News and Events from the Loveland, Ohio Area
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Loveland, Ohio – The Little Miami River Chamber Alliance urges you to join them for the State of the Region 2023 Address. Hear from city and township leaders: David Kennedy (Loveland City Manager), Jeff Wright (Miami Township Administrator), and Kim Lapensee (Symmes Township Administrator) on their 2023 plans. Learn more about your community, economic development plans and stay informed for the upcoming year.
February 2
11:30 AM
HCC – 1007 Cottonwood Dr., Loveland, Ohio
Loveland, Ohio – There are expanded access to teen driver training for low-income Ohio families through the new “Drive to Succeed” scholarship program.
Loveland area residents can urge their police departments, council members, or trustees to apply for a grant by forwarding this story to them. Whether you have a teen driver or not, all residents will benefit from safer teen drivers.
Administered by the Ohio Traffic Safety Office (OTSO) and available via grants to local governmental agencies, teens selected for a scholarship by grantee agencies would attend an eligible Ohio-approved driving school in their area at little to no cost.
Funding to establish these community-based scholarships will be awarded by OTSO to local agencies through a competitive grant process. Local government agencies, such as police departments, sheriffs’ offices, health departments, and others may apply for funding. The proposing agency must be in an area with a population of 5,000 or more.
“The importance of driver training cannot be overstated, especially for our young drivers,” said Ohio Governor Mike DeWine. “This new program aims to remove the financial barrier that may prevent some teens from enrolling in driver education.”
Data shows that young drivers under age 24 are involved in 31% of all crashes in Ohio. Youth-related fatal crashes have been steadily rising over the past three years with 296 fatalities in 2021 accounting for almost 24% of all fatal crashes.
For the first time in Ohio, recent research has shown that new drivers under age 18 who complete the mandatory driver education under Ohio’s Graduated Driver Licensing (GDL) restrictions were less likely to crash than drivers licensed at age 18 who are exempt from these requirements. Ohio is one of only 15 states with comprehensive licensing requirements that include behind-the-wheel training at a licensed driving school, in addition to classroom or online instruction, parent-supervised practice driving, and learner permit holding periods.
Agencies that wish to receive a grant must submit their proposals before Jan. 21, 2023. The complete grant proposal and guidelines can be found online at Grants/Federal Programs | Ohio Traffic Safety Office.
Reuters has announced that President Joe Biden will join Republican Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell in a Wednesday event in Kentucky aimed at highlighting the effects of the $1 trillion 2021 infrastructure bill, a White House official said Sunday.
Bidenr, along with Ohio Governor Mike DeWine and Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear, are to appear at a ceremony highlighting the $1.64 billion in funding awarded to for the Brent Spence Bridge Corridor Project connecting the two states across the Ohio River.
Ohio Governor Mike DeWine and Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear announced last week the awarding of federal funding grants worth $1.635 billion for the Brent Spence Bridge Corridor Project – giving the landmark bridge and corridor project the green light to move toward construction.
“Ohio and Kentucky have been discussing the Brent Spence Bridge Corridor Project for almost two decades, and now, we can finally move beyond the talk and get to work,” said Governor DeWine. “This project will not only ease the traffic nightmare that drivers have suffered through for years, but it will also help ensure that the movement of the supply chain doesn’t stall on this nationally significant corridor. My administration vowed to press the federal government to fund this project, and we’re glad that they have recognized its significance. I’m grateful to the teams in both states who have worked so hard to make this project a reality.”
With funding secured, groundbreaking on the project is anticipated for late 2023, with substantial completion slated for 2029.
“I’m thrilled the time has finally come for us to get the companion bridge built,” Gov. Beshear said. “Funding and constructing the Brent Spence Bridge Corridor Project is more than the fulfillment of my administration’s promise – it’s a dream-fulfilled for the thousands of travelers who pass through the bustling region every day waiting eagerly for traffic relief to come on this nationally significant corridor. It also shows what’s possible when we prioritize people over politics. Once complete, drivers will have a more enjoyable and efficient drive and we’ll have the infrastructure in place to support the booming economy in this part of the state. Hats off to the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet and Ohio Department of Transportation, and countless partners and advocates who played a role in today’s monumental achievement including the General Assembly for the last budget allocation. We greatly appreciate President Biden and Secretary Buttigieg for this historic investment.”
The Brent Spence Bridge was constructed in the 1960s to carry around 80,000 vehicles a day, but the daily I-75 and I-71 traffic load has reached 160,000 vehicles in recent years. Because I-75 is a key freight corridor stretching from Canada to Florida, the congestion impacts commerce and commuters who travel the corridor in the eastern United States.
Project plans call for the construction of a companion bridge to the west of the existing Brent Spence Bridge, as well as improvements to the current bridge and the roadway network that ties into each river crossing. There will be enhanced pedestrian access across I-75 in Cincinnati to reconnect downtown with western neighborhoods and the City of Cincinnati will regain nearly 10 acres of land to develop in the downtown area. In Kentucky, the project will include a new storm sewer system to reduce flooding and improve local roads, including enhanced pedestrian and bicycle facilities, in the area of the existing and new bridge.
The project team – consisting of representatives from the Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) and Kentucky Transportation Cabinet (KYTC) – applied jointly for funding and have outlined terms to move the project to construction.
The funding was made available through the passage of the federal Bipartisan Infrastructure Law that invested billions of dollars to revitalize infrastructure and spur the economy.
In July, Governors DeWine and Beshear announced revised plans based on community engagement and technical analysis to shrink the project footprint.
“Nothing great is achieved alone and I’m proud of all the people who’ve come to the table over the years to ensure that we’ll deliver a project with huge benefits and minimal impacts to the communities that live in and around the project area,” KYTC Secretary Jim Gray said.
“This project doesn’t just move vehicles, it moves people. We’re able to reconnect neighborhoods to downtown Cincinnati, improve safety, and reduce congestion on this route, all while only adding a single lane to the interstate with this project,” said ODOT Director Jack Marchbanks.
With funding secured, groundbreaking on the project is anticipated in late 2023 with larger construction activities in 2024. Substantial completion on the project is slated for 2029. The immediate next step will be the selection process to determine the Progressive Design Build contractor team to complete the project. That effort will begin in January when the Request for Proposals (RFP) is released to the contractor community.
The Federal Highway Administration recently required the project team to complete an analysis to better identify project cost estimates. Through this process, the project team determined the project is likely to cost about $3.6 billion. The increase from previous estimates was not unexpected due to the recent impact of inflation in construction prices. As a result, the project team is updating the project’s financial plan to account for the change.
The Brent Spence Bridge Corridor Project will invest in local communities panning eight miles between the Western Hills Viaduct in Ohio and Dixie Highway in Kentucky, the project will address the second-worst truck bottleneck in the nation by improving safety and travel on the interstate connection that carries more than $700 billion worth of freight every year.
Ohio legislators will head back to the drawing board on congressional and Statehouse maps
BY: SUSAN TEBBEN – Ohio Capital Journal
The new year could include many different developments in the redistricting arena, but one thing is for sure: new maps have to be on the agenda.
But this time around, majority leaders may not have as much trouble getting maps through the current approving authority: The Ohio Supreme Court.
With the departure of Chief Justice Maureen O’Connor due to age limits, Justice Sharon Kennedy was elected to take the top spot, and Kennedy made clear how she felt about redistricting in the past, accusing the court majority of judicial overreach in rejecting maps as unconstitutional.
The maps have gone through the ringer: Statehouse district maps have been rejected by the state’s highest court five times, and congressional maps have been turned down twice.
After the last round of rejection, GOP members of the Ohio Redistricting Commission turned to a federal U.S. District Court for an answer, which came in the form of the temporary approval of a map passed in February, but still deemed unconstitutional by the state supreme court.
The three-judge panel in federal court said they did not intend for the map to last ten years, or even the four years laid out in the constitutional amendment that reformed the process. The ORC could pass a map without bipartisan support, but the map would only last four years.
The GOP took another step around the Ohio Supreme Court, by appealing to the U.S. Supreme Court on congressional redistricting, and the power of the state legislature over the state supreme court.
The nation’s highest court has not yet decided whether it will take up the case, and is still deciding a different redistricting-related case, Moore v. Harper, which also addresses the role of the state legislature in elections.
U.S Sen. Sherrod Brown pointed to ousted Ohio House Speaker Larry Householder’s corruption scandal as part of the problem the state is having in attempting to resolve the redistricting issue.
“This state government is the most corrupt in the country,” Brown said on a press call. “I think there’s no question about that.”
Householder wasn’t a part of redistricting, but his predecessor as Speaker, Bob Cupp was, along with Senate President Matt Huffman.
“Of course, (GOP members of the legislature) know they’re losing elections all over the country based on the fact that they are out of step with the majority of voters, so they believe the only way to win is change the rules,” Brown said.
Legislative leaders have not made any indication for sure as to when the process will start again, though the need to pass a new state budget may slow the process down.
Voting advocates have said they are pulling together a new ballot measure, that could change redistricting yet again. Outgoing Chief Justice Maureen O’Connor has said she plans to help anti-gerrymandering efforts.
Deerfield, Township, Ohio – Deerfield Township will have 3 Christmas Tree Drop Off locations setup in the Township. These locations will be at Cottell, Fleckenstein, and Landen-Deerfield Parks.
Deerfield Township Parks are open daily from dawn until dusk. Areas will be sectioned off and posted with signs for township residents to drop off their Christmas trees. Christmas trees will be accepted for recycling during park hours from January 3rd, 2023 through January 20, 2023.
Find a Deerfield park near you.
Loveland, Ohio – The City of Loveland provides residents with an annual Christmas tree removal service. The 2023 collection will take place from January 3-16, 2023. City Hall asks that you please remove all decorations, lights, tree stands, and tree bags before placing your Christmas trees at the curb.
For questions about the Christmas tree recycling program, call City Hall at 513-707-1442.
Holiday Light Recycling
City of Loveland, Miami Township, and Symmes Township residents can recycle their used holiday lights Nov. 26-Jan. 20 at the following locations:
BY: NICK EVANS – Ohio Capital Journal
Ohio health officials are urging caution again this winter. But entering our third holiday season with COVID-19, the nature of those warnings is a bit different.
As Ohio Department of Health Director Dr. Bruce Vanderhoff explained, this year the threat is multiple respiratory viruses at once.
“Unlike the last two winters, it’s not just about COVID,” he said. “But the combination of COVID, influenza, and RSV, especially for those whose health is more vulnerable or who have not been adequately vaccinated against flu and COVID-19.”
RSV, or respiratory syncytial virus, often feels like a common cold for adults and otherwise healthy children. But for infants, the elderly or immunocompromised people it can be dangerous. According to the CDC, RSV is the most common cause of bronchitis and pneumonia among kids 12 months old and younger.
Unlike COVID-19 and flu, RSV has no vaccine.
As ever, Vanderhoff’s chief precautionary recommendations are for people feeling ill to stay home and for everyone to wash their hands regularly. In situations where people must leave the house, officials recommend wearing an N95 mask.
He also urged those who haven’t gotten vaccinated for the flu or COVID-19 to do so.
“Vaccination is the safest and most dependable way to assure that you’re maximizing that cellular immunity I talked about,” Vanderhoff explained. “It gives your immune system its best opportunity to confront and beat the virus.”
According to the CDC, the COVID-19 community level — a statistic based on number of hospital admissions and number of cases per 100k population — is low in many Ohio counties. Twelve rank as ‘high’ based on those metrics.
Dr. Joe Gastaldo, OhioHealth medical director for infectious diseases, said people should be especially cautious in those counties.
“In those scenarios, regardless of vaccination status, the recommendation is to wear a mask,” he said. “If you’re not feeling well wear a mask. I think specifically if you have an at-risk condition, or are immunocompromised, I would advise you as an infectious disease doctor to wear a mask indoors in public.”
The CDC’s more familiar community transmission metric, based on cases per 100k population and percentage of positive tests, remains high throughout the state. All but nine of the Ohio’s 88 counties rank high for community transmission and none are low.
As for RSV and the flu, Vanderhoff noted this year both started earlier and rose more rapidly than in past years. Both viruses have receded from their peak, he explained, but remain dangerous for some populations.
Follow OCJ Reporter Nick Evans on Twitter.
BY: SUSAN TEBBEN – Ohio Capital Journal
The CEOs of some of Ohio’s biggest companies saw big paydays, much bigger than their employees, according to a report by an Ohio-based think tank.
An analysis found that of the 54 large state employers who file reports under the federal Securities and Exchange Commission, average pay for CEOs was up to $21.7 million in 2021, a rise from $16 million in 2020.
All but one of the CEOs studied were paid more than $5 million and 44 made more than $10 million, according to the report. All but three of the companies reporting to the SEC paid their CEOs “more than 100 times what they paid their median worker in 2021,” the report stated.
“Meanwhile, these 54 corporations cut median pay for workers or added more low paying jobs, pushing the median pay down from $51,494 in 2020 to $48,283 last year,” Policy Matters Ohio said in a statement on the report.
Companies including Wal-Mart, Victoria’s Secret and Starbucks were in the mix, and were also flagged for a median pay of less than $26,500, which is the federal poverty level for a family of four.
“Last year, corporate price gouging made it harder for many Ohioans to make ends meet, but many of the CEOs driving the problem did better than ever,” according to the report’s author, Michael Shields.
Shields said policymakers need to focus on reducing incentives “that give CEOs a personal pay boost for corporate decisions that harm workers and consumers” and limiting CEO power over pay decisions.
Tax penalties, government contracts, price gouging and worker compensation mandates could all be addressed to help bridge the wage gap, Policy Matters recommended.
“CEO pay is a major driver of inequity and excessive pay gains captured by CEOs reduce financial resources available to pay other working people,” the report stated. “Policymakers at all levels of government can make differetn choices so working people share in the prosperity their work makes possible.”
Loveland, Ohio – The Loveland Valentine Ladies invite you to join them to kick off the 2023 Valentine Program on Saturday, January 7, at 11 AM at Sweetheart Alley on the Loveland Bike Trail.
You will meet the 2023 Valentine Lady, Donna Barnes.
In addition, the 2023 Valentine card will be unveiled and available for purchase at $2.00 each or 3 cards for $5.00.
Also, mark your calendars for the annual Valentine breakfast on February 10 at 8:30 AM. More details about the breakfast will be announced at a later date.
The Little Miami River Chamber Alliance is also hosting a Valentine coloring program for young artists, with a submission deadline of January 20, 2023.
Download the Coloring Contest Form (PDF)
Additionally, the Valentine Poetry Contest is open to a variety of age groups and there will be a poetry workshop on January 7 at 9 AM at the Hometown Cafe, led by Dr. Kathy Lorenz, the Valentine Lady of 2019. Poetry submissions are due by January 20, 2023.
Download the Poetry Contest Entry Form
Come on down to Loveland, Ohio,
Where love is in the air.
Join in the fun and make some memories,
In this charming town so dear.
At Sweetheart Alley on the bike trail,
The 2023 Valentine card will be revealed.
Purchase one for two bucks or three for five,
And show your love for someone so your heart isn't concealed.
Meet the Valentine Lady, Donna Barnes,
And mark your calendars for the annual breakfast.
Details to come, so stay tuned,
For this event that's sure to be festooned.
The Little Miami River Chamber Alliance,
Is hosting a coloring program for young artists.
With a deadline of January 20,
This is a chance to create something most badest.
And don't forget the poetry contest,
Open to all ages and skill level.
A workshop on January 7, led by Dr. Lorenz,
Will help you craft it perfect and special.
So come on down to Loveland, Ohio,
Where love is in the air.
Join in the fun and make some memories,
At the 2023 Valentine Program fair.
- AI generated by David Miller
Mason, Ohio – New at the Kings Island amusement park in 2023 will be Adventure Port, “where the myths of an ancient civilization and its mighty city carved out of stone have lured travelers from around the globe to a bustling port community.”
Adventure Port is located between Coney Mall and Action Zone, the park’s newest themed area will feature two new family rides, enhanced theming for Adventure Express, Enrique’s quick service restaurant, and the Mercado.
Calling all explorers!
Warnings of unchartered lands and surprise encounters beckon adventure seekers to board the Adventure Express for a journey that travels 3,000 feet of track twisted between trees and nestled into a hillside in the Oktoberfest area of the park.
As the adventure begins, passengers depart from the station for what seems to be a leisurely ride, but after a quick plunge into the dense foliage of a damp rainforest, it becomes obvious this is no average coaster ride.
As the train leaves the rainforest, a quick turn sends passengers into an old, boarded-up mine shaft. The train exits the tunnel only to enter another, narrowly escaping before being hoisted up the ride’s first lift hill where the train tiptoes its way over the track’s decrepit rickety structure then dives 60 feet below where passengers find themselves spinning through a helix of ruins.
Riders next experience another tunnel, beginning a 40-foot climb up the second lift. The walls of this enclosed lift are lined with drummers and a giant figure holding a cauldron of molten lava is directly ahead.
As the train avoids the lava, it’s hurled into a dark cave that leads riders back to civilization.
Sol Spin
This recently discovered mechanism appears to be an immense sun disk created by an ancient civilization. Climb aboard these open air, suspended passenger vehicles to experience the thrill of flying 60 feet through the air at 25 m.p.h.
Cargo Loco
Need a company to ship your goods? Look no further than the Arrow Cargo Company. Their methods might be a little dizzying, but they’ll get your freight from Point A to Point B…eventually. Check out the shipping barrels for yourself and get ready for the trip of your life!
The Mercado
Cultures come together at the Mercado, a melting pot where guests simply celebrate being alive. Whether you’re an explorer just passing through, or a tourist checking out the local scene, the local purveyor is your source for dining, drinking, cargo transport and more.
Enrique’s
A trip to Adventure Port isn’t complete unless you experience the local cuisine. Stop by Enrique’s quick serve restaurant for a menu that features traditional burritos, burrito bowls, tacos, salads and sides.
Adventure Port Debuts in 2023
Resting in the foothills of overgrown mountains and dense tropical terrain, Adventure Port is a hub for explorers searching for the ruins of an ancient civilization, its forbidden temple and mysterious wonders. If asked, the locals will tell tales of those who came before you and vanished. Did they unwittingly disturb ancient spirits and fall victim to an age-old curse?
