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 a 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.
Where does your recycling go, and is it really being recycled?
Credit: Jim Noelker
Credit: Jim Noelker
Monday is Earth Day. So we sent Sydney Dawes to get the dirt on trash. We wondered what actually happens to all that stuff we throw in the recycling bin. Is it actually recycled or does it really all end up in the dump?
What she found: Read Sydney’s story here. She followed the recycling from the curb to Rumpke’s material recovery facility on East Monument Avenue in Dayton.
- The good news is that most of stuff throw in the recycling can actually be recycled. But I was surprised about some things I totally thought could be recycled but can’t.
• Digging deep: Sydney didn’t stop there. She also attended a waste audit at the Montgomery County Solid Waste District in Moraine where workers sorted through a load of garbage to count recyclable material. County officials say audits like this have found nearly two-thirds of garbage they receive can be recycled, reused or composted.
• Speaking of composting: Reporter Natalie Jones last week also did a story about a new free community compost station at 2nd Street Market.
Area county among highest in open ethics probes as Ethics Commission marks 50th year
Credit: Provided
Credit: Provided
The Ohio Ethics Commission, a state agency tasked with enforcing state ethics law for Ohio’s local and state government officials, turns 50 this year. So we sent Avery Kreemer to look into the state of ethics in Ohio.
• What he found: The commission’s annual report released this month includes details on what types of ethics violations are alleged most often and at what levels of government.
- Read Avery’s story here, and learn which area county is among the highest in the state for open investigations.
• Our role: The ethics commission issues “public reprimands” but doesn’t post them online or publicize them. So every year we obtain them using Ohio public records law and actually share them with the public.
- Last year, our reporting found a Mason city councilmember, Clark County development director and state board of education vice president were among nine state and local officials reprimanded for violating state ethics law.
- In 2022, we found a former Yellow Springs planning commissioner was one of nine officials reprimanded.
- This year’s update will post to our website Monday.
• Defanged watchdogs?: There is constant debate about whether public officials provide enough money to fund the agencies that hold public officials accountable. Thomas Suddes recently wrote a column arguing that agencies like the ethics commission should get more funding.
• What do you think? You have my contact info. Let me know.