Afternoon catchup: 5 Butler County stories you need to know today

A bench in memory of James Hutchinson has been placed outside at Rosa Parks Elementary School in Middletown. NICK GRAHAM / STAFF

Credit: Nick Graham

Credit: Nick Graham

A bench in memory of James Hutchinson has been placed outside at Rosa Parks Elementary School in Middletown. NICK GRAHAM / STAFF

Here’s a look at five big Butler County stories today to catch up on the news:


Company to expand its cardboard-box manufacturing, perhaps in Hamilton

Saica Group President Ramón Alejandro told the Journal-News his company plans an aggressive $800 million expansion in the United States over the next five years years, with plans to add other manufacturing plants and a paper mill in the Midwest. Pictured is construction work on the Sacia plant in Hamilton. NICK GRAHAM/STAFF

Credit: Nick Graham

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Credit: Nick Graham

It’s possible that Hamilton, or some other area in southwest Ohio, could be the site of a new paper mill operated by Saica Group, the Spain-based company that’s building a cardboard-box-manufacturing factory in Hamilton.

Saica Group President Ramón Alejandro told the Journal-News his company plans an aggressive $800 million expansion in the United States over the next five years, with plans to add other manufacturing plants and a paper mill in the Midwest. The expansion may include company acquisitions or new plant construction.

Overall, the company plans to spend $2.8 billion on expansions globally through 2030, Alejandro said.

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Most Butler County districts keeping masks optional: Here are their policies

Area school leaders say they continue to closely work with local and county health officials as they report and monitor the overall rising numbers of coronavirus variant cases in Butler and Warren counties – as well as across Ohio. It’s literally a day-by-day situation of high vigilance, say Butler and Warren county  school officials. (File Photo\Journal-News)

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Most area public schools are holding with their optional student mask policy – though some have recently switched to mandatory - as classes for many students go into the second week of the school year.

But all school leaders said they continue to closely work with local and county health officials as they report and monitor the overall rising numbers of coronavirus variant cases in Butler and Warren counties – as well as across Ohio.

It’s literally a day-by-day situation of high vigilance, said school officials.

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Coroner: Death of Dayton teen girl at Land of Illusion was a drowning

Mykiara Jones, 14, of Dayton, an incoming freshman at Middletown High School, died Tuesday night, July 20, 2021, in an apparent drowning at a water park in Madison Twp. MIDDLETOWN CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT

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The death of a Dayton teen at a Butler County water park this summer was ruled a drowning and an accident Wednesday by the Montgomery County Coroner’s Office.

Mykiara Jones, 14, an incoming freshman at Middletown High School, was not wearing a life vest when she disappeared under water July 20 at Land of Illusion Aqua Adventures water park in Madison Twp.

She was pulled from the water after about 30 minutes and flown to Dayton Children’s Hospital, where she was pronounced dead.

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Inmate who escaped custody near Monroe turns himself in

Derrick M. Volz

Credit: Warren County Sheriff's Office

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Credit: Warren County Sheriff's Office

An inmate who escaped custody late Friday while being taken to an area hospital has turned himself in.

Derrick M. Volz, 29, with his attorney present, turned himself in at 8 p.m. Tuesday to the Warren County Sheriff’s Office without incident. He has been booked into the Warren County Jail, the sheriff’s office announced Tuesday evening.

Volz, of Amelia, was being taken to the hospital by staff from the Talbert House’s Community Correction Center, which is on state Route 63 in Turtlecreek Twp. in Warren County.

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Bench placed to remember Middletown boy killed by his mother

A bench in memory of James Hutchinson has been placed outside at Rosa Parks Elementary School in Middletown. NICK GRAHAM / STAFF

Credit: Nick Graham

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Credit: Nick Graham

A bench memorializing James Hutchinson who was killed by his mother in February has been placed at Rosa Parks Elementary in Middletown where the 6-year-old was a student.

James’s smiling face is pictured on the back of the bench with the words, “The greatest thing that we can do is to help somebody know that they are loved and capable of loving.” It sits outside the school’s recently completed new addition in the outdoor learning space.

A peaceful silhouette of a boy at play is on the other side of the bench with the sentiment, “In memory of James Hutchinson. A little boy who loved his school, his teachers & his friends.”

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AND, for an extra sixth story of the day ...

Funeral services set for Hamilton attorney who died after motorcycle crash

Jeffrey Bowling SUBMITTED

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Funeral services have been set for Hamilton attorney Jeffrey Bowling, who died late last week after a motorcycle crash in August.

Bowling, 53, was injured Aug. 4 when he was struck on an Indiana road and taken to an Indianapolis hospital, where he died Friday

He was on his way to the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally in South Dakota when the crash happened.

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