[WINNER]
MUSIC RESOURCE CENTER: Thanks to local donations, the nonprofit, after-school program recently was able to complete the purchase of its building on Woodburn Avenue in Walnut Hills. For the past three years, the program has provided music education for students in grades 7-12. During that time, more than 760 teenagers have benefitted from its services, either through scholarships or a nominal $2 monthly fee. “Every minute a child is off the streets and in a safe, educational after-school program is a big positive for our community,” said Karen D’Agostino, MRC’s executive director. That’s a sentiment we share.
[LOSER]
TED WYMYSLO: Ohio’s health commissioner decided last week to pull nearly $737,000 in state grants for the Cincinnati Health Department, which were aimed at curbing the spread of sexually transmitted diseases. Ted Wymyslo said the local agency had been a poor steward and noted our region ranks 12th nationally in the number of reported syphilis cases. But the grants were yanked based on a math error made when scoring Cincinnati’s application; the local agency received a 69 percent grade, when it should’ve been 71 percent. (70 percent is passing.) We’d like to note that Wymyslo is an appointee by Gov. John Kasich, who seems to try to damage our city whenever possible.
[WINNER]
RICHARD CORDRAY: It took an Ohioan to help President Obama finally grow a pair and show some leadership. Obama last week flexed his executive authority and appointed Cordray, Ohio’s former attorney general and treasurer, as the first director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. Obama used the recess appointment process to bypass an intransigent, GOP-controlled Senate, which wants to block the new consumer watchdog agency. As AG, Cordray sued bond-rating agencies and sub-prime lenders, raking in more than $1 billion in settlements. He’s the right guy for the new job.
[LOSER]
DUKE ENERGY: Based on a Pleasant Ridge homeowner’s complaint to WKRC-TV (Channel 12), Duke Energy is replacing about 18,000 gas meters in Ohio and Northern Kentucky. Arheed Ghazala’s wife became ill from leaking gas, prompting an inquiry by consumer reporter Howard Ain. Austin International supplied the meters, and Duke said they don’t meet the company’s standards. That would’ve been nice to find out before they were installed. Maybe Duke should spend some of the nearly $7 million it gives CEO Jim Rogers on services that benefit customers.