CLINTON COUNTY — The past year was unlike any other in the county’s history.
Locally, 2016 ran the gamut from the international spotlight of two rallies with the future president and a deal with a giant online retailer, to the county’s frustrating and tragic part in the nationwide fight against drug abuse, to the joys of youth teams and bands that excelled.
Some of the top local stories of 2016 were:
JANUARY
Rash of overdoses
Tragically, 2016 began as it would end — with heroin overdoses, some fatal.
In the first week of January, two people died among a total of 12 heroin overdoses in the latest chapter of Wilmington’s battle with the drug.
All 10 of the non-fatal overdoses involved the use of Narcan, according to police officials. Narcan stops or reverses an opiate overdose, according to the Food and Drug Administration.
All occurred in areas throughout the city, according to WPD Chief Detective Josh Riley.
“Whether we have a high mixture of heroin and fentanyl, whether we have heroin that’s cut [mixed] with something else that’s really affecting these folks, there’s something with the heroin that they’re using right now that is causing massive overdoses in the city,” Riley said at the time.
Fentanyl is a painkiller “similar to but more potent than morphine,” according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse.
Predator sentenced
Larry Casey, 48, of Gallipolis, was sentenced to an indefinite prison term of at least 25 years and possibly up to life imprisonment for the rape of, and unlawful sexual conduct with, a minor.
The News Journal does not identify minor victims of sex crimes. Casey was in a position of trust to the victim.
Clinton County Common Pleas Judge John W. “Tim” Rudduck sentenced Casey to the indefinite sentence, after a Clinton County jury found Casey guilty of rape, two counts sexual battery, unlawful sexual conduct with a minor and failing to provide notice of change of address as a sex offender.
Because four of the charges refer to two crimes, Casey was sentenced for rape, unlawful sexual conduct with a minor and failure to notify.
Austin’s eatery closes
After more than two years, Austin’s Casual Eatery & Bar in Wilmington announced it would close effective Saturday, Jan. 30.
“It’s just time for a new chapter,” Austin’s owner Steven Stovall told the News Journal. “Business really slacked off in the last six months or so.”
BHS principal returns
Blanchester High School Principal Rick Hosler, who was on paid administrative leave since November, returned to work at the school.
Blanchester Board of Education President Chuck Shonkwiler and Hosler’s attorney, John Concannon, said the investigation of alleged misconduct of Hosler was finished, although there were still details to be worked out.
Hosler, through his attorney, declined additional comments.
Facebook users shared their feelings about Hosler’s return on the News Journal’s page:
“So happy to have him back at the school where he belongs!” commented user Elizabeth P. Hinkle.
In February, Hosler issued a rebuttal to a recent letter of reprimand, denying incidents of unprofessional conduct from the 2013-2014 school year as well as an incident in November 2015.
FEBRUARY
Outstanding Women honored
The honorees selected for this year’s class of the Outstanding Women of Clinton County, recognizing women who have enriched the lives of, and had a lasting impact on, their fellow Clinton County residents, were: Cindy Camp, Susan Henry, Nancy McCormick, Diane Murphy, Ruby Porter, Sigrid Solomon, Avonelle Williams and Hope Wilson-Belle.
The OWCC committee also awards four scholarships — one each to students in Wilmington, Blanchester, East Clinton and Clinton-Massie high schools. Honorees were: Mai Cooper, Wilmington; Emma Mathews, East Clinton; Nikki Settlemyre, Clinton-Massie; and Anna Tobler, Blanchester.
Schools vote to leave SCOL
Prior to the league’s annual Winter Sports Banquet, the South Central Ohio League (SCOL) board of control voted 5-3 to approve the secession of five schools.
Chillicothe, Hillsboro, McClain, Miami Trace and Washington informed the league they are leaving to form a new league with Jackson.
The five schools looking to leave voted for the move, while the three Clinton County schools — Clinton-Massie, East Clinton and Wilmington — voted against the move.
The four Clinton County schools would later vote to begin play in the Southern Buckeye Conference for the 2017-18 school year.
MARCH
Amazon, ATSG deal official
Wilmington-based Air Transport Services Group, Inc. announced agreements with Amazon Fulfillment Services, Inc., an affiliate of Amazon.com, Inc., to operate an air cargo network to serve Amazon customers in the United States.
The announcement ended months of speculation about such a deal at the Wilmington Air Park.
The number of additional local jobs during the five-year agreement is unclear at this point for the project that had been code-named “Aerosmith.”
“We expect that the aircraft assets and other resources we are providing in support of this Amazon network will continue to benefit the local and regional economy here in Ohio,” President and CEO of ATSG Joe Hete told the News Journal in a written statement. “The actual impacts on employment and regional investment will depend on Amazon’s plans.”
It began with a trial network, referred to as “Project Aerosmith,” carried out in Wilmington in secret, and with the Wilmington Air Park’s history as the former site of DHL’s air freight business.
The commercial agreements would include: the leasing of 20 Boeing 767 freighter aircraft to Amazon Fulfillment Services Inc. by ATSG’s Cargo Aircraft Management (CAM); the operation of the aircraft by ATSG’s airlines, ABX Air and Air Transport International; and gateway and logistics services provided by ATSG’s LGSTX Services, according to a press release. The duration of the 20 leases will be five to seven years; the agreement covering operation of the aircraft will be for five years.
’Cane has historic season
Jarron Cumberland and Jeffery Mansfield walked into the post-game press conference at the Schottenstein Center still teary-eyed and emotional. The ’Cane finished its historic season with a 27-2 record.
Twenty-one minutes after Cumberland’s last-gasp three-pointer fell harmlessly to the Value City Arena floor, the raw emotion of a 61-58 loss to unbeaten Lima Senior in the Ohio Div. I Final Four was far too fresh.
“It was an emotional week with everything going on,” WHS head coach Michael Noszka said after the game.
There was no hiding the way they felt.
Add to that the punch to the gut when the team lost Alex Miller a week earlier, and everything seemed to come crashing down at once on the seemingly invincible Hurricane.
“We’ve been through a lot of adversity this week, especially with Alex,” Noszka said.
Miller was dressed on the WHS bench for the playoff loss to Lima, a spiritual leader for a short-handed team that could have used his presence on the floor as player more than it could as a cheerleader.
Chromebooks coming
It was announced that Chromebook laptop computers would be distributed soon to staff and come August to all Wilmington High School students.
“Providing devices to staff in advance of student device distribution will allow time for staff to become familiar with the device and prepare for the work in the fall with students,” said Wilmington City Schools Director of Curriculum and Instruction Nikki Quallen.
Chromebooks, and specifically the suite of Google Apps for Education, provide students with expanded opportunities to collaborate on documents, presentations, surveys and many more tools, she said.
Initially, funds for the devices will come from the WHS technology budget ($34,839), a federal rural grant ($57,000), and the General Fund. After the start-up year, student technology fees will support a majority of the costs, said Quallen.
There will be a $50 student technology fee each year. At the end of the four years, students will have an opportunity to purchase their device for a reasonable cost, she said.
Gateway on way out
After more than an hour of debate, the judiciary committee of Wilmington City Council agreed to place repealing the gateway zoning ordinance on council’s agenda for its April 7 regular meeting.
At the same judiciary committee meeting, committee members discussed possibly creating a task force of council members, zoning officials and residents to take a comprehensive look at existing zoning laws and see whether citizens’ concerns can be addressed.
On gateway zoning, many present said they don’t trust council or the zoning commission, and complained about the ordinance, which still exists on city books but wasn’t applied after a map enacting the zone was repealed at the ballot box in November by a 3-1 margin.
Two teens killed
Local schools and communities mourned the deaths of two teenage girls who died in a single-car accident in Highland County.
At about 9:10 p.m. a 2004 Chrysler Sebring, driven by Kimberly Sears, 17, of Wilmington, with passenger Kehte Little, 17, of Sabina, was southbound on New Martinsburg Road and failed to negotiate a curve, according to the Ohio State Highway Patrol’s Wilmington post.
Both girls were junior students at the Laurel Oaks Career Development Campus in Wilmington in the cosmetology program. Sears’ home school was Wilmington High School and Little’s home school was Washington High School in Washington Court House.
“They were great kids and good students, and were at Laurel Oaks in the same [vocational] program together, where they spend several hours every day together, so the class becomes very close. That makes it especially difficult [for other students in the program]. They’ll be greatly missed,” said Jon Weidlich, community relations director for Greak Oaks.
Juvenile Court incident on video
An incident between Clinton County Juvenile Court Bailiff Jim Buckner and a juvenile defendant remained under investigation while security footage of the incident released by the Clinton County Sheriff’s Office has sparked debate.
(The video of the incident was easily the most-watched of 2016 on www.wnewsj.com. On Wednesday, Dec. 28, spokepersons from the Ohio Attorney General’s Office told the News Journal that they finally expect a resolution to the case in the near future.)
“I heard about it first, so I had an idea what I was going to be seeing,” said Clinton County Public Defender Rob Baker at the time. He viewed the video before its public release. “But when I saw it, I was shocked that it was as egregious as it was.”
“He [Buckner] didn’t have to take the action that he did,” Baker said. “He was three or four feet away from the kid and went up to the kid, behind him and put him in a chokehold and used his other hand to cover his mouth and nose and face. … He was wrong when he put hands on him.”
The juvenile, a 17-year-old male from the Columbus area, was the alleged driver of a stolen car with two other juvenile occupants that led Ohio State Highway Patrol troopers on a March 4 chase. The chase ended with the car crashing into a Rombach Avenue apartment building, troopers said.
APRIL
Man tried to swallow 113 doses
Police arrested a Wilmington man after they say he tried to swallow a bag containing 113 doses of fentanyl during a traffic stop.
Bradley Bennett, 29, “had them [the doses] on his person, and during the traffic stop, tried to put the entire bag in his mouth to get rid of them,” Wilmington Police Detective Scott Baker told the News Journal. “Patrol officers acted quickly and removed them from his mouth.”
Baker, who is also a member of the Greater Warren County Drug Task Force, said officers “kind of ultimately saved his life as those caps would have burst open in his stomach, causing him a severe overdose or death.”
Originally, police believed the caps were full of heroin, but Baker told the News Journal later that, according to crime lab results, 113 of the caps were fentanyl and two were cocaine.
Shift of bed tax
The judiciary committee of Wilmington City Council met to discuss possibly re-allocating hotel tax revenues from the Clinton County Convention and Visitors Bureau to the Wilmington Parks and Recreation Department.
Legislation was initially proposed in December 2015 to re-allocate the city’s hotel tax revenues, but it eventually died, though the discussion on whether to re-allocate those funds continued.
As passed in the summer, the ordinance will give the Clinton County Convention and Visitors Bureau 50 percent of the city’s hotel lodging taxes.
Of the remaining 50 percent, 0.5 percent shall go to the General Fund for administrative costs, and the remaining 49.5 percent shall be administered by council “to support local governmental and/or non-profits, quality of life and economic development.”
Previously, the city gave 90 percent of bed tax dollars to the CVB and kept 10 percent for administrative costs.
Baker to lead CM
Matt Baker, principal of East Clinton High School, was selected to be the next superintendent of Clinton-Massie Local Schools.
A press release from Clinton-Massie school board President Jeremy Lamb stated, “The search process was robust and thorough, and the Board is confident that we have the right person for the job.”
Baker’s first official day would be Aug. 1. Prior to that, there were plans for some transition days when he would be on the Massie campus and the board planned to integrate Baker into decision making as his time allowed.
MAY
A new New Life Clinic
The New Life Clinic held an open house and ribbon-cutting ceremony for its new location on a corner in downtown Wilmington. The clinic was in a renovation process since 2014, when the 100 S. South St. property was purchased in order to expand their ministry.
The new, much larger facility includes amenities such as a resource center where clients can apply for jobs and work on resumes, a larger baby and maternity boutique, which includes fitting rooms, and an updated welcome area with an attached coffee bar.
BPD gets donation
The Blanchester Police Department received a $50,000 donation from a resident wishing to remain anonymous.
“It is the donor’s wish that the funds be used to meet the basic operational needs of the police department, which has undergone repeated budget cuts since 2013,” said Police Chief Scott Reinbolt, who accepted the donation on behalf of the department. “The police department budget has been cut 23 percent over the past three years, leaving the department short staffed and struggling to provide basic police service to the community.”
He said the funds were deposited with the Clinton County Foundation in a trust that will be known as the Citizens for Adequate Policing Trust. Any citizen or organization that wishes to help the police department provide basic services can make a donation to the fund through the foundation. The fund will be overseen by a three-member board of trustees, which will include the village law director, village police chief and a citizen.
“It is the donor’s wish that these funds not supplant tax dollars,” Reinbolt said.
JUNE
Teen saves life
Wilmington officials praised and recognized the actions of 17-year-old Alice Davidson, who performed CPR on an unresponsive, non-breathing man she didn’t know — at great risk to herself.
Davidson started May 6 like any other school day — with a walk to Wilmington High School to catch the bus to Laurel Oaks.
“It was just a normal day, but I heard two guys yelling outside,” Davidson said. She went to tell them to stop and saw a third man passed out in the alley.
Davidson called 911 and had the conscious men identify the unconscious man to 911 while she began CPR. After, they returned Davidson’s phone to her and ran away. Davidson performed CPR until a life squad arrived, at which point she said the man resumed breathing.
Later, the man told authorities he had Hepatitis C, which is transmitted through blood.
Davidson was treated for the possible exposure, and fortunately tested negative for Hepatitis C.
Her actions resuscitating the man garnered praise from several city officials.
“She began the lifesaving measure of CPR to quite literally a stranger on the street,” said Wilmington Mayor John Stanforth at a city council meeting before presenting a “Key to the City” and a Citizen Hero award to Davidson.
Tornado, storms strike
A tornado, severe thunderstorms and high winds took out power lines, knocked down tree limbs and damaged property early on June 23.
The National Weather Service (NWS) in Wilmington confirmed a tornado three miles southwest of Wilmington in Clinton County, occurring about 3:19 a.m.
The NWS’ preliminary category for the tornado was as a high end EF0, which means wind speeds in the higher end of 65 to 85 mph. The NWS estimated at least an 80 mph maximum wind speed for the Clinton County tornado.
In a public information statement, the NWS spoke of widespread damage across western and central Clinton County.
“Damage extends from the far west central border of Clinton County, with this damage initially appearing to be caused by straight line winds. Further east into the county along McGuinn Road, between Route 730 and U.S. 68, there was evidence of damage caused by a tornado. Substantial damage was sustained to a house and garage along McGuinn Road,” stated NWS.
JULY
All’s good at fair
A successful annual Clinton County Fair was held July 9 through 16 at the fairgrounds in Wilmington — with Mother Nature cooperating, for the most part. New attractions in 2016 included horseback roping and a junior fair roping horse show, a popular Ride Free Monday (for which the News Journal was one of three sponsors), and concessionaires including Burgitto Bistro, Amish donuts and soft pretzels, and a return of Chinese food.
Go Pokemon
Clinton County, as the rest of the nation, saw youths and adults playing “Pokemon Go.”
The game uses GPS coordinates and requires players to travel to places and simply walk around in order to find Pokemon to catch.
Locally, groups of children were spotted playing the game in downtown Wilmington and at J.W. Denver Williams Jr. Memorial Park.
Recent Blan grad passes
After nearly a month on life support and after undergoing several surgeries, a recent Blanchester High School graduate died on July 25 at the University of Cincinnati Medical Center.
Sydney Blevins, 18, a 2016 BHS graduate, was hospitalized after being a passenger in a head-on crash in Miami Township in Clermont County on June 29.
AUGUST
Drug court’s first grad
The first person to enroll in a specialized recovery court docket became the program’s first graduate — an event met with an audience of about 100 — which the judge presiding over the program called an “answered prayer.”
“Today, we celebrate David [Key’s] graduation as its first graduate,” said Clinton County Common Pleas Judge John W. “Tim” Rudduck. “It’s more than a celebration of David’s personal U-turn. It’s a celebration of the current participants in the program and the progress they’re making in turning their lives around. It’s a recognition of the members of the community who have stepped forward and who have helped change people’s lives. And it is a call to other civic-minded citizens to join us in making our community a better place to live.”
Key, for his part, shared his story of addiction, recovery, the elements and people that helped him recover, and “the miracle” of it all.
Two locals die in accident
Those who knew Sandra Tell and Sabrina Miller remember the victims of a fatal accident as both kind and generous.
The mother and daughter died on a Saturday morning when a pickup truck fell from an overpass, and landed on their car on Interstate 71 near Cincinnati.
SEPTEMBER
Trump rally at Roberts Centre
LIBERTY TWP. — A day after delivering a speech on immigration security, Donald Trump continued to stress his America-first approach at a Sept. 1 rally in the Roberts Centre near Wilmington.
Trump said, as president, he would “treat everyone with dignity, respect and compassion.”
But then the Republican presidential nominee added, “our greatest compassion will be for the American citizen,” a statement that drew loud applause from the thousands attending.
Trump started his 23-minute talk by speaking about economic policy. He said some practices are going to stop, citing product dumping, unfair foreign subsidies and currency manipulation.
Laptops stolen, recovered
A Wilmington man — charged by Wilmington police the week before with manufacturing methamphetamine in his apartment — was arrested and charged with being one of two suspects who stole 60 new Chromebook laptop computers valued at $15,000 from Wilmington City Schools.
The suspects broke into Wilmington High School through a window. Police eventually identified one suspect as Dusty Ray Oates, 30. However, after arresting Oates Aug. 29, Wilmington police say Oates turned over 33 laptops to them. Days later, another 21 were recovered by the Highland County Sheriff’s Office.
Bomb threats abound
A bomb threat written on a bathroom wall disrupted the day at Clinton-Massie Local Schools. This was one of several within just a few days for Clinton County schools. However, police reported later that all suspects were identified and the cases solved.
OCTOBER
Honor Flight
After their weekend flight to the nation’s capital via Honor Flight, the 81 local veterans who participated in it got an experience they’ll never forget as they toured the landmarks and felt an overall sense of pride.
Paul Butler, 66, of Wilmington, was a committee member who helped plan the trip, but even he was surprised by what the experience held.
“It was a lot more than I had imagined,” said Butler. “Knowing about it ahead of time doesn’t prepare you for it.”
Another participant and fellow Vietnam veteran, Jim Cook, 73, of Blanchester, also got quite an experience that he won’t soon forget. From the guardian who accompanied him, to all the locations and to the various landmarks visited, Cook was blown away by the experience.
“It was just fantastic, everything was done with respect,” said Cook.
Among standout moments for Cook were visiting the Iwo Jima Memorial, the changing of the guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, the Vietnam Wall, and also warm welcomes from both a local fire department and one at D.C.’s Reagan Airport.
Due to the outpouring of support for the Honor Flight project — including great financial support from the community — another Honor Flight is planned for spring 2017.
WC center debuts
After two decades on the wish list, several years in planning and 24 months under construction, the fully renovated and expanded Center for the Sciences and Agriculture was open for business when Wilmington College students arrived in late August.
The college officially christened the $14 million facility as its newest jewel at a public, grand opening celebration Oct. 8.
WHS band is ‘Superior’
The Wilmington High School Marching Band once again found itself in the midst of another award-winning season. The band earned a Superior rating and qualified to compete at the Ohio Music Education Association Marching Band State Competition Oct. 1.
Earning 3rd Place Honors Overall out of the 12 schools competing and 2nd Place Honors in the Class A Division, the Marching Hurricane performed its halftime show, “Explorers of Infinity.”
New WAHS debuts
The Wilmington Area Humane Society (WAHS) held a public grand opening for its newly constructed shelter. Located north of Wilmington on U.S. 68, the new shelter is across the road from the old facility.
The new shelter is a larger facility, which will allow the no-kill WAHS to continue its commitment to helping unwanted cats and dogs in our area. It will house cats and dogs which have been checked by a veterinarian, vaccinated and spayed or neutered before adoption (unless they are too young), ensuring they will not add to the homeless pet crisis.
More of Moore
Bringing national attention to Clinton County, award-winning documentary filmmaker Michael Moore filmed two live performances on consecutive nights at the Murphy Theatre for an online special about the presidential campaign.
Marching Falcons to state
After a 20-year absence, the Clinton-Massie High School Marching Band took the field at the University of Dayton’s Welcome Stadium to compete against Ohio’s best of the best marching bands.
The Marching Falcons earned a Superior rating at the Tecumseh Band Competition, qualifying the band to compete in the Ohio Music Educators Association State Competition.
NOVEMBER
Trump returns for air park rally
With Election Day fast approaching, Republican presidential nominee Donald J. Trump landed Friday, Nov. 4 at the Wilmington Air Park and spoke 50 minutes to thousands of supporters from Ohio, an electoral college swing state.
The crowd gathered in an Airborne Maintenance & Engineering Services (AMES) hangar, where a wide hangar door facing a taxiway was opened so people could see Trump step off his plane parked in full view for a backdrop.
Trump’s talk was more than twice as long as the one he gave when he spoke Sept. 1 at the Roberts Centre, the first of his two rallies in Clinton County during the 2016 general election campaign.
The first thing he mentioned were recent polls which he said show him going like a “rocket ship.” He then moved on to hikes in premiums under Obamacare and the email controversy involving his Democratic opponent, Hillary Clinton, whom he called “crooked Hillary.”
City voters favor tax, fluoride
Wilmington voters said yes on Election Day to a 0.5 percent temporary municipal tax.
In unofficial totals, 2,208 voters, or 51.7 percent, voted for the tax, while 2,062 voters, or 48.3 percent, voted against it.
The group Campaign for Wilmington’s Future touted passage of the measure as one “necessary for the quality of life residents have come to expect in a community once ranked as one of the best small towns in America.”
The committee had pointed out that in the past eight years, Wilmington was hit by historic job losses, resulting in the city’s tax base being cut in half. To address the situation, the city operated on supplemental funds for years — in addition to cutting the costs of the local government.
Wilmington voters also decided they want their water fluoridated. Council last summer decided its residents should have a voice in whether to add fluoride to the city’s water, placing a non-binding resolution on the ballot.
The measure passed, 2,365 (56.7 percent) to 1,804 (43.3 percent).
President of Council Randy Riley stated earlier this year that a non-binding resolution would allow the city to fluoridate water but wouldn’t require the city to do so. “So if there were some overwhelming reason discovered why we shouldn’t, we don’t have to.”
Commission: 1 new, 1 re-elected
Clinton County voters Nov. 8 re-elected Republican Kerry R. Steed to a second term as county commissioner, as he received 12,332 votes (71.6 percent) while challenger Democrat Dean Feldmeyer collected 4,886 votes (28.4 percent).
Come January 2017, the three-person Board of Clinton County Commissioners will be comprised of Steed, Patrick Haley and newcomer Brenda K. Woods. Woods, who ran unopposed in the November General Election, received 13,629 complimentary votes.
She won the Republican Primary election in March for a commissioner seat, besting four other GOP candidates interested in succeeding Clinton County Commissioner Mike Curry, who did not seek re-election.
Sabina issue fails
In Sabina, a five-year, 0.5 percent earnings tax for general municipal operations was defeated, 482 votes (55 percent) to 394 votes (45 percent). The ballot issue asked residents to approve a proposed earnings tax for a five-year term that would have made the town’s total earnings tax rate amount to 1.5 percent, as there was a 1 percent earnings tax already in place.
The added 0.5 percent tax was estimated to generate about $130,000 to $135,000 annually, Mayor Dean Hawk said earlier this year. The money would have gone toward the village’s police, administrative, legislative and executive costs for five years “to give us a chance to recover from the loss of funding of this weakened economic cycle,” the mayor had said previously.
WAC gets Chrysler
The Adkins Family acquired the Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep and Ram new car franchise, and going forward the family’s Wilmington Auto Center will become a new car store while still selling pre-owned vehicles.
The franchise transfer from Bill Marine Ford Inc. went into effect Nov. 1, with Bill Marine Ford moving forward with its existing Ford and Lincoln new car franchise.
Dissolve village?
Clarksville Village Council was petitioned to provide a special election in which residents would decide whether to dissolve the village’s government.
“At some point you have to ask the question — not can we save the village? — but should we? Is it going to be too much of a burden on the residents to save the village [government]. That’s really what it comes down to for me,” said Darrell Wilson, a petition circulator and the person who presented the petition to council.
The petition was later ruled invalid.
DECEMBER
CVB director passes
Debbie Stamper, for 18 years the director of the Clinton County Convention & Visitors Bureau, passed away at age 59.
Q, JC excel
Wilmington High School and Miami University grad Quinten Rollins garnered his first interception of the year. The second-year cornerback’s pick helped the Green Bay Packers to a win over the Seahawks.
WHS grad and University of Cincinnati freshman basketball player Jarron Cumberland was getting lots of playing time early in the season and even earned a Freshman of the Week honor in the American Athletic Conference.
Overdoses prove fatal
The county ended the year as it began, with more drug overdoses, including two that were fatal ones, this time in the Blanchester area.
