FALL BREAK BEGINS TONIGHT FOR THE UNIVERSITY OF DAYTON, BUT MANY OF THEIR STUDENTS WILL TRADE A VACATION FOR SERVICE OPPORTUNITIES TO OTHERS. A TOTAL OF 60 UD STUDENTS WILL PARTICIPATE IN REAL DAYTON WHICH ENABLES STUDENTS TO REACH OUT, ENRICH THEMSELVES, ACT FOR OTHERS AND LEARN ABOUT THE CITY THEIR UNIVERSITY CALLS HOME. THE PROGRAM RUNS THROUGH SATURDAY AND HELPS STUDENTS EXPERIENCE DAYTON OUTSIDE OF THE COLLEGE”BUBBLE”, CHALLENGING STEREOTYPES AND TURNING STUDENTS INTO ADVOCATES FOR THE DAYTON REGION, SAID KELLY BOHRER, UNIVERSITY COORDINATOR OF COMMUNITY OUTREACH. NOT ONLY WILL STUDENTS BE INVOLVED IN SERVICE IN THE DAYTON AREA, BUT SOME GROUPS WILL ALSO TRAVEL TO NEW JERSEY AND RURAL KENTUCKY TO PARTICIPATE IN SERVICE PROJECTS CALLED “BREAKOUTS”. AT THESE LOCATIONS, STUDENTS HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO LEARN ABOUT URBAN AND RURAL POVERTY AND VOLUNTEER IN A VARIETY OF SERVICE PROGRAMS IN SCHOOLS, MEAL KITCHENS, HEALTH CENTERS AND HOUSING CONSTRUCTION.
AN AGREEMENT SIGNED MONDAY NIGHT CREATES THE STATE OF OHIO’S FIRST ACADEMY TO TRAIN LOCAL STUDENTS FOR FOOD, FUEL AND FIBER-RELATED CAREERS. THE BIOSCIENCE ACADEMY WILL BE HOUSED IN THE FORMER SOUTH HIGH SCHOOL IN SPRINGFIELD AND WILL BE CALLED GLOBAL IMPACT STEM ACADEMY. THE NONPROFIT SCHOOL IS EXPECTED TO OPEN NEXT SCHOOL YEAR AND WILL BE ONE OF ONLY FIVE SUCH SCHOOLS IN THE COUNTRY. THE NEWS SUN REPORT SAYS ABOUT 200 RESIDENTS AND COMMUNITY LEADERS WATCHED REPRESENTATIVES FROM PARTNERS, SPRINGFIELD CITY SCHOOLS, CLARK STATE COMMUNITY COLLEGE, WRIGHT STATE UNIVERSITY AND THE DAYTON DEVELOPMENT COALITION WHO WILL SERVE AS THE REGIONAL REPRESENTATIVE FOR JOBSOHIO, SIGN THE ARTICLES INCORPORATING THE 501 ©(3) CHARITABLE ORGANIZATION. SENATOR CHRIS WIDENER SHARED THAT AGRICULTURE PROVIDES ONE IN SEVEN JOBS IN OHIO. OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY AND BATTELLE MEMORIAL INSTITUTE WILL JOIN THE LEAD PARTNERS TO RAISE MONEY. OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY WILL ALSO ASSIST IN DEVELOPING THE CURRICULUM. SENATOR WIDENER SAID THE CONCEPT WAS VISUALIZED AFTER HE ATTENDED A CLARK COUNTY FARM BUREAU MEETING WHERE HE HEARD ABOUT THE NEED FOR MORE AGRICULTURE AND SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, ENGINEERING AND MATHEMATICS EDUCATION. INTERESTINGLY, A.B. GRAHAM STARTED THE NATION’S FIRST 4-H CLUB IN SPRINGFIELD IN ON JANUARY 15, 1902.
FOUR SCHOOL DISTRICTS IN CHAMPAIGN AND CLARK COUNTY WILL ASK FOR VOTERS TO APPROVE LEVIES FOR DISTRICT OPERATIONS, ACCORDING TO THE SPRINGFIELD NEWS SUN. TECUMSEH AND URBANA SCHOOLS ARE SEEKING NEW OPERATING PROPERTY TAX LEVIES ON NOVEMBER 6TH WHILE NORTHEASTERN LOOKS FOR A 1 PERCENT INCOME TAX. CLARK-SHAWNEE IS REQUESTING A RENEWAL AND INCREASE PROPERTY TAX THAT WOULD COMBINE THREE EXISTING LEVIES INTO ONE AND NOT RAISE TAXES ABOVE THE CURRENT LEVEL. FOR TECUMSEH SCHOOLS, THEY WILL FACE STATE TAKEOVER WITHOUT VOTER APPROVAL OF NEW OPERATING DOLLARS SOON. CLARK-SHAWNEE’S SUPERINTENDENT GREG MORRIS SAYS IT IS IMPORTANT TO REMEMBER THAT THEIR LEVY WOULD NOT INCREASE TAXES BEYOND THE CURRENT LEVELS…DESPITE THE LEVY’S LABEL AS A RENEWAL AND INCREASE. IT DOES COMBINE THREE LEVIES ALREADY ON THE BOOKS, TWO FOR OPERATING AND ONE FOR PERMANENT IMPROVEMENTS, INTO ONE BALLOT ISSUE FOR FUTURE RENEWALS. ADMINISTRATORS SAID LOSS OF STATE FUNDING HAS ALSO CONTRIBUTED TO URBANA AND NORTHEASTERN DISTRICTS ASKING VOTERS FOR NEW MONEY.
ABSENTEE VOTING BEGAN YESTERDAY IN THE STATE OF OHIO. OHIO SECRETARY OF STATE JON HUSTED SAID MORE THAN 920,000 ABSENTEE BALLOT APPLICATIONS TO VOTE BY MAIL WERE SUBMITTED. BALLOTS ARE BEING SENT TO ELIGIBLE VOTERS. SECRETARY HUSTED SAID, “NO MATTER WHICH METHOD OF VOTING THEY CHOOSE – IN PERSON ABSENTEE, BY MAIL ABSENTEE OR ON ELECTION DAY – WE ENCOURAGE ALL OHIOANS TO TAKE THE TIME NOW TO CHECK THEIR REGISTRATIONS AND KNOW THE RULES SO THEY CAN HAVE A SMOOTH EXPERIENCE AT THE POLLS.” A REPORT IN THE SPRINGFIELD NEWS SUN SAYS CLARK AND CHAMPAIGN COUNTY BOARDS OF ELECTIONS ARE READY FOR THOUSANDS OF EARLY VOTERS TO CAST BALLOTS BEFORE THE NOVEMBER 6TH ELECTION. CHAMPAIGN COUNTY DEPUTY DIRECTOR MEREDITH BODEY SAYS OFFICIALS IN HER COUNTY BELIEVE THERE COULD BE UP TO 40 PERCENT OF THE TOTAL TURNOUT THROUGH EARLY VOTING. EARLY VOTING BEGAN YESTERDAY AND ENDS NOVEMBER 5TH. THE DEADLINE TO REGISTER TO VOTE IS AT 9PM ON OCTOBER 9TH.
SKIES WILL BE CLOUDY TONIGHT AND LOWS WILL GO DOWN TO 53 DEGREES. LOOK FOR SUNSHINE AND HIGHS AROUND 75 ON THURSDAY, THEN CLOUDS COME BACK TO THE AREA THURSDAY NIGHT AS LOWS DROP TO 57. THERE IS A POSSIBILITY OF RAIN FRIDAY AT 40 PERCENT WITH HIGHS NEAR 59, THEN 60 PERCENT FOR RAIN ON FRIDAY NIGHT AS LOWS GO TO 45 DEGREES. RAIN COULD EXTEND INTO SATURDAY AND IT WILL BE COOLER AS HIGHS ONLY GET TO 54. OUR LOWS SATURDAY NIGHT BE COLD…39 DEGREES. SUNSHINE IS BACK FOR SUNDAY WITH HIGHS ONLY RISING TO 52 DEGREES. IT WILL GET COLDER SUNDAY NIGHT AS OVERNIGHT LOWS DROP TO 32 DEGREES AND WE COULD SEE PATCHY FROST DEVELOP OVERNIGHT AND INTO THE MORNING HOURS ON MONDAY.
