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0000017a-3b40-d913-abfe-bf44a4f90000Howard Wilkinson joined the WVXU news team as the politics reporter and columnist in April 2012 , after 30 years of covering local, state and national politics for The Cincinnati Enquirer. On this page, you will find his weekly column, Politically Speaking; the Monday morning political chats with News Director Maryanne Zeleznik and other news coverage by Wilkinson. A native of Dayton, Ohio, Wilkinson has covered every Ohio gubernatorial race since 1974, as well as 16 presidential nominating conventions. Along with politics, Wilkinson also covered the 2001 Cincinnati race riots, the Lucasville prison riot in 1993, the Air Canada plane crash at Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport in 1983, and the 1997 Ohio River flooding. And, given his passion for baseball, you might even find some stories about the Cincinnati Reds here from time to time.

Driehaus, Blessing in Beyond Civility debate

Beyond Civility

Beyond Civility, an organization that promotes civil discourse and understanding among people with differing political views, has something different planned for the next discussion in its "Back-to-Back" series - a debate on issues between a Democratic legislator and a former Republican lawmaker.

State Rep. Denise Driehaus, a Clifton Democrat, and former state senator and representative Lou Blessing, a Colerain Township Republican, will "present their opposing parties' arguments on some of the hot button public policy issues of the day."

The event begins at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, May 2 at the College of Mount Saint Joseph College Theatre, 5701 Delhi Rd., Delhi Township. Light refreshments will be served at 5:30 p.m. The event is free and open ot the public, but space is limited and reservations are required. You can reserve a seat at the Beyond Civility website.

In previous "Back-to-Back" sessions, such as the one last month featuring former Cincinnati mayors Ken Blackwell and Jerry Springer, the discussion centered around their personal backgrounds and how their political views have evolved over the years. The Driehaus-Blessing event will be a straight debate on current issues in Ohio.

WVXU is a media partner of Beyond Civility.

Howard Wilkinson is in his 50th year of covering politics on the local, state and national levels.