In a recent court filing, Buc-ee’s attorneys say construction has been delayed due to an ongoing lawsuit between Clark County and Huber Heights.

In today’s Morning Briefing, we give you the details about that legal battle and break down what all the parties involved are saying. We also look at the bill aiming to ban transgender students from using the bathroom that matches their gender identity.

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The newsletter should take about 4 minutes, 41 seconds to read.

Buc-ee’s says Huber Heights store construction delayed by water service lawsuit

Construction on Ohio’s first Buc-ee’s travel center in Huber Heights is “now delayed,” and construction on the site has stopped due to an ongoing lawsuit between the city and Clark County.

• Court battle: The two sides have been fighting for more than a year over the provision of water and sewer services in the area.

• What the county is saying: The county is requesting the court rule it has sole right and authority to operate water and sewer in the service areas outlined in the agreement, which includes the Buc-ee’s project site.

• What the city is saying: The city has asserted it is not contractually obligated to connect to Clark County services and requests a court ruling affirming the same.

• What Buc-ee’s is saying: “Buc-ee’s favors neither Huber Heights nor Clark County in the above-mentioned dispute. Instead, Buc-ee’s primary interest is to ensure the timely resolution of the dispute so that it can regain access to water and sewer services. Without these services, Buc-ee’s cannot complete construction or open business at the Huber Heights location,” the business said in a court filing.

• Materials on site: Preliminary ground work on the site has been ongoing for weeks, and piping, trucks and building materials remain on the site.

• Target opening date: December 2025.

Ohio legislature restricts transgender bathroom use in schools, universities

Ohio is just one step away from enacting a transgender bathroom restriction in schools.

• Ohio Senate vote: The Ohio Senate recently voted 24-7 along party lines to pass a bill, dubbed the “Protect All Students Act,” that bars transgender students from using K-12 school or university bathrooms that correspond to their gender identity.

• The bill’s effect:

— Once enacted, the bill will require public and chartered nonpublic schools and all institutions of higher education to designate facilities for the “exclusive use of students of either the male biological sex or the female biological sex.”

— Schools will then be prohibited from knowingly permitting transgender girls from using the designated girls bathroom and transgender boys from using the designated boys bathroom. It allows students to prove their biological sex using their birth certificates.

— The bill forbids schools from creating specifically gender-neutral, multi-occupancy facilities, though it does allow single-occupancy gender-neutral bathrooms and facilities.

— Transgender girls will be barred from sharing overnight accommodations with cisgender girls, and vice versa.

• What lawmakers are saying: “This is common sense policy that will ensure the safety and security of our school children. No young girl should be forced to go into the same restroom with a biological male,” said Dayton-area state Sen. Niraj Antani, R-Miami Twp.

• What the opposition is saying: “To see extremists in the statehouse vote again for discrimination and targeting real people who just want to live their lives is deeply, deeply disappointing. These lawmakers should be focused on making our community stronger, on addressing real issues, instead of chasing the latest fear-mongering non-issue,” said Dayton Public Schools board member Jocelyn Rhynard, who is the parent of a transgender child.

• Next step: The bill now awaits final approval from Ohio’s Republican Gov. Mike DeWine, who in June said he’d sign the bill if it got to his desk. It will be effective 90 days later.

What to know today

• One big takeaway: Major League Baseball will produce and distribute local games on TV for the Cincinnati Reds in 2025.

• Big move of the day: Moraine is slated to soon embark on a $4.4M project that will modernize its more than five-decade-old municipal building.

• Tip of the day: We have advice for winterizing your home garden.

• Person to know today: Georgie Elson. Advocating for people with disabilities has become a mission for this Fairborn resident.

• Stat of the day: In an effort to reduce drug overdose deaths and help Ohioans battle substance use disorders, the federal government recently awarded $100 million in grant funding.

• Quote of the day: “Obviously, EVs have become more and more popular over time to the point you now have a legacy manufacturer such as Chevrolet that is actually making a police patrol vehicle that is an all-electric vehicle...And I think it’s an avenue that we wanted to explore to see if it would be a good fit for Oakwood.” — Alan Hill, Oakwood Safety Director about their new EV police cruiser.

• Happening today: The Dayton Art Institute is offering free admission today in celebration of Art for All Day.

• Make a difference: Girls on the Run offers physical activities for young people facing tough times.

• Things to do: Here are 10 local shows to see this holiday season.

• Photo of the day: Waffle Shop at Christ Church in downtown Dayton has been sparking breakfast love for 94 years in what has become one of the oldest and continuous holiday charitable events in Dayton. It takes 100 volunteers during the four days of this annual event that got its start in 1929. Read more here.