Mariemont Town Crier, November 2025, Vol. L, No. 3
Mariemont Troop 149: Nearly a Century of Service to Our Community
BY ERIC MARSLAND
For almost 100 years, Mariemont Troop 149 has been a cornerstone of service, leadership, and character-building in our community. The Troop’s Eagle Scout projects, in particular, leave a lasting mark by enhancing shared spaces, promoting stewardship, and strengthening the bonds of civic pride.
This year, several Scouts completed impressive Eagle Projects that directly benefit Mariemont and its surrounding areas:
Spencer Badenhop added a bike repair station along the Bike Trail, providing cyclists a convenient place to keep their rides in working order.
Carsen Hatch designed and installed a pollinator garden at the Mariemont Preservation Foundation, fostering sustainability and supporting the environment.
George Marsland constructed announcement boards, giving the community new ways to stay informed about events and activities.
George Marsland
Spencer Badenhop Maddox Moon
SUZY WEINLAND CO-PUBLISHER & EDITOR
Publisher’s Note
The holidays are just around the corner! We are still looking for holiday recipes and photos of fun fall/holiday wreaths, mantles or hearths to showcase in our December issue and post on our Town Crier FB page. If you’d like to participate, please email your recipes and photos (as jpegs, 2MB or higher), to mariemonttowncrier@gmail.com, along with your name and anything else you’d like to share about your creations! Extended deadline November 10.
Looking for a fun family activity to do while waiting for that delicious Thanksgiving feast? Try your hand at Aileen Beatty’s “Julia Child” crossword puzzle on pg. 15. Then – perhaps after a feast and a short napgrab your group and head to the Mariemont Scouts tree lot at the Village Administration
Building across from the Square for a fresh fir tree and wreath! See pg. 17 for details.
As you gear up for the gift-giving season, remember to support our local businesses! Date nights, girls’ night out, catering for holiday events, specialty gifts and gift cards, and even a smoothie and spa time to rejuvenate yourself… Mariemont has it all! Do you own a small biz? Then give yourself and your business the gift of a Mariemont Area Chamber membership. Lots of benefits and perks! Check it out on pg. 20.
And remember to mark your calendars for the Mariemont event of the season –Luminaria on Saturday, December 6, starting at 5:30 p.m. in the Old Towne Square. See pg. 23 for a full event schedule.
Lastly, as the snow drifts in over the next few months, please help our Village road crews to be efficient and provide safe streets for all of us by watching the weather and
moving your vehicles onto your driveway if you have one, or if you don’t, please move your vehicle as far out of the way as possible to allow trucks and plows to pass through. See Matt Ayer’s interview with Village Maintenance Superintendent Ben James about how the Village gets “Winter Ready,” on pg. 10.
Call For Story Items
We are still looking for submissions for February’s National Responsible Pet Owner’s Month article and a March 50th anniversary article highlighting residents who’ve lived in “the ‘Mont” for 50+ years! Please see October’s Publisher’s Note for details or reach out to me at mariemonttowncrier@gmail.com
* Note: We mistakenly attributed the article on pg. 26 of the October issue, “The Best Way to Spend Christmas Cheer,” to Anna Strand. The article was actually written by Maggie Kenner.
The Club
THANK YOU to the following individuals and organizations for your support! Funding for delivery of the Town Crier to your doorstep by our junior couriers comes solely from your contributions! Individuals and organizations who contribute will have their names included in our Crier Club section for one calendar year following your donation. To donate, please write a check payable to Mariemont Town Crier and mail it to 3914 Miami Rd., #207, Cincinnati OH 45227, or drop it off in the door mail slot. We share space with Sanderson Insurance, just off the Square.
To celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Mariemont Town Crier, we invite you to show your support with a donation of $50 or more. Those donating at least $50 will have their names appear in bold and italics.
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Beausejour
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Editor / Co-Publisher
Suzy Weinland mariemonttowncrier@gmail.com
Advertising Manager / Co-Publisher
Matt Weinland mariemonttowncrier@gmail.com
Production Designer Zachary Weinland mariemonttowncrier@gmail.com
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Garden Club of Mariemont
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STAFF
Photographer Steve Spooner me@mariemontstuff.com
Contributors
Matt Ayer matt@ayerquality.com
Kim Beach kimbeach13@gmail.com
Aileen Beatty aileen.beatty@gmail.com
Betsy Bybee betsy.bybee@gmail.com
Peter McBride pete0948@gmail.com
Carol Sanger csanger1@me.com
Randy York ryork@mariemont.org
Junior Couriers
Charlotte Caudill
Eli Ching
Cody Ching
Alexis Clark
Mac Clark
Olivia Clark
Ben Jevic
Ella Jevic
Claire Kupferle
Peggy & Charles Landes
Max Madl
MaryLou & John McIlwraith
Noble-Basora Family
Julie Northrop
Jan Timothy Riker
Jan Ring
Beth Ruggles
Mike Schoeny
Levi Lawson
Jane Lawson
James Lepa
Michael Lepa
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Ford Willis
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DECEMBER DEADLINE
The editorial and advertising deadline for the next Town Crier is November 1, 2025
All articles, photos and camera-ready ads must be submitted by 5 p.m. to mariemonttowncrier@ gmail.com.
Non-profit inserts are due by the Monday before distribution. For more information, see below.
The Mariemont Town Crier, LLC “The Voice of the Village of Mariemont,” is published monthly from September through December and February through May as a service to residents and organizations of the Village of Mariemont. Our junior couriers deliver to your doorstep or business the first full weekend of those months. If you do not receive your issue by the end of delivery week, please reach out to Distribution Manager Margaret Jevic at margaret101@gmail.com
Editorial deadlines are the 1st of the month prior to publication. News, story ideas, photos, and Letters to the Editor can be directed to Suzy Weinland at mariemonttowncrier@gmail.com. Full guidelines are available upon request
Non-Profit Inserts: Please confirm with us at mariemonttowncrier@gmail.com by the 1st of the month prior to publication. You will need to print 2,000 inserts, collated into groups of 50, and deliver to Margaret Jevic, 6951 Nolen Circle by the Monday prior to the first full weekend of the month. A $75 flat fee is due with your insert drop-off. Payments can be made via check made out to Mariemont Town Crier.
Advertising: Advertising helps fund production of the Mariemont Town Crier and is a targeted way for area businesses to reach over 2,000 homes and businesses in Mariemont, Spring Hill, Williams Meadow, and Mariemont Landing. In addition to a hard-copy edition delivered to doorsteps, each issue is digitally archived for public viewing on Issuu and posted monthly on our Facebook page. For ad rates, deadlines, forms, and payments, or if you have any further questions, please contact Matt Weinland at mariemonttowncrier@gmail.com
Maddox Moon installed trail markers in both the inner and outer loops of the south 80 trails to identify distance traveled and location of any needed trail maintenance.
Zach Murray also developed a new trail at the South 80 Park, further enhancing recreational opportunities for hikers and families.
Davis Wickham constructed benches to provide a relaxing area to sit in the bamboo forest in the south 80.
These projects reflect the tradition of service that Troop 149 has carried forward since its founding in 1927. Over nearly a century, the Scouts have contributed countless hours of volunteer work, improvements to parks and public spaces, and leadership development for generations of young people.
Looking ahead, the community’s beloved Scout Tree Sale will once again be held this
COMMUNITY
year at the Mariemont Municipal Building. Beginning on Black Friday and running until the inventory sells out, Troop 149 will be offering fresh Christmas trees and roping/ garland. In addition, wreaths will be sold by the Girl Scouts, and the troop’s community sponsor, the Mariemont Kiwanis, will be offering holiday nuts.
This long-standing tradition is more than a fundraiser—it’s a celebration of community spirit, bringing together neighbors, families, and friends as we prepare for the holiday season.
Troop 149 extends its heartfelt gratitude to the Mariemont community for the decades of support that make these projects and traditions possible. Your encouragement continues to inspire Scouts to give back, grow in leadership, and uphold the values of service and citizenship.
Mariemont Troop 149 (from front page)
L-R: Ryan Sullivan, Carsen Hatch, Connor Sullivan, and Zach Murray
L-R: Preston Badenhop, Ryan Sullivan, Connor Sullivan, and Davis Wickham (seated)
SCAN ME:
Waldorf Students Celebrate Michaelmas with Courage and Community Service
BY ALICIA STOCK
On Friday, September 26, the Cincinnati Waldorf School hosted its annual Michaelmas Festival, a tradition celebrated by Waldorf schools worldwide. Michaelmas is held at the start of Fall each year in a nod to its beginnings as a harvest festival in the Middle Ages.
Michaelmas (Michael’s Mass) honors St. Michael the archangel, a figure recognized in Judaic, Christian, and Islamic religions who cast the dragon (Lucifer) out of heaven in the book of Revelation. The image of the dragon is a central theme in the Michaelmas Festival, representing Michael’s courage and victory of good over evil/darkness.
The Michaelmas celebration at Cincinnati Waldorf School brought students, faculty, and families into joyful collaboration and community service. The entire school gathered for a Michaelmas assembly at their location in the historic Dale Park school building on Chestnut Street. Second graders took the stage to perform a play retelling the festival’s central story. Different grade levels lifted their voices in song, capturing the day’s themes of resilience, courage, and creativity.
Adding a playful element, this year’s festivities also featured circus arts. Under the guidance of the school’s new Ohio Arts Council Teaching Artist in Residence Jerome York, students learned juggling and other circus tricks and performed these at the school-wide assembly, embodying the festival’s themes of inner-strength and overcoming challenges.
After the assembly, students were divided into groups to carry out acts of service across the Mariemont and school communities. See photos.
Michaelmas at Cincinnati Waldorf School is more than just a tradition; it is a living lesson in the values the school seeks to cultivate. Through service and celebration, students engage with the story of St. Michael
and the dragon, a powerful metaphor for courage and moral strength. “The story’s themes of resiliency, being courageous, compassionate, and fighting for what’s right are qualities we strive to instill at Waldorf
School,” said Administrative Director and Mariemont resident Dexter Simpson.
Rudolf Steiner, founder of Waldorf education, considered Michaelmas the second most important festival after Easter, marking
A Waldorf School senior dons a St. Michael costume for the festivities.
The community gathered outside of the school in Dale Park to celebrate Michaelmas and watch student performances.
Waldorf School students set up a festive feast of dishes lovingly prepared by parents and teachers. Together, they pressed apples into fresh cider and prepared dragon-shaped bread.
Students at The Waldorf School dig in to plant and mulch around the Mariemont Memorial Chapel. They also weeded the grounds and gardens at Ann
Students in grades 2 through 5 potted and delivered snapdragons (a nod to the dragon at the heart of the Michaelmas story) to nearby neighbors, spreading cheer and beauty.
Buntin Becker Park.
Architectural Series: Clinton Mackenzie and the Industrial City
BY MATT AYER
Prior to the Mariemont project, town planner John Nolen created the general plan for many American towns and cities. In 1915, Kingsport, Tennessee, was a small, outof-the-way agricultural community of 900 inhabitants. A new railroad, built through an undeveloped region, needed traffic. A wide and winding valley of natural beauty was favorable for building. Natural resources were abundant. Kingsport was built to make business for a railroad. In four years, it was a flourishing city of more than 10,000 people.
Planned by Nolen, he noted, “The result was the development of one of the bestplanned industrial communities in the annals of modern town planning—remarkable by reason of the harmonious cooperation of several independent agencies in an achievement that may well be called ideal in the quality of their respective fruitions: industrial, economic, hygienic, civic, cultural and aesthetic.” Most of the business came from 10 large industrial concerns. Its founders recognized that living conditions affect the morale of the town, and desired well-built, attractive, modern homes affordable to the factory worker.
Clinton Mackenzie of New York was selected as the principal architect. Educated at Stevens Institute of Technology, Columbia University, and the Ecole des Beaux-Arts in Paris, Mackenzie was an established expert in industrial housing. For Kingsport, he designed a wide range of house types, in size and style in harmony with Nolen’s plan, as well as the train station, inn, and the Kingsport Improvement Company headquarters.
In one section of the city, deeds required that the homes be painted white and the community was called White City. The area was designed for the workman with the idea that every worker in the city could own their own home. They were sold at cost plus a nominal charge for the lots. Kingsport was reportedly the first city to offer homes on longer terms of payment, 15 years. The prevailing price for a finished house with planted grounds was $2,500.
cloth. ... deliberately laid out in advance to accommodate diversified industries, with provisions made for the education, recreation and social life of a population not then in existence… The amazing success
In 1919 Mackenzie referred to Kingsport as “the first attempt in this country to build a fully rounded out city out of whole
has opened up a new vista in industrial city planning.”
Remarkable in its time, progressive ideals in planning the Kingsport Model City included diversity awareness and universal health care. A decade earlier when working with Roanoke Va., Nolen deplored the housing afforded to African-Americans but offered no substantial solution. He recognized that Kingsport’s black enclave would be a key component to the city’s success and desired the sense of community he had observed at Tuskegee Institute. Mackenzie was equally enthusiastic to serve as architect, laying out a village of small homes sited on gently sloping land with an oak grove, a winding creek, a riparian buffer and a wealth of open space, with a commercial center and a public school facing a village green.
Nolen wrote that “playgrounds, schoolhouses and churches have been planned for in ways commensurate with the advanced standards set for the rest of the community.” He was eager to start construction, but an
This White City house was once owned by the parents of our 41st President.
George H.W. Bush stopped by and pitched horseshoes with the owner of the home while campaigning for the Presidential election in 1988.
Today, White City is a designated Historic District.
office memo indicates that the Kingsport Improvement Company felt it was a waste “to give the colored people such a fine piece of land.” Unfortunately, this project was terminated, and African-Americans were confined to living in a blighted neighborhood near a dye plant.
In an effort to enhance the wellness and productivity of its workforce, the collective of the Improvement Company and its industrial partners provided a previously unheard-of practice of providing every worker – male and female – life, health, and
accident policies. One large insurance company provided the coverage and required no previous physical examination.
The Kingsport project sustained Nolen’s firm during the years immediately after World War I, but the Red Scare led Congress to terminate support for projects hinting of socialism or European reform. Interest in “industrial towns” waned.
While Kingsport has preserved most of its historical architecture, the city lost its way with respect to long-range planning. The city faces the challenges of many
American cities: decline of the downtown area, urban sprawl, closed factories, and unsightly strip developments. According to a local historian, “Kingsport’s past is an American paradigm combining capitalistic dreams and the plans they spawned, the loss of effective leadership, blurred vision, and the quest for a new consensus.”
Back to a John Nolen story, Mary Emery, the wealthiest woman in Cincinnati, set out to build a model community for everyday workers to escape the deplorable conditions of the inner city. At the advice of her real estate adviser, Charles Livingood, she hired the reform-minded, nationally acclaimed Nolen in 1921 to develop the Mariemont plan.
Naturally, John Nolen contacted Clinton Mackenzie for the Mariemont project and wrote to him in April 1922, “At last we are to have a chance to build a new town practically from the ground up.” In January 1923, Mackenzie replied, “I received a very nice note from Mr. Livingood, accompanied by a contract for a group of small houses… Needless to say, I signed the contract promptly. The letter asks me to indicate what I would do with such a group… I should like to come out and make myself familiar with the site and the whole scheme before making any suggestions.” Clinton Mackenzie would make significant contributions to our beautiful village, to be described in the next installment of this series.
A 1919 photograph by John Nolen of Mackenzie’s Shelby Street Block Houses in Kingsport. Most have been converted into professional office spaces.
Mackenzie’s Train Station in Kingsport now serves as a bank.
Mariemont Service Department Readies for Winter
BY MATTHEW AYER
As leaf collection season wanes, our Village Service Department readies our five trucks, Kubota and tractor with a combination of snowplow blades, salt spreaders and brine pretreatment sprayers to be on call for a snowstorm or that innocuous sounding but sinister “wintry mix.”
Superintendent Ben James must be ready for the “normal” but also prepared for the “worst,” as the amount and frequency of snowfall in our area varies greatly from year to year. On average, Cincinnati sees at least one inch of snow seven days each winter. Storms of five or more inches are rare but do
occur. He and each member of his five-man crew are prepared to pre-treat or plow/salt for up to 12-hour shifts. If needed, they work around the clock, 3 men on and 3 off, to keep our streets, Village sidewalks and parking areas clear and safe.
When a snowfall is in the forecast, Ben directs the application of a liquid pretreatment (see description in the sidebar) to prevent ice formation and to jumpstart the melting process. Priority is given to our hilliest streets, school zones and parking lots, main roads, then remaining side streets and lanes. Route 50 – Wooster Pike – is serviced by ODOT crews. As snow begins to accumulate, the plows/road salt are ready to
Did You Know?
Vast beds of the mineral halite (rock salt) were deposited from evaporation of seas that covered Ohio during the Silurian Period (roughly 400 million years ago). Halite is soft, light-colored to clear, and readily breaks (cleaves) into tiny cubes when struck. Two underground mines in northern Ohio beneath Lake Erie account for most of the state’s production. Rock salt melts snow down to 15° F.
For pretreating our roads, a brine (water/salt solution) is prepared in batches by an outside contractor’s specialty mixing truck. Using our bulk rock salt and mixing onsite saves material and transportation costs. Pretreating with this brine jumpstarts the melting process and prevents ice formation. For an extra boost, a blend of five parts brine to one part “Ice B Gone” is pumped into our Service Department truck’s tank for application using a boom with large, coarse-spray nozzles.
The patented product “Ice B Gone” relies on a 20th century discovery that low molecular weight sugars added to salt cause a synergistic freeze point reduction. A waste stream from the distilling industry, more specifically vodka and rum, provides sugar, and is mixed with magnesium chloride to create this additive with a freeze point of -45° F. A one-two punch of brine mixed with Ice B Gone is a highly effective pretreatment.
Salt is plentiful and today is mined with modern earth moving equipment. The phrase “back to the salt mines” typically refers to one’s workplace or a dull, tedious task. The phrase originates from pre-Industrial Revolution days and the Russian practice of sending prisoners to forced labor in Siberian salt mines.
roll, following those same priorities.
When asked how residents can help, Ben urges villagers to use their driveway/ garage spaces and minimize parking on the street. As an example, residents of Homewood Road can really help by maximizing their driveway spaces. If there is absolutely nowhere for you to park but on the street, please be sure your tires are all the way against the curb, leaving as much room as possible for plowing. He describes some of the Historic District streets such as Chestnut and Beech as the most difficult to plow due to limited parking for its residents.
Equally important, property owners are responsible for clearing snow and ice from their sidewalks. Please consider your neighbors – walkers including seniors, kids headed to and from school, strollers, etc.
Ben also described that when plowing, the driver may have the windshield wipers on, the defroster cranked to the max, and the
windows cracked to prevent fogging. When kids out sledding or otherwise enjoying the snow see him coming, that open window slot becomes a favorite snowball target, and he has been beaned a time or two. When asked what he does about it, he said, “I laugh and am quick now to roll up my window.”
Just as with leaf removal, sometimes we as residents may need to be just a bit patient… our guys are coming as soon as they can get there! It is a marvel that while the city’s side streets may remain unplowed, sometimes even for weeks, our Service Department does an amazing job at clearing our Village.
Mariemont Service Department is juiced up for winter road pretreatment.
Meet Mariemont Alumna & Author Elysse Wagner at Village Bookworm Storytime
BY SUZY WEINLAND
Mariemont High School alumna and former resident Elysse (Winget) Wagner will be in town at the Village Bookworm on November 15 at 11 a.m. for a children’s story time! She will be reading from her new children’s book “I Miss You When You Sleep.”
The book’s description (on Amazon at https://a.co/d/cKoVcxk) says, “In a world where sleepless nights with newborns are often looked at as a burden, this bedtime story instead reflects upon a mother’s love after her child goes to sleep. Inspired by their rainbow babies and their gratitude for motherhood, author Elysse Wagner and illustrator Mikayla Sharpshair have partnered again to create an honest and poetic picture book for families to enjoy.”
Elysse and Mikayla’s first book, “Manatees are Mermaids Too,” was a bestseller
on Amazon. It is a “colorful, curious picture book [that] will inspire littles to see beyond that of physical form and stereotypes and understand that we are all alike in many ways, despite appearances.”
After graduating from Mariemont in 2013, Elysse went on to receive her Bachelor’s degree in English from the University of Cincinnati, and a Master’s in Communication from the University of Dayton. Elysse worked in the book publicity and publishing industry as a senior campaign strategist and publicist, but decided to take some time off from her full-time career after having children, and try her hand at this side of the pen.
Also an avid blogger and self-proclaimed “compulsive reader,” her Instagram presence has surpassed 20,000 followers. Her reviews have been featured in Marie Claire, Oprah’s Book Club, Read with Jenna, and Good Morning America (GMA) Book Club online.
Elysse currently lives in Dayton, Ohio, with her husband, two adorable sons, and their yellow lab, Murphy. Her parents still live in the house she grew up in, on Miami Bluff Drive.
Elysse Wagner
Mariemont Homecoming 2025
The community celebrated Mariemont High School’s 2025 Homecoming with its annual parade and football game, this year against Wyoming. At half-time, the homecoming court took the field.
The community also recognized the 2025 Mariemont High School Distinguished
Alumni, MHS Principal and 1980 grad Dr. Jim Renner and 1985 grad Larry Henderson, who was killed in the line of duty this past May. Before the game, Dr. Renner, alongside Larry’s wife Lori and their children — also Mariemont alumni — came onto the field to accept the awards.
For more information about this year’s Distinguished Alumni, see the article in the September 2025 issue of the Mariemont Town Crier titled, “MHS 2025 Distinguished Alumni Recipients Announced.”
Photo credit: Steve Spooner
PUZZLES
Go to page 27 for answers to word search puzzle.
Be a Part of the Inn’s 100-Year Story
As the Mariemont Inn prepares to celebrate its 100th anniversary in April 2026, they are collecting, recording, and preserving their shared history. If you have stories, memories, documents, photographs, or memorabilia related to the Inn that you’d like to share, please email history@mariemontinn.com. If you have physical originals, they will be happy to scan and promptly return them to you. More news to come about the Inn’s year-long centennial celebration beginning January 2026!
Photo credit: Mariemont Inn
COMMUNITY
Mariemont Scouts Christmas Tree Sales Return for 27th Year
BY DONNA MORABITO
Open Daily Starting November 28!
The Scouts of Mariemont Troop 149 will return for their 27th consecutive year of Christmas tree sales on Black Friday, November 28. Located on the lawn of the Mariemont Municipal Building at 6907 Wooster Pike, the Scouts’ Christmas tree lot is an annual tradition for many in the area. We offer extended Black Friday hours, noon to 8 p.m., so you can kick the season off right!
Immediately after being cut down, Fraser firs ranging from 5 to 12 ft. tall are brought by truck from a family-owned farm, so you know you’re getting a fresh tree. Also available: thick, fresh pine roping to decorate inside and outside your home, quality tree stands to securely display your tree, and tree disposal bags sold at Santa-friendly prices.
The local Girl Scouts will also have their popular, fresh, hand-decorated pine wreaths for sale.
With twinkly lights overhead and holiday music playing throughout, shopping for your tree is fun and easy. Plus, the Scouts carefully place every tree on a stand in the tree lot, making it easy to inspect from all angles so you can make sure you’re getting the perfect tree for your home.
“We’re very thankful for the ongoing support of the community. By including us in their holiday traditions, those who shop with us have helped hundreds of Scouts learn life skills in leadership, responsibility, and character over the past three decades. We’re thrilled to welcome people back for our 27th year of sales – but don’t wait too long to shop with us. We always sell out,”
The tree sales are Troop 149’s primary fundraiser. As such, every Scout will volunteer for a minimum of 24 hours at the tree lot – rain or shine – in addition to his or her other extracurriculars, sports and academics. Purchased trees receive a fresh cut to the trunk to help with water absorption, branches trimmed following your instructions, and mounting on your car for no additional charge. We’ll even happily take
a photo of your family with your new tree. Credit cards, cash and check are accepted, making payment quick and easy.
Be a part of a charming tradition and start making special holiday season memories for your home. The lot is open daily November 28 to mid-December (or until we run out of trees, so don’t put off coming to see us!) Learn more about the tree sales, including hours and events, at Troop 149’s Facebook page: Facebook.com/ScoutChristmasTree or on our website troop149.com/tree-sales
Warrior Run 2025
The Warrior Run returned to Mariemont this year after last year’s weather cancellation. Runners, walkers, and community members of all ages came out in force to enjoy the amazing weather, the races, fun activities, and great food! Photo credit: Steve Spooner
More Fall Fun Photos
Longtime Mariemont resident Steve Spooner, with his daughter Mary and grandson Braden Ragano (pictured above), visited the Mariemont Fire Station in October to watch the firemen test the ladder truck. Also visiting were residents Ruthie (6) and Edwin (3) Beals with their dad, Brady Beals. The crew kids got to try on official fireman’s helmets! Photo credit: Steve Spooner
A nice place to call home! Thank you to Mike Whittaker for this cute picture, taken at the corner of Miami Road and West Street.
Mariemont Area Chamber News
BY CHELSEA MEAD
Our New Website is LIVE!
This means that you can now find out about Mariemont Area Chamber public events, meetings, and join and pay your dues via mariemontareachamber.com.
Shout out to Kati Best at Kati Best Designs for offering her services to get our new site together in just a couple of weeks! We’ll continue to add more info, updates, etc., as we go along. If anyone is looking for a great website designer, you can contact Kati at best.kati@gmail.com and check out her Insta page @katibestphotos
Join The Chamber
Please visit our website to pay online OR, if you prefer, send your dues ($200 for the September 2025 to August 2026 fiscal year) via Zelle or check. For Zelle, please scan the QR code below and be sure to include your first name, last name, and business name in the memo spot. For checks, please make out to Mariemont Area Chamber and mail to Jackie Barnes, 84 Central Terrace, Cinti., Ohio 45215.
For those who join the Chamber before Wednesday, November 12, we welcome you to our membership meeting and “The Wheel of Money” workshop with Christine
Luken, business accountant, Financial Dignity® Coach, author, and host of the Money is Emotional podcast. She will lead us through a powerful exercise to evaluate and strengthen our business finances.
You’ll discover which areas of your business finances require attention as your success and income grow. And you’ll discover why being off-balance in just one aspect of your money can keep you from the next level of success. You’ll complete your own business “Wheel of Money” during this masterclass, and you’ll come away with at least three actionable takeaways to increase your financial security.
The meeting/workshop takes place 5:306:30 p.m. in the National Exemplar Tudor Room. Lite bites provided.
Mark Your Calendars…
For or our February 2026 Hearts of Mariemont and 227 Merch release! Mariemont Area Chamber has created many partnerships within the community to offer member benefits and perks. Visit our website to find out more or email mariemontareachamber@gmail.com with questions.
Exciting MariElders Events This Fall
BY ERIN ROTHFUSS EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
MariElders invites you to help us celebrate our 48th anniversary with a series of exciting events this fall and winter. Our vision - Stay Vibrant, Be Engaged: Connect with MariElders - reflects our ongoing commitment to well aging.
Mark your calendars! Start with our Open House on November 4 from 1-3 p.m., where you’ll discover all that MariElders has to offer. Then join us for Friendsgiving at Fairfax Recreation Center on November 20 at noon for food, fellowship, and gratitude.
Get into the holiday spirit at our Bake Sale on December 5 from noon to 4 p.m., held alongside the Scouts’ Tree Sale; the perfect timing to pick up treats before Luminaria festivities. We’ll also be attending a
For 48 years, MariElders has been dedicated to enriching lives and fostering meaningful connections in our community. These celebrations are more than events; they’re opportunities to strengthen the bonds that make our community special.
Whether you’re a longtime member or new to MariElders, we welcome you to join us. Come celebrate, connect, and continue this wonderful journey together. For more information about these events, contact MariElders today at marielders@yahoo.com or call us at (513) 271-5588.
magical performance of The Nutcracker at Cincinnati Ballet.
A group of MariElders members enjoyed a fun outing to “Hairspray” the musical at the Incline Theater.
Save The Monarchs NEXT GEN NEWS & VIEWS
BY BEN JEVIC, AGE 8
Monarchs are an endangered species. We all love butterflies, right? You know they make a trip all the way to Mexico before winter; it’s like a person walking the earth 11 times! Do you know why monarchs are endangered? We’re spraying chemicals, and there’s so much pollution in the world. It’s hurting them; killing them and their home.
When I was writing this, there was a tiny little caterpillar that was hatching, five chrysalises were hanging, and a lot of caterpillars were eating. LIFE! My Noni and Papa
raise Monarchs every year. The number of them grows bigger every year. They love milkweed. We have four in our back yard, and one is nine feet tall. You can start helping save Monarchs today by planting milkweed, not spraying chemicals, and bringing them in to care for. Help save the Monarchs! This is how to care for them:
Put them into separate containers, every week clean the poo from their cages, plant milkweed, change the leaf they’re on every other day, and bleach the leaves! Help the Monarchs!
The Magic of Luminaria
BY ANNA STRAND
When I think of the most nostalgic moments in Mariemont, a few things come to mind: fireworks on the field at Dogwood Park for the 4th of July, children scrambling across falling leaves to grab candy from Homecoming parade floats, and of course, the glow of the Village on the night of Luminaria. I’m honored to serve as the lead for this year’s Luminaria and give back to this community that has already given so much to my family.
My family moved to Cincinnati from Wisconsin in December of 2022 for my husband’s job and knew only one family in the area as neither of us are native Cincinnatians. As we searched for a house, we knew we wanted a close-knit community filled with children, neighbors who would become friends, charming older homes, and a walkable neighborhood. We never could have dreamed of finding everything on that list and so much more when we found a home in Mariemont.
One of the best ways to meet other young families in Mariemont has been through the Mariemont Preschool Parents Group (MPPG). The entire MPPG membership volunteers to make Luminaria happen annually by assembling and selling the Luminaria kits that light up the Village and planning the celebration at Old Town Square. Your purchase of Luminaria kits and sponsorships from generous local businesses allow us to donate to deserving local nonprofits and projects in the Village. Both MPPG and Luminaria exemplify the caring, committed, and engaged community that make Mariemont such a special place to live.
If you have not yet ordered your luminaria kit, a limited number will be available for sale at the Boy Scout Christmas Tree Sale at the Mariemont Municipal Building on
The Next Generation of Mariemont
Introducing our new kids’ column, Next Gen News & Views, where the youngest in our community are invited to share their opinions, musings, news, learnings, interviews, photos, artwork and more! If you have a kiddo in grades 1-8 interested in submitting a piece for consideration, please connect with Betsy Bybee at betsy.bybee@gmail.com or Margaret Jevic at margaret101@gmail.com.
The life cycle of a Monarch Butterfly (clockwise from top-left): (1) Egg under a microscope, (2) caterpillar, (3) chrysalis stage, and (4) butterfly!
November 28-30 and the day of Luminaria, December 6 from 12-4 p.m. Carriage ride tickets will be available at the event and new this year, there will be LaRosa’s Pizza for sale in addition to the free hot chocolate and doughnuts generously donated by Biggby Coffee and Golden Hands Bakery.
We hope to see you on Saturday, December 6 from 5:30-8 p.m. at the Old Town Square for another magical Luminaria. You can find a full event schedule below, including the annual Village tree lighting, performances of classic holiday music, and carriage rides. Thank you for helping us light up Mariemont with your support of Luminaria.
Luminaria Old Town Square Schedule
Saturday, December 6, 2025
5:30 p.m. — Event begins. Throughout the event there will be carriage rides, free hot chocolate and doughnuts, pizza for sale by the slice, and activity tables provided by our generous sponsors.
5:50 p.m. — Carols by the Mariemont High School Choir
6:00 p.m. — Opening program featuring Pastor Todd Keyes, Town Crier Dr. Bob Keyes, Mayor Bill Brown, and MPPG President Amanda Barnett
6:10 p.m. — Village tree lighting countdown led by raffle contest winning family
6:15 p.m. — Estimated time of arrival for Santa and Mrs. Claus
6:30 p.m. — Holiday performance by The Dance Coalition on Cherry Lane
6:30 p.m. — Performance by the Mariemont High School Strings Orchestra in the Chapel
7:00 p.m. — Performance by the Mariemont High School Choir in the Chapel
7:30 p.m. — Performance by the Mariemont High School Strings Orchestra in the Chapel
8:00 p.m. — Event concludes
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Join Us for Holidays at The Barn
BY HEATHER HAUGHT
We love the holidays and believe nothing celebrates them better than things that have been made by hand! So, we’ve cooked up a lot of different ways to celebrate while enjoying, shopping, or creating things. Not to mention, we’ll put your elves (ages 8 and up) in gift-making mode so parents can get last minute holiday tasks done!
Start Your Shopping at The Showcase at The Barn
The first weekend of December – Saturday and Sunday, December 6 and 7 – the entire Barn will be full of beautiful, handpicked and handmade goods from select artists and artisans from the tri-state area. From incredibly crafted foods to stunning wooden items, to handmade candles, sweaters, and hand-printed onesies, truly high-quality gifts are waiting for you! It’s not just a gift for someone you love; it’s a gift to the artists and artisans that make things the old-fashioned way: with their own two hands! We love supporting them here at The Barn. Hours: Sat. 12/6 from 10 a.m.-5 p.m., Sun. 12/7 from noon-4 p.m.
Enjoy a Fun, Laid-back Evening with our Adventure Crew Fashion Show
On the evening of Wednesday, December 10, the annual Adventure Crew Fashion Show will take place in the Loft at 7 p.m., while starting at 6 p.m., our Gallery hosts a pop-up shop from the uber-popular – and just plain cool – Milford store, RRT: Rivers, Roads and Trails. The profits will help send kids who rarely get outside the inner city, into the great outdoors! It’s a cool cause and a truly FUN evening.
The laidback Fashion Show features the store’s very real, very fun, and a bit goofy, employees and friends of the store as mod-
els. It’s a festive, casual, fun holiday night at The Barn. For more information and to purchase tickets, head to our website: thebarninmariemont.org
Beat the Holiday Stress with Ikebana: The Art of Japanese Flower Arranging
On Thursday, December 11, you’ll have a chance to learn the art of Japanese Flower Arranging - Ikebana - for the holiday season. It’s a one-time workshop, from 6-8 p.m., open to anyone, and it will be a wonderful, no stress event for you, a friend, or a couple’s night out. If you’ve never seen Ikebana, it’s stunning in its beauty and simplicity, making use of open space to highlight the beauty of nature. Register at www.jasgc.org Cost is $45 for JASGC members and $55 for all others. Supplies are included.
Send the Kids in to Make Gifts During the Holidays
On Monday and Tuesday, December 22 and 23, put your elves ages 8 and up to work making gifts! Creativities will be hosting Open Studio with tons of great starter projects that are useful and make great gifts. The students decide for themselves what they want to make and then dive into a ridiculously wide array of paints, papers, embellishments, trims and other creative extras so their work will truly be their own. You may even see home hand stamped wrapping papers come home too. Morning, afternoon, and all-day options: www. artsandcreativities.com.
The International Cherrywood Quilt Show is Back
Quilting has elevated from a simple technique for using up fabric scraps into a truly incredible art form. Our entire Loft will be filled with these works of art, all centered around one theme: Poppies. What one artist conceives is completely different from the others, and getting picked to have their work shown in this international show is extremely difficult. These quilts are breathtaking and offer a fun, free event for all ages. Check our website for days and hours: thebarninmariemont.org
Important Dates
• November 4 – General Election: Questions about polling locations, hours, early voting, etc.? Please visit Hamilton County’s Board of Elections webpage for more information: votehamiltoncountyohio.gov
• November 11: Village offices closed for Veterans Day.
• November 27: Village offices closed for Thanksgiving. The administration office will also be closed on November 28.
• Leaf collection continues through December 26, 2025. Brush/limb collection and Christmas tree pick-up by the Service Department will resume January 1, 2026.
Leaf Collection Reminders
• Rake leaves to the front of your lawn near the curb (but not into the street).
Village News
Please keep other debris out of the leaf piles.
• If you’re able to, park in your driveway. It makes it easier for the truck to collect leaves.
• Prior to mid-October and after the 4th week of December, leaves must be bagged for pick up.
• We are unable to tell you when your leaves will be collected due to unpredictable factors such as weather conditions, equipment and staff availability, and other unforeseen emergencies throughout the Village.
• If you do not wish to wait for the leaf vacuum, bag the leaves in brown paper yard waste bags (bags available at most hardware stores and Kroger) and place them at the curb after 6:00 p.m. the day before your pickup. They’ll be picked up by Rumpke on the same day your trash is collected.
Council Representatives
Mayor Bill Brown mayor@mariemont.org
Rob Bartlett rbartlett@mariemont.org
Susan Brownknight sbrownknight@mariemont.org
Matthew Ayer mayer@mariemont.org
Marcy Lewis mlewis@mariemont.org
Robert Van Stone rvanstone@mariemont.org
Village Worship Services
Mariemont Church
mariemontchurch.org
facebook.com/MariemontChurch
YouTube: @MariemontChurch
The Clocktower Building at 3908 Plainville Rd.
Jamie Moore, Lead Pastor
Paul Rasmussen, Worship Pastor
Katie Smith, Next Gen Director
Renee Brownfield, Preschool Director
Mike Brownfield, Director of Operations
Join Mariemont Church on December 6 after the Mariemont Village Tree Lighting for our rocking Christmas Party on the Porch! There will be awesome LIVE music, free yummy treats and hot chocolate, family photo opportunities with our big red sleight, and deliciously fun activities for kids!
Sunday Morning Services take place at 9 and 11 a.m. Livestream services at our website, www.mariemontchurch.org, or on YouTube, @MariemontChurch
Current Sunday Series: “Your Story: Encountering God the Father from Genesis to Revelation.” Join us for a 15-month journey of reading chronologically through the Bible and experiencing God together!
Kingdom Kids Sunday School takes place for babies through grade 6 during both Sunday morning services. Contact katie@ mariemontchurch.org
Next Chapter Youth Group for Middle and High Schoolers (Grades 7-12) meets Thursday nights at 6:30 p.m. Contact katie@ mariemontchurch.org
Weekday Prayer and Meditation: All are welcome to enter a quiet space for prayer and meditation — a time to connect with God, bring your praise, pain, prayers, and concerns, or simply rest in His presence.
Tuesday - Thursday 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Come and go as you wish.
Women’s Ministry: Grow closer to God and in relationship with other women. All are welcome! Check the website for details. Joy in the Morning meets Tuesdays 9:1511:15 a.m. in the Clocktower Building. Evening Joy meets on the 1st and 3rd Mondays of the month, 7:30-8 p.m. in the Clocktower Building.
Men’s Friday Morning Bible Study: Starting at 6:30 a.m. every Friday. All are welcome! More men’s studies are available. Check out info on the website.
Small Groups are available for all stages of life. Contact paul@mariemontchurch.org
Mariemont Church Preschool: Contact our Preschool Director, Renee Brownfield, at preschool@mariemontchurch.org
All events are held at the Clocktower Building unless otherwise noted. To learn more, visit mariemontchurch.org or contact info@mariemontchurch.org. We’d love to hear from you!
Village Church of Mariemont
villagechurchofmariemont.org
Mariemont Memorial Chapel Offices at 3920 Oak Street
Todd Keyes, Pastor Jamie Keyes, Children’s Ministries
We invite you to worship with us on Sundays at 9:30 a.m. in the Mariemont Memorial Stone Chapel. Our children’s classes and office are just off the Old Village Square at the corner of Oak and Maple Streets (3920 Oak Street). We also livestream all our services at facebook.com/VCMChurch
We are a small church with a big heart. We strive to be a Christ-centered caring
community providing relevant teaching from the Bible and authentic relationships In today’s fast-paced world, we offer a place to slow down, connect, and build lasting friendships.
Collection for those in need: 9:30 a.m.10:30 a.m. Sundays, we will have a collection box in the back of the Chapel for those in need. We are collecting items for Matthew 25 ministries and Community Matters ministry downtown who take the donations directly to those in need.
Operation Christmas Child: Pick up a shoebox beginning November 1. Fill it with toys and necessities for impoverished children around the world (we will provide you with an easy list to follow). Register your box online at Samaritan’s Purse and return it to our 3920 Oak Street Building by Sunday, November 17. It is an easy way to impact a child’s life at Christmas.
Women’s Bible Study meets the 2nd and 4th Wednesdays of the month – check the website for more information.
Men’s Lunch Discussion meets weekly. If you have an interest in this study, contact Pastor Todd Keyes at toddkeyes@ villagechurchofmariemont.org
For more information about these and other events or to learn more about our church, visit our website at www. villagechurchofmariemont.org or contact Pastor Todd Keyes.
