The Ohio Valley Skeptics News

Magazine Overview

The Ohio Valley Skeptics News, Vol. 1, No. 2, dated October 22, 1991, is a newsletter from a newly formed organization dedicated to promoting critical thinking and the scientific investigation of paranormal and fringe-science claims. The publication encourages public engagement and the distribution of research findings.

Organization and Mission

The Ohio Valley Skeptics (OVS) is presented as an independent, nonprofit, scientific, and educational organization. Its mission aligns with that of the Committee for the Scientific Investigation of Claims of the Paranormal (CSICOP), focusing on investigating paranormal events, sponsoring workshops, and publishing findings. OVS plans to hold public lectures, establish a panel of experts for media consultation, and investigate local paranormal claims.

Meetings and Events

The newsletter details past and upcoming meetings. The October 12th meeting, held at the Blue Ash Holiday Inn, included a business session to form committees for by-laws and expert recruitment. This was followed by a viewing of an episode from Arthur C. Clarke's 'World of Strange Powers' series, titled 'Things That Go Bump in the Night,' which explored non-supernatural explanations for phenomena often attributed to poltergeists. The meeting concluded with an informal lunch.

The November meeting is scheduled for Saturday, November 9th, at 10:00 AM at the Cincinnati Museum of Natural History. After a business meeting to address by-laws and organizational matters, OVS President Joe Gastright will present on 'The First New Age: Paranormal Beliefs in Cincinnati, 1840-1880.' This presentation will examine the historical rise of occult and paranormal activities in Cincinnati during the nineteenth century and draw parallels to contemporary New Age movements. An informal lunch will follow for interested attendees.

Leadership and Membership

Officers were elected at the first OVS meeting on September 20, 1991, to serve until the first annual meeting in April. The elected officers are: Joseph P. Gastright (President), Mary Pacinda (Secretary), Richard G. Shepherd (Treasurer), and Virginia Jergens (Newsletter Editor). Additional chairs elected at the October meeting include Porter Henry (Publicity Chair) and Richard Boznian (Media Resources Chair). Members of the Media Resources Committee are Chuck Rodway and Carl Bunde. A By-Laws Committee, consisting of Dick Shepherd, Mary Pacinda, Chuck Rodway, and Holly Norton, was also formed and aims to present a draft of the by-laws at the November meeting.

Charter members are listed as R.C. Bozian, M.D.; R.D. Bozian, M.D.; Carl A. Bunde, M.D., Ph.D.; Richard A. Davis; and Oran B. Dent. The newsletter also lists numerous other individuals, likely members or contributors, including Kenneth DeWeese, John E. Fischer, William H. Giles, Robert Hartmann, Robert Paul Howard, Carolyn R. Hunt, Hermon R. Isaacs, Virginia H. Jergens, Ph.D., John S. Kennedy, William Kennedy, Richard H. McGrath, Richard Hildebrand, Jim Magus, Dan Nagle, Helen E. Norton, Howard E. Rissover, M.D., Charles P. Rodway, Claudia Sawyer, Richard G. Shepherd, and Nicholas A. Forte.

Call for Contributions and Information

Readers are encouraged to 'Share Your Stuff!' by bringing skeptical clippings, cartoons, or books to meetings. President Joe Gastright is noted for bringing a carton of books to the October meeting, including Ivan Stang's 'High Wierdness by Mail: A Directory of the Fringe: Mad Prophets, Crackpots, Kooks, and True Visionaries,' available for $9.95.

The newsletter also provides detailed directions to the Cincinnati Museum of Natural History, located at 1720 Gilbert Ave., for those coming from the north or south on I-71.

Membership and Subscription

Annual dues for regular members are $10.00, and for full-time students, $5.00. These dues include a subscription to The Ohio Valley Skeptics News. The organization is described as sharing the philosophy of the Committee for the Scientific Investigation of Claims of the Paranormal.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue are the establishment and promotion of The Ohio Valley Skeptics organization, the importance of critical thinking and scientific investigation in understanding paranormal claims, and the historical context of such beliefs, particularly in Cincinnati. The editorial stance is clearly one of skepticism towards unsubstantiated paranormal phenomena, advocating for evidence-based reasoning and the debunking of pseudoscientific claims. The organization aims to be a resource for both the public and the media in addressing paranormal topics.