Your WYSO Noonish News Update for August 29, 2022, with Mike Frazier:
Rally for Recovery takes over downtown Dayton
(WYSO) Hundreds of people came out to Courthouse Square for this year’s "Rally for Recovery." The event is hosted by Families of Addicts. The signature moment of the event is the balloon launch, when FOA releases a thousand balloons. It symbolizes people who were lost to substance abuse and those who are still fighting it.
Longtime local public servant dies
(Dayton Daily News) AJ Wagner, a former Montgomery County judge and auditor, has died. Wagner ran to be Mayor of Dayton in 2013 and also served on the Ohio State School Board. He moved to Pennsylvania in 2016 to be closer to family. His family is planning to hold a memorial service at the University of Dayton soon, according to WHIO. Multiple news outlets are reporting Wagner had acute leukemia. He was 70.
Former employee stole $1.8 million from Clark County
(Springfield News Sun) Robert M. Vanderhorst pleaded guilty last week to stealing one point eight million dollars. He stole the public funds using a phony vendor payments scheme. Vanderhorst created fake vendors that were linked to his personal bank account, then paid those vendors with county money. The Clark County Prosecutor's office received a tip about a suspicious vendor account that had no address, tax identification number, or description of the work being performed for the county. The thefts happened from 2005 through 2021. He will be sentenced next month.
Columbus City Schools’ students are back in class
(WOSU) One of Ohio’s biggest school districts welcomed students back to in-person learning on Monday, one week after the start of a teachers' strike. 94% of Columbus City teachers had voted to strike. They were demanding heating and air conditioning in their school buildings, smaller class sizes, and a curriculum that included art, music, and physical education. This morning, the Columbus City school board ratified the new three-year labor deal. It was approved by the teachers' union on Sunday.
Trotwood’s Spring Run restoration project looking to improve the Ohio River Watershed
(WYSO) Restoration of some wetlands on part of the 550 acre property started last week in Trotwood. It's part of the statewide H2Ohio water quality improvement initiative. The restoration will reverse historic changes to the area's water features and allow the streams to return to their original form. Officials hope that this will slow stormwater runoff, prevent erosion and purify rainwater. Part of the initiative will also include reintroducing native plants and expanding wildlife habitat. Spring Run is part of the Wolf Creek watershed and is upstream from the Great Miami River.
