Clermont County broke ground on the first phase of a Filager Campus in Batavia on June 15.

The campus will replace outdated buildings and outdoor storage for County Engineer’s Office Highway Operations and Clermont County Fleet Maintenance.

The new facilities will take the place of existing facilities, many of which were constructed in the 1950s and 60s.

Monarch Construction Co. of Cincinnati received the contract for the project. Completion is anticipated in the summer of 2024.

Read more here

Deputy Bobby Pham in May was awarded with a Medal of Valor from President Joe Biden in Washington D.C. for his role in saving a woman from a sinking car in East Fork Lake. On June 14, the Board of County Commissioners recognized Deputy Pham for his heroics.

The rescue happened in November 2021 when it was about 28 degrees outside.

The woman had made suicidal statements to a mobile crisis hotline and Pham witnessed her drive down a boat ramp and into the lake.

“I turned my lights on," Pham told FOX19 at the time. "She didn’t stop. She traveled at a high rate of speed down the boat ramp.”

The car became submerged in water, and the woman was trapped inside. An officer with the Ohio Department of Natural Resources, Matt Kruse, anchored Deputy Pham as he scrambled to save her life.

The rescue wasn’t easy, and the vehicle quickly sank once she was out.

“It was very dark,” Pham said. “The water was very cold and the only thing I had was my flashlight.”

Duke Energy began construction of the Bethel-Batavia Pipeline starting in mid-June. The new natural gas pipeline will allow Duke to meet the increased demand on its natural gas system in southwest Ohio.

For any questions about the project, email the project team at BBPipeline@duke-energy.com, call the project hotline at 513.287.2130 or visit duke-energy.com/bbpipeline.

The Clermont County Addictions & Recovery Partnership has published A Guide to Substance Use Recovery Resources in Clermont County.

Sections include Treatment Centers, Recovery Support, Community Resources, In the Event of an Overdose, Safety Resources, Signs of an Overdose, and Harm Reduction.

To get copies of the guide, please contact the Clermont County Mental Health and Recovery Board at (513) 732-5400.

About 40,000 second-half real estate tax bills were mailed on June 9, said Clermont County Treasurer Jeannie M. Zurmehly. The deadline for payment, without penalty, is July 7. 

Taxes can be paid by mail or in person at the Treasurer’s Office on the second floor of the County Administration Building, 101 E. Main Street, Batavia, 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m., Monday-Friday. Taxes may also be paid by credit card or e-check at www.clermonttreasurer.org.

A night deposit is located at the Main Street entrance of the Administration Building for payment of taxes after hours. Taxpayers with questions may call 513-732-7254 or email at Treasurer@clermontcountyohio.gov.

If you’re headed to one of the lakes or rivers in Clermont County to cool off this summer, make sure you check the water conditions before you visit.

Public Health tests bacteria levels at Harsha Lake, Stonelick Lake, the Ohio River, and the Little Miami River. You can find the results on their website. 

The restoration of an impaired tributary is underway at the East Fork Riparian Reserve, thanks to a collaborative effort between the Clinton County Park District, the Ohio Public Works Commission (OPWC), the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) and local Soil and Water Conservation Districts (SWCDs). The reserve is a unique 70+ acre park located along the East Fork Little Miami River on the border of Clinton and Highland counties. It was acquired by the park district in the early 2000s and has since undergone a major transformation from degraded farmland into natural prairie and forested land.

In addition to the vibrant yellow wildflowers and vivid green grass, outdoor enthusiasts may have noticed a new color popping up around various parks in Clermont County during the past several months.

Twenty-four blue outdoor recycling containers were installed at the shelter/pavilion areas and in other public areas at East Fork State Park, Stonelick State Park and Pattison Park to expand recycling opportunities for the thousands of people that visit those parks annually. Each durable metal recycling container is clearly marked for recycling with an attached sign listing the materials that are accepted for recycling: glass and plastic bottles, aluminum and steel cans, paper, cardboard, and most plastic cups. These recycling containers were partially funded by a grant from the Ohio EPA with matching funds contributed by the Adams-Clermont Solid Waste District.

Additionally, the Solid Waste District increased the pick-up frequency of the public recycling dumpsters at the East Fork State Park and Stonelick State Park campgrounds, as well as added an additional public recycling dumpster at Pattison Park due to increased public usage. 

Please visit www.OEQ.net for more information about recycling or any other services provided by the Adams-Clermont Solid Waste District.