The Yellow Springs News • An Independent source of community news in Yellow Springs, Ohio since 1880

Columbus-based for-profit developer Woda Cooper Companies Inc. submitted the above site plan for the proposed low-income housing tax credit, or LIHTC, project, in response to the Village’s request for proposals. (Map data courtesy of Woda Cooper Companies, Inc.)

Village Council selects low-income housing developer

After finalizing the development agreement with the Village, Woda Cooper will apply to the Ohio Housing Finance Agency, or OHFA, for $15 million in federal low-income housing tax credits — an amount that would allow Woda Cooper to build an affordable housing development comprising 30 to 50 one-, two- and three-bedroom units.

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Web Features

Martin Luther King Day plans in Yellow Springs announced

The YS Martin Luther King Day planning committee has announced plans for the 2025 event. The annual celebration will take place Monday, Jan. 20, with the theme “Stepping Up for Freedom 365.”
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Stage presents

The cast and crew of the middle and high school winter play: The Brothers Grimm Spectaculation,” successfully mounted four performances of the madcap show last week.
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The Patterdale Hall Diaries | A recipe for de-stressing

“I’ve been writing this diary for two years now. Putting my thoughts down has been enjoyable, and documenting this time of my life is kind of fun. I’m slowing down.”
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Arts (archives)

Community Band and school choirs 2024 Holiday Concert
A capacity crowd was treated to a collaborative holiday concert Monday evening, Dec. 16, in Westminster Hall at the First Presbyterian Church.
Story Chain makes connections through voice
For a decade, local nonprofit Story Chain has worked to connect loved ones who can’t physically be together through the power of the voice. Since its founding, the Yellow Springs-based nonprofit has run successful programs at Dayton Correctional Institution, and in Greene, Montgomery and Clark County jails.
‘Mission to Malawi’ memoir recalls Peace Corps, Black experience
Yellow Springs resident Dr. John E. Fleming has spent much of his life working to bring visibility to American history — in particular, African American history — via his five decades as a historian who has helped establish museums throughout the U.S.

Village Schools (archives)

LIHTC project ‘win-wins’ discussed
The latest update on the land, presented at the Nov. 14 school board meeting, is that Morgan Fields have been appraised at $339,000 by Cedarville-based real estate and auction company Sheridan & Associates.
School board approves sale option for LIHTC project
Mirroring a decision made by Village Council earlier the same week, the YS Board of Education voted 3–2 during a special meeting Thursday, Nov. 21, to approve an option to purchase agreement with the Village of Yellow Springs.
YS School District talks ‘State of the Schools’
District enrollment is up from last year, breaking a several-year trend of declining student numbers; there are currently 634 students being educated in the district, with 436 being residents and 198 open-enrolled.

Economy (archives)

Checking in with the Little Art Theatre
The Little Art Theatre is moving toward its 95th birthday next year with some updates already in its pocket — and more on the horizon.
YS Smokehouse takes it low and slow
Located in the former Calypso Grill space at 1535 Xenia Ave. — which closed after six years in October — the YS Smokehouse’s menu is slathered in classic southern Americana fare such as brisket, pulled pork, macaroni and cheese, collard greens, boiled peanuts and more.
First steps toward 128 more apartments in Yellow Springs
Tentatively dubbed “Unity Village” by Columbus-based real estate developer Windsor Companies, the planned buildings will be composed of 32 two-bedroom and 96 one-bedroom units — 128 in total — ranging from 650 to 1,100 square feet.

Village Life (archives)

News from the Past: November 2024
Contributing writer Don Hollister dove into the YS News archives to uncover past articles and more in his most recent installment of his News from the Past column.
Local chess club makes moves
Over the last few years, the Fairborn Scholastic Chess Club's founder, Tony Mumford, has expanded its reach to village youth, and he now operates the Yellow Springs Chess Club, introducing a whole new generation to the love of the game.
Annual Yellow Springs Kwanzaa celebration set
The annual community Kwanzaa celebration will be Saturday, Dec. 28, beginning at 6 p.m., in the John Bryan Community Center gymnasium.

Government (archives)

Village Planning Commission recommends repealing Gateway Overlay District
At the most recent Planning Commission meeting, Tuesday, Dec. 10, the group revisited — and ultimately recommended to repeal — an anomalous and oft-under-referenced section of the Yellow Springs zoning code: the Gateway Overlay District.
Village Council approves 2025 budget, exempts senior housing money
In the second-to-last regular Village Council meeting of the year, held Monday, Dec. 2, Council members voted 5-0 in favor of finalizing the $18,102,489 municipal budget for 2025.
Village of Yellow Springs says, ‘Slow down!’
In a concerted effort to curb those drivers who don’t slow down as quickly as the law mandates, Village leadership has, in recent weeks, instated new traffic calming measures and infrastructure on several local roads.

Obituaries (archives)

Susan Gartner
Susan Lee Gartner, aged 64, passed away on May 27, 2024, in the adorable village of Yellow Springs, Ohio, where she had spent over 20 happy years immersing her artistic nature in the small town’s famous flair for the arts.
Patricia High
Patricia Gaile High was born in Dayton, Ohio, to George and Mildred High on Feb. 28, 1942. She was the oldest of their five children.
Patricia McAllister
Patricia Ann McAllister, affectionately known as Patty, passed away peacefully on Nov. 30, 2024, at the age of 89.
Gordon Cowperthwaite
Born Sept. 18, 1924, in Detroit, Michigan, Gordon was the son of Thomas and Adrena Cowperthwaite, who immigrated from England and Scotland to Canada.
Geneva Brisbane
Geneva (Bradley) Brisbane, 96, of Yellow Springs, Ohio, passed away Saturday, Nov. 23, 2024, peacefully at the home of her daughter in Silver Spring, Maryland.

Higher Education (archives)

Emerge Springs | Addiction recovery services, housing at Antioch College
Emerge offers addiction recovery services, housing and job training. It was founded by three area business owners who work in the skilled trades, and who themselves are in long-term recovery.
Antioch College earns Federal Work College designation
The Federal Work College system is an evolution of the traditional work-study program. While the latter typically benefits students from lower-income backgrounds, the work college model mandates that every student living on campus must work, regardless of their financial background.
Apartments coming to Antioch College
Last month, Columbus-based real estate developer Windsor Companies purchased the vacant Antioch Student Union for $500,000.

Sports (archives)

Bulldog Sports Round-Up | Dec. 6, 2024
Though the Varsity Bulldogs played hard in their season-opening game against Southeastern Wednesday, Nov. 27, they ultimately fell to the Trojans, 41–55.
Bulldog Sports Round-Up | Oct. 25, 2024
Kyle Johnston became the first YSHS male runner in more than 10 years to qualify for the Regional Cross-Country Championships, which will take place Saturday, Oct. 26, beginning at 10 a.m., at Troy Memorial Stadium.
Bulldog Sports Round-Up | Oct. 18, 2024
For the second year in a row, both the McKinney Middle School boys and girls cross-country teams won the Metro Buckeye Conference championships, held Friday, Oct. 11, at Emmanuel Christian Academy.