All signs point to a better 2011 for the economy as it slowly started to recover this year. But many residents were still left wondering in 2010 what economic recovery? Until a deal was reached to extend the filing deadline for federal extended unemployment benefits, 5,000 Butler County residents stood to lose benefits between December and April.
Shared Harvest, which distributes food through a network of more than 100 nonprofit providers in a five-county region, saw a 17 percent average increase in need to help people more than 300,000 times this year. Still, unemployment declined in Butler County 10 out of the 11 past months, from 10.9 percent in January to 9 percent in November.
Unemployment statewide declined for eight straight months, ending in November. There also were several hiring announcements made this year for jobs to come next year. But in perhaps a sign of the times, the jobs aren’t coming in as quickly as they leave.
For example, Greenwood Fuels LLC will hire about 25 people when it opens a location in Hamilton next year, but FedEx National LTL will leave 200 people without jobs when it closes its West Chester Twp. site at the end of January.
2. Fort Hamilton joins new health network
Much of what happened in the past year at The Fort Hamilton Hospital paves the way for a showdown of health care providers to offer services close to home.
After leaving the Health Alliance of Greater Cincinnati, Fort Hamilton on July 1 joined Dayton-based the Kettering Health Network, whose leaders have promised to expand the Butler County hospital. That also means an additional fifth health system now operates in Butler and Warren counties.
And with the departure of Lynn Oswald after about five years as its top executive, a hospital president — Jennifer Swenson — will form a new strategy in the coming year. The shake-ups impact not only the hospital’s 1,140 employees and 150 active physicians, but how care is delivered in the community. Efforts are already under way to implement electronic medical records.
3. City manager makes changes quickly
The city of Hamilton has seen a shift in leadership this year with the September hiring of Wisconsin-native Joshua Smith as city manager.
The change came after Mark Brandenburger resigned in February at City Council’s request to lead the $500 million Meldahl Hyrdroelectric Plant project.
Smith, 36, was tasked within his first 100 days to prepare the city’s $43.4 million general fund budget for 2011. The most notable changes in next year’s budget are a 31 percent cut for the parks and recreation division and a 15 percent cut for the health department.
Said Smith earlier this month about Hamilton’s budget situation, “The public deserves to know. I’m not going to sugarcoat it.”
Yet city leaders questioned such sharp cuts.
“I do sense good programs and projects are still going to fall through the cracks,” said Mayor Pat Moeller.
4. Boehner wins 11th term, tapped as Speaker
U.S. House Minority Leader John Boehner handily won re-election to his 11th term in Congress.
Democratic challenger Justin Coussoule of Liberty Twp. mounted an aggressive campaign against Boehner, calling him out for a debate, spending time in all corners of the 8th Congressional District and utilizing social media and national television media outlets.
Boehner defeated Coussoule — and two other independent challengers — by garnering 65.6 percent of the vote in the six-county district.
After Republicans gained control of the House as part of what President Barack Obama termed a “shellacking,” the party’s members voted to keep Boehner as their leader, tapping the West Chester Twp. Republican to be the next Speaker of the House.
When Boehner gets sworn in next week, he’ll become the third Speaker from Ohio, and the first since Republican Nicholas Longworth of Cincinnati nearly 80 years ago.
How will Boehner’s new post help his district? Some local officials have said they see it as an “opportunity” for the area.
5. Budget woes plague county commission
Where do you cut to balance the more than $7 million projected shortfall for Butler County has been the big question as 2010 draws to a close. Various ideas had been tossed around, the most publicized being a 0.25 percent sales tax increase and eliminating all nonmandated funding. But the kibosh was put on that just weeks after it was first discussed.
Apparently, based on a couple scores of e-mails and phone calls, commissioners said they heard from enough people to know that wasn’t the right direction.
Now that the county commission — and Commissioner-elect Cindy Carpenter — won’t raise the sales tax, cuts need to be made. Unpopular cuts. Proposals such as cutting the OSU Extension and MetroParks have been discussed, but recent statements by some commissioners indicate that likely won’t happen fully.
6. West Side earns a trip to Little League World Series
The West Side Little League All Stars captivated the attention of area sports fans in August when they advanced to the Little League World Series in Williamsport, Pa., for the second time in four years.
The team, made up of 11- and 12-year-olds, won district, state and regional championships on its way to the LLWS. It was West Side’s fourth appearance in the LLWS. The program last advanced in 2007.
West Side went 1-2 at the LLWS in 2010.
Representing the Great Lakes Region, West Side opened series play with a 16-5 win over Toms River, N.J., before losing its next two games — 6-0 to Columbus, Ga., and 6-4 to Waipio, Hawaii — in the double-elimination tournament.
Members of the team were Bryce Couch, Christian Halcomb, Tyler Hannah, Cole Heflin, Jacob Jones, Jarod Morrison, Brooks Robinson, Ryan Robinson, Alex Schutter, Sam Scott and Landon Stephens. The team was coached by Kenny Coomer and Tim Nichting.
7. New coach leads Big Blue to playoff berth
When Bob Jacoby was hired in March as the head coach of the Hamilton High School football team, he brought with him a reputation as a winner.
Jacoby didn’t disappoint in year No. 1 with the Big Blue, leading the Big Blue to a 7-3 mark in the regular season and the program’s first state playoff berth in nine years. HHS lost to Colerain in the first round.
Prior to Jacoby’s arrival, Hamilton went 2-8 in 2009 and posted just one winning season since its last playoff berth in 2001. After a 3-2 start this year, Jacoby led Big Blue to victories in four of their final five games to help Hamilton earn just its fourth playoff berth in school history.
Jacoby, who won two state titles and reached the title game four other times at Columbus DeSales, was named Associated Press Ohio Division I co-Coach of the Year.
8. Death sentence given for killing witness to murder
Calvin McKelton of Cincinnati was sentenced to death on Nov. 2 by Butler County Common Pleas Judge Michael Sage for the execution-style shooting of a witness who saw him strangle the life out of his girlfriend, Fairfield attorney Margaret “Missy” Allen, in 2008.
The sentence came after a two-week trial that included missing witnesses and those who refused to testify against McKelton, who prosecutors say had a history of intimidation and violence. Security was also tight to assure violence did not erupt in the packed courtroom.
McKelton, 33, also known as C-Murder, was convicted by a jury for killing Allen and for the February 2009 shooting death of Germaine Evans Sr. in a Cincinnati park. Evans’ murder carried the possibility of a death penalty because he was killed so that he could not implicate McKelton in Allen’s death, which is an aggravating factor, according to Ohio law. The jury also recommended McKelton be sentenced to death. McKelton’s appeal is now pending at the 12th District Court of Appeals.
9. Man beating woman with hammer killed
A Hamilton police officer fired one shot from his service weapon in April, fatally wounding a man who was beating his girlfriend with a hammer.
Officer Casey Johnson shot and killed Joshua Berkheimer, 25, of Hamilton, on April 25 after the man refused to stop beating Jamie Belty during a domestic dispute. Police said what they found when called to Berkheimer’s Princeton Square Apartment about 4 a.m. was like a horror movie with a claw hammer, hacksaw, nail-laced bat, iron wrench and a half-dead woman covered in blood on the living room floor. Belty was left fighting for her life for the better part of two months.
An investigation by the Butler County Prosecutor’s Office concluded Johnson’s actions were legally justified. Prosecutor Robin Piper called the officer’s actions “heroic,” adding he likely saved Belty’s life.
10. Statue of Jesus struck by lightning
Interstate 75 drivers passing by Solid Rock Church on the night of June 14 saw a rare sight. The well-known King of Kings monument — a 62-foot statue depicting Jesus Christ with his arms in the air — was destroyed within minutes after catching fire due to a lightning strike.
The church at 940 Union Road in Monroe made news around the world after the iconic statue’s demise, and co-pastors Lawrence and Darlene Bishop said they will rebuild the statue.
“His name was mentioned more in the 24 hours after that fire than probably in 2,000 years,” Lawrence Bishop said in July.
Plans for the new statue call for a full-standing Jesus Christ with an outstretched pose. It will be called, “Come Unto Me,” and church officials said work will be complete by the end of 2011.