As always, I’m more than happy to take questions, tips, or concerns. I can be reached at Avery.Kreemer@coxinc.com or on X at @AveryKreemer.
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Pardoned Kettering man and his J6 retrospective
• The story: A 65-year-old Kettering man who served nine months in prison for his actions during the Jan. 6, 2021, riot at the U.S. Capitol said he feels vindicated after he was among the roughly 1,500 criminal defendants to receive a pardon from President Donald Trump earlier this month.
• The man: Dave Mehaffie, a local builder who used to own a gym in Dayton’s Belmont business district, said he believes he was part of a “historic” moment that ultimately put the nation on the right path. He said he thinks that the narrative around the events of Jan. 6 is changing to reflect what he claims actually happened that day.
• Quote: “I strongly believe most people only have a partial picture of what happened,” he said. “The narrative was, ‘Wild-eyed, pitchforked hillbillies were there because their fascist leader told them to be there.’ That’s ridiculous and needs to change, and I believe it is.”
• Prosecutors: Federal prosecutors who prosecuted the case against Mehaffie and other Jan. 6 defendants said Mehaffie helped direct a violent and hostile mob of Trump supporters as they tried to break into the Capitol building in response to Joe Biden’s election victory.
• What happened: While Trump and some Jan. 6 defendants say the prosecutions were politically motivated, considerable video evidence shows rioters clashing with police and forcing themselves into the Capitol. More than 100 police officers were injured, some pepper sprayed or hit with a flagpole or fire extinguisher, and federal property was damaged.
• Here’s the full profile from Cornelius Frolik.
Trump’s immigration policies and their Springfield impact
Credit: AP
Credit: AP
• The lede: Thousands of Haitian immigrants in the Springfield area could be impacted by President Donald Trump’s immigration executive orders from his first week in office.
• The policies: These orders include one calling for termination of certain Humanitarian Parole programs, making specific mention of a program for Haitians. Thousands of Haitian immigrants have entered the U.S. legally under parole programs, before many obtained further legal status like Temporary Protected Status or asylum.
• Agency changes: The Department of Homeland Security on Tuesday issued a notice authorizing the use of a border patrol policy to expedite deportations in the country’s interior, allowing agents to make deportation decisions without the input of a judge or immigration lawyer. This impacts noncitizens who cannot prove “to the satisfaction of an immigration officer” their continuous presence in the country for more than two years.
• Haitian perspective: “Every human being needs that kind of stability — mental stability — and to be sure that they can continue to live their lives and everything,” said Vilès Dorsainvil, Haitian Community Help and Support Center president. “But when this most vulnerable group of people, fleeing their countries and finding themselves in a place where they believe they should have been OK to work and send their kids to school and live their lives — they’re in the midst of all of this and their future is so uncertain.”
• Here’s the full story from Jessica Orozco.
Local political news of the week
Credit: AP
Credit: AP
• ICE activity: A man and a woman who were arrested in Greene County and taken into custody by Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents were originally pulled over for a fictitious license plate, police records show. London Bishop has the story.
• Funding freeze frozen: In the span of 20 hours, many local agencies went from a panic over possibly losing major federal funding to breathing a sigh of relief after a Trump-directed funding freeze, meant to allow the new administration time to examine federal spending, was halted. Here’s Samantha Wildow on how a freeze would impact the community.
• License suspensions: For the third year in a row, Montgomery County suspended more residents’ drivers licenses in 2024 for failing to pay child support than any other county in Ohio, and the county is out to an early lead again in 2025. Here’s my story.
• Brookville debate: More than 100 residents of Brookville and surrounding townships gathered Monday for the first in a series of public meetings as the city seeks the community’s input for its new comprehensive land use plan. Aimee Hancock has the story.
State political news of the week
• DEI ban: After Ohio Republicans proposed a bill last week to ban diversity and inclusion efforts on college campuses, bar university staff from striking and require a state-designed civics class for bachelor’s degree, some faculty and student organizations are taking a stand. The institutions themselves have said very little. Here’s the story from me, Eileen McClory and London Bishop.
• Death penalty dispute: Two Miami Valley lawmakers were part of a bipartisan cohort touting legislation to prohibit the use of state funds for assisted suicide and abolish the death penalty in Ohio, just a week after President Donald Trump’s executive order to fully restore the practice nationally. Here’s my story.
National political news of the week
Credit: NYT
Credit: NYT
• Clearing it up: Trump’s proposed federal funding freeze took many people by surprise. Here’s how the issue played out, from the initial order, to a vague rescinding letter, to the administration’s decision to double down, to federal court action. Here’s Jeremy Kelley with the explainer.
• JD Vance BLVD?: An online petition is circulating to rename a Middletown street for Vice President JD Vance, who is a native son. The petition is backed by Candice Keller, a former lawmaker from Middletown who runs the Community Pregnancy Center. Here’s Lauren Pack with the story.