"We are very humbled by this,'' said Eric Kearney, president and chief executive officer of Sesh Communications, which owns the Cincinnati Herald newspaper. "We have always attended and supported the Black Family Reunion as a community event and have been a sponsor since buying the newspaper.''

The Kearneys are the parents of Emerson, 7, and Asher, 6 months. They live in North Avondale.

"We are totally shocked and honored," said Jan-Michele Lemon Kearney. "We have a small family and we are glad it represents what the Black Family Reunion means."

Eric and Jan-Michele Lemon are both lawyers who have solo practices.

Eric Kearney also operates an advertising agency, AfterWords. He grew up in Hollydale and attended St. Xavier High School, Dartmouth College and the University of Cincinnati Law School.

Jan-Michele Lemon Kearney grew up in Avondale and attended Walnut Hills High school, Dartmouth College and Harvard Law School.

She is host of the talk show Issues on WLWT (Channel 5).

Freedom here and abroad

Cincinnati and its Ukrainian sister city, Kharkiv, have reasons to celebrate hard-won freedoms Monday.

As thousands gather for the opening of the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center, five local members of the Cincinnati-Kharkiv Sister City Project will gather in Kharkiv to help celebrate the city's 350th anniversary. They also will mark the anniversary of Kharkiv's liberation from the Nazis and Ukraine's Independence Day.

Rita McNeil, director of the Cincinnati Law Department, will represent Cincinnati in Kharkiv.

Others accompanying McNeil are Edward Marks, president of the project; Bud Haupt Sr., vice president; Peter Hollister, vice president; and Steve Hirschberg, secretary.

The group left Cincinnati Tuesday and arrived in Kharkiv Wednesday night.

Kharkiv will be looking back to see how far it has come since its beginnings as a fort town in 1654. It has been an independent country since 1991.

Kharkiv and Cincinnati have been sister cities for 15 years. In that time, thousands of people from Cincinnati and Kharkiv have traveled back and forth, exchanging information about cultural, economic, social, religious and educational interests.

VOLUNTEERS: The Arc turns 50

The Arc of Clermont/Brown, a volunteer group serving persons with mental retardation and developmental disabilities in the two counties, celebrated its 50th anniversary Aug. 8 at its office, 1075 Ohio Pike, Withamsville.

"Our non-profit organization has been dedicated to improving the quality of life for persons with mental retardation and developmental disabilities and hope to continue for another 50 years," said Elizabeth Randolph, program coordinator.

Pat Kayden, executive director of The Arc of Clermont/Brown, was recognized for her 25 years with the agency and for her dedication to helping others through advocacy, adoption of special-needs children and her many foster children.

Awards were presented to Gary Tonks for his leadership as executive director of The Arc of Ohio.

The awards were from Gov. Bob Taft, the Arc of the United States and Congressman Rob Portman.

Freedom Ride calls riders

Motorcyclists are invited to the Freedom Ride on Sunday, which helps raise funds to support local police and fire departments.

Registration starts at 9 a.m. at the Charles F. Gailey VFW Post, Broadway Lane and Galbraith Road, Groesbeck.

The event was started to support victims of 9/11, but funds have since been directed to local police and fire agencies. In three years, $65,000 has been raised through the event.

The VFW will also be collecting care-package items to be shipped to soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan.