daytondailynews.com - Local-news

Modernization plan in works for Dayton’s oldest, largest public housing complex

Sun, 05 Jul 2009 18:21:34 GMT

DAYTON — “I had been living in the Bass for like 17 years,” said Valerie Phillips, who moved out of the DeSoto Bass Courts public housing complex two months ago.

“It’s all right to live out here if you don’t have someplace better to go,” Phillips said. . . .

DeSoto Bass housing community still a lifeline for many

Sun, 05 Jul 2009 18:10:40 GMT

DAYTON — On a recent morning, Dayton Metropolitan Housing Authority maintenance workers cruised the lawns of the DeSoto Bass Courts public housing complex on riding mowers while youth worker crisscrossed the grounds picking up litter.

Housing authority director Gregory Johnson said clearing litter from the property is a ritual the staff repeats every weekday morning.

“What we’ve found is that if the residents see us picking up during the week, they’ll police themselves on the weekends,” Johnson said.

“One of the things we’ve been trying to do for the last few years is to give public housing community sites like DeSoto Bass some curb appeal,” Johnson said. . . .

Old North Dayton festival will honor World War II hero

Sun, 05 Jul 2009 17:17:05 GMT

Some call Elinor Sluzas the first lady of Old North Dayton.

Now in her 70s, Elinor has presided for many years as the owner and hostess of Elinor’s Amber Rose restaurant at 1400 Valley St. . . .

Rep. Turner appointed to NATO assembly

Sun, 05 Jul 2009 17:11:02 GMT

WASHINGTON — U.S. Rep. Mike Turner has been appointed a member of the NATO parliamentary assembly.

The assembly, made up of members of parliaments from the 28 countries that make up the alliance, aims to bring together legislative and public consensus for NATO policies.

Turner, R-Centerville, was appointed to the assembly earlier this year and made his first trip as a member of the Parliamentary Assembly in late May to Norway, where he was one of 12 members of Congress to attend the meeting.

Turner said he decided to pursue the position because of his position as ranking member of the House Armed Services Committee’s Strategic Forces Subcommittee. . . .

Expect dry skies, cool temperatures for today

Sun, 05 Jul 2009 15:10:47 GMT

DAYTON — The three hundredth of an inch of rain that fell on the Miami Valley Saturday, July 4, normally would not have been anything to write home about.

But the shower was enough to put a damper on many Independence Day celebrations.

With a high of just 72 degrees, Nick Greenawalt, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Wilimington, said yesterday’s weather was also cooler than normal.

The normal high is around 84 degrees for this time a year, he said.

“It is definitely an unusual Fourth of July (weekend),”Greenawalt said.

He projected dry skies for Sunday, July 5, but said the high temperature will remain cooler.

The service calls for mostly cloudy skies with a high near 76. . . .

Woman run over, killed by sister’s car identified

Sun, 05 Jul 2009 15:01:35 GMT

DAYTON — A woman run over and killed during an apparent fight with her sister Saturday, July 4, has been identified as Cheryl Satterfield of Dayton.

The Montgomery County Coroner’s Office began conducting an autopsy on the 44-year-old South Smithville Road resident’s remains today, July 5.

Satterfield punched her 42-year-old sister through the open window of a car in which the younger woman was sitting shortly before 11:50 a.m. . . .

Unshredded case files in trash pose security threats

Sun, 05 Jul 2009 03:55:39 GMT

MIDDLETOWN — Stacks of business and real-estate case files from a Middletown law firm were left unshredded in a public garbage dumpster June 26, making the Social Security numbers and other personal information on the documents accessible to anyone.

The files apparently came from the office of attorney William Bowen, 1 N. . . .

City fears workers’ exodus after residency rule change

Sun, 05 Jul 2009 03:11:42 GMT

Paul Howard, president of the Gander Road Homeowners Association, says it’s no surprise that the largest concentration of Dayton city employees reside along with him in the northeastern edge of town in the 45424 ZIP code.

Neighborhoods there — Quail Hollow, Forest Ridge, Pheasant Hill — have a distinctive suburban feel with wide streets, relatively modern housing stock along with nearby amenities such as drug stores and a Kroger.

Key to vibrancy, Howard said, comes from the community’s location just outside the Dayton Public School District. . . .

Survey: City workers likely to move out of Dayton

Sun, 05 Jul 2009 03:00:01 GMT

The Ohio Supreme Count ended the debate over whether city employees should be required to live in Dayton, but speculation continues on how that decision will reshape the city’s work force and neighborhoods.

As of July 1, a total of 47 city employees were listed as living out of the city, including 20 firefighters and 15 police officers, a Dayton Daily News analysis of city employment data has found. . . .

Few fireworks displays postponed

Sun, 05 Jul 2009 02:28:26 GMT

New Madison and Yellow Springs delayed their Saturday, July 4 fireworks shows due to rain and will hold them Sunday, July 5. . . .

Sheriff cracking down on swimming at Ludlow Falls

Sun, 05 Jul 2009 01:57:10 GMT

LUDLOW FALLS — Miami County sheriff’s deputies are cracking down on swimming at Ludlow Falls, at the request of the village mayor and in hopes of averting a serious injury or drowning.

“We want to get the word out before someone gets hurt,” said sheriff’s Capt. . . .

McCarty: Ex-POW group locked in a battle against time

Sun, 05 Jul 2009 00:32:38 GMT

Bob West nearly starved to death during his captivity as a prisoner of war during World War II, wasting away from 170 pounds to about 110 — the weight of a skinny teenage girl. . . .

Loss of ‘Blue Jacket’ outdoor drama has wide effects

Sun, 05 Jul 2009 00:27:02 GMT

The Greene County Convention and Visitors Bureau estimates that the 2007 closing of the outdoor drama “Blue Jacket” has had a negative impact of up to $750,000 a year on the local economy.

Peter Fitzkee, who played the title role more than any other actor in the 26 years of the production, is doing well financially. . . .

Flipped Durango sends seven to hospital

Sun, 05 Jul 2009 00:09:07 GMT

The driver lost control of a sport utility vehicle that ran off Old U.S. 35 in Xenia Twp. with seven people inside on Friday evening, the Ohio State Highway Patrol said Saturday, July 4.

The accident at 6:35 p.m. . . .

Child run over by trailer during Enon parade

Sat, 04 Jul 2009 22:12:55 GMT

ENON— A three or four-year-old female was run over by a trailer during the Fourth of July parade in Enon around 2 p.m. . . .

Patrol: Driver lost control in wreck that injured 7

Sat, 04 Jul 2009 22:12:30 GMT

XENIA — The driver lost control of a sport utility vehicle that ran off Old U.S. 35 in Xenia Twp. with seven people inside on Friday evening, the Ohio State Highway Patrol said Saturday, July 4.

The accident at 6:35 p.m. . . .

Police: Dayton woman run over, killed by sister’s car

Sat, 04 Jul 2009 21:19:51 GMT

DAYTON — A woman who had been fighting with her sister was killed Saturday, July 4, when she was run over by the sister’s car during the dispute, police said.

Police declined to release the names of either woman, while the investigation proceeds. . . .

Rebirth of college rare occurrence

Sat, 04 Jul 2009 04:52:33 GMT

Antioch College’s rebirth would be a rare event in the history of higher education.

“There have been a number of colleges that have been on the brink of closure and have come back fairly strong,” said Jeffrey Selingo, editor of The Chronicle of Higher Education. . . .

Antioch’s resurrection no sure thing

Sat, 04 Jul 2009 04:52:27 GMT

Antioch College alumni and supporters will attempt to resurrect the liberal arts college amid one of the worst economies ever for higher education, according to academic officials and observers.

“One of the challenges for Antioch or any college starting from scratch right now is that you already have many established players who are struggling,” said Jeffrey Selingo, editor of The Chronicle of Higher Education.

Public and private institutions, large and small, are faced with shrinking endowments and reductions in federal and state support.

“Obviously, these economic times make it challenging for raising money,” said Sean Creighton, executive director of the Southwestern Ohio Council for Higher Education.

Schools in the mid-Atlantic, northeast and rust belt regions are struggling to get students, Selingo said.

The boards of Antioch University and the Antioch College Continuation Corp. . . .

Long-distance hiker ditches all life’s distractions

Sat, 04 Jul 2009 04:49:02 GMT

“It’s the people, the places, the pain and the trials. It’s the joy and the blessings that come with the miles. . . .

Greene County enjoying a rare surplus of water

Sat, 04 Jul 2009 04:44:02 GMT

The Fourth of July weekend marks peak water usage in Greene County and, despite a mild summer with average rainfall, sanitary engineers continue to urge water conservation.

“Looks like we’ve had timely rains this summer,” Ron Volkerding, acting sanitary engineer, told county commissioners June 29. . . .

Visitors perplexed by lack of trash cans in state park

Fri, 03 Jul 2009 23:04:08 GMT

MASSIE TWP., Warren County — Chris and Denise Jasek were unpleasantly surprised to learn on Friday, July 3, there was nowhere to leave their trash after picnicking near the beach at Caesar Creek State Park.

Since Memorial Day, visitors to Ohio state parks have been expected to take their trash with him. . . .

Fireworks seizure dims Greenville, Ansonia events

Fri, 03 Jul 2009 21:28:42 GMT

GREENVILLE — Some of the 3,942 pounds of fireworks seized Wednesday, July 1, in Darke County by the State Fire Marshal were destined for July 4th fireworks displays in Greenville and Ansonia.

“We had a problem,” said Kerry Young, president of Eagles Aerie 2177, which was hosting an Independence Day celebration with fireworks at the group’s 50-acre park in Greenville.

The celebration will go off as scheduled but without fireworks, Young said Friday.

Young said he was able to arrange a conference call with state Rep. . . .

4 extricated from cars after two separate wrecks

Fri, 03 Jul 2009 14:25:09 GMT

Two separate wrecks today within minutes of each other sent five people to area hospitals, law enforcement officials said.

About 3:40 p.m., a 61-year-old woman and a female child had to be extricated from a Cadillac that apparently was forced into a ditch after a Ford Taurus sideswiped it near Siebenthaler Avenue and Philadelphia Drive, Montgomery County sheriff’s Sgt. . . .

Dayton schools lose literacy, GED funds

Fri, 03 Jul 2009 01:48:02 GMT

Thirteen Dayton Public Schools staffers lost their jobs this week after the state informed the school district it will no longer fund its adult literacy and GED preparatory program, district officials said Thursday, July 2.

Losing $729,000 in funding for the district’s Adult Basic and Literacy Education program also means the roughly 400 Dayton residents who use the program each year will have to look elsewhere for the services, said Linnae Clinton, the district’s director of career technical and adult education.

“As a district, we are going to work with other providers in the area as much as possible to mitigate the impact of this loss of funding,” Clinton said.

Clinton said she wasn’t sure why the district lost its funding, though it might have been victim to a first-time competitive grant process through the Ohio Board of Regents, which took over administering the ABLE program this year from the state education department.

Diane Brogan-Adams, executive director for Project READ, a literacy coalition serving Montgomery, Greene and Preble counties, agreed.

“It’s a change; I wouldn’t necessarily say it’s a bad thing,” Brogan-Adams said. . . .

Aerospace trade and technology show takes shape

Thu, 02 Jul 2009 22:12:26 GMT

DAYTON — The list of companies committed to participating in a July 14-17 aerospace trade and technology show affiliated with the Vectren Dayton Air Show reads like a Who’s Who accounting of the business.

The companies include Lockheed Martin Corp., Pratt & Whitney, Raytheon Co., Textron Systems, General Dynamics and others, along with major organizations from Wright-Patterson Air Force Base.

The United States Air, Trade and Technology Expo offers a chance for Dayton to shine, as the organizers dust off and revive the aerospace trade and technology show that was first started in conjunction with the Dayton Air Show in the 1990s but faded away. . . .

Life inspires play about Xenia orphanage

Thu, 02 Jul 2009 21:57:04 GMT

XENIA — There was no shortage of drama at the Ohio Soldiers and Sailors Orphanage, later the Ohio Veterans Children’s Home (1869-1998).

Thousands of kids grew up there. . . .

Should pet chickens be forced to move from Troy home?

Thu, 02 Jul 2009 21:41:25 GMT

TROY — Owners of pet chickens living in a residential area near downtown were told by the city this week to remove them by July 15, or possibly face legal action.

Robert and Heather Dorsten of Race Street went to Miami County Common Pleas Court last year after the city Board of Zoning Appeals denied their request for a variance that would have allowed them to keep chickens Lucy and Dottie as pets.

Judge Jeffrey Welbaum ruled April 15 that the city acted within its power to ban chickens from a residential area.

The Dorstens chose not to appeal his ruling and said by e-mail Thursday, July 2, they have been working to “rehome” Lucy and Dottie plus a third chicken, Priscilla, they had placed in a new home last year but recently returned.

The couple also is considering asking city residents, in a ballot initiative, to decide whether pet chickens should be allowed in town.

The city’s letter dated Tuesday, June 30, was sparked by a anonymous complaint. . . .

Dunbar head football coach suspended

Thu, 02 Jul 2009 21:17:07 GMT

DAYTON — Dayton Public Schools suspended Dunbar High School teacher and head football coach James Lacking Thursday, July 2, for five days without pay because of a physical altercation he had with a student in May.

District spokeswoman Jill Moberley said Lacking, who has been on paid administrative leave since May 22, will have to serve the suspension before he returns to work.

Reached Thursday afternoon, Lacking said he was anxious to get on the practice field with his Wolverines and back in the classroom this fall.

“I’m thankful and I appreciate the community’s support. . . .

Bear spotted near Springboro heading into neighboring county

Thu, 02 Jul 2009 21:02:54 GMT

SPRINGBORO — The young black bear spotted over the past month in and around Springboro is headed southeast through neighboring Clinton County, state wildlife officials said on Thursday, July 2.

“He’s been through Clarksville (on the Warren-Clinton county border). . . .