Court docs: Middletown woman, boyfriend ‘hog-tied’ 6-year-old son and siblings before his death
A Middletown mother accused of running over and killing her 6-year-old son also hog-tied the boy and his siblings in the days before before an attempt to abandon them at a park, according to court documents.
Brittany Gosney, 29, and James Hamilton, 43, were indicted March 5 on a combined 31-count indictment for the slaying of 6-year-old James Hutchinson on Feb. 26 in rural Preble County and the disposal of his body days later in the river near Lawrenceburg, Ind.
Gosney and Hamilton are facing felony crimes against all three children, including murder, involuntary manslaughter, gross abuse of a corpse and endangering children for Gosney and kidnapping, gross abuse of a corpse, kidnapping and endangering children for Hamilton.
Latest fight between Butler County sheriff, EMA chief reaches commissioners
The Butler County commissioners took the Butler County Sheriff and the county Emergency Management Agency director to task Monday over the latest power struggle between the two.
Sheriff Richard Jones and EMA Director Matt Haverkos sparred once again during the commissioners’ meeting over the sheriff wanting an out-of-state mutual aid agreement with the Campbell County Kentucky Emergency Management Agency.
Jones told the commissioners the agreement is all about training, and Haverkos said it is an attempt to usurp his agency’s authority.
Why picketers have been outside a High Street business in Hamilton in recent days
Hamilton motorists in recent days have been wondering about picketers standing in front of the newly remodeled offices of Vision Source, owned by a former Hamilton mayor, Dr. Tom Nye.
They said they are there because of a financial dispute between Jason Snyder, a former Hamilton Citizen of the Year of TAMZ Construction, and the ex-mayor. In an effort to resolve the dispute, current Mayor Pat Moeller said he held a meeting in his office, acting as a “facilitator” between two men he has known since each arrived in Hamilton. Moeller, a lawyer, said he emphasized at the meeting he was representing neither side. Charles Galvin is Nye’s attorney.
“We finished Mr. Nye’s building here back in December, and the final invoice is unpaid, and he’s refusing to pay,” said Snyder of TAMZ, which worked on the building at 640-644 High St. through Dec. 30.
In a post on Facebook responding to the sidewalk protest, which continued Monday, Nye wrote on the Vision Source Facebook page: “Prior to commencement of our project, TAMZ Construction Inc. promised us that the ‘worst case scenario’ budget estimate for our project at 644 High Street was $400,000. It was upon this information that we agreed to move forward with them.”
Business at family-owned sandwich cafe ‘exploded’ after moving to Fairfield
It took Melissa Portillo exactly one hour to realize she made the right decision.
Portillo, owner of the Sandwich Cafe & Deli, opened the business near Butler Tech in Fairfield Twp. in 2017, then relocated to Nilles Road in Fairfield last summer.
After opening on Aug. 29, Portillo said sales were $1,400 the first hour, and despite opening during the coronavirus pandemic, she said business has remained.
“We just exploded,” Portillo said, adding the businesses has received “tremendous support” from the city, school district and residents. “We were just shocked that we did that well.”
Man in his 70s found dead after West Chester Twp. house fire
Credit: WCPO-TV
Credit: WCPO-TV
A man in his 70s was found dead Monday evening after a house fire in West Chester Twp.
Crews were called shortly after 4:30 p.m. to a brick two-story home in the 8300 block of Colonial Mill Manor on a report of person trapped inside a burning house.
Township spokeswoman Barb Wilson said a family member reported the fire, and that no one else was injured. The Butler County coroner will be responsible for releasing any other information about the victim.
AND, for an extra sixth story of the day ...
Longtime Ross Twp. leader, who modernized the township, to retire this month
Credit: Greg Lynch
Credit: Greg Lynch
Ross Twp. officials say the township has been run more like a business under the direction of Administrator Bob Bass, who will retire at the end of this month after more than 40 years in public service.
Bass, 64, joined the township in July 2010 as its first full-time administrator. He spent almost 32 years as the director of public works for Delhi Twp. in Hamilton County before that.
Trustee Tom Willsey said prior to Bass a part-time administrator/secretary ran the township.