Ohio State & Regional News

• Legislation & Education: HB 671 proposes withholding funds from districts suing over the state's voucher program. Meanwhile, public school enrollment has dropped by 27,000 students post-pandemic as private and charter schools grow.
• Taxes & Governance: HB 420 aims to abolish permanent property tax levies by 2030, requiring fixed-term renewals. Additionally, GOP leaders are pushing the federal SAVE America Act to require proof of citizenship for voter registration.
• Public Safety: The Crossing Guard Protection Act would make harassing guards a first-degree misdemeanor. Another bill seeks to modernize background checks by mandating electronic data submission from courts.
• Consumer Alerts:
  • Utility Charges: The Consumers’ Counsel is fighting $189M in charges related to "outdated" coal plants.
  • Data Centers: Rapid expansion is raising alarms over the strain on Ohio’s power grid and water supply.
  • Gas Prices: A study suggests Mondays are the cheapest days to refuel in Ohio.
  • Maintenance: Drivers are urged to wash cars immediately to prevent road salt/brine corrosion.

Dayton & Montgomery County

• Financial Relief: The Dayton Collaboratory raised $137k to abolish $22M in medical debt for 15,000 residents.
• Police & Safety: DPD is opening a new Central Patrol substation near the RTA Hub to increase proactive drug and weapon interventions.
• Development:
  • Dayton Arcade: The North Arcade and marketplace open in March with tenants like Smales Pretzel Bakery.
  • onMain: Construction has begun on the $75M "Think Dayton" building at the former fairgrounds.
  • Belmont Pool: A $1.7M renovation is set for completion by September.
• Food & Arts: The 2026 Food Truck Rally schedule is set (kicking off in May), and INNOVAtheatre presents "For Colored Girls" Feb 20–22.

Local Community Highlights

• Beavercreek: Council denied a permit for Birch Hill Suites due to permanent residency issues and high emergency call volumes.
• Bellbrook: Shifting focus to a $2.7M project to filter "forever chemicals" (PFAS) from the water system.
• Englewood: Plans are moving forward for the $81M BOLT Innovation Center, featuring a sports complex and workforce hub.
• Huber Heights: A man received probation for a 2025 bomb threat hoax that caused neighborhood evacuations.
• Jefferson Township: The district is eliminating high school busing to meet only state-minimum requirements.
• Kettering: Brigid’s Path became the first U.S. facility of its kind to receive Medicaid reimbursement for newborn recovery. Residents are also weighing a May 5 bond issue for school modernization.
• Miami Township: The LexisNexis campus is being rebranded as "The Pike," a mixed-use park adding 750 jobs and five apartment buildings.
• Moraine: A new TNT Fireworks warehouse is under construction on the former golf course site near I-75.
• Springfield / Clark County: Dayton Children’s is acquiring Mercy Health’s pediatric practices in Urbana and Springfield. Nationally, the move to end Haitian TPS remains a major local concern.
• WPAFB: A $38M STEM complex is coming to 16 acres near the Air Force Museum, though contractor Astrion warned of 61 potential layoffs due to contract shifts.
• Xenia: Central State University issued layoff notices to 16 professors (mostly in Humanities) to address a $5M budget gap.

Ohio State & Regional News

• Aviation & Transit: CVG Airport is expanding with new flights from American, Southwest, British Airways, and Allegiant. Locally, GoBus launches the "Red Line" on March 2, connecting Dayton, Springfield, and Oxford to Cincinnati and Toledo.
• Economy & Tax: A new report warns that eliminating the state income tax could spike sales tax to 18% to fill a $24B gap. Legislators are also considering HB 520 to consolidate local services and a new tax on institutional investors owning 50+ homes.
• Education & Health: Governor DeWine launched OhioSee for free K-3 eye exams. Meanwhile, the Ohio Supreme Court ruled the state underpaid nursing homes by $572M.
• Safety & Tech: Ohio launched the nation’s first statewide Drone Responder pilot program. In Columbus, multiple schools and the Statehouse faced hoax bomb threats.

Dayton & Montgomery County

• Public Safety: City officials approved $964K for safety upgrades on Philadelphia Drive, including bike lanes and sidewalk expansion. Recent police raids seized over 1,300g of fentanyl and multiple firearms.
• Housing: A Federal Reserve report shows investors bought 30% of homes in certain Montgomery County "hotspots" in 2024. A local probe also found 25% of area motels had pest complaints (bed bugs/roaches) in 2025.
• Development & Jobs: Blue Halo, GE Aerospace, and Woolpert secured major defense contracts totaling over $280M. Sinclair CC added an electric aircraft and flight simulator for advanced air mobility training.
• Zoning: Dayton extended its moratorium on new group homes through August 3 to finalize density caps.

Local Community Highlights

• Beavercreek: Council approved Creekwood Preserve, a 53-home subdivision ($450k–$500k) off Grange Hall Road.
• Fairborn: Wright State joined the U.S. Space Command’s Academic Engagement Enterprise for space research.
• Huber Heights: Superintendent Jason Enix resigned (effective July 31) to lead Elmwood Local Schools.
• Kettering: Kettering Health is notifying patients of a 2025 data breach. On a lighter note, the Pop 2000 Tour hits Fraze Pavilion on July 10.
• Springfield: Schools and colleges (Wittenberg/Clark State) have faced a wave of non-credible bomb threats. A federal judge is seeking clarity on ICE mobilization plans regarding the city's Haitian TPS status.
• Xenia / Central State: CSU and Xenia agreed to a utility service extension amid annexation talks. However, CSU faces a $5M shortfall, leading to a "retrenchment plan" and faculty pushback over job cuts.
• Tipp City & Troy: Chipotle is coming to the former King site in Tipp City. The Troy Chick-fil-A will close March 1 for a major expansion.

• Cincinnati: The Reds are moving local broadcasts to MLB for 2026, ending their FanDuel partnership.
• Columbus: The city was selected to host 2028 Olympic soccer matches at Historic Crew Stadium.
• Harrod: A man forfeited over 200 illegal deer antlers and received a 10-year hunting suspension following a wildlife investigation.
• Madison County: State troopers seized 154 pounds of cocaine worth $6.3 million during an I-70 traffic stop.
• Mason: Kings Island is bringing back the classic "The Monster" ride for the 2026 season.

• Education: A bipartisan bill proposes disqualifying families earning over $500,000 from the EdChoice voucher program. Another bill (HB 304) would mandate daily recess for K-8 students.
• Sports & Cannabis: HB 661 seeks to ban NIL deals for high school athletes. Separately, a group received approval to collect signatures to repeal recent marijuana restrictions.
• Public Safety: New bills propose felony charges for interrupting religious services and mandatory date rape drug testing kits in bars. Grants totaling $4.4 million were announced for police body cameras.
• Infrastructure: Lawmakers proposed bills to hold data centers accountable for energy and water usage. Farmers are urging Congress to allow year-round E-15 fuel sales.
• General: "Love Is Blind" Season 10, featuring Ohio singles, premieres Feb. 11. "Ohio Goes to the Movies" screenings are celebrating America's 250th anniversary. Officials warn of AI voice cloning scams targeting grandparents.

• Development & Business: Israel-based Katz Group is opening a manufacturing hub in Dayton. The Dayton Arcade is launching "Arcade Commons" for public events. The Dayton/Cincinnati Ronald McDonald House chapters are merging.
• City & Services: The city outlined a strict pothole damage claim process. A $3.9 million contract was approved for the Miami Well Field project to reduce PFAS. The VA campus will receive upgrades to sewer and IT systems.
• Community: The Victory Project is launching a girls' division. The Boonshoft Museum's hedgehog predicted an early spring. The NAACP launched a "Dry ICE" campaign against federal funding for immigration enforcement.
• Arts & Education: DPAA is cutting its SuperPops and Rockin' Orchestra series. Wright State University is seeking $5.8 million to modernize its Wright Brothers archives. UD Athletic Director Neil Sullivan is on medical leave.

• Beavercreek: Giordano's abruptly closed. Council is reviewing proposals for a new Hilton hotel and subdivision, though residents have raised traffic concerns.
• Bellbrook: Rezoning was approved for the "Eagle Exchange" office district.
• Centerville: A massive community garage sale is planned for spring 2026.
• Clay Township: A secession effort to form a new municipality was halted.
• Darke County: A trained hawk named "Spirit" was stolen from a preserve.
• Franklin: The school board placed a 1% income tax on the May ballot.
• Kettering: New bike path connectors are planned for the business park and Iron Horse Trail.
• Miami Township: Police are launching a "Super Bowl Blitz" traffic enforcement operation.
• Springfield: A judge temporarily blocked the expiration of TPS for Haitian residents, sparking joy locally and an appeal vow from DHS. A "Snow Jesus" sculpture has become a popular local attraction.
• Trotwood: Former UD star Chris Wright announced a $17.6 million entertainment district expansion.
• West Carrollton: Falcon’s Wings and Grill opened ahead of the Super Bowl.
• Xenia: The May 2026 primary will feature contested county races and renewal levies for schools and police.