By Rex Bevis

By Rex Bevis
Many residents have no doubt been reading more during these challenging stay-at-home times. Did you realize that we have several local Mariemont authors? Their books deserve to receive some notice and are worthy of finding their way into your personal library. While shut in like the rest of Mariemont, I had the opportunity to interview these authors and, in some cases, to peruse or even read their books.
Jeffrey P. Hinebaugh, 6600 Mariemont Avenue, has written two books about the educational value of board games. His first book, “A Board Game Education: Building Skills for Academic Success,” was initially published in 2009 by Rowman & Littlefield Education. The sequel, “More Board Game Education: Inspiring Students Through Board Games,” was published in 2018 by the same publisher.
So, what inspired a busy professional, while raising his children in Mariemont with wife Erika, to research and author a book on the educational benefits of traditional board games? “The simple answer is that fundamental educational skills such as mathematics, language arts, economics, logic, and communication are so
Jeff is an attorney and 25+ year resident of Mariemont. His books have been written with the premise, in Jeff’s words, that “the classic board games that you enjoyed as a child, and that you still enjoy playing with your own children (or grandchildren), are excellent tools for teaching fundamental and core educational skills. What’s more, these games are really fun to play!” Jeff’s books review the history of board games, describe educational values of board games, and delve into specific educational concepts of games including Candy Land, Chutes & Ladders, Scrabble, Monopoly, Clue, Risk, Checkers and Chess, Sorry!, CONNECT4, Backgammon, and many others.
Jeffrey Hinebaugh’s delightful books are available at Amazon, likely also at Jos. Beth bookstore, and available from the publisher. Will he write another book on this topic? Stay tuned, I sense another sequel will be coming!
important for the educational achievement and success of students that any tools that assist in the development of these skills should be highlighted. The fact that some of the best tools for developing these skills might be the very same board games that most people have played for years was simply astonishing to me. I subsequently found that the potential educational value of these classic board games was also quite surprising and exciting to my friends and peers. Hence, I decided to explore the issue in greater detail.”
Pat Curran Van Stone, 4050 Lytle Woods Place, is a seven-year Mariemont resident. Pat has written a novel, “Silver Screen,” self-published in December, 2019. From Pat herself: “This adventurous love story shows Susan, a young single mother, trying to reestablish herself in a powerful new love relationship, while struggling to disengage from her former partner of four years. That fading relationship has become highly dysfunctional due to his ongoing depression. Yet Susan feels a degree of loyalty to try to remain friends with this man for the sake of her four year-old son; he has been the only father figure her son has ever known. The new couple’s passion for professional musical theatre unites them in a union of bliss and a potential of future love. Obstacles must be overcome, but the themes of personal growth and sacrifice are interwoven as the new couple work patiently toward their dream of being together.” Silver Screen is a sequel book to a predecessor book that Pat published in 2013, “Golden Screen.”
In conversation with Pat, I learned that she has a Master of Arts degree in Education from Northern Kentucky University and taught literature at NKY as an Adjunct Professor for 15 years. Pat “loves writing and chose her novel
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Dear Mariemont Residents,
I hope you all are healthy and in relatively good spirits as our country, state, and Village navigate our way through this unprecedented period. I want to make you aware of the steps the Village of Mariemont has taken to adjust to the events of the past few weeks.
On April 2, 2020, I declared a state of emergency in the Village due to COVID-19. Most of the municipalities within Hamilton County have done the same. It helps our police, fire, and EMT personnel implement the additional safety protocols that are needed. It will also enable the Village to make claims to FEMA for reimbursements of needed materials.
Police Chief Hines has temporarily changed duty schedules for our police officers in an effort to maintain maximum separation. Police and fire work areas are
being disinfected multiple times per day. Assistant Fire Chief Tim Feichtner developed an innovative way to protect our responders and reduce contamination in the back of the ambulance, which is completely disinfected after each run.
The Municipal Building, the Village Office, the Building Department, and Tax Office are still being staffed but they are temporarily closed to the public. All inquiries are handled by phone or email.
COVID-19 has created extraordinary circumstances and inconvenience for our residents. There is, however, a potentially greater challenge ahead for our Village. The business shutdown across America is having wide-ranging economic fallout and The Village of Mariemont is not immune. Over half of the Village revenue comes from income and earnings tax. Only a small fraction comes from residents’ property taxes.
The Quarter Bistro • Curbside carryout • quarterbistrocincy.com The National Exemplar • Carryout/delivery • nationalexemplar.com Dilly Bistro, Bar and Bottle Shop • Carryout • dillybistro.com Pomegranate and Lime • Contact Jen for gift ideas/free gift wrap and delivery jen@pomegranateandlime.com Trevor Furbay Bespoke Tailors and Clothiers • Contact Trevor for personal shopping/delivery at trevor@trevorfurbay.com
At the present time, it is extremely difficult to determine our revenue shortfall. In any case, it would be foolish not to anticipate and prepare. I would like to outline some of the measures that I, Council, and particularly the Finance Committee are undertaking to cut expenses and create efficiencies, some of which were started before the COVID-19 outbreak:
• Reduction of personnel in the Tax Office from two to one person, saving the Village approximately $75,000 a year.
• In 2020, the majority of Village employees receive 2% salary increases versus 3%.
• Bonuses are now tied to department heads keeping spending within budgeted amounts.
• Bank accounts have been restructured to earn more interest.
• A task force made up of residents has been created to recommend
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Mayor (from page 2)
improvements in Mariemont Swimming Pool economics. The pool exceeded revenue by $59,000.00 in 2019.
• A major road project ($300,000 cost to the Village) has been postponed at this time. The deadline on a matching grant of $100,000 has been extended by the State of Ohio.
• Employees of Kellogg, Mariemont School District Teachers, High School construction workers, and others are still working and are being paid allowing Mariemont to collect earnings tax.
• Several other initiatives are actively being researched by Council to further reduce expenses.
I asked Village Solicitor Ed McTigue to create an informational document to
assist local business owners in applying for assistance from the CARES Act.
The residents of our Village are a talented group of individuals. I would like to invite residents to provide any ideas of how to further cut expenses. Please call or email any Council member or me with your thoughts.
The Village’s financial situation will be a challenge and we believe reasonable solutions are available to meet the challenge. Mariemont is a strong and vibrant community. The lack of predictability in the current situation makes it particularly frustrating. One positive action residents can take is to continue to support Village restaurants with take-out orders, and all Mariemont businesses with gift card purchases.
How do you thank someone who has impacted your child’s life so deeply?
Each day, as parents, we send our children off, into the care of someone else, and hope for the best. That someone is their teacher. Who greets them with a smile and a high five when they come in the door. Who asks them how their night was, how their soccer game went, how the piano lessons are going. Who wipes away tears from a skinned knee, lends a non-judgmental ear to hurt feelings, and helps them solve their problems. Who is their biggest cheerleader, their trusted confidant, and the one they can’t wait to share exciting news with.
Not only do these teachers teach our children how to read, write, and compute, they teach them to be good people, good citizens of a community, and to be KIND. These teachers are our heroes. They exude positivity during this time of uncertainty. They’ve learned to educate in a whole new way. They’ve stayed up late thinking about their students. About how they are feeling. If they are learning. They’ve spent countless hours thinking up fun ways to interact virtually with their students, and to keep the classroom community they have worked months to build strong.
As parents, we have hopes and dreams for our children. A big part of those dreams is that our children feel loved. And important. And that they can and will BE SOMEBODY in this world. That they are STARS.
We, the parents of students in the Mariemont Schools, are so lucky to have teachers in our buildings who do these things for our students EVERY. SINGLE. DAY. And although we can’t be together to thank you in person for Teacher Appreciation Week this year, we hope that you can feel our love and appreciation through our words.
From all MCSD parents, THANK YOU for guiding our children, loving our children, teaching our children, and helping them shine bright like the Mariemont STARS they are. We miss you, we love you, and we APPRECIATE YOU!
I am proud of our residents and their cooperation, understanding, and patience during this crisis. For more details on the State of Emergency, please visit: http:// www.mariemont.org/images/COVID-19Proclamation.pdf
Sincerely,
Bill Brown, Mayor Rob Bartlett, Finance Committee Chair
Village Council Members:
Avia Graves
Marcy Lewis
Joe Stelzer
Kelly Rankin
Maggie Palazzolo
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Sharon Collins
www.ccicinc.com
513-771-7655
We are providing all diagnostic and therapy services via teletherapy platform. This will continue until the mandatory restrictions have been lifted. We also have a Four Month Program Special that runs May 15 - September 15. It is computer/home-based and focuses on improving students’ reading comprehension and cognitive skills prior to the start of the next school year.
Josh Ullrich
www.cincinnati.schoolofrock.com
513-586-7625
School of Rock went 100% online on March 15. We’re running private lessons on all instruments for all ages, performance group sessions, and group classes for kids ages 3-7. We’ve also added Open Mic Night, Master Classes on
everything from Gear Tech to Music Business, and exclusive Q&A sessions with famous bands and artists. Check out our social media @sorcincy for even more bonus content.
Lauren Austin
www.studio7thirteen.net
studio7thirteen@yahoo.com
513-802-1079
(text for quickest response time)
Even though our doors are temporarily closed we are still fulfilling online orders. Outside of the website, I offer weekly fresh flower deliveries (as well as succulent and houseplant arrangements), gift baskets and personal shopping with doorstep drop off, gift cards, as well as personalized jewelry and jewelry repairs
Jeff and Glenn Ayers www.jerseymikes.com
App - Jersey Mike’s Subs-Rewards/
Ordering/Offers
513-271-7827
We are maintaining the same operational hours - 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily, with delivery and carry-out only. Call in or order via our Jersey Mike’s app for in-store or curbside pickup. Jersey Mike’s Corporate is paying for free delivery via Door Dash and Uber Eats. We have been able to maintain our JM Mariemont Employee Team (no lay-offs), and have donated 1000 Subs to local organizations and first responders.
The Turf Club
Tom Kunkemoeller
www.turfclubcincy.com
tkunke@the-turfclub.com
513-533-4222
We are open for carry-out Tuesday - Friday 4-8 p.m.and Saturday/Sunday 11 a.m. - 8 p.m. You may come in to pick up your order, or we can bring it to you curbside. We are regularly sanitizing and maintaining social distancing.
Todd Keyes www.villagechurchofmariemont.org, 513-515-1551
While we are unable to physically gather for services, VCM will be live-streaming our Sunday worship services at 10 a.m. on our Facebook page at Village Church of Mariemont. Service videos will be posted after our live stream on our website and facebook pages
Delta Crabtree www.deltacrabtree.comey.com
513-304-4719
Agents are required to observe social distancing, keep hygiene measures of hand sanitizing and face masks, and if any sign of fever or other symptoms are present no interaction or showing houses is permitted.
The Rev. Darren Elin www.stthomasepiscopal.org office@stthomasepiscopal.org 513-831-2052
Services and groups are now being hosted online via YouTube or Zoom Meetings, with no in-person groups or services meeting at the church. We are monitoring the situation and will conform to all state guidelines concerning the handling of the virus and hope to once again welcome all into our doors once the pandemic eases. Information can be found on our website as we seek to be a spiritual refuge from the current difficulties resulting from this pandemic.
Nicole Christopher www.carriagehousecarwash.com wash@carriagehousecarwash.com 513-272-3764
We are currently not offering detailing services, and no cash accepted. We encourage purchsing Unlimited Service from our app so there is no contact with employees or the payment station (it reads your license plate). We have re-opened a few vacuum and cleaning spots, spaced apart to allow social distancing.
Tom Walsh www.walshassetmgt.com
tjwalsh@walshassetmgt.com
513-624-6618
As we are considered essential, we are open and available for calls or Zoom Meetings to discuss the current market environment and your investing and retirement planning needs.
Lisa Hopkins Nationalexemplar.com
513-271-2103
After more than 37 years in the heart of Mariemont, The National Exemplar is committed to continuing to support our community. Seven days a week, from 9 a.m. – 2 p.m. and from 4 – 8 p.m., we provide fresh, delicious, meals for breakfast, lunch, and dinner through carry out and Uber Eats delivery. To learn more about the steps we are taking to ensure a safe, to-go dining
experience, and to view our menus and specials, visit nationalexemplar.com
Sibcy Cline
Shelley Miller Reed www.sibcycline.com/sreed 513-476-8266
Currently offering virtual showings, video tours, drone photos, and showings with social distancing.
Kim Beach www.insurethevillage.com, kim@insurethevillage.com 513-831-1079
Home and Auto insurance can be purchased electronically, Life insurance can be purchased without an exam.
theme as a light-hearted and uplifting story.” Silver Screen may be purchased directly from Pat by contacting her at 271-0073 or pat2@fuse.net.
Dr. Richard “Dick” Wendel, 6722 Hammerstone Way, and his wife Ann have been Mariemont stalwarts since 1963. Dick has authored several books, including his first endeavor “Independence Day: Revolutionalizing the Physician’s Role in Healthcare,” published by the American College of Physician Executives in 2002. This was followed in 2008 by “Retire with a Mission: Planning and Purpose in the Second Half,” published by Source Books, Chicago, Ill.
Dick told me that when he retired from medical practice, he had the time and inclination to write and publish books. Earlier in his life, Dick had written clinical research papers and enjoyed writing; he subsequently studied at Xavier University, receiving his Masters of Business Administration degree, and put his efforts into writing. “Retire with a Mission” is available at Amazon and in local bookstores such as Jos. Beth. As a sequel to “Retire with a Mission,” Dick wrote “Volunteer with a Mission.” self-published this book and has copies available complimentary to Mariemont Town Crier readers who wish to contact him at rgwendel4@gmail.com or 2717465.
Another tidbit from Dr. Wendel: “Jos. Beth Bookstores conducts a Writers’ Group Meeting on Mondays at 9:00 a.m. All are welcome, and this is a forum for people to explore their interest in writing.”
Peter Zelinski, 6991 Cambridge Avenue, is a professional writer in his ‘day job’ and has had a lifelong love of writing. A 20+ year Mariemonter, Pete has also authored three books, all based upon the Bible. They are “The Ten Commandments,” “How Do We Know That God Is Real?,” and “You did not Choose me but I Chose You.”
Pete’s book overview of “How Do We Know God Is Real?”: “ ‘What may be known of God is manifest,’ wrote Paul in his letter to the Romans. In other words, the evidence is plain. Yet believers get lost. They wrestle with doubt, and can be overcome by the fear that what they believe is foolish. This short book provides a trail out of these woods, offering an argument by which we know that God certainly exists. As Paul’s words suggest, we can infer the reality of God from our experience of the world. We don’t even have to look far, because our very experience of selfhood makes the case that God is with us. This book is a letter of reassurance to every Christian who struggles with doubt, which quite possibly means it is written to every Christian.”
Pete’s love of writing stems from his feeling that “writing is a way to think with your fingers” while deeply exploring your topic. Will he write more books? “Probably yes.” he told me. Pete Zelinski’s three books are self-published and available to be ordered at www.peterzelinski.com.
Millard F. Rogers, Jr. passed away a few years ago but left us with many Mariemont treasures. Millard was Director of the Cincinnati Art Museum and a lifelong advocate for Mariemont as a planned community. He was President of the Mariemont Preservation Foundation and worked tirelessly to preserve the community he loved. Almost singlehandedly Millard worked to secure National Historic Landmark Status for the Village of Mariemont (2007).
Millard’s books have become authoritative manuscripts about Mariemont. His book, “Rich in Good Works: Mary M. Emery of Cincinnati,” published in 2001, is a biography of Mary Muhlenberg Hopkins Emery, whose wealth and vision made possible the creation of the planned community, the Village of Mariemont. Millard’s book, “John Nolen and Mariemont: Building a New Town in Ohio,” documents Mr. Nolen’s town planning and development of Mariemont. This book was also published in 2001. A must have coffee table book, “Mariemont: A Pictorial History
of a Model Town,” was written and published in 2011 by Millard with design assistance from Karen Monzel Hughes. All three of these books are available for purchase at the Mariemont Preservation Foundation located at 3919 Plainville Road. Call 272-1166 or email administration@ mariemontpreservation.org.
Allan W. Eckert (1931 – 2011), prolific historical fiction author and naturalist, resided briefly in Mariemont during the mid-1970s at 4016 Rowan Hill Drive, the current home of Mariemont residents Matthew and Gretchen Griffith. His historical fiction novel “The Frontiersman,” written in 1967, became the cornerstone of his “Winning of America” series of historical fiction books. Other books in this series include “Wilderness Empire,” “The Conquerors,” “The Wilderness War,” “Gateway to Empire,” “Twilight of Empire,” and “A Sorrow in Our Heart: The Life of Tecumseh.” Allan Eckert also wrote some children’s novels including one which was adapted by Disney Productions for a television movie, “The Boy Who Talked to Badgers” (1975).
Mr. Eckert wrote more than 225 episodes for Mutual of Omaha’s Wild Kingdom television series, for which he received an Emmy Award. He is the playwright for the outdoor drama “Tecumseh!,” performed during the summers at the Sugarloaf Mountain Amphitheatre near Chillicothe, Ohio. In a 1999 poll conducted by the Ohioana Library Association, Allan Eckert and Toni Morrison shared the rank of “Favorite Ohio Writer of All Time.”
Allan Eckert is most associated with the town of Bellefontaine, Ohio, where he spent a large part of his life. I met Allan when he resided on Rowan Hill Drive with his wife and daughter. I became a big fan of his Winning of America series regarding the life and times and strife between Indians and white settlers during the period of the mid-1700s through the late 1800s. These books depict with historical accuracy Indian and settler conflict in the Ohio, Kentucky, and Indiana territories. The books are generally available in libraries and online, or contact me to borrow one.
I am in awe of our Mariemont authors and I thank them for spending time with me to review their ‘labors of love.’ To create a work of writing and to see it through to publishing must be extremely rewarding. Since we are now spending a lot of our time at home, please consider adding Mariemont authored books to your reading list.
By Suzy Weinland
Tired of advertisements touting ad nauseum “we are in uncertain and unprecedented times,” “we’re in this together,” “we’re here for you,” “now more than ever”? Letting out a sigh every time the news media uses the catch-phrases “social distancing,” “essential,” “shelter in place,” “flatten the curve,” and “self-quarantine?”
While this implacable disease is nothing to laugh at, we all need a little humor to lift our spirits. Here are some pandemic-derived colloquialisms that have surfaced in the past weeks. Smile, take a deep breath, get some fresh air and sunshine, and have fun using your new words.
Hamsterkauf/Hamsterkaufe – (n.) A hoarder. (v.) Panic-buying. Americans aren’t the only ones hoarding groceries and supplies. In Germany, those who feel the need to stockpile are being referred to as Hamsterkauf. The noun is made up of “hoarding” (hamstern) and “buy” (kaufen). Hamstern comes from the Dutch word “hamsteren,” which means stuffing food into your cheeks like a hamster. In the Netherlands “de hamsterweken” has historically had jolly connotations and has been used to refer to annual supermarket promotional events where people received rewards for stocking up on supplies. Not so much anymore!
Covidiot – Someone who ignores public health advice. Covidiot is a noun to describe any person behaving stupidly or irresponsibly as the epidemic spreads. From panic-buyers who leave shelves bare of toilet paper and pasta to those like the spring breaker who went viral when he said, “If I get corona, I get corona. I’m not going to let it stop me from partying!” It has also been used to describe those expounding conspiracy theories about COVID-19’s origin or that a future vaccine will be a way to implant chips in all humans so the government can track them.
Coronababies, Quaranteens and Coronials – Coronababies conceived while cooped up at home during the coronavirus will grow into quaranteens. And their generation will be dubbed coronials.
COVID-10 – Akin to the “freshman 15,”
this is an expression for the weight gained while baking, cooking, and snacking more than usual due to “sheltering in place.” The Germans have also coined the term coronaspeck for weight gained during the pandemic (a play on Kummerspeck, or weight gained as a result of emotional eating).
There is also quarantini (quarantine + martini) and Coronarita (margarita with Corona beer) to enjoy over a virtual happy hour, or to cry in if you’ve been zumped (dumped over Zoom). Quarantunes (a playlist with quarantinerelated words or themes) are fun to put together and dance, walk or chill to, and since nobody is going to any beautiful, remote islands for summer vacation anytime soon, we all will be coming up with unique ways to celebrate our own coronacation (a coronavirus-compelled staycation).
Please share with us snapshots and details about the fun and unique ways you have been surviving this pandemic. What have been your “silver linings,” or ways you’ve connected with family, friends and neighbors? Teddy bears in windows, Friday night family games, trivia question and song of the day (thank you Dills!), colorful message rocks, driveway cocktail hours, sewing masks for caretakers, 50th birthday car parade. We’d love to have enough to run a big page or two in our September issue! Send .jpg photos and Word or email copy to mariemont towncrier@gmail.com by August 10.
Reminder that this issue is the last one until September. The Town Crier is on hiatus from June through August. Have a relaxing and inspiring summer!
The Garden Club of Mariemont will be placing our annual plant sale on hold this year. We do enjoy hosting this event every year on the Saturday before Mother’s Day and will miss seeing everyone. We are following the Governor’s guidance and are doing our part maintaining social distancing. Consider shopping locally for your plants and support our area nurseries.
The Garden Club of Mariemont is celebrating its 80th Anniversary Year - 19402020. The Club objective has remained to stimulate a knowledge and love of gardening among amateurs; to aid in the protection of native trees, plants, and birds; to encourage civic plantings. The Club has achieved their goal of being known as “Mariemont, the Daffodil Village,” through plantings of our Club and Village Flower, the Daffodil.
Stay tuned for further Garden Club of Mariemont 80th Anniversary stories in the upcoming editions of the Town Crier.
By Margaret Jevic
The COVID-19 outbreak has affected our society on every level, and great sacrifices are being made by all to help slow the spread of this pernicious disease. We are counting our blessings for employment and safety during this time, and sending our thoughts to everyone in our community and around the world as we weather this storm together.
access, and our upcoming Earth Day Cleanup has been indefinitely postponed. As we keep apprised of the evolving situation, we will update everyone when the Ace bin returns, as well as if/when our Earth Day Cleanup will occur.
Due to the current guidelines and abundance of coronavirus cases, Sustainable Mariemont is pausing all events and collections for the time being. Our recycling collection box at Ace Hardware on Wooster Pike has been removed from public
Please keep saving your Ace bin collection items; we will prepare for an initial surge once we return to normal operations. Thank you everyone for your understanding. As always, if you have any questions please email SustainableMariemont@gmail.com, or visit our Facebook page “Sustainable Mariemont” for the most current updates and information.
Lisa Larkin, MD, FACP, NCMP, IF Maria Wright, MD, NCMP
Ashley Shea, DNP, AGNP
Suzanne Kahle, MSN, APRN, FNP-C
Direct Primary Care & Concierge Medicine for men and women
Offering one-hour, specialty consults with Lisa Larkin, MD, FACP, NCMP, IF
Nationally recognized women’s health internist, speaker and educator Founder & CEO, Ms.Medicine Member, Board of Trustees North American Menopause Society
*Note you do not need to be a member of the practice to schedule a specialty consult with Dr. Larkin
The Town Crier loves to share good news about our neighbors and local businesses! If you or someone you know is “spotlight worthy,” please give us a shout at mariemonttowncrier@gmail. com.
By Pete McBride
I’m going to assume that, like me, many of you reading this article lack the high echelons of knowledge and specialist expertise in matters related to the advanced levels of physics, acoustics, electronics science, and engineering knowledge. Not true for Mariemont resident Gordon Rankin, however.
Gordon’s knowledge in designing and developing award-winning inventions in digital audio-fidelity and acoustics has led me to dub him as an official all-around-scary-smart good guy. Gordon, his wife Kelly (Mariemont’s vice mayor), and their two cocker spaniels have lived in Mariemont since 2003 (moving all the way from distant Madison Place).
Originally a dual “Music for Percussion” and “Anthropology” major at Indiana University, Gordon was persuaded by a music teacher that while the pursuit was worthy and noble, it may not be the best route to a rewarding career in a high-demand job market. So he switched to, and received a degree in, Electronics from Ohio Northern University.
While keenly engaged in his studies and interest in electronics, in his spare time Gordon became interested in 70’s era stereo systems and began to “fiddle around” with transistors, vacuum tubes, and primitive computers equipped with “diodes”. (Whatever those are.)
In 1981, after graduation, he moved to Cincinnati and got a job designing the Alaskan Pipeline control system and other compressororiented controls. But audio work and music were still his passion. Around 1994, after some more “fiddling around” with various stereo parts, Gordon invented the Cardinal 300B amplifier.
He ended up profitably hand-building hundreds more amps, and was thereafter
convinced by wife Kelly to give up his nine-to-five job, take a chance, and give his obvious talent a whirl. Thus began Wavelength Audio and the building of high-end audio amplifiers and pre-amps for home use.
But the real break happened about 20 years ago when friend Rob Fetters, a local musician and recording engineer (Raisins, Psychdots, Bear and Solo), asked Gordon to fix his guitar amp. While not a guitar player himself, Gordon recognized how cheaply made even expensive guitar amps were. Gordon came at the task of hand-building his friend a new amplifier by “thinking outside the box.”
amp models. Both Rob and his recording engineer manager Matt Hueneman were blown away with the amazingly high-quality sound quality that came out of Gordon’s ‘newfangled’ amplifier design. In fact, Rob still uses that first amp today!
He ended up designing and fashioning (and then reportedly further adjusting to nearperfection) two “atypical and unconventional”
The word spread to audio product magazines and brought Gordon closer to the world of pop music and music concerts, whereby he began to befriend a number of local and nationally-known
Inventor (from previous page)
musicians and recording stars, some of whom later became his customers.
Gordon designs and makes amplifiers and speaker systems for talents such as Ed Robertson of the Barenaked Ladies – who have even credited Gordon on several of their albums – and has done work for XTC, the band that was the lead act for The Police when they toured.
As owner and chief scientist at Wavelength Audio Ltd., whose office is located at 6902 Murray Ave., Gordon operates the business and its proprietary line of high-end home audio electronics, including amplifiers, pre-amplifiers, and digital audio products such as USB audio interfaces. He also designs digital audio products for other companies including AudioQuest, Ayre Acoustics, MBL, and other high-end brands. All AudioQuest electronic products - about one hundred thousand per year - are built locally in Cincinnati and distributed by their 14,000 dealers around the world.
One of Gordon’s audio inventions is the DragonFly (AudioQuest product), a digital-toanalog converter (DAC). Dragonfly is a flashdrive
that plugs into a computer or other digital device with a USB port, and converts the digital audio on a music file to analog. Why would you want to do that, you ask?
“Because it sounds better on many devices,” says Gordon.
According to Wikipedia, “DACs are commonly used in music players to convert digital data streams into analog audio signals. They are also used in televisions and mobile phones to convert digital video data into analog video signals which connect to the screen drivers to display monochrome or color images.”
cumbersome, 8-foot-high, hard-wired, tower-based, acoustically-ailing system with a new user-friendly, wireless, 4-foot high amp with overhead mics.
When asked “What’s next?” regarding his current and future projects, products, and pass-times - especially during pandemics - Gordon explained that apart from servicing his current clients and customers over the years, he has accumulated “a lot of spare tubes and stuff,” with which he will continue “to see what new devices I can build with them.”
AudioQuest’s DragonFly brand has received two “Product-of-the-Decade” awards and his newest version, DragonFly Cobalt, has been honored eight times as “Product of the Year” by several international electronics/science magazines, such as Stereophile and Absolute Sound.
To top off those success stories and credentials with a feat even closer to home, in 2017 Gordon also re-designed, rebuilt, restored, and upgraded the audio system in Mariemont Elementary School’s auditorium, which had been adversely impacted following renovations to the school building a decade or so ago. Gordon spent 140 hours replacing the enormous and
It was very obvious to this writer that Gordon Rankin is not only clever and inventive, he is also a highly-personable “good guy” and a patient teacher who can make even a luddite like yours truly start to grasp complex subjects such as digital vs. analog acoustics.
Thanks for the electronics education and for your most cordial and interesting conversations, Gordon! By the way, the Netflix audio on our Spectrum service sucks. Should I “convert” something?
Learn more about Wavelength and its products at www.WavelengthAudio.com.
By Suzy Weinland
In times of uncertainty and chaos, as we are in now, it is human nature to want to find something – anything – that we can control. Creating routines and “handling” the situation in a variety of ways become paramount. Whether daily cooking and baking, tackling home repairs that were long put-off, letting out your inner artist and creating… it is human nature to want to keep busy and have a purpose.
I have jumped head-first into simplifying and organizing. I don’t know about you, but chaos – especially visual – puts me in a tailspin. I find cleaning and organizing to be very cathartic, bringing a sense of calm and mental clarity, and allowing me to move forward. As Marie Kondo touts: “Tidy your space, transform your life.”
So far I’ve purged years and boxes of saved kids’ schoolwork and keepsakes – including mine and my husband’s, cleaned out and re-organized crafts and music folders, bathroom cabinets, family room bookshelves, and basement storage. Next up is tossing and re-labelling business and personal files, collecting shoe boxes and old broken albums full of photos and putting them into new albums (matching, of course), and diving into massively paring down my clothes –already got the kids to do theirs, surprisingly!
So, here are some simple tips and inspiration to get you started on your own journey to calm and clarity. Don’t overthink it; just jump on in! You’ll be glad you did.
First, set a staging area. This could be your dining room table, unused floor space, bed, counters. Move everything out of the space you are organizing and into the staging area, including anything gathered from elsewhere that you intend to put into your newly organized space. Arrange items into categories of keep, sell, donate, toss. Within the keeps, sub-categorize according to
what makes sense (e.g., how frequently you use, like items together, whether things need to be out of reach of children or away from heat, etc.)
For “Sell” items, there are many local consignment shops for clothes, furniture and home décor as well as online places such as Facebook Marketplace, Craig’s List, Letgo, and Nextdoor. For “Donate” items, I usually offer to family and friends first, then hit Nextdoor or service orgs like Matthew 25 Ministries, St. Vincent DePaul, and Salvation Army.
Now for some easy-to-organize places where you can start:
Catch-all Drawer – Regardless of where yours resides, one or two drawers are essential for those miscellaneous items that you need to access daily or weekly. First, pick a centrally-located drawer(s) in your kitchen or a hallway table. Pull all of your misc. items into the staging area. Organize into categories such as: pencils and pens, paper for grocery lists and notes, rubber bands and paper clips, tape and a glue stick, stamps and garbage stickers, a mini flashlight or two, hand cream and bug spray, a clothes tape roller, and a measuring tape, etc..
Look at your categories, and figure out the sizes and numbers of bins you’ll need, and how they’ll be arranged inside the drawer(s). It’s kind
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of fun, like putting together a puzzle! I like to use individual, varying sizes of kitchen utensil and office supply bins so they can be custom arranged to the drawer space and item sizes. Purchase drawer organizers from an office supply store or the kitchen supply area at your favorite home accessory shop – Staples, Bed Bath & Beyond, Meijer, At Home, and Home Goods are my go tos for organizing supplies.
Put everything in its place, and you are finished! Next time you need to start a shopping list or race to the trash with a sticker, you’ll be glad you knew just where to find it!
Bathroom Cabinets – My house was built in 1911. Without a hall closet or a bathroom! Thankfully, a full bath was added at some point, along with floor to ceiling cabinets, creating plenty of storage space for toiletries, makeup, medicines, and linens. Within the tall, narrow cabinets, I’ve had to get creative with narrow and stackable bins, movable shelving, and tiered units with pullout drawers. Most Mariemont homes are slim on closet and storage space, so here are a few tips for items that you need in or near your bathroom.
Pull everything out, into your staging area. Divide into categories based on usage and type of item, such as: bath and hand towels, medicines, toothpaste/brushes/floss, shower gels/shampoos/ conditioners/shaving items, lotions and skin care, makeup, travel-size products, heating pads/ medical equipment, cleaning products… you get
the idea. Discard anything you don’t use or that has expired. Assess your “keeps” to determine which cabinets, shelves and bins each grouping should live in.
From that, measure your shelves/cabinet spaces and determine sizes of bins needed. Plastic bins work the best for bathrooms or humid areas, as they can be easily wiped out if products leak or spill, and they won’t get musty or moldy. Clear bins are especially useful for easily seeing what is in them. Although, having a pretty bin or two sitting out with bath lotions, rolled up hand towels, or even to hide your facial tissue box adds a nice, decorative touch.
Once you have your bins, wipe off your "keeps" and put them away. You will love the
first time you open your bathroom cabinets to reach for your face wash or toothbrush and see everything in its place!
Mini Home Gym – Just in time for keeping you in shape – and sane - while gyms and rec centers are closed! Take a little-used guest room or an area of your family room, basement, or garage, and make it your workout station. No need for big equipment. Start with a few different sizes of hand weights (3 and 5 lbs) and kettlebells (10 and 20 lb), resistance bands, an inflatable exercise ball, yoga strap or belt, a mat, and a TV, laptop or phone to pull up a workout or meditation video.
I put my workout equipment into two large, woven, handled baskets (easier for taking in and out) from Michaels and placed them on the shelf of my sofa table in the family room. I also purchased a tall, white ceramic flower pot from Home Goods and put it in the corner next to our bookshelves with a rolled up yoga mat, bolster, and foam roller in it. A three-ring binder holds various exercises from PTs and chiropractors over the years.
Add a candle or incense on a small pedestal or table to add serenity and fragrance to your space! There are a plethora of exercise videos available on most streaming subscriptions, as well as free finds on YouTube. If you have Prime Video I highly recommend any of the yoga videos by Julia Marie. My new go-to is her “30 Days of Yoga for Weight Loss.”
I want to congratulate all of our graduates who have conquered all of the obstacles that this year had to offer. Your class will go down in history as one that stuck through this difficult time to look towards the future.
Dream big and reach for the stars! Your possibilities are limitless!
I hope I have inspired you a bit to de-clutter and create at least one clean, calm space in your home. If you need help getting motivated or would like assistance with de-cluttering and organizing, feel free to contact me through my new business, Simply Put at suzy.simplyputcincy@ gmail.com.
By Pete McBride
After 18 years in the Village of Mariemontmost recently at 6836 Wooster Pike in The Strand – Events and Florals of Mariemont Owner Donna Lennox has relocated her base of operations to the Village of Zionsville, Ind.
Formerly a director of human resources, Donna’s familiarity with event planning, organizing community events, and productbranding planning, as well as with her parents’ flower shop in Southern Indiana, led her from floral and event freelancer to owner operator.
Donna and her talented team of approximately 25-30 freelance designers have designed, planned, organized, and executed a wide variety of award-winning events, celebrations, special occasions, and fundraisers throughout the Tri-state and across the nation – and even in Canada. She has also been a longtime contributor to many Mariemont community and school district events.
Some of her corporate and foundation clients have included groups as diverse as the University of Cincinnati, Xavier University, Northern Kentucky University, P&G, The Make-a-Wish Foundation, and several Ohio and Indiana casino operations.
Donna describes her and her new husband’s decision to relocate her day-to-day base of operation to Zionsville not as a goodbye to all of her family, friends and loyal clients in Mariemont and the Cincinnati area, but rather as “a choice to embrace new landscapes, opportunities, and a new journey and chapter in life.” While her brick-and-mortar shop will no longer be located in Mariemont, the Queen City will continue to be a primary floral and event destination for her business.
When asked what she has cherished most during her years as a floral and event designer, Donna responded promptly that it would have to be the reward that comes at the end of a successful event. “Knowing that the individual or
All Public Library of Cincinnati and Hamilton County facilities are closed until further notice per the Covid-19 orders from Gov. Mike Dewine. Ongoing updates are available at https://www.cincinnatilibrary.org/covid19/. You can also follow on social media @cincylibrary.
Customers are encouraged to use the Library of Cincinnati and Hamilton County’s robust eBranch, which features digital versions of books, audiobooks, music, movies, magazines, and more. Ohio residents can sign up for a free library card online and begin using the Library’s eBranch as soon as they receive their confirmation email.
Mariemont Branch Library 3810 Pocahontas Ave. 513-369-4467
organization being served was so pleased by the delivery and outcome and felt that our team had exceeded the client’s expectations.”
For Donna and her teams, that sense of pride and satisfaction has manifested itself in many different ways:
• receiving a gold medal for her exhibit at the Cincinnati Flower and Horticulture Show,
• being a Bride’s Choice Award winner for
Dr Edward J Wnek… extensive experience and education… a personal approach to each and every patient… and outstanding outcomes! For a beautiful healthy smile, contact us for your personal consultation at 513-271-5265, or visit us at www.wnekorthodontics.com. Edward J Wnek DDS,MS • Mariemont Square
Florist (from previous page)
sixteen consecutive years,
• organizing, facilitating, and hosting a threeseating banquet for 1500 guests each that involved nine months of planning, and especially noteworthy…
• facilitating the efforts of several collaborating businesses and organizations working through the regional OH-KY-IN Make-aWish Foundation for several years running, which provides for a child’s “impossible dream.”
Donna gratefully and proudly shared that whatever the challenge, her talented and dedicated team has always found a way “to make it happen for the clients who put their faith in them.”
In her own words, Donna expresses “so much appreciation for all that Mariemont and
the surrounding communities, residents and businesses have brought to her and her business through the years.”
As Events and Florals of Mariemont transitions to Events and Florals of Zionsville, Donna plans to continue being just as welcoming and accessible as she always has, and to offer expertise, talent, and an ongoing commitment to excellence.
Events and Florals of Zionsville is located in a newly-renovated and restored historic building at 70 S. Main Street in Zionsville. You can follow Donna’s progress and subscribe to her newsletter at: mariemontfloristandevents. com, zionsvillefloristandevents.com and/or eventsbylennox.net. Perhaps a day trip is even in order!
Hello, neighbors! We hope you are all doing well and staying safe. Just an update on the Mariemont 5K. The race will be postponed as we continue to keep tabs on the COVID-19
situation. Our hope is to host the race at some point later in the summer.
As always, you can follow our social media
ATTENTION: Home Owners... If You Have a Plumbing Problem, Don't Panic! "How to Get a 'Top Talent' Plumber to Show Up On Time So You Don't Waste Time"
Call FORSEE PLUMBING Co., Inc. 513-271-6720 for your appointment window.
As a Mariemont resident present this ad and you will receive $10 off the $49 service call fee.
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accounts @Mariemont5k on Instagram and Facebook, or visit mariemont5k.com to stay up to date.
- Matt Griffith and Dan Hoying
Mariemont Area Chamber of Commerce: Join in!
Attention area businesses! Please join other local companies as we establish a local chamber for the Mariemont area. Goals of the chamber include:
• To further the interests of our local businesses
• To advocate on behalf of the business community
• To provide networking opportunities
• To offer cost-saving benefits to employers through SOCA (Southern Ohio Chamber Alliance)
• To work together on events that would showcase the local businesses
• To improve the economic, civic, and cultural wellbeing of the area
If you would like to be added to the list for future meetings, please email Kim Beach at kim@insurethevillage. com.
By Kim Flick, MariElders Transportation Coordinator
Before you put your feet on the floor in the morning, is your first thought one of optimism or pessimism? Your way of thinking has a lot to do with how your day is going to unfold. Optimism, simply put, is the expectation that more good things are apt to happen to you than bad.
Your outlook on life is one of the most fundamental ways to manage your health, according to Johns Hopkins Medicine. Researchers suspect that “people who are more positive may be better protected against the inflammatory damage of stress.” Studies also find that negative emotions weaken immune response. A positive attitude improves outcomes - including traumatic brain injury, stroke, and brain tumors.
A study conducted at the University of London found that seniors who thought
positively tend to age healthier, had fewer physical and emotional health problems, and even had a longer life expectancy. Positive thinkers tend to be more active, eat better, enjoy activities and hobbies, socialize and sleep better. Being positive can help you deal with problems, steer away from bad habits, boost your self-esteem and cause you to look for the good in others.
Not everyone is naturally positive. Negative self-talk, filled with words like “can’t” and “don’t,” is a tricky habit to break. Here are some really simple ways to change from negative thinking to positive.
Smile. Even if you have to fake it at first. The neurotransmitters dopamine, serotonin and endorphins are released when you smile, making you feel Grrreat! Researchers in Switzerland found that the stronger the smile, the more attractive a face looked. Popping a grin can also be disarming and contagious - in a good way!
Replace negatives with positives Whenever you find yourself thinking negative thoughts, make a conscious effort to replace
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Marielders (from previous page)
it with a positive one. Make a game of it … for every negative, you HAVE to think of two positives. Within no time, that will be your new habit.
Don’t complain, take charge. If you are in a negative situation, think it through and do something to change the outcome. Don’t be a victim. If something goes wrong, find a way to fix it.
Surround yourself with positive people and things. Don’t hold on to bad memories or friends who bring you down. Better still, take your eyes off yourself and help someone else. By lifting them up, you may realize that your life feels pretty darn good.
Sing. It’s fun, it chases away stress, brightens your mood, fights depression, and makes your neighbor wonder what you’ve been up to.
What you focus on expands. If you watch only the bad news, read distressing novels, or tend toward dark plots in movies, that’s likely to fill your perception with gloom and doom. Listen to inspiring podcasts, positivityreinforcing books and movies with happy endings.
Accentuate the positive, eliminate the negative. Grab a pen and jot down the things you are grateful about - even the very basic things that we tend to overlook. Do it every day.
Yoga and Meditation are proven ways to bring your focus inward and listen to your self-talk. The perfect place to start is The MariElders. These and dozens of other mood boosting activities, programs and outings are ripe for the picking. Drop in and give it a try (once we re-open, of course). You’re bound to meet a lot of people who think like you - we’re POSITIVE!
Crellin
MariElders is closed for activities until further notice. Our Annual Junque Sale, usually scheduled for June, is being rescheduled for September. Please watch for notices of re-opening, new fundraisers, and a new date
for the Junque Sale on our website, FaceBook page, Nextdoor, and fliers around town.
MariElders is always available for transportation! If you need a ride to the grocery store, or a doctor’s appointment, please call us at 271-5588. We deliver groceries, prescriptions, and almost anything else you need, anytime
- pandemic or not! This might be the perfect time for you to try our services.
MariElders would also like to thank the numerous community members who have offered to help our local seniors in a variety of ways. This community is amazing and caring, and MariElders is blessed to have your support!
Submitted by the Mariemont School Foundation
During these challenging and unprecedented times of the Coronavirus health crisis, the Mariemont City Schools community recognizes the importance of helping its neighbors.
While school buildings are closed and students are home, some families are experiencing hardship and looking to the district for support. If there is one thing that rings true for the communities of Columbia Township, Fairfax, Mariemont and Terrace Park, it is that we all look out for each other.
The Mariemont School Foundation (MSF) is fortunate to have such a great partnership with the school district. When superintendent Steve Estepp approached the Foundation upon
the school building closure, we were ready to support the needs of our district and its families.
The MSF established the Angel Fund in 2010 after a generous donation with the intent of assisting students and families in financial need. The fund has been made available to assist during the Coronavirus pandemic. Since the school building closure on March 16, it has received nearly $10,000 in donations to immediately aid district families.
To date, these contributions have been used to purchase grocery store gift cards, school supplies, and Internet access for families in need.
The Foundation is very pleased to announce that an anonymous donor has offered to match any Angel Fund donation up to $5,000. We are inviting all families who have the capacity to give at this time to consider making a donation, which will be doubled by the donor.
“This is probably the most trying time most of us have lived through,” the anonymous donor said. “But it is a season and we will get through this by each person giving what they can. Whether it’s a smile, a phone call of encouragement, or a dollar, it may bring light in the darkest times to someone else. Mariemont Warriors are strong, caring and giving. Let’s carry each other through this however we can. Please consider donating if you are able.”
All funds received through the Mariemont
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Foundation (from previous page)
School Foundation Angel Fund between now and June 15 will be matched (up to $5,000) by the donor. Additionally, the Foundation has made the decision to temporarily close the Annual Fund Drive for the remainder of the school year and instead direct all support to the Angel Fund as this is where the most immediate and pressing needs are for the district.
If you would like to contribute to the Angel Fund and have your gift matched by the donor, please visit mariemontschoolfoundation.org/ angel-fund or click the Angel Fund Donation link on the school district’s Coronavirus Updates webpage.
The Mariemont School Foundation is proud to represent a community that cares deeply about its neighbors. Any size gift can help make a difference to someone else. Thank you for your generosity during these difficult times.
By Molly Smyth
The Mariemont School Foundation is seeking nominations for its 2020 Distinguished Alumni Award. A nomination form and guidelines are available on the School Foundation website:
https://www.mariemontschoolfoundation. org/distinguished-alumni-all, or by calling the Mariemont School Foundation at (513) 2727509. Nominations are due May 31, 2020.
The Distinguished Alumni Award recognizes Mariemont High School alumni graduated at least 10 years who have notably distinguished themselves by their significant contributions and/or remarkable accomplishments in their
chosen career; skill, trade, or business; in civic duties; in military service; in philanthropy; in volunteerism; in the arts; in the sciences; in education; in religion, OR any other field, endeavor, or pursuit, excluding athletics. Nominees may be living or deceased.
Nominations will be considered by a committee comprised of Mariemont School
Foundation trustees. The number of recipients each year is at the discretion of the committee. Nominations will remain on file five (5) years.
Distinguished Alumni Award recipients will be recognized during Mariemont’s Homecoming Weekend in the Fall of 2020. A permanent, dedicated space at Mariemont High School also honors recipients.
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By Delta Crabtree
If life gives you lemons – make lemonade! If ever there was a cliché that is collectively applicable, this is the one.
On the crisp spring afternoon of April 14, our Mariemont Town Square hosted the wedding of Denise Williams and David DiMartino. Denise is the Comey & Shepherd office administrator; her office window overlooks the beautiful fountain on the Square.
Along with so many that have had to change or cancel their plans, Denise and David accepted that their plans for a lovely ceremony and reception at the Metropolitan Club in Historic Covington were not meant to be. Deposits and reservations for hotel rooms, catering, flowers, etc. were cancelled or put on hold.
Life and love were not to be deterred. Alternate plans were quickly formulated, with
the willing assistance of the Hamilton County Clerk of Courts in issuing the marriage license, and the Mariemont Mayor graciously allowing the event to be held in the public square.
Beautiful custom invitations had already
been mailed; the revised invitation was sent via evite. Most of the guests were Comey & Shepherd staff, who were very happy to gather to celebrate a valued member of the Comey family. The instructions to the guests were very clear: social distancing guidelines were to be followed and no lingering after the ceremony.
The guests gathered around the Square –each holding a white balloon. Several flower arrangements adorned the fountain and grounds. A minister from Horizon Church officiated the ceremony.
The bride and groom are active members of Horizon, in fact they met while volunteering for the City Gospel Mission as part of a church community outreach group.
The groom’s voice was loud and clear as he said his vows; the bride’s voice was full of emotion. Everyone joined in reciting the Lord’s Prayer aloud, overcoming the sounds of the trickling fountain and Wooster traffic.
I’m not sure if the Mariemont Square has been used before for a wedding ceremony, but this celebration in the midst of a community health emergency is a reminder that above all else… LOVE!
Congratulations and best wishes to Mr. and Mrs. David DiMartino!
Dear Friends of the Barn,
The Barn is doing our part to contain the spread of Coronavirus (COVID-19) by closing down temporarily. Your safety and health is our greatest concern at this time. All classes, public events, exhibits, and community meetings are CANCELLED through Friday, May 1, in accordance with Governor DeWine’s “stay at home” order. We will continually assess the situation before deciding on a reopening date. If you are enrolled in a Barn
Registration for Summer Camp at The Barn is now open Summer camp begins on July 6. If we have to cancel camp classes due to the coronavirus, your fee will be refunded in full. Here is the camp registration link: https://thebarn.regfox. com/camp2020
We look forward to seeing you at the Barn later this spring. Until then, stay safe and well!
this spring, The Barn posted the exhibit online through the end of April. The photo at left is of artist Betty Scarpino’s wood carving, entitled “Counterpoint.” She received the First Place Joan Cord Award and $1,500.
In 1892, the Club’s first year of existence, entry in the show was only open to members of the Club. The goal was to showcase the best work by members and encourage the artists to strive for achievement. If a member was juried (accepted) into the show twice, they advanced to an upper level of membership. In the new millennium, the show expanded to include entries from women artists in the region around Cincinnati. This year’s show and sale was the Club’s 127th Annual Juried Exhibition.
class and have questions concerning when your class will resume, please contact your instructor.
The Woman’s Art Club of Cincinnati put a new, and necessary, twist on this year’s Annual Juried Exhibition. As many galleries are doing
WACC President Dodie Loewe announced that awards of cash and merchandise exceed $6,000 this year. Out of 157 artists who submitted 266 pieces of art, Juror Beth Schwier, a noted artist from Indianapolis, selected 60 pieces. Nineteen award winners were selected by Professor Elizabeth Neal, an assistant professor at Thomas More University and Gallery Director of the campus’s Eva G. Farris Gallery.
Mariemont City Schools kindergarten registration is open for both Mariemont Elementary School and Terrace Park Elementary School for the 2020-21 school year. In order to enroll in kindergarten, your child must turn five (5) years old on or before September 30, 2020.
Those wishing to register a student for kindergarten can find step-by-step instructions on the district’s website at www.mariemontschools.org/ kindergartenregistration. Registration will be completed in Final Forms, which is linked on the website.
Schools Central Registration office. During the extended school building closure due to the COVID-19 pandemic, families have two options for these documents.
The website also lists documents for families to collect and turn into the Mariemont City
By Aileen Beatty, Mariemont Building Administrator Assistant
Now that Spring has arrived, many of us have begun working on fun home and yard projects. Folks are doing things like putting up new fences, taking down dangerous trees, replacing roofs and windows, starting inside renovations and building new patios, just to name a few.
Don Keyes, our Building Administrator, and I want to remind you that permits are needed for all of those and other projects. The Village requires permits for a number of reasons. For
Families can take pictures of the documents and send them to jnerl@ mariemontschools.org or rburke@ mariemontschools.org
Families can save the documents and bring them to the kindergarten screening day on August 14.
Kindergarten screening will take place on August 14, 2020, at both Mariemont Elementary and Terrace Park Elementary schools. In order to be scheduled for a screening time, families must complete the Final Forms registration process.
Families who have completed the registration process will be mailed a copy of the 2020-21 Welcome to Kindergarten book which includes helpful information like kindergarten readiness, frequently asked questions and the kindergarten instruction program.
Should you have any additional questions about kindergarten registration, please contact the Central Registration office:
Julie Nerl jnerl@mariemontschools.org 513-272-7314
Rita Burke rburke@mariemontschools.org 513-272-7514
example, tree removal permits allow us to keep a record of all trees that have come down and why. Mariemont is “Tree City USA” and our trees are a valuable asset to our community. And permits for building projects ensure that the work being done is safely and is in compliance with national building codes.
For those in the Historic District, you are owners of some very special property! It is vital that we maintain the architectural integrity of those buildings. Any changes made to the outsides of your buildings must be approved prior to
doing the work. Examples of changes include painting, replacing roofs, windows, shutters or light fixtures, etc. We recommend that you do not purchase materials until you have that approval.
Do not hesitate to call us with any questions! 513-271-3315, option 4.
Please be safe and we hope you all stay well during these difficult times.
JAMES T. WESTERFIELD, D.V.M. 6892 Murray Avenue • (513) 561-0020
March 23, 2020
Mayor Brown asked for a moment of silence for Springdale Police Officer, Kaia Grant, who was killed in the line of duty last evening.
Mayor Brown said we are holding this meeting under unusual circumstances with the meeting being closed to the public due to the Stay-at-Home Order issued by the Governor due the COVID- 19 pandemic. To those who will watch this on ICRC, the minutes will be available and if there are any questions about the agenda, please email mayor@mariemont.org or info@ mariemont.org and we will respond as quickly as we can.
The Village Administration Office, Building Department and Tax Department are closed to the public. If someone has business with one of these departments please call or email. Mrs. Van Pelt, Ms. Uhrig and Mrs. Darrah are still staffing the Administration Office and Tax Department. The Building Department is working remotely. The Police and Fire Departments and the Service Departments are fully staffed as well. With the Federal Government extending the time to file taxes, we are waiting for a definitive answer from the State if they will extend the deadline as well.
Mayor Brown said the Donnelly Family on Homewood Road came to Council earlier in the year with the wish to have the easement vacated on their property. It slipped our attention and we are now following through. Mr. Bartlett said the Solicitor is supposed to meet with Building Administrator Keyes and Service Superintendent Scherpenberg. It was also recommended that a title search be done to be sure no one else is using the pipe. Council agreed to go forward with the process of vacating the easement.
Ms. Palazzolo moved, seconded by Dr. Lewis to accept the recommendation of the Finance Committee which met Thursday, March 19, 2020 at 4:30 pm in Council Chambers to discuss the Ohio vehicle registration permissive fee. Present at the meeting were Finance Committee Chair Rob Bartlett, and Finance Committee Members Kelly Rankin and Joe Stelzer. As background, when the Ohio Bureau of Motor Vehicles collects their registration fee, Ohio law allows municipalities to also collect a fee. Each municipal fee is in $5 increments with a maximum of $30 per car. By Ohio law, the money that is collected via this registration fee has to be used for street repair and maintenance by the municipalities. Mariemont collects $20 per car. There are 38 municipalities
in Hamilton County. Currently, 26 of those municipalities are charging more than $20 per car. There are 12 townships in Hamilton County. Currently, 10 of those townships are charging more than $20 per car.
The Department of Public Safety, which administers this program, has estimated that each $5 fee results in roughly $13,500 in revenue for Mariemont’s street maintenance fund, which is managed as its own separate account within Mariemont’s accounting system. The Village’s streets are clearly in need of repair. The Village’s Permanent Improvement Fund, which is the other source for street repair work, is significantly oversubscribed (this year, council needed to cut ~$150,000 from the original spending requests in the Permanent Improvement Fund), and it will remain so for the next 4 years as we pay off the municipal building loan and the loan for the new ambulance. The Finance Committee is recommending that Mariemont increase its registration permissive fee from $20 per car to $30 per car, which would provide ~$27,000 more per year for the repair and maintenance of our streets.
If council agrees with this recommendation, it will require an ordinance to be passed. The ordinance needs to be in effect and the appropriate documents sent to the Department of Public Safety in Columbus before July 1, 2020 in order for the new fee to go into effect in 2021.
Rob Bartlett robbartlettcouncil@gmail.com
Avia Graves aviagraves@gmail.com
Marcy Lewis marcylewiscouncil@gmail.com
Maggie Palazzolo magpal00@gmail.com
Kelly Rankin kellrankincouncil@gmail.com
Mayor: Bill Brown mayor@mariemont.org
If council agrees with this recommendation, the necessary ordinance will be submitted at the first council meeting in April. On roll call; six ayes, no nays. Mr. Bartlett noted that the Village of Newtown will be increasing the fee to $30.00.
Mrs. Rankin said Council anticipated going out to bid for the Petoskey Avenue Repair Project. The legal ad was to hit the paper tomorrow but due to the financial situation as a result of COVID19 it was decided not to put out to bid at a cost of $1,000. At this time it was decided to postpone the request for bids. The grant expires at the end of this year but Engineer Ertel is confident that
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with the current situation it will be extended. He is looking into the process to apply for an extension. Mayor Brown said if there was not an extension granted there would need to be a re-evaluation on how to proceed with the project. We would need to evaluate the potential revenue shortfall into the Village due to the current pandemic. This is a large project and warrants a conservative approach due to the fact that we do not know how the Village will be impacted financially.
Ms. Palazzolo asked about Council members holding virtual Committee meetings. Mayor Brown asked if there was anything so pressing that it could not wait. Ms. Palazzolo said no but some members of Council may consider this downtime and might want to work on something in their committee. Mayor Brown said let’s evaluate day-to-day as we go forward. Dr. Lewis said if there was a need to hold a meeting she suggested more posting time to allow residents to submit questions, comments and concerns.
“To Authorize the Sale of Paper Streets Adjacent to 6500 Mariemont Avenue; And To Declare Emergency” had a first reading. Mayor Brown said he had a conversation with Mr. Westfall and feels Council is addressing the concerns outlined in the emails received. With the next Council meeting three weeks from now it should leave time to address further questions. Mr. Stelzer said he had a conversation with Mr. Hinebaugh. After the conversation, Mr. Hinebaugh seemed to be very comfortable that all his questions had been addressed. Mr. Bartlett said he has a concern with how the Resolution is currently worded. The way it is currently worded he will not vote for it. There needs to be a step between Section I and Section II that there is going to be a loop back to Council for review for final decision per the Ohio Revised Code. Mayor Brown said that is a change that can be added in but tonight we are just having the first reading. Ms. Palazzolo said the legislation appears to address two issues: 1. Sale of the Property and 2. Vacation of the Property. She wants to make sure we are able to do them concurrently and she wants to make sure Council is doing it correctly. She is going to touch base with Solicitor McTigue to clarify and will ask that he reply to all of Council.
Mrs. Rankin said it should be practice that if a Council members emails the Solicitor that all of Council is copied. Mrs. Graves said she feels that she is missing some communications and agrees if
it involves all of Council it should be sent to all.
Mr. Stelzer said his understanding of holding meetings is Council can meet as long as we are not soliciting votes for anything that needs to be voted on. If any member of Council has any questions about the street vacation he said he is more than willing to talk with any member of Council. Don’t wait until the next meeting and then act like we do not have the right information. To address some of the email concerns he said if the Village does the street vacation, one half of the vacated street will go to the adjacent property owner right away. The $50,000 minimum bid was determined after a series of conversations with the property owner’s agent. Anyone can bid on it. Those two lots and the paper street have sat there for 100 years and this is the only plan he has heard of to do something with it. He does not believe the street is going to be built and what would be the alternative plan. One question raised was does anyone on Council have a financial interest. He said he does not. The rest of Council voiced that they do not.
Mr. Bartlett said if the house were not to be built he does not think he would be in favor of
selling the property because the benefit to the Village is increased income tax and increased property tax. Because of the upheaval in the market place how sure are we, at this point in time, that it will happen? Mr. Stelzer said a contingency can be put on the sale of the property that a house has to be built on the property.
“Authorizing the Purchase of New Turnout Gear, An Upgrade to the Mobile Data Computers, and Purchase of Chest Compression System by the Mariemont Fire Department; And To Declare Emergency” had a first reading.
Mr. Stelzer asked that the following be removed from the Health and Rec Committee. Council concurred:
• Healthy Living Initiative removed due to COVID-19 outbreak.
• Trees/landscaping along Murray Ave. parking pads is no longer a working project.
• Clean Up Overgrown Vegetation Day is in question due to no insurance for volunteers and need of a waiver, to be prepared by the Solicitor.
The Village of Mariemont Administration Office would like to share a few upcoming event dates and bulletins pertaining to the Coronavirus restrictions. The new Village website should be up soon and have notices regarding event updates and re-openings. In the meantime, if you have questions, contact Allison Uhrig in the Village Administrative Office at 513-271-3246, opt. #3.
• No reservations for shelters are being taken while under the stay-at-home order.
• The Tot Lot and Tennis Courts are closed until further notice.
• Registration for pool and tennis memberships is on hold until further notice.
• Administration offices will be closed on Monday, May 25 in observation of Memorial Day.
• The second Council Meeting in May will be held on Tuesday, May 26.
The annual Village Shred Day is currently scheduled for June 6, 2020 from 9-11 a.m. at the Municipal Building 6907 Wooster Pike. Items suitable for shredding include:
• Billing records
• Customer lists
• Credit card receipts
• Financial reports
• Legal briefs and documents
• Medical records
• Memos/notes containing customer information
• Payroll and employment documents
Note: staples, binder clips, and paper clips MUST be removed. Any bound materials must be removed from binding.
Welcome to Aileen Beatty who was hired last October as assistant building administrator to help Building Commissioner Don Keyes address increasing resident needs. She is a lifelong resident of the Village and owns a home in the Historic District. She has been on the board of the Mariemont Preservation Foundation for many years, during which time she has become very familiar with the Mariemont Code of Ordinances while working on projects to update the zoning and building sections. She can be reached at 513271-3246, option #4.
Hats off to our Village Services Department for coming to the aid of a neighboring community after April storms left a swath of damage across the county. Mariemont’s Service Dept. Superintendent John Scherpenberg, who is also a member of the Public Works Officials of SW Ohio, reached out to several other communities to ask if they needed assistance with storm damage clean up. Amberley Village responded that they could use help, so John generously sent two of his Mariemont staff to assist in the clean-up. They worked all week with representatives from
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Mariemont Service Department’s Mike Evanchyk (left) and Jeremy Swader (right) lend a helping hand after recent storm damage to surrounding neighborhoods.
Amberley Village and Symmes Township to clean up smaller brush, large trees and branches, using backhoes and dump trucks. Kudos to our Service Department for lending a helping hand! And thank you to former resident Rick Kay for sharing this “good news” story. Rick, son of Lois and Dick Kay, grew up in Mariemont and is currently a resident and the treasurer of Amberley Village.
Mariemontchurch.org
Denis Beausejour, Senior Pastor
Paul Rasmussen, Worship Pastor
Jamie Moore, Discipleship Pastor
Leslie Seetin, Children’s Director
MCC is planning to reopen when allowable, in accordance with the lifting of the stay-at-home order by the governor. Visit mariemontchurch. org and click on the orange banner for updates. MCC’s online services and YouTube channel can be found at: https://www.youtube.com/user/ MariemontCh
We are hoping to reopen the preschool May 1. Contact preschool director, Renee Brownfield, for questions at renee@mariemontchurch.org.
“Follow Me” sermon series on spiritual disciplines through Father’s Day. Learn how the early church taught us how to worship God, confess sin and receive cleansing, pray and hear from God, fast and feast, meditate on Scripture, practice solitude and silence, learn to rest and live in God’s rhythms. Will include how-to videos from a variety of practitioners.
Summer Series: “Covenants in the Bible”- what they teach us about the heart of God. Followed by the “Life of King David”poet, songwriter, warrior, shepherd, repentant sinner!Seminar -May 16, 8:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. at the Parish Center, 3908 Plainville Rd., 45227. Email: Jamie Moore jamie@mariemontchurch.org
Villagechurchofmariemont.org
Todd Keyes, Pastor Jamie Keyes, Children’s Ministries
Live Stream Sunday Services
While we are unable to physically gather for services, VCM will be live-streaming our Sunday worship services at 10 a.m. on our Village Church of Mariemont Facebook page, and posting them on our Facebook page and website afterward.
When we are able to physically gather again, we invite you to bring a friend or neighbor and join us for worship services each Sunday at 10 a.m. at the Mariemont Memorial Stone Chapel on Cherry Lane. Children’s Sunday School for pre-K through 6th grade is provided during the service at our Oak Street Building,
3920 Oak St. (corner of Oak and Maple), just a block from the Chapel.
• Valerie McEnroe is collecting food for the City Gospel Mission. Donations can be dropped off at the front porch of her house at 6828 Mount Vernon Ave. She will be collecting until the quarantine is over. City Gospel Mission is making bagged meals. Bread, peanut butter, cheese, sandwich meat, chips, granola bars, water, anything wrapped individually and that does not need utensils are requested.
• Help for the elderly needing items from the store or simple home maintenance issues. Those needing assistance, please contact us via the contact page on our websitevillagechurchofmariemont.org - or by calling 513-515-1551.
• Prayer Requests - We have a prayer team who prays regularly and is eager to pray for the needs of the community. Please submit any requests using our prayer request page on our website.
On Thursday, May 7, our community will unite in recognition of our annual National Day of Prayer. Community leaders will lead us in prayer for our community, city and nation. Due to school closures (we usually meet at Mariemont Elementary), and continued directive from our governor to maintain social distancing, this year we will be coming together digitally. Please join us for this event at 8 a.m. on the Village Church of Mariemont Facebook page at the event link: https://www.facebook.com/ events/227975044970398/. An event video will be available on the VCM website and Facebook page after the event. For updates, please follow our VCM Facebook page. Hope you can join us!
We plan to have a VBS event for our Elementary school children from July 14-17. We are working to create a safe and fun event that will excite our children about their faith and encourage their growth. We plan to meet at our VCM Oak St. building and will communicate any adjustments to this event based on social distancing directives. To have your children participate in this event, please contact Jamie Keyes at Jamiekeyes6@gmail.