A bill passed by the Ohio Legislature last year is providing millions of dollars for some Butler County projects. State Senator George Lang says $8.5 million will go toward the Millikin Road Interchange with I-75 in Liberty Township, $1.7 million dollars will help build a new firehouse in Madison Township, and one million dollars will help expand the CDL training area for the Butler County Regional Transit Authority. The funding is coming from House Bill 33, which sets aside $700 million for local projects that didn't make the state capital improvement budget.

The City of Fairfield has given the go ahead for a citizen's group to begin fund raising for a Rainbow Bridge memorial overlooking the Furfield Dog Park on East Miami River Road. Bereaved pet owners will be able to reflect on their loss and leave items like collars or favorite toys. Early plans call for a bridge and serenity garden, and will include a cascading waterfall underneath the bridge. Mayor Mitch Rhodus and Council Member David Paulus have spoken out in support of the plans. The Fairfield Community Foundation is helping with fundraising efforts. If you are interested in contributing, you can follow this link.

Ross Township Trustees are kicking off what they call an extensive search for a new police chief after accepting the resignation of current chief Burton Roberts. Trustees say Roberts, who has served the township since 2019, has decided to move to Arizona after a 32 year law enforcement career. Burton's resignation is effective on July 5th. The Air Force combat veteran retired from the Springfield Township Police Department in 2016. He graduated from the FBI National Academy back in March.

A Wayne Township man is facing an animal cruelty charge. 27 year old Nicholas Jack George allegedly threatened to kill his wife's dog on Sunday. The dog, a reddish brown shepherd named Bowie, was found stabbed to death the next evening at their property on the 5900 block of Jacksonburg Road. An investigation by detectives and the Butler County Dog Warden led to the arrest of George on a 5th degree felony charge of Cruelty to a Companion Animal. He was booked into the Butler County Jail Tuesday afternoon.

(Akron)--The Mason Comets baseball team won their first state championship in program history Sunday, defeating Twinsburg 8-1 at Akron's Canal Park. Senior Mark Rutherford led the Comet's offensive attack, going 2-4 with 3 RBI. Starting pitcher Michael Bilo (5-2), a Senior, picked up the win, working 5 1/3 innings, giving up one run and striking out 6 batters while walking three. Mason, the regular season GMC champs, finish the season 28-6, with a victorius bus ride down I-71.

(Akron)--The Badin Rams ended their 2024 season with a heartbreaking 3-2 loss to Beloit West Branch in the Division-II state championship game at Canal Park in Akron. Badin had a 2-0 lead going into the top of the 7th, when an unlucky bounce led to a base hit, and by the time the inning was over, three runs had crossed the plate for the Warriors. Anthony Perry gave up a double to Kade Bowling in the bottom of the 7th, but the Rams couldn't get him across. Perry (9-0) went the full 7 innings giving up two runs, one earned, on five hits, five walks, and no strikeouts. Badin scored their runs on a Xander Arnold sacrifice fly in the 4th inning, scoring Austin Buckle, and a fielding error that allowed James Brink to score in the bottom of the 6th. Badin starter Beau Chaney pitched 6 innings, giving up no runs on one hit, four walks, and four strikeouts. Badin had not allowed a single run during their entire six game tournament run until that fateful 7th inning in the state final. Badin finishes the season at 27-7, and they lose only four seniors going into next season.

(Milford Township)--Speed and alcohol appear to be factors in a deadly head-on crash in Milford Township early Saturday. That's according to the Butler County Sheriff's Office, who says a southbound 2014 Toyota Camry went left of center, into the path of a northbound 2014 Chrysler 300 on US-127 south of Harris Road around 3:00am. The driver of the Chrysler was pronounced dead at the scene, while the driver and passenger of the Camry were flown to University Hospital in Cincinnati with life-threatening injuries. The Butler County Sheriff's Serious Traffic Accident Reconstruction Team is investigating the fatal crash.

(Hamilton)--The nearly 13 year saga into the disappearance and death of Katelyn Markham started drawing to a close Friday when her ex-fiancé admitted to causing her death. 35 year old John Carter pleaded guilty to a charge of Involuntary Manslaughter during a hearing in front of Butler County Common Pleas Judge Daniel Haughey. Carter faces up to 3 years in prison and a $10,000 fine when he is sentenced on July 18th. Markham disappeared in August of 2011 from her Fairfield home, and search crews spent two years looking for her until her remains were found in a southeast Indiana ditch in April of 2013. 

BADIN  5     PADUA FRANCISCAN  0
(Akron)--The Badin Rams are one win away from a Division-II state baseball title after a 5-0 win over Parma Padua Franciscan at Akron's Canal Park Friday. Caleb Driessen (7-1) pitched a complete game shutout, scattering three hits and striking out 6 batters over seven innings. Sophomore Jeremiah Carmella had three hits and drove in three runs for the Rams, who will play Beloit West Branch in Sunday's state final. The first pitch Sunday is scheduled for 10:00am. Our broadcast time is 9:40am with Jason Ehrhardt and Chris Theiss on the call.

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MASON  1     PERRYSBURG  0
(Akron)--Jake Hanley pitched a one hit shutout, and drove in the winning run in the 7th inning as the Mason Comets advanced to the Division-I championship game with a 1-0 win over Perrysburg. Hanley hit a two out double, with Alex Koelling scoring all the way from first to take the lead in the top of the 7th inning. Hanley then retired the final three Perrysburg batters to preserve the victory, and punch their ticket to the title game. Mason will play Twinsburg at 1:00pm Sunday. We will carry that game live, courtesy of the OHSAA Radio Network.