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Air Force Marathon to impact public roads and Wright-Patt gates Saturday
If you’re anywhere near Fairborn or northwestern Greene County on Saturday morning, be aware: Traffic will be different.
• Lots of people: The Air Force Marathon, in its 28th year, will have some 8,500 participants. Add volunteers and spectators to the mix, and the area will see an influx of some 10,000 people starting long before dawn Saturday.
• Good spot to watch: The Fairborn section of the race is the only place along the route where spectators see runners coming and going.
• Road Closures: Most road closures will be from 6 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday.
— There will be four barriers along Ohio 844 because that road lies on the race course.
— There will be road closures along Kauffman Road between the Wright State University campus and Wright-Patterson. The closures will be at National Road, McClellan Drive, Van Dorn Lane, Shields Avenue and Zink Road.
— Eastbound Springfield Street will be closed
• Towing cars: The city of Fairborn will start towing cars parked on race route streets starting at 3 a.m. Saturday.
• Weather forecast: When the marathon begins Saturday, the temperature will be in the upper 60s, and it will be in the upper 70s by late morning as the last racers finish. There is no rain in the forecast.
• One tweak: Runners will cross the finish line into the waiting after-race festival, there on the base itself, with food, drink and musical entertainment. The festival or after party will not be held at The Greene in Beavercreek or elsewhere off base.
• Race history: The first Air Force Marathon took place in 1997. It has been held every year since, though it was a virtual race in 2020 and 2021 because of the pandemic.
What happened in the past week in Springfield
Credit: Bill Lackey
Credit: Bill Lackey
Reporter Avery Kreemer brings readers the latest on the local, state and national political scene in his weekly Ohio Politics newsletter. This report appeared in this week’s Ohio Politics yesterday, and we’re repeating it here to highlight the work Avery does. Sign up for the Ohio Politics newsletter here.
• Threats of violence: Threats have ravaged the community over the past week. Schools in the county have been interrupted on a daily basis and are now stocked with state troopers, tasked with daily building sweeps; grocery stores have had to evacuate; city officials’ homes have been targeted; political debates and celebrations of culture and diversity have been canceled; and Mayor Rob Rue has taken on “emergency powers” to deal with public safety concerns. All of these stories have been reported by Jessica Orozco, who has been doing instrumental work with the Springfield News-Sun.
• Impact, illustrated: Springfield City Schools Superintendent Bob Hill, in lockstep with Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine, pleaded for parents to return their children to school Tuesday. They promoted the district’s enhanced security protocols but were overshadowed by threats of violence made against three district schools that same day. In one elementary school, 200 of the school’s 500 student enrollment were absent. Here’s my story, which also focuses on Haitian driver education initiatives by the state and the bullet point below.
• Threats of politics: Republicans Rue and DeWine were asked about the potential of a campaign stop by former president Donald Trump, who has vowed mass deportations starting in Springfield and who, along with his running mate U.S. Sen. JD Vance, has repeatedly lied, exaggerated, and spread rumors about the city and its people. DeWine advised that Springfield residents would welcome the candidates, while Rue stated: “It would be an extreme strain on our resources, so it would be fine with me if they decided not to make that stop right now.”
• Federal help? Springfield city officials and the state have been asking the federal government for additional resources to help the city deal with the Haitian immigrant influx. Politicians on both sides of the aisle criticized the Biden administration for its policies that allowed such an influx. “The administration’s lack of planning is one of the reasons there are serious concerns from community members about the strain on public infrastructure,” said U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown, a Democrat.
• Residents’ view: This story by Jessica Orozco and Sydney Dawes highlights the thoughts of the community — both existing residents and newer Haitians — as their city has been under the microscope. While the sampling of opinions runs the gamut, there are many other Springfield residents who told our reporters they’d rather not comment.
What to know today
• One big takeaway: A vehicle theft involving masked, gun-toting suspects has led to the arrest of a Dayton teen and police in Warren County urging residents to take proper safety precautions.
• Health awareness: West Nile virus has been detected in a mosquito sample for the second time this summer in Fairborn. Weather permitting, Greene County Public Health’s Environmental Health mosquito team will be spraying the area on Monday.
• Big move of the day: Four Dayton-area companies were among 85 businesses nationwide named by the Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) to a contract with a potential $11.9 billion value over a decade.
• Community Gem: Brian Weltge. The Humane Society of Greater Dayton CEO started at the organization in 1999 as a volunteer.
• Thing to do: Young’s Jersey Dairy is celebrating fall on the farm this weekend with the opening of its pumpkin patch on Saturday.
• Photo of the day: Carillon Historical Park recently hosted the 17th annual Dayton Concours d’Elegance. Photographer Tom Gilliam took his camera for a spin around the grounds.
Credit: Tom Gilliam
Credit: Tom Gilliam