Update on the Spring Cleaning

Good morning, Sara Celi here.

The shelves in the garage are up, and they look great. It meant that this weekend, I started the task of cleaning out my second closet.

That's when I realized something.

For better or worse, most of us are carting around junk we don't need. As I pulled out box after box, I started laughing harder and harder. Why do I need old, empty boxes? Why was I still hanging onto old papers, or a microwave I didn't use?

The answer is probably harder than I want to explore. I remember when I moved into the place, I had extra boxes and stuff I knew I couldn't use. But for some reason, I didn't want to part with all of it. I wanted to save it. I felt like I might need the microwave, or use the old boxes, or need to reference the papers.

I haven't.

Instead of filling up the shelves with the junk, I just tossed it. A lot of it. I carted stuff down to the dumpster and left it behind for good.

You know what? It feels great.

The only thing I didn't toss is the microwave. That went in a pile for donation.

Puppy Mill Petition

Hi, it's Sheila.

Our viewer, Kristen Fox-Angel asked me to pass along information about a meeting this Saturday, April 3 with regard to Puppy Mills in Ohio. She's part of the Ohio Coaltion to Ban Dog Auctions, a group which seeks to stop puppy mills in Ohio.

Kristen says Ohio ranks 7th in the nation in the number of puppy mills, and she says, "A lot of people have no idea how incredibly cruel these facilities are for the animals." A town meeting at the Sharonville SPCA on April 3rd at 10:00 a.m. will give those who attend information on puppy mills and the petition drive underway to put this issue on the ballot in Ohio.

Kristen is passionate in fighting for the cause, saying, "I have noticed that when I begin describing what happens (at puppy mills), I often get the response, 'Stop I cannot hear that.' If no one hears about it, it will continue."

The Ohio Coalition to Ban Dog Auctions is working toward a law to make it illegal for anyone to auction or raffle a dog in Ohio. It also would prohibit bringing dogs into the state for sale or trade that were acquired by auction or raffle elsewhere. The Coalition plans to gather the more than 120,700 valid signatures of registered Ohio voters by December 1 to place a measure on the November 2011 statewide ballot. The ballot issue would give Ohio citizens the opportunity to end dog auctions and raffles. As of today, the group has received more than 7,000 signatures from 64 counties.

You can find out more about the effort by visiting the website,
http://www.banohiodogauctions.com/

The photo I used on today's blog is from the Humane Society website from a puppy mill in New Jersey. You can learn more about its nationwide efforts on its website, http://www.humanesociety.org/issues/puppy_mills/

So You Wanna Be a Star!!

Fox19 held auditions for the show "Glee" over the weekend.

Hey everyone. Rob here.

The turnout for the auditions was huge. Hundreds showed up for a shot to become a character on the show. It was held at Tangeman University Center on UC's campus.

Fox19's Rontina McCann interviewed two friends who came from Tennessee to audition.

I don't sing or dance but stopped by the support a friend who was organizing the event. I did sing during a talent show in high school one year. I was so bad, no one would look at me. I was so bad, I was embarrassing the people in the audience. Therefore, I have a lot of respect for people who can sing and dance.

One judge said, there is a lot of undiscovered talent here in the tri-state. However, they had the tough job of narrowing the field to 10 finalists. Those 10 people move on to the next round of competition along with another 9 who will be chosen from web auditions. Fox is holding these open auditions to cast 3 new characters on the show "Glee."

Break a leg.

Easter Bunnies & Chicks

Hi, it's Sheila.

A lot of people will have ham on the menu this Sunday for Easter, and you may not know that you can buy your ham at a local turkey farm, Tewes Poultry in Erlanger. At Thanksgiving, cars line up to get into the farm for fresh turkeys, and their delicious turkeys are available for Easter too.

The family business was founded in 1911 a hatchery with incubators in the basement of John Henry Tewes, Senior's basement. And an Easter tradition started there in the old days when Mr. Tewes patented a process for coloring the feathers of baby chicks with vegetable dye. The process enhanced the hatchery's profits, and kids in the Northern Kentucky still wake up on Easter morning to find baby chicks and ducks from the Tewes Farm in their Easter baskets.

The chicks sell these days for three dollars apiece, and the ducks sell for five dollars. The Tewes' also sell live bunnies for 20 dollars. The chicks and ducks sell out fast, so you may want to call ahead before making the trip to the farm.

These days the farm is run by Dan and Darlene Tewes, and it's one of the largest producers of poultry in Northern Kentucky. They have a great vegetable garden too, and I thoroughly enjoyed some of their tomatoes last summer after Rob, Frank, Meghan, Bruce, and I shot our Chicken Dance video there for the Oktoberfest contest.

Do You Want to be a Star?

Do you want to be a star? Who doesn't right? Hi, it's Meghan:)

This weekend is your chance to try out to be a cast member of the hit FOX show Glee. Live auditions will be held March 27th, from 12pm-4pm (PLEASE NOTE AUDITIONS WILL BE HELD ON A FIRST COME, FIRST SERVE BASIS), at Great Hall in the Tangeman University Center on the University of Cincinnati Campus.

Here's some inside scoop:

Among the judges...FOX19'S Steve Oldfield. He's a Hollywood expert and will know if you have the "it" factor. FOX19's Stefano DiPietrantonio. He's a talented singer with his own CD and will know if you got the pipes.

Also your competition will be from out of town too. We got word that a lot of wannna be stars are flying in from around the country to try out. So get there early and make Cincinnati proud! Good luck!! Click here for all the details!

Stirring Up Wishes

Sheila here, and you may be aware that the Make A Wish Foundation is near and

dear to my heart. You can bake up some delicious cupcakes or muffins for your loved ones and help grant wishes to LOCAL children with life threatening illnesses all at the same time. Betty Crocker's Stirring Up Wishes promotion started this month, and the company's hoping to raise half a million dollars for Make A Wish.

When you go shopping, just look for the specially marked packages. Ten cents from every sale will go to Make A Wish to help give children hope, strength, and joy. The offer is good on products like Bisquick, Betty Crocker cake and frosting, and Hershey brownies. It's guaranteeing a donation of $250,000!

Even better, if you donate five dollars through Betty Crocker's website, the company will match that five-dollar donation, and you can designate that your money stays right here in Cincinnati, Northern Kentucky, or Southeast Indiana. Wish kids "star" on the site, and you can read about some of the wishes they hope will be granted.

I hope you'll visit the site. Your family will love the goodies, and the families of our Wish Kids will be so grateful for your help.

http://www.bettycrocker.com/community/StirringUpWishes?WT.mc_id=vanityurl_web_StirringUpWishes

Not Mr. Clean, Mrs.

Good morning, Sara Celi here.

I have to laugh at myself lately. I've never worn the title of neat freak, I've never been the type to obsess about having everything in it's place. My type of clean is usually moderate, with most everything organized, but not to an extreme level.

That's why my recent behaviour has made me laugh at myself a little. I've caught the spring cleaning bug, and the home repair one too.

Yesterday, I met up with the handyman who does repairs to my condo complex. After three years of living in the 2 bedroom place, Tony is about to get a tall order from me. Together, he and I are going to spend the next four months or so transforming it. We're starting with shelving in the garage. By Saturday, he says I'll be able to stack, straighten, and store to my heart's desire.

That shelving is critical. Once I have it, I'm promising myself (and you) that I'll get into the condo and really get rid of the things I don't need. That should be interesting.

The plan is to follow all that with an interior makeover. I've only done some moderate upgrades to the condo since I got there. Honestly, the place needs work. I'm not talking about extravagance, but the mission is to make this place look more up to date. The kitchen needs a overall, with a new floor and appliances. The washer/dryer has seen better days, and so has the dining room.

It's time.

I'll keep you posted on my progress!

Your Neighbors Need Your Vote

Good Morning Frank Here...

I am old school when it comes to my job and local television news, I always say I wish I was in this business back in the early days when the pioneers and legends of our field were basically experimenting with new ideas live on air, somethings worked and somethings did not. That was the exciting part, pioneers of local television pushed the envelope and kept reinventing themselves. One thing that has remained the same is that it is our job to serve you and while there is a lot of bad news there is also a lot of positive news to share.

One of those stories I shared with you a few weeks ago, was about a great organization called Little Hearts Big Smiles, out of Wilmington. The group provides support for families with special needs and they are currently in a competition for a 5,000 dollar grant for a handicapped accessible playground and they still need your vote. Here is a great e-mail they sent me and I wanted to share it with you and hope to get your vote again and or for the first time, the link is provide in the body of the e-mail.

Mr. Marzullo,

I would like to personally thank you for promoting the Kaboom.org grant that Little Hearts Big Smiles is trying to receive for $5,000. Our volunteers from Clinton Massie Local Schools are some of the most wonderful kids. They are learning valuable lessons about people with disabilities.

I'm writing to ask if you would be willing to promote our flyer again with the link to the Kaboom.org voting. We are currently in 2nd place and voting will end March 31st at 11:59 p.m. EST. The day you posted the link and showed the flyer on the news we got in first place and were ahead by over 1,800 votes!

The link is http://projects.kaboom.org/voting/elections/video_2010 or people can go to http://www.littleheartsbigsmiles.org/ and the link is on our home page.

We would love to talk about our project of building a fully handicapped accessible park in Ohio and get the word out to as many people as possible about the needs for accessibility.

Thank you for your time,
Deirdre Wulf - co-founder LHBS
Publicity Chair

Karma is Cool

Hi, it's Sheila, and this is a picture of my friend Ron Esposito, and you'll see him perform this morning at 8:45 on the Fox 19 Morning News.

Ron is a local musician, life coach, and enneagram teacher and trainer at the Conscious Living Center. He's also one of my oldest friends here in Cincinnati. I've known him since I was 19 years old and a student at Ohio University. I won't go into the whole history, but Ron owned a book and record store in Athens before he launched into music and public radio full time and moved to Cincinnati.

When I moved to the Queen City, the first public appearance Rob Williams and I ever did was at the old Emery Theatre in Over The Rhine, where we hosted the Cincinnati Entertainment Awards. Ron and I had lost touch, so imagine my surprise when I walked into the theatre, and Ron was the first person I saw.

Since then we've reconnected. Ron is one of the coolest people I know because he's not just a good friend, he's a teaching friend. Ron is a student of Karma, and philosophy and spirituality have a major role in his life. He's one of those people who can inspire you to slow down and put aside life's hurries to revel in the small joys which make life rich. Talking with him gives me a better perspective on things.

Recently, Ron won a Telly Award for his first solo CD, Open Heart, on which he plays Tibetan brass and crystal bowls. The music is often used for meditation, and it's truly beautiful. I hope you'll check it out this morning when Ron plays a sample of his music. You can find out more about what he does as a Life Coach at the Concious Living Center website, www.goconcious.com

Baby Sling Recall

Sheila here.
We just got word about a recall on baby slings. You may remember the federal government put out a warning a few weeks ago about suffocation dangers associated with baby slings.

Here's the story from the Associated Press:
More than 1 million baby slings made by
Infantino are being recalled because the products have been linked
to three infant deaths.
The Consumer Product Safety Commission says babies can suffocate
in the soft fabric slings. The agency is urging parents to
immediately stop using the slings for babies under 4 months.
The recall involves 1 million Infantino "SlingRider" and
"Wendy Bellissimo" slings in the United States and 15,000 in
Canada. It follows a warning earlier this month from CPSC that
sling-style baby carriers pose a suffocation risk to newborns.
Infantino President Jack Vresics says the company
will offer a free replacement baby carrier, activity gym or
shopping cart cover to any affected consumer.

News Anchor Road Trip

Frank and Rob here or is it Rob and Frank Here?

We will worry about that later, so yesterday after work Rob and I decided to take a road trip up to Dayton to visit the US Air Force Museum at Wright Patterson Air Force Base. I have had a love of airplanes since I used to play airplane in my parents basement as a little kid, by setting up a few chairs and making my brother be the co-pilot. I also use to toss my GI Joe Plane out of my bedroom window thinking it could fly. Now, Rob and I share a love for planes and the history of them in fact sometimes during commercial breaks we pull up old airline commercials on Youtube, Sheila really gets a kick out of it. LOL So Rob has wanted to visit the museum since he arrived in town back in 1995, so we finally took the one hour trip North and we were truly impressed.

The museum consists of 4 very large hangers that have aircraft from the first planes ever built to World War I, World War II, The Cold War, Modern Air force Planes, and Presidential Aircraft. One of the most impressive aircraft was the B-29 Superfortress, named Bockscar. It was this aircraft that dropped the "Fat Man" atomic bomb on Nagasaki at the end of World War II. It was very impressive to think the aircraft in front of us actually flew in battle and was such a important part of history.

One of the other highlights for myself was walking aboard Air Force One. The plane on display is the first Air Force One as we know it today, with it's powder blue and white color scheme. This Boeing 707 was the official presidential plane during the Kennedy, Johnson, and Nixon administrations. It was also used during the Ford and Carter administrations. This plane was symbol for our country on the day that President John F. Kennedy was shot and killed in Dallas. This plane brought the president to Dallas and then brought his body home from Dallas, in fact you can see where they had to cut a part of the interior to carry the presidents casket home, because they did not want to put his casket in the cargo hole. This is also where President Johnson was sworn in with Jackie Kennedy standing by his side. We have all seen the famous photo of his swearing in and it is amazing that you can actually stand in that same spot.

On a personal note: Rob and I almost got in a fight because he lost all of the pictures of me doing my presidential wave on the steps of Airforce One, I was very upset and it will take some time for me to get over!!! I think he did it on purpose, so I sang in the car on the entire way home just to annoy him.

Well, these are just two of many of the stories that Rob and I learned yesterday but you could easily spend a couple of hours learning and walking through aviation history. The museum is open from 9am to 5pm daily and is FREE. Click here for the official website http://www.nationalmuseum.af.mil/ .

So I suggest you make a day of it with your family, then you could do what we did, we stopped for dinner at a pub and had fish and chips, then headed back I-75. I think people at the station took bets if one of us would not make it back alive but we did, I think Rob was surprised to, that he didn't get to annoyed with me in a car for 2 hours....hahaha.... Have A Great Day!!

Cincinnati Holiday

Hi, it's Sheila.

Now that spring's here, our thoughts are turning to baseball. Opening day is Cincinnati's own unofficial holiday, and like most Cincinnati Reds fans, I can't wait to see our team take the field again. The Reds are the oldest team in professional baseball, and the Findlay Market Opening Day parade will kick off for the 91st time on April 5.

Former Reds Manager Sparky Anderson said it best: “It’s a holiday—a baseball holiday! Ain’t no other place in America got that."

Even fans who can't get their hands on those red hot tickets to the Reds' Opening Day game will come out in droves to watch legends like Johnny Bench (one of my childhood idols) ride in the Findlay Market Opening Day parade. This year the organizers did something new when they announced Bench as the Grand Marshal on a new website.

The website highlights some of the fun events at Findlay Market in advance of Opening Day. An old fashioned ice cream social is on the schedule the Saturday before the parade, and you can test your stomach at an ice cream eating contest.

You can start planning with the parade route and timeframe, and the site is chock full of photos from past Opening Day parades, along with favorite memories from people around town, like Reds Owner Bob Castellini, and some TV and radio personalities, including me.

I won't give away the stories I shared for the site here. You can check out all of the fun at http://www.findlaymarketparade.com/

Spanx for Men

I logged onto my computer Saturday morning and saw this headline on MSN's homepage. "Gut Check: Spanx: Now Available for Men." I thought, What??!!

That sounds wrong to me. Hey guys. Rob here.

I first thought this was not only a bad idea, but a sad idea too. The inventor of the undergarments designed to slim and shape women's bodies has come up with similar products for men. Sara Blakely told the Wall Street Jounal, she has come up with a product that perfect for pressing down beer bellies and bulking up arms and chests. I'm envisioning some type of man-girdle. Forget about what mom said about clean underwear, imagine getting to an accident with this on. However, they look like a regular t-shirt.

They're made out of 19% lycra. They promise to firm chest and flatten stomach. Forget the gym, a bike ride or run, just go out and get one of these. They're not cheap though at about 58 dollars a shirt.

At first I thought Spanx for men was just wrong. Now I think if they work for you go for it. However, exercising will do the same thing. For me running and hitting the gym is more about how I feel rather than how I look.

The creator says response has been so strong, she's already cooking up her next product for men. An underwear that compresses the bottom. Now that is WRONG.

Watch the story of a before and after from Today Show. http://video.ca.msn.com/watch/video/gut-check-spanx-now-available-for-men/17y8ht5qr

Yeah It's Monday

Good Morning Frank Here,

So this mornings weather, rain showers, and cooler air does not make Mondays any better! Arggg! I think we are all in the same boat on Mondays, usually takes us a extra cup of coffee or two. In fact Mondays are awful for me because it is so hard to fall asleep at 8pm on Sundays for the 3am wake up call, last night I laid in bed and was bored and took pictures, come on Frank fall asleep it's time to track some weather! I just laid there trying to sleep, but remained up at least till 9:35pm. So what do you do to help you fall asleep? I thought about Severe Weather Awareness Week and how I wanted to approach it to keep you aware and keep you and your family safe this storm season, you can always stay on top of the forecast right here. http://www.fox19.com/Global/category.asp?C=4217&nav=menu63_3

With that said it's worth being a little tired this morning, after I look back to this past weekend, did it not say Spring or what? Sunny skies and temperatures in the 60's it was a perfect weekend in greater Cincinnati. I joined some friends dinner sitting outdoors in Hyde Park, on Friday. On Saturday, I took Benson up to Davou Park and we enjoyed a nice stroll and saw so many families out with kids and dogs soaking up the sunshine and the warm air. It was a great walk while Benson sniffed the grass I caught up with my parents on the phone, they are getting ready to return from a few weeks in Florida so we made Easter Weekend Plans. Are you staying in town for the holiday weekend?

The highlight of the weekend was my first ever visit to Music Hall. I know, why did I not go earlier? I mean I have been in our city for almost 3 years. I have to tell you what a experience and the sound of our Symphony was just amazing. I have become a fan of classical music over the last couple of years and when you sit and listen it is hard to believe those sounds come from those instruments. One of the highlights was to here Stefan Jackiw play once again. At 24 years old, when he plays the violin you would think your hearing an entire orchestra play, the man is amazing. We had him on the FOX19 Morning News last week when he was in town, and you can listen for yourself right here: http://www.fox19.com/global/Category.aspC=151146&clipId=&topVideoCatNo=15048&topVideoCatNoB=109491&topVideoCatNoC=104760&topVideoCatNoD=141804&topVideoCatNoE=142722

I will for sure be returning to listen to the CSO at Music Hall very soon, in fact cello master Yo-Yo Ma will play Music Hall Tuesday May 3rd 2011. It is so relaxing to sit back and clear your mind with sweet sounds in the classical surroundings of Music Hall. By the way, while I made time for culture, I also cheered for my Ohio U. Bobcats on Saturday, they lost of course, but great showing Bobcats! Have A Great Week....

90 Years of Giving Back

This weekend, I went to a 90th birthday party for the "grand dame" of community charities in Cincinnati.

Good morning, Sara Celi here.

The birthday celebration was for the Junior League of Cincinnati, celebrating 90 years of giving back and endowing the community. I've been a member of the League for four years, first joining a chapter in Shreveport, LA when I lived there. In fact, most major cities feature a Junior League.

You might not know, or have heard of the League, but I can promise you that in this city, the Junior League has been behind many of the projects, improvements and fundraisers that help to make this community better. Much of that work has been done without fanfare. Over the years, the Junior League of Cincinnati has been a part of setting up the docent program at the Cincinnati Art Museum, endowing the Cincinnati Children's Museum, Mindpeace, Fernside, Girls on the Run, Bargain Box, Kids in the Kitchen, Babies Milk Fund, and many others. There is hardly a project in the city that hasn't had a league member, or the league itself, involved.

So Saturday's theme naturally had to pull from this history. Held in office space "under construction," the JLC's 90th Anniversary Gala had the theme "From White Gloves to Work Gloves." A cocktail hour opened the event, followed by a full sit down dinner, dessert bar, and dancing. Centerpieces for the tables featured PVC pipes as pots for flowers, and other construction zone items. Silverware appeared wrapped in white gloves, and our table had a 180 view of the Cincinnati skyline.

But of course, the best part for me is that Saturday night's gala gave me a chance to reflect on how much the Junior League has brought to my life. Through the league, I've been able to volunteer my time, give back to my community, and meet some of the most amazing ladies I know. I sat with a few of them Saturday night, and it was more fun than I could ever write down.

I can only hope the next 90 years of the Junior League will be so memorable.

Bracket Bizarro

Hi, it's Sheila. I've never claimed to know much about basketball. Truth be told, I NEVER watch the NBA, but I get into hoops when March Madness rolls around every spring. This year has been a virtual slamdunk smorgasboard for fans around here with Kentucky, Xavier, Ohio State, Louisville, and Ohio University in the Big Dance.

I love to see our local teams advance, and like other Ohio U. alums, I was thrilled to see the Bobcats shock Georgetown in the first round of the NCAA tournament. They hadn't won in the Big Dance since the 1980's before I went to school in Athens.

Everybody expects the U.K. Wildcats to make it all the way, and more than a few people taking part in the Fox 19 bracket contest have Kentucky winning the National Championship game. That was a tough choice with Kansas looking so strong, and I first thought I had heard incorrectly when the sports announcers said on Saturday night that Kansas had been knocked off by Northern Iowa. What a stunner!

So my brackets are pretty ugly now. Every year I do one for the office pool, and if I ever do well in the contest, it's by sheer accident.

Since I was born and bred an Ohio State Buckeyes fan, I'll keep cheering for the Scarlet and Gray, but I'm excited to see Xavier in the Sweet 16 too.

I think it's fun to have more than one team winning games in March. So I'll keep on cheering for OSU, XU, and UK.

A relative of mine says I should just pick a team for heaven's sake! Well, you see which team got the biggest play here in the 'blog....

Rob Williams For Congress

Frank Marzullo Here....
First off if your watching this morning, and I hope you are, I want to apologize for my voice. While it is the day after St. Patrick's Day, you may think I had one to many chocolate milks yesterday, but that's not the case I have been fighting these allergies that everyone else has been fighting here in the Tri-State so that's why my voice is gone just to set it straight!!

With that said, at about 5pm yesterday, I hung out with my co-worker and friend Rob yesterday afternoon and some of our good friends, plus many of our neighbors here in the Tri-State. With temperatures in the 60's and sunny skies it brought many people out and about. St. Patrick's Day parties were packed especially those outdoors, click here and check out our story from Fountain Square. http://www.fox19.com/global/Category.asp?C=151146&clipId=&topVideoCatNo=15048&topVideoCatNoB=109491&topVideoCatNoC=104760&topVideoCatNoD=141804&topVideoCatNoE=142722&clipId=4630339&topVideoCatNo=106645&autoStart=true

By the way check Rob's Blog Post, he talks about the nice weather and people wearing flip-flops you may notice your own feet as he was taking pictures of peoples feet, kinda of creepy.

Now we are not special people by any means just the guy or woman next door giving you the news or telling you what the weather will be like. So it is always flattering when you come up and say hi or share a story with us. Yesterday we met many a person in green with beads on, and they even spotted Rob in his "disguise" wearing a John Deer green hat. Now, Rob and I have a big brother / little brother relationship so the following is all tongue and cheek but did happen. We are sitting at the "E" in Hyde Park and Rob says " I am wearing my hat nobody will spot me ( insert Rob's loud laughing ) " Then not 30 seconds later, " Excuse me are you that news guy", Rob says yes and then he is off like a candidate running for Congress he is shaking hands and kissing babies, telling jokes and taking pictures. Glad you had the hat on Rob! haha All in fun but we truly mean it when we say thanks for watching and saying hi and please do it more often!

Okay time for some hot tea for this voice!

It's That Time of Year Again.

It was a little early, but I decided to break out the flip-flops yesterday for St. Patrick's Day.

Hey everyone Rob here.

Flip-flops are great. They're easy to get on and off. I wear them all summer long. I wasn't the only one yesterday. I found a few people wearing flip flops at RP Mcmurphy's, the "E" and Molly Malone's. Although, it was a little creepy taking pictures of complete stranger's feet.

This guy to the right had no idea I took a picture of his feet.

Neither did this girl sitting at the bar at "E" yesterday afternoon. If you recognize your feet, I apologize for the invasion of privacy.

I find the best place to buy flip-flops is at American Eagle. They're cheap. Usually under 20 bucks.

The only time I rethink flip-flops is when I have to use the bathroom in a bar or restaurant. Not all of them, just the ones that go best with a tumbler of penicillin.

A Family's Prayer

Sheila here, sharing the story of a Northern Kentucky couple who needs some help as they work to adopt two children from Mexico.

I heard from a friend of Rene and Barbara Rocha this week, as she helps organize a fundraiser for the couple. Linda Gilkeson tells me Rene and Barbara have been helping the Hispanic community of Florence for more than five years. They started a church there and have been counseling and giving many other services to help Hispanics become better American citizens. Although this has been very rewarding to the young couple, the Rochas found they were feeling incomplete as a family. They became licensed foster parents in Northern Kentucky, with the hope of helping children from their local area. Their desires for a family tugged on their hearts with every passing day.

The Rochas have been in mission work for over half of their lives.
Two years ago, while they were on a mission trip in Juarez, Mexico, their hearts were overtaken by a five-year-old girl in a local orphanage. Her name is Lesly. As they spent more time with this loving child, they found out that she also had a brother, from whom she had been separated for more than two years. This news was heartbreaking for the young couple. Can you imagine being orphaned at an early age and having your only sibling torn away from you, being separated, not even knowing what happened to him? It was too much for anyone to go through, let alone two small children. The Rochas had already decided that these two children needed to be together. Although, at this time they did not even know Miguel, they jumped in with all of their resources to reunite these two children. To make this possible Barbara and Rene had to formally adopt both of the children.

Now Miguel and Lesly are in the orphanage. Adoption was the only way these two children were ever going to grow up together. Rene and Barbara have been in the process of this adoption for two years, hoping to bring these two beautiful children back to their home in Crescent Springs.

After this two-year battle, the Rochas are starting to struggle with finances. While they both are working, the costs of the adoption, including the trips back and forth to Mexico to abide by all of the court procedures are starting to take a toll on the couple’s resources. Until the adoption process is completed, the couple has to pay $900.00 a month to the Juarez orphanage for shelter, food and school classes for little Miguel and Lesly to stay together.

On Saturday, March 20th, friends and local churches are hosting a fundraiser to help bring a happy ending to this story. Some of the best local talent is donating their time to help out the Rocha family. There will also be a silent auction at the Christian Life Center, 509 Roney Lane Cincinnati, Ohio, in the Mt. Carmel, Eastgate area.

If you are unable to attend benefit and would like to send a donation, make checks to Community Christian Fellowship and send to:

Robyn Boehl
5951 Price Road Milford, OH 45152
You can call Robyn for more information at (513) 703-2360.

The Best Part Of My Job

Marzullo Here..

I am often asked what do I like best about my job? I usually have two answers, first covering severe storms, nothing better than using our skills in the FOX19 Storm Tracker Weather Center, To Keep You Safe. The second best thing about my job, talking to school kids of all ages about the wild world of weather.

On Tuesday I traveled up I-71 near Wilmington and spoke to the 7th grade at Clinton Massie Middle School. The kids were AWESOME! I spent about 35 mins talking about warm fronts, cold fronts, high pressure, low pressure, and the day in and day out operations of my job. The best part of doing these visits is the interaction with the youth of our area. So many times we do stories about young people in trouble or causing problems but we have more kids who are doing more good and helping others. Several of the 7th graders talked to me about there work with Little Hearts / Big Smiles of Southwestern, Ohio. The group is a support group for families of children with special needs. These children have so much to offer to our society and our some of the brightest kids you will ever meet. There families are a huge support system to them and work very tirelessly.

The group of kids I talked with wanted me to pass on they are in a competition to receive a $5,000 dollar grant for playground equipment. They had to put together a video and you can vote for them, if they win they receive the grant from Kaboom.org. Voting continues through March 31st, so vote often and help...

Here is the link: http://projects.kaboom.org/voting/elections/video_2010

Erin Go Bragh

Everyone's Irish on St. Patrick's Day, but I really am.

Sheila here. All my life, my mother Patricia and my grandmother Margaret Warren celebrated the fact that our ancestors came from Ireland to America, and we're proud of our Irish heritage.

My Great-Great Grandfather Bernard Downey hails from County Tyrone, and after spending time working in Aberdeen Scotland, he emigrated to America. He landed in Urbana, Ohio, where he found work on railroad cars. He also served the Union Army in the Civil War as a blacksmith, then was honorably discharged after falling from a horse. Barney, as he was known, met his wife Margaret Lyons in Urbana, where she gave birth to my Great Grandfather Andrew Downey.

My Great Grandmother Catherine Radigan (also spelled Radicaen) was just a child when she left her mother in County Sligo, to travel to America with her aunt. She and her sister lived in Danbury, Connecticut before joining relatives in Columbus, Ohio. Andrew Downey knew her relatives and met Catherine when he was working in Columbus for a moving company. They were married at Sacred Heart Church, and my grandmother Margaret spent her entire life in Ohio's capital city. It's where my mother and I were born.

Catherine would never tell her age, and she talked of seeing spirits. She was very superstitious, and would dress in her best clothes to watch television. She thought the people inside the box could also see her!

I hope someday to go to Ireland to see the land of my ancestors. On this holiday, I can't help thinking of their courage in leaving their families and the hard life there behind to find a better life in America. I am grateful to them for giving their children and descendants a life of freedom and promise, and today I will toast them as I celebrate St. Patrick's Day with my own Irish children.

Food Network's Guy Fieri in Town

Diners Drive-in and Dives or Triple D as Guy Fieri calls it, gets better as it features Cincinnati area restaurants.

Hey everyone. Rob here. If you watch the Fox19 morning news, you know I can eat. I don't take small phony TV bites; neither does Fieri.

The show also has great restaurant suggestions if you're headed out of town. Because of Triple D, I have tried The Flytrap in Michigan and Hot Doug in Chicago. I'm hearing Guy is in town until the 18th according to a blogger online. http://tinyurl.com/ygdwen8 The blogger saying Guy was at Virgil's yesterday morning and Terry's Turf Club in the afternoon. Virgil's is a fantastic restaurant in Bellevue, KY.

My feelings about the burgers at Terry's Turf Club are clear. I think the burger has the power to fix things in the universe. Feeling sad, angry, depressed or tired, a bite of this burger will help.

I was at at Terry's a months back for my birthday and it made me feel younger or at least full.

Baseball and Breast Cancer

Hi, it's Sheila.

Once again this year our Cincinnati Reds plan to recognize the fight against breast cancer and Susan G. Komen For The Cure on Mother's Day. You can help the team select an honorary bat girl or boy. Right now, the Reds are accepting inspiring stories from people who've survived breast cancer or whose lives have been touched by the disease, and fans can vote.

Several nominees are vying for the Cincinnati bat girl spot, including the Cincinnati native who formed the Pink Ribbon Girls breast cancer support group, Tracie Metzger.

Tracie was diagnosed with breast cancer when she was only 30 years old.

She says in her entry: "At the time I had 2 children under the age of 3 and felt like I had to be the only young woman dealing with this. I felt scared, alone and like no one else could relate to all of the things I was feeling and thinking. Luckily for me, I caught my breast cancer early and my prognosis was very good. I went through 6 months of intense chemotherapy, lost all my hair and had a double mastectomy with reconstruction. During that time I longed to connect with other young survivors who were going through all of the things I was."

But at that time, no group offered specific support for younger women battling breast cancer, so Tracie and two other young survivors founded the Pink Ribbon Girls. She says, "Pink Ribbon Girls offers young women support during and after their treatments, an outlet to express fears and concerns and an opportunity to find strength through shared experiences."

I mention Tracie because I know her and have been inspired by her myself, but the Major League Baseball website also has entries from Louise, who lost her husband to breast cancer, along with a young woman who is inspired by her mother, and other local breast cancer survivors. Reading their touching stories only takes a few minutes, and you can make one of their dreams come true by voting to help them take the field with the Reds in May.

Here's the website where you can vote: www.mlb.com/honorarybatgirl

(You can look for your favorite team in the drop down box.)

And if you want to learn more about the Tracie's Pink Ribbon Girls, log onto http://www.pinkribbongirls.org/