Top local news for Friday, Mar. 25, 2022

Brittany Gaba, 33, of Middletown, was charged with robbery today after she allegedly stole a woman's purse Saturday. MIDDLETOWN POLICE

Brittany Gaba, 33, of Middletown, was charged with robbery today after she allegedly stole a woman's purse Saturday. MIDDLETOWN POLICE

Here is a look at five big Butler County stories today to catch up on the news.


Woman admits guilt in robbing elderly woman who gave her a ride

Brittany Gaba BUTLER COUNTY JAIL

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A Middletown woman has admitted to victimizing a senior citizen with a guilty plea to robbery for a December purse snatching.

Brittany K. Gaba, 32, was indicted in January by a Butler County grand jury for robbery and theft from a person in a protected class. The charges are felonies.

On Thursday, Gaba pleaded guilty to both charges in Butler County Common Pleas Court. She faces a maximum of four years in prison. Sentencing is set for May 5.

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Ex-Miami University parking supervisor sentenced for stealing nearly $50,000

A banner on Shidler Hall welcomes new students at Miami University Tuesday, Aug. 18, 2021 in Oxford. NICK GRAHAM / STAFF

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OXFORD — A former employee who admitted to stealing nearly $50,000 from Miami University using funds he collected as parking operation supervisor has been sentenced to three years of community control.

Tommy Jessie, 46, of Trenton, pleaded guilty on Feb. 17 to theft, a fifth-degree felony, in Butler County Common Pleas Court. He paid restitution of $49,987.96 to the university at the plea hearing, according to Assistant County Prosecutor Garrett Baker.

Jessie faced a maximum of 12 months behind bars. In addition to community control Judge Jennifer McElfesh also ordered him to undergo drug and alcohol monitoring, obtain and maintain full-time employment, and attend theft classes through the probation department.

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Police: Suspect stabs man he met in jail, to be charged with felonious assault

Alan M. Keeney MIDDLETOWN DIVISION OF POLICE

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A man has been charged with felonious assault after he allegedly stabbed a man in the neck this afternoon on Crawford Street in Middletown. Middletown dispatchers said the stabbing was reported at 4:42 p.m.

The man told Middletown police he and the victim met in jail and “exchanged words” today. He also told police he accidentally stabbed the man in the neck.

The victim was transported to a local hospital with non life-threatening injuries, police said.

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Fairfield Applebee’s expected to reopen this afternoon after HVAC fire

The Fairfield Fire Department has the largest budget increase from 2017 to 2018, but that’s because of new personnel to be hired and adding more firefighters per shift. However, that’s being paid for initially by a federal staffing grant and supplemented with a 2.5-mill fire levy voters approved in 2016. GREG LYNCH/FILE

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The fire at the Fairfield Applebee’s on Pleasant Avenue reportedly started in the restaurant’s HVAC unit.

The Butler County General Health District is on scene, and Fairfield Fire Department Deputy Chief Tom Wagner said it’s anticipated the restaurant will reopen later this afternoon.

“It was more smoke than anything,” he said, adding there’s no structural damage to the restaurant.

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Local builder with ALS ‘made the best of the disease’

Randy Thomas died March 18 in his Hamilton home six years after he was diagnosed with ALS. He was 63. CONTRIBUTED

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Six years ago, Randy Thomas and his wife, Joyce, drove from their Fairfield home to the Cleveland Clinic hoping Randy’s previous diagnosis of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis was wrong.

But doctors delivered the “death sentence” diagnosis, Joyce said.

There were no tears. Instead, the couple went out for a romantic Italian dinner. Not as a celebration, but a way to start their new way of living.

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

PHOTOS: Kings Island in black and white photos

The twin-track Racer at Kings Island was the word's first full-length wooden roller coaster to travel in the backwards direction. The ride opened in 1972, with both trains running in the forward direction. One train was turned around in 1982. CONTRIBUTED/JOURNAL-NEWS PHOTO ARCHIVES

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SEE ALL OF THE PHOTOS