The building that houses Hamilton city offices and the world headquarters of 80 Acres Farms could use a good cleaning, and one appears in its future. City Purchasing Agent Ken Snyder told city council this week that the city is planning to have One Renaissance Center power washed and tuck pointed in 2023. He says the cost is estimated at $450,000, but could go higher due to inflation and supply chain issues.  Snyder says he has approached Butler County officials about including the county side of the Government Services Center in the cleaning in order to get a discounted price.

The Butler County OVI Task Force has announced the location of Friday Night's checkpoint in the West Chester area. The operation will begin at 8:15pm and last through midnight, weather permitting, on Northbound U.S. 42 (Cincinnati-Columbus Road) at Regal Lane in Pisgah. 

Butler County Auditor Roger Reynolds was indicted by a Butler County grand jury on a 6th additional charge in connection with his upcoming corruption trial. Butler County Sheriff Richard Jones says the charge of Having an Unlawful Interest in a Public Contract concerns a refund payment sent to the Lakota School District in 2017. Jones says Reynolds tried to coerce the district to build something at the Four Bridges Golf Course, where Reynolds is a member. Jones says Reynolds had family who would have benefited from the request. Reynolds, through his attorney, is denying any wrongdoing.

The Five Points roundabout project is about to
enter its final phase. The Butler County Engineer's Office says the entire intersection will close for ten days, starting on Friday at 7:00pm. That means all five streets leading to the intersection--Grand Boulevard, Hancock Avenue, Hamilton-Mason Road, Tylersville Road, and Tuley Road will be closed, so motorists should begin now to plan their commute to works accordingly. The new $2.5 million roundabout is scheduled to open the morning of July 25th.

One of two escapees from the River City Corrections Center  in Hamilton County is dead after a SWAT standoff in Warren County. Prosecutor David Fornshell says 27 year old Thomas Cromwell had taken a female hostage at knifepoint  at the Baymont Inn hotel in Mason. According to Fornshell, SWAT team members decided to enter the room after Cromwell made several threats against the woman. One shot was fired, hitting Cromwell, who was pronounced
dead at the scene. The woman was unharmed.
The second escapee, 29 year old Shawn Black, remains at large.

Hamilton's West Side Little League All-Stars are
gearing up to defend their state title from last year. The West Siders captured their 37th straight district championship Monday with a 10-1 win over the host team Loveland at the Ohio District 9 tournament at Home of the Brave Field. The All-Stars will begin play at the state tournament in Elyria on Saturday. Last year's West Side team went all the way to the Little League World Series championship game, falling to Michigan in the final at Williamsport, Pennsylvania.
 

(Photo Courtesy: West Side Little League)

The City of Hamilton's 4th of July Parade will begin at 10:00am.
The parade will start at the Butler County Fairgrounds and end at Main / N. F St. To insure the safety of those participating in and viewing the parade, there will be road closures and restricted parking along the parade route.

The following roadways will be closed from the times noted:
At 8am, Fair Ave. from Rt. 4 to Dayton St. will be closed for parade staging. Monument St. from
High St. to Ludlow will be closed.

Shortly before the parade begins, traffic flowing
east/westbound on Main St. and High St. will be closed. Vehicles travelling Westbound on High
St. will be diverted South on 7 th St. Vehicles travelling Eastbound on Main St. will be diverted at Eaton Ave. and Millville Ave.

At 10am the parade will begin and the following streets will be closed:
Fair Ave. between Rt. 4 and Dayton St.
Dayton St. between Fair Ave. and N. 7 th St.
N. 7 th St. between Dayton St. and High St.
High St. to the High / Main Bridge.
Main St. from B St to Eaton Ave.
F St. from B St. to Liberty.
Park Ave. from E St. to Eaton Ave.
Roadways will be reopened incrementally as the parade passes and safety dictates. There will be no parking permitted after 8am on any of the streets along the parade route. No parking signs will be posted and vehicles found parked on the route streets after 8am on Monday July 4 th , 2022 may be towed.

*During the parade duration, the Columbia Bridge and the Black St. Bridge will remain open.

**For the fireworks, S. B St. between the Columbia Bridge and Millikin St. will close during the display from approximately 10:00 PM until fireworks are completed.

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SCHEDULE OF ACTIVITIES

PARADE ACTIVITIES

10AM: PARADE BEGINS FROM BUTLER COUNTY FAIRGROUNDS / PARADE ENDS AT F STREET
11:30AM OR NOON: PATRIOTIC PROGRAM (THE FITTON CENTER - NEXT TO HISTORICAL SITES)

HISTORICAL SITES OPEN
10AM - 4PM: BUTLER COUNTY SOLDIERS, SAILORS & PIONEERS MONUMENT
1PM - 4PM: HISTORIC LOG CABIN
1APM - 4PM: BUTLER COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY (327 N. SECOND ST)
12PM - 4PM: HERITAGE HALL (20 HIGH ST)

FREE RIVERSEDGE CONCERT
6PM: DOORS OPEN
7PM: THE INTURNS
8:30PM: THAT ARENA ROCK SHOW

HAMILTON'S FIREWORKS SHOW
10PM: FIREWORKS BEGIN
(SHOT FROM VETERANS PARK - VIEWABLE ALONG THE RIVER BIKE TRAIL)

West Chester firefighters are investigating a two alarm apartment fire on the 6600 block of Fountains Boulevard early Sunday. Several area fire departments responded for mutual aid. The fire was first reported around 1:00am. Township spokesperson Barb Wilson says there were eight units damaged in one building. No injuries were reported.

(Photo: Barb Wilson, West Chester Township)