LOVELAND MAGAZINE

News and Events from the Loveland, Ohio Area

Without fear or favor
Since 2004

Tag: loveland ohio

  • Council Continues to Choose the Most Expensive and Damaging Option for Parking, Ignoring Other Options – with No Explanation Why

    Council Continues to Choose the Most Expensive and Damaging Option for Parking, Ignoring Other Options – with No Explanation Why

    Make your voice heard about this issue using petition link below

    by Lauren Enda,

    For the last several months, I have been speaking at council about the need for more conversation, study, and transparency about the parking garage proposal. Loveland needs to do something about the parking issue, that much we can all agree upon. The proposed garage is one of many, many options available to Loveland. Every other option is less expensive, less permanent, less damaging to the environment and less jarring to the landscape. And every other option would enhance, rather than detract from, Loveland’s brand as a quaint and historic area.

    Here is a high-level overview of just one option that would be free to Loveland taxpayers, drastically cut down summer traffic levels in Loveland, provide Loveland businesses even more customers and clients, and maintain our natural, peaceful downtown landscape. The Miami Riverview Park is approximately one mile away from Loveland and it sits on the bike trail. There are hundreds of spaces available – all free of charge. Loveland could mount a marketing and communication plan, teaming with Miami Township, to divert cyclists and walkers coming from 275 to park there and then ride or walk into Loveland – which on a bike takes about a minute. Cyclists or walkers from the east or Route 48 could park there as well without entering Loveland’s downtown area at all. 

    To get the word out about the parking alternative, we could post temporary signs on the trail directing people to Miami Riverview next time they are in Loveland – we could even include a QR code with a map directing them. We could make up information cards to put on windshields and for businesses to give to their customers. Loveland has a Marketing and Communications Coordinator on staff who could design more ways to get the word out about this idea. If cyclists parked at Miami Riverview, it would free up dozens, if not hundreds, of parking spaces downtown for Loveland residents, and reduce traffic. Miami Riverview is just one option of many. And it is free, easy, available now, with no construction, no environmental damage, and no controversy. Let’s pursue this option first.

    A parking committee could outline further options, weighing cost, return on investment, environmental damage, number of spaces, etc… Residents would be happy to talk through more options with members of council at any time. We do not have to choose the most expensive option. In fact, why would we choose the most expensive option? Choosing to spend millions of dollars unnecessarily shows a lack of respect for taxpayers and their money. Council needs to explain their course of action when other options are available. Let’s spend our precious dollars on other higher priority issues – our aging water system, traffic issues, or sorting out the Chestnut property. There are plenty of priorities to choose from that would benefit everyone.

    “I chose Loveland as my retirement home. A large part of my decision to move here was the bike trail and the downtown area and I am determined to protect that. I will fight to protect it.”

    Lauren Enda

    To make speeches and write articles takes a lot of work – and a lot of courage.  Partnering with and learning from a wide variety of individuals and organizations helps to learn about the garage and its detrimental impacts. Two of those organizations spoke at City Council on February 8th – the Sierra Club and the Citizens for Rights of the Ohio River Watershed. Both organizations acknowledge that parking must be addressed but saying the issue must be fully studied and the Council must give residents the ability to vote on a parking garage. Contacting Ohio’s Environmental Protection Agency, The Ohio Department of Natural Resources, multiple elected officials, and The Economic Development Administration has also widened my knowledge of the issue. 

    I chose Loveland as my retirement home. A large part of my decision to move here was the bike trail and the downtown area and I am determined to protect that. I will fight to protect it. I want Loveland to succeed. I want Loveland businesses to succeed. I want visitors to enjoy my town as much as I do. And I want everyone to have a place to park. Together, let’s find ways to provide that parking using a rational, systematic approach. 

    If you want to show your support for a more reasoned approach to the parking issues in Loveland, sign this petition. Council needs to hear from us that we want more data on the parking issue. Thank you.

    Petition · Stop the Loveland Garage · Change.org

    Lauren Enda lives in Loveland at Hidden Creek.

    >

  • Loveland’s Hearts Afire Weekend Kicks-Off This Friday!

    Loveland’s Hearts Afire Weekend Kicks-Off This Friday!

    by Cassie Mattia

    Loveland, Ohio – The month of love has finally arrived meaning Loveland is finalizing details for its first-ever Hearts Afire Weekend! As the word gets out across the city as to what’s in store for the heart-filled weekend, more local businesses and vendors are getting involved in the festivities. Luckily we have collected all the latest details for Loveland’s Hearts Afire Weekend so you can be prepared for what’s predicted to be one of the best events Loveland has ever seen!

    Loveland’s Hearts Afire Weekend will take place February 11th-13th with the majority of the “lovely” activities occurring on Saturday, February 12th. Most of the businesses in Downtown Loveland and on the outskirts of the city will be participating in the Valentine’s Day Weekend festivities!

    Beautiful Gingerbread Ice Sculpture, photo taken by “Rock on Ice”
    “Frozen” character Ice Sculpture, photo taken by “Rock on Ice”
    Gorgeous Snowflake Ice Sculpture, photo taken by “Rock on Ice”

    Hearts Afire Weekend is set to have a plethora of heart-filled activities including pristine ice sculptures, outdoor Valentine’s Day decorations, live entertainment, a charity date auction, food trucks, speed dating, pet adoptions, love spell workshops, psychics, fire performers, and much more! Here are the latest details on what you can expect from Loveland’s Hearts Afire Weekend:

    Friday, February 11th

    • Loveland General Store & Eads Fence – Valentine Photo Contest: 8 a.m.-5 p.m.
      • “Take your most creative valentine photo and check in on Facebook with your photo! The most liked photo will win a 1-night stay at Loveland Farm Airbnb & Event Venue!”
    • Oasis Golf & Conference Center – Annual Valentine Breakfast: 8:30-10:30 a.m.
      • “The Little Miami River Chamber Alliance will honor the 2022 Valentine Lady and announce winners of the annual poetry and art contests.”
      • ?️ Purchase Tickets
    • Hometown Café – Kids Valentine Craft Party: 5-7 p.m.
      • “Create and celebrate Valentine’s Day with a cute craft. This is perfect for kids ages 6-12, and siblings are $5 off. The ticket includes all your supplies, step-by-step instructions, and a snack from Hometown Café.”
      • ?️ Purchase Tickets
    • Downtown Loveland – Galentine Night: 5-8 p.m.
      • “Visit downtown’s shops for chocolate treats, a gift basket giveaway, and shopping specials. The Old School Pix vintage truck will be parked outside Trailside Provisions and decorated for Valentine’s Day pictures!”
      • “The following shops will be participating in this event: Alley Boutique, Blume, Busy Bee Boutique, Haven Grey, Lemons & Limes, Loveland Sweet Shoppe, Trailside Provisions, and Welling & Co. Jewelers.“
    • Art House II – Art Open House Sale + Raffle: 5-8 p.m.
      • “Art House II is hosting an Open House through the weekend, featuring a sale and raffle. Galleries of original Loveland art will be 15% off. Every visitor will be entered in a raffle to win a Giclee Print on stretched canvas depicting the Tano block on W. Loveland Ave. before the fire. The drawing will be Sunday at 4 p.m. (do not need to be present to win).”
    • Art House II – Thru the Eyes of Your Beloved: 6 p.m. or 7:30 p.m.
      • “This workshop is an artistic celebration of couples, love, and fun. Start with an optional sip of wine; then sit across from each other at your own easel. Everyone has their own acrylic paints, sets of brushes, and an 11×14 stretched canvas. Paint your beloved as you see them. Neither sees the other’s painting until the end of the work time (35-45 minutes). This is NOT a class, although an Art House II resident will be near if needed. Painters can go for reality or can capture the “spirit” of their beloved. Anything goes! Paintings can be taken with you, picked up later, or picked up the next day so that painters can move on to other activities around the city.) Art House II can accommodate up to four couples per session. Come with friends for even more fun! Allow an hour for a glass of wine, basic use of materials, painting, unveiling of the masterworks, and clean up. Click here to download flier. Inclusive cost is $40 per couple.”
      • “Please call (513) 313-2450 to reserve your spot.”
    • Cappy’s Wine and Spirits – Cappy’s Charity Date Auction: 6-10 p.m.
      • “Cappy’s will kick off the night with live music on the patio. Eligible dates (store employees, beer/wine reps, and some familiar faces) will walk the red carpet, while those in attendance place their highest bids at the Band’s set break for a night out in Loveland!”
      • “The minimum bid will be $50. All proceeds will go towards Furgotten Dog Rescue. Bid on a date on Sat., Feb. 12th or Sun., Feb. 13th.”
      • “The date will feature a champagne toast at Cappy’s, chocolate-covered strawberries from Cocoa Bites, a mini-shopping spree at Lemons & Limes, and a small plate from Rodi.”
      • “Fireworks will be set off on Saturday night.”
    • “The Building,” a flexible multi-use space along the Loveland Bike Trail – Couples Painting Class: 6:30-8:30 p.m.
      • “Bring your sweetheart to create a lasting memory together! Two canvases match together to form one cute picture together.”
      • “The design will be Dolphin Love.”
      • ?️ Purchase Tickets
    • Hometown Café – Pick Your Project/DIY Craft Night: 7:30-9:30 p.m.
      • “Pick from several different sign-making options, or learn how to etch your own set of glasses.“
      • ?️ Purchase Tickets

    Saturday, February 12th

    • Loveland General Store & Eads Fence – Valentine Photo Contest: 8 a.m.-5 p.m.
      • “Take your most creative valentine’s photo at Eads Fence Showroom and check in on Facebook with your photo! The most liked photo will win a 1-night stay at Loveland Farm Airbnb & Event Venue!”
    • Hometown Café – Story Time with the Valentine Ladies: 10 a.m.
      • “Loveland’s Valentine Ladies will read a special children’s story.”
    • Downtown Loveland – Food Trucks: Starting at 10 a.m.
      • Mile 42 Coffee – Dolph’s Dogs – 3-6 p.m.
      • The parking lot of Loveland Regional Animal Hospital (300 W. Loveland Ave.) – The Chili Hut – 4-8 p.m.
      • The parking lot of Loveland Regional Animal Hospital (300 W. Loveland Ave.) – SEA Cuisine – 4-10 p.m.
    • Loveland Branch Library – Valentine Scavenger Hunt: 10 a.m.-6 p.m.
    • Fraternal Order of Eagles – Cupid’s Kisses: 11 a.m.
      • “The Eagles will open to the public for drink specials including fireball shots.”
    • Loveland Branch Library – Make Your Own Valentine: 11 a.m. – Noon
    • Loveland Art Studios on Main – Artists’ Love Stories: The Power of Creative Partnerships: 11 a.m.-5 p.m. 
      • “Select studio residents will hold an Open House to celebrate ‘Artists’ Love Stories: The Power of Creative Partnerships.’ Community painting participation will be offered. Guests can help create large-scale pieces in artists’ styles, such as the iconic couple Jackson Pollock and Lee Kranz. We’ll have large trash bags to protect your clothing and disposable gloves available for free! We’ll also offer canvases and supplies for creating individual masterpieces for a fee as long as supplies last.”
    • Eads’ Fencing Outdoor Area – “Puppy Love” Pet Adoptions: 12-5 p.m.
      • “Meet a new furry friend from Furgotten Dog Rescue. Furgotten Dog Rescue’s mission is to rescue, educate, and advocate for the ‘unlovable’ shelter dogs that are left behind because of their breed, age, appearance, and special needs.”
    • Loveland Station Apartments “Community Room” (110 S. Second St) – Love and Attraction Spell Workshop: 1-4:30 p.m.
      • “Francine Haydon will host 2 45-minute “Love and Attraction Spell” workshops at 1 p.m. and 4:30 p.m.”
      • “In this 45-minute workshop, will learn the do’s and don’ts of spell work and will make your own magickal essential oil for LOVE to take home.”
      • “Workshops will cost $20 per person.”
      • “Tarot Card Readings will cost $20 per person.”
      • “Will accept Cash, Venmo, or Credit Card at the door.”
      • “Sign up for the workshops here!“
    • Loveland Branch Library – Valentine Button Making: 1-2 p.m.
    • “The Building,” a flexible multi-use space along the Loveland Bike Trail – Mommy & Me/Daddy & Me Painting Class: 1-3 p.m.
      • “Paint a sweet llama portrait together with a parent! Perfect for kids ages 6-10. This class will be taught by Elizabeth Mason of Painting with the Psalms. There will be two llama designs to choose from.“
      • ?️ Purchase Tickets
    • Whistle Stop Clay Works – Heart Painting: 1-4 p.m.
      • “February 12th is the International Day of Clay! Celebrate with free hearts to paint. (Pick-up will be two weeks later.)“
    • The lobby of Loveland Stage Company – Kitty Kissing Booth: 1-5 p.m.
    • Loveland Station Apartments “Community Room” – Tarot Card Readings: 2-4 p.m.
      • “Sit down with professional tarot and palm reader Francine Haydon for a 10-minute mini ‘Love and Life’ intuitive card reading. Walk-in — first come, first served. The cost is $20 per person, payable at the door by cash, credit, or Venmo. Readings will be held in the Community Room of Loveland Station Apartments (110 S. Second St.).”
      • “Francine Haydon is a professional tarot and palm reader; energy worker; Free Soul counselor and instructor; and ordained minister who has been practicing and teaching metaphysical and spiritual subjects for more than 20 years.  She works out of her home in Union Township and Enchanted Moments in Milford.”
    • Loveland Branch Library – Makerspace & Take: Valentine Wine Bags: 2:30-4 p.m.
    • Graeter’s Ice Cream – Caricature Artist: 3-6 p.m.
      • “Have your portrait drawn! Caricature artist Sarah Stevens will visit Graeter’s from 3-6 p.m. on Saturday. (There will be a small fee, payable to the artist.)” 
    • Art House II – Art Open House Sale + Raffle: 3-8 p.m.
      • “Art House II is hosting an Open House through the weekend, featuring a sale and raffle. Galleries of original Loveland art will be 15% off. Every visitor will be entered in a raffle to win a Giclee Print on stretched canvas depicting the Tano block on W. Loveland Ave. before the fire. The drawing will be Sunday at 4 p.m. (do not need to be present to win).”
    • Fountain Greene (In front of Fleet Feet/JackRabbit) – L.O.V.E. Dance Party: 4 p.m.
    • Art House II – Thru the Eyes of Your Beloved: 4 p.m., 5:30 p.m., or 7 p.m.
      • “This workshop is an artistic celebration of couples, love, and fun. Start with an optional sip of wine; then sit across from each other at your own easel. Everyone has their own acrylic paints, sets of brushes, and an 11×14 stretched canvas. Paint your beloved as you see them. Neither sees the other’s painting until the end of the work time (35-45 minutes). This is NOT a class, although an Art House II resident will be near if needed. Painters can go for reality or can capture the “spirit” of their beloved. Anything goes! Paintings can be taken with you, picked up later, or picked up the next day so that painters can move on to other activities around the city.) Art House II can accommodate up to four couples per session. Come with friends for even more fun! Allow an hour for a glass of wine, basic use of materials, painting, unveiling of the masterworks, and clean up. Click here to download flier. Inclusive cost is $40 per couple.”
      • “Please call (513) 313-2450 to reserve your spot.”
    • Hometown Café – Warm Up Your Heart Hot Chocolate Bar:: 4-8 p.m.
      • “Hometown will have a hot chocolate bar and loaded sweet potato chips (pulled pork bbq and other toppings) on the patio!”
      • “The cafe will be open serving up coffee, espresso, and snacks!”
    • Loveland City Hall – Heartland Market: 4-9 p.m.
    • Whistle Stop Clay Works – Oda Mae Brown Community Bonfire: 5-8 p.m.
      • “Visit for a community bonfire. (Will not occur if raining)“
    • Whistle Stop Clay Works – Ghost Photo Op: 5-8 p.m.
      • “Reenact the iconic scene from the movie Ghost with Patrick Swayze and Demi Moore.”
    • Lemons and Limes Boutique – Psychic Readings: 5-10 p.m.
      • “Stop by Lemons and Limes to see what your future holds!”
      • “Two psychics will be available for walk-in readings.”
    • Mile 42 Coffee – Cupid’s Couple Challenge: 5:30-6:30 p.m.
      • “How well do you know your significant other? In Loveland’s spin on The Newlywed Game, couples will answer questions to reveal how well they know each other.”
    • Downtown Loveland – Ice Sculpture Walking Tour: 6 p.m.
      • “Enjoy a self-guided walking tour exploring unique ice sculptures! There will be more than 20 sculptures on display throughout the downtown area. Take a ‘sculpture selfie’ and share it on social media using the official event hashtag #LovelandHeartsAfire. View the map!”
      • Explore the city – find Mickey Mouse, Cincinnati Bengals, Olaf from Frozen, and other unique single-block sculptures:
    Presented BySculpture Location
    Bishop’s Quarter212 W. Loveland Ave.
    Bond Furniture and Design113 Karl Brown Way
    Cappy’s Wine and Spirits (2 at this location)309 W. Loveland Ave.
    Cindy’s Friendly Tavern125 Karl Brown Way
    City Hall120 W. Loveland Ave.
    Hometown Cafe111 Railroad Ave.
    Lemons and Limes Boutique301 W Loveland Ave.
    Loveland Pediatric DentistrySweetheart Lane: Along Bike Trail near Trailside Provisions
    Loveland-Symmes Community Firefighters AssociationBrown’s Crossing: Front of the building near Haven Grey and Blume
    Loveland Sweet Shoppe124 W. Loveland Ave.
    Mile 42 Coffee133 Broadway St.
    Paxton’s Grill126 W. Loveland Ave.
    Premier Tumbling & DanceSweetheart Lane: Along Bike Trail near Trailside Provisions
    Railway Barber Shop106 Railroad Ave.
    Ramsey’s Trailside200 W. Loveland Ave.
    RP Diamond Printing & EmbroideryClock Tower: Along Bike Trail near Ramsey’s Trailside
    Tano Bistro204 W. Loveland Ave.
    The Landing Event Center119 Karl Brown Way
    The Loveland Lofts119 Karl Brown Way (Placed at The Landing Event Center)
    The Works Pizza20 Grear Millitzer Place
    Trailside Provisions120 Karl Brown Way (Sweetheart Lane along Bike Trail)
    Upper Cut Hair Design600 W. Loveland Ave.
    • Loveland City Hall Lawn & Loveland Symmes Fire Station 63 – Ice Carving Demonstration: 6-9 p.m.
      • “See professional ice sculptors carve art right before your eyes! The night will feature two demonstrations. The first will consist of four blocks of ice, stacked to make one large sculpture standing approximately 6 ft. tall. The second demonstration ­will be a fire and ice tower with real flames illuminating from the ice!”
    • Fountain Greene (In front of JackRabbit/Fleet Feet) – “Eskimo Kisses Village”: 6 p.m.
      • “Play a round of skeeball on ice! There will be photo opportunities in this area too.”
      • “The Shamrocker will be featured as music entertainment!“
    • Loveland City Hall Lawn and around Downtown Loveland – Fire Performers: 6-9 p.m.
      • “These fire twirlers will warm up the night. You won’t want to miss their tricks!”
    • “The Building,” a flexible multi-use space along the Loveland Bike Trail – Couples Painting Class: 6-8 p.m.
      • “Bring your sweetheart to create a lasting memory together! No prior art experience is necessary. Two 16″x 20″ canvases create one cute picture together.” 
      • “The design will be Winter Birch Trees.”
      • ?️ Purchase Tickets
    • “Mask”erade Ball & After Party – Ball: The Landing Event Center
      After Party: Bishop’s Quarter      : 6:30-11 p.m.
      • “Dinner, open bar, valet parking, live music by the Nasty Nati Brass Band! This event benefits the Candice M. Cook Scholarship Foundation for Excellence in Paramedic & Firefighter Education. The band will lead the 2nd Line Parade to Bishop’s Quarter.”
      • “Read all about the ‘Mask’erade Ball here!”
      • ?️ Purchase Tickets
    • Historic Downtown Loveland – (Truck) Loads of Love: 7-9 p.m.
      • “Have your photo taken (for free) in Old School Pix’s vintage truck. The truck will be decked out for Valentine’s Day.”
    • The Works Pizza – “Single in the City” Speed Dating: 7-9 p.m.
      • “The Works historical train care will host Speed Dating for those that are 21 and over!”
      • “Sessions will be at 7, 7:30, 8, and 8:30 p.m.”
      • “Online registration will be required in advance via Sign Up Genius. Sign up here!”
    • The 1859 Historic Loveland Chapel – Vow Renewals – I Do, I Do, Take Two: 7-9 p.m.
      • “Enjoy an interactive vow renewal group ceremony with your loved one!“
      • “Ceremonies will take place every 30 minutes on the chapel stairs beginning at 7 p.m..“
      • “Vow renewal ceremonies are not intended to be second weddings. There is no fee.”
        • “There is no need to pre-register.“
        • “Couples will not receive any certificate and/or ‘proof’ of renewal.“
    • Cappy’s Wine and Spirits – Vow Renewals – Burning Love: 10 p.m.
      • “Enjoy an interactive vow renewal group ceremony at the “Little White Cappy Chapel” performed by Elvis A.K.A. Mayor Kathy Bailey!”
      • “Vow renewal ceremonies are not intended to be second weddings. There is no fee.”
        • “There is no need to pre-register.“
        • “Couples will not receive any certificate and/or ‘proof’ of renewal.“
    • Ignite the Night Fireworks Show: 10:30 p.m.

    Sunday, February 13th

    • Loveland Bike Trail – Chasing Cupid 5K: 9 a.m.
      • “Fleet Feet (formerly JackRabbit) will host the first Chasing Cupid 5K! This will be a fun run/walk taking place along the trail.”
      • “Meet at Fleet Feet; then the group will begin the course. There is no registration fee or advanced registration required.”
    •  Loveland Art Studios on Main – Artists’ Love Stories The Power of Creative Partnerships: 11 a.m.-5 p.m.
      • “The finished pieces of artwork will be exhibited and raffles will take place! Proceeds will support the new Art League of Loveland. Membership opportunities will be available.”
    • Art House II – Art Open House + Raffle: 12:30-5 p.m.
      • “Art House II is hosting an Open House through the weekend, featuring a sale and raffle. Galleries of original Loveland art will be 15% off. Every visitor will be entered in a raffle to win a Giclee Print on stretched canvas depicting the Tano block on W. Loveland Ave. before the fire. The drawing will be Sunday at 4 p.m. (do not need to be present to win).”
    • Art House II – Thru the Eyes of Your Beloved: 1 p.m. or 2:30 p.m.
      • “This workshop is an artistic celebration of couples, love, and fun. Start with an optional sip of wine; then sit across from each other at your own easel. Everyone has their own acrylic paints, sets of brushes, and an 11×14 stretched canvas. Paint your beloved as you see them. Neither sees the other’s painting until the end of the work time (35-45 minutes). This is NOT a class, although an Art House II resident will be near if needed. Painters can go for reality or can capture the “spirit” of their beloved. Anything goes! Paintings can be taken with you, picked up later, or picked up the next day so that painters can move on to other activities around the city.) Art House II can accommodate up to four couples per session. Come with friends for even more fun! Allow an hour for a glass of wine, basic use of materials, painting, unveiling of the masterworks, and clean up. Click here to download flier. Inclusive cost is $40 per couple.”
      • “Please call (513) 313-2450 to reserve your spot.”

    The following local business will be hosting specials and activities ALL WEEKEND long for Loveland’s Hearts Afire:

    • Alley Boutique – Will be having chocolate samples and a “Full Heart” Sale.
    • Busy Bee Boutique: Heartstrings Game – Customers will pull a heartstring to reveal great discounts and prizes!
    • Brown’s Crossing: Diaper Drop – Collecting diapers for charity. Any size, any brand.
    • Brittney Frietch RE/MAX Preferred Group: What do you love about Loveland? Visit an interactive outdoor display, where you can leave your message.
    • Cappy’s Wine and Spirits: $1 off every pint (Friday and Saturday). Cappy’s is donating $1 per pint and glass of wine sold on Friday and Saturday to the Furgotten Dog Rescue.
    • Haven Grey: Giveaway with purchase.
    • Hometown Café: Selling cookie decorating kits by Lovebug Cookies. Customers may pre-order kits in advance.
    • Loveland Sweet Shoppe: Stop by and enter the raffle for your chance to win romantic prizes including a wine and chocolate tasting, dinner for two at Tano Bistro, and private dance lessons!
    • Mile 42 Coffee: Valentine drinks all weekend!
    • Plaid Room Records: Anniversary sale.
    • Railway Barber Shop: Weekend specials.
    • Ramsey’s Trailside: Enjoy valentine specials and a package deal featuring 2 entrees, dessert & wine!
    • Loveland TAHONA Kitchen+Bar: Love on the rocks (or frozen)…enjoy the featured cocktail, a Strawberry Margarita, for the weekend.
    • Trailside Provisions: Craft a sweet vale­ntine card for residents at Loveland Healthcare. Also enjoy samples, including bloody mary’s, through the weekend!
    • The Works Pizza: Serving Valen-tinis (martinis) for Valentine’s weekend.

    Parking
    There are several free public parking lots in Historic Downtown Loveland. Click here to view the public parking map.

    Some downtown businesses also operate private, paid lots.

    Shuttle: Saturday, Feb. 12th
    Parking shuttles will be transporting eventgoers continuously to the downtown area beginning at 5 p.m. The city has arranged a park-and-ride location located at Shopper’s Haven (597 Loveland-Madeira Road). The drop-off location will be at Schutte Dry Cleaning (401 W. Loveland Ave.). Please note eventgoers will need to walk to the festivities from the drop-off location. 

    We are so excited about this historical moment for the city of Loveland! We hope to see all of you love birds at Loveland’s Hearts Afire Weekend!

    For the latest 411 on local events stay tuned to the Loveland Salad With ME, Cassie Mattia!

  • Celebrate Love This Friday at the 2022 Valentine’s Breakfast!

    Celebrate Love This Friday at the 2022 Valentine’s Breakfast!

    by Cassie Mattia

    Loveland, Ohio – What better way to celebrate love than by attending the annual Valentine’s Day breakfast this Friday! This honorary event will pay homage to the “Sweetheart of Ohio” and the community’s most loved individuals!

    On Friday, February 11th from 8:30 a.m. to 10 a.m. the Little Miami River Chamber Alliance (LMRCA) will be hosting the 2022 Valentine’s Day breakfast at the Oasis Conference Center. While enjoying a beautiful hot breakfast the LMRCA will be presenting to you the 2022 Valentine Lady, the Valentine Card Designer, the Poetry Contest Winners, and the Valentino Coloring Contest Winner. In addition to all the heartfelt fun, there will also be special entertainment! The cost for the event is $30. Platinum Chamber Members will be able to enjoy the Valentine’s Day breakfast for free. Sign up for the 2022 Valentine’s Day breakfast here.

    Jeannie Shumaker, the 2022 Valentine Lady, and Valentine’s Day Card designer Nancy Sullivan.

    Be sure to purchase your 2022 Valentine’s Day Cards designed by Nancy Sullivan from the LMRCA Office (113 Karl Brown Way 2nd floor), your favorite Valentine Lady, or any of the following local businesses:

    Valentine’s Day Cards are $1.50 each or you can purchase 4 for $5.

    Get Your Valentine’s Day Cards Stamped by the Valentine Ladies at the Loveland Post Office!

    Once you grab your Valentine’s Day Cards stop by the Loveland Post office anytime between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. beginning on January 31st to get your cards officially stamped by the Loveland Valentine Ladies! Stamping will be available until February 12th.

    If you have any additional questions about the 2022 Valentine’s Day breakfast contact the LMRCA at 513-686-1544.

    Valentine’s Day Card designer Nancy Sullivan

    For more local event updates stay tuned to the Loveland Salad With ME, Cassie Mattia!

  • Loveland Schools Covid-19 Dashboard for February 6, 2022

    Loveland Schools Covid-19 Dashboard for February 6, 2022

    Loveland, Ohio – At the beginning of each week, the Loveland City School District releases their latest Covid 19 Dashboard.

     
     
     
     

    Note the correction to the 10/3/ report and that community cases increased from 51 to 62.

     
     

     

     
  • $2,500 poured in to thank Loveland teachers, drivers, and staff

    $2,500 poured in to thank Loveland teachers, drivers, and staff

    by David Miller

    Loveland, Ohio – After it was announced that the Loveland schools were going into asynchronous learning for two days just ahead of the MLK Holiday break, to try to stem the tide of the COVID 19 outbreak in classrooms and among staff, a few hard-working parents went to work. They wanted to show their LOVEland LOVE to teachers and staff the day when students returned to in-person learning – the day after the holiday.

    A call was put out to collect donations of money and local goodies so the staff and teachers would know they are loved and appreciated for their dedication to our children.

    “We had an incredible outpouring of love from our community this morning for our teachers and staff at LCSD. The support came entirely from parents and families in the community,” said a statement by the organizers.

    600 staff across all schools were supported.

    “First and foremost – THANK YOU for so generously volunteering your time to help us succeed at showing our appreciation to all the staff members of LCSD. We could not have done this without the many hands you’re providing. Our community came through so strong with supporting this and it’s been such a pleasure to work with Erin and Becca to organize this! Our local businesses are grateful for our support of them in this mission to support our schools, overall an entire community support drive! It’s been an amazing couple of days…. COUPLE OF DAYS – with YOUR help we are getting this done in just a couple of days!”

    Andrea Kimmey

    Within just 5 days and over a couple of conversations, the idea blossomed into over $2,500 in contributions for our schools.

    Our amazing educators, bus drivers, and support staff have been stressed physically and emotionally from the toll of the pandemic. This was a way our community could say they are not forgotten or unappreciated. The community could show support even in a gesture like coffee and donuts. We hope it brightened their day and let them all know how much their community rallies behind them.

    “Donations were provided through Venmo and PayPal by the caring families, parents, and community in Loveland. With such a generous contribution, we have funding to do this again and be able to support local business at the same time,” said Becca Moates.

    Even though many community members may have differing views of how these past two years should have been handled – one thing we can certainly come together about is kindness and supporting the staff of Loveland schools. And that is what #beLOVEland is all about.

    The organizers got up bright and early in the AM with a group of super volunteers to pick up coffee and deliver both coffee and donuts to each school and the central office. Transportation had their own event with goody bags handcrafted by students and organized by Katie Smyth.

    Our local Businesses stood up and supported providing coffee and donuts. A special thanks to:

    • Blossim Donuts in Montgomery (new!), owned by Natalie Blomer.

    • Our very own Hometown Cafe owned by The Hooper Family.

    • Mile 42 owned by Tim Butler

    • And Biggby’s Coffee in Loveland franchised locally

    Volunteers included (but not an exhaustive list) Andrea Kimmey (organized and ran logistics), Erin Mix (organizer), Becca Moates (organizer), Katie Smyth (organizer), Kris Stapleton, Tara Hamilton, Laurie Hyrne, Lara Ferrer, Julianne Dominguez, Sharon Shepherd, and Liz Goldschmidt. Each of them arrived early, picking up and delivering the goodies to each school.

    SAW Pilates instructor Tara Hamilton said, “LIS/LMS said they were so excited for this and they were beyond appreciative. Thanks so much for all of your work. Such a great thing for our staff.”

    Photos provided by organizers.

    Andrea Kimmey said, “Our community came through so strong with supporting this and it’s been such a pleasure to work with Erin Mix and Becca Moates organizing this. Our local businesses were also grateful for the support of them in this mission to support our schools, overall an entire community support drive. It was an amazing couple of days.”

    A Google Doc was used for organizing pickup and delivery assignments and ended with this note to the volunteers:

    THANK YOU ALL, FOR SO GENEROUSLY VOLUNTEERING YOUR TIME TO HELP US SEND A “HUG” TO OUR STAFF MEMBERS AND SHARE OUR SUPPORT FOR ALL OF THEM! YOU ARE ALL THE VERY MEANING OF KINDNESS AND COMMUNITY. THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU!

    Thank you all #beLOVEland community!

  • House advances marijuana banking bill, though final passage uncertain

    House advances marijuana banking bill, though final passage uncertain

    BY: JENNIFER SHUTT – Ohio Capital Journal

    WASHINGTON — Cannabis dispensaries throughout the country came one step closer to using banks the way many other businesses can when the U.S. House on Friday cleared a bill with sweeping changes to banking regulations.

    Colorado Democrat Ed Perlmutter and Ohio Republican Dave Joyce, co-sponsors of the legislation, said Friday their proposal would allow medical and recreational marijuana businesses in states that have legalized use to move away from the cash-only business model they’ve been forced to use by U.S. banking laws.

    “We need to bring some sense to what is really dangerous right now in this space that so many states allow for dispensaries, for grow operations,” Perlmutter said. “There’s just a lot of cash and that cash can really pose problems.”

    While the federal government has mostly left marijuana business regulation and oversight to the states that have legalized it, the nation’s banking system is controlled at the federal level.

    The federal government’s classification of marijuana as a Schedule I illegal substance, by definition something with no medical use and a high potential for abuse, means that it’s difficult for cannabis businesses to use banks.

    Some marijuana businesses have hired armored vehicles and armed guards to transfer cash to banks, an arrangement that has worked sometimes, but one that comes with more risk than if they were able to use banks the way non-cannabis businesses do.

    Others have kept their operations as cash-only, a decision that Perlmutter and Joyce said Friday can lead to upticks in robberies and other crime, even though the businesses are acting within their state laws.

    The so-called SAFE Banking Act passed the House on Friday as part of a much larger, separate bill that is geared toward improving U.S. manufacturing and boosting competitiveness with China on several fronts, including semiconductors.

    The proposal will, however, need to survive the conference process between the House of Representatives and the Senate.

    At the moment neither Joyce or Perlmutter is sure that their provision will remain in the final package, given concerns from some Democrats, including Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and New Jersey Democratic Sen. Cory Booker.

    Joyce and Perlmutter said Friday that they differ with the senators about how Congress passing the banking change would impact other marijuana legislation, including bills changing the tax code, changing the criminal justice approach to marijuana, or fully legalizing the plant.

    “Our philosophy has been that you need to have something to break the ice. And in the Senate they haven’t had a hearing on cannabis – maybe one half-hearted one – since 1971, much less legislation, much less the votes,” Perlmutter said. “So our job is to familiarize them with the subject and to get them to take some action.”

    Some of the Democratic senators, Perlmutter said, believe clearing banking changes will take the “wind out of the sails” on efforts to pass other changes to federal cannabis laws. So they want to broaden the legislation.

    But Joyce and Perlmutter said they believe the incremental approach is the best way to send bills to the Biden administration and are concerned that if the bill grows too much some lawmakers may no longer support its passage.

    “For every person you gain, you might lose three,” Joyce said. “And so that’s why you want to continue to have a smaller framework in which you can consistently have people adding to the bill versus getting off.”

    Getting the marijuana banking amendment added to the larger China competitiveness legislation represented a step forward for the 180 co-sponsors of the marijuana banking legislation, 26 of whom are Republicans. But it’s far from a guarantee.

    Backers of the legislation were able to get their language added last year as an amendment to the annual Defense Department policy bill, but it didn’t survive the conference process. The bill has also passed the House as stand-alone legislation.

    Perlmutter and Joyce said on Friday if they are blocked again in the Senate, they will keep advocating for the legislation, especially as an amendment to other must-pass bills.

    “Every one of these cannabis industries are running according to the laws and regulations that were put in place by that state,” Joyce said. “So why shouldn’t the banking system treat them the same.”

  • Rumpke accepts these items for Recycling

    Rumpke accepts these items for Recycling

    Loveland, Ohio – While the full list of acceptable materials may vary slightly in some locations, residents can typically recycle the following:

    • Glass Bottles & Jars (all colors)
    • Metal Cans: Aluminum cans, steel cans and lids, empty aerosol cans with the lids and tips removed
    • Plastic Bottles (empty, crush, reattach lid): Bottles and jugs that have a small mouth and wider base, such as milk jugs, soda bottles, laundry detergent bottles, water bottles, shampoo bottles and contact solution bottles
    • Plastic Tubs: Containers for butter, sour cream cottage cheese, yogurt, Jello and fruit slices would fall into the tub category. Lids should be reattached prior to recycling
    • Plastic Cups* (remove/discard straw, reattach lid): Fast food beverage cups 
    • Paper: newspaper, magazines, cardboard, mixed office paper and envelopes, paperboard (cereal boxes), pizza boxes free of food debris and grease, telephone books and catalogs
    • Paper Cups** (remove/discard lids, straws and stoppers): Fast food beverage cups, coffee cups, Dixie cups
    • Cartons: food and beverage cartons, such as milk, juice, soup, wine, broth and other cartons.

    *No cups will be accepted in Central Kentucky

    ** Paper cups not accepted in Northeast Ohio 

    Recycling Tips

    • Mix all items together – no separation required
    • Empty all bottles, jugs and cans
    • No need to remove labels
    • For plastic bottles, empty, crush and reattach lids
    • For cartons, remove plastic caps and straws
    • NEVER place medical sharps or needles in the recycling
    • DON’T use plastic bags

    NOT for Recycling
    No plastic bags, cassette tapes, bed sheets, hangers, metal chains, garden hoses, batteries, needles, syringes, electronics, polystyrene foam, buckets, car parts, food, yard waste, light bulbs, drinking glasses, ceramics, pots, pans, and scrap metal.

    If you are in need of a flyer detailing accepted recyclables, you can find a printout here.

    To see what happens to your recyclables, check out these videos.

  • Big Game Vonn Bell Eyes The Biggest One Of Them All

    Big Game Vonn Bell Eyes The Biggest One Of Them All

    Vonn Bell gets ready for another big game.

    by Geoff Hobson – Bengals.com Senior Writer

    After coming down with the most famous interception in Bengals history during that electric overtime of last Sunday’s AFC championship game in Kansas City, Vonn Bell got into Paul Brown Stadium a little late Monday morning.

    Call it 6:30 a.m. Still the crack of dawn for the rest of us. But for Bell, whose brutal work ethic has been bequeathed to him by Dr. Kills, that’s sleeping in.

    “First one in, though,” Bell says with a Bunsen burner smile that has helped ignite head coach Zac Taylor’s locker room special chemistry. “It’s a win. After a win. Everything is good after a win. I was feeling better.”

    Bell has paired the most famous interception in Bengals history with the play that put teeth in the Zac Attack and spawned this next eight days of history that ends in Sunday’s Super Bowl LVI against the Rams.

    It was at the end of the worst year of his life last year and the Bengals were grinding into a late December Monday night game at PBS with rookie quarterback Joe Burrow just out of knee surgery, Taylor’s two-year regime at 4-24-1 with seven losses in the last eight games and they were down to their No. 3 quarterback.

    Bell, as every Cincy school kid knows, made The Play in the second quarter when he blew up mouthy Steelers wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster with a blast that was as symbolic as it was significant. It turned into an interception to set them up for a 17-0 lead in a 27-17 win and they’ve been 15-8 since.

    “Let me take you back to a couple of other plays,” says Dr. Killls, otherwise known as Vencent Bell, Vonn’s father who told his wife in K.C. he wasn’t surprised it was their son who came up with This Play. “If you go back to Ohio State-Alabama and the Saints and Panthers in a playoff game, Vonn makes big plays. He’s one of those guys that just has a knack for it.”

    All Buckeyes fans know in 2014 he paved the way for Ohio State winning the first ever national playoff with his end-zone pick in the fourth quarter that preserved a six-point lead in the semifinal win over Alabama. And, he ended his first NFL playoff game in 2017 with the Saints on a 17-yard fourth-down sack of Cam Newton in a 31-26 win.

    “He’s a winner,” says Vencent Bell, executive director of a Montgomery, Ala., YMCA. “He gets up at 4:30 every day. He puts in the work.”

    That’s what time Vencent Bell used to start his chores on the farm when he was becoming one of the most heavily recruited players in Mississippi. It’s the only way his father would let him play at West Point High School, just across from the Alabama line. And when he practiced and played games in an All-American linebacker career, he had to find somebody to feed the chickens, hogs and cattle.

    “I did more between 4:30 and 7 than most people did all day,” Vencent Bell told Bengals.com the week before the hit on Smith-Schuster. “Then I would go to school.

    “A man that’s in the bed can do nothing, but a man out of bed has a chance to get ahead.”

    Vonn Bell called his grandfather “Big Dad,” and he lost him in the middle of this playoff run at age 84. On top of that is the loss of Vonn’s brother Volonte in a car accident in Chattanooga, Tenn., where was an assistant basketball coach at Chattanooga State Community College.

    It came just a few weeks before Vonn signed with the Bengals in the spring of 2020. A few years older, Volonte was more like Vonn’s safety-point guard twin. So close and so tight that Vonn has been calling him his “guardian angel,” this year and you’ll see how much he means to him if there’s a national anthem closeup Super Bowl Sunday. He’ll spread his arms, look to the sky and say, “Let’s go, Vee.”

    “This last year has been a tough year,” Vencent Bell says. “That’s why what’s going on now is double nice. It’s almost like the Super Bowl is a double reward. It makes you shift into a different way to see things and you have a reason to celebrate.”

    The last week has been one long celebration of the Bengals camaraderie on both sides of the ball, but particularly on defense. In each of the three postseason games, their last snap has ended in an interception. One preserved a win and two led to the winning points scored at the gun. They have been defined by their work in the red zone, where they have denied touchdowns on eight of 13 trips.

    “Going this deep at this level the teams are getting better and better each week. Guys are going to make plays,” Vonn Bell says. “You’ve got to think about that. They get paid, they are going to go out there and make plays for their team. And they are good. They are in the one percent of the world. The collective effort of the defense we always say they cannot score a touchdown, hold them to three. And we could get a block and block the field goal. We always remind people of that. Next play mentality. Things happen, but they don’t have to score, though.”

    The emergence of the Bengals began the night Vonn rang the Bell on Pittsburgh. But it has evolved with the free-agent signings of sack ace Trey Hendrickson and the trio of lead cornerbacks Mike Hilton, Chidobe Awuzie and Eli Apple, Bell’s Buckeye buddy, as well as the drafting of Cam Sample on the edge and Logan Wilson and Markus Bailey at linebacker. The proverbial nice mix of youth and experience.

    All those defenders, including nose tackle D.J. Reader and his massive postseason, showed up with playoff experience. And the more pieces he’s had, the more defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo has concocted. Bell calls him “a mad scientist,” and moments after the three-man rush had solved Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes and put them in the Super Bowl, he asked Anarumo, “What are you going to cook us up?”

    “That’s the (biggest) thing that’s been talked about inside this locker room. It’s not about I. It’s about we,” Bell says. “How we get along so well is because we hold everybody accountable. There are no egos in the locker room. It’s family. That’s the biggest thing. And guys want everybody to eat. Everybody can be successful and we breed off that. When one guy is getting the shine, everybody will get the shine. Especially when you’re winning. There’s a lot of cameras that are going to be out there. They’re coming out to see us, just not one person. They’re coming to see us.”

    The way Vencent Bell sees it, when they come and get a look at this defense, they’re going to see how it was built from the back to the front with Vonn and safetymate Jessie Bates III. Vencent calls it the B &Bs.

    “When you have guys who are two driven guys, they’re alphas and guys just going out there, just want to make plays for the team and make plays for one another, it’s going to be something special,” Vonn Bell says. “He’s a smart guy, man. He knows football. He knows splits. He knows concepts. He knows what the quarterback is going to give to him. And that’s why you see him making so many plays out there in the middle of the field. He’s very detailed throughout his work. That’s the biggest thing. I’m a very detailed and through person, too. That’s the moment we clicked.”

    It was Bates who tipped the ball from Chiefs wide receiver Tyreek Hill and it was Bell who caught it at his ankles just before it touched the ground. But that won’t be the only play he’ll break down. He’ll find things he didn’t do correctly, a relentlessness he says he gets from his parents.

    That was on display walking to the bus in Tennessee after he had been all over Nissan Stadium with a sack and six tackles and he called his dad, knowing he was there in the crowd.

    “I told him there were things he could work on. Things that need to get done if we want to get to the next level,” Vencent Bell says. “I knew what his numbers were. Sometimes numbers don’t measure how you played. I tell him, I want you playing really well and then have the numbers.

    “The league is getting better. He’s going to have to get better next year.”

    That’s a tough room. Vencent says even his wife objects, at times, about how tough he can be. But these are easy, natural conversations between father and son. Vencent got the nickname “Dr. Kills,” from his 153 tackles his senior year at West Point, before head coach Frank Beamer whisked him away to Murray State when he promised “Big Dad,” that his son would be the first in the family to get a college degree.

    “Vonn is creeping up past me now. Vonn is going to a whole other level,” Vencent says. “I don’t mind telling him he’s better than me. I want him to be. He’s passed me on forced fumbles and interceptions … It will be a little while before he goes past my tackling.”

    But his father also knows his son has the mark on the big stages.

    “When ever there’s a big game,” says Vencent Bell, getting ready to attend the biggest game of all, “you better find him.”

  • Bengals Hold Last Practice Before Heading To Super Bowl LVI

    Bengals Hold Last Practice Before Heading To Super Bowl LVI

    As he has been all postseason, free safety Jessie Bates III bubbled up around the ball.

    Geoff Hobson Bengals.com Senior Writer

    Media pool report filed by The Athletic’s Paul Dehner Jr.

    The Bengals held what is expected to be their last practice in Cincinnati Saturday before Tuesday’s departure for Los Angeles and a week of workouts at UCLA culminating in Super Bowl LVI against the Rams.

    The Bengals went to the University of Cincinnati practice bubble for the third straight day in a workout right guard Jackson Carman (back) didn’t participate. Carman, wearing sweats, missed his second straight day.

    Tight end C.J. Uzomah, who suffered an MCL sprain in last Sunday’s AFC title game in Kansas City, worked on the side during the portion of practice open to media. He worked on a stationary bike, worked his knee by repeatedly kicking into the air and did some easy running with resistance on a band from trainer Nick Cosgray.

     Bengals executive vice president Katie Blackburn took in the workout and spent time chatting with former Bengals wide receiver Collinsworth. Collinsworth, who played in the Bengals two previous Super Bowls, is calling the third an analyst for NBC.

     The Bengals won’t practice Sunday. Monday, save for workouts and treatments, is dominated by media commitments before the team appears at the 6 p.m. Paul Brown Stadium pep rally as part of Super Bowl Opening Night.

  • Cassie the Food Guru Checks out the Newest Spot in Town, The Chili Hut!

    Cassie the Food Guru Checks out the Newest Spot in Town, The Chili Hut!

    by Cassie Mattia

    Loveland, Ohio – “It’s always Chili in Cincinnati,” the owner of The Chili Hut Fadi Khalilieh, said with a huge smile on his face! That’s the motto Khalilieh has lived by since 2013 when he decided to use the chili recipe that had been in his family for 40 years to start the first Chili Hut food truck. Since then Khalilieh’s food truck business has taken off in the city of Cincinnati leading him to open the doors to his first brick and mortar right here in Loveland on January 24th.

    Khalilieh is not a stranger to the restaurant industry as he grew up helping with his family’s restaurant in Madeira. Khalilieh’s family encompassed a slew of homemade family recipes that he never could have imagined would come in handy one day with his own food truck and restaurant! From the spicy yet sweet coleslaw to the Cincinnati-style chili, these family recipes have hit the ground running growing The Chili Hut name astronomically since 2013.

    Today The Chili Hut is well-known for supporting all things Cincinnati, as the Chili Hut food truck is often seen hanging out around the University of Cincinnati and at local Cincinnati sporting events. Khalilieh paid homage to the beautiful city where he got his start by having intricate murals painted across his new restaurant representing the “flying pig,” the Bengals tiger, and the architecture surrounding Downtown Cincinnati to name a few. 

    Now, Khalilieh says that he is excited to see how The Chili Hut does in a city like Loveland as not too long ago he brought his food truck to local spot Hometown Cafe where the community gave his chili cheese fries excellent reviews. When Khalilieh saw that there was a space available for The Chili Hut to grow right in the heart of Loveland, he knew that it was the perfect moment to take a leap of faith and introduce the family recipe to the rest of the community!

    Although The Chili Hut specializes in Cincinnati-style chili, the simplistic menu also offers fan favorites like the Cheese Coney, the Eden Pork, the Walking Taco, the Ham and Cheese Panini, and the Gouda Grilled Cheese. You really can’t go wrong at “The Hut!” 

    I’m sure at this point your mouth is watering and believe me mine is too so without further ado I bring to you Cassie The Food Guru featuring the newest spot in town, The Chili Hut! You won’t want to miss this spicy Loveland Magazine TV interview!

    Are you interested in starting a food truck or have had thoughts about starting a career working on a food truck? Tune in to Fadi Khalilieh as he talks about how you can get involved with the Cincinnati Food Truck Association!

    Be sure to stay up to date on all things The Chili Hut by following them on Instagram and Facebook!

    beslandbaden

    For more local food reviews and interviews stay tuned to Cassie the Food Guru! Can’t wait to share with you my next delicious adventure!