Goodall, who has worked as a school janitor for 23 years, won the hearts of America when he appeared on the NBC competition series earlier this year. He immediately earned praise from the judges and viewers alike for his incredible audition, where he performed Journey’s “Don’t Stop Believin. ‘”
Prosecuting Attorney Mat Heck Sworn in for 9th Term
Today, Montgomery County Prosecutor Mat Heck, Jr. was sworn in for his ninth term of office. Mr. Heck’s wife, the Honorable Cynthia M. Heck, Judge of the Vandalia Municipal Court, administered the Oath of Office. Following his swearing in, Mr. Heck administered the Oath of Office to his entire staff.
Prosecutor Heck reflected on his many years as the elected prosecutor, having been sworn in for the first time in August 1992. He noted that about half of his staff were hired during his most recent four-year term.
Mr. Heck noted that the past four years saw some significant changes, such as using Zoom to conduct business during the pandemic and gaining the ability to work from home. Since the end of the Covid-era restrictions, his office has moved to a business casual dress code and allows many of his staff to work from home one day per week.
Prosecutor Heck outlined some of the accomplishments his office has made over the past four years. The Criminal Division of the Prosecutor’s Office reviewed over 23,500 filings from law enforcement seeking charges. The Criminal Division also had more than 150 jury trials and over 70 bench trials. For all cases resolved over the past four years, the office has a conviction rate of 95% to the highest degree charged.
The Juvenile Division of the office reviewed over 6,300 new cases since 2021.
The Appellate Division files approximately 100 briefs in the Court of Appeals each year.
The Child Abuse Bureau at CARE House reviewed 418 filings over the past four years, most of which involved physical or sexual abuse and neglect of children. The Child Protection Unit had over 2,400 new cases involving in excess of 4,000 children, and the attorneys in that unit attended over 15,000 hearings.
The Criminal Non-Support Unit collected over a half-million dollars in child support payments, bringing the total since the unit was established in 2000 to well over $14,000,000 provided for the support of children. The Consumer Fraud Unit opened 155 new investigation cases and recovered over $1,100,000 in money taken from victims. The Diversion Division reviewed over 1,600 cases and accepted more than 700 new clients, recovering restitution for victims and allowing first-time, non-violent defendants the chance to avoid having a conviction on their record, and becoming responsible citizens.
The Civil Division initiated and oversaw several Opioid lawsuits, resulting in millions of dollars being recovered from opioid manufacturers and retailers for their role in the proliferation of those drugs. The DTAC Unit filed over 1,000 property tax foreclosures, resulting in the collection of over $7,000,000 from the sales.
The Grand Jury/Intake section of the office was very busy, with the Grand Jury hearing nearly 14,300 cases in just the past four years. The Victim/Witness Division added more than 5,300 new cases, providing much-needed assistance to victims of violent crimes. In December 2024, the 34th annual Homicide Victim Memorial Service was held.
Prosecutor Heck said, “Today, we renew our steadfast commitment to justice, public safety, and the victims of crime and their families. I am extremely proud of what my office does for the citizens of Montgomery County. I believe we have the best staff in the state of Ohio. If we work together, support each other and never forget why we chose to serve the public, then great things are going to happen.”
Prosecutor Heck was first elected to office in 1992 and was re-elected in 1996, 2000, 2004, 2008, 2012, 2016, 2020, and 2024.
Taste of Belgium To Shutter Bistro at The Greene
Taste of Belgium’s bistro at The Greene, 10 Greene Boulevard in Beavercreek, OH, will permanently close this Sunday, January 12, at 8 p.m.
Screenshot
The Beavercreek bistro, which opened in June of 2023, was Taste of Belgium’s first expansion outside of its established footprint in the Cincinnati market, receiving an outpouring of support and excitement from the Dayton-area community. “The evolution of full-service casual dining and changing consumer habits around dining out have significantly impacted the way we do business. As difficult as this decision is, we’re taking this opportunity to return to our roots and our original vision,” said Taste of Belgium founder Jean-Francois Flechet. “We expected a much stronger shopping season at The Greene during the holidays, but we just did not see the influx of people we had hoped for. We’re committed to ensuring the survival and sustainability of our business.”
Taste of Belgium has notified all Beavercreek team members of the closure. “The General Manager and the entire team at The Greene have been incredibly dedicated to the success of this bistro. From a focus on hospitality to ensure our customers feel valued and appreciated, to developing creative events and promotions to engage the community, they have truly gone above and beyond,” he added. The Greene bistro will be open normal business hours through Sunday, January 12.
How to Help the People of Los Angeles Dealing With Fire Disasters
According to the state-run site Cal Fire, there are five active wildfires, including the now-contained Sunset Fire which burned dangerously close to the heavily populated and iconic areas of West Hollywood and Beverly Hills.
According to reports, tens of thousands of acres of land have been scorched to the ground, with more than 2,000 homes, businesses, and houses of worship destroyed down to their foundations.
The fires — rare for this time of year — raged out of control mostly due to gusting hurricane-force winds which blew embers for miles, igniting new fires which quickly leaped from building to building. Though the winds have died down, Los Angeles is under a red flag warning with the probability of high winds returning tonight and tomorrow.
Although we’ve seen reports of celebrities like Paris Hilton and Tom Hanks losing their homes, with a population of nearly 10 million people, Los Angeles County is home to millions of regular people who will have no jobs or even homes to go to.
Making an appearance on the Tonight Show last evening, Jamie Lee Curtis (who personally donated $1 to relief efforts), fought back tears as she said her entire neighborhood was destroyed by fire. She pleaded with the public to donate to the American Red Cross and to assemble an emergency evacuation kit filled with papers and medications should you need to escape your home at a moment’s notice for any reason.
If you want to donate to the American Red Cross or other relief efforts, here’s a list of places to start. This is not a complete list, so if you have a favorite organization, please share it in the comments below or send us a note and we’ll update this list.
American Red Cross provides shelter for families, serves meals, supports emergency responders, provides medical care, and delivers emergency relief supplies.
World Central Kitchen provides food to evacuated families and first responders.
Los Angeles Noah’s Legacy Fund provides care for animals affected by the wildfires.
Baby2Baby provides diapers, food, formula, and hygiene items to families
California Community Foundation provides funding to nonprofits aiding fire recovery and rebuilding.
California Fire Foundation provides immediate financial assistance to wildfire victims.
Direct Relief delivers medical supplies and financial aid to health facilities across Los Angeles County.
Los Angeles Fire Department Foundation provides critical equipment, technology, and emergency resources to support LAFD crews.
Los Angeles Regional Food Bank provides emergency food assistance to people affected by the wildfires.
Pasadena Humane is rescuing, sheltering, and reuniting pets with their owners.
United Way of Ventura County provides immediate financial relief to communities affected by the Palisades Fire.
Canine Rescue Club provides shelter for displaced pets.
Los Angeles Pet Food Pantry provides food for pets through its pet food pantry.
Gobble Gobble Give provides food and shelter for Los Angeles’ homeless.
Habitat for Humanity provides assistance in rebuilding homes.
For updates on the situation in Los Angeles County, visit LAFD.org.
Sharp to Host American Dream TV
One of our own has been selected as the host of the Emmy nominated American Dream TV. Brian Sharp a realtor and Director of Business Development for Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Professional realty will host the real estate, culture and lifestyle program. Filming will begin this week.The executive producer said specifically, they are looking for Sharp to interview and share the stories of the biggest voices in our city. The mover and shakers, innovators, philanthropists, etc. Those who are making a positive impact, as the show is meant to combat negative media with real and positive stories. This is a real show, not a fake reality show, and focused on positivity and the stories of our neighborhoods. ADTV has featured some of the biggest names in real estate!
The show will be airing on cable, Amazon Fire, Apple TV, and Roku…and a lot will happen on social media.
Sharp is excited to highlight many of the positives of our community and show all of the reasons to make this home. If you are considering listing your home and think it would make a great home to showcase on the program, please reach out to Sharp.
There is so much good in our community. Sharp is looking forward to letting others know just what the Miami Valley has to offer from arts and culture to dining to museums, and even metro parks and real estate. Be on the lookout for episodes coming soon.
“Ghost: The Musical” Opens Friday at La Comedia
Based on the hit Academy Award-winning 1990 film starring Patrick Swayze, Demi Moore and Whoopi Goldberg, “Ghost: The Musical” tells the love story of Sam and Molly. After his untimely death and being trapped between two worlds, Sam vows to keep Molly from danger through the help of storefront psychic Oda Mae Brown. Dave Stewart and Glen Ballard’s original score includes the classic hit “Unchained Melody” famously heard in the film.
America at The Rose Aug 8th
The iconic multi-platinum-selling group AMERICA will celebrate their 55thanniversary with a series of tour dates in 2025. “Encore Tour 2025” will include a stop in Huber Heights, OH for a performance at Rose Music Center on Friday, August 8. Known for their timeless magic and powerful performances, the Grammy Award-winning perennial classic-rock favorite will draw on their deep catalog of hits including signature song “A Horse With No Name,” a Number One hit on Billboard’s Hot 100 in 1972.
Tickets will go on sale to the public beginning at 10AM on Friday, January 10 at Ticketmaster.com and the Rose Music Center Box Office.
On their way to becoming a global household name, AMERICA’s journey found them exploring a wide variety of musical terrain. Their best-known tunes, which also include “I Need You,” “Ventura Highway,” “Don’t Cross The River,” “Tin Man,” “Lonely People,” and “Sister Golden Hair” were cornerstones of 1970’s Top 40 and FM rock radio. Yet beyond their impressive catalog of hits, listeners would discover there was always much more to AMERICA than surface perceptions. The combination of melodic pop rock and folk-jazz elements, slinky Latin-leaning rhythms and impressionistic lyric imagery contrasted well with other more traditional country-rock leanings and highly personal lyrics.
AMERICA’s albums–six certified gold and/or platinum, with their first greatest hits collection, History, hitting four plus million in sales–displayed a fuller range of the trio’s talents than did their singles. Their material encompassed an ambitious artistic swath; from effects-laden rockers to oddball medleys to soul-bearing ballads, AMERICA displayed a flawless blend of disparate genres and styles as wide-open as the great American plains.
Enjoying massive success early in their career, AMERICA earned their stripes as musical soldiers on the battlefield amidst the excess, craziness, and chaos of the 70’s. The trio won the Grammy for Best New Artist in 1972 and began working with George Martin and Geoff Emerick in 1974. This successful team went on to record seven albums and several Top Ten hits, including “Tin Man,” “Sister Golden Hair” and “Lonely People.”
Their growth as singers, songwriters and musicians has continued into the present day as illustrated by landmark releases such as 2000’s Highway 3-disc box set, 2002’s Holiday Harmony, an album comprised of seasonal classics and live showcases, 2007’s Here & Now, 2009’s Live In Concert: Wildwood Springs, 2011’s Back Pages, and 2015’s Lost And Found and America: Archives Vol. 1.
In 2020, the band released their ultimate 8-disc anniversary box set, Half Century (America Records), and streamed their concert special America–Live at the London Palladium for the very first time (it is commercially available as a DVD and CD). 2020 also saw the release of the book “America, the Band, An Authorized Biography” by journalist Jude Warne. She weaves original interviews with the band and many others into a dynamic cultural history of AMERICA, the band, and America, the nation. Billy Bob Thornton wrote the foreword.
As further testament to the band’s staying power and influence, AMERICA’s recordings have been licensed for a multitude of placements in films (including American Hustle, The Nice Guys, The Last Unicorn and Girl Most Likely), television shows (among them The Sopranos, Friends, Breaking Bad and Saturday Night Live) and video games (including Grand Theft Auto).
From their formative years, AMERICA has been a band capable of transcending borders with its uplifting music and positive message. Embracing a rainbow of divergent cultures, America’s audiences continue to grow, comprising a loyal legion of first, second and third generation fans, all bearing testament to the group’s enduring appeal.
FREE Pilates class
Join us for a FREE Pilates class led by Mindful Movement Pilates!
»Please RSVP at https://forms.gle/gDtMQ2fhTawKVA9U8
(RSVP is not required to attend, but is appreciated for a headcount)
»This Pilates Mat Class will challenge your entire body using a mat, small props, and gravity. You’ll leave feeling worked and recharged at the same time! All levels are welcome and progressive cues will be given to curate your level of difficulty.
»Please bring an exercise mat, we can only provide a limited number.
»Water will be provided!
»Participants will receive a coupon to use on their next purchases. See you there!
Elvis Birthday Bash!
Get ready to be electrified by Ryan Roth’s incredible Elvis tribute act! With his remarkable realism and spot-on performances, including a talented horn section, Ryan is the epitome of The King’s spirit. His backup singers add an extra layer of excitement to the show. Ryan is set to return to The Milton Athletic Club on January 11, 2025, for an unforgettable night of music. The concert begins at 7PM, with doors opening at 5PM, and a limited food menu will be available. A portion of proceeds will benefit A World A’Fair.
Last year’s show was a sell-out success, with many still clamoring for tickets. Don’t miss your chance to experience the magic – get your tickets now before they’re gone!
Yoga Sunday Satsang at Trailhead Trailer
Join us for a peaceful and rejuvenating Sunday morning practice!
What to expect:
All-levels Vinyasa flow
Community connection
Intention setting
When: Every Sunday at 11 AM
Where: Trailhead Trader Miamisburg OH
Cost: $5!
Community connection
Intention setting
When: Every Sunday at 11 AM
Where: Trailhead Trader Miamisburg OH
Cost: $5!
Leave your ego at the door and bring your mat and a positive attitude.
Let’s end the weekend on a high note!
Arcade Arts & Wellness Series Kicks Off Jan 4th
The Arcade Arts & Wellness 2025 Series is a rejuvenating journey with a variety of local yoga instructors amidst the timeless charm of this iconic Dayton landmark.Theif first three yoga events of the series will take place from 10:00 to 11:00am on Saturday, January 4, Saturday, February 1, and Saturday, March 1. This series is free and open to all but may require Eventbrite pre-registration and on-site waivers.
Traditional Yoga with Tori Reynolds of Speakeasy Yoga
The Arcade’s Rotunda,
35 W. Fourth St.
The Arcade’s Rotunda,
35 W. Fourth St.
Chair Yoga with Day Yoga Studio
The Contemporary Dayton’s Galleries,
25 W. Fourth St.
The Contemporary Dayton’s Galleries,
25 W. Fourth St.
Doors open to registered participants 15 minutes before the start of each class. Equipment will not be provided. Always consult your physician before beginning any exercise or wellness program.
After your practice ends, plan to grab brunch at Gather, Table 33, or the 6888 Kitchen Incubator! We’ll see you at the Arcade on the mat soon!
Star City Open Homebrew Competion Registration Now Open
Are you ready to showcase your craft, support a great cause, and compete for glory?
The 2nd annual Star City Open is a charity homebrewing competition organized by Star City Brewing. This event will bring together the best amateur brewers (age 21 and up) to showcase their passion, creativity, and skill—all while supporting The Artemis Center of Dayton, Ohio. The 2024 Best of Show Beer was “Alter Ego” an Altbier brewed by Tim McKee from the Cincinnati Malt Infusers club.
Celebrate Craftsmanship & Community: Bring your best brew and be part of an event that celebrates passion, creativity, and skill. All contestants will get recognition and expert feedback from Certified BJCP Judges. The Best of Show winner will have their beer brewed at Star City Brewing and featured at next year’s competition.
There are 90 beer categories you can enter, and 2 bottles are required for judging. Entry registration deadline is 3/15/2025 at 10:00om
The Awards Ceremony will be held on Saturday, March 22, 2025 2:00pm at Star City Brewing. Places will be awarded to 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place in each category/table. The 1st place entry in each category will advance to the Best of Show (BOS) round with a single, overall Best of Show beer selected. Additional prizes may be awarded to those winners present at the awards ceremony at the discretion of the competition organizers.
Rules
This competition is American Homebrewers Association (AHA) sanctioned and open to any amateur homebrewer age 21 or older.
This is a charity-benefit competition and all net proceeds will be donated to The Artemis Center of Dayton, Ohio.
All entries must be received at the drop-off/mailing location by the deadline. Hand-carried entries will only be accepted on the day of competition by out-of-town judges/stewards by prior request. Please allow adequate shipping time for any mailed entries.
All entries must be handcrafted products, containing ingredients available to the general public, and made using private equipment by hobbyist brewers (i.e., no use of commercial facilities or Brew on Premises operations, supplies, etc.).
The competition organizers are not responsible for mis-categorized entries, mailed entries that are not received by the entry deadline, or entries that arrived damaged.
The competition organizers reserve the right to combine styles for judging and to restructure awards as needed depending upon the quantity and quality of entries.
Qualified judging of all entries is the primary goal of our event. Judges will evaluate and score each entry. The average of the scores will rank each entry in its category. Each flight will have at least one BJCP judge.
Brewers are not limited to one entry in each category but may only enter each subcategory once. There is a $10.00 fee per entry.
The competition committee reserves the right to combine categories based on number of entries. All possible effort will be made to combine similar styles. All brews in combined categories will be judged according to the style they were originally entered in.
The Best of Show judging will be determined by a Best of Show panel based on a second judging of the top winners. The winner of the Best of Show beer will be brewed at Star City with the winning brewer if available, at a later date to be served at the following year’s competition..
Bottles will not be returned to entrants.
New 2025 Dayton Ale Trail Passport Books Available!
Hey Beer Lovers- do you like a challenge? Then we suggest you grab your 2025 Ale Trail passport book and start treking to all 28 local breweries. Complete the trail by visiting each brewery, making a purchase, and collecting a stamp in your passport. When you’re done you can claim your prize, this year it’s a Dayton Ale Trail Tin Tacker.
A couple of the breweries have multiple locations, you only need to visit one to get the stamp, but for the true experience, you’ll want to visit each brewery!
This handy map can help you plan your route. To make your planning easy, use the color coded “regions” with breweries within a five-mile radius of one another. It’s totally possible to visit several breweries on the same day, as long as you pace your drinking, or have a designated driver.
* Please note, that Moeller Dayton was added to the passport before their closing. Moeller will NOT be a required stamp.
**Mother Stewart’s is closed until Jan 10th so please plan to visit them after they reopen.
“Failure: A Love Story”
Failure: A Love Story by Philip Dawkins is an ensemble-driven, story-theater play that dives into themes of love, family, and the inevitable passage of time. With elements of vaudeville, fairy tale charm, and a lot of heart, this play offers a refreshing escape from cynicism. You’ll be transported into a world a bit beyond reality, stretching your imagination.
Performances of the show will be January 3-5 and 10-12, 2025. Tickets are available by visiting https://www.borotheatre.org/
Citrus Truckload Sale
Farm Fresh Winter Citrus, Delivered From The Grove To You!
Our citrus truckload sale will be at Menards, 8480 Springboro Pike, Thursday, Jan 9th, 12:00-1:30 pm.
Our citrus truckload sale will be at Menards, 8480 Springboro Pike, Thursday, Jan 9th, 12:00-1:30 pm.
Hand-picked and tree-ripened from our Indian River Groves.
Indian River Direct will be carrying freshly harvested Seedless Navel Oranges, Ruby Red Grapefruits, Tangerines and Georgia Elliott Pecans. Honeybell and Temple oranges pricing and availability will be released in January.
We sell to the public direct from our trucks on a first come, first serve basis. There are no purchase limits and no pre-ordering, everybody is welcome!
Our approx. 20lb box-2/5 bushel (24-40 pieces) of Navel Oranges: $45
Our approx. 20lb box-2/5 bushel (16-24 pieces) of Ruby Red Grapefruits: $45
Our approx. 20lb box- 2/5 bushel (40-60 pieces) of Tangerines: $50
1lb bag of Georgia Elliott Pecans: $13
We accept cash, checks, apple pay and all major credit cards at our trucks.
Look for our complete schedule of stops at www.indianriverdirect.com
Indian River Direct will be carrying freshly harvested Seedless Navel Oranges, Ruby Red Grapefruits, Tangerines and Georgia Elliott Pecans. Honeybell and Temple oranges pricing and availability will be released in January.
We sell to the public direct from our trucks on a first come, first serve basis. There are no purchase limits and no pre-ordering, everybody is welcome!
Our approx. 20lb box-2/5 bushel (24-40 pieces) of Navel Oranges: $45
Our approx. 20lb box-2/5 bushel (16-24 pieces) of Ruby Red Grapefruits: $45
Our approx. 20lb box- 2/5 bushel (40-60 pieces) of Tangerines: $50
1lb bag of Georgia Elliott Pecans: $13
We accept cash, checks, apple pay and all major credit cards at our trucks.
Look for our complete schedule of stops at www.indianriverdirect.com
New Year’s Bird Walk
Bundle up, bring your binoculars, and come enjoy some nature! We’ll be looking for our year-round residents and winter visitors like Golden-crowned Kinglets and Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers. The walk is slow-paced, and mostly stays on the road surface, but sometimes does venture “off-trail” into the grass. All ages welcome. The tour will meet at the Eichelberger Plaza at the main gates of the cemetery.
Your nature guide will be Amanda Lawson, an Ohio Certified Volunteer Naturalist.
All tours require a reservation and there is a suggested $5 donation. All donations support the Woodland Arboretum Foundation which focuses on the restoration, preservation, horticultural and educational projects needed to keep Woodland a cultural resource for Dayton and Ohio.
