VIDEO: Butler Tech principal includes students, flash mob in wedding proposal
FAIRFIELD TWP. — The rhythm of a loving heart proposing marriage can be enough to make someone dance — sometimes even an entire flash mob of area high school students.
Two former dancers — one now a principal of Butler Tech’s School of Arts high school student program and the other a classroom tutor at Fairfield High School — had been talking about getting engaged for months.
For Butler Tech Principal and Creative Director Kimheart Moeung that was his cue to step up and step out with a surprise, flash mob dance performance — and marriage proposal — for his girlfriend last weekend at Hamilton’s Fitton Center for Creative Arts.
Hamilton set to make $250K loan for ‘strategic property’ purchase, downtown parking
Credit: Nick Graham
Credit: Nick Graham
Hamilton City Council is expected to vote next month on giving the city’s non-profit Community Improvement Corporation $250,000.
The CIC is an economic development tool for local governments enabled by the Ohio Revised Code. These non-profit organizations work on behalf of a community and have the authority to do several things, such as acquire property for redevelopment projects or demolition. CICs can also transfer property easier than the local government, including selling property below market value and providing financing.
Hamilton’s CIC, which was created in 1966 for the purpose “to advance, encourage and promote the industrial, economic, commercial and civil development of the city of Hamilton and the area surrounding it,” would use the money primarily for Main Street area redevelopments, said City Manager Joshua Smith.
West Chester library expansion off the table
Credit: Nick Graham
Credit: Nick Graham
The $6.6 million MidPointe Library expansion is off the table in West Chester Twp. and the trustees are taking steps to facilitate the sale of the Activity Center, but the seniors who prompted the search for community space say they are undeterred.
West Chester is no longer pursuing the estimated $6.6 million library expansion and has taken another step toward selling the former Activity Center, both of which were being considered as spaces for community groups to gather.
“I think part of the issue for a few of the trustees in relationship to the addition to MidPointe in West Chester was the additional library being built in Liberty,” township Administrator Larry Burks told the Journal-News. “They seemed to think we should wait and see how that impacts our numbers at MidPointe in West Chester. Which makes sense.”
Trial for former Trenton police officer accused of child sex crimes continued for third time
Credit: Butler County Jail
Credit: Butler County Jail
A trial scheduled to begin Monday for a former Trenton police officer facing multiple sex charges involving children has been continued until this summer.
It is the third time the trial has been continued and 13 months since he was indicted.
Danny L. Greene, 66, was indicted in February 2020 by a Butler County grand jury on two counts of rape involving a victim younger than 13 and seven counts of gross sexual imposition.
Drainage issues at Bicentennial Commons Park in Monroe may delay plans
It’s time to “step back” on planned development at Monroe’s Bicentennial Commons Park until apparent drainage issues are fixed, Public Works Director Gary Morton told City Council members Tuesday night.
The issues need corrected before the city moves forward on Phase 2, Morton said. He doesn’t want the city to continue with plans it may “regret” in three years.
Concrete buried more than six inches under ground is prohibiting the water from properly draining in certain parts of the Bicentennial Commons, according to Morton. He said a drainage system will allow the water to be funneled into the Great River Miami.
AND, for an extra sixth story of the day ...
Inspiring Arts Productions performs ‘Romeo & Juliet’, but with a twist
Inspiring Arts Productions will showcase the talents of 28 local high school student actors as they take the stage for “Romeo & Juliet Together (and Alive) at Last!” this weekend.
“I love Shakespeare, and I wasn’t sure that doing a straight, pure Shakespeare show would be accessible for all the kids and audience at this time. This show is the best of both worlds. It is the beautiful artistic presentation of ‘Romeo & Juliet’ in part, and then, it’s also the hilarious farce of this group of students who try to put it on in the second act,” said Beth Kenniv, artistic director of Inspiring Arts Productions, and director of the show with assistant director Abigail Patrick.
Inspiring Arts Productions will present four performances of “Romeo & Juliet Together (and Alive) at Last!” Friday through Sunday in the Parrish Auditorium on the Miami University-Hamilton campus.