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:


Hanover Reserve fire: Area businesses offer to help those suddenly lacking a wedding venue

Before fires were extinguished at the new, nearly $3.6 million Hanover Reserve Weddings & Events center, area companies were offering to help brides and grooms who suddenly found themselves without a location for their marriages.

The fire happened while people were gathered to celebrate a wedding at Hanover Reserve. Everybody left safely and nobody was injured.

Brad Baker, owner of Pinball Garage in Hamilton, posted on Facebook that it was heartbreaking to see a fire had occurred on the new, 45-acre property, which opened in May. He offered his bar and restaurant for free. Then came a deluge of other people and companies offering to help.

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Schwarber’s grand slam leads Red Sox to rout of Astros

Credit: David J. Phillip

Credit: David J. Phillip

Kyle Schwarber’s grand slam in the second inning helped carry the Boston Red Sox to a 12-3 victory against the Houston Astros on Monday at Fenway Park. The Red Sox took a 2-1 lead in the American League Championship Series.

“These are moments that you are never going to forget as a player,” Schwarber told reporters. “This is what we live for. We live to be in the postseason. When you get that first taste, that first experience, you want to keep coming. You want more. Especially in this place, where it’s just rocking the whole time and it’s rowdy, and they’re in tune to every single pitch and every run matters. It’s something that you’re not going to forget, that’s for sure.”

The Middletown High School graduate Schwarber has hit three home runs in eight postseason games this month. He’s hitting .281 (9-for-32) with six RBIs.

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Butler County changes COVID-19 vaccine clinics as efforts to boost numbers continue

Credit: Nick Graham

Credit: Nick Graham

The Butler County General Health District is continuing to offer weekly COVID-19 vaccination clinics that have moved indoors this month in efforts to increase the number of residents vaccinated.

The weekly clinics run by the health district are now held at the Butler County Educational Service Center in Hamilton after moving from the sidewalk location outside of the health district offices. The schedule includes clinics from 9 a.m. to noon today and Wednesday and then next week on Oct. 28 and 29.

Appointments can be set by visiting gettheshot.coronavirus.ohio.gov, searching for ZIP code 45011 and choosing the Butler County Educational Service Center.

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Teen pleads guilty, gets life sentence in fatal Middletown shooting over $60 marijuana debt

A trial was scheduled to begin Monday afternoon in Butler County Common Pleas Court for the last of three teens charged in a robbery attempt that turned deadly last winter in Middletown, but instead he entered a guilty plea and was sent to prison.

Karlos Chase Philpot,18, was indicted in February for murder, two counts of aggravated robbery, four counts of felonious assault and improperly discharging a firearm into a habitation for a Jan. 31 incident where a woman was killed at a Wilbraham Road residence.

Philpot pleaded guilty to murder in Judge Greg Stephens’ courtroom three hours before his trial was scheduled to begin. The remaining charges were dismissed. The plea carried a mandatory sentence and Stephens then imposed that sentence of life in prison with the possibility of parole in 15 years.

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Early voting turnout for Nov. 2 election in Butler County outpacing 2019 election

Early voting in Butler County for the Nov. 2 general election is quickly outpacing the votes cast before Election Day two years ago, according to county election officials.

But the numbers are still low enough that anyone who wants to cast a ballot this week at the elections office on Princeton Road in Hamilton, won’t have to wait. But that can’t be said as Election Day grows nearer.

“Today, in-person voting is slow, so voters who have not made a plan to vote yet can stop in and vote with no line,” said Butler County Deputy Director Eric Corbin. “We do expect the lines in early voting to get longer as we get closer to Election Day.”

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

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

Liberty Twp. officials are lining up funding for the first phase of a $36 million Millikin Road interchange at Interstate 75 with a new financing district and requests for county, state and federal support.

The township recently held a virtual open house for people to learn more about the proposal and comment. Economic Development Director Caroline McKinney said 577 people gave their feedback.

“We received lots and lots of positives,” McKinney said about comments from people who live in the area. “Across the board people were acknowledging that improved access would be beneficial.”

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