Looking back on a sometimes-rocky 2001, it's refreshing to see the ways that positive developments emerged in the region.

        In Butler County, Hamilton has had a rough year. Budget cuts and the closings of Mosler and Mercy Hospital (among other employers) have put the city in the news.

        But some former Mercy employees have been hired at The Fort Hamilton Hospital and Smart Papers continues to operate the old Champion Paper Co. plant.

        In Warren County, political battles have occupied city councils in Lebanon and Waynesville, but the communities have continued to attract more new residents.

        Hamilton County also has a reason to be thankful. The former uranium-enrichment plant at Fernald in Crosby Township is being improved.

        Over the years, the soil, ground water and buildings became contaminated. But this year, the 50th anniversary, the site has seen major clean-up work as U.S. Rep. Rob Portman has made Fernald a major priority.

        In southern Clermont County, people have tried to save a historic log house in Chilo.

        The privately owned log house was sold through a buyout. The county and the Federal Emergency Management Agency have offered to remove structures subjected to periodic flooding.

        The village and the Committee to Save Chilo's Historic Log Cabin asked the county commissioners to deed the log house back to them.

        They would hold the county and FEMA faultless should it be damaged by future flooding. They also said they would seek grant money to restore the structure.

        Commissioners are still waiting for a reply from the FEMA.

        WAYNESVILLE — Carrie Baldwin, the village's former public information officer, has joined ABC Channel 7.

        She will leave for Chicago Jan. 7 to produce news and feature stories with reporter Karen Meyer, once the vice chairman of the President's Committee on Employment for People with Disabilities.

        “We wish Carrie well and we are very proud of her,” said Village Manager Kevin Harper. “This is an exciting opportunity.”
       

        Randy McNutt's column appears Saturday. Contact him at 755-4158 or at The Enquirer, 7700 Service Center Drive., West Chester, OH 45069. Fax: 755-4150. E-mail: Rmcnutt@Enquirer.com.

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