Loveland Magazine

LOVELAND MAGAZINE

News and Events from the Loveland, Ohio Area

Without fear or favor

Since 2004

Tag: Ukraine

  • Former President Trump taps Ohio U.S. Sen. J.D. Vance as running mate in 2024

    Former President Trump taps Ohio U.S. Sen. J.D. Vance as running mate in 2024

    BY:  – Ohio Capital Journal

    A little more than three years ago, J.D. Vance was just an author and conservative commentator. Now he might be next in line for the White House. It’s a dizzying political ascent for the 39-year-old man from Middletown, Ohio.

    Presumptive Republican Party presidential nominee Donald Trump announced Monday during the first day of the Republican National Convention that he has chosen Vance as his running mate in the 2024 Election.

    His 2016 memoir Hillbilly Elegy put him on the national stage as many were searching for an explanation to the rise of Donald Trump. At the time, Vance himself was extremely critical of the incoming president, but by the time he was running for office in 2022, Vance had reversed his thinking. Instead of “cultural heroin,” he argued Trump was the “greatest president in my lifetime.”

    Vance’s embrace of Trump helped him secure the former president’s endorsement in his U.S. Senate race, and since taking office, Vance has been one of Trump’s most consistent defenders. On cable news and Sunday talk shows, the Yale law grad has shown a knack for smoothing the sharp edges off of Trump’s latest pronouncements without walking back his point. As the Trump campaign works to extend beyond its conservative base, Vance’s skills as a communicator and translator — presenting a more palatable version of the nominee’s message — could help appeal to undecided voters.

    Still, there’s plenty in Vance’s own messaging that could turn some voters off. As a U.S. Senate candidate he leaned heavily into anti-immigrant rhetoric. On the campaign trail and in office, he has stridently opposed ongoing support for Ukraine. That stance is particularly notable given Ohio’s substantial Ukrainian community and Vance’s predecessor, U.S. Sen. Rob Portman co-founded and chaired the Senate Ukraine caucus. Critics argue Vance’s statements about the war mirror rhetoric coming out of the Kremlin.

    On the other hand, Vance has signed on to several bipartisan pieces of legislation. In addition to co-sponsoring rail safety and unfair trade legislation with U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown, D-OH, Vance has backed U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren’s, D-MA, bill to claw back bonuses from executives at failed banks, and U.S. Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse’s, D-RI, bill that would eliminate a lucrative tax exemption for larger mergers.

    Vance has also praised FTC Chairwoman Lina Khan for taking a more critical view of business consolidation. That more aggressive posture has earned Khan the ire of traditional GOP allies like the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.

    What does he bring to the ticket?

    When a presidential nominee selects a running mate, they often attempt to answer a perceived shortcoming. The vice-presidential pick might come from an important state or region. Maybe they have strong connections with a particular interest group or represent a wing of the party. Perhaps they bring greater governing experience to the table.

    Ohio State political science professor emeritus Paul Beck argued Vance’s appeal for the ticket certainly isn’t geographic.

    “Well, I think one thing Vance doesn’t bring is votes in Ohio that Trump would need,” Beck said. “He doesn’t need them.”

    In 2016 and 2020, Trump won Ohio handily. In 2022, as Republicans nationwide underperformed, Vance and every other statewide Republican candidate won their races in Ohio.

    Beck contrasted Vance with former Vice President Mike Pence, who helped bring Christian evangelicals into the fold. Vance doesn’t have a similar affinity group to add, but Beck suggested he might help solidify support among one of Trump’s strongest groups of supporters — white working-class voters. Vance speaks their language, Beck argued, when it comes to trade and offshoring.

    “It could well be that he brings that group or at least solidifies that group in the Trump coalition,” Beck said, but allowed, “I don’t think Trump needs, necessarily, somebody who is going to strongly appeal to that particular part of his base. On the other hand he doesn’t want someone on his ticket, I would think, who would be opposed.”

    Instead, Beck emphasized Vance’s ability as a communicator. “He certainly has emerged as one of the most forceful and articulate defenders of a lot of conservative policy,” Beck argued. And as part of the ticket, he added, Vance could be an asset “downplay(ing) some of the major Democratic criticisms of Trump and deflect(ing) them in a way that is plausible.”

    Personal perspective

    Dan Driscoll first met Vance as part of a veteran’s group at Yale and described him a reassuring voice for a “scared, humbled, self-conscious” first year law student. In an interview Driscoll said he’s “thrilled for a friend I have a ton of respect for and our country to get an amazing leader.”

    Since graduating, Driscoll has settled in North Carolina. In 2020 he ran for the Republican nomination for the congressional seat vacated by former Trump chief of staff Mark Meadows. He lost in a crowded primary to the eventual winner, former Rep. Madison Cawthorn.

    Driscoll argued Vance’s run of success from a book, to a movie, to a venture capital fund — “most people, one of those would be an amazing lifetime achievement” — is no accident. He described the senator as “one of the single hardest workers” he’s ever met.

    And like Beck, he pointed to Vance’s communication skills as a kind of a “superpower,” but insisted it works because he’s saying what he believes.

    “My true genuine perspective is that he just wants to make a difference for a set of the population that seems to have been pretty overlooked since the 80’s or 90’s,” Driscoll said.

    He argued Vance is skeptical of elite political consensus on issues like trade because it has contributed the hollowing out of working-class communities like Middletown where he grew up. It was a familiar part of Vance’s stump speech throughout his U.S. Senate campaign. Driscoll brought up examples of Vance working with some of the most liberal lawmakers in the Senate, and argued he wouldn’t do so unless they shared concerns about policies impact those communities.

    “Even if what he’s saying doesn’t fit in these clean boxes of the left or the right, if he believes it, he will say it,” Driscoll argued. “And that’s really compelling to a lot of people, I think.”

    Ohio Republicans applaud

    Shortly after President Trump’s announcement came a wave of positive reaction from Ohio politicos.

    Gov. Mike DeWine, who will be tasked with finding a replacement if Republicans retake the White House, congratulated Vance and praised his “unique life story (which) will resonate with Republicans and Independent voters across the country.”

    DeWine has no shortage of options to fill the vacancy created by a Vance Vice Presidency, but whomever he settles on would face an election in 2026 to complete the remainder of Vance’s unexpired term.

    DeWine added that “J.D. will also bring a new generational perspective to the ticket,” and that his experience growing up poor in Middletown, Ohio will help him relate “to the many Americans who are struggling right now to make ends meet.”

    Republican U.S. Senate nominee Bernie Moreno has been an enthusiastic supporter of Vance, and the feeling is mutual. Vance endorsed Moreno for the U.S. Senate more than a year ago in hopes of avoiding a messy primary, and last November, he campaigned with Moreno outside Columbus — urging the crowd to “send me reinforcements.”

    “President Trump made a brilliant selection in Senator J.D. Vance,” Moreno said in a statement.

     

    Moreno described Vance as a “dynamic, visionary leader” and the “perfect messenger” for Trump’s agenda.

    “He will fight with President Trump for our middle class, secure our border, and unleash American energy,” Moreno continued. I am proud to call J.D. a friend and I look forward to working with him to fire Joe Biden, Kamala Harris, and Sherrod Brown.”

    Several of the Ohio politicians who could be in the running if Vance’s seat opens up poured praise on the selection as well. On social media, State Treasurer Robert Sprague said “once again, President Trump hits it out of the park.” In a press release Attorney General Dave Yost called Vance a “perfect pick.”

     

    “Tough, smart and high-energy,” Yost went on. “He knows what it’s like to have to fight, what it’s like to win, and what it’s like to serve.”

    Both men are eyeing the governor’s mansion in 2026, and speculation has begun that DeWine might name a gubernatorial contender as way to create a less volatile GOP primary. Lt. Gov. Jon Husted is laying the groundwork to run for governor as well.

    Two recent U.S. Senate hopefuls congratulated Vance on his selection as well. State Sen. Matt Dolan, who DeWine endorsed in this year’s GOP primary, described the pick as “great news for Ohio and America. We are in need of new, results-driven leadership in Washington, DC.”

    Secretary of State Frank LaRose praised Vance as “an excellent choice,” who will “serve honorably.”

    “J.D. Vance is a patriot, a thought leader, and a fighter for America’s forgotten working class,” LaRose said.

    Ohio Democrats criticize Vance’s ‘political shapeshifting’

    In a nod to Vance’s previous comments against Trump, Ohio Democratic Party Chair Elizabeth Walters released a statement after the selection pointing to his “political shapeshifting.”

    “J.D. Vance is an out-of-touch millionaire who launched his political career by taking advantage of Ohio’s opioid crisis and has spent his time in the Senate humiliating himself in the service of a convicted felon instead of working to improve the quality of life for Ohioans,” Walters said. “His support for a national abortion ban and his twisted belief that women should stay in violent marriages for the benefit of their children exemplifies his dangerous extremism. He’s not just wrong for Ohio, he’s wrong for the country.”

    Follow OCJ Reporter Nick Evans on Twitter.

    Nick Evans
    NICK EVANS

    Nick Evans has spent the past seven years reporting for NPR member stations in Florida and Ohio. He got his start in Tallahassee, covering issues like redistricting, same sex marriage and medical marijuana. Since arriving in Columbus in 2018, he has covered everything from city council to football. His work on Ohio politics and local policing have been featured numerous times on NPR.

    Ohio Capital Journal is part of States Newsroom, the nation’s largest state-focused nonprofit news organization.

    MORE FROM AUTHOR

  • ‘They’re all in.’ Athens mayor represents Ohio on Ukraine sister-city trip

    ‘They’re all in.’ Athens mayor represents Ohio on Ukraine sister-city trip

    Ostroh, Ukraine mayor Yurii Yahodka, left, and Athens Mayor Steve Patterson, right. Patterson is pointing in the direction of his city as displayed on a sign placed in Ostroh. Patterson traveled there as part of a program to help cities grow in governance. (Photo courtesy of Steve Patterson.)

    BY:  – Ohio Capital Journal

    There’s a good chance Southeast Ohio pawpaws are now growing in a small garden in Ukraine.

    That’s thanks to Athens mayor Steve Patterson, who brought some of PawPaw Festival founder Chris Chmiel’s stash on a trip to get to know the city of Ostroh, a city similar in many ways to Athens with its small-town charm and educational institutions that are almost as old as the city itself.

    Patterson made the trip in February – specifically choosing that time period to mark the second anniversary of Russia’s military invasion – to learn more about the city and establish the two far-away towns as sister cities.

    “To see the resolve and the patriotism coming from the cities that I got to see, they’re all in,” Patterson said. “Everybody’s doing everything they possible can.”

     Athens Mayor Steve Patterson (center) speaks as part of a panel of representatives from the United States Agency for International Development’s Ukraine Governance and Local Accountability program. (Photo courtesy of Steve Patterson.) 

    The trip was made possible after Patterson attended a National League of Cities conference in 2022, where he met with the United States Agency for International Development representatives at a reception. USAID has a specific program called the Ukraine Governance and Local Accountability program that “helps create and strengthen local governance systems, processes, and institutions so they are more self-reliant, inclusive, effective, and accountable to citizens,” according to a USAID fact sheet on the program.

    “We’re making ties between different sectors of commerce, we establish relationships with K-12 schools in both areas, and we’re looking at how to engage our institutions of higher ed,” Patterson said.

    When the Athens mayor was setting up the trip, he asked organizers to connect him with a city that was similar geographically to Athens, and which had a lot of the same facilities and functions. That’s where Ostroh comes in, located in the oblast (a term for the regions of Ukraine) of Rivne.

    “Geographically, (Ostroh) is in the southeast corner of the Rivne oblast, it has two rivers that run through it, it has rolling hills, and it’s got the Ostroh Academy,” Patterson said.

    When the opportunity to become a sister city with Ostroh came up, the Athens mayor said he never planned to make it just an on-paper association.

    “It wasn’t like just checking a box; I had to go over,” he said.

    Armed with local goods such as Passion Works flowers painted in Ukraine yellow and blue, and pawpaw seeds and homemade jam, he made the trek, flying from Ohio to Krakow, Poland. A security detail then took him and a group of translators and organizers across the border to Ukraine.

    From there, Patterson’s trip was marked by emotions more than landmarks. He started his trip in Lviv, a “cosmopolitan” city that also houses a hospital Patterson called “the epicenter in the whole nation for trauma, amputations, surgeries and prosthetics.”

    The city has been the subject of Russian air attacks during the course of the war, and throughout his trip through Ukraine, Patterson was a part of multiple air raid alerts.

    In one case, he talked to a class from the Ostroh Academy in an old crypt, because that was the closest air raid shelter to the classroom they were preparing to enter.

    “They’re so used to this that they had seats already in there,” Patterson said. “Because this is their life at this point.”

     Athens Mayor Steve Patterson talks to a class at the Ukrainian Ostroh Academy as they take shelter during an air raid alert. (Photo courtesy of Steve Patterson.) 

    Touring an elementary school in Ostroh, the Athens mayor walked through several “themed” rooms. One displayed the history and culture of Ostroh. Another was meant to teach kids how to react to an air raid siren, and the correct way to put on a gas mask.

    School administrators opened a book case with stuffed animals, chocolate boxes, and purses, then showed Patterson the deactivated explosives the items hid. He was told Russian soldiers gave the toys to kids in Ukrainian neighborhoods.

    One student showed Patterson traditional embroidered shirts and tablecloths from the region, and afterward, a teacher said his father had died less than a week ago on the front lines of the war.

    “It was crushing for me,” Patterson said. “I was sitting there having to manage that and stay engaged while they were showing me things.”

    In a volunteer center — one of many opened up after February 2022 across the country — he helped make candles to be used by soldiers (called “defenders”) in the trenches, and watched a group of predominantly women weave camouflage netting.

    “Most of them are there because their spouse is on the front line, or they’ve lost their husband (in the war),” Patterson was told.

    Every morning at 9 a.m., cities amplify a message through their town-squares PA systems, recognizing soldiers fighting and leading a moment of silence for those that have been lost. The cities come to a halt, with pedestrians pausing their days and drivers standing on the side of roads, according to Patterson.

    “It moved me so much that for the next two days, whatever we were doing, even if we were inside, I would go outside just to experience it again,” he said.

    Now that he’s back home, Patterson plans to continue the work he started with the trip. After talking to government leaders in Ostroh about Ohio’s Home Rule designation, and August and November’s ballot initiatives for constitutional amendments, and even Athens’ plastic bag ordinance, he also bragged about Ohio University’s Heritage College of Medicine and the training programs at the Athens Fire Department.

    Patterson said he’s since met with leaders from OUHCOM and Athens Fire Chief Robert Rymer about connecting with related officials in Ostroh for help with projects like a clinic to study psychology, and technical fire skills training.

    “There’s a lot of enthusiasm and hope within the areas that I engaged in,” Patterson said.

    He also said he plans to take the experiences he had in Ukraine to the National League of Cities Conference this year in DC, meeting with representatives on Capitol Hill and Ohio’s U.S. Congress members like U.S. Rep. Troy Balderson and U.S. Sen. J.D. Vance, who has been an outspoken critic of the U.S. offering assistance to Ukraine.

    “I want to tell the story of having been eyes and ears on the ground in a war-torn nation, in a conflict zone, and having to truly endure what they endure every day,” Patterson said. “It’s heavy, but this is real, and this is what they’re going through to become a whole country again.”

    Susan Tebben
    SUSAN TEBBEN

    Susan Tebben is an award-winning journalist with a decade of experience covering Ohio news, including courts and crime, Appalachian social issues, government, education, diversity and culture. She has worked for The Newark Advocate, The Glasgow (KY) Daily Times, The Athens Messenger, and WOUB Public Media. She has also had work featured on National Public Radio.

    MORE FROM AUTHOR

  • Sadness In Ukraine: a poem by David P Carroll

    Sadness In Ukraine: a poem by David P Carroll

    Sadness In Ukraine by David P Carroll

My heart aches today
And it's just war and
Sadness all day and
Nobody knows it's painful
But me oh yes me
And sadness in our eye's
As our little children cry
All through the cold dark lonely
Night and snow is falling tonight
And a bitter chill in the air and the
And the worst pain is yet to come
And I want to cry tonight but
I'm holding my baby so tight
And there's no longer any more
Tears to roll down my sad
Lonely old face and
I'm in a horrible blown up
Place and it's just war and
Destruction disaster and hate
And I've sat and cried and I'm
Holding my baby so tight as my
Loved ones died tonight
And Lord Jesus Christ
I want to break
Free and move on
But sadness lives on
And we are drowning in a
River of blood and we
Can’t catch our breath
And a lonely tear rolls down
My baby's face
We are already dead
In this blown up sad lonely place.
  • Sen. Brown statement following address from Ukraine President Zelenskyy

    Sen. Brown statement following address from Ukraine President Zelenskyy

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Sherrod Brown (D-OH) released the below statement following Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s address to the U.S. Congress.

    “Today President Zelenskyy made it clear that Ukraine needs more resources to defend itself and its freedom, and that’s what the U.S. is providing. President Biden is announcing dramatic new military assistance for Ukraine today, and I will continue working with the president to ensure Ukrainians are armed with effective military tools – including those designed to strengthen their air defenses – and are supported by strong sanctions, without needlessly escalating Putin’s war. I also share President Zelenskyy’s call for corporations to join this fight – no one should be profiting off of this invasion, from Big Oil to corporations that continue to do business in Putin’s backyard. President Zelenskyy and his people are fighting for the values Americans all share – freedom, democracy, the right to determine their own destiny – and we must all continue to stand united with them.”

    Ukrainian President Zelensky Addresses Congress

    In a virtual address to Congress, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky pleaded for the U.S. to support a no-fly zone over his country. President Zelensky also asked the U.S. to provide fighter jets, anti-aircraft weapons, and other military aid to help Ukraine defend itself against the Russian invasion. He played a graphic video of civilians killed and injured by Russian bombs and artillery barrages during his remarks. U.S. lawmakers gave him a standing ovation at the end of his address.

  • The emergency fund of The Jewish Federation of Cincinnati to support Ukraine

    The emergency fund of The Jewish Federation of Cincinnati to support Ukraine

    With a full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine now underway and multiple cities under fire, our concern for the safety of the Jewish community in Ukraine along with all people in the affected areas is accelerating. The Jewish Federation of Cincinnati has established an emergency fund to support the work of our global partners responding with critical services on the ground. 

    100% of all donations will be used to fund the local, regional, and international efforts taking place to protect those at risk.

    100% of funds raised will be allocated through Jewish Federations’ core partners, The Jewish Agency for Israel, The Joint Distribution Committee and World ORT, to provide critical welfare where it is needed most and support to protect and safeguard Ukraine’s Jewish community as well as Jews in neighboring countries.   

    Donate NOW

  • Ohio pensions have $38 mil in Russian-owned gas company; $147 mil more in region

    Ohio pensions have $38 mil in Russian-owned gas company; $147 mil more in region

    BY: JAKE ZUCKERMAN – Ohio Capital Journal

    Two Ohio public employee pension programs currently have a combined $38 million invested a Russian state-owned natural gas company, while another pension program has $147 million invested in the region.

    The Ohio Public Employees Retirement System (OPERS) has about $25.1 million invested in Gazprom in a combination of stocks and bonds, according to a spokesman.

    The School Employees Retirement System (SERS) has about $13 million invested in the company, according to a spokesman.

    The School Teachers Retirement System (STRS) did not offer specifics on Gazprom, but a spokesman said it has about $147 million in Russia and Ukraine.

    Gazprom is a natural gas driller, shipper, and seller, controlled by the Russian government and among the largest companies in the world.

    Some investors have pulled out of the company in the wake of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, which has included attacks on civilians. For instance, Shell announced Monday it’s ending an “equity partnership” in multiple Gazprom ventures. BP announced it’s pulling out of investments with a different Russian state-owned gas company. The U.S. and other western countries have imposed sanctions on Gazprom’s Nord Stream 2 pipeline and other sweeping penalties aimed at Russia.

    Gazprom’s stock price, meanwhile, has plummeted.

    None of the Ohio pensions announced plans to divest, and they all emphasized that their Gazprom and Russian holdings are but a small percentage of their investments.

    For instance, OPERS spokesman Michael Pramik said its $25.1 million in Gazprom amounts to .02% of its $123.8 billion in investments. Pramik didn’t answer directly whether the pension plans to divest, but said it is in compliance with federal restrictions on foreign economic activity.

    “On a personal level, we are disturbed by the events taking place this week and hope for a peaceful resolution and the safety of the Ukrainian people,” he said.

    Spokesman Tim Barbour said SERS’ $13 million in Gazprom amounts to .0007% of its $18.2 billion in investments. He noted the pension’s stake in Gazprom has decreased from $26.5 million in 2014. He said the pension has “encouraged” portfolio managers to find alternate choices.

    “At this time, we have not determined if additional measures will be implemented in our investment strategies due to Russia’s unprovoked military attack on sovereign Ukraine,” he said.

    The Ohio Police and Fire Pension Fund does not have any investments in Gazprom, per a spokesman. The Ohio Highway Patrol Retirement System said the same.

    In a letter Wednesday, Attorney General Dave Yost asked the pensions to divest from Russian investments.

    “I write today to request with exceptional urgency that you inventory your Russian equities and move to divest them with all deliberate speed, if you have not already done so,” he said. “This is a matter of moral imperative, for Russia’s aggression must not be supported with Ohio capital — particularly the retirement assets of Ohio public employees, some of whom are of Ukranian descent.”

  • [w/Loveland Rally Video] Guest Column by Bob Rutter: “Please pray for the free people in Ukraine.”

    [w/Loveland Rally Video] Guest Column by Bob Rutter: “Please pray for the free people in Ukraine.”

    Bob Rutter is a resident of Miami Township just on the outskirts of Loveland.

    by Bob Rutter

    Over 150 men, women and children rallied on Friday February 25 at Home of the Brave Park in Symmes Township in support of a free Ukraine to protest the on-going armed seizure of that democratic nation by Russia’s Vladimir Putin’s armed forces. 

    The majority were American citizens from Ukraine, Russia and surrounding Eastern European countries. They hoped to draw peaceful attention to the plight of a free people facing the horrors of modern warfare.  

    Russian President Vladimir Putin’s motives are attributed to varied goals ranging from a grab for control of petroleum pipelines transiting Ukraine, gaining Russian access to the Black Sea, preventing Ukraine’s entry into NATO and most importantly, stitching together part of the old USSR to create his new vision of Russia. 

    It was sad to hear reported in the news that we are  helping foot the bill permitting Putin’s adventurism to the tune of around $10 Billion a year by buying Russian oil, since we are no longer energy independent. 

    When the United States is weak as a leader in the world, bad actors fill the void with the aspirations of world dominance. Watching eagerly is China’s Xi Jinping and his hunger for control of Taiwan, the Irian Mullahs’ quest for nuclear weapons and dominance in the Middle East and North Korean Supreme Leader Kim Jong-un’s continuing tyrannical dominance over his country’s enslaved population.

    The Tri-State connection;  when you kiss your kids goodnight and snuggle into bed, please pray for the free people in Ukraine who are men, women and children like you, except their hopes are only to live another day and experience the same freedoms you enjoy.

    This LOVELAND MAGAZINE TV video was provided by Bob Rutter.