Pepper: Safety first, then new shoes

With Cincinnati setting an all-time record high for homicides last year, David Pepper will highlight the need for safety in his speech today as he is sworn in as Hamilton County's newest commissioner.

Pepper's victory in November over incumbent Republican Commissioner Phil Heimlich gives Democrats a majority on the three-man commission for the first time since 1962.

Pepper will receive his oath of office from retired federal Court of Appeals Court Judge Nathaniel R. Jones, for whom Pepper, an attorney, clerked.

Pepper's swearing in won't take place until after there is a moment of silence for former President Gerald R. Ford who died last week.

Pepper will be introduced by fellow Democrat, Commissioner Todd Portune.

Pat DeWine, now the lone Republican on the board of commissioners, also is slated to speak.

Former Commissioner John Dowlin, a former long-time mayor of Sharonville, was in the County Administration Building early today for the swearing in.

Dowlin, a Republican, openly supported Pepper during the campaign. Dowlin is a retired Procter & Gamble executive and knows Pepper's father, former P&G chairman John Pepper.

Dowlin also actively supported Pepper because Heimlich recruited DeWine to face Dowlin in a Republican primary that ousted Dowlin from office.

Pepper showed up for the ceremony wearing a blue suit, white shirt, red tie -- and wine-colored shoes.

He initially planned to wear black shoes but still hasn't bought new shoes since an Enquirer blog item just before Christmas that noted he was wearing shoes without heels and with holes in the soles.

Knowing he would be quizzed about his shoes, Pepper -- who says he is awful at "errands" and hasn't bought new shoes -- wore the wine-colored shoes on purpose because they have no holes in the soles and both shoes have heels on them.