LOVELAND MAGAZINE

News and Events from the Loveland, Ohio Area

Without fear or favor
Since 2004

Tag: Loveland Salad With Cassie Mattia

Will we be Seeing you at This Year’s Christmas in Loveland?!
SATURDAY, DECEMBER 18, 2021 AT 4 PM – 8 PM

Christmas in Loveland 2021

by Cassie Mattia

Loveland, Ohio – The Holidays are officially right around the corner, which means Downtown Loveland is once again preparing for one of its biggest events of the year; Christmas in Loveland!

On December 18th from 4 PM-8 PM, Downtown Loveland will transform into a festive Winter Wonderland for those wanting to celebrate Christmas the Loveland way! Christmas in Loveland is set to feature a plethora of holiday activities and Christmas-themed displays. Friends and families will be able to take a trip to the North Pole to see Santa and Mrs. Claus, take a peaceful carriage ride along Railroad Avenue, enjoy a train ride at Loveland Museum, feast on complimentary food tastings from Downtown’s restaurants, and put their creative skills to the test with holiday arts and crafts activities. This fun-filled holiday event will also include holiday-inspired beverages, live Christmas entertainment that will take place at the Fountain Greene and inside some of the local businesses, and a live nativity scene!

CeeCee Collins, President of the Little Miami Chamber of Alliance, said she couldn’t be more excited for this year’s Christmas in Loveland!

“There will be so many fun activities such as ornaments, singing with carolers, and meeting Elsa and Anna, just to name a few! This is such a great event where the businesses want to give back to everyone that has patronized and visited downtown,” Collins explained, “We truly appreciate everyone supporting local businesses and hope that the community will continue to come back, especially now that all the businesses are re-opened (and more have been built) after the pandemic. There will be tons of samplings and give-a-ways for all ages to enjoy!”

Here are a few important facts about Christmas in Loveland 2021:
- The children’s train is at the Loveland Museum Center and a complimentary Holiday Trolley will take guests from Harrison Avenue in Downtown Loveland to the Loveland Museum Center.
- Christmas in Loveland will be held in rain, snow, or shine.
- Maps of all the activities will be placed inside Downtown’s businesses and will also be available by the clock tower alongside the bike trail.
- A back portion of Railroad Avenue will be closed to allow for the horse-drawn carriages.
- Line up for the horse-drawn carriage rides will be on Railroad Avenue across from the Wicked Pickle.
- Entertainment will be in the center of town and next to the fountain.
- The Live Nativity Scene is next to the fountain in the center of town.
- Click here for a link to parking in the area.
To see map larger, Right Click to open in a new tab …

If you need more information about Christmas in Loveland 2021 visit the Little Miami River Chamber Alliance website.

For more Loveland event updates stay tuned to the Loveland Salad With ME, Cassie Mattia!
December 9, 2021
Loveland’s Christmas Tree Lighting Kicks off the Holidays for the Community!
by Cassie Mattia

Loveland, Ohio – Oh Christmas Tree, Oh Christmas Tree thank you for lighting up Loveland so beautifully!

The community gathered around one another on Saturday night as the City of Loveland celebrated its first Community Christmas Tree Lighting. The festive fun-filled night kicked off at 4 PM with local holiday gift vendors that sold everything from Hot Chocolate Bombs to homemade mitten ornaments from J Timmerman Pottery to jewelry made from silverware from Silverware to Wearable Art. Alley Boutique, Blume, and Haven Grey also participated in the festivities allowing the community to shop in their festively decorated stores until 7 PM.

The beautifully illuminated Browns Crossing along the Loveland Bike trail featured local food trucks Travelin Tom’s Coffee and Hot Chocolate and Smokin Inferno BBQ, as well as Christmas activities for the kids, a vintage holiday photoshoot with Old School Pix and the infamous Dancing Elves, Toys For Tots Stuff a Cruiser Toy Drive hosted by the Loveland Citizens Police Academy Alumni, and Trailside Provisions Christmas Cupcakes, Brownies, Caramel Apples, and several holiday gourmet popcorn combinations. The Loveland Girl Scouts also came out for Loveland’s special night as they entertained crowds of friends and families with Christmas carols!
As the night grew dark and the Christmas lights shined bright, at around 7 PM Mayor Kathy Bailey lit the gigantic magical Loveland Christmas Tree, and shortly after Rozzi Fireworks put on a “merry” night-ending firework show.
I decided to bring some of my family along with me to the Christmas Tree Lighting celebration, including my 2 furbabies, Dean and Nala. Wow were we impressed with how flawless the night came together for the City of Loveland and the community! The endless amount of lights, Christmas decor, holiday activities, Christmas treats, and gift ideas from some very talented local vendors made the night that much more special.

The Loveland Christmas Tree was quite the spectacle once it was completely illuminated! Throughout the night I couldn’t help but revisit the Tree over and over again. As I stared up at the lights, and glistening candy canes I realized that Loveland truly had succeeded in becoming a Christmas Winter Wonderland!

After walking through Browns Crossing bike trail light spectacle I decided to grab some homemade Christmas gifts from J Timmerman Pottery and Silverware to Wearable Art! Shortly after I of course had to visit Trailside Provisions to get my weekly popcorn fix. This time I chose a caramel popcorn drizzled in dark chocolate and I am not ashamed to say I ate the entire bag in just 2 days! Next, I decided to stop by Old School Pix’s holiday vintage photoshoot where they snapped photos of myself, Adam, and the Dancing Elves in a vintage truck all decked out in Christmas decor. After wandering around Loveland’s Winter Wonderland, the night ended perfectly with a firework show put on by Rozzi’s Fireworks!
- My Christmas Themed Balcony
- My Neighbors Unbelievable Christmas Display
- J Timmerman Pottery Coffee Mug I Bought in Support of Local Vendors
- Old School Pix Snapped a Photo of Adam and I in Their Vintage Truck Decked in Holiday Decor
- Old School Pix Decided to Get a Photo of us With the Dancing Elves
- Silverware to Wearable Art Elephant Inspired Earrings Made from Forks That I Bought for my Best Friend Stacie
- J Timmerman Pottery Mitten Ornament
For more photos and videos from Loveland’s best events stay tuned to the Loveland Salad With ME, Cassie Mattia!
December 8, 2021
LHS Women’s Cross Country Team Brings Home the OHSAA Silver!
by Cassie Mattia

Loveland, Ohio – What a fantastic day it was to be a Loveland Tiger! On Saturday both the Loveland High School (LHS) Women’s and Men’s Cross Country Teams for the first time ever in LHS history competed together for the OHSAA Division 1 title at Fortress Obetz and Memorial Park in Columbus. Both Teams went into the race having record-breaking years so many die-hard Tiger fans knew that they would come back with some impressive accolades!

The LHS Women’s Cross Country Team broke several school records this year but the most important one came in the form of a 2nd place OHSAA Division 1 Women’s Cross Country trophy on Saturday! The Tigers finished right behind Perrysburg (101) with a score of 109 and an impressive runners average of 18:59. Senior Jesse Gibbins was the top finisher for the Tigers crossing the line in 7th place with a time of 18:25.2, Senior Sarah Madix was next placing 19th at 18:55.2, Senior Emmy Sager finished in 26th place with a time of 19:09, Junior Madison Conatser finished in 28th with a time of 19:10.5, Junior Ally Colegate placed 29th with a time of 19:10.8, Sophomore Lauren Gard finished next in 82nd place with a time of 20:03 and rounding out the team score was Senior Maaike Snider in 102nd place with a time of 20:17.9.

The winning time for the Women’s Division 1 race (unscored) was 17:32.1 ran by Senior Alyssa Shope from Gahanna Lincoln. For the full OHSAA Division 1 Women’s Cross Country meet results click here.

Shortly after the LHS Women’s Cross Country milestone win, the Eastern Cincinnati Conference (ECC) released the team conference awards naming LHS’s Steve Nester ECC Coach of the Year and Senior Emmy Sager ECC Runner of the Year! Seniors Jesse Gibbins, Sarah Madix, and Emmy Sager all received 1st Team All-ECC honors while Juniors Ally Colegate and Madison Conatser grabbed 2nd Team All-ECC honors. Senior Maaike Snider also received ECC honors with Honorable Mention.

The LHS Men’s Cross Country Team had a season full of monumental moments including their trip to the OHSAA Division 1 Men’s Cross Country meet on Saturday! The Tigers placed 12th among a very talented field of athletes with a score of 313 and a runners average of 16:33. Senior Ryan Chevalier was the top finisher for the Tigers placing 6th with a time of 15:37.3, Junior Brady Steiner finished next in 48th place with a time of 16:23.2, Freshman Nick Huff finished in 84th place with a time of 16:51.7, Junior Cayden Dyer placed 85th with a time of 16:52, Senior Sam Neiger finished 90th with a time of 16:57.5, Junior Grant Hanson placed 98th with a time of 17:04.3, and Senior JP Tew rounded out the Tigers placing 134th with a time of 17:58.2.

Mason took the OHSAA Division 1 Men’s Cross Country title with a score of 106 and the winning runner (unscored) was Senior William Zegarski from Little Miami with a time of 14:39.9. Zegarski broke the previous Ohio State All-Time Meet record. For the full OHSAA Division 1 Men’s Cross Country meet results click here.

The ECC All-Conference awards were also announced for the Men’s Cross Country Teams post the State meet awarding Steve Nester with the ECC Coach of the Year! Senior Ryan Chevalier, and Juniors Cayden Dyer and Brady Steiner were awarded 1st Team All-ECC honors while Junior Grant Hanson and Freshman Nick Huff received 2nd Team All-ECC honors. Senior Sam Neiger also received ECC honors in the form of Honorable Mention.

Check out the photo album from Saturday’s meet brought to you by Loveland Magazine Editor, David Miller!
Congratulations to both the LHS Women’s and Men’s Cross Country Teams on an unbelievable season! It has been a joy watching school history happen right in front of our eyes! We can’t wait to see where the future takes all these wonderful Tiger student-athletes!

For more sports updates stay tuned to the Loveland Salad With ME, Cassie Mattia!
November 9, 2021
LHS Men’s and Women’s Cross Country Teams go Down in School History…Again!
by Cassie Mattia

Loveland, Ohio – The Loveland High School (LHS) Women’s and Men’s Cross Country Teams are re-writing school history one broken record at a time!

In addition to being the 2021-2021 Eastern Cincinnati Conference (ECC) Champs, last Saturday at Troy High School the LHS Women’s Cross Country Team captured the Ohio High School Athletic Association (OHSAA) Division 1 Regional Title with a score of 69 for the first time ever in Tiger history. This qualified the entire team to compete in the OHSAA State Division 1 Women’s Championship set to go down this Saturday at Fortress Obetz and Memorial Park at 3 PM. This will be the Women’s 3rd trip to State as a team since the conception of the cross country program (2007, 2019, and 2021).

Senior Jesse Gibbins took the top time at Regionals for the Tigers placing 4th with a time of 19:15.7. To see the official results from the OHSAA Regional Division 1 Women’s 5k click here.

Earlier this season the LHS Women’s Cross Country Team broke another school record at the Loveland Sunset Invitational having 5 women in the same race run under 19 minutes! That race and the OHSAA District Division 1 Women’s 5k put 5 Tigers in the top 8 in the ECC for their individual 5k times.

The Women’s Team is still currently sitting in the top spot in the State of Ohio according to the Ohio Association of Track and Cross Country Coaches (OATCCC) poll.

The LHS Men’s Cross Country Team has also made a name for themselves this year grabbing their first ECC title in 15 years! Building off that history-changing title, the Men collected a 4th place finish with a score of 143 at the OHSAA Division 1 Regional Men’s Championships, allowing them to qualify as a team for the State Tournament. With that accomplishment, the LHS Cross Country Teams again broke a school record, as it is the first time ever in LHS history that both Cross Country squads qualified for the State Tournament in the same year! This will also be the Men’s 3rd trip to the State Tournament as a team (1971, 2020, and 2021).

Senior Ryan Chevalier was the top finisher for the Tigers at the Regional Tournament race finishing in 15th place with a time of 17:12.8. To see the official results from the OHSAA Regional Division 1 Men’s 5k click here.

After all of the impressive running by the Men, 4 Tigers are in the top 9 in the ECC for their individual 5k times.

The Men’s Cross Country Team is in 7th place in the State of Ohio per the OATCCC poll.

Before both Tiger teams head off to Fortress Obetz on Saturday in Columbus for the OHSAA Division 1 State Cross Country Championships, here at Loveland Magazine we decided to take a trip to LHS to chat with both history-changing teams! We are so proud of both teams and thought it was necessary to showcase all their accomplishments to the community so that we could all root them on before the big race!

Introducing the LHS Women’s and Men’s Cross Country Team, brought to you by Loveland Magazine TV! Click below to watch the exclusive interview now!

The following athletes are in the video interview: Ryan Chevalier, Cayden Dyer, Grant Hanson, Nick Huff, Sam Neiger, Alex Saletta, Brady Steiner, JP Tew, Ally Colegate, Madison Conatser, Lauren Gard, Jessie Gibbins, Sarah Madix, Emmy Sager, and Maaike Snider.
(Photos taken by Loveland XC, Loveland Athletic Department, and Cassie Mattia.)
Both the Women’s and Men’s Cross Country Teams will be celebrated tomorrow at 10:35 AM at LHS! The High School asks that you have your class step into the hallway, outside of your classroom for the send-off parade. The Cross Country athletes, coaches, and the drumline will come to every floor beginning promptly at 10:35 AM.

If you would like to show your support for the LHS Cross Country Teams on Saturday in Columbus at Fortress Obetz and Memorial Park click here to purchase tickets. Students can purchase tickets for $10 while General Admission tickets are $13. Division 1 Women will race at 3 PM and the Men will race at 4 PM.

For more of your latest local sports updates stay tuned to the Loveland Salad With ME, Cassie Mattia!
November 4, 2021
Signups Have Been EXTENDED for Loveland’s Wonka-Land Halloween Edition!
by Cassie Mattia

WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR? THE WEATHER WILL BE PERFECT AND THE BEER WILL BE FLOWING!

SIGNUPS ARE EXTENDED UNTIL FRIDAY AT MIDNIGHT!

Loveland, Ohio – Halloween is in just a few days, which means Downtown Loveland is ready to see you in your costumes at Loveland’s Wonka-Land Halloween Edition!

In year’s past, the city of Loveland has celebrated Halloween with costume contests, special live entertainment at Downtown’s local restaurants, and spooky vendors that typically set up along the Loveland Bike Trail, but this year Little Miami River Chamber of Alliance Board President Doug Portmann envisioned something a little different…Loveland decked out in its very own Wonka-Land!

“As my wife and I were brainstorming as to what Loveland’s theme should be this year for Halloween my daughter said, ‘It’s Halloween so why don’t you do a Willy Wonka theme?” Portmann explained, “From there all we really needed to do was fill in the details!”

On Saturday, October 30th from 6 PM-8 PM teams of 4 will go on a hunt through Loveland’s impromptu candy land in search of Willy Wonka’s Golden Ticket! Teams will participate in “sweet” games including 25 stations of challenges, riddles, and drinking in order to find the grand prize. Those that will be participating are asked to please eat dinner beforehand as beer sample tickets and appetizer discount tickets will not be given out to teams until after the games have ended.

Teams and those that attend Loveland’s Wonka-Land Halloween Edition can dress up in Willy Wonka-themed attire, but ARE NOT REQUIRED to dress in a costume to participate in the games! Some of the Willy Wonka characters are as follows: Willy Wonka, Charlie Buckett, Grandpa Joe, Veruka Salt, Mike Teave, Arthur Slugworth, Augustus Gloop, Violet Beauregarde, Mr. Salt, Mrs. Teavee, Oompa-Lumpas, Mrs. Gloop, Mr. Turkentine, and The Tinker. Here are a few links to places where you can purchase Willy Wonka character-inspired costumes, HalloweenCostumes.com, Walmart, and Amazon.

Need more Wonka inspiration? Check out the original Willy Wonka movie trailer from 1971 starring the legendary Gene Wilder!

Excited and ready to sign up yet?! Registration is $35 per person or $140 a team, plus fees and taxes. We have included the link to sign up below, but before you do so here are a few simple rules to adhere to before you enter into the search for the Golden Ticket!
1. All those participating must be 21 years old.
2. It is recommended that all participants eat dinner beforehand as the event will be very crowded and hard to order a full dinner quickly!
3. Due to COVID-19 restrictions, there will be no food tastings this year, but select restaurants will be offering 50% off appetizers to all participants after the games!
4. DORA will be in full swing in Downtown Loveland!
5. The most important rule is…HAVE FUN!
Loveland’s Wonka-Land Halloween Edition is nearly sold out so we encourage you to grab your team and sign up before it’s too late!

Visit the Web Site

A Huge Shout-Out to This Year’s Sponsors! Thank you so Much for Your Support!

For more Loveland event updates stay tuned to the Loveland Salad With ME, Cassie Mattia!
October 28, 2021
Homemade Greeting Cards Create Important Opportunities for LHS Special Needs Students!

by Cassie Mattia

Loveland, Ohio – “Making these cards makes me feel both fulfilled and safe. This Arts and Crafts show has been my home for 4 years and now I want to be an entrepreneur!”

Loveland High School (LHS) Senior Annelise Dartnall expressed how excited she was on Tuesday about The Loveland Arts and Crafts Fair being back in action after not having it 2 years in a row due to COVID-19. Dartnall along with several other LHS special needs students have participated in creating handmade cards to sell at the Loveland Arts and Crafts Fair in order to raise funds for the LHS Special Needs Program and gain valuable work experience. Dartnall has also worked at the Loveland Farmers Market, several Loveland Arts and Crafts Fairs where she showcased the special needs students carefully crafted cards, and the Loveland High School News Network.

Retired Teacher Molly Swaine came up with the idea of LHS’s special needs students designing, creating, packaging, and selling these handmade cards to the community and staff members of Loveland right in her very own room just a few years ago.

“The past couple of years the students were unable to attend our biggest sales event, The Loveland Arts and Crafts Fair, due to the pandemic so the fact that our students have the opportunity to once again practice social and life skills out in the community is great,” LHS Intervention Specialist Emily Hicks said.

Caitlin Haury, LHS Intervention Specialist, and Payton Lafonda also aided Hicks with the handmade cards project in hopes that the special needs students at LHS would gain valuable work experience and raise enough sales to buy supplies for the classroom, activities, and celebrations.

Over the past few weeks, the excitement for Loveland’s Arts and Crafts Fair has been building, as the event is set for November 6th at LHS from 9:30 AM to 3 PM. We decided to take a trip down Tiger Trail to LHS to talk to Annelise about the handmade cards project and why it’s so important that everyone gets involved.

Buying the cards during the Craft Expo requires cash. The students can not accept credit cards, Apple Pay, Venmo, etc.

Without further ado, we bring to you LHS Senior Annelise Dartnall as she explains to YOU the Loveland Magazine readers why you should support the LHS Special Needs Handmade Cards Project!

Interview and video by David Miller

If you are unable to attend Loveland’s Arts and Crafts Expo the Special Needs Program created a contactless google link in which you can select your cards and have them sent to you through the mail. Cards are $2 for a pack of 4. You will also need to send your form of payment through the mail to LHS’s Caitlin Haury. Click here to order your handmade cards today!

If you missed our previous article on the LHS Special Needs Handmade Cards Project click below!

You can buy handmade cards made by special needs students at LHS

For more inspirational Loveland stories stay tuned to the Loveland Salad With ME, Cassie Mattia!

October 27, 2021
[Video] LHS and LMS Cross Country Teams all Secure the 2021 ECC Championship Title!
The Loveland Women remain the #1 team in Ohio and have claimed the ECC Championship Title!

by Cassie Mattia

Symmes Township, Ohio – Overnight rain did not slow down these Tigers as the LHS Men’s and Women’s Cross Country Teams took home the 2021 ECC Championship Trophies!

On Saturday at 9 AM at LHS’s home course, The Home of the Brave Park, both Men’s and Women’s Teams prepared for one of the coldest races thus far! The cold temperatures certainly didn’t phase the Tigers as the Loveland’s Women’s Team won with a score of 33 and the Men’s Team won with a score of 43.

The LHS Women’s Cross Country Team had several top 10 finishes with Senior Emmy Sager grabbing the 1st place spot with a time of 19:07.93. Sager was also named ECC’s Cross Country Athlete of the Week. Senior Jessie Gibbins took the 4th place position with a time of 19:25.76, Senior Sarah Madix placed 5th with a time of 19:31.75, Junior Madison Conatser placed 11th with a time of 19:48.76, Junior Ally Colegate finished 12th with a time of 19.51.76, Senior Maaike Snider finished 21st with a time of 20:19.81, and Sophomore Lauren Gard rounded out the team score placing 27th with a time of 21:02.66.

Lebanon women placed 2nd and Walnut Hills claimed 3rd place. This ECC win will mark the 2nd ECC Championship in Loveland Women’s Cross Country history (2021 and 2019).

For the full ECC Women’s Meet Results click here.

Week # 7 State High School D-1 Women’s Cross Country Poll
1. Loveland
2. Shaker Heights
3. Centerville
4. Hilliard Davidson
5. Perrysburg
6. Mason
7. Beavercreek
8. Massillon Jackson
9. Brunswick
10. Medina
Loveland High School ECC Champions Ohio’s 7th State ranked team

The LHS Men’s Cross Country Team collected their first ECC Championship in school history on Saturday! Senior Ryan Chevalier finished in 3rd place with a time of 16:20.98, Junior Brady Steiner placed 7th with a time of 16:44.60, Junior Cayden Dyer finished in the 8th spot with a time of 16:49.45, Freshman Nick Huff placed 11th with a time of 17:03.48, Junior Grant Hanson finished in 14th place with a time of 17:12.64, Senior Sam Neiger crossed the line in 26th with a time of 17:34.01, and Sophomore Kyle Becker placed 50th with a time of 18:31.46.

Lebanon placed 2nd and Turpin grabbed the 3rd place spot. Little Miami’s William Zegarski won the ECC Meet with a time of 15:38.48 and Walnut Hill’s Gianni Allwein took 2nd place with a time of 15:59.35.

For the full ECC Men’s Meet Results click here.

Week # 7 State High School D-1 Men’s Cross Country Poll
1. Mason
2. St. Xavier
3. Hilliard Davidson
4. St Ignatius
5. St Edwards
6. Massillon Jackson
7. Loveland
8. Louisville
9. North Canton Hoover
10. Lancaster
Both the Men’s and Women’s LHS Cross Country Teams will compete on Saturday at the Voice of America Park (7850 VOA Park Dr, West Chester Township, OH 45069) for the OHSAA District Championships. The Women will run at 10 AM and the Men are set to run at 11:30 AM. Tickets are $8 if you purchase online before 6 AM on October 23rd. If you decide to purchase after the pre-sale deadline, tickets will be $10. There will be no gate sales. To purchase tickets click here.

Middle School Champions

The Loveland Middle School Cross Country Team’s both took home ECC Championship Trophies as well making Saturday a huge win for Loveland Tigers across the board!

LMS Cross Country Coach John Waple said, “The middle school cross country teams had an amazing season. Every kid came and worked hard all season and grew as runners. This was just a truly tremendous group of kids to coach. We were very fortunate that all four of our teams won at ECC, which is just a great testament to the depth of this team. Not only did our team win every race, but we had three individual champions and several top finishers.”

LMS ECC Champs Coach Jenkins, Evan Colegate, Zach Chevalier, Tyler Schwinn, Michael Piposar, Ronan Wolfer, Luke Zicka, and Coach Waple

The LMS Boys Cross Country Team secured an ECC title with a score of 43. 8th Grader Ronan Wolfer was the top finisher for the Tigers placing 3rd with a time of 11:12.59, Tyler Schwinn placed 5th with a time of 11:35.98, 7th Grader William Manly grabbed the 9th place spot with a time of 11:38.85, 8th Grader Zach Chevalier finished 12th with a time of 11:47.34, and Evan Colegate placed 14th with a time of 12:10.10.

For the full Boy’s ECC Meet Results click here.

LMS ECC Champs Coach Jenkins, Savanna Conliff, Caroline Murnan, Parker Mentzer, Allie Kimnach, Ellie Orth, Tori Elliott, and Coach Waple

The LMS Girls Cross Country Team took first with a score of 16. 8th Grader Caroline Murnan took the top spot with a time of 12:42.09, Parker Mentzer grabbed 2nd place with a time of 12:44.03, Delaney Cilley finished 3rd with a time of 12:58.36, 7th Grader Tori Elliot placed 4th with a time of 12:59.09, and 8th Grader Ellie Orth placed 6th with a time of 13:06.07.

Delaney Cilley, Parker Mentzer, and Caroline Murnan

For the full ECC Girl’s Meet Results click here.

Congratulations to the LHS Men’s and Women’s Cross Country Teams as well as the LMS Boy’s and Girl’s Cross Country Teams! We are so proud of your hard work and dedication! We can’t wait to see what the future holds for these FAST Tigers!

For more Loveland Sports updates stay tuned to the Loveland Salad With ME, Cassie Mattia!
October 21, 2021
Have you Signed up to be a part of Loveland’s Wonka-Land Halloween Edition?
by Cassie Mattia

Loveland, Ohio – With Halloween just around the corner, many people are in search of frights, pumpkin festivals, and costume celebrations to bring in the holiday the right way! This year Loveland has a little something special up their sleeve for this Halloween; introducing Loveland’s Wonka-Land Halloween Edition!

In year’s past, the city of Loveland has celebrated Halloween with costume contests, special live entertainment at Downtown’s local restaurants, and spooky vendors that typically set up along the Loveland Bike Trail, but this year Little Miami River Chamber of Alliance Board President Doug Portmann envisioned something a little different…Loveland decked out in its very own Wonka-Land!

“As my wife and I were brainstorming as to what Loveland’s theme should be this year for Halloween my daughter said, ‘It’s Halloween so why don’t you do a Willy Wonka theme?” Portmann explained, “From there all we really needed to do was fill in the details!”

On Saturday, October 30th from 6 PM-8 PM teams of 4 will go on a hunt through Loveland’s impromptu candy land in search of Willy Wonka’s Golden Ticket! Teams will participate in “sweet” games in this ultimate Halloween scavenger hunt in order to find the grand prize. Those that will be participating are asked to please eat dinner beforehand as beer and food discount tickets will not be given out to teams until after the games have ended.

Teams and those that attend Loveland’s Wonka-Land Halloween Edition are asked to dress in their absolute best Willy Wonka-themed attire, but ARE NOT REQUIRED to dress in a costume to participate in the games! Some of the Willy Wonka characters are as follows: Willy Wonka, Charlie Buckett, Grandpa Joe, Veruka Salt, Mike Teave, Arthur Slugworth, Augustus Gloop, Violet Beauregarde, Mr. Salt, Mrs. Teavee, Oompa-Lumpas, Mrs. Gloop, Mr. Turkentine, and The Tinker. Here are a few links to places where you can purchase Willy Wonka character-inspired costumes, HalloweenCostumes.com, Walmart, and Amazon.

Need more Wonka inspiration? Check out the original Willy Wonka movie trailer from 1971 starring the legendary Gene Wilder!

Excited and ready to sign up yet?! We have included the link to sign up below, but before you do so here are a few simple rules to adhere to before you enter into the search for the Golden Ticket!
1. All those participating must be 21 years old.
2. It is recommended that all participants eat dinner beforehand as the event will be very crowded and hard to order a full dinner quickly!
3. Due to COVID-19 restrictions, there will be no food tastings this year, but restaurants will be offering food and drink discount tickets to all participants after the games!
4. The most important rule is…HAVE FUN!
Loveland’s Wonka-Land Halloween Edition is already half sold out so we encourage you to grab your team and sign up before it’s too late!

Visit the Web Site

A Huge Shout-Out to This Year’s Sponsors! Thank you so Much for Your Support!

For more Loveland event updates stay tuned to the Loveland Salad With ME, Cassie Mattia!
October 15, 2021
Have you Signed up to be a part of Loveland’s Wonka-Land Halloween Edition?
by Cassie Mattia

Loveland, Ohio – With Halloween just around the corner, many people are in search of frights, pumpkin festivals, and costume celebrations to bring in the holiday the right way! This year Loveland has a little something special up their sleeve for this Halloween; introducing Loveland’s Wonka-Land Halloween Edition!

In year’s past, the city of Loveland has celebrated Halloween with costume contests, special live entertainment at Downtown’s local restaurants, and spooky vendors that typically set up along the Loveland Bike Trail, but this year Little Miami River Chamber of Alliance Board President Doug Portmann envisioned something a little different…Loveland decked out in its very own Wonka-Land!

“As my wife and I were brainstorming as to what Loveland’s theme should be this year for Halloween my daughter said, ‘It’s Halloween so why don’t you do a Willy Wonka theme?” Portmann explained, “From there all we really needed to do was fill in the details!”

On Saturday, October 30th from 6 PM-8 PM teams of 4 will go on a hunt through Loveland’s impromptu candy land in search of Willy Wonka’s Golden Ticket! Teams will participate in “sweet” games in this ultimate Halloween scavenger hunt in order to find the grand prize. Those that will be participating are asked to please eat dinner beforehand as beer and food discount tickets will not be given out to teams until after the games have ended.

Teams and those that attend Loveland’s Wonka-Land Halloween Edition are asked to dress in their absolute best Willy Wonka-themed attire! Some of the Willy Wonka characters are as follows: Willy Wonka, Charlie Buckett, Grandpa Joe, Veruka Salt, Mike Teave, Arthur Slugworth, Augustus Gloop, Violet Beauregarde, Mr. Salt, Mrs. Teavee, Oompa-Lumpas, Mrs. Gloop, Mr. Turkentine, and The Tinker. Here are a few links to places where you can purchase Willy Wonka character-inspired costumes, HalloweenCostumes.com, Walmart, and Amazon.

Need more Wonka inspiration? Check out the original Willy Wonka movie trailer from 1971 starring the legendary Gene Wilder!

Excited and ready to sign up yet?! We have included the link to sign up below, but before you do so here are a few simple rules to adhere to before you enter into the search for the Golden Ticket!
1. All those participating must be 21 years old.
2. It is recommended that all participants eat dinner beforehand as the event will be very crowded and hard to order a full dinner quickly!
3. Due to COVID-19 restrictions, there will be no food tastings this year, but restaurants will be offering food and drink discount tickets to all participants after the games!
4. The most important rule is…HAVE FUN!
Loveland’s Wonka-Land Halloween Edition is already half sold out so we encourage you to grab your team and sign up before it’s too late!

Visit the Web Site

A Huge Shout-Out to This Year’s Sponsors! Thank you so Much for Your Support!

For more Loveland event updates stay tuned to the Loveland Salad With ME, Cassie Mattia!
October 11, 2021
Linda Bergholz Shares why Loveland Music Academy was Forced to Move

by Cassie Mattia

Symmes Township, Ohio – Loveland is full of so many wonderful things for families to get involved in and for parents to get their children involved within the community. The Loveland Music Academy (LMA) is one of those places that welcomes anyone that has a passion for music or simply wants to learn something new that is entirely community-oriented!

LMA came into conception in 2007 when Linda Bergholz and Aaron O’Keefe found a need within the Loveland community for a music academy that could provide quality instruction based on the need of the student. LMA began its journey by offering private lessons for guitar, piano, strings, woodwinds, brass, harp, percussion, voice, and acting in the heart of Downtown Loveland. LMA’s goal was to provide students with a solid musical education and lessons tailored to each student’s interests and goals. With that motto in mind LMA grew rapidly!

LMA quickly began to be known as the go-to place in Loveland and beyond for fantastic music education and instruction at a very reasonable price. In 2009, LMA moved into the Brown Building at 209 W Loveland Ave (which was across the street from LMA’s original location) because they were growing so fast and needed more space for studios. Within 5 years LMA gained 26 instructors educating 400-500 students per week!

“I teach from age six through adults; each lesson is tailored to the individual student. I believe that it is important for students to be exposed to all types and styles of music–from classical to jazz, rock to gospel, country to blues, broadway to reggae, we all find our ‘niche’–and learn to make the music we love. My goal in teaching a student is not that they win awards, but that they carry the love of listening to and playing music for a lifetime. You can’t always find someone to play a game of soccer or basketball or tennis with you, but you can always sit down to a piano (or keyboard, or pick up the flute) and make music yourself.” – Linda Bergholz

Bergholz started to make plans to both expand and improve the LMA building due to the influx of new students, instructors, and much-needed renovations putting in a significant amount of money to a building that LMA didn’t own. Over the course of 10 plus years that LMA called 209 W Loveland home, they paid over 200,000 dollars in rent to the Loveland Community Firefighters’ Association (LCFA), a non-profit organization that owns the Brown Building off the Loveland Bike Trail in Downtown Loveland’s Historic District where LMA resided.

The LCFA according to their website, “works year round to raise funds to help supplement the department and many other community services. Most of the members of the LCFA are also members of the fire department or their families. These individuals work diligently year-round at fundraisers to raise money to donate to the fire department and other causes around the community. The LCFA has always tried to give as much back to the community as possible that we serve.”

Because of the LCFA motto, Bergholz thought that LMA would be in Downtown Loveland forever as it not only served the community, and supplied local music instructors with jobs, but also brought in a lot of money for both local restaurants and shopping boutiques from its 400 plus students and their parents. Unfortunately, this was not the case.

LMA’s new home at 10084 East Kemper Road, just outside of the Loveland City limit in Symmes Township.

In September of this year, LMA moved to 10084 East Kemper Road, just outside of the Loveland City limit in Symmes Township because they were notified that their lease would not be renewed by the LCFA. Bergholz along with LMA’s music instructors and students were devastated as they thought this would be the end of Loveland’s only music academy.

Bergholz coincidentally came into Mile42 Coffee the day she was notified that LMA was being kicked out of the Brown Building and ran into me. I could tell by the look in her eyes that she was not okay and that something major had happened. Bergholz sat with me and told me what had happened and said she just couldn’t let this be the end of LMA. I agreed and encouraged her to keep on fighting because hundreds of local students, parents, and music instructors depended on her strength and dedication. That’s just what Bergholz decided to do. Not only did she write a letter to LCFA asking why LMA’s lease wasn’t going to be renewed and if they would reconsider, she began to work as hard she could to find a new location for LMA. Bergholz later found out that LMA’s lease was not being renewed because LCFA wanted to acrue more income from the Brown Building i.e they wanted to put in a new bar or restaurant. Although Bergholz felt she could prove that LMA did provide a significant amount of income, she decided to move forward in search of a new building.

The search for a new LMA building was tough for Bergholz being that America was in the midst of a pandemic, the cost to move LMA would be extravagant due to all the heavy music equipment (LMA has several Grand Pianos), and LMA would have to stop doing business for however long it took to move. Bergholz was determined to make it work, and she did just that.

I decided to take a trip to the LMA’s new location to see how the moving progress was going and to talk to Bergholz about the journey that led to the new building! So without further ado, I bring to you a one-on-one EXCLUSIVE Loveland Magazine TV Interview with Linda Bergholz! Believe me you won’t want to miss this one!

If you would like to take music lessons or you would like to get involved with LMA you can call them at 513-239-7105 or send LMA an email.

In September of this year, LMA moved to 10084 East Kemper Road, just outside of the Loveland City limit in Symmes Township.

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For more heart-felt Loveland stories stay tuned to the Loveland Salad With ME, Cassie Mattia!

October 7, 2021