In this edition of WYSO Weekend:
- Earlier this month, voters in Huber Heights said “no” to a school levy for the sixth time . The extra 4.4 million dollars generated would have meant 14 additional teachers, updated books and instructional materials, and lower sports and activity fees for students. This week, WYSO's Ariel Van Cleave spoke with District Superintendent Sue Gunnell about how school officials are moving forward.
This week the city of Dayton released a new version of a proposal to change its water protection policies. The city's well fields tap into the shallow aquifer to supply water for about 400,000 people—not just Dayton, but most of Montgomery County. The policy in place right now was first passed in 1988, after a series of dramatic events shifted public favor towards protecting the sensitive wellfield area. Now there are limits in place on storing chemicals on and near the wellfields, plus a buy-down program to encourage companies to get rid of hazardous chemicals. WYSO's Lewis Wallace talked to former Dayton Daily News writer and editor Ellen Belcher about the history.
Recently, 41 eighth graders were inducted into Springfield's Champion City Scholars Program. The Springfield School District and the Clark State Foundation, will award free tuition at Clark State Community College to the students after they graduate from Springfield High School. Champion City Scholars serves low-income middle school students who will become the first in their families to earn a college degree. Upon their graduation from Springfield High School, selected students will be eligible for up to three years of college at Clark State. WYSO's Wayne Baker spoke with Clark State President Dr. Jo Alice Blondin about the Champion City Scholars Program and one of its founders, Dr. Warren Elliott.
A new Veteran and Military Center for students opens today at Wright State University. The 4,500 square foot facility on Wright State’s Dayton campus will feature a lounge and kitchen space, private study areas, and computers. Veteran and Military Center Director, Dr. Seth Gordon says the center is an important part of the university’s outreach to vets on campus.
- When James Chaney, Andrew Goodman and Michael Schwerner went to Mississippi in 1964 to register black voters it’s likely they were unaware of the danger they faced. It was on their fist day at work that they were kidnapped—their bodies were found more than a month later. President Barack Obama will award Cheney, Goodman and Shwerner Presidential Medals of Freedom—the nation’s highest civilian honor—in a White House ceremony on November 24th. This week, I spoke to David Goodman who was just 17 when his older brother Andrew and the others were killed. We talked about their life growing up and what impact the tragedy had on the Goodman family and the nation.
Below is a longer version of our conversation with additional insights from Mr. Goodman.
- The United States, China and Ohio. That might seem like an unlikely grouping...but that’s how University of Dayton professor Bob Brecha is making sense of the climate change agreement made during the President’s visit to China this week. Brecha is a professor of renewable and clean energy program at the University of Dayton. For more stories and commentaries, visit our website, WYSO dot org.
