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The following Charity’s Children Project, Inc. press statement was issued today by Founder Patricia Smith Griffin: In 1976, Black History Month was first recognized in educational institutions, schools, businesses, and communities across the country - birthed from Carter G. Woodson's Negro History Week which was created in 1926. Charity’s Children Project, Inc. was specifically founded to ensure Black History is honored and told with as much accuracy as humanly possible. With over 20 years of research, historical documentation, and generational archives, the Charity’s Children Project challenges the inaccuracy of Wright State’s University’s presentation on Dayton, Ohio’s first black neighborhood. On February 15, 2023, Wright State University will be holding a public lecture entitled “Finding Africa: Using Archival Data to Recover Dayton’s First Black Neighborhood” at the Dunbar Library. Indicated on the Wright State University’s website, this lecture “will discuss the ongoing research” being conducted by Drs. Marlese Durr and Geoffrey R. Owens of the School of Social Sciences and International Studies Department. Ironically, in order to have any archival discussion as it relates to “Dayton’s first black neighborhood,” one must include data and archives from Charity Davis Ceasar Broady (1802-1899) and her descendants. Charity is the daughter that John Issac Davis brought to the Miami Valley of Dayton, Ohio, in 1802/1803 and where her descendants continue to live some TWELVE generations later. Yet, no such discussion or contact has been made with any of Mrs. Davis Ceasar Broady’s living descendants in Ohio, the Charity’s Children Project, or The Legacy of Charity’s Children, LLC, which holds the generational archival data. (Note: The Legacy of Charity’s Children short story podcast series is inspired by the family’s generational archives and can be found on www.charitychildrens.org ). Today, across this nation, African American history is being challenged and even erased by cursory views that are inadequate and superficial yet often presented as empirical facts. Research skimming the surface of historical events is insulting and insincere in its motives, especially when evidence exists and can be easily accessed, particularly by academics. One of our primary missions at Charity Children’s Project, Inc., is to present educational lectures and presentations in an effort to correct erroneous actions such as these. Our processes and methodologies of family and community archiving, ancestry research as well as fact finding the family tree of Mrs. Davis Ceasar Broady, are dedicated to presenting accurate and primary source research. At Charity Children’s Project, Inc, we want to eradicate the “white mansplaining efforts” used by various scholars and ensure our local institutions of higher learning are moving with educational responsibility, integrity, and accuracy as it relates to Black Daytonians. Although we acknowledge and recognize that historical data and evidence is constantly evolving and new truths are being discovered every day, it is vital that the descendants of one of Dayton's oldest Black families be included in these much-needed conversations. It is equally, if not more important, that the archival data presented in this lecture and others is free of inaccuracies, omissions or misleading data, especially when being presented to the public. # # # Contact: La’Chris Robinson Jordan, Publicist Email: charityschildren@gmail.com Website: www.charityschildren.org

(Kent, OH) –What her father the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. did for nonviolent social change, the Rev. Dr. Bernice King is doing for nonviolent self-care. “Baby, never make a decision when you’re angry,” Bernice King quoted her mother, Mrs. Coretta Scott King as saying to her years before her passing. “This is probably the most valuable thing my mother (ever) shared with me.” King spoke at the kickoff event for Black History Month at Kent State University before a sold-out crowd of nearly 900 people at the Student Center. Although she was only five years old when her father was assassinated, King still remembers the nonviolent upbringing of her mother, a civil rights activist in her own right, and founder of the King Center in Atlanta, of which Bernice King is the CEO. “I grew up in a nonviolent household, but I got into fights,” the youngest King said. “I’m human, but I believe in nonviolence as a way of life. Somebody has got to break the chain of violence. An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth just leaves everybody blind and toothless.” In an hour-long open discussion peppered with an equal mix of laughter and wisdom, King spoke comfortably with Kent State English Professor Uma Krishnan, who being of India descent, shared with King how she revered her father’s devotion to the nonviolent teachings of Mahatma Ghandi. King spoke on a myriad of social issues, including the recent murder of Tyre Nichols, an unarmed Black man who was beaten to death last month by five Black Memphis police officers following what should have been a routine traffic stop. “Law enforcement has to be reimagined in this country,” she said, “It’s intended purpose from the beginning was to keep Black people in their place.” King was alluding to the Nichols murder and so many other deaths of Black people at the hands of the police. “With all this stuff that has been happening in the Black community with law enforcement – not all law enforcement … I do have those emotions,” she revealed. “With what happened to George Floyd, now Ty Nichols and Breanna Taylor, I mean that stuff will get deep down underneath everything and make you want to do more than (just) holler.” But even in the depths of these police horrors, King offered a personal application of her father’s nonviolent message. “The emotions that we all have are real, and sometimes they can be very raw,” she said. “But in most situations, I just know it’s not productive to allow myself to be controlled by them.” King revealed, without giving details, “I hurt somebody once and it scared me to the point that I thought that person wasn’t going to make it. And it was a wake-up call, because I had all these emotions inside of me that I was carrying, and it wasn’t until I started addressing them and understanding that they exist that I’m now able to channel them.” King endured a similar emotional upheaval when she finally came to terms with her father’s murder. She had been re-watching a video, Montgomery to Memphis, a documentary on her father’s life. Though she had seen the film many times, this time the funeral scene thrust her into tears. It was that viewing which led her to pursue a call to ministry. Sounding more like the psychology major that she is moreso than the lawyer which she also is, or the Doctor of Divinity or civil rights heiress, King offered the audience her new-found coping mechanisms. “I’ve learned to take breaths more,” she said, “you know, those deep breaths. Instead of getting angry, “I’ve learned to think more about the outcome I want from a situation. I’ve also learned that if I let whatever that emotion is take charge, it brings me into this character that I don’t like. I don’t want to be that person.” These days as CEO of the King Center she promotes their program, Nonviolence 365, an immersive online course in nonviolence that she says fulfills her father’s dream of nonviolence as a subject to study in all areas of human endeavor. “In his Nobel Peace Prize lecture that he made to a group of students in Oslo, Norway, my father said, ‘I suggest that the philosophy and strategy of nonviolence immediately … become the subject of study and serious experimentation in every field of human conflict. By no means excluding relations between nations’ “He said it in ‘64, and it fell on deaf ears,” she said. “But his little baby girl, working with a collection of people at the institution that my mother founded… finally was able to do something that has not been done at this point. We launched the first ever in the world, Nonviolence 365 (course). “We say 365 because non-violence isn’t just for social demonstrations,” she explained, “it’s for your marriage; it’s for your engagement in the workplace; it’s for the conflicts that you have with friends, and it’s for the social issues of our time.” The 16–18-hour course launched in January of 2022 and is available through the King Center website. King says already the course has changed lives. “My father didn’t practice nonviolence as a talent,” she said, “it was a way of life… and it works…. It’s not about whether the cop changes, or the person who is causing the oppression or the injustice changes. “Nonviolence is about you first,” she said. “You have a power within you when you are pastored (that is) like Martin Luther King, Jr. They (authorities) didn’t know what to do with him. They couldn’t handle him. “Oh, they can handle you with your weapons and your smart mouth, and whatever else you’ve got. They’ve got everything for that. They don’t have nothing for nonviolence.” OhioBMC.Com Special Report By M. Anthony Tibbs Reprint from The Reporter

Part-time entrepreneurship provides options to traditional employment, especially for women of color. As work trends have shifted toward side hustles and the gig economy, so, too, has female entrepreneurship. From 2014 to 2019, growth in the number of women who work fewer than 20 hours a week on their businesses, has increased nearly twice as much as the overall growth in female entrepreneurship—39% compared to 21%, according to a widely-cited 2019 report on the state of women-owned businesses by American Express. It was twice as high for minority women-owned businesses (65%) than all sidepreneur businesses (32%). By far, the highest growth rate in the number of sidepreneur ventures has been among African-American women — triple that for all businesses. One sidepreneur who has created a thriving brand is Dayton native Te’Jal “TJ” Cartwright. For Dayton native Te’Jal Cartwright, her media side business is a chance to use her passion for storytelling to advocate for and invest in Black business excellence. “What’s The Biz with TJ” is a digital platform that focuses on highlighting education, community, and economic sustainability for Black and Brown individuals and businesses, Cartwright says. Through its web series, digital marketing, and social media community, What’s the Biz has interviewed over 50 business owners and has created a community of 2,000+ supporters committed to investing in and building black-owned businesses. “It is a unique production partnering with businesses and organizations to tell their stories in a new, real, and entertaining way.” Launched in 2019, What’s the Biz covers a number of topics, including highlighting other minority-owned businesses, mental health awareness and more. As COVID-forced people indoors and online,Cartwright’s business began to take off. “My team and I were able to thrive because it is a digital platform,” Cartwright said. “People used social media even more during that time.” The largest surge for Cartwright came after the murder of George Floyd by Minneapolis police sparked worldwide protests against racist policing and rallies for businesses, governments and people to combat anti-Black racism. Due to What’s the Biz’s reputation for covering minority-owned businesses, many people looked to the platform to figure how they could become involved in the movement. “People wanted to know how to support Black businesses,” she said. “I was looking for something I can consistently contribute to the advancement of our community—how I can mix my passion with advocating.” As COVID-19 cases began to slow, Cartwright went back to working full time as outreach director for a local non-profit. She is still passionate about her business, but balancing the two can difficult. “It is hard. Haven’t mastered it yet,” Cartwright said. “You’re constantly working and have to be in creative mode. You go to your job and have to create for them and then put on a hat at night and be creative for your business.” Paige Scott is another sidepreneur who is making great strides in the Dayton area. Paige and her twin sister, Tiffany, own Beautique 143 , a brand that provides high quality clothing for curvy women. “I had been shopping online and I was irritated that there was nothing for plus-size women,” Scott said. “My sister Tiff and I started doing research on what we needed to start a boutique and become a legal brand.” Scott and her sister officially launched Beautique 143 on July 10, 2019—their birthday. The line aims to give curvy women more options as well as promote body positivity. “We learned so much about how plus-size women tick,” Scott said. “We push the women with our brand to go out of their comfort zone. We have bright colors and patterns. We don’t only provide black because it is viewed as slimming.” COVID-19 led them to focus more heavily on social media, creating videos to showcase their clothing and make sales online. “We had all this inventory and we had no idea what we were going to do with it,” Scott said. “We took all the inventory we had and would showcase it on Facebook live. We would talk about what occasions were best for each look.” Though both of these brands are doing well, their owners expressed how more support is needed for women in their respective industries. “We need more spaces for networking and learning how to get business credit,” Scott said. Cartwright added, “We need money and investments. Access to capital. We need feedback so our teams can learn how we can improve.” By Malik Keith , Elevate Dayton Elevate Dayton's entrepreneur and small business coverage is powered by Launch Dayton , an organization that seeks to connect entrepreneurs to peers, resources and supporters while telling the story of the region's thriving entrepreneurial community.

Jimma McWilson, Co-Director of The Campaign for African American Achievement has teamed up with Mrs. Tiffany Edwards of the Ohio Collective and Tom Roberts, President of the Ohio NAACP State Conference of Units to run a Campaign to showcase the Best Academic Practice Public School Districts for Black Students in the State of Ohio. They have identified over 100 school Districts where African American students have mastered Ohio’s standardized test in reading. A Campaign website will be launched during Black History Month to bring attention to this Campaign for Best Academic Practice Public Districts where the system is working, and African American students are dispelling myths about them not being able to perform at high levels on standardized testing. In collaboration with the Ohio Black Media Collective, a state-wide zoom press conference will take place during Black History Month to kick off the Campaign. For more information, email bestacademic.practicemodels@gmail.com or buckeyereview@yahoo.com .

Dayton Performing Arts Alliance presents an Opera Star Recital honoring prima donna Maria Callas Sunday, February 5 at 2:30 pm in the Schuster Center. Dayton native and University of Dayton alum, pianist Howard Watkins joins four young rising stars as they honor the centennial celebration of Maria Callas’ birth. Tickets for start at $5 and are available at the Box Office in the Wintergarden of the Schuster Center, by phone at 937-228-3630, or online at daytonperformingarts.org/tickets/maria-callas . “Maria Callas was the epitome of an opera star,” says Opera Artistic Director and Dr. Ron Anderson and Robb Sloan-Anderson Endowed Chair, Kathleen Clawson. “When I discovered this year was the centenary of her birth, it struck me that she should be the ‘star’ for our Opera Star Recital this season. The performers bringing the Callas legacy to the stage for this concert are excellent. The four young singers are rising stars in the world of opera and, like Callas, are exceptional musicians with unique voices and prodigious technical skills. The pianist, Dayton native Howard Watkins has collaborated with some of the world’s greatest singers. His knowledge and expertise are incomparable; we are thrilled to bring them to Dayton for this concert.” Dr. Howard Watkins, a graduate of the University of Dayton’s School of Music, joined by sopranos, Toni Marie Palmertree, Murrella Parton, Heather Phillips, and mezzo-soprano Sarah Saturnino in a concert of Maria Callas’ most famous arias. Callas is considered by many as the greatest opera singer of the 20th century. She appeared in more than 600 performances of more than 40 different roles in many of the most famous opera houses worldwide. Her recordings have become classics and continue to be popular today. Audiences will recognize favorite Callas arias on the program, such as Puccini’s “Un bel di” from Madama Butterfly, “Vissi d’arte” from Tosca (performed by Toni Marie Palmertree), Bellini’s “Qui la voce” from I Puritani (performed by Heather Phillips); “Casta diva” from Norma, “Addio del passato” from Verdi’s La Traviata (performed by Murella Parton) and “L’amour est un oiseau rebelle” from Bizet’s Carmen (performed by Sarah Saturnino). ### About Maria Callas Maria Callas (1923–1977) is considered by many to be the greatest opera singer of the 20th century. She was born in New York, the daughter of Greek immigrants. At fourteen, she and her mother moved to Greece, where her vocal talent was nurtured. She soon made her professional operatic debut (at the age of fifteen). By her retirement, she had sung over six hundred performances of more than forty different roles in many of the world’s most important opera houses. In addition, she recorded over twenty complete operas. These recordings have become classics and continue to be popular today. Callas was nicknamed “La Divina” (the divine one, or goddess), and with reason. A perfectionist with a storied work ethic, she possessed an extraordinary technical virtuosity, making her performances riveting when allied to her unsurpassed dramatic expression. In addition, her vocal agility led to a revival of bel canto works by Bellini and Donizetti that had been forgotten. About Dr. Howard Watkins, music director and piano American pianist Howard Watkins is a frequent collaborator of some of the world’s leading musicians on the concert stage; he’s also an assistant conductor at the Metropolitan Opera. His appearances throughout the Americas, Europe, Asia, Russia, and Israel have included collaborations with Joyce DiDonato, Diana Damrau, Kathleen Battle, Grace Bumbry, Mariusz Kwiecień, Anna Netrebko, and Matthew Polenzanias, well as violinists Xiang Gao and Sarah Chang at such venues as the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Spivey Hall, the Kennedy Center, the Pierpont Morgan Library, the United States Supreme Court, Alice Tully Hall with the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center, the three stages of Carnegie Hall, and the Bolshoi Theater in Moscow. He has accompanied the classes of legendary artists Renata Scotto, Frederica von Stade, Régine Crespin, Birgit Nilsson, Sherrill Milnes, and George Shirley. Watkins has served on the faculties of the Tanglewood Music Center, the Aspen Music Festival, the Mannes School of Music, the North Carolina School of the Arts, the International Vocal Arts Institute (Israel, Japan, and China), IIVA in Italy, the Brancaleoni Music Festival in Italy, the Tokyo International Vocal Arts Academy (TIVAA), and VOICExperience in Orlando, Tampa, and Savannah. He has also worked on the music staff of the Palm Beach Opera, the Washington National Opera, and the Los Angeles Opera. A native of Dayton, Ohio, Watkins completed his Doctor of Musical Arts in Accompanying and Chamber Music at the University of Michigan. In 2004, he received the Paul C. Boylan award from the University of Michigan for his outstanding contributions to the field of music and a special achievement award from the National Alumni Association of the University of Dayton. He is a resident of New York City. About Toni Marie Palmertee, soprano Soprano Toni Marie Palmertree is rapidly becoming recognized as one of America’s most riveting performers of Puccini and Verdi heroines. She has recently been heard on the stage of San Francisco Opera in the title role of Madama Butterfly ; of her performance, Janos Gereben from San Francisco Classical Voice wrote: “The young soprano not only met the challenge, but she claimed her place among the finest vocal interpreters of the role heard here recently.” Other roles at San Francisco Opera include Nedda in Pagliacci and Liù in Turandot . She also made her Lyric Opera of Chicago debut in the 2019–20 season, stepping into the title role of Luisa Miller . In the 2022–23 season, she will perform the role of Cio-Cio-San in Madama Butterfly at Palm Beach Opera and sing the title role of Tosca at Florida Grand Opera. At the Metropolitan Opera this season, she will perform the role of Voce dal ciel and cover the role of Elisabeth de Valois in Verdi’s Don Carlo and cover the title role of Cherubini’s Medea . Further recent performances include Contessa Almaviva in Le Nozze di Figaro with Opera Delaware, Nedda in Pagliacc i in her return to Festival Opera New Zealand, Carmina Burana with Fort Wayne Philharmonic, and Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9 with Reno Philharmonic. About Murrella Parton, soprano Murrella Parton made her Santa Fe Opera debut with her comedic portrayal of Berta in Il Barbiere di Siviglia . A 2022 apprentice, she joined the choruses of Carmen and the world premiere of M. Butterfly . Later in the summer, she took the stage for the apprentice scenes programs as Elisabeth in Don Carlos and The Marscha l lin in Der Rosenkavalier . Mrs. Parton has been described as "magnificent" and praised for her “commanding voice” by Arts-Louisville for her portrayal of Older Alycein in Tom Cipullo ’ ' s Glory Denied with Kentucky Opera (2019) Ms. Parton has performed in the Cincinnati Opera Chorus for productions of Le Nozze di Figaro and Roméo et Juliette , Wagner's Der fliegende Hollände r, and the American premiere of Julien Bilodeau's Another Brick in the Wall . In 2018, she had the opportunity to workshop the role of Sabina in Rufus Wainwright's newest opera, Hadrian , with Opera Fusion: New Works. In addition, she has performed the roles of Nella in Puccini's Gianni Schicchi , Ginevra in Handel's Ariodante , Elettra in Mozart’s Idomeneo, Fiordiligi in Mozart's Così fan tutte , Sylviane in Lehar’s The Merry Widow , and the choruses of Puccini's La Bohème , Massenet's Cendrillon , and Gilbert & Sullivan's Pirates of Penzance . In addition to operatic repertoire, she has been a featured soloist in concerts of Finzi's In Terra Pax , Handel's Messiah , Vivaldi’s Gloria , Vivaldi’s Magnificat , Bach’s Magnificat , Bach's Mass in B minor , Bach's Ascension Oratorio, and Mozart's Requiem . Mrs. Parton holds an Artist Diploma in opera and a Master of Music in vocal performance from the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music and a Bachelor of Music in vocal music education from the University of Tennessee Knoxville. About Heather Phillips, soprano  High lyric soprano Heather Phillips, whose performances have been described by Opera News as “beautiful” and “shimmering,” “continues to garner critical acclaim with reputable performances on the opera and concert stage.  Most recently, during the 2022 season, Ms. Phillips made her professional European debut at Oper Frankfurt in Germany as the title role in Rossini's Bianca e Falliero. Ms. Phillips reprised her role in Bianca e Falliero for her Austrian debut at the Tiroler Festspiele Erl in the summer of 2022, to critical acclaim. She also appeared in Austria on the concert stage with the Tiroler Festspiele Orchestra for a gala concert featuring the music of the bel canto repertoire of Bellini, Rossini, andDonizetti. Further in the 2022–23 season, Ms. Phillips appears in concert with Princeton Pro Musica and Las Vegas Symphony Orchestra. This season also includes Ms. Phillips’s debut as Adina in L'elisir d'amore with the Charleston Opera Theatre.     Ms. Phillips has performed across the United States as an operatic and concert soloist in the high lyric soprano repertoire with the New York Philharmonic at Lincoln Center, Santa Fe Opera, San Francisco Opera, Opera Philadelphia, Ravinia Festival, Arizona Opera, Tucson Desert Song Festival, Austin Opera, Lyric Opera of Kansas City, Cincinnati Opera, New Orleans Opera Association, Austin Symphony Orchestra, Boise Philharmonic, Oregon Music Festival, Brazos Valley Symphony Orchestra, True Concord Festival Orchestra, Canton Symphony Orchestra, Aspen Opera Theatre, Kentucky Opera, Opera Southwest, Brevard Music Center , and the Bayview Music Festival.   Ms. Phillips received her Master's and Bachelor's degrees from the University of Cincinnati, College-Conservatory of Music. Before her collegiate operatic studies began, Ms. Phillips trained and performed as a pianist and flutist for ten years, performing as an adolescent with the Canton Youth Symphony Orchestra as a flutist and throughout the community as a volunteer outreach performer on piano, flute, and voice with the McDowell Music Club of her hometown of Canton, Ohio.     About Sara Saturnino, mezzo-soprano Mexican-American Mezzo-Soprano, Sarah Saturnino, is quickly establishing herself as one of opera’s brightest young singers. She is known for her “elegant phrasing and silvery top register” ( Miami Herald ). A recipient of the Campbell/Wachter Scholarship Award from the Santa Fe Opera from the 2021 season, Miss Saturnino has placed in the finals for the Talents of the World competition, top ten in the Brava! Competition, and was a semi-finalist in the Marcella Sembrich Competition. She has appeared with companies such as Amarillo Opera, Opera San Antonio, Baltimore Concert Opera, Delaware Opera, Painted Sky Opera, and Eastern Connecticut Symphony. Role credits include Lucretia in Britten’s The Rape of Lucretia , Maddalena in Verdi’s Rigoletto, Hippolyta in Britten’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Marcellina in Mozart’s Le Nozze di Figaro, Second Lady in Mozart’s Die Zauberflöte , Gertrude in Humperdinck’s Hansel und Gretel , Dorabella in Mozart’s Cosi fan tutte, Prince Charmant in Massenet’s Cendrillon, and Carmen in Tragedy of Carmen. She is a graduate of UCLA and the Yale School of Music. She is an alumna of the Chautauqua Opera Company Studio Artist Program and an Apprentice Artist with Santa Fe Opera during their 2021 and 2022 summer seasons. She was the mezzo-soprano SOX Young Artist for the Shreveport Opera Company in the 2020–21 and 2021–22 seasons. She joined LA Opera this fall as a Young Artist in their DCS Young Artist Program and makes her house debut with LA Opera in their production of Otello in the spring of 2023.   About Dayton Performing Arts Alliance Dayton Performing Arts Alliance (DPAA) was formed in a groundbreaking and innovative merger between Dayton Ballet, Dayton Opera, and Dayton Philharmonic Orchestra. Together, they are the largest performing arts organization in the greater Dayton community, with a mission to be the community’s indispensable source for traditional, diverse, and innovative experiences in ballet, opera, and orchestral music. The vision of DPAA is to transform lives through the power of music and dance. In addition, DPAA offers various performance and education programs, setting a new standard for artistic excellence. DPAA performances reach an audience of more than 90,000 people annually, and their rich arts education programming serves over 60,000 schoolchildren in 150 schools in southwest Ohio. These performances and education initiatives are made possible partly through significant support from the Ohio Arts Council, Culture Works, Montgomery County, and the National Endowment for the Arts. Tickets for Maria Callas: A Centennial Celebration start at $5 and are on sale now at the Box Office in the Wintergarden of the Schuster Center by calling 937-228-3630 or online at daytonperformingarts.org/tickets/maria-callas . For more information about Dayton Opera’s production of Maria Callas: A Centennial Celebration and to view the digital program, visit : daytonperformingarts.org/tickets/maria-callas . For more information about DPAA’s 2022-23 Ballet, Opera, and Philharmonic seasons, visit daytonperformingarts.org

An Ohio police officer who struck a Black woman, as she was taken into custody at a McDonald's, has been placed on paid administrative leave. An Ohio police officer has been put on administrative leave after video showed him punching a Black woman several times as she was taken into custody following a dispute at a McDonald’s over extra cheese on a Big Mac. The incident, captured on video by a bystander, occurred shortly after 4 p.m. Monday at the restaurant in Butler Township, Ohio. It began after Latinka Hancock, 31, of Dayton, bought a Big Mac and returned to the restaurant a short time later because it did not have the extra cheese she paid for. Hancock said a restaurant worker asked another employee to remake her burger, but that person later asked Hancock to pay more for the extra cheese. Hancock said she had already paid for it and asked for a refund, which she says she eventually received. Hancock said she was then told police had been called and was asked to leave the restaurant. Two Butler officers — Sgt. Todd Stanley and Tim Zellers — responded there around 4:20 p.m. and approached Hancock, who spoke with them about what had occurred. When the officers asked Hancock for her driver’s license, authorities say Hancock told them she didn’t have one and refused to provide her identification. The exchange soon became heated, and one of the officers decided to place Hancock under arrest. The officers said Hancock resisted arrest, and Stanley eventually hit Hancock on the right side of the face with an “open palm strike.” Hancock was then placed in handcuffs, put into a police cruiser and charged with resisting arrest and three other minor counts. Authorities said Hancock was bleeding from her mouth and was treated by an EMT who determined the wound was superficial. Stanley has served on the Butler force for more than 22 years, while Zellers has served for about 2 1/2 years. Butler Police Chief John Porter said Stanley has no formal reprimands in his personnel file and was placed on leave as a result of repeated correspondence from concerned residents, including “a lot of hate emails and phone calls." Zellers has not been placed on leave, Porter said. Hancock and her attorney, Michael Wright, held a news conference Wednesday to discuss the incident. Hancock said that she felt like she could have lost her life over a sandwich and felt lucky that she was able to now tell her side of the story. “I don’t want people to feel like I’m complaining for a piece of cheese,” she said. Wright said the responding officers “were looking for a fight, rather than to deescalate.” He called for Stanley to be fired and charged with assault. He also criticized the restaurant for calling police over the dispute. “If they can’t manage basic customer service, opting to potentially put a person’s life in jeopardy over a mishandled Big Mac, it doesn’t seem safe for Black people to go and eat at McDonald’s anymore," Wright said. Wright said no decision has been made yet on whether a lawsuit will be filed, noting that his firm was waiting for additional videos inside McDonald’s and more information from police. McDonald's did not immediately respond to an emailed request for comment Thursday evening.

Dayton Metro Library’s Annual Teen Art Contest begins Wednesday, February 1. Teen artists can submit work in two grade divisions: 7-9 and 10-12. One winner per age division in each of the following art categories will be awarded: photography, watercolor, pencil, oil and acrylic, 3D/sculpture, and mixed or other medium. Entries must be original in content (no fan art) and should not have been previously submitted to a contest or published. Subject matter should be appropriate for a general audience. Entry forms can be obtained at any one of the Dayton Metro Library Branches and should be turned in with submissions, in person to any Branch, by Tuesday, February 28. Winners will be notified by Friday, March 10. Gift cards will be awarded to all the winners. Contest submissions will be displayed at the Main Library on the Third Street Bridge, Second Floor, from Thursday, March 2-Friday March 31, for patrons and artists to view and enjoy. For more information about the contest and to pick up a contest form, visit the Ask Me Desk at your local Branch. Additional questions about the contest may also be directed to the Library’s Ask Me Line at 937.463.2665. DML is committed to providing access to all of our events. Please contact the Ask Me Line at 937.463.2665 to request accommodations for sign language interpretation, audio amplification, and/or language translation. Additional accommodations may be available upon request. Advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility needs.

On Sunday, January 22nd, A Loving Heart Youth and Recovery Services, hosted its Inaugural Community Champions Gala and Fundraiser at the Downtown Dayton Library. This year’s honorees were Pastor Bruce Moxley, Jr, Michael Perry, Anthony Parker, Penelope (Penny) Brown, Bryan Hunter, Jane McEwen, Lisa Wagner, Tova Rose, Taneah Matthews, Carl Johnson, Leronda Jackson and LaVar Glover. These men and women are some of Dayton’s unsung heroes. They are people who help others and add value to our community behind the scenes and under the radar. They come from all walks of life. This event was de-signed to shine a spotlight on these men and women while at the same time helping to raise resources for A Loving Heart Youth and Recovery Services. A Loving Heart Youth and Recovery Services is a 501(c)3 tax-exempt agency licensed by the Ohio Department and Job and Family Services, Ohio Recovery Housing and nationally accredited by the Council on Accreditation. A Loving Heart provides faith-based services to youth who are in foster care and adults who are in recovery. This year’s fundraising goal is to raise $25,000 to help support two program areas: Trauma-Informed summer camps for the youth ages 11-16, and Facilities renovation for the men's sober living program. “Summer camp is a key therapeutic tool for our kids. Due to the child-hood trauma that our kid-dos have experienced, they tend not to do so well in ‘regular’ summer camp situations. We have been fortunate to link up with summer camps that specialize in working with these kids. The two boys that went last year came back inspired and changed for the better,” says William Peterson, who serves as the agency’s Chief Operating Officer. Providing safe and secure facilities is critical in caring for men who are working towards sobriety. “The state does not provide funding support for repairs and maintenance to help with needed repairs and upgrades. We have a nice house for the men, but we could use some small upgrades to the garage and basement area in making them programmatic space,” says Lucas Horn program director for ALH’s sober living program. The agency currently serves 9 men in two locations. ALH provides Intensive Outpatient Programming, case management, and community outreach services for men who struggle with addiction. If you would like to learn more or donate go to our website at https://www.AL-HYouthServices.org/donate.

Jack Farris, a World War II Veteran who turns 103 today. Mr. Farris was born January 23, 1920 in Kentucky but has spent most of his life in Dayton. He served in the Army in the Philippines during the war. He retired from Bendix Corporation in Dayton many years ago. He is enrolled at the Dayton VA for his health care. Mr. Farris celebrated his big day with family and friends. He says he never thought he’d live this long and has no secret to his longevity, he’s just happy to still be here. Happy Birthday, Jack!

Its History and Symbolizism Learn about what it symbolizes and its significance for Black Americans. As the name of the flag suggests, the Black American Heritage Flag is a symbol that represents the culture and history of African Americans. For centuries, people from all over the world have waved the flags of their homeland to display a sense of pride for where they came from. And after being created in 1967, this flag is now embraced by Black Americans celebrating and honoring America's Black culture. You will typically see the Black American Heritage Flag flown during Black History Month, if not year-round. And although the flag does not include all of the colors used to represent Black History Month, each color in this flag and its symbol has a distinct meaning. Learn all about the Black American Heritage Flag as we look at the details of what the flag stands for, who designed it and why it needed to be created. Here at Parade.com, we're all about sharing products we love with our audience. When you make a purchase on an item seen on this page, we may earn a commission, however, all picks are independently chosen unless otherwise mentioned. What Does the Black American Heritage Flag Stand For? The Black American Heritage Flag represents the pride and accomplishments of Black Americans. But it is even more than that. Along with celebrating the accomplishments and contributions of Black Americans, this flag also symbolizes the struggles and pain that were endured throughout history. In remembering both the accomplishments and the pain, this flag was created as a way to make progress and offer hope to Black Americans. The flag is made up of the colors red and black with a distinct symbol in gold. A lot of thought went into the design of the flag and each part of it has a significant meaning. Like the colors for Black History Month, red represents the innocent blood shed by Black Americans throughout America's history and black signifies pride in the Black race. The color gold, in the symbol, represents intellect, prosperity and . And the symbol itself—made up of a blunted sword and a fig wreath—has its own meaning. The sword is meant to instill pride and the fig wreath symbolizes peace, prosperity and everlasting . Melvin Charles and Gleason T. Jackson de-signed the flag in 1967. However, their inspiration began much earlier, when Charles realized that other groups of people, like those with Italian and Hispanic heritage, had a flag at parades, while African Americans did not. Charles and Jackson put a lot of thought, research and intentionality into creating the Black American Heritage Flag, as Charles also wrote a book called The Rallying Point . In it, he describes the struggle to promote the Black American Heritage Flag. It details all of the ups and downs that Charles and Jackson went through while attempting to pro-mote the flag. Their story is a lesson in perseverance against all odds. As Charles says in the book, "That we have survived at all is testimony to that strength and greatness and that survival is warrant enough to justify finding pride in who we are. The flag was meant to symbolize that pride. It still does." In general, flags are used as a visual symbol of a cause or identity. The use of flags goes all the way back to ancient Roman times, representing military affiliations on the battlefield. Today, flags are used to unite and remember the past. Each country can turn to its respective flag to feel that sense of solidarity and loyalty to its homeland. For this very reason, the Black American Heritage Flag was created.

#3 RankedBuckeyes Start 15-0 While the boys basketball teams always produce great talent who go on to play for D-1 schools, the women have been paving the way lately on a high level in Southwest Ohio in the hoop game. The local girls have been more prevalent in being key players, and are becoming stars in their own right, on their college teams as well. A couple years ago there was a kid from Centerville, who was a "Can't Miss" prospect. Cotie McMahon, then only a HS junior, was going toe to toe with the likes of McDonalds All American senior Bree Hall (a key player for South Carolina) and other top players in the Dayton area. McMahon and the Elks were very good, and with her coming back for her senior year it looked as if the Lady Elks would have their first McDonalds All American and be reaching a State Semifinal. Well, McMahon had other plans, and decided to graduate early, which would end her HS career. While McMahon and her family talked about it, the Buckeyes were locked in on her after seeing her in her sophomore and junior campaign at Centerville. She would decide to graduate early, and she would go to Ohio State to play with the Lady Buckeyes. But before she would step one minute on the court with Ohio State, McMahon was selected to represent the USA Under-18 team at the World Championships. And represent she did, leading the team in scoring en route to the gold medal, and showing that she could, in fact, possibly be one of the next wave of stars of women's basketball. Now fast forward to her first season at Ohio State University. McMahon has fit in flawlessly with a Lady Buckeyes team that has all the firepower to reach a Final Four. Throw in McMahon, who is now averaging 11 ppg to go with her rebounding, playmaking, fire mentality, and all around play, and you got a recipe for an NCAA Title. But make no mistake: it is her intensity and physicality which separate her from the rest. McMahon plays with a spark, a grittiness, that is unmatched. Her ability to drive and create is one that feels like Lebron on a fast break. Get in the way at your own risk. And as far as her defense? It is elite already, but still needs polish, which she is doing every day. McMahon was plugged as a starter from day one, and its easy to see after a big win over Michigan, which runs the #3 ranked Lady Buckeyes record to 15-0. She can defend guards and post players with ease. And when she gets going offensively? Watch out. The next win will set the record for the most wins to start a season for the Lady Buckeyes. While she had been on an offensive scoring tear, dropping 20+ points in 4 or her last 5 games, this game was about heart, and who had it the most. Ohio State would pull away late, after Michigan had cut it to a 4-point game, after being down 15 early in the 3rd quarter. Michigan, ranked #14, also has some local talent with Jordan Hobbs, a Springboro grad, and Laila Phelia, a 2-Time State Champion from Mount Notre Dame in Cincinnati. In trying to talk with McMahon after the game, you see the makings of a star: Kids and adults all over the place wanting autographs and pictures. Even former Buckeye legends were having their kids pictures taken with her. When around her, you feel a superstar vibe, but her humility, family core values and awesome smile and energy brings the vibe down to make you feel welcoming. You also feel it in her conversation. In asking her about her game it was simple: "Today I was needed to do a job defensively, and provide whatever my team needed me to do. I was just worried about doing what is needed to get a win against a tough Michigan team. Today wasn't my day to score," McMahon said. Congrats to a young girl who took the road lesser taken. Its very rare to see a successful African-American student athlete graduate school early to play sports at the next level and be really good at it at in the early stages, despite all the obstacles. This is a special Ohio State team. Congrats to McMahon for her early success for her and the Lady Buckeyes team.

On Tuesday, January 3rd 2023, Harrison Township Trustees Danielle Bradley and Roland Winburn were appointed to serve as President and Vice President of the Board of Trustees respectively. Georgeann Godsey, who recently served as President, is the third member of this three-member board which is elected for four year terms. Each member is chosen through a town wide ballot process in order to oversee legislative affairs within their jurisdiction. Board of Trustee Meetings: First Monday of each month at 7 p.m., and Third Thursday of each month at 12 noon Harrison Township Government Center 5945 North Dixie Drive Dayton, OH 45414 Also at this same meeting, Steven Russell was reappointed to the Board of Zoning Appeals. Mr. Russell was sworn in by Harrison Township Fiscal Officer Craig A. Jones. Steven will serve on this board for five years ending December 31, 2027. He has served on the Board of Zoning Appeals since 2016. The Board of Zoning Appeals is a five-member volunteer panel appointed by the Harrison Township Board of Trustees. The board is empowered to grant or deny requests for zoning variances and conditional uses and decide on administrative appeals. Board of Zoning Appeals Meetings: First Tuesday of every month at 7 p.m. Harrison Township Government Center 5945 North Dixie Drive Dayton, OH 45414 Harrison Township is located in the central part of Montgomery County and was founded in 1841. It is one of nine townships in Montgomery County. With a population of 21,814 and more than 800 business establishments, Harrison Township is a diverse community where African Americans make up 47% of the population.