A large fire broke out at a lumber facility in Lebanon late Tuesday night, according to the Lebanon Fire Department.

Lebanon Fire Department said they were called for a fire at U.S. Pallets and Lumber, formerly known as R W Long Lumber and Box Company, on Cornett Road in Lebanon just before 11 p.m. on Tuesday.

Lebanon Fire Chief Ryan Dipzinski said Lebanon police initially called the fire in after they saw smoke and flames coming from the bypass around 10:30 p.m.

On the property, a building filled with pallets and equipment was fully engulfed in fire, Dipzinski said. The fire spread quickly because of wind conditions, and the road was closed while they battled the fire, fire officials said.

Dipzinski said explosions heard during the fire are believed to have been propane tanks.

The building is a total loss, according to Dipzinski.

Crews were able to extinguish the fire, and no one was hurt. The fire is out and the road is back open.

The lumber facility is located next to an Ohio Department of Transportation post, which was not damaged in the fire, according to Dipzinski.

The cause of the fire is still under investigation; the fire department said crews will likely be back at the facility Wednesday morning to look at the damage.

Avionics technology produced in Mason will play a crucial role in the Artemis II mission launch on Wednesday at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

Dozens of companies around the state have played a role in the effort to send humans to the moon for the first time in more than 50 years, including L3Harris.

The Florida-based company's space and sensors division, which operates in Mason, produced technology that will be paramount to the mission's Space Launch System, the 322-foot rocket that will carry four astronauts into space in the Orion capsule.

WATCH: Technology made in Cincinnati will bolster the Artemis II mission. Here's how

Jake Hendrickson, Space Avionics Chief Engineer at L3Harris, told us it was "super exciting" to have a part in the mission.

"We all understand the gravity of launching four astronauts in this particular mission. They're going to be the furthest away from Earth that they've ever been," Hendrickson said. "The avionics are really the brain of the launch vehicle."

A team of more than 150 people worked on the hardware, he said.

"Whether it's designing it and engineering, building it and operations and testing it. All of that is done right here in Mason, Ohio," Hendrickson said. "So certainly (there's) a sense of pride in being able to provide the launch vehicle and the avionics behind it that keeps those astronauts safe on the way to the moon."

The technology is embedded throughout the different elements that make up the rocket, helping one of the most complex launch systems work in tandem.

"They control everything that goes on, from ignition start to steering the nozzle to steering the entire launch vehicle," Hendrickson said.

The avionics also collect data from all over the rocket, including temperature, pressure, vibration and load data.

"(There's) over 500 to 1,500 sensors on each stage getting that data back down to the ground so they can post-process it, ensure everything is working as expected," Hendrickson said. "They're able to make sure that the launch vehicle is going on the right trajectory, and monitor that in real time."

We spoke with Hendrickson right before his flight to Florida to watch the launch. He said a crew of about 20 people from the company will be there with him.

"It's exciting for the individuals that get to go see it. They get to see their hardware and all their hard work come to fruition," Hendrickson said.

There is more work to be done, Hendrickson said, as L3Harris teams are already working on future Artemis missions ahead of Wednesday's historic launch.

On March 13, 17-year-old Dylan Sougstad died following a head-on collision on State Route 741 in Turtlecreek Township.

The Ohio State Highway Patrol said he crossed the center line and hit a woman driving north, and both people died at the scene.

"As a father of a teenage boy, you're always worried that they're now just out there running around, doing stupid stuff when they learn how to drive, and he wasn't. He was a good kid," Dylan's father, Steve Sougstad, said.

Now, his parents are searching for answers and pleading for key witnesses to come forward.

Dylan's mother, Lori Taylor, said the family is still waiting for answers and hopes those who saw the crash will contact authorities.

"I just know that there were two other people involved ... they haven't called in with the statement, and I just really wish they would," Taylor said. "We do have a Tesla, and we are getting the photos, and we will know, and it would be just so great if we didn't have to wait as long as we're going to for the information that we're eventually going to get."

WATCH: Family asks witnesses to come forward while they work to honor their son's memory

Tesla records other cars and the surrounding environment while driving and parked, using a dashcam feature that continuously records.

"I want to send my love and my prayers to the person who didn't make it, Chastity, because she had a family too that loved her," Taylor said.

Dylan was a student-athlete at Cincinnati Hills Christian Academy. He leaves behind a twin brother and three other siblings. His family described him as a kind, loving and amazing athlete who loved soccer and his teammates.

"Coach would call him his Swiss Army knife, and he would put him anywhere on the field," Taylor said. "You couldn't beat him, he's so fast."

Taylor said Dylan's team had just finished a game when they "got in their cars and drove away on the most dangerous road in Cincinnati."

Sougstad said since Dylan's death, he's been moved by the support from his son's peers.

"(I) was really blown away by the amount of kids that came up to me and told me all these stories about how he was there for them," Sougstad said. "How he loved them, how he had helped them out."

The teen's family has shown support for each other following the loss as well.

Dylan's godfather, Sean Platt, wrote a song in his memory titled "Still Your Six."

"I'm sorry for the quiet and hurt. Please forgive me," the song says. "Look across the table now ... half of me is still with you."

The family said they are working on a memorial and scholarship fund through Dylan's school to inspire other kids to spread positivity.

"I'm also working with some worldwide global impact people, so I'm going to do everything I can to inspire people to stand up and to recognize that there's a lot of light that needs to be shone in this world right now, and it's a dark place," Taylor said.

"That's who he was. It really was who he was. He wanted everyone to feel happy," Taylor said.

The crash remains under investigation by OSHP.

"He's not perfect by any stretch, but he was a good kid, and parents just cherish every moment," Sougstad said.

Anyone who witnessed the crash is asked to contact the Ohio State Highway Patrol in Lebanon.

The family has also set up a GoFundMe to help fund Dylan's funeral.

A 4-year-old boy died Saturday evening after drowning in a pond near his home, the Warren County Sheriff's Office said.

The sheriff's office said crews responded to the 4300 block of South Shore Drive in Deerfield Township around 4 p.m. for reports of a child found in a pond.

Crews performed CPR on the child before transporting him to Cincinnati Children's Hospital. The child was pronounced dead at the hospital, the sheriff's office said.

The sheriff's office has not identified the child yet or said how he ended up in the pond.

This is an ongoing investigation.

Two people were killed in a crash Friday night in Warren County, according to Ohio State Highway Patrol (OSHP).

OSHP said the crash occurred around 10 p.m. Friday on State Route 741 near milepost 6 in Turtlecreek Township.

A 17-year-old was driving a 2019 Tesla Model 3 south on SR-741 when he traveled left of center and struck a 2020 GMC Terrain, which was being driven northbound on SR-741 by 53-year-old Chastity Smith. After the initial crash, the teen's Tesla traveled off the west side of the roadway, while Smith's GMC traveled off the east side of the roadway, OSHP said.

OSHP said both drivers were pronounced dead at the scene.

State Route 741 between Hamilton Road and State Route 63 was shut down for several hours after the crash due to cleanup and vehicle removal.

OSHP was assisted by the Warren County Sheriff's Office, Turtlecreek Township Fire and EMS, the Warren County Coroner's Office and Jacob's Towing.

The crash remains under investigation by OSHP.

A few weeks after voting to remove a poster with the words "Hate Has No Home Here," a Little Miami school board member has resigned for social media posts he's now apologizing for.

In a resignation letter obtained by WCPO 9 News through a public records request, Dan Smith said the attention some of his social media posts have attracted has "created a situation that risks distracting from the important work of the district."

While the letter does not say what his posts were, Smith said some of the posts he made were "wrong, inaccurate and written without the care and thought that someone serving in public office should exercise."

"I regret the offense and concern they have caused," Smith said in the letter. "I reject antisemitism and hatred in all forms, and I take responsibility for the impact my words have had."

The Warren County school district has been mired in controversy since a vote on a teacher's poster that appears to reference the LGBTQ+ pride flag and transgender pride flag. During that meeting, Smith spoke about his religious beliefs and how it impacted his vote.

"Christians are lovers. We love people. Jesus loved people," Smith said at the Feb. 25 meeting. "But I'll tell you what he didn't love. He didn't love sin."

Watch: A controversial school board vote to remove an anti-hate poster has parents wondering if a lawsuit will follow

On March 3, another school board member called for the board president's removal at a heated special meeting where they drafted a statement clarifying why the board had to pass a motion removing the poster.

Smith was elected to the board last fall.

A district spokesman declined to comment on the resignation, but shared a statement from the school board:

The board is next scheduled to meet on March 25.

A (boo) blast from the past is set to be auctioned off at Kings Island later this month, the amusement park announced Monday.

Kings Island said it will auction off more than 100 items from the former Boo Blasters on Boo Hill attraction from Wednesday, March 18, through Friday, March 27.

The auction will be online and feature a slew of props used in the ride, including set pieces of various sizes, themed directional signage, dimensional characters and more, Kings Island said. The fan-favorite ride featured decor such as life-size medieval knights, grave stones, skeletons, formerly-animated ghosts and more that will be available to bid on.

You can click here to view the entire catalog of available items.

During the auction, prospective buyers can review the available lots and bid as often as they'd like before the highest bidders are chosen on March 27. Those who win the auction's lots will be contacted by email to complete their purchase and pick up their Boo Blasters pieces.

This is an incredible way for park fans to pay their final respects to the former ride and own a piece of Kings Island history, said Steve Ryan, director of retail at Kings Island. From the rides most well-known scenes to signage, props and more, Boo Blasters on Boo Hill can live on inside the homes of its devoted riders.

Kings Island closed Boo Blasters on Boo Hill in September 2025 to make way for the upcoming Phantom Theater, a fan-favorite attraction from the 1990s. The original Phantom Theater used the same cars and ride system to take visitors through a haunted opera house from 1992 to 2002. After it closed in the early 2000s, the attraction became Scooby Doo's Haunted Castle ride from 2002 to 2010.

The new and improved Phantom Theater is expected to open for the start of the 2026 Kings Island season.

Beloved Italian restaurant Pepp & Dolores, along with two of its sister restaurants, is set to open a second location in the Cincinnati area later this year.

Thunderdome Restaurant Group is opening Pepp & Dolores, alongside The Eagle and CityBird, at Deerfield Township's new The District at Deerfield development.

Joe Lanni, co-founder of Thunderdome, told WCPO 9 that the new locations are the restaurant group's way of broadening specifically in the Cincinnati market. Currently, CityBird has several locations, including Amelia, Anderson, Over-the-Rhine, Harper's Point, Fountain Square and Crestview Hills in Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky. The Eagle also has several other locations, but all of them, except OTR, are in other cities such as Columbus, Detroit, Indianapolis and others.

"We just feel that this one (Deerfield Township) is a great location, first and foremost, but we're going to have great neighbors, and when you put those two things together, that's a real recipe for success, hopefully," Lanni said.

The District at Deerfield, which sits near Mason Montgomery Road, is home to several businesses, including Pins Mechanical Co., Fifty West Brewery and 101 Craft Kitchen. It was recently announced that the Indianapolis-based brunch spot, Cafe Patachou, is also expected to open at The District at Deerfield this spring, as well.

While The Eagle and CityBird have other locations, the upcoming Pepp & Dolores in Deerfield Township is only the second location for the concept outside of its flagship OTR spot. Lanni told us that Thunderdome never planned to make Pepp & Dolores a regional chain like the other concepts, but they decided to open a second location due to the restaurant's success.

"It's just had such success and resonated so well that demand's just been off the charts, and we thought, if we're making our first foray outside the central business district, we ought to put our best foot forward," Lanni said.

Lanni said they plan to design the new space to give the same feel of OTR's Pepp & Dolores, obviously without the 100-year-old historic building along Vine Street. Guests can also expect the same menu as the OTR restaurant, with in-house-made pastas, wine and more.

Pepp & Dolores, The Eagle and CityBird are expected to open at The District at Deerfield in September or October, Lanni said.

An arrest has been made after two people were injured in an accidental shooting at a Kroger in Maineville Friday night, according to the Hamilton Township Police Department.

Police said reports of a shooting at the Kroger at 148 E Towne Center in Maineville came in around 7:30 p.m. Friday. Later that night, police chief Scott Hughes said the shooting was accidental, and someone had likely fired a gun from a nearby property.

40-year-old Jayson Hall has been charged with two counts of assault and negligent assault, according to Hamilton Township police. Hall was also charged with inducing panic and improperly discharging a firearm.

Both people have minor injuries, according to police. They were taken to the hospital and are in stable condition.

Hall appeared in court Monday morning, where he told a judge he had recently moved to a home near the Kroger.

A prosecutor in court said the allegations are that Hall was at home "firing an AK-47 in his backyard when at least two of those bullets traveled across the roadway and struck two innocent bystanders shopping at Kroger."

WATCH: New details about the incident were revealed in court Monday morning

Prestige Motor Sales, a business just down the street, shared security camera footage with us. In the footage, you can hear multiple gunshots around 7:22 p.m. that same Friday evening.

In Hall's court appearance, Judge Robert Fischer issued an OR (own recognizance) bond, with GPS monitoring.

WATCH: What we know about the shooting

The Kroger was closed for the rest of the night following the shooting, according to police, and some roads in the area were also closed.

Hall is due back in court on Thursday.

We spoke with licensed gun instructor Wendy Monroe Monday about responsible gun ownership. She's also the chief executive officer of 22three Firearms Store and Range.

Its not rocket science, honestly, you just need to follow the rules and be smart," Monroe said.

Monroe told us she has four primary safety rules for proper gun use, including:

One of the hardest things for people to remember, that I see when we're training with them, is to keep their finger off the trigger until they're ready to shoot," Monroe said.

Monroe, who said she's been a licensed instructor for about 12 years now, told us she saw one of her rules potentially broken in Friday's shooting.

I think he was outside shooting, so he intended to shoot, he just forgot the fourth safety rule, which was know your target and what is beyond," Monroe said.

She said any gun owner should always follow basic safety rules.

"It doesnt have to be difficult to follow the safety rules. You just have to be consistent, you have to think about what you are doing," Monroe said.

In a controversial vote on Wednesday, the Little Miami Local Schools board voted 4-to-1 to remove a poster with the words "Hate Has No Home Here" from a classroom in the school district.

The poster, which a parent said has been hanging in the classroom for several years without complaints, includes five hands holding up hearts with images on them. Two of those images appear to reference the LGBTQ+ pride flag and the transgender pride flag.

"Hate has no place anywhere," said Mandy Bullock, board vice president. "But, once you add the symbols, that shouldn't be in a classroom setting."

Several board members during the meeting said they believe the poster is inappropriate, and board member Dan Smith talked about his religious beliefs before voting.

WATCH: A controversial school board vote to remove an anti-hate poster has parents wondering if a lawsuit will follow

"Christians are lovers. We love people. Jesus loved people," Smith said. "But I'll tell you what he didn't love. He didn't love sin."

During the nearly three-hour-long meeting, a majority of parents who commented on the matter spoke in support of keeping the poster up. Parent Amanda Van Mil was one of those in attendance.

"What we've seen in our school board is that they replaced our council who advises the school board on legal issues," she said. "Our previous council at a school board meeting had advised that choosing which posters or which displays were allowed based on content was a violation of First Amendment rights and was likely to have the school district be sued."

The only school board member to vote against removing the poster, Wayne Siebert, echoed Van Mil's worries about litigation.

"This is ridiculous. This has gone on for over a year," Siebert said. "We were told if we adopt this policy, the lawsuits will follow."

In 2024, the previous school board mulled over a policy that looked to dictate what items are appropriate to display in classrooms across the school district.

We reached out to all five Little Miami Local Schools board members, asking them if they had any additional comments to provide. Only David Wallace, the school board president, responded as of Thursday evening.

"This decision was not based on the words 'Hate Has No Home Here,'" Wallace wrote in a statement. "The district remains fully committed to ensuring every student feels safe, respected and free from bullying or harassment."

Some of the four school board members who voted to remove the poster cited Ohio House Bill 8, also known as Ohio's Parents' Bill of Rights law.

The law, enacted in April 2025, directed school boards across the state to adopt policies allowing parents to be notified and given the choice to opt their students out of any instruction that includes "sexuality content."

However, the Little Miami Local Schools policy carves out specific exemptions for this rule, including "incidental references to sexual concepts or gender ideology occurring outside of formal instruction."

The poster in question falls under "incidental references," according to Wallace.

"Under Ohio law, incidental references to sexual concepts or gender ideology do not trigger parental notification requirements," Wallace wrote in a statement. "However, based on the record before it, the board determined this poster was reasonably understood to engage students on those topics, which requires parental notice and the opportunity to review and opt out. Until those procedures are followed, the board directed that the poster be removed."

Connor wants to hear from you. You can contact him here:

We asked Van Mil how the poster became an item on the school board's agenda and if a parent reported it.

"That's a good question," she said. "That information was not made public at the school board meeting, and I think that this is part of a trend with our new school board that was sworn in in January."

We spoke with another parent, Amanda Hollingsworth, who said she disagrees with the characterization that the poster falls under "sexuality content."

"In no way does it promote it. It's not teaching children how to have this gender ideology or the sexual ideology," she said. "It's acknowledging that these people exist. That's how I see it. And there are gay children in the schools, there are gay employees in the schools. I don't see any problem with recognizing that they are there."

An Indianapolis-based cafe is set to open its first Cincinnati-area location this spring.

Cafe Patachou will open at Mason's The District at Deerfield, which is also home to several other restaurants and bars, including 101 Craft Kitchen, Fifty West Brewery, Pins Mechanical Co. and several others that are also in the process of opening.

Since its inception in 1989 by restaurateur Martha Hoover, Cafe Patachou has been described as a "student union for adults," according to its website, serving an "elevated take" on breakfast, brunch and lunch.

The cafe's menu includes a variety of Cafe Patachou's takes on breakfast staples, such as omelettes, croissant French toast, Chilaquiles and more. For those not wanting breakfast, Cafe Patachou also has lunch selections like salads, sandwiches, bowls, soup and more.

To go alongside your food, a serve-yourself coffee bar is a focal point at Cafe Patachou. Guests will be able to sip on seasonal lattes like English toffee and peppermint mocha, as well as brunch cocktails, beer, wine and more.

Over the decades, Cafe Patachou has received local, regional and national accolades. The chain has also expanded to several locations across Indiana, as well as a Lexington location.

You can click here to learn more about Cafe Patachou.

A 78-year-old man was sentenced to 18 years to life in prison after officials said he shot and killed a woman in Deerfield Township last September.

Gerald Olin Finley drove to Deerfield Township Fire Station 57 on Sept. 7, directing medical personnel to his car, where they found 79-year-old Emilia Vinokur with two gunshot wounds to the head. Vinokur was pronounced dead at the scene.

The Warren County Prosecutor's office said Finley told officers he shot Vinokur, described as his companion, inside the car as a mercy killing he had been contemplating for about a week. However, Prosecutor David P. Fornshell said Finley could never specify any illness or medical condition Vinokur had.

A medical examination and autopsy, Fornshell said, confirmed no evidence of a terminal condition.

"Unfortunately, theres just no logical explanation for Finleys actions," Fornshell said in a release. "Just a sad and senseless killing."

Finley pleaded guilty to murder with an accompanying firearm specification and was sentenced to 18 years up to life in prison for the crime.

The Warren County Fairgrounds has been the site of summer fairs and community events for nearly 176 years, but this week it hosted something different: a debate over its future.

Dozens of residents packed Thursday night's open house to hear and share their thoughts on the city of Lebanon's "master plan" if their desired purchase of the fairgrounds is approved. If the sale goes through, it would make the fairgrounds the only city-owned fairgrounds in Ohio.

The city of Lebanon, which wants to purchase the property from the county, envisions major improvements, including potentially a new horse arena, updated campgrounds and possibly some mixed-use developments.

In late January, the City of Lebanon and the county sent a letter of intent to the Warren County Agricultural Society board stating the city intended to purchase the Warren County fairgrounds. 

"We also have a vested interest in the fairground property, as it is in the center of our city," said Lebanon Mayor Mark Messer. "To be developed in a way that is congruent with not only our heritage, but also the desires of the 4-H community, the desires of the ag community, the desires of the horsemen association."

Messer said the city invested about $40,000 in the master plan, hoping to complete it in time to apply for state capital grants, though he said that timeline may not be feasible given the current buying structure.

But not all residents are convinced the sale is the right move. Crystal White questioned the transparency of the ongoing process to purchase the land.

"It almost feels like they're trying to shove something through trying to hide stuff," White said.

WATCH: Warren County residents react to the city of Lebanon's "master plan" if the fairgrounds sale goes through

Leslie Miller said she had broader concerns about potential government overreach.

"This sale is infringing on the rights of the people, and when you have a government infringing on the rights of the people, the people need to make a stand," Miller said.

Messer defended the city's transparency efforts, saying the city has tried to communicate with all stakeholders, including the harness horsemen association, agricultural society and Warren County officials.

"I really feel like [Lebanon] has been at the forefront of transparency," Messer said. "City council meetings are open. Anybody can come to city council meetings. I don't think one person has showed up to city council to make a statement about this."

However, some community members see potential in the city's plan.

Karen Cornwell, a 4-H advisor, told us she believes the fairgrounds could benefit from city investment.

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"We have seen [kind] of falling apart of our fairgrounds, and to see that the city wants to come in and help rebuild this program back to its glory days, I think that's very exciting," Cornwell said.

The Warren County Agricultural Society voted down the proposal 6-5, but Messer said the city will continue trying.

"The city will pursue the purchase," Messer said. "That deal will be signed. My assumption is that we'll be challenged and then a judge will decide."

Warren Miller, a 4-H program participant, said he was not completely opposed to the new ideas.

"I think some of them are good," Miller said. "But my main concern is that the city doesn't have to be willing to do that. The AG society and the county commissioners both carry that power."

The Thursday night meeting was designed to gather community input on the master plan through QR codes and written feedback, which the city plans to incorporate into its proposal.

"We had to start with something," Messer said.

While flying may be second nature to many people, for some, it's something they've only dreamed of experiencing.

For 77 years, that's been the case for James Whitehead.

Whitehead, who lives in Blanchester, has faced several health battles in life, including cancer. He became a patient at Advanced Hospice of Ohio in August, where he told Julie Moores and Stephanie Crase he never felt he was able to fully live life.

When they learned flying was his bucket list wish, they made sure to make his dream a reality.

Were not looking at quantity, were looking at quality and to make their last days great, and thats what were here for and we love it, Crase said.

WATCH: See the moment Whitehead's dream to fly became reality in the video below

Crase and Moores quickly reached out to Warren County pilot Ken Ross. Without hesitation, Ross offered to take Whitehead up in his plane free of charge.

Ross said he offered to fly Whitehead because he felt it was the right thing to do.

"We gotta give back, that's the way life goes," Ross said. "You gotta give something back to people."

Thursday morning, Whitehead got strapped into Ross' plane at the airport in Lebanon with his favorite nurse, Susan Wale.

Once they showed him the ropes, Ross wasted no time getting him in the air.

"We took him up over his house out in Blanchester, and then I brought him back around Cowan Lake and over Caesar Creek," Ross said.

The plane ride lasted roughly 30 minutes before a smooth landing.

But after the landing, Whitehead wasn't quite ready for it to end.

"He said he liked the takeoff the best, so we said, 'OK, let's go again!" Ross said.

After a second takeoff and another lap around Warren County, the plane landed once more.

Ross said he could see the happiness on Whitehead's face during the flight.

"Takeoff was great, and it looked different from up above than what I thought it would," Whitehead said.

Whitehead is a man of few words, his nurses admitted.

Still, he told us that being able to finally ride in a plane is a moment he'll remember forever.

"All of it was my favorite part of it," said Whitehead.

Two people accused of drugging and raping a child, possessing child sexual abuse material and bestiality pleaded not guilty in court on Wednesday.

Tony McCollister and Erica Grove were recently indicted by a grand jury on dozens of charges related to the accusations.

The former couple appeared individually before Judge Robert Peeler in Warren County for Wednesday's arraignment.

Grove appeared first, alongside her attorney Ed Perry. Perry said that Grove is a registered nurse. He claimed Grove was coerced by McCollister to do some of the things she's accused of.

WATCH: Grove's attorney claims she was a victim of McCollister's coercion

"Erica is, in fact, a victim here," Perry said.

Perry strongly refuted claims that Grove sexually assaulted a young girl. He indicated evidence showing graphic texts between Grove and McCollister related to the sexual assault charges. He said those messages were sent to appease McCollister.

"Those messages were attempts to cope with a very difficult situation, being a victim as she was, and/or to placate her abuser, Mr. McCollister," Perry said.

Not as much was mentioned in court in relation to the charges of bestiality. Warren County Prosecutor David Fornshell confirmed with us that the dogs were removed and are in a safe place.

As for McCollister, his court appearance was brief.

He was ordered to have no contact with any minor or animal.

However, Judge Peeler did grant his request to be able to see his 16-year-old daughter, under the condition that the girl's mother is also present.

Despite the prosecuting attorney's request of a $1 million bond, Judge Peeler ordered a $250,000 bond for both, of which they only have to pay 10%.

The two were also ordered to have electronic monitoring and no contact with minors or animals if they bond out.

On Monday, we sat down with Fornshell to discuss the case.

He said Google submitted a tip to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children regarding possible child sexual abuse material in June. The Warren County Sheriff's Office was able to connect McCollister to the associated IP address.

In reviewing McCollister's account, officials found child sexual abuse material as well as both McCollister and Grove engaged in "various types of sexual conduct with two dogs." The two were both charged.

As they continued their investigation, though, the prosecutor's office said detectives found evidence that the two drugged a child under the age of 6 for the purpose of raping or engaging in sexual assault. They also found child sexual abuse material connected to that child.

"It's difficult for your brain to wrap around that people are capable of this kind of conduct," said Fornshell.

A Warren County jury has convicted a woman of attempted murder after she shot an innocent bystander while trying to prevent the discovery of her affair at a New Year's party in 2025, Prosecutor David Fornshell said.

Fornshell said 29-year-old Olivia Clendenin was convicted of attempted murder, two counts of felonious assault and the illegal discharge of a firearm at a habitation, with firearm specifications.

The shooting happened on January 1, 2025, after Clendenin found out her husband and her boyfriend were together at the same Clearcreek Township party; both men had already found out about the relationship each had with Clendenin earlier that evening, Fornshell said.

Clendenin attempted to persuade her husband to leave the party, but when she was unsuccessful, she arrived there herself, armed with a .40 caliber handgun.

She fired eight shots, hitting a man who was sitting on the porch of the home, according to Fornshell.

"The victim had simply been invited to a New Year's Eve party and found himself in the middle of Clendenin's barrage of gunfire," said Fornshell in a press release. "Clendenin may have started 2025 as a free person, but will spend the rest of 2026 and, at a minimum, the decade thereafter incarcerated for attempting to murder at least one of her romantic interests albeit striking and almost killing an innocent victim."

Clendenin will be sentenced following a pre-sentence investigation, Fornshell said. That sentencing is not yet scheduled, according to Warren County court records.

A Warren County grand jury has indicted a Union Township couple on several felonies after the two were accused of drugging and raping a child, possessing child sexual abuse material and having sex with dogs.

Erica Lynne Grove and Tony McCollister, both 43, have been indicted on dozens of charges, including corrupting another with drugs, gross sexual imposition, endangering children and sexual conduct with an animal.

The Warren County Prosecutor's Office said Google submitted a tip to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children regarding possible child sexual abuse material associated with an IP address that the Warren County Sheriff's Office was able to connect to McCollister's account.

In reviewing McCollister's account, officials found child sexual abuse material as well as both McCollister and Grove engaged in "various types of sexual conduct with two dogs." The two were both charged.

As they continued their investigation, though, the prosecutor's office said detectives found evidence that the two drugged a child under the age of 6 for the purpose of raping or engaging in sexual assault. They also found child sexual abuse material connected to that child.

We sat down with Warren County Prosecutor David Fornshell to talk about the case on Monday.

"This was a situation where there was a concerted effort to repeatedly drug and rape and sexually assault in other manners this child," Fornshell said.

Fornshell confirmed with us that the dogs were removed and are in a safe place.

WATCH: Warren County prosecutor sits down with WCPO to talk about the case

He said, when reviewing evidence in the case, many long-time investigators were deeply troubled by details of what they uncovered.

"It's difficult for your brain to wrap around that people are capable of this kind of conduct," Fornshell said.

Fornshell said it's possible there were other victims, and detectives are still looking into additional evidence related to the couple.

He said anyone who may have additional information related to the case is encouraged to call his office.

"I'll be honest with you, if you're willing to jump the line of having sex with dogs and a child that's under the age of 6, there is nothing that's off limits for somebody like that," Fornshell said.

McCollister once starred in the short-lived reality TV show "Neighbors with Benefits" with his then-wife about couples who embrace swinging in Hamilton Township. Only two episodes aired before backlash led to A&E canceling the series.

Both Grove and McCollister are scheduled to be arraigned on Feb. 4 in Warren County Common Pleas Court.

One person is dead after an early Saturday morning crash in Warren County, according to Ohio State Highway Patrol (OSHP).

OSHP said the crash occurred around 1:49 a.m. on Mason Morrow Millgrove Road west of State Route 48 in Union Township.

Corey Graham, 45, was driving a 2020 GMC Sierra east on Mason Morrow Millgrove Road when he traveled off the right side of the roadway and struck several trees.

Graham was transported to Mercy Health Kings Mills Hospital were he was pronounced dead, OSHP said. Two other passengers in the vehicle, a 39-year-old woman and a 35-year-old woman, were uninjured in the crash.

OSHP said they were assisted on scene by the Union Township Fire Department, Deerfield Township Fire Department, the Warren County Sheriff's Office, the Hamilton Township Police Department and Case Towing.

The crash remains under investigation by OSHP.

A home has been completely destroyed after a fire early Tuesday morning in Harlan Township, according to firefighters at the scene.

Firefighters told a WCPO crew the fire broke out around 1 a.m. No one was inside the home at the time, firefighters said.

When fire officials arrived, heavy flames were coming out of the side of the house.

As firefighters worked to put out the fire, the home collapsed in on itself; firefighters told us crews brought in a backhoe to level the rest of the home.

No one was injured in the fire or during firefighters' response.

Officials have not yet said what may have caused the fire, but firefighters at the scene told us the home's owner was not there when it happened.

Two people are dead after a crash on I-71 Monday afternoon, according to Ohio State Highway Patrol Lebanon Post.

The crash happened just before 1 p.m. at mile marker 26 on I-71 northbound in Union Township, OSHP said.

OSHP said 28-year-old Micaela Pedicone was driving southbound and crossed the median, entering the northbound lanes and striking 49-year-old Darnell McKinney Jr.'s car head-on. Both Pedicone and McKinney were the only people in their cars, according to OSHP.

Both people were pronounced dead on the scene.

The Kings Local School District confirmed that Pedicone was a teacher at South Lebanon Elementary School.

"Micaela was a valued member of our school community who cared deeply for her students and colleagues," the district said. "Her loss is felt profoundly across our district."

The district said South Lebanon Elementary will be closed Tuesday and grief counselors are available on site.

McKinney's youngest daughter described her father as a "man of all trades."

"He loved to cook for his kids. Show up to events as much as he could. And definitely go to football and basketball games. He loved just hanging out with his youngest son, Dairean. They were like two peas in a pod," TaCora McKinney said. "Overall, Darnell was just a great man and he will be missed by many. Darnells legacy will never come to an end as long as were all alive!

A portion of I-71 northbound near Kings Mill was shut down for approximately two hours after the crash, according to the Warren County Sheriff's Office.

The crash remains under investigation.

One man is dead after an early Saturday morning crash in Warren County, according to Ohio State Highway Patrol (OSHP).

Just after 4 a.m. Saturday, a man driving a 2023 Honda CRV was traveling north on I-71 when he drove off the left side of the roadway and rolled over several times. The driver, identified as 23-year-old Charles Watkins of La Fayette, Georgia, was ejected from the vehicle and landed in the southbound lanes of I-71, OSHP said.

Watkins, who was the sole occupant of the vehicle, was not wearing a seat belt at the time of the crash. He sustained fatal injuries and was pronounced deceased at the scene, OSHP said.

OSHP was assisted by the Warren County Sheriff's Office, the Warren County Coroner's Office, the Turtle Creek Fire Department and EMS and Jacob's Towing.

The crash is under investigation by OSHP.

A Lebanon man has been convicted of election falsification and forgery after he submitted a petition in support of replacing Ohio's redistricting process that included multiple forged signatures.

In a press release, Warren County Prosecutor David P. Fornshell said Advanced Micro Targeting employed 41-year-old Xezakia Rouse in 2023 and 2024 to circulate a petition in support of the issue, getting valid signatures from registered voters in Warren County. However, a review of 226 signatures submitted to the Warren County Board of Elections found "numerous signatures" were forged.

"Election integrity matters at every stage of the process, not just on Election Day," Fornshell said in the release. "As the former Chair of the Warren County Board of Elections, I take falsification of petition signatures very seriously because it is a direct attack on the democratic process and the publics trust in it."

A Warren County jury convicted Rouse of 12 counts of election falsification and 12 counts of forgery.

A former Warren County corrections officer has been charged after he allegedly smuggled drugs into the jail, according to court documents.

According to Warren County court records, Joshua Fritz, 30, is facing one count of illegal conveyance of drugs of abuse onto grounds of a specified governmental facility, two counts of aggravated possession of drugs, one count of possession of marijuana and one count of possessing criminal tools.

Between March 1 and March 25, 2025, Fritz allegedly smuggled drugs into the Warren County Correctional Institution, according to an indictment. The indictment does not specify what drugs or controlled substances Fritz allegedly smuggled other than marijuana.

The Ohio Department of Corrections told us that Fritz was terminated from the Warren County Correctional Institution on March 25.

Fritz is scheduled to be arraigned Friday, Jan. 23.

A former reality TV star facing bestiality and child sexual abuse material charges in Warren County had his pets seized as part of an investigation.

Tony McCollister, 43, of Union Township, is charged with pandering obscenity involving a minor, a felony, and sexual conduct with an animal, a misdemeanor. He waived his right to a preliminary hearing Tuesday in Warren County Court, and his case was bound over to a Warren County Common Pleas Court grand jury for review.

McCollister starred in the 2015 show "Neighbors with Benefits" along with his then-wife, Diana, about couples embracing a swinger lifestyle in Hamilton Twp. Viewer backlash led A&E to cancel the show after only airing two episodes.

McCollister was taken into custody Dec. 23 the same day the case was filed and a warrant for his arrest was issued. He remains held in the Warren County Jail on a $250,000 cash-only bond, according to jail and court records.

He was ordered to not have contact with anyone younger than 18 or any animals.

Warren County Sheriff Barry Riley said deputies seized two dogs, which are being exceptionally cared for. He declined to release what led to the investigation into McCollister or when it was opened.

According to a criminal complaint, on or about Nov. 23, McCollister knowingly possessed and uploaded child sexual abuse material to his Google account and knowingly engaged in sexual conduct with two canines owned by Tony McCollister.

The attorney who represented McCollister in Warren County Court, Andrew Brenner, did not immediately return a message seeking comment.

The Central Midwest Carpenters Union is prepping people of all ages for a career in carpentry at its state-of-the-art training center in Monroe.

Richard Gunther, area training coordinator for the Monroe Training Facility, said the training center provides year-round training and educational services for apprentices and journeymen, with more than 65,000 square feet of indoor training areas and seven acres for outdoor training needs.

The facility is equipped to offer the latest technical and safety training in the industry. There are four training centers in the state of Ohio with seven additional centers in Indiana and Kentucky.

Participants receive a combination of classroom learning and hands-on experience out in the shop, teaching them the skills they need to be successful in the field.

We lay the foundation for what they are going to do as they work through their careers, Gunther said.

Basic, intermediate and advanced level classes are offered. Participants will earn a journeymens certificate as well as college credit that can be applied to an associates degree or a future college degree.

The apprenticeship trade programs include Commercial Carpenter, Millwright, Pile Driver and Floor Layer Apprenticeships with nearly 500 apprentices enrolled at the facility.

Our goal is to make the most valuable member that we can. The more skills that a person has when they complete the program, the more opportunities for work that they have, said Gunther.

Nolen Kennedy, 28, from Hamilton is a fourth-year apprentice at the Monroe Training Facility. He works full time at Shook Construction, a contractor of GE Aerospace in Evendale.

I do whatever GE needs me to do. Ive put up doors today. I have poured concrete. I have done insulated metal panels. Ive also done drywall and some framing. I get to be the jack of all trades, learn all kinds of new skills and play with all kinds of fun toys, and it has been super useful in my life, Kennedy said.

He enjoys the fact that he gets to do something different on the job every day.

I cant thank the training center and the jobs Ive had enough for the practical life knowledge that they have given me, he said.

Kennedy encourages others to consider the carpentry trade as a career.

This is an excellent option to live a really good life, and to have financial freedom outside of college, and Im probably one of the few people that can really say that because Ive done both, and I will tell you, college just wasnt for me, Kennedy said.

The training center serves union carpenter apprentices and journeymen from 21 counties in Ohio and Northern Kentucky. The facility also offers year-round advanced training classes for journeymen to keep up with the latest methods and technologies. Current apprentices range in ages from 17-63.

A first-year apprentice makes $23.34 per hour, plus fringe benefits - health insurance, pension and annuity (additionally, about $17 per hour.) So, a first-year worker earns around $40 per hour. A journeyman currently makes $33.34 per hour plus another $21 in benefits, equaling about $54 per hour.

Large-scale infrastructure projects, commercial developments and housing needs are creating opportunities for carpenters and opening doors for people looking for a career that offers hands-on experience without college debt, according to the Central Midwest Carpenters Union.

The demand for construction workers is surging across the U.S., the union said.

The Journal-News

'Twas the day before the night before Christmas, and all through downtown Lebanon, you could find a host of people making some last-minute purchases before Saint Nick heads down the chimney.

"I feel like people have come out and about, respected retail workers especially in small businesses, which we obviously appreciate more than anyone could ever know," Carly Carpenter said.

Carpenter works as the district manager for East Main Market in Lebanon, which sits right along Main Street.

"People want to come and visit, and I truly hope it continues to be a destination place for families to come and visit," Carpenter said.

After hearing about the small businesses and growth within Lebanon at our most recent 'Let's Talk' event, I visited the downtown area.

Watch to see how businesses have grown around Lebanon:

That's where I met Kim Reynolds, the owner of The BrickHouse on Broad Broadway Personalized Gift Shop.

Reynolds walked me through her store, showing me all the specialty items her store customizes for her customers.

"We help customers get their idea from their head and onto the item," Reynolds said.

While visiting her store, I asked Reynolds about the changes and growth in the downtown business area in Lebanon.

"At one point, everything in Lebanon was an antique store. So now, it has evolved, and we have a lot of unique, different shops. Each shop is just as unique as its owner," Reynolds said.

Reynolds told me she's on the merchant committee that works with the local chamber to help with community engagement and business growth for her community.

"We like to be cohesive as a unit, so that this is a destination, not just somebody coming for one shop," Reynolds said.

It's not just businesses that have seen growth and changes. The city of Lebanon has recently completed improvement projects, like a new skate park in 2024 and a new bike path earlier this year.

Rusty Poeppelmeier, who told me he lives just outside Lebanon's city limits, told me he's happy to see growth and investments in the community.

"Anything you can do that attracts people to the city, I think, is a positive," Poeppelmeier said.

While speaking with Lebanon residents at our most recent Let's Talk event, we were given images of damaged metal boxes in the Garfield Park neighborhood. We've since visited the neighborhood while following up on residents' concerns.

"It looks pretty rundown," resident Rhonda Greathouse said.

On Thursday, we spoke with resident Russell Money, who showed us a damaged box in his and his neighbor's front yard.

"It looks like a hazard to me," Money said.

The box in his yard had been damaged in a crash, Money said.

"My neighbor said he had actually called about the boxes and that was like, probably six months to a year ago, and no one ever came out, responded or anything," Money said.

We called Brian Lazor, Lebanon's deputy city manager, who said that these are telecommunications boxes. The responsibility to maintain or remove them would be on the utility that installed them, according to the city.

Watch to see our work to get answers on damaged telecommunications boxes in one Lebanon neighborhood:

Lazor said these boxes are not the city's responsibility.

To figure out who residents need to call, we started by looking at the sticker on the box with its door left open. One of the boxes said, "United Telephone of Ohio."

Through various internet searches, emails and phone calls, we learned that the carrier has changed hands throughout the years and it is now operated by a utility company called Brightspeed.

We spoke on the phone with Brittany Waugaman, a public information officer for the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio (PUCO). She pointed me toward an online resource that can inform residents of their local carriers. The state's map confirmed that Brightspeed is the "Incumbent Local Exchange Carrier" (ILEC) for the Lebanon area.

Then, we reached out to Brightspeed and were sent this statement by a spokesperson: "After further investigation, our local team arrived onsite to determine that one of the boxes belongs to Brightspeed and the rest belong to Spectrum. The Brightspeed box has been repaired. For any future inquiries regarding damage to Brightspeed equipment, customers and residents are welcome to contact 844-209-1483, a number found on our website."

Right around the same time we received that statement from Brightspeed, one of the company's workers was on scene and repaired the box at the front of the neighborhood.

After receiving a statement from Brightspeed, we called a spokesperson from Spectrum, who said they had no official statement at this time.

While investigating the issue of damaged telecom boxes, we also reached out to Altafiber. A spokesperson told us residents "should always contact their current utility providers with any questions about existing infrastructure on their property."

If any other residents have concerns about this issue, please reach out to me at sam.harasimowicz@wcpo.com or 513-919-1118.

Waugaman from PUCO also said that residents can reach out to the commission if they still need help.

"If they've reached a dead end, if they've tried reaching out and gotten no response, they can contact us and one of our investigators can help follow up," Waugaman said.

PUCO's call center can be reached by calling 800-686-7826.

Families in the Village of Morrow are fed up with frequent power outages, with some residents experiencing the cold and dark repeatedly throughout the year.

The latest overnight outage left dozens of residents without electricity for hours during freezing temperatures, prompting families to reach out to us, demanding action from Duke Energy and village officials.

"11 years, we've lived here. Since the day we moved in, the first month we lost power twice," resident Jennefer Jacob told us during a phone call.

And Jacob isn't alone in her frustration. Several residents in the Ryan Homes at Woodlands at Morrow contacted us seeking solutions to what they described as a chronic problem.

Mackenzie Davenport lives in the Ryan Homes at Woodlands neighborhood and says this marks the 23rd power outage her area has experienced this year.

WATCH: Why residents at Ryan Homes at Woodland say this issue needs to be addressed

"Many, many neighbors have complained they've reached out to Duke, the only response that we get is just file a complaint, and we'll work on it," Davenport said. "We lost all of our food. We had just done our big grocery haul for Christmas, and before the holidays, so it's tough."

Have you been affected by power outages? De'Jah wants to hear from you. You can contact her here:

We contacted the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio (PUCO), which regulates utilities in the state. PUCO said three people reported outages in the subdivision and thousands outside of it.

"We received an outage report that said, due to high winds, 2,945 customers were out of electricity yesterday, of that 1,412 were in Warren County," a PUCO representative said.

PUCO said it's investigating the complaints, but resident Lindsey Rinderlel says she wants more action.

"Frustrating, because I have a young kid, three years old, and when the power is out for hours at a time. He's like, 'Why are the lights out?' and it gets really cold when it's out from four in the afternoon until six in the morning," Rinderlel said.

The Morrow village administrator told me the ongoing problem is a concern. She said the village has worked with Duke Energy to reduce outages and that Duke has cut down trees and relocated power lines.

But residents like Davenport said she's still wondering when something will be done.

"When is enough gonna be enough," Davenport said.

At our "Let's Talk" event in Lebanon Wednesday, residents shared their concerns over the area's growth with us.

"I like the country effect, you know?" Darlene Behne said.

And Behne wasn't the only one who felt that way.

"I think it's a lot too soon," Kathy Stine said.

WATCH: How Lebanon residents feel about growth in their neighborhoods

Those were just a couple of the comments about development and growth we heard. We went back up to Lebanon to take a look at the ongoing changes Thursday.

We asked Janis Baker, the executive director of the Lebanon Chamber of Commerce, about the area's growth.

"It might mean that we have more families that come in and enjoy our events, more people in our stores. We have more folks that are here and that become part of our community," Baker said.

She said that with change and expansion, the heart of Lebanon will stay the same.

"You don't move to Lebanon not knowing that it's a historical area, you know it's historical, you know you have that value," Baker said.

We spoke on the phone with Lebanon City Manager Scott Brunka to learn more about the city's expansion.

"Over the last five years, Lebanon has averaged a little under 1% population growth per year," Brunka said.

Brunka said he tells residents that he'd rather be in a community that's growing than declining, but understands their concerns.

"You don't want to get overwhelmed by the growth and not be able to keep up with the required infrastructure," Brunka said.

Do you have stories or concerns following our "Let's Talk" event? Sam wants to hear from you. You can contact him here:

Brunka said that the city has worked to properly prepare for growth.

"We have done a good job, I think, of master planning, doing a five-year capital improvement program," Brunka said.

Warren County is experiencing a population boom, and the city of Lebanon is feeling the growing pains.

The city is one of 14 Ohio counties seeing significant population growth, and residents are split on whether the development is happening too quickly.

At our "Let's Talk" event in Lebanon Wednesday, we heard from residents like Kathy Stine, who told us she's concerned about disappearing farmland.

"(Farmland) will never come back. It's gone forever," Stine said. "Where's the stuff coming from to feed the animals that feed us. Where does all that go?"

Jim Norris, another Lebanon resident, called for officials to slow down development.

"Slow it down. Call for a moratorium," Norris said.

Hear about the concerns residents shared with us in the player below:

However, not all residents oppose the changes. Some told us they see development as inevitable and necessary.

"We've got a massive amount of farmland that people are not interested in or willing to maintain, so sell it to developers," one resident said. "I totally understand when things change, it can be scary. But it's going to happen ... let's do it in a way that is welcoming."

The population growth has created demands on Lebanon's infrastructure, including electricity and roads. The city's capital improvement plan includes more than $11 million in improvements for roads, water, sewer and parks.

One development project, Rarock, is drawing attention. It's a 313-acre property being annexed by the city, and developers plan to build 518 homes on the site.

Some residents have raised questions about how the hundreds of new homes will impact local schools as more families move to the area, potentially leading to overcrowding and higher taxes.

Donna Norris said she worries about the financial impact on fixed-income residents.

"I'm a taxpayer. A senior citizen, retired. We're living on fixed incomes," Norris said. "How is that going to affect me down the road? And it most certainly will."

Now, we're looking into resident concerns and will bring you stories in the coming weeks born from our conversations.