Here’s a look at five big Butler County stories today to catch up on the news:
Victim ID’d in Hamilton fatal shooting on Thursday
The Butler County Coroner’s Office has identified a man killed Thursday morning on Madison Avenue in Hamilton.
Jason J. Simpson, 47, died of a gunshot wound, and his death has been ruled a homicide.
Bond was set at $1 million this morning in Hamilton Municipal Court for a man accused accused of shooting Simpson about 10:30 a.m. outside a residence.
Crash sends 2 to hospital in West Chester Twp.
Credit: NICK GRAHAM / STAFF
Credit: NICK GRAHAM / STAFF
Credit: NICK GRAHAM / STAFF
Credit: NICK GRAHAM / STAFF
A head-on crash in West Chester Twp. sent one woman to the hospital with serious injuries as two were injured this morning.
The crash happened at 10 a.m. on Ohio 42 near Paul Manor. A vehicle went off the road, hit a guardrail and careened back into traffic, hitting another car head-on, according to township spokeswoman Barb Wilson.
The driver of the first car was taken to UC Hospital with serious injuries. The other female driver was also transported to a hospital with minor injuries.
Ankle monitor, car crash lead to arrest of pair accused of Butler County armed robbery spree
An ankle monitor led police to arrest one of two suspects in a robbery spree in multiple Butler County communities, and the other suspect was arrested following a Middletown crash involving a stolen car.
Ohio State Highway Patrol troopers and Middletown police officers arrested two juveniles Tuesday after the stolen Jaguar crashed on Ohio 4 near 14th Avenue. One suspect is a 16-year-old Hamilton boy suspected of three armed robberies at gas stations in Monroe, Fairfield Twp. and the city of Fairfield.
The boy was charged on Tuesday with one count of aggravated robbery, a felony, out of Fairfield Twp., and one count of aggravated robbery, a felony, out of Fairfield in juvenile court Wednesday. He also faces failure to comply with a lawful order and obstructing official business from OSP, according to court records.
Middletown group gets $49K for security to address homeless issue downtown
Credit: Nick Graham
Credit: Nick Graham
Credit: Nick Graham
Credit: Nick Graham
After more than 32 minutes of discussion among city officials, Downtown Middletown Inc. leaders and the police chief, Middletown City Council voted 4-1 to award a $49,724 grant to DMI to provide six months of unarmed security downtown as a pilot program.
Mayor Nicole Condrey voted against the emergency ordinance saying the money should be spent on additional social services and the presence of private security guards will push the homeless out into the neighborhoods.
Condrey doesn’t want the homeless moved around “like chess pieces,” she said.
For Middletown superintendent, DeWine’s signing of digital divide law follows years of efforts
Credit: Nick Graham
Credit: Nick Graham
Credit: Nick Graham
Credit: Nick Graham
This week’s public signing in Middletown by Ohio’s governor of a law to help bridge the digital divide for needy school families was also a personal victory of sorts for the leader of the city schools.
Middletown Schools Superintendent Marlon Styles Jr. was among the Butler County school officials joining the signing ceremony by Governor Mike DeWine and the new funding from the law has been a goal of Styles in recent years.
Styles, along with other local school leaders, has lobbied state and U.S. Congressional leaders on the need to give low income families access to at-home digital learning - through wireless internet access and laptops – so to keep pace with students from families with such resources.
AND, for an extra sixth story of the day ...
YWCA honors five Butler County women for their work
YWCA Hamilton this week gave its highest honor, the Dr. Julia Goodman Award, to City Planning Director Liz Hayden.
Wendy Waters-Connell, executive director of YWCA Hamilton, said that award “is given to the person who most demonstrates the spirit of our founder, having a pioneering and bold character.”
Its Emerging Leader Award went to Allison Kurtz of Liberty Township for her advocacy for transgender people.