You made it to Friday, and I’m happy for all of us. The weather this weekend is supposed to be a bit milder than corn-sweat oppressive (that’s a technical meteorological term), so get out and enjoy it. On to the news: The reasons are many, but the issue is clear: There are fewer “traditional” college students. Between 2010 and 2021, total undergraduate enrollment in degree-granting postsecondary institutions fell 15%, from 18.1 million to 15.4 million students, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. Lower birth rates, COVID, higher tuition — the reasons really aren’t mysterious. There is an expectation (or a hope) that enrollment will increase in time. But some college leaders are proceeding with caution. UD counts on fewer students, employee reductions in new reality of higher-ed The issue: Fewer young people are going to four-year universities. The jobs impact: In an editorial that ran in this newspaper in late June, Eric Spina, president of the University of Dayton, said UD would cut costs and shrink employee numbers through attrition and retirement incentives. UD officials say the college today has about 3,700 full-time, part-time and temporary employees. This includes about 651 full-time faculty and 2,199 full-time staff. New $44 million medical center to replace Greene Memorial Hospital in Xenia A story that our reporters at the Dayton Daily News broke is advancing: Kettering Health says it has agreed to a new hospital in Xenia. The plan: A new $44 million medical center will replace the current Kettering Health Greene Memorial Hospital. The new center will be on Progress Drive across from the YMCA, on Xenia’s west edge. (The current hospital is on Monroe Drive, in north-central Xenia.) One quote: “We are honored by the trust and support that the residents of our Xenia community have placed in Kettering Health,” said Kettering Health CEO Mike Gentry. Fuyao raid: Takeaways from our investigation So: A small army of Homeland Security and local law enforcement investigators descended on Fuyao Glass America’s Moraine plant and several local homes in late July. What are the takeaways from our recent investigation? 1. What we found: Read our full investigation here. We reveal who owns many of the Dayton-area properties that were raided and how they are tied back to one street in Butler County. 2. What neighbors say: We talked with neighbors of the raided properties, who say they have noticed odd activity for years, including dozens of people packed into single-family homes with worrisome living conditions. 3. Status of federal investigation: Homeland Security officials say the investigation is “active and ongoing.” No arrests have been announced. Wiley’s Comedy Club to host final show in September It’s no laughing matter: Wiley’s in the Oregon District is closing, at least in its current iteration. The situation: A farewell show on Sept. 7 is expected to include a lineup of Wiley’s favorites. Tickets go on sale today via wileyscomedy.com. The quote: “Please join us for our last show to celebrate 42 years of laughter and help us say goodbye to a Dayton icon,” an email from the club stated. “Thank you for your generosity and support over the years, we could not have done it without our amazing customers!” Joby Aviation hails production milestones, but burns through cash Electric aircraft producer Joby Aviation says it’s sitting on a balance of $825 million in cash and short-term investments. Balance sheet: But the company is also burning through cash, reporting a net loss for the second quarter this year of $123 million. At the end of the first quarter, it had $924 million in cash. Dayton plans? Joby is celebrating production milestones in California, where the company recently produced another electric, six-propeller craft. It will have four aircraft being actively tested this time next quarter, company leaders said in a conference call Wednesday. But the business has said little about its Dayton production plans since March. Contact me: Thank you for reading this newsletter, wherever you are. You can reach me at tom.gnau@coxinc.com and direct messages are open and welcome on the former Twitter. You can find me on Facebook here and here. Tell me about your business and how you beat corn sweat. Summer football practices get hot: And sometimes, violent. About that hoped-for new hospital in West Dayton: Commissioners say no. Best of Dayton winners sneak peek: An ongoing series. I Heart Ice Cream: I did before my heart surgery, at least. Now, I just adore it from afar. | 
