(Cincinnati)--The Cincinnati Reds have decided to pull the plug on manager David Bell, announcing late Sunday night that he has has been fired. The 52-year old Cincinnati native and Moeller High School graduate amassed a 409 456 record during his six years with the team, making the playoffs only once, during the shortened COVID-19 season of 2020.  "David provided the kind of steadiness that we needed in our clubhouse over the last few seasons. We felt a change was needed to move the Major League team forward. We have not achieved the success we expected, and we need to begin focusing on 2025,” Krall said. The Reds are 76-81 so far this season. Bench Coach Freddie Benavides will serve as interim manager for the final five games of the season.

(West Chester)---The owners of the iconic West Chester ice cream parlor The Cone say they are retiring, and selling the business. In a social media post released Saturday, Keith Wren said "We have been truly blessed with many friends over the years, smiling faces, and joy of knowing that creating quality ice cream is well worth it." The family says they want to find buyers who will continue The Cone ice cream legacy by using the same family recipes and traditions. The building on Tylersville Road has indoor and outdoor seating, an arcade, a kiddie ride area, walk-up windows, and a drive-thru. The parlor was built in 1995, but the Wren family has owned the business since 1973, when they opened the K&W Creamy Whip in the Lockland-Reading area.

(West Chester)--West Chester police were investigating a vehicle vs. pedestrian accident near Lakota West High School that seriously injured a student walking to school Friday morning. Police say 17 year old Laura Diaz Nunez was crossing West Chester Road northbound at the crosswalk when she was hit by a 2022 Toyota Tundra driven by 62 year old Bryan Burns of Adams County. Nunez was rushed to UC Hospital West Chester. The crossing (pictured) has flashing lights, and witnesses told police the lights were engaged while Nunez was crossing the road. No charges or citations have been filed yet.
 

(Hamilton)--The U.S. Drought Monitor said Thursday that 85% of Butler County was under severe drought conditions. The northwest corner of the county, including Oxford, remained under a moderate drought. The latest drought map shows 30% of Ohio under extreme drought conditions, with 9.5% facing an exceptional drought. The Butler County Fire Chief's Association announced Friday that a Burn Ban was now in effect for the county until further notice. Open burning while a ban is in effect is a first degree misdemeanor, which could result in a six month jail stay, and a $1,000 fine.

(Columbus)--The Ohio Supreme Court has
ordered the Lakota School Board to release 
a letter from a lawyer representing former
superintendent Matt Miller, threatening a lawsuit against the district. The court also ordered the district to pay Vanessa Wells, who requested the letter, two thousand dollars in damages, as well as legal fees and court costs for breaking the state's open records law.

A Middletown man will be back in court Wednesday afternoon (September 4th) after his 6th arrest for OVI over the past 20 years. 42 year old Darby Smith was arrested  after an Ohio State Patrol trooper allegedly spotted him weaving between lanes, and stopping on the road on southbound Ohio-747 and Smith Road in West Chester late Friday night. He was arraigned in Area Three Court Tuesday, and a preliminary hearing was set for 1:30 Wednesday afternoon. Back in October of 2021, Smith was sentenced to 18 months in prison for his 5th OVI conviction, and his driver's license was suspended for 20 years.