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Military veterans enjoy free admission to Kings Island Memorial Day Weekend. Photo provided

Kings Island is offering special perks to veterans this Memorial Day weekend.

Military veterans receive free admission to the 364-acre Mason amusement park Friday through Monday.

The offer extends to active and retired military, National Guard, veterans with honorable or medical discharge and Reserve Officers’ Training Corps with government-issued ID.

Military personnel can also purchase admission tickets for members of their immediate family (up to six) for a discounted price of $29.99 each.

Military vets will also receive free admission and membership discounts of up to 20 percent at the Mason Community Center Saturday through Monday.

The center offers fitness machines, an indoor pool, gym and field house, game room, fitness activities and child care center.

Veterans who are already members can receive 10 free guest passes.

Valid military IDs are required for both offers and must be presented.  Present IDs to the ticket counter at Kings Island or to the member services desk at the Mason Community Center.

For Kings Island information, call 513-754-5700.  For Mason Community Center information, call 513-229-8555.

Posted in: Arts & Entertainment, Community, Events, Health & Fitness, Mason Community Center, The Beach Waterpark |

Tags: Tags: free admission, kings island, mason community center, memorial day, memorial day weekend, military, veterans, vets

Michael D. Clark reports:

Some teachers at a Mason elementary school are complaining about air quality at their school and Warren County health officials are investigating.

Mason school officials say today they have done air quality testing and there is no cause for alarm about the conditions at Western Row Elementary – a contention backed by county health officials.

Tracey Carson, spokeswoman for Mason Schools, says the district recently hired a private environmental firm to test air quality in the school and found that parts of the building, which houses more than 900 students, had elevated levels of chloroform.

“The school’s (one) wing had chloroform levels at 8.9 parts per billion,” says Carson. “Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) recommends that 240,000 parts per billion is cause for concern, and there is an immediate danger at 2 million parts per billion.”

The chloroform may be a by-product of cleaning solutions used in the school and may be combining with some organic materials, say county health officials.

Carson said the private testing company “recommended further testing be done, and that the HVAC system be examined.”

Warren County Health Commissioner Duane Stansbury says his department has received about a half-dozen calls from both teachers and parents complaining about air quality in the school, which holds grades two and three for Mason Schools.

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Posted in: Schools |

Tags: Tags: air quality, chloroform, health, mason, mason schools, osha, western row elementary

The city of Mason and Top Gun Sales Performance launched the opening of the new Mason Tech Center on May 22, 2013. From left are Mason Mayor David Nichols and Top Gun owners Becky and Steven Osborne. The Enquirer/Rachel Richardson

Top Gun Sales Force owner Steven Osborne needed a larger space to grow his global sales training and operational support business.

Mason city officials wanted to woo high-tech jobs to vacant office space in the heart of the city.

The solution: A unique public-private partnership Mason Mayor David Nichols describes as a “win-win-win” for attracting and nurturing high-tech job growth in Mason.

On Wednesday, city and business officials celebrated the culmination of that collaboration with the opening of the Mason Tech Center.

The partnership launched in late 2011 after Osborne scouted for larger office space to accommodate his fast-growing company of 90 employees.

After considering locations in West Chester and Blue Ash, Osborne approached the city about the former CNG Financial building at 5155 Financial Way, off Mason-Montgomery Road.

With 68,000 square feet, the building offered more than double the space needed by Top Gun — but at a considerable extra cost.

And so, an agreement was reached: The City of Mason and the Mason Port Authority each provided $200,000 loans to support Top Gun’s $4-million relocation.

In return, Top Gun will provide discounted second-floor office space for start-up digital information technology and bio-health IT companies.

Not only are the lease rates “ridiculously low,” said Osborne, but they also include a variety of amenities including utilities, security, internet and janitorial services. Rents are set to gradually increase with lease renews, typically every three years, he said.

“Class A office space goes for about $16 a square foot and that doesn’t include a lot of those amenities. Many of the tenants are in here at $8 and $10 a square foot, some of them at 50 percent market rate. That’s how we’re paying the city back,” said Osborne.

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Posted in: Business, News |

Tags: Tags: biohealth, city of mason, david nichols, mason, mason tech center, mayor, start-ups, steven osborne, tech, top gun sales force

Lance Lambert reports:

Many of Southwest Ohio’s cities, villages and townships have grown in population since the 2010 Census, new estimates released today show.

The growth wasn’t as strong as in suburban areas around Columbus, however.

In Northern Kentucky, cities in Boone and Campbell counties showed strong growth.

• Search: How population grew, shifted in Ohio, Ky.

A municipality’s population isn’t merely a point of civic pride.

Millions of dollars in various types of federal and state aid goes to municipalities based on population.

The city of Cincinnati had a 0.1 percent decrease in population in the new Census estimates, dropping it one place to the 65th largest in the nation (behind Stockton, Calif.).

The loss, although slight, put it in the opposite direction of other major cities.

Census estimates show 48 of America’s 50 biggest cities have gained population since 2010; the only exceptions are Detroit and Cleveland.

Experts said the new estimates reflect how the Cincinnati’s region’s core may be arresting years of population decline.

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Posted in: News, Warren County |

Tags: Tags: cincinnati, population, suburbs, warren county

Cindi Andrews reports:

Local home prices prices rose last month as sales continued to show strong growth and inventory continued to lag.

Median prices increased 6.6 percent in April in Southwest Ohio vs. April 2012 and 4 percent in Northern Kentucky, according to local Realtors groups.

Southwest Ohio sales saw a 24.1 percent increase in sales from April 2012, with 1,919 closings, according to the Cincinnati Area Board of Realtors. That’s in spite of the fact that the number of homes for sale was down 15.3 percent, with 10,148 listings as of April 30.

In Northern Kentucky, 469 homes sold, a 17.25 percent increase over year-ago numbers, the Northern Kentucky Association of Realtors reported.

Low inventory continues to limit sales in Northern Kentucky, according to the association, with listings down 5.9 percent vs. April 2012 even though 914 homes were listed in April — the most in a single month since March 2011.

Nationwide, April home sales were up 9.7  percent from April 2012, and on a seasonally adjusted basis were up 0.6 percent from March.

Posted in: Business, News |

Tags: Tags: business, cincinnati area board of realtors, home sales, real estate, southwest ohio

Jennifer Edwards Baker reports:

Watch out for heavy rain that could leave standing water on the interstates this morning as you head into work.

The downpours were so overwhelming around 4 a.m., hydroplaning was a concern and a handful of vehicles pulled off southbound Interstate 75 near the Mitchell Avenue exit in St. Bernard.

Most of the precipitation will move out of the region by 7 a.m., according to the National Weather Service in Wilmington.

There is a slight chance for rain the rest of the morning. Later, we could see pop up showers and even maybe a rumble of thunder this afternoon.

A cold front and high pressure system is moving through from the north, bringing cooler temperatures. It’s 63 degrees at Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport.

The high temperature will only reach 71 by 5 p.m.

Tonight will be downright chilly as the mercury falls into the low 40s.

We’ll only see high temperatures in the 60s Friday and Saturday.

Overnight lows will be in the 50s.

A mix of clouds, rain and sun will fill out the rest of the Memorial Day weekend forecast.

Posted in: News, Weather |

Tags: Tags: cold front, rain, weather

Michael D. Clark reports:

A public records lawsuit filed to the Ohio Supreme Court and connected to a former special education teacher ended with a settlement approved by the Kings school board Tuesday evening.

The Kings Board of Education voted unanimously to approve an out-of-court settlement with the anti-tax group Coalition Opposed to Additional Spending and Taxes to release depositions taken by the district’s attorney during an investigation into allegations the former teacher had mistreated students.

The teacher, who resigned last year, was investigated by district officials, the Warren County Sheriff’s Office and the county prosecutor, but no charges were filed.

The Enquirer is not naming the former teacher because there have been no criminal charges filed by law enforcement agencies, nor are there documented allegations by Kings officials or any findings of wrongdoing by the Ohio Department of Education.

John Charleton, spokesman for state education department, said under Ohio law, department officials do not confirm the existence of any investigation unless it reaches the hearing stage or resolution on whether a teacher’s license is suspended or revoked.

The first complaint about the teacher came to Kings officials in October 2011 and by January 2012 the teacher was placed on administrative leave. The instructor, under a negotiated resignation agreement with the district in March 2012, received a letter of recommendation that included an excerpt from the teacher’s previously favorable job reviews.

Kings officials had initially disputed COAST’s lawsuit, contending depositions done by the district’s attorney with former school staffers, classroom aides and some of the students’ parents were not public record and were covered under attorney-client privilege.

Moreover, said Kings Superintendent Valerie Browning, Kings contended the depositions “might jeopardize the privacy and identity of our students” and their families if they were made public.

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Posted in: Board of Education, Schools |

Tags: Tags: chris finney, coast, kim grant, kings board of education, kings school district, ohio department of education, ohio supreme court, public records lawsuit, settlement, teacher, warren county sheriffs

Clynn Yeoh, with her winning Google Doodle art entry. Clynn won the contest’s state award and is now in the running for the national award. The Enquirer/Tony Jones

Google announced its winners of its Doodle 4 Google art competition shortly before 1 p.m. today on its website.

Kings Junior High student Clynn Yeoh’s doodle was not selected as a finalist in the grade 6-7 category.

Only finalists from each of five age groups were eligible for the top prize: a $30,000 scholarship for the student and a $50,000 technology grant for the school.  That top prize went to Sabrina Brady of Sparta, Wisconsin.

But it didn’t dampen the spirit at Kings Junior High where Clynn was a seventh grader and placed first in Ohio in the contest.

“We are very proud of her. She is an excellent representative of Kings Junior High,” said Principal Tim Spinner. “It’s still quite an honor to be selected as the top representative for the State of Ohio.”

Clynn was still in New York and could not be reached for comment.

Posted in: Uncategorized |

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Ryan Widmer looks at his family after he was found guilty of murdering his wife Sarah Widmer in 2008. This photo was taken Tuesday, February 15, 2011. / The Enquirer/Cara Owsley

The Enquirer

The state’s top court won’t give Ryan Widmer a new trial.

In a 4-3 vote, the Ohio Supreme Court declined today to accept his case for review.

Widmer is serving 15 years to life for killing his wife, Sarah, in their Hamilton Township home in 2008.

Widmer’s attorney, Michele Berry, had argued that a Middletown-based appeals court “misinterpreted” existing case law surrounding DNA testing in Ohio when it agreed with Judge Neal Bronson’s refusal to order genetic testing on blood from Widmer’s wife, Sarah.

Widmer and his supporters say his young wife showed possible signs of a genetic heart-rhythm disorder that could have caused her to drown. But she was never tested for that condition, “Long QT Syndrome,” or a similar problem.

The 32-year-old Colerain Township native who last lived in Mason has maintained his innocence.

Widmer’s lawyers have said they plan to appeal to federal courts if the Ohio Supreme Court turned them down.

Posted in: Crime, News |

Tags: Tags: appeal, bathtub murder, long qt, mason, michele berry, ohio supreme court, ryan widmer, sarah widmer

Sue Kiesewetter reports:

Today is a big day for 13-year-old Clynn Yeoh.

Clynn Yeoh, with her winning Google Doodle art entry. Clynn won the contest’s state award and is now in the running for the national award. The Enquirer/Tony Jones

It’s when the Kings Junior High School seventh grader learns whether her entry into the sixth annual Doodle 4 Google art competition wins the top prize, based on online voting earlier this month.

Clynn’s entry was selected the tops in Ohio, earning her a 3-day trip to New York City with the other state winners.

The top entry in each of five age groups will become finalists and the national winner from those will be announced today in New York.

“It’s top secret. No one knows anything yet,” said Google spokesman Reid Vineis.

Among the panel of judges for this year’s competition are journalist and TV host Katie Couric; Brian Henson, Jim Henson Company puppeteer and chairman; Aly Raisman, Olympic gymnastics gold and bronze medalist and captain of the United States women’s gymnastics team.

Since Google representatives came to an assembly at Kings May 1 to make the announcement, Clynn has had some excitement. Her winning entry was on the big screen at Great American Ball Park May 7 – the same day she threw out the first pitch.

Her entry was one of 130,000 from across the United States in Google’s sixth annual contest. The winning doodle – Google logo design that appears on www.google.com periodically to celebrate special events, holidays or other themes – will be featured on the U.S. Google homepage for 24 hours.

The theme was My Best Day Ever. To illustrate it Clynn thought back to her first day in the United States nearly three years ago.

A Malaysia native, Clynn chose to weave impressions of that first day in Los Angeles into her design, which she titled “My first day in the United States.”

Set against a United States flag, Clynn weaved a hotel, binoculars, compass and the Statue of Liberty into the Google logo. Below that was a streetscape design.

“It’s my first time to travel this far,’’ Clynn said earlier this month. “I’m thinking of buildings in United States that make city – not one city.”

Clynn’s design – whether or not it is selected as a finalist or winner – will become part of an American Museum of Natural History exhibit in New York today through July 14.

Posted in: Schools |

Tags: Tags: art, clynn yeoh, doodle 4 google art competition, google, kings junior high, my best day ever