✏️ Gerrymandering is contagious: Redistricting has become increasingly politically charged this summer as national leaders in both parties brace for a contentious 2026 midterm election cycle. Ohio, no stranger to the debate, is gearing up for a new round of congressional redistricting.
📦 Trump’s tariffs take effect: President Donald Trump’s tariffs went into effect yesterday, four months after Trump first announced plans to impose tariffs. Learn more about what this means for the U.S. economy and our trade partners.
If you have thoughts or feedback on this newsletter or other news tips, please let me know at Josh.Sweigart@coxinc.com.
Want to read the digital version of the newspaper? Click here for our daily ePaper.
The newsletter should take about 3 minutes, 42 seconds to read.
***
Dayton civil housing code enforcement, prosecution begins
Dayton launched a new civil housing code enforcement process three weeks ago.
• How it works: Warnings and citations are issued to properties that have code violations like overgrown vegetation, trash or debris in the yard and exterior maintenance problems.
• The numbers: Housing and zoning officials have already issued hundreds of civil penalty warning notices and dozens of civil citations.
• Enforcement: Property owners receive a standard warning notice or a civil penalty warning notice before being cited for first-time violations.
• What they’re saying: Officials said civil prosecution is a new tool that hopefully will get housing code violations remedied more quickly and that the overall goal is to improve neighborhood conditions and encourage responsible property ownership, while giving property owners an opportunity to correct violations.
Ohio preps for new congressional maps as states threaten gerrymandering
Ohio is preparing for another round of congressional redistricting before the end of the year, at a time when redistricting has become even more politically charged than normal.
• How we got here: When Ohio redrew its 15 congressional districts at the start of this decade, the Republican-drafted plan was adopted by a simple majority vote along party lines.
• The rules: Under the Ohio Constitution, this meant the maps would only go into effect for two election cycles. A unanimous vote would have cemented the maps for the entire decade.
• Now: The state will need to go through the redistricting process once more, this time to set the congressional districts for the 2026, 2028, and 2030 elections.
• Gerrymandering: The Ohio Constitution has measures intended to protect against partisan gerrymandering on the state legislative level, and to a lesser extent on the federal level. But it’s unclear to what extent these measures can actually prevent gerrymandering.
What to know today
• One big takeaway: Tariffs went into effect yesterday, four months after President Donald Trump first announced plans to impose tariffs. Learn more about what this means for the U.S. economy and our trade partners.
• Person to know today: Meet this week’s Community Gem, a Northridge woman who puts free books in the hands of children.
• Quote of the day: “I can attest from experience that in times of emergency, the race or gender of a person guarding your life, is totally irrelevant. I would remind all cities that there are many Elmer Rosses out there which, if given the opportunity, will enhance immeasurably the city’s firefighting capabilities.”
• Stat of the day: The fraction of kids exempted from vaccine requirements rose to 3.6%, up from 3.3% the year before. It’s the third record-breaking year in a row for the national average exemption rate.
• Happening today: The Dayton Dragons will be on TV today, Saturday and Sunday.
• Photo of the day: Twenty immigrants became U.S. citizens during a naturalization ceremony on Tuesday, Aug. 5, between the third and fourth innings during a Dayton Dragons game at Day Air Ballpark. View more photos of the event from staff photographer Bryant Billing.
Credit: Bryant Billing
Credit: Bryant Billing