People
Columbus’ activist community lost one of our long-time social justice advocates when Gregory Gross, 66, passed unexpectedly in his sleep on August 13, 2023.
Gregory was originally from New Jersey and his family resides there. He studied here at Capital University in 1977 and shortly after, made Columbus his home. He rode his bike everywhere he went, to work and to all the activist events in the city. He often rode for charities such as the American Cancer Society (he was a survivor) and the American Diabetes Association. Another passion was jazz, and he often played sax with a local jazz band. He loved animals, owning several cats. If anyone remembers his apartment on Duncan, the ceiling was covered with homemade models of the Star Trek Enterprise.
Ah, for those halcyon days when the president of the United States was an intellectual and a serious reader. And he can sing, too!
In Grace, Cody Keenan, Obama’s chief White House speechwriter, takes us back to the period from Wednesday, June 17 through Friday, June 26 in the penultimate year of the Obama presidency during which some of the most consequential events during his administration happened and played themselves out.
Prior to working in the White House, Keenan began his career in politics as an unpaid employee in the windowless mail room of the late Senator Ted Kennedy. By the time he left to attend the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University, he was a legislative aid. Over one summer break during the first Obama presidential campaign, he worked as an intern for Jon Favreau, a junior speechwriter formerly with John Kerry’s presidential campaign staff, and then returned to college in the fall to finish his degree. After Obama’s election, he was hired by Favreau to become part of the speech writing team at the White House. When Favreau left, Keenan was named chief speech writer.
No one needs reminded that gun violence continues to inflict tragedy and spread fear throughout the community. Columbus police and City leadership believe approximately .05 percent of the population are mostly responsible, and one question no one seems able to answer is: Where and from whom is this .05 percent getting their guns?
This question has tormented every community suffering from the flood of (white man’s guns) over the previous two-decades.
Here in Columbus – on Bethel Road – is a firearms store and training center whose ownership is in love with their own celebrity. LEPD Firearms, Range and Training Center at 999 Bethel Rd. sells all things guns including mass shooter rifles. They also have a broadcast studio where the owners and their friends glorify guns and obsess over gun violence to a large audience.
LEPD is prominent on social media, but their greatest reach locally is “OnTarget,” a weekly Saturday noon AM radio show hosted from their Bethel Road store. Their AM channel is the Trump-cult 610 WTVN, which unfortunately is one of the most popular radio stations in and outside of Central Ohio.
"Asteroid City" is undeniably the most Wes Andersony movie to date, with his vivid colors, meta-narrative, and signature cast of quirky characters. This being his 11th feature film, Anderson also wrote the screenplay, with credit to frequent collaborator Roman Coppola. Don't let the bright colors fool you; this film delves into the existential crisis experienced by his characters, both within and beyond the play titled "Asteroid City."
The film opens with a black-and-white 4x3 ratio, hosted by Bryan Cranston, taking us behind the scenes of the play "Asteroid City." It serves as a TV special documenting the life of playwright Conrad Earp (Edward Norton) and his work on the play. We also see the director, Schubert Green (Adrien Brody), managing to keep the production afloat.
“Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse” is the new animated film that follows "Into the Spider-Verse." It will be succeeded by "Beyond the Spider-Verse." The movie is directed by a talented team, including Kemp Powers, known for his exceptional work on "Soul." The writing credits feature Phil Lord and Chris Miller, celebrated for "Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse" and "The Lego Movie," along with Dave Callaham of "Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings." Though this film ends with a "to be continued," leading into a part two next year, it still stands firmly on its own despite being a part of a larger narrative.
Attempting a brief plot synopsis for a multiversal film like this is challenging. Like A24's "Everything Everywhere All At Once," its complex, intertwined narratives defy simple summaries. But I'll avoid spoilers and attempt to capture the essence of the story without divulging too much.
Free Press Board member Mark Stansbery kicked off the May 13 May Day Cyber-Salon from Japan with the theme of worker’s rights. Mark and Yoshie are getting ready for the G7 actions taking place there this month.
Watch the salon video here.
He introduced OSU professor Pranav Jani talking about Ohio bills HB 151 and Senate Bill 83 nicknamed the Higher Education Destruction acts. He is representing the American Association of University Professors. He recently gave an interview about the issue.
One week ago, I was physically assaulted in a public place, prior to a press event, by a high-ranking City of Columbus official. But, because I do not know the man’s date of birth, I was not allowed to file charges.
This happened on the morning of April 28, at the Columbus Police Training Academy, where I went to attend what I thought was a public event.
Department of Neighborhoods Director Carla Scott Williams greeted me as I took a seat. Within a minute, a man wearing a blue sports jacket approached me and said, “Mr. Motil, could you please step outside for a moment.”
I followed, and as we stepped outside the doors of conference Room 104 and he told me, “You are not allowed to be in there. This is a press event, and you do not have press credentials.”
I argued that I was in a public place for a public event. He disagreed, took me by the arm and pulled me farther away from the closed doors of the meeting room. An officer who arrived shortly afterward agreed with the man in the sport jacket that I was not permitted to re-enter. Asking the man twice to identify himself I was told, “Glenn McEntyre.”
Former Columbus police officer Andrew Mitchell was inexplicably exonerated by a jury this week for the brutal murder of 23-year-old Donna Dalton Castleberry. What was not brought before the jury was the fact, as reported in local media, that Mitchell remains in custody and “faces nine federal charges after being accused of forcing women to perform sexual acts in exchange for their freedom and lying to federal investigators, among other accusations. Trial in that case is scheduled to begin in July 2023.” (Columbus Dispatch).
What happened between Mitchell and Dalton?
Free Press readers gathered Saturday evening, April 8, for a Cyber-Salon.
Mark Stansbery, Free Press Board member, started out the salon by introducing the two speakers, progressive candidates for the general election this fall in Central Ohio. Both speakers are also recipients of the Free Press Libby Award for community activism.
The first speaker was Joe Motil, who is running for Columbus mayor, the only opponent in the race is current mayor, Andy Ginther. Joe is a lifelong Columbus resident, 40 years active in city public policy, and a retired union worker.
Joe is running because he’s tired of the pay to play city politics that benefit developers. His campaign will focus on affordable housing, police reform, public transit, homelessness, neighborhood infrastructure, and government corruption.
Joe has lots of public policy proposals, including bond packages, raising the hotel tax, and having tax abated companies like Intel kick in to help create affordable housing. He proposes that the City should purchase land and build affordable housing.
I write in sadness but with admiration and memories of pleasure. I am of an age. I dedicated my 2022 book, Searching for Literacy, to four scholar/friends who I knew well for between 25 and more than 50 years. I published obituaries for two of them, and dedicated earlier books to former adviser and professors, and two doctoral graduates who died tragically prematurely.
I write to remember for myself, his Columbus Free Press family, former students, and beloved family Jack (John K.) Hartman, since 2015 the Media Insider columnist.
I met and immediately established a collegial friendship with Jack as soon as he contacted me after reading my own Columbus Free Press Busting Myths essays. We bonded immediately over coffee in my dining room because of our lifelong progressive activism and as retired professors and active tennis players in our younger years. When Jack taught journalism at Central Michigan University, he read my younger brother’s rock and pop music reviews in the Detroit Free Press (until my brother lost his job during a major strike during which the newspaper illegally broke the union). Our new and 18-month friendship had many bases.