Top local news for Thursday, Feb. 3, 2022

Credit: Journal News

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


Butler County Sheriff: Expect heavy snow in late afternoon, stay off roads

A wintry mix of mostly sleet covered the Butler County area Thursday, Feb. 3, 2022 with more ice and snow expected to fall. NICK GRAHAM/STAFF

Credit: Nick Graham

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Credit: Nick Graham

In a video posted to Facebook around noon Thursday, Butler County Sheriff Richard K. Jones said the area should expect snow to arrive by 3 p.m.

His department is preparing for 3 to 5 inches of snow as predicted by local meteorologists, with some additional accumulation tonight. Wind gusts will reach up to 30 miles per hour, he said.

Jones declared a Level 1 Snow Emergency for the county on Thursday morning. Residents were seeing heavy sleet and some snow fall, and ice was making roads impassable.

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Fire at Hamilton home started in breezeway, officials said

Everyone escaped without injury from a an early morning fire at a house on Glencross Avenue in Hamilton ANA FALCON/SUBMITTED

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Hamilton firefighters have cleared the scene of fire early this morning on Glencross Avenue.

Firefighters were dispatched at 2:38 a.m. to the first block of Glencross on the city’s west side. Heavy flames were showing, but everyone was able to escape safely, according to dispatchers and fire officials.

Hamilton Fire Chief Mark Mercer said the fire started in the breezeway between the garage and the house. There was damage to the siding of the house as well as smoke damage inside.

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Springboro woman killed in crash that closed busy Middletown road

A serious crash today closed southbound Verity Parkway at Carmody Boulevard today. NICK GRAHAM/STAFF

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A woman has died following a crash Wednesday at the intersection of Verity Parkway and Carmody Boulevard in Middletown, according to the Ohio Highway Patrol.

Camille Kay, 21, of Springboro, was the passenger in one of two vehicles involved in the crash that happened about 12:23 p.m. She was transported to Miami Valley Hospital, where she died, according to OSP Lt. Clint Arnold.

A preliminary investigation indicates a 2002 Ford Mustang driven by Jeremy S. Watson, 23, of Miamisburg was traveling west on Verity. Jacqueline J. Mason, 32, of Middletown was operating a 2013 Kia Rio, traveling east on Verity Parkway, attempting to turn left onto Carmody. The two vehicles collided in the intersection as Mason was attempting the left turn.

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Republican primary election ballot is set

Bruce Jones, West Chester Twp. fiscal officer. CONTRIBUTED

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Republican voters will have some choices to make in May with contested races for county auditor and Juvenile Court judge,but for the first time Commissioner Cindy Carpenter is running unopposed.

West Chester Twp. Fiscal Officer Bruce Jones said he decided to seek the county’s chief financial officer role after it became apparent County Treasurer Nancy Nix might not be on the May 3 ballot. And he was right, Nix pulled petitions last week but decided not to run just hours before the filing deadline Wednesday.

With Butler County Auditor Roger Reynolds under a criminal investigation, Jones said the time was right.

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City wants to use 14-acre former Middletown Paperboard site for future development

Debris remains Wednesday, Dec.. 30, 2020 nearly a year after the former Middletown Paperboard complex was destroyed by fire. Firefighters from multiple departments battled the fire that started on January 1, 2020. NICK GRAHAM  / STAFF

Credit: Nick Graham

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Credit: Nick Graham

The city of Middletown is hoping to pay for the demolition and remediation of the former Middletown Paperboard site through two grants.

During Tuesday night’s City Council meeting, City Manager Jim Palenick called the redevelopment of the 14-acre Paperboard site on Verity Parkway one of the city’s “highest priority projects” because of its connection to the Ohio 4 corridor.

The city is requesting $1.878 million in grant funding through the Ohio Brownfield Remediation Program that is designed to provide grants for remediation of brownfield sites across Ohio to prepare them for future economic development. The Ohio Brownfield Remediation Program has $350 million in grants to award throughout the state.

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

Hamilton citizen of the year said city is full of others ‘that do amazing things’

Brad Baker was honored as the 2021 Citizen of the Year during the Greater Hamilton Chamber of Commerce 112th annual meeting and dinner Friday Jan. 28, 2022 at Courtyard by Marriott Hamilton. NICK GRAHAM/STAFF

Credit: Nick Graham

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Credit: Nick Graham

Brad Baker said the citizen of the year honor felt “very undeserved” and the award could have gone to many others in Hamilton “that do amazing things.”

Though the honor was “pretty overwhelming,” the award bestowed by the Greater Hamilton Chamber of Commerce did not leave the owner of Pinball Garage speechless. In fact at the chamber’s annual dinner this past Friday night, he professed his love for his adopted hometown, and its people and businesses.

“I love Hamilton. I love everything about Hamilton. Hamilton is an amazing town,” said Baker.

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