JOSH SWEIGART Editor of investigations and solutions journalism
Good morning
Welcome to the Weekly Roundup, where we bring you the top stories from todayâs Dayton Daily News and major stories from the past week you may have missed.
This week, that includes a celebration of Daytonâs internationally acclaimed Black dance company, and our investigation into how local police departments are (or arenât) enforcing Ohioâs driving-while-texting laws.
Local police issue few tickets for driving while texting
In 2023, Ohio lawmakers restricted what you can do on your cellphone while behind the wheel. A major part of the law gave police the ability to pull people over and issue citations if they are texting while driving.
Some background: The new law came on the heels of major concerns about distracted driving. A 2022 Dayton Daily News investigation found an increase in traffic fatalities and distracted driving in Ohio, including several local notable tragedies.
⢠Our investigation: Reporter Eric Schwartzberg obtained the most recent data available, showing the first full year of implementation. Read his full story here.
⢠Key takeaway: Local police are handing out few tickets under the driving while texting law. In fact, MetroParks rangers ranked fourth in the state â with 26 citations.
⢠Zero tickets: Nearly 150 law enforcement agencies across Ohio reported issuing zero tickets. This includes several large local agencies.
⢠Failure to report: Ohio law requires law enforcement agencies to report these numbers, including racial demographics, to the state. But Eric found nearly three-quarters of them did not.
⢠The data: How many tickets did your local police department issue? A graphic in Ericâs story has the numbers for every agency in our area. If your local agency isnât on the list, they either reported zero or didnât report.
⢠BIG exception: The Ohio State Highway Patrol takes driving while texting seriously. Of the 5,860 citations issued statewide during the lawâs first year, OSHP troopers issued 5,366 of them.
⢠Results: State officials say their enforcement efforts are working. OSHP in October announced a nearly 20% decrease in fatalities related to distracted driving on areas they patrol, and more than 1,100 fewer distraction-related crashes across the state.
DCDC spotlights âPower & Presenceâ of Black female voices
The Dayton Contemporary Dance Company is a cultural gem to the Dayton community. As our Black History Month coverage continues, reporter Russell Florence Jr. previews a spectacular upcoming performance and looks back on DCDCâs history.
⢠DCDC: Rooted in the Black experience, the internationally acclaimed troupe offers the largest repertoire of modern dance works by African-American choreographers in the world.
⢠History: In 1968, during the height of the civil rights movement, Jeraldyne Blunden founded DCDC, the oldest modern dance company in Ohio. In 2023, the International Association of Blacks in Dance, of which DCDC is one of five founding companies, was awarded the National Medal of Arts by President Joe Biden.
⢠Present: Amplifying the camaraderie, creativity, strength and vision of Black female choreographers is the foundation of DCDCâs presentation of âPower & Presence,â slated March 1 and 2 at the Victoria Theatre.
⢠Quote: âThis program leans heavily on who DCDC is and our stories,â said DCDC Chief Executive and Artistic Director Debbie Blunden-Diggs, daughter of DCDCâs founder. âThis company was founded by a Black woman and is still led by a Black woman â thatâs magical and itâs powerful. And this is going to be an extraordinary program.â
⢠Full story: Go here for Russellâs full story, including the choreographers and dancers explaining their inspirations, and details on how to attend the show.
Ohio has been seeing a resurgence of influenza in recent weeks as hospitals in the Dayton region are reporting long wait times for their emergency rooms. Hospitals locally and throughout Ohio are also filling more than 70% of inpatient and ICU beds, state data says.
While the last Ohio General Assembly approved of â and Gov. Mike DeWine recently signed into law â the Strong Foundations Act in House Bill 7, more improvements lie ahead while the state still sees setbacks. Advocates for infants, young children and mothers are encouraging continued policy changes to help improve outcomes and tackle disparities between white and Black infants.
A Dayton Daily News examination of the Dayton Art Instituteâs past finances, salary hikes for executives and budget challenges looking ahead prompted its board to reach out to members with further details on its path forward.
Hotel Ardent, part of the Tapestry Collection by Hilton, is located at First and Main in downtown Dayton, across the street from the Victoria Theatre and a block up from the Schuster Center.
