Move Norwood Forward: The Podcast of the Highlands | Norwood, Ohio

In 2019, all Norwood City Council seats are up for grabs. The eight-person council is comprised of the President of Council, four ward representatives, and three at-large seats. All members of Council serve two-year terms.

There are six candidates for the three at-large seats in 2019. Voters can choose up to three on their ballots, but can also opt for fewer. To get to know the contenders, I interviewed Matt Geraci (2:22), Liam Shanahan (18:40) and Danielle Black (28:20), James Bonsall (36:05) and Michael Gabbard (46:25). The sixth candidate, J.R. Breadon, was not able to be reached.

In this, the fourth episode in the 2019 election series, we hear what the candidates think about the local economy. Topics covered include:

• Their vision for business growth and job growth
• How to improve the Montgomery Road corridor
• Ways to empower aspiring business owners

Listen here.

Are you registered to vote in Hamilton County, Ohio? Check here.

Do you need to update your voter information so that you can vote in the Norwood Ohio Elections? The deadline to do so is October 7. Visit this page for more information.

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Move Norwood Forward aims to shed light on the people, businesses and happenings of Norwood, Ohio that are bettering the city. If you know of a person who should be featured on an episode, nominate them here.

The post 2019 Norwood City Council At Large Candidates on Economic Development appeared first on Move Norwood Forward.

In 2019, all Norwood City Council seats are up for grabs. The eight-person council is comprised of the President of Council, four ward representatives, and three at-large seats. All members of Council serve two-year terms.

There are six candidates for the three at-large seats in 2019. Voters can choose up to three on their ballots, but can also opt for fewer. To get to know the contenders, I interviewed Michael Gabbard (2:35), Matt Geraci (13:20), Liam Shanahan (28:05) and Danielle Black (42:15) and James Bonsall (53:17). The sixth candidate, J.R. Breadon, was not able to be reached.

In this, the third episode in the 2019 election series, we hear what the candidates think about the city’s infrastructure. Topics covered include:

• How we can improve the condition of our roads
• Ways to make our parks more useable and enjoyable
• Housing stock and the ratio of renters-to-owners in Norwood

Listen here.

Are you registered to vote in Hamilton County, Ohio? Check here.

Do you need to update your voter information so that you can vote in the Norwood Ohio Elections? The deadline to do so is October 7. Visit this page for more information.

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Move Norwood Forward aims to shed light on the people, businesses and happenings of Norwood, Ohio that are bettering the city. If you know of a person who should be featured on an episode, nominate them here.

The post 2019 Norwood City Council At Large Candidates on Roads and Parks appeared first on Move Norwood Forward.

In 2019, all Norwood City Council seats are up for grabs. The eight-person council is comprised of the President of Council, four ward representatives, and three at-large seats. All members of Council serve two-year terms.

There are six candidates for the three at-large seats in 2019. Voters can choose up to three on their ballots, but can also opt for fewer. To get to know the contenders, I interviewed James Bonsall (2:10), Michael Gabbard (16:02), Matt Geraci (25:17), Liam Shanahan (33:17) and Danielle Black (51:03). The sixth candidate, J.R. Breadon, was not able to be reached.

In this, the second episode in the 2019 election series, we hear what the candidates think about government finances and transparency. Topics covered include:

• Ideas for increasing revenues
• Ways to decrease expenses
• Possibilities for improving transparency in government operations

Listen here. 

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Are you registered to vote in Hamilton County, Ohio? Check here.

Do you need to update your voter information so that you can vote in the Norwood Ohio Elections? The deadline to do so is October 7. Visit this page for more information.

—–

Move Norwood Forward aims to shed light on the people, businesses and happenings of Norwood, Ohio that are bettering the city. If you know of a person who should be featured on an episode, nominate them here.

The post 2019 Norwood City Council At Large Candidates on Finances and Transparency appeared first on Move Norwood Forward.

In 2019, all Norwood City Council seats are up for grabs. The eight-person council is comprised of the President of Council, four ward representatives, and three at-large seats. All members of Council serve two-year terms.

There are six candidates for the three at-large seats in 2019. Voters can choose up to three on their ballots, but can also opt for fewer. To get to know the contenders, I interviewed Danielle Black (2:15), James Bonsall (14:39), Michael Gabbard (29:00), Matt Geraci (42:10) and Liam Shanahan (57:50). The sixth candidate, J.R. Breadon, was not able to be reached.

In this, the first episode in the 2019 election series, we get to know the at-large candidates in a broad way. Topics covered include:

• How they came to live in Norwood Ohio and what they’re involved with
• Why they’re running for Council
• The role of Council in the grand scheme of Norwood’s operations
• Their top priority for their hypothetical term in office

Listen here.

Are you registered to vote in Hamilton County, Ohio? Check here.

Do you need to update your voter information so that you can vote in the Norwood Ohio Elections? The deadline to do so is October 7. Visit this page for more information.

—–

Move Norwood Forward aims to shed light on the people, businesses and happenings of Norwood, Ohio that are bettering the city. If you know of a person who should be featured on an episode, nominate them here.

The post Introducing the 2019 Norwood City Council At Large Candidates appeared first on Move Norwood Forward.

We hear it all the time — “shop local!” — but what’s the big idea? Why is it important for citizens to support their local, independently-owned businesses? In short, when you choose a local business over a chain, more of your money stays in your community, which means more prosperity.

To make it easier for you to support local businesses, I made this map of Norwood businesses. From food and drink, to fitness and shopping, there’s something for everyone here in Norwood, if you only know where to look.

In this episode, you’ll hear about

• How much more money stays in your community when you choose local over big business.
• The top reasons to choose local, which was derived from this article posted by the American Independent Business Alliance.
• Five local businesses that have made an impression on Jon.
• and much more…

Listen here.

Check out the book Antifragile by Nassim Taleb, which, among other things, is about making many small bets rather than one big bet.

Huber Lumber is a great local hardware and building supplies store that carries products specially for old homes.

Wild Honey Salon is a quickly-growing salon in Norwood that services both men and women. It’s where I get my hair cut and I highly recommend them.

Dave’s Auto Care is a beloved local auto body shop. It sounds like an oxymoron, but it’s true. Check them out for yourself.

Norwood Farmer’s Market is a wonderful gathering of local merchants, which has recently merged with Off Pike Market.

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Move Norwood Forward aims to shed light on the people, businesses and happenings of Norwood, Ohio that are bettering the city. If you know of a person who should be featured on an episode, nominate them here.

The post The case for supporting Norwood Ohio Local Businesses appeared first on Move Norwood Forward.

For 85 years the Norwood Business & Professional Women’s Club has been a way for Norwood women to get involved and give back. Through their various events and efforts, they raise money for scholarships and local causes. To learn more about this organization, we invited newly-elected President Alice Rericha to join us.

Open to any woman who lives, works, or previously lived in Norwood, the NBPWC meets monthly. In addition to their various involvement opportunities, their two marquee events are Norwood Day at Coney Island and Christmas Town. The funds raised through those events go toward scholarships for female graduates of Norwood High School.

In this episode you’ll hear about:

• The variety of ways the NBPWC supports our city
• Alice’s goals for her term as President
• Plans the 2019 Norwood Day event is coming together
• How Alice became known as “everyone’s first friend in Norwood”
• and much more…

Listen here.

Learn more about the Norwood Makers Collective seeks to connect neighbors in Norwood with new residents through crafting and making program.

Check out Cohear, which is an AWESOME local organization that connects community members to leaders of government and industry.

Mark your calendar for the Norwood Day Parade on July 23, 2019.

Save the date for Norwood Day at Coney Island on July 24, 2019.

Be sure to visit Sugarbush Cafe, open Monday through Thursday for breakfast at 1766 Mills Ave.

Attend a meeting of the NBPWC, which take place on the third Tuesday of the month, January-November at 6:30 p.m. in the Norwood Community Center.

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Move Norwood Forward aims to shed light on the people, businesses and happenings of Norwood, Ohio that are bettering the city. If you know of a person who should be featured on an episode, nominate them here.

The post Bettering our city: The Norwood Business & Professional Women’s Club appeared first on Move Norwood Forward.

It’s a question that many people have when they’re searching for a long-term residence: How are the schools? To no surprise, there are a lot of opinions about which public districts are best. And then there’s the age-old Cincinnati question of Public or Private. To set the record straight on the Norwood Ohio Schools, we sat down with Brandon Atwood, who serves on the local school board.

Brandon’s desire to run for election was sparked after the district moved to close the pool at Norwood High School. As his son was on the team, Brandon knew the consequences of such a decision would be dramatic. After gathering the info and presenting it to the board members, he was able to save the swimming pool. However, that experience left him wondering about the decision making that was going on in other areas.

In this wide-ranging conversation about the Norwood City School District, you’ll hear…

• about the strengths of Norwood Ohio schools
• how the district is modernizing its buildings
• what the district is doing to prepare its students for college, even before they graduate
• and much more…

Listen here.

Here is the chart, from Brandon’s Facebook page, that shows Norwood schools “punching above their weight class.” To explain, he took the State Report Card grades — which don’t account for how wealthy a school district is — and plotted them against median household income for each district. The resulting trendline shows how good a person could expect each district to be based on how wealthy they are. If a district is above the trendline, it means they do better than expectations. If they’re below the trendline, it means they do worse than expectations. Long story short, Norwood earned much better grades than one would expect based on median household income in the area, which seems to indicate an efficient, better-than-you’d-expect district.

Look up how much of your property taxes go to the school district by visiting the Auditor’s site and typing in your address. For most people in Norwood, it’s about 64% of your taxes.

Learn more about the Ohio Board of Education and their funding formula.

Get familiar with the Gear Up program, which pays for students to take the ACT twice and funds several other initiatives.

Did you know that Norwood High School is one of the few in Hamilton County with an on-site swimming pool?

Read more about the resignation of the Norwood superintendent in 2017.

Check out the latest updates on the school construction projects.

College Credit Plus is a program through which Norwood students can earn college credits before they graduate high school.

Norwood Promise ensures that any student who completes K-12 in Norwood City Schools, will receive a scholarship to support their attendance at a state university.

Review the five year forecast of financials for Norwood City School District.

Email Meggie Kingsley to learn more about becoming a block captain.

Check out Indian Mound Cafe, which Brandon mentioned in the episode.

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Move Norwood Forward aims to shed light on the people, businesses and happenings of Norwood, Ohio that are bettering the city. If you know of a person who should be featured on an episode, nominate them here.

The post How are the Norwood Ohio schools? appeared first on Move Norwood Forward.

We didn’t get here by accident. How our city looks and operates is a result of the decisions made by our predecessors. If we want to move forward, it’s critical that we understand the history of Norwood Ohio. To understand how the city has evolved over the past 200+ years, we’re joined on this episode by Susan Daniels from the Norwood Historical Society.

Susan’s expertise about our city is both lived and learned. Not only was she born and raised in Norwood, but she has also researched the city extensively through her role as Vice President of the Historical Society and author of the book Norwood: 1940-1979.

In this episode, you’ll hear…

• why people moved to Norwood in the early 1800s
• how Norwood avoided being annexed by the City of Cincinnati
• what Susan considers to be the heyday of Norwood
• and much more…

Learn more about the Norwood Historical Society.

Conduct research on your house using the Hamilton County Auditor’s site and Recorder’s site.

Check out Off Pike Market, which was featured on a previous episode and is a beacon of hope for a small-business resurgence in Norwood.

Susan’s favorite local business is Maverick Chocolate Company.

No surprise here: The Norwood Quality of Life Plan was mentioned several times in this episode and Susan is one of the leaders of that initiative.

Like the Norwood Historical Society on Facebook.

Attend a meeting of The Norwood Historical Society, which meets every second Saturday of the month at 2:00pm at the McCullough House in Lindner Park off of Cypress Way.

Mark your calendars for April 15th, 2019 for the next “How to Research Your House” event.

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Move Norwood Forward aims to illuminate the people, businesses and happenings of Norwood, Ohio that are bettering the city. If you know of a person who should be featured on an episode, nominate them here.

The post The History of Norwood, Ohio: What our past can teach us about our future appeared first on Move Norwood Forward.

It seems like every time you leave the house, there’s another person moving in down the street. Suffice it to say: the Norwood Ohio Real Estate market is hot! But what are the factors that are driving the demand?

On this episode, Jennifer McGillis from Keller Williams Seven Hills Realty joins us to share her insights about the area. Jennifer has been a licensed realtor for nearly a decade and has extensive experience in Norwood. Whether you already live in Norwood, or are thinking about moving here, you’re destined to learn something new from this conversation.

In this episode, you’ll hear…

• Why the Greater Cincinnati region is a desirable place
• What is attracting people to Norwood
• How much prices have increased in Norwood over the last five years
• and much more…

Listen here.

See the list of Fortune 500 companies in Cincinnati, which act as a magnet for new residents.

Read more about the emerging movie industry in Cincinnati.

Throughout the conversation we reference the Norwood Quality of Life Plan, which was featured in a previous episode.

Norwood schools might not have the very best ratings, but they’re about as good as you’ll find in terms of neighborhood schools close to downtown.

Jennifer isn’t allowed to talk about safety, but if you look at this area crime map, Norwood is as safe as any neighborhood around.

Jessica and Jennifer were excited about a store called Hi-Bred in nearby East Walnut Hills.

Go make friends with your neighbors!

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Move Norwood Forward aims to shed light on the people, businesses and happenings of Norwood, Ohio that are bettering the city. If you know of a person who should be featured on an episode, nominate them here.

The post What’s Driving Norwood Ohio Real Estate? appeared first on Move Norwood Forward.

Being a parent is hard, especially when money is tight and certain baby supplies feel out of reach. Enter Baby Bear, a local initiative where Norwood parents share with Norwood parents. Resurrected by Stephanie Downs in December of 2018, Baby Bear happens twice a month and is an opportunity for parents to get clothes, toys, food, diapers and much more for free.

The way it works is that local citizens and organizations donate supplies, which are organized by Stephanie and her team, who in turn prepare a “shop” in the basement of Grace UMC church. Then, at the designated times, residents are invited to come through and get the supplies they need, no questions asked. There’s even a free meal provided!

In this episode, you’ll hear:

• The origin story of Baby Bear
• How the program works and who all is involved
• What Stephanie hopes this will become in the future
• and much more…

Listen here.

Learn more about Moriah Pie, which is where I met Stephanie. It’s also her favorite local business / organization in town.

Connect with Norwood Ready Kids, which has several offerings that prepare local children for success in school

Shepherd Chemical is Stephanie’s employer and a prominent business located in Norwood.

Here is some additional reading about the link between literacy rates and incarceration.

Learn more about Woven Oak Initiatives, which exists to catalyze the common good in Norwood. The executive director of Woven Oak is Angela Pancella, who was a guest on Episode 2 about the Norwood Quality of Life Plan.

Three organizations that are big supporters of Baby Bear are the Norwood Fire Department, Valley Church and New City Presbyterian.

Stephanie’s favorite local business (besides Moriah Pie) is the dental office of Baron, Fennell, and Yoxthimer.

Support Baby Bear by volunteering, donating or attending. Anyone is welcome — no questions asked. If you need the supplies, you can have them. Here’s the schedule:

• Second Wednesdays, 5-6pm
• Fourth Fridays, 9-10am

Start by sending a message to Baby Bear on Facebook.

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Move Norwood Forward aims to shed light on the people, businesses and happenings of Norwood, Ohio that are bettering the city. If you know of a person who should be featured on an episode, nominate them here.

The post Baby Bear: Where Norwood Parents Share appeared first on Move Norwood Forward.