Rain gardens are quickly growing in popularity

If you are planning some new landscaping this spring, you may want to consider a rain garden, which can be an attractive feature that also helps manage stormwater runoff. The Clermont Soil and Water Conservation District (SWCD) is once again offering 10 grants of $200 each to property owners who are interested in creating a rain garden.

Rain gardens are quickly growing in popularity among homeowners as a beneficial and attractive idea for landscaping. The practice is sometimes referred to as rainscaping, because rain gardens are beautiful and efficient at absorbing rain water. A typical rain garden planted with wildflowers, shrubs or trees can soak up to 30% more water than a conventional lawn. Rain gardens also help to remove pollutants in stormwater that are picked up from lawns, rooftops, driveways and parking lots.

This is the seventh year Clermont SWCD has offered rain garden grants for property owners, neighborhood associations, or businesses that are interested in creating a rain garden on their property.  Along with the grant, SWCD will also guide you in the design and construction of the garden.

Anyone interested in applying for a grant should contact the Clermont SWCD at 513-732-7075, or visit the website at www.clermontswcd.org.  Applications will be considered until all grants have been awarded. To be eligible, you must own property in Clermont County and attend a free rain garden workshop from 9-noon May 16 at Veterans Park in Union Township.

Next to the Peters Cartridge Factory

Beginning March 23, a section of the Loveland Bike Trail (Little Miami Trail) next to the Peters Cartridge Factory (mile marker 35.0 to 35.5) will be closed weekdays from 7 AM until 5:30 PM for environmental remediation work. The trail will be open evenings and weekends. No detour will be provided around the site, but signs will be posted several days before planned closures. The trail parking lot at Grandin Rd. will remain open until further notice, and the trail may be accessed heading northeast from the lot.

The trail closing is necessary for cleanup of contaminated soil at the former ammunition manufacturing facility near Kings Mills, an EPA Superfund site. DuPont Corporation, which purchased the Peters Cartridge property from Remington Arms, is legally responsible for the pollution and cleanup, and is working with Parsons engineering to remove contaminated soil, replace it with clean soil, and replant vegetation.  Plans for restoring the natural habitat of the area were made closely with the Ohio Dept. of Natural Resources and the Wildlife Habitat Council.

Weekday closures will occur through at least April, and remediation work will continue into the fall. As a service to trail users, the Friends of the Little Miami State Park (FLMSP) will post closure updates on its website, www.littlemiamistatepark.org and on its Facebook page.

If you would like to receive DuPont Remediation Updates for work at the Peters Cartridge site, please send an email to Peter.J.Ciotta@dupont.com.

More information about the environmental aspects of the cleanup is available through the EPA website: http://www.epa.gov/region5/cleanup/peterscartridge/index.htm

Proud of the work he is doing

By Navy Office of Community Outreach Public Affairs

LEMOORE, Calif. – A 2003 Glen Este graduate and Milford, Ohio native is currently serving with the U.S. Navy’s Strike Fighter Squadron 122, also known as the “Flying Eagles”, stationed at Naval Air Station Lemoore.

Petty Officer 2nd Class Chris Taylor is an aviation electronics technician with the squadron, which the Navy designates as VFA-122, and works with the Navy’s most lethal and versatile strike fighter aircraft, the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet.

“I fix and maintain avionics on the FA-18E Super Hornet,” said Taylor.

The Super Hornet takes off from and lands on Navy aircraft carriers and is capable of conducting air-to-air combat as well as air-to-surface combat. It is approximately 61 feet long, has a loaded weight of 51,000 lbs., and a max speed of 1,190 miles per hour. Operating from the sea aboard aircraft carriers, the Super Hornet gives the Navy the power to protect America’s interests anywhere, at any time. The versatile jet has the ability to destroy targets located hundreds of miles inland, without the need to get another country’s permission to operate within its borders.

“I enjoy the opportunity to learn new things every day and always meeting new people in the squadron,” said Taylor.

Taylor said he is proud of the work he is doing as part of the squadron’s 1140-member team, helping to protect America on the world’s oceans.

“My main goal is to make sure the recurring of defects do not happen during maintenance on aircraft,” said Taylor.

Sailors’ jobs are highly varied in VFA-122. Approximately 220 officers, 660 enlisted and 260 civilian men and women make up and keep all parts of the squadron running smoothly — this includes everything from maintaining aircraft airframes and engines, to processing paperwork, handling weaponry, and flying the aircraft.

“The Sailors here are the epitome of a team,” said Cmdr. Ernie Spence, VFA-122’s commanding officer. “Everyone here is professional, skilled in their job, and they are great team players which enables us to accomplish our mission.”

The Flying Eagles are the Navy’s West Coast Fleet Replacement Squadron for the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet. They train aircrew and maintainers to prepare them to go to the fleet and join the squadrons that fly the Super Hornet. VFA-122 trained aircrews have flown combat missions in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom, Operation Enduring Freedom, and Operation Inherent Resolve.

“I like that working in the squadron allows me to work hard and yet still stay close to my family,” said Taylor.