Our mission is to help you understand what’s really going on in the Dayton region. This includes comprehensive coverage of local governments and agencies, hard-hitting investigations, and in-depth analyses of important issues.
Do you have an news tip or an issue you think our reporters should look into? Contact me at Josh.Sweigart@coxinc.com, or you can use our anonymous tipline.
‘A place of peace and healing’
Credit: CONTRIBUTED
Credit: CONTRIBUTED
• The news: Four Dayton artists have been chosen to create a memorial in tribute to the victims of the Oregon District tragedy that occurred on Aug. 4, 2019. The 8/4 Memorial Committee has selected a team of collaborators to create what will be known as “The Seed of Life” memorial:
• Unveiling: The design was unveiled at an event Friday. Among the speakers was LaSandra James, the mother of Lois Oglesby, who was 27 when she was killed in the shooting, leaving behind two young children.
- “For me this process was not easy at all, but it was necessary,” James said. “I realize this memorial reminds us of a tragedy, but it also should remind us to celebrate the lives that were lost — the lives of the nine and the survivors who have made the most to move past all of the pain they experienced.”
• A personal note: I will never forget the phone call I got in the early morning of Aug. 4, 2019. There was a mass shooting in the Oregon District. The horrors we hear about on the national news had come home to a neighborhood I knew and loved. I was downtown before the sun rose covering the tragedy.
• Collective trauma: Nine innocent people lost their lives that night. I can only imagine the suffering their family felt. But trauma also extended throughout the community, all of us left shocked and vulnerable.
• #DaytonStrong: In the aftermath of the shooting, the Dayton community rallied. We became “Dayton Strong.” My personal hope is that this memorial will give us a place to reflect on the tragedy, and also on the importance of community.
Local freeway stretches among most dangerous in the state
Credit: Jim Noelker
Credit: Jim Noelker
• What you should know: We obtained data from the Ohio Department of Transportation using Ohio public records law and analyzed crash rates on urban and rural freeways. We found that several segments of local freeway are among the most dangerous in Ohio for crashes resulting in death or serious injury.
- A half-mile segment of I-75 in Montgomery County just north of U.S. 35 ranked sixth for the rates of fatal and serious injury crashes among urban freeways in the state from 2017 through 2021.
- Several stretches of I-70 in Clark County accounted for five of the top 10 of fatal or serious injury crashes among Ohio’s rural freeways. Those include three sections of roadway near the I-70/675 Interchange ranking second, third and eighth, one by I-70 at the Ohio 4 Interchange that ranked fourth and one near I-70 at Snider Road that ranked seventh.
• Deadly consequences: We also analyzed Ohio State Highway Patrol crash data, which confirmed the ODOT findings and revealed that hundreds of people have been killed or seriously hurt on these highways in recent years.
• Why we did it: Interstate 70 and I-75 are the arteries of our region, and the Crossroads of America. Many of us drive these roads every day. So we want to make sure they are as safe as possible.
• Key takeaway: State officials claim they are doing everything they can to make these roads safer. But you should be extra vigilant in these areas to ensure you make it home safely.
Election 2023: We’ve got you covered
• Reminder: Election Day is two days away. Voters will decide on important issues such as whether to enshrine abortion rights into the Ohio Constitution, whether to legalize recreational marijuana, and a bunch of important local races and issues.
• What’s on your ballot: To find what’s on your ballot, visit the Ohio Secretary of State’s website.
• Voter’s guide: To research your candidates and issues, turn to the Dayton Daily News. To hear the candidates in their own words use our Voter’s Guide. The Dayton Daily News sent Voter Guide invitations to all local candidates in competitive races (races with more candidates than open seats).
• Be informed: For many prominent races and tax levies, Dayton Daily News reporters wrote news articles after research and interviews. To read those, go to our 2023 Elections page.