FROM THE PRINT EDITION, 2020
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2020
December 31
Features
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2020 Year in Review: Miami Township
In March, a five-year levy was renewed for Miami Township Fire-Rescue; the department took occupancy of a new firehouse in September.
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2020 Year in Review: Feature Stories
2020 was anything but ordinary. This year’s feature stories mostly covered all of the unique ways villagers coped with — and still managed to thrive despite — the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
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2020 Year in Review: Business
2020 ushered in countless difficulties for the many small businesses that populate Yellow Springs. Restaurants endured challenges of meeting public health standards amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and shops had to cope with a decline in sales.
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2020 Year in Review: Higher Education
2020 was a challenging year for most academic institutions, not least of all Yellow Springs’ own Antioch College and Antioch University Midwest.
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2020 Year in Review: Yellow Springs Development Corporation
The Yellow Springs Development Corporation, or YSDC, is a quasi-governmental, nonprofit corporation that has been designated by the Village of Yellow Springs and Miami Township as their official Community Improvement Corporation, or CIC.
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2020 Year in Review: Village Schools
Calendar year 2020 began and ended with Yellow Springs school district leaders discussing identified structural needs in the local school buildings and how to address them, but the majority of the year was occupied by the district’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
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2020 Year in Review: Top Stories
2020 was an eventful and newsworthy year — especially in Yellow Springs. Villagers weathered the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, witnessed the transfer of ownership of Glen Helen, endured a stressful and unique election season and so much more.
December 24
Features
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Village of Yellow Springs shares $40K in federal CARES funds
New HVAC filtration systems, masks, gloves, stand-alone air purifiers, plexiglass partitions and hand sanitizer stations were among the products purchased by local organizations through the grant.
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Amid pandemic, Friends Care Community’s ho-ho-holidays
The holidays are festive, if lower-key, at Friends Care Community this year. Visitation has been restricted at the facility since March.
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The Briar Patch— Mortgaging humanity: Property values and the life of Wheeling Gaunt
There is clear distinction between Gaunt’s humanitarian-based business structure, and the economic system of slavery upon which our mortgage system is based. Bundling enslaved people — captives — into securities had benefits for the slave owner.
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Wheeling Gaunt’s legacy lives on
Wheeling Gaunt’s generosity perseveres in a 126-year-old tradition of the delivery of flour to local widows and widowers at the holidays — a stipulation in Gaunt’s will when he bequeathed the land that is now Gaunt Park to the Village.
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2020 in six words or one picture
This year, as in years past, the YS News asked its readers to write a little something in response to a question about the year that’s ending.
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Spirits of Christmas Past
In the spirit of the holidays, the Yellow Springs News did a deep dive into the News archives and unearthed a bevy of fun holiday photos from past decades.
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Chappelle to buy former fire station in Yellow Springs for comedy club
Nationally known comedian and local resident Dave Chappelle is purchasing the former Miami Township fire station with plans to open a comedy club in Yellow Springs.
December 17
Features
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News from the Past
In last week’s “News from the Past” column, contributing writer Don Hollister did another dive into the YS News archives and compiled some of the more compelling headlines that occurred in past Decembers.
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Sankofa Talk — An ‘All Lives Matter moment’
In the most recent installment of Bomani Moyenda’s column, “Sankofa Talk,” Moyenda recounts a tense interaction with an “All Lives Matter” proponent at a forum at Wilmington College.
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YS Schools— Board OKs hybrid transition plan
Yellow Springs school district leaders are making plans for students to return to in-person classes, but exactly when that will be is uncertain.
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Village Council— Deficit budget moves ahead
The Village of Yellow Springs plans to spend about a million dollars more than it takes in next year. As a result, general fund reserves are set to drop to their lowest level in recent years.
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30 years of letters to Santa
For nearly all of the last three decades, former villager Peggy Barker has compiled these letters as Santa’s assistant. She said she took up the job in 1989 when she found herself with some extra time on her hands.
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The Legendary Lights at Clifton Mill get second place in national contest
For the third year in a row, the Legendary Lights at the Historic Clifton Mill were among the most impressive in the country, according to the results of a national competition. Clifton Mill won second place in the best public holiday lights category in USA Today’s annual “10Best” competition.
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COVID-19 update— Antioch College reports outbreak
After reporting just one COVID-19 infection during the fall quarter, Antioch College now has seven active cases on campus. Six students and one staff member tested positive for the virus over several days late last week, according to college spokesperson Christine Reedy.
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Virus impact grows in Yellow Springs
Three local businesses are closing for the winter during what their owners expect to be a grim few months of the pandemic. Whether other seasonal closures will follow in Yellow Springs remains to be seen.
Village Council
December 10
Features
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Caring for COVID’s sickest patients
Yellow Springs resident Chasilee Crawford is an ICU, or intensive care unit, nurse at Springfield Regional Medical Center. She volunteered to work in the hospital’s designated COVID-19 specific ICU when it was formed last March, and has been caring for patients who are severely ill with the disease ever since.
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Health Commissioner Melissa Howell— A closer look at area surge
Ohio saw a massive bump in COVID-19 cases on Tuesday, Dec. 8. That day, 25,721 new cases were reported, bringing the statewide case total well over the half-million mark since the pandemic’s start.
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Solar ‘canopy’ eyed for parking lot
Initial plans call for a solar canopy at the John Bryan Community Center. The covered pavilion would feature a solar roof with at least a 200-kilowatt capacity, with vehicle parking and event space underneath.
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Outside investigation complete— Officer violated no policies
At issue was whether YSPD Officer Dave Meister violated Village policy and state law by allegedly telling a citizen that a fellow officer, Paige Burge, referred to some attendees of the weekly Black Lives Matter rallies as an “angry mob.”
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Digital ‘Dracula’— High School takes stage to film
YSHS performing arts teacher Sparrow-Knapp decided to stick her neck out this year — so to speak — and take a chance with a filmed version of “Dracula,” a show she said she’s long wanted to stage.
Obituaries
December 3
Features
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Utility-scale solar project moves ahead
A utility-scale solar project southeast of Yellow Springs is moving forward, and so is a grassroots effort to stop it.
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Schools project deficit by 2024
With the expectation that the district will be going to voters for more funds in the form of a facilities bond levy in late 2021, Treasurer Emrick presented the annual five-year financial forecast during the school board’s most recent meeting.
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Yellow Springs Schools facilities upgrades— $30 million cost expected
Yellow Springs School District leaders anticipate a $30 million price tag, at minimum, to upgrade the district’s buildings, whether those improvements take the form of new construction or major renovations.
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Miguel’s moves into future brewpub
On Black Friday, Nov. 27, Espinosa and a team of his employees cut the ribbon to the location of Espinosa’s new culinary digs: 101 Corry St., the future home as well of Trail Town Brewing.
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Winter Solstice Poetry Reading— ‘Magics and songs’ offer healing gifts
The season’s first snowfall came ahead of Tecumseh Land Trust’s annual Winter Solstice Poetry Reading, to be held this year on Friday, Dec. 11, at 7 p.m., via Zoom.
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‘Chop wood, carry water’— Trainer offers tips for healthy winter
As the winter months approach, many Americans are thinking about how they’ll stay healthy and combat the “winter blues” once it turns cold — especially as the pandemic continues unabated.
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Thought for Food— A pork pie for the anxious
In last week’s “Thought for Food” column, Lauren “Chuck” Shows offers up a hearty remedy for these anxious, trying times: a Cheshire pork pie recipe.
Obituaries
Featured Photos
November 26
Features
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Pandemic election concludes
Absentee was the most popular way to vote in this election, as 34,700 ballots were cast absentee, more than one third of the total, 89,627. Another 33,676 voted in person on election day, 19,951 voted early in person and 1,791 voted with a provisional ballot.
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COVID-19 cases mount in YS
While the village has lagged surrounding communities in its rate and spread of COVID-19, local organizations and businesses are beginning to see — and in some instances publicly announce — more positive cases here.
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Village to buy land for bike path
The Village of Yellow Springs is moving forward with plans to purchase three acres of land at Yellow Springs High School for a bike trail to Agraria, Community Solutions’ farm west of the village.
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‘Caesar’s Redemption’— Local history, authentically imagined
Local playwright Kane Stratton is debuting an eight-minute film vignette drawn from a longer script that explores the life of a Black man named Caesar, a “maroon” among the Shawnee people of southwestern Ohio in the 1770s and beyond.
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News from the Past
In last week’s “News from the Past” column, contributing writer Don Hollister did another dive into the YS News archives and compiled some of the more compelling headlines that occurred in past Novembers.
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Protest held outside Gov. DeWine home
On Friday, Nov. 20, nearly 200 demonstrators gathered outside Gov. Mike DeWine’s home in Cedarville Township to protest his and the Ohio Department of Health’s COVID-19-related mandates, including the statewide mask order and the 10 p.m. curfew.
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Little Thunders— Unsettling Truthsgiving
This November 26, as you sit down to your meal, I have a message for the young people because they will understand better than anyone else: There is no need to shy away from the truth.
Village Council
Obituaries
November 19
Features
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Yellow Springs School board— Facilities back at forefront
Administrators’ recent focus on pandemic-related school closures, and the accompanying transition to online instruction, drastically slowed the facilities conversation, but didn’t sideline it completely.
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H&H Studios is here for hair and body
Holihan and Quigley held the grand opening for their new hair salon and massage parlor, H&H Studios — so named for “Heidi” and “Holihan” — on Oct. 24.
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Local COVID-19 response— Village steps up enforcement
As the third wave of the coronavirus rages through the state and county, the Village of Yellow Springs is cracking down on behaviors that could further spread COVID-19 in town.
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Planning Commission— New ‘do not plant’ list being considered
Proposed changes to the Village’s weeds ordinance are taking aim at dozens of “noxious weeds” and invasive plant species currently wreaking havoc in Ohio.
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COVID-19 contact tracing— More cases, more contacts
The local health department’s contact tracing team now includes nine people, including employees from the Ohio Department of Health, part of the state’s scaled-up contact tracing workforce.
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The Briar Patch— On kindness
And what would Cleola think of this iteration of kindness we are experiencing now? This market driven world of contemporary culture that has attempted to commoditize kindness into a kindness tourist destination trap.
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Gov. DeWine imposes curfew
At a press conference on Tuesday, Nov. 17, Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine announced that the state was imposing a curfew to help curb the “dramatic” spread of COVID-19 in the state.
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More local Chappelle shows OK’d
The series of ticketed shows, which began in early June and ran for four months — as allowed by a temporary use permit for the agriculturally zoned property — may now continue through Aug. 5, 2021.
Obituaries
November 12
Features
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Countering racism in Yellow Springs schools
In the News’ ongoing “Facing Race” series, we turn this week to the local school district for a look at how the schools are reckoning with race and implementing new efforts, alongside continuing initiatives, to counter racism’s presence and effects.
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Village Impact Project— Mentoring aims to change lives
Founded by high school intervention specialist Donna Haller, and initially launched in January 2019 under the auspices of the area Big Brother Big Sister organization, the local group struck out on its own and formed a governing board of trustees that summer.
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Bookplate Ink— The village’s history in bookplates
Printed bookplates — also referred to as “ex libris,” after the Latin for “from the library of,” which often precedes the name of a book’s owner on a bookplate — are nearly as old as Gütenberg’s printing press itself.
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Village Council— Budget to ‘burn through’ reserves
There’s money to spend, but not for long. That was the message from Village of Yellow Springs officials, who plan to dip into reserves to cover $1 million in deficit spending next year.
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Election ran smoothly in Yellow Springs
Emotions ran high, and a pandemic raged on, but a historic election unfolded without incident in Yellow Springs on Tuesday, Nov. 3.
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The Village Mouse— The sinking of the friend ship, pt. II
Chipping away at Q-falsehoods with calm rhetoric proved tedious. I kept thinking: this stuff is batty. Too many people have to hide too many crimes, not to mention Donald Trump is connected to some of the alleged members of the cabal.
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Little Thunders— Speaking Indian
Whenever I hear an Elder speak our traditional Ojibwe language, known as anishinaabemowin, my eyes fill with tears. I become overwhelmed with emotion. I’m told that tears are the ancestors coming to visit and wash my vision to help me heal from historical trauma.
Featured Photos
November 5
Features
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Antioch College— Manley to leave in December
Antioch College President Tom Manley is leaving the presidency earlier than planned due to health issues. Manley will become “president emeritus” as of Dec. 1, he announced in an email to the college community on Friday, Oct. 30.
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Planning Commission— Costly repairs ahead for YS?
Burns described a series of specific stormwater issues related to aging infrastructure — which in some parts of town date back to the late 1800s, he said — certain kinds of lot designs, more intense storms than previously and other factors.
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Mural to honor Virginia Hamilton
Local artist Pierre Nagley recently started painting a new mural honoring the life and works of famed local author Virginia Hamilton. The mural, located on the wall of the Yellow Springs News building, is being spearheaded by Help Us Make a Nation, or H.U.M.A.N., a recently revived local human rights organization founded here in the ’70s.
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Community Solutions to host restorative conference
This year’s conference, the organization’s 66th, is titled “Pathways to Regeneration: Restoration, Resiliency and Reciprocity,” with a particular focus on food growing and preservation. It will be conducted online this weekend, Friday through Sunday, Nov. 6–8.
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COVID-19 update— ‘There is no place to hide’ in Ohio
October brought a whirlwind of bad news about COVID-19 spread in Ohio. New cases soared statewide, hospitalizations increased and more counties than ever flipped to “red” on the state’s COVID-19 heat map.
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2020 Election preliminary results— Trump takes Ohio, Village levy passes
According to unofficial results, Trump won Ohio, and its 18 electoral votes, by a margin of 53% to 45%.
Obituaries
October 29
Features
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News from the Past
Contributing writer Don Hollister compiles some of the more compelling headlines that occurred in past Septembers and Octobers in last week’s “News from the Past” column.
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Village of YS— Free Wi-Fi downtown coming
The Village of Yellow Springs is providing free Wi-Fi access downtown for a year in a pilot project that could eventually lead to community-owned broadband internet available throughout town.
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Yellow Springs Halloween amid COVID-19
In late September, the Village of Yellow Springs announced that the usual community Halloween activities — bonfires and trick or treating — would be canceled due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.
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Election Day 2020: how to vote
Voters have just two days left to cast their ballots for the 2020 presidential general election. There are three ways to vote in this election. Read more in our Voter’s Guide for the 2020 General Election:
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Ballard seeks Ohio Senate seat
The News rounds out its candidate spotlights this week with a brief profile of Democratic state senatorial candidate Charles Ballard.
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Uncertain fate for Antioch Review
The current and future status of the Review, which has a national and international reputation for literary excellence, is unclear to the magazine’s longtime editor — furloughed since April — and longtime production staff.
Obituaries
Featured Photos
October 22
Features
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The Briar Patch— Did we ask permission?
Community development — in all its forms — is an imperative question for the governance of our village.
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Wintrow’s Chamber, village legacy— Making Yellow Springs a ‘destination’
After 13 years at the helm of the Yellow Springs Chamber of Commerce, Karen Wintrow will step down Friday, Oct. 23, ahead of a move to Greenwood Lake, N.Y., with her husband, Ted Donnell.
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Council OKs land use plan
At its Monday, Oct. 19, virtual meeting, Village Council unanimously approved a new comprehensive plan, which will guide the Village’s development and land use decisions through 2030.
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Who’s the News?, pt. IV: the printer
In the fourth installment of the “Who’s the News?” series, we go even further behind the scenes to introduce to you the men and the machines who bring the News to life. Meet the printer.
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New tiles at Women’s Park
Though the flowers in the Women’s Park on Corry Street have begun to wither as fall deepens, something new has just bloomed there: in early October, a collection of 124 new tiles bearing the names of local women emerged.
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Tims vies for House seat; Lachman runs for judge
The News continues its election coverage this week with profiles of two more area candidates. Both candidates are Democrats with support among Yellow Springs’ heavily Democratic voters.
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Village seeks levy renewal
The 8.4-mill, five-year levy, first adopted in 2006, generates about $835,000 annually, according to the Greene County Auditor’s Office. As a fixed-rate levy, its passage will not increase voters’ tax bill, despite the recent increase in local property values.
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COVID-19 update— For first time, Greene is ‘red’
Last Thursday, Oct. 15, Ohio elevated Greene County to “red” on the Ohio Health Advisory System for the first time since the system was put in place in early July. The state flagged four different indicators of increased COVID-19 spread here, out of a seven-indicator risk profile.
October 15
Features
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Village Comprehensive Land Use Plan— Parking, Glass Farm changes
A design for expanding parking around Mills Lawn was removed from the Village’s draft comprehensive land use plan during Village Council’s Oct. 5 virtual meeting.
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Yellow Springs Schools— Online instruction set to continue
Instruction for the 700-some students enrolled in Yellow Springs Schools will remain online for at least another quarter.
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COVID-19 update— Cases rise in Greene County
COVID-19 cases continue to rise in the county. The virus was slow to take hold here, but the county saw a spike in June, a larger spike in July, some moderating in August and a surge beginning in late August that hasn’t let up.
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Senior Center to reopen Monday
That door will open again on Monday, Oct. 19, as the Senior Center welcomes seniors back with a “Coffee and Donuts with Friends” event.
Obituaries
October 8
Features
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Voting begins for Nov. 3 election
Election Day — Tuesday, Nov. 3 — is less than a month away, and election season in Ohio is in full swing.
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Antioch University Midwest absorbed, building for sale
Antioch University Midwest, or AUM, has been largely eliminated as a separate campus in the Antioch University system, and the Yellow Springs building is once again for sale, after being taken on and off the market several times in recent years.
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Gary waves goodbye— Wavelength Salon & Spa closes after 27 years
The inability to maintain this closeness over the past six months of the ongoing pandemic helped Glaser make the decision to close Wavelength after 27 years. The business closed in September.
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Little Thunders— As the thunder rolls, reflections and questions
Over time, if you keep reading, you will get to know me and my perspective, but today I’ll tell you a little bit about my history.
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Fire station sale still pending
The community might not know who bought the old Miami Township fire station on Corry Street for another two months.
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Dave Chappelle seeks OK for more local shows
Comedian and Yellow Springs resident Dave Chappelle is apparently hoping that the series of shows he hosted this summer at a rural property just north of the village can go on longer than the time originally set in a temporary zoning variance approved for the site.
Obituaries
October 1
Features
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The Village Mouse— The sinking of the friend ship
In our online lives, the falling out of a friendship tends to go from snoozing, to unfriending, to blocking, the ultimate e-banishment.
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Who’s the News, pt. III: the columnists
When we ask our readers what their favorite page of the paper is, we are not surprised to hear that it’s our letters page — page 4. The Community Forum is the one part of the paper reserved for opinions, and we in this community have a lot of them.
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Comprehensive Land Use Plan— Road map to future growth
Public feedback has emphasized the need for a broader economic base, more diversity of housing types and prices and municipal broadband, among other priorities.
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Remote learning challenges families
This is the second of two stories asking how remote learning is going in the Yellow Springs Schools.
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Latest Greene County appraisal— Yellow Springs property values up 19%
Property values in Yellow Springs jumped by 19% on average in the latest property appraisal by the Greene County auditor.
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Antioch College— Back to campus under COVID-19
Since announcing in June a return to residential learning for the fall term, Antioch has been finalizing its reopening plans, which now have been rolled out with few hitches.
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Village Council— Apartments, businesses must recycle
Local apartment complex and commercial property owners must offer recycling services to their tenants, Village Council decided at its Sept. 21 regular meeting, held virtually.
Obituaries
Featured Photos
September 24
Features
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Need rises, food relief follows
Food insecurity in the U.S. is reaching record heights in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic and resulting economic recession. And even in the relatively well-off community of Yellow Springs, some residents have difficulty putting food on the table.
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Wintrow to leave Chamber
The Board of Directors of the Yellow Springs Chamber of Commerce announced last week that Executive Director Karen Wintrow will leave her position at the Chamber. Her last day in the position will be Friday, Oct. 23.
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Land annexation moves ahead
Council began the process of annexing 34 acres of land on the south end of the Village at its virtual meeting on Monday, Sept. 21.
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A look inside Yellow Springs schools
School has been in session for about a month, with instruction taking place online since the opening of the 2020–21 academic year on Aug. 27.
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‘See Spot run’— Plans for local dog park take shape
A new plan is afoot, or a-paw, to locate a park for Yellow Springs’ furry residents on 1.3 acres of unused land west of the water towers at Gaunt Park, abutting Talus Drive and a farm field.
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Sale pending on old fire station
In a special online meeting Tuesday, Sept. 22, the Yellow Springs Development Corporation, or YSDC, approved the sale of the soon-to-be vacant fire station on Corry Street to a buyer who was not publicly named. The vote was 7–1, with two abstentions.
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‘Psychedelic expressionist’ mural unveiled downtown
The latest addition to Yellow Springs’ downtown public art scene is a breathtaking mural by villager Anna Burke, which was recently completed behind Rose & Sal’s Vintage Shop on Dayton Street.
Featured Photos
September 17
Features
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Teaching reading, ‘wonder’ at Mills Lawn Elementary
Candice Teague, the new fourth-grade teacher at Mills Lawn Elementary School, says she planned on becoming a classroom teacher for as long as she can remember.
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They’ve got game— Yellow Springs family helps create board games
Collins and Van Ausdal were hired to generate content for “Bye, Felicia!” and “Who’s the G.O.A.T.?” — games created by Nashville-based game company Big G Creative.
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Little Art Theatre to close again until 2021
After reopening for eight weeks, the Little Art Theatre has closed again due to low attendance, with a goal to reopen sometime in 2021.
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Village eyes more recycling options
Garbage and recycling collection rates are set to rise, and maybe more than usual. That’s because the Village is considering supplemental recycling options for the community.
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Yellow Springs Schools— Track, field repairs proceed
The Yellow Springs school district is moving ahead with repairs to the track and field facilities at the middle/high school campus.
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COVID-19 surge in Greene County— Nursing homes, colleges drive increase
Cases of COVID-19 in Greene County are “surging,” according to the Greene County Health Department last week. Nursing homes and college campuses are driving the recent increase, county health officials believe.
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Virtual exhibit showcases emerging artists
With the aim of supporting new voices, the Yellow Springs Arts Council will host a virtual art show highlighting the work of four up-and-coming area artists.
Village Council
September 10
Features
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On the history, future of Black farming
According to the USDA’s latest census report, released in 2017, Greene County has no Black-owned farms, out of a total 617. Neither does Clark County, with 742 total farms; while Montgomery County charts nine Black-owned farming ventures, of 782 farms overall.
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Yellow Springs man gets prison time after plea deal
Yellow Springs resident Michael M. Gentile will serve up to a year in prison after reaching a plea deal with the Greene County Prosecutor’s Office in July related to rape, drug and vandalism charges filed in 2017.
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Glen Helen reopens with new owner
The tape came down and the trail signs went up this week at Glen Helen. After being closed since March, the Glen reopened to the public on Wednesday, Sept. 9.
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South end development— Council considers land annex
At its Sept. 8 regular meeting, Village Council considered an annexation agreement to add close to 34 acres of land on the Village’s southern border for a residential development with potentially more than 200 housing units.
Village Council
Featured Photos
September 3
Features
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A path to progress on race?
This is fourth in a series on the impacts of racism in Yellow Springs and local anti-racist efforts and approaches.
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Our part-time staff and contributors — Who’s the News, Pt. II
As things have calmed down (somewhat), we’re pleased to restart the series with profiles of our part-time employees and regular contributors.
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News from the Past
Contributing writer Don Hollister compiles some of the more compelling headlines that occurred in past Julys and Augusts in last week’s “News from the Past” column.
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Council decriminalizes marijuana in Yellow Springs
In a 4–0 vote, Council passed the first reading of an ordinance reducing the offense level and penalties for those caught possessing or cultivating less than 200 grams of marijuana, which is about seven ounces.
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Local restaurants are rebounding, for now
Six months into the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, business at local restaurants is surprisingly good.
Village Council
August 27
Features
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New science teacher hired
McKinney Middle School’s new science teacher, Cameron Dickens, has brought an atypical educational background to an atypical school year when classes since began online Thursday, Aug. 27.
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Mail-in voting surge expected
At least 30 people rallied outside the Yellow Springs post office last Saturday, Aug. 22, as part of a nationwide protest of postal changes that could affect mail-in voting this fall. Such voting is surging in popularity amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
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Connie Collett to retire— A chapter comes to a close
After more than 30 years as head librarian at the Yellow Springs branch of the Greene County Public Library, Connie Collett is retiring from the position.
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Yellow Springs Development Corporation
The Yellow Springs Development Corporation, or YSDC, a local quasi-governmental organization, held a brief virtual meeting on Tuesday, Aug. 4.
Obituaries
Featured Photos
August 20
Features
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Council recommits to anti-racism
At their Aug. 17 virtual meeting, Village Council members agreed to move forward to meet the demands of local anti-racist rally organizers and take other steps to address racism locally after tensions escalated between the two groups in recent weeks.
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What the village kneads— ‘Bootleg’ bagels fly from local kitchen
Local chef Ben Bullock recently opened a new micro-bakery out of his home in the village. Bootleg Bagels offers made-to-order bagels that are chewy on the outside and soft on the inside with a variety of toppings.
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Parents explore alternative school options
The continuing pandemic has prompted area schools to restructure their methods and approaches, often drastically, with some adopting an online instructional plan, at least to start the year.
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Planning Commission— Chappelle properties to be renovated
According to plans presented at the Aug. 11 planning commission meeting, the renovation of 241 Xenia Ave. will lead to a new hair and nail salon at street level, as well as a remodeled apartment on the upper floor with an extensive roof deck.
Village Council
Featured Photos
August 13
Features
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COVID-19 update— Cases moderating, for now
After a spike in June, and a larger spike in July, COVID-19 cases are moderating in Greene County. Yet with the county at level 2 on Ohio’s public health advisory system, cases are still increasing here at a higher rate than two months ago.
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Township Board of Zoning Appeals— Chappelle shows granted variance
The Miami Township Board of Zoning Appeals gave the green light Thursday night, Aug. 6, to comedian Dave Chappelle and his team to continue presenting shows at a rural property north of the village.
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New mystery novel set in the village
Geisel’s new novel “Fair Game,” available at local bookstore Dark Star Books, follows private investigator Flint’s quest to solve a mysterious, and fictional, years-old missing persons case.
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Demonstrators, Village at odds
Discussions between a group of anti-racist demonstrators and Village officials broke down this week after a letter from two Council members was met with a swift rebuke from organizers.
August 6
Features
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Noncitizen voting under fire
Yellow Springs’ recent charter change allowing noncitizens to vote on local matters came under fire last week from the state’s chief election official.
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Independent review clears YSPD chief
Yellow Springs Police Chief Brian Carlson was cleared of wrongdoing by an outside investigator in June after a formal complaint was lodged against him by a village resident in May.
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Tom Manley to leave Antioch College in June of 2021
President Tom Manley’s fifth year at Antioch College will be his last. Antioch announced this week that Manley plans to leave his position at the end of his five-year contract next June. A search for his replacement will begin this fall.
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YS Schools restart— District assesses risks
This story looks at some of the risks of both in-person and online instruction that local educators are weighing in planning for the new academic year.
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‘A Small Thing to Want’— Cawood explores desire, regret
‘A Small Thing to Want,’ a collection of short stories by author and YS native Shuly Xóchitl Cawood, was published in May.
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The future of Yellow Springs, now
A few proposals: Light industrial facilities on the western edge of town. Offices and a new residential neighborhood along Xenia Avenue at the southern end. A “designated outdoor refreshment area” downtown where alcoholic beverages can be consumed on the sidewalks. And a dog park.
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Antioch School plans for in-person restart
As the new academic year approaches, the Antioch School — the local independent day-school for pre-K and elementary school-aged children — is planning to open its doors, and its many windows, for in-person classes this fall.
Obituaries
Featured Photos
July 30
Features
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Movies return to Little Art big screen
The 90-year-old local independent theater, the Little Art, reopened two weekends ago after being closed for more than four months.
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State mask order: how to enforce?
Exactly two weeks to the day after the Village of Yellow Springs mandated face masks in downtown Yellow Springs to slow the spread of COVID-19, Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine announced masks would be required in public across the whole state.
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Yellow Springs Schools— New academic year to begin online
In a specially called meeting Saturday morning, July 25, the Yellow Springs school board unanimously approved a plan to restart the 2020–21 academic year online, with instruction to be presented by district teachers.
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Zoning rules challenge shows
Award-winning comedian and actor Dave Chappelle’s weekend comedy shows are not within the parameters of the zoning code, forcing the property owner to seek a temporary usage variance from the Board of Zoning Appeals.
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Leading while Black in Yellow Springs
In this week’s article, the third in the News’ current series, “Facing Race,” we take a closer look at the interplay of race and representation in the village, based on interviews with six Black villagers in elected and other leadership roles locally.
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Dodgers Youth Minor League champions
In the Yellow Springs Youth Baseball Minor League, on Wednesday, July 22, the Trail Tavern Dodgers completed their playoff run with an 8–6 victory over the top seed, the Posterior Chain Reds.
Obituaries
July 23
Features
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Village Council— Anti-racist steps demanded
Organizers of recent weekly anti-racism rallies downtown aired criticism at Council’s July 20 virtual meeting of Village efforts to address racism.
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Remembering Phyllis Jackson
Yellow Springs resident Phyllis Jackson, 95, died on July 11 after a long and rich life of service to the community she loved. A memorial service was held for Jackson on Saturday, July 18, at Central Chapel AME Church, where she’d been a member since 1943.
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YS Development Corporation— Township fire station up for sale
The soon-to-be-vacated Miami Township fire station at 225 Corry St. is for sale by the Yellow Springs Development Corporation. Originally built in 1956, and updated in the ’60s and ’70s, the commercial building is listed for $400,000.
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New studio set to open— Get inked at YS INK Arts Collective
YS INK Arts Collective, co-owned by longtime Yellow Springs residents Pierre Nagley and Lindsay Burke, is opening its doors on Dayton Street as a new hub for local artistry.
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Teachers urge online option
As Yellow Springs school district leaders consider what educational approach to take when the 2020–21 academic year begins Aug. 27, the local teachers union says the risks of returning to the classroom amid the continuing COVID-19 pandemic are too great, and is calling for “100% virtual” learning when school resumes.
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Yellow Springs Schools— Town hall addresses restart
Yellow Springs Schools Superintendent Terri Holden fielded questions from local parents regarding the district’s school start options at a town hall meeting on Monday, July 20. The district could make a decision about school restart as early as Sunday, July 26.
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Black women amplified
“Empowering Black Women” was the theme of the most recent anti-racism rally, held Saturday, July 11.
Village Council
Obituaries
Featured Photos
July 16
Features
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Home, Inc. and St. Mary — Senior housing funding denied
A planned 54-unit senior apartment building in Yellow Springs was turned down for funding for the second consecutive year.
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Masks required by law downtown
Council unanimously passed an emergency ordinance mandating facial coverings downtown and on Village-owned properties when physical distancing of six feet is not possible.
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Yellow Springs Schools— Reopening plan in flux
With the COVID-19 pandemic continuing to spread in our community and region, and the 2020–21 school year scheduled to begin in a mere six weeks, uncertainty and worry seem to be the overwhelming feelings among many families considering educational choices for their children.
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New processor license for Cresco Labs
Cresco Labs learned in June that it had been awarded a provisional processor license under Ohio’s medical marijuana program.
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Institutions adapt to COVID-19
The News spoke with leaders at a variety of local institutions who are adapting to a new normal in the fifth month of the coronavirus pandemic, including the Yellow Springs Senior Center, Friends Care Community, Yellow Springs Community Children’s Center, Antioch College Wellness Center and the John Bryan Center/Youth Center.
Obituaries
Featured Photos
July 9
Features
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Yellow Springs Schools— Reopening amid uncertainty
This is the first part of a two-part article. The second part will feature responses of families to the school district’s reopening plans, including a deeper look at the recent parent/guardian survey, as well as the thoughts of local teachers.
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Greene County Jail— Avoiding a COVID outbreak
In late May, an inmate transferred to state prison from Greene County Jail was tested by the state for COVID-19 and found positive. The individual hadn’t displayed any symptoms, and had a normal temperature upon leaving the county jail, according to jail administrator Major Kirk Keller this week. Keller asked the state to re-test the inmate, but the state declined.
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Fossils fuel new local shop
Rock Around the Clark is located at 108 Dayton St., Suite L, upstairs. Hours are Wednesday–Friday, noon to 6 p.m.; Saturday, noon –7 p.m.; and Sunday, noon–4 p.m. Masks are required inside the store. For more information, visit rockaroundtheclark.com.
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COVID–19 update— After Ohio restart, virus is spreading again
The trend holds true for Greene County, which saw its per capita case rate more than double over the last month, even as the county remains relatively better off than the rest of the state and country. As of July 6, there were 99 active COVID-19 cases in Greene County, up from 58 on June 18.
July 2
Features
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Youth take lead in challenging racism
For many local teens and young adults in their early 20s, the accumulating deaths feel personal. Young people of color see themselves and their families being treated differently, and they feel under threat within the national culture; while their young white allies see disparities in privilege and safety that negatively affect the lives of their Black peers.
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Antioch cuts $2.5M; jobs lost
Amid ongoing financial challenges worsened by COVID-19, Antioch College seems — perhaps against the odds — determined to survive.
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Parade canceled after alleged KKK protest threat
All the organizers interviewed this week also said the decision was influenced by the voicemail from a man purporting to be affiliated with the KKK, a notorious hate group with a long history of violence against Black people.
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Racism in village often covert
Facing Race: This is first in a series on the impacts of racism in Yellow Springs and local anti-racist efforts and activities.
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Prosecutor: evidence supports self defense in Grinnell Road double fatal shooting
The Greene County Grand Jury’s recent conclusion concerning the double fatal shooting Feb 12 outside a home on Grinnell Road — which the county sheriff described at the time as a “shootout” — confirmed the initial impression of law enforcement at the scene that gray winter morning: self-defense.
Obituaries
Featured Photos
June 25
Features
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New police reforms aired
Body cameras worn by every Ohio police officer. Psychological evaluations of those who hope to become an officer. More training in implicit bias and de-escalation. Requiring officers to report on another officer’s misconduct. Those are a few proposed law enforcement reforms Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine announced at a press briefing last week in response to national outrage after high-profile killings of Black people by police in recent weeks.
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Council declares racism ‘public health crisis’
At its June 15 regular meeting, Village Council declared racism a public health crisis and committed to taking “meaningful action” to respond to the “death, trauma and injury caused by institutional racism.”
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Antioch’s altered, but heartfelt, commencement
Due to COVID-19, the sixth commencement of the relaunched college took place as an online ceremony rather than the customary in-person one, with live and recorded speeches streamed at 1 p.m. Recorded performances from the World House Choir were also part of the virtual festivities. Those who wish to watch the event can do so at antiochcollge.edu/commencement.
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No charges in Grinnell shooting
No charges will be filed in the double fatal shooting that occurred Feb. 12 outside a home on Grinnell Road, just south of Yellow Springs, the Greene County prosecutor has announced.
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COVID-19 update— ‘Worrisome’ trend? More new cases
New cases of COVID-19 are rising in Greene County, Gov. Mike DeWine said at his June 18 press briefing. He highlighted Greene County as one of five southwest Ohio counties that have seen case increases in June.
Village Council
June 18
Features
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Schools prepare to reopen Aug. 27
The current message from Ohio’s governor is that schools will reopen in the fall, but local districts will have a great deal of control over how that happens and what the return looks like, Yellow Springs Schools Superintendent Terri Holden told the local school board last week.
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Creating wildlife habitat, villagewide
In late summer, native sunflowers in Ellen Hoover’s garden draw goldfinches. The bright yellow birds feast on seeds, then burst out like sunflower petals flung to the sky. Down the street, monarch butterflies browse Catherine Zimmerman’s coneflowers, goldenrod and asters.
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Police reform at the YSPD— What’s done, what’s next?
Amid national calls for policing reform following the most recent wave of killings of Black people by police officers, villagers are once again raising their voices for change in the Yellow Springs Police Department.
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Glen Helen capital campaign— GHA seeks to raise $3.5M
Glen Helen isn’t open — yet. But the Glen’s new future owner is moving rapidly to raise funds, restore staff and work to reopen the 1,000-acre local nature preserve, which has been closed to the public since late March due to COVID-19.
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Village planning commission — New distillery at Millworks
At its June 9 virtual meeting, the YS Planning Commission unanimously voted to approve a conditional use permit for a new distillery to be located at Millworks. The distillery, Tuck-N-Reds Spirits & Wine, will be located in currently vacant space next to Yellow Springs Brewery; it will also use the site of the former S&G Distillery as its office space.
Village Council
Obituaries
June 11
Features
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A closer look at COVID’s first wave
In light of reopening, the News reviews how the pandemic has played out so far in the village and county, and looks at plans to reduce the spread of the virus as the shutdown comes to an end.
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YS Development Corporation— Educational commons explored
Conversations have begun between several of Yellow Springs’ educational institutions that could lead to novel partnerships and possibly significant changes in the local learning landscape.
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School district extends meal program
School may have concluded for the summer, but the Yellow Springs student lunch and breakfast program is continuing for an additional month, through the end of June.
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DMS ink sold to Cincinnati-based marketing firm
DMS ink, a direct mail and printing services company located at 888 Dayton St., sold last month for an undisclosed amount to Graphic Village, a print marketing firm. The deal was finalized on May 19. The new owner plans to maintain the local facility, which employs about 40 people. No current employees reside in Yellow Springs.
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Antioch to sell Glen Helen to local nonprofit
Antioch College and the Glen Helen Association announced on Wednesday that they have finalized an “agreement in principle” to transfer Glen Helen Nature Preserve from the college to the GHA. The purchase price is $2.5 million, payable over 10 years.
Village Council
Obituaries
Featured Photos
June 4
Features
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Yellow Springs Schools— District faces funding cuts, uncertainty
A $300 million cut in funding to Ohio schools this fiscal year, announced by Gov. Mike DeWine in May, will mean the loss of more than $140,000 in anticipated revenue for Yellow Springs Schools over May and June, according to state and district administrators.
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No deal yet on Glen Helen
The fate of Glen Helen remains uncertain this week, with no deal yet between Antioch College and the Glen Helen Association, or GHA, a nonprofit group separate from the college.
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Crash victim known for kindness, heart
By all accounts, Martin Harold Benedict Borchers was in a pretty good place in his life Wednesday morning, May 27, before the car he was driving went off the right side of a narrow country road and hit a utility pole head on.
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Village merchants launch ‘Uplift YS’ fund
Fearing the future of their shops, and the entire downtown, a group of merchants has banded together to launch the campaign in partnership with the Yellow Springs Community Foundation.
Featured Photos
May 28
Features
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Speakers focus on hope, resilience
There’s no denying that the class of 2020 has had a difficult, and in many ways disappointing, finish to the academic year. But the two new graduates chosen to speak for their class at Wednesday evening’s commencement ceremony are focusing on resilience, compassion and hope as they move into the next chapter of their lives.
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COVID-19 update— Nursing homes vulnerable
Nursing homes across Ohio have adopted similar measures, and all have been operating under visitor restrictions since ordered to do so by the state health department on March 13.
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Yellow Springs Schools— Mills Lawn principal selected
During a special online meeting of the Yellow Springs school board Wednesday, May 20, the board unanimously approved a two-year contract for Michelle Person, who will be coming to the district from Cleveland schools effective Aug. 1.
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New efforts to avoid evictions
To keep villagers’ housing stable during the current public health and economic crisis, Village Council is considering several steps to protect local renters.
Featured Photos
May 21
Features
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Election results now final
The Greene County Board of Elections certified election results on May 19 from the extended March 17 primary election. With all valid votes now counted, the certified results are in line with the earlier uncertified results, announced April 28.
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Varied views on mask rules
Whether visitors and villagers are following those directives — and should be made to — has become a matter of local contention in recent weeks.
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Antioch School‘s online learning curve
Communities of all sizes and natures have had to redefine what it means to be together in the long weeks since the coronavirus pandemic has forced people to remain physically distant. The Antioch School community is no different in this regard, and has worked together — from a distance — to maintain the closeness at its core.
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Permanent closure for Glen?
Sharen Neuhardt of the Antioch College Board of Trustees said this week that the college has no plans to reopen the 1,000-acre nature preserve it has owned since 1929.
May 14
Features
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A tribute to YSHS 2020 senior athletes: softball and baseball
With the support of the Yellow Springs High School coaches, the News is highlighting all the spring sports senior athletes and their career accomplishments. This week, we complete our athlete profiles with the softball and baseball teams.
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Shutdown sparks surprises
As the most strict shutdown phase has begun loosening for many Ohioans, the News asked a half dozen villagers this question: is there anything you’re learning during this period that is meaningful, or surprising?
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Yellow Springs native tapped by Chicago Bears
Ahmad Wagner’s athletic drive and discipline has landed him a spot on the roster of one of the most elite national professional football teams — the Chicago Bears.
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Digital D&D— Players move fantasy game online
The coronavirus pandemic has, for the time being, put a moratorium on in-person games. Not to be discouraged, Oskar, Jaden and Wills — and many others, both locally and worldwide — have moved their games online, adapting to the virtual environment and using the internet’s tools to their advantage.
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What’s the future of downtown?
Even with the tentative openings, business-as-usual seems far off. Closed since at least mid-March, many local merchants remain worried about the health of their businesses.
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Ohio reopens restaurants, bars
Last Thursday, Ohio restaurants and bars got the go-ahead from Gov. Mike DeWine to resume outdoor dining on Friday, May 15. Indoor dining is permitted to restart the following week, on Thursday, May 21.
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Lights! Costumes! Conference call!— Playwright debuts play virtually
Yellow Springs-based playwright and actor Robb Willoughby will debut his play “Look into My Eyes” by way of virtual broadcast Saturday, May 16, through Wednesday, May 20.
Obituaries
Sports
Featured Photos
May 7
Features
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Class of the pandemic— Coping with altered endings
Seniors are graduating into a world stripped bare by a pandemic. They would have been celebrating the culmination of 12 to 13 years of consistent effort and determination. But rather than valiantly marching on to the next grand step in the journey of life, this year’s seniors simply drift, slowly floating over the line that marks the end of high school.
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A tribute to YSHS 2020 senior athletes: track and field
In mid-March, after three weeks of initial conditioning and three more weeks of practice, the Yellow Springs High School track and field team was ready for a successful spring season. Ohio schools, however, were closed before the team could participate in its first meet.
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Retail reopening nears
Starting on May 12, retail shops in the State of Ohio can reopen if they take certain safety precautions. But in Yellow Springs, not all stores are ready to fling open their doors to customers.
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Resilient despite losses— Local restaurants hold on, adapt
When Ohio closed dine-in restaurants and bars on March 15, the impact on local restaurants was immediate and severe.
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Ohio’s new ‘stay safe’ order
Ohio’s stay-at-home order expired on May 1. That morning, Gov. Mike DeWine announced a new order, called Stay Safe Ohio, to replace the previous directive that Ohioans shelter in place in an effort to contain the spread of COVID-19.
Obituaries
April 30
Features
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Prisons hit hard by COVID-19
The high number of COVID-19 cases being reported in the state’s prisons is of grave concern for Yellow Springs residents who volunteer in area facilities or have family members who are incarcerated.
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YSDC accepts loan funds, eyes township property
The new local economic development group accepted $35,000 from the Village to seed a revolving loan fund. It discussed an ongoing effort to look at siting a K-12 school facility on the Antioch College campus. And, in a closed session, it considered a counter-offer to purchase a Township property, the soon-to-be-vacated fire station on Corry Street, to resell for economic development.
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Village Council— Village projects revenue loss
The Village of Yellow Springs is planning for a possible loss of $320,000 in tax revenue due to the COVID-19 crisis and its related economic impacts.
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Yellow Springs Schools— No early end to academic year
Yellow Springs Schools Superintendent Terri Holden announced Friday, April 24, that despite the district’s hopes to end the school year two weeks early, after students reach the minimum instructional hours required by the state, distance learning will continue through the district’s originally scheduled final day, May 29.
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Phased restart of Ohio’s economy
Gov. Mike DeWine announced a phased restart of the Ohio economy at his Monday, April 27, briefing, the first specifics offered after an earlier announcement that Ohio would begin to reopen May 1.
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A tribute to YSHS 2020 senior athletes: tennis
This tennis season, featuring a team with depth and natural talent in abundance, would have been “one for the storybooks,” according to Coach Stacey Knemeyer this week.
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Primary Election 2020 — Unofficial results in; jail tax fails
Unofficial elections results are in for Ohio’s unprecedented mail-in primary.
Obituaries
April 23
Features
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Pandemic stressors affect mental health
The current medical crisis of COVID-19, while physical in nature, affects our mental health, whether we contract the virus or not.
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Glen Helen faces uncertainty
Amid financial losses and uncertainty surrounding COVID-19, can Antioch College continue to support Glen Helen?
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Village Council declares state of emergency
At its April 20 virtual meeting, Village Council unanimously passed a resolution declaring a state of emergency in Yellow Springs due to the coronavirus crisis.
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Students adapt to remote learning
Interacting with teachers and classmates mostly through websites and online programs, distance learning provides an alternative to in-person classes.
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Villager dies of COVID-19
Village resident Matthew Huntington has died from COVID-19. Huntington, 50, died Saturday, April 18, at Soin Medical Center in Beavercreek, where he battled the disease for more than two weeks.
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Sankofa Talk — Fighting ’til the last day
Bomani Moyenda speaks about organizing with the activist group Greene County Citizens Against Giant Jail Tax ahead of the 2020 primary.
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50 years on: Earth Day in Yellow Springs
The News has invited some of our own prominent local environmentalists to reflect on the 50-year anniversary of Earth Day.
Village Council
Obituaries
April 16
Features
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COVID-19 news— When, and how, will Ohio open?
The full plan will be released over the coming weeks, state officials said.
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Amid pandemic, art is a gift
The News recently spoke with several local artists about how they were adapting and responding to life amid the pandemic.
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Unemployment woes in village
Villagers reported varying levels of difficulty with the unemployment application process, with the process working more smoothly for some than others.
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Village Council meetings go virtual
Three people were personally present in Council chambers on Monday, April 6, for Yellow Springs Village Council’s first full meeting since in-person gatherings were limited during the coronavirus pandemic.
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Delays, confusion in primary
As the deadline for voting in Ohio’s 2020 primary election nears, Greene County voters are reporting worrisome waits in receiving their requested absentee ballots as well as confusion around sometimes contradictory instructions.
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Furloughs, pay cuts at Antioch
Antioch College has enacted sweeping furloughs, hour reductions and pay cuts in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
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Help for local tenants, landlords
Stepping in to assist is a new local volunteer committee organized around housing issues. Their goal? That no one loses their home because of the coronavirus pandemic.
Village Council
Featured Photos
April 9
Features
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Local farmers eye uncertainty
Life and growth are happening on local farms against the backdrop of massive shutdown and uncertainty due to the coronavirus pandemic.
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Mills Lawn elementary school principal to leave district
Matt Housh, principal of Mills Lawn elementary school for the past decade, announced in a letter to school families Tuesday, April 7, that he has accepted a position with Huber Heights City Schools and will be leaving the Yellow Springs district at the end of the academic year.
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The world of COVID-19 — Seniors learn to adapt
How are older Yellow Springers faring in this new isolation? To find out, the News spoke to about a dozen villagers, most in their 80s or older.
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Keeping the faith amid crisis
Local faith groups have not held face-to-face services for several weeks now, adopting alternative ways to worship and come together.
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YS food relief effort: An update
A brief updated provided by Melissa Heston, outreach manager for the Yellow Springs Community Foundation, who is focusing on local food relief efforts during the coronavirus crisis.
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Making masks— Villagers stitch to save lives
Locally, sewing-machine-wielding villagers have beaten the CDC to the proverbial punch, having already mobilized a large effort to provide face masks for those in the community and surrounding areas who work daily in the village’s public eye.
April 2
Features
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Ohio moves to mail-in voting
Ohio primary voters have just over three weeks left to vote — by mail — in the extended primary election.
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Fear, hope, anxiety, gratitude— Villagers talk sheltering in place
As Ohio made its way through the second week of the governor’s mandate that all Ohioans “stay at home,” the News reached out to several villagers to find out how they’re navigating their lives under the order.
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Schools closed through May 1
Gov. Mike DeWine announced Monday, March 30, that he has ordered the continued closure of all kindergarten through 12th-grade schools until at least May 1.
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New message for visitors: stay home
Earlier this week, the Village of Yellow Springs erected three electronic signs with public messaging at the gateways to town in an attempt to inform, and also deter visitors during the statewide “stay-at-home” order. After a throng of tourists visited the prior week, some flaunting social distancing rules, the Village, Glen Helen and the Chamber are discouraging visitors.
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Ohio hospitals prepare for surge
Hospitals have been working for months to prepare for the spread of COVID-19 to Ohio, but efforts have intensified over the past couple of weeks.
Obituaries
March 26
Features
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Meeting need, block by block
In the latest effort to identify — and meet — local needs during the coronavirus crisis, local leaders are empowering 31 neighborhood block contacts throughout the village.
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Stay active, connected in quarantine
How can individuals stay active, physically, mentally and socially, and stay connected when it’s so important to remain physically distant from others?
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Children’s Center closes
The Yellow Springs Community Children’s Center administration has decided to close the local day care center temporarily, rather than continue operation as a designated “pandemic child care” facility.
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YS Schools— Learning continues despite closure
This week would have been spring break for Yellow Springs schools, if they — and all other kindergarten through 12th grade institutions in the state — had not closed a week earlier, as ordered by Gov. Mike DeWine in response to the worldwide novel coronavirus outbreak.
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Businesses adapt, ‘tough it out’
As part of Gov. Mike DeWine’s March 22 order that Ohioans must stay home, all businesses deemed nonessential were instructed to shut their doors.
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Feeding the village amid crisis
In the wake of business closures across the state to stem the spread of COVID-19, many in the village and township have lost their incomes. And, as in many other communities, hunger here is rising.
Obituaries
March 19
Features
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Schools adjust to closure
DeWine announced a three-week shutdown Thursday afternoon, March 12, with the closure to begin at the end of the school day Monday, March 16, and students set to return to class Monday, April 6.
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Local leaders detail responses
Village leaders struck a tone of concern and hopefulness in the face of the coronavirus outbreak as they updated the community on their responses to the crisis at a “virtual town hall” on Monday, March 16.
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Ohio voting delayed
In a series of rapid developments that took place hours before the Ohio presidential primary, in-person voting in the state was off, then on, then off again.
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Daily briefings from governor
It’s already become a ritual: each day at 2 p.m., give or take, Gov. Mike DeWine holds a live-streamed press briefing at the statehouse in Columbus, updating Ohioans on the status of the spread of COVID-19 and the state’s response.
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Coronavirus fears reach village
Villagers are stocking up and staying home as the impact of the global COVID-19 outbreak starts to be felt here, even without a confirmed local case of the disease.
Obituaries
March 12
Features
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Power of the Pen advances to regionals— Mighty writers make their mark
The McKinney Middle School Power of the Pen writers won several awards at the district tournament in January.
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Yellow Springs Children’s Center earns five stars
The five-star label is the highest possible rating assigned by Step Up to Quality, a statewide quality rating and improvement system administered jointly by the Ohio Department of Education and the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services.
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Council weighs jail response
At its March 3 regular meeting, Village Council hashed out a letter to the Greene County Commissioners on their proposal to build a new county jail.
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Prosecutor candidates offer competing visions
The prosecutor oversees a budget of around $2 million and a staff of 14 attorneys to represent the State of Ohio in all felony cases and juvenile crimes in the county and cases involving county agencies.
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MTFR seeks operating levy renewal
Among the ballot issues local voters will decide Tuesday, March 17, is a 3.8-mill renewal levy for Miami Township Fire-Rescue operations.
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Biodigester loses zoning appeal
An energy company’s attempts to keep its biodigester operating four miles west of Yellow Springs were shot down by a Bath Township zoning board last week.
Featured Photos
March 5
Features
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Catering to the village since 1983— Current Cuisine wins award
Current Cuisine’s owners, Karyn Stillwell-Current and Steve Current, are being honored for supporting — and feeding — their community.
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Encyclopedia highlights Black lives
A “labor of love” — as well as a labor of memory, representation and community — hit a significant milestone in February with the completion and release of the first physical edition of “Blacks in Yellow Springs: A Community Encyclopedia.”
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Local food conference to return
Successful farm-to-school programs. Stories from local farmers coping with climate change. Strategies for turning conventional farms organic. Those topics and more will be explored at “Growing Green 2020: Investing in Conservation and Local Food,” a joint conference of the Tecumseh Land Trust and Community Solutions.
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YS school board— Facilities task force concludes work
Members of the district’s Facilities Task Force presented the group’s final report and concluded a year’s work exploring the needs of the district’s school buildings.
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Greene County Commissioners— Who’s in the primary
Commissioners administer the county’s annual budget, which in 2020 is $55.5 million, appropriated to some 30 county offices and departments such as county and municipal courts, parks and trails and job and family services.
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Peaceful assembly
Mills Lawn School students sang, marched, spoke and celebrated during an assembly on the Civil Rights Movement on Thursday, Feb. 27, the culminating event of Black History Month at the local school.
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Reprise— Battle, Lopez return for concert
Mark Battle and George Lopez will perform Friday, March 13, beginning at 7 p.m. in Antioch College’s Herndon Gallery. Donations to benefit YSYOA will be taken at the door. For more information, visit http://www.ysyoa.org.
Featured Photos
February 27
Features
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30 years of Feast for Friends
On March 14, Evelyn and Tom LaMers will be doing the same thing they’ve been doing the second Saturday of March for the past 27 years — hosting a dinner as part of the Feast for Friends, the Friends Care Community annual progressive dinner.
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‘Awesome’ local youth center
Open Mondays through Fridays from 3 to 9 p.m. and Saturdays from noon to 4 p.m., the local drop-in youth center is free and open to all kids ages 10 to 18.
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Planning Commission— Glen Cottages passes
Glen Cottages, Home, Inc.’s planned pocket neighborhood at 1133 Xenia Ave., got the go-ahead from Planning Commission at its Feb. 11 meeting.
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Village Council— RECs could generate $183K
In a policy shift, the Village of Yellow Springs will be selling its existing Renewable Energy Certificates, or RECs, which are tied to its purchase of energy from renewable sources. Yellow Springs had previously retained its RECs, a form of currency in green energy markets.
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YS schools— School district, former teacher settle suits
The Yellow Springs school district and a former district teacher have reached a settlement for the second time in five years.
Village Council
Obituaries
Featured Photos
February 20
Features
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Free speech and the library
A local group organizing against Issue 12 — the sales tax levy to fund the construction of a new jail for Greene County — was turned away from Yellow Springs Community Library’s meeting room last week.
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Villagers give views on jail
Village Council, at its Feb. 18 regular meeting, considered perspectives on Issue 12, a 0.25% sales tax increase to fund the construction of a new and larger jail for Greene County.
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Schools mourn beloved bus driver
Yellow Springs students, parents, teachers, staff — everyone knew beloved district bus driver Darryl Dewer simply as “Mr. Darryl.”
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Grinnell Road ‘shootout’— Investigation continues in double fatal shooting
Greene County authorities say that the investigation into the double fatal shooting outside a home on Grinnell Road, just south of Yellow Springs, on Wednesday, Feb. 12, could take weeks to complete.
Featured Photos
Febrary 13
Features
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School vouchers hit home
While some Ohio families benefit, a growing number of the state’s school districts, including Yellow Springs, have found themselves landing in an undesirable position.
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Village Council— Clapping, sign ban lifted
Citizens who attend Village Council meetings can once again express themselves through clapping, snapping and signs, Council decided at its Feb. 3 regular meeting.
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‘Newspaper of the Year’— News wins state awards
The Yellow Springs News was honored by its peers last week as the “Newspaper of the Year” among comparable papers in Ohio.
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YSDC holds its first meeting
The Yellow Springs Development Corporation, or YSDC, held its first meeting since incorporating on Tuesday, Feb. 4.
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A quick guide to the March primary
The presidential primary is March 17, 2020. Several local issues and a range of federal, state and county offices are on the ballot.
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School board’s 2020 roles stay same
The Yellow Springs school board’s first meeting of the new year opened with the swearing in of Sylvia Ellison and TJ Turner.
Village Council
Obituaries
Featured Photos
February 6
Features
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Elder Stories: Painter Jack Merrill
Merrill is known by some in the village as a quiet and tenacious artist who painted exuberantly, if privately, through nearly five decades of living and working in Yellow Springs.
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‘Food is medicine’— Clem & Thyme expands
The founder of Clem & Thyme Nutrition and Wellness wants it all. Leslie Edmunds, a self-described dreamer, is expanding her practice, with plans to grow even more in the future.
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Review— Speaking Suns breaks the silence
Art ought to speak some semblance of truth to power. And with the release of their newest record, “Terrestrial Year,” Yellow Springs-based band Speaking Suns does exactly that.
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Village Council— Fee waivers for Home, Inc.
In a split decision at its Feb. 3 regular meeting, Village Council granted Home, Inc. tap fee waivers for the group’s planned senior apartment building.
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From the Archives: The winter the tower exploded
On Sunday, Jan. 31, 1977, the water tower at Gaunt Park — there was only one then — had blown a seam and released a million gallons of water into the park.
Village Council
Obituaries
Featured Photos
January 30
Features
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Returning villager leads Presbyterians
The Reverend Daria Schaffnit’s journey to fulfill her calling has led her back to Yellow Springs, where she hopes her work with the First Presbyterian Church will have a positive impact on the community.
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Village Council— Energy credit sale considered
For every one-megawatt hour of green energy the Village of Yellow Springs purchases, it receives one Renewable Energy Certificate, or REC. And with a portfolio that is 83% renewables, on the open market, the Village’s RECs could yield about $100,000 per year.
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10-Minute Play Festival honors villager
The festival will be Friday–Saturday, Feb. 7–8, at 8 p.m., at the First Presbyterian Church. Tickets will be available at the door and cost $12 or $10 with a non-perishable food item.
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Learning cheer, loud and proud
Members of the Yellow Springs High School cheerleading team and their coaches spent Sunday afternoon, Jan. 26, in Mills Lawn gym, leading a mini-camp for kindergarten through sixth graders in the basics of cheering.
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In rural areas, a ‘quiet jail boom’
In debates over jail expansion, the big picture is often the hidden aspect of the conversation. New research from Vera Institute of Justice sheds light on a “quiet jail boom” happening in more rural areas of the U.S.
Obituaries
Featured Photos
January 23
Features
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New Antioch School YG teacher— Drawing on music, outdoors
With the first half of the academic year under her belt, Elaina Vimmerstedt, the Antioch School’s new Younger Group teacher delights in the daily life of the 98-year-old independent elementary school off Corry Street.
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Village Council— Could sewer woes limit growth?
Strong storms rolled into Yellow Springs on April 3, 2018, dumping close to three inches of rain on the village in short order. What happened next was the source of an Ohio EPA rebuke and is now a subject of concern for Village Council as it considers spurring new development in town.
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Yellow Springs Schools— Board expects facilities levy in 2021
District leaders are considering how best to move forward to address the identified problems in the local school buildings
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Rooster dispute could spur ban
Planning Commission began considering a villagewide rooster ban at its Jan. 14 meeting.
Village Council
Obituaries
January 16
Features
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Council debates housing goals
In her first Village Council meeting on Jan. 6, new Council Member Laura Curliss questioned the Village’s stated goals related to housing.
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Schools practice mindfulness
Yellow Springs High School and McKinney Middle School students this year have the opportunity to participate in an after-school meditative practice on Mondays and a yoga group on Wednesdays, both part of a new mindfulness program that also serves as an alternative to detention for some students.
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Free clinic fills care gaps
Held Tuesday evenings from 4:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. in Central Chapel AME Church, the local clinic has been operating for a year.
Village Council
January 9th
Features
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Open house set— Planning the future of Yellow Springs
Villagers can help shape the future of town by contributing to the comprehensive land use plan now being developed by the Village of Yellow Springs.
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Mary’s Way— A new trail to Agraria
A new trail will connect Yellow Springs and Agraria, Community Solutions’ center for regenerative land use located west of the village.
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A fundraiser to protect area waters
An “unnamed tributary” to Mud Run Creek recently got a name. Yellow Springs, meet “Coyote Run.”
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Citizen review complete, police officers disciplined
A citizen group investigating a Yellow Springs Police Department disciplinary matter has completed its work, according to the Village last month.
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Pharmacy addresses retail issues
The shelves at Benzer Pharmacy, formerly Town Drug, are being restocked, and medication is reportedly coming in daily, after dwindling merchandise and delays in drug orders.
Featured Photos
January 2nd
Features
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Antioch College Works— Increasing student aid, jobs
For students with the highest need, Antioch College will soon be tuition-free.
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YS Schools— District seeks field repairs
The Yellow Springs school board is moving forward with repairs and upgrades at the high school’s outdoor athletic field and track.
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‘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.
Obituaries
Featured Photos
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