Your Community Press newspaper serving Loveland, Miami Township, Symmes Township E-mail: loveland@communitypress.com We d n e s d a y, A u g u s t 2 6 , 2 0 0 9
Fr. Lou, Rita move
We have again moved some of your favorite features to allow room for our high school sports fall previews. This week, you can find Father Lou Guntzelman’s column on page A6. Rita Heikenfeld’s cooking column is on page A7. The calendar is on B4. All will be back in their usual spot next week.
Sands of rhyme
Logan Sand wrote, performed, produced and sold his first CD at the tender age of 15. Sales of “Like It or Not� have been moderately successful at various sites on the Internet. The 18-year-old singer/songwriter and pianist already has reviewers comparing him to Grammy award winner and showman, Elton John. SEE STORY, A4
Keeping trail clean
Bike trail maintenance is a group effort in Loveland. SEE STORY, A2
Collection time
In the next few days your Community Press carrier will be stopping by to collect $2.50 for delivery of this month’s Loveland Herald. Your carrier retains half of this amount along with any tip you give to reward good service. This month we’re featuring Samuel Dobrozi. He is Dobrozi 15 and an 11th-grader at Scarlet Oaks, studying culinary art. Samuel enjoys professional bike racing and has just bought a digital piano. He has been a carrier for a year; the route has been in his fmaily for 15 years. For information about our carrier program, call Steve Barraco, 248-7110.
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Symmes harvests Fallfest plan By Amanda Hopkins ahopkins@communitypress.com
In an effort to save money, Symmes Township is looking to combine efforts with the Cincinnati Horticultural Society for this year’s Fallfest. The Horticultural Society hosts a farm-themed festival on Friday and township officials said they would be willing to contribute money to the budget for the success of both festivals. Board of Trustees president Ken Bryant said he finds the festival “worthwhile� and that Bryant the township could contribute $1,500, roughly half of the proposed budget needed by the Horticultural Society to run the farm festival. The festival will be 3 p.m. to 8 p.m. Friday, Oct. 2, and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 3, at Symmes Park at 11600 Lebanon Road. Friday afternoon and night will be geared more toward elementary school children, with pie baking, meeting farm animals, spinning yarn and other activities. The trustees said that last year’s farm festival brought in several school groups on field trips from all over Cincinnati. This year, more schools including Symmes Elementary, are encouraged to participate in the event. Bryant asked for special invitations to schools that bring in students from Symmes Township. There will be no entry fee but participants will be charged for supplies for various activities for the Cincinnati Horticultural Society’s Farm Fest. For reservations for Farm Fest, visit www.cincyflowershow.com.
Before you go... Farm Fest, presented by the Cincinnati Horticultural Society and co-sponsored by Symmes Township will be from 3 p.m. to 8 p.m. Friday, Oct. 2, and from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 3, at Symmes Park at 11600 Lebanon Road. There will be no entry fee, but participants will be charged for supplies for various activities. School groups are encouraged to participate. For reservations or information, visit www.cincyflowershow.com
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CHUCK GIBSON/CONTRIBUTOR
Some of the more than 130 golfers participating arrive and sign in for the Paxton’s charity golf outing at Hickory Woods. Community involvement is one reason Paxton’s was voted as a Readers’ Choice winner.
Businesses foster hometown atmosphere By Chuck Gibson
loveland@communitypress.com
Staying in business, especially during rough economic times, is all about keeping customers. The best way to do that is keep your customers happy. Community Press and Cincinnati.com readers named several Loveland businesses as their Readers’ Choice favorites in voting all across the Cincinnati area. “Oh wow,� Sandy Russell, assistant general manager at Paxton’s Grill said upon learning the popular trailside stop in Loveland was Readers’ Choice favorite bar and grill. Bob Roncker’s Running Spot was also Readers’ Choice No. 1 best in athletic shoes with several locations including Loveland Station. Tufts Schildmeyer Family Funeral Home and Cremation services was reader’s second favorite in the funeral home category and Loveland Greenhouse was second favorite in the greenhouse category too. If Readers’ Choice is about happy customers, what makes them so happy? “We just make it a friendly place for people to come in and have a good time,� Russell said. “They feel like family. We’re very community oriented. We just did the golf outing to benefit CancerFree Kids and we’re getting ready to do another benefit Friday. Our being involved in the community is a big part of it.� She said it’s where families go for homecoming too. In just a year, Roncker’s Running Spot at Loveland Station has fast become the spot where fami-
About the businesses
Paxton’s Grill 126 W. Loveland Ave.; 513-5831717; www.paxtonsgrill.com
CHUCK GIBSON/CONTRIBUTOR
lies go for a t h l e t i c shoes. “We take the time to fit the shoe that will work for them,� said Joe Fung, manager at the Loveland Station Running Spot. “That’s probably the key to the Bob Roncker’s Running Spot experience. We try to find out their exercise routines; what they’re going to use the shoe for and try on three or four different shoes to see what will fit their foot the best.� Experienced runners come in looking for more than one pair of shoes and, depending on their training; Fung says they can talk technical with them. Talking is the key to a happy customer at Tufts Schildmeyer Family Funeral Home according to Larry Schildmeyer. He probably has the biggest challenge making customers happy when they’ve just lost a loved one. “We find ways for them to celebrate a life that’s been lived,� Schildmeyer said. “We listen to what their ideas are and incorporate them into a meaningful and personalized service. We not only do the traditional burial ceremonies, we also do cremation services. “Every single family that comes in the door; it’s structured to them. We sit down and talk, the more we talk, the more things develop. The big thing is the listening part.� Readers’ Choice was all about
Tufts Schildmeyer Family Funeral Home in Loveland. Tufts Schildmeyer Family Funeral Home 129 Riverside Dr.; 513-683-2430; www.tuftsschildmeyer.com
CHUCK GIBSON/CONTRIBUTOR
Loveland Greenhouse entrance off Lebanon Road. The Loveland Greenhouse 11924 Lebanon Road; 513-6831581; www.lovelandgreenhouse.com
CHUCK GIBSON/CONTRIBUTOR
Bob Roncker’s Running Spot sign at Loveland Station. Bob Roncker’s Running Spot 127 W. Loveland Ave.; 831-2378; www.runningspot.com. happy customers and these Loveland businesses are all about making customers happy. “People know they can come and have a good time; it’s a friendly atmosphere,� Russell said.
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Volume 91 Number 27 Š 2009 The Community Press ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
HERALD
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