That number varies depending on whom you ask and when you ask, by the way. What doesn’t vary: It’s always a big number. The federal government is the nation’s largest employer.
And getting larger. According to Pew Research, the number of federal employees has grown by a little over 1% each year since 2000.
President Trump enacts sweeping federal hiring freeze
What has happened: A lot. Newly inaugurated President Donald Trump enacted a small truckload of executive orders this week, among them: Mandates for remote and tele-working federal workers to return to government offices and a hiring freeze on civilian job openings.
Yes, but: The hiring order has an array of exceptions for military positions and openings tied to national security, law enforcement, immigration enforcement and for those who supporting the health of veterans.
What they’re saying: “It will definitely have a Wright-Patterson (Air Force Base) impact and the Dayton community, since our mission is critically important,” said David Babcock, president of the Dayton-area AFA (Air and Space Forces Association) Wright Memorial Chapter. “People are going to have to just step up until the dust settles.”
The new team: Carillon Brewing Co. is teaming up with Dayton Barbecue Co. for the rebirth of its food program with local chef Ashley Ashbrook at the reins.
What they’re saying: “So much of Carillon Park is celebrating entrepreneurs,” said Brady Kress, president and chief executive of Dayton History, the organization that launched Carillon Brewing a decade ago. “Here’s an opportunity for us to not only carry on this trade tradition and educate the community about these early processes, but we can invest, support, help and partner with local entrepreneurs.”
Violent crime rose in Dayton last year. Here’s what the city intends to do.
What’s happening: Dayton last year saw a sharp increase in homicides, robberies, violent crimes involving firearms, and kidnappings and abductions, and city and police officials say the amount of violence was simply unacceptable.
The Dayton Police Department recorded 44 killings and cases of non-negligent manslaughter last year, a 47% increase from 2023, and the most killings since 2020.
Why this matters: Dayton Police Chief Kamran Afzal said his department takes violent crime very seriously because “each statistic represents real people affected in our community.”
Just ask Chuck Doran, of Huber Heights, who has been in the fast-food business since 1982.
Poultry path: Contributing writer Beth Anspach shares the story of Doran’s company, Far Hills Development, LLC. The business bought the rights to Lee’s Famous Recipe, with the goal of reestablishing the Lee’s brand.
Over the past decade, Doran has reinvested his profits into the restaurants, repaving lots, painting buildings, updating lighting and much more.
Meet the new boss: Beavercreek-based architecture, engineering, and geospatial services firm Woolpert has promoted Neil Churman to chief executive, succeeding Scott Cattran, who will continue to lead Woolpert’s board, the company said Thursday.
Growth: And a lot of it. In 2016, when the previous CEO was named, Woolpert had just over 600 U.S. staff members and annual revenue of $97 million. Entering 2025, Woolpert said it has more than 2,700 employees across five continents and annual revenue of more than $650 million.
Contact me: Thank you for reading, wherever you are. You can reach me anytime at tom.gnau@coxinc.com. I’m also on X, LinkedIn and, with my fellow scribes, our Dayton Business page.
The need for skilled workers again tops list of local manufacturers' concerns
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