Hamilton County is reminding everyone to continue to take summertime precautions against mosquito bites after mosquitoes that were recently trapped at the Columbia Township compost facility on Hill and Dale Dr. tested positive for West Nile virus (WNV). West Nile Virus is a viral disease that can be passed from mosquitoes to humans. Hamilton County Public Health (HCPH) maintains traps throughout the County during the summer to test for the presence of disease. While this is the first positive identification in HCPH’s jurisdiction, other positive pools have been identified elsewhere in the County.
People over age 50 have the highest risk of developing severe WNV infections
Hamilton County Public Health staff will be conducting surveillance activities in the neighborhoods and commercial areas around where the mosquitoes were collected. They will be looking for areas of standing water, applying larvicide, making sure swimming pools are operating properly and advising residents on precautions they can take to avoid mosquito bites.
“We can all take action to eliminate mosquito breeding sites and take precautions to avoid mosquito bites,” Greg Kesterman, Hamilton County Health Commissioner says. “West Nile was first identified in Ohio in 2001, so it’s not new to our area, but we like to take the opportunity to remind everyone to take precautions.”
Hamilton County Public Health advises all Hamilton County residents to DRAIN, DUNK and PROTECT in an effort to reduce the mosquito population and prevent West Nile Virus:
DRAIN
Look for and drain sources of standing water on your property – litter, tires, buckets, flower pots, wading pools and similar items that could create standing water and become mosquito breeding sites.
Frequently change water in bird baths and pet bowls.
Drain small puddles after heavy rainstorms.
DUNK
Apply mosquito larvicide, sometimes called mosquito “dunks,” to areas of standing water that cannot be drained. The “dunks” are environmentally safe and won’t harm pets. Purchase them at your local hardware store.
PROTECT
Cut your grass and trim shrubbery.
Make sure screens in windows and doors are tight-fitting and free from defect.
Wear long sleeves and pants during peak mosquito hours – dawn and dusk.
Use an EPA-registered insect repellent such as those containing DEET, picaridin or oil of lemon or eucalyptus. Always follow the directions on the package.
WNV is a viral disease affecting the central nervous system that can be transmitted to humans by mosquitoes. It is important to note that most people who are bitten by an infected mosquito will never become sick. Everyone, however, should be aware of the symptoms of WNV. Symptoms may develop two to 14 days after someone is bitten by an infected mosquito.
No Symptoms in Most People. Approximately 70-80 percent of people who are infected with WNV will not show any symptoms at all.
Milder Symptoms in Some People. Up to 20 percent of the people who become infected will display symptoms which can include fever, headache, and body aches, nausea, vomiting, and sometimes swollen lymph glands or a skin rash on the chest, stomach and back. Symptoms can last for as short as a few days, though even healthy people have been sick for several weeks.
Serious Symptoms in a Few People. Less than one percent of people infected with WNV will develop severe illness. The severe symptoms can include high fever, headache, neck stiffness, stupor, disorientation, coma, tremors, convulsions, muscle weakness, vision loss, numbness and paralysis. These symptoms may last several weeks, and neurological effects may be permanent.
While all residents of areas where virus activity has been identified are at risk, people over age 50 have the highest risk of developing severe WNV infections. Anyone experiencing any of these symptoms should contact their healthcare provider for evaluation.
For more information on West Nile Virus, please contact Hamilton County Public Health at (513) 946-7800 or visit us online at www.hamiltoncountyhealth.org.
Loveland, Ohio – The smell of crisp Fall leaves, apple cider, and cool temperatures are on the horizon which means it’s festival season! Downtown Loveland is ready to welcome the Fall season with open arms as the city will be holding its first-ever Oktoberfest!
On Friday, September 24th from 4 PM-10 PM, and Saturday, September 25th from 5 PM-11 PM, Downtown Loveland will become “Liebesland” (Loveland in German) for Oktoberfest 2021. The festival will include a plethora of traditional German activities, competitions, food, drinks, and of course some spectacular German attire!
Warsteiner, an international German beer company that came to conception in Warstein, Germany in 1753 when Antonius Cramer was asked to pay beer tax after his home brewing volumes passed the amount allowed for personal use, will be hosting a Biergarten (beer garden in German) Emporium in Nisbet Park. Traditionally a Biergarten is an open-air space where beer and food are served. This concept dates back to the 19th century in Bavaria in which breweries planted gardens above cellars to keep their lagers cool enough to ferment underground.
The Warsteiner Biergarten will be serving up their finest beer from the Premium Pilsner, “A refreshing, pale golden pilsener with a clean taste perfectly balanced with hints of barley malt, subtle bottom fermenting yeast tones and mild hoppy bitterness,” to the Premium Dunkel, “a rich dark amber beer with full-flavored, smooth taste nicely accented with satisfying notes of roasted malt and subtle bottom-fermenting yeast tones,” to the Oktoberfest Special Edition, “a well-balanced, mild, and smooth taste with a uniquely soft, hoppy aftertaste and 5.9% alcohol.”
All of the tips collected from the Biergarten will benefit Cancer Free Kids.
Of course, what goes better with beer than traditional German food! The majority of Loveland’s Downtown restaurants will be adding a few German-inspired food options in celebration of Oktoberfest. Not sure what traditional German food is? Read this CNN Travel article that I found that talks all about German cuisine!
Although the Little Miami Chamber Alliance (LMRCA) is still in the planning stages of what activities and competitions will be held during Oktoberfest, the Chamber has confirmed that there will be a Stein Hoist competition as well as a Lederhosen competition.
The Stein Hoist prelims will begin on Friday around 6:30 PM and the finals will be held on Saturday at 6 PM. The competition will include 6 contestants and will be emceed by Channel 5’s Randi Rico. Stein Hoisting is a traditional Bavarian strength contest in which participants hold a full one-liter beer stein (weighs 5.5 pounds typically) in front of their bodies with a straight arm, parallel to the ground. The person that can hold the pose the longest wins.
The Lederhosen competition (German costume contest) will begin on Friday. The winner will be selected around 7:30 PM. Lederhosen’s are leather shorts with H-shaped suspenders that men in the working class from Alpine regions such as Bavaria wore. They wore these while they were working because the leather material made the dust and dirt collected from work easier to clean off. Lederhosen’s also have cultural and social meaning for those within the German culture.
There is in fact a female version of the Lederhosen called a “Dirndl,” which is a dress that can fall either to the knees or the floor. The dress includes a tight bodice that is meant to compliment a woman’s chest.
On Friday, Oktoberfest will also feature live entertainment from the Cloggers at 5 PM and the Counting Skeletons at 7 PM.
On Saturday, Oktoberfest entertainment will kick off at 4 PM with Premier Dance and Tumbling, and shortly afterward at 5:30 PM, the Cloggers will perform once again.
Of course, we can’t forget about one of the most coveted German Oktoberfest traditions, the tapping of the Keg! The tapping of the Keg is one of the oldest traditions in Germany’s Oktoberfest celebrations. The Keg tap is typically done by the Mayor of Munich, which in Loveland’s case will be Mayor Kathy Bailey. The goal of the Keg tapping is for the Mayor to hit the Keg with a hammer the least amount of times possible before yelling “O’zapft is” (keg breached). Once the Mayor yells “O’zapft is” surrounding vendors may officially sell their beer!
Before the Keg tapping in Germany, there is a “procession” held in which colorful horse carriages and wagons covered with flowers march down to where the Oktoberfest celebration is being held. The procession is traditionally led by the Münchner Kindl (coat of arms of Munich) and is followed by the Mayor’s festival carriage. Behind the Mayor are carts of the landlords and breweries as well as the waitresses who will be serving beer who are typically holding beer mugs in the procession. This part of Loveland’s Oktoberfest will include Mayor Kathy Bailey, the LMRCA Board of Directors President Doug Portmann, and Oktoberfest’s Presenting Sponsor. The Keg procession will begin at 5:30 PM on Saturday and the Keg tapping will begin shortly afterward. The procession will go down Railroad Ave. and will end at the Main Stage on the Fountain Greene.
On Saturday at 6 PM the Stein Hoist finals will be held and right after the Zinzinnati Bierband will perform until 10 PM.
The LMRCA did confirm that a Stein Slide and a Wiener Dog Race will be added to the festival’s activities! As more details roll in about the addition of more activities, competitions, entertainment, and food options for the 2021 Loveland Oktoberfest we will be sure to let YOU the readers know!
Oktoberfest is still in need of a PRESENTING SPONSOR! The presenting sponsor will get top recognition on all marketing materials, their logo on the street banners and A-frame signage at the festival, promoted on the LMCRA’s website, the opportunity to announce entertainment at the festival, and introduced as the presenting sponsor on stage at the festival. If you or your business would like to become a sponsor contact the LMRCA through email or you can call their office at 513-683-1544.
LMRCA is also in need of volunteers to help with all of the exciting festivities! If you would like to sign up to volunteer for Oktoberfest click here to see what opportunities are available. You may also use the LMRCA contact info above to reach out about volunteering.
For more Loveland Oktoberfest 2021 updates stay tuned to the Loveland Salad With ME, Cassie Mattia!
School vaccination records were missing or incomplete among roughly 1 in 5 sampled Ohio middle and high school students last year, despite state law requiring local boards of education to track immunizations records of all enrolled students.
All Ohio students, per state law, must be vaccinated against mumps, tetanus, polio, measles, Hepatitis B, chicken pox and meningococcal diseases. They can claim exemptions in writing due to natural immunity from prior infection; a medical contraindication; or for “reasons of conscience, including religious convictions.”
Though the law requires local boards of education to keep immunization summaries available on request for inquiring parents, schools statewide are failing to track vaccination among tens of thousands of students.
“The question is, why are the schools not collecting this data?” said Madhav Bhatta, an epidemiologist at Kent State University. “If it’s required by law that every child either get vaccinated or have a medical exemption … then why is there missing data?”
In the 2020-2021 school year, when a nascent pandemic shuttered schools and doctors’ offices, only 76% of 12th grade students submitted proof of receiving the meningococcal vaccine, according to immunization data obtained in a public records request from the Ohio Department of Health. The vaccine protects against meningitis and other, sometimes-lethal illnesses caused by the same bacteria.
About 22% of 12th graders had no exemption on file, leaving the picture unclear whether communities have high enough vaccination coverage to protect students.
That same year, only 78% of 7th grade school students statewide showed proof of receiving all vaccinations. Data was missing or incomplete on 19% of all 7th graders.
The missing data spans beyond the threshold for herd immunity for some vaccines. For instance, in the 2019-2020 year, 7.2% of kindergarteners and 9.4% of 7th grade students didn’t have all vaccination records or exemptions on file.
According to the World Health Organization, a community loses “herd immunity” — a threshold of community protection where a disease lacks viable hosts to spread — against measles when coverage falls below 95%. About 2.5% of students claimed a “conscience” objection, and a fraction of a percent claimed medical contraindications — which means they have diagnosed conditions where certain medical treatments such as a vaccine may cause harm.
“If [students with incomplete data] don’t have it on file because they are not vaccinated, that’s a problem,” Bhatta said. “We want as high a level of vaccination as possible to reduce the risk of transmission within a community.”
CDC research shows childhood immunization rates dropped significantly in 2020. However, the problem predates the pandemic. State data shows between 7.2% and 12.5% of sampled Ohio students did not show proof of vaccination or claim any exemption in 2019-2020 either.
The reports also lack data on vaccination by race or socioeconomic status, two major social determinants of health.
When contacted, different state agencies passed the blame or pointed fingers at county school boards, which are responsible for collecting data at the local level.
The COVID-19 vaccine data stands in stark contrast to the roughly 3% of public-school students who formally claim a nonmedical exemption year over year, raising more questions about the missing data.
Concerns about outbreaks of rare diseases among unvaccinated communities isn’t just a hypothetical.
Widespread vaccination eradicated measles in the U.S., but the virus can cause outbreaks when a host imports and spreads it among unvaccinated people. In early 2014, two unvaccinated Amish men returned to Knox County from the Philippines, unknowingly carrying measles, a highly infectious but vaccine-preventable disease. Amish communities tend to abstain from vaccination.
The two men seeded an outbreak that caused 383 infections in nine counties over four months, according to a report in the New England Journal of Medicine. About 90% of the victims were unvaccinated. Health officials mounted an awareness campaign and surged in more than 12,000 MMR vaccine doses for some 10,600 people to eventually smother the outbreak.
Researchers also note that unvaccinated people are not randomly distributed. Rather, they tend to concentrate in certain areas. Thus, statewide vaccination numbers can mask the vulnerability of some specific counties.
The missing data is a “significant concern,” according to Amy Bush Stevens, vice president of the Health Policy Institute of Ohio.
HPIO analyzed the data obtained from the Ohio Department of Health. According to its analysis, students in non-Appalachian, rural communities are most likely to claim exemptions to vaccination mandates. Students in metropolitan counties are most likely to not submit their vaccination records.
Screenshot from Health Policy Institute of Ohio analysis of Ohio Department of Health Immunization Summary Report data.
The missing data blurs a critical picture of whether students are protected, she said.
“Childhood vaccinations are a highly effective way to prevent infectious diseases among kids that have killed many children in the past,” she said.
Who’s to blame?
The law requires local boards of education to provide a summary of student immunizations to the state health director every year.
When contacted, both the Ohio Department of Education and the Ohio Department of Health sidestepped blame and pointed at the local schools.
Alicia Shoults, an ODH spokeswoman, said ODH provides funds for local health departments to do “assessment site visits for compliance.” The pandemic, however, limited this practice, and officials are still reviewing data to determine why so many students’ immunization records were missing last year.
“Ultimately, at the local level, schools are responsible for enforcement,” she said.
The Ohio Capital Journal requested data on school vaccination exemptions in May from the Ohio Department of Education. Spokeswoman Mandy Minick initially stated no such data exists. When asked about the data later obtained from ODH, its missing components, and the state law that requires it, she deflected blame.
The law prescribes roles to local schools and the state health director, not ODE, she said.
“The Department of Education does not have a prescribed role in the collection of this data,” Minick said.
A spokesman for the Ohio School Boards Association reviewed the immunization data but said he didn’t have anything to add.
OCJ contacted six county school boards overseeing schools with high rates of incomplete data. Only Youngstown City School District responded.
Of 152 seniors at Chaney High School in 2020-2021, 122 didn’t submit proof of vaccination or notice of exemption for the meningococcal vaccine — the only vaccine students must receive while in high school.
In the 2018-2019 school year (the 2019-2020 data is not broken out by high school), 89 of 158 students were missing meningococcal vaccine records.
If a meningitis outbreak emerged, officials wouldn’t immediately know who’s protected and who isn’t, costing precious time as vaccines are surged in.
Denise Dick, communications director for Youngstown City Schools, said while the pandemic worsened things, there has been a historical problem getting families to submit paperwork related to vaccination. However, the district is establishing in-school, optional vaccination appointments for a full spectrum of shots.
No one is forced to vaccinate, she said, but the goal is to make it as easy as possible for students. In the meantime, she acknowledged the district is flying blind as far as protection against infectious disease.
“Whether they’re not getting them, or they’re not giving us the record, we just don’t know that,” she said.
Solutions?
Amy Bush Stevens, from HPIO, has the fixes large and small.
On the mechanical side, HPIO analyzed a 2012 CDC survey of states and found Ohio is one of 18 states that doesn’t require health care providers and payers to report immunization data.
Some choose to, but others don’t. Mandatory reporting, she said, would clear the air on who’s vaccinated and who isn’t. (An ODH spokeswoman did not respond to an interview request with an administrator of ImpactSIIS, the state’s immunization information system.)
The current system, Stevens said, puts the burden on parents to submit records. For parents, especially those with lower incomes who move more often or change physicians, it’s too easy for documentation to get lost in the shuffle.
Another idea: tie reimbursement funding from Medicaid managed care plans more strongly to vaccination rates. More vaccination now equals lower costs of care down the line. And more outreach to eligible families to the Children’s Health Insurance Plan, which covers childhood vaccination, would help as the rate of uninsured children ticks up in Ohio.
And then there are structural changes. Public health departments are chronically underfunded in Ohio and one of the few fail safes for low-income, undocumented, or uninsured families. The Columbus Dispatch reported last year that Ohio spends less per capita on public health than all but three states.
“Anything we can do to increase the public health workforce will help with that and make sure that kids with no other source of care get their childhood immunizations,” Stevens said.
Other pending legislation would ban “vaccine passports” related to COVID-19. Discussion of the bills among proponents often dubiously characterizes a heavy-handed government forcing vaccines on the unwilling.
Among health experts, however, the reality is simple: Less vaccination equals more infectious disease.
“If you don’t rely on the school system to report — that’s the only way we could get a semblance of aggregated data,” Bhatta said.
Dr. Stephanie K. Siddens Photo by the Ohio Department of Education
A new interim state superintendent will hold down the fort at the Ohio Department of Education, following the departure of the previous interim superintendent.
Dr. Stephanie K. Siddens, currently the senior executive for the state’s Center for Student Supports, will take over in September, after current superintendent Paolo DeMaria officially retires. The Ohio State Board of Education approved Siddens as interim head at a special meeting on Monday.
Siddens has been with the Ohio Department of Education since 2006, working as assistant director and director for the Office of Early Learning and School Readiness, and as senior executive director for the Center for Curriculum and Assessment, before taking her current job.
Deputy State Superintendent John Richard had previously been picked by the state school board to fill the interim spot, but on August 10, Richard announced he’d be leaving the department.
Loveland, Ohio- LHS Tiger Athletics kicked the Fall sports season off with a bang as the Women’s Cross Country Team collected their first 2021 victory on Saturday at the Ohio High School Athletics Association (OHSAA) Cross Country Season Opener!
Both Loveland’s Women’s and Men’s Cross Country Teams competed Saturday against 43 (scored) teams from all across Ohio at Fortress Obetz in Columbus, Ohio, which is also where the OHSAA’s 2021 State Cross Country Meet will be run this year.
Both Tiger teams are being looked at with high expectations this year as they have a squad full of veteran runners returning including 2020 Eastern Cincinnati Conference Runner of the Year Senior Ryan Chevalier and 1st Team All-ECC Jesse Gibbins and Emmy Sager.
Loveland did not disappoint their supporters at the first meet of the 2021 season as the Women finished in 1st place out of 43 very talented teams and the Men finished in 3rd place. The Women finished with a score of 90 (11-12-18-20-29-108-130), a team time of 1:38:48, a runner average of 19:46, and a mile average of 6:22. The Men finished with a score of 185 (5-13-38-50-79-116-132), a team time of 1:26:04, a runner average of 17:13, and a mile average of 5:33.
For LHS’s Women’s Cross Country Team, Junior Madison Conatser finished 11th with a time of 19:27.8, Senior Jesse Gibbins finished 12th with a time of 19:33.7, Senior Sarah Madix finished 18th with a time of 19:40.5, Senior Emmy Sager finished 20th with a time of 19:51.5, Junior Ally Colegate finished 29th with a time of 20:13.6, Senior Maaike Snider finished 108th with a time of 22:00.2, and Sophmore Lauren Gard finished 130th with a time of 22:24.8.
The Men’s Cross Country Team also had some impressive finishes with Senior Ryan Chevalier finishing in 5th with a time of 16:13.6, Junior Brady Steiner finishing in 13th with a time of 16:44.9, Senior Sam Neiger finishing in 38th with a time of 17:26.1, Freshman Nick Huff finishing in 50th with a time of 17:38.1, Junior Grant Hanson finishing in 79th with a time of 18:00.4, Senior Andrew Waple finishing 116th with a time of 18:21.8, and Junior Alex Saletta finishing in 132nd with a time of 18:32.7.
Congratulations to LHS’s Men’s and Women’s Cross Country Team’s on their 1st and 3rd place finishes in their first meet of the 2021 season! We are looking forward to seeing all the Tiger success this year! Thank you to LHS Cross Country parent Paul Madix for providing us with both the stats and photos from the opening meet!
The Tigers will compete again on Friday, August 27th at Christ Church for the Moeller Prime Time Invitational at 8:45 P.M.
Tentative 2021 LHS Men’s & Women’s Cross Country Schedule
8/24 Sat, OHSAA Season Opener, 10:00 a.m. at Fortress Obetz
8/27 Fri, Moeller Prime Time Invitational, 8:45 p.m. at Christ Church
9/4 Sat, Loveland Invitational 8:45 a.m. at Home of the Brave
9/11 Sat, Mason Invitational 9:00 a.m. at Corwin Nixon Park
9/18 Sat, Asics Woodbridge XC Classic TBD at Irvine, California
(Top 7 Times from the OHSAA Season Opener & possible wildcard. Pending approval from OHSAA & Loveland Schools)
9/25 Sat, Loveland Sunset Invite 6:00 p.m. at Loveland High School
10/2 Sat, Saturday Nights Lights TBA at Centerville HS
10/16 Sat, ECC Championships TBD at Home of the Brave
10/21 Thur, Southwest Ohio Championships 5:45 p.m. at Site TBD
(Based on the ECC Championship results, all remaining non-Top 7 will compete)
10/23 Sat, District Championships TBD at Voice of America
(Top Seven will compete)
10/30 Sat, Regional Championships ** TBD at Troy, Ohio
11/6 Sat, Ohio State Championships ** TBD at Fortress Obetz
**Team or Individuals must qualify for the Regional & State Championships
*** Start Times will vary due to our participation in multiple races.
For more LHS sports updates stay tuned to the Sports 411 With ME, Cassie Mattia!
Loveland, Ohio – What better way to celebrate an event or milestone than gathering around one another outdoors for a customized elevated picnic experience! This is exactly what new local business Epic Picnics is all about!
Loveland resident and Owner of Epic Picnics, Amanda Ericson, started the business in 2020 in hopes that she could use her love for art, her passion for the community, and her attachment to the outdoors to craft and create one beautiful experience!
“Every day should be cherished, celebrated, and lived to the fullest,” Ericson said, “My husband and I believe in living healthy robust lives surrounded by family, friends, and our beloved dog Butters. This is why we are excited to bring an elevated picnic experience to the Cincinnati area! We believe every day is worth celebrating!”
Ericson, a Studio Art Major, began her journey managing a Coffee and Wine Bar and then eventually moved into sales and customer service. Although she always loved the jobs she took on, Ericson knew that there was something more she was meant to do; that’s when Epic Picnics came into conception!
Epic Picnics “specializes in creating the personal perfect atmosphere for a romantic picnic for two, a memorable moment for brunch in the park, an outdoor movie experience in your backyard, a surprise engagement, a gender reveal party or a private intimate moment.” The luxury picnic set-up is really anything but ordinary! Ericson not only creates the theme of the picnic based on the location, the type of Epic Picnic selected, and a questionnaire filled out by the customer explaining what special touches they want to be added to the picnic, she also executes the picnic set-up and packs up everything after the picnic!
Ericson is able to create and customize any picnic for any occasion and of course, if a customer is unsure of what they want Epic Picnics does offer picnic set-up options such as The 1-hour Picnic, The 2-hour Picnic, The Luxury Movie Night, “Just Brunchin,” and Uniquely Yours (typically for large groups like Corporate Events, Weddings, Baby Showers, Proposals, Engagement Parties, and Birthdays). All of the picnic options include a unique set-up depending on the theme and the customized add-on’s selected by the customer.
After chatting with Ericson on the phone about Epic Picnics I knew we had to get her on-camera talking about the concept and her passion for creating!
Ericson offered to set up an Epic Picnic for me, my best friend Stacie, and my grandma in the heart of Downtown Loveland at Nisbet Park so that we could experience exactly what an elevated picnic feels like. The experience was above and beyond my expectations and the “Boho Sheek” picnic theme was to die for! The Epic Picnic was the perfect backdrop for an on-camera interview with Ericson so we decided to share with YOU the readers not only what Epic Picnics is all about but also what an Epic Picnic looks like!
Without further ado, Cassie the Food Guru brings to you Amanda Ericson from Epic Picnics in her first on-camera interview! Believe me, you won’t want to miss out on all the fun and delicious snacks we got into on our elevated picnic!
Are you looking to celebrate a meaningful occasion or host a unique event with style? Visit Epic Picnics website or give them a call at (513) 525-4812 to start planning your luxury picnic today!
A 50% non-refundable deposit is required to reserve your requested picnic date. The balance due must be paid in full 7 days before the reservation date or the reservation may be subject to cancellation.All picnics include take-out boxes for leftover picnic food, sanitizer, and bug spray. Flowers included in the picnic setup can go home with you!
Columnist Cassie Mattia is a resident of Historic Downtown Loveland. She is the Co-Owner, Associate Editor, and Director of Marketing at Loveland Magazine. Contact Cassie if you are interested in promoting your event or business in Loveland Magazine. Cassie also Emcee’s events so feel free to reach out if you are in need of an Emcee for your next event, fundraiser, or sports-related competition.
Watch more LOVELAND MAGAZINE TV stories on our YouTube channel!
Loveland, Ohio – “I have reviewed the CED application and the benefits it represents to the Loveland Madeira Road Business Corridor. Based on this review, I am submitting the application to City Council with a recommendation of approval and request that City Council schedule a public hearing to be held on September 28, 2021, to allow for public comment on the application,” Mayor Kathy Bailey said in a recent memo to Council.
Loveland Mayor Kathy Bailey (Loveland Magazine File Photo)
The drinking district, or “Community Entertainment District” (CED) within the Loveland Madeira Road business corridor would create 10 new D-5J liquor permits.
At the August 24 council meeting, City Manager Dave Kennedy described the effort as a new pool of liquor licenses, called D5-J, “…to help create a long and sustained turnaround for the Loveland Madeira Road business corridor.” He said it could expand the corridor’s opportunities for dining and entertainment-type businesses.
Mr. Kennedy added that, if a CED is created, a D5-J would cost the applicant a $100 processing fee and a permit fee of $2,344, a savings of $27,000.
The proposed district would encompass 54.029 acres between the intersection of West Loveland Avenue to Kroger, including all of the city’s Chestnut Street parcels. If approved, it would allow for ten D5-J liquor permits to be available in the district. The City council must: approve or disapprove the application.
If Council moves forward with the process they will set a date and time for a public hearing regarding the application.
Kennedy told Council that the CED could easily be expanded in the future. He said there would be a maximum of fifteen D5-J licenses in one district.
Nearly two in three age-eligible teenagers remain unvaccinated against COVID-19 as summer ends and the disease looms over its third consecutive school year.
Spokespersons for the state departments of health and education said they did not know what percentage of students enrolled in public schools are vaccinated.
However, looking at the total population (which would include homeschooled students), more than 62% remain unvaccinated.
“As of today, there are 390,903 Ohioans age 12-18 who have started the vaccination process,” said Ohio Department of Health spokeswoman Alicia Shoults. “This represents 37.5% of that age group.”
Despite plans to attend classes in close contact with their peers several days per week, teenagers are the least vaccinated age cohort — surpassing 20-29-year-olds (44%) and 30-39-year-olds (51%).
The Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine was authorized for use in people aged 16-and-up in mid-December, though most states restricted access for elder and sicker residents through early 2021. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration authorized its use on children 12-15 on May 11.
At a press conference last week, Gov. Mike DeWine said a communal goal of keeping students in school for in-person learning is “threatened” by the hyper-transmissible Delta variant of COVID-19. He repeated a recommendation from ODH that students either seek vaccination or wear a mask at school.
“The best way to make sure a child can stay in school and not have his or her classes interrupted, is for that child to be vaccinated,” he said. “If that child cannot be vaccinated, the best way to ensure a good school year for that child is for that child to wear a mask while in class.”
Loveland, Ohio – CancerFree KIDS has appointed three new members to its Board of Trustees in a move to “grow more relationships with Greater Cincinnati’s business community and expand its impact in pediatric cancer research”.
Tom Simpson, chief operating officer, Cincinnati Bell, Inc
Javier Diaz, vice president, Cancer & Blood Institute at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center
Rob Reifsnyder, chief executive officer (retired), United Way of Greater Cincinnati
“We are strategically putting the pieces together to help take CancerFree KIDS to the next level,” says Al Early, vice president and principal of consulting services, CBTS, and incoming board chair for CancerFree KIDS. “With Javier, Rob, and Tom, we can stay closely aligned with emerging research opportunities while reaching more of Cincinnati’s business leaders and growing the support for vital pediatric cancer initiatives.”
Diaz, Reifsnyder, and Simpson join a board that has also recently seen a change in leadership.
Al Early replaces CancerFree KIDS Founder Ellen Flannery as the new board chair.
In addition to Early’s new role, Kelly Holden, partner, DBL Law has been named vice-chair and Greg Carroll, director, technical support center office of ground water, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has been named treasurer.
“CancerFree KIDS is a tremendous partner to Ohio cancer researchers,” says Diaz. “I’m excited to join a team that is so clear in its mission to apply revolutionary research to cure high-risk and relapsed cancer in children. Thanks to CancerFree KIDS and the research it has funded, there are kids who are right now enjoying longer, happy lives. I am grateful for this opportunity to help CancerFree KIDS grow these important efforts.”
Founded in 2002, CancerFree KIDS has invested more than $7 million since its inception to fund high-risk, high- reward research initiatives at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center in Avondale and Nationwide Children’s Hospital in Columbus. The studies intend to find cures and gentler treatments to help children better cope with the pains and challenges of fighting cancer. In most cases, this research would go unfunded without the support of CancerFree KIDS.
Visit www.cancerfreekids.org to learn more about the organization’s mission and work to fight childhood cancer.
Loveland, Ohio – Would you like to make a difference and give back to the community? Local non-profit, The Loveland Learning Garden, provides the opportunity for anyone to volunteer to help teach local students about the environment, or maintain the vegetable garden, the flower garden, and the nature trail!
The Loveland Learning Garden, located at 600 Loveland-Madeira Road (Loveland Primary and Loveland Elementary school grounds), dedicates everything to giving kids the opportunity to form “lifelong connections to the wonders of the natural world.” The non-profit outdoor education program not only strives to build awareness and community support but also maintains a vegetable garden, a flower garden, and a nature trail that is used for hands-on learning. The over 1,200 Loveland 1st-4th grade students involved are able to get an interactive experience, through a 20-week curriculum (taught by “Garden Educators” during the school day in the Spring and Fall), with nature while still adhering to the academics they are being taught in class. Seeing how food is grown, tasting fresh produce, and harvesting food that is eventually donated to local non-profit LIFE Food Pantry are just a few things students are able to get involved in at the Loveland Learning Garden.
Planting Kale in May at the Loveland Learning Garden
Board President, Laurie Flanagan, chatted with us at the Loveland Learning Garden about why gaining dedicated volunteers is vital to keeping the non-profit education program running.
“In order to successfully sustain our program, we seek people who want to share their talent and ‘dig in’ to join us by taking on leadership roles on our board or owning pieces of work that make the organization run,” Flanagan explained, “Our committees include education, communications, garden and trail maintenance, volunteer recruitment, and grants/fundraising. We have a diverse volunteer base of ages and backgrounds and welcome everyone! For example, we have students from the LHS National Honor Society, Tigers in Service, and the LHS Environmental Club who have helped us, University of Cincinnati students, workgroups, church groups, students from neighboring school districts, local parochial schools, and many individuals from across the Cincinnati area.“
Check out the video below to see Laurie Flanagan explain how you can help the Loveland Learning Garden!
During the months of March-October volunteers are heavily needed at the Loveland Learning Garden. If you or your organization would like to volunteer email the Loveland Learning Garden.
The Loveland Learning Garden will be a part of the 2021 Great Outdoor Weekend sponsored by Green Umbrella. On September 25th from 9 AM-1 PM, the Loveland Learning Garden will be holding a scavenger hunt for kids ages 4-10. For more information click the above Great Outdoor Weekend link!
To stay informed on the Loveland Learning Garden’s upcoming events and volunteer opportunities you can visit their Instagram and/or Facebook.
Loveland Learning Garden History The foundation for Loveland Learning Garden was planted in 2002 as a floral garden on grade school grounds thanks to the vision of a grandmother who wanted to share the joy of picking fresh flowers with children. With the addition of vegetable gardens and a nature trail in the woods behind the school, Granny’s Garden School grew to be one of the most comprehensive school garden programs in the country and was recognized as a model for nature-based education training. In 2016, the founder retired while a new group of leaders, believing in the value of the program to students and the community evolved the nonprofit to its next iteration. Today, with new energy and a refreshed identity, the Loveland Learning Garden operates with strong, collaborative school partnerships, diverse leadership, community involvement, and a continued passion to educate and inspire children to the lifelong benefits found through nature.
For more ways to get involved with the community stay tuned to the Loveland Salad With ME, Cassie Mattia!
