Community News

Residents, nonprofit leaders, elected officials, and business owners gathered at the Murphy Theatre on May 28 to hear from Hamilton Mayor Pat Moeller as part of Wilmington’s ongoing charter government discussions. Moeller shared his experience in public service and discussed how their city's charter operates under a 'Council-Manager' form of government. Located in Butler County, Hamilton is home to approximately 65,000 residents and has spent decades reinventing itself follow

"I was just really interested in the backstory and where the coffee comes from and how it's made and all the creativity that can come from it," stated Carly Davis, owner of Lazy Cat Coffee, a mobile coffee trailer. Carly, originally from Zanesville, has lived in the Wilmington area for two years. After her husband got a job in Dayton, the two decided to move to Wilmington for a "small town feel" and better commute. Carly was previously a project manager; however, she did not

Photo Courtesy of the Wilmington News Journal Wilmington High School student-athletes wrapped up another competitive spring sports season, representing the Hurricanes across baseball, softball, track and field, tennis, and lacrosse. Several teams and individuals posted strong performances throughout the year, including a successful softball season and numerous track and field athletes who ranked among the top competitors in the SBAAC. 2026 SPRING SPORTS RECAP Baseball: Confer

Artistic Exploration The second public meeting for the Wilmington Community Recreation Center Fund was held on Wednesday, May 27, 2026, from 6pm to 7pm at the City of Wilmington Municipal Building. Attendees included Bruce Saunders, President of the Clinton County Trails Coalition, Tom Dreyer, former Business Development Director for Ohio Living Cape May and current Vice President of Southwest Ohio for the National Christian Foundation, Shelly Knowles, and Dustin Pearce. The

WILMINGTON, Ohio (May 26, 2027)—The City of Wilmington announces that crews will begin replacing downtown streetlight fixtures with new LED fixtures beginning today, Thursday, May 28 and continuing through Friday, June 5, weather permitting. The project is part of the City’s ongoing efforts to improve lighting reliability, enhance visibility and safety, and reduce long-term maintenance costs throughout the downtown area. Residents, business owners, and visitors should be awar

WILMINGTON, Ohio (May 27, 206)—Wilmington High School’s (WHS) Cameron Griffith was awarded the $500 Randall J. Harris Scholarship in graduation ceremonies Friday, May 22. Griffith will attend Ohio University in the fall. He ranked in the top 10 in his class academically. Athletically, he participated on the varsity golf, basketball, and baseball teams. He earned all-conference honors in basketball and baseball. Randall James (Randy) Harris, a 1971 graduate of WHS, was a staff

"It’s so much better to be able to build a business here in the community I grew up in…," said Rachel Merkle, owner and operator of Merkle Wellness Solutions, a virtual nutrition education and counseling service. Rachel shared her deep appreciation for the community’s support and encouragement. Rachel and her husband grew up in the area, graduating from Clinton-Massie Local Schools. After moving to Northeast Ohio for college, the two “bounced around,” but eventually came back

Judi Shidaker, Krista Tolliver, Diane Rhonemus, Jim Rankin, and Nancy McKay "Two of the objectives of the club are promoting education and knowledge of Republican values... We also invite and welcome Republican candidates to our meetings and... are able to ask questions and get to know the candidate on a more personal basis,” stated Diane Rhonemus, President of the Clinton County Republican Women’s Club (CCRWC). Diane grew up on a farm in northwestern Ohio and met her husband

"You can't just stand up in front of the room and give a brief demonstration, and have them go and do, because people are not familiar with this... They've been told their whole lives, 'be careful, don't break the glass,' and here I am telling them to snap it on purpose," shared John Schum, co-owner of South Street Gallery, located at 39 N South Street. The gallery and stained glass studio was founded by John, who began working with stained glass decades ago after learning th

Billy Foster & Dustin Pearce Billy Foster joins the podcast to share stories about the life and lasting impact of his late father-in-law and former Clinton County Prosecutor, Rick Moyer. The annual Pump N Run 5K honors Rick’s legacy in Clinton County while raising funds for a $1,000 scholarship awarded to a local student pursuing further education in Agriculture, Criminal Justice, or History. Sign up for the event at: runsignup.com/Race/OH/Wilmington/4thAnnualRickMoyerLegacyF

"I'll be glad to see it up," stated Mark Buckley, Owner of Buckley Brothers Inc., regarding the recently completed flag mural on the Buckley Brothers silos. According to Buckley, the idea for the mural originated from Main Street Wilmington, the City of Wilmington, and Clinton County officials. He shared that he is providing "just a canvas" and the driving forces behind the project are Trevor Shoemaker, Executive Director of Main Street Wilmington, and Kyle Rudduck, Clinton C

"I feel like [HelloHero, a third-party mental health service] is problem solving and just open to anything for the sake of the kids... and that's been very helpful," stated Natalie Harmeling, Director of Pupil Services at Wilmington City Schools (WCS), located at 341 S Nelson Avenue. Through her position, Harmeling handles working with students and problem-solving. Roughly one year ago, HelloHero, a family-centered wellness organization, reached out to WCS, as they believed

Janelle Watkins & Kristina Hughes "[You-Turn Recovery] helps you accomplish things in life when we're not used to accomplishing anything," stated Janelle Watkins, graduate of the You-Turn Recovery Docket program. "This is bigger than, like, your high school graduation even [because] this is your life back," stated Kristina Hughes, another graduate of the program. Kristina Hughes and Janelle Watkins will graduate from the 21-month program on May 15th. The program allows defend

President Corey Cockerill enjoys keynote speaker Gary Hirsch's dynamic presentation as she prepares to read his honorary doctorate citation. WILMINGTON, Ohio (May 4, 2026)—Gary Hirsch told the Class of 2026 to become improvisers, since uncertainty in life is inevitable. He offered some sage advice as a career improviser on navigating uncertainty with intention and grace. An artist, author and creative leader, Hirsch presented an interactive keynote address at Saturday’s Wilmi

Mike Sauer & Jessie Lanter "We wanted to make it a beautiful place that our crew and our customers could be proud of," stated Mike Sauer, Owner of the Wilmington Skyline, located at 2799 Rombach Avenue. The Wilmington Skyline location recently underwent renovations for five weeks to redo the restaurant from floor to ceiling. According to Mike, they "gutted the place" to both modernize the appearance of the restaurant and update the equipment. They added large group seating,