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Model railroaders of all ages will converge on Mason this week for the 29th National Garden Railway Convention.

The event, expected to draw crowds of more than 1,000, kicks off today and runs through Sunday at Great Wolf Lodge in Mason and other area sites.

The convention includes 30 garden railway tours throughout Greater Cincinnati, Northern Kentucky and Dayton, and a variety of clinics, model contests, swap meets and model layouts at the convention’s headquarters at Great Wolf Lodge.

The public is invited to attend a dealers’ hall at Great Wolf Conference Center from 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. Saturday and see the latest equipment and supplies, track accessories and miniature plants.  Admission is $5.

Tours of garden railways at six private homes will be offered from 9 a.m. – noon Thursday.  The itinerary includes homes in Mason and West Chester.

“This is a great opportunity for hobbyists to see in one location so many vendors having to do with G-scale model railroading,” said Larry Koehl, convention chair.

The event is sponsored by the Greater Cincinnati Garden Railway Society and the Miami Valley Garden Railway Society.  Information and tickets:  NGRC2013.com; 513.385.6599.

Posted in: Community, Events |

Tags: Tags: convention, great wolf lodge, mason, model railroad, national garden railway convention, tours, trains, vendors

Rachel Hutzel. File photo

Sue Kiesewetter reports:

Want to have a shooting lesson with a United States Navy SEAL? Or get four tickets to an Ohio State University football game?

Those are just two of the items that will be included in a live auction at the Pave the Milky Way fundraiser Friday.

Proceeds from the event – which includes dinner at the Manor House in Mason, live, and silent auctions – will be used to help fund the Rachel A. Hutzel Observatory, now under construction at Camp Joy.

The observatory will house a telescope built by Jeff Blazey, the husband of former Warren County judge and prosecutor Rachel Hutzel, who died nearly two years ago after a battle with cancer.

The 12-foot-long, 13-inch refracting telescope will be installed in the main room of the 34-foot long, 22-foot wide building. It will have a retractable roof.

It was Hutzel’s dream before her death to construct an observatory and establish the Warren County Astronomical Society.

The fundraiser begins at 6 p.m., at the Manor House, 7440 Mason-Montgomery Road. Tickets are $75 per person or $125 per couple.

Star Gazers host Dean Regas will be the special guest at the fundraiser. He is also the assistant director of the Cincinnati Observatory.

Tickets/information: www.warrensky.org or 513-649-7167

Posted in: Community, Events, News, Warren County |

Tags: Tags: fundraiser, gala, judge, observatory, pave the milky way, rachel a. hutzel, warren county

Do you have what it takes to sing the National Anthem at one of the world’s premier tennis tournaments?

The Western & Southern open is accepting video auditions from youngsters ages 7-17 through June 14 on its Casting Call Facebook page. Videos can be of any song, but must be at least 30 seconds long and sung in an a cappella format.

A limited number of performers will be selected to sing live on Fountain Square between 11 a.m. – 1 p.m. Friday, June 28 in front of a panel of celebrity judges.   Tennis courts will be set up on the square, with other activities and giveaways offered.

“This is always one of the highlights of the summer as we get ready for the Western & Southern Open,” said Will Sikes, the tournament’s director of marketing and communications.  “The talent we have in Cincinnati is amazing, and we are thrilled to be able to give kids and young adults the chance to perform at one of the top tennis events in the world.”

The tournament, set for Aug. 10-18 at the Lindner Family Tennis Center in Mason, boasts an international television audience of more than 60 million fans and is broadcast domestically on Tennis Channel, ESPN2 and CBS

Official rules are available online at www.cincytennis.com/sing.

Posted in: Community, Events |

Tags: Tags: auditions, casting call, fountain square, mason, national anthem, tennis, tournament, w&s open, western & southern open, youth

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

Warren County Community Services’ 741 Center will hold an art show from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Thursday at 570 North S.R. 741, Lebanon.

Artwork and paintings created by local artists and members of the organization’s 741 Center will be featured. The nonprofit center, which is open to Warren County residents ages 55 and older, offers weekly art classes.

The event coincides with Older Americans Month, observed in May, said coordinator Michelle Carpenter.

“Showcasing the artistic talents of seniors is in keeping with the national theme to ‘Unleash the Power of Age,’” she said.

The event is free and open to the community. For more information, call Carpenter at 513-695-2239 or go to www.wccsi.org.

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Sue Kiesewetter reports:

Thirty-six teams from throughout the nation will gather at the National Voice of America Museum of Broadcasting to cook up their special recipe for the Barbecue Bash.

This year’s bash, which will take place Friday and Saturday, serves as the first ever Buckeye State BBQ Championship. It is a qualifying event for the Ohio Triple Crown and Jack Daniels’s World BBQ Championship.

“We’re really excited. This is a huge fundraiser,’’ said Sandy Likes, who is co-chairing the bash with Bill Zerkle. “The guys really get into it with decorating their trailers and booths.”

Hosted by the Rotary Club of West Chester and Liberty, the bash will be held on the front lawn of the museum. Guests are asked to use the VOA Park Dr. entrance off Cox Road, not the Tylersville Road entrance.

Hours are 6 p.m. to midnight Friday, and 11 a.m. to midnight Saturday. Parking and admission is $5 per car load or $2 per person who walks in.

There will also be live music provided by nine groups in the non-profit Cincy Blues Society, museum tours, food from a dozen vendors including barbecue, beer, beverages, and a Kids Zone with activities for children that include inflatable rides, face-painting and a petting zoo open from 11:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Saturday.

Barbecue teams will be competing in chicken, ribs, pork and brisket categories for cash prizes totaling $7,000.

Performance Schedule

Friday

• 6 p.m.: Blue Sacrifice
• 7:30 p.m.: Brad Hatfield Band
• 9 p.m.: Leroy Ellington Blues Band
• 10:30 p.m.: Chuck Brisbin and the Tuna Project

Saturday

• 4 p.m.: John Redell and Blues in The School Students
• 6 p.m.: Them Bones
• 7:30 p.m.: Ri and the Ramblers
• 9 p.m.: Tempted Souls
• 10:30 p.m.: G Miles and The Hitmen

Local barbecue team competitors

• Qubed, Loveland
• Retired and Rubbin’ It, New Richmond
• Blue Dog BBQ, Mason
• Something Serious BBQ, Cincinnati
• Historic BBQ, Lebanon
• Weq4u, Florence
• Velvet Smoke BBQ, Cincinnati
• Fumo Comedo, Cincinnati

Posted in: Business, Community, Events, News |

Tags: Tags: BBQ Bash, BBQ Bash VOA Museum, VOA Museum, Voice of America Museum, West Chester Rotary Club

Live Well in Mason will hold a women’s luncheon at noon Wednesday at the Courseview Restaurant at the Golf Center at Kings Island, 6042 Fairway Drive, Mason.

The event includes a healthy lunch served overlooking the Grizzly golf course and guest speakers on a variety of women’s health topics.  A free drawing will be held for a pair of tickets to see the Cincinnati Reds battle the Pittsburgh Pirates June 19 downtown.

Luncheon and presentation are $5 for Mason Community Center premier members; $6 for basic members; $8 for Mason residents and $9 for non-residents.  Register online at www.imaginemason.org (activity #386101) or call 513-229-8555.  Walk-ins will be accepted the day of the event as space permits.

Live Well in Mason is a partnership of TriHealth and the city of Mason.

Posted in: Community, Events, Health & Fitness |

Tags: Tags: courseview restaurant, live well in mason, trihealth, women's luncheon

The Dulle Family: Abbie and Brian Dulle and children Jackson, Madelyn and Emma. Brian Dulle was killed in 2011 when he was struck by a fleeing vehicle as he threw down stop sticks at Utica Road and U.S. 42 in Turtlecreek Township. / Provided

Area law enforcement will gather today to dedicate a memorial to the first Warren County Sheriff’s deputy killed in the line of duty.

The 11 a.m. ceremony at the Warren County Sheriff’s Office marks the second anniversary of the death of Sgt. Brian Dulle. The 36-year-old married father of three small children was killed in 2011 when he was struck by a fleeing vehicle as he threw down stop sticks at Utica Road and U.S. 42 in Turtlecreek Township.

The driver, Marcus Isreal, 22, of Middletown, was found guilty later that year of eight charges including murder and was sentenced to 25 1/2 years to life in prison.

The Dulle memorial will be located alongside other memorials in front of the sheriff’s office at 550 Justice Dr., Lebanon.

State Rep. Ron Maag will dedicate the area of U.S. 42 between Lebanon and Waynesville – the area in which Dulle was killed – the “Sergeant Brian Dulle Memorial Highway.”

The ceremony is open to the public.

Posted in: Community, Events |

Tags: Tags: Brian Dulle, dedication, deputy, fallen deputy, lebanon, marcus isreal, memorial, sergeant brian dulle memorial highway, turtlecreek township, warren county sheriff's office

Jeff Alt wants to get families moving and his new book shows them how.

Alt, a speech language pathologist with Mason Schools, is the author of the new book “Get Your Kids Hiking: How to Start Them Young and Keep It Fun” (Beaufort Books).

The book, released this month, offers tips on how to motivate kids, packing checklists, kid-friendly menus and advice for hiking with special needs children.

The author will hold a book signing event at 1:30 p.m. Saturday at Barnes & Noble Booksellers at 9455 Civic Center Blvd., West Chester.

The Glendale resident has hiked the 2,160-mile Appalachian Trail and the 218-mile Muir Trail, along with a 50-mile path in Ireland.   He’s been featured in national outlets including Scholastic Parent and Child, DiscoveryChannel.com, ESPN, the Hallmark Channel and CNN-Radio.

Alt is the author of three other books: “A Walk for Sunshine”; “A Hike for Mike” and “Four Boots One Journey.”  For more information, go to www.jeffalt.com.

Check out a fun video featuring a song and lyrics inspired by the book at www.youtube.com/watch?v=BgibGmw9MTg

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Area law enforcement will gather Friday to dedicate a memorial to the first Warren County Sheriff’s deputy killed in the line of duty.

The ceremony, which is set for 11 a.m. at the Warren County Sheriff’s Office, marks the second anniversary of the death of Sgt. Brian Dulle.

The 36-year-old married father of three young children was killed in 2011 when he was struck by a fleeing vehicle as he deployed stop sticks at Utica Road and U.S. 42 in Turtlecreek Township.

The 22-year-old driver of the vehicle, Marcus Isreal of Middletown, was found guilty later that year of eight charges, including murder, and sentenced to 25½ years to life in prison

The Dulle memorial will be located alongside other memorials in front of the sheriff’s office at 550 Justice Drive, Lebanon.

State Rep. Ron Maag will dedicate the area of U.S. 42 between Lebanon and Waynesville — the area in which Dulle was killed — the Sergeant Brian Dulle Memorial Highway.

Dulle’s widow, Abbie, and their three children, are expected to attend.

The ceremony is open to the community. For more information, call the sheriff’s office at 513-695-1280.

Posted in: Community, Events |

Tags: Tags: Brian Dulle, dedication, deputy, fallen deputy, lebanon, marcus isreal, memorial, sergeant brian dulle memorial highway, turtlecreek township, warren county sheriff's office