The Dayton Daily News is grateful to be part of your community. We’re committed to serving you the most important news and information, created by journalists who live here. And this letter contains just a snapshot of the work we did this year.
Public service journalism
• Mental health matters: Early in 2024, I heard Dayton Children’s Hospital CEO Debbie Feldman deliver this shocking statistic to a crowd of business leaders: in 2023, more than 7,000 children were admitted for suicide attempts, suicidal ideation or a significant mental health crisis — and that now, mental health is the leading cause for admission. That moment was a reckoning. In September, we launched our “Mental Health Matters” series from reporters Eileen McClory and Samantha Wildow, which included publishing a free mental health resource guide, the first of many stories on the state of mental health for kids and teens, and a live community conversation in partnership with Greater Dayton Area Hospital Association (GDAHA) and Wright State University. More than 200 people showed up that night to hear a panel of experts from the region discuss the challenges and opportunities around mental health. We’ll continue reporting on mental health in 2025, and you can catch up on our previous reporting at www.daytondailynews.com/mental-health-matters/
• Behind the Badge: In the years since the Oregon District shooting in 2019 and protests in the wake of a Minneapolis police officer murdering George Floyd, there has been intense debate over the role of law enforcement in American society, from those shouting “defund the police” to others who shout “back the blue.” Police departments say they need more officers, while those critical of police say departments need more accountability. Reporter London Bishop embarked on a monthslong series where she looked at how Ohio police officers are trained. She enrolled in the Sinclair Police Academy, and followed a group of 19 cadets training to join the ranks of local law enforcement. You can read more about her experiences, the hopes of the cadets and the findings about the current state of police training at www.daytondailynews.com/lists/behind-the-badge/.
An unprecedented election year
In 2024, the global spotlight was trained on the United States’ presidential election. But while that was going on, there were plenty of local races and issues to watch on the ballot. Our team focused on spotlighting the most impactful of those, including levies for the Dayton Metro Library and Five Rivers MetroParks and Ohio’s Issue 1, which proposed changing the process of how state and federal legislative maps are drawn. And when President-elect Donald Trump incorrectly claimed that Haitian immigrants were “eating the pets” in Springfield, Ohio, our community was thrust into the spotlight. We continued our reporting on the Haitian population in Springfield and their contributions to the community, as well as the challenges that the city and Clark County have been navigating in the wake of this population increase.
Through it all, we provided factual information and explainers about issues, races and the likely impact of outcomes. We also partnered with the Dayton Area Chamber of Commerce for a Post-Election Analysis breakfast event. There, reporters and editor Sydney Dawes, Lynn Hulsey, Avery Kreemer and Josh Sweigart talked about the potential impacts of local, state and national election results.
Opportunities and challenges
Each year is a mix of both, and 2024 was no different. According to reporting from Cornelius Frolik, this year has been a particularly dangerous one: “Juvenile homicides have quadrupled, according to police data, and there’s been a 56% increase in felonious assaults with juvenile victims.” These fights have taken place in public spaces such as the downtown Dayton RTA bus hub and in branches of the Dayton Metro Library.
There has also been continued investment in the Dayton region, thanks to commitments from Intel, Honda and Joby Aviation. Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine visited the University of Dayton to name Dayton as the state’s second “Innovation Hub,” according to reporting from Tom Gnau. All told, the region could see more than $100 million invested into the community for an advanced, secure 120,000-square-foot building on the former Montgomery County Fairgrounds site.
This just scratches the surface of the work we’ve done this year.
In 2025, anticipating a time of unprecedented change, I plan to lean in to growing and strengthening community, and I encourage you to do the same. Because we’re all part of this community — side by side, hands at work, together.
I wish you a wonderful holiday, and a safe and healthy New Year.
Sincerely,
Ashley Bethard
Credit: Knack Video + Photo
Credit: Knack Video + Photo
Editor, Dayton Daily News
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