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It’s so nice when a movie gives you more than you expect. That’s the case with The Hero, a gentle tale that continually surprises us.

The biggest surprise involves the relationship that develops between 71-year-old actor Lee Hayden (Sam Elliott) and 30-something Charlotte Dylan (Laura Prepon). Romances between young women and older men are so common in Hollywood flicks that you expect this one to be treated as no big deal. Instead, Lee himself questions Charlotte’s obvious interest, only to be told she has a thing for old guys.

A smaller surprise occurs when Lee tries to mend fences with estranged daughter Lucy (Krysten Ritter) after a lifetime of disappointing her. We suspect he’ll end up disappointing her yet again—and, actually, he does, but not in a way we could have foreseen.

Lee—a role director and co-writer Brett Haley created especially for the gravelly voiced Elliott—is a movie star whose best days are behind him. Forty years behind him, to be precise, because that’s how long ago he made an iconic Western called The Hero. Now, he spends his days smoking weed with former co-star Jeremy (Nick Offerman) and waiting for roles that never come.

The lieutenant governor is the afterthought of Ohio politics. Little attention is paid to the No. Two in state government. Candidates for the post are usually selected in order to balance the ticket rather than on issues. The usual white male nominee for governor needs a woman or better yet a Black woman.

I am stepping forward to break the mold by offering to be a candidate for lieutenant governor based on my stands on issues important to Ohioans.

This month I will offer the Hartman Platform on education issues. In future columns I will detail my stands on other issues.

The first plank in my platform changes the taxpayer subsidies for state-assisted colleges and universities. It could save hundreds of millions annually. I would change the system to provide tuition subsidies based on the normal time is takes to earn a degree. For instance, a student seeking an associate degree will receive subsidized tuition for two years. After that, the rate without the subsidy will be charged. Similarly, bachelor's degree students will receive a subsidized rate for four years. After that, full price will be paid.

On their new release, “Also Playing,” the Devil Doves’ sound has departed significantly from their 2015 eponymous debut album. The ultra-percussive attack that characterized the previous effort has been filled out and somewhat sweetened by the addition of keyboardist Jeff Straw and the occasional lead guitar riff. While there is still plenty of crunch, Straw’s whimsical organ and saloon piano offer a welcome bit of melody to fill out the space between Junior Kauffman’s vocals.

Lyrically, Kauffman continues to display his ability to blend the harmless and the deadly serious with his trademark wry humor. This time around, though, he’s more willing to explore relationships. He addresses both regret and the paralyzing ambivalence we have all fallen into at one point or the other. On the other side of the coin, he celebrates resiliency and the possibility of renewing a sense of adventure.

Nearly 90 percent of what we know today as the state of Ohio was once old growth hardwood forest. The Appalachian southeastern corner of the state was a particularly diverse bioregion.

During the 18th and 19th centuries European settlers clear cut and mined the area beyond recognition, leaving behind a wasteland of barren, eroding hills. During the Great Depression, President Franklin Delano Roosevelt established the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC), a public work relief program that employed men aged 18-25 to do manual labor related to conservation and development of natural resources such as planting trees, constructing trails, roads, and lodges, fighting wildfires and controlling erosion. Ohio’s legislature agreed to allow the federal government to purchase land in the state for the purpose of establishing a national forest and the Forest Service was tasked with restoring the land.

Commentary by Bob Fitrakis

This incident has to be categorized as a vicious, unnecessary unprovoked attack by the police.

It’s commendable that Columbus, as a city, openly embraces and supports Pride and the LGBTQIA+ community with the Leveque Lincoln tower turning rainbow colors every June. Mainstream media and corporations hype the yearly parade.

Unquestionably, Columbus is considered a gay friendly city – if you’re white.

If you’re black and gay, queer, trans or a supporter of any of them, watch out! Whether you know it or not you appear to pose a threat to police and some members of the white (and gay community).

Tuesday, July 4, 11am-3pm
Goodale Park
The 6th annual Vegan Shift 300 Vegans 4 Independence in collaboration with the Columbus Vegan Meetup in the Columbus Doo Dah Parade is on the 4th of July (rain or shine the show goes on) every year!

Thursday, July 29, 11am-12pm
Goodale Park, 120 W. Goodale St. 
Facebook Event
Come learn about how the Columbus community is dedicated to providing lush tree coverage in order to preserve our envrionment and our health! Columbus City Concilmember Elizabeth Brown, Catherine Girves of Yay! Bikes, Laura Fay of FLOW (Friends of Lower Olentangy Watershed), and student representatives from Defend Our Future will share their personal testimonies regarding these issues and why we need to keep fighting for these, and other environmental initiatives!

Wednesday, June 28, 2017, 5:30 PM
Location:  City Hall Council Chambers, 90 W. Broad St., Columbus
Councilmember Shannon Hardin is conducting a public hearing related to the process of drawing districts, per the Charter Review Committee’s report and recommendations. City staff will be on hand to present information and answer any questions.  All interested citizens are invited to offer public testimony. Comments are limited to three minutes. Anyone wishing to address City Council on this matter must fill out a speaker slip on the day of the hearing. Testimony must be limited in scope to charter review recommendations. The meeting will be broadcast live on CTV, Columbus’ cable access channel 3.  

Tuesday, June 27, 2017, 5:30 – 7:30 PM.
Join us at Dianne + Stephen’s backyard. Instead of growing grass, they are using natural methods that require minimal care and produce a lot of food. Find out what is growing that contributes to improved health and well-being for people and the planet while networking with others in the community. Free. 
Location: 3507 Sunny Glen Place, Linden (Cols), 43224. 
Register on Evenbrite.
Updates on Facebook.

Monday, June 26,  June 23-28th - times listed on Facebook
Gateway Film Center, 1550 N. High St., Columbus.  

This powerful new documentary highlights the struggle by Leaders for Equality and Action in Dayton (LEAD) with the help of their lawyers at Advocates for Basic Legal Equality (ABLE) on behalf of Dayton residents to gain access to jobs and education by bus to the neighboring suburb of Beavercreek. This clash between neighbors and the issues it raised are reminiscent of resistance faced by advocates and developers of affordable housing in communities across the country and this important film imparts important lessons for all of us.