You can reach me at tom.gnau@coxinc.com. On social media you can find me at LinkedIn, X and Facebook.
Wright-Patterson Air Force Base is not just the intellectual center of the Air Force. It’s the largest concentration of employment in one location in the state of Ohio. What happens there matters to all of us.
Wright-Patterson installation commander removed from command
This story was unexpected. On the Friday afternoon before New Year’s Day, Air Force Materiel Command (AFMC) released a statement reporting that Col. Christopher Meeker, commander of the 88th Air Base Wing and installation commander at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, had been relieved of command.
Loss of confidence: No specific reason was given for the dismissal beyond the boilerplate military language sometimes used in these situations — Meeker had been relieved of command on Dec. 29 “due to a loss of confidence in his ability to lead.”
In the AFMC release, Lt. Gen. Donna Shipton, who recently assumed command of the Air Force Life Cycle Management Center (AFLCMC), said simply: “I made this decision in the best interest of the men and women of the 88th Air Base Wing.” (The 88th Air Base Wing commander answers to the AFLCMC commander.)
Interim commander: Named as interim commander was Col. Travis W. Pond, who has served as base deputy commander since June.
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A look back at the top food and dining stories in the Dayton region in 2023
Our food and dining writer, Natalie Jones, has been exceptionally busy in the past year. For evidence of that, check out this end-of-year retrospective. (Or check out her page at the Dayton Daily News website.)
In 2023, the food and dining scene in and around Dayton saw several longtime establishments close, many restaurants open and lots of new experiences happen.
Most-read: Some of the year’s most-read food and dining stories included ... well, you should read the story.
From ‘mom room’ to dispensary, here’s how pot is legally grown in Ohio
Check out this richly reported story from Avery Kreemer on how recreational marijuana is cultivated in a former Springfield brewery.
Since its inception, Pure Ohio Wellness has supplied only Ohio’s medical marijuana market, created by the state in 2017, Kreemer reported. After Ohio’s passage of Issue 2, the operators there say they are ready for their next moves.
Mom room: The process begins in what is called the “mom room” — a space filled with dozens of mature female cannabis plants of different strains. These mother plants start thousands of crops Pure Ohio Wellness produces each year.
“Everything that we do comes from cloning these plants. That’s how the stock keeps going,” Pure Ohio Wellness Chief Operating Officer Tracey McMillin said.
Huffy parent company to consolidate Niner into Ohio operations
Huffy today is not the Huffy of old, but the name still has local resonance.
From reporter Eric Schwarzberg we learn that United Wheels, the parent company of bike brands Huffy, Niner, VAAST, Batch and Buzz Bicycles, will consolidate operations of its Fort Collins, Colorado-based Niner business into company headquarters in Miami Twp.
Integration: “This integration will include a reorganization within the Niner business, and we will also be exploring potential redeployment opportunities within the company,” the company told this newspaper. “We are committed to collaborating closely with each employee to identify opportunities and provide support during this transition.”
History on two wheels: A storied brand name, Huffy has roots in the Dayton region reaching back to 1892, when it produced its first bicycle in Dayton while originally operating as the Davis Sewing Machine Company.
State approves historical preservation tax credits for two Dayton projects
Credit: JIM NOELKER
Credit: JIM NOELKER
Ohio historic preservation tax credits have a track record in and around Dayton. We’ve seen them work in the Dayton Arcade and elsewhere.
Now, reporter Ed Richter tells us that two Dayton buildings are slated to receive the credits to assist in their development.
Projects: The two projects selected for newly awarded credits in the Dayton area include the Fidelity Medical Building and St. Paul Evangelical Lutheran Church & Parish Hall.
Quick hits
Longtime Kettering/Dayton restaurant owner dies: Memories of Bruce Comisar, 81.
The UD Flyers: Enjoy a 10-2 start.
December restaurant news: Was very newsy.
Hal McCoy: Asking the kinds of questions that Hal McCoy asks.
Worth investigating: Dayton Daily News investigations that made a difference.
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