In this episode of Heart and Hustle in Hamilton County , hosts Jeff Aluotto and Bridget Doherty speak with Greg Forté, Director of the Office of Small Business, about how the County is supporting its thriving community of micro-businesses and entrepreneurs. They highlight impactful programs such as grant funding, coaching, and events like Small Business Day and Pitch Night, which have helped over 1,700 unique businesses since 2022. Looking ahead, the Office aims to expand its outreach and solidi...
May 02, 2025•28 min
Ever wonder why fire hydrants aren't always red? We're back with another off-site episode of Heart and Hustle, where we go out and learn all things fire hydrant maintenance with our field operations crew from Planning + Development in Springfield Township. Teaser alert: fire hydrants tend to be magnets for cars! To learn more about Hamilton County, Ohio, our services and job openings, visit hamiltoncountyohio.gov .
May 02, 2025•28 min
This episode explores the story of the new Regional Safety Complex and how the County, City, and communities came together to relocate a gun range out of Lincoln Heights. Hosted by County Administrator Jeff Aluotto and Communications Director Bridget Doherty, it also features Deputy County Administrator Anson Turley and Hamilton County Sheriff Office Chief Deputy Jay Gramke. To learn more about Hamilton County, Ohio, our services and job openings, visit hamiltoncountyohio.gov ....
Dec 19, 2024•28 min•Season 4Ep. 2
Whenever 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 MBE/WBE...
Feb 23, 2024•33 min•Season 4Ep. 1
"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 population...
Jun 02, 2023•39 min•Season 3Ep. 2
In 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 more about ...
Apr 28, 2023•32 min•Season 3Ep. 1
Hamilton 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, and ou...
Dec 22, 2022•29 min•Season 2Ep. 13
Long-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 month, ...
Jun 09, 2022•17 min
There'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 slowing dow...
Mar 18, 2022•26 min
Continuing 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 what Ham...
Oct 22, 2021•33 min•Season 1Ep. 11
The 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 conversation on w...
Oct 08, 2021•36 min•Season 1Ep. 11
The 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, Ohio, our...
Jul 02, 2021•22 min•Season 1Ep. 10
In 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 agency a...
May 14, 2021•34 min•Season 1Ep. 9
Looking 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 composting sem...
Apr 19, 2021•26 min•Season 1Ep. 8
Hamilton 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 candidly abo...
Mar 26, 2021•28 min
Hamilton 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 includin...
Mar 19, 2021•35 min
The 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 Directo...
Feb 05, 2021•21 min
Chances 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 during a pan...
Jan 22, 2021•31 min•Season 1Ep. 4
“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 about Hami...
Jan 08, 2021•37 min•Season 1Ep. 3
Assistant 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 ....
Dec 04, 2020•28 min•Season 1Ep. 2
Heart 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 talks abou...
Nov 25, 2020•25 min•Season 1Ep. 1
