Five uplifting stories you might have missed this week

Sinclair Community College Graduation being held at the University of Dayton Arena Thursday, May 6, 2021. MARSHALL GORBY\STAFF

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Sinclair Community College Graduation being held at the University of Dayton Arena Thursday, May 6, 2021. MARSHALL GORBY\STAFF

In case you missed it, here are five uplifting stories from the Miami Valley this past week.


Record number of high school students graduate with associate’s from Sinclair College

Sinclair Community College graduation was held at the University of Dayton Arena Thursday, May 6, 2021. MARSHALL GORBY\STAFF

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A record number of high school students from the Dayton area graduated this week with an associate’s degree from Sinclair Community College through the state’s College Credit Plus program.

Fifty-three high school students earned an associate’s degree from Sinclair, a 12% increase from last year.

“Sinclair College is incredibly proud of these students and the dedicated staff of our School Partnerships Group who overcame enormous challenges during the pandemic to achieve tremendous success,” said Steve Johnson, president of Sinclair Community College in a statement. “The work of Sinclair’s CCP and Tech Prep programs and the partnerships with K-12 districts are vital to preparing students for in-demand jobs.”

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Hugging mom again in time for Mother’s Day after a year apart

The rollout of coronavirus vaccines and declining case numbers has allowed restrictions to loosen and many families, after a year apart, to reunite safely with their loved ones in time for Mother’s Day.

“We were ecstatic,” Agnos’ other daughter, Margo Ross, said. “It was so frustrating before sometimes because she would have some problem or concern, and there’s nothing we could do about it. The nurses tried but they are so busy during this time. And just being able to see her in person and giver her a hug again, it was wonderful.”

Before COVID, Agnos’ husband Phillip Agnos visited often. Rosfeld would drive from West Alexandria and visit at least weekly, maybe bring some of the grandkids, maybe order a pizza. Ross, a Huber Heights resident, would also visit weekly. Ross often brought her laptop to show Agnos photos and videos of her grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

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Gem City Market gives supporters a sneak peek

Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio) speaks with Lela Klein during a tour of the Gem City Market on Friday. Klein is on the market's board. CORNELIUS FROLIK / STAFF

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The long-awaited grand opening of the Gem City Market takes place on Wednesday, and a couple of U.S. lawmakers this week got a sneak peek of the new facility, which was partly funded with federal dollars.

The worker- and member-owned cooperative grocery store received a grant worth nearly $1 million from Greater Dayton Premier Management.

The money was leftover HOPE VI funds, from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).

U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio), who toured the market on Friday, advocated for putting the HUD funding toward the project, which he described as uniquely important.

“I know there are things like this, but not of this consequence and magnitude,” he said.

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Archdeacon: National recognition for Dayton’s Big Friendly Giant

RYAN 8 – Former Dayton Flyers offensive lineman Ryan Culhane gives some candy to a young Trick-or-Treater during Halloween celebrations at Horace Mann Elementary in 2018 . CONTRIBUTED

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When she thinks of Ryan Culhane, the image that may resonate the most with University of Dayton associate athletics director Krystal Warren is not of the Flyers’ offensive lineman pancaking some overwhelmed defender who, just moments before, had visions of laying hands on the UD quarterback.

Nor is it a snapshot memory of last Thursday evening’s gala affair at the College Football Hall of Fame in downtown Atlanta where Culhane shared the spotlight with the likes of former Heisman Trophy winner and NFL veteran Danny Wuerffel, Indianapolis Colts kicker Rodrigo Blankenship, coach Steve Spurrier, and seven other athletes – three more from college and four from high school – all with inspirational stories of their own.

They all were gathered for the Coach Wooden Citizenship Cup awards given to the most outstanding role models among athletes at the pro, college and high school level.

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Meet Christopher Surratt, an ‘Air Force brat’ who turned love of music into lifelong career

Christopher Surratt. CONTRIBUTED

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Christopher Surratt is a longtime singer, nationally known music producer and executive who calls the Dayton area home.

Due to his magnetic personality, and his years of singing locally, Surratt’s name is known from churches to skating rinks. He also serves as Polemarch (president) of the Dayton alumni chapter of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity Incorporated.

We caught up with one of the Dayton area’s more interesting figures.

“I’ve been a part of the music and entertainment industry since I was 12 years old. I toured Europe with one of Europe’s top artists in the ’80s, Bobby Farrell. I was one of the background dancers he called the School Kids, and we recorded the ’80s hit “The Happy Song.” In the ’90s I, along with a group of friends from Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, were fortunate to win an audition for the hit show “Star Search” as dancers, and that led to me becoming a dancer for the chart-topping ’90s rap group from Dayton, Bonnie ‘N’ Clyde.”

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