🌅 Five Rivers Metroparks: The loss of eight AmeriCorps volunteers due to national budget and staffing cuts is impacting education and outreach efforts.
🏢 onMain: The groundbreaking for a five-story, 120,000-square foot building that will be called Think Dayton is set for today.
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Dayton Region Walk of Fame inducts Rob Lowe, Vic Cassano Sr., Original Lakeside and more
Encompassing legacies in the worlds of acting, business, music and philanthropy, the 2025 Dayton Region Walk of Fame inductees were selected based on their impactful contributions locally, nationally and internationally.
• The new inductees:
— Vic Cassano Sr.: The business entrepreneur founded Cassano’s in 1953, which eventually grew to more than 100 locations across the region.
— The Original Lakeside: Born and raised in Dayton, the band is best known for their funky, soulful 1980 No. 1 hit “Fantastic Voyage.” Other notable songs include “It’s All the Way Live,” “Raid” and “Outrageous.”
— The Levin Family: The Levin Family Foundation, founded by entrepreneur Sam Levin, has served causes throughout the Dayton region and worldwide. Sam Levin became a successful businessman who owned several Dayton establishments including the Dixie Drive-In, which is still operated by the family today.
— Rob Lowe: The Emmy and Golden Globe-nominated actor and a two-time Screen Actors Guild Award winner, rose to fame in the 1980s as a member of the “Brat Pack.”
— Jenell Ross: This business entrepreneur has been president of Centerville-based Bob Ross Auto Group — the first African American-owned Mercedes-Benz dealership in the world — since 2010.
• About the project: The Walk of Fame is installed in the sidewalks along West Third Street between Shannon and Broadway Streets in the historic Wright Dunbar Business District. Originally conceived as a recognition of the city of Dayton’s Bicentennial in 1996, the project has expanded to include more than 200 inductees.
Five Rivers MetroParks feeling impact of AmeriCorps funding cuts
As national service organization AmeriCorps continues to experience cuts to its budget and staff, Five Rivers MetroParks has lost its eight AmeriCorps volunteers tasked with assisting with education and outreach programs.
• What is AmeriCorps? AmeriCorps is the federal agency that helps support and launch national service projects and volunteerism.
• Local impact: Since 2023, Five Rivers MetroParks estimates that its eight AmeriCorps volunteers contributed 6,400 hours of service, and their work had a $200,000 financial impact on the organization.
• Budget cuts: In April, the Trump administration cut nearly 40% of AmeriCorps funding, laying off the bulk of the group’s national staff. Shrinking AmeriCorps was among steps the Trump administration took to curb what he has called “waste, fraud and abuse” of federal funds, scrutinizing AmeriCorps’ audit failures over the past several years.
• History: Beginning in the 1960s as an extension of the Peace Corps, the organization is a provider of funding and support to build new infrastructure in needy areas, assist with disaster relief, offer services to senior citizens and help rural and metropolitan health and education programs.
What to know today
• One big takeaway: Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost filed a complaint to remove Miami Twp. Fiscal Officer Bob Matthews from his elected position in connection to a gold coin scandal.
• Dayton Food & Dining: Heavier Than Air Brewing Co. is celebrating eight years of serving beers to the Dayton region with new beer releases.
• Happening today: onMain, a partnership between Premier Health and the University of Dayton, is breaking ground on its first building today at the former Montgomery County Fairgrounds on Main Street.
• Inside Ohio Politics: An Ohio House committee began vetting a bill this week that would require all courts in the state to consider a person’s immigration status during sentencing.
• Schools: Chronic absenteeism improved last school year across Ohio, but one in four Ohio students are still missing a large chunk of the school year.
• Stat of the day: Roughly 80% of workers who participated in Montgomery County workforce programs remained employed after a year. Find out more about the Montgomery County strategic report.
• Thing to do: The first weekend of fall brings festival excitement across the Dayton region from a beloved Dayton tradition celebrating German culture to yummy pretzels and beautiful mums.
• High school football: The week 6 Schedule: Springfield at Springboro, Oakwood at Valley View, Middletown at Lakota West and more.
• Dayton Dragons: The Dayton Dragons ranked third in Minor League Baseball in attendance in the 2025 season.
• Photo of the day: A new mural on a Warren County barn honors slain activist Charlie Kirk. Read the full story and see more video and photos here.
