FROM THE PRINT EDITION, 2021
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2021
December 23
Features
- What inspired you in 2021?
The annual tradition of polling YS News readers for meditations on a query has always tread a certain patch of earth. At the end of every year, we’re looking for a snapshot of your life — what made it better, worse, stranger, stronger.
- Board members, treasurer end tenures
Grateful goodbyes and an official welcome were expressed Monday night, Dec. 20, during the Yellow Springs school board’s monthly business meeting, held in person in the Mills Lawn Elementary School gym and livestreamed on the district’s YouTube channel.
- New bread from age-old process
Local baker James Luckett and farmer Jon Branstrator recently discussed a experimental bread they’ve cooked up together — a sourdough that incorporates nixtamalized blue corn.
- Yellow Springs Baking Company set to open
Fresh out of the oven, a new business is coming to Yellow Springs. Opening soon is the Yellow Springs Baking Company, located in the heart of the Millworks business center.
- COVID-19 Update — December 23, 2021
Deaths in Ohio since the start of the pandemic surpassed 28,000 on Friday, Dec. 16. Deaths in the U.S. have exceeded 800,000, according to Dr. Bruce Vanderhoff, the director of the Ohio Department of Health.
Village Council
Obituaries
Featured Photos
December 16
Features
- My Name Is Iden — No Time Like Present Time
“The particular time that has set my neurons churning is, of course, that interminable period between Thanksgiving and the climax of the holidays, Present Time.”
- Miami Township Trustees honor Mark Crockett
In honoring Mark Crockett during the trustees’ most recent meeting, Monday, Dec. 6, Mucher presented Crockett with a pen to “commemorate all the years and all the signatures on all the checks and all the resolutions” during his time in office.
- Yellow Springs Development Corporation ends the year by looking ahead
At its last monthly meeting of the year, conducted online Tuesday, Dec. 7, the Yellow Springs Development Corporation, or YSDC, spent time discussing possible projects and areas of focus for 2022.
- COVID-19 Update — December 16, 2021
The Ohio Department of Health, or ODH, reported Saturday, Dec. 11, that the first two cases of the Omicron variant had been confirmed in Ohio.
- Downtown Yellow Springs businesses shift and grow
As the seasons change, so do some of the village’s favorite businesses: this fall found many local stores shaking up their way of doing things, with some moving, others expanding and still others altering their business models.
Village Council
December 9
Features
- Down to Earth — Tecumseh Land Trust and affordable housing
“Affordable housing, farmland preservation and native habitat conservation — are they mutually exclusive?”
- District report card suggests losses for YS Schools
Yellow Springs’ most recent score was 83.5 points out of a possible 120 (69.6%), representing a drop of five percentage points.
- Lawson Place purchase eases tenant worries
On Nov. 29, Council approved a down payment for the building of $160,000 and authorized the financing of the purchase for up to an additional $800,000. The closing date will likely be after the new year.
- COVID-19 Update — December 9, 2021
Greene County’s total of new cases reported for the week of Sunday, Nov. 28, through Saturday, Dec. 4, rose significantly, however, from the week before, with a total of 531 new cases, compared to the previous week’s total of 308.
- YSHS, McKinney students to perform ‘The Stinky Cheese Man’
“The Stinky Cheese Man and Other Fairly Stupid Tales” will be performed by students from McKinney Middle School and YS High School on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, Dec. 10–12, at Clifton Opera House.
- Ten years of Winter Solstice Poetry Readings
Now in its 10th year, the Winter Solstice Poetry Reading’s theme is “Sacred Ground,” which, according to organizer and local poet Ed Davis, is an homage to the event’s longtime and rightful home: Glen Helen.
Village Council
Obituaries
December 2
Features
- Sankofa Talk — Back to Jim Crow
“The public statements of Ohio legislators who have introduced anti-CRT bills clearly reflect they do not understand, nor do they care to understand, what CRT really is.”
- Book Review | ‘One More Day’ a joyful celebration of life
This is a novel for everyone wanting to understand aging in this era of increasing life span as well as increasing health challenges.
- ‘Loud As the Rolling Sea’ — Alyce Earl-Jenkins on the civil rights generation
In collaboration with 91.3-FM WYSO’s Eichelberger Center for Community Voices, the News is publishing excerpted transcripts from WYSO’s series “Loud As the Rolling Sea.”
- Miami Township Trustees ponder ARP funding
A continuing question this fall for Miami Township Trustees has concerned how best to spend about $130,000 in allocated funds through the federal American Recovery Plan, or ARP, related to the COVID-19 pandemic.
- Kuder, Wexler’s genre-defying books
Yellow Springs authors Rebecca Kuder and Robert Wexler, who are partners, released new books this fall: Kuder’s debut novel, “The Eight Mile Suspended Carnival,” from What Books Press; and Wexler’s short story collection, “Undiscovered Territories,” from PS Publishing.
- Election 2021: Precinct Breakdown
The following is a breakdown of how voters cast their votes in each precinct of Yellow Springs and Miami Township. The Greene County Board of Elections released precinct details on Nov. 17, and votes were certified by the State of Ohio on Nov. 22.
- News from the Past: December 2021
35 years ago: 1986 — Developer George Oberer planned apartment complex. “Yellow Springs village government is no longer contesting a Dayton developer’s right to build an apartment complex here — but it’s likely the apartments will never be built.”
Village Council
Featured Photos
November 25
Features
- Mark Crockett bids township farewell after 20 years
Crockett first ran for trustee in 2001, and since then has worked to maintain the township by making decisions that would help the township evolve as technology advanced and the makeup of township departments changed.
- Yellow Springs Development Corporation refines focus
Coming up on its second anniversary, with most of its existence undertaken amid the pandemic, the Yellow Springs Development Corporation, or YSDC, is continuing to refine its purpose and procedures.
- Village hardware store changes hands
This year, Yellow Springs Hardware will change hands for only the fourth time in its 94-year history.
- School district hires new treasurer, appoints new board member
In a special meeting Tuesday morning, Nov. 22, the Yellow Springs school board approved the hiring of a new district treasurer and the appointment of a new board member.
Featured Photos
November 18
Features
- My Name Is Iden — What’s in a name?
“This will be a place for stories, thoughts, memories and feelings. I hope that there will be something in all of that mess that is universal and meaningful.”
- COVID-19 Update — November 18, 2021
After more than a month charting a gradual decline in new COVID-19 case numbers, Ohio saw a slight rise last week, according to the most recent data from the Ohio Department of Health, or ODH.
- Village elders reflect on the Black experience, Pt. II
Villagers Paul Graham and Phillip Lawson spoke about their experiences growing up and living in integrated communities in Dayton and Yellow Springs.
- Extended Coverage | Planning Commission sends Oberer plans to Village Council
At its Tuesday, Nov. 9, regular meeting, held via Zoom, Village Planning Commission approved a conditional use application submitted by Oberer Land Developers to rezone 52.6 acres in southern Yellow Springs to accommodate a 140-unit residential neighborhood.
- Neighbors split on 1,500-acre Kingwood Solar field project
An estimated 300 people crowded into the Expo Center at the Greene County Fairgrounds on Monday evening, Nov. 15, for a public hearing on the proposed 1,500-acre Kingwood Solar field project.
- Budget deficit forecasted for Village Schools
After finishing the last two fiscal years with revenues higher than expenditures, Yellow Springs school leaders anticipate a return to deficit spending this fiscal year (FY), which ends June 30, 2022, according to the district’s latest five-year financial forecast.
- Village to buy Lawson Place apartments
In their regular Nov. 15 meeting, held virtually via Zoom, Village Council approved two measures allowing Village Manager Josué Salmerón to purchase an apartment building located at 10 Lawson Place.
November 11
Features
- Five Clifton Village Council seats unfilled
Nov. 2 election results that left the Village of Clifton with five of six Village Council seats unfilled for terms beginning Jan. 1 is being attributed to the small number of residents combined with state certification rules for office-seekers.
- Artist Profile | ‘Mapping the void’ with steel and wood
Somewhere among the heaps of rusty scrap metal and mounds of sawdust in his small garage, local artist and fourth-generation welder Seth Ratliff has honed a craft that’s allowed him to find order in all the chaos.
- Clifton Crafthouse Co-op set to open in 2022
When completed, the combined taproom, community event space, commercial kitchen and affordable artist residences will work in tandem to support one another.
- Antioch and YSDC part ways over Wellness Center
Jane Fernandes, President of Antioch College, announced that the college will no longer be working with the Yellow Springs Development Corporation to reopen the Wellness Center.
- Looking ahead after school levy loss
At a 61%-39% spread, Yellow Springs district voters last week rejected a combined 6.5-mill, 37-year property tax and a 0.5% income tax increase with no end date to build a $35.6 million K–12 school at the location of the current middle/high school on East Enon Road.
- Little Thunders — Honoring ancestral brilliance
“The beauty of this time of year reminds me why it is so vital to honor my ancestors by keeping the traditions that have been passed down through the generations, and by keeping alive the skills they passed along.”
- Mills Lawn students open Veteran’s and Peace Park
On Thursday, Nov. 11, Veteran’s Day, Mill Lawn Elementary School students created a temporary Veterans and Peace Park on the Mills Lawn tennis courts, which is now open for visitors after school hours and on the weekend through Friday, Nov. 19.
- Review | The tweedy pastiche of ‘The French Dispatch’
“It is, after all, both in form and reference, a love letter to The New Yorker and some of its past luminaries.”
- COVID-19 Update — November 11, 2021
As anticipated, the Centers for Disease Control, or CDC, last week recommended the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 pediatric vaccine for children ages 5–11.
- COVID closes YS Community Children’s Center again
The Yellow Springs Community Children’s Center announced Monday, Nov. 8, that it was closing its doors temporarily for the second time in three months due to COVID-19.
Obituaries
November 4
Features
- Village elders reflect on the Black experience, Pt. I
Longtime villagers Frances Smith and Geneva Brisbane reflected on their experiences with racism and segregation during the “Elders Speak” virtual event held last month. The event was sponsored by The 365 Project.
- Agraria’s Pathways to Regeneration conference to ‘honor water’
This weekend’s event, which opens Friday morning, Nov. 5, features talks, performances and panel discussions by a lineup of presenters whose research, professional work, activism and art have connections to water.
- COVID-19 Update — November 4, 2021
The Ohio Department of Health, or ODH, reported Monday, Nov. 1, that the Centers for Disease Control was expected this week to recommend the Pfizer COVID-19 pediatric vaccine for children 5–11 years old.
- 2021 Election results
On Tuesday, Nov. 2, Yellow Springs voters weighed in on a variety of races and issues including Village Council, school board, Miami Township trustees, jail and school facilities levies, among other items.
Village Council
Featured Photos
October 21
Features
- Mills Lawn students bid farewell to Chief Carlson
Carlson, who has been with the Yellow Springs Police Department for 12 years — five of those as chief — is leaving the force in November.
- COVID-19 Update — October 21, 2021
A decline over the past several weeks in COVID-19 numbers for Ohio, Greene County and the 45387 ZIP code suggest that an anticipated mid-October peak may have been reached earlier than expected.
- Wellness Center reopens to Antioch students
After being closed for over 18 months, the Antioch College Wellness Center has now reopened its doors to Antioch students.
Village Council
Featured Photos
October 14
Features
- 2021 Election — Five candidates compete for Yellow Springs Board of Education
Five nonincumbent candidates are vying for three seats on the Yellow Springs Board of Education on Tuesday, Nov. 2.
- YSDC puts Mills Lawn discussion on hold
The Yellow Springs Development Corporation has deferred its plans “to help shape the future” of the Mills Lawn Elementary School property until after the November election, when voters decide the fate of a proposed levy to build a K–12 facility at the current location of the middle/high school campus.
- Opinion | Dave Chappelle’s views on gender are problematic and hurtful
“I am a transgender woman living here in Yellow Springs and I would like to address the recent comments that my fellow resident, Dave Chappelle, has made regarding transgender people.”
- Compassionate justice group reports findings
Greene County Coalition for Compassionate Justice, or GCCCJ, held a public online meeting Tuesday, Oct. 5 to relay the findings of its Greene County Pretrial System Assessment Report. The report was issued to provide greater context around Issue 1, a proposed levy to build a new jail.
- Planning Commission weighs downtown parking options
On Tuesday, Oct. 12, Planning Commission created a list of recommendations for Village Council to consider regarding downtown parking by a unanimous vote of 5–0.
- COVID-19 Update — October 14, 2021
The total number of positive cases in Ohio since the pandemic began rose to 1,467,331 on Sunday, Oct. 10, according to the Ohio Department of Health.
- Little Thunders — Everyday is Indigenous Peoples Day
“Today, Indigenous people are reclaiming our history, knowledge and teachings and owning our narratives so that we may uplift our communities and pass on our legacies to the next generation of leaders.”
Village Council
Obituaries
Featured Photos
October 7
Features
- Wheeling Gaunt sculpture unveiled in downtown Yellow Springs
Standing over six-feet tall and glinting with a deep bronze exterior, a lifesize statue of 19th-century Yellow Springs resident, philanthropist and formerly enslaved man Wheeling Gaunt, was unveiled on Saturday, Oct. 2, to joyous celebration and fanfare.
- 2021 Election: Hollister and Pallotta contend for Miami Township Trustee seats
Four Miami Township residents are looking for votes to fill two Township seats in the upcoming November election. Here, the News featured profiles of two of the four candidates, Don Hollister and Dino Pallotta.
- COVID-19 Update — October 7, 2021
The Ohio Department of Health, or ODH, on Saturday, Sept. 25, updated its guidance for COVID-19 vaccination booster shots.
Village Council
September 30
Features
- Down to Earth — Meet the Sustainability Champions
“I created the Sustainability Champions program to encourage and support community members, providing them with guidance via connections with community leaders, local stakeholders and area experts.”
- 2021 Election: Swinger and Moir contend for Miami Township Trustee seats
Four Miami Township residents are looking for votes to fill two Township seats in the upcoming November election. Here, the News featured profiles of two of the three nonincumbent candidates, Denise Swinger and Marilan Moir.
- Zoning OKs four new Chappelle shows
In a 3–2 vote Thursday, Sept. 23, the Miami Township Board of Zoning Appeals granted a temporary use variance allowing locally based comedian Dave Chappelle to present four new ticketed shows at the Wirrig family’s pavilion just north of Yellow Springs.
- Yellow Springs Dog Park to open soon
Canines, rejoice! The Yellow Springs Dog Park announced this week that it will be “open for play” beginning Saturday, Oct. 9.
- Continued coverage— New president takes the helm at Antioch College
On the job since mid-August, Jane Fernandes is the college’s second female president since its founding in 1850 and its third president since reopening in 2011 after a three-year closure.
Village Council
Obituaries
Featured Photos
September 23
Features
- 2021 Local Election: Curliss, Housh, Stokes vie for Council
The News spotlighted the three incumbents, Council President Brian Housh and Council members Kevin Stokes and Laura Curliss.
- Yellow Springs High School premieres monologues with ‘edge’
“Talking With…” will be staged in the Agraria barn on Friday, Sept. 24, at 7:30 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday, Sept. 25 and 26, at 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.
Village Council
Featured Photos
September 16
Features
- Family finds refuge in village from Hurricane Ida
Newly returned to town after an extended stay in Louisiana, Yellow Springs resident Khara Scott-Bey wants to challenge the community to extend its hospitality to Patrick Bowman Sr. and his family, who left New Orleans after Hurricane Ida made landfall on Sunday, Aug. 29.
- Mary Gail Simpson to join Greene County Women’s Hall of Fame
Mary Gail Simpson, who is 83, will be honored at the annual Recognition Day Luncheon at Walnut Grove Country Club in Riverside on Saturday, Sept. 25, beginning at 11:30 a.m.
- Dave Chappelle seeks four more Wirrig shows
A request concerning locally based comedian Dave Chappelle was among several zoning-related matters discussed during the most recent meeting of the Miami Township Trustees on Wednesday, Sept. 8.
- 2021 Local Election: Osterholm and Brown vie for Council
Seven villagers are looking for votes to fill three contested Council seats in the upcoming November election. Here the News spotlights the other two nonincumbents: Scott Osterholm, who ran for Council in 1993, and first-time candidate Carmen Brown, known locally as Carmen Lee.
- COVID-19 update: Cases and hospitalizations continue to escalate
The wave of cases and hospitalizations continue to escalate at an alarming rate; the Ohio Hospital Association reported that COVID-19 currently accounts for one out of seven hospitalizations in the state.
- Yellow Springs Planning Commission approves Chappelle comedy club
Construction will soon be underway for local comedian Dave Chappelle’s planned comedy club and restaurant at 225 Corry St.
Village Council
Featured Photos
September 9
Features
- ‘Loud As the Rolling Sea’— Yvonne Seon on Black studies, history
In collaboration with 91.3-FM WYSO’s Eichelberger Center for Community Voices, the News is publishing excerpted transcripts from WYSO’s series “Loud As the Rolling Sea.”
- Process, ethics clarified in joint Council and Planning Commission meeting
In recent months, a number of conditional use applications for construction projects around the village have either been approved by the Village’s Planning Commission, or are in the pipeline for approval
- 2021 Local Election: Burke and Walker vie for Council
Seven villagers are looking for votes to fill three contested Council seats in the upcoming November election. This week, the News will spotlight two first-time candidates, Linsday Burke and Issa Walker, who answered questions from the News in emailed responses.
- Yellow Springs Development Corporation outlines Mills Lawn plan
Development of a plan for the Mills Lawn Elementary School building and property at the center of town has been set in motion.
- Black Farming Conference set
The Agraria Center for Regenerative Practice — in partnership with Antioch College, Central State University and The National Afro-American Museum and Cultural Center — will present the Second Annual Black Farming Conference on Friday and Saturday, Sept. 10 and 11.
Obituaries
September 2
Features
- Staff changes at the Yellow Springs News
Cheryl Durgans has been named editor, Tim Walker will soon fill the role of advertising sales manager and Lynda Love Highlander has become the office and circulation manager.
- Little Art Theatre’s new managing director settles in
As the Little Art celebrates nearly 92 years of operation, Kristina Heaton, its newly hired managing director, is making it her personal mission to continue building a legacy that reflects the values of the theater and of the Yellow Springs community.
- Master of ‘Cue’s triumphant return
Welcome to the barbecue pit, where the fire is hot and gives everything a smoky savor. This is where villager Erica Roby has found her calling; and there, she is called “Master of ’Cue.”
- West Nile Virus detected in Bellbrook mosquitoes
Greene County Public Health received notice from the Ohio Department of Health, or ODH, that West Nile Virus was detected in a mosquito sample sent to ODH.
- COVID cases prompt temporary closure at YS Community Children’s Center
Emotions are frayed among families and staff affiliated with the Yellow Springs Children’s Center, which has closed its doors until Sept. 7 in response to an outbreak of COVID-19 among students and teachers.
Obituaries
August 26
Features
- News from the Past — July & August 2021
25 years ago: 1996 — Two local men injured in Atlanta bomb blast. Yellow Springs High School graduates Lynn Smith, 34, and Eric Johnson, 30, were seriously injured in the early morning explosion of a bomb that shook Centennial Olympic Park in Atlanta, Ga.
- Chamber Music in Yellow Springs returns for 2021-2022 season
Chamber Music in Yellow Springs, or CMYS, will be returning to in-person concerts this season, with some innovations — including providing livestreaming.
- Two election petitions rejected in YS school board race
Two Yellow Springs School Board incumbents, Vice President Aïda Mehermic and first-term member Steve McQueen will not be eligible to run for office in the 2021 election cycle because their petitions were not certified by the Greene County Board of Elections, or BOE.
- Continued coverage— Yellow Springs police chief resigns
On Wednesday, Aug. 18, the Village of Yellow Springs announced in a press release that Yellow Springs Police Chief Brian Carlson had resigned.
- New beginnings for YS schools
The first day of classes for Yellow Springs Schools was Monday, Aug. 23. And while the start of a new academic year is typically cause for heightened emotion — whether excitement or dread — this new start contains more feeling than typical years past.
Obituaries
August 19
Features
- Down to Earth — Help to craft sustainability plan
“Given this history and the wealth of expertise in our community, we’re long overdue for a comprehensive Climate Action and Sustainability Plan, or CASP.”
- Climate Action and Sustainability Plan underway in Yellow Springs
Piper Fernwey worked at colleges and companies across the midwest developing farm-to-table programs and climate change responses. At Denison University, she helped the cafeteria source 40% of its food locally. Now, the Clifton resident is tasked with drafting a Climate Action and Sustainability Plan for the Village of Yellow Springs.
- Yellow Springs Instruments— Model 23A’s revolutionary legacy
Alan Brunsman, who worked for the vast majority of his career at YSI, sat down with the News recently to tell the long and complicated story of the groundbreaking Model 23A.
- Greene County jail tax is back on ballot
After voters rejected a proposed sales tax increase to build a new jail in 2020, Greene County Commissioners are asking them to approve a sales tax for a slightly smaller jail this fall.
- Open house for Glen Cottages
In the face of unprecedented COVID-19 construction challenges and obstacles, Glen Cottages, an affordable housing development located at 1133 Xenia Ave., will soon be ready for move-in.
Village Council
Obituaries
August 5
Features
- COVID-19 Update — August 5, 2021
COVID-19 cases continue to climb in the state and county due to the highly contagious Delta variant. Ohio’s COVID-19 per capita case incidence rate rose to 77.4 cases per 100,000 for the two weeks ending July 29, up from 48.5 for the two weeks prior.
- Tin Can Economy — A space in the school for the swifts
Walk over to the Union School House on a clear late summer evening and you’ll see them. Swooping and darting through the dusk, conducting aerial dramas against the backdrop of a setting sun: chimney swifts. Hundreds of them.
- Village PO clerk documents living with ‘long COVID’
Most Americans are familiar with the most common symptoms of the illness caused by the coronavirus: fever, shortness of breath, sore throat, persistent cough, and loss of taste and/or smell. But what about when the symptoms of COVID linger, unfurling beyond two to six weeks into long months? What happens when those symptoms shift and evolve?
- Introducing: The Ohio Coffee Co.
Coming soon to the village is Ohio Coffee Co., a coffee shop, espresso bar and bakery that caters to the whole family including members with four paws.
- MVECA to move, expand — New owners for 888 Dayton Street
Yellow Springs-based information technology provider, Miami Valley Educational Computer Association, or MVECA, has purchased 888 Dayton Street.
- Antioch College names new president
The Antioch College Board of Trustees announced this week that it has selected Dr. Jane Fernandes as the college’s new president.
July 29
Features
- Continued coverage— Plea deal in stabbing death
A Yellow Springs native accused in the stabbing death of Leonid “Lonya” Clark has pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter as part of a plea deal with the Greene County Prosecutor’s Office.
- 365 Project — Exploring Black ancestry at Glen Forest Cemetery
On Saturday, July 24, people slowly trickled into Glen Forest cemetery, lingering near the cannon commemorating the service of veterans during the Civil War, including Black soldiers who are buried in the cemetery.
- Watering hole
Village street crew members repaired a broken leaking water line under Dayton Street near Kenneth Hamilton Way on Monday, July 26.
- Brewers season champs in Minors
Yellow Springs Youth Baseball regular season wrapped up this week for the Minors division with the Nipper’s Corner Brewers finishing as the regular season champion.
Obituaries
Featured Photos
July 22
Features
- Mud-soaked fun at Perry League
“And that’s our rain-soaked, muddy July 16 Perry League, Yellow Springs’ T-ball program for all kids 2–9 years of age, regardless of their race, color, creed, sexual orientation, ethnicity, spiritual inclination or practice, ability or disability.”
- Yellow Springs Kids Playhouse now casting ‘The Time Machine’
Celebrating its 27th year, the Yellow Springs Kids Playhouse will explore a world decimated by climate change in its performance of “The Time Machine,” by H.G. Wells. The show is currently being cast and will premiere this fall.
- YS Development Corporation explores new loan program
At its most recent meeting, on Tuesday, July 13, conducted online, the Yellow Springs Development Corporation, or YSDC, took action toward addressing a perceived deficiency in the local financing of for-profit economic development projects.
- New era, location for WYSO
This article looks more deeply at WYSO’s plans for the Union School House that were announced in last week’s News.
- COVID-19 Update
After a three-month decline, COVID-19 cases in Ohio and Greene County increased over the week. It follows a national trend of growing caseloads, which is associated with the much more contagious strain of COVID-19 known as the Delta variant.
- Guilty plea in YS stabbing death
A Yellow Springs native accused in the stabbing death of Leonid “Lonya” Clark has pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter as part of a plea deal with the Greene County Prosecutor’s Office.
Village Council
Obituaries
July 15
Features
- Love and energy at Perry League
“You might have a nice little laugh and maybe a bit of fun, a few moments of joy, should you join us at Gaunt Park. These kids and their families are terrific people full of love and energy, goodness and grace — so why don’t you treat yourself? Come on out. We’d love to have you.”
- Down to Earth — Recycling confusion
The throwaway plastic that holds our takeout food and wraps our dry cleaning is widely seen as one of the world’s biggest environmental hazards. It pollutes as it is produced, through the extraction of fossil fuels, and no sooner than it is used, it pollutes again.
- YS school board — Facilities levy set for ballot
After months of incremental steps leading toward the goal of putting a nearly $35.6 million facilities levy on the November ballot, the Yellow Springs school board has taken the final move necessary to place the measure before district voters this fall.
- Lumber yard to be market, eatery
Once renovated, the Lumber Co. Market & Eatery, at 108 Cliff Street, would transform what is currently a storage facility along the bike path into an open public space where villagers and visitors can shop, dine and work.
- Plea change scheduled in Clark murder case
The former classmate and friend accused of murder in the 2019 stabbing death of Leonid “Lonya” Clark is scheduled for a plea change hearing on Wednesday, July 21.
- Union School House site for WYSO
At its regular meeting on Tuesday, July 13, Planning Commission approved a major renovation and addition at the historic Union School House for the new site of the local radio station WYSO.
Village Council
Obituaries
July 8
Features
- Appreciative Living — What are you thinking?
Metacognitive thinking, according to one definition, is an awareness of one’s own thought processes and an understanding of the patterns behind them.
- ‘Loud As the Rolling Sea’ series launched— WYSO airs Black YS elders’ stories
Named after a lyric in the civil rights standard, “Lift Every Voice and Sing,” local public radio station WYSO’s new series, “Loud As the Rolling Sea,” brings to the airwaves stories of African American life in mid-20th century Yellow Springs.
- Mullin takes helm at the Yellow Springs Senior Center
Local resident Caroline Mullin recently was named the executive director of the Yellow Springs Senior Center, or YSSC, and she brings with her a vision for the center as a place for resources and meaningful engagement for people of all ages.
- Board of Zoning Appeals says no to Agraria barn rental
School group visits are OK. Renting out a historic barn for weddings and other social or community events is not. Setting up a farm store or stand is fine. Renting a conference room to other groups is questionable.
- Perry League — Bright-eyed and back at the tee
Tie-dyed T-shirts and joyfully shrieking kids can only mean one thing: Perry League T-ball, with Coach Jimmy, is back again after a year’s absence.
Village Council
Obituaries
July 1
Features
- YS school board— Facilities levy moves forward
As anticipated, the Yellow Springs school board on Friday morning, June 25, took the first step in putting a levy measure on the November ballot to pay for the proposed construction of a K–12 school, projected to cost nearly $35.6 million, at the current site of the middle/high school campus on East Enon Road.
- Miami Township Trustees— In-person meetings return
Fifteen months after the pandemic lockdown began, and with it a transition to conducting Miami Township business through online video conference calls, the Township Trustees returned to in-person meetings Monday, June 21.
- Little Thunders — Advice, medicine for Antioch graduates
“And so I offer you — graduates of Antioch — advice grounded in my Anishinaabe teachings of a way forward in all four directions. East is the direction of beginnings, and the teachings from the east remind us that all life is spirit — the wind, earth, fire, and water, all those things that are alive with energy and movement.”
- MacQueen off YSDC
The June meeting of the Yellow Springs Development Corporation, or YSDC, began with the surprise announcement that Marianne MacQueen, one of Village Council’s two representatives on the semi-governmental group, was “stepping down effective immediately.”
- YS Senior Center founder to be memorialized — Plaque to honor Rev. Dr. Matthews
The Rev. Matthews’ contributions and legacy were honored in a virtual program Thursday, June 24, by the Senior Center. Matthews’ family, center members, villagers and community organization representatives gathered to honor his contributions both to the center and to the village.
- Reparations fund to address past injustice
Though the national conversation around reparations began again in earnest last year as Americans took to the streets in protest over the police killings of Black Americans, that conversation continues to stall over a series of sticking points: What should reparations look like? To whom should they be granted? And who should pay them?
Village Council
Obituaries
Featured Photos
June 24
Features
- The Briar Patch — The architecture of community
“Sometimes it’s good to be reminded that dwellings have meaning beyond an individual’s portfolio investment and can be designed in such a way as to protect people, transform and shift functions beyond a shelf life of 50 or 60 years.”
- A new face for Village Mediation
For over 30 years, the Village of Yellow Springs has prided itself on its Village Mediation Program, whose goal is helping residents of the village and Miami Township transform conflict into understanding. This year, the program will continue serving the community under new leadership.
- Site design unveiled— Gaunt sculpture park eyed
After three years, the Wheeling Gaunt sculpture is nearing completion. Anticipating a September unveiling, Village Council heard about plans for the sculpture’s placement in a downtown park at its June 21 regular meeting.
- ‘This Time This Place’— Chappelle documentary debuts
As New York City audiences went back inside theaters last weekend, the first show on the docket was the premiere of a new documentary set in Yellow Springs.
- Corner Cone finds new owner
Villager Matt Kirk has purchased the Corner Cone Dairy Bar and Grill, with plans to reopen the longtime ice cream stand next month.
- YS Pride celebrates 10 years
The 10th annual YS Pride celebration is slated to be held on Saturday, June 26, at Antioch Midwest. In celebration of the anniversary of YS Pride, this year’s celebration will feature a variety of events and experiences.
- 10-Minute Play Festival is back
Performances are slated for Friday and Saturday, June 25 and 26, at 7 p.m. on the south lawn of Yellow Springs High School. The event is free and open to the public, but $10 donations to the company are encouraged.
Obituaries
Featured Photos
June 17
Features
- Down to Earth launches
“Down to Earth,” a new monthly column, will concentrate on environmental issues related to the village, embedded in the understanding of climate change, the need for community resilience and sustainability, and the restoration of native habitat.
- Local elections— Two Miami Township Trustee seats in play
Two out of three Miami Township Trustee seats — those currently held by Mark Crockett and Don Hollister — are in play in the upcoming elections this November.
- YS school facilities— BOE weighs levy ask
Having last month approved a $35.5 million master plan to construct a K–12 school at the middle/high school campus on East Enon Road, the Yellow Springs school board is nearing a decision about a levy measure to support the project.
- Sankofa Talk — Save us from UpSouth Ohio
“Jim Crow, 80 years of convict leasing, systemic discrimination, wanton police brutality, and relentless voter suppression since 1865, have literally destroyed the lives and aspirations of millions of Black people.”
- Juneteenth celebrations in the village
In January of this year, Village Council passed a resolution that recognized Juneteenth as an official holiday in Yellow Springs; in March, the day was adopted as a paid holiday for Village employees. This weekend, the community at large will observe Juneteenth with two celebrations on Saturday, June 19.
- At Agraria— ‘Nourishing Life’ conference set
Agraria will present a free, virtual conference, “Nourishing Life,” Friday and Saturday, June 18 and 19. The conference aims to inspire and inform those attending to imagine regenerative solutions to climate crises, chronic disease and major threats to the worldwide food supply.
Village Council
Obituaries
June 10
Features
- Longtime Mills Lawn teachers retire
This is the second of two articles featuring teachers who have retired from the local school district this academic year.
- Beya Skincare Studio opens
Nestled comfortably in cozy suite No. 3 at 100 Corry Street, the newly opened business owned by Belinda Stephens will cater to the skin care needs of Yellow Springs residents.
- Little Thunders— Prepare yourself
“Two-hundred-and-fifteen children’s bodies were recently found in a mass grave at an Indian boarding school site. When I heard the news, I fell to my knees, sobbing. Beautiful Indigenous children who were discarded, hidden and never to be heard from again. Until now.”
- Latest Kieth’s Alley mural complete— Unpacking the ‘Tarot of America’
Located on the rear of the building that houses Current Cuisine/Dark Star Comics/Pangaea, which has been a “free wall” since 1988, the “Tarot of America” features a panoply of social justice themes.
Village Council
Featured Photos
June 3
Features
- Development group plans LLC
Without public discussion or explanation of its intended focus, the Yellow Springs Development Corp., or YSDC, recently approved “the formation of an LLC for development purposes,” earmarking $3,000 for the effort.
- Giving Circle inspires philanthropists
The idea is quite simple; anyone can join the group with a small sum of money. The group started out with a $10 donation fee per person per month to be a part of the group.
- Email sparks legal concern
The ground rules for who can support levy campaigns, and when and how they do it, arose this week when a community member questioned the legality of an email forwarded by the Yellow Springs Schools district office.
- Teachers Morgan, Nickell to retire
As the 2020–21 school year — a unique one by any standard — came to a close, so did the years of service provided by five educators in the local school system.
- Little Thunders— Opening up
“I ask myself — has there ever been ‘normal?’ In my own perspective, there have always been waves of coming in and going out. A reverence for the care of the community and the care for our planet, our land and our waters, is an Indigenous way of being.”
- Glen Helen seeks power plant demolition
The News takes a closer look at the Glen Helen Association’s plans to demolish a now-shuttered power plant site and restore the area, the plant’s history and the current state of the former plant.
Village Council
Obituaries
Featured Photos
May 27
Features
- Appreciative Living — How are you feeling?
We all have just experienced one of the most devastating and seemingly never-ending global pandemics that will be remembered for the rest of our lives. So, I ask again: How are you feeling?
- News from the Past — June 2021
100 years ago: 1921 — Boat stolen. “NOTICE: The parties who have taken the boat off Bryan Park Lake are known, unless it is returned at once prosecution will follow.” Read more News from the Past, as compiled by contributing writer, Don Hollister.
- News from the Past — May 2021
25 years ago: 1996 — Glass Farm plans. “Village Council agreed recently to commit a portion of the Village-owned Glass Farm to a development of affordable homes.” Read more News from the Past, as compiled by contributing writer, Don Hollister.
- Discounts for locals at Emporium
After raising its prices on some goods to keep up with rising costs, the Emporium implemented the program to offset the price for locals.
- YS school board— Deficit delayed by one year
Revenue over the past 10 months is about $500,000 ahead of budgeted projections, while expenses are about $500,000 under budget.
- Review | Queer poems as Midwest field guide
Sometimes pastoral, sometimes confessional, “evening primroses” roots out what it means to move through a changing landscape as a changing self.
- Planning Commission— Cresco to expand, add jobs
Local medical marijuana producer Cresco Labs is planning a $40 million expansion at its Yellow Springs facility over the next five years, with plans to add 140 jobs over that time.
- COVID-19 update— Greene goes down to ‘orange’
In recent weeks, cases of COVID-19 in the county, and the state, have plummeted, and are now on par with levels seen during the summer of 2020. It’s been over two weeks since a new COVID-19 case was recorded in the 45387 area code.
- News from the Past — Memorial Day, 1958
With two school bands, the American Legion and Legion Auxiliary, Boy Scouts, Cub Scouts, Girl Scouts and Brownies made its traditional parade to Glen Forest Cemetery to hold Memorial Day services.
- YSHS 2021 graduation speakers— Finding direction amid atypical year
Natalie Galarza and Kayla Ross were the two seniors chosen to speak for their class at Thursday evening’s Yellow Springs High School commencement ceremony.
Village Council
Obituaries
May 20
Features
- School board OK’s new K–12 plan
The projected cost is about $35.5 million, though the district expects an eventual state reimbursement of 26%, more than $9.2 million.
- COVID-19 update— State health orders end June 2
In Ohio, COVID-19 cases are falling. Vaccination eligibility is expanding. Masks are coming off. As a result, Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine announced last week that most of the remaining health orders initially put in place last year will be lifted June 2.
- ‘Please Stand By’— Play captures pandemic year
“Please Stand By,” an approximately 60-minute work in one act, captures a year in the life of local students. But not just any year. The pandemic year, when previously normal life was put on hold, is the focus.
- Planning Commission— Home approved for classes
A conditional use application submitted by Theodora Stephan to build a 4,000-square-foot single-family dwelling with a large commercial kitchen for culinary classes and special dinner events was approved by the Village Planning Commission at its May 11 meeting.
Village Council
Obituaries
Featured Photos
May 13
Features
- Facilities survey— Many reluctant to hike taxes
The results of a new survey that polled Yellow Springs school district voters about their views concerning local school facilities — and the anticipated $30 million to $35 million cost to undertake major renovations or build new — suggest a dilemma for district leaders.
- South end development— County approves annex
During their regular meeting on April 29, the Greene County Board of Commissioners unanimously granted an annexation petition from Oberer Land Developers to add their 34 acres of land in Miami Township to the southern edge of Yellow Springs.
- ‘Celebration and solidarity’— Panel to discuss AAPI heritage
At home in Yellow Springs, as elsewhere in the country, community members of AAPI heritage are making plans to use this month as a bolster to speak out against racism — but also to acknowledge and celebrate the diversity of culture that Asian-Americans and Pacific Islanders living in Yellow Springs bring to their village.
- Return of the Magi(cicada)
By now, many of us are aware that southwestern Ohio will experience a mass emergence of periodical cicadas (Magicicada species) this Spring. Here are a couple of scientific tidbits and fun facts that may be just enough to impress your friends and maybe win a round of trivia or two.
- New MLS principal named
Megan Winston, a vice principal at Xenia High School, is expected to be approved at this week’s regular Yellow Springs school board meeting as the next principal at Mills Lawn Elementary School.
Village Council
Obituaries
Featured Photos
May 6
Features
- The Briar Patch— Zoning battles, a Mother’s Day story
It is in the spirit of these Black mothers I say Happy Mother’s Day. Keep fighting the good fight for social justice and change.
- Planning Commission— ‘Safari Place’ approved
A new local business is looking to host car shows and charity events, sell cars and campers and run area kayak tours.
- Community Supported Art— ‘Shares’ connect artists, patrons
Developed last year and launching for its inaugural season this summer, the Yellow Springs-based community supported art program will provide art lovers with a new way to support independent makers and artists.
- Mills Lawn School principal finalists named
The school district announced earlier this week that a 12-member interview committee had selected Cheryl Lowe, a fifth-grade teacher at the school, and Megan Winston, an assistant principal at Xenia High School, as the top candidates.
Featured Photos
April 29
Features
- Miami Township— Old firehouse utility fees in dispute
There is a question about who is responsible for the utility fees after the YSDC announced the pending sale to Chappelle in December until the final closing in March. The YSDC thinks the Township is still responsible; the Township disagrees.
- Little Thunders— Decolonization isn’t a metaphor
“The people who created the original lies about the Indigenous, the colonists, aren’t alive any longer, but the system they left in place favors a few, and not for the benefit of the many — certainly not for the benefit of future generations.”
- From internment camps to Antioch
Antioch College was one of several hundred colleges and universities that offered to educate American citizens with Japanese heritage.
- Utility-scale solar firm applies for state permit
A Texas company looking to build a 1,500-acre, 175-megawatt solar power project in Greene County has applied for a permit.
Village Council
Featured Photos
April 22
Features
- Sankofa Talk — The New Jim Crow Playbook, again
“I am writing this just a few hours after the jury in the Derek Chauvin murder trial went into deliberations. There very well may be a verdict by the time this is published. It has been a blood-curdling experience listening to the defense attorney grasping for straws in his attempt to win the day for his client.”
- 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 Marches and Aprils.
- Yellow Springs schools— Plan addresses learning losses
Concerned about the educational setbacks experienced by students during the COVID-19 pandemic, the Ohio Department of Education has required all districts in the state to submit a document detailing how they plan to assess and then address potential learning losses or delays.
- ‘Pet project’— Donation assures dog park’s future
Area residents — both two- and four-legged — will soon have something to wag their tails about: the long-anticipated Yellow Springs Dog Park is set to open at Gaunt Park this September.
- Earth Day 2021— Ecologically conscious villagers share efforts
In honor of Earth Day, April 22, Village Council vice president and Council liaison to the Environmental Commission Marianne MacQueen interviewed several villagers to learn more about what they are doing to care for the Earth and what their motivations are.
Village Council
Featured Photos
April 15
Features
- COVID-19 update— Virus developments mixed
Thirteen months into the coronavirus pandemic, a weary public is wondering what’s next. Is another wave of COVID-19 coming? Can the vaccination campaign keep it at bay? Where is the illness now spreading? When will herd immunity be reached?
- Getting a handle on conflict
This month, the Village Mediation Program — which has helped individuals and organizations navigate conflict for nearly 34 years — offers villagers the opportunity to learn more about the resources it offers.
- Glen Helen’s first six months
Recalling the events of the past year in which the COVID-19 global pandemic almost forced the closure of the nature preserve deeply loved by the community, Executive Director Nick Boutis laid out the picture from a year ago.
- Person to take ‘different path’
Michelle Person, who is finishing her first year as principal at Mills Lawn Elementary School, formally announced her resignation, effective June 30, during the most recent school board meeting Thursday, April 8.
- Suspect faces new charges
New charges have been filed against the former classmate and friend accused of murder in the 2019 stabbing death of Leonid “Lonya” Clark. But the additional charges, which involve possible child pornography, appear to be separate from the homicide case.
April 8
Features
- COVID-19 update— New orders clarify, simplify
The health department rescinded all the state orders put in place since the beginning of the pandemic in March 2020, and replaced them with a single five-page document.
- Forums invite facilities input
The Yellow Springs school facilities master planning process is continuing to move forward, and district Superintendent Terri Holden expects to take a proposal to the school board in a specially called meeting later this month.
- More businesses, institutions talk reopening
After more than a year of temporarily shuttered buildings, virtual-only programming and uncertain futures due to the pandemic, villagers may see a few more “open” signs downtown over the coming weeks — although some doors will remain closed for the time being.
- Tin Can Economy— All tomorrow’s liminal spaces
If the spaces we inhabit tend to reflect our inner selves, and vice versa, then we ought to confront the ways in which we expect our surroundings to adapt to the conditions of a future rife with challenges even greater than COVID-19.
Village Council
Obituaries
Featured Photos
April 1
Features
- Young’s Jersey Dairy continues expansion
Changes are again coming to the growing food and entertainment destination, in part due to the pandemic. A new Dairy Store is under construction and a long-time restaurant is being turned into an event space.
- New directions for ‘Excursions’
Evan Miller, a lifetime neighbor to the Yellow Springs area from Enon, took over as full-time host of the three-hour weekday program “Excursions” at the beginning of February.
- COVID-19 Update
As of Tuesday, March 30, 28.4% of the population of the state had received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, including 71% of those 70 and older.
- News from the Future
“Council will unveil plans to raze Beatty-Hughes Park after a lost addendum is found to the last will and testament of William Mills, indicating his intention that the land be turned into a parking lot.”
- Traffic safety pattern snares parents, drivers
What started out as another attempt at reworking traffic flow to accommodate student drop-off at Mills Lawn School turned into a dystopian, one-dimensional nightmare of automotive agony and no escape.
- Remote possibilities— Plague lifestyle may be money saver
The Yellow Springs Snooze is taking the lemons the current pandemic has given it, and is about to make some fine hay. Drawing inspiration from its ongoing lessons in remote production of its weekly product, the Snooze is rolling out the next logical step in decentralization: remote printing.
- Activists shed light on plight— ‘Save the Lamps’ heats up
The divisive campaign to “Save the Antioch Lamps’’ has recently gained momentum. The controversy over the college’s appliances has torn the social fabric of the village asunder.
- Welcome to newest visitors
For members of Magicicada septendecim, Yellow Springs is the perfect destination for their four- to six-week freelove fest that comes once every 17 years.
- One size fits all— Building slated for Short St.
At a recent meeting of Planning Commission, Amalgam Development presented the first rendering of its new energy-coherent, hybrid-concept, collective-purpose complex, which the company aims to open by April 1 of 2022.
Village Council
Obituaries
March 25
Features
- The Briar Patch— Care for the caregivers
Caregiving is an extended lesson in patience that lives well beyond the moment — and in many ways is the ultimate life lesson in companionship combined with perseverance.
- Looking ahead to local races
On Tuesday, Nov. 2, local voters will decide who will serve as Council members and mayor starting four-year terms on Jan. 1, 2022. Out of the five current Council members, three seats held by Laura Curliss, Kevin Stokes and Council President Brian Housh are in play.
- Thought for Food— Beer cheese soup
This recipe yields a prima donna of a soup, one which requires a lot of attention and encouragement.
- Schools facilities improvements— How much could it cost?
At a community outreach forum on Wednesday, March 17, local district leaders and the district’s architect consultant, SHP of Cincinnati, shared various tax options for funding school facilities improvements.
- News from the Past: Gov. DeWine’s first vaccine
This isn’t Gov. DeWine’s first brush with vaccinations. While digging through the archives, Yellow Springs News production team recently uncovered a photo of DeWine receiving his polio vaccine in 1955.
- Yellow Springs Brewery’s second taproom set to open
Barrel aged beers, mixed fermentation sours and brand favorites will be among the beverages featured at Yellow Springs Brewery’s second local taproom, the Barrel Room, set to open in a former bowling alley on the south side of town.
Obituaries
March 18
Features
- ‘What’s Done in the Dark’ — Play eyes racism, police violence
“What’s Done in the Dark” will be performed Friday and Saturday, April 2 and 3, beginning at 7:30 p.m., in the Paul Robeson Cultural and Performing Arts Center at Central State University. The performance will be streamed live at the same time at facebook.com/CentralState87 and youtube.com/CentralState87. Admission to the in-person performance is by donation; the play may be streamed for free.
- Little Thunders— This moment is profound
Today we know the future includes us, for we are the Indigenous people. We are meant to know our languages, our plants, our medicines and our traditions. We are meant to be in relationship with this land.
- Antioch adapts, holds on
For a fledgling institution 10 years into its new incarnation, the COVID-19 pandemic brought additional challenges and scrutiny.
- Chamber interim director— Scott settles into new role
Alexandra Scott is is going into her fifth month as its interim director of the Yellow Springs Chamber of Commerce. Recently, the News checked in with Scott to see how it was going.
- ‘Open Air Village’— Where kids, nature take the lead
Open Air Village focuses on child-led education and, as suggested by its name, is committed to keeping its young students engaged with nature by spending large swaths of the school day outside.
- Yellow Springs schools— BOE approves 100% in-person instruction
More than a year after all K–12 schools in Ohio temporarily closed in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, and months after most neighboring districts returned to in-person instruction, Yellow Springs public school students will go back into the classroom full time beginning Monday, April 5.
- COVID-19 update— Vaccine eligibility for all to open March 29
On Monday, March 29, all Ohioans 16 and older will be eligible to receive a COVID-19 vaccine. DeWine made the major announcement on Tuesday after dropping the age limit to 50 the week prior. Before that, the governor moved more slowly to expand access to the vaccine, which has been limited in supply.
Obituaries
March 11
Features
- Rotary comes to Yellow Springs
At a time when traditional civic organizations are experiencing steep declines in membership, a local man has organized a Yellow Springs-based affiliate to one of the most traditional civic clubs in the country — The Rotary.
- Little Thunders— Native made or Native inspired?
Colonization has devastating effects on Native people. It is the concept of taking something that does not belong to you, establishing control over it, and trying to profit from it. This is the goal of these so-called Native images, and we cannot sugar coat this reality.
- COVID-19 pandemic, one year in— Gov. DeWine: ‘victory is in sight’
Last week, DeWine even laid out a benchmark to lifting the mask mandate, limits on mass gatherings and other health orders put in place last year: Once new cases fall below 50 per 100,000 residents over a two-week period, all health orders will be rescinded entirely.
- Facilities options narrow
Presented with questions about their level of support for four proposed scenarios to address identified structural needs in the district’s schools, a majority of the participants at a community forum last week responded that they “strongly support” construction of a new K–12 facility at the current site of the middle/high school on East Enon Road.
- Yellow Springs schools— April 5 eyed for larger in-person return to classes
During a special work session of the Yellow Springs school board, conducted online Saturday morning, March 6, the district superintendent said she is working on a plan to increase students’ in-person classroom time to near pre-pandemic levels.
- ‘Fight hate with love’
Last weekend, local artist Pierre Nagley pasted a drawing of Emmitt Till on top of a Kieth’s Alley mural he painted last year of George Floyd that had been vandalized with white paint earlier in the week.
Village Council
Obituaries
Featured Photos
March 4
Features
- COVID-19 update— Vaccine eligibility expands
Starting on Thursday, March 4, vaccines were to be available for those 60 and older, those with certain medical conditions and those working in law enforcement, childcare and funeral services.
- Sontag to retire from Xenia Shoe & Leather Repair after 38 years
Over the last few months, Tim Sontag has been doing his best to settle into a well-earned retirement. After 38 years of running Xenia Shoe & Leather Repair — a shop he founded — the longtime village resident has officially called it a career.
- Mills Lawn greenspace— Group seeks preservation
Preserving greenspace on the Mills Lawn Elementary School property and developing a desirable facilities plan for the local schools are not mutually exclusive goals, say a group of residents calling for a portion of the Mills Lawn grounds to be set aside as a permanent community park.
- For the 11th straight year— News wins top prize again
The Yellow Springs News has once again been recognized by its peers for excellence in journalism, advertising and design. The News was awarded the top prize — Newspaper of the Year — in the 2021 Ohio News Media Association weekly newspaper contest.
- Downtown George Floyd mural vandalized
The George Floyd mural in downtown Yellow Springs was discovered to be vandalized on Monday, March 1, around 11 a.m. White paint was apparently flung onto the mural, obscuring Floyd’s face as it appeared on the wall in Kieth’s Alley.
Featured Photos
February 25
Features
- The Briar Patch— Life cycles of community
Yellow Springers will soon be asked to support efforts to either build a new school or improve the structures that are already in place through a new school levy. Up until three years ago, a school levy passing in Yellow Springs had been a no-brainer for several generations.
- Scam calls target vaccine information
Greene County Public Health, or GCPH, recently announced that it has been alerted to the possibility of scam phone calls, texts and emails from people posing as public health officials.
- Health foods for YS — Rosie’s Natural Foods now open
On Monday, March 1, Richlen opened Rosie’s Natural Foods at 142 Dayton St., having purchased Starflower Natural Foods from Marnie Neumann in early February.
- YS Development Corporation— Goals, behavior discussed
Members of the quasi-governmental economic development group spent the majority of their last regular meeting, Tuesday, Feb. 2, discussing the organization’s purposes and goals as well as expectations for the content of group discussions.
- School facilities— Forum takes public pulse
Questions about costs, the future of the Mills Lawn school property and recommendations by the Ohio Facilities Construction Commission dominated public comments last week during the first of three planned community forums to discuss the future of Yellow Springs’ public school buildings.
- Villager, realtor buys Millworks
At 3 p.m. on Monday, Feb. 22, Allison Moody’s company closed on its purchase of the Millworks business center. By Tuesday morning, its muddy parking lot had a fresh coat of gravel.
Village Council
Obituaries
February 18
Features
- COVID-19 vaccinations— Governor urges ‘persistence’
Speaking at a press briefing from his Cedarville Township home on Tuesday, Feb. 16, Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine said he understands that some Ohioans are impatient with the pace of vaccination.
- Annual Gaunt event honors foundation, author
The third annual Wheeling Gaunt Community Service Award presentation event, sponsored by the Wheeling Gaunt Sculpture Project Committee and the YS Arts Council, was held virtually on Tuesday, Feb. 23.
- Wrecking Racism— Staying informed, only to mourn
“One may question the movement in the forward direction, one may try to understand the experience of another, but how will there be a mending of relationships when the disconnect seems so severe?”
- Schools facilities planning— District hones in on 4 options
The effort to develop a master plan for addressing identified building needs in Yellow Springs schools is moving along quickly, with four project scenarios emerging as the district’s leading options.
Village Council
February 11
Features
- Coming down with COVID— Villagers share virus battles
One year into the global coronavirus pandemic, 245 residents of the 45387 area code, which includes Yellow Springs and the surrounding rural area, have contracted the virus. That equates to one out of every 22 people living here.
- Mental health considered in students’ return
Local data shows that an increased number of young people are struggling, and mental health care providers report that the severity of struggle is more pronounced amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
Village Council
Obituaries
Featured Photos
February 4
Features
- The Briar Patch— A dilemma with good reason
The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated an already catastrophic healthcare crisis in Black communities across the United States. The conversation around vaccinations must extend beyond forced mandates or anti-vaxxer tropes.
- YS Speech & Debate— Students find their voice
Whether sharing their own thoughts, presenting the words of another or arguing both sides of an issue, members of the Yellow Springs Speech & Debate team say they are finding power in their personal voices.
- New small business incubator— Coactive YS offer room to grow
The newly opened Coactive Yellow Springs, a collaborative working space, is the first small business incubator of its kind in the village.
- A win for quarry opponents
In December 2020, Citizens Against Mining celebrated another win — a private lawsuit settled in favor of five neighbors of the mine who successfully argued that Enon Sand and Gravel’s mining could damage their property values and private wells.
- Bognar, Reichert film— The 9to5 movement
“9to5” premiered nationally on PBS’ Independent Lens program on Feb. 1. It will air on Dayton’s ThinkTV16 on Thursday, Feb. 4, at 10 p.m., and on ThinkTV14 on Friday, Feb. 5, at 10:30 p.m. Viewers can also stream “9to5: The Story of a Movement” through pbs.org for free this month.
Obituaries
January 28
Features
- Wrecking Racism— Youth voices needed now
The purpose of the column will be to provide an avenue for youth of the village to express their ideas, observations, experiences and thoughts about racism, race relations and related topics both locally and nationally.
- Miami Township Trustees Update — January 2021
The Miami Township Trustees meet the first and third Monday of each month beginning at 5 p.m. Meetings in January took place Monday, Jan. 4, and Wednesday, Jan. 20.
- Yellow Springs Development Corporation— ‘Lessons learned’ in firehouse sale
“Lessons learned” is how YSDC President Abel framed the conversation, particularly in terms of the group’s biggest project, the sale of the former firehouse on Corry Street.
- Tracy Phillips takes reins at library
Yellow Springs native Tracy Phillps began her position as head librarian at the local branch of the Greene County Public Library in October of 2020.
- 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 Januaries and Februaries.
- One reporter’s view— Security dominates 2021 inauguration
As more than 20,000 National Guardsmen flocked into the nation’s capital in preparation for Inauguration Day, the city was locked down in an unprecedented way, the troops part of the largest security presence at any inauguration in American history.
Village Council
Obituaries
January 21
Features
- MLK Day 2021 peacemaker award — Moyenda, a warrior peacemaker
At the virtual MLK Day event held on Monday, Jan. 18, via Zoom, Bomani Moyenda, a longtime local activist, was finally given the Peacemaker Award by the Yellow Springs Martin Luther King Day Planning Committee.
- Little Thunders— The way of the Wolf
The ancient lesson for today — and for our village — is the lesson of the way of the wolf. This ancient teaching of humility imparts strength to us all. It is told that the wolf is indeed strong alone, but it finds its greatest strength and power, and its natural preference, as a part of a pack, a community, a group and a society.
- Millworks update— EnviroFlight to leave after 2022
A sustainable feed company founded in Yellow Springs will likely depart the village for good two years from now. When that happens, Yellow Springs will lose 20 jobs and hundreds of thousands of dollars in utility payments and payroll taxes.
- Yellow Springs school facilities— School board names architect firm
On Thursday, Jan. 14, board members unanimously approved a contract with SHP Leading Design, designating the Cincinnati-based firm as the “pre-bond architect” that will work with the district in developing a new master plan for Yellow Springs school facilities.
- Coming soon to a street near you— YSKP’s traveling puppet show
The Traveling Tabletop Theater, or TTT, is a mobile puppet theater complete with a stage, a sound system and even seating for a few dozen spectators, which will be touring the streets of Yellow Springs later this year.
Obituaries
January 14
Features
- Basketball standout aims for 2,000
Angie Smith, now a junior at Yellow Springs High School, is on her way to achieving an impressive feat: scoring 2,000 points by the end of her senior year.
- Millworks back on the market
The local industrial park was listed last year after plans by its owners, Jessica Yamamoto and Antonio Molina, failed to come to fruition. The then-couple bought the four-acre property in late 2018 and the following year had it successfully rezoned to accommodate renovation and new construction.
- Teacher vaccinations tied to reopening by March 1
Yellow Springs students, whose instruction has been 100% online since the start of the 2020–21 school year, will return to the classroom — at least part time — no later than March 1.
- Little Thunders— Surviving our lessons
“In a thousand years from now, our stories will not be about creating the United States; they will be about surviving them.”
- COVID-19 update— Older residents next for vaccination
On Friday, Jan. 8, Friends Care Community celebrated the arrival of pharmacy staff from CVS, there to administer the first round of COVID-19 vaccines.
- ‘Where do we go from here’— Martin Luther King Jr. Day program set
Yellow Springs will celebrate Martin Luther King Day on Monday, Jan. 18, with the traditional, in-person MLK Day March, but the MLK Day program following the march will be offered in an online format; those planning to attend the online program must register in advance.
- Rumpke now accepting some #5 plastics
Beginning this month, villagers can divert a few more items away from their trash cans: Along with the previously accepted plastic items like bottles and jugs, Yellow Springs residents can now fill their recycling bins with fruit and yogurt cups and butter, sour cream, cottage cheese and whipped topping tubs.
January 7
Features
- School sports amid pandemic
Although the Yellow Springs school district has yet to resume in-person classes, the athletic programs at YS High School and McKinney Middle School decided to field teams and conduct games as close as possible to regular season play.
- Efforts seek bail reform
As of Tuesday afternoon last week, 225 people awaiting trial were being held at one of two Greene County jail facilities — the downtown jail and the Adult Detention Center. Many of those individuals remained behind bars over the holidays, lacking the bail money that allows release until a scheduled court date.
- ‘small ohio town’— See filmmaker work-in-progress
Filmmaker Steve Bognar wasn’t initially intending to document the life of a small town when he set out — but for over 12 years, that’s just what he’s done as he’s continued to film the cycles of Yellow Springs life.
Village Council
Obituaries
December 31
Features
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
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