In today’s Morning Briefing, we share some examples of our work using Sunshine Laws and invite you to join us for a panel discussion today about public records. We also look at how local counties are struggling over measles vaccination rates.
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The newsletter should take about 4 minutes, 28 seconds to read.
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Sunshine Week: Key takeaways from our reporting on government
Government records are the people’s records. Ohio lawmakers and courts, however, have been chipping away at government transparency.
• What are Sunshine Laws? They are protections for citizens to ensure government agencies are transparent about what is going on inside their offices. Journalists use the laws to request documents, track agency decisions and report stories.
• Ohio laws: Last year, a Dayton Daily News investigation found nearly 30% of government agencies across our nine-county region were out of compliance with Ohio public records and open meetings act laws in state audits in recent years.
• Police body cameras: State lawmakers passed a measure — with no public notice or debate — to allow law enforcement agencies to charge up to hundreds of dollars for police body camera footage. Several local police departments say they plan to do so.
• Coroner’s records: Another place where transparency took one step forward and two steps back is access to county coroners' records. We used access to records like this in our investigation of the Takoda Collins tragedy, which led to changes in state law.
• Panel discussion: Today we are hosting a lunch-and-learn virtual panel discussion as part of our Sunshine Week coverage. Our panelists will talk through their experiences with records requests and answer questions.
‘We will pay a very steep cost;’ Texas measles outbreak shows local vulnerability
As a measles outbreak continues in rural west Texas, local doctors and public health experts are urging families to keep their children up-to-date on childhood immunizations to avoid similar risks in the region.
• What they are saying: “We know that when there’s measles anywhere, that’s a threat to everyone everywhere because measles is so very contagious,” said Dr. Becky Thomas, medical director for Public Health - Dayton and Montgomery County.
• The disease: Measles can lead to severe health problems like encephalitis, which is a swelling of the brain with mild to life-threatening symptoms. A rare, but fatal degenerative disease of the central nervous system can take place a decade after the initial measles infection. It can lead to behavioral and intellectual deterioration, as well as seizures.
• Local vaccination rates: About 84.6% of kindergarteners in Montgomery County were vaccinated with the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine for the 2024-2025 school year. That is about the same vaccination rate as the county in Texas.
• Eradicated in the U.S.: Since measles was eradicated in the U.S. in 2000, the only way Americans get the virus is if they travel outside of the U.S. and end up bringing the virus back with them. Those can be isolated cases unless exposed to a pocket of unvaccinated individuals.
• Cases reported: As of March 13, there have been 301 measles cases reported by 15 jurisdictions, although none in Ohio. More than 50 people have been hospitalized and two individuals have died, the first measles deaths in the U.S. since 2015.
• How to get your child vaccinated: Children should get two doses of MMR vaccine, the CDC says, starting with the first dose at 12 to 15 months of age and the second dose at 4 through 6 years of age.
What to know today
• One big takeaway: U.S. Sen. Bernie Moreno painted a picture of greater freedom, stronger borders, affordable energy and wider latitude for defense planning in an address to the Dayton Area Chamber of Commerce’s first Government Affairs Breakfast Briefing of 2025.
• Tip of the day: Allergy sufferers should start taking their controller medications now, doctors say. Here are some other tips for treating allergy symptoms.
• Person to know today: Mike Rochester. Here is the story of one of Kings Island’s busiest performers who has a journey that includes decades of characters and a love of acting.
• Dayton Flyers: Here’s what to know about today’s NIT game against Florida Atlantic.
• Inside Ohio Politics: A bipartisan bill pending in the Ohio House would require public schools to pick a daily time to recite the pledge of allegiance in a bid to instill patriotism in Ohio youth.
• Best of Dayton 2025: Here are five things we learned on the first day of nominations for this year’s contest.
• Thing to do: The National Museum of the U.S. Air Force recently finished renovations on its exhibit that showcases the history of the Women Airforce Service Pilots organization.
• Photo of the day: Dayton Daily News and Springfield News-Sun photographers Marshall Gorby and Bill Lackey won multiple awards at the Ohio News Photographers Association annual contest. Check out their amazing work here.
