A Trenton man has been sentenced to 30 years in federal prison for child exploitation offenses.Thirty-four-year-old Jonathan Brown was sentenced in U.S. District Court in Cincinnati after pleading guilty to producing and attempting to produce child pornography. Prosecutors say Brown secretly recorded young girls by hiding outside bedroom windows and placing cameras to capture images without their knowledge. Investigators say he also groomed a teenage girl, beginning when she was 15, and manipulated her into sending explicit images. Authorities say Brown was arrested in August of 2024 after being found with the teen at a Dayton hotel. He then led police on a multi-jurisdiction, high-speed chase that ended when he crashed into a moving train, followed by an hours-long standoff before he was taken into custody in Miamisburg. Federal officials say the case is part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative aimed at combating the sexual exploitation of children.

The Hamilton City School District is moving forward with plans for the future of Fairwood Elementary following its closure at the end of this school year. The district has approved a lease agreement with the Butler County Educational Service Center to house the Head Start program inside the building. Under the agreement, ten classrooms, along with office and shared space at Fairwood, will be used for early childhood education beginning August 1st. The Head Start program will operate five days a week and will have access to the school’s playground, gym, and kitchen, with scheduling coordinated with other preschool programs in the building. The Educational Service Center will pay twelve hundred dollars per classroom each month, totaling about twelve thousand dollars monthly, and will be responsible for furnishings, transportation, and food service. Superintendent Andrea Blevins says the district will make $144,000 a year under the deal. The move comes as part of nearly ten million dollars in cuts announced by the district to address a projected financial shortfall tied to state funding. Fairwood Elementary is one of the buildings being closed, with students reassigned to other schools in the district.

District leaders say repurposing the building for Head Start allows the space to continue serving local families while supporting early learning opportunities in the community.

West Chester Township has approved a new employment agreement for its Township Administrator, including a significant pay increase and expanded job protections.

Under the new contract, Lisa Brown’s salary will rise from 165-thousand dollars to 188-thousand dollars per year. That’s an increase of 23-thousand dollars, or just under 14-percent. When including benefits such as health insurance, retirement contributions, and a township-provided vehicle, the total compensation package is estimated to exceed 250-thousand dollars annually, according to an analysis of the agreement by the AI site ChatGPT. The new agreement also makes several key changes to job security and severance.

If terminated without cause, Brown would now receive 12 months of salary and benefits—double the six months provided in her previous contract. The agreement also requires a unanimous vote of trustees to terminate her employment, up from a simple majority.

Additionally, the contract expands eligibility for cashing out unused sick leave, allowing payment in more scenarios, including resignation or contract expiration.

In a statement, the Board of Township Trustees says Brown meets or exceeds expectations in all evaluated areas, including financial stewardship, leadership, and strategic development. Trustees credited her with advancing major projects, strengthening communication with the board, and improving organizational structure and fiscal oversight.

The board says those accomplishments support the updated contract and salary adjustment, citing market benchmarks and the township’s goal of remaining competitive in attracting and retaining leadership. Most other benefits, including fully paid health insurance and annual vacation time, remain unchanged. The contract runs through February of 2028.

The City of Fairfield is preparing to welcome thousands of soccer players and their families next month. The Mid-American Soccer Classic will celebrate its 40th year the weekend of April 10th through the 12th. John Harmon with the Fairfield Optimist Club told city council more than 400 teams from seven states are expected to take part. The tournament will be played on 54 local fields, including Joyce Park. More than 8,000 players, ages 8 to 18, will be in the area, along with their families. Travel Butler County says the event is expected to generate about three-and-a-half million dollars in economic impact. Harmon says last year’s tournament was hampered by heavy rain, but every game was still played—a fact that left a strong impression on visiting teams and their families.

A man killed in a head-on crash in Liberty Township Saturday has now been identified. The Butler County Sheriff’s Office says 34-year-old Joshua Back of Fairfield Township was driving southbound on Princeton-Glendale Road, State Route 747, when he collided with a northbound pickup truck. The truck was preparing to take the westbound ramp to State Route 129. Back had to be freed from the wreckage and was taken to UC West Chester, where he later died from his injuries. Investigators say alcohol is suspected to be a factor in the crash, and that Back was driving erratically prior to the collision.

SCHOOL DELAYS

Badin HS---2 Hour

Cincinnati Christian---2 Hour

Colonial Schools---2 Hour

Edgewood City---2 Hour

Fairfield City---2 Hour. No AM KG,PS, Academy

Hamilton City---2 Hour

Madison Local---2 Hour

Middletown City---2 Hour

Monroe Local---2 Hour

New Miami---2 Hour

Richard Allen Academy---2 Hour

Ross Local Schools---2 Hour. No AM KG,PS

Talawanda City---2 Hour