New Movies
After Earth — Will Smith, Jaden Smith
Now You See Me — Jesse Eisenberg, Mark Ruffalo, Woody Harrelson

New On DVD
Dark Skies — Keri Russell, Jake Brennan

Worlds Largest Garage Sale
Sunday, 8 a.m. – 1 p.m. at Turfway Park. It’s like 300 garage sales in one! $5 admission. Early bird admission $10 & begins at 7 a.m.

Redlegs Run
Saturday. 10K and 5K at 8 a.m. One Mile Family Run at 9:30 a.m. and Gapper’s Kids Fun Run at 10:30 a.m.

Summerfair at Coney Island
Friday, Saturday & Sunday. Annual fine arts and crafts fair with food, entertainment and kids area.

International Butterfly Show at Krohn Conservatory
Through June 30th. Thousands of butterflies fly free throughout the showroom.

Newport Aquarium
See more Shark Rays on display than anywhere else in the world! Extremely rare Shark Rays “Sweet Pea, Scooter, Sunshine and Spike.”

“Shipwrecked! An Entertainment”
Runs through June 16th at The Cincinnati Playhouse In The Park.

Bugfest at Cincinnati Museum Center
Saturday, 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. Free with admission. Hands on activities, special guests, music and even insect tasting!

Jon Jon at Mynt Martini
Fountain Square Friday nights. Fun night out with great music.

Participants can still sign up at the following packet pickup dates:
• Wednesday, May 29: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. outside the Reds Hall of Fame & Museum
• Thursday, May 30: 3 to 8 p.m. outside the Reds Hall of Fame & Museum
• Friday, May 31: Noon to 4 p.m. outside the Reds Hall of Fame & Museum
• Race Day – Starting at 6 a.m. inside GABP Gate 3 on Pete Rose Way

Runners, walkers and families have many options to participate:
• Coldwell Banker West Shell 5K: Chip-timed 3.1-mile course starts on Mehring Way behind Great American Ball Park, winds along the riverfront and finishes inside the ballpark near home plate.
• 10K: Chip-timed 6.2-mile course starts on Mehring Way, winds along the riverfront, crosses over the Ohio River on the Taylor Southgate Bridge into Newport and back across the Purple People Bridge and finishes inside the ballpark near home plate.
• One Mile Family Run/Walk presented by UnitedHealthcare: One mile course starts starts on Mehring Way and finishes inside the ballpark near home plate. (not chip timed)
• Gapper’s Kids Fun Run presented by UnitedHealthcare: Kids run around the warning track of the ballpark.

Registration fees:
• Coldwell Banker West Shell 5K: $40
• 10K: $50
• One Mile Family Run/Walk presented by UnitedHealthcare: $25
• Gapper’s Kids Fun Run presented by UnitedHealthcare: $15 (for kids 10 and under)

All participants receive a race T-shirt (technical shirt for 10K participants), post-race party in the Kroger Fan Zone and one View Level ticket voucher for the Reds vs. Rockies game on Tuesday, June 4 at 7:10 p.m.

Race start times:
• 8 a.m.: Runners and walkers for 10K and 5K (includes the first 2,000 5K to register, all 10K and elite runners)
• 8:10 a.m.: Runners and walkers for 5K (includes remainder of 5K runners/walkers)
• 9:30 a.m.: One Mile Family Run/Walk
• 10:15 a.m.: Gapper’s Kids Fun Run

Participants and their guests are asked to refrain from bringing any bags or backpacks to race areas including registration, starting line and ballpark. Bags may be subject to search.

Recommended parking for the Redlegs Run:
• Central Riverfront Garage: $5 vouchers available for sale at packet pick-up; otherwise $1.50 per hour with a $9 maximum
• East Garage: $6 (east of US Bank Arena)
• Lots B & D $5 (east of Paul Brown Stadium)
• Lot E: $5 (south Paul Brown Stadium)

Visit www.reds.com/run for full race details. (online registration closed)

Race sponsors include: Cintas, UnitedHealthcare, Trophy Awards, Fleet Feet Sports, 9 On Your Side, LaRosa’s, UDF, Coca-Cola, Queen City Sausage, Kroger Co., Nike and Castellini Group of Companies.

Over 3,200 runners and walkers participated in 2012 generating over $140,000 for the baseball-themed outreach programs of the Reds Community Fund.

Take One Moment this Weekend for Those Who Gave much more than a Moment…

Memorial Weekend is upon us and, finally, the start of summer. There are many activities and events for this holiday weekend. Though the weekend may be fury of activity, we cannot forget the meaning of the holiday. Memorial Day is for those veterans who sacrificed their lives and who did not come home.
When I was six years old, I remember a man in a uniform at the front door of our house. The man didn’t have to say a word. Mom burst into tears and then so did Dad. I knew something had to be wrong with my brother, Cliff, because the man at the door wore the same Air Force uniform as Cliff.

Just one week before coming home permanently, Cliff was killed in a place called Da Nang, Vietnam. Cliff was twenty-three years old. The news hit our family and friends like an earthquake. It took years to build from the rubble and the scars are still there. There were over three hundred people at Cliff’s funeral. That taught me how one life can intertwine with many others; and that there are many names behind one name.

Through the years I learned what his death meant and to give purpose to his death which eased the pain. I learned what that piece of cloth draped over his casket was called “a flag” and what it symbolized. Through our country’s history I learned to understand what America is: that America has always been able to conquer its enemies and jump any hurdle; and that America’s beacon of freedom and liberty shines to the four corners of the globe.

I also learned that my family wasn’t the only family to go through this. Families throughout America’s history had to deal with their family’s sacrifice for our country –from the Boston Massacre to 9-11 and the war on terrorism and all the battles and wars in between. Except for everyday technological differences, there is no difference between the present Killed-in-Action families and past Killed-in-Action families. A sacrifice was made. There is a loss of a parent, child, sibling, or spouse: a place at the evening table is forever empty.

When you research and learn about America, the more proud you become of it. I learned the meaning behind the sacrifice of lives for our country. America, even with all its faults and imperfections, is still the best country that mankind has seen or created. That sacrifice cannot be in vain.

There are only two days that created our nation: Independence Day and Memorial Day.
Independence Day states in words the grounds for our freedoms and liberties. Words were not enough. Sacrifices had to be paid to gain the meaning of those words which continue to this day. Memorial Day is the day to honor those sacrifices.

There is one thread that runs through and connects all of us. A hero’s sacrifice was made for us. That sacrifice was from any racial or ethical origin, religious affiliation, sexual orientation, political affiliation, profession, and gender. That sacrifice is a reflection of us.

Providence gave our Founding Fathers the spirit and principles to create a nation to which we live. Men and women in uniform have sacrificed their lives based on those principles. The most we can do is to try to live up to those principles ensuring that those who paid the ultimate sacrifice did not die in vain.

In the fury of activity this Memorial weekend, we cannot forget to honor these heroes who paid the ultimate sacrifice for us. Any personalized way you celebrate our heroes sacrifice is appropriate. We should take the time to reflect and be proud of the freedoms and liberties that we exercise daily: freedom of speech, worship, due process, vote, just to name a few. We should spread the meaning of this holiday to our children and grandchildren.

So take one moment this weekend reflect on the meaning of the holiday: to honor those veterans who didn’t make it home and to their families who never had a welcoming. One moment this Memorial Weekend is not much to ask when our heroes gave so much more than a moment.
I wish you an enjoyable Memorial Weekend! And God Bless.
Jeff