The Journal News from Hamilton, Ohio • A1

EXPLAINER, A3 Dems boycott as court pick clears committee See next as Amy Coney Barrett, President nominee for the Supreme Court, speeds toward INDEX Business A6 Comics D2 Crossword D3 Deaths B3 LOCAL STATE, B1 NEARLY ALREADY HAVE CAST BALLOTS IN BUTLER CO. LOCAL STATE, B1 HAMILTON TEACHERS ASSIST IN BOLSTERING FOOD SUPPLY SPORTS, C1 KEY FOR BENGALS: CORRALLING HUNT Delivery times; 8:00 Sun, 7:30 Sat, 6:30 Mon-Fri, contact us at or (877) 267-0018 Breaking news all day at Volume 99, Number 297 Copyright 2020 Journal-News WHERE A BIGGER NEWSPAPER MEANS MORE LOCAL NEWS $2.00 Friday October 23, 2020 Full Northern Cincinnati forecast: C6 P.M. storm probable Today Mix of clouds, sun Saturday Mostly cloudy Sunday A product of the Dayton Daily News CHECK OUT EPAPER DEBATE COVERAGE Subscribers, get highlights of the presidential debate at Also, speak out on our Ohio Politics Facebook page. By Denise G. Callahan Staff Writer A group of 14 Butler County fire departments was hoping to receive $2 million to replace obsolete radios, but the Federal EmergencyManagementAgency rejected theapplication thisweek.

are disappointed that we were not awarded the grant but understood going in that (Assis- tance to Firefighters Grants) are very said Liberty Twp. Fire Chief EthanKlussman, whose department led the grant effort. The departments sought the $2million grant to buy about 530 emergency responder radios. Their contribution would have been a match. Butler County officials found out three years ago theywere fac- ing a $19.2 million bill to replace the obsolete public safety com- munications system and about 3,000 radios that sheriff depu- ties, police, firefighters and oth- ers all carry.

Motorola stopped making the old radios and said it service thembeyond 2018. Most local cities, townships and other jurisdictions balked at their $12.5 million radio bill the sharewas estimated at and began look- ing for cheaper alternatives. The remainder of the cost covered Radios continued on A8 Butler County group had sought to buy 530 responder radios. Fire chiefs lose out on $2M radio grant JOURNAL-NEWS IN-DEPTH A group of 14 Butler County departments were hoping to receive $2 million to replace obsolete Motorola responder radios but FEMA rejected their application this week. GREG LYNCH STAFF By Michael D.

Pitman Staff Writer The novel coronavirus has spread across nearly all of Ohio, as about three-fourths of the population lives in a county see- ing high exposure and said Gov. Mike DeW- ine on Thursday. DeWine said the COVID-19 virus data show Ohioans to those who may have disregarded the previous sober warnings and messages, the governor said, is our situation contin- ues in Ohio to DeW- ine said. is time for all of us to come together. Trulywe need andeveryone of you.

We need you to be fully engaged in this The number of cases reported on Thursdaywas 2,425, which is the largest single-day increase since the start of the pandemic in Ohio 7 months ago. And in eight of the past nine days, have been the largest single-day reported cases increase since mid-March. just goes up and said DeWine. Butler County is 12th in counties ranked by the highest occurrenceof Coronavirus continued on A5 Butler stays Level 3 as Ohio worsens CORONAVIRUS: THE LATEST County is 12th by highest occurrence of virus in state amid large increase. our situation continues in Ohio to Gov.

Mike DeWine said of new case rates of the coronavirus in the state. is time for all of us to come together. Truly we need you, we need each and every one of you. We need you to be fully engaged in this JIM NOELKER STAFF ALSO INSIDE In video classes teachers parse clues to student wellbeing, A5 By Thomas Gnau Staff Writer Layoffs may have slowed nationwide in the most recent week, according to new Labor Department numbers. In the week ending Oct.

17, the advance figure for season- ally adjusted initial claims for unemployment benefits was 787,000 in the U.S., a decrease of 55,000 from the previous revised level, the fed- eral government said Thursday. The number is seen as one barometer of layoffs nationwide. The advance seasonal ly adjusted insured unemploy- ment ratewas 5.7 percent for the week ending Oct. 10, a decrease of 0.7 percentage point from the previous revised rate. Historically, these remain very high numbers, but down dra- matically fromMarch, when the pandemicandrelated shutdowns continued on A8 While numbers still historically high, well down fromMarch.

Claims for jobless benefits fall by 55K JOBS ECONOMY The Mahle Behr auto parts plant is one of several businesses looking for workers. Layoffs may have slowed nationwide recently. THOMAS GNAU STAFF By Josh Sweigart Staff Writer Some Franklin City Schools high school teachers had stu- dents move around frequently in classrooms to skirt quarantine guidelines, a practice that par- ents and health experts worry could expose more people to COVID-19, this newspaper has learned. Franklin Superintendent Michael Sander said Thursday that he and the high school prin- cipal were unaware of the prac- tice until Wednesday and imme- diately told teachers to stop. Students who are exposed to a COVID-19 positive student are reported to the Warren County Health Department for contact tracing and required to quaran- tine for 14 days, according to the COVID-19 reopen- ing plan.

Exposure is defined as being within 6-feet of some- one with COVID-19 for 15 min- utes or more. Teachers continued on A5 Health Department advises againstmoving students around classes. How some teachers tried to avoid guides, why it stopped JOURNAL-NEWS INVESTIGATES EARLYVOTING: You can vote early today at your county board of elections office from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. MAIL-IN BALLOTS: Mailed absen- tee ballots must be postmarked by Nov.

2.You can also drop them off at your county board of elections office through 7:30 p.m. on Nov. 3 ON YOUR Read stories about the races and issues on the ballot atJournal- News.com/elections. TIP OFTHE DAY: Ohio absentee ballots received by Election Day are opened and scanned in advance but votes cannot be tabulated until after the polls close. INSIDE TODAY: U.S.

officials allege Iran is behind recent election interference, A2 11DAYS TILLELECTION DAY ORIGINAL LOCAL NEWS.