News and Events from the Loveland, Ohio Area
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![[Photos] Sledding and boarding in Miami Riverview Park](https://lovelandmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/snow-15-of-27.jpg)
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Loveland, Ohio – The Christmas Tree collection program will continue until Friday January 19th. Residents do not need to call as the Public Works Department will be making rounds throughout the city.
Preparing your tree for pickup:
Loveland, Ohio – On Wednesday, Mayor Kathy Bailey announced she has selected Kent Blair to fill the vacant seat on City Council. The council seat has been vacant since the resignation of Mark Fitzgerald on August 14 of last year. Blair will serve the remaining two-year’s of Fitzgerald’s term. Blair is expected to be sworn into office at the next council meeting scheduled for January 9.
In a press release, Bailey said she conducted personal interviews with several candidates before making her decision. “I selected Kent because he shares my commitment to community engagement and transparency,” Bailey said. “The voters made clear this November what qualities they want in their council members, and Kent exemplifies them all. He is committed to working with this new council to make the City proud of the work we do, and the manner in which we do it.”
Blair had submitted petitions to run for one of the four, four-year open council seats in last November’s election but withdrew from the race when Neal Oury submitted petitions to run.
On August 11 the Hamilton County Board of Elections ruled that Oury and the Loveland Community Heartbeat Political Action Committee (LCHPAC) had submitted sufficient petitions to recall Fitzgerald. The petition effort was successful, and could have resulted in a head-to-head race, Oury vs. Fitzgerald, however instead of facing the voters to retain his seat, resigned. That left Fitzgerald’s seat open and Loveland without a Mayor.
Oury then submitted petitions to run for one of the regular open seats on Council and that is when Blair withdrew his petitions to run. It was an apparent deal with LCHPAC who endorsed five candidates. If there was not a recall election, Blair would withdraw making room for Oury’s name on the ballot. Others receiving the LCHPAC endorsement were incumbents, Rob Weisgerber, Ted Phelps, and newcomer Tim Butler.
Fitzgerald stepped down as Mayor at an August 14 meeting so that he could still cast a vote on who would be the next mayor and vice-mayor. The votes were 4-3 in favor of then vice-mayor Angie Settell and then, council member, Pam Gross. After the meeting was over, Fitzgerald distributed a letter that he was resigning from Council. The attempt to elevate Settell to Mayor was later ruled illegal by City Solicitor Joe Braun because there wasn’t proper public notice of the meeting. Braun also ruled that the council seat would remain open until new council members were sworn in on December 4 and a new Mayor elected. Bailey was elected Mayor.
In announcing his withdrawal from the ballot, Blair said on August 18, “I was one of nine candidates on the ballot for four City Council seats. When I was first asked to consider running, I made it clear to all that, while I want to serve, and believe that I would do a good job, the main outcome of the election must be removing the existing majority on Council. To help achieve that, if necessary, I would withdraw my own candidacy so that the full support of those in Loveland who share my goal could be focused, laser-like, on four candidates for four seats. With the recall election no longer a possible ballot question, the mathematics of the race have changed. It is in celebration of that victory, and in keeping with my commitment, that I have withdrawn my name for the ballot for November, and strongly urge any and all who share my views of the future of our city to support now and cast your votes when the time comes for Rob Weisgerber, Ted Phelps, Neal Oury, and Tim Butler.”
Blair is employed at U.S. Bank where he is an investment advisor and broker. He is a 12-year resident of Loveland and dad to a senior at Loveland High School. He has been a member of the Amazing Charity Race Committee since its inception and as a 7-year coach of SAY Soccer.
In announcing his candidacy Blair said he would advocate for transparency and resident engagement. At the top of his list for reform is the makeup of the Community Improvement Corporation. Blair added, “I am a strong supporter of accountability of elected officials to the people they serve. I believe in process, good stewardship of resources, an expectation of inclusion, and sensible growth. Loveland should stand for all of the residents, not the few who lead it. Development of a future master plan must be approached with an emphasis on community representation, not strategic power plays that benefit only a few.”
Bailey added, “I appreciate and thank all of those candidates who applied. This was a very tough decision, but I think Kent will be a great addition to the new council, and I am excited to work with him.”
Photo of the Little Miami River on January 3 at 11 AM along Cones Road just outside Downtown Loveland
-9 F
Loveland, Ohio – According to the National Weather Service, it was -9 F on Tuesday, January 2 at 7:41 AM in Loveland.
LOW TEMPERATURES REPORTS FOR TUESDAY JANUARY 2ND
Clermont County... 2 SSE Pleasant Plain -10 F 0835 AM 01/02 39.24N/84.10W 3 ESE Loveland -9 F 0741 AM 01/02
1 NNE Lebanon -15 F
THE TEMPERATURE AT THE CINCINNATI NORTHERN KENTUCKY INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT DROPPED TO -7 DEGREES AT 549 AM. THIS BROKE THE MINIMUM TEMPERATURE RECORD FOR JANUARY 2 OF -3 DEGREES...PREVIOUSLY SET IN 1928 AND 1887.
Outgoing Board Member Tim Taggart, Loveland Interim Superintendent Dr. Amy Crouse, and outgoing Board President Dave Blumberg as Dr. Crouse thanked them for their service to Loveland students during the December 12, 2017, Board Meeting.
Loveland, Ohio – The Loveland City School District extended its gratitude to outgoing Board of Education President Dave Blumberg and Board Member Tim Taggart, who were officially recognized at the December 12 Board Meeting. Interim Superintendent Dr. Amy Crouse presented each member with a plaque to commemorate their service to the students in Loveland.
“It takes time, effort and great deal of energy to be a part of shaping the future of the Loveland City School District, and we sincerely appreciate Mr. Blumberg and Mr. Taggart for helping to lead the way in creating a world-class experience for our students,” said Crouse. “Both of these individuals are valued members of the Tiger Family and the Loveland community. Their leadership has helped make Loveland the destination school district it is for families.”
Dave Blumberg, the outgoing Board of Education president, has served as a member of the Board of Education since his election in November 2013; Tim Taggart served during 2017 after being voted in by the Board after the retirement of longtime Board Member Linda Pennington.
New board members will be officially welcomed at the Organizational Meeting scheduled for 6 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 11, 2018.
Loveland, Ohio – Kelly Flanigan’s last day as Loveland’s Finance Director will be February 9. She has accepted the job as Finance Director at Miami Township, Clermont County.
“Kelly has accepted a position that is a great opportunity for her family and professional career. We were fortunate to have her with the City for these past two years, and she will certainly be missed,” said Loveland Mayor, Kathy Bailey.
The City of Loveland is currently accepting resumes for the Finance Director position. For more information on the position go to the employment page. Deadline to submit is January 19, 2018.
Flanigan was hired by Loveland on February 23, 2016. She previously worked for the City of Montgomery as their Assistant Finance Director/Tax Commissioner. In addition to her experience at Montgomery, she worked for 10 years on audits of local governments with the Auditor of the State of Ohio.
Relaxed atmosphere and friendly service welcomes you back time and time again! Located in the heart of the Historic Loveland District Just outside Cincinnati, Ohio.
Among elite two percent who earned recognition
Loveland, Ohio – Loveland Middle School (LMS) students Hanna Cosgrove and Kylie Eldridge have been selected from 4,000 campers who attended YMCA Camp Ernst to receive the prestigious YMCA Honor Camper award. This selection places Cosgrove and Eldridge in an elite two percent of campers who won.
“Hanna and Kylie have earned a great recognition as YMCA Honor Campers,” said LMS Principal Chuck Ogdan. “LMS is very proud of their steward leadership and willingness to mentor others.”
“These campers made our jobs so much easier,” YMCA Camp Ernst Counselor Jackie Healey said.
A tradition since 1928, Honor Camper was created by Willard L. Wade, the founder of Camp Ernst, to recognize campers with outstanding character and leadership. Camp Ernst staff of more than 200 nominates and votes on campers who they believe display the YMCA core character values of honesty, caring, respect and responsibility at the end of the weeklong session.
“These campers made our jobs so much easier,” YMCA Camp Ernst Counselor Jackie Healey said. “We do not just want to recognize the fastest runner in the track meet or the best singer at the campfire, but also those who helped others and showed true leadership all week.”
“Successes such as these exemplify our building mission of Improve or Deteriorate,” said Ogdan. “Because of students like Hanna and Kylie we are making improvements every single day at LMS. Go Tigers!”
Yellow Springs, Ohio – With Ohio licenses announced just two weeks ago, Cresco Labs was the first to break ground and start construction on their Yellow Springs medical marijuana cultivation facility. Cresco said they will develop a 50,000-square foot “environmentally-sound” (nearly 85% renewable energy) greenhouse that will grow and harvest condition-specific strains of medical marijuana and produce non-invasive medical products for qualified patients.
With over 100 applications submitted to earn one of the 12 coveted Marijuana Cultivation licenses in Ohio, Cresco Labs was awarded one by the Ohio Department of Commerce. Cresco’s successful application outlined an operational and regulatory compliance plan as well as a community support program offering scholarships and local financial incentives. Cresco Labs has successfully secured merit-based licenses in Illinois and Pennsylvania.
“We are thrilled to be selected as a provider in this program and look forward to providing medical relief to patients across Ohio,” said Charlie Bachtell, Cresco’s CEO. “We plan to be the state leader in this industry by manufacturing the highest quality product, providing caring service to the patients and giving back to our home community,” he added.
“After visiting their facilities in Illinois and meeting their team members, we knew that Cresco would mesh well with the values of the community,” said Yellow Springs Village President Karen Wintrow. “We look forward to working with Cresco as they build and staff their new facility and know they will be a valued contributor to the quality of life in Yellow Springs with jobs, tax revenues and community support.”
Cresco Labs has also applied for a dispensary license and will apply for a processing license which, through extraction methods, will produce pharmaceutical-grade oral sprays, sublingual digestible tablets, transdermal patches and other forms of cannabis (CBD) oil available for sale to provide users with a consistent, controlled dosage. Cresco’s brand name products will be available at dispensaries across Ohio to patients that have been physician-certified with any of the 22 approved medical conditions.
“Medical cannabis is a great fit for Yellow Springs as it combines our local strengths and values of agriculture, wellness and a progressive approach to medicine,” said Wintrow.
Construction on Cresco’s 50,000+ square foot cultivation facility in Yellow Springs will begin immediately as their site plans and zoning have been pre-approved.
Loveland, Ohio – Since November 27, the Loveland McDonald’s has been undergoing some major lobby and Play Place construction.
New additions:Their will be a Grand Opening Day Ceremony and Celebration on Thursday December 28th from 9 until 11 AM. The ceremony will begin with a brief opening welcome statement from Owner/Operator Gene Gillespie, “Followed by a red carpet layout leading to our new self-ordering Kiosks.”
New Flu-Associated Hospitalizations Continue to Trend Above Five-Year Average
