Loveland Magazine

Poetry in the Garden contest

Between January 1 and February 28, the Public Library of Cincinnati and Hamilton County is looking to discover new and talented poets from the Cincinnati Region. Adults, ages 18 and up, are invited to enter the Library’s second annual Poetry Contest!

The Rules

• Entries must be submitted using an online form, between January 1 and February 28, 2013.
• Each poet may submit no more than one poem.
• Poems must be unpublished and original content.
• Poems must be suitable for a general audience.
• Poems must be submitted in a Word document, no longer than one column on an 8.5 x 11 page in length, and typed in at least a 12pt font.

Entries that are not in compliance with these rules are subject to disqualification.

The entries will be judged in March by a committee comprised of professional poets and literary professionals. Judging will be anonymous and the judges’ decisions are final. Up to four winners will have their poem published on our website in April and will be given the opportunity to read at the Main Library’s Poetry in the Garden series, which is held Tuesday evenings in April.

Read on...

Kincaid urges public meetings be absolutely packed with concerned mothers, fathers, and property owners

 

 

 

by Valerie Kincaid

This is a open letter to my fellow residents of the Loveland School District regarding the new gun range that has been proposed for property diagonally adjacent to Loveland Primary School/Loveland Elementary School on Loveland-Madeira Road.

If the project moves forward at this location, please consider these four topics as our community learns more about this project and the impact it could have on school safety for our community’s children and residential property values for all homeowners.


GUN RANGE WOULD BE NAMED “SLING N' GUNS”

It appears that the business owner, who is a federally licensed firearms dealer who lives in our school district, has already named his new proposed shooting range “Sling N Guns”, according to a company website and a listing on Yelp.com.

If you click on the filtered review link on the Sling N Guns’ Yelp listing, you’ll see that shooters at his proposed business will be allowed to practice with any caliber pistol and up to a .223 caliber rifle. In addition, shooters will also be able to rent guns for target practice on-site. Most guns at the proposed target shooting range will rent for $10 or $5.

Machine gun rental will be a bit more expensive. “Machine Guns: $35 with One Full Clip of 25-30 rounds depending on the gun type”, according to Sling N Guns’ Yelp listing.

You can see the logo for this new business for yourselves by visiting www.slingnguns.com. Details about this gentleman's other gun-related businesses, which are all perfectly legal, and are in addition to his proposed target range can be found at www.onling.com or by searching for Onling Guns on Facebook.

Some examples of his other legal and licensed gun-related services already conducted through his existing home-based business, Onling Guns, are:

    •Plans to bring a new line of gun silencers, which are legal in Ohio and dramatically reduce the loud “boom” guns typically make when fired, to sell here.
  
    •Handling out-of-state gun transfers for prices of either $15 or $50 depending on the type of gun for people purchasing guns from dealers based outside Ohio.

Would those gun silencers be on sale across the street from LPS/LES if that’s the location he selects for his Sling N Guns shooting range? Will that proposed location become a regional destination for out-of-state gun transfers? Only the gun business owner can say for sure, and he’s unfortunately refused so far to grant interviews to local media.


GUN RANGES ARE PERFECTLY LEGAL, BUT SHOULD THEY BE SO CLOSE TO AN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL?

As someone who grew up with handguns, rifles, and a shotgun in my family’s home, went target shooting as a teenager, and was taught basic gun safety beginning in childhood, it was my hope that the owner of “Sling N Guns” and “Onling Guns” would reconsider his first choice for the location of his gun range.

The gun ranges I shot at as a teen were always either in industrial areas, out in the country for outdoor ranges, or in some other remote location. I don’t recall any of them ever being across the street from an elementary school. That’s just common sense, in my opinion.

Unfortunately, I and a group of concerned residents who are following this issue closely, learned this week that while the gun business owner is considering other possible, more appropriate locations around Loveland for his shooting range business, he has so far declined to confirm to Loveland City officials that the property adjacent to the schools is definitely off his list of possible locations.

So it’s still possible that “Sling N Guns” could be opening soon across the street from the school campus where more than 1,000 of Loveland’s children in grades 1-4 attend school.


PARENTS AND OTHER CONCERNED PROPERTY OWNERS NEED TO SHOW UP FOR PUBLIC MEETINGS ON THIS ISSUE
 
As a result of the obvious school safety concerns, the Loveland School Board and our Superintendent Dr. Marschhausen will be discussing their concerns on this proposal at the upcoming School Board Meeting on Tuesday, January 8th beginning at 6 p.m. in the media center (library) at the Loveland Intermediate School/Middle School campus on Lebanon  Road.

I am asking every fellow resident who is concerned about this gun range’s proposed location next to a school to PLEASE ATTEND THIS SCHOOL BOARD MEETING to show our school board members and the Greater Loveland community our strong support for them in addressing this critical school safety issue. The school board is scheduled to discuss and vote on a document (Resolution of Concern) regarding this issue that will be forwarded to Loveland City Council, which has the real say in what kinds of businesses can be located adjacent to any of our community’s schools.

We have learned that the City of Loveland council members have apparently authorized their council attorney to attend the school board meeting and formally accept the school board’s document to take immediately to Loveland City Council.

You do not have to publicly speak at the school board meeting if you prefer not to, but a simple show of unified support by attending the meeting could help make a real difference.

Your presence will send a clear message to our school board members that we support their concerns and efforts to protect our community’s children. It will also send an unambiguous message to elected officials with the City of Loveland, and possibly to the gun business owner; that many people here are deeply concerned with the current proposed location of the gun range and are closely following this issue.

In addition, there is an 8 p.m. meeting that same evening – Tuesday, Jan. 8 – of the Loveland City Council.

After the school board addresses the proposed gun range issue, our family and a group of other concerned parents will be moving on to the Loveland City Council meeting to follow their reaction to the school board’s document outlining the school district’s concerns on this issue.

Again, no one has to speak at the Loveland City Council meeting if you prefer not to – although anyone who wishes to address Loveland City Council will have that opportunity during the Open Public Forum section of the meeting.

I think it would be wonderful if the Loveland City Council Chambers down at Loveland City Hall near the bike trail is absolutely packed with concerned mothers, fathers and other property owners on January 8th at 8 p.m.

COULD THE PROPERTY VALUES OF OUR HOMES BE AFFECTED BY THIS ISSUE?
 
While my chief concern is the safety of our community’s children who attend LPS/LES, I cannot help but also be deeply worried about our community’s residential home values. What impact could having the “Sling N Guns” shooting range diagonally adjacent to Loveland’s primary/elementary schools have on our home values?

Imagine a married couple with young school-aged children who are looking to move to one of the great school district communities in Cincinnati’s Northeastern suburbs. Picture them as they research the different communities, and maybe even drive past the elementary schools for districts such as Sycamore, Mason, and Loveland.

If you were that young couple, would having “Sling N Guns” shooting range across the street from Loveland Primary/Elementary schools affect your decision on which school district to buy a home in?

How many parents would be excited to buy a house in the Loveland School District, knowing that from first grade through fourth grade, their children will be in school and out on a playground that is just a few hundred feet from the front door of “Sling N Guns”, if the gun range goes in at the proposed location on Loveland-Madeira Road?

Even for Loveland families who send their kids to our community’s great private and parochial schools and would never have a child at the LPS/LES campus, could there be a financial impact? Anyone who owns a home in the Loveland School District could be affected financially if our community’s home values are impacted by the proposed location of this shooting range.


As the reputation and desirability of living in the Loveland School District goes up or down, so goes the market value of our homes.

On January 8th, our family will be at those two public meetings.

I hope those of you who share my concerns will join me, and encourage other concerned parents and property owners to be there as well.

 

 

Loveland Area Chamber Valentine Poetry Contest

The Loveland Area Chamber of Commerce has announced their 25^th Annual Valentine Poetry Contest.  The Valentine Committee requests simply that all poetry be related to love and Valentine’s Day.  Winners, one in each category below, will be honored at the Loveland Area Chamber Valentine Breakfast, sponsored by the Oasis Conference Center, on February 14.

Poetry contest categories include:

• Pre-school & Kindergarten
• 1^st and 2^nd grades
•  3^rd and 4^th grades
• 5^th and 6^th grades
• 7^th and 8^th grades
•  9^th, 10^th, 11^th and 12^th grades
• Adults

Poetry should be typed or printed, no longer than 16 lines.  Poetry will be judged on written content only, not artwork accompanying the poem.  Entries must include, on a separate sheet of paper attached to the poem, the first line of the poem followed underneath by the poet's first and last name, address, phone number, and if applicable, the poet’s school, grade and teacher's name.

The deadline for submissions is Friday, January 18.

Entries and nominations can be submitted to the Loveland Area Chamber of Commerce by mail or in person at 123 S. Second Street, Loveland, Ohio 45140, via fax to (513) 683-5449, or by email to info@lovelandchamber.org

Little Miami: "New year, new outlook"

Little Miami Superintendent Greg Power says the coming of a new year gives one the opportunity to reflect on the past year’s events, and to look ahead to what the next year may have in store.

As the superintendent of Little Miami Local Schools, I am greatly encouraged by what our staff and students accomplished in 2012, and I expect even more great things in the coming year.

Some of the highlights of 2012:

• Our enrollment rose more than 120 students this year, reversing a recent trend that saw almost 500 students depart Little Miami in the last four years. We are encouraged that more and more parents are entrusting their children’s education to Little Miami.
• Harlan-Butlerville Primary and Hamilton-Maineville Primary Schools re-opened their doors for the 2012-2013 school year. This began a new chapter in the history of these two buildings, where so many pleasant memories live and many more are waiting to be made.
• Little Miami High School was designated as a High Schools that Work Platinum High Achievement School by the Southern Regional Education Board, and Little Miami Junior High was named a Pacesetter school by the same organization, which recognizes high achievement and high expectations in the nation’s schools.
• Our buildings once again became hubs of activity for the community, as groups and organizations used the facilities for meetings, programs, practices and games. We’re proud that families and the community can reconnect with their schools. More opportunities to do just that are coming, with the return of Pantherfest on Feb. 9 and the district-wide fine arts festival on May 4.
• The number of athletes wearing a Little Miami uniform increased, as our sports teams saw participation numbers rise, reversing the trend from the last two years.
• Sweet strains of holiday music rang through our buildings as we ended the year with a number of band, music and choral concerts. This was the result of efforts to revitalize our fine arts program, which had suffered greatly during our recent financial difficulties.

Looking ahead to 2013, a number of exciting events await us, along with a number of challenges.

For example, Little Miami is projected to be released from fiscal emergency on May 22, 2013. After 34 months of financial oversight, we look forward to the day when our own Board of Education will have the final say in decisions about our schools.

In addition to this, we will implement a new mathematics curriculum in 2013-2014 for grades K-4 designed to meet the new Common Core State Standards, along with providing an increased number of resources for our teachers.

These local changes will be happening against the backdrop of sweeping educational change for districts across the state of Ohio. From the third grade reading guarantee, to the new state report card for school districts, to new teacher evaluation requirements and merit pay considerations, all public school districts like Little Miami will be facing a great many changes for which the state has offered little associated funding necessary to efficiently and effectively deploy these reforms.

I am confident that Little Miami is up to the challenge, and in 2013, will do as it always has: create a safe learning environment that supports a quality education for every child. We look forward to great things in the coming year.

Milford High School College Financial Aid Night

Need help trying to navigate the financial aid forms for college? The Milford High School Guidance Department is hosting a Financial Aid meeting on Wednesday, January 9, at 6:30 p.m. in the HS cafeteria.  The guest speaker, Victoria Reed from Miami University, will talk about the FAFSA and other important information about financial aid for college. High school students and parents are encouraged to attend.  

 

Contact the MHS guidance office at 576-2203 if you have questions.

Bird Photos by Bonnie McNett

These photos were taken recently by Miami Township photographer, Bonnie McNett.

 

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  Male House Finch
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  Male Downey Woodpecker
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  Male Northern cardinal
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  Female Northern cardinal
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  Song Sparrow

White Breasted Nuthatch

 

Miami Township Christmas Tree Recycling

Miami Township will have a Christmas Tree recycling program again this year.  The drop-off locations are at Miami Meadows Park at 1546 State Route 131 and Paxton Ramsey Park at 6265 Price Rd.  Drop-off areas will be clearly marked at the parks. The program will go through the end of January.

John Kachuba's new Books: 'There Comes a Season' Volume 1 and 2

"We may know that war is never the answer."

Former Loveland resident and current Trustee of the Loveland Arts Council, John Kachuba has posted on Amazon.com (Kindle) his two-volume collection of short stories (e-books) titled There Comes a Season: Stories of War and Peace. Kachuba said, "Because of my commitment to peace and justice I am donating a portion of all book sales to the Intercommunity Justice and Peace Center (IJPC) in Cincinnati."

Kachuba founded the Arts & Cultural Council of Greater Loveland (Now the Loveland Arts Coiuncil) and continues with them as a Trustee.

There are consequences of war that remain hidden, buried deep within the minds and hearts of not only the soldiers, but those who wait for them, those who may be many miles removed from the front lines. In two volumes, There Comes a Season tells the stories of some of these people, such as the jaded newspaper reporter who is shaken to his core by the massacre of Lakota Indians at Wounded Knee in 1890; or the personal photographer of Adolf Hitler, who fears for his Jewish wife in 1930’s Germany; or the young man who faces being drafted to fight in Vietnam. Here, also, is the story of the WWII infantryman who returns to Anzio, Italy only a few years after the war to find out why he didn’t die there; the African-American Vietnam vet who returns to an America that has no use for him; the New York deli-store owner who feels threatened in the wake of “9-11,” and the man who is haunted by the memory of his brother, a U.S. Marine who committed suicide in Iraq. Yet, There Comes a Season remains hopeful that, through stories such as these, we may know that war is never the answer.

There Comes a Season Volume 1
There Comes a Season Volume 2

John Kachuba is the author of twelve books, a Creative Writing instructor at Ohio University and Antioch University Midwest, and a member of the Historical Novels Society. He is also a member of St. John’s Unitarian-Universalist church in Cincinnati. A portion of the proceeds from sales of There Comes a Season are donated to the Intercommunity Justice and Peace Center, Cincinnati, Ohio.

OTHER BOOKS BY John Kachuba

Waiting Children for the month of December

 

 

Keuntay and Joe

Two brothers – one an aspiring attorney, the other hoping to become a mechanical engineer -- are Hamilton County Job and Family Services Waiting Children for the month of December.  

“We’re looking at innovative ways of getting our children before the public so we can find them safe, loving homes,” said Moira Weir, director of the department. “Every child deserves a permanent home and we know there are hundreds of loving families throughout this community that would be willing to open up their doors and their hearts to our children.”

Joe, 15 and Keuntay, 13, are sweet and active teens who already have a vision for where they want to go in life; they just need a family to help guide them there.

Older brother Joe has dreams of one day walking into a court room and successfully arguing his client’s case. Joe has taken on a leadership role and likes to help others, especially younger kids. He sees himself going to The Ohio State University and continuing on to law school.

Right now, friends are the most important thing to him. After school, he looks forward to hanging out with his buddies, playing basketball and football. Trips to the mall are also important to the thoughtful teen. Joe describes himself as respectful, responsible, strong and intelligent.

Joe wants a family that understands his need to hang out with friends and be a typical teenager. His video can be found here

A curious and creative mind, Keuntay says he would like to be a mechanical engineer when he’s done with school. Until then, he’ll continue to do well in math and science class.

This talented teen enjoys tinkering around the house by taking gadgets apart and fixing them back up.  After school, he likes to ride his bike around the neighborhood and play sports like basketball and football. Keuntay also likes to shop for the latest styles in hats, sneakers, shirts and earrings.

He says he would like a family that is active, interested in sports, and a family that would talk with him, rather than yell, when he gets in trouble. His video can be found here

Deerfield Township Christmas Tree Recycling

Deerfield Township will conduct the Christmas Tree Recycling Program again this year at the
following locations:

• Cottell Park
• Fleckenstein Park
• Landen
• Deerfield Park

 

Deerfield Township parks are open daily from dawn until dusk. Areas will be sectioned off and posted with signs for township residents to drop off their Christmas trees. Christmas trees will be accepted for recycling through January 13

Trees will not be accepted after this date. Alternately, Rumpke reminds the township’s residential customers that they are permitted to set their discarded Christmas trees curbside with their trash for regular, weekly collection.

Milford is offering FREE curbside collection of Christmas trees

Milford is offering FREE curbside collection of Christmas trees. The curbside tree collection will be held every Wednesday in January 2013. The live trees should be completely free of all ornamentation including decorations and placed at the curb. Trees not meeting the listed requirements will not be collected. Call (513) 831-7018 for more information.

Symmes Township Christmas tree recycling

Symmes Township will be offering Christmas tree recycling for its residents until Sunday, January 13.

During that time, Symmes Township residents can place their Christmas trees in the designated area behind the Township building for recycling.  The trees will then be mulched so all ornaments, tinsel and plastic wrapping must be removed.

This service is provided free of charge.  For more information, please contact the Township office at 683-6644.

Loveland Christmas tree collection

City Residents can call 683-0150 until Friday, January 4 to have a Christmas tree picked up.

Ohio’s minimum wage goes up 15 cents an hour, to $7.85

Read on at Columbus Dispatch...

Folk and Swing Concert at Pinbrook

Sen. Sherrod Brown Nominates David Trate to Naval Academy

U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown (D- OH) has nominated Loveland High School's David Trate to attend the U.S. Naval Academy. Brown nominated 60 Ohioans to attend U.S. Military Service Academies.

“Ohio schools are training leaders for the next generation of military personnel. I am honored to nominate these outstanding students for our prestigious U.S. Military Service Academies,” said Brown.  “These Ohioans embody the integrity and courage needed to represent well and uphold the values of our nation. I am grateful for their dedication to serving our country.”

The nominations are based on the recommendation of a Service Academy Selection Advisory Committee assembled by Brown. This committee, comprised of former academy graduates, parents of academy attendees, and community leaders from throughout the state, conducted rigorous interviews before selecting the final candidates.

A nomination does not guarantee acceptance into a service academy. The Academy’s Admissions Board ultimately decides who receives an appointment.

Little Miami Board requests release from fiscal emergency

The Little Miami Local Schools Board of Education asked the State of Ohio to release the district from fiscal emergency, a designation that Little Miami has been under since July 2010. Read on at school Web Site...

Brian Wozniak Makes 3rd Trip to Rose Bowl

2008 Loveland High School Graduate, Brian Wozniak is making his 3rd trip to the Rose Bowl with the Wisconson Badgers on New Year's Day. You read Brian's stats HERE.

Downtown Developer Gets 60 More Days to Lock Up Financing

This LOVELAND MAGAZINE HD VIDEO is Assistant City Manager, Gary Vidmar's report to the CIC, asking that Rookwood be given additional time. Vidmar also explains the difficulty in buying CSX railroad property needed for the development's parking plans.

 

Loveland, Ohio - The Loveland Community Improvement Corporation (CIC) met on December 18 and extended the time Rookwood Builders has to finalize a deal that would grant them the opportunity to build apartments and retail space at Loveland Station, the approximately three acre vacant site in the heart of the Historic District.

A previous agreement they had with the City was to expire on December 19. Rookwood Builders was given exclusive development rights to Loveland Station on September 11, when the CIC voted to sign a letter of intent, and gave Rookwood a 90 day period to conduct its due diligence and negotiate the terms of a purchase and development agreement with the CIC and the City of Loveland.

Assistant City Manager, Gary Vidmar said that Rookwood requested the extra 60 days to negotiate financing. "He needs additional time to get that financing  locked up," said Vidmar.

Vidmar said that Rookwood is hopeful, still fully on-board, and excited about the project.

Rookwood has been reviewing conditions of the property, performing soil and environmental testing, reviewing zoning requirements, completing a marketing study, preparing conceptual drawings and cost estimates and preparing a preliminary proforma.

Vidmar said that the scope of the project has not changed. He said last September that he anticipated the project will consist of three buildings with a maximum total of 92 residential apartments. The bedroom mixes had not been determined. A minimum of 15,000 gross square feet of ground level retail and commercial space in one building, plus a parking area with approximately 224 spaces are planned.

The principal in Rookwood Builders is Miami Township resident and developer, Dan Rolfes. He is the founder of Holiday Homes, Freedom Homes and Potterhill Homes, and best known for manufactured homes. Rolfes said last July that his business has diversified and he is now building apartment communities in Indiana, and recently completed a custom home in the Miami Township Homerama at Willows Bend. The Homerama home was the first "Zero Energy" home built for the annual showcase of  Cincinnati area builders. He said he has been building apartments in Indiana for ten years. Rolfes also develops commercial real estate. He said he owns most of the buildings in Park 50 in Milford and the Eastgate Professional Office Park.

The CIC is a quazi-government agency of the City of Loveland. The majority of the Board are council members.

 

No Loveland Trash Pick Up on New Years Day

Loveland, Ohio - Rumpke will not be collecting trash or recycling on New Year’s Day, and all other trash days are moved back one day. If your trash would normally be picked up on Tuesday this week, then expect it to be picked up on Wednesday.

The normal schedule will return after the week of January 5.