Loveland Magazine

LOVELAND MAGAZINE

News and Events from the Loveland, Ohio Area

Without fear or favor

Since 2004

Tag: ohio

  • Loveland women’s soccer: state champions [photo gallery+video]

    Loveland women’s soccer: state champions [photo gallery+video]

    by Sam Smith

    Columbus, Ohio – On Friday, 11/10, Loveland High School soccer competed for the Division I state title at the Columbus MAPFRE stadium. The team bested Perrysburg High School 1-0, earning Loveland the OHSAA state championship. Junior Brooke Harden scored the winning goal with 21:20 remaining in the first half. The two teams battled for the next hour but failed to score again.

    Loveland competed in the state championship in 2015 and fell to Walsh Jesuit. The freshman and sophomore players– now juniors and seniors– made it their mission to come back and claim the title. Players wrote messages about “The Mission” over car windows and fans held signs. The team was sent off to Columbus Thursday evening with a performance from the Loveland Marching Band, a police and fire escort out of the City, and a crowd gathered on a Loveland street corner to wave and cheer to the busses. At MAPFRE stadium, the home of the Columbus Crew, Loveland bolstered a packed stadium section of enthusiastic black-and-orange spectators with face paint and noisemakers.

    Loveland ends their pre-game huddle

    Watch Loveland defeat Perrysburg and claim the state title:

    For around an hour, Perrysburg fought without avail to take away the one-point lead Loveland held. Perrysburg attempted to score several times (notably within the last minute) but goalie and senior Lauren Parker consistently deflected and guarded the goal. Parker earned her 50th career shutout. She will play for the Miami Redhawks next year.

    “I can’t even put it into words. We’ve had this goal since we lost two years ago and we just did it. That’s all I can say,” Parker told Loveland Magazine in a post-game interview. 

    Southwest Ohio has formed a women’s soccer dynasty of sorts, claiming all the division state titles this year. Indian Hill took home division III, Summit Country Day Division II and Loveland Division I. Summit Country Day also won Divison III men’s soccer.

    Sarah Harter fights for the ball

    As the game neared an end, the stands turned to bedlam and rowdy excitement. Fans jumped, screamed, and cheered as it became clear that Loveland would take home the State Champion trophy. 

    When the clock hit zero, the team burst into emotion and ecstatic tears. Coaches and players embraced, jumped and screamed. A sign stating “The Mission Is Complete” appeared in the hands of players, while parents and friends embraced over the fence. 

    “It feels like we broke through a limit that was set two years ago”

    “It feels like we broke through a limit that was set two years ago when we came in second. It felt like we finally accomplished the goal we had been working so hard for every year,” said Senior Colleen “Jelly” Swift.

    Loveland paid their respects to the state runner-up while Perrysburg accepted their trophy and medals. Loveland players encouraged each other to clap for each opposing player and congratulate them on their success.

    “As a coach, I am so proud of these kids and this program, but I am equally proud to have coached so many amazing young ladies. I am exceptionally of the fine young women they have turned out to be. The love and support that our alumni have shown through the years have been off the charts, as has Tiger Nation. Thanks to the Loveland community, alumni and administration… this one’s for you,” head coach Todd Kelly said in an official release.

    A teary-eyed Julie Rener (athletic director) handed state champion medals to euphoric players and coaches. Teammates hugged and cried into each other’s shoulders in excited shock. Parents screamed and fans hollered. There was hardly a dry eye on the loveland side of the MAPFRE field.

    “We became a family this season because we wanted to play for the player standing next to us and we did not want to let them down”

    “I still can’t believe we just won state. It’s like it hasn’t processed into my brain yet because it’s just so amazing and unbelievable… We became a family this season because we wanted to play for the player standing next to us and we did not want to let them down. Also, I️ think our little saying, “Humble and Hungry”, played a big role in every one of us through our mission. Everyone used that to their own abilities which made us unstoppable,” Brooke Harden told Loveland Magazine.

    “You were not only humble but hungry all the time. It’s amazing, two years later, what you can accomplish if you stay focused,” OHSAA Director of Sports Management, Jerry Snodgrass told Loveland seniors after calling them forward.

    Loveland Varsity women’s soccer poses after their win with the scoreboard in the background
    Colleen “Jelly” Swift hoists the trophy with the scoreboard in the background
    Lauren Parker (center) poses with friends for a selfie

    Lauren Williams and Maria Bashardoust pose after winning

    “It’s hard to believe that the mission is over. The last four years with Loveland Soccer has been a blessing to me. The girls, the coaches, and the support from the community is more than I could’ve ever asked for. This state championship has been in the making for many years. All of the alumni who taught each of us what Loveland soccer is about are the ones who made last night possible. I’m proud to be part of something so special,” said Sarah Harter after the game.

    Loveland ended their season 22-1 win-loss. Colleen Swift was named the ECC women’s soccer athlete of the year and Todd Kelly coach of the year. Brice Grieshop, Brooke Harden, Riley Massey, Lauren Parker and Colleen Swift were named First Team ECC all-conference selections. Colleen Swift and Lauren Parker have been named to the Ohio Scholastic Soccer Coaches Association Division I First Team.

     

    Loveland Magazine extends its thanks and congratulations to the 2017 Loveland Varsity women’s soccer team. We would like to offer special thanks to Head Coach Todd Kelly, Athletic Director Julie Renner, Lauren Parker and everyone who has offered their time for interviews and photos. Great job, team — it’s been a pleasure reporting on your incredible journey to a State Championship.

    -Writer/photographer Sam Smith and publisher David Miller

    Thank you Jarvis Global Investments and Art Jarvis for supporting and making it possible for Loveland Magazine to cover Loveland Sports.

    Jarvis Global Investments, LLC

    Jarvis Global is an investment advisory firm in Symmes Township, Ohio which offers private portfolio management and retirement services to high net worth individuals.

  • Mary Ann Lynn: “Let’s get back to working together.”

    Mary Ann Lynn: “Let’s get back to working together.”

    Mary Ann Lynn says, “Let’s keep the positive momentum going.”

    by Mary Ann Lynn 

    Earlier this year, 2,000 Loveland residents voiced their distrust and lack of confidence in then-Mayor Mark Fitzgerald by signing a petition for his recall. If Loveland voters want to continue the progress started with the recall effort, we must elect individuals who are committed to change the way Loveland City Council conducts business. 

    Council candidates Rob Weisgerber, Neal Oury, Ted Phelps and Tim Butler deserve your vote on November 7. Each is committed to lead our city with transparency, resident engagement and collaboration. Incumbent candidates Weisgerber and Phelps have served our city with unwavering integrity and dedication,

    Council candidates Rob Weisgerber, Neal Oury, Ted Phelps and Tim Butler deserve your vote on November 7.

    and have consistently displayed respect for Loveland residents and our city’s laws/charter. Newcomers Butler and Oury bring new ideas and fresh perspectives, but with the same commitment to ethics and greater effectiveness. That’s why these four candidates have been endorsed by two community organizations – Neighbors for Loveland and the Loveland Community Heartbeat PAC.

    Let’s keep the positive momentum going. Let’s get back to working together – Loveland City Council, residents, community organizations and the chamber of commerce – to make good things happen! Please vote for Weisgerber, Oury, Phelps and Butler for Loveland City Council.

    FREE breakfast with Santa!

    Sat. Dec. 2nd, 9:00-11:30

  • Nov 5 – Daylight Saving Time Ends

    Nov 5 – Daylight Saving Time Ends

    When local daylight time is about to reach Sunday, November 5, 2 AM clocks are turned backward 1 hour to 1 AM local standard time instead.

    Sunrise and sunset will be about 1 hour earlier on Nov 5, than the day before. There will be more light in the morning.

     
    via GIPHY

  • Giving Thanks 5K on Thanksgiving morning in White Pillars

    Giving Thanks 5K on Thanksgiving morning in White Pillars

    RSVP: iteach2345@yahoo.com

    Loveland Magazine is a sponsor of the Giving Thanks 5K

     

  • FreightWaves reports Sayfullo Saipov owned trucking company called Sayf Motors, based in Symmes Township

    FreightWaves reports Sayfullo Saipov owned trucking company called Sayf Motors, based in Symmes Township

    Sayfullo Saipov, the 29 year old Uzbek immigrant who has been charged with using a Home Depot rental truck to kill 8 people in Manhattan on Wednesday, was a CDL holder who had attempted to start multiple trucking companies in the U.S. Saipov entered the United States through JFK airport in 2010, after winning a ‘diversity visa’ in a lottery designed to bring in immigrants from underrepresented nations. Saipov settled with fellow Uzbeks near Cincinnati and within months, he had obtained his CDL and incorporated a trucking company called Sayf Motors, based in Symmes Township, Ohio. Read on at FreightWaves…

    See Saipov’s incorporation paper for Sayf Motors

     

  • Sunday at midnight last day to submit election commentary

    Sunday at midnight last day to submit election commentary

    NOTE from David Miller, Editor

    Sunday, November 5 at 11:59 PM will be the last day Loveland Magazine will accept letters to the editor or guest columns relating to the election on Tuesday, November 7.

    Beginning today, Loveland Magazine will moderate all future discussion until the election. Reader submissions (or comments on our Facebook Page) must be a constructive interchange. All comments judged not to be in keeping with the spirit of civil discourse will not be accepted.

    In other words, if your submission is about a particular candidate or issue, it must be of a nature that is supportive. Last minute negative campaigning will not be published and negative comments will be deleted.

     

  • How a Proposed First Amendment Law Would Protect Survivors of Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault in Ohio

    How a Proposed First Amendment Law Would Protect Survivors of Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault in Ohio

    The Ohio Citizen Participation Act will help prevent frivolous lawsuits against all Ohioans

    Evan Mascagni is the Policy Director for the Public Participation Project

    by Evan Mascagni,

    Immediately following a report by the New York Times that he allegedly sexually assaulted numerous women throughout his career, Harvey Weinstein threatened to sue the Times for defamation. For First Amendment legal scholars, this comes as no surprise. There’s a long history of powerful bullies attempting to use the legal system to silence their critics.

    These types of lawsuits, most commonly called Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation (SLAPPs), are used to silence and harass critics by forcing them to defend these baseless but costly suits. SLAPP filers don’t go to court to seek justice. Rather, SLAPPS are intended to intimidate the target by draining their financial resources and dragging them through years in the court system. 

    The Act will also help protect the domestic violence and sexual assault survivors who are afraid to speak out for fear of their abusers.

    Luckily for residents of Ohio, a new bill introduced by State Sen. Matt Huffman (R-Lima), would protect Ohioans from frivolous lawsuits that chill their First Amendment rights.  Senate Bill 206, The Ohio Citizen Participation Act, would allow Ohio to join 28 other states that have already enacted anti-SLAPP laws of their own, and put Ohio at the forefront of protecting free speech and petition activity.

    These retaliatory lawsuits can arise in many contexts.

    The Ohio Citizen Participation Act will not only protect journalists who are threatened for reporting on sexual harassment and assault allegations, as occurred with the Times’ Weinstein investigation. The Act will also help protect the domestic violence and sexual assault survivors who are afraid to speak out for fear of their abusers, who can use the courts as a weapon of retaliation. As Nancy Neylon, Executive Director of the Ohio Domestic Violence Network, pointed out, “court proceedings can provide a tool for abusers to exert and reestablish control over a domestic violence survivor long after the relationship has ended.”

    These retaliatory lawsuits can arise in many contexts, including suing survivors for defamation if a survivor reports the abusers to law enforcement or speaks out publicly about the abuse they have suffered. This turns our legal system on its head, as the very place to which a survivor turns for protection becomes a weapon used against them.

    Evan Mascagni is the Policy Director for the Public Participation Project, a non-profit organization working to strengthen the First Amendment rights of all Americans by enacting strong anti-SLAPP legislation at the state and federal level.

     

    The Ohio Citizen Participation Act will help prevent frivolous lawsuits against all Ohioans, including domestic violence and sexual assault survivors, and help ensure that bullies don’t use the legal system as a tool of intimidation and retaliation.   

    For these reasons, I applaud Sen. Huffman for introducing the Ohio Citizen Participation Act. I hope that it passes through the state legislature quickly and is signed by the governor.  

    WHAT IS A SLAPP?

    The rights to speech and petition are enshrined in the First Amendment to the United States Constitution. Free speech and healthy debate are vital to the well-being of a democracy. In fact, the United States Supreme Court has said that the right to petition the government is the very foundation of our democracy.

    SLAPP = Strategic Lawsuit Against Public Participation

    SLAPPs are Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation.  These damaging suits chill free speech and healthy debate by targeting those who communicate with their government or speak out on issues of public interest.

    SLAPPs are used to silence and harass critics by forcing them to spend money to defend these baseless suits.  SLAPP filers don’t go to court to seek justice.  Rather, SLAPPS are intended to intimidate those who disagree with them or their activities by draining the target’s financial resources.

    SLAPPs are effective because even a meritless lawsuit can take years and many thousands of dollars to defend.  To end or prevent a SLAPP, those who speak out on issues of public interest frequently agree to muzzle themselves, apologize, or “correct” statements.

    Learn how SLAPPs affect your area of interest.

    For recent news on SLAPPs.  

    SLAPP-related cases, legal articles, etc.

    Information about anti-SLAPP laws your state.

    Read More at the web site of The Public Participation Project

     

  • November is National Adoption Month; 19 youth in Clermont await adoption

    November is National Adoption Month; 19 youth in Clermont await adoption

    Teens Need Families, No Matter What.

    Dan and Viola Rice with their six children, five of whom have been adopted. (Photo taken in November 2016)

    Clermont County, Ohio – That’s the theme of 2017’s National Adoption Awareness Month, which is recognized nationally and in Clermont County in November every year. And finding homes for older children, particularly teens, can be difficult, said Julie Jordan, Adoption Supervisor at Children’s Protective Services.

    “Most of the children we have waiting for adoption are 12 and older,” Jordan said. “Parents often think that older children are more challenging, but that is not necessarily the case. Their need for a home is just as great as it is for a younger child.”

    Commissioners and staff of Clermont Children’s Protective Services on Oct. 25, 2017, as Commissioners proclaimed November Adoption Awareness Month.

    “This is a critical time for these kids,” Jordan said. “They need support and guidance, just like any other teen.”

    According to the most recent report from the Children’s Bureau, which advocates for the welfare of children and families, more than 110,000 children and youth in foster care are waiting to be adopted across the United States, and close to 12,500 of them are between the ages of 15 and 17 years old.

    Currently, Clermont County has 19 children awaiting adoption. These are children who were removed from their parents’ home due to abuse and/or neglect. Most of these children then entered foster care. After parental rights were terminated – typically after two years, when parents fail to take the steps necessary for reunification – the children can be adopted.

    One pathway to adopting older children is to become a foster parent first.

    In Clermont County, these teens include Clarissa, who is 16, and Kennedy, 17; Caleb who is 14, and  Jayden, who is 13. Brief biographies can be found on each child at http://www.clermontforkids.org/waiting-children/.

    The opioid crisis in Clermont County has contributed to the cases of abuse and neglect that compel CPS to remove children from their parents’ home, Jordan said. And that’s also a reason why there are more tweens and teens waiting for a family.

    One pathway to adopting older children is to become a foster parent first. The adoption team at Children’s Protective Services promotes foster-to-adopt certification as the best way to offer children a stable and nurturing home. Dan and Viola Rice of Mount Orab, who have adopted five children through CPS’s foster-to-adopt, and have fostered more than 40 children, are strong advocates of this method.

    “We love being foster care parents,” Dan says. “We ask our friends, or those we are just meeting – have you ever thought about foster-to-adopt?”

    In 2017, 38 children have been adopted by 23 families to date.

    To find out more about foster care or adoption through Clermont County Children’s Protective Services, please call 513.732.7765. The website www.clermontforkids.org has information on the foster-to- adopt process, and also has a list of children currently waiting for a forever family.

    Take Home Tano Consumer Meal Market

    Take Home Tano is about fresh, wholesome food for the frenzied family   Our goal is to meet the needs of busy families

  • Loveland teacher Shannon Jones named Jennings Fellow

    Loveland teacher Shannon Jones named Jennings Fellow

    Kindergarten teacher Shannon Jones one of 13 in state of Ohio honored with distinction

    Loveland, Ohio – Loveland Early Childhood Center (LECC) Kindergarten Teacher Shannon Jones has been named a 2017 Jennings Fellow by the Martha Holden Jennings Foundation. Of the thousands of public school teachers in Ohio, Jones was one of 13 teachers selected for the honor, which was presented at The University of Cincinnati.

    Loveland Interim Superintendent Dr. Amy Crouse presented Loveland Early Childhood Center Teacher Shannon Jones with her Jennings Fellow award surrounded by students from her class.

    This highly regarded distinction honors master teachers in select areas of Ohio each year. Candidates, who have been nominated by their superintendents, participate in the Jennings Educators Institute during the fall. Participants earn the designation “Jennings Fellow” by showing application of what they have learned.

    “Shannon Jones has never passed on a single opportunity to attend any sort of workshop, class, or professional development opportunity that is offered; that is a direct consequence of how driven she is to provide her students and their families with the best kindergarten experience possible,” said LECC Principal Kyle Bush. “She is a natural leader among her peers and in our school – always looking for ways to make our school, and by extension her own classroom, a better place to learn, grow, and be challenged.”

    “Since 1959, the Jennings Foundation has recognized teachers who set an example by pursuing and implementing excellent teaching practices,” said Dr. Daniel Keenan, executive director, Martha Holden Jennings Foundation. “We honor the Jennings Fellows because they demonstrate a commitment to further develop their own skills, to take action, and to reflect on those practices with their peers. This is what excellence is all about.”

    The Martha Holden Jennings Foundation was founded in 1959 to provide a means for greater accomplishment on the part of Ohio’s teachers and students. The Foundation awards grants to teachers, public school districts, and tax-exempt organizations that assist public elementary and secondary schools in Ohio and focuses its efforts on two themes: excellent teaching and deep learning.

    For more information, please visiting the Martha Holden Jennings Foundation website: www.mhif.org.

    513-683-1052
    215 Loveland-Madeira Rd
    Loveland, Ohio 45140

  • It’s Adopt-A-Senior Time!

    It’s Adopt-A-Senior Time!

    There are only 13 weeks separating us from the beauty of fall and the gift-giving season! It’s not too early to begin thinking about the difference you will make in the life on an older adult this Christmas season.

    Once again, Clermont Senior Services will facilitate the Adopt-A-Senior, gift giving program, in which, over 600 needy older adults in Clermont County will receive necessary items from the generous donors in our community.

    Donors who wish to participate are asked to contact Kathy Angel, Volunteer Coordinator at Clermont Senior Services, by calling, 536-4021. Donors will receive the first name of a gift recipient along with a wish list. The list is comprised of mostly basic, needed items along with a few “fun” gifts that may include books, games or favorite snacks.

    Donors return their wrapped gifts to Clermont Senior Services where staff and volunteers then deliver the packages to the recipients beginning in December.

    Other opportunities to give during this season include:

    • Gift pantry donations – these donations include things like personal care items, cleaning supplies, new bedding, pet food, paper supplies, flashlights and new clothing. These items are distributed by Case Managers on an as-needed basis to Clermont Senior Services customers.
    • Gift Bags – Donors have the opportunity to fill gift bags with personal care items for a man or woman. Be sure to mark the bag with the appropriate gender.
    • Cash donations – Occasionally, customers are in need of larger items such as mattresses, chairs, etc. These donations are used for that purpose.
    • Gift cards – Grocery store gift cards are a quick, easy way to make an impact. Case managers recognize the needs of our customers and will distribute the cards as needed.

    Corporate donors and individuals alike, are encouraged to participate in the 2017 Adopt-A-Senior program. Please call Kathy Angel for more information: 536-4021

    Accounting Plus LLC

    Accounting Plus–Bingaman Accounting and Tax Service, LLC is a tax preparation, payroll and bookkeeping company locally based in Loveland, OH.