Heart and Hustle in Hamilton County
22 episodes - English - Latest episode: 2 months ago - ★★★★★ - 4 ratingsHeart and Hustle in Hamilton County is a podcast about the people, places, and policies that govern our local response to the COVID-19 outbreak. Hosted by County Administrator Jeff Aluotto, Heart and Hustle discusses the issues, challenges, and opportunities Hamilton County faces as we battle a global pandemic.
Homepage Apple Podcasts Google Podcasts Overcast Castro Pocket Casts RSS feed
Episodes
Infusing Equity into Hamilton County Operations
February 23, 2024 16:00 - 33 minutes - 23 MBWhenever we have a long hiatus in our podcast, we return with a new season of jam-packed government content for our one listener! We jest (but do appreciate our one fan). In our season opener, we talked with Robert Bell and Gabrielle Woehler with the Hamilton County Economic Inclusion and Equity Department. Robert and Gabrielle discuss the evolution of DEI efforts baked into the County's purchasing, spending, and hiring efforts. Under Mr. Bell's leadership, Hamilton County has an overall ...
Electrofishing Explained with Hamilton County Soil & Water Conservation District
June 02, 2023 12:00 - 38 minutes - 26.6 MB"Don't call it electrocuting fish," was our first lesson in electrofishing- a practice where you temporarily stun and collect fish and other aquatic wildlife to determine the health of a stream or waterway. We took our podcast on location to Howard's Creek in Whitewater Township with Sara Fehring and Sarah Meadows from the Hamilton County Conservation District. So, grab your rubber waders and your net and get ready to learn about electrofishing and why we collect this data on the fish popula...
Children's Services: Protecting Kids in Hamilton County
April 28, 2023 18:00 - 31 minutes - 22 MBIn 2022, over 50,000 calls rang into Hamilton County's 513-241-KIDS hotline, and over 6,000 cases were opened for assessment. During the entire month, Hamilton County Job and Family Services has been sharing tips on how to prevent child abuse and support families. HCJFS Director Michael Patton and Deputy Director of Children's Services Alexandra Patsfall joined the Heart and Hustle Podcast to discuss the Child Abuse Prevention Month efforts and their #OneSmallThing campaign. To learn mor...
Wrapping Up 2022, The Penultimate Edition!
December 22, 2022 19:00 - 28 minutes - 19.6 MBHamilton County Administrator Jeff Aluotto talks about the County's biggest achievements in 2022 with some of his top operations staff. Human Resources Director Frank Spataro, Senior Policy Manager Marc Von Allmen and Assistant County Administrators Holly Christmann and Lisa Webb take the mic to discuss some of their favorite projects in 2022 and what they have to look forward to in 2023. Hamilton County continues to launch new programs that improve lives of our residents, our businesses, an...
Hamilton County Recorder’s Office is Modernizing to Prevent Fraud and Improve Access
June 09, 2022 19:00 - 16 minutes - 11.6 MBLong-time Chief of Staff for the Hamilton County Recorder’s Office David Pittinger gets into the details of the office’s efforts to modernize record keeping to improve accessibility and prevent fraud. The Recorder’s Office just announced a new Real Estate Fraud Alert Service to alert those who enroll for the service of filings under their names, warning property owners to potentially fraudulent activity in real-time. The Recorder’s Office is also set to release over 6 million images this m...
Hamilton County Recorder’s Office is Modernizing to Prevent Fraud and Improve Access
June 09, 2022 19:00 - 16 minutes - 11.6 MBLong-time Chief of Staff for the Hamilton County Recorder’s Office David Pittinger gets into the details of the office’s efforts to modernize record keeping to improve accessibility and prevent fraud. The Recorder’s Office just announced a new Real Estate Fraud Alert Service to alert those who enroll for the service of filings under their names, warning property owners to potentially fraudulent activity in real-time. The Recorder’s Office is also set to release over 6 million images this m...
Hamilton County's No-Kill Animal Shelter Pushes Fostering and Adoptions
March 18, 2022 20:00 - 26 minutes - 18 MBThere's a new Dog Warden in town. Cincinnati Animal CARE Humane Society is Hamilton County’s first no-kill shelter operator - fulfilling the County's Dog Warden responsibilities of collecting stray dogs and enforcing dog licenses. In August 2020, Cincinnati Animal CARE officially took over operations of the County's dog shelter in Northside. At that time, the shelter was at full capacity. In 2021, they saw a near 70% increase in total animals coming in, and 2022 has shown no signs of slo...
Hamilton County's No-Kill Animal Shelter Pushes Fostering and Adoptions
March 18, 2022 20:00 - 26 minutes - 18 MBThere's a new Dog Warden in town. Cincinnati Animal CARE Humane Society is Hamilton County’s first no-kill shelter operator - fulfilling the County's Dog Warden responsibilities of collecting stray dogs and enforcing dog licenses. In August 2020, Cincinnati Animal CARE officially took over operations of the County's dog shelter in Northside. At that time, the shelter was at full capacity. In 2021, they saw a near 70% increase in total animals coming in, and 2022 has shown no signs of slo...
Is Housing in Hamilton County Really that Affordable? Part 2
October 22, 2021 17:00 - 33 minutes - 22.7 MBContinuing our conversation with local housing experts: Hamilton County Community Development's Interim Director Emily Carnahan, Liz Blum with the Community Building Institute at Xavier University, and Kristen Baker with Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC) get to the heart of the conversation on whether our neighbors can afford to stay in the communities where they live. Recent studies have shown that Hamilton County currently lacks 40,000 units of affordable housing. Listen to w...
Is Housing in Hamilton County Really that Affordable? Part 1
October 08, 2021 15:00 - 35 minutes - 24.4 MBThe news lately has been filled with headlines around housing values and housing affordability. In this episode of Heart and Hustle, we talk with three housing experts in who really tackle the question- Is housing affordable in Hamilton County, Oh? Hamilton County Community Development's Interim Director Emily Carnahan, Liz Blum with the Community Building Institute at Xavier University, and Kristen Baker with Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC) get to the heart of the conversatio...
Hamilton County Environmental Crimes Task Force
July 02, 2021 14:00 - 22 minutes - 15.2 MBThe Hamilton County Environmental Crimes Task Force is heating up this summer. Corporal Bryan Peak with the Hamilton County Sheriff's Office leads a multi-department effort to crack down on illegal dumping of tires, construction debris and other household items. Listen to the latest podcast of Heart and Hustle in Hamilton County, and subscribe, to hear about this great program helping to improve the quality of life for Hamilton County, Oh residents. To learn more about Hamilton County, O...
Planning for the Unplanned 'Is What We Do'
May 14, 2021 16:00 - 33 minutes - 23.1 MBIn a disaster, Nick Crossley says there's no such thing as 'no.' In Episode 9, the Hamilton County Emergency Management Agency Director talks about the biggest challenge he faced during the early days of the local COVID-19 pandemic. "If you ever call me, I'm saving your cell number," says Crossley who discusses how he gets around the word "no" in order to find a way. He also details the quick partnerships that formed overnight to protect the most vulnerable including seniors. Crossley's ...
Interest in Composting Climbs during COVID
April 19, 2021 12:00 - 26 minutes - 17.9 MBLooking for ways to celebrate Earth Day? What better way to honor our planet than nourishing its soil with your kitchen scraps! Just as gardening and cooking have gained new enthusiasts during this pandemic, so has composting. We discuss tips and tricks with our local composting connoisseurs – Michelle Balz and Gage Bradford with Hamilton County Recycling and Solid Waste District. Michelle and Gage give us the latest on how you can buy discounted compost bins and take free virtual compost...
How the COVID-19 Pandemic Rewrote the Playbook on Local Elections
March 26, 2021 17:00 - 28 minutes - 19.4 MBHamilton County Board of Elections' top officials, Sherry Poland and Sally Krisel, talk about changes made on the fly to conduct Hamilton County's 2020 elections during the COVID-19 pandemic. With nonstop directives coming out of the State due to the Governor and the Courts arguing election postponement, Director Poland and Deputy Director Krisel reflect on their sleepless night before the March primary. In the aftermath of the 2020 presidential election, Poland and Krisel also talk...
How the COVID-19 Pandemic Rewrote the Playbook on Local Elections
March 26, 2021 17:00 - 28 minutes - 19.4 MBHamilton County Board of Elections' top officials, Sherry Poland and Sally Krisel, talk about changes made on the fly to conduct Hamilton County's 2020 elections during the COVID-19 pandemic. With nonstop directives coming out of the State due to the Governor and the Courts arguing election postponement, Director Poland and Deputy Director Krisel reflect on their sleepless night before the March primary. In the aftermath of the 2020 presidential election, Poland and Krisel also talk...
Air Pollution, Recycling, and other COVID-19 Impacts on Environmental Services
March 19, 2021 16:00 - 34 minutes - 23.9 MBHamilton County Environmental Services Director Brad Johnson discusses the rich history of environmental awareness in Cincinnati and Hamilton County that dates back to the 1800s- when Cincinnati was one of the largest cities in the country and one of the first to monitor air quality thanks to a women's organization. With the pandemic, Environmental Services has seen its fair share of change including an emphasis on air quality, pollen and mold counting, and changes in recycling patterns in...
How Reentry Advocates Went Into Virtual High Gear to Serve the Formerly Incarcerated
February 05, 2021 20:00 - 20 minutes - 14.3 MBThe Hamilton County Office of Reentry had to get creative fast when the COVID-19 pandemic outbreak ramped up locally in March of 2020. The Hamilton County Sheriff's Office instituted measures to reduce the jail population while also increasing safety measures inside of the jail. Once inmates served their time and were released, reentry advocates hit the phones to ensure resources were available to keep formerly incarcerated individuals from reoffending and ending back up in jail. Reentry Dir...
How Reentry Advocates Went Into Virtual High Gear to Serve the Formerly Incarcerated
February 05, 2021 20:00 - 20 minutes - 14.3 MBThe Hamilton County Office of Reentry had to get creative fast when the COVID-19 pandemic outbreak ramped up locally in March of 2020. The Hamilton County Sheriff's Office instituted measures to reduce the jail population while also increasing safety measures inside of the jail. Once inmates served their time and were released, reentry advocates hit the phones to ensure resources were available to keep formerly incarcerated individuals from reoffending and ending back up in jail. Reentry Dir...
Hamilton County 911 Dispatchers Answer the Call During COVID-19
January 22, 2021 18:00 - 31 minutes - 21.5 MBChances are every person in Hamilton County will dial 911 at least twice in their lifetime. And connecting people to emergency services like police, fire, and EMS during a pandemic is more important than ever. 911 services have seen a tremendous amount of change over the past year, but the mission has remained the same: providing the most accurate, expeditious, and innovative communication services possible. Director Andrew Knapp discusses how to keep emergency communication running durin...
Hamilton County Employees Hustle on the Front Lines to Keep Services Flowing
January 08, 2021 18:00 - 37 minutes - 25.5 MB“2020 will go down as the year of the public servant,” said Hamilton County Job and Family Services Director Tim McCartney who reflected on the tumultuous year and saw a lot of reasons to be optimistic. On this episode of Heart and Hustle, McCartney and Frank Spataro, director of Hamilton County Human Resources, discuss the rapid organizational changes that took place in response to the COVID-19 crisis and how front line staff completely relocated without missing a beat. To learn more abo...
Getting to the Heart of CARES Act Funding
December 04, 2020 17:00 - 27 minutes - 19.1 MBAssistant County Administrator Holly Christmann discusses the heart and hustle behind allocating Hamilton County's $142 Million in CARES Act funding. We dissect how the County prioritized that funding as well as talk to a small business owner who used a CARES Act grant to sustain her business and provide much needed services to her local community. To learn more about Hamilton County, Ohio, our services and job openings, visit hamiltoncountyohio.gov.
The Man behind the Mask - Health Commissioner Greg Kesterman kicks off the Podcast
November 25, 2020 18:00 - 24 minutes - 17.2 MBHeart and Hustle in Hamilton County is a podcast about the people, places, and policies that govern our local response to the COVID-19 outbreak. Hosted by County Administrator Jeff Aluotto, Heart and Hustle discusses the issues, challenges, and opportunities Hamilton County, Ohio faces as we battle a global pandemic. On Episode 1: Health Commissioner Greg Kesterman takes a look back at the whirlwind that was his first month on the job at the helm of Hamilton County Public Health. Greg talk...