NATO assembly
In late May, Dayton welcomed delegates from across the world for the spring 2025 NATO Parliamentary Assembly.
Dayton was chosen for the assembly partly to commemorate the 30th anniversary of the Dayton Peace Accords that were negotiated at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base to end the Bosnian Civil War, and partly due to U.S. Rep. Mike Turner’s connections to NATO.
To prepare, several blocks in the heart of downtown Dayton were fortified, with large concrete rails across the streets and blocks of 8-to-12-foot high metal fencing, dotted in a few places by raised watch towers. Actual security events were few, though, as aside from a handful of protests marching or standing around the fenced-in NATO Village, there was only one arrest for a 20-year-old who was trespassing.
The event itself consisted of about 300 international delegates along with their families and staff, as well as U.S. officials and invited speakers to take part in NATO discussions through debates, reports and resolutions, for a total of 1,200 visitors.
In addition to international significance, the event had various impacts on Dayton itself. It pushed up Dayton’s plans to beautify downtown, but many downtown businesses reported the event reduced their income for the week. Turner proclaimed that the assembly proved Dayton is a “world-class city,” and the city’s marketing organization Destination Dayton said it brought $1.3 million in spending to the city, along with an estimated $138 million of global publicity.
Local reaction to federal policy changes
Credit: NYT
Credit: NYT
The first year of President Donald Trump’s second term in office has been consequential, with many impacts on the Dayton region.
Efforts to downsize the federal government — with help early on from Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency — had massive impacts on the sizeable local federal workforce, as did the longest government shutdown in U.S. history.
More than 300,000 employees left the government this year, while 68,000 were hired, according to a blog post from federal Personnel Management Director Scott Kupor. But representatives of Air Force Materiel Command were unable to say how many Wright-Patterson Air Force Base civilian employees elected to retire or take incentives to leave their jobs.
DOGE and other efforts also reduced funding to local social service programs, such as a program that connected Ohio farmers to food banks across the state to feed hungry families, and a national service that covers heating and air costs for seniors and other income-restricted households.
Increased immigration enforcement efforts resulted in the apprehension of people in Ohio illegally, though policy changes also limited legal immigration pathways for area residents.
Tariffs also had an impact. While they were welcomed by steel manufacturers like Cleveland-Cliffs, they drove up prices for consumers and undermined Ohio farmers. Trump has vowed to use tariff proceeds to offset the negative impact to farmers.
Cyberattacks bring down systems
Multiple cyberattacks throughout the region led to disruptions and confusion in 2025.
One of the most notable happened to Kettering Health. A ransomware group called Interlock claimed it stole 941 gigabytes of data, which included more than 730,000 files, from Kettering Health in a May 20 cyberattack.
The hospital system said it returned to normal operations in key services by June 13. There were canceled appointments and procedures, from regular appointments to crucial surgeries and redirecting EMS away from its hospitals.
Bringing back access to the online patient portal MyChart and its phone lines for its call centers were some of the last steps in the approximately 21-day recovery process.
Other attacks from this and previous years impacted communities and businesses throughout the region. In September, people affected by a 2023 data breach at Premier Health began receiving letters that said the attack resulted in the possible exposure of Social Security numbers, medical information and other private information to unauthorized parties.
Hershall Creachbaum case
Credit: Bryant Billing
Credit: Bryant Billing
In July, Dayton police found the remains of Hershall Creachbaum Jr., a 7-year-old autistic boy from Dayton, on a wooded hill near U.S. 35. Hershall had been reported missing earlier that day.
A grand jury indicted his mother, Ashley Johnson, on one count of obstructing justice; and her boyfriend Michael Kendrick on two counts of tampering with evidence and three counts of gross abuse of a corpse.
Authorities say Kendrick allegedly punched and struck Hershall when he was drinking and got into an argument on the phone. Kendrick claimed Hershall died the next day in the shower, according to court records.
The Dayton Daily News investigated the actions of agencies meant to keep Hershall safe, including Dayton police, and children services agencies in Clark and Montgomery counties.
Our investigation found school staff reportedly called police and children services agencies multiple times with concerns about Kendrick’s drinking and Hershall’s safety. We found Kendrick had a long history of domestic violence and alleged substance abuse.
A state review found children services agencies did not follow proper procedures in handling Hershall’s case. Montgomery and Clark counties are now facing a lawsuit brought by Hershall’s estate.
Christian Black death
In March, a Zanesville man died after fighting with Montgomery County Jail staff, leading to multiple lawsuits and investigations into jail officers, as well as calls for jail reform.
Christian Black, 25, was taken into custody March 23 after crashing an allegedly stolen vehicle on Interstate 70 in Englewood. Over the next day, he was involved in two fights with jail staff, and reportedly started beating his head on the wall.
Security footage of the second fight released by attorneys for Black’s family showed Black being forcibly put in handcuffs and then into a restraint chair, where multiple officers pushed down on his back. Soon after, he went limp, then into full arrest. After some medical attention and being taken to the hospital, he was pronounced dead. His death was ruled a homicide by the Montgomery County Coroner’s Office.
Black’s family filed lawsuits against the jail, the county, the nurses that were on the scene and the company that provides medical care for the jail. Montgomery County settled the suit for $7 million, but the lawsuit against the medical company and its employees in ongoing.
After Black’s death, 10 jail employees were put on leave, of whom six returned to work in September after attending restraint chair training. In November, one employee was “probationary released,” and the final three remain on leave pending an investigation by the Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office. Criminal charges for the 10 jail staff members were declined by a grand jury.
The death led to calls for greater oversight at the Montgomery County Jail and reform of its systems.
Election 2025
Credit: David Sherman
Credit: David Sherman
The November election led to some surprises and key results.
In one of the night’s biggest upsets, Dayton City Commissioner Shenise Turner-Sloss defeated incumbent Mayor Jeffrey Mims Jr. Her ally, Commissioner Darryl Fairchild, also won reelection.
But Mims’ ally, Darius Beckham, was also elected. This leaves the power dynamic on the commission about the same with Turner-Sloss and Fairchild in a minority bloc on the five-person board — but with Turner-Sloss now having a much larger bully pulpit in the mayor’s seat.
Dayton voters also decidedly backed a 1-mill levy to build a new hospital in west Dayton. The proposal faced opposition from some city leaders who say there is no plan on how to spend the $2 million projected to be raised annually with the tax, which is not nearly enough to build a hospital to replace Good Samaritan Hospital. Voters decided it’s worth a try.
Some races featured notable controversy.
Miami Twp. voters elected Terry Posey Jr. and Drew Barry over Bob Matthews, the current village fiscal officer who is facing efforts from the Ohio Attorney General to remove him from office.
The Miamisburg schools race drew attention from outside political action committees and scrutiny from residents over the handling of teachers’ comments following the death of conservative activist Charlie Kirk. Incumbents Christopher Amsler and Ann Niess and non-incumbent Shelbi Nunery bested non-incumbents Chris Keilholz and Ryan Riddell.
Mike Foley criminal case
The criminal case against Montgomery County Clerk of Courts Mike Foley finally came to a verdict this year, three years after the Ohio Auditor of State’s Office raided the clerk of courts office.
Foley pleaded guilty to misdemeanor charges after a legal fight that included corruption allegations, attempts to remove Foley from office and allegations of death threats.
Foley was charged along with Montgomery County Municipal Court Judge James Piergies for allegedly transferring funds to the clerk of courts office to fund an IT position for Piergies’ son. Foley was also accused of soliciting campaign contributions from employees and using county resources to produce campaign materials. Finally, he was accused of trying to arrange a meeting between an investment firm and Montgomery County Treasurer John McManus with the suggestion that McManus invest county funds in exchange for future campaign contributions.
Foley denied all wrongdoing. However, in June 2025 he changed his plea to no contest to felony and misdemeanor charges, though he soon after was allowed to withdraw the plea because it put his eligibility to remain in office in jeopardy.
As the court case drug on, at one point Foley filed for a protection order alleging that a main witness in the trial and a community activist and blogger each made death threats against him. Attorneys for the witness and activist said the accusations were just an attempt to discredit a witness in his criminal case and the activist who had filed a motion in court to have Foley removed from office. Eventually, the protection order request was dropped.
Shortly before his trial in December, Foley entered a new plea agreement, agreeing to plead guilty to misdemeanor charges for unlawful campaign soliciting. He was sentenced to 24 months of community supervision and a suspended 180-day jail sentence. He was also ordered to pay $2,000 in fines, attend ethics training and serve 40 hours of community service.
But the state auditor’s office is asking the court to review whether Foley violated the terms of his probation less than two weeks later by drinking alcohol at a Montgomery County GOP Christmas party.
Busing battle
There was confusion early in the school year about how some Dayton Public Schools students would get to class.
An amendment in the state’s most recent budget bill barred DPS students from transferring through the Greater Dayton RTA downtown transit center.
The law was approved following disruptions and problems near the bus hub, including the death of Alfred Hale III, a Dunbar High School senior who was killed on his way to school in April.
In late August, a Franklin County court granted the district’s request for an extended preliminary injunction that allowed the district to continue purchasing RTA bus passes for students.
The case is scheduled to resume in court in September 2026.
Property taxes
Credit: Avery Kreemer
Credit: Avery Kreemer
The impact of rising property values in recent years hit many area taxpayers in their pocketbooks in 2025, causing increased calls for property tax reform.
Dayton Daily News reporting found that factors such as the so-called “20-mill floor” was allowing for massive tax increases. One area woman saw a 32% tax hike without any vote from residents.
A proposed amendment to Ohio’s constitution that would abolish property taxes entirely gave state lawmakers a sense of urgency.
These factors led the Ohio General Assembly to pass a package of reforms that were signed by Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine this month. It remains to be seen whether it was too little, too late.
Senate Bill 1
Credit: DION JOHNSON
Credit: DION JOHNSON
In June, a bill that barred diversity and inclusion efforts in Ohio higher education went into effect.
Senate Bill 1 caused multiple actions by schools in the region.
Wright State University trustees announced they would eliminate several offices.
“These actions include the discontinuation of Wright State’s Division of Inclusive Excellence and five cultural and identity centers: the Asian and Native American Center, the Bolinga Black Cultural Resources Center, the Latino Center, the LGBTQA Center, and the Women’s Center,” Wright State officials said in a statement published to the university’s website.
Miami University announced plans in April to eliminate three divisions related to DEI, including the Office of Transformational and Inclusive Excellence, Center for Student Diversity and Inclusion, and Miami Regionals Center for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion over the summer.
Progress at Buc-ee’s
Credit: Bryant Billing
Credit: Bryant Billing
One of the area’s most highly anticipated projects in years continued progress this year.
The first location of Buc-ee’s in Ohio, located in Huber Heights, is moving toward an expected opening in spring 2026.
Huber Heights City Council voted unanimously and without objection to approve the liquor permit request for the up-and-coming mega store at 8000 State Route 235.
Construction has been ongoing at the northeast Huber Heights site and the store took shape this summer, becoming more recognizable with the installation of customary entryway designs and star emblems on the building’s exterior, evoking the feel of Buc-ee’s stores in other areas of the country.
Within the past few weeks, canopies for the station’s 120 gas pumps were installed.
THC product changes
Credit: Bryant Billing
Credit: Bryant Billing
THC-infused beverages will be lumped in with other intoxicating hemp products, with sales limited to licensed dispensaries, following a line-item veto from Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine.
DeWine signed Senate Bill 56 — which came about in large part due to his insistence that the state regulate intoxicating hemp products — and issued his line-item veto this month.
DeWine has long lamented the intoxicating hemp market, which sprouted up following the federal 2018 farm bill that legalized the production of hemp plants — marijuana’s low-THC cousin. In the time since, other naturally occurring and/or artificially enhanced cannabinoids from the hemp plant, like delta-8 or THCA, have been used to create products that can make users feel high.
Earlier in the year, a Franklin County judge issued a ruling to temporarily block DeWine’s executive orders banning the sale of intoxicating hemp in Ohio. The order led to confusion over a several-week period about the future of the industry.
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