Wayne Local closes the quarter with an early release and Football Senior Night, a rainy Friday turns into a sunny but cold weekend with frost likely Sunday, and village leaf pickup starts Monday.

Weather

Today: 65°F, Rain Showers (high 65° / low 39°)

Outlook: - Saturday — high 54° / low 32°, Sunny - Sunday — high 62° / low 37°, Widespread Frost then Sunny - Monday — high 68° / low 40°, Sunny

No NWS alerts in effect.

This morning in Waynesville

1. Early release today, Senior Night tonight. Wayne Local students have a two-hour early release today to close out the first quarter. Tonight at 7:00 p.m. the Spartans, 45-7 winners over Madison last week, host Eaton on Football Senior Night, which honors seniors in football, cheer, band, cross country and boys golf. Rain showers are in the forecast, so bring a jacket. (Wayne Local Schools · MaxPreps)
2. Cold, sunny weekend with frost likely Sunday. Today's showers (high 65°) give way to a sunny Saturday with a high of only 54° and a low near 32° Saturday night. The forecast calls for widespread frost Sunday morning, then sunshine and 62°. Bring in tender plants or cover them Saturday evening. No NWS alerts are in effect this morning. (NWS)
3. Village leaf pickup begins Monday. The Village of Waynesville's Street Department starts leaf pickup Monday, October 19, and will follow the village's posted schedule. Rake leaves to the curb but not into the street, the village asks, because leaves in the street can clog storm drains and cause flooding. (Village of Waynesville)

Weekend planner

Saturday is sunny and cold, so dress warmly for the Ohio Renaissance Festival's Romance Weekend, Waynesville Fall Fest on S.R. 73, or Fox Hollow Rodeo's bull riding at 6:00 p.m. On Sunday afternoon, ODNR geologists lead a guided fossil hunt at Caesar Creek Lake, and Springboro hosts Trunk-Or-Treat in the Park.

Weekend weather: Saturday — high 54° / low 32°, Sunny · Sunday — high 62° / low 37°, Widespread Frost then Sunny (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 17–18 · 10:30 AM–7:00 PM — Ohio Renaissance Festival — Romance Weekend (Renaissance Park, Waynesville) — details - …and 1 more — see the full list

Friday - Two-Hour Early Release — End of Quarter (Wayne Local Schools) — details - Football Senior Night (Football, Cheer, Band, XC & Boys Golf) (Waynesville High School) — details - 10:00 AM–4:00 PM — Thirteen Mile Guided Perimeter Hike (Caesar Creek State Park) - 7:00 PM — Spartans football vs. Eaton (home) — details

Saturday - 8:00 AM–12:00 PM — Give Back Day (Caesar Creek State Park) - 10:30 AM — Crafting Fun Drop-in Program (Adults) (Mary L. Cook Public Library) - 2:00 PM–3:00 PM — Raptors Behind the Scenes (Caesar Creek State Park) - 6:00 PM — Fox Hollow Rodeo — Bull Riding (Fox Hollow Rodeo, Waynesville) — details - …and 1 more — see the full list

Sunday - 10:00 AM–12:00 PM — Campfire and Craft (Caesar Creek State Park) - 1:00–4:00 PM — Earth Science Week: Guided Fossil Collecting (Caesar Creek Lake Visitor Center, Waynesville) — details - 1:00 PM–3:00 PM — Rocks and Relics (Caesar Creek State Park) - 3:00–6:00 PM — Trunk-Or-Treat in the Park — Springboro (North Park, 195 Tamarack Trl, Springboro) — details

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

Schools

WHS students recently hand-sewed felt monsters from designs that Waynesville Elementary kindergartners drew, and the kindergartners met their one-of-a-kind creations this week, the district shared Thursday. The district also reposted the October issue of the Waynesville Events & Activities Newsletter. Boys soccer fell 3-0 to Badin at home Thursday and hosts Northwestern Tuesday at 7:00 p.m. Wednesday, October 21, is Unity Day, when the district asks students and staff to wear orange. At Mary L. Cook Public Library, an adult crafting drop-in is Saturday at 10:30 a.m., and a Paper Ghost take-and-make for teens is Monday at 1:00 p.m..

Library programs (Mary L. Cook Public Library) - Sat · Oct 17, 10:30 AM — Crafting Fun Drop-in Program (Adults) - Mon · Oct 19, 1:00 PM — Paper Ghost Take and Make (TEENS) - Mon · Oct 19, 4:15 PM — Art Class for Kids (Cozy Fall Cat) - Tue · Oct 20, 10:30 AM — Toddler Time - …and 4 more — see the full list

This week in sports

Results - Football (Varsity) — Waynesville 45, Madison 7 (Home) — box score - Volleyball (Varsity) — Waynesville 2, Valley View 3 (sets) (Away) — box score - Girls Soccer (Varsity) — Waynesville 1, Bellbrook 6 (Home) — box score - Boys Soccer (Varsity) — Waynesville 0, Badin 3 (Home) — box score

Upcoming - Football (Varsity) — vs Eaton, Fri · Oct 16, 7:00 PM — details - Boys Soccer (Varsity) — vs Northwestern, Tue · Oct 20, 7:00 PM — details - Volleyball (Varsity) — @ West Liberty-Salem, Wed · Oct 21, 5:00 PM — details - Girls Soccer (Varsity) — vs Indian Lake, Thu · Oct 22, 7:00 PM — details

Local government

Next up: Warren County Commissioners, Tue, Oct 20 · 9:00 AM — agendas. Latest posted by the commissioners: agenda, Oct 13 · resolutions, Oct 13 · minutes, Sep 29. Also next up: Wayne Township Trustees, Tue, Oct 20 · 7:00 PM, 6050 N. Clarksville Rd., Waynesville — latest posted agenda: Trustees Meeting Agenda, Oct 15, 2026. At their special meeting Thursday evening, Wayne Township trustees had an executive session on hiring a Zoning Officer on the agenda, followed by Resolution 2026-87 to authorize hiring a zoning inspector and let the township administrator make a conditional job offer (agenda). The trustees' regular meeting is Tuesday at 7:00 p.m. The county commissioners haven't posted an agenda yet for Tuesday's 9:00 a.m. session.

Official notices (past two weeks): - Oct 15, Village of Waynesville — Leaf Pick-Up: Leaf Pickup will begin on Monday, October 19th. The Street Department will be following the provided schedule. We ask that leaves be raked to the curb, but not into the street. Leaves in the street can get into the storm drains and plug them up, causing flooding. - Oct 13, Wayne Township — WAYNE TOWNSHIP BOARD OF TRUSTEES NOTICE OF SPECIAL MEETING: View Notice

November 3, 2026 General Election — 18 days away. Early voting is open today, 8:00 AM–5:00 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

Historical Haunts ghost walks leave from the gazebo across from the Hammel House tonight and Saturday at 7:00 p.m. (Saturday's Ghost & Goblet dinner is sold out). Downtown shops host Trick or Treat on Sunday, October 25, from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m., and the Chamber's Bourbon & Cigars mixer is October 28 at the Villager Pub. In Mason, Kings Island's Halloween Haunt runs Thursdays through Sundays through October 31. See the Trick-or-Treat Guide for every event nearby.

Museum at the Friends Home (next 7 days; book on the museum's site): - Fri, Oct 16 · 7:00 PM — Historical Haunts - Downtown Waynesville — Meet at the Gazebo across from the Hammel House 121 S Main St Waynesville, OH - Sat, Oct 17 · 6:00 PM — Ghost & Goblet Dinner/Tour (sold out) — 260 Chapman St, Waynesville, OH, USA - Sat, Oct 17 · 7:00 PM — Historical Haunts - Downtown Waynesville — Meet at the Gazebo across from the Hammel House 121 S Main St Waynesville, OH - Thu, Oct 22 · 7:00 PM — Historical Haunts - Downtown Waynesville — Meet at the Gazebo across from the Hammel House 121 S Main St Waynesville, OH - …and 1 more — see the full list

Merchant Association events (waynesvilleshops.com) - Sun, Oct 25 · 1:00 PM–4:00 PM — Trick or Treat - 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 16 · 10:00 AM–4:00 PM — Thirteen Mile Guided Perimeter Hike
• Sat, Oct 17 · 8:00 AM–12:00 PM — Give Back Day
• Sat, Oct 17 · 2:00 PM–3:00 PM — Raptors Behind the Scenes
• Sun, Oct 18 · 10:00 AM–12:00 PM — Campfire and Craft
• …and 3 more — see the full list

Public safety

No NWS weather alerts are in effect this morning. The Warren County Prosecutor's Office posted no new releases in the past week. Flagger-controlled lane restrictions continue on S.R. 73 between Red Lion-Five Points Road and Harveysburg Road through November 30, and between Springboro and Red Lion-Five Points Road through November 1. Elsewhere in the county, Innovation Way is closed starting today for a cyclocross bike race, and a Wilkens Blvd. northbound closure continues, the County Engineer's office says.

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 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: 7 trick-or-treat events in and around Waynesville, night by night — see the guide.

See the full events calendar.

Obituaries

• Troy H. Parker — Aug. 28, 1946 - Oct. 09, 2026 (tribute)

Local headlines

• "School funding, housing top issues for Warren County Ohio House candidates" — Dayton Daily News, full story.
• "Veterans credit Warren County Veterans Honor Court with helping rebuild lives after conviction" — WCPO 9 Cincinnati, full story.
• "Haines, Jacob vie to represent Warren County in Ohio Senate: Election 2026" — Journal-News.com, full story.
• "Warren County Health District Urges Residents to Get Their Flu Vaccine" — Warren County Post, full story.
• …and 4 more — see the full list

Ask the Brief

Have a question about Waynesville? A road project, a building going up, something you heard and want checked? Email the editor at [email protected] with "Ask the Brief" in the subject line. We'll answer reader questions in upcoming editions.

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