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

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


Butler County sheriff wants to refill 14 positions eliminated in budget cuts

ajc.com

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Butler County Sheriff Richard Jones is asking the county commissioners to let him refill 14 positions cut during $1.5 million in budget eliminations.

Jones said he needs to replenish positions that were cut this year to board the level of prisoners that will bring the county an estimated $10 million in revenue, which is the third-highest revenue slice of the general fund.

“We’re back, actually more so arresting people, domestic violence is up, crime hasn’t went down during this COVID, they didn’t stop stealing and robbing and killing. So we submitted our budget, worked with the commissioners' office. We lost $1.5 million this year, we were not prepared for that,” Jones said.

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Man sentenced for starting huge New Year’s Day fire that burned for days

Joshua Lamb appeared for a prelimary hearing in Middletown Municipal Court Wednesday, Jan. 8, 2020. Lamb has been indicted by a Butler County grand jury on arson charges for the fire on New Year’s Day at the vacant former Middletown Paperboard building. NICK GRAHAM/STAFF

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A Middletown man has been sentenced to five years of community control after admitting to starting a New Year’s Day fire at the former Middletown Paperboard complex.

Joshua Lamb, 35, was charged with arson, a fourth-degree felony, and aggravated arson, a second-degree felony, for starting the fire at 300 S. Verity Parkway that burned for days.

Lamb, who has been held since January in the Butler County Jail in lieu of $20,000 bond, pleaded guilty in September in Butler County Common Pleas Court to the arson charge. The aggravated arson charge was dismissed.

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Butler County native advances to Top 10 in national theater talent search

Tyler Evick. CONTRIBUTED

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Forging a career in musical theater is difficult in the best of times, let alone during a global pandemic that has had the entire theater industry shut down since March.

Yet Tyler Evick, a Butler County native, has just scored a Top 10 spot in an international talent search called Give My Regards…, courtesy of the New York-based Spot-On Arts Academy, an online school where aspiring talents can connect with established artists.

Evick, 35, has been living in Nashville since 2004. By day, he works for a health care company. His side gigs include vocal recording and session work whenever regional theaters rent nationally known productions. Before the pandemic, he also acted in community and semi-professional theater.

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Middletown man arrested on gun charges wanted in Dayton rape case

Demetrius Tamar Sellers

Credit: Montgomery County Jail

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Credit: Montgomery County Jail

A 27-year-old Middletown man wanted in a Dayton rape case was jailed Tuesday on gun charges.

Demetrius Tamar Sellers will be arraigned Wednesday in Dayton Municipal Court after he was arrested around 2:20 a.m. in the 4000 block of Vina Villa Avenue in Dayton on suspicion of improper handling of a firearm in a motor vehicle, carrying concealed weapons and having weapons while under disability, according to Montgomery County Jail records.

Sellers also faces an obstruction charge and a misdemeanor for failure to comply with an order or signal of a police officer.

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How quickly coronavirus can change school plans in Butler County

Hamilton school officials revealed Thursday evening the 10,000-student will soon be offering a five-day, all live classes option for its students. Currently the city schools are only a hybrid schedule and an at home, virtual learning program. (File Photo\Journal-News)

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A Middletown High School football coach’s positive coronavirus test has resulted in dozens of student-athletes and coaches being quarantined just days before their final game against rival Hamilton.

The incident has also underlined how quickly plans can change for any activity when a positive test or test leads to a large number of quarantines, officials said.

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

7 recent restaurant openings and other moves in Butler and Warren counties

Bandanas Italian Eatery will open next month in the former Stefano's location on Central Avenue in Middletown. Monica Nenni, co-owner of Bandanas, works on some of the interior decorations. NICK GRAHAM/STAFF

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Multiple restaurants have made news with openings or other moves in the past few months in Butler and Warren counties. Here’s a look at recent stories.

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