News and Events from the Loveland, Ohio Area
Without fear or favor
Since 2004
Loveland City Council will hold a special meeting on Saturday, February 1, 2020, at 10:30 a.m. to discuss their goals, strategic priorities, and any other business as may properly come before the municipal body which may be considered and acted on. The meeting will be held at the Loveland Safety Center, located at 126 S. Lebanon Road and is open to the public.
Cincinnati, Ohio – Portune, Todd, age 61, Hamilton County Commissioner, Oberlin College Hall of Fame, passed away peacefully on January 25, 2020, with his family by his side. Loving father of Ethan, Ellyse and Emma Portune, he is also survived by his brothers Ned (Lisa) from Loveland, and Bob (Cuqui) Portune, and numerous nieces and nephews. He was predeceased by his parents Robert and Alice Portune.
Portune was born in Cincinnati in 1958. He graduated from Colerain High School in 1976 and graduated from Oberlin College in 1980 with a political science degree. In 1983 he graduated from the University of Cincinnati College of Law and became an attorney in Cincinnati.
Todd leaves a long legacy of care for the people of Hamilton County and will be remembered as a tireless servant of our city and county even at times of great personal challenge and sacrifice. Todd considered his public service a calling, and his devotion to the needs of average citizens spanned 27 years across Cincinnati City Council and the Hamilton County Board of Commissioners.
Portune was appointed to fill a vacancy on the Cincinnati City Council in 1993. He won elections to two-year terms in 1993, 1995, 1997 and 1999.
In 2000 Portune was elected as a Hamilton County Commissioner. The city of Cincinnati has voted solidly for Democratic candidates in the early 21st Century; the suburbs have supported the Republicans. Portune was the first Democratic commissioner elected from the suburbs in 36 years. Portune’s opponent Bob Bedinghaus won 43% of the 363,948 votes cast in 2000, while Portune won 48%. Portune was sworn in on January 2, 2001. In 2004 Portune was re-elected, with 57% to his opponent’s 42%. His winning in a conservative county was attributed to his moderate policies, and to effective campaigning. He won reelection in 2008, 2012 and 2016.
Public Visitation to be held Monday, February 3, 2020, at the Duke Energy Convention Center from 10 AM until noon with service immediately following. Burial will be at Spring Grove Cemetery.
Portune was diagnosed with cancer in 2003. Later that year, his spinal tumors erupted, causing paralysis of the legs. Portune’s left leg was amputated in 2018. After years of remission, his cancer returned and metastasized. Portune stated in September 2019 that he would not run for re-election in 2020, and announced the following month he would retire at the end of the year. His chief of staff, Victoria Parks, began acting in his role for the remainder of his term, which ends at the end of 2020. Portune died from cancer on January 25, 2020.
Donations can be made in his honor to the Down Syndrome Association of Greater Cincinnati at www.dsagc.com or 4623 Wesley Avenue, Cincinnati, OH 45212. Arrangements are being handled by Spring Grove Funeral Homes. www.springgrove.org
On December 30, 2019, Portune submitted a letter of resignation from his service to the Hamilton County Commission. It reads in part:
On September 12, 2019, I announced both my intent not to seek a new term for the Hamilton CountyCommission and in the process alluded to the probability that I would also resign my seat on the county commission prior to its statutory termination date of January 1, 2021. Please accept this letter as such notice of my official resignation, effective as of 5:00 pm on December 31, 2019.
It has been a joy, honor and a privilege to work you and with all of the men and women, both those under board supervision and those who have worked under those who have been independently elected, 2 past and present, in the best interest of the people of Hamilton County.
I ask that you humbly assist in the transition of all of the duties and responsibilities to the new county commissioner, who will undertake the full duties and responsibilities of this office as required by law. I have the utmost faith in each of you in doing so.
Please let me know if there is anything at all that you require of me as we close out this year and my service.
I also pledge my cooperation and support to do anything that you may require of me, on and after December 31 to assist in that process, should it be required.
I remain most sincerely and respectfully yours,
Todd Portune
This report is from Portune’s obituary and from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
Amy Aspenwall (center), surrounded here by students in one of her AP Environmental Sciences classes at Loveland High School, is one of 20 teachers nationwide selected for “Nourish the Future” national teacher leadership training in San Antonio, Texas, in February.
Loveland, Ohio – As one of only 20 teachers nationwide, Loveland High School Science Teacher Amy Aspenwall has been selected to attend the national teacher leadership training by EducationProjects.org in San Antonio, Texas, in February. The training will take place at the Commodity 
Classic, the nation’s largest agricultural trade show, and professional development event.
“This is really exciting for me personally, but also for Loveland High School,” said Aspenwall. “It will provide leadership opportunities and allow collaboration with teachers around the country to identify and create new problem-based modules, flipped classroom materials, and science labs for our students.”
It will also highlight the connection between the science they teach in the classroom and the application to food production and food security.
EducationProjects.org has connected industry to the classroom for more than 20 years. The upcoming training, “Nourish the Future,” will introduce participants to the latest developments in water quality, sustainable agriculture, and 21st-century tools and technology in precision agriculture. It will allow teachers to take part in a curated tour of the trade show, with a focus on the science and engineering that support the production of food, fiber, and fuel. It will also highlight the connection between the science they teach in the classroom and the application to food production and food security. After the three-day event, teachers will continue to collaborate and access additional training through webinars and national and regional conferences.
“Agriculture is an important aspect of our work and a great opportunity to engage students in concepts and activities that impact their own lives,” said Aspenwall.
“Agriculture is an important aspect of our work and a great opportunity to engage students in concepts and activities that impact their own lives,” said Aspenwall. “When that connection is made, students are empowered to become more involved and engaged in environmental issues.”
Through the nomination of Aspenwall and her AP Environmental Science class at LHS, Loveland City Schools earned the Sustainability Award by the Little Miami River Chamber Alliance in 2018. The award recognized the work with students and the commitment to developing environmental leaders for the future. Aspenwall’s class continues to offer authentic, hands-on opportunities for students to understand issues like water quality and biodiversity, and allows them to develop innovative solutions to problems. The class was implemented at LHS in the fall of 2016 and was filled to capacity after only a couple of years.
Locate information on a wide range of subjects from magazines, newspapers, encyclopedias, and books.
http://www.cincinnatilibrary.org/resources/research.asp
Complete schedule of hours and holiday closures.
http://www.cincinnatilibrary.org/info/hours.asp
Use this map to find a library in your neighborhood.
http://www.cincinnatilibrary.org/info/locations.asp
There are many ways you can help support our organization.
http://www.cincinnatilibrary.org/support/
You can change your content preferences or cancel your subscription by following this link:
http://www.cincinnatilibrary.org/newsletters/
The top 32 fundraisers overall will kick off the event with a ride on the first train.
The thrill of being among the first riders on the new Orion roller coaster at Kings Island will have a whole new meaning April 9, when Kings Island hosts a First Riders Auction event to raise money for A Kid Again, a nonprofit organization which exists to foster hope, happiness and healing for families raising kids with life-threatening illnesses through fun-filled group activities and events. A Kid Again families are invited to participate in these adventures from the age of diagnosis until the child reaches age 20 through funds raised from events such as this.
For the past 24 years, Kings Island has hosted an annual outing for A Kid Again children and their families, providing an opportunity for sick kids to get out of the hospital, grab their brothers and sisters, their moms and dads, and come to Kings Island for the greatest day of the year – the day they can be a kid again.
During the Orion First Riders Auction event, Kings Island fans and roller coaster enthusiasts alike will enjoy an evening filled with riding one of the most anticipated new rides in the amusement and theme park industry over and over again from 6-9 p.m.
HOW TO PARTICIPATE
All participants must raise a minimum of $150 for A Kid Again to participate and will receive a certificate of participation, an Orion First Riders t-shirt, food and unlimited rides on this amazing new attraction.
Upon creating your fundraising page, be sure to share the link with your friends on Facebook and followers on Twitter to let them know you are participating in this event and how they can help you reach your fundraising goal by making a donation.
Plaques will be awarded to the top five fundraisers. The top 32 fundraisers overall will kick off the event with a ride on the first train. In the event of a fundraising tie for available seats, a random drawing will be held to determine the rider(s) on the first train.
Fundraising ends April 3 at midnight.
Orion will be one of only seven giga coasters in the world, a class of roller coasters having a height or drop of 300-399 feet. Riders will plummet down an exhilarating 300-foot first drop at a 85-degree angle before sending them on a high-speed journey over seven more hills and 5,321 feet of track at speeds up to 91 mph on the tallest and fastest steel roller coaster at Kings Island.
Thrill-seekers will experience a new level of excitement when they visit Kings Island in 2020. Joining the world-class line-up of roller coasters at the park is Orion®, one of only seven giga coasters in the world, a class of roller coasters having a height or drop of 300-399 feet.
Themed to the park’s new Area 72, the ride features the latest prototype vehicle developed by the Project X initiative. Scientists are in a race against time to develop technology capable of weaving transport vehicles through a coming meteor storm and traveling to a new planet within the Orion constellation. For the program to be successful, it needs volunteers to help with testing.
Riders on Orion will plummet down an exhilarating 300-foot first drop, sending them on a high-speed journey over seven more hills and 5,321 feet of track at speeds up to 91 mph on Kings Island’s tallest, fastest and longest steel roller coaster.
Orion was exclusively designed for Kings Island by Switzerland-based Bolliger & Mabillard, which also designed the park’s popular Banshee and Diamondback roller coasters.
Loveland, Ohio – The Loveland City School District has invited the community to attend the 2019-20 State of the Schools student-led open house to experience the teaching and learning that takes place in the district.
“This is the third consecutive year that we put our students front and center to lead the State of the Schools,” said Superintendent Dr. Amy Crouse. “There really is no better way to illustrate education at Loveland. The students will showcase programs and activities that make the Portrait of a Tiger come alive, highlighting the skills they learn here.”
You will have the opportunity to interact with students of all ages and there will be music performances by nationally recognized groups like the Loveland Show Choirs, Mallet Madness, and the Jazz Program. There will be robotics team demonstrations and a wide variety of exhibits and displays from the classrooms.
In case of inclement weather, the events will take place on Thursday, February 6.
The Student-led State of the Schools Open House is Wednesday, January 29, 6 until 7:30 PM at Loveland High School (1 Tiger Trail, Loveland, Ohio, 45140).
Mike Dunlap is a Loveland High School teacher, soccer coach, and father of Delany Dunlap
by Mike Dunlap
Cassie, thank you for choosing Delaney and doing a wonderful job with the article. (11 Year Old Local is “Tumbling” into a Bright Future!
My Mom, her grandma, had to talk me off the ledge when we found out about her condition 5 months before she was born. I was beside myself with thoughts of my child not fitting in, or being made fun of, or not doing what other kids can do… and all my Mom kept saying was, “She will be awesome, she will inspire others”. I brushed it off as Mom speak – don’t know why I did that since she was right most of the time, but I did. I do see now what she meant..
Delaney is strong-willed and independent and I couldn’t be more proud watching her have a conversation with you about it.
It really is a testament to this community, her friends, and her teachers just to name a few, who have nurtured her growth along the way.
Thanks again to you and David Miller for stepping out and showcasing what makes Loveland such a great place to live.
1 Year Old Local is “Tumbling” into a Bright Future!
Loveland, Ohio – The Loveland Board of Education voted to hold regular monthly business meetings at 6 PM on the third Tuesday of each month, unless otherwise noted with an asterisk (*) in the schedule below. The meetings will be held in the Loveland Middle/Intermediate School Media Center on 757 South Lebanon Road.
No regular business meeting is scheduled for the months of July and December.
The Board also voted to conduct other regular meetings, primarily as work sessions, on the first Tuesday of each month unless otherwise noted (*) in the listing below. These meetings will also be held in the Loveland Middle/Intermediate School Media Center at 6 PM on the following dates:
No regular work session is scheduled for July or August.
The Bionic Tigers have now qualified for two state competitions
Loveland High School’s FIRST Tech Challenge (FTC) Team 10464, The Bionic Tigers, competed at the Mountain Qualifier that took place in the scenic mountains of Western Maryland. On January 11, 25 teams from Maryland, New Jersey, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia came together to compete for three advancements spots to the Maryland/D.C. FIRST Tech Challenge Championship.
To start the day, The Bionic Tigers presented to the judges about their community outreach, involvement with industry professionals, programming, robot design, and other related topics for evaluation for awards. They then competed in five qualifying matches—going undefeated—overall being ranked second place. As a result of being ranked second, 10464 got to pick two teams to join them for elimination rounds, and chose one team from West Virginia and one from Maryland.
To close out the exciting day, the awards ceremony took place. The Bionic Tigers were nominated for or won five out of seven awards: 3rd Think, 2nd Connect, 2nd Innovate, 2nd Motivate, and 1st Inspire. Due to winning the highly coveted Inspire award, The Bionic Tigers were one of three teams to receive an advancement invitation to the Maryland/D.C. FIRST Tech Challenge Championship taking place on March 1. The Bionic Tigers have now qualified for two state competitions: the Maryland/D.C. FTC Championship on March 1 and the Ohio FTC Championship on March 14.
Each and every citizen in Loveland makes up an important piece of the community, but in saying that it’s up to the citizen as to what they do with their role as an important piece of that community. This is what makes up a community’s “D.N.A.”
Over the past two years, Loveland Magazine has been in search of community members that truly play an important role in Loveland’s D.N.A.
by Cassie Mattia
Loveland, Ohio – In the Sweetheart of Ohio, it’s not hard to find a good inspirational story as you could simply walk down the Loveland Bike Trail and find a lovely Loveland local to tell you their story. But there is a significant difference between a good story and a great story and well this 11-year-old Loveland prodigy makes for one GREAT story!
Delaney Dunlap, daughter of Mike and Gina Dunlap, from a very young age always saw the rainbow behind the storm cloud. At 15 months old, Delaney encountered the turning point of her very young life; a leg amputation. Delaney was born with a condition called Fibular Hemimelia, meaning her fibular bone was missing. When the fibular bone is missing this can lead to limb length discrepancy, foot deformities, and knee deformities. Only 1 in 40,000 births encounter FH.
“We worked with Shriners and Children’s Hospital to determine the best course of action and we decided that having an amputation at an early age would allow her the most normal life with the least interruptions,” Delaney’s mother Gina explained, “On March 4th, 2012, at 15 months old she had her amputation. About 3 months later she was fit for her prosthetic leg.”
Both Gina and Mike Dunlap knew very early on that Delaney’s leg amputation wouldn’t stop her from achieving her highest goals!
“At 2 years of age, she took her leg from us and said, ‘I do it myself!’ She proceeded to put her leg on and jump up and say, all done, with a shrug of her shoulders,” Gina said. “By 4 we had her in gymnastics with Ms. Karol Warden and she started performing in front of people. By 5 she was playing soccer, by 7 she was playing softball, by 8 she was golfing, and about 2 years ago she took up snowboarding,” Gina added.
Now at age 11, Delaney has not only been featured in several news outlets nationally for her unbelievable athletic abilities, but she has also shared her gymnastic skill set with the world, tumbling at university games, half-time shows, local schools, and festivals. Below is a video clip of Delaney performing at the halftime of the UC game in December.
Mike Dunlap, Loveland High School’s Soccer Coach, and Science Teacher couldn’t be more proud of Delaney’s hard work and dedication to her craft!
“Delaney has gotten the opportunity because of her determination, to do many auditions and has landed a couple of commercials. She loves Tik Tok,” Mike added, “She currently has gathered 8 of her friends together and is choreographing a performance for the upcoming talent show at Loveland Intermediate School. They practiced for 2 hours the other day!”
Delaney is not only an all-star athlete she was also recently selected as an Academic All-Star for the Ohio Lottery’s Partners in Education program.
“Delaney signed with a talent agency in 2016! She has done 2 commercials and a Huffy photo shoot,” Gina said, “Recently she has had big auditions for Netflix, Nickelodeon, HBO, and Disney!”
Gina also told us that Delaney has been consistently visiting 2 kids, Tessa and Eli who have recently had amputations. “She just wanted to let them know that they are not alone and they can do anything they set their minds to doing,” Gina said.
Karol Warden, tumbling coach for the SoringMaster Tumbling Team has coached Delaney for 5 years. Warden said, “She inspires everyone.” Warden says that Delaney is a joy to teach and has the highest round off tuck of all of her students. “She never complains or uses her disability as an excuse. Her parents have done a great job teaching her ‘I can’ and not accepting ‘I cannot!.”
So without further ado, Loveland Magazine presents, “What’s In Loveland’s DNA: Delaney Dunlap,” an exclusive one-on-one on-camera interview!
,
Watch Delaney tumbling at a recent Loveland High School halftime
Click to read about Delaney’s father L.H.S’s Mike Dunlap who Provides Tiger Students and Athletes the Tools for a Bright Future
