Loveland, Ohio – An application has been submitted on behalf of Joe Farruggia with Zicka Homes to re-zone property off North Second Street (St. Rt. 48) south of the Sentry Hill subdivision with the potential use to build a 28-unit condominium development.
A public hearing on the proposal is scheduled for this Wednesday, June 24 at 7:30 PM at City Hall. The public will have an opportunity to comment on the proposal.
Assistant City Manager Tom Smith told Loveland Magazine this morning that a “concept of what could go in the area”, subject to the approval of the rezoning, could be 28 single-family attached townhomes. “The item up for discussion this Wednesday is for the rezone only. To date, no application has been submitted for the development of this area,” said Smith.
City staff is recommending that the re-zoning be approved.
The applicant is requesting re-zoning the property from the current zoning of Residential – Medium Density (R-MD) to Residential – Multi-Family (R-MF).
The area consists of approximately 5.529 acres of undeveloped land.
In a memo to the Planning and Zoning Commission dated June 24, Assistant City Manager Tom Smith said in part:
It is the opinion of City staff that the proposed rezone would be consistent with the recommendations of the Downtown Strategic Plan, surrounding land uses, and poses very little significance in the disparity between the two zones in question. Therefore, City staff dos not believe that the integrity of the code, surrounding land uses, nor their density requirements will be jeopardized with regards to the applicant’s request for rezone.
Policy Options
Recommend the proposed recommendation to the City Council for approval, deny the proposed recommendation, or propose an alternative solution.
Recommendation
Staff recommends that the Planning and Zoning Commission make a favorable recommendation to the City Council for the approval of the applicant’s rezone request as stated in the applicant’s application.
You can see the entire proposal that the Commission will debate here: Blossom Hill Project
The Loveland Music Boosters’ mission is to support music students in Loveland Schools from kindergarten through 12th grade. We are entirely dependent on the financial support and volunteer efforts of our members – parents, students and music lovers in the community like you.
Cassie Mattia is a reporter/columnist and Assistant Editor of Loveland Magazine. She lives in Historic Downtown Loveland
Loveland, Ohio – Over the past several months’ many citizens across Ohio have experienced the effects of COVID-19 and MANY have stepped up to help out those who have been hit the hardest by the pandemic. The former President of St. Columban’s Student Council Paul Laufersweiler and his sister Emily decided they wanted to make a difference by introducing St. Columban’s “Virtual Walk-A-Thon!” Paul will be entering Loveland High School in the Fall and Emily will be a sixth-grade student at St. Columban.
The President of St. Columban’s Student Council Paul Laufersweiler opening donations and notes from St. Columban families who contributed to the Virtual Walk-A-Thon.
Every year St. Columban School partners with the Sisters of Mount Notre Dame to raise money for St. Julie School in Uganda. St. Columban’s Student Council, which is supervised by Chad Drinnen, an 8th-grade teacher at St. Columban, organizes fund-raising events throughout the school year in order to meet their ultimate fundraising goal. These events range from both basketball and volleyball tournaments to bake sales to $1 Out-Of-Uniform days to the largest event, the annual Walk-A-Thon.
Due to COVID-19 the school year was cut short which meant a number of the fundraising events didn’t get to happen including the popular 3-on-3 Basketball Tournament.
Paul’s mother Stefanie Badders Laufersweiler explained to us just how the idea of the “Virtual-Walk-A-Thon” came about.
“At dinner one night, we were talking about all the cancellations and when Paul said how disappointed he was that they might not make their fundraising goal this year for St. Julie’s, his little sister Emily said, ‘Why can’t we still do the Walk-A-Thon and just walk in our own neighborhoods?’ Paul loved the idea and so did Mr. Drinnen,” Laufersweiler explained, “Families collected and mailed check donations and also paid by Venmo and in the end, they raised $1,000 that St. Julie School will use for school supplies and other items that will create a better learning experience for their students.”
Check out the videos below of the Laufersweiler’s fundraising journey!
Paul introducing the Virtual Walk-A-Thon for St. Columban School!
Paul announcing the Virtual Walk-A-Thon results!
This photo was taken when Paul read a speech last November on Veterans Day
Meet Paul Laufersweiler
Paul just graduated from eighth grade at St. Columban School and will be attending Loveland High School in the Fall. He has already successfully auditioned to be in the marching and symphonic bands. Paul has two sisters, Emily, who will be a sixth-grader at St. Columban, and Amy who will be a Junior at LHS. Amy is also in LHS’s Show Choir.
Paul told us he may want to study science in college, however, he also has taken an interest in the art of communication so he may want to study that as well.
“When I was really little I wanted to be a pizza pilot where I would fly around in a plane and drop-down pizzas to people,” Paul said. We then asked Paul if he would throw the pizzas out of the plane like frisbees and he responded, “Yes, I’ll get a thin crust, real crispy, so they won’t flop around!”
Here at Loveland Magazine, we are so proud of the younger generation for stepping up and making a difference during these difficult and unknown times! If you have a story about an act of kindness that has occurred during the COVID-19 pandemic feel free to contact us.
On August 15, 2020, the LIFE Food Pantry will host our annual Student Life Shop, back to school event at Prince of Peace Church in Loveland.
Last year, with help from our community, we gave away over 165 backpacks. It’s so rewarding to see the excited faces on the children as they prepare to go back to school.
Each registered LIFE Food Pantry client may sign up their school-age child for this event. Every student will receive a backpack filled with grade-appropriate supplies along with personal care items and school spirit wear.
Registration takes place in July. Please refer to our website for registration details.
For those of you interested in donating, a list of needed supplies is also posted. Lifefoodpantry.org.
Thanks again to everyone who has helped to make this event a success!
Sharon Raess is the Event Co-Chair of the annual Student Life Shop. Contact ger at lifefoodpantry@yahoo.com.
Loveland, Ohio – Based on forecasted weather conditions, (light winds, weak high pressure system, low percentage of clouds), the Southwest Ohio Air Quality Agency is issuing anAir Quality Alert for Saturday, June 20.The Agency expects levels of ozone in the “Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups” range.
Air Quality Forecast for 06/20/20
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Do Your Share and Take these precautions:
• Take the bus, carpool, bike or walk instead of driving
• Refuel your vehicle after 8 p.m.; do not top off when refueling and tighten the gas cap
• Avoid idling your vehicle
• Combine trips or eliminate unnecessary vehicle trips
• Keep your vehicle maintained with properly inflated tires and timely oil changes
• Avoid use of gasoline-powered lawn equipment on Air Quality Advisory days
• Avoid use of oil-based paints and stains on Air Quality Advisory days
• Never burn leaves or other yard trimmings
• Always burn clean, seasoned wood in outdoor fire pits, fireplaces and wood stoves
• Do not use fire pits or fireplaces for non-essential home heating on Air Quality Advisory days
• Conserve electricity
Ground-level ozone is a health hazard because people breathe it.It is formed through a complex set of chemical reactions involving hydrocarbons, nitrogen oxides and sunlight on calm summer days where the weather may also be warm and humid. High levels of ground ozone affect the breathing process and aggravate asthma in chronic sufferers. The young, elderly, and those with lung diseases are especially susceptible. (Source Wikipedia)
Cincinnati, Ohio – The National Underground Railroad Freedom Center is located in downtown Cincinnati, on the banks of the Ohio River.
The National Underground Railroad Freedom Center announced June 12 it will reopen July 24. The news comes after what has already been a three-month closure due to the COVID-19 pandemic. As the Freedom Center works toward its opening date, it is taking steps to ensure guests’ next visit will be safe and comfortable.
“The National Underground Railroad Freedom Center is a place of understanding and dialogue, where we confront our past in order to build a better, more equitable future and the climate we find our country in now makes our mission especially vital,” says Woodrow Keown, Jr., president of the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center. “We’re working diligently to reopen our museum in a safe and responsible way so that we can welcome our community home and work together for inclusive freedom.”
Among the steps the Freedom Center is taking to keep its guests and staff safe upon reopening is instituting timed tickets, which they are encouraging guests to purchase online. Timed tickets will help manage crowd capacity. The Freedom Center is using data on the average length of visit and updated building capacity according to social distancing guidelines to determine the number of tickets sold each hour. In the weeks after reopening, the Freedom Center will reevaluate ticket levels to adjust accordingly. Signage and floor markings will further help guests maintain the proper six feet of distance between groups. Additionally, theater seating has been altered to give guests six feet between each other. However, the status of the 300-seat Harriet Tubman Theater has not been decided, though the museum is hopeful it can reopen in a limited capacity.
Extensive cleaning protocols will ensure the building is cleaned and sanitized multiple times per day, including particular attention to high touchpoint areas like doors, elevators, handrails, countertops and restrooms. The Freedom Center is currently working to make all restrooms and hand sanitizer stations touchless. The Freedom Center is also amending operating days and hours so the building can undergo deep cleaning before opening each day and after close. For the safety of guests and colleagues, masks will be worn by Freedom Center staff at all times and they are asking guests to please do the same.
Due to their high-touch nature, some museum experiences will be altered or closed completely. Many of the museum’s interactives will either be made touchless or updated with foot pedals. Featured exhibition Motel X – which focuses on the combatting human trafficking through awareness and education – is also being updated to remove touch-based interactives but has been extended through September 7. The Rosa Parks Experience, an immersive virtual experience commemorating the Civil Rights icon’s historic demonstration on a Montgomery bus, will not be available upon reopening.
The Freedom Center will continue to share updates on its reopening procedures in the coming weeks.
ABOUT THE NATIONAL UNDERGROUND RAILROAD FREEDOM CENTER
The National Underground Railroad Freedom Center opened in August 2004 on the banks of the Ohio River in downtown Cincinnati, Ohio. Since then, more than 1.3 million people have visited its permanent and changing exhibits and public programs, inspiring everyone to take courageous steps for freedom. Two million people have utilized educational resources online at freedomcenter.org, working to connect the lessons of the Underground Railroad to inform and inspire today’s global and local fight for freedom. Partnerships include Historians Against Slavery, Polaris Project, Free the Slaves, US Department of State and International Justice Mission. In 2014, the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center launched a new online resource in the fight against modern slavery, endslaverynow.org.
NPR reports that Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn) is withdrawing her name from consideration as a Vice-Presidential candidate, “calling on the former vice president (Joe Biden) to pick a woman of color.”
Mihaela Manova is now a Loveland High School Graduate. She joined Loveland Magazine as an Intern in September of 2019 and was soon promoted to be the Editor for our “Covering Climate Now” series. She will study journalism at Miami University.
Here is Loveland High School’s 2020 Graduation (my graduation) in photos and videos – you can experience the whole 11-hour day!
By: Mihaela Manova
Loveland, Ohio – In the year where all schools have closed and many are awaiting a graduation of some sort, Loveland High School has managed to show to its seniors and their respective family members that Covid-19 will not dictate the end to their academic careers. Here is a piece through the point of view of a 2020 graduate.
Where to begin… this year has proved to us, the student body, our limits and our achievements, the mostly good and the mostly bad. Say you were an athlete competing in the beginning of the year or a straight-A student who dedicated their time to their studies, or you could be even both for all we know. You possess qualities that make you stand out and even though you may not know most of the time, many people see that about you. To the class of 2020, don’t fret, the best years are coming ahead.
Before graduation in May of 2020
In the last few days before graduation, I would assume we had the same thoughts crossing our minds. What would these days have looked like if we were in school? Would I be as happy as I am now? Will I be satisfied when I receive my diploma, even when it is placed into my hands gently and in a sterile manner?
Many, (from what I have observed), do not see our current situation as a stop to their plans. While following protocol, these people have decided to make the best of it, even with the distance that comes between them.
With gratitude towards the health care workers that are around us (and around the world), who are parents, aunts, uncles, and more, it was a sight to see the families coming together in our school, to see a personal milestone be achieved.
(Click on any photo to see it enlarged)
Ella Kiley
Carson Sarver
Mitchell McManis
Allison Rountree
(left to right) Joey Jeffcott, Jack Jeffcott, and Brady Jeffcott
Erin Dickman
So how did our day proceed? Here is a type of journal entry that may suffice, with, of course, 2020 vision.
For starters – graduating Senior students were categorized into time slots for each family to have a personal experience (at a distance) with usually the time being around 30 min – 1 hour depending on the traffic.
The high school itself showcased a labyrinth for the cars that would soon lineup, tape making borders for each car to snake around until it found itself ready to go into the school. While waiting you can see a range of cars decorated with festive balloons and markings often saying “Go Tigers!” or “Graduate 2020” in colors of orange and black. Others would have cars following one another with family members anxiously awaiting their turn.
While the wait was long, it gave time to observe the atmosphere as it is a (hopefully) once in a lifetime spectacle of following strict protocol. You could look out the car window and see the people who were soon going to come in, properly dressed in their orange and black togas with facial masks to match.
When it was our turn to park in the parking lot, kind men with masks spoke of the directions in parking, getting out, and entry to the building. The entrance to our high school included a blown up tiger head that engulfed every individual that walked in, making our last walk inside be memorable.
Staff by the entrance were ready to take pictures of the graduate and their family, and once walking into the building you would hear “Hello!” followed by an excited “Congratulations!”
There was no lack of positivity or hints of melancholy anywhere. Once inside the building, each family would wait for another to finish going through all of the stations. The first station was a table with a quick spell-check of the name of the graduate alongside an award for academic excellence this semester if you were excellent.
More greetings ensued as we moved on to the final moment that we were waiting for. With smiles underneath the masks but highlights in all the eyes, it was finally time to hand it off to a family member and walk solitary to the podium leading to the auditorium.
In front of you, principal Peggy Johnson would lead you to the hidden entrance of the podium while behind you, was your family recording every step of the way. In the auditorium, massive posters and lighting donned a dramatic feel to this ceremony, as there were two types of cameras ready for you. One was the video recording of you walking across, and another was for a professional photo when you “turn” the tassel.
Rosa Karl
William Gibbs-Heard
Claire Wallace (2020)
Claire Wallace (young)
Samantha James and Emily Zirkelbach
(left to right) Calloway Hefner, Ben Russ, Lexi Duff, Greyson Hensley, Christian Morckel
Natalie Drury and Kirstin Thomas
With the moment upon you, you hear your full name announced, so you walk across to the far end of the stage, noticing that every seat wore printed pictures of the staff and teachers. This gesture brings a smile to your face when you know how much these people wanted to be there and how long it took for each portrait to get designed, printed, and taped on the seats.
After stepping off and a rush of pride and adrenaline is expected as you have finally done it! You would now put on your “2020 Mask” again and wait for further instruction and clearing of the cafeteria. With your family, you would go to the cafeteria hearing more “Congratulations” and the dreadful returning of the toga (which you secretly want to keep).
Returning the toga, you immediately get a packet of your diploma and a booklet of all the student names and achievements.
Lastly, you break through the doors of the cafeteria, with more felicitations from a staff member that follows the question, “So what are you doing after this?” as you wait. I wasn’t sure if it was meant to be answered for now or for later but I was happy knowing that good things await…
A note:
Speaking for the class of 2020 and myself we would like to say big, big thank you’s to our school, the organizers, the staff, the people outside helping, and the teachers and volunteers. Without your efforts we would have never had a great graduation like this, so we thank you for adapting to these measures and staying positive for our day!
And we also cannot forget to thank the people working on the front lines and in hospitals at the moment, your efforts will not be forgotten in battling this epidemic. BIG THANK YOU TO ALL!
Sincerely,
Mihaela
Watch these videos of the 2020 Commencement Ceremony that were produced by Loveland High School ( (videography and digital production); Shawn Miller (lighting and sound production); Lane Aylor, Hayden Floyd, David Knapp and John Lape (technical assistants)
As we entered the School
Welcome by Olivia VonDeylen
Carson Sarver Class President
Senior Choir members perform Irish Blessing
Sophia Dillhoff Salutatorian
Ashley George Valedictory Address
National Anthem Tribute by Chamber Orchestra and Show Choirs
Principal Peggy Johnson
Superintendent Dr. Amy Crouse and School Board President Kathy Lorenz
Each student receiving their diploma
Below is the entire video of the LHS Graduation that was produced by the school.
To see each graduate cross the stage drag the slider to the 28:52 minute mark.
The entire video of the Commencement exercise
Also read these stories about the Class with 2020 Vision…
Each citizen in Loveland makes up an important piece of the community, but in saying that it’s up to the citizen as to what they do with their role as an important piece of that community. This is what makes up a community’s “D.N.A.”
Over the past two years, Loveland Magazine has been in search of community members that truly play an important role in Loveland’s D.N.A.
by Cassie Mattia
Loveland, Ohio –Many people from all over Ohio in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic have had to find “virtual” ways to communicate with their friends, families, and co-workers. The “Zoom” application (allows you to connect and hold meetings with anyone that also has the application virtually) has skyrocketed in popularity over the past couple of months as it has proven itself to be quite a useful tool for workplaces, schools, media outlets, and local governments to connect with one another.
Due to the social distancing regulations and the Stay At Home Order, here at Loveland Magazine, we decided to try Zoom for ourselves and conduct our first virtual interview for our Loveland Magazine readers! Our segment, “What’s In Loveland’s DNA,” has featured several amazing Loveland community members over the past year and the feedback from the community about the segment itself has been overwhelmingly positive. Instead of our typical sit down one-on-one interview in our LOVELAND MAGAZINE TV studio we decided to conduct our latest DNA interview using Zoom!
Mihaela Manova
We would like to take this time to introduce our newly selected DNA candidate, Mihaela Manova. Mihaela is not only the 2nd youngest DNA candidate we have ever selected she is also the first to be interviewed using Zoom at Loveland Magazine! Mihaela is a big part of the Loveland High School culture and an even bigger part of the Loveland community. Mihaela recently joined the Loveland Magazine team as a staff writer, quickly gained her very own climate column, and was recently promoted as Editor of our Covering Climate Now series, a global journalism initiative committed to bringing more and better coverage to the defining story of our time. Mihaela is a native of Bulgaria and visits her homeland often, making her the ideal choice to cover international stories. She has already begun impacting her adopted small-town home of Loveland with her inspirational voice! Mihaela is a member of Loveland High School’s Class of 2020 and has chosen to study Journalism at Miami University-Oxford in the Fall.
Mihaela recently did her own “What’s in Loveland’s DNA” segment on Madeline Killion which you can read HERE.
Loveland Magazine Publisher David Miller had many great things to say about Mihaela!
“Being from Bulgaria, Mihaela brings a unique perspective to our newspaper and has made an enormous impact on us,” Miller said, “Her youthful honesty, respect, and complete dedication to her craft are invaluable. It’s as if we have an international reporter on staff now. She has certainly altered Loveland’s and Loveland Magazine’s DNA.”
So without further ado, LOVELAND MAGAZINE TV presents “What’s In Loveland’s DNA: Mihaela Manova!”
Click below to see the exclusive Zoom interview with Miss Mihaela!
Read more of our, What’s in Loveland’s DNA” stories…
“Do you think the industry uses recycling to sell more plastic? Absolutely.”– Plastic Wars, PBS
Loveland Magazine is one of the 400 news outlets worldwide, with a combined audience of over 2 billion people “Covering Climate Now”, a global journalism initiative committed to bringing more and better coverage to the defining story of our time.
The initiative was co-founded by The Nation and Columbia Journalism Review
Mihaela Manova is the Loveland Magazine “Covering Climate Now” Editor
Today’s article focuses on Plastic Wars from PBS and Frontline
By Mihaela Manova
W
ith enough free time right now to rediscover a hobby, some choose to spend it on new cooking, or even spring cleaning. But as those people participate in their new hobbies, and some begin to throw out things; others begin to collect them.
Plastic Wars, a documentary on the current pollution problem has made people turn their heads at what is thrown away while looking at the recycling industry and its good, bad, and ugly. With investigating the “battle over plastics, ” Frontline and NPR dive into an investigation over how we are managing the waste, what is going on in the recycling industry, and how the public is contributing to minimizing it. If you haven’t caught this documentary on PBS yet, you can watch it HERE.
“Bloated seabirds and littered waterways have fueled a global anti-plastic movement.”
The industry
Current news sites display headlines that describe how the COVID-19 pandemic is influencing this industry. Words like “piling,” “waste,” and “sabotage” are at the top of their Google search. More plastic waste is being produced by the jumbo packs of toilet paper that some are hoarding. Cans, cardboard, and other packaging of snacks are now loaded in the pantry before quickly consumed and thrown away. The recycling industry is at risk, for more reasons than one.
The hoarding of toilet paper has skyrocketed, yet businesses are now setting limits on how much is allowed to be bought per person.
According to Wired, “First, given that plastic is oil, when oil prices fall—as they have in recent years—plastic gets cheaper to make. This corrupts the economics of recycling.” This news source continues to talk about the relations with China and how they have banned imports of plastic and mixed paper.
On top of all of that, Tom Szaky (founder/CEO of TerraCycle) confirms, “The third is what no one notices, that the quality of the waste is going down,” says Szaky. This is known as “lightweighting,” and it was happening long before the pandemic began. By making plastic bottles thinner, the manufacturer saves money by using less plastic. But, Szaky says, “it becomes progressively less profitable for a garbage company to bother recycling.”
To combat this with the pandemic and quarantine still going, you can begin to take notice of the amount of waste that piles up from the rapid purchases that you have made from your local grocery store or even packages from the mail. Consider biodegradable products as options and do not desert your recycling bin.
Pictured: Turtle consumption, plastic vs jellyfish
The Sea Turtle craze
Many of us have heard of the craze concerning the conservation of sea turtles. In the documentary, it was mentioned that there was an overwhelming awareness that a sea turtle video made upon the public and mostly, the youth. In the realm of social media platforms, influencers, instagrammers, and tik-tokers spread the word about this cause and what anyone can do to help. One of those things became the metal straw trend, where it blew up on almost all platforms.
The essentials of a modern VSCO girl
As self-proclaimed VSCO girls donned the metal straws and used it for their aesthetic, companies were ready for them too, as many would begin to produce these straws in the help of the environment, but others claim, it was just to stay relevant.
Sketchy websites selling metal straws began to pop up on various platforms, overpricing said straws to the more than the average amount. People began building companies on the basis of this trend, which now have to find the next best thing. When building a company based on sustainability and/or biodegradable products, it is known that these efforts will continue to spread a trend for products to be produced ethically. But on the opposite side, some choose to use these trends for fast money and later fall due to the loss of interest over time.
The popularization of metal straws
As many know, one of the biggest companies in the market, Starbucks, has massively changed its straw policy. The Guardian discusses the change from straws to the strawless lids by saying, “But is it really a big win for the environment? Reason, a magazine and blog published by the rightwing Reason Foundation, has claimed that the Nitro lids Starbucks will be making standard use more plastic than a combination of the company’s current lids and plastic straws. Now, as many months have passed since the massive metal straw revolution, environmentalists are still concerned with the amount of plastic that is left.”
Starbucks answered with their reasoning behind this, “Starbucks does not dispute that the new lids use more plastic. However, they stress that “the strawless lid is made from polypropylene, a commonly-accepted recyclable plastic that can be captured in recycling infrastructure, unlike straws which are too small and lightweight to be captured in modern recycling equipment.”
There is more talk concerning another major chain brand revamping their packaging. McDonald’s and Starbucks are working together to develop better disposable packaging in an act of saving the environment.
Easier recycling = more money
Plastic Wars provided awareness for the process of recycling and what products are made from this process. Statistics show that 9% of the world’s plastics are recycled. The documentary mentions that soda bottles and milk jugs are easier to recycle and in turn, equate more money being produced from them. In counter to this, mixed plastics that are mostly part of our everyday packaging, do not get recycled easily and cannot be sold.
If you want to save the planet while making extra cash, items like electronics, glass bottles, and ink cartridges are most wanted. Most importantly, check your state regulations and nearby recycling stations for more information on products, rules, and offers.
Despite efforts spreading across America to reduce the use of plastic and the crisis of ocean pollution growing, the plastics industry is rapidly scaling up new production and promoting a familiar solution: recycling. But it’s estimated that no more than 10% of plastic produced has ever been recycled. The documentary “Plastic Wars,” from FRONTLINE and NPR, reveals how plastic makers for decades have publicly promoted recycling, despite privately expressing doubts that widespread plastic recycling would ever be economically viable.
The applicant is requesting re-zoning the property from the current zoning of Residential – Medium Density (R-MD) to Residential – Multi-Family (R-MF).
Over the past two years, Loveland Magazine has been in search of community members that truly play an important role in Loveland’s D.N.A.
![[On Earth Day’s 50th Birthday] Why you should watch Plastic Wars / Covering Climate Now](https://lovelandmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/feature-plastic-wars.jpg)
