Reporters never really lay down our pens. Once the ink gets in our blood, we walk around with a reporter’s notebook in our back pocket.
We look at the world differently, us journalists. We view life through a lens that sees everything as a possible news story.
I’m thankful editors of the Journal-News have allowed me to continue pursuing my passion, now as a contributor instead of as a full-time reporter.
Here is my annual list of the Most Intriguing People of the Year, in alphabetical order:
Harry Bell, Jack Davis have been close friends for 70 years
I’m not sure what was more enjoyable: Meeting Harry Bell and Jack Davis at Forest Hills Country Club one sunny afternoon or playing nine holes with them a few weeks later at the Mound Golf Course in Miamisburg.
Let’s just say they’re my kind of golfers. They believe in endless mulligans, giving two-foot putts and tossing around compliments, not golf clubs.
These two longtime Butler County educators met in 1955 when they taught at Trenton High School, and have remained the closest of friends for the last 71 years.
If you’re lucky enough, you have one friend in the world like these two.
“We just enjoy each other’s company,” Bell said. “I don’t think he and I have ever had a fight or argument and we’ve been doing this for 70 years.”
“Never had,” Davis added.
They golf twice a week at local courses.
“It’s like a religion to us,” Bell said. “We go to church on Sunday and golf on Monday and Friday.”
There used to be a large group of 12 buddies who golfed together every Friday.
Now it’s just Bell and Davis.
They have outlived their playing partners.
That happens when you’re 97 years old. They both have lost their wives, who were good friends, still drive and live in Middletown and Monroe.
Davis taught many years in the Trenton and Madison school districts. After he retired from teaching, he worked another 22 years. He spent four years in the insurance business, nine years with the Internal Revenue Service and nine in the banking business.
He finally retired for the second time when he was 80.
“How many guys work until they’re 80?” asked Bell. “He’s an unusual person and an unusual golfer. He can still do it.”
Bell served as principal at Trenton High School and Babeck and Bloomfield elementaries. He earned his master’s degree from Miami University and his doctorate from Indiana University.
He retired from teaching at the University of Cincinnati. He was 70.
Credit: Bryn Dippold
Credit: Bryn Dippold
Josh Brandner: ‘I was in a dark place’
Hamilton’s Josh Brandner, a four-year Army veteran, was honored last season as a Hometown Hero at a Cincinnati Reds game at Great American Ball Park.
He hoped his appearance hit home for some veterans and first responders sitting in the stands.
The 39-year-old father of four once contemplated committing suicide, and his mission is to spread the word about how mental issues can impact veterans and first responders.
Last year, Brandner, who was deployed to Afghanistan for 13 months, struggled with his mental health.
“I was in a dark place,” he said.
When asked if he ever envisioned how he would commit suicide, Brandner paused on the phone, then answered: “Sorry, it’s a little uncomfortable.”
Thankfully, convinced by his wife, Becca, Brandner connected with Save A Warrior (SAW) program in Hillsboro, a 72-hour intensive suicide-prevention program for veterans and first responders.
After failing at other mental health programs, Brandner felt a connection with Save A Warrior.
“God bless my wife,” he said.
The program is doing transformational work to help those who carry “invisible wounds find healing, purpose, and hope again,” he said.
Their work emphasizes connection, meaning, and long-term well-being and Brandner said his life is “a testament to the hope” SAW provides.
Brandner has learned his mental issues are experienced by other veterans who share the same guilts, the same life issues.
“You think your problems are special,” he said. “You’re not special. There’s a whole community of men just like you.”
Doug, Beth Brockman: ‘We realized how lucky and blessed we are’
Retired Middletown dentist Doug Brockman and his wife, Beth, realized a 30-year-old dream by completing one of the world’s most unique adventures, America’s Great Loop.
They received their BaccaLOOPerate degree from America’s Great Loop Cruisers’ Association.
The degree is given in recognition of completing the Great Loop, a 6,000-mile journey that circumnavigates the eastern part of the U.S. and Canada, cruising up the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway, through the New York State Canals, into the Great Lakes, down the inland river system, across the Gulf of Mexico, and around the southern tip of Florida.
About 150 boats complete the Great Loop each year, making it a feat more unique than swimming the English Channel or climbing Mount Everest.
The Brockmans, both 64, departed Sturgeon Bay, Wisc., on Sept. 9, 2024 and returned on Aug. 28, 2025, 353 days later.
The trip included 5,023 nautical miles, 569 boat hours on their 48-foot Ocean Alexander named Hiatus Too that averaged 8.8 knots with a maximum speed of 22.2 knots.
They took prolonged breaks that allowed them to visit with relatives, including some of their 20 grandchildren, and spend additional time with follow Loopers and local residents they met during their journey.
This was more than a year-long boat cruise. It was an educational experience on a water classroom.
In addition to facing the challenges inherent to long-distance cruising, the couple enjoyed unparalleled views of the U.S. and Canada from the distinct vantage point of the water’s edge, they said.
“We love meeting people and getting an understanding why they’re different than us,” Beth said. “That gets you out of the box you think in.”
Beth, whose paternal grandmother immigrated to the United States from Ireland more than 100 years ago, will always cherish seeing the Statue of Liberty from their boat.
She called that “a goosebump moment” and the “most moving moment” of the trip.
“We realized how lucky and blessed we are,” she said.
Now with that dream realized, the Brockmans aren’t sure what’s next. But they have advice for the rest of us.
“If you have a dream, do it before it’s too late,” Beth said. “Don’t overthink it; just do it.”
Doug added: “Go out there and go for it. Life is short. There’s a big world out there. If you have dreams, chase after them.”
A.J. Ewing: ‘I want to get to the bigs’
It’s easy to look at Major League Baseball players’ salaries and be jealous of their contracts.
But what’s even easier to forget is the number of years they toll in the minor leagues, and the thousands of players who never realize their dreams.
One local prospect, Andrew Joseph “A.J.” Ewing, a 2023 Springboro High School graduate, seems to have the determination and talent to beat the odds. He has quickly moved through the New York Mets minor league system with stops in the Rookie League, Class A and last season, Class AA.
He’s 21 years old and the No. 7 ranked prospect in the Mets organization after turning down a baseball scholarship to attend University of Alabama.
“My goal never was to be a college baseball player,” Ewing said during a phone interview from the Mets spring training facility in Florida. “This is about getting my feet wet and getting used to the pro environment. I want to get to the bigs.”
That means playing for the Mets one day at Citi Field. And the sooner the better.
So instead of being a junior at Alabama, Ewing has played 2 1/2 seasons of professional baseball.
In 221 games, Ewing, known as a contact hitter with blazing speed, is hitting .283 with 13 homers, 107 RBIs and 84 stolen bases.
On Aug. 10, his 21st birthday, Ewing was promoted to Class AA and played 28 games with the Binghamton Rumble Ponies. The first pitch he saw with the Rumble Ponies, he lined to right field for a hit and finished with a .339 batting average.
In the minors, all players — your teammates and your opponents — share the identical dream: being a Major Leaguer. That creates extreme competition among players, Ewing said.
“We all have the same focus, the same goal,” he said. “They want to take your job so their dream happens and your dream ends. That’s the harsh reality.”
Casey Gould: ‘I just knew something was wrong’
I knew when officials at Atrium Medical Center contacted me about writing a story on a woman who nearly died after childbirth, it would be a memorable and emotional day.
One year after becoming a mother, when Casey Gould went into postpartum cardiogenic shock, a rare, life-threatening condition that causes the heart to suddenly fail after childbirth, she got to meet the medical team that saved her life.
Gould, her husband, Ben Rosenberger, and their 1-year-old son, Archer, were reunited with the cardiac and delivery teams at Atrium that saved her life with the assistance of advanced technology and teamwork among departments.
When she walked into the room, she was greeted by Dr. Amer Sayed, a cardiologist at Atrium.
Then she explained what happened on Nov. 2, 2024.
“Right before my C-section, I thought, this was it for me. I just knew something was wrong. And I thought that he would be with Ben and I would be gone. The fact that I get to be here, I’m really, really, really grateful,” Gould said.
Her husband, 35, an officer with the Hamilton Twp. Police Department, added: “We have so much to be thankful for. I can’t believe we’re on this side of things.”
On the morning of Nov. 2, 2024, Gould was in the cardiac cath lab, where physicians used a small heart pump called the Impella device to keep blood flowing and giving her heart time to recover.
When Gould was shown the device for the first time during the reunion near the Family Birth Center, she said it was “creepy” that it was in her body.
“It’s crazy that it was there when I wasn’t awake and when I was awake it was out,” said Gould, who will return to AMC every year for a check-up.
After three days on life support and around-the-clock critical care, she opened her eyes and held her newborn son for the first time.
Vera Keck: ‘I think the Lord forgot me’
I love spending time with those who have lived 100 years or more. Each of them has so much history to share.
Vera Keck, who recently turned 106, is the oldest person I have ever interviewed.
She told me that her father died at 73, her mother died at 66, so she didn’t expect to live long enough to have an entire community celebrate her every birthday.
Keck, who lives in the Westover Retirement Community in Hamilton, doesn’t understand why she outlived her parents, and why her husband died 40 years ago, nearly as long as they were married.
As Keck sat in her apartment, with her daughter-in-law, Barbara Keck, nearby, she wondered about living so long without her parents and husband.
Sure, she eats a green banana and a sugary cinnamon doughnut daily as a way to stay healthy.
“Actually,” she said, “any doughnut.”
It’s more than her diet.
“I think the Lord forgot me,” she said with a smile. ”And here I am."
She’s a walking encyclopedia of Hamilton history, a woman who has lived through the Great Depression, World War II, several other wars, 9/11, the Great Recession and the COVID-19 pandemic.
Keck, born Vera Hogan on Nov. 17, 1919 in Hamilton, had open heart surgery when she was 88, gall bladder surgery in 2024, and melanoma surgery five months ago.
For the last two years, she has used a walker to help with her balance.
Her daughter-in-law said Keck has a “zest for life” and she remains positive regardless of the circumstances.
“Nothing changes her,” Barbara Keck said.
She grew up on New London Road, about a mile from where Badin High School stands today. She still owns the home she had lived in since she was 2 years old, though she has rented it out since moving into Westover when she was 97.
Keck was asked for a piece of advice for the rest of us. She never hesitated.
“Live the best life you can live and thank the Lord for every day,” she said.
Katie Powers: ‘I have special needs’
Katie Powers has served as race director of the Meyer Brothers & Sons Hamilton Turkey Trot for 11 years.
That’s quite an accomplishment, but what Powers has overcome is more impressive.
On June 4, Powers prepared to have “a simple procedure” to remove a benign tumor on her brain. She expected to be released from Jewish Hospital two nights later.
Powers, 44, said the six-hour surgery was more serious than anticipated and she stayed in the hospital for 31 days, including five in the intensive care unit.
All she could think about: “I got to get home. It was really hard. As a mom, you want to be with the kids.”
She eventually returned to her Hamilton home, but there were major adjustments. She was diagnosed with ataxia that causes poor muscle control and clumsy movements. It can affect walking and balance, hand coordination, speech and swallowing, and eye movements.
Powers said the left side of her body was impacted. She has used a walker the last six months and due to her physical limitations, the family recently sold their Hamilton home and moved into a ranch home in Liberty Twp.
Her first day at home, Powers was caring for her children, two daughters, 5 and 3 years old, and a 2-year-old son, when she slipped and hit her head. She was transported back to the Jewish Hospital emergency room.
Powers seems to be on the mend, and running — one of her passions — is helping with the recovery process.
The Turkey Trot began 10 years ago with 30 runners and attracted 3,000 this year, she said.
The funds raised have benefited YoungLives, a ministry for teen moms in the area and their families.
This year, another benefactor was added: Young Life Capernaum, a nonprofit that works with adolescents with special needs.
“I have put myself in their shoes,” she said. “They have special needs. I have special needs.”
Credit: Nick Graham
Credit: Nick Graham
Kyle Schwarber: ‘Home is in Middletown’
Kyle Schwarber made headlines on and off the baseball diamond this season.
Schwarber, a Middletown native, hit 56 homers and drove in 132 runs as a designated hitter for the Philadelphia Phillies.
When his four-year, $79 million contract expired, Schwarber, 32, became a free agent.
There was much speculation that he may sign with the hometown Cincinnati Reds, but eventually resigned with the Phillies for $150 million for five years.
Before signing with the Phillies, he returned to Middletown High School, where he graduated from in 2011, for a meet-and-greet with fans and question and answer session.
The “Beyond the Field with Kyle Schwarber” night gave a crowd of fans a chance to hear him talk about baseball, family and giving back to the community.
Vice Mayor Steve West presented Schwarber with signs that will be placed at city entrances declaring Middletown the home of the baseball all-star player.
West has worked to renovate Goldman Park, home of Middie Way Baseball, as a member of the city’s park board and city council.
He announced the diamond at Goldman Park will be named “Kyle Schwarber Ballfield.”
Middletown Mayor Elizabeth Slamka presented Schwarber with a proclamation and key to the city. City Manager Ashley Combs, who also helped welcome Schwarber to the stage, said, “(Schwarber) reminds us that no matter how far you go, you can carry your community with you.”
Schwarber and his family live in the area during the off season and said they’re “starting to understand that Philadelphia is not home, that home is in Ohio. Home is in Middletown.
“That’s why I want to come back here, and that’s why we want to invest in the community and we plan to keep investing in the community.”
Mallory Georgia Marie Temple: ‘I want meant to be there’
Mallory Georgia Marie Temple continues chasing her dream one performance at a time.
Temple, whose stage name is Mallory Georgia Marie, performed alongside Dolly Parton during Play On! Dollywood’s 40th anniversary celebration in Pigeon Forge, Tenn.
Then she landed the lead role in La Comedia Dinner Theater’s production, Legally Blonde: The Musical.
Temple, a 2013 Middletown Christian School graduate, is a regular at La Comedia after making her debut there when she was 10.
After performing with Parton, whom she called a childhood heroine, Marie realized she was talented enough to sing on stage with one of the country’s most recognized stars.
“I was meant to be there,” she said. “I’m confident in that.”
It seems she was always meant for the show business. Her father, Shane Temple, is an accomplished musician and Marie was raised in a music studio.
When she was 2, her family performed at Middletown Nazarene Church on South Sutphin Street. She walked into the pulpit and sang, “Jesus Loves Me.”
As her mother, Lushelle Temple, said: “She never has shut up since.”
Her mother said watching her daughter’s performances, regardless of the venue, melts her heart.
“You see her living out her dream,” she said. “She gets to do what she loves to do.”
Columnist Rick McCrabb writes about local people and events every Sunday. If you have an idea for a story, contact him at rmccrabb1@gmail.com.
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