BUSINESS SPOTLIGHT B1
Your Community Press newspaper serving Miami Township and Milford Michael Moore, director of the Utility Trailer Manufacturing Co. parts distribution center
Email: milford@communitypress.com Website: communitypress.com We d n e s d a y, J u n e
8, 2011
ADVERTISER
B E C A U S E C O M M U N I T Y M AT T E R S
50¢
June 2, March forth
Anneliese Myers of Milford, Nicholas David Hornsby of Loveland and Tommy Myers of Milford, left, enjoy a snack before the Frontier Days Parade. The honor guard, right, as well as cruisers from the Milford Police Department, the Miami Township Police Department, the Hamilton County Sheriff's Office and the Clermont County Sheriff's Office all participated in the Milford Frontier Days Parade Thursday, June 2. More photos online at Cincinnati.com/Milford, and inside, page B6.
Vol. 31 No. 20 © 2011 The Community Press ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
PHOTOS BY KELLIE GEIST-MAY
Underground talk
From the ports in New Richmond and Moscow that accepted slaves as they crossed the Ohio River to the homes of those who stood up and spoke out against enslaving African Americans, Clermont County is packed with historical Underground Railroad sites. Clermont County will host the National Underground Railroad Network to Freedom program’s annual conference this month. SEE LIFE, B1
Golden moments
Members of the Clermont Northeastern High School Class of 2011 received their diplomas May 27 at Southern State Community College in Hillsboro. SEE SCHOOLS, A5
Wanted: A real-life Santa
5-year-old needs someone to deliver toys to Joplin
By Kellie Geist-May
kmay@communitypress.com
Logan Cross knows he’s a lucky guy. He has a nice home, a little brother, two loving parents and plenty of toys. So when he saw how devastated the May 22 tornado left the town of Joplin, Mo., he knew he had to do something. “We saw a picture of a T-shirt hanging in a tree on the news and he asked, ‘Where are the toys?’” Logan’s mom Shannon Cross said. That’s when the 5-year-old Milford resident started packing up his own toys – new and gently used. “He came to me with this basket of his toys and asked if he could donate them to the kids in Joplin,” Shannon said. “I wanted to cry.” “He really appreciates what he has and he’s just so proud that he can help,” she said. The collecting didn’t stop there. Logan got his 3-year-old brother on board before he started hitting up his friends and classmates for donations. Logan even spent his $10 in birthday money on toys to send. Logan said he didn’t remember all of what he saw, but the news did make an impact. “Their houses are tore down and their toys are broken,” he said. Pointing to the corner full of toys, Logan said “these will help.” While the family’s living room is already full of toys, they are happy to take additional donations for Joplin. Shannon isn’t sure how she will get the toys to Missouri – and she’s still looking for help with
Toys continued A2
Earth movers
How would Clermont County respond to an earthquake that rattles the New Madrid seismic zone? More than 40 representatives from emergency response agencies across the county gathered at the Clermont County Emergency Operations Center in Batavia to take part in a day-long earthquake exercise called Shaken Horizon ’11. SEE STORY, A3
To place an ad, call 242-4000.
KELLIE GEIST-MAY/STAFF
Logan Cross, 5, and his brother Mason Cross, 3, pack boxes of toys to send to Joplin, Mo. The city was hit with an EF-5 tornado May 22.
Milford to eliminate four school bus routes By Mary Dannemiller mdannemiller@communitypress.com
MILFORD – Four bus routes will be eliminated next school year in a move that is expected to save the Milford Exempted Village School District more than $300,000. Two special education routes will be combined and the other two are yet to be determined, said Operations Manager Jeff Johnson. “We discovered we can combine those special education routes and that allows us to save on the aides that would have to be on those buses,” he said. “We
don’t have every detail yet, but we will look at details such as bus stops and pick up times over the summer. It won’t be a drastic change.” Superintendent Bob Farrell said he doesn’t expect students to have to ride the bus more than 10 to 15 minutes longer than they do now. “I’d like for bus routes to be really fast, but there’s an expense that goes with it,” he said. “We’re trying to make reductions so the district can continue to provide programs, but there have to be small sacrifices so we can still provide a very safe and accommodating transportation service.”
When determining which routes will be eliminated, Johnson said the district will look at two very important factors – bus capacity and time. “There are two limiting factors,” he said. “One is the number of kids you can put on a bus and the other is time. Some buses are packed, but they only stop at an apartment complex so it’s a shorter ride. Other buses can hold 50 kids and only have 15 on there, but combining it with another route would make the ride too long.”
“I’d like for bus routes to be really fast, but there’s an expense that goes with it. We’re trying to make reductions so the district can continue to provide programs, but there have to be small sacrifices so we can still provide a very safe and accommodating transportation service.”
Bus routes continued A2
Bob Farrell Milford Schools superintendent
OPEN HOUSE!
Saturday, June 18, 10:00 am to 2:00 pm CE-0000460927
Dance Tumble Face Painting Refreshments
5985 Meijer Dr., Milford, OH 45150 / 513-576-1400
www.dance-etc.com