WEST CHESTER
& LIBERTY TOWNSHIP
family | community | life september | october 2009
parents’ night out Finding fun without going too far
spooky places Some say spirits haunt several familiar locales
Fall in Butler Capture the season close to home
Our Town’s guide to …
meeting the neighbors • Where to Eat • the buzz what’s new • all-stars from lakota east and west connectwestchester.com
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connectliberty.com
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Tim Bonfield Liz DuFour Joe Powell Michael Nyerges Amanda Davidson Malinda Hartong Tony Jones Cara Owsley Leigh Taylor Tony Tribble Jenny Callison Michael D. Clark Amber Ellis Sue Kiesewetter Meredith Larsen Monica Scalf Jill I. Solimini
Tony Elam telam@cincinnati.com 513.755.4167 Mike Gleason mgleason@cincinnati.com 513.768.8232 Delinda Kennedy April Rich Katy Sheehan Will Smith
Our Town 7700 Service Center Drive West Chester, Ohio 45069 tel | 513.755.4157 fax | 513.755.4150 Our Town is published six times per year: January/February, March/April, May/June, July/August, September/ October and November/December
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september | october 2009
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the buzz What’s making headlines in West Chester and Liberty Township.
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5 questions …with Lakota West grad Katelyn Leis, who overcame personal demons to graduate with honors.
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what’s new A bigger home for cheerleading training plus new places for Mexican food, ice cream and more.
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autumn in butler county Nearby ways to celebrate the changing colors of the season.
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parents’ night out Folks don’t have to go far to enjoy fine dining and other entertainment.
getconnected! Submit your West Chester and Liberty Township stories, photos and events at your community Web sites, connectWestChester.com and connectLiberty.com.
• Announce your business • Celebrate your kids’ achievements • Highlight community news • Submit your upcoming events for our free calendar listings
editor’sNOTE
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e it the cheering crowds at the Lakota East vs. West football game or a walk through the corn maze at Niederman Family Farm, autumn is a special time in West Chester and Liberty Township. This is the season for enjoying the changing colors, for hayrides and pumpkin patches, for students heading back to school. So for this issue of Our Town, our crew put together a collection of ways for families to capture the season without traveling far from home. How about a dish of pecan-encrusted Canadian salmon at Mesh? Or finding out how to cook your own three-course meal at the Learning Kitchen in West Chester? These are just some of the ways parents can enjoy a night out without leaving Butler County. Nature lovers can chase the falling leaves at Dudley Woods. Foodies can bask in the
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reds and yellows of corn, tomatoes and other produce at the increasingly popular Farmers’ Market at The Square at Union Centre. And those interested in the spooky aspects of Halloween may be surprised to discover that some people say parts of Kings Island are haunted. Who knew? I hope you enjoy this latest edition of Our Town. If you have questions, comments or suggestions for people and places you’d like to read more about, please don’t hesitate to contact me.
Tim Bonfield 513.755.4157 | tbonfield@enquirer.com connectWestChester.com | connectLiberty.com
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parent’s guide to scholarships For thousands of Lakota students, filling out financial aid forms and scholarship applications may be the most important homework they do this fall.
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school news and notes All you need to know from the Lakota schools.
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student all-stars Learn about some of this fall’s top athletes.
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where to eat: p.f. chang’s his restaurant is introducing a new line of regional classics.
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hauntings Some folks say parts of Kings Island are haunted.
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events calendar Dozens of great places to go and things to do.
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meet drs. hilbert and young These chiropractors built a home in Liberty Township six years ago and filled it with art from China.
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finalthoughts
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enjoying what’s left of summer Our Town columnist Monica Scalf is swooning with summerness.
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6 Audrey Albert, an 8-year-old resident of Liberty Township got her face painted by Events by Maddy. Photography by Michael Keating.
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thebuzz What’s going on in West Chester and Liberty Township COntributed BY Amber Ellis and MICHAEL D. CLARK
PHOTO by malinda hartong
Investigators walk the perimeter around the scene of a fire at Indian Ridge Golf and Banquet Center in Hanover Township.
golf course fire was arson A fire that destroyed the $1 million clubhouse at Indian Ridge Golf and Banquet Center in Hanover Township was an arson, investigators ruled in July. While investigators hunted for the fire-setter, golf course staff scrambled to make new arrangements for golfers and for weddings, reunions and other groups that had scheduled events at the clubhouse. Reconstruction could take a year. In the meantime, the course plans to move the pro shop to a trailer, use grills to serve hamburgers and hot dogs and sell beer, water and other drinks out of coolers.
should west chester become a city? The last time voters considered converting West Chester Township to a city was 16 years ago. They rejected the idea, but things have changed a bit since 1993. West Chester’s population has swelled from 39,700 in 1990 to more than 62,700. The hotels, restaurants and shops in the developing downtown area near Union Centre Boulevard didn’t exist. There wasn’t a state-of-the-art hospital overlooking Interstate 75. And cows grazed along Tylersville Road. So to some, West Chester already feels like a city. Now, they say,
want community news...and more? Discover and discuss the latest news, events and school happenings in West Chester and Liberty Township at ConnectWestChester.Com and ConnectLiberty.Com.
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it’s time to make it official. “West Chester is already a city in every way that counts -- but we don’t have an income tax,” said Bill Zerkle, an organizer for the cityhood effort. “We’re giving the money away. Every day, we’re losing thousands of dollars because we don’t have one, and I don’t think we can afford to do that.” But another group is just as adamantly against West Chester becoming a city. “West Chester does not need more officials or more government in order to have a successful community,” said Chris Littleton, a West Chester resident who organized the local Tea Party movement and opposes the township-to-city switch. “West Chester is already successful. Living here is great, the schools are great. The cost of living is decent. If it’s not broken, why do we need to change it?”
lakota cuts jobs The Lakota school board approved a temporary $223.5 million budget this summer that included eliminating 27 jobs for the coming school year. The district, the second-largest in Greater Cincinnati, employs about 1,200 teachers and projects a $9-million budget deficit for the 2010-11 school year. The makeshift budget makes $2 million in cuts toward that amount. Of the 27 full-time positions, 20 are teaching jobs. How many people will be laid off is not clear. An unspecified number of jobs will be cut by not filling positions vacated through retirements and resignations. The district also was considering putting a tax increase on the fall ballot.
centers takes over from fox After two stints as interim director, Butler County commissioners have appointed Jeff Centers as permanent head of Children Services. Centers, the agency’s former finance director, was selected from about 60 candidates looking to succeed Michael Fox, who retired. Centers will lead one of the county’s most scrutinized agencies, one that has been criticized since foster parents left young Marcus Fiesel to die in a sweltering closet on the county’s watch three years ago. “Safety is paramount,” Centers said. “It’s a challenge for any agency. I don’t care who you are or where you are.” Keeping children safe is just one of the challenges Centers will face as he works with the agency’s $29 million budget at a time when area social-service agencies brace for budget cuts. “You have a tough job on your hands, there’s no doubt about it,” said Commission President Don Dixon, after giving Centers his vote. Centers, 46, will be paid $86,457. Before coming to Butler County two-plus years ago, he was director of the Warren County Children Services Board, where he had worked since 1987.
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fivequestions WITH LAKOTA
WEST high school graduate
KATELYN LEIS
Being a teenager is tough enough. What was it like emotionally to strive to be a teen while dealing with OCD and Tourette’s syndrome?
photo by cara owsley
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ften the truest measure of a person is not where they are, but how far they have come.
And few Greater Cincinnati high school graduates have come as far as Katelyn Leis. Diagnosed with obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) at the end of her seventh-grade year, Leis began a painful – and at times public – journey that eventually saw her overcome personal demons to become one of the top graduates of her Lakota West High School class this last spring. Panicked by frequent fainting spells and extreme anxiety bouts brought on by the perfectionist tendencies of OCD – combined with thenundiagnosed Tourette’s syndrome – the mental anguish was so acute that Leis recalls cutting her own flesh for relief. The physical pain would temporarily distract her from tortured thoughts. But that was in the past and now her self-made future is a bright one that includes public speaking to groups about her challenges. We asked her to sit down with us for “Our Town” magazine’s 5 Questions:
“It was extremely hard. I don’t think I emotionally thought of myself as a normal teenager until I got back from treatment in Texas and began Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. It’s kind of hard to be emotionally adjusted when you’re fainting several times a day. Not to mention people thinking I’m crazy because of my Tourette’s behaviors. Now that I’m 19 years old it’s easier to be a teenager, to have fun and have friends. Sometimes though it’s still hard if I am under stress and the OCD kicks in.”
What’s the most important thing you want people to know about OCD? “OCD is an anxiety disorder. It is not a behavioral issue. The strange stereotypical things that people with OCD do are acts intended to reduce extreme or debilitating anxiety. OCD patients require proper medical help in the form of a psychiatrist and therapist. Never have a child treated for OCD by their primary care provider. Never tell a child with OCD ‘to just stop it’ either, because they can’t.”
You’ve overcome so much, what’s been your proudest achievement to date and why? “My proudest achievement is taking control of my life. I still have OCD and always will. It’s just now, with medicine, therapy and the refusal to be controlled I can live a life
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where my identity is not focused on OCD. I am now Katelyn who has a normal life and skills and determination to keep OCD in check.”
“I have confidence and assertiveness that were developed as part of my therapy. It was not an option for me to grow up disabled, so I gutted it out and became my own advocate. So I think I have a lot of strengths that other kids my age do not have. I also have gained empathy for kids with mental health issues. I never made fun of special needs kids at school. In fact they all knew me and considered me a friend. I take pride in that and I am determined to help children as I determine my career goals.”
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What have you gained on a personal level that other teens who haven’t had your challenges may never have or learn?
Tell us your plans for your college studies and career and what role did your challenges play in your decisions to pursue these goals? “My challenges played the key role in my decision of pursuing nursing. I will be attending Northern Kentucky University in the fall with the determination of graduating with a bachelors or masters degree in nursing. I have chosen this field because it is something I have always wanted to do and it’s my way of giving back to the community and to all the people who have helped me.”
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michael d. clark
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what’s new
in west chester and liberty township
COMPILED BY JENNY CALLISON PHOTOS BY TONY TRIBBLE
midwest cheer elite 8730 N. Pavilion Drive, inside Skatetown USA 513-779-9111 or www.midwestcheerelite.com
The new facility for Midwest Cheer Elite offers more room for gear, plus a theater room.
In the six-plus years she has owned Midwest Cheer Elite, Tanya Roesel has seen her business grow to the point where a larger facility with more equipment was necessary. This past July, the gymnastics and dance business moved to a 22,000-square-foot space inside Skatetown USA. The facility boasts four sprung floors, a Marley dance floor, in-ground pits and trampolines and a theater room, where teams can watch videotapes of their performances. Roesel’s staff includes instructors for Tumble Tyme, gymnastics classes for children 1-4 years of age. There is also a special-needs cheer team. The all-star teams provide the kind of training, including coed training, that high schoolers hoping for spots (and even scholarships) on university teams need to be competitive, Roesel said.
serenity massage & body work 9642 Cincinnati-Columbus Road (U.S. 42) 513-745-0604 or www.serenitymassagecincy.com
Mothers and daughters can enjoy massages together at Serenity’s new location in West Chester.
Serenity Massage & Body Work, which moved from Sharonville in April, specializes in a range of treatments. Owner Julie Urlage says that her staff of 14 offers such treatments as Ashiatsu (barefoot massage), Rossiter, Lymph Drainage, Reiki, Cranial Sacral and Thai massage approaches. The studio also offers facials and inch-loss body wraps, while a physician on staff can provide laser services. One reason for the move to West Chester after eight years at its former location, Urlage said, was that the new space has more rooms for couples’ massages, which is a growing segment of Serenity’s business. The two-person experience is also popular with mothers and daughters and girlfriends. Serenity is open 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday-Thursday and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday-Sunday.
qdoba mexican grill 7687 Doc Drive (University Pointe) 513-755-3849
The region’s first Qdoba Mexican Grill is best known for its “naked burritos.” More locations are planned.
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Qdoba bills itself as a “fast casual nouveau cuisine” eatery with a “fresh Mexican flavor.” This is the first corporate-owned location in the Greater Cincinnati area, and more are planned, says general manager Brian McMichael. It opened in May. Best known for its burritos and “naked burritos” (burrito ingredients served in a bowl without tortilla), the restaurant also serves a Mexican gumbo, nachos, quesadillas and seasonal salads. The current specialty, available through September, is mango salad. “Qdoba was picked by Parents Magazine as among the top 20 “kids friendly” restaurants,” McMichael said. “It was also picked by Fitness Magazine as one of the Top 25 Healthy Options restaurants.” Hours of operation are 10:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily.
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on the slab creamery 9437A Civic Center Blvd., Streets of West Chester 513-777-0700 or www.ontheslabcreamery.com Ice cream made on-premises and a two-step freezing process enhance flavors and guarantee freshness, says manager Harvey Rose. On the Slab then blends its ice cream with customers’ choices of “mix-ins” on a refrigerated slab. There are 30 fruit, cookie and candy treats from which to choose. “We make all of our ice cream fresh, and on the premises, with only natural ingredients, including pure cream,” Rose said. On the Slab opened in early June; hours of operation are 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday-Thursday; 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Friday-Saturday; and noon to 10 p.m. Sunday. Owner is Joseph Dooley. This new ice cream store offers treats blended on a slab using 30 choices of “mix-ins.”
custom pc 4878 Union Centre Pavilion Drive (near bigg’s) 513-870-0121 or www.icustom-pc.com
Custom PC’s third area location offers repairs with a personal touch, plus software and accessories.
Custom PC’s goal is to put a local, friendly face on computer repair, offering prompt, professional service at a reasonable price. “People like to talk to people they can go and see,” said owner Kamal Cook. “Our repairs are faster and better because we employ better people, who know what they are doing.” The company caters to both residential and small business clients, and can perform repairs at the customer’s location or – in the case of laptops and portable PCs – in their store. Opened in May, this is the third location for Custom PC, which has stores in Anderson Township and Bridgetown as well. In addition to repairs for computers and small business systems, Custom PC offers hardware, software, accessories, and upgrades. It is open 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday-Friday.
emage 7745 Cox Lane, Tylersville Corner 513-777-7600 or www.emageusa.com
This franchise produces signs, vehicle wraps, plus custom designs for interior home decor.
Signs, photographs, print advertising products and graphics for home and business is the specialty of Emage. The franchise can produce commercial signs as well as vehicle wraps and single-color, tri-color or full-color LED displays. These displays can range from small to billboard size. Since opening in March, the business is expanding its products and services in home interior décor, said owner In Hwang. “We’re doing more with stencils and other designs for walls and mirrors, and making custom wallpapers,” Hwang said. “Some of these designs are permanent, and some can be removed without damaging the wall surface, and repositioned elsewhere. Emage is open 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday-Friday, and on Saturday by appointment.
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Autumn in
Butler County What makes autumn great here? Corn mazes, Homecoming dances, high school football, park events. By elaine trumpey
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est Chester and Liberty Township residents can enjoy everything the fall season offers without traveling far from their own backyards. Friday night football fans always turn out for high-intensity varsity games played at Lakota East and Lakota West high schools. New, artificial turf playing fields will be in place for each team’s home games this year. Excitement peaks on homecoming weekend when the schools add all the hoopla of pep rallies, games and a festive homecoming dance. Liberty and West Chester townships host family festivals in early October -- Liberty Township with a Fall Festival on Oct. 3 at Liberty Park and West Chester Township with a pumpkin-themed Great Pumpkin Fest on Oct. 10 at Keehner Park. Foodies don’t have to travel far to buy locallygrown produce and other specialty products. A Farmers’ Market is open each Saturday at The Square at Union Centre and daily at Station Road Farm through Oct. 31. Tables filled with summer produce of corn, tomatoes and green beans gradually give way to fall offerings such as pumpkins and deep-hued mums of russet and red. Hikers can see the changing colors of fall on branches overhead as they hike a trail in a township park or venture a little farther afield to one of the parks in the Butler County MetroParks system. No need to drive for miles in search of a scenic vista. Those who love finding their way through a corn maze can visit Niederman Family Farm in Liberty Township starting the weekend of Sept.
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18. The challenge for visitors this year will be a series of cancer-awareness ribbons carved out of a 22-acre field as the Niederman’s team up with the American Cancer Society to raise awareness for cancer research. The farm also has a traditional pumpkin patch and is open for hayrides and bonfires as well.
Homecoming Weekend Lakota East High School 6840 Lakota Lane, Liberty Township, OH 45044 Homecoming Game, 7:30 p.m., Oct. 9, Lakota East High School vs. Middletown High School Homecoming Dance, 8 p.m. to midnight, Oct. 10 Information: 513-755-7211 or www.lakotaonline.com Lakota West High School 8940 Union Centre Blvd., West Chester, OH 45069 Homecoming Game, 7:30 p.m., Oct. 16, Lakota West High School vs. Hamilton High School Homecoming Dance, 8 p.m. to midnight, Oct. 17 Information: 513-874-5699 or www.lakotaonline.com
Fall Festivals Liberty Township Fall Festival Liberty Park, 6757 Yankee Road, Liberty Township, OH 45011 1 to 5 p.m., Oct. 3 The event features rides, games, food, and entertainment. >>
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Kids can find plenty of fall fun at festivals, corn mazes and other Butler County events.
Information: 513-759-7500 or www.liberty-township.com. The Great Pumpkin Fest Keehner Park, 7411 Barret Road, West Chester, OH 45069 2 to 6 p.m., Oct. 10 The event features hundreds of pumpkins, a costume contest, games, and prizes. Information: 513-777-5900 or www.westchesteroh.org.
Farmers’ Markets The Square at Union Centre 9285 Centre Pointe Dr., West Chester, OH 45069 Fresh produce, meats and other products from local farmers, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., Saturdays through Oct. 31. Demonstrations at 11 a.m. Information: 513-759-7308 or www.westchesteroh.org 14
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YOURcommunity Station Road Farm 6749 Station Road, West Chester, OH 45069 Tomatoes, corn, green beans and other produce plus honey, jams, and pickles. Pumpkins and mums in the fall. Hours: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday-Friday; 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., Saturday; 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday through Oct. 31. Information: 513-777-3650 or www.stationroadfarm.com
Hiking Trails Dudley Woods 5591 Hankins Road, Liberty Township, OH 45044 This 64-acre wooded park offers easy nature trails. It includes picnic sites and a restored log cabin that was once home to an early
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pioneer family in the township. Gregory Creek runs through the park. Voice of America Park 7850 VOA Park Drive, West Chester, OH 45069 Visitors can bring their dogs with them for a walk around the 1.4 mile multi-purpose trail that surrounds the 35-acre lake at the park. The Wiggly Field Dog Park gives the animals a little more room to run. Part of the park is also designated an “Important Bird Area” which means that the site provides habitat for breeding wintering and/or migrating birds. Liberty Township’s Wetlands Park VanGorden Road at Lesourdesville-West Chester Road, Liberty Township, OH 45044 Hike or picnic beside the pond at this local park maintained in its natural state by Liberty Township. Information: 513-759-7500 or www. liberty-township.com Rentschler Forest Preserve MiamiErie Canal/Fairfield Township 5701 Reigart Road, Hamilton, OH 45011 Four-hundred-acre preserve includes frontage along the Great Miami River, remnants of the old Miami-Erie Canal, a prehistoric Indian earthwork, and a reconstructed wetland. Information: 513-867-5835 or www.butlercountymetroparks.org
Corn Maze Niederman Family Farm 5110 LeSourdsville-West Chester Road, Liberty Township, OH 45011 Twenty-two-acre corn maze, bonfire pits, pumpkin patch, hayrides. Open 6-10 p.m. Fridays; 1-10 p.m. Saturdays; 1 to 6 p.m. Sundays, Sept. 18-Oct.31. Group reservations available during the week by appointment. Information: 513-779-6184 or www.niedermanfamilyfarm.com
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Parents’ night out You don’t have to leave Butler County to find fun By AMBER ELLIS
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ow that school is back in session, mom and dad could actually get some alone time. Sneaking away for a night on the town doesn’t have to mean a drive to Cincinnati. Ideas for an evening getaway in Butler County are everywhere.
“After long week at work, you don’t want to drive that distance, and you really don’t have to,” says Christy Harp, marketing director for the Butler County Visitors Bureau. “Everything you could think of is hidden away right here. >>
Lisa Cox smiles at her husband Cleveland Cox during a Hell’s Kitchen date night class at the Learning Center in West Chester.
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PHOTO by TONY TRIBBLE
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PHOTO by TONY TRIBBLE
september | october 2009
Chef Paul Kendall teaches a Hell’s Kitchen date night class at the Learning Center in West Chester.
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PHOTO by glenn hartong
Early evening finds a good crowd of customers gathering in the piano bar at Jag’s Steak & Seafood in West Chester.
There’s no need to go downtown. We have the arts, we have fine dining, anything you can think.” Here are just a few ideas:
Grab a bite to eat
PHOTO by DAVID SORCHER
Mark South of Birmingham Ala. and Andrea Lambert of Loveland share a piece of cake at Mesh in West Chester.
For a chic, contemporary feel, head to Mesh in West Chester. The upscale restaurant features live music Wednesday to Saturday. On Monday evenings, a happy-hour event features half-priced items from the lounge menu. Dinner entrees include everything from pecan encrusted Canadian salmon ($28) to smoked beef tenderloin medallions ($40) and cold water lobster tail ($57). (www.meshrestaurant.com) Nearby at Jag’s, try the steak, sushi and sashimi, Yellowfin Tuna or Alaskan King Crab. The restaurant offers three-course meals for $26.56 from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m. Monday to Saturday. The West Chester spot also hosts a band and piano bar. (www.jags.com) For a more casual evening, try the Riverbank Cafe in Hamilton. Each food item on menu is under $15, including the onion straw cheeseburger ($8.95), the chicken alfredo pizza ($12.95) and tilapia ($10.95). The downtown Hamilton cafe also features live entertainment as well. (www.riverbankcafe.com)
Take a class Do something you’ve never done before, or take up an art you’ve been dying to learn more about. The 18
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PHOTO by TONY TRIBBLE
New this year, Wake Nation in Fairfield offers wakeboarding without a boat.
Learning Kitchen in West Chester offers date-night classes where couples prepare their own dinner, usually a three-course meal. Sessions are around $75 per person. (www.thelearningkitchen.com) Show off your moves or learn new ones by taking dance lessons. Salsa, ballroom dancing and a host of other weekly classes are offered at the Fairfield Community Arts Center. A typical class lasts several weeks and costs less than $60. (www.fairfield-city. org/cac) Learn how to make stained glass, fused glass jewelry or mosaics from the pros at BeauVerre Riordan Studios in Middletown. The length of each class varies. Cost ranges from $40 to $60, and includes materials. Demonstrations and tours are available as well. (www.beauverre.net)
Experience something new Try wakeboarding -- a water sport that combines water skiing and snowboarding to let you move across water at speeds of about 20 miles per hour. No experience needed. A full-day pass at Wake Nation costs $35. Equipment rental is separate. (www. wakenation.com) Take in a play, photo exhibition or other arts display at the Fitton Center in Hamilton. (www. fittoncenter.org) Dust off your ice skates, or rent some, before hitting the Goggin Ice Center at Miami University in Oxford. Cost is $6. (www.ice.muohio.edu) For more ideas and events in Butler County, visit www.destinationbutlercounty.com. september | october 2009
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A parent’s guide to
scholarships Competition for funds gets tough in tough times by MICHAEL D. CLARK
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or thousands of Lakota high school juniors and seniors the most important writing they do this school year may never be turned in as class work. College-bound Lakota teens will be busy throughout the fall and into the winter months filling out admissions forms, applying for scholarships and financial aid. They will be writing essays about themselves and their dreams and answering hundreds of questions to better qualify themselves for the possibility of free scholarship money. The process can be intimidating but eventually rewarding -- even life-changing, if it’s done with the right attitude, say area college admissions officials. According to them, one of the main secrets to success is to not limit your options. “Students and families should apply for everything they can,” says Tom Hurley, associate director of financial aid for Ohio State University. Too often families assume that their middle or uppermiddle incomes will make them ineligible for some academic scholarships and financial aid, says Hurley, who has specialized in undergraduate scholarships at Ohio State since 1983. “Sometimes families put themselves out the picture by not applying,” Hurley says. There are more than 3,000 scholarship funds at Ohio State alone and many more at the more than 4,000 colleges and universities throughout the United States. Many have specific stipulations that few who are new to this process know of or would anticipate. Many of the scholarships are designated for particular types of students, students from different locations, students with particular talents or affiliations to churches or community organizations and for children whose >>
photo by tony tribble
Families that don’t apply can put themselves out of the picture.
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counselor if you are suspicious of any application information,” he says. Lakota West High School junior Jenna Galletta gets overwhelmed at times by the process but tries to keep in mind what it could mean to her future and her family’s pocket book.
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parents are employed in certain jobs. “We have scholarships for family members of union members and some for organ donors, or if you are the child of an organ donor or an organ recipient,” he explains. Randy Ulses, senior associate director of the student financial aid office at University of Cincinnati, echoes the “leave no stone unturned” philosophy when seeking scholarship monies. “High schools, places of worship, civic groups and parents’ employers can also offer funds for going to college,” Ulses says . “While there is not a ‘big book of scholarships’ the Internet provides access to a lot of scholarship information and tools that can assist your search. And be sure to find out where your guidance counselors posts or distributes information they received at the school,” he advises. But Ulses also warns students and their families “to be careful.” “Some Web sites or mailings sent to high school students may offer information at a price. Question: Why would an agency that is giving money to students for school be charging you to know about it or apply for it? And you don’t want to provide personal data like Social Security numbers to just anyone. Talk to your guidance
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Those who hunt can find all sorts of scholarship funds.
YOURcommunity “It’s exciting but there seems to be so much stuff out there to go through to find scholarships,” says the 16-year-old student. As a member of Lakota West’s Latin Club, Science Olympiad and Academic Quiz Team, Jeanna says she knows colleges are “looking for things that make you unique, so I try to do
different things that will make me stand out.” Chuck Knepfle, assistant provost and director of student financial assistance for Miami University, reminds students of the single most important aspect of the entire application process – deadlines. “It is absolutely critical that students know
and understand the deadlines for all scholarship programs. Most importantly, the schools a student is applying to will possibly have scholarship deadlines that are different from the admission deadlines,” says Knepfle. “There are hundreds of different foundations, organizations and individual scholarship donors who also have money they want to award and each will likely have different applications, deadlines and notification dates,” he says.
WHERE COLLEGE-BOUND STUDENTS CAN GO FOR HELP Lakota West and East high school teens and their families don’t have to go it alone when navigating the maze of college admission and scholarship applications. Don’t forget to ask your high school counselors for help. They are professionally trained educators and specialists in keeping up on the latest trends and opportunities in college admissions, scholarships and financial aid. And college admission offices are often excellent sources for information. Be wary, however, of any company or service that asks you to pay money to them for helping you obtain scholarship monies. It’s almost always a scam, warn college admission officials. Some of the best Web sites for students and families include:
www.fastweb.com: A free scholarship search service with information on local, state and national scholarships, recommended by many college financial aid officials www.regents.state.oh.us/sgs/financialaid.html: Sponsored by the Ohio Board of Regents, this website lists scholarships and grants for Ohio colleges. It includes a directory of financial aid offices, program information about Ohio instructional grants and other resources. http://www.finaid.org/: A no cost collection of financial information including scholarships, explanations of differing loans and state college savings plans. www.units.muohio.edu/sfa/links.htm: Miami University’s Office of Student Financial Assistance put this page of Internet based resources together. It includes outside scholarship links, aid through military and federal loan programs http://studentaid.ed.gov: A directory of federal grants and information on loans along with worksheets, fact sheets and other publications.
september | october 2009
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schoolnotes By sue kiesewetter
lakota students will pay more to play this fall Athletes and cheerleaders in grades 7-12 will have to reach deeper into their pockets to pay participation fees this year. Beginning with fall sports the cost to participate goes up $20 per sport, per athlete at Lakota’s junior, freshman and senior high school campuses. “We try really hard to find other sources of revenue, such as corporate sponsors or advertising to minimize the impact on our kids,’’ said Stu Eversole, Lakota’s athletic director. The cost to participate in cheerleading or sports will be $140 per sport for students in grades 9-12. Those in grades 7-8 will be charged $110. The cap for any Lakota family is $280, Eversole said. photo by tony JONES
lakota west students rank at the top in latin Lakota West students continue to rank among the top in the nation when it comes to their knowledge of Latin. For the second consecutive year Stephanie Wang earned a perfect score on the National Latin Exam, administered last spring. Results released
Lakota Athletic Director Stu Eversole.
earlier this summer showed Linda Pan and Andy del Pino earned gold medals for the fourth consecutive years. Other students who earned Summa Cum Laude and a gold medal were:
Dinkelpreet Kaur, Sam Tripp, Rachel Sawicki, Balpreet Kaur, Sam Suchanek, David Quan, Stephanie Wang, Andrew Bratton, Evan George, Linda Pan, Andy del Pino, Austin McCarthy, Johanna
For The Fridge
lakota SCHOOLS SEPTEMBER 2009 2 First day of preschool; West, main campus open house, 7 p.m.; Heritage Market Day, 5 p.m. 4 Adena music candy sale begins. 11 Hopewell Junior dance, 3:15 p.m. 14 School board, 7 p.m.; central office. 18 School board work session, 8 a.m., central office; Adena PTO, 9:30 a.m.; Ridge student dance, 3:15 p.m.; Adena, Plains pictures; Endeavor hearing screenings; Endeavor movie night 22 Cherokee magazine drive begins. 25 Hopewell Elementary carnival, 3:15-9 p.m.; Plains Student of the Month lunch, 12:15 p.m.; Adena movie night
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28 School board, 7 p.m., central office; Shawnee walk-a-thon begins. 29 Liberty early childhood skating party, 7 p.m., Skatetown; Woodland ice cream social, 7 p.m.; Union book fair begins, media center 30 Heritage Market Day, 5 p.m.
OCTOBER 2009 2 First quarter interim grades; Union Fall Festival, 5-9 p.m.
3 West craft show, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. 4 West craft show, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. 5 Third grade achievement tests begin 10 East Homecoming dance, 8 p.m. to midnight, main campus
12 School board, 7 p.m., central office. 20 Plains fall sports awards banquet, 6:30 p.m.; West freshman campus band concert, 7 p.m. 21 Endeavor sixth grade to Camp Campbell Gard; Ridge fall athletic awards, 6:30 p.m. 23 First quarter ends, report cards go home. 26 School board, 7 p.m., central office; Shawnee Spooktacular; Ohio graduation test for grades 11-12 begin 27 Woodland book fair begins; Creekside Spooktacular; Hopewell Junior fall sports awards, 7 p.m.; West fall jazz concert, 7 p.m., main campus 28 Shawnee Spooktacular; Wyandot Trunk or Treat
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two receive scholarships Two Lakota West students received scholarships for their works on display in the Pendleton Art Gallery’s Artist’s Reaching Classrooms exhibit. Carlo Rizalado received second place and
a $1,200 scholarship for his acrylic painting, Carlo Andrew Rizalado. Robbie Piotrowski received fourth place and a $400 scholarship for his watercolor painting, By Myself. Art students Jenny Malik, Maggie Mueller, Erika Titus and Anel Wadzinski’s paintings also were selected for inclusion in the exhibit.
national french honor society inductees Seven Lakota East students and one Lakota West high school student were inducted into the National French Honor Society before classes ended for the summer. Criteria for induction include mastery of French, academic prowess in other subjects, leadership, and members or officers in the French Club. Among the service projects completed by the students were peer tutoring, clothing drive for Reach Out Lakota, valentines for distribution through the Meals on Wheels program and club demonstration at Lakota Fest. Those inducted from Lakota East were seniors Kyler Burroughs, Christine Pil, Peter Roser, Raminder Singh; and juniors Amanda Kaine, Carly Kennell and Katherine Mohr. Lakota West senior Kaylyn Bopp was also inducted.
delta epsilon phi additions Eleven Lakota East German students were inducted into Delta Epsilon Phi, the national educational honorary society for high school German students. The American Association of Teachers of German sponsors the honorary and sets criteria. To be eligible student must be in their third year of German and maintain an overall grade point average of 3.4 and a German GPA of 3.6 on a 4.0 scale. Those students meeting that criteria who became new members of Delta Epsilon Phi were: Taylere Bernett, Kathryn Conn, Aaron Christner, Mustafa Eroglu, Kathryn Yochman, Matthew Helmer. Also: Kayla McGowan, Maxwell Roy, Cory Severns, Samuel Wagers, and Kevin Crowder. Other members are Ian McLean, Allison Graves, Ashley Joa, Meghan Lowe, Stephen Lund, Mark Mathis, Jacob Miller, and Cullen Zelachowski.
may | june 2009
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Blake, Kelleigh McCarthy and Rebecca Frederick. Students who earned silver medals with the Maxima Cum Laude distinction were: Taylor Ourada, Derek Berry, Nicholas Miller, Barbara Frye, Elliot Hinsey, Sabrina Nucci, Michelle Martin, Neil Vallabh; Alexandra Schutzman, Xan Van Vactor, Ariel Hedden, Hannah Grossman, Briana Forney, Chloe Bartram, Rachel Mantyla, Sydney Schnee, Sammie Kirker, Emily Hellman, Kwasi Yeboah, Courtney Schnetzer; Allissa Cepress, Ian MacAdam, Caitlin McCarty, Shelby Begg, Rachel Benton, Aaron McCanty, Abigail Sippola, Amanda Lin, Josephine Doughman, Jaswant Singh, Justin Whitaker, Josh Spaw, Kelly Bakken and Nathaniel Haynes; Students earning Magna Cum Laude were: Hannah Koch, Kaitlyn Malik, Robert Abbott, Nate Nguyen, Caroline Raker, Ryan Little, Sara Dittrich, Katie Weatherholt, David Kleiner; Kristin Hammond, Louie Allen, Emily Bamforth, Randy Jones, Katelyn Huckery, Michael Miller, Evan Brooks, Kyle Swingle, Katie McCurnin, Alex Savage, Dana Hacker, Danielle List; Grishma Patel, Shellera Tarter, Erica Neuhart, Leslie Gathof, Julie Rogers, Jennifer Carpenter, Brian Schwind, Taylor Rahe, Sara Callon, Yasmin Moftakhar and Jenna Sholtes. The last group of students earn Cum Laude distinction: Abhimnayu Reddy, Chelsea Fightmaster, Matt Camardo, Mike Sartain, Carl Herb, Hannah Hess, Shanna Powers, Katy Tinkler, Theresa Stiftar, Elizabeth Fronk; Jenna Galletta, Elizabeth McMahon, Connor Cross, Allison Craycraft, Molly Lawson, Alex Boyer, Mary Towers, Hannah Cope, Brittany Onderko, Robert Art, Jasper Brenner, Tara Keesling, Kellie Nickels; Sydney Barnes, Chris Birri, Michael Davis, Phu Nguyen, Shelby Owens, Taryn Willett, Maria Fedyszyn, Charlie Lin, Huyen Do, Kristin Lin, Daniel Shen, Alex Hartlage, Travis Hance, Travis Le, Caitlin Qua and Mikaela Moore.
Sports all-Stars lakota east high school
lakota west high school By Michael D. Clark and Sue Kiesewetter photography by TONY TRIBBLE
Matt Fleming, senior
ing matt flheigm h school
lakota east
In the Fleming family soccer isn’t played just for kicks. Lakota East senior Matt Fleming’s father played varsity soccer for Princeton High School and his younger sisters play, too. Matt will be a soccer team captain and he is sports editor of the school’s award-winning “Spark” magazine. Matt is applying to Ohio Northern, Xavier, Bellarmine and Northern Kentucky universities. How did you achieve your sports success? My love and passion for the sport of soccer has continually driven me to become a better player. What was your most exciting sports moment so far? It was last fall, during the Lakota East versus Lakota West game. We were tied 0-0 for the entire game. With 7 seconds left, East scored the winning goal in front of hundreds of fans who went crazy. What is your favorite part of sports? A few of my favorite parts are the competition that comes from playing the game as well as the friendships I have made. Soccer is such a low-scoring game that the atmosphere is always tense with anticipation.
Maria Brafford, senior Lakota East junior Maria Brafford played soccer for years before she realized what she loved the most about it was the running. Now, she’s a varsity cross country runner and track team member, who was MVP last year. Maria plans to apply to North Carolina, Coastal Carolina, Ohio State and University of Cincinnati. How did you achieve your sports success? My whole life I played soccer, but in seventh grade that all changed. I ran cross country because I needed something to do. We soon found out that I was a natural at running. What has been your most exciting sports moment so far? My most exciting moment would have been during freshman year. The district meet was the most intense ever. The top 16 in that meet move on to regionals. Practically that whole race, I was in 16th place. When I finished, everyone was cheering and going crazy. I had no idea I had just made it to regionals. What is the favorite part of sports? My absolute favorite part of sports is my team. I love how were like a family. Everyone gets along and we always have awesome cheering sections for each race. Every Friday, we have spaghetti dinners. The whole team goes to a family’s house and we all eat pasta and have a great time.
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maria br
afford lakota east hig h school
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Arts all-Stars
Stephen Donoghue, senior
ghue n dono stepheea hool sc h st hig lakota
Go ahead and put the mantle of leadership on Stephen Donoghue’s shoulders – he’s comfortable with it. The Lakota East senior football quarterback has been calling the plays since he was in third grade. Stephen also runs varsity track and was second-team All GMC last year. Stephen hopes to play football in college for Mount Union College, University of Cincinnati, Bowling Green or Tiffin. He also won Lakota East High School’s character award for two consecutive years. How did you achieve your sports success? I achieved my success by always working my hardest all the time. I never talk back to a coach and I do what they say. Overachieving is my all-time goal. In order to be successful you have to beat the best, and in order to beat the best you have to over-achieve. What has been your most exciting sports moment so far? A tie between setting the school record in track this year and being recruited by different college coaches for football. In track, my 4x100 meters relay team set the school record at regional semi-finals. For my recruiting, it is just nice to know that a coach from a college recognizes my hard work. What is your favorite part of sports? My favorite part of sports has got to be competition. It is a blast when you’re playing a sport against another person or team and they want the same thing as you and they are the only one stopping you from getting it.
Kelsey Betz, senior You usually can find Lakota West senior Kelsey Betz on the court or in the classroom drawing. Kelsey and her twin sister, Shelby, both play varsity tennis and softball. After sophomore year, she spent a week in Colorado as part of the J. Kyle Braid Leadership Foundation. Summers find her volunteering at the Western & Southern tennis in Mason. With a passion for animals and travel, she’s thinking about majoring in zoology. How did you get started in sports? My dad got Shelby and I interested in softball by teaching us in the backyard. And the funny thing is that my mom played tennis in high school so the game of tennis naturally appealed to us. What has been your most exciting moment in sports? Okay, so I will be cheesy and say having my twin sister right next to me along the way. I admit that we only frustrate each other when we play doubles tennis together – just ask the team. Plus, I love answering the question, ‘What is it like to be a twin?’ My answer has always been: ‘What is it like not being a twin?’ ” How has sports affected your life? Playing sports has given me more discipline in my academic life. Plus meeting new people, whether opponents or teammates, only creates friendships with girls I know I have something in common with.
kelsey
betz lakota west hig h school
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Arts all-Stars
betz shelby high school
lakota west
Shelby Betz, senior
Like her twin sister, Lakota West senior Shelby Betz plays on her school’s varsity tennis and softball teams. Shelby is a member of the Youth Arts Council and went to Colorado after sophomore year with the J. Kyle Braid Leadership program. Outside of school Shelby enjoys pet sitting and volunteers as a ball girl at the Lindner Family Tennis Center. In college she wants to study sports management. How did you get involved in sports? My parents were a huge influence in my decision of playing tennis and softball. They let Kelsey and I try other sports, but ultimately softball and tennis were the most enjoyable. What has been your greatest moment in tennis? It has got to be playing side by side with my sister when we won the Greater Miami Conference final for second doubles last year. While our sibling rivalry can be our downfall -- with the constant bickering and pushing each other’s buttons -- it’s the one distinct advantage we have. How has playing sports affected your life? It has allowed me to prioritize my schedule. I can wake up at 5:30 a.m. in the morning, go to school until 2:30 p.m., play a softball game until 6:30 p.m., get home, do homework, eat dinner and manage to spend time with friends.
Mark Fowler, senior Talk sports and watch 16-year-old Mark Fowler’s face get animated. Although this Lakota West senior is on the varsity football and baseball teams, it’s baseball that he loves. The quiet teen is also active in Revelation Missionary Baptist Church’s youth group. How did you get involved in baseball? Baseball has always been in my family; my dad went to Tennessee State University when they had a baseball team and hit over .400 while he was there. He told me he had a shot to go pro in baseball but an injury in a New York Mets tryout halted that dream. So I have made it my dream to reach that professional stage and play in front of millions. What has been your greatest moment in baseball? When the baseball team made it to the regional semi-finals in 2008. Even though we lost, I had the honor of being the starting catcher and reaping the benefits of playing with Jacob May, Ricky Finley and Bryan Beaver. The list goes on but that is a bond that will never be broken. How has playing sports affected your life? I think sports have helped me cope with a lot of stresses that I have off the field. When I’m between the lines on a baseball field that calms me and allows me to forget girl problems, problems at home and other things. On the field I can do anything. And off the field it has helped me work well with others, regardless of the situation.
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mark fo
lakota west higwler h school
Congratulations to this month’s
High School All Stars for a job well done!
Strong Transfer Programs in Business & Liberal Arts
success starts here Located off I-71 in Mason, Ohio
To get started call, (513) 339-1212 or go to courseview.sinclair.edu
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»
P.F. CHANG’S CHINA BISTRO 9435 Civic Center Blvd. streets of west chester west chester, oh 45069 513.779.5555
The other day my girlfriends and I decided we deserved a little quality time away from the kids. So, feeling a bit like Thelma and Louise, we jumped into our friend’s convertible, put down the top and headed out for lunch. We were a little giddy with the freedom, and it took us a while to decide where to eat. Once we settled on Chinese food, we easily chose P.F. Chang’s China Bistro. Although it is perfectly acceptable to bring children to P.F. Chang’s, the feel of the restaurant is decidedly adult. Rich earth tones combined with dramatic lighting and hand-painted murals create an elegant, yet comfortable setting to dine in. They also have a lovely, covered patio and because it was a gorgeous day, we ate outside. One of my friends had not been to P.F. Chang’s before, so we introduced her to the restaurant’s signature Chicken Lettuce Wraps ($7.50). While it’s listed as a starter, I love it so much that I often order it as my entrée and refuse to share with others at the table. Because we ordered it as an appetizer, I was forced to play nice and share. A plate of tiny bits of tender chicken, mushrooms and water chestnuts is served with crisp, iceberg lettuce leaves. You scoop the chicken into a lettuce leaf, add a dollop of spicy sauce and roll it up – the combination of the spicy, tender meat and the cool, crisp lettuce is phenomenal. When it came to our entrees, we decided to each pick one and share. You get a choice of white or brown rice and we asked for a little of both. One friend ordered the Pork Lo Mein ($8.95), and it was a wonderful combination of stir-fried noodles, lean strips of pork and crunchy vegetables. What makes P.F. Chang’s stand out among Chinese res-
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P.F. Chang’s offers elegant setting taurants is their way with sauces -- they never overpower the fresh vegetables and quality meat and seafood used in their dishes. The lo mein was in a rich, brown sauce that was light, yet incredibly flavorful. Another friend ordered the Moo Goo Gai Pan ($12.95) and its white, chickenbased sauce was equally delicious. It featured crisp shrimp, chicken and mushrooms along with perfectly cooked carrots and broccoli.
Chang’s is introducing a new line of regional classics, and I ordered the Shanghai Shrimp with Garlic Sauce ($9.95). It was loaded with the same crisp shrimp and well-cooked broccoli, but tasted very similar to the Moo Goo Gai Pan. It was difficult to detect the garlic in the sauce, but it was still very tasty. I also ordered another of my favorite dishes, a side of Spicy Green Beans ($4.95). It’s a generous portion of fresh
YOURFREETIME green beans tossed with garlic and cooked to crunchy perfection. Spicy, but not too spicy. After an appetizer, three entrées and a side, we had no choice but to refuse the New York Cheesecake ($5.95) and the The Great Wall of Chocolate ($7.95) -- six layers of chocolate cake, frosted and covered in chocolate chips. But we did eat our fortune cookies. One of our fortunes predicted a lifetime of happiness. While that sounded great, we were pretty happy with a simple afternoon away from the kids.
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Seconds troy’s cafe´
4877 smith road West Chester, OH 45069 513-860-3206
For more restaurant reviews or to rate and review where you’ve eaten lately, visit ConnectWestChester.Com or ConnectLiberty.Com.
Troy’s adds surprisngly warm, cozy touches to its strip mall location. Overall, it’s casual, not too expensive, a good spot to take advantage of free WiFi service. Appetizers include hummus and tapenade and crackers. Try the uovo sandwich, an open-faced ham sandwich with spinach and cheese, topped with a sunny-side-up egg. And owner Troy Meyers’ mother makes the cobbler.
Jill I. Solimini
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Dingle house irish pub and grub
9102 west chester towne center drive West Chester, OH 45069 513-874-7468 This shiny new pub offers comfortable chairs, touches of dark wood timbering and walls of rough stacked stone. But much about this restaurant is done on an American scale. Dingle House has a nice beer list, and the food’s pretty good. Hard-working servers wearing kilts bring food promptly. Try the fish and chips or the créme brulee.
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m cafe´ and bistro
7500 Tylers place blvd. West Chester, OH 45069 513-777-1101
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When the managers of the Wingate by Wyndham opened M Café and Bistro, they wanted it to appeal to the community, not just their guests. So they added on to the hotel to create the café, designing a clean, contemporary room. Items include appetizers, tapas, salads, sandwiches and pizza. The lemon drop martini here was perfect.
september | october 2009
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Some say the spirit of Sarah Stubbs haunts this room.
Spooky places Several familiar spots have not-so-familiar stories By MEREDITH LARSEN
O
ften in the dead of night, sounds may be heard and apparitions seen — things that cannot be easily explained. These are some of the nearby places that people say come with strange and spooky legends attached. Are they really haunted? Hard to say. But several of the following locations have been explored by the paranormal investigative and research team called ParaVizionz.
Kings Island’s Eiffel Tower In 1981, during a Grad night, a young man fell to his death down the elevator shaft of the Eiffel Tower. Some say his spirit haunts the tower’s observation deck as well as an area near the Beast roller coaster, where elevator cables from that incident are stored.
Kings Island’s International Restaurant Above the main entrance to Kings Island is the International Restaurant, where people have reported hearing sounds of large parties, conversations, and banging of pots and pans even though no one else is there. Italian singing also was heard by two members of ParaVizionz as well as sounds of people conversing. >>
september | october 2009
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Legend has it that the spirit of a man who fell to his death here still lingers years later.
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The Cemetery at Kings Island Long before Kings Island was built, a cemetery occupied a large portion of the site. Today, a remaining portion still takes up a small corner amongst some old trees. Some say ghosts dwell here late at night; the ghosts of the people whose graves were covered by the park’s development. In the cemetery, there’s a headstone of a young girl named “Missouri Jane.” Many believe her ghost haunts a train ride and other parts of the park.
Pioneer Village at Caesar Creek State Park Ghosts have been said to haunt Caesar Creek for years and seem to linger mainly in the two original structures that were on the property; the Lukens House and the Lukens barn.
The Golden Lamb in Lebanon This is the oldest operating business in the state of Ohio, opening in 1803. Numerous patrons and employees have witnessed or experienced things over the years they could not explain. Believers say the Golden Lamb is often visited by the spirit of Sarah Stubbs. She and her family were staying at the inn when her father unexpectedly died. Sarah was 5 years old at the time and though she lived to be 91, it is believed that the spirit that visits the inn is an imprint of Sarah when she lost her father. To this day, doors will inexplicably lock, lights will flicker and cold spots can be felt in several places.
The old King Powder Factory/ Peter Cartridge Co. Back in the mid-to-late 1800s, this factory produced ammunition and cannon balls for the Union army. Many workers are said to have died in explosions and in other accidents. People who visited the place late at night say they’ve heard moans and screams and have seen cables, hanging in empty elevator shafts, swinging without any sign of wind. Some believe the spirits are warning the living of danger.
The Loveland Castle Chateau Laroche was hand-built by Sir Harry Andrews over a period of decades. He continued working on it nearly until he died in 1981. Now a museum, some people say the spirit of Andrews himself still lurks in the home he loved. But before he died, Andrews claimed a friendly spirit he called Casper dwelled within the walls of his castle. september | october 2009
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Events calendar Looking for fun? For even more event listings, visit ConnectWestChester.Com or ConnectLiberty.Com. Sept. 1 Art & Craft Classes Adults Drawing and Painting, 9 a.m.-
noon Powder Factory Studio. All levels. Easel, table and chair provided. Students responsible for own supplies. $95 four classes, $30. Registration required. 513-403-6255. 108 E. Church St., Mason.
Attractions Airplane Rides, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Lunken Airport. Romantic airplane rides and air tours by Flamingo Air. $75 and up. 513-321-7465. 262 Wilmer Ave.,
Linwood.
Jellyfish Gallery, 9 a.m.-7 p.m. Newport
Aquarium. Bigger tanks, new cylinder tanks, interactive touch wall where children can play tag with computer projected jellies. Interactive tank and a propagation area. Two children ages 12 and under get in free with paying adult during Summer Family Hours 4:30-7 p.m. Sunday-Friday. Included with admission; $20, $13 ages 2-12. 859-261-7444.
Newport on the Levee, Newport.
Clubs & Organizations 741 Square Dance Club, 10 a.m. Warren County Community Services Inc. Senior Center. Comfortable clothing and smooth-soled shoes. Lunch available after class. $3. 513-929-2427. Presented by Southwestern Ohio/Northern Kentucky Square Dancers Federation. 570 Ohio 741, Lebanon.
Museums The Reds Hall of Fame Audio Experience, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Cincinnati Reds Hall of Fame
and Museum. Hear first-hand accounts of some of the most memorable Reds moments. Tour features original interview clips as well as classic radio and television calls. Free with admission: $10; $8 ages 55 and up and ages 5-18; free ages 4 and under, military and veterans. 513-765-7923. Through Dec. 31. 100 Main St., downtown.
Music - Concerts Southern Sounds, 7 p.m.-9 p.m.
Fountain Square. Part of PNC Bank Summer Music Series. Ridge Runner performs. Free. www.myfountainsquare.com. Presented by Fountain Square Management Group.
Fifth and Vine streets, Downtown.
Public Hours National Underground Railroad Freedom Center, 11 a.m.-5 p.m. National
Underground Railroad Freedom Center. Museum tells story of the enslaved crossing the Ohio River on their journey to freedom. Slaves were assisted by men and women of all backgrounds who hated
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slavery and had created a secret network of escape routes that came to be called “the Underground Railroad.” $9; $7 ages 13-21 and ages 60 and up; $6 ages 7-12 and educators; free ages 6 and under. 513-333-7500. 50 E. Freedom Way, downtown.
Sept. 2 Art Centers & Art Museums Aya Uekawa, 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Contemporary Arts Center. Features new work in painting and drawing that combines Flemish figuration with decorative and folk arts by Aya Uekawa. $7.50, $6.50 ages 65 and up, $5.50 students, $4.50 ages 3-13, free ages 2 and under and members. 513-345-8400. Through Sept. 30. 44 E. Sixth St., Downtown.
Tours Tram Tours, 10 a.m. Spring Grove Cemetery and Arboretum. Provides overview of history, art, architecture and landscape of historic Spring Grove. Benefits Heritage Foundation. $5 suggested donation. Reservations required. 513-681-7526. 4521 Spring Grove Ave., Spring Grove Village.
Sept. 3 Business Meetings Business Networking, 8 a.m.-9 a.m.
Loveland Chamber of Commerce. For current and future members. Free. 513-683-1544. Presented by Loveland Area Chamber of Commerce. 442 W. Loveland Ave., Loveland.
Exercise Classes Healing Yoga, 6:45 p.m.-7:45 p.m. Montessori
Music - Latin Salsa on the Square, 7 p.m.-10 p.m.
Fountain Square. Lessons available. Food, soft drinks and adult beverages available. Part of PNC Bank Summer Music Series. Music by Zumba. Free. www.myfountainsquare.com. Presented by Fountain Square Management Group. Fifth and Vine streets, Downtown.
Sports Cincinnati Bengals Football, 7:30 p.m. Paul Brown Stadium. Games Nov. 29 and thereafter subject to scheduling change. Pre-season game vs. Indianapolis Colts. $64-$82. 513-621-8383. Presented by Cincinnati Bengals. 1 Bengals Drive, downtown.
Sept. 4 Films Movies in the Park, 7 p.m. Village Green
Park - Fairfield. Fairfield Fire Department provides pre-show fun. All ages. “Wall-E.” Free. 513-867-5300. Presented by Fairfield Parks and Recreation. 301 Wessel Drive, Fairfield.
Food & Drink Friday Night Grillouts, 5 p.m.-8 p.m. Lake
Isabella. Outdoor covered patio or air-conditioned dining area. Includes specialty, a la carte and children’s dinners. Music, fishing demonstrations and naturalist’s wildlife programs. Music by Exit 12. $3.75-$8.85; parking permit required. 513-791-1663. Presented by Hamilton County Park District. 10174 Loveland-Madeira Road, Symmes Township.
Music - Acoustic
Academy of Cincinnati. Beginner, novice and those with range of motion limitations. With Stephanie Herrin. $42 for six weeks, $36 four weeks, $22 two weeks; $12. Registration required. 513-204-0091. Presented by Alliance Healing Center. 8293 Duke Blvd., Mason.
Bob Crawford, 7 p.m. Claddagh Irish Pub Deerfield Commons. 513-770-0999. 5075 Deerfield Blvd., Mason.
Music - Concerts
Big Fish and Friends, 8 p.m.-11 p.m. Awaken-
Groovin’ on the Green Concert, 7
p.m. Village Green Park - Fairfield. Bring seating. Concessions available. The Mistics. 513-867-5348. Presented by City of Fairfield. 301 Wessel Drive, Fairfield.
Acoustic Thursday, 11:45 a.m.-1:15 p.m.
Fountain Square. Performances by local musicians, including number of Cincinnati Entertainment Award winners. Part of PNC Bank Summer Music Series. Dave Hawkins and Mike Helm perform. Free. www.myfountainsquare.com. Presented by Fountain Square Management Group. Fifth and Vine streets, Downtown.
Music - Classic Rock ings Coffee - Hyde Park. Stan Hertzmann plays guitar, sings and tells stories. Joined by a musical friend every week. 513-321-2525. 2734 Erie Ave.,
Hyde Park.
Recreation All-Night Fishing, 8 p.m. Lake Isabella. Rent rowboat or bring your own. Four horsepower or less electric and gas motors permitted. Fishing ticket good for 12 hours. Light visible 360 degrees required on boats after dark. All ages. $9.50 for 12-hour permit, free ages 12 and under and ages 60 and up; rowboat rental $9.39 six hours, $11.27 12 hours; vehicle permit required. 513-791-1663.
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avp pro beach volleyball Men and women sand volleyball tournament. Rain or shine. $50, $20, $15, $10, $5; free ages 4 and under. 800-280-2330. Through Sept. 6. Presented by AVP Pro Beach Volleyball Tour. 5460 Courseview Drive, Mason.
Presented by Hamilton County Park District. 10174 Loveland-Madeira Road, Symmes Township.
Night Fishing at Voice of America Park, 8:04 p.m.-1 a.m. Voice of America Lodge
and Boathouse. Regulations at web site. $2 twilight rate; vehicle permit required. 513-755-4402. Presented by Butler County Metro Parks. 7850 Voice of America Park Drive, West Chester Township.
Sept. 5 Art & Craft Classes Woodworking Demonstrations, 9:30
a.m. Rockler Woodworking and Hardware. Router Basics. Free. 513-671-7711. 421 E. Kemper Road, Springdale.
Youth Art and Painting, 1:30 p.m.-3:30
p.m. Powder Factory Studio. Elementary students. Supplies provided. $95 four classes, $30. Registration required. 513-403-6255. 108 E. Church St.,
Mason.
Festivals Russian Festival, 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Nisbet Park.
Russian foods, crafts, jewelry, religious books and icons, music and dancing, children’s activities and more. 513-891-0991. Presented by St. George Russian Orthodox Church. 210 Railroad Ave.,
Loveland.
Food & Drink Cincinnati Dinner Train, 7 p.m. Cincinnati
Dinner Train. Boards at Barbecue Revue. Threehour train ride complete with four-course meal on restored vintage rail cars. $69.95; plus tax, gratuity and alcoholic beverages. Reservations required, available online. 513-791-7245. 4725 Madison Road, Madisonville.
Music - Acoustic
when Saturday, Sept. 4-6 where Lindner Family Tennis Center, Mason
859-491-4003. Presented by Behringer-Crawford Museum. 790 Park Lane, Covington.
United Service Organizations Riverfest Gala, 4 p.m.-9:30 p.m. Montgomery
Inn Boathouse. Formal dinner, tribute to military personnel and view of fireworks. Benefits USO. $230-$280. Reservations required. 513-684-4870. Presented by United Service Organizations of Metropolitan Washington. 925 Riverside Drive, Downtown.
Bob Crawford, 6:30 p.m. Kings Island Golf Center, Courseview Restaurant. Free. 513-573-3321. 6042 Fairway Drive, Mason.
Fireworks
Music - Jazz
Park. Drees Pavilion. Includes transportation with shuttles from and back to your vehicle, food, beer, wine, soft drinks, cornhole, music, children’s activities, silent auction and more. Benefits BehringerCrawford Museum. $95, $25 children under age 12; additional packages prices available. 859-491-4003. Presented by Behringer-Crawford Museum. 1344 Audubon Road, Covington.
Evening of Jazz, 6 p.m.-11 p.m. Cricket Lounge. Featuring Billy Walker Trio. 513-381-3000. Presented by The Cincinnatian Hotel. 601 Vine St., Downtown.
Sept. 6 Benefits Fireworks Party, 6 p.m.-10 p.m. Drees
Pavilion. Shuttles, food, drinks, children’s activities, cornhole, music, silent auction and view of fireworks. Benefits Behringer-Crawford Museum. $95, $25 ages 11 and under. Reservations required.
Covington Cincinnati Bell/WEBN Fireworks Viewing Party, 6 p.m.-10 p.m. Devou
Music - Classical Summer Carillon Concerts, 7 p.m. Mary M. Emery Carillon. Listen in the surrounding park as the carillonneur performs on a keyboard connected to 49 bells inside the tower. Tours of keyboard room and bells may be arranged through the carillonneurs. Richard D. Gegner, carillonneur. september | october 2009
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YOURfreetime Free. 513-271-8519. Presented by Village of Mariemont. Pleasant Street, Mariemont.
Music - Religious Gospel Sunday, 5 p.m.-7 p.m. Fountain Square.
Concessions available. Part of PNC Bank Summer Music Series. Free. 513-621-4400. Presented by Fountain Square Management Group. Fifth and Vine streets,
Downtown.
Special Events Riverfest, noon-11 p.m. Sawyer Point. Family-friendly end of summer celebration. Food, music, entertainment and 9:05 p.m. fireworks display. Free. 513-686-8597. Presented by Clear Channel Radio. Pete Rose Way, Downtown.
Sept. 7 Food & Drink All-You-Can-Eat Fish and Chips, 11 a.m.-9 p.m.
Dingle House Irish Pub. $12.95. 513-874-7468. 9102 West Chester Towne Center Dr., West Chester Township.
Music - Concerts Summer Sounds Concert Series, 7 p.m. Woodside Cemetery and Arboretum. Bring seating. Severe weather cancels. Labor Day Concert. Featuring Middletown Symphony. Free. 513-425-7842. Presented by City of Middletown. Corner of S. Verity (Route 4) and 14th Ave., Middletown.
Recreation Holiday Kids’ Fishing Tournament, 10
a.m.-noon Lake Isabella. Registration 9 a.m. Trophies awarded. Ages 12 and under with an adult. Space is limited. Free. 513-521-7275. Presented by Hamilton County Park District. 10174 Loveland-Madeira Road, Symmes Township.
Sept. 8 Clubs & Organizations Southwest Ohio Crochet Guild Monthly Meeting, 7:30 p.m.-10 p.m. Community of Christ
Church. Promoting heart and soul of crochet for crocheters of all skill levels. Filet crochet. $20 annual membership. 513-683-1670. Presented by Southwest Ohio Crochet Guild. 623 Paxton Ave., Loveland.
Food & Drink Wine Divas, 6:30 p.m. Polo Grille. Three-month course to educate women about wine in social setting. With Laura Landoll of Vintage Wines and Mary Horn of the Lions Group. Also Oct. 13 and Nov. 10. $60. Registration required. 513-605-4700, ext. 19. 5035 Deerfield Blvd., Deerfield Towne Center, Deerfield Township.
Recreation Round Robins, noon-1:30 p.m. Lindner Family
Tennis Center. Location may change to Mason Middle School. With Cathy Thomas, U.S. Professional Tennis Association. Women. Level 1-4. Tuesdays. Concludes Oct. 13. $20-$72. Registration required three weeks before start date. 513-504-6738. 5460 Courseview Drive, Mason.
Sept. 9 38
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riverfest Family-friendly end of summer celebration. Noon- 11p.m. at Sawyer Point. Food, music, entertainment and 9:05 p.m. fireworks display. Free. 513-686-8597. Presented by Clear Channel Radio.
Business Meetings Board of Zoning Appeals Hearing, 7 p.m. West Chester Township Hall.
Application deadline: Aug. 12. 513-777-4214. Presented by Community Development Department. 9113 Cincinnati-Dayton Road, West Chester Township.
Music - Concerts The Gaslight Anthem, 8 p.m. Bogart’s. With Murder By Death, The Loved Ones, and Ninja Gun. $17, $15 advance. 877-598-8703.
when Saturday, Sept. 6 where Downtown
Presented by Live Nation. 2621 Vine St., Corryville.
Sept. 10 Exercise Classes Cardio Fit, 9:45 a.m.-10:45 a.m. Sharonville
Community Center. Cardio, toning and strengthening exercises. Low-impact modifications will be demonstrated. Four-week class. Ages 16 and up. Weekly through Oct. 1. $28, $25 resident. Registration required. 513-563-2895. Presented
YOURfreetime by Sharonville Parks and Recreation Department. 10990 Thornview Drive, Sharonville.
Music - Concerts Toby Keith, 7:30 p.m. Riverbend Music
Sept. 13 Community Dance Big Band Dance, 2 p.m.-5 p.m. Maple Knoll
Center. With Trace Adkins. America’s Toughest Tour. $73, $47, $33 lawn. 800-745-3000. Presented by Live Nation. 6295 Kellogg Ave.,
Village. Auditorium. Includes snacks and soft drinks. Couples and singles welcome. Free dance lessons 1-2 p.m. $10. 513-782-4399. Presented by WMKV 89.3 FM. 11100 Springfield Pike,
Anderson Township.
Springdale.
Sept. 11 Clubs & Organizations Village Squares, 8 p.m. St. Gabriel Con-
solidated School. Plus level Western square and round dance club for experienced dancers. $5. 513-929-2427. Presented by Southwestern Ohio/ Northern Kentucky Square Dancers Federation. 18 W. Sharon Ave., Glendale.
Festivals St. Susanna Family Festival, 5 p.m.-
midnight St. Susanna Catholic Church. Games for all ages, rides, food, entertainment, silent auction and raffles. 513-398-3821. Through Sept. 13. 616 Reading Road, Mason.
Pride Night, 6 p.m.-midnight Kings Island. Live performances and roller coaster rides in a GLBT-friendly atmosphere. Free parking. Benefits Gay and Lesbian Community Center. Parking lot opens 5 p.m. $45, $40 advance. 513-591-0200. Presented by Gay and Lesbian Community Center of Cincinnati. 6300 Kings Island Drive, Northside.
Music - Jazz Smooth Jazz Friday, 8 p.m. Redmoor. The
Urban Jazz Coalition and DJ Perry Simmons. $10 after 10 p.m., $5, free before 7 p.m.; Jazz Club members $5 after 10 p.m., free. 513-871-6789. 3187 Linwood Ave., Mount Lookout.
Sept. 12 Films Saturday Night at the Movies, 7:30 p.m. Fountain Square. Movie shown on video board. Concessions and adult beverages available. “E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial.” Free. 513-621-4400. Presented by Fountain Square Management Group. Fifth and Vine streets, Downtown.
Music - Concerts Concerts on the Green, 6 p.m.-9 p.m.
Harry Whiting Brown Scouthouse. Bring seating. Picnics welcome. Show moves inside for bad weather. Featuring ScoDaddies. Free. 513-771-0333. Presented by Harry Whiting Brown Community Center. 34 Village Square, Glendale.
Recreation Race for the Cure, 8:45 a.m. Great American
Ball Park. Registration begins 7 a.m. Competitive Runner 5K, 8:45 a.m. 5K Walk/Run, 9 a.m. 2K Family Walk/Run, 9:30 a.m. Kids Fun Run, 10:30 a.m. Benefits Susan G. Komen for the Cure. $30. 513-671-9100. Presented by Komen Greater Cincinnati Affiliate. 100 Main St., Downtown.
Music - Jazz Masters of Swing Series, 3 p.m. Gallagher
Student Center Theater. Ages 8 and up. Trumpeter Randy Sandke teams with trombonist Bill Gemmer and his 14-member Newport Dream Band. $23, $20 ages 60 and up, $3 students with ID. 513-745-3161. Presented by Xavier University. Xavier University, Evanston.
Recreation Little Miami River Kayak Trip, 11 a.m. Lake Isabella. Begins at Lake Isabella, continues 7.5 miles down river. All equipment provided. Bring lunch. Must complete Quick Start program prior to trip. $25, $20 ages 6-18. Registration required, available online. 513-521-2345. Presented by Hamilton County Park District. 10174 Loveland-Madeira Road, Symmes Township.
Sept. 14 Literary - Book Clubs
Music - Jazz Mandy Gaines, 7:30 p.m. Redmoor. 513-871-6789. 3187 Linwood Ave., Mount Lookout.
Sept. 18 Holiday - Halloween Junction Nightmare, 7 p.m.-midnight
EnterTrainment Junction. Blood-chilling scarefest with two themes, Ripper’s Revenge and Fear Factory. Recommended for ages 12 and up. Fastpass: $20; $15. 513-898-4656. 7379 Squire Court,
West Chester Township.
Sept. 20 Art Exhibits City Gallery Exhibition, 11 a.m.-5 p.m.
Mason Municipal Building. More than 40 artists showcased. Part of Mason Arts Festival. Artists’ applications due by Aug. 6. --. Through Oct. 16. 6000 Mason-Montgomery Road, Mason.
Music - Classical Classical Piano Series, 2:30 p.m. Gallagher Student Center Theater. John Novacek. $17-$19, ages 60 and up $14-$16, students $3. 513-745-3161. Presented by Xavier University. Xavier University, Evanston.
Sept. 22 Support Groups
A Course in Miracles, 7 p.m.-8:30 p.m. Alliance Healing Center. Study group for “A Course in Miracles” by Foundation for Inner Peace. With Ken Obermeyer. Free, donations accepted. Registration recommended. 513-204-0091. 3476 Irwin-Simpson Road, Deerfield Township.
Interstitial Cystitis, 7 p.m. Christ the King Lutheran Church. Free. 513-459-1769. 7393 Dimmick Road, West Chester Township.
Sept. 15 Support Groups
Sept. 25 On Stage - Theater
Grief Support, 7 p.m.-8:30 p.m. Mercy HealthPlex Fairfield. Medical Staff Conference room. For adults who have experienced loss. Facilitated by hospital chaplain. Free. 513-870-7129. Presented by Mercy Hospital Fairfield. 3050 Mack Road,
Fairfield.
Sept. 17 Food & Drink Third Thursday: Cooking with Caitlin, 7 p.m.-9 p.m. The McAlpin. Nine courses of
original recipes, in smaller portions. Drinks provided by The McAlpin. $20. Reservations required. 513-421-3639. 15 West Fourth St., Downtown.
Lectures Harlan Hubbard: the Complexicty of Simplicity Lectures, 7 p.m. Behringer-Crawford Museum. Sustainable Living for Today with Mackey McNeill. 859-491-4003. 1600 Montague Road, Covington.
Disney’s High School Musical, 7 p.m. Mason High School. $10, $8 seniors. Tickets required, available online. 513-588-0988. Through Sept. 27. Presented by Acting Up. 6100 MasonMontgomery Road, Mason.
Shopping Special Events Oakley After Hours, 6 p.m.-10 p.m. Madison Road Corridor. Special sales, gallery openings, entertainment, local bands and happy hour pricing at participating restaurants. Free. 513-533-9039. Presented by Oakley Community Council. Madison Road, Oakley.
Sept. 26 Benefits Babes for Boobs, noon-2:30 a.m. Babe’s Cafe. Features silent action, food, mini-manicures and massages, hair styling and cuts, raffles and split the pot. Music by Sullivan and Janszen. Benefits Susan G. Komen for the Cure. 513-661-0831. 3389 Glenmore Ave., Westwood.
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YOURfreetime Craft Shows Pyramid Hill Art Fair, 10 a.m.-6 p.m.
Pyramid Hill Sculpture Park and Museum. More than 100 booths, food, entertainment and demonstrations. $8 good for both days, free ages 11 and under. 513-868-8336. Presented by Pyramid Hill Sculpture Park & Museum. 1763 Ohio 128 (Hamilton-Cleves Road), Hamilton.
Recreation 5K Walk/Run to Break the Silence on Ovarian Cancer, 10 a.m. Lunken
Airport Playfield. Registration begins 8:30 a.m. Includes silent auction, raffles, awareness booths, childrens booth, activities, survivor recognition and more. Benefits National Ovarian Cancer Coalition Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky Chapter. $30, $25 advance. Registration required. 859-694-1878. Presented by National Ovarian Cancer Coalition Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky Chapter. Beechmont and Wilmer avenues, Linwood.
Reunions Fairfield Class of 1974 Reunion, 7 p.m.-1 a.m. Rick’s Tavern. RSVP: Kenwrhodus@aol.com, Sharrhodus@aol.com, Dchristy1974@gmx.com, or Rcain@cinci. rr.com. $20 after 8:30 p.m.; $15. Reservations requested by Sept. 12. 513-863-2081. Presented by Fairfield Class of 1974 Reunion. 5955 Boymel Drive, Fairfield.
www.westchesterorthodontics.com
Sept. 27 Antiques Shows MainStrasse Antiques, 9 a.m.-3 p.m.
MainStrasse Village. Promenade, Sixth Street. Parking in Fifth Street lot free. Rain or shine. Free. 859-468-4820. Presented by MainStrasse Village Association. Main Street,
Covington.
Oct. 1 Music - Concerts KMFDM, 8 p.m. Bogart’s. With Angelspit. $22.50, $18.50 advance. 513-562-4949. Presented by Live Nation. 2621 Vine St., Corryville.
Oct. 3 Craft Shows Arts & Crafts Show, 10 a.m.-4 p.m.
Lakota West High School. More than 220 juried arts and crafts booths. Babysitting, food, ATM, package check available. Benefits Lakota West High students. $1. 513-874-5699. 8940 Union Centre Blvd.,
West Chester Township.
Music - Country Sidewinder Band, 9:30 p.m. Froggy Blues Cafe. $3. 513-539-7150. Presented by Knob Creek Bourbon. 10 American Way,
40
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0000347062
Monroe.
YOURfreetime Oct. 4 Special Events
Oct. 15 Benefits
Hyde Park Square Art Show, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Hyde Park Square. Features 200 prejudged exhibitors. Works include painting, mixed medium, jewelry, crafts, graphics, fiber art, glass, ceramics, sculpture and photography. Free. 513-871-2458. Presented by Hyde Park Square Business Association. 2700 Erie Ave., Hyde Park.
Morton’s The Cookbook, 6 p.m.-7:30 p.m. Morton’s The Steakhouse. Meet authors and sample recipes from “Morton’s The Cookbook.” Recipes paired with wine and cocktails. Benefits Feeding America. $59. Reservations required. 513-621-3111. 441 Vine St., Downtown.
Roaring Tigers and Leaping Carp: Decoding the Symbolic Language of Chinese Animal Painting, 11 a.m.-5 p.m.
Cincinnati Art Museum. Exhibition shows hidden visual language of Chinese animal symbolism to reveal multitude of stories about Chinese history, cultural traditions and philosophies. Free. 513-639-2984. Through Jan. 3. 953 Eden Park Drive,
Eden Park.
Oct. 10 Lectures Mercantile Library Niehoff Lecture Fundraiser With A.S. Byatt, 7 p.m. Hyatt
Regency Hotel. British novelist and recipient of Booker Prize for “Possession: A Romance,” lecture 9 p.m. Includes cocktails, 7 p.m. and dinner, 8 p.m. Black tie dress. Benefits Mercantile Library. $175, $150 members. Reservations required. 513-621-0717. Presented by Mercantile Library. 151 W. Fifth St., downtown.
Shopping Special Events Tackle Trade Days, 8 a.m.-4 p.m. Lake Isabella. Family Fishing Center. Sell or trade new and used fishing equipment. Free, vehicle permit required. Registration required for dealers or individuals selling items. 513-791-1663. Presented by Hamilton County Park District. 10174 LovelandMadeira Road, Symmes Township.
Oct. 12 Exercise Classes Yoga, 7:15 p.m.-8:30 p.m. Sharonville Commu-
Oct. 17 Music - Concerts Al Jarreau - Tomorrow Today, 8 p.m. Aronoff Center, Procter & Gamble Hall. Seven-time Grammy Award winner. Benefits Diabetes Initiative of the HealthCare Connection. $175 VIP pre-show reception, $65, $50, $40. 513-621-2787. Presented by The HealthCare Connection. 650 Walnut St., Downtown.
Oct. 23 On Stage - Theater The Capitol Steps, 7:30 p.m. Music Hall
Ballroom. Music, parodies and skewed thoughts of current events by a band of former government staffers. $27.50. 513-621-2787. Presented by WVXU 97.1 FM. 1241 Elm St., Over-the-Rhine.
Oct. 24 Benefits Annual Gala: Masquerade Ball, 6:30 p.m.-11 p.m. Laurel Court. Cocktails, seated dinner, dancing, live auction, giveaways and music. Black tie or masquerade dress. Benefits Greater Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky Film Commission. $150. 513-784-1744. Presented by Greater Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky Film Commission. 5870 Belmont Ave., College Hill.
West Chester Township Connections Committee, 5 p.m. Community Development
Department. 513-759-7331. 9577 Beckett Rd., Suite 100, West Chester Township.
Ingrid Michaelson, 8 p.m. 20th Century Theatre. $17, $15 advance. 800-745-3000. 3021 Madison Road, Oakley.
Oct. 14 Music - Concerts
Oct. 30 Recreation
$27, $25 advance. 877-598-8703. Presented by Live Nation. 2621 Vine St., Corryville.
to a happier, healthier home!
Oct. 26 Business Meetings
nity Center. Stretching, breathing and relaxation designed for self-control, self-awareness and self-appreciation. Ages 12 and up. Weekly through Dec. 7. $63, $60 Sharonville residents. Registration required. 513-563-2895. Presented by Sharonville Parks and Recreation Department. 10990 Thornview Drive, Sharonville.
Andrew Bird, 8 p.m. Bogart’s. With St. Vincent.
22 Steps
Oct. 29 Music - Concerts
Run Like Hell, 7:30 p.m. Run Like Hell. 5K
run/walk. After party includes music, food, drink and costume contest. Benefits Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. $30 includes T-shirt; $18 party only. 513-533-9300. Presented by Greater Cincinnati Chapter of Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. Dana and Woodburn Avenues, Evanston.
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PROMOTION
Friendly care Fairfield mom, twin teens embrace royal treatment at Cassinelli, Shanker & Biddle by L.C. Johnson
F
ifteen-year old identical twins Austin and Jared Powell shared more than their common looks when faced with going to an orthodontist about three years ago. They both were less than enthusiastic about being fitted for braces. Austin’s apprehension stemmed from the potential physical discomfort that he anticipated with the procedure. “I remember when I went to the first appointment, I was shaking I was so scared,” he said. Jared’s main concern was the appearance-altering effects of having the metal brackets and wires placed inside his mouth for an extended period of time. “Nobody is ever really happy about getting braces,” he said. WEST CHESTER Somehow the two Fairfield LOCATION High School teens had their West Chester Orthodontics 7242 Tylers Corner Drive minds and mouths placed West Chester, Ohio 45069 at ease through the gentle, Phone: (513) 777-7060 patient-friendly care at Office hours: MondayThursday (8:45 a.m. to 5 p.m.) Cassinelli, Shanker & Biddle closed for lunch 1 p.m. to 2 – specialists in orthodontics p.m.; Friday (7 a.m. to 3 p.m.) and dentofacial orthopedics. closed for lunch from 11:30 Together, Drs. Alex a.m. to noon. Cassinelli, Shiva Shanker and Paul Biddle have combined for nearly six decades worth of experience. The offices, with locations in Evendale (10475 Reading Road, Suite 203), and the newest location in West Chester (7242 Tylers Corner Drive), have received an A+ rating from the Better Business Bureau. Dr. Cassinelli was named a top dentist for orthodontics in a vote by his peers as published in the February 2009 edition of Cincinnati Magazine. Providing patients with the latest state-of-the-art technologies, a stated mission of maintaining individualized attention and supreme customer service are why Dr. Cassinelli has been able to double his staff and business in recent months. “We are able to provide specific individualized treatment 42
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photo by tony tribble
Dr. Cassinelli working with a patient at West Chester Orthodontics.
based on science and research,” Dr. Cassinelli said. “We have a nice new facility, but we also stay on top of the latest technologies and procedures as reviewed by medical journals.” The West Chester location, which opened about seven months ago after relocating from an office about one-half mile down the road, is four times as big as the previous office. But the most impressive part is what takes place inside the building and the people performing their respective duties with a keen attention to detail. “They are all just very nice people there,” Austin Powell said. “They are especially nice with the way they talk to you. … They let you know exactly what to expect.” The slogan for the office: “Brace Yourself for the Ultimate Smile,” applies to all ages. If the work done on the Powell twins isn’t testament enough, their mother, Jennifer Powell, will begin treatment to correct jaw alignment. “I have never been to a doctor’s office of any kind where they are so nice, friendly, thoughtful and accommodating,” Jennifer Powell said.
PROMOTION
A hip Excape New York-polished stylist opens trendy spa get-away in West Chester by JENNY CALLISON
W
ithin weeks of its opening June 1, Excape Salon and Day Spa was generating a buzz – and not just from its razors. Excape’s hair, nail, and spa services have lured an array of new clients, who in turn have recommended the salon to their friends. “Word of mouth has been our most effective advertising,” says owner and artistic creator Brooke Boling. “It’s mostly that way for hair care; a woman will notice that a friend has a new look and she’ll ask for the name of her stylist. Or someone who has a good experience at a salon will pass the word along to her friends.” “I think we’re seen as young, new, and hip,” says stylist Courtney Dusold. “Excape initially brought in a young clientele, but then they tell their parents, and their parents come.” A three-station pedicure room allows a small group to enjoy the experience together. A comfortably EXCAPE SALON furnished “Day of Beauty” room AND DAY SPA is designed for larger groups, like 8206 Highlands Pointe Drive wedding parties, to enjoy while their 513-777-9444 or www. members have a facial, body waxing, ExcapeSalonAndDaySpa.com massage, manicure, makeover or hair Services: Full range of hair care, including relaxers; treatment. makeup styling, nails, waxing, “They can bring in their own facials, massages. Products: food and beverages, and have a party Kenra hair care products sold. here,” Boling says. “We are also able Staff: 20 Hours: 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. to offer our hair and makeup services Monday-Friday; 9 a.m. to 7 to wedding parties at their location, p.m. Saturday. which can simplify things for them.” Excape’s black, white and silver décor helps set the tone that Boling wants to communicate: that the styling or body work her staff offers is up-to-the-minute in terms of trends, products, and technology. The success of the new company can be attributed, in large part, to Boling’s meticulous planning of every facet of her business. Experience working for Mitchell’s Salon and Day Spa, which included training new employees, gave Boling insight into the business side of beauty care. She polished her stylist skills while working at upscale salons in New York City and in California, getting a feel not only for the best practices in her profession, but also for how to create and promote an image. Boling is gifted with an entrepreneurial
photo by tony tribble
Jake Scraton is a sylist at Excape Salon.
mindset and the drive to turn visions into reality – a mindset gained from her father, who owned his own business. Her knowledge of the beauty industry helped Boling define just what Excape would offer, how best to design the facility and where to locate it. “I did a lot of research about real estate, and originally was going to be in a different location on Cincinnati-Dayton Road, and then I saw this place,” she says of her anchor spot in the Highland Market Square. “I like the vibe and all the incoming traffic. The demographics of the area, the income, the number of women, the age range, all factored into my decision.” Excape’s target demographic is women from early 20s to late 50s. Boling is reaching them through print, radio and movie theater advertising. Many of her employees came to Excape from other upscale salons in the area and some of their clients followed them. Boling herself has an impressive personal network: besides being a master stylist, she does choreography for Midwest Cheer Elite, a fast-growing gymnastics and dance studio in West Chester. That work connects her with 300 families in southern Ohio, all potential clients for her salon and spa. “I think my business plan was right on target,” she says. “I strive every day to provide the very best services to our clients. I’m definitely a hairdresser first, and a business woman second.” september | october 2009
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YOURhome
Artwork from China reflects Mia’s and Olivia’s heritage.
Meet Drs. Hilbert and Young This Liberty Township couple adopted two girls from China by jill i. solimini photos by tony tribble
A
stuffed panda sits on the fireplace mantle in the home of Dr. Julie Hilbert and Dr. Burt Young. Given to Julie by her mother when she was a child, the small toy turned out to have big significance in their lives. “It makes you believe in signs,” Julie says. “It was something I saved from my childhood, but it’s not until you look back that you see the link to your destiny.” Pandas have long been a symbol of China, and as Burt and Julie’s life together unfolded, China became incredibly important to both their personal and professional lives. Five years ago, the couple welcomed Mia, adopted from China, into their family. “When we went to the first adoption class, 44
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many different countries were presented to us as options, and we were told to think about what culture we were most drawn to – what would be easiest for us to incorporate into our lives. For us, that meant China,” Burt says. “I was instantly drawn to China,” Julie says. “It was truly a gut feeling – even though at the time the SARS epidemic was going on, I felt it was where we supposed to go.” Mia was just nine months old when they brought her home. With good nutrition, strengthening exercises and lots of love from Burt and Julie, Mia thrived, bonding easily with them. A mere seven months later they began the arduous adoption process again, this time working toward bringing home 14-month old Olivia.
“Just like I had the gut feeling to choose China to adopt from, I had the gut feeling to start the process again quickly for our second child,” Julie says. “Shortly after Olivia came home the wait for a baby from China dramatically increased – it takes years now to adopt.” Olivia bonded quickly, too, and today the girls, ages six and four, are flourishing. “They keep us busy,” Julie says. Mia starts kindergarten in the Fall and Olivia will start her second year of preschool. They have been involved in soccer, tennis, swimming and dance. Their bustling family life is rivaled by an equally absorbing professional life. Burt and Julie have been practicing chiropractors for >>
YOURHOME Meet Dr. Julie Hilbert, Dr. Burt Young, Mia and Olivia
september | october 2009
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YOURHOME
Drs. Hilbert and Young built their Liberty Township home six years ago.
20 years, and between the two of them have three offices – Burt works at two located in Hamilton, and they share an office in West Chester. The couple met at Western States Chiropractic College in Portland and graduated from there in June of 1989. Married in February of 1990, the couple began their careers in Seattle but made their way east when Julie took a job at a practice in Dayton, and Burt bought a practice in Hamilton. Julie started the practice they now share in West Chester in 1993. “Seattle was not for us,” says Burt. “We were working in the heart of the city, and the traffic and congestion were too much. Now, we hit a couple of stop signs, and we’re at work.” Burt and Julie built their Liberty Township home six years ago, and their daughters’ Chinese heritage is celebrated by the stunning artwork that hangs in their home. The artwork is all the more special because the couple chose the pieces from the cities they visited when they brought the girls home from China. “We were in the Jiangxi Province of China for three weeks when we adopted Olivia,” says Burt. “We were very adventurous 46
our town
the second trip – we jumped in cabs and explored lots of places including some fantastic restaurants. We visited art galleries and an enormous mall that defies description.” “Mia is from the Guangdong province in China, and we brought back a beautiful piece of embroidered artwork that the area is famous for,” says Julie. Burt and Julie plan on bringing the girls back to China for a visit when they are old enough to make the connection to their culture. And now, the couple has a new link to China. Seven years ago, after personally being helped by acupuncture, Julie felt compelled to study it. Deeply rooted in Chinese culture, acupuncture is thought to be between 5,000 and 7,000 years old, but has only been known on a national level in the United States since the early 1970s. Julie and Burt began to incorporate Meridian Therapy, a form of needle-less acupuncture, in their office in early 2008. They say they have been amazed by the results seen in their patients over the last 18 months -- patients suffering from a variety of disorders including ADD, weight loss, depression, addiction and allergies.
“Dr. Young and I are passionate about all the services we offer in our clinic, but it is a true joy to add acupuncture treatment to our practice and to witness daily the broad and powerful natural healing abilities that acupuncture treatment can accomplish,” Julie says. “The evolution of acupuncture is fascinating, as well as the various techniques in which you can stimulate an acupoint,” says Burt. “The Meridian Therapy uses laser and electrical stimulation and because it does not need to be felt by the patient, can be used on children as well as adults. It is just as effective as needle acupuncture.” And he, too, is amazed by it powers having also seen them professionally and personally. After Julie performed just one of the acupuncture treatments known to help allergies, he was completely cured of the six food allergies he had suffered from his entire life. He has been allergy free for over a year, and his expanded food choices have brought joy to his life. “I do believe in destiny,” Julie says. “We followed ours to China and brought home two beautiful daughters. Now we are bringing a whole new dimension to our practice. Our life is full.”
YOURHOME
The couple’s home, adopted daughters and acupuncture practice reflect deep links with China.
september | october 2009
47
Finalthoughts
Swooning with summerness Soaking up the heat before fall arrives By monica scalf
L
ast week I cleaned out the garage, sold all of my excess items on eBay for big money, transferred my home movies to DVD, updated my wardrobe, worked out everyday and read three novels. It’s a minor detail to mention, but I accomplished it all within 15 minutes while hanging out on my back porch having a beer and watching re-runs of Cake Boss. Now that I think of it, I was enjoying a piece of cake, too (so much for that New Year’s resolution). In my own little fictional world, I am amazing. It’s a world where I use my Le Creuset pot to concoct gourmet meals channeling the spirit of the Barefoot Contessa. It’s a world where my home looks as perfect as a Pottery Barn catalog. It’s a world where my garage isn’t an embarrassing and malodorous way to enter my house. In other words, it’s a fantasyland. But a healthy imagination never hurt anyone (can’t say the same about my cooking). As I sit and daydream, the To-Do list is the only thing increasing these days (unlike all of our bank accounts and home values). But, I’m unusually and eerily calm about the unfinished business around the house. Light bulbs are out, weeds are in full bloom, and, to top it all, I’ve even stopped sucking in my stomach as I pass by the mirror. There can only be one reason for such behavior: I’m swooning with summerness. That’s my word for the warm and fuzzy feeling that through a combination of sun, vacation and lack of routine has me wrapped up like a big mellow burrito. And being a burrito isn’t bad – until of course, you get eaten by fall. Back-to-school ads, empty sunscreen bottles, and 70 percent off swimwear sales all hint at the impending change. Around here, our autumnal entry is going to be about as easy as getting our puppy to “stay” without a stash of Pupperoni. The new school year almost always produces a few blisters and, literally, a few tears (admittedly, some of my own) before being adequately broken in. Early mornings, hectic sports schedules, and seventh-grade math are going to require a willingness and determination that I can’t fathom at the moment. I’m still thinking about backyard barbeques, fresh guacamole and frozen margaritas. But time marches on, even if I’m still wearing flip-flops instead of marching boots.
I have no choice but to cajole my mind and body into appreciating turning leaves, football games, and shorter days. As Charles Dickens said, “This is a world of action, not for moping and droning in.” And if you haven’t noticed, a bad attitude is as contagious as a yawn. So, it’s time I start gearing up for last-minute projects, missing assignments, and the drama of middle school. It’s time to put on a happy face and convince the kids that Christmas break really isn’t that far away. It’s time to don orange and black and convince myself that the Bengals are going to go all the way. Hopefully, the crisp air of Fall will help to clear my head and allow me to see the season for all it has to offer. Anyone who goes down the school supply aisle recognizes how the scent of fresh crayons and the sight of empty notebooks have a unique power to induce a strange mix of excitement and panic. If you’re lucky, you can capture that feeling and fake your own new beginning. As for me, I’ll be back to multi-tasking in no time. The house will be buzzing with the sound of the dishwasher, washer, and dryer all running at the same time -- a domestic trifecta. The light bulbs will be changed, the weeds will be pulled, and the kids will be back to getting in bed before I do. I’ll be at my desk working instead of Facebooking (OK, most of the time). As the leaves and the temperatures drop, I’ll remember just how nice it is to live in an area of the country where we get to experience the splendor of all four seasons. But until then, I’ll be on my back porch squeezing every last drop from summer, soaking up enough warm weather, high humidity and beautiful sunsets to get me through a glorious Cincinnati winter. Oh, and I’ll be accomplishing amazing feats, if only in my own mind.
Columnist Monica Scalf is a freelance writer and mother of two in West Chester. If she’s not practicing riffs, she can be found at mscalf@fuse.net. Check out her new site at www.theordinarymatters. com.
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