By Coaches Yunus Brevik, Margi Anderson and Rob Gay
While Ohio weather forecasts are known to change about a dozen times throughout the course of a single day, there was still concern leading up to Friday, June 26, that it could be our first rained-out game of the season. We’d been fortunate so far, with June’s previous three Fridays having near-perfect baseball conditions.
The coaches didn’t start the weather guessing game until a little before noon June 26. At the time, there was a drizzle. We consulted multiple radar images and wondered how much or how heavy the rain might be. We decided to wait a few hours. It was possible things would clear up. Rain got heavier midafternoon.
Coach Yunus arrived home after work to find a quarter-inch of rain in the rain gauge, and Coach Rob visited the playing field after 4, full of optimism, to inspect the rain’s impact. From a distance, it looked playable. However, upon closer inspection, followed by a few steps — or missteps — onto the field, it became obvious that it was most certainly not playable. Although we all have fond memories of the Mud Ball game from a few years ago, we are now keenly aware of the work required to return the field to a safe condition for play.
What do families do on summer Friday nights when T-ball isn’t an option? We tried to find out.
Daisy Joan, 5, and Harrison, 2, made a huge Southern supper, wrestled, colored, drew, made paper clothes for dolls and spent time together, all with their family.
Sarah, almost 9, enjoyed playing her favorite computer game, Roblox. Her mom was frantically working on a handmade birthday present for her.
Two-year-old Winnie’s BaBa and Pop were over for a spaghetti dinner. Coach Margi also enjoyed a homemade spaghetti sauce dinner. Margi stayed in, listened to some good music and the sound of raindrops. She also stayed up late and watched a movie.
Ryder, 4, was another one who stayed in to watch a movie. We’re told he likely would have stayed home regardless of the weather, as he’s nursing a summer cold. Wishing him a speedy recovery.
Not all players stayed in. Callie, 6, went for a playdate, which opened up an opportunity for her dad to go for a run while her mom enjoyed watching an international football game at Mazu.
Sebastian, 3, and Harrison, turning 5 on July 1, spent the rainy day at the Boonshoft Museum and watched a laser light and music show in the planetarium. Once home, they cozied in for dinner and bedtime.
Ender, 8, picked up his sister, Cheyenne, from Girl Scout camp, where she’s learning the necessary skills to become a camp counselor. They enjoyed Chubby’s Pizza in Morrow on the way home. They were accompanied by Grandma Agga, who enjoyed the pizza as well, though it was reported she thinks hiking in John Bryan State Park is better than pizza.
We also learned that Ender successfully got his library fines below $10 and checked out an armload of books to start reading.
Coaches Yunus and Beth decided the rainy night was just right for a family trip to the Antioch Wellness Center’s hot tub. Walking into the pool area from the locker rooms, they ran into Jimi, 5, and Rubi, almost 4, and their parents, who had to warn us that the hot tub was more like lukewarm.
After testing it, we decided it wasn’t remotely warm. It was a cold tub. The pool was warmer. River, 7, and Cassian, 3, found pool toys to throw into the pool, apparently determined to do something that resembled baseball. Jimi and Rubi were braver than all and managed to stay in the cold tub for an impressive amount of time.
Coach Rob decided to take advantage of the opportunity to do a bit of cycling. Although baseball, in its various capacities, occupies the majority of his free time during the spring and summer months, he still enjoys the peace and freedom when going for a bike ride. He rode through the neighborhoods where he spent his formative childhood years, which brought back a flood of memories from years gone by.
Next Friday, July 3, there will be no T-ball play, as the field will be closed in preparation for fireworks and holiday festivities at Gaunt Park for Independence Day. Perry Leaguers, past and present, are welcome to join us to walk in the parade on the Fourth.
Wear your vintage or latest Perry League shirt with holiday embellishments — both optional — and find us at the parade-gathering spot behind the fire station around 11 a.m. The parade begins at noon.
Games will resume July 10. That evening will also feature the return of Perry League Plus, a slightly more structured game designed to help players who are planning to transition to the Youth Baseball League next year.
You are welcome to join us for the remaining Friday evenings in July starting at 6 p.m. in Gaunt Park. Our all-volunteer program is noncompetitive, free and open to children ages 2–9, regardless of race, color, creed, sexual orientation, gender identity, ethnicity, spiritual inclination or practice, ability or disability.
Whether the Village’s purchase of the apartments at 10 Lawson Place was financially prudent was of little consequence to the Village administration of nearly five years ago.
When the 16-unit complex went on the market, Yellow Springs was in jeopardy of losing what had been, for almost 60 years, an affordable and reliable haven for local renters — one that notably catered to Black residents, even as diversity in Yellow Springs declined over the decades.
Fearful a developer that favored profits over people would scoop up the property, local leaders made their move: in November 2021, Council approved the purchase of Lawson Place for $770,000, with a $130,000 down payment and a 15-year loan to cover the rest.
Since then, the Village of Yellow Springs has retained control of the apartment complex and has functioned as the de facto manager of the property — dealing with its occupancy and maintenance, rents and renovations, tenant complaints and unit improvements.
A lot of work, but worth it.
That’s according to Village Council members and administrative staff who, at a housing-focused meeting on June 25, reviewed a comprehensive financial analysis of Yellow Springs’ past, present and future investments in Lawson Place.
Prepared for the Village by local government consultant Mark Schwieterman of the Shared Resource Center, the analysis weighed expenses against revenues, and detailed occupancy and market trends.
The report emphasized the property’s overall growth in value since the purchase. Per the latest assessment, Lawson Place has a current market value of $1,275,000 — a $514,000 uptick in equity since 2022.
While that investment has appreciated, the Village is still left with day-to-day costs. The report shows that revenues from rents can cover the apartment complex’s annual operating, capital and renovation expenses; however, the annual debt service still outpaces the revenues. According to projections, the Village will have a net loss of $329,050 by the time the loan is paid off in 2037.
“With the need for affordable housing,” Village Manager Johnnie Burns said, “$329,000 over a period of 15 years is not a huge loss to the Village to be able to secure the 16 units that we did. I think it means more to our community than the money.”
Based on Schwieterman’s projections, beginning in 2037, or when the debt owed on the property has been repaid, Lawson Place is on track to generate $63,110 in annual profit for the Village.
“And these are conservative numbers,” Assistant Manager Elyse Gairdullo said. “Who knows what the housing market will look like in 2036?”
Giardullo noted that, for his projections, Schwieterman relied on annual increases of 3% for operating expenses, 10% for renovation expenses and 5% for capital increases, as well as 3% increase in rental costs.
“So, this is working,” Council President Gavin DeVore Leonard said of the Village’s ownership of Lawson Place. “The math works and it provides a benefit.”
Currently, rents at Lawson Place are $668.37 per month for a unit that the Village hasn’t yet renovated since the 2022 purchase, and $725 for a renovated unit.
According to Burns, 11.5 units have been renovated — which, among other improvements, includes the installation of new appliances. All the rest are on track to be renovated as needed. There are presently no vacancies among the 16 units; when the Village took over, Burns said half were unoccupied and seven “weren’t even rentable.”
Burns also pointed out that the Village has, since 2022, put on a new roof and gutters and added a water heater to the complex.
Personnel costs of keeping Lawson Place running for tenants total around $30,000 annually — $5,000 to cover Village staffer Cameron Fortin’s work fielding phone calls from tenants and connecting them to resources, and $25,000 for the Public Works crew to mow, plow snow and take care of some miscellaneous property management jobs. Local contractors do all the rest.
Burns admitted to his initial skepticism of the Village’s decision to purchase Lawson Place and load staffers with additional labor. However, he said he’s proud of how much work has been put into the apartments and hopes the Village retains full oversight of its future — as opposed to switching to a third party property maintenance company, which Schwieterman’s report floated as a possibility.
“I’m dead-set against it,” he told Village Council members. “When your residents call, [the Village] should be taking care of it instead of a property maintenance person out of Dayton, Cincinnati, Beavercreek, saying, ‘We’ll get to you whenever.’ When residents call us, we know it’s a concern, we know who’s calling and we’re right over there.”
Schwieterman’s financial analysis gives the Village five options regarding the fate of Lawson Place and its oversight:
“Do nothing and continue on the current path” of Village acting as property manager and rent collector;
“Formalize” administrative and Public Works cost allocations — likely by going through a third-party property management company;
“Reduce contracting out” for Lawson Place and the other 11-Village owned buildings, potentially by hiring a facilities technician or maintenance person on Village payroll;
Continue annual evaluation of rental rates; or
Consider selling Lawson Place.
Though Village Council members unanimously extolled the Village for its efforts to keep Lawson Place as a comparatively affordable option for local renters, the group somewhat differed on who — or what — should maintain the property.
“I don’t think property maintenance should be in-house,” Council member Carmen Brown said. “Not everyone is going to get along every time. There needs to be a neutral party for something as personal as housing is. There should be distance between the Village and the residents at Lawson Place.”
Fellow member Stephanie Pearce and Council Vice President Angie Hsu agreed on the need to “professionalize” oversight of Lawson Place.
Burns maintained his position of keeping local control, but indicated that Village administrative staff is in the midst of conducting evaluations on whether hiring a full-time maintenance person would make financial sense.
“Right now staff has to be pulled out of their daily duties to do things — or we hire a contractor,” he said. “Now, we’re pulling contractor prices to see what it would cost for someone to maintain all 11 Village properties — someone who could fix a clogged drain for the police department or at Lawson Place, someone who may be at the water plant, lift station or library.”
He added: “We’re evaluating that for the 2027 budget — if it’s feasible and if Council would be amenable.”
Largely irrespective of who maintains Lawson Place, Council members agreed that the Village ought to invest more in public-owned housing.
“By any metric of evaluation, this has been a success,” Council member Senay Semere said. “As far as economic development goes, from a community level to an investment level, this has been a success. It shows that low-income housing doesn’t have to be low-quality. This is the proof.”
Council President DeVore Leonard suggested replicating these efforts elsewhere in town, provided the rentals are available for purchase and Village staff has the capacity to maintain them.
“We should keep our eyes open for other opportunities,” DeVore Leonard said. “[Lawson Place’s] rents are very affordable. There’s a reason why there is a constant desire to get in these units. It’s because of the bigger math problem: there are a lot of people who don’t make enough money to afford higher rents.”
He added: “There could be more units in Yellow Springs owned without a motive just to profit.”
Contact: rdixon@ysnews.com
By Coach Yunus Brevik, with assistance from scribe Thea Brevik
What a lovely night for T-ball! The sun was shining on the bats, with kids having fun, and the sound of a bat hitting the ball was the only sound you would hear other than Obi’s fan club cheering. I saw lots of great hits to left field, right field and many to center field. But the biggest hit I saw was by River Brevik, 7, with a smashing hit to center field.
But the hits weren’t the only thing I saw, because I saw some kids trying to dress to impress while batting, like Winnie, who wore the cutest outfit I’ve ever seen! She wore a bright white tank top, sparkling for the whole crowd, and amazing pink boots that made Vogue call! And the number of smiles I saw was priceless. Many more amazing kids came with shining attitudes. I appreciate all the amazing kids who came, and I say, “Thank you,” to them.
— Thea Brevik, 10
—
Thanks to former T-baller Thea Brevik, who took a break from playing ball for the Ye Olde Trail Tavern baseball team to volunteer her time as our scribe Friday, June 12. She filled four pages of notebook paper with snippets about the evening’s batters and contributed the opening two paragraphs above.
Sarah, 8, known for her signature spin — the momentum of her batting carries her a full 360 degrees or more — approached the tee and announced, “Pickle power!” This may have had a relationship to the green Band-Aid she was sporting, or she just determined that the evening’s enthusiastic energy could be credited to pickles. Either way, as second to bat, she set the stage for a series of surprises.
Maya, 9, whose knees were amazingly healed and without Band-Aids after last week’s spills, approached the tee and sang, “Here comes the ball,” to the tune of a familiar wedding song. Jameson, 5, had an impressive hit and was not shy about letting us know he was able to pull this off “because I’m good.”
The seriousness with which some approach batting was on full display when Lily, 5, came in a sunshine-and-rainbows dress, along with purple glasses. It appears having the right gear is part of a successful turn at bat.
Amelia “Millie,” 6, walked up sporting batting gloves. Clearly, they worked. She also let us know, since she arrived with dripping-wet hair from the pool, that she uses goggles to go underwater.
And it’s not only the gear that helps these young ones. Zorin, 6, let us know he showed up two hours early to practice. That’s dedication.
Jonas, 4, had such a strong hit this evening that he chose to run directly to second base. The Force was strong this evening, for sure. Case in point was Obi, 3, who not only channeled the Jedi-like strength of a person with whom he shares a name, but also had, as noted in the introduction, a full cheerleading squad.
Esak, 3, also had a group shouting chants to encourage him at bat. One of the most fun parts of T-ball is witnessing how much genuine and authentic encouragement the players receive, regardless of whether they hit a line drive into the grass or their hit amounts to the ball rolling a few feet from the tee.
Esak’s older sister, Luna, 5, approached the tee like a pro. The pages of notes from our scribe are full of exclamation points noting the impressive hits.
There was a second 5-year-old Luna, who, in addition to sharing a name and age with another player, also had a moon shot.
Addilyn, 6, Ainsley, 4, and Cameron, 4, all made solid contact with the ball and seemed to lend weight to the idea that baseball runs in the family. Cameron’s name was announced correctly this week, and he also appeared to be preparing himself for July’s home run derby. He already sports a pro hat — the Brewers. He likely could keep up with whoever else from the National League is out there walloping balls.
We bring a range of bats for players to choose from. Sometimes, that decision takes a good bit of time. Often, the decision is guided by a preference for a color or pattern. The bat with flames is quite popular, as are the purple and pink bats.
Stone, 5, who let me know he was here with “the twins” — his older sisters — brought a new approach to his bat selection. Along with inspecting both ends of each bat, he chose to use some like drumsticks on the ground. It’s quite possible we can add sound to the list of factors that help a player decide which bat to choose.
Regardless of what strikes a player’s fancy about a bat, they also seem to find the right match. Miles, 6, put the ball way into the grass after choosing just the right stick.
We lost a few players and adult volunteers around our midgame snack break because Mad River Theater Works had a performance at 7 p.m. We are certain it was phenomenal and hope it was enjoyed by all.
After the game, we did our usual sweep of the field, looking for balls hiding in the grass. Margi had to ask a few children to return balls so they’d be available for the game next week. Those curious kids asked her how much new T-balls cost and were told how much was paid for a dozen of them.
Luna, 5, chimed in with, “And chicken is expensive in this town, too!”
Our all-volunteer program is noncompetitive, free and open to children ages 2–9, regardless of their race, color, creed, sexual orientation, gender identity, ethnicity, spiritual inclination or practice, ability or disability. You are welcome to join us Friday evenings in June and July, beginning at 6 p.m. in Gaunt Park.
Wedge heels? Check. Huge white sun hat? Check. Sports bra, barely there black hot pants and trans pride fringe skirt? Check.
It was my first Pride, and I looked amazing.
I stood on the corner with my family as the parade went past. I waved and I cheered for all the smiling, colorful people. The cars honked their acknowledgement and strangers called me beautiful.
It was my first Pride, and I felt amazing.
I am not sure that I can overstate how important that day was to me, and I especially worry that the straight, cisgender people in my life don’t truly grasp how vital Pride is to a queer person — especially to a newly out trans person. But perhaps, by zooming out slightly from that day, by looking at what else was happening in my life, I can add some context.
That day, my first Pride, was one week after I had been fired from my job as a firefighter. It was three months since I had been removed from my fire station, my home of nearly 17 years, by the police. It had not even been a year since I had come out as transgender and pansexual, and I had already lost my job, my pension and every one of my friends.
Back then, at that first Pride, I wasn’t Iden the artist, or Iden the writer, or Iden the activist. I was Iden the scared baby trans girl who had no idea where she was going or what would happen to her. I was Iden the anorexic who had already lost 30 pounds and was just getting started. I was Iden the self-injurer who was trying desperately not to go back to the days of blades and scars. I was Iden the soon-to-be addict who was just finding her way to her chemical cures.
But that day, that Pride, my first Pride, I wasn’t any of those things. I was Iden the beautiful girl that people honked for and waved at. I was Iden who looked and felt the way she always dreamed that she would. I was Iden who was starting to believe that maybe all this pain and struggle would someday be worth it.
It was my first Pride, and it was magical.
I had the house to myself the next day. I sat down with my phone, and I recorded my feelings, and there were a lot of them. I’ve shared some of those feelings just now in the hopes that my straight, cis allies can understand how vital Pride is and how critical it is that we keep fighting to hold onto the rights that are being stripped from us.
Pride is the one day — the one day — of the year when you aren’t afraid. It’s the one day of the year when you aren’t trying to decide which stranger voted to take your rights away, when you aren’t worried about what bathroom to use, when you aren’t a fetish or a target.
Pride is the one day a year when you feel safe and celebrated, when you catch a glimpse of why you chose to be yourself and when you can forget all the pain and sacrifice you’ve endured to get there.
That’s Pride, and it breaks my heart.
It breaks my heart because we deserve more. We deserve better. Queer people should be safe and free every day. We should feel beautiful and celebrated every day, but we don’t. Every day brings a new horrible insult, a new terrible threat, a new fear, a new sacrifice.
If you are an ally and all you see when you go to Pride is a party, then you don’t understand the queer people in your life at all and you need to do better. It isn’t enough to clap and wave for one day. It isn’t enough to wave a flag or paint your face.
The queer people that you love deserve more than one f—ing day, but without our allies’ understanding and active participation in our struggle, we will lose even that day.
Friends, this June, when you are standing in line for your funnel cakes, when you are picking out your rainbow necklace, think about what that day really means to us. Think about what it is to be queer in America right now. Then think about it the next day, and the next, and the next, because I promise you the queer people you love are.
That first Pride seems like a lifetime ago. In some ways, it was. I am not the unsure little newly hatched trans person that I was. I have a new job, new friends, a new body, a whole new life, and that life has put a spotlight on me and a mic in my hand.
I have spoken at many a Pride event since that first one, and every time I stand on stage and look out, I wonder, “Do they understand? Do they see what this day means? Or is it just another festival to them?”
I hope that you get it. I hope that you do understand, because queer people need your help. Because we are in danger. Because Pride is a magical day for the queer people in your life, and that should break your heart.
The author is an artist and writer. She lives in Yellow Springs with her wife and three children. You can follow her work at mynameisiden.com.
By Chris Wyatt
June 2, 2026
It is the prettiest day of the year so far. Blue skies and temperatures predicted to be in the mid-70s. Our trivia team came second last night, and so I am buoyant and filled with a love of life. I shall temper this joie de vivre with a spot of mowing, reading, weeding and dog walking.
The Brandywine tomatoes are thriving on their diet of fish emulsion, worm castings and bat guano. The peardrop tomatoes are struggling a bit, but if the weather stays sunny, they should begin to pick up. I’m happy that my green beans have come up as well; I didn’t really expect them to, but five out of six plants germinated, so I shall keep them happy and fed.
Ah, summer. I have a report to write, but it can wait another day. I shall hang out with the dog rather than sit in a windowless office. Little Archie has been sick three times in the last four days, each time on my freshly laundered bed. I shall keep an eye on him; he seems perky enough at the moment.
In the meantime, I shall wash my bed linen again.
June 5, 2026
A rest day at Patterdale Hall. The lawns are mowed, and bees are busy in the flowers. Our big thistle is magnificent this year. This is a portent for Scotland’s performance in the World Cup, clearly.
Time to take it easy with a big glass of water and my book. There are several shady spots and, so far, no humidity. Relaxation will occur.
JUune 7, 2026
A lazy Sunday. I’ll fix a broken window with some cardboard and take some photos of the musk thistle; it really is magnificent. That aside, all I really need to do is water the beans and tomatoes. I also think I’ll buy a guide to edible wild plants in Ohio. What could go wrong? Hopefully, the next diary entry isn’t from Soin — my preferred emergency room.
June 10, 2026
It is very, very humid. I’m glad we got the AC replaced at home, and I need to fix the AC unit at the Hall so it can vent through a broken window. Karen is 100% focused on quilting in the cool air. She has discovered William Morris fabrics that have been recolored by Kaffe Fassett; they are beautiful and perfect for quilting. She has a show later this year, so they will be on display in the Winds in September and October.
I can work from home today. Editing amendments to protocols is easy work and should only take a couple of hours if I get my head down.
The humidity is the worst it’s been this year so far, and I will never get used to it. Weather like this simply doesn’t happen in the U.K. There is no way I’m pushing a mower around the Hall.
June 12, 2026
It’s lovely to have both boys home for the summer. Not that they ever left, but it’s still lovely to have them here. Morris just made chicken wings, and Bob is working on a mushroom and spinach risotto. The house smells like heaven.
I’m quite sleepy this evening. I think I’ll read a little and then drift.
Staccato updates. I’m tired.
June 14, 2026
We survived another Street Fair. To be honest, it was pretty mellow. I can walk Archie down the back alleys, and now we have a fence around the yard, we don’t end up with random tourists wandering through.
I considered heading out to the Hall but ultimately stayed put. It rained overnight, so nothing needs watering, though I may feed the tomatoes.
A lazy summer Sunday. I shall read and potter about.
June 15, 2026
Deer netting is up. Hopefully, the beans will recover from the pruning that they received. The tomatoes are doing well and fruiting already.
June 23, 2026
I took a wee break from updating the diary. Bob had his traditional Midsummer Party out at the Hall. This year, the theme was “The Trojan Horse,” so he and his friends built one at home, dressed as horses and paraded it around town. Then the horse was transported to Patterdale Hall, and there was a feast of roast turkey and mushroom risotto. Much fun.
I popped out the following day to check on the damage, and there wasn’t any; everything had been tidied up. Good kids.
However, now we have a large Trojan horse out at the Hall. Fortunately, it is on wheels, and so I may use it as a rolling “gate” to block off the gravel driveway. We get occasional unwanted visitors, and placing a giant wooden horse in the drive will lead to confusion and fear, hopefully. Probably not, but it will still impede someone’s ability to get on the property.
My friend Mike is having a July Fourth party in a few weeks, and this year I may go. There is always a great spread of food, and I fancy cooking plov. Plov is a traditional dish from Uzbekistan; it is rice and spicy lamb, and I’ll add raisins and dried apricots to make it fancy. Its name is rooted in “pilaf,” as recipes as well as language spread along the Silk Road. It isn’t a terribly American dish to cook, but I suspect it will be delicious.
Originally from Manchester, England, Chris Wyatt is an associate professor of neuroscience, cell biology and physiology at Wright State University. He has lived in Yellow Springs for 19 years, is married and has two children and an insane Patterdale terrier. “The Patterdale Hall Diaries,” by Chris Wyatt, is now available in book format via Amazon for $11.99.
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