From the Print Edition, 2019

This page contains links to articles published in 2019 in the print edition of the Yellow Springs News. Note the editoral, letters, police report and other material is available only by subscription. Return to current year’s from the print articles, or Follow this link to find older archives.

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2019

December 26, 2019

‘Chef Neff’ gives back by teaching

Sue Neff, 81, is preparing to return to Harbour Island in the Bahamas this month to teach culinary arts at the Harbour Island Trade School.
The Decade in Review: Higher Education

Yellow Springs 2010–2019: Higher Education
2019 Year in Review: Village Life

2019 Year in Review: Village Life
2019 Year in Review: Arts

2019 Year in Review: Arts
2019 Year in Review: Business

2019 Year in review: Business
The Decade in Review: Local Business

Yellow Springs 2010–2019: Local Business
The Decade in Review: Arts

Yellow Springs 2010–2019: Arts
2019 Year in Review: Village Schools

2019 Year in review: Village Schools
The Decade in Review: Village Life

The Decade in Review: Village Life
The Decade in Review: Village Council

The Decade in Review: Village Council

December 19, 2019

Planning Commission— New brews and a plein air patio

New brews are coming to Yellow Springs. After significant delays, Trail Town Brewery is on track to open for business this spring, according to owner Jake Brummett at the Dec. 10 regular session of Yellow Springs Planning Commission.
Village traffic trial— Should changes be permanent?

Where there was once a yield sign at the intersection of South Walnut Street and Limestone Street now stands a stop sign. It’s the first permanent change made after a three-week traffic pattern experiment near Mills Lawn School earlier this fall in order to improve the safety of students during school pickup and drop-off.
New fire code impacts local food trucks

Akhilesh Nigam, owner of food truck Aahar India, said this week that he is running afoul of a new fire rule requiring that mobile food units park at least 10 feet away from flammable structures.
Facilities task force sets priorities

About 10 months since its first meeting in March, the School Facilities Task Force hosted a community meeting Tuesday, Dec. 10, to share its findings and potential recommendations to the school board and to take questions and feedback from community members.
Four decades of YS ball drops

When Yellow Springs New Year’s Eve revelers descend on downtown streets near midnight Tuesday, Dec. 31, to mark the passing of 2019 into 2020 — and the start of a new decade — they will be participating in a local tradition that is marking its 40th outing this holiday. Read the history of the ball drop after the jump.

December 19, 2019 — Bulldog Sports Round-Up

December 12, 2019

Village Council— Senior apartments change OK’d

A redesigned 54-unit senior apartment building was given the green light by Village Council at its Dec. 2 regular meeting.
YSEA carries on ‘quiet work’

YSEA exists so that those who need a little extra help to make rent, avoid a utility shut-off, pay for a medication or buy groceries when food is running low have a place to turn
Students of the Month — November

Each month, McKinney Middle School and Yellow Springs High School acknowledge one student from each grade who has shown exemplary work as a student, classmate and citizen of the school. The schools have selected the following six students, who best modeled these efforts in the month of November:
Jail tax headed to ballot

A sales tax increase to pay for a new, larger county jail is headed to the March 2020 primary ballot.
Yellow Springs Schools— MLS added to voucher list

This fall that the Ohio Department of Education had added Mills Lawn Elementary to the list of Ohio public schools where students can get funding — commonly called “vouchers” — to attend a qualifying charter or private school.
Rare all-district production— A musical ‘Scrooge!’ for the holidays

YSHS is presenting “Scrooge! The Musical” from Thursday, Dec. 12, to Sunday, Dec. 15, at the Foundry Theater, at Antioch College, 920 Corry St.
Solstice Concert— Cellist to offer ‘sonic meditation’

Fitzpatrick’s solo cello invocation for the project, an original composition that has become a signature piece in his continuing focus on music as an agent of peace and healing, will be among the works featured when the classically trained musician returns to Yellow Springs to perform a Solstice Concert on Sunday, Dec. 22, at House of AUM.

December 5, 2019

YS School Board— Sixth graders give back through service

Mills Lawn sixth graders are learning to think of themselves in a civic context — as community members with the ability to be of service and contribute to the greater good.
Village finances— Revenues steady, expenses rise

As Village Council members took their first vote on the 2020 budget at their Dec. 2 regular meeting, they also briefly discussed the state of municipal finances.
‘Not a sale of the business’— Cresco to sell its property

Chicago-based Cresco Labs is selling its Yellow Springs property — but the sale won’t alter operations at its local medical marijuana cultivation facility, according to a company spokesperson reached for comment last week.
Guinness record a virtual triumph

Yellow Springs resident Jordan Gray was out to set the Guinness World Records title for the largest augmented reality scavenger hunt in one week — the first of its kind.

December 5, 2019 Bulldog sports round-up

November 28, 2019

Traffic trial survey results— Most respondents oppose street changes

The majority of respondents to a Village survey on its temporary traffic project do not support making the changes permanent. At the same time, more survey respondents felt the one-way design on South Walnut Street made school drop-off safer for children at Mills Lawn Schools than didn’t. Those were some of the highlights of a Village survey on its three-week traffic trial, which involved several changes to downtown streets and parking areas.
Poems of renewal at winter solstice

Area residents are invited to enter the “thin time” at Tecumseh Land Trust’s eighth annual Winter Solstice Poetry Reading, held Friday, Dec. 13, at 7 p.m., at Glen Helen’s Vernet Ecological Center.
Village meeting on Vernay cleanup— Water, utilities are worries

How good is the current proposal to clean up the Vernay Laboratories site? How much contamination is there? Are municipal water supplies protected? What can be done with the land when it is cleaned up? Those were a few of the questions asked at a public meeting on Thursday, Nov. 21, on Vernay’s most recent plan to clean up contamination at its former local rubber plant on Dayton Street.
New pastor at historic Central Chapel AME church

One of Yellow Springs’ oldest churches has an energetic new pastor. Reverend Morné Meyer, 38, was appointed to Central Chapel AME Church last month at the historic 154-year-old church.
Murder suspect pleads not guilty

In arraignment proceedings Thursday afternoon, Nov. 21, at the Greene County courthouse in Xenia, defense counsel for area resident Zyrian Atha-Arnett entered a plea of not guilty to two counts of murder and one count of felonious assault in the stabbing death earlier this year of local man Leonid “Lonya” Clark.

November 28, 2019 Bulldog sports round-up

November 21, 2019

Villagers testify on jail plan

Yellow Springs residents made a strong showing at last Thursday’s public hearing on a proposed sales tax increase to pay for a new county jail.
October Students of the Month

Each month, McKinney Middle School and Yellow Springs High School acknowledge one student from each grade who has shown exemplary work as a student, classmate and citizen of the school. The schools have selected the following six students, who best modeled these efforts in the month of October:
Invasive of the month— Impact of ornamentals not pretty

The present article is the last in this season’s “invasive of the month” series, which began with a two-part article on the local impact of non-native invasive plants last spring, and continued with monthly features focused on specific invasives of local concern. The series was undertaken in consultation with Glen Helen.
Citizens review police actions

An ad hoc citizen committee is reviewing a disciplinary matter involving two officers of the Yellow Springs Police Department.
Lonya Clark murder case moves forward

Area resident Zyrian Atha-Arnett is expected to be in court Thursday afternoon, Nov. 21, to plead to charges related to the stabbing death earlier this year of Yellow Springs resident Leonid “Lonya” Clark.
A trinity of actors in ‘Agnes’

The Yellow Springs Theater Company returns this month with “Agnes of God,” a thoughtful drama that explores faith and religion in the midst of a murder mystery.
Laura Curliss wins third Council seat

Laura Curliss is the third winner in the Nov. 5 election for three open Village Council seats, according to the Greene County Board of Elections’ final official results, which were certified on Tuesday, Nov. 19.
YS Schools welcome traffic experiment

Nearly two weeks have passed since the temporary traffic change affecting Short Street and parts of South Walnut and Limestone streets came to an end.

As the Village continues collecting information on the Oct. 21 through Nov. 9 trial, the News is looking at the origins and purposes of the plan.

November 14, 2019

Council closes in on 2020 budget

Next year the Village of Yellow Springs is projected to bring in $13.9 million and spend $15.4 million, according to a draft budget Council considered at its Nov. 4 meeting.
Origins of the traffic trial

The barricades and signs along Short, South Walnut and Limestone streets were taken down earlier this week as a three-week temporary transportation project downtown came to an end.

The Village of Yellow Springs is now gathering opinions and observations of the traffic trial in hopes of deciding on a permanent solution for the area. An online survey closes after Nov. 23.
Margaret ‘Peg’ Champney— A life entwined with the News

Margaret “Peg” Champney. whose longtime residence in Yellow Springs was closely intertwined with the life and history of the Yellow Springs News, died Tuesday evening, Nov. 5, after a brief illness. She was 87.

A quiet, steady presence at the News throughout her adult life, Champney’s 68-year tenure at the local paper likely qualified her as its longest serving employee.
‘Building a jail larger than we need’— Citizens give input at jail tax hearing

Does Greene County need a bigger jail? And what would be the costs of operating a larger facility?

Those were the chief questions and concerns voiced by citizens at last Thursday’s public hearing on a proposed sales tax increase to pay for a new county jail, estimated at a total cost of $70 million.

November 7, 2019

YS grad launches new business— Caring for lawns and nature

Yellow Springs Lawn Care offers a range of services, including gutter cleaning, leaf mulching, leaf removal, aeration, fertilizing and more.
Charter change narrowly fails

On Tuesday, Nov. 5, Yellow Springs voters narrowly rejected a measure to make several amendments to the Village Charter, according to unofficial final results from the Greene County Board of Elections.
A new vision for Antioch Hall

If all goes as planned, Antioch Hall will have heat by the end of the year.
The return of warmth to the iconic structure at Antioch’s heart, commonly known as Main Building, is the result of a unique collaboration between the college and village.
Film explores ‘moral injury’ vets face

The National Alliance on Mental Illness Clark, Greene and Madison Counties, or NAMI CGM, will be screening “Almost Sunrise,” a film that explores the effects of mental illness and moral injury on veterans, on Saturday, Nov. 9. The free screening will take place from 12:30 to 3 p.m. at the Little Art Theatre.
Clubs get students abuzz at Antioch

Antioch has a centuries-long history of student-run endeavors, and with the first quarter of 2019 underway, more and more Independent Groups have begun popping up.
Mark Twain Prize— Stars fete Chappelle at gala

Called the “voice of his generation” by fellow comedian and actor Eddie Murphy, longtime Yellow Springs resident Dave Chappelle was awarded the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor on Sunday night, Oct. 27, at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C.
Kreeger, MacQueen in; third seat unresolved

On Tuesday, Nov. 5, local voters returned Lisa Kreeger and Marianne MacQueen to Village Council, according to unofficial final results from the Greene County Board of Elections.

November 7, 2019 Bulldog Sports Roundup

Phyllis Jeanne Duckwall

Ghoul school

October 31, 2019

Tax hike for new jail?

Should a 0.25% increase in county sales tax be put on the ballot to fund the construction of a new jail for Greene County?

County residents will have a chance to weigh in on the issue at two upcoming public hearings. The hearings are scheduled for Thursday, Nov. 7, at 1:30 p.m., and Thursday, Nov. 14, at 6:30 p.m. Both hearings will take place in the Greene County Commissioners’ meeting chambers at 35 Greene St. in Xenia.
‘I want to be able to vote’— YSHS teens sound off on amendment

Over the last several weeks, villagers of legal voting age have taken to public forums to share their opinions on a portion of a proposed amendment to the Village charter that would allow 16- and 17-year-olds to vote on Village issues. On Nov. 5, those same adult voters will head to the polls to decide whether or not the amendment will pass.
Township candidates, unopposed, seek sixth full terms

The November 2019 Miami Township election features two long-time public servants who are running unopposed for their respective offices. Margaret Silliman is seeking another four-year term as the township’s fiscal officer, and Chris Mucher is looking to return for another four-year stint as township trustee.
Vernay cleanup plan— EPA listens to local concerns

The EPA came to share the status of the environmental cleanup at Vernay Laboratories’ former rubber manufacturing plant on Dayton Street and to hear from citizens on the proposed remedy.

The culmination of a two-decade long process, in June Vernay submitted its latest proposal to clean up contamination associated with its operations. The EPA is in the process of reviewing the plan and is interested in hearing from the public as it does, according to the site’s Technical Project Manager, Renee Wawczak, at the meeting.
Candidates Night Forum— Affordability, economy top issues

There was much overlap and some areas of difference among candidates for Yellow Springs Village Council at last week’s Candidates Night Forum, hosted by the James A. McKee Association in advance of the Nov. 5 election.

Affordability, housing, economic development and village demographics headed the list of topics discussed at the forum.

October 31, 2019 Bulldog Sports Roundup

October 24, 2019

On ballot: county parks levy

Financial support of those parks and trails is on the ballot this Nov. 5. With Issue 9, the Greene County parks district seeks a renewal of a five-year, 0.9 mill property tax levy to support its stewardship of local green space — and the recreational and educational opportunities that go along with those preserved pieces of the great outdoors.
New works from a local writer

This summer, Barbara Fleming released not just one, but two titles: the fourth book in her Matthew Alexander detective series, and a play that grew out of that fourth book and relates closely to its plot.
Village Council — Traffic test underway

With barricades, cones, signs and new parking stripes in place, the Village of Yellow Springs began a three-week traffic change on Monday.

During the experiment, the Village will test a new traffic pattern around Mills Lawn Elementary School, with South Walnut Street now one way from Short Street to Limestone Street, Short Street one way westbound and no left turns allowed from South Walnut onto Limestone.
News from the past — September & October 2019

News from the past — September & October 2019
Community Solutions conference— Hope in regenerative practices

But messages of efficacy and hope, which can get lost in crisis turmoil, are at the heart of a three-day national conference Nov. 1–3 in Yellow Springs.
“Pathways to Regeneration: Soil, Food, and Plant Medicine,” presented by the locally based Arthur Morgan Institute for Community Solutions, will offer alternative ways of thinking and acting.
Pharmacy concerns— Delays in drug orders cited

Two recent key resignations at the downtown pharmacy have brought to light concerns about the drug store’s ability to fill the prescriptions of its customers.

October 24, 2019 Bulldog Sports Roundup

Good run

October 17, 2019

Elli Sparks speaks at Glen Helen— Lobbying for climate solutions

Sparks will be speaking in Yellow Springs on Thursday, Oct. 31, from noon to 2 p.m. at the Vernet Ecology Center at Glen Helen. The event is free and the subject of her discussion is how the Citizens’ Climate Lobby, or CCL, works to lobby elected officials to act on behalf of the environment, and to mitigate the effects of climate change.
Open Studios— Tour to showcase how artists create

The Yellow Springs Open Studios Tour returns Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 19 and 20.
EPA to address latest Vernay cleanup plan

Two decades have passed since extensive contamination was discovered at the former rubber manufacturing facility. Under order from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Vernay has taken steps to stem the flow of contaminants in the groundwater under residential neighborhoods.
Controversy over lambs intensifies

The fate of nine lambs on the campus of Antioch College — the focus of an animal rights campaign since June — has generated fresh controversy and a threat this past week.
Yellow Springs Schools— Expenses outpace revenues

Yellow Springs Schools will be able to continue to balance its budget through fiscal year 2023, but the following year’s solvency is uncertain, Interim Treasurer Tammy Emrick has concluded in compiling the district’s latest five-year forecast.

October 17, 2019 Bulldog Sports Roundup

Liselotte Annemarie Stave

October 10, 2019

The 2019-20 Guide to Yellow Springs: Activism in the Village

This year’s Guide presents recent articles and material from our archives to highlight the brave local activists working for a more just, fair and sustainable world.
School facilities tours— Top needs highlighted

In a walk-around that lasted almost two hours on the evening of Sept. 18, outdoor issues such as the lack of a fence around the property and indoor issues such as energy-inefficient windows, lack of central air conditioning in parts of the building, lack of a separate cafeteria and lack of learning spaces conducive to group work were among the issues highlighted by Housh and Carter.
Charter change: a closer look

Should 16- and 17-year-olds be able to vote in Village elections? Should noncitizen residents be enfranchised for Yellow Springs offices and issues? Should the term of Yellow Springs’ mayor be lengthened from two to four years?

Village voters will decide these issues at the polls on Tuesday, Nov. 5. All three matters are proposed as amendments to the Village of Yellow Springs Charter, and will appear as a single “yes/no” vote on the ballot.
Task force to seek community input

Meeting regularly since its formation last spring by then-Yellow Springs Superintendent Mario Basora, the schools facilities task force is close to taking its findings out into the community in a series of public meetings, where members plan to share the information they’ve gathered and collect feedback.
YSPD closes case on fatal shooting

The Yellow Springs Police Department officially closed its case last week in the December 2018 fatal shooting of local resident Kenneth Livingston.
Street change to start Oct. 21

Starting Monday, Oct. 21, and running through Nov. 9, the Village will test a new traffic pattern in the areas of South Walnut, Short and Limestone streets.

October 3, 2019

A look at Antioch Farm— ‘The fruits of our labor’

The concept of sustainability has been central to Antioch’s mission since its rebirth in 2011. And the farm remains at the heart of the school’s curriculum and identity.
Students of the Month — September 2019

McKinney Middle School and YS High School have instituted a “Student of the Month” program, each month acknowledging one student from each grade who has shown exemplary work as a student, classmate and citizen of the school. The schools have selected the following six students who best modeled these efforts in the month of September, pictured above from left.
Yellow Springs Schools — Work session to consider future

With the new academic year in full swing, the Yellow Springs School Board will take time Saturday, Oct. 5, to talk about the future.
YS rape trial concludes— Defendant found not guilty

Jacob Pflanzer, formerly of Yellow Springs, was found not guilty on multiple counts of rape by a Greene County jury late Wednesday afternoon, Sept. 25, following a three-day trial in Xenia.
‘I’m your meter reader’

In the year since she was hired by the Village of Yellow Springs, Rose Pelzl has become a friendly, knowledgeable force for accurate and timely readings of villagers’ water meters
Invasive of the month— Tree-of-heaven’s devilish dispersal

Brought to this country in the 1700s as a horticultural specimen and shade tree, tree-of-heaven is one of North America’s most invasive tree species.

October 3, 2019 Bulldog Sports Roundup

Wilfried Karl Keller

Big shoes to fill

September 26, 2019

Planning Commission— New design for senior apartments

Home, Inc.’s proposed senior apartment building is getting a new design. If funded, the 54-unit building slated for a property between East Herman and Marshall streets will now be three — rather than four — stories tall, and cover a larger portion of the 1.86-acre parcel.
Council reviews YSPD assessment

In recent weeks, Council members and Village staff have responded to Wasserman’s 50-page report. And, by phone earlier this month, Wasserman summarized his findings.
WYSO now independent nonprofit

Local public radio station 91.3 FM-WYSO, started by three Antioch College students in 1958, is now independent and community-owned. On Aug. 30, the Federal Communications Commission, or FCC, gave final approval for the transfer of the station’s broadcast license from longtime owner Antioch College to Miami Valley Public Media, Inc., a newly created nonprofit governed by a seven-member community board.
Yellow Springs Schools— Holden responds to report card results

The state’s annual district report cards, based mostly on the results of those tests, were released earlier this month. Yellow Springs received a “C” overall for the 2018–19 school year, down from a “B” for the prior year. The overall grade combines the grades of six different categories measured by the state.

September 26, 2019 Bulldog Sports Roundup

September 19, 2019

YSHS, McKinney theater— ‘Bigfoot’ takes to the stage

“The Bigfoot Letters” is a comedy presented by McKinney Middle School and Yellow Springs High School for four performances, Thursday–Saturday, Sept. 26–28, at 8 p.m., and Sunday, Sept. 29, at 2 p.m. All performances will be held at the Foundry Theater at Antioch College.
‘Mayor Pam’ eyes 2nd term

Mayor Pam Conine runs unopposed for a second term; she looks to continue to represent, and celebrate, the community.
Treating addiction, in and out of jail

This is the final article in a series looking at the proposed expansion of the Greene County Jail, and the economic, social and human issues surrounding incarceration in the county.
Immigration judge responds to community support— Villager granted bond, released

The Yellow Springs business owner and father of three, Miguel Espinosa posted a $10,000 bond Tuesday, Sept. 17, the day after a U.S. immigration judge granted the bond, citing Espinosa’s standing in the community in allowing his release from federal detention while the local resident challenges deportation proceedings.
Ha Ha Pizza up for sale— What price a slice?

Ha Ha Pizza is up for sale. Villager B.J. Walters, who’s owned the popular pizzeria since 2005, is looking to pass the business onto another owner.

Outside voices: Porchfest 2019

September 12, 2019

Organizing to end racism— The history of H.U.M.A.N.

Started by villagers and Antioch College professors Jim Dunn and Bill Chappelle in the late 1970s, members of H.U.M.A.N. organized, marched, protested and educated in order to fight institutionalized racism and sexism, locally and nationally.
World House Choir performs— ‘Earth Mass’ reprised, with new works

Performances are slated for Sept. 18 and 21 in the Foundry Theater at Antioch College; the choir will also perform on Sept. 19 and 22 in Dayton and Springfield (see sidebar on page 10 for full details).
Village Council resolves residential solar cap issue

An unlimited number of villagers can now install solar panels on their residences and connect them to the grid after Council passed legislation at its regular meeting, Tuesday, Sept. 3, eliminating a cap on residential solar generation.
Village to test traffic pattern

Short Street and a section of South Walnut Street will be turned into one-way streets for a period of three weeks in October and November to test out a new traffic flow in the area.
Gun pulled at playground

According to the Yellow Springs Police Department, at 7:49 p.m. on Sunday, Sept. 8, a caller told police that a man pulled a gun and aimed it at a small dog at the Mills Lawn Elementary School playground.

September 12, 2019 Bulldog Sports Roundup

Poolside pups

September 5, 2019

Council addresses ICE action

At its regular meeting on Tuesday, Sept, 3, Village Council addressed the ongoing situation involving Miguel Espinosa, a local resident arrested by Yellow Springs police last week and later detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or ICE.
Before 2020, there was 1920

The YSAC show celebrates the 1920 milestone — and the century of effort that preceded it — with more than 20 art quilts and quilt squares depicting figures and themes from the suffrage movement.
World House Choir performs — ‘Earth Mass’ reprised, with two new works

The 100 voices of the World House Choir will reprise their celebration of “the earth, forever turning” with “Missa Gaia” and two new, commissioned pieces as part of “Our Planet — Our Lives” this month.
The Riding Centre at 60 — Soelberg’s legacy lives on

The Riding Centre, located at 1117 E. Hyde Road, is a nonprofit organization that provides riding lessons for students ages 8 and older, as well as horse boarding services, clinics and the Therapeutic Riding Program.
YSHS student arrested in false threat

A 15-year-old Yellow Springs High School student was arrested Thursday, Aug. 29, after police were alerted to an alleged bomb threat made against YSHS on social media earlier in the day.
Pallotta seeks Council seat

Dean “Dino” Pallotta knows it’s probably a long shot he’ll be elected to Village Council as a write-in candidate.
After ICE detention— YS seeks local’s release

Yellow Springs residents and leaders are rallying in support of local business owner and father of three, Miguel Espinosa, who is being held under Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or ICE, detention following a traffic stop in Yellow Springs early last week.

September 5, 2019 Bulldog Sports Roundup

August 29, 2019

Awe, wonder of monarch butterflies

Monarchs — beloved locally and beyond — are dying off in enormous numbers.
After tragedy, benefit fosters healing

n the wake of the recent fatal mass shooting in nearby Dayton, comedian, actor and Yellow Springs resident Dave Chappelle parlayed his fame, celebrity friendships and financial resources to do what he’s best known for doing — put on a show.
Village Council race— Incumbents run on successes

Last week, the News profiled challengers Curliss and Johnson. This week, we cover Kreeger and MacQueen, the incumbents.
Village Council— Solar compromise sought

Village Council is close to changing how local solar producers are compensated for the excess power they send to the grid.

August 29, 2019 Bulldog Sports Roundup

August 22, 2019

Yellow Springs Schools— School district welcomes two new teachers

Alison Hawker will be teaching physical education at the elementary school and Hannah Weinstein will be teaching U.S. history half time at the high school.
Building character through sports

Jeff Eyrich is the school district’s new half-time director of athletics and student leadership. He was hired this summer to replace former AD Nate Baker, who took the head sports job with Huber Heights Schools.
New candidates, new ideas

Laura Curliss and Jim Johnson are hoping to be elected to their first terms on Village Council.
Four in Village Council race

Four candidates are running for three seats on Village Council this November.
Jails ‘de facto’ mental health providers

In this fourth article in the News’ series on the proposed expansion of Greene County’s jail system, we take a closer look at the changing role of jails in mental health treatment, including in our local facility.

Friendly competition

August 15, 2019

New school year set to dig deeper

Mills Lawn Principal Matt Housh and McKinney Middle/Yellow Springs High School Principal Jack Hatert are looking forward to a new school year, as classes at both schools resume Thursday, Aug. 22.
Invasive of the month— Japanese stiltgrass moves in

Japanese stiltgrass is on the move in Yellow Springs, creeping into yards and forested areas. Here’s how to identify, and root out, this non-native invasive grass.
Sketch comedy show to debut

Eliot Cromer and Adam Zaremsky will present a sketch comedy show, “Wistful Meanderings of the Petty,” on Friday and Saturday, Aug. 23 and 24, beginning at 8 p.m. at the YS Arts Council.
Five bid for council seats

Laura Curliss, James M. Johnson, Lisa Kreeger, Marianne MacQueen and Christine Monroe-Beard filed petitions for Village Council with the election board by the Aug. 7 deadline.
Yellow Springs Schools— District scraps lunch provider

With the start of the new school year next week, a new food service company will be providing lunches at Yellow Springs public schools.

Perry League— A ‘loving and glorious’ 49th season ends

Lauren Heaton Memorial — Venue Change

Art fare

August 8, 2019

An afternoon fair’s fare

At 8 a.m. on Sunday morning at the fairgrounds, there were no crowds, food booths were closed and the rides were dark and still. In the livestock buildings, however, the 180th Greene County Fair was in full swing.
‘Stigma kills’ — Efforts target ongoing opioid, drug use

Those struggling with opioid addiction aren’t treated like other patients. Instead of being offered ongoing treatment from multiple medical professionals, patients with a substance use disorder were often left on their own.
Yellow Springs Schools — Educators grapple with tech

When Yellow Springs Schools’ former Superintendent Mario Basora attended an international education leadership conference in Germany last summer, the theme of the gathering was technology.
John Crawford III memorial — Turnout, resolve at 5th anniversary

John Crawford III is not forgotten. That was the main message Monday evening at a memorial along Pentagon Boulevard, outside the Walmart where Crawford, a 22-year-old black man, was shot and killed by a white Beavercreek police officer five years ago.
Miami Township — Ground breaking for new fire station begins

After months of delays, the official groundbreaking for the new fire station on the south side of town has been set for Sept. 18.
Inside Collaborative Community — The power of positive stories

In the fall of 2018, the Yellow Springs Community Foundation hired four individuals to help enhance connections and opportunities for interaction among our community students, seniors and nonprofits. I joined the others late in November, especially to help the group focus on stories and creative endeavors.

Perry League— A lifetime of T-ball

August 1, 2019

Still no answers in Clark case

Authorities investigating the homicide of villager Leonid “Lonya” Clark remain close-lipped about the cause and circumstances around his death earlier this year, leaving his loved ones growing increasingly distressed at the lack of resolution in the case.
Busy first month for new village manager Salmeron

As new Village Manager Salmeron concluded his first month on the job, he sat down with this Yellow Springs News reporter to talk about his activities and priorities for the village.
Antioch College: Couple donates historic building

Villagers Dr. Esther and David Battle recently donated their historic downtown building at 403 Xenia Avenue to Antioch College.
Dayton ‘Media and Democracy’ event — Journalists oppose Cox Media sale

Private equity firms now own more than one-third of major news outlets in the U.S. Working journalists have declined by half in a decade. And half of all Americans don’t get news from the community in which they live.
Young entrepreneurship — Friends launch DIY clothing line

Friends Lucas Hudson and Zoren Egea-Kaleda knew that launching a new DIY brand from Zoren’s basement bedroom would present a variety of challenges.
Antioch College — Kevin McGruder new academic affairs VP

A widely respected history professor at Antioch College is stepping into a new role. Associate Professor of History Kevin McGruder has been named vice president of academic affairs at the college, replacing Lori Collins-Hall.

Yankees triumph in post-season tourney

July 25, 2019

Invasive of the month— climbing vines

If you see something green in winter, it’s probably wintercreeper, a non-native invasive species of euonymus. Asian bittersweet is a little harder to identify. It’s most noticeable in the fall, when its leaves are off and bright red berries and yellow seed capsules make the plant attractive to some.
Antioch College Summer Institute — Exploring ways of knowing

As a therapist in an academic setting, Nzingha Dalila sees learning and knowledge through the eyes of a wellness practitioner.
Yellow Springs Schools — Holden takes the helm

Her official contract doesn’t begin until Aug. 1, but Terri Holden, the new superintendent of Yellow Springs Schools, is already on the job full time.
Back to the land, 40 years on

The year was 1976. Fifty people pitched in $1,200 each to purchase a former ranch in southwestern New Mexico. In the language of the age, they sought to go “back to the land.”
Council explores incentives for EnviroFlight

The Village of Yellow Springs is working to keep local insect-based feed company EnviroFlight in the village.
The issues with large-scale solar

An Australian company, Lendlease, has acquired close to 1,000 acres of long-term leases there as part of its Kingswood Solar Farm, a utility-scale solar array that could cover 1,200 acres and produce 175 megawatts of green electricity.
Village Council — Incentives sought to keep EnviroFlight here

The Village of Yellow Springs is working to keep local insect-based feed company EnviroFlight in the village.
Basora reflects on his tenure

For his final day in the office as Yellow Springs Schools superintendent, Mario Basora had hoped to walk over from his home on Allen Street.

July 18, 2019

Review— YSTC debuts compelling ‘Othello’

For those who don’t know, “Othello” concerns the secret machinations of the evil Iago against the titular Othello, “the Moor,” one of the few Shakespeare characters written as a person of color. This year’s Summer Shakespeare features a smaller cast and a strong group of leads.
Council passes stricter AirBnB regulations

Those wanting to start a new local AirBnB will now have to appear before Planning Commission, Village Council decided at its regular meeting on Monday, July 15.
Little Art shows ‘Strangelove’

An unhinged general with his finger on the button, ordering a nuclear strike on Eastern Europe? In 2019?
Pickleball champ brings home gold

Yellow Springs has a new national gold medalist in its midst. Pickleball player Tjioe Kwan, 78, won the men’s singles competition in his age category at the National Senior Games, held last month in Albuquerque, N.M.
An Antioch alum’s journey to the bench

Growing up poor in New York City, the daughter of a teenage single mom, the Honorable LaShann DeArcy Hall didn’t expect to become a federal judge.
Township solar project divides neighbors

In the countryside southeast of Yellow Springs, an area of rolling farmland dotted with homes and barns may someday be the site of a massive solar array.

July 11, 2019

Yellow Springs Schools — Holden addresses facilities

The schools facilities task force meeting, Wednesday, July 3, set aside time for incoming Yellow Springs Schools Superintendent Terri Holden to speak about her perspective on the task force’s role.
Village Council—Local electricity mega-green

Yellow Springs has the greenest power supply of the 139 municipal members of its electric supplier. It may even be the greenest on the region’s electric grid.
Antioch College — Summer Institute series debuts

Taking advantage of its new academic calendar, Antioch College is introducing a set of public programs under the organizational umbrellas of Summer and Winter Institutes.
Classroom climate — How do YSHS students learn?

In education, presenting information is only half the battle. The classroom environment, both physical and social, and the way information is presented also has an impact on student learning.
‘Interrupted Motherhood’— The juggling act of single motherhood

For playwright and actor Felicia Chappelle, art is therapeutic — whether it’s being received or created.
Antioch Reunion — Talking town-gown links

The new collaboration between Antioch College and the village is both a symbol of strong town-gown ties and a likely topic of conversation at this year’s Antioch College Reunion.
Steve Bognar receives a ‘Welcome to the Academy’

The news came by email. Subject line: “Welcome to the Academy.” For a moment villager Steve Bognar was stumped. “The Academy? The Taekwondo Academy in Fairborn?” he joked in an interview at his Yellow Springs home this week.

‘Othello’ outdoors

July 4, 2019

SpringsFest’s diverse line-up

The fourth annual SpringsFest will return to the village on Saturday, July 6, with 12 hours of music, craft beer and food vendors on the grounds of John Bryan Community Center.
The Longest Walk 2019— Spiritual journey makes stop

On the 137th day of a planned 155-day walk across the country, a small group of Native American activists stopped last week at Antioch College to talk about the issues that led them to spend five months on the road.
Village Council — Solar producers challenge cap

Should the Village raise its cap on the amount of solar energy it buys from local residences? Village Council broached that question at its July 1 regular meeting.
YSKP brings back the old West

“Bonanza Valley!” is anything but the typical “cowboys and Indians” narrative. Instead, the YSKP play retells the story of the Western frontier in a way that explores and challenges “Old West” traditions of property, power and gender. It runs through Sunday.
Fire, EMS calls on the rise

Crew members of Miami Township Fire-Rescue are responding to more emergency calls than ever before, according to statistics recently released by the department.

Rec League Baseball — Brewers, Pirates tied in Minor League

June 27, 2019

Reward offered in Clark case

More than two months into the homicide investigation in the death of villager Leonid “Lonya” Clark, the Greene County Sheriff’s Office is offering a $5,000 reward for information leading to an arrest and conviction in the case.
A YSHS/news collaboration: YSHS lunches get mixed reviews

As part of John Day’s Psychology/Sociology class at YSHS, I investigated school lunches for an assignment looking at school issues.
Lending local farmers a hand

Over the last few weeks, the News interviewed farmers who raise livestock and grow produce for the local market. They spoke to the joys and challenges of farming, both brought into sharper detail with this season’s stormy weather. This week, the News covers what local organizations are doing to grow the local food movement.
Yellow Springer Tees is open

In downtown Yellow Springs, business is often a family affair. Yellow Springer Tees & Promotions, one of the village’s newest shops, makes no exception.
Village Council — Expand voting to noncitizens?

Local 16- and 17-year olds and noncitizen legal residents could vote in local elections as early as next year.

Bugs life: EnviroFlight’s open house

June 20, 2019

Village Council — Manager Bates bids farewell

Patti Bates was honored at Council’s June 17 regular meeting before new manager Josue Salmeron was sworn in. Council members each thanked Bates for her service.
Heartbeat Learning Gardens — Eat local, heal local

While harvest day at Heartbeat Learning Gardens always has an air of celebration, last week’s was “bittersweet,” in the words of longtime volunteer MJ Gentile.
Perry League — A vibrant gang of children

Fiona Garcia, 5, came to bat without her Perry League cap. “She doesn’t want to wear it,” Laura Byrnes said. “It musses her hair too much.” “I feel the same way,” I said, and noticed, as if for the first time, Fiona’s fabulous head of hair.
New arts courses offered at YSHS

Students at McKinney Middle School and Yellow Springs High School will have some new elective course offerings available to them next year in the arts and communication fields.
Native son Sterling Wright — Home, history, basketball

Sterling Wright, 67, has spent much of his adult life away from his hometown. A professional basketball player who played briefly for the former ABA and the NBA, he was enticed away from the U.S. in 1975 to play the sport professionally in France.
Pirates, Orioles still lead

Rain continued to create challenges last week for local rec baseball teams, with the Minor and Major Leagues each postponing a pair of games.

June 13, 2019

Helping the helpers at MTFR, YSPD

In the last two weeks of May alone, Miami Township Fire-Rescue crews responded to 40 calls for emergency medical service and 15 reports of fire. When a call comes in, local first responders never know exactly what they might find when they arrive. The result is that the work is physically demanding and emotionally taxing.
Juneteenth in Yellow Springs — A tribute to emancipation

The first of the two Juneteenth celebrations will be held Saturday, June 15, 2–5 p.m., at Mills Park Hotel. The celebration is coordinated by villager Carmen Lee through her event planning business, Yokel.
Village to raise pool rates

The first rate hike in a decade at Gaunt Park Pool will likely take effect later this summer, with most of the increase to be paid by out-of-town visitors and day pass users.
Good green, bad green

Not all green is “green.” That’s the message from local land managers who are combating a host of non-native invasive plant species that menace locally preserved and reclaimed lands.
A new farm is hit with tragedy

Last month, a whiteboard in the heated greenhouse at Oasis Aqua Farms in Beavercreek Township boasted a variety of fresh, organically grown greens and herbs available that day. Then came the tornado.

Sweet Fair

June 6, 2019

‘Green death’ and other invasives

Drew Diehl calls it “the Green Death.” Pervasive in many areas, a single non-native species of honeysuckle — Amur honeysuckle — has transformed the local landscape over the last 30 years.
School board considers sale of land

A recently conducted land-use study of property owned by Yellow Springs Schools concluded that the district has about 23 acres of “underutilized land” that “could be considered for subdivision and redevelopment as residential properties.”
Get a whiff of this—Awaken Essential Oils set to open

Grapefruit, sandalwood, mandarin, sweet orange, lemon, clary sage, ylang ylang and rose. The organic extractions rush to meet the senses when opening one of Stephanie Palmer’s hand-blended essential oils. She calls it “Injoy.”
Play ball, already!— 150-year-old game finally fielded

It took 150 years to make up the game after it was rained out, but on Friday, May 31, the Cincinnati Red Stockings finally prevailed 14–7 over the local Antioch Nine on the Antioch College campus.
Carlson renewed as YSPD chief

At its regular meeting on Monday, June 3, Village Council renewed the contract of Yellow Springs Police Chief Brian Carlson for another year.
Growing local—Coming home to their cows

Although agriculture is Ohio’s No. 1 industry, most of what is grown in the state is not consumed here.

June 6, 2019 Bulldog sports round-up

Up and out: 2019 YSHS commencement and McKinney moving up ceremonies

May 30, 2019

Miami Twp. meeting— Firehouse groundbreaking

Groundbreaking for the township’s long-awaited new firehouse, to be constructed on the south side of the village, is expected to take place in late August or early September, Miami Township Trustee Chairperson Chris Mucher said earlier this month.
A tornadic near-miss Monday

Around 11 p.m. on Monday, May 27, Yellow Springs residents were roused from their beds by the whine of tornado sirens as the National Weather Service issued a tornado emergency for Yellow Springs.
Major League Baseball—Pirates jump to early lead

The clouds parted and rain stopped long enough for a beautiful opening day to the 2019 Minor League rec baseball season on Saturday, June 1.
Village Council— New YSPD imagined at forum

At a forum on policing on Tuesday, May 21, about 50 villagers helped identify the factors that contributed to a positive experience with a police officer, and envisioned a future Yellow Springs Police Department.
20th anniversary of Whitehall Farm auction— ‘Saving Whitehall’ legacy

Whitehall Farm was permanently preserved. A local land trust was put on the map. And a community victory still inspires.
Couple saved in morning fire

Lightning was the likely cause of an early morning house fire Tuesday, May 28, that sent three Yellow Springs residents to the hospital, fire Chief Colin Altman said this week.
Szempruch heads News ads

Suzanne Szempruch is now head of advertising and the newest co-owner of the 139-year-old newspaper.

YSHS senior’s best score — Clark to play for the Quakers

May 23, 2019

Home, Inc.— Senior housing rental project not funded, yet

A proposed 54-unit affordable senior housing rental project in Yellow Springs has not been funded — yet. Home, Inc. and its development partner, St. Mary Development Corporation, received word last week that they had not been awarded federal tax credits for the local senior apartment building, by far the largest project of its kind undertaken by Home, Inc.
YS Schools facilities— New report, familiar concerns

Local school buildings are in immediate need of upgrades. That was the paraphrased conclusion Wednesday, May 15, when representatives of the architectural engineering firm hired by Yellow Springs Schools to conduct an independent assessment of district facilities presented their findings to a joint meeting of the school board and the recently formed facilities task force.
Yellow Springs Schools— Senior achievements honored

Ronnebaum and Bryan, who were recipients of a number of the awards distributed this year, have also been chosen to be the 2019 student speakers at commencement exercises Thursday, May 30.
Native American mascot controversy— Schools learn limits of debate

Should schools use Native American images and names for sports teams? Yellow Springs High School 10th-grade social studies students were set to debate the pros and cons of that question next week before a panel of community member judges.
Homegrown publisher leaves village

Niche magazine publisher Ertel Publishing relocated to Xenia in March, after 30-plus years in the village. The company has been under new ownership since July 2017, when founder Patrick Ertel sold the business he started out of his Davis Street home to three employees: Brad Bowling, Jeremy Cundiff and Erin Puro.
Council pulls parking lot proposal

Beatty Hughes Park will not soon be the site of a municipal parking lot. A proposal to turn over the downtown park to parking was tabled at Council’s May 20 meeting after public opposition.

Ralph E. Ramey

May 16, 2019

‘DOROTHY LANE: a travelogue’— Smith’s artistic alchemy transforms

Louise Smith, a veteran writer and actor, therapist and Antioch College performance professor, will debut her new piece, “DOROTHY LANE: a travelogue,” on Friday, May 17, and Saturday, May 18, at 8 p.m. in the Foundry Theater’s Experimental Theater.

May 9, 2019

Council ban on clapping, signs — Do rules violate free speech?

On January 22, Village Council chambers was standing-room only as more than 50 citizens crammed into the room, many to express their disapproval for an ongoing disciplinary process involving a local police officer.
Greene County— Designs for a new jail

A consulting firm hired by Greene County has so far come up with four possible design options for a new local county jail complex.
Home, Inc. annual meeting speaker — A history of unfair housing

The average white family in America today has 10 times the wealth of the average black family. To longtime fair housing administrator Larry Pearl, “that’s an amazing figure,” and its cause can be traced to America’s long history of housing discrimination.
Dress code comment spurs controversy

A woman who works in food service at the high school faces the possibility of losing her job after separate public and private social media posts came to the attention of school officials last week.

May 9, 2019 Bulldog sports round-up

May 2, 2019

Greene County— Jail options considered

When villager Don Hollister toured the Greene County Jail in downtown Xenia as part of a citizen group a year ago November, he was shocked by how stark it was. “My clearest impression looking at the barred cells was that it seemed out of a movie,” he said. “It fit every stereotype I had of an urban jail.”
A century of life — Toshiko Asakawa celebrates 100

On a recent Friday afternoon, Toshiko Asakawa sat at her kitchen table, eating a late breakfast of ham, eggs and toast. She refilled her cup of green tea from a small, cast iron pot. At 99 years old — just a few weeks shy of her 100th birthday — Asakawa lifted the teapot with ease.

It’s the electric ride

April 25, 2019

Village is rocked by homicide

The two-punch news last week that the body of villager Leonid “Lonya” Clark was found in Glen Helen Nature Preserve, followed by the announcement that his death is being investigated as a homicide, has left the community reeling and seeking answers.
Big story fuels ‘Little Village’

Imagine a village that looks a lot like this one, but it’s entirely self-sustaining, with its own independent infrastructure, economy, governance — and a whole lot of secrets.
A bright new spot on Dayton Street

Greene Canteen was a bright spot on a drizzly morning this past Saturday, April 20. The new eatery at 134 Dayton St. officially opened at 11 a.m., with a snip of a ribbon and a musical blast.
Indigenous Water Protectors panel — A path to “re-indigenizing” Antioch

At a panel at Antioch College for “Earth Week,” indigenous leaders from the Oglala Lakota, Hunkpapa Lakota Sioux, Dakota Wakpala, Northern Cheyenne, Kiowa and Anishinaabe spoke about water protection and other environmental and human rights issues.
Village Council — YSPD review in progress

Bob Wasserman’s career in law enforcement started in Yellow Springs where, as an Antioch undergrad, he volunteered as a night dispatcher for the YS Police Department under then-Chief Jim McKee.

April 18, 2019

Council makes offer to VM candidate

Yellow Springs may soon have a new Village manager.After four finalists for the position visited town last week, Village Council has made an offer to one of the candidates, the News confirmed this week.
Body in Glen identified—Villager’s death investigated as homicide

A body found Friday afternoon, April 12, in Glen Helen Nature Preserve has been identified by authorities as missing Yellow Springs resident Leonid “Lonya” Clark.
Major gas line fix underway

A major gas line replacement project has started in Yellow Springs. Over the next eight months, nearly two miles of natural gas mains and 140 service lines will be replaced here, according to a recent press release from Vectren Energy Delivery.
Forest Village Homes—Home, Inc. expands to rentals

How hard is it to find an affordable, accessible rental in Yellow Springs? Ask Nick Cunningham, a medal-winning Paralympic athlete and the current president of the Village’s Human Relations Commission, or HRC.
Animated documentary at the Little Art—The tragic history of nuclear testing

On the morning of March 1, 1954, on an island in the central Pacific, the United States detonated the most powerful atomic bomb it would ever test. In less than a second, the 15-megaton blast irradiated the island chain, as well as 23 Japanese fishermen on a fishing boat.
The social utopia of the ‘Mystic Knights’

It was during the late 1970s at an idyllic riverfront property in Clifton that a group of Yellow Springers came to form a legendary, diverse social club.
Antioch College’s Earth Week—All are invited to ‘wade in’

A series of Earth Day-related events on the Antioch College campus next week invites the entire community to “Wade In” on environmental justice, particularly in relationship to water.

April 18, 2019 Bulldog sports round-up

April 11, 2019

The next Village manager— Ideal qualities, priorities

Pete Bales, Elke Doom, Allyson Murray and Josue Salmeron are vying for the position due to the upcoming retirement of Village Manager Patti Bates in July. Council is expected to chose the next manager in executive session on Monday, April 15.
Council declines to sell cell tower

In a 3–2 decision, Village Council declined an offer from a private company to buy out the Sutton Farm cell tower.
Joe Ayres: a fixer of people, things

A visit to Ayres’ Polecat Road home shows that some of what Ayres rescues is stuff. Known as a man with many friends, he is also known as a fixer of anything, so of course he often fixes things for his friends.
Co-op puts PVs within reach

Gleaming solar panels hang on the steeply pitched roof of Eric Johnson’s South High Street home, and also top an all-electric tiny house in his backyard. Last year, Johnson’s solar panels met 90 percent of his household electricity use. And, most importantly to someone concerned about climate change, the 10-kilowatt array helped him produce less carbon dioxide.
Meister, Village reach terms

Yellow Springs Police Officer David Meister has withdrawn his grievance with the Village following what a joint press release called a “very positive discussion” recently with Village Manager Patti Bates.
‘A tear in the social fabric’— Beloved son, friend still missing

Anyone who spends much time in downtown Yellow Springs knows Lonya Clark, called Leo by many of his friends. A once daily presence in the coffee shops and streets of town, the young man is known for greeting most everyone with a smile and friendly nod. But despite his growing up here, most people know only small pieces of who he is, how he spends his time and where he goes. And nobody seems to know where he’s been for close to three months now.
Joseph Robinson at YSAC gallery— The village, seen through eyes of joy

Joseph Robinson loved his family, his community and his town. All three come together in a new exhibit at the Yellow Springs Arts Council gallery, called “Through the Eyes of Joseph Robinson: Paintings and Poetry of Yellow Springs.” The exhibit opens with an evening reception from 6 to 9 p.m. on Friday, April 19, and runs through May 12 during regular YSAC gallery hours, Wednesday through Sunday, 1 to 4 p.m.

April 11, 2019 Bulldog sports round-up

All fired up

April 4, 2019

The final four candidates for Village Manager respond to questions

The four finalists for Yellow Springs Village Manager were asked to respond to six questions formulated by the News and the Village Council’s appointed Village manager search committee.
Kyleen Downes sings — A popular musical ‘Friend’

Kyleen Downes is my friend.” More than just a T-shirt slogan, it’s an inevitable vibe that results from meeting the ebullient singer-songwriter or hearing her perform.But yes, you can get the T-shirt, too.
Council rezones MillWorks

After several months of debate in Council chambers over a proposed zoning change at the MillWorks industrial park, Council unanimously passed legislation to rezone the property on Monday, April 1.
Adventures of an archivist — Letting the volumes speak

There’s hidden treasure in Xenia, if you know where to look. Under the unassuming green awning is the Greene County Archives. That name might not suggest intrigue, but for those with a passion for the past and with no fear of digging, it can be a trove of historical exploration.
Township Trustees— New approach for fire station bids

Miami Township officials last week began advertising for a “construction manager” to oversee and coordinate bidding by sub-contractors to build the anticipated new firehouse on the south side of town, township Trustee Chairperson Chris Mucher reported during the trustees most recent meeting Monday, April 1.
YSCCC now enrolls the ‘littles’

Cuteness alert: there are new babies in town. Yellow Springs Community Children’s Center, or YSCCC, now accepts infants aged six weeks to 17 months as part of its recently created infant program, which opened in November.
‘A tear in the social fabric’ — Beloved son, friend still missing

Anyone who spends much time in downtown Yellow Springs knows Lonya Clark, called Leo by many of his friends. A once daily presence in the coffee shops and streets of town, the young man is known for greeting most everyone with a smile and friendly nod. Clark hasn’t been seen or heard from since mid-January.

Bulldog track boasts larger squads

March 28, 2019

Dementia friendly project ends, but effort continues

During the year-and-a-half duration of the Dementia Friendly Yellow Springs project, organizers were most surprised by the number of people who approached them to say they personally had a connection to the disease.
Bringing mindfulness to prison

Whenever Katie Egart walks into the Dayton Correctional Institution, or DCI, she encounters locked doors.
A page turns for Antioch Writers’ Workshop

The page has turned for a beloved local literary institution with deep roots in Yellow Springs.In a March 22 press release, the board of trustees for Antioch Writers’ Workshop announced the workshop’s closure after 33 years.
School board—Hatert gets 3-year contract

In a special meeting Thursday morning, March 21, the Yellow Springs school board unanimously approved Jack Hatert as the new principal at Yellow Springs High School/McKinney Middle School, beginning the 2019–20 school year.
Four village manager finalists named

At its April 1 regular meeting, Village Council released the names of the four finalists for the Village manager position.
Yellow Springs Schools—Facilities task force begins work

An 11-member task force assigned to develop a plan for addressing local school facility needs — both now and in the future — is beginning its work by seeking opinions from the community.
Village Council—YSPD awarded new state certification

In addition to the awarding of several commendations at Council’s March 18 regular meeting, several developments related to local policing were announced.
County commissioners—Jail, voting machines discussed

Plans for a new jail, the purchase of new voting machines and public access to commissioner meetings were among the topics raised by local citizens at last Tuesday’s Greene County Board of Commissioners “town hall” meeting in Yellow Springs.

March 28, 2018 Bulldog Sports Round-up: Fresh start for Bulldog softball

Jim Agna memorial

The neighs have it

March 21, 2019

Antioch College—Progress made after protest

Over the last two weeks, some Antioch College students have not been attending class to show support for student demands to change the way sexual offenses and incidents of racial discrimination are handled at the college.
MLS students win at speech, debate

On Friday, March 8, three Mills Lawn sixth-grade students departed for their trip to the State Championship for Middle School Speech and Debate in Poland, Ohio.
Doctors see cannabis as medicine

Last month, Villager Paul Beck came to the screening of “Weed the People” to learn more about medical marijuana.
School Board—Superintendent search begins

At its regular meeting Thursday, March 14, the board welcomed two representatives of a Columbus-based firm that will assist throughout the process of getting a new superintendent hired before the end of the school year.
McKinney at Power of Pen regionals

Three eighth-grade McKinney Middle School Power of the Pen writers competed in the Western Regional Tournament held at Wittenberg University on Saturday, March 9.
A Woodstock artifact returns home

Greg “Duke” Dewey, drummer for Country Joe and the Fish at Woodstock, is loaning his drums for a special exhibit celebrating the 50th Anniversary of the Woodstock Festival at the Bethel Woods Center for the Arts in New York state.
Village Council—Council bans clapping at meetings

No clapping, booing or displaying of signs during public comments will be allowed at Village Council meetings, according to an update to meeting rules passed this week.
Guilty Pleasures to play, Litterally

Villager Rachel Litteral will open for Dayton band John Dubuc and The Guilty Pleasures this Friday, March 22, at the Emporium’s weekly wine tasting.

March 14, 2019

New YSHS McKinney Middle School principal to be approved

In a special meeting Thursday, March 21, the Yellow Springs school board was expected to approve Jack Hatert as the new principal at Yellow Springs High School/McKinney Middle School for the 2019–20 school year.
New healing arts school—Coming to grips with grief

Like many of us, Joshua Hayward knows a thing or two about grief. His wife, Esther Lail, died in 2013, which is when Hayward’s “path to suffering opened up,” he said this week.
New delay for new firehouse

With a third round of construction bids again coming in too high, Miami Township Trustees will be returning to the drawing board for another attempt at reducing the projected costs of building a new firehouse on the south side of town.
Antioch College—Students seek SOPP reform

Earlier this week on the Antioch College campus, students, faculty, administrators and trustees engaged in negotiations around the implementation of two campus policies.
Diversity, inclusion efforts at the Village— Understanding implicit bias

Over the last six months, employees of the Village attended trainings to create a more inclusive and diverse work environment and improve cultural competency at the Village.
Flu ramps up in the area

Those who think flu season is just about over are wrong, according to Ohio Department of Health Assistant Director of Communications J. C. Benton this week.
Yellow Springs Schools—Principal candidates welcomed

In an executive session before the regular school board meeting on March 14, district Superintendent Mario Basora expects to come to a decision on selecting a new principal for Yellow Springs High School and McKinney Middle School.

Al Denman memorial

Full house: Yellow Springs Celebrates International Women’s Day

March 7, 2019

Local agriculture conference — A growing green movement

Unless new farming practices are adopted, the world has only 60 years of harvests left, the United Nations announced a few years ago.
YSHS/McKinney School — Principal finalists named

Three finalists for the principal position at Yellow Springs High School and McKinney Middle School have been named.
Village Council — MillWorks plan proceeds

Efforts to rezone an industrial park in the village moved ahead this week after Council gave initial approval to the change in a voice vote at its regular meeting on Monday, March 4.
International Women’s Day — Celebrating women’s lives

Honoring and celebrating both the commonalities as well as the different life experiences of women is at the heart of a local event planned Friday, March 8, in recognition of International Women’s Day.
The halls are alive with the ‘Sound of Music’

“The Sound of Music” is arguably one of the most beloved works in the musical theater repertoire.
No new discipline, MOU extended in Meister Case

Yellow Springs Police Officer David Meister will not face additional discipline after a ten-week investigation into his professional behavior on the night of a fatal shooting in the village in December, according to the Village last week.

March 7, 2019 Bulldog sports round-up

Man over board

February 28, 2019

Abecedary by Mills Lawn first-graders inaugurates Gaunt award

For those who don’t know much about the life of Wheeling Gaunt, the Yellow Springs man who bought his own freedom from slavery and for whom Gaunt Park is named, there’s a handy resource out there — and it was written by Mills Lawn’s 2017–18 first-grade class.
Launch party slated for ‘The Can Hand’— Local inventor shows can-do spirit

Local inventor presents a multi-tasking tool for the beverage wielder, a coozie worn on the back of your hand, freeing fingers for other uses.
As markets open, Cresco has room to grow

Despite being the state’s first licensed medical marijuana growing facility, Cresco Labs of Yellow Springs last month was not granted a processing license by the state.
YS School Board — Superintendent search begins

Following the announcement that Superintendent Mario Basora would be taking the job of superintendent of Huber Heights schools, the Yellow Springs School Board held a special meeting to authorize the hiring of Susan Griffith as a consultant to facilitate the search for a new superintendent.
Alyce Earl Jenkins— Recognized for service, teaching

“Sometimes when I’m feeling down, I come in here and think, well, I did make a contribution to different communities at different times,” Alyce Earl Jenkins said in an interview last week. That’s quite an understatement.
Decision pending — Meister won’t be fired

Last week, Village Manager Patti Bates confirmed that Yellow Springs Police Officer Dave Meister won’t be fired at the conclusion of the recent internal investigation into his professional behavior.
Village Council — 62 seek Village Manager job

The process of vetting candidates to be the next Village Manager is officially underway, Council President Brian Housh reported at Council’s Feb. 18 regular meeting.

Bulldog sports round-up — Feb. 28, 2019

Thomas L. Johnston

February 21, 2019

Villager to take plastics for a ride—Recycling program slated

If you’ve ever lamented the amount of recyclable plastics that end up in your trash every week, take heart: One of Yellow Springs’ own is coming to the rescue.
Superintendent Basora accepts position in Huber Heights

After nine years at the helm of the local school district, Yellow Springs Schools Superintendent Mario Basora will leave for the top district job in nearby Huber Heights.
Planning Commission—MillWorks plan faces resistance

Newly laid plans for MillWorks faced vocal opposition at Planning Commission’s regular meeting last week as the body considered a zoning change to allow for a greater mix of uses at the site.
Village Council—Policing concerns, assessment discussed

Local policing was once again a significant topic of discussion at Council’s regular meeting on Monday, Feb. 18.
School Board—Principal selection begins

The hiring process for a permanent principal for Yellow Springs High School and McKinney Middle School was a main topic at the Yellow Springs Board of Education’s Feb. 14 meeting.
Hearing officer conclusion—Meister violated no policies

In a decision released Wednesday, Feb. 20, pre-disciplinary hearing officer Jeffrey Hazlett concluded that Yellow Springs Police Officer Dave Meister did not violate any police department policies by not responding to a shooting in the village in early December.

Bulldog sports round-up — Feb. 21, 2019

A place of peace

February 14, 2019

Trivia’s a-brewin’ with the Doctor

There are plenty of places in the area to play team trivia, but as usual, things are a bit different at the Yellow Springs Brewery. For one thing, there’s Dr. Dudek.
Sneakers with a message at YSHS

During last year’s NFL season, players wore shoes decorated to promote each player’s favorite charity, bringing attention to the causes of cancer prevention, mental health awareness, clean water initiatives in Africa, and the education of low income children, among others. Hundreds of players participated, from teams that included the Cleveland Browns, the New England Patriots and the New York Jets.
Faculty celebrates end of strike

To celebrate the end of the strike on Monday, around 200 faculty, union organizers, supporters and friends assembled at strike headquarters in the Wingate Hotel across Col. Glenn Highway from the WSU campus.
Wright State strike ends— Faculty union hails agreement

Wright State faculty members on strike for nearly three weeks returned to their classrooms on Monday after a tentative agreement was reached between the faculty union and the WSU board of trustees late Sunday night.
Pre-disciplinary hearing for Meister complete

A pre-disciplinary hearing for Yellow Springs Police Officer David Meister was held on Thursday, Feb. 7.
A life serving Scouts, village

When Frances Smith was a child in Meridian, Miss., her mother pushed hard to start a Girl Scout troop for black girls. While there was no chance that the girls would be integrated into existing groups of white Girl Scouts, at the time there was not even a separate group for black girls. But Smith’s mother was determined to give her daughter the same opportunities her older brothers had, when they belonged to a Boy Scout troop for African-American boys.

February 7, 2019

Filmmakers win Sundance honor

Yellow Springs filmmakers Julia Reichert and Steve Bognar brought home one of the highest honors from the Sundance Film Festival last week. The couple received the “Directing Award: U.S. Documentary” for “American Factory,” their feature-length documentary, at Sundance, the most prestigious American film festival.
Bulldogs take on regional academic competitions — Wins in speech, writing, world affairs

Yellow Springs students brought home a variety of extra-curricular awards in the past week, in addition to the district’s athletic accomplishments.
Mister Omar’s Chess Academy— Yellow Springs chess team seeks new players

Right now in this peace-loving village, battles are waging in the form of a 1,000-year-old military game. No, not the animated, simulated gory gun battles of modern video games, but a noisy game of classical chess.
Miami Township Fire-Rescue — Lifesaving squad braves thin ice

Monday, Feb. 4, was a beautiful sunny day, with temperatures in the 50s. Around 11 a.m., motivated by the unseasonable weather, David See decided to wash his Jeep’s floor mats, so he took them behind his house on Clearcreek Trail in Bath Township to hose them off. He happened to look at the half-acre pond — still mostly iced over — about 50 yards back on his four-acre property.
MillWorks seeks zoning change — New vision for an old park

An industrial park in the village is set for transformation in the post-industrial era, according to its new owner.
Trustees change meeting time

Miami Township Trustees moved Monday, Feb. 4, to eliminate a long-standing meeting time conflict with Yellow Springs Village Council.
The border is here — Mauritanians fight deportation

The United States President has declared an immigration crisis at the U.S.–Mexico border, focusing public attention there, while at the same time a crisis in our own backyard goes unseen by many Ohioans.
Dr. John E. Fleming — Dedicated to preserving history

Dr. John E. Fleming’s office at his home on Corry Street is a testament to his decades-long body of work: the walls are decorated with art by celebrated African-American artists, and his bookshelves are packed with books. Numerous plastic bins of papers and photos are neatly stacked against two walls. He sat comfortably in his office discussing his life’s work during a recent interview.
Council to assess YSPD

Village Council continued to discuss the disciplinary process involving a local officer at its Monday, Feb. 4, meeting.

Malawi Lee McDonald

Hungry for jazz

January 31, 2019

WYSO to separate from Antioch

Local radio station 91.3 FM-WYSO will no longer be owned by Antioch College, according to college and station leaders this week.
A closer look at the Meister investigation

The disciplinary process involving a local police officer continues this week after close to 20 villagers spoke in support of the officer at Council’s regular meeting last week.
Figures of speech — the first Fearless Forensic Festival

Halls, rooms, chairs, nooks and crannies were filled to capacity at both the high school and grade school this last Saturday, Jan. 26, as Yellow Springs hosted its first ever speech and debate tournament, the Fearless Forensic Festival.
School board — District fundraiser to depart

Dawn Boyer, the director of advancement for Yellow Springs Schools, is leaving her job at the end of her current contract, Aug. 1, according to a letter of resignation dated Jan. 4.
Village Council — Music festival gets OK to play late

A local music festival will be able to rock out past 10 p.m., Council agreed at its Jan. 22 meeting.
Artists’ lasting legacy — Miller brothers at Herndon

Now hanging at the Herndon Gallery are sketches of nudes done with the sure hand of a master draftsman, dozens of ink sketches in small notebooks documenting the travels of the artist Dick Miller and charcoal sketches of farm scenes in rural Ohio.

Meanwhile, in a small reading area, sits a desk and reading lamp along with a bookcase of the published works and favorite books of local author and longtime Antioch writing professor Nolan Miller.
Former villager pens children’s books

Jasper Springs, the imaginary setting for Fred Rexroad’s mystery book series for children, looks a lot like Yellow Springs.

Bulldog sports round-up — Jan. 31, 2019

January 24, 2019

Village Council — Meister supporters speak out

Village Council’s Monday, Jan. 22, meeting was standing room only as more than 50 villagers pressed into Council chambers. Many had come to voice their support for Officer David Meister.
Village Council — Apartment rezoning approved

After months of public discussion, Council approved the rezoning of a 1.8-acre parcel between East Herman and Marshall streets to accommodate a 54-unit affordable senior apartment building.
Wright State faculty goes on strike

As of 8 a.m., Jan. 22, the Wright State University faculty represented by the American Association of University Professors, or AAUP, went on strike as planned, picketing at the campus entrances, despite the 17 degrees Fahrenheit temperature and brisk winds.
Portraits of villagers at the Winds

Villager Tim Potter worked long and hard for three decades building a school of design in Dayton, so he wasn’t sure, when he retired eight years ago, who he was anymore. But he ended up surprising himself by picking up the paintbrush he’d put down years before.

January 24, 2019 Bulldog sports round-up

March fit for a King

January 17, 2019

YSPD Officer Meister faces termination

Yellow Springs Police Officer David Meister faces possible termination after Village administration alleged he may have violated policy by not responding to a fatal shooting in the village last month.
‘Careful man, there’s a beverage here…’ Little Art, Yellow Springs Brewery team up for ‘Big Lebowski’ event

There are two types of people: those who love the film “The Big Lebowski” and those who don’t.
Yellow Springers to participate—Area food and farming event focuses on justice

Farmer and educator Onika Abraham, a national leader of the food justice movement, believes that the current food system creates pockets where healthy food isn’t available. Just don’t call them food deserts.
For the love of dance— Villager honored as DCDC celebrates 50 years

It was the late 1970s when villager Richard Lapedes and his wife, Maureen Lynch, went to their first performance of the Dayton Contemporary Dance Company, or DCDC.
‘Best Ice Cream’— Young’s Dairy celebrates 150 years

Coming off their recent accolades in a “Best of Dayton” survey, this weekend Young’s Jersey Dairy is celebrating the 150th anniversary of the farm and its landmark red barn on Route 68.

Bulldog sports round-up — Jan. 17, 2019

January 10, 2019

Reaching out to those on the inside— Sculptor offers healing with clay

This article is the first in a series detailing the work and volunteer efforts of Yellow Springers at Dayton Correctional Insititution.
Arguing for speech, debate

Here’s a psychological tip for feeling more confident: Stand with your feet apart, hands on hips — Superman style — for five minutes.
Keeping it traditional— Guitarist Mark Babb brings the blues

Villager Mark Babb is living in the past, at least musically. His influences are people like Blind Blake, Rev. Gary Davis, Leadbelly and Robert Johnson, from nearly a century ago.
WSU faculty move closer to strike

Wright State University faculty this week took a step closer to going on strike in a continuing contract dispute with university administration.
Aahar India burns, plans to rebuild

Aahar India, the local Indian food truck at 101 S. Walnut St. next to the Corner Cone, burned Saturday evening, Jan. 5.
Senior apartments— Council passes first reading to rezone

At its first meeting of the year, Council voted to rezone a local property to accommodate a 54-unit affordable senior apartment building.
New Meister investigation launched

The Village of Yellow Springs initiated a new investigation into Officer Dave Meister last month, the News learned this week.

Bulldog sports round-up — Jan. 10, 2019

January 3, 2019

Cresco readies first harvest for dispensaries

The inaugural harvest of close to 400 cannabis plants was completed a few days before Christmas at Cresco Labs in Yellow Springs, and its medical marijuana products will soon be available to dispensaries around the state.
From ‘Vampire Diaries’ to ‘Blue Book’ — YSHS alum Malarkey’s new role

Within the first few minutes of “Project Blue Book,” a new show premiering next week on the History Channel, villagers watching may recognize two familiar sights: the ubiquitous acronym “WPAFB” emblazoned on an aircraft hangar, and the face of Michael Malarkey.
Antioch College steps up diversity, inclusion

The reality of a relatively robust percentage of students from diverse backgrounds living together on a small campus can make for a uniquely challenging college experience, according to Antioch leaders. And those leaders, including faculty, staff and students, are aiming to help students address those challenges.
Village Council — Senior apartments vetted

Questions about the impact of a proposed apartment building on Village infrastructure, area traffic and local seniors were addressed at Village Council’s final meeting of the year on Dec. 17.

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