Ep. 40 — Northern Lights, Zoning Shake-Ups and an interview with Dave Caraway, owner of Sons of Toil
We start with a countywide news rundown: new space for the Public Defender’s Office, auroras over Clermont, volunteer openings in Loveland, zoning changes in Pierce and Batavia, and what’s next for Union Township’s Eastgate corridor. Then it’s out to Mount Orab for a sit-down with Sons of Toil Brewing on beer, business, and doing things the hard way.
Interview — Dave Carraway of Sons of Toil Brewing
Dave walks through the Sons of Toil origin story, from kitchen homebrew days with his son to running an award-winning taproom surrounded by farm fields. We talk about:

• All-grain vs. extract brewing, what “lautering” is, and why temperature control is everything
• Hops, yeast, fruit additions, and how different strains change flavor, aroma, and haze
• Scaling from 5-gallon batches to 100+ gallons, including DIY hacks (glycol chiller from a window A/C, rebuilt keg washer, etc.)
• Food, fundraisers, comedy nights, murder-mystery dinners, and why the brewery world is more community than cutthroat competition
• Trades vs. college, what it really takes to run a small business, and why canning might be the next step for Sons of Toil

News quick hits

• Countywide: Clermont County Public Defender’s Office completes a renovation that more than doubles its space; the state picks up over 90% of the tab.
• Sky show: A strong solar storm sends the northern lights over Milford, Loveland, and Batavia, with bright pinks and greens visible thanks to an active 11-year solar cycle. We now officially need a “space weather expert” for the show.
• Loveland: City is recruiting residents for a long list of boards and commissions (Arts, Beautification, BZA, Tax Review, Historic Preservation, and more). Applications go to the clerk of council by early December. Loveland also gears up for its 5th annual Christmas Tree Lighting Festival with a 60-foot pine, thousands of lights, ornaments, and a gingerbread house contest.
• Milford: America 250 mural ribbon cutting at Five Points Landing, featuring artist Kate Albert, whose work appears at the Clermont County Fairgrounds, Krohn Conservatory, and Museum Center.
• Felicity: New parade rules mean permits are now required . No fees, but applications must be filed 30 days in advance.
• Union Township: Trustees schedule two public hearings on a proposed additional $5 annual motor vehicle license tax, effective Jan. 1, 2027, and deny a proposal to convert the former Big Lots/Toys “R” Us at Eastgate into an AutoZone after years of mall-easement constraints.
• Pierce Township: Trustees honor nine first responders and one civilian for saving a 4-year-old boy from drowning, and set a hearing on creating a zoning overlay along SR 125 to shape future “development nodes.”
• Batavia Township: After voters repealed Article 36 (Planned Developments), the township is starting over on its development code, promising a more transparent, community-driven process.
• New Richmond: Short, sharp updates: Liberty Landing’s new Ohio River sheet-pile wall and utilities are underway; River Valley Boulevard paving is complete.

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