🛍️ Macy’s not closing: The retailer says its Dayton Mall store is not closing and will continue to serve customers in the region.
🎅 Weekend plans: Winter officially arrives Sunday as the holiday season of events reaches its peak.
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No deal on expiring health insurance subsidies: How Ohio Congress members voted
There won’t be a Christmas miracle in Washington, D.C. on rising health insurance costs for over 20 million Americans.
• No deal yet: Congress is going home for a holiday break without a deal to help people who will see their insurance premiums go up next year.
• Forced vote: In a rebuke to House GOP leaders, four Republicans in swing seats signed a special petition to force a vote — likely in January — on a plan from Democrats to extend health insurance subsidies for three years.
• GOP plan: House Republicans pushed ahead this week with a new GOP plan that in part lets small businesses band together to purchase health insurance — ideally at lower costs.
• Ohio votes: All 10 Ohio Republicans voted in favor of it, including U.S. Reps. Mike Turner, R-Dayton; and Warren Davidson, R-Troy. Ohio’s five Democrats voted against it, including U.S. Rep. Greg Landsman, D-Cincinnati (whose district includes all of Warren County).
Despite prior shutdown report, Dayton Mall Macy’s to stay open
Macy’s says its Dayton Mall store is not closing and will continue to serve customers in the region.
• Recent speculation: Talk about a potential shutdown stemmed from comments made earlier this year by a store manager to several area media outlets.
• What Macy’s is saying: “We continue to welcome and serve our customers in the area, however they choose to shop — whether in-store, online or on the Macy’s app,” a spokesperson said.
• Retail listing: The 263,566-square-foot property Macy’s occupies had been listed for sale in late April on retail and commercial property sales website LoopNet. It was valued at a little more than $1.4 million. The listing is no longer on the site and the building and its acreage remain the property of Macy’s.
• Fairfield Commons Macy’s: A Macy’s at Fairfield Commons closed in March. It was one of 66 sites that the department store chain announced closures for in January.
What to know today
• One big takeaway: The new owner of Star City Brewing has big plans and will change the name to Peerless Mill Inn & Brewery.
• Big move of the day: Smoke shops across Ohio have been hit with a temporary ban on synthetic kratom products that contain an opioid-like compound.
• Dayton Food & Dining: In honor of Dayton Ballet’s “The Nutcracker” continuing at the Schuster Center through Dec. 22, Bistecca in downtown Dayton has launched several festival cocktails.
• Thing to do: This weekend across the Dayton region you can celebrate the winter solstice, savor the beauty of an iconic ballet, enjoy original comedy by local playwrights, dance to the music of Taylor Swift and more.
• High school basketball: The high school basketball slate over the holiday season will be light with Christmas day falling on a Thursday this year.
• Cincinnati Reds: The Reds announced Brandon Phillips, Aaron Harang, Reggie Sanders and Lou Piniella were selected as inductees for the Reds Hall of Fame class of 2026.