Loveland Magazine

CLERMONT COUNTY, OHIO - Free grave markers for Clermont Veterans

CLERMONT COUNTY, OHIO - The Clermont County Veterans’ Services Commission is on a mission to ensure that the grave of every veteran in Clermont County is marked to recognize their military service.  “We call this initiative Operation Grave Marker,” said Frank Morrow, a service officer with the Veterans’ Services office.  “We have free markers available for conflicts dating back to the Revolutionary War and the War of 1812.”

Bronze and aluminum markers are also available for Purple Heart recipients, National Guard veterans, and others.  Each marker comes with a steel rod for insertion into the ground, as well as a small American flag.

Recently, Goshen Township requested several hundred of the
markers for display in cemeteries there.  “It is very important that we give these veterans this last bit of recognition,” said Goshen Township Service Director Lou Clemons.  “Our township has been researching some of the unmarked graves in our cemeteries to identify the veterans.  Near the cannon statue at the Goshen Cemetery we have been able to identify four of seven previously unnamed veterans and properly mark their gravesites.  It is important for us to recognize those who gave so much for our freedom.”

For more information about the free markers, contact the Clermont County Veterans’ Services Commission at (513) 732-7363.

MORROW, OHIO - Lt. Col. Teddy T. Shelton II honored

MORROW, OHIO - Army Reserve Lt. Col. Teddy T. Shelton II was honored at a special Welcome Home Warrior-Citizen Award ceremony in recognition of the soldier's personal sacrifice, exceptional duty performance, and honorable service in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom in Iraq and/or Operation Enduring Freedom.

The award recognizes all Army Reserve Citizen-Soldiers whom have been mobilized and deployed to support mission objectives pertaining to the war on terrorism.  The award publicly acknowledges the reservists for their selfless and patriotic service reflective of the Army's Warrior Ethos, and their families whom have faithfully supported them during their military commitment to the nation.

The award package for Shelton consists of a personalized encased American flag, a commander's coin with Reserve logos, a lapel pin set for the soldier and spouse, and a Welcome Home Warrior-Citizen banner in an engraved wooden box.

Shelton, an assistant deputy chief of staff with 18 years of military service, is assigned to the 21st Theater Support Command, Indianapolis, Ind.

He is the son of Teddy T. and Sylvia A. Shelton of Osceola Road, Morrow, and graduated in 1984 from Little Miami High School He received a bachelor's degree in 1988 from Xavier University, Cincinnati, and earned a law degree in the year 2000 from the University of Maryland, University College.

Elliot Keefer: Ohio State Men's Swimming and Diving Announces Incoming Freshman Class

Ohio State Men's Swimming and Diving Announces Incoming Freshman Class Fifteen men set to join Buckeyes for 2007-08 season Head swimming coach Bill Wadley welcomes 15 men for the 2007-08 season.

Elliot Keefer will remain close to home when he attends OSU in the fall. Keefer is a breaststroker out of Loveland, Ohio. He also is a Senior National qualifier in the 100-meter breaststroke and an Ohio high school finalist in the 100- yard breaststroke

Link: Ohio State Men's Swimming and Diving Announces Incoming Freshman Class :: Fifteen men set to join Buckeyes for 2007-08 season.

LOVELAND, OHIO – Dirty air continues on Thursday

LOVELAND, OHIO –  The Air Quality Alert remains in effect for Thursday, with air quality predicted in the “Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups” range.

Active children and adults, and people with respiratory disease, such as asthma, should limit prolonged outdoor exertion.

COLUMBUS, OHIO - Ted Strickland to establish Department of Veterans Affairs

Governor Signs Executive Order Creating a Council to Prepare for Cabinet-level Veterans Department

COLUMBUS, OHIO - Governor Ted Strickland today signed an executive order creating a council that will develop a plan to establish a cabinet-level Ohio Department of Veterans Affairs.

“Ohio veterans have bravely and honorably served our nation around the world,” Strickland said.  “This executive order lays the foundation to ensure Ohio’s veterans and their families will always have a strong voice in state government.”

The 22-member study council will identify existing state services that are provided to veterans and their families; examine ways in which state services to veterans and their families can be aligned and reorganized into a new cabinet-level department; and compile these findings in a report of recommendations that the governor will receive by no later than December 31, 2007.

The governor appointed Merle Pratt to serve as chair of the council.  Additionally, the council will consist of representatives from a wide spectrum of veterans organizations as well as public officials.

Pratt is currently the director of constituent services and the veterans/military and fraternal liaison for Ohio Attorney General Marc Dann.  He chairs the Ohio Attorney General Office Veterans Advisory Council, and is a past chairman and current member of the Governor’s Veterans Advisory Committee.  Pratt served in the U.S. Navy as a Chief Petty Officer, retiring after 26 years of service.

Continue reading: text of the executive order.

MORROW, OHIO - GRACE KENNEDY HONORED BY CHEMICAL SOCIETY

American Chemical Society honors Grace Kennedy of Morrow, Ohio

Five students from the National Technical Institute for the Deaf, a college of Rochester Institute of Technology, have received Student Recognition Awards from the American Chemical Society for their performance in the chemical technology field.

Kerri Bailey of Canandaigua, N.Y.; Christina Cogswell of St. Charles, Ill.; Quinn Cruise of Milton, Ontario, Canada; Kyle Edenzon of Northridge, Calif.; and Grace Kennedy of Morrow, Ohio, all students in NTID’s Laboratory Science Technology program, were selected for their outstanding lab and classroom performance, communication skills, and integrity and reliability.

Read full story: Link: RIT - NTID - Media - NTID News.

LOVELAND, OHIO - Rick "Bam" Powell's Bucket

LOVELAND, OHIO - by David Miller

Sometimes the music is home-grown, and thankfully the musician stays home.

Loveland resident, Rick "Bam" Powell and Bucket kicked off the summer concert series in Nisbet Park on Sunday night. The band is so-named because of the five-gallon pickle bucket Powell sometimes uses as a bass drum. Powell has designed his own percussion set, also using tin cans and a saw blade. In the photo with Powell, and playing bass, is Bob Nyswonger. Not pictured is Lee Rolfes who plays the guitar and joins Powell and Nyswonger with vocals.

When there was a concert scheduled, I've rarely missed a chance to go to the park on warm summer Sunday nights, and this was possibly the best group to ever perform in the decade-old series of concerts on the stage at Nisbet Park's ampitheater. Each Bucket musician has a storied history of individual accomplishment in the greater Cincinnati music scene, and some national attention. All three bring an individual style that melts into some very haunting blues, rustic tales, and an every-once-in-a-while rock, country twang.

Powell's drumming is legendary, and the Nyswonger bass rang out into the summer night with a sweet voice that seemed to harmonize with itself. It's still probably echoing far down the lazy Little Miami. In most songs, he used a traditional bass guitar, but it was the sounds from his fretless electric upright bass that is still resonating around town.

Rolfes usually does solo work, and that probably explains why his guitar work has one constantly looking around for someone playing lead or rhythm, but they cannot be found. His talent is to play both at once, and it gives the trio a much larger sound, yet keeps it all very intimate. It's just what is called for, when the instruments must evolve from the lyrics, and not be overpowering. The music of this group is centered around story-telling lyrics in a folk language of every man's hometown.

The music has roots. “Tommy's Grocery” is about a former store in Loveland that had an ice box on the front porch and the price of bologna “scribbled” on the window. Powell reminisces about a little boy named Tommy who sits in a radio flyer wagon, “Waving to the people, at the stop sign with his one-good hand, trying to get 'em inside.” “Big Bone Lick” is about the park in Kentucky, but more than that - about a woman who answers the preacher when he asks, “Do you take this man?” by smiling and saying, “I'm gonna take him for all he's got.”

“Those Buds Have Blood on Them” is on the Bucket CD titled, “This Here's Bucket.” It is a serious song about marijuana grown in Mexico under near slave conditions and smuggled into U.S. Cities; where suburbanites smugly smoke the weed, ignoring the consequence of its origin.

If you are currently real homesick for some place, or somebody, you don't want to even go near “Home.” However, watching Rick Powell's two young children playing in the park while their father sings about home; you can fully understand just how rooted this group is to americana and family, and how talented the trio is at bringing it to life.

LOVELAND, OHIO - SMOG ALERT declared for Wednesday

Children, should limit prolonged outdoor exertion.

LOVELAND, OHIO - The Hamilton County Department of Environmental Services has issued a SMOG ALERT for the southwestern Ohio area including Loveland. Weather conditions indicate particulate and ozone levels will be in the Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups to Unhealthy range with an air quality index of 125 or greater.

To learn about the health problems Loveland area children will face on Wednesday, click here to read the Children and Ozone Air Pollution Fact Sheet from the American Lung Association.

Active children and adults, and people with respiratory disease, such as asthma, should avoid prolonged outdoor exertion; everyone else, especially children, should limit prolonged outdoor exertion.

Ride the Bus (Metro 621-4455  Tank 331-tank)
Rideshare or Van Pool (241-ride)
Walk, bike, or rollerblade on short trips.
Properly maintain your vehicle.
Use gasoline-powered lawn equipment after 6 p.m.
Refuel after 6 p.m. and don't top off.
Conserve electricity, turn up the thermostat, turn off unused light, computers, TVs, and radios.
Spread the Word

Air Quality Forecast for Wednesday, May 30
     Ozone - Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups - ORANGE  (120 AQI)
     Particle Pollution(2.5 microns) - Moderate - YELLOW  (100 AQI)

For additional information concerning the air quality forecast, 
Contact the Hamilton County Department of Environmental Services at 513-946-7777 or visit http://www.hcdoes.org

MIAMI TOWNSHIP, OHIO – Letters to Iraq and Afghanistan from Epiphany

MIAMI TOWNSHIP, OHIO – On Sunday, members and visitors of Epiphany United Methodist Church participated in a letter writing campaign to the service people closely associated with the church family. Addressed envelopes were provided, and it was urged that people send a personal letter of hope, encouragement, support, and prayers.

Also on Sunday, each current service member or past veteran that attended the worship service were given a red, white, or blue carnation and personal thanks for their service in the military. The event was organized by church staff and Epiphany's Love in Action team.

Pastor Dr. Doug Damron preached about bringing back a true meaning to Memorial Day and suggested that one of the things the congregation could do to honor our current soldiers is to,” irritate their representatives in Washington and Columbus” to provide adequate health care services to the wounded. Damron added, “Our Vets deserve the best.”

LOVELAND, OHIO - Contact the Elected

U.S. SENATE
Sherrod Brown
600 East Superior Ave.
Suite 2450, Cleveland, OH 44114
216-522-7272
Fax: 216-522-2239
Russell Senate Building
Washington, DC 20510 (temporary address)
202-224-2315
Web: http://brown.senate.gov

George V. Voinovich
36 E. 7th St., Suite 2615
Cincinnati, 45202
684-3265
524 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20510
202-224-3353
Fax 202-228-1382
Web: http://voinovich.senate.gov

U.S. CONGRESS
Jean Schmidt, 2nd District
8044 Montgomery Rd., Suite 540
Cincinnati, 45236
791-0381 or 800-7846366
Fax: 791-1696. 238
Cannon House Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20515
202-225-3164
Fax: 202-225-1992
Email web form: http://www.house.gov/schmidt/contact.shtm

GOVERNOR
Ted Strickland
77 S. High St.
30th Floor
Columbus, OH 43215-6117
614-466-3555
Fax: 614-466-9354
Web: www.governor.ohio.gov

OHIO HOUSE
Michelle G. Schneider, District 35
77 S. High St
14th Floor
Columbus, OH 43215-6111
(614) 644-6023
Fax : (614) 719-3589
Email Address: district35@ohr.state.oh.us

Joseph W. Uecker, District 66
77 S. High St
11th Floor
Columbus, OH 43215-6111
Telephone: (614) 466-8134
Fax : (614) 719-3966
Email Address: district66@ohr.state.oh.us

Jim Raussen, 28th District
77 S. High St
13th Floor
Columbus, OH 43215-6111
Telephone: (614) 466-8120 or 742-4830
Fax : (614) 719-3582
Email Address: district28@ohr.state.oh.us or jraussen@aol.com

OHIO SENATE
Robert Schuler, 7th District
Statehouse
Room #221, Second Floor
Columbus, Ohio 43215
Telephone: 614/466-9737
Email: SD07@mailr.sen.state.oh.us

Tom Niehouse, 14th District
Senate Building
Room #038, Ground Floor
Columbus, Ohio 43215
Telephone: 614/466-8082
Email: sd14@mailr.sen.state.oh.us

Columbus, OH – Mr. President: I as Ohio Commander in Chief deserve an answer

Columbus, OH – Ohio Governor Ted Strickland today sent the following letter to President George W. Bush via certified mail:                                        

Dear President Bush:

     For the second time in under two months, the Department of Defense issued an alert order for deployment of Ohio National Guard Soldiers. The most recent alert order was issued on May 26, 2007, for Soldiers in the 838th Military Police Company in Youngstown, Ohio, reporting to Fort Dix on September 28, 2007.

     When the first alert order was issued on April 9, 2007, involving four Army National Guard brigade combat teams, including the 37th Infantry Brigade Combat Team from Ohio, I immediately wrote to you, asking for your assurance that prior to deployment, every Ohio Soldier is provided with the most up-to-date equipment and that every Ohio Soldier receives appropriate training.

     I have yet to receive a response. And now, another alert order has been issued for Soldiers in the Ohio National Guard.

     I remain concerned for the continued and unprecedented sacrifice our men and women in the Ohio National Guard bear in relation to the ongoing conflict in Iraq, Afghanistan, and elsewhere. As Governor of Ohio, I will continue to press for assurances that every Ohio Soldier is provided with the most up-to-date equipment and that every Ohio Soldier receives appropriate training. As I have expressed earlier, our Soldiers and their families deserve nothing less.

   Mr. President, the men and women serving in the Ohio National Guard, the citizens of Ohio, and I as Commander in Chief of the Ohio National Guard deserve to have our questions answered.  Consequently, I am asking for a timely response to the following questions:

   Will you give me your personal assurance that every Ohio Soldier, prior to deployment, is provided with the most up-to-date equipment for their mission, including individual body armor systems, M-4 rifles and other weapons systems, night vision devices, and up-armored type vehicles?

    Will you give me your personal assurance that every Ohio Soldier, prior to deployment, receives appropriate training for their mission, utilizing the equipment they will be using when deployed?

  On behalf of the men and women serving in the Ohio National Guard and their families, I trust that you will respond promptly to these questions.

Sincerely,

Ted Strickland

                                                             Governor, State of Ohio

cc:  Defense Secretary Robert Gates

SYMMES TOWNSHIP, OHIO – Rolling Thunder kick off to Memorial Day

SYMMES TOWNSHIP, OHIO – Motorcyclists from around the area met at Loveland High School on Thursday morning, heading to Washington, D.C. to meet thousands of other riders on Sunday at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial for the twentieth annual Rolling Thunder Ride For Freedom.

The High School event was organized by Lt. Col. David Volkman, a government teacher and veteran of the war in Afghanistan. Keith Maupin, father of Staff Sgt. Matt Maupin, who has been missing in Iraq for three years was an honorary guest speaker at the event held in front of the school, and attended by the senior class.

Volkman talked about the meaning of Memorial Day, and said that the national holiday was not a time to celebrate war, but a time to remember, and pay tribute to, the military men and women who have died in wars.

Each year before the members of Chapter 9, of Rolling Thunder, leaves for Washington DC, they choose a school to raise a POW/MIA flag.

Rolling Thunder was organized in 1995 to publicize the prisoner of war, and missing in action issues, and to educate the public, “that many American Prisoners of War were left behind after all previous wars, and to help correct the past and to protect future veterans from being left behind should they become prisoners of war-or missing in action.”

The gathering at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial is billed as a “Demonstration.” In a statement to riders, Gary Scheffmeyer, the National President of Rolling Thunder, said, “Yes, it is a demonstration. Rolling Thunder XX is not a parade or a rally, It is a demonstration. We are exercising our right to demonstrate for better conditions for all Veterans, a full accounting of all POW/MIA’s from Vietnam, from the current Iraqi War, the first Gulf War, the Korean War, WW II, WWI, and from every war or conflict this country has been in. May they all come home to the country that they so bravely fought for."

The group also asks the country and its leaders to not forget: Scott Speicher from the first Gulf War, Spc. Ahmed Qusai (captured 10/23/06) and Maj. Troy L. Gilbert (captured 11/27/06).

Iraqi police announced on Thursday that they had found the body of one of three US soldiers missing since an ambush on May. 12. The soldier was identified as Pfc. Joseph J. Anzack Jr., a 20-year-old gunner from Torrance, California. The other missing soldiers are Spc. Alex R. Jimenez, 25, of Lawrence, Massachusetts, and Pvt. Byron W. Fouty, 19, of Waterford, Michigan.

Keith Maupin distributed information to the students about his missing son. Keith Maupin and his wife Carolyn, have as a goal to distribute photos of their son to all the military personal in Iraq so that they can recognize his face and help bring him home alive. They are also active in the Yellow Ribbon Support Center, a local group with the mission to, “raise the morale of all the troops.” The group sends care packages to troops and supports local people who have lost a loved one in the war.

Lt. Col. Volkman will be the featured speaker at Loveland's Memorial Day ceremony on Monday. The Loveland Memorial Day events begin with a parade that starts at 9:00 AM at the Loveland Elementary School, 600 Loveland Madeira Road.

A formal ceremony will be held at the Veterans' Loveland Memorial, located on West Loveland Avenue at the corner of Riverside Drive, immediately following the parade.

LOVELAND, OHIO – Downtown street repair begins Monday, June 4

LOVELAND, OHIO - The City of Loveland has announced it will be "milling and repaving" Railroad Avenue, Karl Brown Way, Broadway Street (between Karl Brown Way and the Five Points intersection), and Third Street. The City said there will be brief road closures and traffic disruptions on those streets and, “in and around the downtown municipal parking lot and along the Loveland Bike Trail.”

The work will begin the morning of Monday, June 4 on Railroad Avenue and is expected to be completed on June 8. Each street will be closed for a 2-3 hour period for the milling work and couple of days later for a 2-3 hour period for the repaving.

The work involving the intersection of Karl Brown Way and West Loveland Avenue will be performed between the morning and afternoon peak times, “to lessen the disruption to traffic.”

The City also said that the contractor, will give residents living along effected streets at least twenty four hours notice if vehicles parked along the street need to be moved.

Go to the City web site for nightly status updates on paving schedules for the next day, or call Cindy Klopfenstein, the City’s Project Engineer, at 707-6114.

LOVELAND, OHIO – POLLUTION ALERT REMAINS IN EFFECT

Children especially,  should limit prolonged outdoor exertion on Saturday

LOVELAND, OHIO – The Hamilton County Department of Environmental Services has issued a SMOG ALERT for the southwestern Ohio area including Loveland. Weather conditions indicate particulate and ozone levels will be in the Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups to Unhealthy range with an air quality index of 125 or greater.

Active children and adults, and people with respiratory disease, such as asthma, should avoid prolonged outdoor exertion; everyone else, especially children, should limit prolonged outdoor exertion.

Air quality is predicated to improve to a moderate level on Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday.

Air Quality Forecast:
Saturday, May 26
     Ozone - Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups - ORANGE  (110 AQI)
     Particle Pollution(2.5 microns) - Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups - ORANGE  (105 AQI)

Sunday, May 27
     Particle Pollution(2.5 microns) - Moderate - YELLOW  (90 AQI)
     Ozone - Moderate - YELLOW  (70 AQI)

Monday, May 28
     Particle Pollution(2.5 microns) - Moderate - YELLOW  (80 AQI)
     Ozone - Moderate - YELLOW  (75 AQI)

Tuesday, May 29
     Ozone - Moderate - YELLOW  (100 AQI)
     Particle Pollution(2.5 microns) - Moderate - YELLOW  (85 AQI)

• Ride the Bus (Metro 621-4455  Tank 331-tank)
• Rideshare or Van Pool (241-ride)
• Walk, bike, or rollerblade on short trips.
• Properly maintain your vehicle.
• Use gasoline-powered lawn equipment after 6 p.m.
• Refuel after 6 p.m. and don't top off.
• Conserve electricity, turn up the thermostat, turn off unused light, computers, TVs, and radios.

For additional information concerning the air quality forecast, 
Contact the Hamilton County Department of Environmental Services at 513-946-7777 or visit http://www.hcdoes.org.

LOVELAND, OHIO - SMOG ALERT EXTENDS TO FRIDAY

Active children, adults, and people with respiratory disease, such as asthma, should limit PROLONGED OUTDOOR EXERTION.

LOVELAND, OHIO - The Hamilton County Department of Environmental Services has issued a SMOG ALERT for the southwestern Ohio area including Loveland. Weather conditions indicate particulate and ozone levels will be in the Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups to Unhealthy range with an air quality index of 125 or greater.

Friday, May 25
     Ozone - Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups - ORANGE  (140 AQI)
     Particle Pollution(2.5 microns) - Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups - ORANGE  (115 AQI)

For additional information concerning the air quality forecast, 
Contact the Hamilton County Department of Environmental Services at 513-946-7777 or visit http://www.hcdoes.org.

What is Ozone?
Ozone is a colorless gas that can be found in the air we breathe. Ozone exists naturally in the earth's upper atmosphere, known as the stratosphere, where it shields the earth from the sun's ultraviolet rays. However, ozone is also found close to the earth's surface. This ground-level ozone, because we breathe it, is a harmful air pollutant.

Ground-level ozone affects everyone, but children and the elderly are especially at risk. Ozone makes it difficult for lungs to absorb oxygen, limiting the body's ability to breathe. It irritates the mucous lining of the throat and lungs, causing coughing and even choking. People with asthma, bronchitis and other respiratory problems experience more severe symptoms.

What is Particulate Matter (PM)?
PM (dust, soot, ash and other solids and aerosols) can come from a variety of sources, including wood burning, diesel engines, gasoline engines, factories and power plants. Individually, these particles and droplets are invisible to the naked eye, but collectively, they can appear as clouds or a fog-like haze.

PM can penetrate into sensitive regions of the respiratory tract and even transfer into the bloodstream. Smaller particles can cause persistent coughs, phlegm, wheezing and physical discomfort.

LOVELAND, OHIO – Show Choir Revolution

LOVELAND, OHIO – The Loveland Middle School's Show Choir Revolution and Stage Band kicked of the summer music series in Nisbet Park last Sunday night. The concerts are held in the park along the Loveland Bike Trail at the end of Taylor Street (or Railroad Avenue) in Historic Downtown Loveland

Up-coming Concerts in the Park:

• May 27 - Bucket (americana): Rick Powell plays to his hometown crowd in a fun filled set for all ages
• June 3 - The Modulators (Alternative dance party band): You don't need to go on a vacation to fell swept away to the Islands, just come to hear the sounds of the Modulators!  Whether it's a song you've heard before or an original "Mod" tune, you're going to want to put your dancing shoes on. Click here for more information on the band.
• June 10 - Red Idol (Classic Rock): Stop by to here some of your favorite tunes from the 60's 70's and 80's.
• June 17 - Rumpke Mountain Boys (Bluegrass): You will not want to miss the Rumpke Mountain Boys, winner of the Cincinnati Entertainment Awards for "Best Country and Bluegrass Band" and "Best Jam Band". Click here for more information about the band.
• June 24 - Cincinnati Brass Band (Big Band): Enjoy the sound of a classic big brass band as the play toe-tapping tunes that will feel just like summer should.
• July 1 - Midnight Special (Classic Rock): These cagey veterans of Rock and Roll are coming to town to show us a good time.  Click here to learn more about who they are.
• July 8 - Robin Lacy & DeZydeco (cajun zydeco): If you haven't seen Robin Lacy & DeZydeco before, you are in for a cajun treat.  This six-piece group is set apart from the mainstream with their unique instrumentation that includes the accordion, saxophone and rub-board found mainly in the Zydeoc and cajun-styled bands of Southwest Louisiana.  Along with traditional Zydeco, roots rock 'n roll, blues and classic country covers, the band plays a number of original songs featured on their latest recordings.  Don't miss your chance to sample this unique brand of musical gumbo for yourself!  Click here for more information on the band.
• July 15 - Dusty (Eclectic Rock): Hometown heros return for a one-off concert and a guaranteed good time!
• July 22 - TBD

LOVELAND, OHIO – Air Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups on Thursday

LOVELAND, OHIO – Smog and air particles continue to fill the air over the Loveland area. The Smog Alert that was issued for Wednesday has been extended for another day. The ozone air quality for Wednesday reached

Active children, adults, and people with respiratory disease, such as asthma, should limit PROLONGED OUTDOOR EXERTION on Thursday.

Click to view the current Air Quality Index loop animation.

Air Quality Forecast:

Thursday, May 24
     Ozone - Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups - ORANGE  (110 AQI)
     Particle Pollution(2.5 microns) - Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups - ORANGE  (105 AQI)

For additional information concerning the air quality forecast, contact the Hamilton County Department of Environmental Services at 513-946-7777 or visit http://www.hcdoes.org.

EnviroFlash is a free service that provides you with information about the air quality in the location of your choice via a daily email. It is produced through a partnership between EPA and State and local air quality agencies. EnviroFlash provides notifications about air quality action days as well as forecasts of air quality for the upcoming day(s), and allows you to select your level of air quality concern. Air quality action days are determined by State and local agencies when the air quality is forecast to reach a locally-determined level of concern and are generally tied to specific local air quality programs. Email address from subscribers may be used for statistical analysis by local government programs, with the intent to better serve the public through information regarding forecasts or action day alerts.

To sign up to receive e-mails from the county when Smog Alerts are issued here.

LOVELAND, OHIO – Memorial Day service

LOVELAND, OHIO - The Loveland Memorial Day ceremonies will begin with a parade that starts at 9:00AM at the Loveland Elementary School, 600 Loveland Madeira Road.

A formal ceremony will be held at the Veterans' Loveland Memorial, located on West Loveland Avenue at the corner of Riverside Drive, immediately following the parade.

CLERMONT COUNTY, OHIO - Eligible Clermont Families to Receive Truckload of Free Groceries

CLERMONT COUNTY, OHIO - Nearly 400 eligible families in Clermont County can receive 82 pounds of free groceries from the Cincinnati Freestore Foodbank; the item distributions will began on Thursday, May 17,. in the parking lot of the Clermont County Department of Job and Family Services located at 2400 Clermont Center Drive in Batavia. Additional distribution dates have been set for June 9 (9 a.m.-11 a.m.) and June 12 (3 p.m.-5 p.m.) at 1250 Tennessee Avenue in Cincinnati.

Letters explaining the program have been sent to 398 eligible Clermont County families receiving OWF (Ohio Works First) assistance.   The original letter and picture identification are required to receive the groceries.

Each food box contains a variety of canned soups, vegetables, fruit, juices, cereal, peanut butter, and pancake mix.  A non-food box contains personal care items like toothpaste, hand soap, deodorant, laundry detergent, and toilet paper.

Questions about the program should be directed to the Cincinnati Freestore Foodbank at (513) 482-4500.

CLERMONT COUNTY, OHIO - Low Cost Rabies Shots Offered Saturday

CLERMONT COUNTY, OHIO - Make sure your best friend is protected against rabies.  The Clermont County General Health District, in cooperation with All Creatures Animal Hospital of Amelia, will hold a low-cost rabies vaccination clinic for dogs and cats on Saturday, May 19, 2007, between 2 p.m. and 5 p.m. at the Grant Career Center, located at 718 W. Plane Street in Bethel.

All dogs and cats must be on a leash or in a carrier. A three-year vaccination will be given to all animals that have shot records of current vaccinations.  If you do not have the paperwork, your pet can receive a one-year vaccine.  The shots will cost $5 each.
The Centers for Disease Control says that rabies is a disease that affects wild animals, domestic animals (like pets and livestock), and humans. It is caused by a virus.  Rabies is transmitted from the saliva of a rabid animal, usually from a bite.  The rabies virus is spread through saliva.

For additional information about the clinic, please contact Linda Walsh or Rob Perry at the Clermont County General Health District at (513) 732-7499.

Little Miami School District News

NEW CONSTRUCTION WEB SITE
     This is an exciting time at Little Miami Local Schools. It has been a year since the community supported our bond issue for construction and renovations, and we all are eagerly awaiting the day we open our new buildings.
     Since May 2006, there has been a tremendous amount of work done behind the scenes. Now our progress will be more visible. Our construction manager is setting up offices in a trailer at the high school; the Board of Education is beginning to go out for bid; and soon dirt will be moved.
      The district has just launched a new site completely dedicated to our Bond Issue construction - "New Construction Zone" button on the left-hand side of the district site. It provides details for each of the projects, complete with architectural renderings and other pertinent information. We will be updating the site regularly as construction progresses, so please be sure to visit often.

UPCOMING EVENTS
Wednesday, May 23, Little Miami Junior High School Choir Concert, 7 p.m.
Thursday, May 24, Butlerville Elementary School Scholar's Dinner; Butlerville Market Day; Little Miami Junior High School PTO, 7 p.m.; Little Miami Intermediate School Band Concert, 6:30 p.m.
Saturday, May 26, Little Miami High School Graduation, 3 p.m., Cintas Center

LOVELAND, OHIO – The Ulster Project looking for a Protestant boy

LOVELAND, OHIO – Resident, Cindy Kessler passed along this information about an exciting opportunity for Loveland area children. Kessler said the Ulster Project is still looking for a Protestant boy for this summer.

The Ulster Project, founded in 1974, is a Christian, non-profit program dedicated to bringing peace to Northern Ireland.  There are chapters in 28 American cities.  Cincinnati has participated since 1989, and is paired with Enniskillen, N. Ireland. 

The program pairs 12 Northern Irish teens with 12 American teens, ages 14 to 16, equal number of Catholics and Protestants, boys and girls.  The Northern Irish kids stay with their American teen’s family for the month of July (summer break from school in Ireland).  During that time, all 24 kids participate in many different kinds of activities together (all paid for by The Ulster Project).  Activities include community service projects, “just for fun” outings, and participation in discussion groups to talk about social issues in N. Ireland and the US.  One Sunday all the kids go to a Catholic church, another Sunday they all go to a Protestant church, a profound experience, sometimes even unnerving, for the Northern Irish teens. 

In the neutral environment of the USA, the Northern Irish teens form friendships that cross religious lines.  Prejudices fall away in the process, making them messengers of peace when they go home.  The experience is powerful for the American teens as well.  They forge new friendships, get a view of life beyond their own little world, and come to understand the complexities of American and Northern Irish society in a whole new way. 

Host families are responsible for providing room and board for the Northern Irish teen, transporting  their teens to and from each day's activities, and paying for family activities outside the Ulster Project sponsored ones.  Parents are asked, if possible, to attend a couple of the kids outings as chaperones.  They are also asked to be involved in the organization for one year with fund raising events and helping with one committee.

Applications for the Ulster Project are accepted any time, with interviews starting in February of the year the teen hopes to participate.

For more information on The Ulster Project:   

1. Call Tom Schroeder, President, for general information, at 385-7938, or contact him by email, tschroeder5@cinci.rr.com. 
2. An informational meeting is held in the winter of each year.  You will meet teens and parents who have participated previously, as well as the program organizers.  A slide show, multiple displays, and a brief presentation offer a good overview of The Ulster Project..  Call Tom Schroeder for details on the next meeting.   
3. Check out The Ulster Project website: www.ulsterprojectcincinnati.org   Look at the activity calendar from the previous year, to get a sense of the activities they plan and the pace they keep.
4. For participation information, call Jan Miller, Host Family Coordinator, at 385-8027, or contact her by email, pmiller@fuse.net. Applications can be downloaded from the website.

LOVELAND, OHIO - SMOG ALERT has been declared for Wednesday, May 23

LOVELAND CHILDREN SHOULD STAY INDOORS ON WEDNESDAY

LOVELAND, OHIO - The Hamilton County Department of Environmental Services has issued a SMOG ALERT for the southwestern Ohio area including Cincinnati and Loveland. Weather conditions indicate particulate and ozone levels will be in the Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups to Unhealthy range with an air quality index of 125 or greater.

Active children and adults, and people with respiratory disease, such as asthma, should limit prolonged outdoor exertion.

Ride the Bus (Metro 621-4455  Tank 331-tank)
Rideshare or Van Pool (241-ride)
Walk, bike, or rollerblade on short trips.
Properly maintain your vehicle.
Use gasoline-powered lawn equipment after 6 p.m.
Refuel after 6 p.m. and don't top off.
Conserve electricity, turn up the thermostat, turn off unused light, computers, TVs, and radios.

For additional information concerning the air quality forecast, 
Contact the Hamilton County Department of Environmental Services at 513-946-7777 or visit http://www.hcdoes.org .

LOVELAND, OHIO - Carroll asks for new funds to re-design failed YMCA

LOVELAND, OHIO – Loveland City Manager, Tom Carroll has recommended that City Council proceed with the re-design of the failed YMCA. In a memo dated May 15, Carroll recommends that Council allow him to use “contingency funds in the Income Tax Fund or some other source of funding for these additional services.”

At the last council meeting, which happened to fall on same day that voters went to the polls and defeated a increase in the income tax to build a YMCA in Loveland, and before votes were counted; Council hired Champlin/Haupt Architects to design the facility. Now Carroll wants Council to spend additional money with the firm to “assist the City in any design charettes, facilitated sessions, and conceptional redesigns for the recreation center.”

Carroll explained in the memo that the City does not have funds in the 2007 Budget for additional services.

The memo also lays out a path Carroll suggests will lead to putting the issue before the voters again in November.   Download YMCA-memo.jpg

LOVELAND, OHIO – Sustaining Spirit, Sustaining Earth

LOVELAND, OHIO - Two upcoming programs presented by Grailville and Heartland Ecovillage.


Tuesday, June 5, 2007, 7-9 PM by Michael Dowd

The Great Story: the marriage of science and religion

How does "The Great Story" open the future to hope and inspired action, and how can it energize and support our efforts to further the work of peace, justice, and environmental sustainability? In this richly illustrated talk, Rev. Michael Dowd will preview his forthcoming (autumn 2007) book, Thank God for Evolution! He will explore the most common "evolutionary epiphanies" (religious awakenings) that people experience when the discoveries of mainstream science are presented in ways that integrate all the threads into a meaningful, sacred, inspiring, and thoroughly up-to-date creation story.

What Joseph Campbell did for myth, Michael Dowd and Connie Barlow do for cosmology. Bridging science and spirit with grace, these circuit riders of the great story illuminate the wonders of our evolving universe. - Jonathan Young, psychologist and founding Curator of the Joseph Campbell Archives

Tuesday, June 19, 2007, 7-9 PM by Peter Bane

Permaculture Basics: Nature - by design

What is Permaculture? Consciously designed landscapes that mimic the patterns and relationships found in nature, while yielding an abundance of food, fiber, and energy for provision of local needs. Change the way you look at environmental or agricultural projects forever.  Peter Bane will present Permaculture principles and ideas for shrinking your ecological footprint, as well as give an overview of his upcoming course, Permaculture Design in the Ohio Valley.

Peter Bane is the publisher of Permaculture Activist, the world's oldest journal of permanent culture, for over 16 years. Awarded the Diploma of Permaculture Design in 2005 for work in community building, teaching, and media, his extension practice has taken him throughout the Hemisphere from Canada to Chile.

These events are free and open to the public; no reservation is required. Donations are accepted to defer costs. Directions to Grailville are at www.grailville.org or by calling 513-683-2340.

Grailville is a center of The Grail, an international movement of women committed to spiritual search, social actions, ecological sustainability and the release of women’s creative energy throughout the world. Located on 300 acres of woodlands, pastures and organic gardens, Grailville is a diverse community offering spiritual, cultural and educational opportunities for the public, as well as providing guest facilities for meetings, lodging and dining.

LOVELAND, OHIO – Grailville Volunteer Activity Days

LOVELAND, OHIO - Grailville continues its 2007 Monthly Outdoor Volunteer Activity Days on Saturday May 26, 8:30 AM. till noon with weeding and mulching the perennials/herb garden. Participants can weed and mulch different varieties of herbs, and learn how they can be grown at home.

Monthly Outdoor Volunteer Activity Days give youth and adults the opportunity to learn about various aspects of caring for the land, while volunteering at Grailville, an environmental, education and retreat center located on an organic farm in Loveland, Ohio.

2007 Outdoor Activity days are on the last Saturday of the month, April-October, from 8:30 AM till noon at Grailville, 932 O'Bannonville Rd. Reservations are requested. Please bring gloves, water bottle, sunscreen, hat, footwear that can get dirty (and a mid-morning snack if you would like).  Tools will be supplied. In case of severe weather, the project will be cancelled.   Volunteers are also welcome to come on other days or for other hours.  Contact Mary Lu Lageman at (513) 683-2340 or lpneuma@aol.com with questions or to reserve. The 2007 Calendar and driving directions can be found at www.grailville.org or by contacting Mary Lu.

Grailville is a center of The Grail, an international movement of women committed to spiritual search, social actions, ecological sustainability and the release of women’s creative energy throughout the world. Located on 300 acres of woodlands, pastures and organic gardens, Grailville is a diverse community offering spiritual, cultural and educational opportunities for the public, as well as providing guest facilities for meetings, lodging and dining.

LOVELAND, OHIO - Loveland YMCA Day Camp

LOVELAND, OHIO - “A new Day Camp in Loveland means a summer of traditional camp fun in a safe atmosphere where kids can meet new friends, explore new worlds with neighbors, and learn new skills in the great outdoors,” says the YMCA of Greater Cincinnati.

The daycamp is held outside from 9 AM to 4 PM, on the fields and woods of Phillips Park and the Loveland Nature Preserve. “Each day campers learn new skills as they explore nature and make new friends, as well as participate in themed activities and camp traditions like Bead Ceremony, Water Games, and Cook Outs.” Each week campers experience a guest artist or attend a field trip.

Ages 5-12. $109 members/$165 program participants (per week)

• Week 1 (Jun 6-8)* MUSIC MANIA
• Week 2 (Jun 11-15) PIRATE PARTY
• Week 3 (Jun 18-22) MEDIEVAL MADNESS
• Week 4 (Jun 25-29) SURVIVOR: OLYMPICS
• Week 5 (Jul 2-6)* STAR SPANGLED

*FEES PRORATED, (NO CAMP ON JULY 4TH)

• Week 6 (Jul 9-13) AROUND THE WORLD
• Week 7 (Jul 16-20) MYSTICAL MAGIC
• Week 8 (Jul 23-27) HOLIDAY HAPPENINGS
• Week 9 (Jul 30-Aug 3) SPLISH SPLASH
• Week 10 (Aug 6-10) RODEO ROUNDUP
• Week 11 (Aug 13-17) SKYS THE LIMIT!

Chad Young, the Loveland Day Camp Director said, “The Day Camp will have need-based scholarships available. To find out if they qualify, they would need to contact the front desk of the Blue Ash YMCA (513) 791-5000.” Young added, “This program is for anyone who would like to sign up, not just Loveland residents.”

Download camp_flyer.pdf

MIAMI TOWNSHIP, OHIO – Natalie's 1st Annual Fly Thru the Park

MIAMI TOWNSHIP, OHIO – The memorial page set up to remember nine year-old Natalie Fossier, who died when an ice laden tree branch fell on her February 13 says: 

Natalie Fossier was not your ordinary 9 year old girl. She was truly an angel here on earth. Natalie's life here was filled with love, purpose and the desire to see others happy. Shortly before Nattie left us on Feb. 13, 2007, she donated 11 inches of her hair to Locks of Love, in hopes of giving a cancer patient a bit of happiness.

Our mission is to hold meaningful events and donate the proceeds of those events to the Natalie Fossier Scholarship Fund, the purchase of books for children within her community and other causes Natalie would have enjoyed. If you have questions regarding an event, please email us at: nataliefossiermemorial@hotmail.com

On Saturday June 9, there will be Natalie's 1st Annual Fly Thru the Park to raise money to fulfill some of Natalie's dreams. It will be in the Miami Meadows Park (1546 State Route 131), and starts with registration at 7:30 AM. There will be a Kids Fun Run at 8:00 AM, and a 5K Run & Fitness event at 8:30 AM.

There will be pre-race and post race activities. and Prizes, fun and refreshments.

All kids participating get an award. The event includes door prizes and a silent auction with all proceeds going to the Natalie Fossier Memorial Fund.

Download Natalie_5K_Registration.pdf

LOVELAND, OHIO – Sticking together or stuck together?

On a cold winter's day, a group of porcupines huddled together to stay warm and keep from freezing. But soon they felt one another's quills and moved apart. When the need for warmth brought them closer together again, their quills again forced them apart. They were driven back and forth at the mercy of their discomforts until they found the distance from one another that provided both a maximum of warmth and a minimum of pain. -German philosopher, Arthur Schopenhauer

HAMILTON TOWNSHIP, OHIO – Hamilton Township resident, Jeff Pickle is not pleased that a new home approved by Loveland officials will be ten feet from his property line. Pickle also pointed to trees on his property destroyed during construction.

He said that he attended the original meeting held by Loveland explaining the  development on newly annexed land next to the home he recently built in Hamilton Township. All was well he thought, because he was reassured that normal building setbacks would apply to any new development. Pickle thought that meant new homes would not be closer than 40 feet from his property.

Since that time, construction has started and Pickle finds that the plan had changed without anyone informing him. He now has a foundation ten feet from his property line and in doing the excavation, his land was bulldozed and trees destroyed.

Pickle said that when he asked Loveland officials about the nearness of the new home, they tried to convince him he was fortunate because the home could have been five feet from his property.

Pickle attended the public hearing last month where Loveland residents filled the meeting room to express concern over the Broadway Village condo project. He said he was there mostly to warn these Loveland residents what could happen if they go home and believe everything they are promised by Loveland zoning officials.

Pickle has also now ordered signs he hopes to distribute in Hamilton Township that will point residents to a web site he created: www.stoplovelandannex.org.