(Middletown)--An appeals court has overturned the felony conviction of former Butler County Auditor Roger Reynolds. A trio of judges from the 10th District Court of Appeals heard the case for members of the 12th District court, who recused themselves from the case. The judges ruled Reynolds was wrongly convicted on insufficient evidence on a charge of Unlawful Interest in a Public Contract. The judges ordered the lower court to discharge Reynold's case. A 30 day jail sentence was delayed while the case moved through the appeals process. The conviction disqualified Reynolds from serving as auditor, and county treasurer Nancy Nix was chosen to serve out the rest of Reynold's term.

A stormy weather forecast for Tuesday night has forced Hamilton City School District officials to move graduation ceremonies up by a day. The commencement will take place Wednesday night May 15th at 7:30pm, the previously announced rain date for the event. Hamilton High's graduation has been held at Virgil Schwarm Stadium since 2021, as the district was still dealing with COVID restrictions. The outdoor ceremony proved to be popular with families. On Monday, seniors walked in their caps and gowns through the hallways of their elementary schools, while grade school students lined both sides of the hallway, cheering them on.

(Image Courtesy: TV Hamilton)

A three judge panel Friday found 41 year old Gurpreet Singh guilty on all charges in the 2019 shooting deaths of his wife, her parents, and her aunt. Prosecutors say Singh methodically shot the victims at their West Chester apartment. The judges re-convened Monday for the penalty phase of the trial, where they will determine whether Singh should be given the death penalty, or life in prison. The first trial in 2022 ended with a hung jury.

(Wilmington)--The National Weather Service confirmed three tornadoes hit Butler County Tuesday night. An EF-1 storm hit Reily Township, toppling a grain silo, causing structural damage to several homes, and downing trees and power lines from the Bunker Hill Woods area to the Indian Ridge Golf Course off U.S. 27. The storm moved along Stillwell-Beckett Road, where most of the damage was reported. An EF-0 storm touched down off Cincinnati-Dayton Road at Henderickson Road in the Blue Ball area. Several trailers were overturned at a business. The touchdown occured just east of the Cleveland-Cliffs mill and near I-75. The third tornado, an EF-1, touched down in Franklin County, Indiana and traveled over eight miles before dissipating after it crossed the state line into Butler County, where an out building was damaged. The weather service office in Wilmington says a dozen tornadoes touched down in the forecast area.

(Photo: Lisa and Jason Rankey took a photo
of the funnel cloud as it formed into a tornado over Reily Township)

(West Chester)--Three people are dead after a three vehicle crash on Cox Road between University Pointe and Service Drive. Two adults were pronounced dead at the scene, and a third adult victim died at UC-West Chester. The road was shut down for several hours after the collision. The crash happened just after 6pm.

(Hamilton)--The Miami Conservancy District voted to pause and re-calculate their controversial rate assessment hike and to seek federal and state grant money for improvements to the flood control system during a special meeting in Hamilton Friday evening. They also proposed to create a hardship exception process, and an abatement for businesses. The vote came as a relief for Hamilton city leaders who say the city's recent progress will stop in its tracks if the high rate increases are allowed to continue.

(Liberty Township)--A man is being treated after allegedly pulling a weapon on a Butler County deputy during a welfare check late Saturday morning at an apartment complex on Hamilton Place. The suspect was taken to UC-West Chester for treatment. No other details were being released.

(Liberty Township)--The Lakota School Board has chosen their new superintendent. Dr. Ashley Whitely was appointed during a special school board meeting on Saturday, May 4th. She will receive a 5 year contract, which begins August 1st. 
Dr. Whitely has been serving as an assistant superintendent for the Wyoming City Schools since 2018. Prior to her time with Wyoming, Whitely was an english teacher and department chair at Lakota East High School. A meet and greet will be held at 5:00pm Monday in the Lakota East Freshman School cafeteria.

(West Chester)--Two people were injured in an early morning apartment fire in West Chester. Township spokesperson Barbara Wilson says dispatchers started getting calls about a fire at the Union Station Apartments around 12:17am. When first responders arrived on the scene, they encountered flames and smoke coming from all three floors, as well as the attic. Fire Chief Rick Prinz says it was very fortunate that everyone was able to get out of the building. One firefighter suffered from heat exposure, and one civilian was treated for smoke inhalation. Both were transported to the hospital, but are expected to be OK. Two dozen units were damaged by the fire. The Red Cross is assisting families displaced by the blaze. The Ohio Fire Marshal's Office is assisting West Chester fire investigators in trying to determine the cause.

(Photo Courtesy: Barbara Wilson)

(Hamilton)--Hamilton police continue their investigation into a train vs. motorcycle crash near the downtown area Wednesday. The accident was reported around 12:30pm on Martin Luther King Boulevard at the crossing just north of Pershing Avenue. The motorcycle operator was taken by life squad to the Butler County Regional Airport, where Care Flight helicopter transported the victim to Miami Valley Hospital's trauma center in Dayton. Police say the victim was alert and speaking. The crossing was shut down for an hour and a half, before re-opening at approximately 2:00pm.

(Lebanon)--A Mason woman is going to prison for causing burn injuries to her 2 year old granddaughter. 51 year old Lashawnda Walters admitted to putting the girl in a bathtub with scalding hot water after the toddler had soiled her diaper. The girl suffered second and third degree burns to over 17% of her lower body, and had to undergo several procedures and a skin graft. Prosecutors say Walters tried to hide video surveillance evidence of her actions from investigators. Walters eventually pleaded guilty to charges of endangering children and tampering with evidence. Walters was sentenced to a term of 7 to 10 and a half years in prison by Warren County Common Pleas Judge Robert Peeler.

(Hamilton)--The Great Miami River Recreational Trail is being re-named in honor of a Hamilton icon. The Hamilton Community Foundation says a ceremony will be held on May 10th to dedicate the Dave Belew Trail, which will run from Rentschler Forest past Joyce Park. The retired Beckett Paper Company executive championed the trail when he served as chairman of the foundation. He played an integral role in extending the trail north of the downtown area. 

(Image Courtesy: TV Hamilton)

(Ross Township)--It didn't take long for the Ross School Board to find a new superintendent. Dr. William Rice accepted the job during a special board meeting last week. He will begin his duties August 1st. Dr. Rice is currently an assistant superintendent for the Fairfield City School District. He has lived in Ross the past 15 years, and has been active in the community. Rice replaces Dr. Chad Konkle, who has taken a job with the Little Miami School District.

(Photo Courtesy: Ross School District)

(Hamilton)--The re-trial got underway Monday April 29th in the quadruple murder case of 41 year old Gurpreet Singh. The West Chester man is charged with the April 2019 shooting deaths of his wife, her parents and aunt at an apartment on Wyndtree Drive. The first trial ended with a hung jury. The second trial is being heard by a three judge panel. Singh could get the death penalty if convicted. The killings happened five years ago Sunday.

(Hamilton)--The Butler County Commissioners have approved a $10 million allocation of American Rescue Plan Act Funding to Miami University. The money will be used to buy the Vora Tech building in Knightsbridge. That's where Miami and Butler Tech will work together to create a new advanced manufacturing workforce and innovation hub which will provide training and research for students who want to prepare for jobs in the manufacturing sector. Regional manufacturers are also locating at the facility, which is expected to launch in January of 2026. Miami says 16 companies have already committed to join the hub. They include:

• Alloy Growth Lab
• AMIP
• thyssenKrupp Bilstein of America
• CTL
• Emersion
• General Tool
• JEE Foods
• Juxtom
• MSP
• Nth Cycle
• Standard Aero
• TechSolve
• TRAK Machine Tools
• United Grinding North America
• Veolia
• Yaskawa

(Photo Courtesy: Miami University)

(Ross Township)--Ross High School has once again been named the number one public high school in Butler County, according  to the latest rankings in U.S. News & World Report. The Rams are ranked 91st in Ohio, the only Butler County school to crack the Top 100. Nationally, it is ranked 2,557th, with an enrollment of 933 students. That means out of nearly 25,000 high schools reviewed in the country, Ross is in the top 10% in Ohio, and top 11% nationally. The magazine says schools are ranked on their performance on state-required tests, graduation, and how well they prepare students for college.

Ross is followed by:

(Hamilton)--A special meeting between the Miami Conservancy District and Hamilton City Council concerning assessment hikes for capital improvements turned into a flood of criticism for the agency for what many believe is taxation without representation. MCD Board Member Mark C. Rentschler (pictured, left)  told the overflow crowd that the improvements must be made to keep Hamilton and the region safe from events like the Great Miami River Flood of 1913 that killed 428 people, and destroyed thousands of homes and businesses. City council members and business owners who spoke say flood control is needed, but the assessments are way more than they can afford, and will put them out of business. Spooky Nook founder Sam Beiler (pictured, right) says he won't be able to afford the jump in assessment from $9,000 to $477,000 per year. He called the increases "absolute foolhardiness." Some of the solutions proposed include asking for state and federal grants, or turning flood control over to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

(Images courtesy of TV Hamilton)

TV Hamilton:
Special City Council Meeting 4-18-24
 

An elderly Hamilton woman is in the Butler County Jail, charged with robbing a Fairfield Township bank at gunpoint Friday. 74 year old Ann Mayers was arrested at her home on the 1200 block of Parrish Avenue hours after she allegedly held up a teller at the AurGroup Credit Union branch on Creekside Drive around 1:29pm. Police say they located the 2014 silver Hyundai Elantra getaway car, as well as a handgun, which was found in the vehicle. Police say Mayers apparently had no criminal history before the incident. She is charged with Aggravated Robbery with a Firearm, and Tampering with Evidence. Police say Mayers has admitted to the crime.

(Middletown)--The victim from Wednesday's fatal road rage shooting in Middletown has been identified as 26yo Brandon Gunstanson of Middletown. The Butler County Coroner's Office says Gunstanson died of gunshot wounds and his death has officially been ruled a homicide. Police were called to the 1300 block of First Avenue on a report of a pickup truck into a utility pole just after midnight Wednesday. When police arrived, they found the victim had a gunshot wound to the neck. Gustanson succumbed to his injuries at the scene. Moments before the crash, police were called to a report of a road rage incident with shots fired. Detectives say they have found the driver of the other vehicle, and know who fired the weapon involved. They say an arrest should come soon.

Butler County's top rated school district is
looking for a new leader. The Ross school board accepted the resignation of Superintendent Chad Konkle during their April 19th meeting. Konkle has been superintendent the last three years, coming from the Hamilton City School District in 2020, after serving 14 years in various positions, including assistant superintendent. Konkle's last day on the job will be June 30th. He has agreed to become business manager for the Little Miami School District. The Ross school district has already contracted with the Butler County Educational Service Center to find potential candidates for the job. They hope to have someone hired by the end of the school year in order to ensure a smooth transition.

65 year old Pamela Sue Harville was due to make her first appearance in Butler County Common Pleas Court Thursday morning. She was indicted on five counts, including aggravated murder, two counts of murder, and two counts of felonious assault in the shooting death of her husband, 65yo David Harville, at the couple's Reily Township home last week. Detectives say Mr. Harville had been shot several times, including at least once in the head. Harville's attorney, Assistant Public Defender Daniel Allnutt, filed a written plea of Not Guilty by Reason of Insanity late Wednesday morning. Allnutt also filed a suggestion of incompetency with the court, asking Judge Daniel Haughey for a competency exam and hearing.

(Photo: Pamela Sue Harville, Butler County Jail)

Thousands of people crowded parks and other public areas throughout Butler County to witness the Great Eclipse of 2024 Monday. The weather cooperated as skies cleared hours before the celestial event. Families and individuals from all walks of life came together at venues like Marcum Park in Hamilton, Heroes Park in Fairfield Township, and Memorial Park in Oxford to take in the historic sight, sitting on blankets and lawn chairs, and wearing eclipse glasses. Starting at 3:08pm, the skies darkened, and the sun dimmed until it became totally obscured by the moon, as the crowds gasped and cheered at the eerie, yet beautiful scene. Depending on the location, the sun stayed behind the moon for a few seconds, or close to three minutes before coming out with a "diamond ring" effect. In Trenton, more than 20 couples exchanged wedding vows prior to the eclipse. The next total eclipse in Ohio will take place on September 14, 2099.

(Eclipse Photo Courtesy of Shay Smith)

Eclipse Day has arrived in Butler County, with the celestial event expected to happen in our skies shortly after 3:00 this afternoon. All but the southwest part of Butler County is in the zone of totality. Hamilton's Marcum Park, Oxford's Memorial Park, and Trenton Community Park are expected to draw the largest crowds in the county. Downtown Hamilton will see 1:43 of totality, while the moon will throw complete shade on the sun for 2:52 in Uptown Oxford. Trenton Park will see 1:55 of totality, as well as a mass wedding, officiated by Mayor Ryan Perry. The National Weather Service is predicting mostly sunny skies to arrive by eclipse time, with a chance of some high-level clouds that may or may not impede viewing. Traffic is expected to be heavy on local highways as hundreds of thousands of visitors from around the world visit the region. Make sure your phones are charged and you fill up your gas tank before you begin your travels to that perfect location.

Groundbreaking ceremonies were held Tuesday, March 5th on Badin High School's new $15 million Matandy Sports Complex, which includes the Lanni Family Stadium, at Badin's New London Road campus. Hamilton Mayor Pat Moeller, Matandy Steel founder Frank Pfirman, and Athletic Director Goeff Melzer were among the speakers at the event. The field at the stadium will be named in honor of late football coaching legend Terry Malone, and the track will bear the name of the Hamilton Community Foundation. Officials say $12 million has been raised for the project so far. The stadium should be completed by late spring of 2025, and the first football game will be played that fall, with the first opponent likely the Edgewood Cougars.

A Fairfield Township man is facing charges after allegedly firing a bullet at another motorist during a road rage incident in Blue Ash. 21 year old Noah Winkler allegedly got into an altercation with a second driver on Cornell Road and Kenwood Road around 7:00am Thursday. Police say Winkler pulled out a .380 semi-automatic pistol and fired a shot at the other driver, missing them by inches. The bullet ended up in the center console. The other driver was able to get Winkler's license plate number, and called police. Winkler was later arrested at his home on Red Coat Drive. He is facing one count of Attempted Murder, one count of Felonious Assault, and one count of Tampering with evidence, after allegedly throwing the gun into a drainage area near the scene of the shooting. The weapon was later recovered after a K-9 search.