremacist foundation.

Jared Grandy: The reason I was interested in that particular position [community-police relations coordinator], is because at the time I was naive enough to think that, you know, there was a difference that could actually be made locally.

By that time, I mean, that was 2016, so we’ve seen Trayvon Martin, Alton Sterling, Michael Brown, John Crawford, on and on and on, and I just thought this was an opportunity to make a significant difference in my local community, in my hometown, the town I know and love so much, and you know over time it just became apparent that it wasn’t the case that we were there to make any significant change. 

Jason Harrison: What made you think that? Well, how quickly did you make that realization?

Grandy: Relatively quickly. Within a few months I realized that [Dayton Police] Chief  [Richard] Biehl and the Commission to a certain extent wasn’t interested in having the difficult conversation. You would hear Chief Biehl even say to this day that the CPC (community-police council) was about mutual accountability which is another way of saying that you know the community is responsible for ending its own gun violence and we’re here to help with that process. And I don’t necessarily disagree with that, right? That idea of mutual accountability, yes, we are responsible for our community but don’t make that assumption that there aren’t people working on those issues. You know there’s pastors and youth leaders and private organizations that’s been working on gun violence in the urban environment for years across the country.

Harrison: It’s the old trope about “black on black crime.” Just because you’re not aware of the work that’s being done—

Grandy: Correct. That’s exactly it. And Chief is smart enough and savvy enough to not say “black on black crime,” you know he just says “mutual accountability” instead.

Harrison: It’s rebranded.

Grandy: Yeah. It’s just rebranded. That’s my issue with Chief Biehl specifically is he’s so good about using the same old tropes, rebranding them, sounding progressive, sounding liberal, and I think the community gets confused about what they got. With Trump, we know exactly what we have. When you tweet “when the looting starts, the shooting starts,” that’s a pretty clear message, right? But when you say, you know, we’re working on this issue, we care, you think you have somebody who’s listening and progressive but in reality the policies that are implemented are no different than what a conservative like Trump would implement. And that’s what we get stuck with. 

The Dayton Daily News reported Grandy’s resignation as the community-police relations coordinator on June 3rd, just hours before Mayor Nan Whaley held a press conference announcing five police “reforms.” The timing of the city’s press conference—just hours after the Dayton Daily report on Grandy’s resignation—raises questions about whether that press conference was intended not to begin a process of reform but to distract us from Grandy’s message. (Two of the five reforms are mere continuations of existing policy).

Aside from Grandy’s eloquent rage, what I found most interesting about the article was how Chief Biehl used time-honored tactics intended to silence, dismiss, and discredit. But the quotes attributed to the chief fail to puncture Grandy’s arguments and instead serve to highlight just how steeped in supporting status quo white supremacist notions of “objectivity” the Dayton city government is.

Responding to Grandy’s contention that the Dayton police have a “warrior-like” mentality—an accusation I’ve heard from other people close to police officers—Biehl didn’t offer a substantive response, and instead chose only to offer that “Grandy’s three-year experience doesn’t compare to the decade-long relationship his department has with the Community Police Council.”

This is the part of Grandy’s story that I think is worth every Daytonian considering, and it’s a story that every Black person in this country will find familiar. The city was hostile to the idea of meaningfully transforming the police, Grandy recognized this quickly, and left when his conscience wouldn’t allow him to continue giving the city cover for its anti-Black policies. Then that resignation is used as proof that somehow Grandy isn’t serious about making positive change, despite the fact that he’s dedicated his entire professional life to the uplift and security of Black people. 

Grandy simply wasn’t “objective” enough to do his job—which led to two separate write-ups in his personnel file—but the problem is how that objectivity has been traditionally defined in Dayton and around the country. White people have always been in charge of defining who is objective and who isn’t. They’ve even been able to define what data are and are not objective. 

When Grandy and I spoke at my personal training studio, the tense protests that had swept through the country were still fresh. So I brought up an infamous moment from Buffalo when police officers brazenly pushed an elderly man, causing him to fall, hit his head, and sustain serious injuries. Here’s how a police spokesman initially described the event:

“…a 5th person was arrested during a skirmish with other protestors and also charged with disorderly conduct. During that skirmish involving protestors, one person was injured when he tripped & fell.”

Tripped and fell. Thankfully there was a viral video to show otherwise.

Harrison: The passive language is how they’ve been able to get away with it.

Grandy: So, okay. While I was with the CPC, for two years in a row we commissioned and released this data report. Right? And the findings were that the vast majority of use of force incidents that were reported were investigated by the professional standards bureau and those officers were exonerated, right? You could look it up, but I think it was 847 instances of use of force and 841 of the incidents were exonerated.

Harrison: 841 out of 847.

Grandy: Yes. Meaning that, you know, yes, the use of force happened, but the use of force was sanctioned and all was good, right? 

Harrison: Honestly when you said that I was thinking it would be like 80 percent or something like that. That’s damn near 100 percent. 

Grandy: Almost 100 percent. I mean, for statistical purposes that’s 100 percent.

I did look it up, by the way. Grandy’s recollection was exactly right: 841 out of 847 exonerations. You can read the 2018 report here.

Grandy: I was no longer interested in commissioning that data report because the data itself was so biased and it told a false story. Because the data suggests that yes we arrest people and yes we use force but the force is necessary. If the police determine what force is necessary then of course there is going to be a bias.

Which is why I talked to Dr. Richard Stock from the University of Dayton who we paid to do the report, and he said “I can’t figure out how to account for that bias.” So I’m like I’m not doing it anymore because I’m not advancing the narrative that cops are using force legitimately for all practical purposes 100 percent of the time. 

Harrison: This is like the racist claim that like, well Black people commit more crime. 

Grandy: Yeah. For sure. For sure. It advances that. And if you read the FOP response to my resignation they use that in there. They say well Jared Grandy praised the police and reported that most use of force was legitimate. And that’s such a mischaracterization of what happened. Yes, I did at the time praise the professional standards bureau for the way they do their investigations. It was very transparent. It seemed to be thorough. But they left out the part, which never made it to Commission because Commission is this Disney presentation, you know, it’s not meant for hard-hitting conversation. It’s a PowerPoint slide for goodness sakes. Right? But you know, to take that presentation without the context of the conversations that had prior to that presentation and prior to that report where we discussed at length the implicit bias and favor of the police department in this data. So I was frustrated.

Harrison: Did you find that a tension between being a city employee and doing that work?

Grandy: Yeah. I mean, yes. 

Harrison: That’s a perfect example of like, that was a big part of a conversation, but then when it comes to present it publicly there’s pressure—

Grandy: For sure. For sure.

Harrison: There’s a machine here now.

Grandy: Correct. That’s what I’m getting at. There’s a machine. Everything is hunky dory coming out of the commission. Everything is hunky dory when the mayor speaks. So as a city employee, as somebody who works directly under the commission as an HRC employee, of course. Of course I feel the pressure to get on board with that culture, because if I’m the one dissenting opinion then I am the one who is, you know, you have to get rid of that right? 

Jared Grandy is one of the rare people who has been willing to sacrifice the comfort of his public service job to sound the alarm for the rest of us, all the while offering a discomfiting glimpse inside the Democratic Party machine that stands in the way of the transformation necessary to build equality for Black people in the city of Dayton.

I asked Grandy about those personnel write-ups mentioned in the Dayton Daily News article. He said that people were more upset that that was included in the article about his resignation than he was. 

Grandy: People were a lot more offended on my behalf than I actually was. I’m like “Yes! I had a problem being objective. Like, sure, I’m a Black man, of course I’m going to side with the people every time. The thing is they wanted me to be an objective facilitator of conversation. Which at times I tried to be, but over time I realized that some of these people [from the community] wanted me to open the door for more contentious conversation so as to feel like we were making some progress because beforehand, my first year-and-a-half in, I’d invite people to CPC and kid you not, I quote, “Jared this is bullshit I don’t want to be a part of this,” right? “Because why are we here? We’re not talking any of the things that really matter to the community.” 

What Grandy did was even the playing field for ideas, such that the voice of the people was elevated to be equal to those of the officials in power. He had the temerity to declare their lens of the world as critically important in a city and a country that views the white lens as normative. 

Grandy: I wanted to give them permission to talk about the issues that they really cared about. Prior to that moment what we had, was, you know, even though we had very smart courageous people on the CPC, it’s intimidating to have the chief of police, the city manager, the commissioners, sitting there, and they took advantage of that power dynamic and they really controlled the narrative.

The Dayton Daily News article about Grandy’s resignation was a case study in attempting to control the narrative. “Grandy has struggled to maintain neutrality in his role as community-police relations coordinator and serve as a facilitator, instead of an advocate, according to a January 2020 performance improvement plan in his personnel file.”

But Grandy isn’t ashamed of those write-ups. He’s proud. And we should be too. 

Grandy: That whole article to me was like, yes, indeed, I did all of this stuff. When my grandkids read this article they’ll be proud because I’m on the right side of history.

Filed Under: Community, Dayton History, Downtown Dayton, Local Government/Politics, Opinion, The Featured Articles Tagged With: Dayton, dayton police, Jared Grandy

A Video Series for Making Cocktails At Home – UPDATED

June 9, 2020 By Brian Petro

(This post, and schedule, can also be found on the website Smart Guy in a Tie)

Coffee CocktailsMost people would be surprised by the number of cocktail ingredients they have in their kitchen. Fruits, vegetables, prepackaged drinks, and many other ingredients are the same ones used in bars around the world. Everywhere from James Beard Award-winning bars to the neighborhood bar where the beer is always cold, and you can usually find a friend there. The only thing you need to add is liquor. When I started Kitchen Cocktails two months ago, the goal was to show people what they can do with a couple of bottles and ingredients in the house. If you could purchase it at the grocery store or the liquor store, you could make it at home. People seem to be enjoying it, and with so many topics to cover, I thought it would help if you knew the rest of the month in advance.

Every one of these events is scheduled on my Facebook page so that you can note them on your calendar. The events are also where I will be adding the ingredients or other materials you will need if you want to make the cocktails along with me, or later that night. Mondays are #MakeItMonday, where I will be showing you a new technique or talking about materials you need for a home bar. Wednesdays, I will focus on bottles of liquor or cocktails people watching have at home they want to explore. You can respond to the pinned post on my Facebook page if you’re going to add something to the list. On Friday, we look at a themed type of cocktail or category of cocktail to explore. One you can experiment with at home!

Tonic TastingHere is the schedule for the rest of June. Every episode is at 5 PM EDT:

June 8: Infinity bottle

Have some spare whiskey or rum in the house? This bottle could be an excellent way to create a unique blend.

June 10: Iced Tea

Summer is a week and a half away, and we all love a good glass of cold tea on the patio. Adding something to it never hurts.

June 12: Old Fashioned

Every bar has their version of the Old Fashioned, and they are all sworn to be the original. I will go through the basics for you.

June 15: Tools of the trade have a variety of tools laying in front of me for every cocktail I make. But what ones do you need to start a home bar?

June 17: Chartreuse

Which came first, the color or the liqueur? This herbal product of France slides deliciously into many cocktails.

June 19: Nathan “Nearest” Green

Mint infused RumJack Daniel’s Tennessee Whiskey is one of the most well known global whiskey brands. For years, the history of the person who taught Jack how to distill was unknown, until a woman tracked it down and brought it to life.

June 22: Infusions

For the fourth Make It Monday of the month, we are going to explore how to infuse your favorite spirits with different flavors.

June 24: Cachaça

The national spirit of Brazil, this earthy, fruity cousin of rum, has a flavor all its own. Grab a bottle and see how you can use it!

June 26: Negroni

One of the classics. Three ingredients, all in equal measure. Like the Old Fashioned, it is a cocktail that has inspired endless variations.

June 29: Batching

Pitcher of cocktailsWhether you are planning on having a few socially distanced friends over or just want something simple to drink after work, there is always room for a bottle of cocktails!

July 1: St. Germain

Made with elderflowers, this lightly floral and sweet liqueur adds a little extra depth to many cocktails.

Thank you all for your support! I am always open to other ideas for episodes, so let me know what you want to see through Facebook, and I will do what I can to accommodate it.

Filed Under: Dayton Dining, Dayton On Tap, Happy Hour, The Featured Articles Tagged With: cocktail, cocktail class, Dayton, gin, home bar, rum, Things to Do, vodka, whiskey

Gams, Gangsters, & Gigglewater presented by Mayhem & Mystery

March 30, 2020 By Adrienne Niess

Mayhem & Mystery presents their latest interactive mystery production, Gams, Gangsters, & Gigglewater. Join Sherry “Louisiana” Sugar at her speakeasy, the Warehouse, where she makes sure that all of her guests have a wonderful time and that the drinks are in abundance. Jack Rose, a supposed gangster with an interest in the Warehouse, likes to hang around, much to the annoyance of Louisiana. Are his interests just in the drinks? “Gin” Rickey Roscoe, a local hooch runner, supplies alcohol to the Warehouse and other clubs in the area. Gin is easily distracted by beautiful women, especially the singers and dancers at the Warehouse, including Brandy Belle Bearcat. Brandy is a former vaudeville performer who is just waiting for her big break on Broadway. Brandy always has a “sugar daddy” to keep her in expensive jewels and furs and the like. When one of the foursome dies mysteriously, all are at a loss. Can you solve the crime? Prizes are awarded at the end.
Cost is only $29.95 for dinner of salad, bread, select entrees, and beverage, and show (tax and gratuity not included). Shows are 7:00 PM weekly on Monday evenings plus one Friday each month at the Spaghetti Warehouse, 36 W. 5th Street, Dayton, 45402. Reservations are required. Call 937.461.3913 to reserve your seat now. Show runs approximately 2 1/2 hours.

Tagged With: Dayton, Dayton Dining, Dayton Theater, dayton theatre

A Walk Through the Cemetery is Just What You Need!

March 16, 2020 By Angie Hoschouer Leave a Comment

We are living in strange times these days. Viruses are named after birds, pigs and now beer. New words for the dictionary will be added by the end of the year: “self-quarantining” and “social distancing.” Fake news. Real news. Wash your hands. And the hoarding of toilet paper! Bars and restaurants closed. Libraries and casinos closed. Strange times indeed.

There are things to do and places you can go that will allow you to be socially distanced from others yet enjoy the beauty of emerging spring. Visit the cemetery! Yes! We’re serious, visit the cemetery.  Woodland Cemetery and Arboretum is an open air museum that will delight you with the the visuals of greening grass and emerging flowers. We’ve seen the crocus bloom and the daffodils should be fluttering forth very soon.

If you’ve never been to Woodland  Cemetery and Arboretum you just might be amazed with all of the architectural wonders and beautiful sculptures throughout the grounds. There are over 110,000 people buried at Woodland and nearly 100,000 markers and monuments ranging from rugged boulders, left here from the glaciers, to Greek statues and temples. You’ll see a full sized dog, angels and trumpeters and lambs, crosses and flowers all made of cut stone.

There are unique poems and stories etched into the stones and symbols of death from a long ago era. What’s more is that you can learn about the history of Dayton’s citizens through one of the virtual tours offered by the cemetery’s mobile app. There are three tours you can walk, drive or sit on your couch and attend. A free downloadable app is available from the cemetery’s website at woodlandcemetery.org or click here to go straight to the app site.

The Historic Tour features several of the buildings and notable residents at Woodland. This tour offers an audio feature where you sit back and listen to the narrative. There is also the Dayton’s Walk of Fame Tour and the Celebrated African -Americans at Woodland Cemetery Tour. Give it a try and learn about a few of the men and women who made it Great’n Dayton.

If going to the cemetery, there are over 200 verdant acres of rolling hills and 9 miles of paved roads. Truly a much better workout than you can get at the gym. There are at least nine remaining trees designated as “Ohio Champions.” How fun would it be to find them all. You can stop at the front office and get free brochures of several walking tours or purchase a booklet that features both walking tour and historical bios on each of the people on the tour. Bring a picnic and sit down by the pond. Dogs, bring your humans and get them off the couch. And definitely bring your camera to take in the view and a photo of the beautiful “Gem City.”

Woodland Cemetery and Arboretum sits in the heart of downtown Dayton on over 200 verdant acres of rolling hills with over 3000 tress on the property. This historic cemetery, founded in 1841, welcomes thousands of visitors who tour the grounds each year to visit the grave sites of inventors of powered flight, Wilbur and Orville Wright; poet Paul Laurence Dunbar; Matilda and Levi Stanley, Queen and King of the Gypsies; writer Erma Bombeck; inventor Charles F. Kettering; and entrepreneurs John H. Patterson (NCR); George P. Huffman (Huffy Bicycles); and George Mead (Mead Paper Co.).

Filed Under: Active Living, Community, Dayton History, Downtown Dayton, The Featured Articles Tagged With: Charles F. Kettering, Dayton, Downtown Dayton, Erma Bombeck, Gem CIty, George H. Mead, George P. Huffman, John H. Patterson, Paul Laurence Dunbar, Queen of the Gypsies, The Wright Brothers, Things to Do, Things to do in Dayton, Woodland Cemetery

Gams, Gangsters, & Gigglewater presented by Mayhem & Mystery

March 9, 2020 By Adrienne Niess

Mayhem & Mystery presents their latest interactive mystery production, Gams, Gangsters, & Gigglewater. Join Sherry “Louisiana” Sugar at her speakeasy, the Warehouse, where she makes sure that all of her guests have a wonderful time and that the drinks are in abundance. Jack Rose, a supposed gangster with an interest in the Warehouse, likes to hang around, much to the annoyance of Louisiana. Are his interests just in the drinks? “Gin” Rickey Roscoe, a local hooch runner, supplies alcohol to the Warehouse and other clubs in the area. Gin is easily distracted by beautiful women, especially the singers and dancers at the Warehouse, including Brandy Belle Bearcat. Brandy is a former vaudeville performer who is just waiting for her big break on Broadway. Brandy always has a “sugar daddy” to keep her in expensive jewels and furs and the like. When one of the foursome dies mysteriously, all are at a loss. Can you solve the crime? Prizes are awarded at the end.
Cost is only $29.95 for dinner of salad, bread, select entrees, and beverage, and show (tax and gratuity not included). Shows are 7:00 PM weekly on Monday evenings plus one Friday each month at the Spaghetti Warehouse, 36 W. 5th Street, Dayton, 45402. Reservations are required. Call 937.461.3913 to reserve your seat now. Show runs approximately 2 1/2 hours.

Tagged With: Dayton, Dayton Dining, Dayton Theater, dayton theatre

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