Cooper High School 2025 tight end/defensive end Austin Alexander announced Friday afternoon he has given a verbal commitment to play football at the University of North Carolina. Alexander made the announcement in front of his family, classmates, teammates and coaches at Cooper High School. Alexander, a four-star player by 247 Sports, earned 81 tackles (57 solo) including 19 sacks for the Jaguars this past season. He had 67 receptions for 1,139 yards receiving and 19 touchdowns. He also had an interception return for 75 yards. He was a first-team all-state defensive player. Cooper (12-3 in 202 ..read more

It's time for fun and thrills because Kings Island is set to open for the 2024 season Saturday. The amusement park is back with new rides, areas and food options as well as its classic rides and roller coasters. For those wanting to get the most out of the park, here are the must-see attractions at Kings Island: The Beast The Beat is synonymous with Kings Island. The 7,361-feet long wooden roller coaster the longest wooden coaster in the world spans through 35 acres of woods as riders are whipped around turns and drops over 4 minutes of ride time. The roller coaster was first introduced in 197 ..read more

On any given night in the U.S., an estimated 650,000 people are experiencing homelessness, and the nation's capital has the highest rate in the country, with 73 out of every 10,000 people being unhoused. The Supreme Court is considering a case that could allow cities to make sleeping outside a crime. But advocates say pushing the homeless out of the city limits doesn't help them get back on their feet. So what does? Amanda Chesney is the executive director of housing and homeless services for Catholic Charities, one of the nonprofits contracted to provide services in Washington ..read more

Lakota West High School named Jay Chadwell on Friday afternoon as its new girls basketball coach. Chadwell was an assistant coach at the University of Mount Union this past season. "I am please to announce Jay Chadwell as the new girls head basketball coach of Lakota West," Lakota West principal Ben Brown said in a statement. "Our search included strong candidates from throughout Ohio and around the country. Coach Chadwell has proven to be a dedicated coach to each and every student-athlete. Not only is he knowledgeable and passionate about basketball, but his excellence as a school leader has ..read more

Apple said it had removed Metas WhatsApp messaging app and its Threads social media app from the App Store in China to comply with orders from Chinese authorities. The apps were removed from the store on Friday after Chinese officials cited unspecified national security concerns. Their removal comes amid elevated tensions between the U.S. and China over trade, technology and national security. The U.S. has threatened to ban TikTok over national security concerns. But while TikTok, owned by Chinese technology firm ByteDance, is used by millions in the U.S., apps like WhatsApp and Threads are no ..read more

As Jews around the world prepare to celebrate Passover, the families of hostages held in Gaza are calling on the world to help rescue their loved ones.  "This is not a monolithic, homogeneous group of people," said Rachel Goldberg, whose son, Hersh Goldberg-Polin, was taken hostage by Hamas on Oct. 7. "These are people who are from 25 different nations. And I would like to ask, Where are the leaders of those specific 25 nations that have civilians, have citizens who are being held still in Gaza?" Goldberg was one of several parents who were part of a virtual press conference on Friday, no ..read more

A bipartisan group of lawmakers proposed legislation that would require the Internal Revenue Service to provide more details to taxpayers when automatically correcting a tax return.  According to the IRS, the agency can automatically fix a return due to a simple math error, or if a form is forgotten.  "The IRS will correct the math error while processing the tax return and notify the taxpayer by mail. The agency will send a letter requesting any missing forms or schedules," the IRS said.  However, the lawmakers, who include two Republicans and two Democrats, say the IRS needs to ..read more

There were reports of a car blocking traffic and doing donuts in the Banks near Holy Grail Tavern & Grille Thursday night. Will Thurman lives at the Banks and said he heard "tires squealing" and "engines revving" at approximately 9 p.m. People told us they saw cars speeding, doing donuts and burnouts and causing a lot of noise in the area. "Sad part is though it's typically part of living down here anymore where these noises have become almost the norm," Thurman said. "It shouldn't be the norm but it is." Our crew on the scene said there was no police presence but there were visible skid m ..read more

Over 30 animals were rescued from a Middletown home after police executed a search warrant for narcotics and arrested multiple people, according to Middletown police. Police said they were at the home on Hill Avenue after receiving complaints of drug use and drug trafficking. In the back yard of the home, police said there was a homeless encampment numerous people would frequent. In addition to complaints about drugs, Middletown police said they also received complaints about people defecating in the alleys nearby. Police found the home to be in "deplorable" condition and "unfit for habitation ..read more

The Bengals on Friday announced the passing of longtime team executive, Bill Tobin, the father of current Director of Player Personnel Duke Tobin. He was 83. Bill joined the Bengals in 2003 as a scouting consultant. He worked in the player personnel department through 2022. Before that, Bill was the Director of Player Personnel for the Detroit Lions after he held the role of General Manager for the Chicago Bears and Indianapolis Colts. He was a true NFL success story, said Bengals President Mike Brown. He was a good person and I considered him a good friend. With Bill, I respected everything h ..read more