News

MIDDLETOWN, Ohio — As the COVID-19 pandemic continues into its ninth month, many federal funds aimed at helping small business owners have dried up and those local businesses are searching for more assistance. As a result, Middletown is now working to provide thousands of dollars in forgivable micro-loans for loca...Continue Reading

A Middletown High School graduate who has been working as a freelance filmmaker is seeking an $8,000 small business grant to help get his multimedia business up and running. Entrepreneur Alfredo Peters was born and raised in Middletown and is a 2009 MHS graduate. He graduated from Grand Valley State Universit...Continue Reading

Kayaking season on the Great Miami River may be done for the year, but one of Middletown’s newest businesses expects to remain busy with local bands and new offerings. Karen Richardson said the BAABs Kayaking and Livery, 2401 Carmody Blvd., now features a full bar and is working to raise fund...Continue Reading

A new experimental school-to-work program based at Miami University’s Hamilton and Middletown regional campuses is the template for all Ohio community and four-year universities, state leaders and school officials said this week. And the Hamilton component of Miami’s Work Plus Program may eventually include providing downtown housing for participating students, sai...Continue Reading

The Butler County commissioners are planning to find or possibly build a location to stockpile personal protective equiment and other supplies to weather the coronavirus pandemic long-term. Commissioner Don Dixon said during a budget hearing with the county's maintenance department they need to consider building, renting or retrofitting an existing county building...Continue Reading

MIDDLETOWN, Ohio — In small town Ohio, commerce isn’t flowing like usual for a lot of businesses, causing some to close their doors due to the impact of the pandemic.  Many of these towns are looking at different ways to bring business back—Middletown is one of them.  So to bring traffic to th...Continue Reading

BUTLER COUNTY — When asked why she and her business partner would open a restaurant during the coronavirus, Monica Nenni, co-owner of a popular downtown Middletown bar, responded: “Crazy times make people do crazy things." During the last seven months when we have been strangled by the coronavirus and its ever-changin...Continue Reading

MIDDLETOWN, Ohio (WKRC) - Several Butler County business and community leaders sent a letter to the Butler County Commissioners, Madison Township Trustees and the Butler County Planning and Rural Zoning Commission members asking them to support and vote to approve the Planned Unit Development application that Land of Illusion submitte...Continue Reading

MIDDLETOWN — Once home to three family-owned Italian restaurants that have since closed, a Middletown building will soon be transformed into another Italian restaurant. Melissa Kutzera and Monica Nenni, co-owners of West Central Wine on Central Avenue, are leasing the building that housed Stefano’s Italian Cafe and are opening Bandanas Italia...Continue Reading

When Covid-19 rocked the oil industry, CEO Steve Hightower says he shifted his focus toward the same guiding principles that shaped his company's growth in the first place. Read full article.Continue Reading

In an effort to help entrepreneurs, small business owners and start-ups, Middletown is in the process of updating its Small Business Entrepreneurial Assistance Grant program. Chris Xeil Lyons, the city’s economic development director, has been working to reach out to small business owners to help them strengthen their business in th...Continue Reading

MIDDLETOWN, Ohio (FOX19) - A proposal from the City of Middletown and the Ohio Department of Transportation aims to improve and extend bike paths in the city. The project would either add directional or shared lane marking on four roads in Middletown, according to the city’s press release. The roads that coul...Continue Reading

In a 2017 survey, Middletown residents identified Chipotle as a highly desired restaurant for the the city. Today, city officials can check Chipotle Mexican Grill off that list when the restaurant opens at 3445 Towne Blvd. The new Chipotle is located in an outlot of the Towne Mall Galleria in front o...Continue Reading

Dairy Queen will be returning to its former Middletown location on Roosevelt Boulevard after more than 20 years. Piyush Patel of Liberty Twp. received a building permit from the city of Middletown Building Department on July 23 to construct a new a Dairy Queen Grill & Chill in a sublot i...Continue Reading

Middletown City Council approved a pair of Small Business Entrepreneurial Assistance grants to help new businesses with start-up expenses. One grant was awarded to BAAB’s Kayaking, 2401 Carmody Blvd., for $5,000 to cover permit fees and insurance costs with the Miami Conservancy District to enable access to the exit the Grea...Continue Reading

While the coronavirus has hampered businesses for the past few months, Middletown City Council approved a tax abatement and a small business grant. Council approved an initial five-year Enterprise Zone Agreement to Knust Properties LLC for the development of two speculative buildings on six acres at the Greentree Industrial Park. David Knus...Continue Reading

A new retail destination specializing in biker apparel and parts is slated to open in downtown. Annie Up Boutique is set to makes its debut at 1391 Central Ave. with grand opening festivities planned for a later date, according to owner Andrea Booth, a lifelong Madison Twp. resident. Read full article.Continue Reading

MIDDLETOWN — Property owners in Middletown who have vacant lots adjacent to their own will have the opportunity to purchase them starting July 1. Middletown previously had a program to allow adjacent property owners or nonprofits to purchase these lots that the city was maintaining for $500 to cover the transfer and othe...Continue Reading

Ohio is one of the best states for business, according to Chief Executive magazine. The Buckeye State ranked No. 9 on the magazine's annual ranking of Best & Worst States for Business. Chief Executive praised Ohio for its "demonstrated (value) through the continuous groundbreakings and expansions," citing projects like CoverMyMeds' Columbus are...Continue Reading

MIDDLETOWN — In the next few weeks, improvements at Sunset Park and the adjacent neighborhood will mark the completion of Middletown’s first project in its 25-year, $269 million Long Term Control Plan mandated by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The city signed a consent decree with the EPA to develop the program t...Continue Reading

Site Selection Factors for the Automotive Industry The U.S., Mexico, Canada Agreement (USMCA), for example, which has now higher local [requirements] content. So before, the local content for automotive projects was at about 62%, and now they raised it to 75%, which means you have to manufacture much more in th...Continue Reading

When Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine closed the bars earlier this month to reduce the spread of the coronavirus, a West Chester Twp. couple knew they had to shift their business model. Mike and Debbie Dranschak opened White Dog Distilling Company on Central Avenue in Middletown 16 months ago and they realize...Continue Reading

Ohio has an outstanding economic development network that goes above and beyond for communities, companies and people. By working together toward a common goal, you make a difference. Site Selection Magazine’s Governor’s Cup results are a testament to this unwavering work ethic. You helped make Ohio No. 1! As the No. 1 stat...Continue Reading

Construction has started on a $10 million school campus expansion that Middletown School officials say will help both relieve elementary classroom overcrowding and improve learning spaces. Middletown school and city officials recently broke ground on the campus of Rosa Park Elementary to begin construction on additional classroom space. When the new additio...Continue Reading