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🌧️ Today's weather: Chance of light rain, with a high of 55 and a low of 39.

🎧 Sounds like: "Fallin' Rain" by Father John Misty.

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Today’s newsletter is 951 words — a 3.5-minute read.

Mason is getting excited about a new landmark, and it's not another apartment complex, shopping center or corporate headquarters — it's a temple for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Why it matters: The sprawling 35-acre temple complex is expected to draw new families to the region and has already received community support across various religious groups.

• It won't generate commercial tax revenue, but local leaders see value beyond that.

Driving the news: Over 500 people gathered for a Nov. 7 groundbreaking, including government, business and faith leaders from Ohio and Kentucky.

State of play: The Utah-based faith, widely known as the Mormon church, plans a 29,630-square-foot temple near Mason-Montgomery Road and Cedar Village Drive.

• It'll be Ohio's third, following Columbus and Cleveland.
• The temple will serve an estimated 20,000 church members across Greater Cincinnati and Dayton who currently travel elsewhere for religious ceremonies.

What they're saying: State Rep. Jean Schmidt (R-Loveland), who grew up in neighboring Clermont County, attended the groundbreaking and described having watched communities like Mason and Loveland change as newcomers move in.

• Schmidt told Axios she is impressed by the area's mix of longtime residents, newcomers and diverse faith communities.

Zoom out: Jared Mattingley, a Mason resident and president of the church's Cincinnati North Stake, felt encouraged by the enthusiasm of the broader community.

• That included residents as well as other faith traditions. Justin Kirschner, director of the American Jewish Committee's Cincinnati office, called the ceremony "heartwarming."

Mattingley previously told Axios that the diversity of Mason was an attractive quality to his church.

• "I think they're excited because of how excited we are, and they recognize how much of a blessing this is to us and will be to the community itself."

The bottom line: Schmidt sees room for something beyond commercial development in a growing city.

• "I'm glad that they were able to find ground that was willing to sell to them because that's not going to be a revenue producer for the city," she said.
• "It's not apartments. It's not a retail establishment. This is a place for people."

U.S. veteran homelessness declined more than 50% over the past 15 years, according to the latest federal housing data.

The big picture: HUD estimates there were 668 veterans experiencing homelessness in Ohio in 2025, down 47.8% from 2011.

• An estimated 12,196 Ohioans experienced homelessness statewide last year.

Closer to home: Warren County has taken steps to keep veterans off the streets.

• The Warren County Veterans Service Office provides emergency financial assistance.
• The county's housing plan says that has included rent and mortgage assistance to prevent homelessness, plus hotel vouchers for veterans needing emergency shelter.
• Family Promise of Warren County refers veterans' families seeking assistance to the federal HUD-VASH housing program, according to the same plan.

Between the lines: The HUD data reflects point-in-time counts, annual estimates of the population experiencing homelessness taken during a single night in January.

What we're watching: Whether new VA programs help house more veterans.

🚗 Honda's $3 billion investment in Ohio includes upgrades to its Anna Engine Plant, about 45 miles north of Dayton, to produce next-generation engines and expand parts operations. (Press release)

Butler County Sheriff Richard Jones, a longtime immigration hardliner, agrees with President Trump that the deportation crackdown may be "too tough."

• Jones says deporting millions of people isn't realistic and is calling for a "happy middle." (Journal-News)

🇹🇬 Six FC Cincinnati players are headed to international duty during the Nov. 9-17 FIFA window, including Kévin Denkey (Togo), Bryan Ramirez (Ecuador), Andrei Chirila (U.S. U19) and three youth players. (FCC)

❄️ You can send a free snowflake of support to families staying at Cincinnati and Dayton's Ronald McDonald Houses. (Send a snowflake)

FC Cincinnati stumbled down the stretch, but still managed to clinch its fifth straight MLS Cup Playoffs berth.

Yes, but: The team will have to take the long way if it wants to bring home postseason hardware.

Driving the news: No. 9 FCC faces No. 8 Orlando City SC in Florida on Nov. 19.

State of play: Cincinnati could've avoided the wild card round with a win at home Saturday, but fell 2-0 to Nashville SC in the regular season finale.

By the numbers: The Orange and Blue went unbeaten against Orlando this season, winning 6-2 in May and drawing 1-1 in August. FCC seems mostly healthy headed into the win-or-go-home matchup.

What's next: Beat Orlando, and Cincinnati gets another crack at top-seeded Nashville in a best-of-three series.

• FCC would host Game 2, with tickets already on sale.

"We spend every day helping people get where they need to go. Today it was the kids' turn."

Forty kids in West Chester are getting brand-new bicycles thanks to a team-building exercise that put a new spin on giving back.

More than 200 employees at Mike Albert Fleet Solutions assembled 40 bikes in just 40 minutes last week.

• The bicycles, purchased through the Miamisburg-based Huffy Foundation, will go to the Boys & Girls Club of West Chester/Liberty.

♪ Casey is on a Father John Misty kick right now. What are you listening to?

🍁 Swilley is in basic girl Fall mode and has Rumours on repeat.

Thanks to our editor, Tyler Buchanan.