WestChesterBuzz.com

Photo of the Fricker’s in North College Hill. File photo from 2008.

A Dayton-based wing joint is poised to open a new location in West Chester off Tylersville Road in mid-January, Fricker’s director of human resources and franchising Paul Curtis told WestChesterBuzz.com this week.

The new Fricker’s will be located at 7844 Kingland Drive.

Below is a description of the restaurant written by The Cincinnati Enquirer Polly Campbell:

Originally opened by Ray Frick in 1986 in West Carrollton, there are now 20 Fricker’s – one is in Michigan, the rest in Ohio. They use the words fun, food, sports and spirits to describe themselves, and their specialty is chicken wings. Every location has lots of TVs, and 22 oz draft beers for $2.42. But they’re also family friendly, with an eating area separate from the bar. Kids 10 and under eat free every day.

For more information about Fricker’s, visit www.frickers.com.

Posted in: Business, News |

Tags: Tags: Fricker's, Fricker's Cincinnati, Fricker's West Chester, Liberty Township business news, Liberty Township restaurant opening, Liberty Township restaurants, West Chester business, West Chester business news, West Chester restaurant opening, West Chester restaurants

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.

MetroParks breaks ground on VOA athletic complex – The Butler County Visitors Bureau and MetroParks of Butler County held an official ground breaking ceremony last Wednesday for their $3 million project that will add 22 multipurpose natural grass athletic fields on 100 acres of Voice of America Park in West Chester Township. The fields, which border Butler-Warren and Tylersville roads, are expected to be available for use by September of 2014.

Lakota Local Schools maintains rating – Michael D. Clark reported on the annual Ohio Report Cards – Southwest Ohio’s second-largest school system maintained its top state ranking while the area’s longest financially embattled district finally dropped a category, according to the annual Ohio Report Cards, released last Wednesday. Butler County’s Lakota Schools earned an Excellent with Distinction rating despite historically deep budget cuts in recent years.

BAE to sell commercial armored vehicles business – In a $10 million deal, defense contractor BAE Systems announced it is selling off its locally based commercial armored vehicles business that employs 134 workers, Alexander Coolidge of The Cincinnati Enquirer reported last Tuesday.

Zoning Commission approves ‘high end’ apartments in West Chester – Last week, the West Chester Zoning Commission approved two proposed apartment developments that could possibly feature rents greater than $1,200 per month. One of those developments, currently called The Cascades, will have its zoning change go before the West Chester Township Board of Trustees on Nov. 13.

White House Inn becomes Casa Bianca – The owner of Symmes Tavern in Fairfield has bought the venerable White House Inn in West Chester and has turned it into an Italian restaurant, Polly Campbell of the Cincinnati Enquirer reported last week. The name is simply a translation: Casa Bianca. The restaurant will have traditional Italian and traditional American on the menu.

Colerain defeats Lakota West in battle of unbeatens – In a battle of the top two teams in The Cincinnati Enquirer coaches’ poll, senior quarterback Alfred “L.A.” Ramsby carried Colerain from an early 17-0 deficit to a 57-44 win against Lakota West at Cardinal Stadium on a wet and chilly night in Colerain Township.

Supreme Court OK’s Ohio early voting – The U.S. Supreme Court cleared the way for Ohioans to cast early in-person absentee ballots on the final three days before the Nov. 6 election, Barry M. Horstman of The Cincinnati Enquirer reported last Tuesday.

Bridge replacement on Rialto Road is complete – The Butler County Engineer’s Office announced last Tuesday that Rialto Road in West Chester Township is now open. A portion of the road had been closed since early July as the Rialto Road bridge over Mill Creek was replaced.

Lakota teen’s been to Barrackville and Romney – Matthew King, a 17-year-old Lakota East High school senior, recently created a Youtube Video highlighting two small towns in America, that just so happened to be named Romney and Barrackville. In the video, King talks to people on the street, through car windows, and people putting groceries in their cars about their views on the towns name, asking questions with only slight political implications.

Phoenix will phase out West Chester, Florence campuses – The University of Phoenix will phase out classes in West Chester and Florence, impacting 236 students, Cliff Peale of The Cincinnati Enquirer reported last week. The sites have stopped accepting applications, and current students will have the choice of finishing their programs in traditional classrooms or converting to online classes.

Posted in: Business, News, Schools, Sports |

Tags: Tags: athletic complex, BAE Systems, Casa Bianca, Casa Bianca West Chester Ohio, Excellent, Excellent with Distinction, Lakota, Lakota Excellent with Distinction, Lakota schools, Liberty Township business news, MetroParks, MetroParks of Butler County, Voice of America, Voice of America Park, Voice of America Park athletic complex, West Chester business, West Chester business news, West Chester Development Council, West Chester jobs, West Chester restaurants, West Chester Township Zoning Commission, White House Inn, White House Inn West Chester Ohio

West Chester based attorney Jeff Meadows and Shane Herzner make much of their living defending people who are charged with drunk driving. Now, they are are launching sales of a device that he hopes will put him out of business: a portable breath test. Photo provided.

Janice Morse reports:

Jeff Meadows, a West Chester-based attorney, earns nearly all his livelihood defending people who are charged with drunken driving.

Even Richard K. Jones, the sheriff of Butler County, where Meadows mostly practices, acknowledges: “Nobody deals in more DUIs than he does.”

But Meadows has started selling a device that he hopes will put him out of business: a portable, disposable breath test.

Called “TESTorARREST,” the device is a cigarette-sized clear plastic tube that sells for $9.99 for a two-pack. After a person breathes into the tube, a chemical inside interacts with breath alcohol. If the yellow crystals inside change to an aqua color, that indicates the person’s alcohol level exceeds 0.08, Ohio’s legal limit for drivers.

People who test over the limit may use their smart phones to access www.testorarrest.com to get “instant access to a local taxi,” Meadows said.

The device’s slogan: “If you don’t pass, stay off the gas!”

“It’s very inexpensive, costing the fraction of the price of a DUI attorney,” said Meadows, who practices with the Lyons & Lyons law firm. “A few dollars now versus a few thousand later makes it a no-brainer.”

The device is packaged with a disclaimer, telling consumers that abstaining from drinking alcohol is “the only way to be 100% certain that an individual is not impaired.” (more…)

Posted in: Business, News |

Tags: Tags: Butler County Sheriff Richard K. Jones, Jeff Meadows, Jeff Meadows attorney, Jeff Meadows attorney West Chester, Liberty Township business news, Richard K. Jones, Sheriff Richard K. Jones, West Chester business, West Chester business news

Polly Campbell reports:

The owner of Symmes Tavern in Fairfield has bought the venerable White House Inn in West Chester and has turned it into an Italian restaurant. The name is simply a translation: Casa Bianca.

Joe Schwartz bought the building and 9 acres of land around it at auction in August. He developed The Village Green in Fairfield and owns Symmes Tavern on the Green.

But Casa Bianca is being run day-to-day by manager Mike Lindner. He said they have traditional Italian and traditional American on the menu. That includes veal and chicken parmesan, homemade seasonal ravioli (It’s pumpkin right now), risotto-stuffed bell peppers, bruschetta including a seasonal one, which is currently bourbon-glazed mushroom onion and goat cheese.

There’s also mix-and-match pastas and sauces, salads, steak, Southwestern Cobb salad. Average entree price is $14.

They haven’t done a thorough renovation of the old building, but did paint and take up the carpets to reveal hardwood floors. They’ll be doing more later. Their prices for rehearsal dinner, wedding and other special occasion packages have been lowered; they hope to do more of those.

Casa Bianca is open from 11:30 a.m. to 11 p.m. Sunday to Thursday from 11:30 a.m. to midnight Friday and Saturday. It is located at 4940 Muhlhauser Rd. For more information, call 513-860-0829.

Posted in: Business, News |

Tags: Tags: Casa Bianca, Casa Bianca West Chester Ohio, Liberty Township business news, West Chester business, West Chester business news, West Chester restaurants, White House Inn, White House Inn West Chester Ohio

Alexander Coolidge reports:

In a $10 million deal, defense contractor BAE Systems announced on Tuesday it is selling off its locally based commercial armored vehicles business that employs 134 workers.

The acquiring company is Sycamore Township-based O’Gara Group Inc., which provides security equipment and services to commercial and government clients. The transaction will close by the end of the year.

The deal marks something of a reunion for chairman Thomas O’Gara and chief executive Bill O’Gara. Both helped build O’Gara-Hess & Eisenhardt Armoring Co. into one of the world’s largest armored vehicle makers before selling it to Armor Holding in 2001, which was acquired by BAE in 2007.

CEO Bill O’Gara vowed to grow the business.

“We look forward to continuing the growth of our commercial armoring business and expanding the transparent armor business,” he said in a statement. “This acquisition not only restores our heritage, it also advances our position and agility in the commercial armor market.”

Earlier this year, the O’Gara Group leased a 36,000-square-foot Fairfield facility to expand an armoring business it acquired, Protection Devices Inc. of San Antonio, which makes fully armored passenger vehicles, mostly for government officials working in dangerous circumstances.

If the latest deal reflects O’Gara Group ramping its business up, it also marks BAE Systems dialing its business back.

The commercial sale comes less than three weeks after BAE Systems announced it would lay off 160 workers by March 31 as it shut down local military production and transferred the work designing and making armored cabs, turrets and accessories to a factory in Sealey, Texas, outside Houston.

BAE Systems has been cutting positions over the past two years as it experiences a marked decrease in production volumes. Factors include the winding down of some long-standing programs, leaner defense budgets and the recession.

“The decision to sell the commercial armored vehicles business and transition our remaining production work from our West Chester site to Sealy improves our competitiveness,” said Erwin Bieber, president of BAE Systems Inc.’s land and armaments, in a statement.

Posted in: Business, News |

Tags: Tags: BAE Systems, Bill O’Gara, Liberty Township business news, Liberty Township jobs, O’Gara Group Inc., Thomas O’Gara, West Chester business news, West Chester jobs

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.

Jack in the Box to open first Ohio location Sept. 17 – A spokesperson with Jack in the Box confirmed last Thursday that its first Ohio location will open in West Chester on Monday, Sept. 17, at 9 a.m. The company has targeted Cincinnati and plans on adding more locations based on the belief that local consumers are already aware of the fast food chain.

Another case of whooping cough reported at Lakota school – Twice last week, the Butler County Health Department emailed Lakota parents, alerting them that a student had been diagnosed with Pertussis, which is more commonly known as whooping cough. On Tuesday, the email, which was also sent out in a letter, said a student from Lakota West High School had been diagnosed with the disease. Then on Thursday, the email alerted parents of a student at Endeavor Elementary.

Lakota East’s Spark Magazine is taking subscriptions – The award-winning Spark Magazine, run by students at Lakota East High School for the past 21 years, is currently accepting subscribers through Sept. 14. Through the years, Spark has covered topics that range from Lakota’s financial struggles to racial profiling.

Chamber changes speaker for Sept. 11 luncheon – Thomas Boat, dean of the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine and vice president for health affairs, will replace previously scheduled speaker Santa Jeremy Ono at this month’s West Chester ▪ Liberty Chamber Alliance’s luncheon on Tuesday. Ono, who began serving as UC’s president after Greg Williams’ sudden resignation Aug. 21, canceled to participate in meetings in Columbus that day, according to Boat.

The Spicy Olive, newly opened in West Chester, sells 20 varieties of olive oil, plus vinegars, spices and more. Photo provided.

The Spicy Olive opens in West Chester – Shauna Steigerwald of The Cincinnati Enquirer writes about The Spicy Olive, newly opened in West Chester, where customers can sample fresh olive oils and aged balsamic vinegars before they buy them.

11 years and heart transplant later, she’s a normal little girl – John Johnston of The Cincinnati Enquirer reported last week on Asia Werner, who recently won 11 medals at the Transplant Games of America and had a heart transplant in December of 2000. Without the donated heart, Asia, who was born with multiple heart defects, likely would have died within days, the doctor who performed the surgery said.

‘Game changer’ development coming to Liberty Twp. – Sheila McLaughlin of The Cincinnati Enquirer provided an update on Liberty Town Square, the $300 million retail, office, entertainment and residential project – the largest development to hit Butler County. The opening for the destination has been pushed back to spring 2015 from fall of 2014.

Posted in: Business, News, Schools |

Tags: Tags: cincinnati restaurant opening, jack in the box, Jack in the Box Cincinnati, Jack in the Box midwest, Jack in the Box Ohio, Jack in the Box West Chester, Lakota East Spark, Lakota East Spark Magazine, Lakota West, Lakota West High School, Liberty Town Square, Liberty Township business news, Liberty Way, Liberty Way Interchange, Liberty Way project, Libertytown LLC, Ohio Department of Health, Ohio Scholastic Media Association, Pertussis, Pertussis Butler County, Pertussis Lakota West, Pertussis Ohio, Spark, Steiner + Associates, The Spark, West Chester business, West Chester business news, West Chester jobs, West Chester restaurant opening, West Chester restaurants, whooping cough, whooping cough Butler County, whooping cough Lakota West, whooping cough Ohio

The proposed $300 million Liberty Town Square development by Steiner + Associates is expected to break ground in early 2013. The project will include two department stores, specialty retail, offices, restaurants, a cinema and luxury apartments. Photo provided.

Sheila McLaughlin reports:

The real estate brokers and businesses are calling Caroline McKinney at the township’s economic development offices, already scoping out the possibilities on the surrounding acres.

They’re eagerly awaiting Liberty Town Square, the $300 million retail, office, entertainment and residential project – the largest development to hit Butler County.

“People are hovering around to see when dirt starts flying,” McKinney said. “It’s a catalyst effect.”

The opening has been pushed back to spring 2015 from fall of 2014, she said.

But when it does open, this mega-mixed-used project could put this Greater Cincinnati suburban community of about 37,000 residents on the map as the next hot spot for commercial development along Interstate 75 because of its regional draw.

Joe Hinson, president of the West Chester-Liberty Chamber Alliance, calls the mega-mixed-use project “a game changer.”

Developer Steiner + Associates has promised the project will mirror its popular Easton Town Center in Columbus and The Greene in Beavercreek.

Locally, there’s nothing like Liberty Town Square, although Steiner’s involvement in the area is nothing new. The Columbus company developed Newport on the Levee, which sparked a rebirth in the Northern Kentucky river city about a decade ago.

“We’re going to see businesses now really start to look at Liberty as an opportunity. In the past, it’s been pretty much a bedroom community,” Hinson said. “When you’ve got the power of I-75 and you’ve got the access also going east to west and north-south, it just becomes a game changer.”

Both township and chamber officials are looking for businesses to relocate to or settle in Liberty Township because of the amenities Liberty Town Square will offer – a place to live, a place to have fun, a place to entertain clients.

Steiner, which shelved a more ambitious plan at $500 million in 2008 when the economy tanked, expects to break ground on Liberty Town Square sometime during the first quarter of 2013 on 64 acres at Liberty Way and I-75.

The first phase of the one-million-square-foot development will include two department stores, a cinema, specialty retail, 100,000 square feet of office space and 150 luxury apartments. Steiner has not yet announced the retailers that will fill the department store spots.

Steiner will be submitting its final development plan for the site in mid-October, while Butler County and township officials continue to refine agreements with developer because the two governments are supporting the project with a combined $35 million in infrastructure improvements. (more…)

Posted in: Business, Government, News |

Tags: Tags: Caroline McKinney, I-75, Interstate 75, Joe Hinson, Liberty Town Square, Liberty Township business news, Liberty Way, Liberty Way Interchange, Liberty Way project, Libertytown LLC, Steiner + Associates

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.

Mellow Mushroom. Provided.

Mellow Mushroom in West Chester to open on Labor Day – The Mellow Mushroom in West Chester opened on Labor Day in the former Rafferty’s location, 9238 Floer Drive, off Union Centre Boulevard. The restaurant will be open from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and from 11 a.m. to 1 a.m Friday through Saturday.

Music retailer opens at Bridgewater Falls – A music retailer featuring guitars, amps, drums, keyboards, microphones and more opened Monday morning in the Bridgewater Falls Lifestyle Shopping Center. The store, Play on This!, specializes in music wares and wearables and is an authorized retailer for Two Old Hippies merchandise.

Frisch’s. Provided.

New Frisch’s Big Boy opens in Liberty Township – A new Frisch’s Big Boy restaurant opened in Liberty Township last Monday. Located at 7075 Yankee Road, the second Frisch’s outpost in Liberty Township offers drive-through and eat-in dining. The restaurant is located near the Kroger Marketplace and Lakota East High School.

Lakota school district finalizes 2012-2013 academic calendar – The Lakota school district finalized its 2012-2013 academic calendar last Monday after the Ohio Department of Education approved Nov. 5 and Nov. 6 as professional development days for all teaching staff. School wraps up in late May, with a one-hour early releases on May 30 and May 31, which is the last day for students.

Gabby Blados.

Lakota athletes commit to Division I schools – Two Lakota West juniors and a Lakota East senior have recently made verbal commitments to play their respected sport in college. Jr. Lauren Heger (soccer) picked Cincinnati, Jr. Gabby Blados (volleyball) picked Clemson and Sr. Jarrett Rindfleisch (baseball) will attend Ball State.

Lakota West holds No. 2 Urusline to scoreless tie – Both Lakota West and Ursuline had reasons to win last Tuesday, but neither team could find a way to get it past the other’s goalkeeper in what ended in a 0-0 tie at Steve Cummins Soccer Park in West Chester Township.

New texting ban rules take effect – Shauna Steigerwald of The Cincinnati Enquirer reported last week on Ohio’s new law banning texting while driving – and prohibiting teens from using wireless communications devices in any way while driving.

Posted in: Business, Fall sports, Government, News, Schools, Sports |

Tags: Tags: Bridgewater Falls, Bridgewater Falls Shopping Center, Frisch's Big Boy, Frisch's Big Boy Liberty Township, Liberty Township business news, Mellow Mushroom, Mellow Mushroom West Chester, Play on This, Play on This Bridgewater Falls, restaurant opening, West Chester business, West Chester business news, West Chester jobs, West Chester restaurant opening, West Chester restaurants

Sue Kiesewetter reports:

The owner of West Chester Lawn and Garden will have to wait another month to get a decision on a zone change and overall plan for his property, located in Liberty Township.

Owner Dale Magie had asked the zoning be changed from business to business planned unit development for his four-acre property at 7267 Yankee Road. The property also lies in the Cincinnati-Dayton Road overlay district.

But it wasn’t until the public hearing – after the township’s zoning and the Butler County planning commissions – that Magie asked for a change to the sidewalk width and for relief on sign requirements.

“I don’t like this coming at us with loose ends. Why wasn’t this brought up at the zoning commission?’’ said Trustee Pat Hiltman. “We ask a lot of our volunteers (on the zoning commission.) I think they deserve the opportunity to look at this again and report back.”

Trustees have final approval on zoning changes but receive recommendations from both the county and township zoning commissions. Both approved the change, with conditions, before the sidewalk width and sign issues were brought up.

In the plan for the property, the owner proposes to add a 12-foot by 30-foot concrete pad that could be seen from nearby Ohio 129 to display tractors.

It also calls for a 75-foot long storage area for mulch or other bulk materials. It would be screened by a six-foot high wall.

Staff members recommended in favor of the project with some condition, including installation of a sidewalk along Yankee Road within five years, sooner if the building is expanded.

It also recommended that if signs are replaced, new ones would have to conform with existing code.

The staff also recommended that the business be limited to 12 annual temporary events on the property, each running no longer than Thursday to Sunday.

For only three events displays, tents and product could be left in the open during the duration of the event. Materials would have to be brought in each evening for the other nine.

Magie is in the process of renaming the business. The existing signs were installed before the current code was adopted and do not meet current standards.

Liberty Township trustees sent the project back to the zoning commission for reconsideration of issues related to the sidewalk and signs. It will be reviewed Sept. 10.

Posted in: Business, Government, News |

Tags: Tags: Dale Magie, Liberty Township business news, Liberty Township Trustee Pat Hiltman, Liberty Township trustees, Pat Hiltman, West Chester Lawn and Garden

Pictured of the new Frisch’s on Yankee Road in Liberty Township. The restaurant near Kroger Marketplace and Lakota East High School opened Aug. 27, 2012. Photo provided.

Shauna Steigerwald reports:

A new Frisch’s Big Boy restaurant opened in Liberty Township Monday.

Located at 7075 Yankee Road, the second Frisch’s outpost in Liberty Township will offer drive-through and eat-in dining.

“Our recent expansion is in response to high customer demand,” Karen Maier, Frisch’s vice president of marketing, said in a press release. “Liberty Township, in particular, has been a huge supporter of our restaurant.”

Hours of operation are from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and from 7 a.m. to midnight Friday through Saturday.

For more information, call 513-755-5455 or visit www.frischs.com.

To learn about new businesses throughout Cincinnati, visit Shauna Steigerwald’s New in Town blog on Cincinnati.com.

Posted in: Business, News |

Tags: Tags: Frisch's Big Boy, Frisch's Big Boy Liberty Township, Liberty Township business news, restaurant opening