Journal-News’ biggest stories so far this month

Here is an aggregated look at some of the best work from Journal-News reporters.
Defense attorney Charles M. Rittgers, left, talks with his client, Gurpreet Singh, during a motions hearing. The jury trial of Gurpreet Singh, charged with allegedly shooting and killing four family members in 2019 in West Chester Township, started with preliminary motions and jury selection Monday, Oct. 3, 2022 in a new super courtroom in Butler County Common Pleas Court in Hamilton. NICK GRAHAM/STAFF

Credit: Nick Graham

Credit: Nick Graham

Defense attorney Charles M. Rittgers, left, talks with his client, Gurpreet Singh, during a motions hearing. The jury trial of Gurpreet Singh, charged with allegedly shooting and killing four family members in 2019 in West Chester Township, started with preliminary motions and jury selection Monday, Oct. 3, 2022 in a new super courtroom in Butler County Common Pleas Court in Hamilton. NICK GRAHAM/STAFF

Reporters at the Journal-News write several stories each week to help our readers keep up with the goings-on in Butler County as a whole. But, even longtime subscribers with a watchful eye can miss our best work.

To consistently keep our readers up to date on the site’s best pieces, we will each week aggregate impactful stories from our journalists, spanning from beats focused on Hamilton, Middletown and Butler County, to our local school districts, to our court coverage and our investigative pieces — and anything in between.

This post will be taking a look at stories that have published in October.

Mistress testifies in West Chester quadruple homicides trial

The jury trial of Gurpreet Singh, charged with allegedly shooting and killing four family members in 2019 in West Chester Township, started with preliminary motions and jury selection Monday, Oct. 3, 2022 in a new super courtroom in Butler County Common Pleas Court in Hamilton. NICK GRAHAM/STAFF

Credit: Nick Graham

icon to expand image

Credit: Nick Graham

Journal-News crime reporter Lauren Pack has been covering the weeks-long trial of Gurpreet Singh, who is charged with killing his wife and three family members in their shared home in West Chester in 2019.

The defendant, Gurpreet Singh, faces death penalty if convicted.

Prosecutors say an affair with an Indianapolis woman was part of a motive for Singh. On Friday, the jury heard from that mistress on what was Day 10 of Singh’s death penalty trial.

‘The Bikeriders’ movie shot scenes in Hamilton - proving filmmakers are attracted to the area

Mike, left, and Greg Jolivette stand outside Jolly's drive-in restaurant on Brookwood Ave. NICK GRAHAM/STAFF

Credit: Nick Graham

icon to expand image

Credit: Nick Graham

Another big movie production set itself up in Hamilton this month, as cast and crew of ‘The Bikeriders,’ set up in front of Jolly’s Drive-In.

“The movie location was found, in a roundabout way, through Film Cincinnati, the agency helping ‘The Bikeriders’ navigate the logistics needed to make the production, including finding locations. Crews were at Jolly’s on Brookwood on Wednesday and began filming the scene Thursday morning,” reporter Michael Pitman wrote.

The movie, which is Tom Hardy and Austin Butler’s latest project, is also filming in Cincinnati.

“Productions are attracted to Ohio, and in particular, the Cincinnati region. The region, which includes Hamilton and Butler County, ranked 11th in MovieMaker magazine’s best 25 places to live and work as a filmmaker, which was the top Ohio region,” Pitman wrote.

Man connects local students to glassblowing art through stories he shares

Darren Goodman, of Waynesville, performs his 'Glass Experience' demonstration at Berry Intermediate School in Lebanon on Sept. 29, 2022. AVERY KREEMER/STAFF

Credit: Avery Kreemer

icon to expand image

Credit: Avery Kreemer

In Warren County, reporter Avery Kreemer wrote about a Waynesville glassblower who travels to different schools to connect students to the art form while also talking about complex life-lessons.

“Goodman himself is a bit of a mix between a historian, a performer, a glassblower, a motivational speaker, and a storyteller; and he has a firm interest in using glass as a way to tell those stories, and a matching tendency to understand life through the glass’ lens,” Kreemer wrote.

“The traveling “Glass Experience” — at least when he performs it for students — mixes all of those personality traits in a way that his other avenues of glassblowing practice cannot. Its core message, in so many words, is that, ‘Life’s not easy, but it can be beautiful, even when it breaks,’” Kreemer wrote.

“I’m trying to connect children to ideas that are a little maybe beyond their life experiences, as far as embracing that struggle,” Goodman said. “That’s what turns you into who you are, who you become.”

Butler County’s first Costco store nearing completion

The new Costco now under construction is part of the $139 million, mixed-use Freedom Pointe project along Cox Road north of Liberty Way — near Christ Hospital Medical Center – in Liberty Twp. and near Interstate 75. Costco, which company officials have said will open in November, is the anchor retail tenant of the sprawling 88-acre development, which will also feature a wide-range of retail, restaurant and residential offerings all sharing green space grounds. (Photo By Nick Graham\Journal-News)

icon to expand image

The County’s first Costco is nearing completion at Liberty Twp.’s newest development, the $139 million “Freedom Pointe” project, reporter Michael Clark wrote.

“The giant store, which will replace planned-to-close Springdale Costco in northern Hamilton County, is scheduled to open in November but company officials declined to provide an opening date,” Clark wrote.

Clark wrote that the development, which is the second most expensive project in Liberty Twp. history, is progressing as planned, according to the developer.

About the Author