Here is a look at five big Butler County stories today to catch up on the news.
Hamilton man indicted for murder in brother’s shooting death
HAMILTON — A man is facing a murder charge for the shooting death of his brother in February in the yard of their home on Summer Street in Hamilton.
Justin Glenn was indicted by a Butler County grand jury on March 30 for murder and having weapons under disability. The indictment was unsealed Thursday afternoon.
Justin Glenn drove himself to the hospital on the night of Feb. 21 night while bleeding from the head after gunfire in the yard He told dispatchers, “My brother shot me.”
Former nurse aide pleads guilty to sex crimes in Butler Co., was already convicted in Warren Co.
Credit: Submitted photo
Credit: Submitted photo
A Middletown man already convicted in Warren County of having sexual contact with assisted living patients has pleaded guilty to more charges in Butler County.
Godbless Uwadiegwu, 59, of Bonita Drive, who was a nurse aide, was indicted in November by a Butler County grand jury for rape and sexual battery, for crimes allegedly committed between Sept. 1 and Sept. 5, 2018, and two counts of gross sexual imposition and unlawful restraint for crimes allegedly committed on Dec. 26, 2013, according to court records.
Uwadiegwu appeared in Butler County Common Pleas Court on Thursday where he pleaded guilty to one count of sexual battery and one count of gross sexual imposition. The remainder of the charges were dismissed.
Middletown firefighters may get $78K to cover overtime cost to test, flush hydrants
MIDDLEOTWN — Fewer staff and more emergency runs have reduced the time Middletown firefighters have had to flush and test the city’s 2,700 fire hydrants, said Paul Lolli, fire chief and acting city manager.
In 2013, he said, the city had 22 firefighters per shift, then that number dropped to 13. At the same time, the number of medical runs doubled, he said.
Then the hydrant flushing and testing duties were shared between the fire department and water maintenance departments. The water maintenance department does not have the staffing capabilities to fill in and assume full responsibility of hydrant flushing and testing, according to the city.
Lakota’s number of virtual learning students drop dramatically; program to change
Once a learning lifeline during the frantic, early months of the COVID-19 pandemic, remote learning at Lakota Schools continues to be rolled back as demand from school families fades.
The pandemic’s onset in March 2020 saw all Ohio’s public and private schools shuttered for the rest of that school year.
Lakota and other area districts were forced to scramble to put together remote, home learning programs on a scale they had never before attempted.
West Side Little League to kick off fundraising with event tonight
Credit: Nick Graham
Credit: Nick Graham
HAMILTON — The West Side Little League is celebrating its 2021 team that was the runners-up in the Little League World Series, and kicking off its capital fundraising campaign.
Starting at 5:15 p.m., the West Side Little League will celebrate the 2021 team, as well as past LLWS teams, as it launches a capital campaign to make significant upgrades to its complex.
Hamilton City Council has agreed to make a $300,000 donation from the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds as the Little League baseball and softball program aims to raise $1 million.
AND, for an extra sixth story of the day ...
Cook of the Week: Natalie Herman takes nontraditional approaches to meals
Natalie Herman sat in the cozy kitchen in her Hamilton home with three different homemade dishes surrounding her on the table. This feast of muffins, noodle kugel and cookies represented just a small sample of her cooking creations each week for her family, who keeps this cook on her toes.
“My husband, Steve, works at 6:15 a.m. at Costco,” she began as she listed off the family’s crazy schedule. “My daughter Erin, who lives just a few minutes away, is a speech therapist with three children: Hannah, Caroline and Ryan. They all have school and activities–swimming, soccer. I help out with them, but I’m also cooking to feed my family.”
And despite this packed schedule, Herman doesn’t rely on restaurants or take-out to put food on the table.