BY JANICE MORSE
The Cincinnati Enquirer
HAMILTON -- Hurricane Mitch has some competition: Richard Holzberger.
Somehow, those who know the outspoken Hamilton city councilman and former Butler County sheriff weren't surprised to learn that Mr. Holzberger happens to be honeymooning in Cancun, Mexico, as the violent storm approaches.
"There are two hurricanes down there, him and Mitch," quipped fellow City Councilman George McNally. "He's been in the eye of every "hurricane' since I've known him."
Mr. Holzberger, 53, married his longtime companion, Becky Italiano, an employee of the Butler County Sheriff's Office, in a Saturday ceremony at Westwood Presbyterian Church in Hamilton. The couple stayed at a Cincinnati hotel until a Monday morning flight took them to Cancun.
As Mitch inches closer to the Yucatan Peninsula, those close to Mr. Holzberger and his new wife remain concerned.
"We're hoping and praying he's okay down there," said Steve Vaughn, news director of Hamilton radio station WMOH, 1450 AM. "I joked around with him and told him, "This is one excuse to keep you inside on your honeymoon.' "
Mr. Holzberger, who served as a traffic reporter for the station while he was a Hamilton police officer, called WMOH Wednesday morning and gave a live interview about how the hurricane was affecting Cancun -- heavy clouds, strong winds and debris. Most activities and tours have been canceled, and many businesses have reinforced their windows, he said. Mr. Holzberger was expected to return home on Sunday.
