HAMILTON — A three-way Hamilton mayor's race and a 15-candidate competition for six City Council seats head the long list of races that will appear on ballots in Butler County on Nov. 6.

        Mayor Adolf Olivas, Vice Mayor Thomas Nye and Councilman Donald Ryan are vying for Hamilton's top elected seat in the city's first direct mayoral election.

        Until this year, the city's election system awarded the mayor's position to the top City Council vote-getter. But a voter-approved change in the city charter last year separated the mayor's race from the council race.

        The mayor and the three top vote-getters for council will serve four-year terms, while the next three vote-getters will serve for two years. Thursday was the deadline for candidates to file petitions with the Butler County Board of Elections.

        The Butler ballot also will feature township trustee and board of education races.

        Hamilton City Council incumbents Katherine Becker, Archie Johnson and George McNally are seeking re-election.

        One of the City Council candidates is Richard Holzberger, who resigned from council June 30 so that he could collect his state and city law enforcement pension. He is expected to be reappointed to a seat Sept. 4. replacing Sharon Hughes, who will leave council to accept a job with the Butler County Treasurer's Office.

        Other Hamilton council candidates: former Butler County Commissioner Edward Shelton, Daniel Acton, Christopher Flaig, Phillip Grubb, Shawn Hamilton, Patrick Moeller, James Noonan, Art Sauerwein, Jane Schlichter, Robert Weber and Robert Wittman.

        In Middletown, four candidates are competing for a First Ward City Council seat. They are incumbent Councilman Fred Sennett and James E. Armbruster, Robert Muterspaw and Perry Thatcher.

        Anthony Marconi and Nancy Nix are running for Middletown's Third Ward seat. Mayor Robert Hill Jr., of the Second Ward, and Vice Mayor David Schiavone, of the Fourth Ward, are unopposed.

        In Fairfield, seven candidates are running for three at-large seats on City Council. They are Mayor Robert Wolpert, incumbent Councilman Mark Scharringhausen, and John Crothers, Howard Dirksen, Donald Hassler, Jill Kinder and Charles Klosterman. Councilman Eric Cook is unopposed for mayor.

        In West Chester Township, G. Scott Owens and Mark Sennet are challenging incumbent Trustees Jose Alvarez and Catherine Stoker.

Cities still shun adult businesses
New teacher beats first-day anxieties
Pair arrested in embezzlement
27 file petitions for council race
Eight are vying for CPS board
Local NAACP to hold back-to-school rally
Man shot dead inside furniture store
Weekend events make for tough travel
RADEL: Rijo, Schippers
4-wheeling fans fill Cleves
Gridlock looms at Riverfest
Hopefuls looking for lady luck
One ball off, but someone won 100 grand
Sayler Park seeks funds
Tristate A.M. Report
Variety of school levies in SW Ohio
Deerfield trustee to bow out
New baby quickly gets new family
School invites people from township to picnic
Three compete for Hamilton mayor
Township asking for levies
OU contractors ordered to pay fines, back wages
Parole board rejects clemency
Study: Test can't predict preparedness
Chili, car show looking for some riverfront magic
Delays plague Ky. 17 stretch
Kentucky News Briefs
Louisville Slugger checks swing on 'old bats' sign