7 things to know today about coronavirus changes in Butler County

Some things changing in Butler County this week because of the coronavirus:

BUTLER COUNTY

BCEO limits hours and services as essential business

The Butler County Engineer’s Office (BCEO), an essential business during the COVID-19 pandemic, has enacted the following protocol to comply with Governor DeWine’s Stay at Home order. The BCEO will remain closed to the public until further notice. Items may be picked up or dropped off in the vestibule between the reduced hours of 7:30 a.m. and 4 p.m.

Tax Map Office permitting will continue on a limited and delayed basis. BCEO’s minimum staffing can still receive calls for emergency services, and road crews are on call to respond to an emergency situation. Road projects will proceed as scheduled. All other BCEO services continue on a limited basis.

For more information, call 513-867-5744, email info@bceo.org, and go to www.bceo.org. CONTRIBUTED

TRENTON

Edgewood City Schools meal plan during school closure

Edgewood City Schools announced plans for providing breakfast and lunches to students while school is closed due to COVID-19.

Edgewood City Schools breakfast and lunch pick up times are from 11 a.m. to noon Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays through April 3.

Pick up locations:

  • Babeck Early Childhood Center, 100 Maple Avenue, Trenton. For Babeck families
  • Seven Mile Elementary School, 200 W. Ritter Street, Seven Mile. For Seven Mile families
  • Edgewood Elementary School, 3440 Busenbark Road, Trenton. For Edgewood Elementary School families, Edgewood Middle School families, and Edgewood High School families

Meals are free of charge. Meals include lunch and breakfast for two days. Free meals are eligible for children ages 1-18. Children must be present in order for meals to be provided. Meals will only be given based on the number of children present at the time of pickup. If a household has students at multiple buildings, parents can pick-up at a single location for convenience.

Alternative plans are being considered for the week of Spring Break, April 6-13. An announcement regarding if meals will be provided during Spring Break will be made at a later date.

For more information, call 513-867-3400, ext 1017 or David Jewell, Food Service Supervisor at 513-867-3418. CONTRIBUTED

WEST CHESTER/LIBERTY TWPS.

Community Health Fund established to address needs

The Community Foundation of West Chester/Liberty established the Community Health Fund, aimed specifically at addressing local needs during the COVID-19 health crisis. The fund was announced on March 12, the same day the Foundation made the decision to cancel its largest fundraiser, the Shamrock Shuffle 5k/10k, in anticipation of state-mandated guidelines regarding large in-person gatherings.

“Although we were disappointed to have had to cancel this year’s Shamrock Shuffle,” said Erin Clemons, Foundation president & CEO, “we saw an opportunity leverage a portion of the sponsorship dollars committed to the event for community support during the coronavirus outbreak. Most of our sponsors were ready and willing to jump on board with this plan.”

The remainder of the proceeds from the planned fundraiser will still support the Foundation’s Community Grants Fund and registered Shamrock Shuffle Charity Teams.

The Community Healthy Fund will support West Chester and Liberty Townships through the purchase of things like medical supplies (gloves and masks), food staples for Reach Out Lakota’s pantry, senior citizen services, and cleaning supplies, bedding, and groceries for local fire stations to ensure these first responders remain healthy.

“The needs are varied, and will continue to grow and change in the weeks ahead,” said Clemons. “We’ve been in contact with local townships officials, Lakota Schools, and area nonprofits to assess what they are facing and how we can help. There has been an outpouring of support from residents and local businesses who want to contribute.”

Donations to the Community Health Fund can be made online by visiting bit.ly/communityhealthfund. The Foundation will post regular updates to their Facebook page and website regarding new opportunities to help and share how funds are being distributed. CONTRIBUTED

FAIRFIELD/FAIRFIELD TWP.

Community foundation establishes fund to aid in coronavirus slowdown

The Fairfield Community Foundation aims to help area non-profit organizations through its Community Assistance Fund.

“Our first obligation, as stated in our mission, is to serve the Greater Fairfield community,” said Linda Yarger, Fairfield Community Foundation executive director.

The state has issued several mandates and recommendations in response to the rapid spread of the novel coronavirus, known as COVID-19, including social distancing and self-isolation.

The Fairfield Community Foundation will post social media ads directing people to its website to consider donating to support non-profits. Yager said the foundation, however, is restricted to granting only to non-profit organizations.

To help, visit FairfieldCommuntyFoundation.org. The Fairfield Community Foundation supports Fairfield and Fairfield Twp. MICHAEL PITMAN

FAIRFIELD

Extension for filing and payment of tax returns

The IRS has announced a 90-day extension for filing and payment of the 2019 tax returns.

The City of Fairfield Income Tax Office is also granting an extension of the time to file and pay the 2019 tax return to July 15. During the extension period no late filing fee, penalty, nor interest will be assessed on the unpaid tax balance for the 2019 tax year.

If a person requires more than the 90-day extension, complete an extension request form. The form can be found on the website at https://www.fairfield-city.org/DocumentCenter/View/211/Application-For-Extension-PDF. CONTRIBUTED

HAMILTON

Food pantry looking for volunteers

The Open Door Food Pantry is in great need of a few additional volunteers at the pantry at 800 S. Front St., Hamilton to help feed the hungry. The pantry needs healthy, responsible adults to help with a variety of tasks.

• Greeting and assisting clients

• Stocking shelves and cleaning

• Entering client data on a laptop

• Basic handy-man repairs

If a person can give a minimum of 2-3 hours per week, call the Executive Director at 513-330-2423 for more information. The pantry is open from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays; and noon to 2 p.m. Fridays. CONTRIBUTED

CINCINNATI

Annual Concours D’Elegance 2020 cancelled

Due to the uncertainty and potential health impact of the COVID-19 outbreak, the Cincinnati Concours d’Elegance Foundation has officially cancelled the 2020 event, scheduled to be held on June 14 at Cincinnati’s Ault Park. The 2021 event will be held June 13, 2021. Details regarding other 2020 weekend events will be announced in the coming weeks.

“Our concours is all about community, connection and philanthropy. For over forty years we’ve put our beliefs into action, so cancelling this year’s show was an extremely difficult decision”, said Lindsay Selders, Executive Director, The Cincinnati Concours Foundation. Proceeds from the Cincinnati Concours d’Elegance are invested back into the community through its contributions to the Juvenile Arthritis programs of the Arthritis Foundation. CONTRIBUTED

To let the Journal-News know about a news item regarding helping the community, volunteering, donating, etc., email ButlerCountyNews@coxohio.com.

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