🔎 Hospital plan: Dayton city leaders are weighing next steps toward creating a public hospital.
🍬 Treat yourself: The new Sweet Tooth Candy in Englewood offers a wide variety of candies and treats, with vintage offerings like chocolate coins and candy cigarettes and newer items.
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List: Martin Luther King Day 2026 events in the region
The legacy of Civil Rights Movement leader Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. was be celebrated today, and across the region, there will be more events, including the Martin Luther King Day Memorial March.
Today’s events include:
— Sinclair MLK Jr. Day Celebration: 9-10:30 a.m. 301 W. Fourth St., Dayton. More info: Sinclair’s free Martin Luther King Jr. Day celebration will be held inside the college’s Building 12 conference center. Festivities will begin with a continental breakfast from 9-9:30 a.m. This will be followed by a keynote address from author and activist Kevin Powell.
— MLK Memorial March: 10 a.m. 1323 W. Third St., Dayton. More info: MLK Dayton will host its memorial march at 10 a.m. on Jan. 19. The route will begin near the Drew Health Center, ending near Sinclair Community College’s Building 12. RTA will provide free shuttles between these two points from 10 a.m.-noon.
— MLK Celebration Banquet: 6 p.m. 1000 Carillon Blvd., Dayton. More info: Also with the theme of “America tell the truth,” MLK Dayton’s celebration banquet will be held the night of Jan. 19 at Carillon Historical Park. The event will feature a keynote speech from Ahmed Rehab, executive director and communications director of the Chicago Office of the Council on American-Islamic Relations.
MLK stories from our archives:
• 6 things you didn’t know about Martin Luther King Jr.’s ties to Dayton
Dayton voters passed levy for new hospital: City considers next steps
A majority of Dayton voters in November passed Issue 9, a ballot initiative that said a public hospital must be constructed in West Dayton. Now what?
• The money: Dayton Deputy Law Director John Musto said the 10-year property tax levy could generate roughly $19 million during its life, with tax collection beginning in 2027. This won’t be enough to cover the costs of construction, let alone the equipment needed for the hospital.
• In the plans: This facility is supposed to include a level two trauma center, ICU, a birthing center, pediatric emergency center, a mental health center, a pulmonology, orthopedic surgery center, cardiology center, neonatal care, physical therapy center, and a diagnostic laboratory and imaging center.
• The options: Under Ohio law and the hospital levy ordinance, Dayton city commissioners have two recommended options: contracting with a nonprofit or creating a mayor-run board to oversee the planning and execution of a hospital.
• What they’re saying: “Some people are saying, well, $2 million is not enough. We never said it was enough. We said that was seed money. The board is responsible for getting other entities to put into the pot to make this hospital a reality. And that can happen, but they got to cooperate with the mayor, and they’ve got to do it correctly.” — Clergy Community Coalition President Bishop Richard Cox