Loveland, Ohio – Duke crews told Loveland Magazine at noon that they have not yet located the exact location of a natural gas leak that caused residents and business owners to evacuate around 10 AM this morning.
At this time some are still being told to “shelter in place” and some are still not allowed back inside structures. Gas was detected inside some structures and Duke is currently monitoring sanitary and storm sewers, and basements for gas.
Crews are currently digging and using jackhammers at the West Loveland Avenue and Loveland Madeira Road intersection.
West Loveland Avenue is closed at Wall Street and further west up the hill past the Loveland Dairy Mart.
Loveland Madeira Road is closed at Main and at Elm.
Loveland, Ohio – Crews are investigating a natural gas leak at the intersection of W. Loveland/Loveland Madeira. The area is being evacuated and Duke is on scene.
The Mariemont Preservation Foundation (MPF) has been gracious enough to loan us copies of some of their Nancy Ford Cones’ photos for the exhibition. This reception and celebration of Cones’ birthday will feature architectural prints of Mariemont in addition to the current exhibit of Cones’ pictures and memorabilia. Light refreshments will be served (including wine). The loan from MPF will remain on exhibit through early November.
Dean Parker on the set of his upcoming short film, which has the working title The Bartender and the Drunk, coming this fall.
by Cassie Mattia
Loveland, Ohio – Have you ever sat down and thought about what it takes to make a great film? Have you ever wondered just how the lions in the Lion King remake look and sound so real? Did you ever look beyond the “scary” parts of a horror movie and look into why those scary parts are so effective? This is what makes a good move excellent and, well, Loveland local Dean Parker knows exactly what it takes to make an excellent movie!
Dean Parker attended Loveland City Schools where he began his journey into film making. Parker began making films at a very young age where eventually that developed passion took him to Ohio University’s Scripps College of Communication to study Integrated Media Production. Dean is also a former paid intern, writing and doing videography and video editing at Loveland Magazine. Several awards and opportunities later, Parker landed himself in L.A. interning for Lifeboat Productions! After following Parker’s amazing story, I decided to invite Dean to Loveland Magazine’s One-on-One series so that he could share with our readers just how he has accomplished everything thus far! Sit back in your chair, grab your popcorn and enjoy, One-on-One with Dean Parker.
Dean on the set of his short film “Virtually in Love”
Ijust want to say before we start, Wow you have quite an impressive resume in the film industry! Where did all this passion for film and the performing arts come from? Was it passed along from your family or was it a newfound talent?
Dean – Thank you for the kind words. I don’t really know exactly where my passion entirely came from, to be honest. It’s really a mix of a bunch of things. I’ve just always liked stories and being a part of creating stories. I used to read all the time growing up and would like to write short books for fun. My dad also had an old camera that I would use to film silly videos with me and my friends. I think it’s fascinating how books, theater, and films can leave an impression on someone through the stories they tell and how they tell them. So, I think that impression stories left on me, especially through film, made me want to become a part of that industry and create. Definitely a newfound talent, for sure.
You went to Loveland High school, GO TIGERS, what did you learn at LHS that has helped you through your career path? Did you partake in any special courses at Loveland for film, if so, what were they? Brag about yourself for a minute! Share with our Loveland Magazine readers some of your high school accolades!
Dean – At the time when I was at LHS, they didn’t have the really cool video production class they just added. The only course they had was the LHSNN class, which is the school news. I was the lead editor for the news, and I had to learn how to use new editing software and how to meet deadlines on a tight schedule. That was a fun class because I got to collaborate with the other anchors on coming up with different news specials and skits. Other than that, I had to teach myself everything else. Mr. Barrett, who runs LHSNN and the video classes, was also very supportive of me especially when it came to the different shorts I was making. I was also very fortunate to meet a really cool group of friends in high school that were also interested in becoming filmmakers. We all worked on various projects together and we taught each other different things that helped us grow. In fact, those students started the LHS film club, which I believe is still around? Hopefully, it is! Beyond that, LHS let me have the premiere of two of my films in the auditorium, which was extremely nice. They were very supportive of me and a lot of the students came to see the premieres, as well as our principal and superintendent. I was very grateful to everyone for coming out to see the films.
You later made your way to the Ohio University, why did you select OU? What degree are you going for? Share with us your experience at OU and how it has helped you become the amazing film artist you are today!
Dean – My degree at OU is called Integrated Media Production, which is basically a create your own major within the media school. I selected OU because of its great media program that includes some amazing opportunities. I’ve participated in an advanced narrative production class called 419 Productions. In that class, we got to make a major short film that takes us an entire year from prepping, to raising a budget, to actually filming and editing it. Then we have a premiere at the end of the year. I have participated in many other student film sets and have learned so much from each one, mainly due to the other students who teach me different things. I also work in my school’s video equipment room and have familiarized myself with most of what we have there. And then there’s amazing our LA program, which takes students out to LA for real-world experience. All these things have helped shaped me into the filmmaker and person that I am today. I have learned so much more about the film over the past three years than at any other time in my life.
Let’s really get to know Dean! Tell us about your family! Who inspires you? Would you say your family has helped you become what you are today? Anyone in the family into film making? What were some of your favorite films growing up? Have you drawn inspiration for your films through some of your favorite films of the past?
Dean – My dad runs his own company which makes home inspection software. My mom works as a territory manager at BGR. I have two sisters, one of whom currently goes to LHS. My other sister plays soccer at Miami University. I’m inspired by Chris Martin, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Damien Chazelle, and Bo Burnham just to name a few. My family has always been so incredibly supportive of me in my film endeavors. Some of them even came out to visit me in LA and I showed them around. They always watch my films and have helped me attend film festivals too, which I am very grateful for. I actually don’t have any family members that are into filmmaking, but my great-grandfather owned a drive-in movie theater so maybe that’s where I got my urge to be in the industry. Growing up, I loved Toy Story and Harry Potter movies. My favorite movies currently are The Social Network, Whiplash, Lord of the Rings, and American Beauty, just to name a few. I definitely have drawn inspiration from some of these films and into my work.
Ivisited your website deanparkerfilms.com and looked over all of your films and they are so interesting! Dean, tell us about the films that you have made and what has inspired each of them. I saw you made a film called No Love in Loveland, tell us about how Loveland inspired you to create this film. What is your favorite film you have made? What film took the longest to make? What film are you most proud of?
Dean – For No Love in Loveland, it was inspired by what I was feeling during my time at LHS, or more so during my freshman year. I thought it was interesting how the dating culture was in school and all the different ways of how quickly people got into and out of relationships. Not to mention all the crushes people had on each other and how they went about approaching that situation. Maybe it was because a lot of people knew each other at our school due to the size. It was a bizarre and funny time and I wanted to make a film that showcased that. So, I played on how our city was called Loveland to poke fun at the situation.
Regret is by far the most personal film I have made. I would like to tell you exactly how I was inspired to make that film but it’s still too personal for me to fully explain. All I’ll say is that it was inspired by a time in high school where I was struggling with the thought of something to come. Now, it was with this film that I met my good group of Loveland film friends. I needed crew members and they reached out to me and offered to help. I continued to work with those guys on my other two films after that. If it wasn’t for this film, I don’t know if I would’ve met them and I’m grateful that I did get to meet them.
Images I came up with shortly after the time I wrote Regret. I was inspired to make the film after meeting certain people and seeing how the way they presented themselves online and the image they were trying to show off was different than when I really got to know them. I’m proud of all the work we put into making that film. It was by far my most ambitious project at the time, especially due to the length and complexity of the shots. We all had a fun time working on it though, and the cast and crew got really close. I would also say it’s my most successful film so far, due to the number of festivals we were fortunate enough to be a part of.
Together was actually based on a short story a friend of mine wrote. When I read the story for the first time, I knew it could make for a good short film. I spent time talking to the writer of the story about what she intended and then putting that to film. It was exciting to interpret someone else’s story, write a screenplay for it and then bring it to life. I think that’s my favorite film I have put out so far. Currently, the film I’m editing right now is taking the longest to make (it’ll be worth it, I promise). But prior to that, it was Together. That film had some complications at the beginning of production that put filming on halt for almost two months. We scrambled to get that film shot in time before I had to go back to OU for the sophomore year. Then I had to edit it while I was at school and my roommate was using his free time to make the music. But it all worked out, thankfully.
Dean with some of his OU friends on the set of a student production.
You have collected some unbelievable awards over the past few years! What were some of your proudest awards? Tell the readers about how recipients are selected for these awards and what you had to do to be considered. You have been to a number of film festivals, which I’m sure was really exciting for you to be part of! What are some of your favorite film festivals you have attended? Have you been invited to any extremely exclusive film festivals?
Dean – Thank you again for the kind words. I’ve been very fortunate to be a part of some very neat festivals. One of my favorite festivals I was selected into was the Nashville Film Festival, which is a major festival. Unfortunately, I didn’t get the chance to attend, but just being selected was very exciting. Being a finalist for some awards and also winning one at the All-American High School Film Festival was also great. I got to attend that festival and it was one of the best experiences of my life. I also enjoyed attending the Golden Lion Film Festival here in Cincinnati. I won the best short film award and best of fest award back in 2016, which was so crazy. That festival has greatly expanded since I was a part of it and it’s cool to see how they’ve grown. The thing is, with all the great accolades I’ve been fortunate to receive, there is actually much more losing than winning. I’ve been rejected from way more festivals than I have been accepted. This is a very common thing for all filmmakers submitting to festivals. But to me, I see it as another reason to get better with every project. Also, each festival is different and is looking for particular films to make up their lineup so that it also plays into how one gets accepted. I submit to all my film festivals through the website filmfreeway.com. If you are a filmmaker looking to submit to festivals, that website is currently the #1 festival submission platform.
Ok, you have been in L.A having the time of your life! You are interning for Lifeboat Productions? Tell us about your experience thus far in L.A. I saw that you got the opportunity to be at the Jimmy Kimmel show? What was that like? Talk about the new film you are producing Virtually in Love.
Dean – L.A has been quite the experience and I definitely see myself living there. Yes, I interned at Lifeboat Productions as a production office and development intern. Most of what I did there is read tons of screenplays and then provide coverage, which is basically a form of feedback. I also helped around the office by prepping the conference room, answering phone calls, greeting clients, and anything else they might’ve needed me to do. They also had me pitch a screenplay in development to the company executives, which was great practice for me.
LA is a much different world than Loveland. Way more people, buildings, and cars. In fact, there really isn’t anywhere to park. Traffic happens all the time, any hour, any day of the week. But it’s all part of the experience. And there’s always something to do. Lots of events and cool places to see. Through my school, I’ve gotten to do some studio tours like Warner Bros, and Sony Pictures. I’ve also gotten to go to Universal Studios Hollywood and Disneyland. And I’ve run into some celebrities as well. I once saw Ryan Gosling while I was out for dinner, which was crazy.
I’ve gotten to attend Jimmy Kimmel twice, actually. The most recent time I went, Quentin Tarantino was the guest and he was promoting his new movie Once Upon a Time in Hollywood. In fact, at one point, Leonardo DiCaprio came out and surprised the audience with an invite to come to the movie premiere. So, I went and got to see the movie a few days before it came out. If you go onto YouTube, you can find the video when this happened. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uEEkXCCgz2o.
I got to write and direct one of the short films for our school program while we were out in LA. The film is a science-fiction drama called Virtually in Love, which is sort of like an episode of Black Mirror. The film takes place in the near future and is about a man who is struggling to make a romantic connection in a time where everybody is disconnected due to technology. We had an open casting call and got to work with some really cool LA actors. We had a lot of tight deadlines with making the film but managed to get it done well. It was a great learning experience and made me reflect on what I know about filmmaking and how I can get better. That film will also go through a festival run for a bit and will be released shortly after.
Now is your chance to promote yourself! Tell us about your future plans! Any films or big projects in the works? Any fun opportunities?
Chanse McDuffie and LeJon Woods from a scene in The Bartender and the Drunk directed by Dean Parker
Dean – I am currently still editing a short film I directed back in the spring that is set to come out sometime this fall. It’s currently titled The Bartender and the Drunk, but that is just a working title. We actually have a Facebook Page you can go check out if you want to follow updates on the film. I am really excited for this to be released. I had a stellar cast and crew, and this is the first short film I’ve directed where I didn’t write the screenplay. We also self-funded this film through GoFundMe and were fortunate enough to reach our goal of $2,500. Once the film is completed, I’ll be using the rest of the budget to send it off to various film festivals.
Besides that film, I’m going to keep helping out on projects when I get back to school, and my buddy and I are also looking to possibly make a short in the fall as well. After I graduate, I plan to eventually move out to LA with some friends to get started working in the “real world.”
Now let me ask you some fun, but random questions! What’s your favorite color? Who’s your favorite director? Any hidden talents? What’s your favorite food? Who do you emulate? What’s the last film you saw? Any recent films you have seen that you recommend? Lion King original or Lion King remake? What do you hope to be doing in 5 years?
Dean – My favorite color is blue. My favorite director is Damien Chazelle. I can sing, but anyone who knows me well knows that’s not a hidden talent. I can also make a really good grilled cheese apparently. My favorite food is a tough question. I like steak and calamari a lot. I’m kind of a picky eater but I’m getting better. I guess I emulate my dad. My sisters tell me that a lot. The last film I saw was The Farewell, which I recommend. I also recommend Booksmart, and Toy Story 4, which is my favorite film of the year so far. I’d definitely pick the original Lion King; the remake was not good at all. In five years, I hope to be working in LA on or at least starting to work on my own feature film, whether or not done independently.
To keep up with Dean Parker and his film career you can visit deanparkerfilms.com.
DEAN PARKER’S AWARDS
VISUAL ARTS SEMI-FINALIST: 2016 Cincinnati Overture Awards
TOGETHER
WINNER: Best College Student Film, 2018 Tampa Bay Underground Film Festival
WINNER: Best in Show – College Division, 2018 American Youth Film Festival
NOMINEE: Best Editing, 2018 Tampa Bay Underground Film Festival
NOMINEE: Best Musical Score, 2018 Tampa Bay Underground Film Festival
NOMINEE: Best College Film, 2018 Austin Student Film Festival
SEMI-FINALIST: Los Angeles CineFest – November 2017 Edition
IMAGES
WINNER: 60th CINE Golden Eagle Award for Narrative Youth Media
WINNER: Best Editing, 2016 All-American High School Film Festival
WINNER: Best High School Student Short Film, 2017 Tampa Bay Underground Film Festival
WINNER: Best Youth Film, 2017 Boise Film Festival
WINNER: Best Structure, 2017 Premiere Film Festival
WINNER: Best High School Film, 2017 UPIKE Film & Media Arts Festival
FINALIST: Best Overall Film, 2016 All-American High School Film Festival
FINALIST: Best Drama, 2016 All-American High School Film Festival
FINALIST: Best Cinematography (Sam Smith), 2016 All-American High School Film Festival
NOMINEE: Best Student Film-High School, 2017 Alhambra Theatre Film Festival
SEMI-FINALIST: Los Angeles CineFest – August 2016 Edition
HONORABLE MENTION: Best Dramatic Student Film, 2017 Lionshead Film Festival
2017 OFFICIAL SELECTION: Nashville Film Festival
2017 OFFICIAL SELECTION: Scout Film Festival
2017 OFFICIAL SELECTION: Benicia Film Festival
2017 OFFICIAL SELECTION: Lake Charles Film & Music Festival
REGRET
BEST OF SHOW: 2016 Golden Lion Awards
GOLDEN LION AWARD: Narrative Film, 2016 Golden Lion Awards
BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY (Sam Smith): 2016 Blue Ridge Young Filmmakers Festival
BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY (Sam Smith): 2017 Premiere Film Festival
2016 OFFICIAL SELECTION: All-American High School Film Festival
2016 OFFICIAL SELECTION: Royal Starr Film Festival
2017 OFFICIAL SELECTION: Ballston Spa Film Festival
2017 OFFICIAL SELECTION: Lake Charles Film & Media Festival
2016 OFFICIAL SELECTION: Drop Your Shorts – Fall Edition
2017 OFFICIAL SELECTION: Film Forum on the Lake
SPECIAL PRESENTATION: 2016 Hoosierdance International Film Festival
NO LOVE IN LOVELAND
SILVER KEY AWARD: 2016 Cincinnati Scholastic Art and Writing Awards
2015 OFFICIAL SELECTION: All-American High School Film Festival
2015 OFFICIAL SELECTION: Film Dayton Festival
2016 OFFICIAL SELECTION: Texas Independent Film Festival
2016 OFFICIAL SELECTION: Los Angeles CineFest – March 2016 Edition
2016 OFFICIAL SELECTION: Scout Film Festival
Dean’s Associated Products
Wake Up Mark (2018; Director – Michi Heckler)
Dean was the script supervisor for the Flat Pop Productions short thriller-comedy: Wake Up Mark. The film is currently in post-production and is expected to be released in 2019. The film is directed by Michi Heckler.
Dean was the script supervisor of the 419 Productions film: The Horseman. The film had its premiere on April 29th at Ohio University. The film was directed by Annabelle Fisher.
Dean was the editor/DIT for the short film Emma. It was created as a part of Ohio University’s film club: Rough Cut Collective. The film was directed by Samantha Houtchens.
Loveland, Ohio – Although he holds many roles in the community (Loveland School Board President,President of Jarvis Global Investments LLC, and is the current season sponsor for the theatre company), Art Jarvis hasn’t appeared on stage since high school, and never with lines to memorize!In high school, he appeared in the ensemble of “Wizard of Oz” and “Camelot” and also was a member of the Cincinnati Boys Choir. But this is all new to him.
When Deirdre Dyson, artistic director, and Steve Kovacs, co-producer approached Art and offered him the role of the priest in their production of “Mamma Mia”, Art was reluctant to accept since he had just had foot surgery and wasn’t sure he could even walk by the opening date of August 15. But he accepted and is now excited and appreciative of the new experience and the chance to make new friends.
He is amazed at the amount of time involved to produce a show, “But it shows” says Art. A typical show calls for an average of 15 hours of rehearsal per week and many weeks might involve more than that during the average 6 weeks to put a show together. Add to that painting the set, making costumes, etc. and you can easily reach over 20 hours per week.
Art says the main reason he accepted this new and challenging experience is that, “Loveland Stage Company is a jewel in Loveland’s crown!”
“Mamma Mia” opens August 15 and runs through the 25.
Curtain goes up at 7:30 p.m. on the 15th , 16th, 17th, 23rd, 24th and at 3 p.m. on the 18th, 24th and 25th.
There will be an ASL interpreter at the 3 p.m. show on the 24th.
Tickets are $20 and can be bought online at http://lovelandstagecompany.orgfor large groups or accessible seating call 513-443-4572. The theatre is located at 111 S. 2nd St. (Rt. 48), Loveland, 45140.
Hamilton County, Ohio – GreenLight Fund Cincinnati and Hamilton County Job and Family Services are teaming up to bring First Place for Youth to Cincinnati. First Place for Youth is an innovative program aimed at helping foster children transition to adulthood using a youth-centered, trauma-informed approach. The program will help nearly 100 children a year in Hamilton County with housing, education and employment services.
First Place for Youth originated in California and has a proven track record in helping youth develop necessary skills for adulthood. 91 percent of participating youth are employed when they graduate from the program. The education and workforce based program uses housing as a stabilizing force. Young people in the program live independently in apartments and receive wraparound support, education services, employment services and other help to become self-sufficient. This model, which is new to Cincinnati, will be operated by an existing, local non-profit organization who will be chosen later this month.
First Place for Youth anticipates helping nearly 350 young people over the next four years, 90 percent of local transition-age youth.
Moira Weir, director of Hamilton County Job and Family Services, which operates the local foster care system, said approximately 100 children a year “age-out” of the foster care system at age 18 or 21, meaning they are not reunified with their biological parents or adopted by new parents. First Place for Youth anticipates helping nearly 350 young people over the next four years, 90 percent of local transition-age youth.
Weir’s organization worked with the University of Cincinnati’s Economic Center on a recent study that found children aging out of the local child welfare system eventually cost local residents $17.7 million in social expenses and lost productivity each year. Those costs are related to the youths’ involvement in the criminal justice, homeless and health care systems, as well as lost productivity because they are not employed at the same level as their peers in the general population.
“You can imagine what life is like for an 18-year-old who is suddenly on their own with no family to turn to in times of trouble,” Weir said. “Research shows these young people are more likely to drop out of school, be unemployed, suffer physical or mental health problems, become teen parents, end up in the criminal justice system – they are more likely to fall victim to a host of social problems. We are excited to supplement our existing services with this incredibly innovative program GreenLight is bringing to our community. We are grateful for a community-based approach to this problem.”
The GreenLight Fund works to improve the lives of low-income children and families by partnering with local community leaders to identify gaps in services in our community and then scours the country for innovative approaches to filling those gaps. Once a solution is found, GreenLight invests an initial $600,000 and draws on community connections to launch the solution in Cincinnati. GreenLight then measures results to ensure real change is happening.
“We are thrilled to partner with Hamilton County Jobs and Family Services to support youth aging out of foster care in our community,” says Tara Noland, GreenLight Cincinnati’s executive director. “This proven, trauma-informed and data-driven model will drastically change the future trajectory of nearly all local youth who age out of care, helping them enter adulthood successfully and ultimately become thriving members of our community.”
GreenLight Fund Cincinnati has raised $1.8 million in funding from organizations such as the Cincinnati Business Committee, the Cincinnati Regional Business Committee, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital, Bank of America, Duke Energy and others. Launched in 2015, it has served more than 1100 children and families through two portfolio organizations, the Center for Employment Opportunities and the Family Independence Initiative. First Place for Youth will be GreenLight’s third investment in Cincinnati.
First Place for Youth has an extensive database of outcomes that make it a proven program ideal for replicating in our city. Hamilton County Job and Family Services will match GreenLight’s initial $600,000 investment with $6.5 million in ongoing support.
Loveland, Ohio – A five-year financial forecast was approved by the Loveland Board of Education on May 21, 2019. Here are links where you can access the Five Year Forecast presentation and Five Year Forecast Financial Report:
Columbus, Ohio – Ohio Governor Mike DeWine today announced a series of legislative reforms to address gun violence and outlined further action to increase mental health prevention, identification, and treatment to better protect Ohioans.
“Gun violence doesn’t just take the form of mass shootings, people are victims every day in Ohio and across the country,” said Governor DeWine. “I believe that this is both a public safety issue and an individual wellness issue – we must address both sides to help solve the problem. It’s time to do something, and that is exactly what we are going to do.”
This series of solid, workable reforms will help get guns out of the hands of people who should not have them under the law while protecting the rights of law-abiding citizens who are entitled to the right to bear arms and will help prevent and treat those struggling with mental illness.
Governor DeWine’s proposals include:
Safety Protection Orders
Governor DeWine is asking the legislature to pass a law to allow courts to issue Safety Protection Orders which would remove firearms from potentially dangerous individuals and get them the mental health treatment they need all while maintaining an individual’s right to due process.
Increased Access to Inpatient Psychiatric Care
Over the past several years, Ohio’s state psychiatric hospitals have become predominantly used by patients who are court-ordered there for restoration to competency to stand trial. This week 79% of the adults in our state psychiatric hospitals are under court order. The Ohio Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services (OhioMHAS) is working to create a process where courts and community-based providers can work together to restore competency for those to stand trial in an outpatient setting which will free more hospital beds and decrease wait time for admission. The Ohio General Assembly will need to pass legislation to create this community-based misdemeanor competency restoration process.
Early Intervention
As part of the 2019-2020 biennium operating budget, the state is investing $675 million in wrap-around services for schools to design individualized programs, working with local mental health providers or social service organizations, to address the social and emotional challenges our students face.
Access to Behavioral Health Services
The Ohio Department of Medicaid is investing $15 million in telehealth mental health services to students, so no matter where a child lives, they have access to high-quality mental health care.
Risk Factor and Resource Identification
OhioMHAS will be working with communities to increase knowledge of risk factors, help parents identify when their child is showing warning signs of a mental illness. The department will share screening tools with clinicians and help connect community-based services to link parents, families, and schools with proven supports and strategies to manage a child’s wellness over the child’s lifetime.
Background Checks
Governor DeWine is calling on the Ohio General Assembly to pass a law requiring background checks for all firearms sales in the state of Ohio with certain limited, reasonable exceptions, including gifts between family members.
Increased Penalties for Felons Who Illegally Possess Firearms
Gun violence occurs in neighborhoods and communities every day across Ohio and the nation. Law enforcement reports that the majority of this violence is perpetrated by a relatively small number of individuals who don’t have the right to possess a gun. Governor DeWine is calling on the General Assembly to increase penalties on felons who illegally possess or use guns.
Increased Penalties for Violent Felons Who Illegally Possess Firearms
Governor DeWine is calling on the General Assembly to increase penalties violent felons and other people found with a gun they do not have the legal right to possess. The crime of having a weapon while under a disability is currently a third-degree felony punishable by a maximum of three years in prison. On a first offense, the crime should be a second-degree felony punishable by two-to eight-years in prison, and for subsequent offenses, it should be a first-degree felony punishable by three- to eleven-years incarceration.
Increased Penalties for People Who Commit Felonies while in Possessing Firearms
This proposal would increase penalties for people who commit felonies with a firearm or who possess a firearm while committing a felony to a mandatory additional one- to three-year sentence.
Increased Penalties for Brandishing a Gun
The General Assembly should pass a law that increases the penalty for those who commit a felony while brandishing a firearm to a mandatory three- to five-year sentence.
Increased Penalties for Straw Purchases
So-called “straw” purchases, the act of purchasing guns for or giving guns to another individual are currently illegal under Ohio and federal law. However, this practice is far too common, so Governor DeWine is calling on the General Assembly to increase the penalty for a straw purchase to a second-degree felony punishable by two to eight years in prison.
Increased Penalties for Illegally Obtained Guns
We should increase the penalty for a person who possesses a firearm that they know was obtained through an illegal or fraudulent purchase in order to avoid a federal background check. A person who possesses the gun should be punished in the same manner as a person who bought the firearm, increasing the penalty to a second-degree felony punishable by two- to- eight years in prison.
Increased Penalties for Those Who Improperly Provide Firearms to Minors
Too many kids are carrying guns on the streets often with tragic consequences. Adults who furnish firearms to minors must be held accountable. Governor DeWine proposes that the General Assembly increase the penalty for improperly providing a firearm to a minor to and a third-degree felony punishable by up to three years in prison.
School Tip Line
The DeWine administration is expanding the state’s school safety tip line, where kids and adults can call or text anonymously to 844-723-3764 with tips about potential school violence.
Social Media Monitoring
In a 24-7 world of social media, threats can arise at any time. The Hub at the Ohio Department of Public Safety is expanding its ability to monitor and track potential threats on social media and will share that information with local school and local law enforcement.
Community Safety
The operating budget provides nearly $9 million to help harden soft targets like non-profits and religious organizations to make their facilities more secure.
School Safety and Intervention Programs
Working closely with Sandy Hook Promise, Ohio’s schools are implementing their “Know the Signs” safety program across the state. This program equips school staff with knowledge and skills to identify potential threats of violent action and take steps to intervene. There are 23 training dates already scheduled.
“I believe these proposals fulfill three important requirements. They can pass the legislature, they make meaningful progress toward safer communities, and they are Constitutional. Passing them won’t be easy, but this is the right thing to do and this is the right time to do it,” Governor DeWine added. “We can pull together to do meaningful things to protect lives. It won’t be easy, but I believe in this state, and I believe in our people.”
This is a reprint of a story we published in late January
Cassie Mattia is a columnist for Loveland Magazine and a resident of Historic Downtown.
by Cassie Mattia
Loveland, Ohio – Have you even taken a minute and thought about what you or a loved one would do if an active shooter came into where you work, where you get your morning coffee or even where your child attends school? The question has been asked in many conversations that I have partaken in, which made me wonder; what exactly are the Loveland Police and Fire Department doing to help our community not only be safe, but feel prepared in an active shooter scenario. In the interview below Loveland Police Officer Jessie Moore (Loveland School Resource Officer) and Loveland-Symmes Fire Department’s Deputy-Chief Mike Books (EMS Chief of Operations) talk to Loveland Magazine about the active shooter training they will be teaching in schools, churches and local businesses!
Watch this LOVELAND MAGAZINE TV interview hear how your safety as well as your family’s safety is Loveland’s number one priority!
Active Shooter Event – An active shooter event involves one or more persons engaged in killing or attempting to kill multiple people in an area occupied by multiple unrelated individuals. (https://bit.ly/2RFpPV0)
EMS – Emergency Medical Services
The acronym for Emergency Medical Services. This term refers to the treatment and transport of people in crisis health situations that may be life threatening. … EMS are staffed by trained medical professionals, called EMTs, or emergency medical technicians.
ALICE – Active Shooter Civilian Response Training
ALERT is your first notification of danger
LOCKDOWN is to secure in place, and prepare to EVACUATE or COUNTER, if needed.
INFORM is communicate the violent intruder’s location and direction in real time.
COUNTER is to create Noise, Movement, Distance and Distraction with the intent of reducingthe shooter’s ability to shoot accurately. Counter is NOT fighting.
EVACUATE is to remove yourself from the danger zone when it is safe to do so.
Department of Homeland – The U.S. Department of Homeland Security works to improve the security of the United States. The Department’s work includes customs, border, and immigration enforcement, emergency response to natural and manmade disasters, antiterrorism work, and cybersecurity.
Ohio Homeland Security is established to “Improve statewide terrorism prevention and protection programs by maintaining appropriate policies, developing staffing plans, and providing for continuity of operations”. They, “Maintain a process for intelligence analysis and production that emphasizes the development and distribution of strategic and actionable intelligence. Strengthen the resiliency of Ohio’s critical infrastructure and key resources (CIKR) by collaborating with public and private partners to identify vulnerabilities, share information, and facilitate the development of protective programs”.
The Hamilton County Emergency Management & Homeland Security Agency (EMHSA) is authorized by Ohio Revised Code to coordinate and administer countywide all-hazards emergency management and disaster preparedness functions for Hamilton County and its political subdivisions.
Run – Hide – Fight
RUN. • Have an escape route and plan in mind. • Leave your belongings behind
HIDE. • Hide in an area out of the shooter’s view. • Block entry to your hiding place
FIGHT. • As a last resort and only when your life is in imminent danger.
See Something, Say Something – “If You See Something, Say Something™” is a national campaign that raises public awareness of the indicators of terrorism and terrorism-related crime, as well as the importance of reporting suspicious activity to state and local law enforcement.
To report suspicious activity please contact your local law enforcement. Describe specifically what you observed, including:
• Who or what you saw;
• When you saw it;
• Where it occurred; and
• Why it’s suspicious.
If there is an emergency, call 9–1–1.
Stop the Bleed Program – Stop the Bleed is a national awareness campaign and call-to-action. Stop the Bleed is intended to cultivate grassroots efforts that encourage bystanders to become trained, equipped, and empowered to help in a bleeding emergency before professional help arrives.
Stop the Bleed Kit – A Stop the Bleed Kit contains basic products for emergency responders or civilians to address a traumatic bleeding situation. Many kits for civilian use are available for on-line purchase.
Tourniquet – A device for stopping the flow of blood through a vein or artery, typically by compressing a limb with a cord or tight bandage.
Loveland PD – Loveland Police Department is located at the Loveland Safety Center, 126 S Lebanon Road Loveland, OH 45140 and can be reached at: 513-583-3000
Loveland-Symmes Fire Department – Headquartered at the Loveland Safety Center,126 S Lebanon Road Loveland, OH 45140. For non-emergencies they can be contacted at 513-583-3001. Located throughout the city and township there are four firehouses, which house personnel and equipment that respond to emergencies when needed.
Relaxed atmosphere and friendly service welcomes you back time and time again! Located in the heart of the Historic Loveland District Just outside Cincinnati.
Brendan Hogan, Connor Hogan, Christian Harris, Matt Huether, Nate Richmond, Ethan Libby, Nate Broelmann, and Eddie Pruitt
Matt Huether
Loveland, Ohio – The Loveland High School Men’s Tennis program hosted their Inaugural “Alumni” Doubles TennisTournament on July 28th at Loveland High School.
It was a beautiful, sunny day with temperatures in the low 80’s on top of the Loveland High School tennis courts.
This event included alumni from the class of 2017, 2018 and 2019 as well as current team players. The tournament play consisted of “pro-set” matches (1 set of 8 games). Participants were assigned a doubles partner by a random draw. It was a time to catch up and relive some of their fun times and enjoy some competitive tennis with alumni and current team players.
Brendan Hogan, Connor Hogan, Christian Harris, Matt Huether, Coach Sharpless, Nate Richmond, Ethan Libby, Nate Broelmann, and Eddie Pruitt
Participants for the first annual event were Christian Harris (2017), Nate Richmond (2017), Brendan Hogan (2018), Connor Hogan (2018), Matt Huther (2019), and three current players Eddie Pruitt (2020), Nate Broelmann (2020), and Ethan Libby (2021).
Doubles teams by random draw were Christian Harris and Connor Hogan, Brendan Hogan and Matt Huether, Nate Richmond and Eddie Pruitt, and Ethan Libby and Nate Broelmann.
The tournament Champions were the team of Connor Hogan (2018) and Christian Harris (2017).
Next summer the Loveland Men’s Tennis program looks to host their “Second Annual Alumni Doubles Tournament” and hope to have even more alumni participate and create a charity event around it. It was an outstanding time for all and they encourage more alumni to come out and enjoy the event next year.
![[Breaking] W. Loveland/Loveland Madeira area is being evacuated](https://lovelandmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/qtq80-1JMvwZ.jpeg)
by Cassie Mattia
Dean – At the time when I was at LHS, they didn’t have the really cool video production class they just added. The only course they had was the LHSNN class, which is the school news. I was the lead editor for the news, and I had to learn how to use new editing software and how to meet deadlines on a tight schedule. That was a fun class because I got to collaborate with the other anchors on coming up with different news specials and skits. Other than that, I had to teach myself everything else. Mr. Barrett, who runs LHSNN and the video classes, was also very supportive of me especially when it came to the different shorts I was making. I was also very fortunate to meet a really cool group of friends in high school that were also interested in becoming filmmakers. We all worked on various projects together and we taught each other different things that helped us grow. In fact, those students started the LHS film club, which I believe is still around? Hopefully, it is! Beyond that, LHS let me have the premiere of two of my films in the auditorium, which was extremely nice. They were very supportive of me and a lot of the students came to see the premieres, as well as our principal and superintendent. I was very grateful to everyone for coming out to see the films.
