Farming has been a way of life for generations at Brown's Family Farm Market, but it now faces a one-two punch of higher fuel prices to run the equipment and high fertilizer costs to grow the crops.

Jody Boyd is a fourth-generation manager who oversees day-to-day operations around the farm and market.

"We expanded into the produce business probably about 36 years ago when we moved to this location in 1990 and we have always grown produce," Boyd said.

Watch below to learn about the impacts to local farmers:

Boyd said local farmers are facing challenges from rising fuel and fertilizer prices.

Fuel powers everything from farm vehicles to heating greenhouses, while fertilizer is essential to keep crops growing, Boyd said.

"Whether it's to produce food, to feed people, or to grow the flowers and things that we have in the greenhouses, the pumpkins that we pick in the fall ... they all need fertilizer at some point," she said. "It's a little concerning. You see fuel surcharges come and go, and there's things like that always affecting the bottom line. The fertilizer, if there ends up being fertilizer shortages, how that's going to trickle down in the future, that's where the concerns start to come in."

The farm is making strategic moves to stay ahead.

"We just have big tanks back there, so I don't know how often they get filled, but we say roughly monthly," Boyd said.

Despite the uncertainty, there are signs of support from the community.

"It's fun, it's great to see all the people returning again, some of the same faces have supported us for years," Boyd said.

The farm's market, located at 11620 Hamilton Cleves Road in Hamilton, just opened for the season on April 1.

"We're still optimistic that things are going to move along as normal," Boyd said.

The Butler County Coroner's Office has released the identities of the two people found dead in a murder-suicide inside their Liberty Township home.

After autopsies were conducted, the coroner's office said 72-year-old Claire Olmsted Buckley was shot and killed, and 70-year-old Frederick Buckley died by suicide on Wednesday evening.

According to the Butler County Sheriff's Office, deputies were dispatched to the couple's home in the 4400 block of Hidden Oaks Lane after a welfare check was requested by their son-in-law, who told officials he hadn't heard from his in-laws in a couple of days. The son-in-law told dispatchers he was at the home and could see his family's vehicle inside the garage.

Inside the home, deputies found a 72-year-old woman, now identified as Olmsted Buckley, lying on a couch with a gunshot wound while a 70-year-old man, Frederick Buckley, was found dead on the living room floor, also with a gunshot wound, the sheriff's office said.

Neighbors said the two lived in the neighborhood for more than a dozen years.

"It makes zero sense. It makes zero sense," a next-door neighbor, who asked not to be identified, told us. "Very nice people, very kind people. Always friendly, always something nice to say. Just shocked."

Watch: We speak with neighbors about the couple found dead in Liberty Township

While neighbors said the couple recently built a new home in Columbus and moved there, they frequently came back to Liberty Township because of a financial planning business that was run out of the home. The next-door neighbor we spoke with said she had a conversation with the elderly woman this past weekend about the move.

"She was talking about the painters in their new house, and that she was starting to feel comfortable there and getting it set up and making it her own," the neighbor said. "And she seemed very happy."

Deputies also found a dead dog in the home's living room, according to the sheriff's office. The next-door neighbor said the couple had a dog named Luna, and they loved playing with her.

"Just this past week, when they were home, I heard them in the backyard playing with Luna and throwing the ball and the Frisbee for her," she said. "And they laugh out loud watching her. I mean, they get total joy out of that dog."

The Butler County Sheriff's Office remained at the scene for hours on Wednesday afternoon. As of Thursday, the office said no more updates were available at this time.

"This is completely out of character. They're very kind people with a very nice family, and I just can't believe it," the neighbor said, before sharing her immediate reaction to the news. "Like, 'This is not true. Is there some other explanation? Why? What?'"

The Trenton Planning Commission gave swift approval Monday to a site plan for the Prologis data center project, wrapping up its meeting in about 10 minutes but not all residents were satisfied with the decision.

The commission voted that the site plan complies with the citys zoning code.

The development, located on 141 acres in Trentons industrial park south of Kennel Road, is already under construction. The project features four buildings totaling 880,000 square feet, each equipped with high-tech cooling systems.

Prologis, the company behind the project, says it will create 140 jobs, bring in $120,000 annually in city utility fees, and operate with a water-efficient design that requires no chemicals and only uses water about 3% of the year. The company also says it will cover the cost of power upgrades and all utility costs.

But not everyone is convinced.

I did not expect a 10-minute meeting and a decision to go ahead, said Melinda Zemper, a Butler County resident and member of Save Ohio Parks. My question is what kind of air emissions are going to be coming from this natural gas plant?

WATCH: How the Trenton Planning Commission made the decision Monday

Zemper also questioned the pace of the decision.

Why rush? We can live without AI. We cannot live without clean air and clean water, a viable planet and healthy children. People will not live here, they will not stay here, and they will not work here, Zemper said.

Barry Blankenship said he's concerned the meeting did not allow for enough discussion.

It was supposed to be a site plan review," Blankenship said. "It didnt say 'site plan vote.' They shouldnt have voted on this tonight."

Blankenship leads a grassroots group of more than 500 members who have raised concerns about noise, traffic, diesel generators and fossil fuel power plants.

After the meeting, city officials declined to answer questions, saying they would only respond via email. We reached out to Trenton city officials through email following the meeting, but have not yet heard back.

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Despite the commissions review and approval of the plan, opposition organizers like Blankenship said they will continue monitoring the project.

Were going to keep on fighting, Blankenship said. If we cant get it stopped, were going to be watching. Everything that goes wrong that we see, were going to report it.

Crews are responding to a working fire at a Hanover Township body shop, dispatchers said.

Butler County dispatchers said units from several cities and townships have responded to Rice Auto Body Shop for a reported fire that has impacted multiple cars. Videos show black smoke billowing above the body shop.

In a social media post Monday, Rice Auto Body confirmed a fire happened at the property and said everyone is safe.

"After 55 years in business, this is a tough day for our family and friends who are like our family," the post reads. "Many people showed up today without even being asked to help us in the most crucial moment."

The post said two out of five buildings were damaged in the fire.

"We are going to regroup, rebuild, stay strong and keep doing what we love... building and fixing cars!" the post reads.

A Canadian-based transportation company is laying off 149 employees, the majority of them at its Butler County location.

Day & Ross USA, which is based in New Brunswick, will cut 100 jobs from its site at 3560 Symmes Road in Hamilton, effective May 30, the company said in a Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification, or WARN, filed with the state last Wednesday.

At the Butler County facility, the majority of the layoffs will affect drivers (54) and dock workers (36). The remaining positions affected are dispatchers and dock leads (two each), plus administrative assistant, driver manager, inbound dock manager, operations coordinator, operations supervisor and senior operations manager (one each).

Thirty-two layoffs will come from the companys facility in Livonia, Michigan, while the remaining cuts will be carried out in Indiana (6), Kentucky (6), Tennessee (3) and West Virginia (2), according to the WARN notice.

Day & Ross started in 1950 and was bought by McCain Foods in 1966. It is now owned entirely by McCain, the worlds largest manufacturer of frozen french fries and potato products.

The company opened its Symmes Road location in 2000 and hired workers who had lost their jobs when the previous company there, Dedicated Logistics Inc., shut down after General Motors chose a different shipping company.

Day & Ross has no union, the company said in the notice. Employees who are laid off will not be able to move into other jobs at the company and will not receive severance pay, it said.

The company said it will provide information on how employees can access unemployment insurance benefits and available services, including job placement assistance, retraining programs or counseling.

Asked in the WARN form what actions the company took to mitigate the impact of the employment loss, Day & Ross said, Contract negotiation with our customer over calendar year 2025 while customer took business out to bid and New contract ultimately awarded elsewhere impacting our current workforce.

A Cincinnati family is pleading for the release of a father and small business owner who has been in federal immigration custody for nearly six weeks.

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents detained Efrem Yemane Berhe outside his Ohio home on Feb. 16, his family said. His wife, Ksanet Desta, said agents were waiting in vehicles near their driveway when Berhe left for work that morning.

"It was early in the morning, 7 a.m. He was going to work. They blocked him and took him into custody," Desta said.

WATCH: Berhe's family says he has lived in the U.S. for 15 years

Berhe, who has lived in the United States for 15 years, entered the country legally and has no criminal record, according to his family. His detention stems from a civil immigration matter tied to a prior marriage.

Desta said the absence of her husband has left her struggling to pay the mortgage and care for their children, ages 5 and 3.

"They keep asking about their dad when will he come back? Every knock at the door, they think its him. Its heartbreaking," Desta said.

WATCH: Berhe's family details how he was detained by ICE

Berhes uncle, Alem Zewoldai, said his nephew is a well-known member of the local church community, donating both time and money and volunteering on weekends.

"Hes been here 15 years, owns a business, his home and contributes to the community," Zewoldai said. "Theres no reason to call him a flight risk."

The family also fears Berhes activism against the Eritrean government could put him at risk of torture or death if deported.

A judge denied Berhes bond on March 5, citing flight risk concerns.

Berhe's green card hearing had been scheduled for next year, but has been moved up to April 30 because he is in custody.

His family has appealed the bond decision and is pushing for his release before the hearing.

"We want justice for Efrem. We want him to be free and return home to his kids," Desta said.

Berhe remains at Butler County Jail awaiting his next hearing.

One person is dead after a three-vehicle crash in Liberty Township on Saturday, according to the Butler County Sheriff's Office.

The sheriff's office said deputies were dispatched at around 5:20 p.m. after getting reports of a reckless driver in a Mazda6, heading west on SR-129.

The driver exited SR-129 onto SR-747 where it sideswiped a silver SUV, before it continued north on SR-747, the sheriff's office said. The driver then made a u-turn and headed south on SR-747.

As the driver got to the SR-129 bridge, they ran a red light and hit a Ford F-150 head-on, according to the sheriff's office. The Mazda then hit a guardrail and stopped on the bridge.

The sheriff's office said the driver of the Mazda was taken to UC West Chester Hospital, where they were pronounced dead; their identity has not yet been released.

The driver and a passenger in the Ford F-150 were also taken to UC West Chester with injuries the sheriff's office said were not life-threatening. The people inside the silver SUV that was side swiped were not hurt, the sheriff's office said.

SR-747 was shut down in both directions while emergency personnel responded and law enforcement investigated.

Although President Donald Trump is the top Democratic nemesis, some of the partys most ambitious leaders are increasingly looking past him and at Vice President JD Vance.

In the latest example, Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear traveled to Vances home county in Ohio, where on Saturday night he said the vice president had abandoned the communities that he wrote about in the memoir that made him famous.

Beshear said Hillbilly Elegy, which detailed Vance's hardscrabble upbringing, had trafficked in tired stereotypes.

His book Hillbilly Elegy was really hillbilly hate, the governor said at a Democratic fundraiser in Butler County. It is poverty tourism, because he aint from Appalachia.

The broadside was not only a sign of Beshears own potential presidential aspirations, but a reflection of Vances status as the Republican heir apparent to the coalition that twice elected Trump to the White House.

With every day that passes, we get closer to a day when Donald Trump is no longer president. And we need to prepare for that day, said Lis Smith, a Democratic strategist. Right now, JD Vance is a clear front-runner for the 2028 nomination. And so we should begin defining him not in 2027, not in 2028 but today.

Vance spokesperson Taylor Van Kirk brushed off Beshear's criticism as coming from a flawed messenger.

Every time Andy Beshear attacks the vice president to try to get himself publicity, he ends up humiliating himself in the process, but maybe thats something hes into? she said.

U.S. Rep. Ro Khanna of California was among the first Democrats to begin focusing on Vance last year. Khanna stopped at the City Club of Cleveland and Yale University, where he and Vance studied law, and gave speeches that attempted to cast Vance as more extreme than Trump.

Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, another potential presidential contender in 2028, singled out Vance in November while making the argument that the Trump administration did not care about working people.

At least with Donald Trump, hes transparent about that, Shapiro said. JD Vance is a total phony.

Some Democrats have coalesced around California Gov. Gavin Newsom as a strong candidate because of his aggressive strategy in going after Republicans.

He coined the nickname JD Just Dance Vance" on social media, and he has mocked the vice president's appearance, saying Vance grew a beard and lost his spine."

Smith, the strategist who led Pete Buttigieg's 2020 presidential campaign and still works with the former Biden administration transportation secretary, said every line of criticism of Vance is an audition.

There's definitely value in taking on Vance to show Democrats, hey, this could be me on the debate stage against him, said Smith.

The vice president was born and raised in Butler County's Middletown, and he rose to prominence with the publication of "Hillbilly Elegy in 2016. The book earned Vance a reputation as someone who could help explain Trump's appeal in middle America, especially among the working class, rural white voters who helped Trump win the presidency.

Vance carried that reputation to the U.S. Senate, winning election in 2022, and later to the vice presidency. That same background is likely to be central to any future presidential run and it is precisely what Democrats are now working to undercut.

At Saturday's Democratic fundraiser, the mere mention of Vance's name drew a chorus of boos from the audience.

I don't think he's got the magic that everybody looks at with Trump, said Theresa Vacheresse, a retired physician and business owner who attended the event. I think when Trump is gone, the Democrats might have a chance. My god, I hope so.

The focus on Vance is not unusual for a vice president widely seen as a potential future nominee, particularly one as young as 41. Republicans went after Kamala Harris early in her tenure under President Joe Biden to undermine her political future.

Jamal Simmons, Harris communications director in 2022 and 2023, said vice presidents can be vulnerable.

The party is built to defend the president more than it is the vice president, he said. The vice president's kind of out there on their own, to defend themself, and find friends where they can.

Republicans, including Vance, frequently tied Harris to some of the Democratic administrations most politically difficult issues, such as immigration and border security.

Being vice president is a very mixed blessing," said David Axelrod, who was a top adviser to Democratic President Barack Obama. You often don't have the assets of the president, but you inherit all of the president's record. The good, the bad, and the ugly.

Beshear is the rare Democrat to lead a red state, and he is positioning himself as someone who can reach voters who have tuned out his party.

He said Democrats can actually go and win back those voters that JD Vance is so condescending to if they stay focused on Americans' basic needs such as affordable health care and public safety.

We've gotta start talking to people and not at them," he said. Thats how I won counties in eastern Kentucky that normally vote for Republicans by large margins including Breathitt County. That's the county JD Vance pretends to be from. Donald Trump won it by 59 points. I won it by 22 points the year earlier.

The audience appeared delighted with Beshear's message.

I think he's first-rate, said Mark Kaplan, who lives in Butler County. What he's got is compassion, empathy, charisma and intellect, but he's also down-to-earth.

A 40-year-old man faces multiple charges after the Butler County Sheriff's Office investigated claims that he sextorted a juvenile.

Sheriff Richard Jones said deputies were notified on March 10 that a student at Ross Local School District told her school resource officer that an adult man, Brandon Anderson, was sexually extorting her.

Detectives executed a search warrant at Anderson's Hamilton home, seizing multiple electronic devices. A forensic examination led detectives to find multiple images of young girls "in states of nudity and engaged in sexual acts."

Anderson was charged with two counts of pandering obscenity involving a minor and one count of obstructing official business after the sheriff's office said he attempted to prevent detectives from entering his house.

Jones said that additional charges are expected "due to the volume of content discovered."

"Predators who target our kids whether in person or online need to understand there is no place to hide," Jones said in part in a statement. "We will use every resource available to track them down, hold them accountable, and make sure they face the consequences of their actions."

Anyone who believes they may be a victim, or knows someone who may be a victim, is asked to call Det. Partin at 513-785-1252.

Dozens of Liberty Township residents packed a trustee meeting Tuesday night to oppose a rezoning request that would have brought the first commercial property to a residential block on Princeton Road and trustees sided with residents.

The rezoning request came from HAC Properties LLC, which sought to rezone the land for BCL Enterprises, an engineering firm specializing in audio-visual and security system designs for businesses.

Christy Miller, owner and founder of BCL Enterprises, said the business would have little impact on the neighborhood.

"We arrive at eight, we work at desks and leave at five, Monday through Friday. We are the neighbor you never notice," Miller said.

But residents pushed back, pointing to activity on the property they said contradicts those promises.

"The neighbor you never notice? As you see, many people have noticed," one resident said during the packed meeting. "Right after they bought, there was burning of debris for multiple days."

Peter Dardzinski, a Liberty Township resident, said the prospect of a commercial property next door was alarming.

"That's right in my backyard," Dardzinski said. "So, I'm basically looking at an industrial warehouse. My concern (is) they really haven't done what they say they have. There's been traffic coming and going for the last couple of weeks. It's only for the last couple of days that they've ceased activity."

WATCH: Liberty Township residents speak out in opposition to the rezoning of property along a stretch of Princeton Road

Danielle Little said she bought her Liberty Township home specifically for its seclusion. She said that privacy was already compromised before Tuesday's vote.

"Privacy was immediately destroyed," Little said. "There was a 30-year-old tree line that protected my property on the left-hand side, and then all of the neighbors in the back of it. They actually came in, trespassed on my property, cut down our trees."

The rezoning request had already faced opposition before Tuesday's meeting. In January, the Butler County Planning Commission recommended approval. In February, the Liberty Township Zoning Board voted to deny the request.

Trustees denied the request Tuesday night, citing multiple reasons. They said the plans presented had changed from what was shown to the zoning board.

This doesn't completely shut down any rezoning in the area. In fact, the trustees said business rezoning would still come, and the developer is allowed to reapply.

Miller said she remains puzzled by the community's opposition.

"I don't know why there's an uproar," Miller said. "To me, it's the perfect place. The building is set back on the property. We're offering 63% green space. Everybody will see green. They won't see the building from the street."

If you have a concern or questions about development or projects in your neighborhood, reach out to Jay Shakur here:

Members of Trenton City Council debated, changed and walked back restrictions on who can speak at public meetings and how at a special meeting Thursday.

The change came less than a week after limitations were rolled out on March 5.

The rules were established after a series of heated meetings and a public forum on the development of a nearly one-million-square-foot Prologis data center project in Trenton.

Originally, the rules would have limited speakers to three minutes, forced speakers to sign up 10 minutes before the meeting begins, forced council members not to respond to questions or comments during a speaker's time and limited public comments only to people who live inside Trenton's city limits.

Speakers called for change at Thursday's meeting.

"I don't think we're being great neighbors to people who live near us," said Angie Marcum. "What happened at the last meeting is more proof of that. We are the bad neighbors."

WATCH: People ask for the right to be heard before Trenton City Council

During her time at the podium, Lebanon resident Kim Georgeton told council members she had sent each of them a notice that she would sue if the rules remained in place as written.

We asked her why she was on the verge of litigation.

"Because it was serious being locked out of conversations," Georgeton said.

Trenton Vice Mayor Floyd Croucher acknowledged the tension brought about by his proposal.

"Is it perfect? No. Are we going to make it better? Yes, we are. That's why we're here," Croucher said.

Mayor Ryan Perry said it was clear some guardrails needed to be put in place to prevent back-and-forth arguments between speakers, council members and even people in the crowd.

"If you saw what happened at the last meeting, I mean, I almost had to throw my dad out. We need to be respectful," Perry said.

After an extended debate, the council settled on a series of new rules.

A three to five-minute time limit would remain in place at the discretion of the presiding officer.

Council scrapped the requirement that anyone who wanted to sign up 10 minutes before the meeting. Instead, they decided that those who sign up get to speak first before an open comment period.

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A limit on council members addressing public comment while a speaker is within their time was kept in place, with an additional limit added to prevent speakers from addressing other members of the public in the crowd.

Perry and other members of council said they wanted to remove the rule limiting comment only to "citizens" of Trenton, but a review of the city's ordinances found that an amendment would need to be passed to do so.

The possibility of that amendment will be placed on the next meeting agenda.

Perry said the ordinance would be passed as an emergency measure to ensure it takes effect immediately, allowing people who live outside of Trenton to address the council once more.

The site of the Middletown Masonic Temple could be redeveloped, a move that would require the 50yearold building to be demolished.

The 20,430squarefoot temple at 1301 S. Marshall Road was built in 1974. The organization, originally filed as a nonprofit in 1928, still lists meeting times on the buildings exterior. Calls to the listed phone number were not returned.

The building is becoming obsolete, and the temple no longer needs the size property that they have, said Jonathan Wocher, principal at McBride Dale Clarion, a Cincinnati-based planning and zoning firm.

Wocher submitted the zoning request on behalf of CASTO, a real estate company with offices in Columbus, Cincinnati, Sarasota, Fla., and Raleigh, N.C. CASTO has a contract to purchase the 5.88-acre property from Middletown Masonic Temple, according to city documents.

The proposed redevelopment would require changing the sites zoning from a planned development district to a community business district. The change would allow the property to be redeveloped for commercial uses, and two to three commercial lots are anticipated, according to a staff report.

CASTO has not identified specific redevelopment plans or potential tenants.

View this as the first step for allowing us to proceed with plans, Wocher said. We think this could possibly be a catalyst for additional development in this part of Middletown.

The property sits east of Traffic Supply Co. and Ollies Bargain Outlet and across from AutoZone, WhiteWater Express Car Wash and Dairy Queen Grill & Chill along Roosevelt Boulevard.

Councilman Paul Lolli said he hopes the developer will bring something original to the site.

I think the last thing people want to see is another gas station ... dollar store ... (or) pharmacy, he said during the March 3 council meeting. Im in favor of this, but I would hope we can work with staff and ... get something original in that spot for Middletown.

Councilman Steve West said he agreed with Lollis comments.

Middletowns planning commission unanimously recommended approval of the map amendment, which now goes to city council for final action. During an unofficial straw vote on March 3, all five council members indicated support for moving the zone change forward.

The Journal-News

Owners of an historic Middletown building are looking to rebuild after a fire destroyed apartments and displaced tenants.

Shane Scott, owner of the building at 1700 Central Ave. and of The Slice Pie Middletown, said he started receiving calls at 5 a.m. March 2 from tenants.

I got up here as fast as I could, he said. I couldnt get to the building until about 7 a.m. or so. There were so many firetrucks and police.

Shane said driving up and seeing the fire was awful.

The building was not insured at the time of the fire due to past complications, including a sewer issue.

That wasnt the first concern, the first was if everyone was alright, Shane said.

The blaze originated in one of the apartments above the commercial storefronts, and the cause of the fire was determined as accidental, according to Middletown Fire Chief Brian Wright.

According to Shane, the fire originated in the apartment of the buildings maintenance worker.

Shane, along with his brother, Brandon, own multiple properties downtown. A few years ago, the brothers completed a renovation at 1700 Central Ave., rebuilding 10 second- and third-floor apartment units with brand-new plumbing, electrical, roof, kitchens, bathrooms, flooring, drywall and lighting.

All work was permitted, inspected and approved, according to Shane, but a past sewer issue caused a massive financial burden and delays. Because of this, the building was uninsured at the time of the fire.

Shane said saving the building is important because many other historic buildings have been demolished or slated for demolition in Middletown.

Because of this, he wants to preserve the historic elements in the city.

Our plan is to save it if we can, he said. The last thing we want is to tear down another building.

Shane, along with his brother and Property Manager Jamie Zayas, are hoping to restore 6-8 of the 10 apartments and add parking for the residents.

All 10 apartments were rented at the time of the fire, and 13 residents are affected. Five residents were able to find temporary housing elsewhere, and eight residents were displaced.

Residents from four units are still looking for housing, according to Zayas. She frequently updates a board in The Slice with status on each of the residents.

Were still looking for apartments or something to that nature affordable for them, she said. Everyone is still very much looking for items ... sofas, dressers and dishes.

Zayas said the community has dropped off items and a local church has reached out offering furniture.

An estimate on the damages is not known yet; Shane is waiting on a report from the citys building official, which will determine whether the building can be saved or will need to be demolished.

Were definitely hoping for the save, Zayas said.

The Journal-News

Trenton City Council has voted to limit the public comment portion of its meetings, approving new rules that take effect immediately.

The motion, proposed by Vice Mayor Floyd Croucher, passed 4-1. Councilmember Ray Nichols voted against the change, and Mayor Ryan Perry abstained. Councilmember Marci Butts was absent.

Croucher, along with Councilmembers Austin Proffitt, Sharon Montgomery and Kenneth Roark, voted yes on the motion.

Under the new guidelines:

Proffitt said he supported the measure because councilmembers were elected to represent Trenton residents.

We had plenty of discussions we wanted to allow the residents of Trenton to speak, he said, adding that residents of surrounding townships should address concerns with their own elected officials.

WATCH: The vote comes after extensive debate at previous meetings

At the end of the meeting, Perry acknowledged the change but urged civility going forward.

I realize we limited comments today, he said. Im not going to speak about that, but Im going to say that I hope everybody from now on talks to each other in a respectful manner, that we dont have the back and forth that we had before.

He encouraged residents to continue speaking at meetings if they follow the new rules.

Be mad, I mean, thats fine, thats part of it, but just please be respectful and be kind, Perry said. Realize, we might disagree on this issue, but theres going to be a hundred other issues that we agree with each other on.

Nichols, in response to why he voted against on the motion, told our media partners at the Journal-News he believes the new rules are too restricting."

(The rules) exclude everyone that is not a resident, including business owners, he said. I agree we needed a time limit but three minutes seems a little short.

Perry, Croucher, Montgomery, Proffitt and Roark did not respond to requests for comment from the Journal-News.

Public comment procedures in other Butler County communities are similar to the new Trenton rules.

In Middletown, residents must submit a comment card before the meeting begins. Each speaker receives four minutes, and comments must relate to city business. Speakers must be city residents or have a business interest in Middletown.

The city prohibits foul language, interactive questioning and debate with council or staff. Those who violate the rules may be denied the chance to address the council, according to city documents.

In Hamilton, residents are given five minutes to speak and must sign up before the meeting with full names and addresses. Discussion of pending court cases, pending grievances and tactics of defamation, intimidation, personal affronts, profanity, yelling or threats of violence are not permitted, according to city documents

The change in Trenton comes as the city faces public scrutiny over a proposed 250megawatt, 880,000squarefoot data center planned for 141 acres of undeveloped land.

Although no official has directly linked the new comment rules to the project, Trenton resident Angie Markham said she believes the timing is connected.

Markham said the decision was disappointing.

I understand that this is the normal way that a lot of other localities operate, but its still disappointing to me that it was changed, she said.

Markham noted that many residents living closest to the proposed development are in Madison or St. Clair townships not in Trenton yet they will be most impacted by construction and traffic.

To try and abdicate your responsibility and pretend like, well, you need to go and talk to your own people when those are not the people that made the decision, she said. (The data center) is a decision that was made by Trenton.

At a March 2 public forum, representatives from Prologis the real estate company that purchased and plans to develop the site answered questions about the upcoming data center

Residents from Trenton and neighboring communities have raised concerns about potential increases to water and electric bills, noise and light pollution, traffic changes, and environmental impacts.

The Great Miami River and its tributaries swelled above action stage into minor flooding status as heavy rains blanketed the Tri-State area into Thursday afternoon.

The Miami Conservancy District (MCD) activated flood gates in places like Middletown and Hamilton and announced that area dams were working to store flood waters for slow release to protect communities downriver.

Mike Ekhberg, MCD water monitoring and analysis manager, said the five dams located on their system from Piqua to Hamilton could store a significant amount of what would otherwise be floodwater.

WATCH: We talk flood protection with leaders along the Great Miami River

"That'd be about 274 billion gallons of water, I mean, the numbers are just astronomical numbers," he said. "We have basically the largest lakes in Ohio behind each of those dams."

The 55 miles of levees along the system, like those along the widened portion of the river through Hamilton, also helped protect the downtown areas hugging the river.

The system was created in response to the historic floods of 1913 that destroyed hundreds of structures and killed more than 300 people, according to Ekhberg.

"Since 1913, none of the downtown areas that we protect have been flooded," he said.

The district stressed the need for additional funding for infrastructure upgrades when we covered their property valuation increases in 2024. District officials backed off implementing cost increases after backlash from customers along the river.

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Still, Ekhberg said funding is important so the river flows through communities, not over them.

"It's critical," he said. "The Miami Conservancy District just increases our region's resiliency around things like floods."

A woman is dead after she was hit by a driver in Liberty Township Thursday evening, according to the Butler County Sheriff's Office.

The sheriff said around 4:45 p.m. Thursday, Butler County deputies and the Liberty Township Fire Department responded to the 4600 block of Millikin Road for a report of a person hit by a vehicle.

A 38-year-old woman driving a Ford Escape eastbound on Millikin Road hit a 58-year-old woman in the roadway, the sheriff said.

The Liberty Township Fire Department said the 58-year-old woman died from her injuries.

The Butler County Sheriff's Serious Traffic Accident Reconstruction Team is investigating the incident.

The sheriff's office did not release the identity of the deceased.

The mayor of Millville, a Butler County village of less than 700 people, said Thursday that overnight flooding is the worst the area has seen in his lifetime.

We spoke with Mayor Curt Pennington as he pumped gallons of water out of his basement, which he said had about four to five feet of water in it following flash flooding.

"(Millville) is underwater right now, almost every basement in this village is," he said. "I got a freezer full of beef floating right now, down (in) the basement, and it's a mess."

WATCH: After overnight flooding, one Butler County village is working to pump gallons of water out of homes

Residents in the area described the flooding overnight, which officials say originated from Indian Creek, as fast and unexpected.

By Thursday afternoon, Red Cross volunteers were canvassing the area of Walnut and Liberty Streets. The Ross Township Fire Department also assisted residents with pumping water out of homes.

"We did lose some precious items that are priceless. Most of the stuff is replaceable," Tina Pope, a Millville resident, said. "This is going to hurt a lot of us. It's going to take a lot of weeks to clean this up."

Pope said she and her boyfriend tried to clear storm drains overnight as floodwaters rose, reaching up to her knees.

"It helped a little bit at first, but then there was just nothing we could do," Pope said. "I've lived here for about four or five years. It's flooded, minimally ... nothing ever like this."

Pope told us both her basement and the auto body shop where she works, Autos Plus Auto Sales, experienced flooding.

"What I was watching last night in our office looked like a scene out of the Titanic, the way the water was rushing through the walls," Pope said. "There was so much water in the basement."

Do you have a story for Connor? You can contact him here:

Pope said rushing waters brought a heaping of debris to the business's driveway, and crews had to rip out water-damaged hardwood floors. She told us she expects cleanup efforts to take a while and be expensive. Auto Plus Auto Sales will remain closed for the time being.

"It was a busy time for us. It's income tax season. We were picking up. (It) really put a hold on things," she said.

We asked Pennington what the village needed as cleanup efforts continue.

"Bring us some pumps," he said with a laugh. "Other than that, pray for no rain and sunshine."

A $281 million sports arena is now coming to Miami Universitys Oxford campus, and what will soon disappear has some students disappointed.

The arena, which is scheduled to open by fall semester 2028, will replace Cook Field, a long-standing recreational field and green space used for decades by thousands of Miami students.

While university officials promise new recreational fields will soon be constructed near Millett Hall, which is now scheduled for demolition after last weeks approval of the arena project by Miamis Board of Trustees, some students say they want Cook Field to remain as is.

A small sampling of students Monday showed mixed feelings about the coming sports arena.

Im going to miss Cook Field a thousand percent, said Miami sophomore John Dugan as he paused on the field during a walk from his nearby residence hall.

Its a very convenient space for students but the school didnt listen to students, Dugan said.

Most students, he said, did not want this.

Prior to last weeks trustees vote, some like-minded students and faculty gathered at Marcum Center meeting, to show unified opposition to the boards refusal to consider students, faculty and librarians in their decision making, according to officials of the Faculty Alliance of Miami.

The projected cost for the arena construction is about $242 million, with up to $281 million authorized by the board for the arena and associated costs, according to a Miami statement on the project.

The arena has been subject of debate, with some who oppose it saying Cook Field, near the SR 73 roadway entrance to the Oxford campus, has long provided a recreational green space relatively close to many campus residence halls.

Some students contend the recreational sports field, which includes night lighting and is partially covered by a synthetic playing surface used for intramural soccer, lacrosse and other student club sports, is an essential part of the tradition of Miamis picturesque campus.

Freshman Jesse Alter said he has mixed opinions the coming sports arena and the loss of Cook Field.

On one hand, I really like this open space. But I also like the idea of having an arena that is closer to campus than Millett Hall and is more accessible to students, said Alter, referring to the shorter walking distance from numerous student residence halls along the campus eastern area.

Miami officials have said since first proposing the new arena site last year, that an alternative recreational field would be constructed with superior facilities near the current northern campus border location of Millett Hall and also across campus at the Chestnut Fields recreational campus location.

School officials said construction of new recreational sports facilities at Millett and Chestnut Fields are expected to begin in May to be completed in September.

According to Miamis new online page dedicated to the new arena 2026 project, this will allow Cook Field to go off-line in September 2026 to begin construction of the new arena. The arena is expected to be complete for the beginning of the athletic season in the fall of 2028.

Giorgi Mei, a freshman, said I dont think they should build it at Cook Field.

Having this space (Cook Field) is nice for everybody. But having an arena here changes the whole vibe of the campus. It will make it seem more urban, said Mei.

Josie Schutte, a freshman, said however she and future classes of students will be excited about the arena.

The new arena is going to be really nice. I think its really going to be cool.

The Journal-News

The people of Trenton and the prospective developers of a roughly 880,000 square foot data center project participated in a marathon question-and-answer session Monday.

The prospective developer, Prologis, heard from city staff and residents of both Butler and Warren counties about potential positives and negatives of the proposal.

Barry Blankenship lives within a half-mile of where construction crews are currently working south of Kennel Road, east of the intersection with Woodsdale Road.

Crews are now moving earth, and Blankenship has been monitoring the progress since October. He talked to us about his concerns in February and met us once again before the public forum got underway Monday.

WATCH: Prologis pitches their data center to the public

Blankenship said transparency has been a problem since he became aware of the project, and said a public forum after site preparation began was too little, too late.

"I think it is. What I would have liked to have seen is get all the citizens together and say, hey, let's take it to a vote," he said.

During the meeting, a speaker asked everyone who opposed the project to stand, and the vast majority of people in the room stood from their seats.

We asked Brett Skyllingstad, Prologis vice president of data center preconstruction, his thoughts on that moment.

"You know, there's a lot of misinformation about data centers," Skyllingstad said.

The Prologis team told people in the crowd they would pay for 100% of the power they use, including the costs to upgrade area infrastructure.

Skyllingstad said their design requires water cooling for only 3% of the year; they would pull water from the municipal system and all water used to cool the facility would be disposed of in the city's sewer system.

He also compared the noise level heard at the property's edge at peak decibel levels to that of a "quiet urban" area.

Trenton City Finance Manager Matthew Misisklis also spoke about a series of new tax streams for the city and school district if the project moves forward.

The final development plan will still have to go before the City of Trenton's Planning Commission before it's approved.

Blankenship said that's where his attention will turn.

"My expectation is that they listen to us, our concerns, and, if we are going to get it, it's as safe as possible," he said.

The Prologis site plan review has been formally set for March 16, according to a Trenton city official.

You can view Prologis's full presentation here:

Trey Perry scored on a driving layup with a second remaining and No. 21 Miami of Ohio rallied to beat Western Michigan 69-67 on Friday night to extend its season-opening winning streak to 29 games.

The RedHawks (16-0 Mid-American Conference) remain the only undefeated team in Division I mens basketball. Miami extended the best start in program history and added to its school record for wins in a season. Miami also boasts the best start and longest win streak in MAC annals.

Peter Suder scored 18 points for the RedHawks before fouling out with just over seven minutes remaining. Almar Atlason added 16 points, Perry finished with 14 and Eian Elmer 10.

Jayden Brewer led Western Michigan (10-19, 4-12) with 19 points and 11 rebounds. Justice Williams and EJ Ryans each added 14 points.

Miami is used to playing close games and won for the seventh time this season by less than six points.

The RedHawks trailed by four points, 30-26, at the half and fell behind by eight points twice early in the second half before tying the game at 49-all with 11:02 remaining.

Western Michigan ran off eight straight points for a 57-49 advantage with 8:40 remaining and led by nine (59-50) with 6:38 left before Michigan chipped away and moved ahead 66-65 on a layup by Antwone Woolfolk with 14 seconds left.

Elmer's free throw with 37 seconds remaining gave the RedHawks a 67-65 edge, but Western Michigan tied it with 11 seconds left on a basket by Williams before Perry made the game winner.

The RedHawks return home to host Toledo Thursday.

A Hamilton police officer has been placed on administrative leave after a Butler County Grand Jury indicted him on four counts of misdemeanor assault.

Our partners at the Journal-News first reported that Officer Stephen Heffernan was suspended for almost a month in 2025 after tossing a 62-year-old arrestee into the cinder block base of a booking station at the Hamilton Police Department.

Security footage from Sept. 24, 2025, showed Heffernan appear to slam the man against a cinder block wall before tossing him at the base, resulting in him being unconscious for over a minute.

In the video, the man appeared not to obey Heffernan's orders to sit down, instead approaching the booking station and confronting him. After the incident, he began bleeding from the gash on his forehead.

Police said the man was taken to the hospital, where he was treated and released. The Journal-News reported that body camera footage then showed Heffernan driving the man back to his home, shaking his hand.

Police Chief Trent Chenoweth said all charges against the man were released at his request.

While Heffernan served a 20-day suspension for violating the department's use-of-force policy, a grand jury on Friday reviewed the case and indicted him on four counts of misdemeanor assault. Because of that, Heffernan has been placed on paid administrative leave.

Middletown police have arrested a 28-year-old man in connection with a 2023 double homicide.

Natrone C. Kakaris was indicted on one count of aggravated murder and two additional counts of murder after police said he shot Marvin Tyrone Davis Jr. and Daniel Fitzgerald at a home in the 700 block of 15th Avenue in February 2023. Fitzgerald was pronounced dead at the scene, while Davis was taken to Atrium Medical Center, where he later died.

Middletown's then-police chief said one of the men called 911 and could be heard saying, "Please come help me, I don't want to die."

Kakaris was arrested by Middletown police, with help from U.S. Marshals, Friday morning and taken to Middletown City Jail.

Anyone with information about the case is asked to contact detectives at 513-425-7720 or dispatchers at 513-425-7700.

When a 911 call comes in, every second counts. Soon, Hamilton police will have a new tool that can get eyes on a scene before a single officer arrives.

The Hamilton Police Department is one of nine agencies across Ohio selected for the nation's first statewide drone first responder pilot program. The $2.5 million initiative is led and funded by the Ohio Department of Transportation and its DriveOhio division, with program management support from SkyfireAI.

Participating agencies pay nothing. Hamilton police's only obligations are providing a place to operate from, the staff to run it and handling maintenance if something breaks down.

By June, Hamilton police will add two new drone first responder, or DFR, drones to their fleet capable of launching from a central command point and flying anywhere in the city, which spans a roughly 21-mile radius. Assistant Chief Brian Robinson said the drones can reach a scene in 90 to 100 seconds, compared to the 10 to 15 minutes it can take a patrol vehicle to work through city traffic to get from one side of town to the other.

"This will act as a force multiplier. This will lead to, throughout the state, an integrated network that will be designed for first responders, increase efficiency and allow us to do more with our existing resources," Robinson said.

The technology is known as drone-in-a-box. Instead of an officer pulling over, unpacking a drone from a cruiser and manually flying it to a scene, these drones live in a permanent docking station Sgt. Matthew Fishwick described one model as looking like a futuristic gas grill with a lid that opens and can be launched remotely from a desktop computer. A pilot selects a call from the same dispatch interface used in patrol cruisers, hits launch and the drone is in the air.

WATCH: Hamilton police join Ohio's first statewide drone responder pilot program

From there, it streams live video back to headquarters, where lieutenants and sergeants can monitor the feed in real time. Police said officers in the field get that same information while they're still en route, giving them a chance to size up a situation and start forming a plan before they ever step out of their cruiser.

Breanna Badanes, a spokesperson for DriveOhio, said that capability is exactly what makes this technology different from a standard drone.

"First responders really need the ability to fly beyond their visual line of sight, so they have to be able to fly it remotely. That requires a drone-in-the-box system that can independently launch and then they can fly it remotely to the scene to gather that information," Badanes said.

The department's current drones use a radio controller with a range roughly comparable to a consumer walkie-talkie. The new DFR drones run on cell phone technology, meaning the only real limit is battery life enough to reach any corner of the city.

Fishwick, who helped put together Hamilton's application for the program, said the difference in how officers can respond will be significant.

"If it's a critical situation, like an assault or attack, or, who knows what, somebody on a bridge, you know, you just don't know, we'll get eyes on that problem immediately, and we'll start feeding information to our officers immediately, as opposed to an officer getting there, you know, trying to figure out, you know, 'Drone, or do I talk or do something?'" Fishwick said.

Each drone can stay in the air for roughly 40 minutes, with a recharge time about equal to its flight time. If one device runs low on battery mid-call, the second can launch and pick up where the first left off, keeping continuous coverage over a scene, Fishwick said.

The department is looking at the police station as the most likely home base, given its central location. Fishwick said a one-mile radius from a central launch point covers roughly 18 square miles and Hamilton spans 21 square miles total, making it a near-perfect fit.

The drones will be equipped with spotlights and speakers. Some models can also drop medical supplies and at least one vendor offers a life vest attachment that inflates on contact with water. Attachments can be swapped depending on the call, though Fishwick said the department will lean on the spotlight capability for most situations, given the return it provides.

The program isn't just about high-stakes emergencies, either. Fishwick said the department plans to model its approach on Cincinnati's DFR operation, which it toured before applying, and send drones out on any call where aerial information could help including routine calls like debris in a road. If the drone gets there and the problem is already gone, officers can be redirected to something more pressing.

"It's not going to replace our officers," Fishwick said. "It's not going to replace anything we currently have. It's going to be in addition to."

Every flight will be logged, tied to its dispatch call, and the video will be automatically downloaded and associated with that record when the drone lands.

The Butler County agency won't be the first in the Tri-State to have a DFR program. Cincinnati police launched their own in July 2025, though it was not funded through the new statewide grant program.

Drones are not new to Hamilton police. The department currently has three: two full-size models and a smaller trainer unit. Like the incoming DFR units, the existing drones film in 4K and have spotlight and infrared capability. But they don't have speakers, they're limited in range and they have to be deployed and controlled by an officer on scene which means that officer has to stop responding to the emergency in order to fly the drone.

The existing drones aren't going anywhere. Fishwick said they'll still be useful for mutual aid calls and situations where a cruiser-based drone makes more sense, particularly beyond the DFR's effective range.

Hamilton police currently have 5 FAA Part 107-licensed pilots and plan to grow that number. Fishwick said the department is also in the process of obtaining FAA waivers to operate beyond visual line of sight, and has already been in talks with Butler County dispatch and the Butler County Sheriff's Office about integrating their systems with the new program. Some vendor platforms even offer an option where keywords entered during a 911 call could automatically trigger a drone launch before the call is fully processed something Fishwick said the department hasn't ruled out down the road.

"If you're a law-abiding citizen, it's going to be great. If you're a criminal, it's gonna be horrible news, because you're not going to get away with anything," Fishwick said.

The program was created under Ohio House Bill 96 and uses state-approved, NDAA-compliant drone systems. DriveOhio accepted applications from police, fire and EMS agencies at the end of last year. Each participating agency receives one to two systems, depending on its size and needs.

Robinson was clear that the program comes with firm boundaries. There will be no persistent monitoring, no general surveillance of the public and no facial recognition. The drones will only go up in response to active 911 calls.

Camera gimbals will be pointed at the horizon or slightly downward during transit, not toward residential areas, Fishwick said. All operations will comply with FAA, state and local regulations and policies will be made publicly available.

Badanes said what makes Ohio's effort stand out is the decision to build it from the state level rather than leaving each agency to figure it out on its own.

"This is the first time we've executed it from a state level, where we can standardize the equipment, standardize the training and really provide that broad support to make it successful in all different sizes of communities," Badanes said.

The nine selected agencies reflect that range, spanning urban centers, suburban communities and rural jurisdictions across the state. Many have already committed to sharing drone resources with neighboring agencies. The full list includes:

Operations are expected to begin in the June-July timeframe and run for approximately a year, with agencies collecting data on missions flown and other metrics for a final program report. Badanes said she hopes the tools stick around well beyond that window.

The status of a proposed $281 million sports arena on Miami Universitys campus may be decided on Friday, said school officials, as Miamis governing board of trustees are scheduled to vote on the project and its possible funding.

According to Miami officials Wednesday, the trustees are considering the project, which would be located at the long-time recreational area of Cook Field at the Ohio 73 roadway entrance to schools main Oxford campuss eastern portion.

The proposed trustee resolution, which includes language supporting the $281 million plan and reasonings for demolishing Millett Hall, which opened in 1968, states the sports arena has served the university well for almost 60 years but due to its age it lacks modern accessibility features, has substantial accumulated deferred maintenance, its spaces are outdated and not fan friendly by todays standards, and it no longer provides the university with the type of multi-use venue students and visitors enjoy, leading to fewer and fewer events occurring in the facility.

The new arena, according to the resolution, would include a practice court and volleyball arena in addition to the main court and be designed for multi-purpose uses enabling it is to meet the needs of multiple athletic teams, student activities, events and organizations, as well as the broader needs of the overall campus and community.

Moreover, according to the resolution, by constructing a new facility at Cook Field, instead of renovating Millett Hall, a new arena will not only better meet the needs of the entire university community but avoid the very difficult and expensive task of finding a temporary home for games and practices of Miamis basketball and volleyball teams during the renovation of Millett Hall.

The Cook Field site for the new arena has proved to be objectionable to some Miami students, alumni and Oxford residents who claim the recreational green spaces relative closeness to campus residence halls has lent itself to wide usage over decades for thousands.

Miami officials have countered, since first proposing the new arena site last year, that an alternative recreational field would be constructed with superior facilities near the current northern campus border location of Millett as a replacement.

School officials note in the proposed trustees action, the decision to construct the new arena on the Cook Field site is expected to have the added potential benefit of leading to a developer constructed hotel and restaurant adjacent to the new arena making visits to campus more convenient for parents and friends of the university.

Moreover, the project would also be encouraging alumni to return for an extended stay to enjoy an athletic event and experience once again their fond memories of their college years in Oxford, and spur the economic development of the greater Oxford community.

Millett Hall has received renewed attention and sell-out crowds since the fall, including some rare nationally televised games, as the Miamis mens basketball team has gone undefeated making it currently the only Division I team in America with a perfect record.

According to the resolution, to proceed with the construction of a new arena and the related projects the initial $3,500,000 design and planning budget will need to be increased by $281,000,000, requiring that the University issue new debt in the amount of $281,000,000 to fund these costs that will require authorization from the Chancellor of the Ohio Department of Higher Education.

The 17-member Miami Board of Trustees is scheduled to vote on the resolution its Friday meeting.

The Journal-News

Liberty Twp. will be adding 10 Flock cameras to assist with law enforcement within its borders.

The cost is about $30,000 annually, which is being added to the monthly payments to the Butler County Sheriffs office, which provides police service to the township.

The solar-powered, rear license plate readers will be installed in 10 locations on the outskirts of the township by early spring, said Lt. Michael Nutt, who oversees the Liberty Twp. substation.

By having them it increases our ability to find vehicles involved in crimes. Were looking for license plates and vehicles. Thats it. Thats all it (cameras) can do, Nutt said. We were at a slight disadvantage if a crime was committed in Liberty (and) the vehicle never left Liberty, we didnt have the advantage of being able to see (the vehicle) on a camera because we didnt have any here.

As vehicles pass by, the cameras take pictures of the back license plate. The information is stored in a cloud-based database accessible to all entities using the system with their permission.

Nutt said every time a law enforcement individual accesses the database, he must enter a reason for doing so, which is logged and tracked.

The system can only be used for investigational purposes, Nutt said, adding audits will be done to ensure that the system is not used for personal reasons.

An alert is sent out if a vehicle registered to someone with a felony warrant, stolen vehicle, or other infraction, would enter the township. Agencies would also be alerted if a vehicle involved in an Amber (child) or silver (senior citizen) alert passes a camera.

Participating jurisdictions can also search the database to see if a vehicle involved in a crime is nearby. Police can also enter data about a vehicle to alert other agencies.

Multiple bordering jurisdictions have the cameras, which allow law enforcement personnel to search Flocks national database. Footage is deleted every 30 days.

Its a huge sharing network. Everybodys really good about sharing access, Nutt said. It will benefit other jurisdictions as well. If other people come through our jurisdiction their license plates will be captured on camera.

According to Flock, the cameras as used in more than 5,000 police jurisdictions nationwide, and on average, assist in solving 2,800 crimes weekly.

Its probably one of the top five better tools weve had in law enforcement in a long time, Nutt said.

The Journal-News

Middletown Deputy Chief Andy Warrick has been placed on administrative leave amid an ongoing internal investigation, Middletown police officials confirm.

The internal investigation is conduct based, though officials could not confirm the details of the investigation. His administrative leave is paid.

Warrick works as the deputy chief for the operations division, covering communications, police records and the jail. He joined the Middletown police department September 2002 as a patrol officer. In 2007, he was appointed police sergeant, leading to his promotion as lieutenant in 2017. On New Years Day 2018, Warrick was appointed major and deputy police chief.

Warrick was born in Trenton and graduated from Edgewood High School in 1981. He enlisted in the United States Marine Corps, where he served for over 20 years.

In April 2024, he was named acting chief following the retirement of former acting chief Major Eric Crank.

Amelia Murphy, 24, sits down with a pen and paper to meticulously plan her American Sign Language (ASL) lesson. She writes out every detail, every activity, every moment she'll spend teaching seven deaf and nonverbal clients at Empowered Community Services.

For Murphy, who has attended the Butler County Adult Day Habilitation program since she was 21, these carefully crafted lessons represent more than just an activity. They're her reason for getting up each day.

"It kind of gives me a sense of purpose," Murphy said. "Like, okay, I go to Empowered today. Say today is an ASL Day. I have to have my plan ready."

But that sense of purpose hangs in the balance as the Butler County Board of Developmental Disabilities (BCBDD) faces a fiscal crisis that threatens to eliminate services benefiting hundreds in the community.

When asked what her life would look like without the program, Murphy said: "Oh, I would be sitting on my butt, doing absolutely nothing."

December. That's when Murphy's mother, Pam Wendel, got the letter informing her that she would no longer receive funds to cover the cost of the day program.

It didn't just announce a budget cut it threatened to dismantle years of careful planning and searching for the right support system.

"We looked around for an appropriate place for her to go, and we were thrilled when we found this day program," Wendel said. "We want some place that is enriching for her and gives her life meaning."

WATCH: Butler County disability services at stake as levy heads to May ballot

The search hadn't been easy. Wendel and her husband have two 24-year-olds with disabilities, and Murphy's needs are particularly complex.

She's endured over 100 surgeries, battles seizures and memory loss, faces mobility challenges and cannot be left alone. The family moved from Seattle to Cincinnati to be closer to specialized medical care.

As a child, Murphy had a tracheostomy. It was removed after six months, but as a result, her vocal cords were paralyzed for two and a half years. During those early years, both Murphy and her mother learned ASL a skill Murphy now uses to bridge communication gaps at Empowered Community Services, where none of the staff know sign language.

"Day programs provide lots of other people and us a regulated schedule, so it is something she can count on," Wendel said. "She has some memory loss from some of her surgeries, and it was really important that she knew every day of the week she went to Empowered, and she was going to get to choose and go."

At the program, Murphy makes daily choices about her activities crafts, outings, cooking or helping teach ASL to other participants.

"She's made great friends there, and she feels comfortable there, whether she's having a good health day or a bad health day, because they get her and that is really hard to find," Wendel said.

But the December notice shattered that stability. What started as a June deadline kept shrinking as Wendel made phone calls.

"Then I heard that it was April. Then I called some more people, and then I heard it was the end of March," Wendel said. "So, that's pretty quick to hear in December that you're going to lose the place that she goes five days a week, all day, in three months. So, it has absolutely rocked our family."

BCBDD declared a state of fiscal emergency in September, projecting that expenses will far exceed local tax collections in the first quarter of 2027.

In 2025, the agency reported $37.6 million in expenditures against just $28.9 million in revenues, creating an $8.7 million deficit.

The board serves 4,293 Butler County residents across all ages from 1,831 infants and young children to 1,438 adults over the age of 22. The organization has operated on the same funding structure since 2004, the last time voters saw and approved a levy increase.

In the 22 years since, demand has amplified. The number of people receiving waiver services has grown from about 250 in 2004 to over 1,200 in 2026.

"The waiver supports that we provide, those are federally mandated supports," said Patricia Dawson, public relations coordinator for the BCBDD. "So there's no leeway on that. Those are supports we have to provide. Those have more than tripled since our last levy."

Now, 97% of the board's levy-generated revenue goes to waiver programs. When direct support professional wages increased by 38% a few years ago, the financial pressure became unsustainable.

"Those increases are good. We're happy those happened. It was the right thing, but that's had a big impact for our financial situation," Dawson said.

The board has implemented $3.7 million in cuts since entering a fiscal emergency. Staff were either eliminated or took pay cuts through reduced hours.

The board has also made several other changes. The $12 voucher program for transportation reimbursement will end Feb. 28. Individual employment supports were reduced based on job tenure. Family Support Services funding was slashed by 50%. All locally funded service requests were put on indefinite hold.

"We tried to make those cuts in a way that impacted the people we support the least," Dawson said.

Financial support for 100% locally funded adult day and vocational habilitation services like the one Murphy uses will be cut starting April 1. Her brother will continue to use the program because his funding comes through a waiver.

"We'll see every day we will see that van come and pick him up, and she won't be able to get on it," Wendel said.

For families like Murphy's, there's no way to minimize this impact. Their options are brutal: pay for the program out of pocket financially impossible for most families or hope voters approve a new levy in May.

The Butler County Commissioners approved a 2-mill levy resolution on Dec. 9. If voters pass it on the ballot, it would cost property owners about $70 per year for every $100,000 in home value roughly $5.83 per month. That would equate to more than $26 million for the BCBDD annually.

Even if the levy passes, the board won't collect revenue until well into the first quarter of 2027, meaning cuts will continue throughout 2026 and into much of 2027.

The board has demonstrated fiscal responsibility over two decades, Dawson said, staying off the ballot for 22 years while consolidating facilities, reducing workforce and even returning $7.2 million to taxpayers through rollbacks in 2020 and 2021.

"We take the fiscal responsibility very seriously," Dawson said. "We've done a lot of creative stuff throughout the years in order to make those tax dollars stretch as far as possible."

If the levy fails in May, the board may return to voters in November while continuing aggressive cuts to remain solvent through 2027.

Wendel said the choice facing voters is far beyond budget numbers.

"These are not people who are taking services that they don't need from taxpayers," she said. "Anyone who has services through Butler County DD has them because they need them, and they're very important for the whole family, which also means for the community."

Murphy said her carefully planned ASL lessons, her role as a teacher and leader and her sense of contributing to something larger than herself all depend on voters understanding what the programs provide.

"Get the levy to pass," Murphy said.

"Hopefully the levy passes because the services that the county DD provides to individuals is imperative," Wendel said. "It gives their clients their sense of self-worth, and their sense of individualism, and you can't put a price on that."

Shared Harvest Foodbank has opened a new market-style pantry that allows neighbors to shop for fresh food and produce like they would at a traditional grocery store.

The new market serves thousands in Southwest Ohio and offers canned fruits, canned vegetables, different grain options, dairy and eggs.

Grayson Lee is the pantry supervisor at The Market. She said visitors receive a shopping list of items they can select from during their visit.

"We just like to make sure we have a full variety of what anyone would experience going to their local grocery store," Lee said.

WATCH: How neighbors can shop for the food they like

Staff members say the goal is simple: removing barriers and restoring dignity by allowing customers to shop for the foods they like.

"This is replacing our on-site drive-thru distribution, and it's kind of been a labor of love," said Allie Godfrey, director of development at Shared Harvest Foodbank.

Started in 1983, Godfrey said more people are visiting the food bank compared to previous years. The number of visits to their pantries increased by 10,000 from 2024 to 2025, showing a greater dependency on their network.

The food bank has been serving thousands of families for more than 40 years.

The pantry is open to residents in Butler, Darke, Miami, Preble and Warren counties once per month by appointment only. Visitors must make appointments during these hours to shop at The Market:

For more information on the market and what can be purchased there, click here.

A Hamilton man has been charged with burglary and two counts of public indecency after police said he exposed himself multiple times early Saturday morning.

Officers responded to three separate reports of indecent exposure on the west side of Hamilton between noon and 3 a.m. on Feb. 14, according to a press release by the Hamilton Police Department.

In each incident, police said 26-year-old Jalen Peck exposed himself and "engaged in lewd conduct" in front of residents. In one specific incident, police said he entered a home through an unlocked window before being confronted by the resident. He then fled the scene before police arrived.

Police said they were able to use physical evidence and a community member's tip to identify Peck as the suspect.

According to the department, police have had multiple interactions with Peck since he arrived in Hamilton in late 2024, including prior arrests for criminal trespassing, obstructing official business and possession of drug paraphernalia.

After an officer spotted Peck while working Monday night, police were able to take him into custody on unrelated outstanding warrants. Since then, formal charges have been filed.

Months after the City of Hamilton announced in a social media post that golf carts, under speed and low-speed vehicles (LSVs) were not allowed to be driven on city streets, city council adopted a package of rules in a "pilot program" that allows and regulates them on Wednesday.

We first reported on this when we talked with Harold Peetz in August.

He told us the ban confined the $15,000 low speed vehicle he'd invested in to his driveway, and he wanted the city to establish regulations on the carts or default to state law, which allows them to be driven on many streets.

In January, City Law Director Letitia Block presented sweeping new rules governing the vehicles, including requirements that they only be driven on streets with speed limits at or below 25 miles per hour. The rules also banned the LSVs from crossing any of the bridges spanning the Miami River.

WATCH: What this new "pilot program" means for Hamilton residents

When we talked with him at that Jan. 14 meeting, Peetz said the rules amounted to an effective ban on LSVs.

"It cuts off more than half of the area we go to," he said.

Between Block's initial presentation and Wednesday's meeting, when the city council adopted the finalized rules, the city council carved out exemptions allowing LSVs to access the High-Main Street Bridge to cross the Miami River, but Peetz said he still wasn't happy with the final product.

"These amendments are really piecemeal, and, if the ordinance is passed, even with these amendments, it has stricken these vehicles from the streets," he said.

The final rules still ban travel on roads with a speed limit higher than 25 mph and the following streets unless necessary to cross them:

The rule package also requires that all LSVs be inspected and permitted by the chief of police or a member of the police department that the chief designates perform inspections to ensure they have all of the necessary safety equipment, including lights, turn signals, seat belts and more.

Sean DeLancey has been following this story since August. You can contact him here:

As a pilot program, Hamilton City Council can vote to change the rules at any time.

Before the vote of approval, Mayor Pat Moeller welcomed public participation as the rules change in the coming years.

"We do want to hear from you as this pilot program goes on because, as I said, they can be suspended, modified, terminated, sooner obviously than three years," Moeller said.

You can read the full rules here: