5 Butler County stories you might have missed over Easter weekend

Plenty of of big news and important stories were publishing since Friday as many were enjoying Easter with family or doing other things on their weekend.

Here are five Journal-News stories you might have missed:

A statewide youth wrestling all-star team coach who is accused of allowing hazing during a wrestling camp last summer at Franklin High School appeared in Franklin Municipal Court on Friday.

Bart Freidenberg, a prominent Ohio AAU wrestling coach, turned himself Friday afternoon at the Franklin Police Department after misdemeanor charges of child endangerment and hazing were filed April 12.

Butler County got the latest reminder Thursday of the risk associated with the Jacksonburg Road and State Route 73 intersection when a car struck a semi-trailer truck, sending the car’s driver to a local hospital.

Hope for a safer interchange is on its way as a roundabout is scheduled to replace the traditional intersection by August 2020 in a $3 million project.

In 1986, General Motors announced that it would close the Fisher Body plant, the beating heart of the city’s economy. The 2,500 jobs phased out over three years, until, 30 years ago, the plant shut down for good.

But present-day Fairfield would look much different if leaders had not responded to the closing as they did. Using tax incentives, open land and salesmanship, Fairfield lured a variety of businesses that helped it diversify its base and bring itself back from the brink of possible financial ruin.

Water Taxi Marine LLC recently received a zoning change it needed to fully use its property at 1000 Forest Ave. in Hamilton’s Lindenwald neighborhood.

The company builds boats as large as 38 feet long by 12 feet wide, and it sells them for between $200,000 and $270,000. It also can build a variety of other vessels, including speedboats and yachts, with hulls of fiberglass or aluminum.

While Logan Phillips was lost too young, he continues to impact his family, including his sister, Lainey, who is mature beyond her years.

Last week, Lainey, a junior at Edgewood High School, co-sponsored Atrium Medical Center’s monthly community blood drive. She and her parents, Larry and Cindy, gave blood in memory of Logan, who died nearly 15 years ago from a rare cancer-like disorder.

That was just the latest effort by the family to remember him by helping others.

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