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

Credit: Nick Graham

Credit: Nick Graham

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


2 Middletown schools move to remote learning, Hamilton schools may follow

Two Middletown schools are now closed to live classes due to the recent uptick in coronavirus cases and all Hamilton Schools may soon follow in ordering students to learn remotely from home.

This week Middletown High School was ordered by district officials to cease in-person classes and they soon after included Middletown Middle School in the switch to remote learning as a safety precaution and due to teacher and other staffing shortages caused by coronavirus quarantines.

The two school shutdowns will impact more than 2,000 of Middletown’s 6,300 students and their families.

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New restaurant: Owner expands from barbecue food truck to sit-down business in Middletown

Credit: Nick Graham

Credit: Nick Graham

Two years ago, Brent Dalton, owner of a popular food truck known for its barbecue selection, announced he was expanding and opening a restaurant.

There have been numerous delays, including those caused by the coronavirus, but Dalton’s dream will become a reality Saturday morning when he opens his first restaurant, Brent’s Smokin’ Butts and Grill, 1206 Central Ave.

Dalton gave a nervous laugh when asked about opening a restaurant at a time when others are closing due to the lack of business caused by COVD-19.

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Light Up German Village to change holiday tradition this weekend: How to go

For the first time in 29 years, there won’t be a German Village Christmas Walk this year because of the coronavirus pandemic.

But that won’t stop the historic Hamilton neighborhood from doing its best to brighten the holiday season.

From 6-9 p.m. Saturday, the neighborhood will host Light Up German Village.

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Miami University’s towering landmark to come down this month

A 63-year-old landmark visible throughout the Miami University campus will soon be coming down.

The Williams Hall Transmission Tower, once used for both Miami radio and television broadcasts from the school’s Oxford campus, will be dismantled later this month, said school officials.

The 342-feet-tall tower has been highest and most visible structure on the school’s campus since 1957.

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Liberty Twp. neighbors oppose memory care facility in Carriage Hill development

Credit: Submitted

Credit: Submitted

The Liberty Twp. trustees say they will likely have to approve a new memory care facility, despite an opposition petition signed by about 328 neighbors in the posh Carriage Hill subdivision.

The trustees held a completely virtual public hearing on Tuesday due to the coronavirus. The meeting lasted three-and-a-half hours and resulted in the trustees tabling approval of a major modification to the commercial portion of the Carriage Hill preliminary planned unit development plan (PUD).

Carriage Hill developer Randy Terry is requesting the modification to accommodate two identical 16,238-square-foot buildings for Beehive Carriage Hill, a memory care facility at the Ohio 747 entrance to the subdivision.

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

HISTORICAL PHOTOS: Butler County people and places from deep in the Journal-News archives

We went deep into the Journal-News archives to find some rare photos of historic life in Butler County.

SEE ALL OF THE PHOTOS