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Once-in-lifetime solar eclipse could cause epic traffic problems, service outages in Dayton region
Credit: JIM NOELKER
Credit: JIM NOELKER
Mark your calendar for April 8. That’s the date of a once-in-a-lifetime solar eclipse, and many of us will have front row seats. And while the sun and moon are expected to put on a stellar show (see what I did there), the impact to our region goes far beyond a few minutes of darkness.
• First the good news: Not only will the eclipse be really cool, there are A TON of events being scheduled around it. Go here for a truly massive list of eclipse-related events over the next few weeks in area counties.
• Where to watch: The centerline of the eclipse goes right over Darke County. But you don’t need to travel to Greenville to see it. Huge swaths of our local counties will be in the full totality area, giving lots of watching options. Here is a map:
• And the bad news: Hundreds of thousands of tourists are expected to flock to Ohio for a better view. This can mean traffic headaches, fuel shortages and more. Columnist Pam Cottrell wrote about her experience in a 2017 eclipse and warns that the concerns are real.
- Local emergency management officials are making preparations and getting the word out to the public on how to prepare. Reporter Cornelius Frolik has that story.
Election 2024: Candidates, issues and what’s at stake in March 19 Statehouse primaries
Credit: JIM NOELKER
Credit: JIM NOELKER
The March 19 primary will help decide who the people are who write the laws affecting numerous aspects of your life, from abortion, to marijuana legalization, law enforcement, infrastructure, gun control, taxes and more.
• Redistricting changed things: This is the first election for Statehouse seats using new House and Senate district boundaries redrawn last year by the Ohio Redistricting Commission. This means many voters may be in a different district and see different names on the ballot than they are used to, and some seats have become more competitive. This story has maps of newly drawn districts in our area with contested primaries.
• The rundown: In that story, statehouse reporter Avery Kreemer also breaks down the 11 contested primaries in our region. One will decide who wins the general election, since no Republicans have filed for the seat.
- You helped us determine what issues are most important on the state level with our recent survey. Avery’s story has the results from that.
- Avery also covered a recent candidate forum featuring Democrats running in three contested primaries. The issue of abortion showed some division in one Senate race.
• Election 2024: Go here for all of our election coverage, from local levies and county races, to the statehouse, and U.S. Congress.