All counties surrounding Loveland are an area of Substantial Transmission
Loveland, Ohio – As the Washington Post reports that a new coronavirus variant discovered in Colombia is showing up among patients in South Florida and that the delta variant of the coronavirus appears to cause more severe illness than earlier variants and spreads as easily as chickenpox, according to an internal federal health document that argues officials must “acknowledge the war has changed”, Hamilton County Public Health says we are now in an area of “substantial spread”.
All of Hamilton County has been identified as an area of “substantial spread” of COVID-19 by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Substantial spread occurs when an area sees more than 50 cases per 100,000 population in the past seven days. Butler, Clermont, and Warren are also an area of “substantial spread”.
Hamilton County is at 54.07 cases per 100,000.
In updated guidance for substantial spread areas, which now includes all of the Loveland area, the CDC recommends:
Everyone, including those fully-vaccinated, wear a mask in public indoor settings.
Fully-vaccinated people might choose to wear a mask regardless of the level of transmission, particularly if they are immunocompromised or at increased risk for severe disease from COVID-19, or if they have someone in their household who is immunocompromised, at increased risk of severe disease or not fully vaccinated.
Fully-vaccinated people who have a known exposure to someone with suspected or confirmed COVID-19 should be tested 3-5 days after exposure, and wear a mask in public indoor settings for 14 days or until they receive a negative test result.
Universal indoor masking for all teachers, staff, students, and visitors to schools, regardless of vaccination status.
“The Delta variant has altered the game plan for COVID-19,” says Hamilton County Health Commissioner Greg Kesterman. “We know masking works and is yet another layer, in addition to vaccination, to protect all of us from another surge of the virus.”
Vaccination remains the best way to avoid COVID-19 infection.“The vaccines are safe, effective and readily available,” according to Kesterman. “This is now a pandemic of the unvaccinated. If you have questions or concerns about the vaccine, please talk to a trusted health professional for the best information.”
These are recommendation from Clermont County Public Health
If you are sick and have symptoms of coronavirus and you think you need a test, call your doctor. In most cases, you will need an order from a physician in order to be tested. If you do not have a primary care physician, you can call your nearest Urgent Care facility.
Most of the sites below offer diagnostic testing for COVID-19. Diagnostic tests will tell you if you currently have the virus. Diagnostic tests will not tell you if you had the virus in the past. Some locations may offer antibody (serology) testing. Antibody testing may tell you if you have had the virus in the past and are not for diagnosing a current infection. This list is not inclusive of sites offering COVID-19 testing but includes those sites in and near Clermont County. This list is not an endorsement of any of the testing facilities.
You should contact each facility ahead of time to confirm the testing capabilities and procedures.
*If you would like to have your facility added to this list, please email us with details at ccph@clermontcountyohio.gov
HealthSource of Ohio operates community testing centers in Clermont, Adams, Brown, Clinton, and Warren counties. The tests are administered at no cost to the individual, but you will be asked for your insurance information during the registration process.
You must call 513-732-5086 to register prior to being tested. You do not need to be a resident of the county where you get tested.
Testing is available at the following locations and times (Call 513-732-5086 to register).
Healthsource Wilmington Family Practice 140 W. Main St. Wilmington, OH 45177
HealthSource Lebanon Family Practice 1231 Columbus Ave. Unit A1 Lebanon, OH 45036
HealthSource Loveland Family Practice 6535 Charles Snider Rd. Loveland, OH 45140
HealthSource Seaman Pediatrics, Family Practice & Dental 218 Stern Dr. Seaman, OH 45679
HealthSource Georgetown Pediatrics and Family Practice 631 East State St. Georgetown, OH 45121
• Healthcare worker and any public safety worker with suspected exposure • Recent contact with a COVID-19 positive patient • Experiencing shortness of breath, fever, body aches, cough • Any symptoms of COVID-19 with high-risk medical conditions
Molecular testing is available to identify if you currently have COVID-19. To be tested, email telehealth1@amcareinc.com a request for a telehealth appointment. After your screening, you will be directed to follow-up with the closest Doctors’ Urgent Care Office or be cleared to continue work.
Results are available within 24-48 hours
Please visit www.amcareinc.com for a complete listing of office hours, locations and other information relating to in-office and telehealth services.
Patients with current COVID-19 symptoms can be tested. Visit the website to schedule a test or a telehealth visit if you have symptoms. esurgentcare.com
1068 State Route 28 Suite C Milford, OH 45150-2095 513-831-5900
Offers testing for people showing symptoms. If you have symptoms and feel you should be tested, please call first. A Hometown Urgent Care provider will evaluate you and determine if you need a test.
Offers COVID-19 IgG antibody testing. This type of COVID-19 test is for individuals who think they may have had COVID-19 in the past and do not currently have symptoms. Antibody tests do not diagnose existing infections.
Visit the LabCorp website for more information and to request a test.
TriHealth offers drive-through testing for COVID-19 at several locations. Appointments are required and you must have an order from a physician.
Group Health Anderson 7810 Five Mile Road Cincinnati, OH 45230
TriHealth Emergency Departments Patients without a primary care physician can visit any TriHealth Emergency Department to be evaluated. Patients that meet the criteria for testing can be tested for COVID-19. The closest TriHealth Emergency Department to Clermont County is
Bethesda North Hospital 10500 Montgomery Road Cincinnati, OH 45242 513-865-1112
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) announced the deadline to submit applications for Ohio’s Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP). Additionally, NRCS is offering an opportunity for agricultural producers in three watersheds in the East Fork Little Miami River Basin to apply for assistance installing conservation practices that protect water quality through the National Water Quality Initiative (NWQI). The deadline for both applications is Jan. 15.
The three East Fork watersheds for which the additional NWQI funding is available include:
Glady Creek-East Fork Little Miami River
Solomon Run-East Fork Little Miami River
Five Mile Creek-East Fork Little Miami River
Together, Ohio NRCS along with the Clermont, Brown, Clinton, and Highland Soil and Water Conservation Districts (SWCDs) will utilize funds to implement core water quality practices in these watersheds. Applicants for the EQIP and NWQI programs should be farmers, or farm or forest landowners and meet eligibility criteria.
“The additional NWQI funding available is a great opportunity for landowners to implement conservation practices in their operation to help and improve water quality on cropland, forest, pasture, and farmsteads,” said Christina Gates, NRCS district conservationist for Brown and Clermont Counties. “If your property is located within the outlined funding area please contact me prior to Jan. 15 at christina.gates@usda.gov to schedule a field visit and submit an application for funding for 2021.”
Property owners in Clinton and Highland Counties with land in the funding area should contact their local NRCS office.
Applications signed and submitted to NRCS by the Jan. 15 deadline will be evaluated for fiscal year 2021 funding. Visit Ohio NRCS website under “EQIP Funding Categories” for more details. To learn more about EQIP or other technical and financial assistance available through NRCS conservation programs, visit Get Started with NRCS or contact your local USDA Service Center.
There have been 281 COVID 19 cases in the 45140 ZIP Code in the previous 2-weeks
(This story was corrected at 8 PM to reflect more accurate data about 45140)
According to today’s updated Ohio Public Health Advisory System map, 68 counties are currently rated as having a very high risk of exposure and spread (Red Level 3), up from 56 counties last week. This represents the highest number of Red Level 3 counties since the launch of the advisory system in July. Clermont, Hamilton, and Warren counties remain at Red Level 3.
Ohio also had another record-breaking day for new cases reported in a 24-hour period, with 7,101 cases reported between yesterday and today. A total of 268 new hospitalizations were reported, as well as 35 more deaths.
Loveland, Ohio – Here are the positive cases of COVID 19 that have been reported in the Loveland Schools this week. The District does not report on the number of quarantine during the week, instead choosing to withhold that data until Friday afternoons.
• On 11/12/20, the district was notified that a student at Loveland Middle School tested positive for COVID-19. This student was last at school on 11/9/20.
• On 11/12/20, the district was notified that a student at Loveland High School tested positive for COVID-19. This student was last at school on 11/6/20.
• On 11/12/20, the district was notified that a staff member at Loveland High School tested positive for COVID-19. This staff member was last at school on 11/6/20.
• On 11/08/20, the district was notified that a staff member in the Transportation Department tested positive for COVID-19. This staff member was last at work on 11/03/20.
• On 11/05/20, the district was notified that a student at Loveland Middle School tested positive for COVID-19. This student was last at school on 11/03/20.
• On 11/5/20, the district was notified that a student at Loveland High School tested positive for COVID-19. This student was last at school on 11/3/20. No members of the school community were determined to be close contacts with this confirmed case.
Below is the last COVID 19 Dashboard the District released
You can Right-Click on the image to open in a new tab to see a larger view
Loveland High School students, grades 9-12, will remain in hybrid learning through the rest of the semester. The current expectation according to the District is that high school students would return to five-day in-person learning beginning on January 19, at the start of the second semester.
Students in PreK-8 will remain in five-day in-person learning, and there will be no changes for students in the Remote Learning Academy.
A Note from the District:
“The district is offering both in-person and online learning options for the second semester. If families choose the in-person option, they are selecting this with the understanding that the second semester will begin with five-day in-person learning. Loveland families must select the learning option for their students and each building will communicate with families directly. Please be on the lookout for that communication.”
Active children and adults, people with heart and lung disease, including asthma, and older adults should reduce prolonged or heavy outdoor exertion.
Air Quality Forecast is 105 AQI for Thursday, July 17
The Southwest Ohio Air Quality Agency has issued an Air Quality Alert for Friday, July 17 for Butler, Clermont, Hamilton, and Warren counties in Ohio; Boone, Campbell, and Kenton counties in Kentucky; and Dearborn County in Indiana.
You can help protect those most vulnerable
• Take the bus, carpool, bike or walk instead of driving
• Refuel your vehicle after 8 p.m.; do not top off when refueling and tighten the gas cap
• Avoid idling your vehicle
• Combine trips or eliminate unnecessary vehicle trips
• Keep your vehicle maintained with properly inflated tires and timely oil changes
• Avoid use of gasoline-powered lawn equipment on Air Quality Advisory days
• Avoid use of oil-based paints and stains on Air Quality Advisory days
• Never burn leaves or other yard trimmings
• Always burn clean, seasoned wood in outdoor fire pits, fireplaces and wood stoves
• Do not use fire pits or fireplaces for non-essential home heating on Air Quality Advisory days
• Conserve electricity
You can check the current air quality by clicking on this image and entering a ZIP Code.
If you find that having this type of local news adds value to your quality of life, kindly consider contributing to the cost of producing it.
Active children and adults, people with heart and lung disease, including asthma, and older adults should reduce prolonged or heavy outdoor exertion.
Air Quality Forecast is 105 AQI for Wednesday, July 15
The Southwest Ohio Air Quality Agency has issued an Air Quality Alert for Tuesday, July 15 for Butler, Clermont, Hamilton, and Warren counties in Ohio; Boone, Campbell, and Kenton counties in Kentucky; and Dearborn County in Indiana.
You can help protect those most vulnerable
• Take the bus, carpool, bike or walk instead of driving
• Refuel your vehicle after 8 p.m.; do not top off when refueling and tighten the gas cap
• Avoid idling your vehicle
• Combine trips or eliminate unnecessary vehicle trips
• Keep your vehicle maintained with properly inflated tires and timely oil changes
• Avoid use of gasoline-powered lawn equipment on Air Quality Advisory days
• Avoid use of oil-based paints and stains on Air Quality Advisory days
• Never burn leaves or other yard trimmings
• Always burn clean, seasoned wood in outdoor fire pits, fireplaces and wood stoves
• Do not use fire pits or fireplaces for non-essential home heating on Air Quality Advisory days
• Conserve electricityYou can check the current air quality by clicking on this image and entering a ZIP Code.
If you find that having this type of local news adds value to your quality of life, kindly consider contributing to the cost of producing it.
Active children and adults, people with heart and lung disease, including asthma, and older adults should reduce prolonged or heavy outdoor exertion.
Air Quality Forecast is 101 AQI for Tuesday, July 14
The Southwest Ohio Air Quality Agency has issued an Air Quality Alert for Tuesday, July 14 for Butler, Clermont, Hamilton, and Warren counties in Ohio; Boone, Campbell, and Kenton counties in Kentucky; and Dearborn County in Indiana.
You can help protect those most vulnerable
You can help the situation locally by not using fire pits, lighting campfires, charcoal grills, or setting off fireworks.
If you conserve electricity by turning out lights and unplugging unused appliances and electronics during the alert it will reduce the demand for coal-burning power plants in our region.
Take the bus, carpool, bike, or walk instead of drive.
Refuel your vehicle after 8 p.m.; do not top off when refueling and tighten the gas cap.
Do not idle your vehicle; exhaust contributes considerably to ozone formation.
Combine trips or eliminating unnecessary vehicle trips.
Keep your vehicle maintained with properly inflated tires and timely oil changes.
Avoid use of gasoline-powered lawn equipment on Air Quality Alert days.
Avoid use of oil-based paints and stains on Air Quality Alert days.
Never burn leaves or other yard trimmings.
Suspend use of fire pits, campfires and charcoal grills on Air Quality Alert days.
Conserve electricity by turning out lights and unplugging unused appliances and electronics.
You can check the current air quality by clicking on this image and entering a ZIP Code.
If you find that having this type of local news adds value to your quality of life, kindly consider contributing to the cost of producing it.
Loveland, Ohio – Mayor Mark Fitzgerald’s Council term does not end until December 2, 2019, however about 2,054 signatures on a recall petition were delivered today to the Hamilton County Board of [quote_box_right]Loveland Recall History
Former Councilmember Todd Osborne said, “The last recall, the only recall, was in 1984. The city had sued HUD over Loveland Pines apartment complex. City council voted to end the lawsuit the day before the ruling, after spending $35,000. A recall petition went out and was certified by the Board of Election. The majority of Council was under recall. Ron Binegar, Roland Boike, John Munnis and John Banks. Binegar resigned but after the five day window. There was a lawsuit, which the petitioners won on appeal. Council had to establish an election date, which they refused to do for several meetings, including walking out without an adjournment. They had a special meeting at 7:25 AM to name the date. All three incumbents retained their seat.[/quote_box_right]Elections to end his term two years early. Members of the Loveland Community Heartbeat PAC (Political Action Committee) (LCHPAC) said the number of signatures is about twice the number of signatures required to get the recall initiative on the ballot this November.
In a press release issued last night, LCHPAC representative Halie Rebeccaschild said, “This has been a difficult time for Loveland residents. Walking every neighborhood in Loveland to collect signatures, we have seen firsthand not only the level of distrust and disappointment throughout the community but also the high level of awareness and engagement among Loveland residents.”
According to Sherry Poland, the Director of the Hamilton County Board of Elections, now that the petitions have been delivered, the Board will begin the process of verifying signatures. She said today that she is not yet positive of the total number of signatures that are required, but the process of determining the number will also begin. The City of Loveland is in three counties, Clermont, Hamilton, and Warren, and LCHPAC will need the signatures equal to 15% of the ballots cast in all three counties at the last Loveland Council election in 2015.
Poland said that if there are sufficient signatures, Fitzgerald will be notified and given five days to either resign his office or face the recall on November 7. She added that if Fitzgerald does resign, then the recall will not be on the Ballot.
If Fitzgerald does resign, council vacancies are filled by a majority of the six remaining Council members. If Council could not agree on a replacement, then Vice-Mayor Angie Settell, who would become Mayor, could appoint Fitzgerald’s replacement unilaterally. The new Councilmember would then have to run in November to retain their seat. Currently the seats of incumbents Pam Gross, Ted Phelps, Robert Weisgerber, and Stephen Zamagias will be on the ballot this fall. Fitzgerald’s resignation may open up a fifth open seat. A successful recall petition will also open up a fifth seat, but one that would be a head-to-head race against Fitzgerald. (Pleas see correction to this paragraph below.)*
If Fitzgerald does not resign, his name will appear on the fall ballot next to the name of anyone who petitions the Board to run against him. Resident Neal Oury has been calling for Fitzgerald’s resignation for several months and is currently collecting signatures to run head-to-head against the Mayor.
Fitzgerald has not acknowledged or responded to emails sent to his City and personal email accounts asking for comment. Fitzgerald was asked for his reaction of the petitions being delivered and of the recall effort in general. He was also asked if he would comment on any specific allegations made against him during the PAC’s signature gathering.
Fitzgerald was also asked if he sees the possibility of legal challenges to the recall petition, or the recall being on the November ballot. He did not respond.
Oury has already gathered more than 1,500 signatures and said he will wait to see the outcome of today’s petition submission before he will bring his own to the Board of Elections.
(This story was up-dated at 6:32 AM 7-22-17)
*CORRECTION:
Adopted Charter of the City of Loveland, Ohio
SEC. 2.03 FILLING OF VACANCIES.
Vacancies in the office of Council member shall be filled within thirty (30) days by vote of a majority of the remaining members of Council, by the selection of a person qualified as provided in Section 2.02 of this Charter. If Council fails to make a selection to fill such vacancy within thirty (30) days, the Mayor shall forthwith make the appointment. Such person so chosen shall serve the remainder of the unexpired term of the Council member whose vacancy he or she was appointed to fill. (11-5-91, 11-6-01)
You can help protect those most vulnerable
![[Video] Fitzgerald Re-Call Petitions delivered to Elections Board](https://lovelandmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/2017-election-graphic-100x65.jpg)
