A decade ago, Chris Seelbach ran for Cincinnati City Council wanting to help stop the city's yearslong population decline.

The trailblazing Democrat was personally doing his part. He purchased a condo in Over-the-Rhine for $125,000, $10,000 of it an inheritance his parents told him he was squandering on such a purchase.

Seelbach, first elected in 2011, has watched his neighborhood thrive ever since.

As Seelbach prepares to leave city hall early next month, he told The Enquirer's "That's So Cincinnati" podcast that he accomplished more than he thought possible on council. Prevented by term limits from running for reelection, he reflected on his time at city hall and talked about what might be next for him. 

"I ran for city council because we were losing population for 65 years ... and that's why we had a deficit every year," Seelbach said. "And so the conversation was only about what are we going to cut? What are we going to not cut? I wanted to run to change that conversation to not what are we going to cut or not, but what can we invest in that will attract people back to our city that will make people want to live in Cincinnati."

According to the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey and Enquirer research, from 2014 until 2019 – the last year estimates are available – the city's population grew 1.9%, or by nearly 5,800 people. It might not be a lot, but it's not a decline – and Seelbach is proud of the growth.

Montgomery Inn partner Dean Gregory tells stories about his dad and the restaurant's late founder, Ted Gregory; his mom's secret BBQ sauce; how Bob Hope got involved; and the exploding cigar prank. 

Cincinnati City Councilwoman Jan-Michele Lemon Kearney and former President Barack Obama have been friends since they were classmates at Harvard Law School 30 years ago.

Their families have stayed in touch. Kearney and her husband, former state Sen. Eric Kearney, held fundraisers for Obama and worked on his campaigns. Did Lemon Kearney turn to Barack and Michelle Obama for political advice while running her first campaign this year?

No, and Lemon Kearney didn't need to. The North Avondale resident was the top vote-getter in last week's city council election. But she has received advice from the Obamas over the years.  

"They're advice to us has always been to our kids about college, parenting stuff. Nothing politically," Lemon Kearney told The Enquirer's "That's So Cincinnati" podcast. "I'm sure Eric has had conversations with Barack about politics, but I have not."

In a wide-ranging interview, Lemon Kearney recalled her interactions with Barack Obama at Harvard. They graduated from law school in 1991.

"He was amazing in law school," she said. "Super, super smart. Always well-prepared. Always wanted to hear what everybody had to say. He was really wonderful. I'm not surprised that he ended up being president."

For years, Lemon Kearney loved helping others on their campaigns. She enjoyed the fundraising events for her husband, Obama and other Democrats. But she loved her career running the Cincinnati Herald and "never really thought I'd be out there in front" in politics, Lemon Kearney said.

"I used to tell people in politics, 'You guys are crazy. I can't believe you would put yourselves out there,' " she said.

Then early last year, a seat became open on city council after Tamaya Dennard had been arrested on federal public corruption charges and subsequently resigned a few days later. Lemon Kearney was appointed to council in March 2020.

"I just had this strange weekend," Lemon Kearney recalled. "First, it's this Joel Osteen thing about when you're called, you need to answer. Then reading Stacey Abrams' book about how women are so hesitant to say yes. We always think we're not qualified. We need more degrees or more training or more experience. And she said, 'Have the audacity to say yes.' " To my parents saying, 'You've got to serve your community. That's important.' "

What issues do Lemon Kearney want to focus on in upcoming council term? Does she have political aspirations beyond city council? 

Find out the answers by listening to "That's So Cincinnati" for free on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, iHeart Media and other podcast listening platforms.

David Pepper first ran for office 20 years ago, the start of a career that now includes Cincinnati City Council, the Hamilton County Board of Commissioners and Ohio Democratic Party Chairman.

Pepper, 50, of Indian Hill, pivoted in recent years to a new career: author, writing political thrillers.

His newest book, Laboratories of Autocracy: A wake-up call from behind the lines, is a non-fiction tome culled from his political experience. His thesis: corrupt politicians in statehouses across the country pose a threat to American democracy.

Pepper joined The Enquirer's "That's So Cincinnati" podcast to talk Tuesday's general election, what he sees happening in statehouses and what's next for him. (No, he's not ruling out a run for office.)

REDI Cincinnati is the region's leading organization charged with recruiting new companies and jobs. It played a big role in regional leaders' pitch to World Cup officials last week, and REDI President and CEO Kimm Lauterbach joined "That's So Cincinnati" podcast to discuss.

The Flying Pig is back, albeit it with a smaller field of racers and later in the year than usual. 

But it will still be the same community-driven event that it was before the coronavirus pandemic forced Cincinnati races to be virtual last year, said Iris Simpson Bush, executive director at Flying Pig Marathon, Inc, which runs the marathon and several other races throughout the year. 

"We're thrilled to be back," she told The Enquirer's "That's So Cincinnati" podcast.

The marathon, usually held in May, will be on Oct. 31 after the pandemic delayed it.

In the Flying Pig's 23 years, more than $19 million has been raised for charity, Bush said. She's been involved from Day 1 when Paycor founder and CEO Bob Coughlin dreamed of bringing a marathon to Cincinnati.

Bush, then a general sales manager at WCPO, read a story about his idea in The Enquirer and got involved.

It's been fun and rewarding ever since, Bush said.

American soccer veteran Geoff Cameron is always outspoken about something.

A few years ago, it was about his support of Donald Trump. Nowadays, though, it's more about how much he loves Cincinnati and the city's soccer fans.

Cameron, in his first season with FC Cincinnati, spent time on his off day to chat with The Enquirer's "That's So Cincinnati" podcast partly about his decision to back away from publicly talking politics and how much he loves the fans here.

The 36-year-old former U.S. national team defender calls FC Cincinnati's fanbase the "best" in Major League Soccer. In terms of overall soccer popularity and support, Cameron said, Cincinnati is a top 5 city in the U.S. The Massachusetts native added that the unwavering support for last-place FC Cincinnati reminds him of how fans in Europe back their favorite clubs regardless of record. 

Cameron would know: He played nearly a decade in Europe before returning to the U.S. this season for his second stint in MLS. 

"Just walking around the city, you see FC Cincinnati shirts everywhere," Cameron said. "It's crazy. You don't see that other places (in the U.S.). Even though we've been poor, they're still loyal and deserve all the credit." 

As for talking politics, Cameron did media interviews and took to Twitter to support Trump during his presidency. In a 2017 interview with Sports Illustrated, Cameron said he supported Trump's immigration policy. 

“I believe it’s important to support our president whether he was your candidate or not,” Cameron told SI.com. “I am pleased he is making security of all Americans one of his top priorities. Our enemies have stated – and in Europe they have proven – they will take advantage of lax immigration procedures for the purposes of staging attacks." 

Cameron faced intense backlash on social media for his ongoing support of Trump. The soccer player said it's not worth continuing to openly talk about politics now that he has other priorities such as raising his 1-year-old son.

He told "That's So Cincinnati:" 

"It's a touchy subject now. As of recent, I really haven't said much because of just the way the world is now. It's really hard to have an opinion – if you don't have an opinion that's similar to other people. 

"It's sad in a way of (how) I grew up. Twenty years ago, it wasn't that way. With the news and social media giants, things are shoved down people's throats whether it's good or bad. It's tough. When I was outspoken and said certain things, a lot of people said things about me that weren't true whatsoever and that was really hard to deal with. They don't know me. People are just saying things to be hateful. That's why I don't really share pictures with my family, because I don't really know what people's intentions are.

"I haven't been as outspoken now because there's other things I care about. I'm sure there are fans in Cincinnati who are conservative or liberal or whatever. Whether they want to believe the stuff that I believe in or disagree with the things that I believe, (I hope) they'll see that I am a good, genuine person. It's OK to have people with different political views or religious views, but you can respect them as a person." 

After throwing years of popular LGBTQ-friendly tea dances, Richard Cooke embarked on opening a bar in Over-the-Rhine, which he envisioned as a place to "dance in a safe and welcoming place."

The pandemic hit as the Procter & Gamble alum readied to open the bar. But there was only one thing to do, Cooke said: Stay the course. 

e19 Lounge Bar & Discothèque, located across the street from Rhinegeist Brewery, opened one year ago this month. 

"You have to create the change you want," Cooke said.

No one knows the history of University of Cincinnati football better than Jim Kelly, a member of the school's athletics hall of fame and long-time radio analyst.

Whether as a player, broadcaster, son of a former assistant coach and athletic department administrator or fan, Kelly has attended nearly 500 Bearcats football games in his lifetime. None will be more significant than Saturday's showdown in South Bend, Indiana, between No. 7 UC and ninth-ranked Notre Dame.

"This is the biggest game in University of Cincinnati football history," Kelly told The Enquirer's "That's So Cincinnati" podcast. 

The Bearcats have a legitimate shot to make the College Football Playoff if they win this game and go onto an undefeated regular season. The plot is juicier when factoring in that Notre Dame is coached by Brian Kelly, who played a big role in turning UC into a football school as the Bearcats' coach. It will be Brian Kelly's first game against UC since he left for Notre Dame after the 2009 season. 

Jim Kelly, 67, no relation to the Notre Dame coach, will be in the radio booth alongside play-by-play man Dan Hoard calling the game on 700 WLW. It's Kelly's 31st season in the booth.

"This (game) is totally different. It really is," Kelly said. "There's been some big bowl games along the way. In 50-plus years, I've never seen anything like this."

In the "That's So Cincinnati" interview, Kelly offers his perspective on seeing UC football go from a national punch-line to a powerhouse. He recalled being at Penn State for the Bearcats' demoralizing 81-0 loss in 1991, and described how he felt after the game. Kelly remembers there being discussions about whether UC should continue to play football. 

He talked about UC's journey to the 2009 undefeated regular-season. Kelly mentioned names of those who stuck by the program and helped keep it together along the way, including his father, Jim Kelly Sr., who played for the Bearcats from 1947 to 1950.

The elder Kelly went onto to be an assistant football coach and a long-time staffer of the athletic department. UC's football program annually hands out the Jim Kelly Award to the Bearcats player who shows "outstanding spirit." The school's hall of fame is named in honor of the elder Kelly.

Like his father, Jim Kelly Jr. was also a top wide receiver for the Bearcats. He played for UC from 1973-1975 and was inducted into the James P. Kelly Athletics Hall Of Fame in 2017. 

Some Bearcats supporters have referred to the Kellys as the "First Family of Bearcats Football." What Jim Kelly Sr. think of the Bearcat

Findlay Market CEO Joe Hansbauer highlights the improvements made to the market over the last 20 years on The Enquirer's "That's So Cincinnati" podcast this week. 

The market house was re-done and is bustling. The nearly 18 storefronts along Elder Street, are nearly full. There is Findlay Kitchen, a non-profit food business incubator, where 60 businesses are operating and now, Findlay Launch, which mentors business owners.

Hansbauer, who has been at the helm for nearly 10 years, says there's nothing he would rather be doing than than figuring out ways to highlight what he describes as a "jewel and gem that I think many, many other cities would love to have."

His work has helped draw 1.2 million visitors each year to Findlay Market, up from 600,000 annually when he took over in 2013.

Said Hansbauer: "It's built on authenticity. It's built on history. And in a lot of those things are not something you can recreate. There's not a week or a month that goes by that I don't hear from other communities and other public markets or communities that are looking to build a new public market. Louisville opened one two years ago. Lexington is looking to do that. We've had conversations with Reading Terminal Market n Philadelphia and Washington, D.C."