The Waynesville Leo Club was recognized as an Emerging Community Service Organization; village trick-or-treat is Saturday evening under mostly cloudy skies; and early voting continues ahead of Tuesday's election.

Weather

Today: 70°F, Sunny (high 70° / low 45°)

Outlook: - Saturday — high 68° / low 52°, Mostly Cloudy - Sunday — high 69° / low 50°, Mostly Cloudy then Chance Light Rain - Monday — high 68° / low 53°, Chance Light Rain

No NWS alerts in effect.

This morning in Waynesville

1. Leo Club honored by the Warren County Foundation. The district reports that the Waynesville Leo Club was recognized in September by the Warren County Foundation as an Emerging Community Service Organization, and the foundation has since shared details and photos from the celebration. (district post)
2. Village trick-or-treat is Saturday, 6:00–8:00 p.m. The Village of Waynesville's official trick-or-treat hours are Saturday, October 31, from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. on residential streets. The National Weather Service calls for a mostly cloudy Saturday with a high near 68° and an overnight low around 52°. (village calendar)
3. Election Day is Tuesday; early voting open today. Early in-person voting runs today from 7:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. at the Warren County Board of Elections, 520 Justice Dr., Lebanon; see the board's notice for the remaining early-voting hours. Countywide, the November 3 ballot carries renewal levies for the Mental Health Recovery Board and Warren County Senior Services, plus a statewide constitutional amendment on photo ID for voting. (Board of Elections notice)

Weekend planner

It's the last weekend for several fall favorites: the Ohio Renaissance Festival closes its season with Heroes and Villains Weekend, Waynesville Fall Fest on S.R. 73 wraps up Sunday, and Historical Haunts ghost walks run tonight and Saturday at 7:00 p.m. Village trick-or-treat is Saturday from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m.

Weekend weather: Saturday — high 68° / low 52°, Mostly Cloudy · Sunday — high 69° / low 50°, Mostly Cloudy then Chance Light Rain (National Weather Service)

All weekend - Wednesdays, Fridays & Saturdays through October · $20 — Historical Haunts — ghost walk of downtown Waynesville (Downtown Waynesville (Museum at the Friends Home)) — details - Sep 26 – Oct 31 — Windmill Farm Market Spooktacular (Windmill Farm Market, 1454 E State Route 73, Springboro) — details - Thursdays–Sundays through Oct 31 — Halloween Haunt at Kings Island (Kings Island, 6300 Kings Island Dr, Mason) — details - Oct 31–Nov 1 · 10:30 AM–7:00 PM — Ohio Renaissance Festival — Heroes and Villains Weekend (Renaissance Park, Waynesville) — details - …and 1 more — see the full list

Friday - 2:00 PM–3:00 PM — Nature Shapes and Shadows (Caesar Creek State Park)

Saturday - 1:30 PM–3:00 PM — Guided Nature Center Tours (Caesar Creek State Park) - 6:00–8:00 PM — Village Trick or Treat (Village of Waynesville (residential streets)) — details

See the full events calendar for what's coming after the weekend.

Schools

It's National School Principals Month, and the district is celebrating its four principals, asking each what superpower would help them do the job (post). WHS/Warren County Career Center Textiles students have made a collection of personalized bandanas for Welkin, the district's facility dog (post). The district also notes that students in grades K–4 completed the mCLASS Math Diagnostic this fall, which gave kindergartners practice with a keyboard and mouse (post).

At the Mary L. Cook Public Library, next week opens with Super Snackers at 4:00 p.m. and Trivia Night at 6:00 p.m. Monday, and a Paint Party is set for Saturday, November 7, at 10:00 a.m. The Board of Education next meets Monday, November 9, at 6:00 p.m. in the WLS Performing Arts Center.

Library programs (Mary L. Cook Public Library) - Mon · Nov 2, 4:00 PM — Super Snackers - Mon · Nov 2, 6:00 PM — Trivia Night - Tue · Nov 3, 10:30 AM — Toddler Time - Tue · Nov 3, 3:00 PM — Teen Tuesday (6th-12th Grade) - …and 4 more — see the full list

This week in sports

Results - Football (Varsity) — Waynesville 31, Valley View 28 (Away) — box score - Boys Soccer (Varsity) — Waynesville 8, Madison 0 (Home) — box score - Girls Soccer (Varsity) — Waynesville 4, Valley View 1 (Home) — box score - Boys Soccer (Varsity) — Waynesville 0, Archbishop Alter 4 (Away) — box score

Local government

Next up: Warren County Commissioners, Tue, Nov 3 · 9:00 AM — agendas. Latest posted by the commissioners: agenda, Oct 27 · resolutions, Oct 27 · minutes, Oct 20 (Regular Session 2) · minutes, Oct 20 (Regular Session 1). Also next up: Wayne Township Trustees, Tue, Nov 3 · 7:00 PM, 6050 N. Clarksville Rd., Waynesville — latest posted agenda: Trustees Meeting Agenda, Oct 20, 2026. Tuesday, November 3, is Election Day, and both the county commissioners (9:00 a.m.) and Wayne Township Trustees (7:00 p.m.) meet that day; the commissioners' agenda for that session has not been posted yet. The commissioners have posted resolutions from their October 27 session (resolutions). Wayne Township has posted its WCTA Scholarship Application for 2027 (notice).

Official notices (past two weeks): - Oct 21, Wayne Township — WCTA Scholarship Application 2027: View Application - Oct 16, Village of Waynesville — Finance Committee Meeting Rescheduled: The Finance Committee Meeting has been rescheduled to 6:00 p.m. on October 26th at 1400 Lytle Road. The public is encouraged to attend.

November 3, 2026 General Election — 4 days away. Early voting is open today, 7:30 AM–7:30 PM, at the Warren County Board of Elections, 520 Justice Dr, Lebanon. Full schedule. Statewide and countywide issues on the ballot, as labeled on the Board of Elections' issue list: - Constitutional Amendment Requiring Photo Id for Voting with Pros and Cons (ballot language) - Mental Health Recovery Board Ren 1 Mil 5 yrs (ballot language) - Warren County Senior Services Ren 1.21 mills 5 Yrs (ballot language) 4 other local issues appear only on ballots elsewhere in the county. All issues · candidates

Around town

Halloween weekend closes out the fall season. Historical Haunts ghost walks meet at the gazebo across from the Hammel House on Main Street tonight and Saturday at 7:00 p.m.; book on the museum's site. Nearby, Kings Island's Halloween Haunt and the Windmill Farm Market Spooktacular in Springboro both run through Saturday. Looking ahead, the Merchant Association's Hearthwarming Holidays is Friday, November 6, from 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. (details), and Caesar Creek State Park says Owl Fest returns November 13 and 14 with owl hikes, banding demonstrations and live raptors (post).

Museum at the Friends Home (next 7 days; book on the museum's site): - Fri, Oct 30 · 7:00 PM — Historical Haunts - Downtown Waynesville — Meet at the Gazebo across from the Hammel House 121 S Main St Waynesville, OH - Sat, Oct 31 · 7:00 PM — Historical Haunts - Downtown Waynesville — Meet at the Gazebo across from the Hammel House 121 S Main St Waynesville, OH

Merchant Association events (waynesvilleshops.com) - Fri, Nov 6 · 11:00 AM–5:00 PM — Hearthwarming Holidays - Sun, Dec 6 · 10:00 AM–4:00 PM — Waynesville Street Faire The Christmas Market

Caesar Creek State Park

Naturalist programs at the park, about five miles east of the village, over the next 14 days. Check each program's page for meeting points and any changes.

• Fri, Oct 30 · 2:00 PM–3:00 PM — Nature Shapes and Shadows
• Sat, Oct 31 · 1:30 PM–3:00 PM — Guided Nature Center Tours

Public safety

No NWS weather alerts are in effect this morning. Expect sunshine and a high near 70° today, with a chance of light rain Sunday and Monday. Trick-or-treaters and drivers should watch for each other Saturday evening. On S.R. 73, ODOT resurfacing continues with flaggers and one-lane traffic between Red Lion-Five Points Road and Harveysburg Road through November 30; the stretch from Springboro to Red Lion-Five Points Road is scheduled to finish November 1.

Road work near Waynesville (ODOT, within about 8 miles): - S.R. 73 Resurfacing and Turn Lane Addtiion — lane restrictions through Nov 30. Resurfacing S.R. 73, between Red Lion- Five Points Road and Harveysburg Road, as well as the installation of a left-turn lane on S.R. 73 at Old S.R. 73 near Waynesville. Traffic will be maintained in one lane in either direction with the use of flaggers and/or other traffic… - WAR-73-5.88 — lane restrictions through Nov 1. Resurfacing on S.R. 73, between its junction with S.R. 741 in the city of Springboro to Red Lion Five Points Road. Traffic will be maintained in a minimum of one lane in either direction with the use of flaggers and traffic control devices.

County road closures (Warren County Engineer, countywide): - Began Oct 26: Wilkens Blvd Closure (see release for duration) - Began Oct 16: Innovation Way Closure Cyclocross Bike Race (see release for duration) - Began Oct 15: Wilkens Blvd Northbound Closure (see release for duration)

This week's events

• Wednesdays, Fridays & Saturdays through October · $20 — Historical Haunts — ghost walk of downtown Waynesville (Downtown Waynesville (Museum at the Friends Home)) — details
• Thursdays–Sundays through Oct 31 — Halloween Haunt at Kings Island (Kings Island, 6300 Kings Island Dr, Mason) — details
• Sep 26 – Oct 31 — Windmill Farm Market Spooktacular (Windmill Farm Market, 1454 E State Route 73, Springboro) — details
• Sat/Sun through Nov 1 · Sat 11–6, Sun 12–6 — Waynesville Fall Fest (7392 E State Route 73, Waynesville) — details
• …and 2 more — see the full list

Trick-or-Treat Guide: 1 trick-or-treat event in and around Waynesville, night by night — see the guide.

See the full events calendar.

Obituaries

• Samuel C. Holden — Jun. 05, 1996 - Oct. 25, 2026 (tribute)
• Dorothy "Dottie" A. Pfeiffer — Aug. 15, 1933 - Oct. 23, 2026 (tribute)

Local headlines

• "OSP identifies man who died after single-vehicle crash in Warren County" — WLWT, full story.
• "1 killed in Warren County crash identified" — WKRC, full story.
• "Rider killed at Warren County rodeo died doing what he loved, friend says" — FOX19 | Cincinnati, full story.
• "1 killed in Warren County crash identified" — WKEF, full story.
• …and 4 more — see the full list

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