Lauren Shows was born to a preacher and a preacher's wife, and spent the majority of her earliest childhood years rollin' 'round the bible belt, to end up in Panama City, Florida. After graduating from Florida State University in Tallahassee, she spent the next several months in existential crisis, making lattes for snowbirds and spring-breakers, before moving to Kentucky to get an MFA in writing from Spalding University. A chance meeting at Spalding landed her in Yellow Springs. She was graciously hired by the News, though her only previous dealing with newspaper publication was in third grade, when she wrote a story about a bunch of skeletons rising from the dead on Halloween, which was printed in the Owenton News-Herald. Lauren enjoys cheese, giant squid, and Michael J. Fox.

• Story Chain makes connections through voice

  By Lauren ShowsDecember 17, 2024

  

  For a decade, local nonprofit Story Chain has worked to connect loved ones who can’t physically be together through the power of the voice. Since its founding, the Yellow Springs-based nonprofit has run successful programs at Dayton Correctional Institution, and in Greene, Montgomery and Clark County jails.

• Checking in with the Little Art Theatre

  By Lauren ShowsDecember 15, 2024

  

  The Little Art Theatre is moving toward its 95th birthday next year with some updates already in its pocket — and more on the horizon.

• H.U.M.A.N. to host community coffeehouse

  By Lauren ShowsDecember 14, 2024

  

  Local human rights organization H.U.M.A.N., or Help Us Make a Nation, aims to give folks a way to meditate on post-election questions, and others, at a coffeehouse event slated for Sunday, Dec. 15, at the Foundry Theater. The event is sponsored by Mad River Theater Works.

• ‘Mission to Malawi’ memoir recalls Peace Corps, Black experience

  By Lauren ShowsDecember 12, 2024

  

  Yellow Springs resident Dr. John E. Fleming has spent much of his life working to bring visibility to American history — in particular, African American history — via his five decades as a historian who has helped establish museums throughout the U.S.

• Young thespians go postmodern in ‘The Brothers Grimm Spectaculathon’

  By Lauren ShowsDecember 10, 2024

  

  All 209 of the fairy tales collected by The Brothers Grimm, presented in a little over an hour: Such is the promise of “The Brothers Grimm Spectaculathon,” the winter play presented by the young thespians of McKinney Middle and YS High schools.

• Take the wheel

  By Lauren ShowsDecember 5, 2024

  

  Yellow Springs Pottery recently welcomed a new member: Spring Valley-based Noah Faler.

• LIHTC project ‘win-wins’ discussed

  By Lauren Shows

  

  The latest update on the land, presented at the Nov. 14 school board meeting, is that Morgan Fields have been appraised at $339,000 by Cedarville-based real estate and auction company Sheridan & Associates.

• Agraria offers climate hope through biochar workshop

  By Lauren Shows

  

  Agraria will host a biochar workshop Friday and Saturday, Dec. 6 and 7, at Agraria Farm. The hands-on workshop will be led by instructors Mark Cohen, Gary Gilmore and Dale Hendricks.

• School board approves sale option for LIHTC project

  By Lauren ShowsDecember 4, 2024

  

  Mirroring a decision made by Village Council earlier the same week, the YS Board of Education voted 3–2 during a special meeting Thursday, Nov. 21, to approve an option to purchase agreement with the Village of Yellow Springs.

• When the pain doesn’t go away

  By Lauren ShowsNovember 29, 2024

  

  Local resident Keith Grzelak, who was diagnosed two years ago with complex regional pain syndrome, or CRPS. Rare, little researched and little understood, CRPS is routinely described as one of the most painful chronic conditions known to medicine.