Loveland, Ohio – The Loveland City Schools Board Work Session scheduled for May 3 has been canceled.
The Board will meet for its Regular Session on May 17, 2022, at 6 PM in the LIS/LMS Media Center, 757 S. Lebanon Rd.
Tag: local news
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Loveland Youth Volleyball collecting for LIFE Food Pantry
Loveland, Ohio – The Loveland Youth Volleyball Organization will be sponsoring a food drive to benefit the Life Food Pantry this Saturday, May 7th, at the Loveland Elementary School gym. They will have games there from 9 AM until 3 PM and will have a table set up to collect donations.
“Please consider dropping off any nonperishable food items that you may have. We do this to not only help LIFE but to help teach our players about volunteering and helping others.”The community is invited to come to this convenient location to add to the collection of the players.
The following items are ones that LIFE has a more urgent need for.
Beef stew, canned carrots, ketchup, canned chili, coffee, cooking oil, Manwich, mashed potatoes, pasta, peanut butter, canned pineapple, salad dressing, spaghetti, spaghetti sauce, Stove Top Stuffing, paper towels, Kleenex, deodorant, shampoo, conditioner, and body wash. -
Grailville: Know what you’ve got before it’s gone
A statue of a child at Grailville – photo provided by Kevin and Laurie Kiley
Introduction by Kevin Kiley
What’s going on in Loveland this week?
Kevin Kiley The City of Loveland is currently reviewing an application for a large housing development on the east side of Loveland. This 111 acre parcel of land, a historic property currently owned by Grailville, was recently annexed into Loveland and is under contract to Drees Homes “with an option to buy” for $7.3 million. Drees has requested that Loveland re-zone the site to a special planning district (SPD) and approve an exception to build more than twice the number of homes permitted by current zoning. This same property was offered to Loveland Schools but failed to pass levies in the months preceding the pandemic.
Why does this matter?
Several concerns have been addressed to the Loveland Planning and Zoning Comission on how this new development will impact Loveland, including its effect on traffic, parking, schools, and other taxpayer expenses. This proposed new housing development borders 100 acres of nature preserve now owned by the Clermont County Parks District. A growing number of forward-thinking residents see this additional 111 acres as an incredible opportunity for Loveland to build something amazing for all who live in Loveland, not just a select few.
How can I get involved?
The next Loveland Planning and Zoning meeting is Wednesday, May 4th at 7 PM at Loveland City Hall. Please attend to learn more and show support—help us pack the room. There will be a sign-in sheet in the room for anyone who wishes to speak.
To residents and elected decision makers of Loveland
by Laurie Kiley
Laurie Kiley As I sit to put my feelings about the development of the Grailville property into writing, Joanie Mitchell’s lyrics are stuck in my head…
Don’t it always seem to go
That you don’t know what you got ’til it’s gone
They paved paradise and put up a parking lotWhile I am a tree hugger in my soul I am also realistic that as humankind continues to evolve nature will always be at risk. We must be diligent to make personal choices—and choices as a community—that result in the greatest legacy for those who come after us. We cannot be shortsighted.
That being said, my biggest concern here today is actually about accountability. Loveland residents elect our Council to have privileged access to information on our behalf. We expect that they are making decisions holistically and with the future in mind well beyond their tenure.
As accountable Council members, we implore you to not make easy compromises today that lead to deeper issues for our community tomorrow. The full impact of every rezoning decision, every parking garage, and every field that is eliminated must be considered.
In our personal lives, it is irresponsible to spend beyond our means or to act now and think later.
Likewise, it would be irresponsible for our Council to make decisions that put Loveland’s future at risk.
The Grail is entitled to sell the property they cannot afford to hold. Drees is entitled to request an exception to maximize its profits and create a space to benefit 209 new households. Loveland Council, however, is not obligated to create new laws to make it possible.
I want to go back to my previous point about encouraging holistic decision-making. Here is a summary of inter-related concerns from my point of view:
- The Drees proposal outlines lot dimensions that equate to .16 acres that are 70% covered by house at worst, and .27 acre lots that are 60% covered by house at best. In contrast, Loveland’s current zoning stipulates 1 acre per lot for new development. If Drees accepts current zoning then it’s a done deal and within our regulations.
- The traffic studies—limited as they were—confirm that this development would increase traffic through downtown by over 2,000 trips daily. Loveland residents know that the true impact of congestion is felt most a peak times like the school commute, rush hour, and all weekend long when good weather brings visitors to our bike trail for hours of entertainment outside our borders. Council should avoid decisions that worsen our traffic problems before a viable solution has been identified.
- Tearing up East Loveland Avenue to install bigger sewage pipes would be necessary and the treatment plant may or may not already be maxed out. Loveland’s taxpayers require clarity and full disclosure about who would absorb the cost to resolve these concerns before any new SPD zoning exceptions are approved.
- More houses will result in more tax income and the majority would go to our schools but it would also add more kids and related expenses. This will overburden our situation. If the reputation of our schools degrades then everything else in the ecosystem will start failing also.
If Council is contractually obligated to respond to this SPD then the answer must be “no” until we can thoughtfully consider the big picture.
Yes, “something must be built here”. Let’s build something that benefits the entire community. Let’s build something that will make Loveland even more cherished by its citizens and inspires hope for its future.
Please don’t cite failed levies of the past. There’s no need for blame in any direction. Those levies only indicate that the expectations of the planners and the voters were not in line. Time has certainly moved on, so must we. We need to learn from those experiences and move forward together.
Loveland needs to stand up for itself. We need to be bold and brave and involved in order to maintain our character and identity as a community. By NOT approving this SPD our elected Council would give Loveland a huge opportunity to help The Grail and Loveland find an optimal solution to the benefit of all.
The Grailville Archive
Because posterity may wish to know.
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Tee shirt fundraiser and “Meal Train” for Loveland bus driver Laura Kissick
Loveland, Ohio – Loveland resident Alicia Blum has asked that Loveland Magazine share this information about Loveland school bus driver Laura Kissick who is fighting cancer.
Laura’s support squad has set up a tee shirt fundraiser through RP Diamond and also set up a “meal train” asking for help.
Meal Train for Laura and Ron Kissick
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Update on Loveland Bike Trail closure at Grandin Road
Warren County, Ohio – Starting May 9th approximately 1,000 ft. in each direction of the Grandin Road intersection, the Little Miami Scenic Trail will be closed for construction for the duration of 2022. According to the Warren County Engineer, “There will be no posted detour because there is no complete off-road alternative”.
For more information: Warren County Construction Projects (arcgis.com)
King Avenue Bridge improvement will close portion of the Loveland Bike Trail…
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Skimmers found on gas pumps at Mobil station in Historic Downtown
by David Miller
Loveland, Ohio – According to the Loveland Police Department, skimmers were found on gasoline pumps at the Mobil gas station at 106 West Loveland Avenue. A short time after the initial investigation by the local police, the United States Secret Service responded to the scene.
The Department said on FaceBook, “If you feel you have been impacted by the skimmers placed at the Mobil gas station, please contact Officer Michael Wright at the Loveland Police Department.” His telephone number is 513-677-7000.
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LOVELAND MAGAZINE TV: Loveland Magazine & Chamber present checks to LIFE Food Pantry
by David Miller
Loveland, Ohio – Last Friday, April 22, Cassie Mattia and myself, along with CeeCee Collins and Meridith Taylor with the Little Miami River Chamber Alliance went to the LIFE Food Pantry to present checks. We were greeted by Pantry Executive Director, Linda Bergholz.
CeeCee presented a check that represented all the VENMO donations that were collected during our Easter Weekend Food Drive. Cassie, who had the vision of holding the food drive on Easter Eve presented a matching check from Loveland Magazine.
The Food Drive was held under the Town Clock in Historic Downtown Loveland.
David Miller, Meridith Taylor (with son), CeeCee Collins, and Cassie Mattia under the Town Clock in Historic Downtown at the start of the Easter Weekend Food Drive. The Pantry said that as a result of seeing about the Loveland Magazine and Chamber food drive a neighborhood was inspired to do their own. Linda said the current need for food by folks in the community is “enormous”.
This LOVELAND MAGAZINE TV video is of the reception we received at the Pantry. It tells the story of how Cassie was led to organize the food drive, how the Chamber so enthusiastically agreed to partner with her, and Linda talks about how the Pantry serves the community and how you can help them. Cassie talks about how easy it is to organize a food drive.
If you feel inspired to make a dollar donation to the Pantry right this moment, please do so with this PayPal link where you can also use your credit card. Or write a check today and mail it to LIFE Food Pantry, 541 Loveland-Madeira Road, Loveland, Ohio 45140.
or click here to find out how to get involved!
LIFE FOOD PANTRY: THIS WEEK’S PRIMARY NEEDS
Apple Sauce, Beef Stew, Canned Carrots, Cooking Oil, Flour, Hearty Soups (Progresso Chicken Noodle especially), Jello gelatin and pudding, Manwich, Canned mixed vegetables, Canned Pineapple, Pinto beans, Stuffing Mix, Paper Towels. Granulated Sugar, Tuna, Ensure, and Depends (Womens M,L, XL)
WANT TO HOST A FOOD DRIVE?
Create an event to help those in need! Click Here
VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES
There are so many ways to get involved! Click Here
RECEIVE FOOD OR ASSISTANCE
To receive food from LIFE, come to our pantry during regular hours and you will be provided groceries on that first visit.
Partnership Benefits
By choosing to partner with LIFE your business will not only provide assistance to the community but LIFE will proudly spread the word about your generosity. See the chart to review all of the benefits our partners will receive.
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Loveland High School’s Evan Osgood receives $25,000 National Honor Society scholarship
Washington, DC – “This is the honor of a lifetime,” said Evan Osgood, who was awarded the $25,000 top prize by the National Association of Secondary School Principals. “Meeting the other finalists and learning their stories this weekend reinvigorated for me the power of our generation. We can do anything,” said Evan Osgood in a press release issued by the organization.
Loveland High School’s Evan Osgood was named the winner of the 2022 National Honor Society Scholarship during an awards ceremony in Washington D.C. on Monday evening. He was chosen from nearly 10,000 applicants, and as the winner, he received a $25,000 National Honor Society scholarship. “We are incredibly proud of Evan for receiving this honor. He is truly a remarkable young man, and his dedication to others, along with his hard work, will take him on to great things. Congratulations to the entire Osgood family on this accomplishment,” said Superintendent Mike Broadwater in a press release.
As a national finalist for the award, Osgood was invited to attend the National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP) Trailblazing Leadership Week, which he attended with his family and Loveland High School Principal Adam Reed.
Osgood was recognized for his work during the pandemic creating the nonprofit SOSforPPE, to make and ship protective equipment, along with his creation of STEMsfForYouth, a nonprofit committed to improving access to STEM education.
Read these past Loveland Magazine stories about Evan Osgood:
Local Teen Evan Osgood Awarded for his Dedication to Giving Back…
Loveland High School student Evan Osgood creates non-profit to get help…
LMS Student Evan Osgood on center stage at premier education conference
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Questions arise about possible Native American remains and “Mound” at site of proposed Parking Garage in the Historic District
*Please read this CORRECTION to this story.
The hillside in Loveland’s downtown where a highly contested proposed parking garage may be built
“It is not known whether the ‘mound’ remains or is an Indian mound, but it is possible.” – Hamilton County Community Development
David Miller is the Publisher and Editor of Loveland Magazine by David Miller
Loveland, Ohio – The possibility of Native Americans’ remains under the site of a proposed parking garage on a hill in “Historic Downtown” may give a new connotation beyond the history of White settlers and developers of the area.
At Monday’s City Council meeting, both Lauren Enda and Tom Scovanner reported that they have come into possession of a 2019 report by a preservation consultant that was commissioned by Hamilton County. The report says there is some potential for “archaeological resources” on the property. The report was based on an 1848 map of Loveland. The consultant said the map identifies a “mound” at the location. The report was commissioned because Loveland was seeking federal dollars to demolish two houses on the site and the money Loveland was seeking, was ultimately federal dollars. According to Enda and Scovanner, the report concluded that there was no historical significance to the houses so the City was given a green light to proceed with removing them.
However, after the houses were removed, the City proceeded to do excavation on the hillside to make a temporary overflow parking lot to mitigate parking congestion in “Historic” downtown apparently without the knowledge of the reported mound that may contain the remains of American Indians who once lived on the bank of O’Bannon Creek which abuts the hillside. O’Bannon Creek enters the Little Miami River a few hundred feet downstream.
The proposed garage site is 213 North Second Street (Parcel 200602.029).
Enda says that as soon as she received the report she immediately put in a call to City Manager Dave Kennedy who could not be reached. She then sent the report to both Kennedy and Councilmember Andy Bateman on April 8. She sent it to Bateman because he is the council’s representative on the City Historical Preservation and Planning Commission (HPPC). Bateman is a sitting member of the Commission.
Enda’s presumption was that Bateman would forward the report to all of the HPPC members, however, the report was not brought up or discussed at their next meeting. She had asked Bateman in an email, “Please share with the other members as I do not have their addresses.” She said on Monday that she was surprised that it was not discussed at the HPPC meeting.
After Enda and Scovanner gave speeches during the open forum at Monday’s council meeting, there was also no discussion between Council and the City Manager. She said on Monday that she did not hear back from either Kennedy or Bateman after she sent them the report. *
City Manager Kennedy told Loveland Magazine via email that he first knew of the report when Enda sent it to him on April 8 at 2 PM. He said that subsequently, the Ohio Historic Preservation Office contacted him and they are scheduling a time to discuss the matter.
The Hamilton County Community Development Historic Preservation Review worksheet says, “It is not known whether the ‘mound’ remains or is an Indian mound, but it is possible. The area appears topographically similar to other areas with Indian mounds. Locations on a bluff or hill overlooking a flat river or creek bottom always have high probability for prehistoric sites of all time periods.” It concludes, “The property is not considered eligible for historic architecture for the purpose of demolition, but consultation with the State Historic Preservation Office regarding the need for an archeological survey is recommended if a federal permit or funding is involved for new construction.”
Enda said at the council meeting that according to Loveland’s Director of Finance, Mark Medlar, Loveland taxpayers have already spent $980,000 on purchasing the site, demolition, and design engineering for the “multi-million dollar” proposed garage.
Enda wants Council to commission an archaeological survey of the property which she says is the recommendation of the Ohio History Connection. The Ohio History Connection was formerly the Ohio Historical Society and carries out history services for Ohio and its citizens focused on preserving and sharing the state’s history. This includes housing the state historic preservation office, the official state archives, local history office and managing more than 50 sites and museums across Ohio.
Enda was contacted by the Greater Cincinnati Native American Coalition, who in turn have reached out to other Native American organizations such as the National Congress of the American Indians in Washington, DC. During the council meeting, Scovanner read a letter from the Cincinnati organization.
Enda has advocated for months for residents to be given the chance to vote the proposed parking garage up or down at the ballot box.
She says that if there are Indian remains at the site they should be treated with respect and dignity.
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A judge ordered Dewitt McDonald released last month, so why is he still in prison?
Getty Images.
BY: NICK EVANS – Ohio Capital Journal
Right now, Dewitt McDonald is sitting in prison at Richland Correctional Institution even though late last month a judge ordered his release.
McDonald’s case goes back to a 1994 drive-by shooting in Sandusky that left one woman dead. Prosecutors claimed McDonald was in the car, and they charged him with aiding and abetting the crime. McDonald has maintained his innocence.
A jury nevertheless convicted McDonald in 1995 and he was sentenced to life with no eligibility of parole for 20 years.
“Dewitt McDonald has now been incarcerated 27 going on 28 years without even one hearing giving him access to parole,” his attorney Kimberley Corral explained.
And therein lies the controversy that led to Erie County Judge Tygh Tone issuing a March 29 writ of habeas corpus to McDonald. That order directed officials to release McDonald from prison. Attorney General Dave Yost’s office is appealing to keep him behind bars, and sued Judge Tone in a state appeals court for good measure.
The state’s aggressive pursuit of the case is notable given the underlying facts of the case. In his federal filings for relief, McDonald’s attorneys raise a number of reasons they say to doubt McDonald’s guilt. It’s not clear, they argue, that he was in the car at the time of the shooting or even that bullets fired from the car killed the victim, Vivian Johnson. Prosecutors secured McDonald’s conviction largely on the testimony of a woman named Krista Harris.
During the first grand jury hearing, Harris said McDonald was with her at the time of the shooting, and the grand jury didn’t recommend charges. Before the second grand jury, her story flipped and they returned an indictment.
A few years later though, she told state investigators that county prosecutor Kevin Baxter had coerced her into providing false testimony in McDonald’s case and one other by threatening her with criminal charges. She also alleged Baxter coerced her into an ongoing non-consensual sexual relationship. Baxter’s brother Edward corroborated Harris’ story. Baxter himself denied it.
Yost’s office declined to comment on McDonald’s case, “given the pending litigation in the Erie County Court of Common Pleas, the 6th Circuit Court of Appeals and the Ohio Supreme Court.”
The state’s central argument for why McDonald hadn’t gotten a parole hearing comes down to arithmetic. The Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Corrections contends McDonald won’t be eligible for a parole hearing until he’s served 36 years, because they’re stacking the terms for other offenses on top of the 20 years listed in his sentencing documents.
“So, all of the sudden, his term is 36 to life,” Corral said, “which was just a decision by an administrative agency. It was not supported by any court order.”
After she filed a motion to clarify, the court came down on the side of McDonald — he should be eligible for a parole hearing after 20 years. That was in November of 2020. The state’s subsequent appeals to the circuit and supreme court were unsuccessful. In December last year, McDonald still hadn’t gotten a parole hearing, so Judge Tone issued another order, this time directing the parole board to hear his case “immediately.”
Instead, the state pushed the court to dismiss McDonald’s appeals. Two months later Judge Tone issued the order to release McDonald.
In the current appeal, Yost’s office contends the habeas order is invalid because it originated in Erie County rather than Richland County where he was incarcerated. In response, Corral agrees that state law requires a habeas claim be filed where an inmate is held, but said that McDonald was being held in the Erie County jail at the time she filed. The state argues back that he was only in Erie County temporarily for a court hearing. They also contend the case can’t be transferred to Richland County.
“If you follow the state’s logic,” Corral argued, “the state has the sole authority to move prisoners around from county to county. They could defeat every single habeas ever filed by just moving someone after the litigation is complete.”
“That can’t possibly be the procedure intended by the legislature, and that’s not what courts have held in the past,” she continued.
As it stands, McDonald’s case is a mess.
The circuit court, faced with the state’s appeal of Judge Tone’s habeas decision and a writ of prohibition against the judge, sidestepped the matter and sent the case back to the trial court for the Tone to explain his decision or rescind it. Meanwhile McDonald’s defense has appealed to the state supreme court.
