WestChesterBuzz.com

Tom Eggert and his neighbors on Wethersfield Drive in West Chester would rather see a proposed Kroger Marketplace built not so close to their neighborhood. They are concerned about their safety. Photo taken Jan. 21, 2013 by Adam Kiefaber.

To let West Chester and Liberty Township residents catch up with the news that they need to know, WestChesterBuzz.com will list and link to all of last week’s top local stories every Monday.

West Chester neighbors want to stop Kroger – A Kroger Marketplace could be coming to West Chester Township, and not everyone is happy about it. Tom Eggert and his neighbors on Wethersfield Drive have lined their street and the corner of Tylersville Road and Princeton-Glendale Road (State Route 747), near where the proposed Kroger would be built, with lawn signs that read “StopKroger.com.”

Lakota West downs Withrow in Royal 8 Hardwood Classic – Lakota West completed an impressive weekend of work by beating Withrow 69-56 last Monday night in the championship game of the inaugural LaRosa’s Royal 8 Hardwood Classic at Fairfield. The Firebirds, unranked in Enquirer Division I coaches’ poll heading into the tourament, got 49 points from the guard trio of Ali Barnes, Tyler Williams and Malik Grove to hand the then-ranked No. 4 Tigers just their second loss in 14 games this season.

Photos of the MLK march in West Chester – A group braved the elements and participated at the March for Unity in Our Community in West Chester last Monday afternoon. The march is held every year to honor of Martin Luther King Day. Photos were taken by Adam Kiefaber of WestChesterBuzz.com.

For the first time Beckett Park has ice skating – for now - Owen and Harper Hodgett made use of the ice rink at Beckett Park in West Chester Thursday. The man-made water feature has been allowed to freeze naturally for ice skating. This is the first time temperatures have permitted skating. The water feature was part of $2.09 million upgrade of the park, which was finished in late June.

West Chester to host Junior U.S. Open Water Ski Championships – The Butler County Visitors Bureau in conjunction with the Miami University Water Ski club and Lotta Watta announced last Thursday afternoon that it has been awarded the 2013 Junior U.S. Open Water Ski Championships, which will be held June 29-30 at Voice of America Park in West Chester. The two-day event will feature 100 of the nation’s top junior water ski athletes under the age of 21.

Lottery winner’s story inspires toilet paper donation – It wasn’t quite a truckload of toilet paper, but it was enough to satisfy Regina Jackson. Jackson, who recently won $1 million from the Ohio Lottery New Year’s Raffle, told the Enquirer earlier this month that she wanted to buy a truck full of toilet paper with her recent winnings. Upon hearing Jackson’s story, Procter & Gamble was inspired to donate 5,000 rolls in her name.

Bella Vino Wine Merchants & Bar opens – Bella Vino Wine Merchants & Bar, a wine shop and wine bar in Springboro, opened a second location in West Chester last week. Bella Vino purchased Little Sonoma Wine Shop and opened a few doors down at 6064 West Chester Road.

Enlisted West Chester woman ‘wants to go to war’ – Krista Ramsey of The Cincinnati Enquirer wrote about a Lakota West senior who is thrilled about last Thursday’s announcement by Defense Secretary Leon Panetta, allowing women in combat. The West Chester teenager completed some of her training last summer and will leave for more a few weeks after her high school graduation in June. She plans to be in the military for at least 20 years.

Lakota West senior Bailey Barnes. Photo taken Jan. 24, 2013 by Tony Jones.

Posted in: Business, Events, News, Schools, Sports, Winter Sports |

Tags: Tags: Crossings of Beckett, Kroger, Kroger Marketplace, Kroger Marketplace West Chester, Kroger West Chester, March for Unity in Our Community, March for Unity in Our Community West Chester, March for Unity West Chester, Martin Luther King, Martin Luther King Day, Martin Luther King Day West Chester, Martin Luther King Jr., Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Martin Luther King Jr. Day West Chester, MLK, MLK Day, Ohio lottery, Ohio Lottery Regina Jackson, Regina Jackson, Regina Jackson Lottery, Silverman and Company, Tom Eggert, West Chester photos, West Chester Township Zoning Commission

Tom Eggert and his neighbors on Wethersfield Drive in West Chester Township have lined their street and the corner of Tylersville Road and Princeton-Glendale Road (State Route 747), near where proposed Kroger Marketplace would be built, with lawn signs that read ‘StopKroger.com.’ They are concerned about their safety. Photo taken Jan. 21, 2013 by Adam Kiefaber.

A Kroger Marketplace could be coming to West Chester Township, and not everyone is happy about it.

Tom Eggert and his neighbors on Wethersfield Drive have lined their street and the corner of Tylersville Road and Princeton-Glendale Road (State Route 747), near where the proposed Kroger would be built, with lawn signs that read “StopKroger.com.”

The group believes that a new 133,000-square-foot Kroger anchoring a shopping center and located on the opposite side of Tylersville Road from their neighborhood will cause noise, litter and safety issues.

An empty field currently occupies the spot. As of Friday, the group had more than 200 “likes” on Facebook.

Meanwhile, a Kroger spokeswoman sees a need for a bigger grocery store in that area, and a development company believes a Marketplace in its proposed 35.5-acre shopping center called Crossings of Beckett will enhance the community.

The opposing groups will headline what could be an interesting discussion when the West Chester Township Zoning Commission meets at 6:30 p.m. Feb. 25 at Township Hall, 9113 Cincinnati-Dayton Road.

“It is at a major intersection, it is certainly not residential,” said Timothy Burgoyne Sr., an executive with Silverman and Company, the developer. “We are excited to use this corner.”

The township’s Comprehensive Land Use Plan, which was last updated in 2004, reads, “careful consideration has gone into these areas (where 747 intersects Hamilton-Mason Road and Tylersville Road) to promote and protect existing and future residents.”

The StopKroger group and its attorney Timothy Mara believe this and other language in the Township’s Land Use Plan supports their argument against the development.

“The plan clearly protects and there is no compelling reason to abandon that plan, which was only adopted a few years ago,” Mara said.

“When you put a large shopping center with restaurants and other uses directly across the street from homes, you have eliminated the transition and the buffering that was intended to protect them.”

With the shopping center, Mara says residents will have to deal with noise, blowing litter, smells from restaurants, traffic from customers and truck traffic.

The traffic issues concern Eggert, who claims his street, Wethersfield, which is located just west the Lakota West Freshman School and just north of a proposed shopping center, is already used by motorists as a cut through from Hamilton-Mason Road to the north to avoid traffic on southbound 747.

“We don’t have sidewalks in the neighborhood, so walking down street right now is somewhat not safe,” Eggert said. “If you add that much traffic to it, people who walk on the street after work for their exercise or the kids who walk to school, will just increase the likelyhood of someone getting injuried.”

Eric Pottenger, development services manager with The Butler County Engineer’s Office, recommended to Bayer Becker, which is conducting a traffic study for Silverman and Company and Kroger, to look into the traffic concerns of the residents of Wethersfield Drive.

Pottenger also said he has discussed the matter with the West Chester Police Department and they don’t believe the road is being currently used as a cut through.

“Cut-through streets are used to avoid congested traffic. To cut through a neighborhood at 25 mph instead of going 50 mph on 747 is not an accurate statement,” Pottenger said. “I also don’t see them using that road to access Kroger.”

Pottenger did acknowledge that there has been issues of Wethersfield being used as a cut through in the past. However, that was before 747, from Tylersville north to Princeton Road in Liberty Township, was widened from two to five lanes in 2007.

In support of the shopping center, Kroger spokeswoman Rachael Betzler said that there is a need for a large grocery store in that area.

“The current (Kroger) location, off Beckett Road and 747, does very well. As a matter of fact, it is already busting at the seams,” Betzler said. “We do need more room for the shoppers in that area.”

Eggert of StopKroger.com understands the benefits of a new Kroger, but doesn’t want it so close to his street.

“This whole thing is not against Kroger. We all enjoy going to Kroger and we need a place to shop,” Eggert said. “For the majority of the people fighting this, I don’t think it is about home value, I think it is a matter of safety. I honestly do.”

If Eggert’s neighborhood loses this fight, Silverman would like break ground on the new Kroger this summer and open by the end of 2013 or in the beginning of 2014.

“We think this could be an exciting new thing for the community. Shopping is a part of the community. Grocery stores are a part of the community. They enhance a community. They don’t detract from it,” Burgoyne said “We want to build the best grocery store in West Chester and it is going to be hard to find one nicer than the one proposed here.”

The original plan for the shopping center included the Kroger Marketplace with fuel center, along with nine outlots along 747. Burgoyne said the current plan is build the Kroger Marketplace with fuel center and three additional outparcels in phase 1 and then build additional retail space not to exceed 65,000 square feet in phase 2.

Posted in: Business, News |

Tags: Tags: Crossings of Beckett, Kroger, Kroger Marketplace, Kroger Marketplace West Chester, Kroger West Chester, Silverman and Company, Tom Eggert, West Chester Township Zoning Commission

The suspect police are looking for in connection to a theft at the Kroger off Tylersville Road in West Chester. Photo provided.

Crime Stoppers released information Thursday that a person shopping at Kroger’s, 7855 Tylersville Road, in West Chester had their wallet stolen.

The suspect police are looking for in connection to a theft at the Kroger off Tylersville Road in West Chester. Photo provided.

The theft took place on Dec. 7, 2012.

The Fairfield Police believe the same suspect committed a similar offense on Nov. 21, 2012 at its Meijer.

Anyone with information can call Crime Stoppers at 513-352-3040. All calls are anonymous and callers may be eligible for a cash reward.

People can also contact the West Chester Police Department, 9577 Beckett Road Suite 500, by calling 513-777-2231 or 513-759-7266. West Chester detective David Mize provided the report to Crime Stoppers.

Posted in: Crime, News |

Tags: Tags: Crime Stoppers, Kroger, Tylersville Road Kroger, West Chester Police, West Chester Police Department

Photos by Tony Jones

This Saturday, two different Easter egg hunts will take place at local parks.

One of the egg hunts will take place at Keehner Park in West Chester, while the other will take place at Liberty Park in Liberty Township.

Prior to this week, the annual Helicopter Egg Drop (photos above) at The River Church in Liberty Township took place March 24 and the Passage Church in West Chester put together an egg hunt at the Fort Liberty Playground last Saturday, March 31.

West Chester Township egg hunt - The West Chester Easter Egg Hunt will take place from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday at Keehner Park. The West Chester Fire Department and the Tylersville Road Kroger are presenting this year’s egg hunt. Children will be organized into different age groups and are asked to bring a bag or basket to collect eggs. Last year, participants hunted for candy-filled eggs as well as a special golden egg that contained a savings bond. The egg hunt will take place in the Keehner Park tennis court area. Keehner Park is located at 7211 Barrett Road.

Liberty Township egg hunt – Like West Chester, the Liberty Township Easter egg hunt will take place Saturday. The Liberty Township event will begin at 10 a.m. at Liberty Park, 6757 Yankee Road. The egg hunt will be broken down into four age groups (1-2, 3-4, 5-6, 7-8). Each group will hunt for about 5-to-10 minutes before set up begins for the next group. The order will go from youngest to oldest. The first egg hunt will start at 10 a.m. and the last egg hunt is scheduled to begin at 11:30 a.m. Children may bring a basket, bag or other contained to collect the eggs. The Easter Bunny will also be available for pictures from 10 a.m. to noon in the first picnic shelter. Parents are encouraged to bring a camera. In case of inclement weather, the hunt will move inside to the Lakota YMCA.

Posted in: Events, Recreational events |

Tags: Tags: Easter, Easter Egg Hunt, Fort Liberty Playground, Keehner Park, Kroger, Liberty Park, Liberty Township Easter, Liberty Township Easter Egg Hunt, Liberty Township holidays, Passage Church, Passage Church West Chester, Tylersville Road Kroger, West Chester Easter, West Chester Easter Egg Hunt, West Chester Fire Department, West Chester holidays, West Chester photos

Photos by Tony Jones

The annual Helicopter Egg Drop at The River Church in Liberty Township last Saturday was the first of multiple Easter egg hunts this spring that will take place in West Chester and Liberty townships.

There are also many other local events captured on our Flickr photostream. And more West Chester and Liberty Township related photo galleries on our Photos page.

Also, remember to share your photos through the Photos page.

Upcoming local Easter egg hunts

Egg hunt at Fort Liberty Playground, March 31 - This Saturday, there will be another free community egg hunt at the Fort Liberty Playground, 6845 Van Gorden Road in Liberty Township. This egg hunt, which is being put together by the Passage Church in West Chester, will take place from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. It will feature egg hunts for three different age groups, up to the third grade. Registration for all three age groups begins at 10 a.m. Egg hunters should bring their own basket. The event will also feature a bounce house, snacks, face painting, raffle prizes and candy. To pre-register online and enter a chance to win a one-night stay at the Great Wolf Lodge, visit passagechurch.com.

West Chester Township egg hunt April 7 - The West Chester Easter Egg Hunt will take place from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. April 7 at Keehner Park. The West Chester Fire Department and the Tylersville Road Kroger are presenting this year’s egg hunt. Children will be organized into different age groups and are asked to bring a bag or basket to collect eggs. Last year, participants hunted for candy-filled eggs as well as a special golden egg that contained a savings bond. The egg hunt will take place in the Keehner Park tennis court area. Keehner Park is located at 7211 Barrett Road.

Liberty Township egg hunt April 7 – Like West Chester, the Liberty Township Easter egg hunt will take place April 7. The Liberty Township event will begin at 10 a.m. at Liberty Park, 6757 Yankee Road. The egg hunt will be broken down into four age groups (1-2, 3-4, 5-6, 7-8). Each group will hunt for about 5-to-10 minutes before set up begins for the next group. The order will go from youngest to oldest. The first egg hunt will start at 10 a.m. and the last egg hunt is scheduled to begin at 11:30 a.m. Children may bring a basket, bag or other contained to collect the eggs. The Easter Bunny will also be available for pictures from 10 a.m. to noon in the first picnic shelter. Parents are encouraged to bring a camera. In case of inclement weather, the hunt will move inside to the Lakota YMCA.

Posted in: Events, Recreational events |

Tags: Tags: Easter, Easter Egg Hunt, Fort Liberty Playground, Keehner Park, Kroger, Liberty Park, Liberty Township Easter, Liberty Township Easter Egg Hunt, Liberty Township holidays, Passage Church, Passage Church West Chester, Tylersville Road Kroger, West Chester Easter, West Chester Easter Egg Hunt, West Chester Fire Department, West Chester holidays, West Chester photos

The annual Helicopter Egg Drop at The River Church in Liberty Township last Saturday was the first of multiple Easter egg hunts this spring that will take place in West Chester and Liberty townships.

This Saturday, there will be another free community egg hunt at the Fort Liberty Playground, 6845 Van Gorden Road in Liberty Township.

This egg hunt, which is being put together by the Passage Church in West Chester, will take place from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. It will feature egg hunts for three different age groups, up to the third grade.

Registration for all three age groups begins at 10 a.m.

Egg hunters should bring their own basket.

The event will also feature a bounce house, snacks, face painting, raffle prizes and candy.

To pre-register online and enter a chance to win a one-night stay at the Great Wolf Lodge, visit passagechurch.com.

West Chester Township egg hunt April 7 - The West Chester Easter Egg Hunt will take place from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. April 7 at Keehner Park. The West Chester Fire Department and the Tylersville Road Kroger are presenting this year’s egg hunt.

Children will be organized into different age groups and are asked to bring a bag or basket to collect eggs. Last year, participants hunted for candy-filled eggs as well as a special golden egg that contained a savings bond.

The egg hunt will take place in the Keehner Park tennis court area.

Keehner Park is located at 7211 Barrett Road.

Liberty Township egg hunt April 7 – Like West Chester, the Liberty Township Easter egg hunt will take place April 7. The Liberty Township event will begin at 10 a.m. at Liberty Park, 6757 Yankee Road.

The egg hunt will be broken down into four age groups (1-2, 3-4, 5-6, 7-8). Each group will hunt for about 5-to-10 minutes before set up begins for the next group. The order will go from youngest to oldest. The first egg hunt will start at 10 a.m. and the last egg hunt is scheduled to begin at 11:30 a.m.

Children may bring a basket, bag or other contained to collect the eggs.

The Easter Bunny will also be available for pictures from 10 a.m. to noon in the first picnic shelter. Parents are encouraged to bring a camera.

In case of inclement weather, the hunt will move inside to the Lakota YMCA.

Posted in: Events, Recreational events |

Tags: Tags: Easter, Easter Egg Hunt, Fort Liberty Playground, Keehner Park, Kroger, Liberty Park, Liberty Township Easter, Liberty Township Easter Egg Hunt, Liberty Township holidays, Passage Church, Passage Church West Chester, Tylersville Road Kroger, West Chester Easter, West Chester Easter Egg Hunt, West Chester Fire Department, West Chester holidays

Sue Kiesewetter reports

Eggs will start dropping from the sky at 10 a.m. Saturday for the second annual Helicopter Egg Drop at The River Church in Liberty Township.

About 2,000 brightly-colored, plastic eggs filled with candy will be dropped from a helicopter where they will join about 10,000 other eggs on a large field at the church, 5546 Cincinnati-Dayton Road.

“Last year we had close to 1,000 people – over 400 kids and their parents – and we had 10,000 eggs,’’ said Debbie Fortenboher, who is one of the organizers of the Children’s Ministry sponsored egg drop.

“We hold the kids back while the helicopter drops the eggs. Then we let the kids go search for them. It’s a lot of fun.”

There is no cost for the egg hunt, which is open to the community. Children are divided into two groups to hunt for eggs: those age two through kindergarten; and those in grades 1-5.

Each group will hunt for eggs on a large field, divided in half for each age group. Before and after the egg hunt children can do a craft, get their picture taken with the Easter bunny, participate in a cupcake walk, and play games.

Families are asked to pre-register their children online at www.hittheriver.com Check-in and registration for those who haven’t pre-registered, begins at 9 a.m., the same time activities start.

For more information or to register, call 513-755-7777, email info@hittheriver.com.

West Chester Easter Egg Hunt April 7 - The West Chester Easter Egg Hunt will take place from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. April 7 at Keehner Park. The West Chester Fire Department and the Tylersville Road Kroger are presenting this year’s egg hunt.

Children will be organized into different age groups and are asked to bring a bag or basket to collect eggs. Last year, participants hunted for candy-filled eggs as well as a special golden egg that contained a savings bond.

The egg hunt will take place in the Keehner Park tennis court area.

Keehner Park is located at 7211 Barrett Road.

Posted in: Events, Recreational events |

Tags: Tags: Easter, Easter Egg Hunt, Keehner Park, Kroger, Liberty Township Easter, Liberty Township Easter Egg Hunt, Liberty Township holidays, Tylersville Road Kroger, West Chester Easter, West Chester Easter Egg Hunt, West Chester Fire Department, West Chester holidays

Rachel Richardson of The Cincinnati Enquirer and MasonBuzz.com reports:

His ear is slightly singed and he needed a good bath, but a stowaway kitten has a new chance at life after being found on board a fuel tanker this week.

Deb Donley, of Mason, was filling her tank at the West Chester Kroger gas station last Tuesday when she heard a plaintive mewing.

Deb Donley, an animal rescue volunteer from Mason, rescued a six-month-old kitten trapped on board a fuel tanker on Friday. The kitten, now named "Tanker," is available for adoption from Friends of Noah, a nonprofit animal shelter in Amelia. Photo provided by Bonnie Morrison

“When you hear the cry of any animal, the first thing you do is investigate,” she said. “I’m looking through everybody’s car windows like a fool asking if they hear this cat.”

Donley pinpointed the cries to a fuel tanker refilling the gas tanks. The driver told her he didn’t have a cat, but had heard the faint cries of one all day.

“I got underneath the tanker and climbed up to where it meets the semi and saw this furry head peek out of the hold there. It was screaming,” said Donley. “I climbed up in and grabbed a hold of the poor thing and wedged it out. After that it never left me.”

Donley named the six-month-old tabby kitten — what else? — Tanker.

It’s believed that Tanker survived at least 10 hours clinging to the fuel truck on a ride that took him hundreds of miles across three states, from Kentucky to Indianapolis to West Chester.

“He went for the ride of his life,” said Donley. “He was covered in grease and we couldn’t feed him enough.”

With the help of another Mason animal rescuer, Evelyn Black, the wayward tabby found placement at Friends of Noah, a private, nonprofit animal shelter in Amelia.

Despite his wild ride, Tanker was determined to be healthy and needed only a good scrub-down. He’s now available for adoption, said Bonnie Morrison, the shelter’s director.

“This kitten went on what I call a long haul,” said Morrison, with a laugh. “He’s extremely friendly and mellow and happy to be held. I couldn’t believe his great attitude after being covered in grease and tossed and turned. He’s a happy little guy right now.”

Donley says she only did what any animal-lover would do by coming to the aid of an animal in need.

“Just looking at him and getting hugs from him is the biggest ‘thank you’ in the world,” she said.

For more information on Tanker, call Friends of Noah at 513-797-7387, ext. 112 or visit them on Facebook.

Posted in: News |

Tags: Tags: animal rescue, animal rescue Mason, animal rescue West Chester, bonnie morrison, deb donley, evelyn black, friends of noah, Kroger, Mason, pet rescue Mason, pet rescue West Chester

The West Chester Easter Egg Hunt will take place this Saturday, April 23, from 1 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. The West Chester Fire Department and the Tylersville Road Kroger are presenting this year’s egg hunt.

Children will be organized into different age groups and are asked to bring a bag or basket to collect eggs. Participants will hunt for candy-filled eggs as well as a special golden egg that contains a savings bond.

The egg hunt will take place in the Keehner Park tennis court area.

Keehner Park is located at 7211 Barrett Road.

Posted in: Events, Recreational events |

Tags: Tags: Easter, Easter Egg Hunt, egg, eggs, Keehner Park, Kroger, Tylersville Road Kroger, West Chester Fire Department

Kroger Co. Executive Vice President Donald E. Becker of West Chester passed away unexpectedly Wednesday, Feb. 16, after suffering an aneurysm. He was 62 years old.

Becker joined Kroger in 1969 as a clerk in the Cincinnati/Dayton division and eventually worked his way to executive vice president in 2004. Other positions Becker held at Kroger included vice president of the Cincinnati/Dayton division, president of the central division and senior vice president.

“We are deeply saddened to lose Don, our dear friend and extraordinary leader,” Kroger’s Chairman and Chief Executive Officer David B. Dillon said in a release. “Don leaves a legacy of enthusiasm and passion for doing what’s right for our customers and our associates. He touched the lives of countless people in our company as well as throughout our industry and community. He was a true ‘people person’ who mentored many associates at every level of our business.’”

Becker and his wife Lynn lived in West Chester. He’s also survived by daughter and son-in-law Mackenzie and C.J. Rice of Liberty Township and a grandson, Becker Rice.

Funeral arrangements are pending.

Posted in: Business, News |

Tags: Tags: death, Donald Becker, Donald E. Becker, Kroger