News and Events from the Loveland, Ohio Area
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Since 2004
Loveland/Miami Township, Ohio Effective 4:30 p.m. on Sunday, January 5, 2024, Miami Township, Clermont County has issued a Snow Emergency. To assist the Service Department with their snow removal efforts, no vehicles shall be parked on any snow emergency route or any township street. Drivers are discouraged from being on roadways unless they have emergency reasons.
“The Snow Emergency shall remain in place until the Township declares otherwise.”
Lynn Oury and preschooler Olivia Smith in 2008 (Photo provided by Jen Miller)
– Jennifer Miller, Olivia’s mother.
Loveland, Ohio – The 2025 Loveland Valentine Lady started her journey in Genoa, a small rural town in northwest Ohio. Lynn Oury said that it is very much like Loveland. However, Lynn emphatically adds, “I am home! Loveland truly has that ‘rural-ness’ that very much reminds me of my hometown. And it keeps getting better.”
She met her husband Neal through college friends who grew up in Loveland and they were married in 1983. Lynn got her undergraduate degree from Morehead State University and her masters degree at Xavier University.
Lynn has a son Nick, who is 40, and a daughter Catherine, is who is 37. Lynn and Neal live in a house that Neal built in the Clermont side of the city.
Lynn taught school for 36 years; 22 years in Loveland. While in the Loveland Schools, she was a preschool intervention specialist at the Loveland Early Childhood Center (LECC) and retired in June 2022. This year Lynn started to substitute teach at LECC; getting her “teaching fix” and visiting with her teacher and staff friends.”
Lynn told Loveland Magazine that she has many fond teaching memories. “From the children to families and coworkers. Perhaps to see the progress a child made supported by myself and a dedicated, hard-working team including teaching assistants, speech pathologists, occupational and physical therapists, school psychologists and counselors and parents … it really does take a village.”
Oliver who is eight-years-old and former student, now a first-grader told Loveland Magazine, “Miss Lynn is a great teacher who is nice.”
Lynn was asked what were her fondest early impressions of Loveland, and she replied, “I am home. Loveland truly has that rural-ness that very much reminds me of my hometown. And it keeps getting better.”
Her “now” fondest thing about Loveland is the vibrancy in Downtown with its numerous restaurants and shops; to the Bike Trail and Little Miami River. She also mentioned the parks with great playgrounds and picnic areas to for families and, “Our beloved Loveland Farmer’s Market and Loveland Paddle Sports.” she added that she enjoys the events created by The Little Miami Chamber Alliance and the City of Loveland. “Too many to name; Loveland really does have it all.”
Lynn was on the Loveland Beautification Committee for over 15 years, with “great people”. She volunteers to help with events created by The Little Miami Chamber Alliance.
“I am currently on the Core Team of The Loveland Learning Garden; watering, weeding, and harvesting produce.” Lynn said that in 2024 they took over 1,000 pounds of produce to The Loveland LIFE Food Pantry. They also lead nature related education classes for students at the Loveland Primary and Elementary schools.
“I can’t think of a better person for this year’s Valentine Lady,” said Loveland first-grade teacher, Jennifer Miller. “I had the privilege of working with Lynn for many years at the Loveland Early Childhood Center. She was also my daughter’s preschool teacher and the preschool teacher of many of my Kindergarten and First Grade Students. When I think about Lynn I automatically think of her huge heart and smile. I can’t wait for her to visit my classroom leading up to Valentine’s Day in February.”
Miller currently has a boy in her first-grade class named Oliver who was in Lynn Oury’s pre-school class during her last year of teaching, he told Miller last week, “Miss Lynn is a great teacher who is nice.”
Lynn is also a member of the Loveland Women’s Club. “Through these experiences, I have met amazing, caring, and fun people.”
“I was very surprised when I found out I was this year’s Loveland Valentine Lady. Surprised, honored, and humbled. I found out at our December Loveland Women’s Club Holiday Luncheon,” Lynn said.
Lynn was asked what were the things are she was really looking forward to as 2025 unfolds as a Valentine Lady. “I love reading to children and sharing my most favorite books. I also look forward to promoting all the wonderfulness of Loveland.”
Among her duties as Valentine Lady are being an ambassador for the Chamber’s Valentine Program, visits to area businesses, nursing homes, and schools. Lynn will return to the Loveland schools to visit classrooms and hand-stamp the student’s personalize cards with Loveland’s unique Valentine cachet, which will be modeled after this year’s winning card design.
Lynn and Neal are campers; hitting the campsites with the teardrop camper he built, as well as his restored 1963 Luxor camper. She added, “I enjoy watercolor painting, playing with our two grandchildren, and yoga. I also enjoy playing golf.”
The Valentine Program began in 1972 and now includes a variety of Valentine community activities, including a nationally-known cachet stamping and postmark program.
Lynn will be formally introduced to the community as well as an unveiling of a new Valentine card design winner at a public event in January. Lynn will be the guest of honor at the annual Valentine Breakfast in February.
Loveland, Ohio – The demolition of home in Loveland’s Historic District.
Habitat for Humanity joins the world in mourning the death of former U.S. President Jimmy Carter. A champion for affordable and decent housing, he and Rosalynn Carter donated their time and leadership each year to build and improve homes with Habitat around the world. President Carter died peacefully Sunday, Dec. 29, at his home in Plains, Georgia, surrounded by his family.
“We are deeply saddened by President Carter’s passing, and our prayers are with the Carter family,” said Jonathan Reckford, CEO of Habitat for Humanity International. “President and Mrs. Carter began volunteering with Habitat for Humanity near their home in southwest Georgia more than 40 years ago, and soon brought worldwide attention to the need for decent and affordable housing. We are grateful for the incredible impact the Carters have had on Habitat and on the families who have benefited from their shining example. The Carters put Habitat for Humanity on the map, and their legacy lives on in every family we serve around the world.”
After leaving the White House, the Carters sought out meaningful ways to continue their commitment to social justice and basic human rights. They first volunteered with Habitat for Humanity in Americus, Georgia, near their home of Plains, in March 1984. Later that same year, the Carters joined Habitat volunteers in New York City’s Lower East Side to renovate an abandoned building in partnership with families in need of affordable housing. That trip marked Habitat for Humanity’s first Jimmy Carter Work Project (later renamed the Jimmy & Rosalynn Carter Work Project). Each year since then until 2019, the Carters volunteered with Habitat to build or improve houses alongside homeowners in communities across the United States and around the world. President Carter also served as a member of the organization’s board of directors from 1984-1987.
“I think every human being has within himself or herself a desire to reach out to others and to share some of our blessings with those who are in need,” President Carter has said. “What’s opened up that avenue for me and my wife and hundreds and thousands of others is Habitat for Humanity. It makes it easy for us to reach out and work side by side with the homeowner who’s never had a decent house, perhaps. I haven’t been on a Habitat project that I wasn’t thrilled and inspired and wept.”
Over the last three decades, the Carter Work Project has touched lives around the world by inspiring more than 108,000 volunteers across the U.S. and in 14 countries to build, renovate and repair 4,447 Habitat homes. Since its founding in 1976, Habitat has served more than 62 million people around the world.
In 2016, Habitat named President and Mrs. Carter as the inaugural Habitat Humanitarians for their extraordinary dedication to service in alignment with Habitat’s vision of a world where everyone has a decent place to live.
Habitat for Humanity will be celebrating President Carter’s life of service with local observances. To learn more or to share a tribute, visit habitat.org.
For photos and videos of President and Mrs. Carter volunteering with Habitat for Humanity, visit habitat.ngo/cwpphotos.
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ATLANTA (Dec. 29, 2024) — Jimmy Carter, 39th president of the United States and winner of the 2002 Nobel Peace Prize, died peacefully Sunday, Dec. 29, at his home in Plains, Georgia, surrounded by his family. He was 100, the longest-lived president in U.S. history.
President Carter is survived by his children — Jack, Chip, Jeff, and Amy; 11 grandchildren; and 14 great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his beloved wife, Rosalynn, and one grandchild.
“My father was a hero, not only to me but to everyone who believes in peace, human rights, and unselfish love,” said Chip Carter, the former president’s son. “My brothers, sister, and I shared him with the rest of the world through these common beliefs. The world is our family because of the way he brought people together, and we thank you for honoring his memory by continuing to live these shared beliefs.”
There will be public observances in Atlanta and Washington, D.C., followed by a private interment in Plains, Georgia. The final arrangements for President Carter’s state funeral, including all public events and motorcade routes, are still pending. The schedule will be released by the Joint Task Force-National Capital Region at https://jtfncr.mdw.army.mil/statefunerals/.
Members of the public are encouraged to visit the official tribute website to the life of President Carter at www.jimmycartertribute.org. This site includes the official online condolence book as well as print and visual biographical materials commemorating his life.
The Carter family has asked that in lieu of flowers, donations be made to The Carter Center, 453 John Lewis Freedom Parkway N.E., Atlanta, GA 30307.
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Waging Peace. Fighting Disease. Building Hope.
A not-for-profit, nongovernmental organization, The Carter Center has helped to improve life for people in over 80 countries by resolving conflicts; advancing democracy, human rights, and economic opportunity; preventing diseases; and improving mental health care. The Carter Center was founded in 1982 by former U.S. President Jimmy Carter and former First Lady Rosalynn Carter, in partnership with Emory University, to advance peace and health worldwide.
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Loveland, Ohio – On November 26, City Council heard a second reading of Ordinance 2024-92 and voted unanimously to approve a pay raise for future, next elected council members.
Background
Salaries raise possible for next elected council
Deerfield Township, Ohio – The Township is offering its annual Christmas Tree Drop-Off Program to help residents responsibly dispose of their natural Christmas trees after the holiday season.
From January 6 through January 31, residents can drop off their trees at Cottell, Fleckenstein, and Landen Deerfield Parks.
Trees must be free of decorations, tinsel, and plastic bags to ensure they can be recycled into mulch. The mulch is then used on trails and landscaping in Deerfield parks.
Loveland, Ohio – A public hearing date has been set for Tuesday, January 7 at 6 PM by the Loveland Planing and Zoning Commission to hear comments about a proposal to rezone 128 Riverside Drive to accommodate building 12 single-family homes.
The 12 single-family homes are being proposed for Riverside Drive on the State and National Scenic Little Miami River in the West Loveland Historic District. An application has been submitted by Traditions Building and Development Group. The proposed Special Planning District includes twelve (12) single-family “detached dwelling units” (24’ x 56’ 3-Story Homes) with minimum lot size of 0.114 acres or 4,966 sq. ft.
The meeting will be in the Council chamber of Loveland City Hall at 120 West Loveland Avenue.
![[A Holiday Toolkit] Supporting Mental and Behavioral Health During the Holiday Season](https://lovelandmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/holiday-help.png)
A message from OneOhio Recovery Foundation and Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
Your presence can be a present for someone this season. Support and following up with loved ones are just some of the actions we can all take to help others who may be in crisis.
Helping someone with mental health, drug, or alcohol use can be hard. If someone in your life is struggling, having a supportive conversation can be a big step for both of you. You can’t force someone to get care, so, the best thing you can do for a person is to be there for them and listen without judgment.
If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available. Call or text 988 or chat 988lifeline.org. You’ll be able to speak with a trained crisis counselor any time of day or night.
Is the holiday stress getting to you? Believe in the magic of #SelfCare. It’s ok to focus on yourself, your self-care, and your overall health and wellness this season.
How to Cope
Has it gotten harder to get through each day? If you’re having issues with mental health, drugs, or alcohol or waiting for treatment to start, here are some small steps you can take.
Reach out if you’re in crisis
If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available. Call or text 988 or chat 988lifeline.org. You’ll be able to speak with a trained crisis counselor any time of day or night.
Accept where you are now
Know that where you are is okay. Healing isn’t a straight line—there will be ups and downs along the way. Speak to yourself with kindness, as though you’re speaking to a friend.
Try some of the things below to help your body and mind. Taking care of yourself is healing yourself. Self-care is different for everyone, so you may have to try a few things before finding what works for you.
Take care of your body
Take care of your mind
Connect with people for support
If you find yourself in crisis — or you just need to talk to someone — call or text 988 for help.
If you’ve experienced a traumatic event or disaster, find additional coping tips.
It’s OK not to feel merry and bright. This season can bring up feelings of loneliness and grief. Hope, help and healing are within reach. Reach out to someone to speak about what’s weighing on you.
Coping with Bereavement and Grief
Bereavement and grief are individual, yet universal experiences that nearly everyone faces within their lifetime. Everyone experiences loss in their own personal way. Many can navigate grief with the support of those who are already in their lives, but others may need more help. There are resources and organizations available to ensure individuals receive the appropriate care they need. The type of support required can be influenced by the nature and timing of the loss, the specific resources available, and many other factors.
Understanding Bereavement and Grief
In the simplest of terms, bereavement is a period of grief and mourning after a loss, while grief is a person’s emotional response to a loss. Below are more comprehensive definitions based on the opinions of several experts in the field.
Bereavement
The overarching experience of coping with loss and change. It is the emotional and psychological condition experienced after a loss, typically due to death, but it can also apply to non-death-related losses. Bereavement often encompasses both inward and outward expressions of grief and the cultural, social, and personal practices that help individuals process and adjust to the loss, often through rituals and support from loved ones. It usually involves a period of grieving.
Grief
The emotional, mental, and/or physical response to a loss, often due to death but also encompassing other life changes, such as the end of relationships, loss of identity, or illness. Sometimes people experience periods of grief in anticipation to a loss. Grief is deeply personal and can occur differently in everyone, shaped by the nature of the relationship, the degrees of support, circumstances of the loss, cultural influences, and individual coping mechanisms as well as other considerations. While it can be an intense experience, it is considered a natural human reaction to loss that generally subsides over time for most people.
Additional definitions provided by the National Cancer Institute and the American Psychological Association for bereavement and grief.
Examples of how grief can be expressed:
Strategies for coping with grief and loss:
Prolonged Grief Disorder (PGD)
Although most people experience periods of grief and bereavement after the death of an individual without long-term mental health concerns, some may experience symptoms that could benefit from additional help. In 2022, the American Psychiatric Association added Prolonged Grief Disorder (PGD) to the DSM-5-TR after clearly distinguishing PGD as its own distinct diagnosis. Major features of the criteria for PGD include, but are not limited to:
PGD is only one form of grief that can cause extraordinary challenges for individuals. People can also experience other difficult grief reactions. People who are, or think they are, experiencing PGD or are having an especially hard time processing their grief, may seek clinical care, such as individual or group psychotherapy to support them through their loss. Many may also find other supports, such as grief peer support, helpful with this experience.
Has it gotten harder to get through each day? If you’re having issues with mental health, drugs, or alcohol or waiting for treatment to start, here are some small steps you can take.
Reach out if you’re in crisis
If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available. Call or text 988 or chat 988lifeline.org. You’ll be able to speak with a trained crisis counselor any time of day or night.
Accept where you are now
Know that where you are is okay. Healing isn’t a straight line—there will be ups and downs along the way. Speak to yourself with kindness, as though you’re speaking to a friend.
Try some of the things below to help your body and mind. Taking care of yourself is healing yourself. Self-care is different for everyone, so you may have to try a few things before finding what works for you.
Take care of your body
Take care of your mind
Connect with people for support
If you find yourself in crisis — or you just need to talk to someone — call or text 988 for help.
If you’ve experienced a traumatic event or disaster, find additional coping tips.
Is the weather outside frightful? For some, the shorter days and colder temperatures can bring on symptoms of a type of depression. Is it just the ‘winter blues’ or seasonal affective disorder (SAD)? Seasonal affective disorder, or SAD, is a condition in which some people experience a significant mood change when the seasons change. SAD is not considered a separate disorder but is a type of depression.
Causes
Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) is triggered by changes in seasons. This form of depression usually occurs during the fall and winter months when there is less sunlight, and the days get shorter. SAD usually lifts during the spring and summer months.
Symptoms
Not everyone with SAD has the same symptoms, but they can include:
Testing for SAD
Talk to your health care provider or mental health specialist if you are concerned and think you may be suffering from SAD.
Get Help
SAD may be effectively treated with a specific type of light therapy for many. Antidepressant medicines and talk therapy may also be needed reduce SAD symptoms, either alone or combined with light therapy. Additionally, vitamin D supplements may improve symptoms.
Learn how to talk about mental health to help you speak to a loved one who you may think is experiencing any mental health concerns.
Loveland, Ohio – On Christmas Day: Wednesday, Dec. 25, Rumpke trash collection will not occur. Service will be delayed one day during the rest of the week.
Service will be delayed by one day December 25th, 26th, and 27th. Wednesday’s pickup will occur Thursday December 26th, Thursday’s pickup will occur Friday December 27th, and Friday’s pickup will occur Saturday December 28th.
Service will also not occur New Year’s Day: Wednesday, Jan. 1.
Service will be delayed one day during the rest of the week. Rumpke will return to its regular collection schedule the following week.
Honoring a legacy
Stories of service
Habitat Humanitarians: The Carters