The death of a great Ohio newspaperman
The death of a great Ohio newspaperman
Dennis Nichols of Cincinnati's eastern suburbs was a dogged, brilliant and principled journalist who ran his family's two community papers and gave the local authorities all the trouble they deserved.
I remember that young man, Dennis Nichols.
I worked for him for four years -- 1973 to 1977 -- at the Mt. Washington Press and Clermont County Review, two weekly community papers in the eastern suburbs of Cincinnati. I was age 25 to 29 then, and he started me at $75 a week.
Dennis, who died January 26 at age 78, was a huge influence on me.
I barely knew how to type or think when he hired me to help out at the Nichols family’s papers after his mom Anita, the editor, was recovering from a heart attack.
Dennis, his mom and dad were underappreciated superstars of community journalism -- dogged and honest and principled watchdogs of the local governments and the local and city press, which were often neither honest nor principled.
I 'graduated' from the Dennis Nichols journalism grad school and went on to bigger but not necessarily better daily newspapers in LA and Pittsburgh.
I’ve always said that Dennis was the best newspaperman I ever met.
He taught me -- by example -- what a newspaper was supposed to do -- cause trouble with the authorities and boosters where it was deserved and serve the local community with information and strong opinion that it needed to hear, whether they agreed with it or not.
I’ll will always remember his big laugh, deep knowledge of the workings of local things like roads and schools, his logical thinking and his tireless energy. He had a temper that flashed on now and then but never lasted.
And whether we were writing hard conservative editorials, reporting Little League scores, slapping address labels on papers on some ancient contraption in the office basement, putting papers in racks on street corners or emptying a handful of nickles from the change tubes, he was a good boss, good teacher and good friend.
He and his family were special people, special journalists from a long-gone age. I hope Dennis is with them where they all want to be.
Also:
I see that Dennis has been called a cantankerous and gruff man with a heart of gold — by one of his friends. It’s all true. He was tough on humanity and the American people for being weak. In the spring of 2020, he wrote this Facebook post in response to a RealClearPolitics article that questioned the logic of lockdowns and lamented the American people’s supine acceptance of them.
I am utterly disgusted with the American people and the world for being so weak, so naive, so gullible, and so supine that they gladly surrender freedom and dignity in a race from reason. Unable or unwilling to confront challenges rationally, they make fear their lodestar. The damage that they have invited will be profound and enduring. They deserve it.
He was also stubborn and not afraid of lawyers. Here’s a Facebook post about a 1990 lawsuit he was caught up in:
On Nov. 1, 1990, Cincinnati lawyer James Condit and his son James Condit, Jr. sued me for an editorial that I wrote saying they were anti-Semites and fascists. The suit was in court more than four years and cost me and my family more than $100,000 to defend. We won by summary judgment — twice. Today is the 30th anniversary of the suit, and I’d do it again. In 1990, it was the fascists who wanted to block free speech. Today it is the Democrats and the “progressives.”
Here is another Facebook post about what passes for local journalism in Cincinnati these days:
Local journalism today:
The Cincinnati Enquirer announced Monday that it has a new reporter “to watchdog Cincinnati’s suburban communities.” The reporter is 22, a 2020 Miami graduate, who has reported for a 5,500-circulation daily in Michigan and has been an “election intern” for the Enquirer.
Assigning this unfortunate youth to cover three counties with a population of more than 750,000, 38 townships, 24 village, 16 cities, 36 public-school districts, and well over 100 unincorporated communities is absurd. By the time she learns what a county commissioner does, events will have overwhelmed her. Pretending the assignment is “making sure the area’s institutions — courts, governments and schools — serve residents and taxpayers,” as the Enquirer’s Carl Weiser wrote, is insulting.
The Enquirer is crowd-sourcing her pay, asking for public donations. Seriously.
Dennis Nichol’s Obituary
Dennis Nichols, age 78 of Anderson Twp., died January 26, 2022. He was born November 17, 1943 in Cincinnati, Ohio to Arnold and Anita Nichols. He was one of four children.
Dennis is survived by his sister Sherry McCarthy, five nephews Sean, Jamie, and Dan Nichols, Brian and Tim McCarthy, one great nephew Michael Nichols, and four great nieces Lauren, Katelynn, Kelsey, Liam Nichols. He was predeceased by sister, Sandy Gaither, brother Kevin Nichols, and nephew Coty Nichols.
Dennis never married or had children of his own but was loved like a father and Grandfather by William J. DeVore III (wife, Nancy) and their children Sarah (DeVore) Sunderman (husband, Joseph Sunderman) and Billy DeVore (wife, Alicia).
Dennis was a graduate of Anderson High School, and the University of Cincinnati. Dennis was a Lieutenant in the United States Army from 1966-1969 and was stationed in Germany. Dennis returned home from Germany and went to work at his family's weekly newspapers, "The Mt. Washington Press" and "Clermont County Review" where he eventually became the owner and editor. Dennis ran the papers until 1995.
Dennis continued his newspaper career at the Journal-News where he worked as an Editor. After retiring from the newspaper business Dennis began his career as a public servant working for the Butler County Commissioners as administrative assistant.
In 2010 Dennis became the Village Administrator for the Village of Batavia, Ohio. Dennis has spent the past 11 years working for the Village of Batavia. Dennis worked tirelessly to improve the village. At a time when small communities were struggling to provide basic services for their residents, Dennis annexed surrounding land, increased the village tax base, wrote and received grants to make the Village of Batavia a thriving community.
Anyone who knows Dennis, knows his greatest accomplishments were the impact and influence he has had on his nieces, nephews, Sarah Sunderman and Billy DeVore. He contributed his time, love and financial support to help each of them to become successful adults.
Dennis A. Nichols will be remembered and missed by many.