• Charlie Luken: The new Cincinnati mayor will be under scrutiny as he tries to steer the city beyond its nagging police-community problems and revive an ailing downtown.

        • Alicia Reece: The Cincinnati vice mayor, fresh off an election in which she won a second term by finishing second in a 26-candidate field, is being courted by Democrats to run for Congress or statewide office.

        • Ross Love: The businessman faces more challenges this year as co-chairman of the Cincinnati Community Action Now Commission, the race relations group formed after the April riots.

        • Roger Webster: The newly-elected FOP president in Cincinnati has a tough act to follow in taking over for Keith Fangman, an aggressive spokesman for police and a lightning rod for criticism from the black community.

        • Tom Streicher: The Cincinnati police chief just went through the toughest year of his professional career and starts the new one with a full plate — pressure to change the department's use of force and a chronic manpower problem.

        • Marc Wilson: Few Republicans even think about running for office anymore without at least talking to this political consultant.

        • Melanie Bates: The newly-elected member of the Cincinnati Board of Education takes office Jan. 7 and will bring her experience as a seven-year member of the Ohio Board of Education to Cincinnati Public Schools.

        • Mike Helmig: The Boone County sheriff is overseeing the merged county police and sheriff's departments in one of the state's fastest growing communities.

        • Michael Fox: The Butler County commissioner will be battling to keep the county sales tax increase in place, despite the likelihood of a referendum to repeal it.

        • Tom Raga: The Republican state representative from Warren County and former Deerfield Township trustee helped develop an initiative called Vision Warren County to tackle social concerns for the state's second-fastest growing county.

The Year Ahead in Metro
Ten local newsmakers in 2002
New Year's Day closings
Young voices call for a coming together
4 bank robberies end record year for heists
Cold is here to stay
Luken in no rush to find manager
Mosque damage assessed
Muslim activist hopes for peace
New, tougher GED takes effect today
Oak Hills senior wins pageant
Police think deaths were accidental
Congrats
Engineering students get early college start
Fawn Candy founder dies
Local Digest
Police connect with collectors
Recreation Notes
Terwilleger considers run for Senate seat
Bones likely from flooded graveyard
Franklin family displaced by fire
Interfaith event celebrates peace
City divided over agency
CROWLEY: Likely newsmakers in 2002
Kentucky Digest
Accident kills 1, injures 2
GOP pioneer Warriner dies