A barn fire in Jackson Township sent one local man to the hospital Sept. 26. After receiving a 911 call around 1:20 a.m. Thursday, the Jackson Township Fire Department was called to 5814 State Route 133, on the border of Wayne Township.

The street, water, and electric departments in the village of Bethel have been restructured into one public works department. Village administrator Travis Dotson told council at its regular Sept. 22 meeting that streamlining the village’s public works department under one supervisor will accomplish many things, but mostly it will better coordinate the work to be do done on a daily basis and reduce the number of village vehicles out on the road.

The Batavia Village Council has voted to reimburse Police Chief Mike Gardner for attorney fees in the amount of $3,008.69. Council voted 4-1 on the measure at a special meeting Monday, Sept. 22. The bill will not be paid, however, until council passes a resolution directing the treasurer to pay the bill. The resolution is being prepared by the village solicitor. Council is expected to vote on the measure at its Oct. 6 meeting.

An estimated 500 people attended the Alpaca Gala at the Stoney Brook Farm in New Richmond Sept. 27. The third year for the event, farm owners and alpaca lovers John and Audrey Sado said that not only is the event designed for families to have a day of fun with these “cute, cuddly, and lovable animals,” but to keep the public aware that the alpaca and its fleeces are very important in the American marketplace.

The Cardinal Boys and Girls Club in the Felicity-Franklin school district celebrated its grand opening Sept. 27. Attended by about 70 people, the grand opening was planned to coincide with Nickelodeon’s “Day of Play” event for the hundreds children participating in boys and girls clubs all across America. The grand opening of the Cardinal Boys and Clubs was the result of a partnership between the Felicity-Franklin School District, the Boys and Girls Clubs of Clermont County (there are now three), the Clermont County Juvenile Court, Jeff Wyler of the Jeff Wyler automotive family, and the dozens of people who live and work in the Felicity area, like Cardinal club unit director Sherri McClure.

The art of reading has literally gone canine at the Locust Corner Elementary School. For the last four years, the elementary school has been engaging it’s more than 400 students in reading to privately owned certified therapy dogs that come in for an hour once a week to the homerooms for the students to read out loud to the dogs.