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

Credit: DaytonDailyNews

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


Local high school freshman to appear on ‘Shark Tank’ this week

Carson Grill, 15, a freshman at Fenwick High School, and his father, Jason, will appear on "Shark Tank" Friday night. They will pitch Carson’s paint saving invention, The Touch Up Cup. SUBMITTED PHOTO

Credit: ABC

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Credit: ABC

A freshman at Bishop Fenwick High School will be featured on ABC’s “Shark Tank” on Friday, according to the school.

The Season 12 Premier of “Shark Tank” airs at 8 p.m. Friday.

Carson Grill, 15, and his father, Jason, entered the Tank to pitch Carson’s paint saving invention, The Touch Up Cup.

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Trailer released for ‘Hillbilly Elegy’ movie filmed in Middletown

Crews were in Middletown last summer filming scenes for “Hillbilly Elegy.” Directed by Ron Howard, the film’s stars include Amy Adams, Glenn Close (pictured) and Gabriel Basso. NICK GRAHAM/STAFF

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The trailer for the movie version of J.D. Vance’s book “Hillbilly Elegy: A Memoir of a Family and a Culture in Crisis” that was filmed in part in Middletown has been released.

The Netflix movie directed by Ron Howard stars Amy Adams and Glenn Close, and the trailer indicates it will be released on Nov. 24 on Netflix and in select theaters.

Crews were in Middletown in August 2019 to film scenes for the movie.

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Why judges ruled New Miami doesn’t owe $3.4M for speed camera program

The speed camera case in New Miami has been dragging on since 2013 is about to be decided by three judges on the appellate court. New Miami does not want to pay $3 million-plus to drivers who paid fines under a speed camera system that has been found unconstitutional. FILE

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After years of legal wrangling, the 12th District Court of Appeals has ruled New Miami’s speed camera program was constitutional and the cash-strapped village does not have to return $3.4 million to speeders.

A group of about 33,000 speeders took the tiny village to court seven years ago over what they said was an unconstitutional, unmanned speed camera program. They claimed the Automated Speed Enforcement Program (ASEP) violated their due process rights because an administrative hearing rather than court proceeding was used. The speeders demanded the village refund around $3 million collected on the $95 tickets.

New Miami has maintained it has home rule authority to enforce traffic laws and keep its citizens safe from motorists who barrel down the main drag of the village.

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Butler County reverts to traditional health insurance in coronavirus uncertainty

The Butler County Government Services Center. STAFF FILE

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Butler County is reverting to traditional health insurance that is slightly more expensive and less risky after three years of self insurance and some costly claims.

The Butler County commissioners approved a new contract with the County Employee Benefits Consortium of Ohio (CEBCO) on Monday that utilizes Anthem insurance with a cost of $21.2 million, which is a 2.8% increase over the $20.6 million self-insurance quote from United Healthcare.

The county went to a self-insurance model in 2017 after several years of double-digit percentage increases for insurance coverage. Some large, unusual claims over several years drove those increases, including a single $5 million claim in 2013 and a $3 million claims month in November 2014.

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Ohio ranks fourth nationally in coronavirus cases at colleges: What to know

Miami University students at the school's main Oxford campus are making big adjustments to being in school during the coronavirus.

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Ohio has the country’s fourth-highest number of coronavirus cases in colleges as campuses are continuing to be on the front lines of the pandemic, according to newly released data.

A New York Times survey of U.S. colleges and universities showed 181,686 cases on 1,712 campuses, as of last Thursday. The Times reported at least 70 deaths on college campuses were linked to COVID-19.

Texas led all states with 14,626 cases. The top five includes Georgia ranking second with 9,823 cases, followed by Florida with 9,161, Ohio at 9,040, and South Carolina with 8,151.

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

Land of Illusion ‘scream park’: What’s new and different in 2020?

The Land of Illusion "scream park" in Middletown boasts seven state-of-the-art haunted attractions, including a food court, full bar, live music, movies, and themed weekends. CONTRIBUTED

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Land of Illusion has evolved a great deal since its 1997 opening. Starting out as the Middletown Haunted Trail, the venerable Middletown “scream park” now boasts seven state-of-the-art haunted attractions, including a food court, full bar, live music, movies, and themed weekends.

“The first day we close is the first day we start working on next year,” said Michael McKnight, Land of Illusion’s Operations Manager. “We have prop builders, maintenance people, and managers working year-round, looking for things we can add or old things that can be exchanged for something new. We employ over 400 people on a single night, from monsters to bartenders, most on the haunted trail.”

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