West Chester & Liberty Township News

Brian Oswald, pictured standing before the audience at the Sept. 27, 2021, Lakota School Board meeting, claims the board violated his freedom of speech by stopping him from addressing parents of the district. School board policy states all commenters must address the presiding officer of the board. SCREEN CAPTURE/YOUTUBE.COM

Lakota parent, sheriff’s deputy sues school board for freedom of speech violation

1h ago

It's looking like another overflowing year of generosity as Lakota school officials report a possible record number of collections so for the school system's annual "Stuff The Bus" food drive campaign. The donation drive benefits Reach Out Lakota, which serves needy families in West Chester and Liberty townships from which Lakota draws its 17,000 students. File photo shows a previous year's stuffed bus with superintendents from Middletown, Hamilton and Lakota representing their friendly rivalry of each district collecting donations for their respective community food pantries. (Provided Photo/Journal-News)

Food pantry, school officials happy about ‘Stuff The Bus’ campaign results at Lakota

Butler County prosecutor fires back on ruling in West Chester quadruple homicide case

$Butler Tech last week unveiled a new driver’s examination test site in Liberty Twp. for those adults seeking to earn their commercial driver’s license (CDL). The adult student program and its new testing facility will greatly speed the licensing process, say Butler Tech officials. (Provided Photo\Journal-News)$

Butler Tech opens new truck driver license testing site to speed more into the workforce

U.S. Senate candidate Josh Mandel was asked to leave the Oct. 11, 2021, school board meeting after he questioned the board on its mask mandate policy. The board cited Mandel was not a resident of the district. Residents or designees of residents are permitted to speak, according to the district. A woman said she designated Mandel to speak on her behalf, but the board said she "yielded" her time and did not formally designate him. SCREEN CAPTURE/TWITTER.COM/JOSHMANDELOHIO

Lakota board cancels tonight’s meeting, instead will hold ‘respect, civility’ discussion...

$The recent Liberty Twp. Trustee candidate forum saw much of the discussion focused on the community's future growth, specifically the proposed Millikin Road development at the Interstate 75 interchange. Three candidates - who were joined by West Chester Twp. trustee candidates - are seeking two open seats on the Liberty Twp.'s governing board. (Photo By Michael D. Clark\Journal-News)$

Proposed I-75 interchange, future growth of Liberty Twp. big in trustee race

$Badin High School junior Kendyl Roberts recently added to her already impressive karate competition resume by bringing home a gold medal from an international event in Romania. The 17-year-old Roberts won top honors at the World Karate Championships in Romania. (Provided Photo\Journal-News)$

Butler County high school girl wins international gold medal in karate

Judge rules man accused of killing 4 relatives in West Chester can use public funds for...

$Sharon Redmond, formerly a top official with Ursuline Academy of Cincinnati, was recently named as the new chief executive officer of the Boys & Girls Club of West Chester/Liberty. The $6.9 million, 30,000-square-foot youth club in Olde West Chester is one of the premier youth facilities in southwest Ohio. (Provided Photo\Journal-News)$

Boys & Girls Club lands veteran school administrator as new CEO

Preliminary estimate for a new Millikin Road interchange at Interstate 75 in Liberty Twp. is $72 million.

Funding coming together for the proposed Millikin Road interchange on I-75

A Lakota Board of Education candidates' forum earlier this month saw the eight candidates - who are seeking to fill three seats - outline their qualifications and focuses of their campaigns. Voters will decide on Nov. 2 the majority of the five-member school board overseeing the 17,000-student district. Michael D. Clark / Journal-News

8 candidates vying for 3 seats debate issues for Lakota Schools

Drop in Ohio report card performance was expected amid COVID-19, Butler County officials...

What happened with Josh Mandel at the Lakota school board meeting? Video and interviews...

Senate candidate Mandel asked to leave Lakota school board meeting

$A new MidPointe Library branch opened Friday, Nov. 2, 2018, at Liberty Center in Liberty Twp. but now township officials are excited about a proposal for a new, larger location on Yankee Road to help serve the township's booming population. Zoning and purchase of the nearly 6 acres of property are still to be done but MidPointe officials say they are optimistic about developing a new branch location in one of the fastest growing communities in Butler County. (File Photo\Journal-News)$

Booming Liberty Twp. targeted for new MidPointe Library branch

In this Aug. 12, 2021 file photo, protesters against a COVID-19 mandate gesture as they are escorted out of the Clark County School Board meeting at the Clark County Government Center, in Las Vegas. The nation's school boards are asking President Joe Biden for federal assistance to investigate and stop a growing number of threats made against their members, on Thursday, Sept. 30. (Bizuayehu Tesfaye/Las Vegas Review-Journal via AP, File)

Local school boards see more verbal clashes over masks, other issues at meetings

There will be two candidate forums this week so voters can hear from Liberty and West Chester Twp. trustee and school board candidates. NICK GRAHAM / STAFF

Liberty, West Chester candidate forums held this week

Badin students build access for homebound military veteran

OVI checkpoint planned tonight in Butler County

Buses line up to pick up students at Middletown High School Wednesday, Sept. 22, 2021. Schools around the area are facing a shortage of bus drivers. NICK GRAHAM / STAFF

Empty driver seats: Area schools scramble to fill bus driver shortages

The Muhlhauser Barn in West Chester Township will host a statewide exhibit of historic Ohio barn paintings, “A Tribute to Historic Barns of Ohio: 88 Counties, 88 Paintings, 88 Essays,” on Sept. 29, 2021 from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. CONTRIBUTED

Exhibit and barn painting auction to celebrate Ohio agriculture and history

$Earning national rankings in a variety of national academic measurements is nothing new to Miami University. But recently coming in second – right behind internationally acclaimed Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) – was a welcomed surprise, say Miami officials. Last week Miami officials learned the school had again been ranked among the top 50 universities in America. Pictured are students studying in Miami's Department of Computer Science and Software Engineering. (Provided Photo\Journal-News)$

Miami University repeats as a top 50 school in latest national rankings

Lakota board votes 3-2 to approve settlement for former Lakota East principal

New details: Board, former Lakota East principal reach settlement; vote tonight

Liberty Center has sued an Illinois-based entertainment company for $850,000 in back rent and late fees because it never opened the In the Game center in the mega mall development.

Liberty Center sues business for never opening In the Game site there

Judge to rule on whether man accused of killing 4 relatives in West Chester is indigent

No community grew to a larger degree in Butler County in the decade from 2010 and 2020 than the city of Monroe, according to just released data from the U.S. Census Bureau. Monroe school officials say they have seen the residential growth up close as enrollment has also expanded, forcing the school system to use all available spaces for learning in recent years. (File Photo/Journal-News)

Census reveals Monroe Schools’ overcrowding, other communities’ gains and losses

Butler County judge denies Ivermectin treatment order for COVID patient

Liberty Center is a mixed-used business, retail and living complex in Liberty Township. NICK GRAHAM / STAFF

Butler County agrees to $14 million property value drop for Liberty Center

Butler County judge modifies Ivermectin treatment order for COVID-19 patient

Victim ID’d in deadly motorcycle crash in West Chester Twp.