A/V: Buckeyes Feel the "Bern" at Sanders' Columbus Rally

Vermont senator Bernie Sanders addresses enthusiastic attendees at his rally at the Ohio State University's Schottenstein Center on Sunday evening in Columbus, Ohio.

Just two days before a potentially close and contentious Ohio primary election, Vermont senator Bernie Sanders held an enthusiastic rally in Columbus on Sunday evening to capitalize on the momentum gained in last week's surprise victory in neighboring Michigan. Already in the state's capital for two other events later in the evening, his campaign hosted this gathering for over 7,000 supporters at the Ohio State University's Schottenstein Center to advocate his own political positions as well as contrast them against those held by the Republican presidential candidates and his own party's primary opponent, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.

A/V: Trump Holds Raucous Republican Rally

Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump addresses supporters at a rally held at Wright Brothers Aero in Vandalia, Ohio on Saturday morning.

With Ohio's Republican primary election less than four days away, another high profile politician paid a visit to the Miami Valley to garner support from the region's electorate. On Saturday morning, billionaire businessman Donald Trump flew in to the Dayton International Airport to appear at an rally held at the adjacent Wright Brothers Aero facility in Vandalia, Ohio. An overflow crowd of several thousand people greeted the current Republican delegate leader in his attempt to boost his totals and to clear an easier path to securing the party's nomination at their June convention in Cleveland.

A/V: "Big Dog" Barnstorms for Bride

Former President Bill Clinton stumps for his wife's presidential campaign at the Montgomery County Democratic Party's annual Frolic for Funds dinner in Dayton, Ohio on Wednesday night.

In the first of several high profile political visits to the Miami Valley prior to next Tuesday's Ohio presidential primary, the Montgomery County Democratic Party welcomed former president Bill Clinton to speak at the start of its annual Frolic for Funds dinner at the Dayton Convention Center on Wednesday night. This event was the last of three appearances Clinton made in the state throughout the day in support of his wife's current Democratic presidential campaign that is running in a competitive race against that of Vermont senator Bernie Sanders. Mayor Nan Whaley provided brief remarks to the overflow crowd prior to introducing the meal's guest speaker.

A/V: GOP "Architect" Visits Dayton

Republican political consultant and policy strategist Karl Rove speaks at a book signing event at Books-A-Million in Beavercreek, Ohio on Sunday afternoon.

For an hour this past Sunday afternoon, many at an Ohio bookstore gathering were introduced to an American presidential election held in in the late 19th century to help them gain perspective on the very interesting political atmosphere in the present day. Karl Rove, a former deputy chief of staff in the George W. Bush administration and a man whose name is ubiquitous within Republican political circles, visited the Beavercreek, Ohio Books-A-Million store to sign copies of his latest book The Triumph of William McKinley: Why the Election of 1896 Still Matters.

A/V: Carson Rally at Cedarville University

Dr. Ben Carson speaks to attendees at a rally held for the Republican presidential candidate at Cedarville University in Cedarville, Ohio on Tuesday afternoon.

Republican presidential candidate Dr. Ben Carson made a campaign swing through southeast Ohio on Tuesday to help bolster his rising favorability polling numbers after a respectable showing during last week's second GOP debate. Sandwiched between a morning event in the Cincinnati surburb of Sharonville and an evening Right to Life Foundation fundraiser in Dayton, he paid a visit to the campus of Cedarville University located in the shared named Greene County village. The Baptist evangelical school provided the appropriate backdrop for Carson to share views on his life, faith and  politics to the capacity crowd assembled in the Dixon Ministry Center's Jeremiah Chapel. Prior to the start of the rally, Dr. Carson took questions from media members outside that venue during a 15-minute press availability where he further elaborated about comments made during a Sunday interview with Chuck Todd on NBC's Meet the Press television program concerning religious criteria for presidential contenders .

A/V: 2015 SPJ Region 4 Spring Conference

Athens' Ohio University played host for the 2015 SPJ Region 4 Spring Conference.

The Ohio University chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists hosted members from all across the organization's Region 4 area (Michigan, Ohio, Western Pennsylvania and West Virginia) for its 2015 annual professional development Spring Conference on March 20-21 in Athens, Ohio. Over 150 journalists, educators and other associated personnel came for the unique networking and mentoring opportunities with other attendees as well as the staff of the institution's  nationally recognized E.W. Scripps School of Journalism.

A Review of My "Year of Application"

In a practice that--thanks to our ever-increasing reliance on electronic devices--is becoming less frequent, humans switch out their calendars in the annual event of "ringing out the old and ringing in the new" around this time of year. It serves as an opportunity of reflection, introspection and resolve to guide us along our paths in the new year. While I have no wall hanging to change out, I do have this blog to browse through for that same purpose. According to my first post for the year that just ended, 2014 was supposed to be my "year of application" and to spread my journalistic "wings" and, except for the tailing off near the end, I think I can claim success.

In that submission, I talked optimistically about using the skills I acquired through my then-recent completion of my Certificate of Journalism from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst in the lead-up to being laid off from a job that I held for a little over five years (that was alluded to as a "year of transition").  I initially established a schedule that I would follow for my posting of new content onto this site that was slowly cast aside based upon wavering levels of interest as well as opportunities taken (and ignored) throughout that 12-month period.

Here's a breakdown of my 52 posts last year:

A/V: 50 Years On From a Memorable Dayton Visit

Elizabeth Roth Turner, left, and Ted Clark, right, attendees at the November 1964 speech given by the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. at the University of Dayton Fieldhouse, were in the audience at the Kennedy Union ballroom reflection event on Tuesday afternoon.

On an overcast December afternoon, over 70 people attended an event to commemorate one held on a snowy November night 50 years ago last Saturday involving the appearance of an American civil rights icon in the city of Dayton. The University of Dayton's Office of Multicultural Affairs, the University Libraries, and the MLK Planning Committee hosted this gathering at the school's Kennedy Union ballroom to reflect on that November 1964 visit by the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and to discuss the social justice issues that continue to exist in this country a half century after his advocacy. Remarks were provided by Dr. Herbert Walker, a poet, performer and Professor Emeritus in the Department of English at the school, Dr. Ruth Thompson-Miller, an Associate Professor of Sociology in the College of Arts of Sciences, and Dr. Tom Morgan, an Associate Professor of American and African American Literature in the Department of English.

A/V: FitzGerald, Neuhardt Host Dayton Town Hall Meeting

Ohio Democratic gubernatorial candidate Ed FitzGerald talks to attendees at the Dayton town hall event on Thursday evening.

Although running far behind his opponent in the polls and in campaign funds, Ohio Democratic gubernatorial candidate Ed FitzGerald stopped in Dayton on Thursday evening to a small but supportive gathering just 12 days before next month's general election. Introduced by his lieutenant governor running mate, Sharen Neuhardt, he spoke extemporaneously for approximately 50 minutes on a variety of issues to a crowd of about 70 people at the Dayton Cultural & RTA Center, just east of the main downtown area. This event was one of eight scheduled earlier this month by the campaign to counter the lack of debates between FitzGerald and his Republican opponent, the incumbent governor John Kasich.

A/V: "Eddie Munster" Visits Fairborn

Former child actor Butch Patrick meets the first people in line for his guest appearance in Fairborn on Friday afternoon.

In an event designed to draw attention to the city's upcoming Halloween Festival, Fairborn welcomed former child actor Butch Patrick to Foy's Variety Store on Friday afternoon for a well-received guest appearance for his western Ohio fans. Patrick is best known for playing Eddie Munster, the werewolf son of Herman and Lily Munster, on the eponymously named prime-time situation comedy that ran on CBS from 1964 to 1966. After that show's run, he made guest appearances on other television series and also had roles in several Walt Disney movies. In 1971, he landed the starring role as Mark on the "psychedelic" fantasy show Lidsville that ran for two seasons on Saturday mornings through 1973. 

A/V: Kasich Visits London During "Get Out the Vote" Swing

Ohio governor John Kasich poses for a photograph with supporters at a London, Ohio "Get Out the Vote" appearance Friday afternoon.

Although enjoying significant statewide polling leads over his Democratic opponent, Ohio governor John Kasich visited three locations on Friday afternoon in a whirlwind "Get Out the Vote" offensive for his own as well as other Republican candidates on the ballot in preparation for next month's general election. His first stop was in London, Ohio where he visited the Madison County Republican Party headquarters at around 12:30pm and addressed a friendly crowd of around 80 people. About a third of those in attendance were 4th and 8th grade students from the city's St. Patrick's Elementary School and Kasich spent about 10 of the 15 minutes he reserved for remarks to talk with them directly and provide guidance to help each navigate through their young lives.

A/V: Statewide Dem Candidates Stop in Springfield

From left to right, David Pepper, John Carney, Nina Turner, Tom Letson, Ed FitzGerald, Sharen Neuhardt and Connie Pillich stand outside a Transport Workers Union bus at a Tour to Restore stop in Springfield, Ohio on Tuesday afternoon.

On the final day of a five-day Tour to Restore Ohio bus tour across the state, seven of the eight Democratic Party candidates for statewide elected office stopped this afternoon at a "Get Out the Vote" event in Springfield, Ohio. In a nearly hour-long visit, Ed FitzGerald, Sharen Neuhardt, David Pepper, Nina Turner, Connie Pillich and John Carney (candidates for governor, lieutenant governor, attorney general, secretary of state, treasurer and auditor, respectively) along with Tom Letson, one of two Democrats seeking seats on the Ohio Supreme Court, were guests of the Clark County Democratic Women's Issues Group at the United Auto Workers Local 402 on Urbana Road. According to the event announcement, members of that group were gathering at that location to write postcards to send to women voters reminding them of what's at stake in the upcoming general election. This activity coincided with National Voter Registration Day, a day where over 2,000 partner organizations across the country promote eligible voters to sign up to be eligible for the November election.

A/V: The 2014 Great Wright Brothers Aero Carnival

Two attendees stand next to life-size cutouts of Orville and Wilbur Wright at the 2014 Great Wright Brothers Aero Carnival at the Dayton Aviation Heritage National Historical Park's Huffman Prairie Flying Field on Saturday afternoon.

Undeterred by threatening skies, fans of aviation, history and nature gathered on Saturday afternoon to attend the 2014 Great Wright Brothers Aero Carnival held at the Dayton Aviation Heritage National Historical Park's Huffman Prairie Flying Field near Dayton, Ohio. The event, put on by the National Park Service and the 88th Air Base Wing from nearby Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, was the fourth over the past five years intended to bring the public to that location and explore this historic site used by Orville and Wilbur Wright from 1904 through 1917 for the development and enhancement of their original Wright Flyer aircraft. Last year's carnival was cancelled due to military budget cuts due to sequestration.

A/V: Community Displays Support for Police Officers

Attendees gathered Sunday afternoon to show their support for the Beavercreek (Ohio) Police Department outside the city's Walmart Superstore that was the scene of a shooting on August 5th.

Despite overcast skies and a rain shower that forced many to seek shelter, approximately 150 to 200 people attended a Sunday afternoon Operation Shield BPD rally in support of the Beavercreek Police Department in an outer parking lot of the city's Walmart Superstore. This location was the same one used the previous afternoon for a rally by supporters of the family of John Crawford III who was shot in that same store on August 5th by one of two of that department's officers who responded to the 911 call.

A/V: Rally Organizers Call for Release of Store Surveillance Tapes

Several hundred people gathered on Saturday afternoon within sight of the Beavercreek, Ohio Walmart store where John Crawford III was shot and killed by a city police officer on August 5th.

On a very warm Ohio afternoon, approximately 200 to 300 people assembled in Beavercreek, Ohio to attend the Justice For John Crawford Protest and Rally in support of the family of the 21-year old Cincinnati-area man gunned down by police officers at that city's Walmart store earlier this month. Organized by the Greater Cincinnati Chapter of the National Action Network, or GCCNAN, the peaceful protest featured one dozen speakers demanding Ohio attorney general Mike DeWine release surveillance video footage of that shooting that was captured by several of the store's 200 security cameras. On Friday, DeWine stated that such a release would not happen prior to any grand jury-mandated court actions because that evidence could influence potential jurors.

A/V: Fairborn Siren Upgrade Program Nearly Complete

Workers erect a new outdoor warning siren next to the existing one on Fairborn, Ohio's Black Lane last Friday afternoon.

Late Friday afternoon, Fairborn emergency preparedness officials came one step closer to finalizing a multi-year effort to improve that Ohio community's notification network with the installation of two new state-of-the-art outdoor warning sirens within the city. Erected in close proximity to existing Cold-War era omnidirectional alerting devices originally installed in the mid-1970s, the replacements' rotating high decibel outputs will provide a louder signal with a greater audible range than their predecessors. This increased signal distance will provide overlapping capabilities, where notifications from two or more physically separated units can be heard at the same time, in current fringe coverage areas around the city''s approximately 20 square mile area of responsibility. Technological advances in the newer models include battery backups and wireless communications to ensure greater reliability during adverse weather conditions.

A/V: Dayton Holds Lights in Flight Independence Day Festival

Spectators on Dayton's Riverside Drive bridge take in the 2014 Lights in Flight Festival's fireworks display on Thursday evening.

Approximately 25,000 people took advantage of clear skies and cool temperatures to attend the 2014 Lights in Flight Festival at Dayton's Riverscape MetroPark on Thursday evening. Presented by the City of Dayton Department of Recreation and Youth Services, in cooperation with the Five Rivers MetroParks, the Dayton Human Relations Council, Marion’s Piazza, Miami Conservancy District and Wright State University, this one-day-early 4th of July celebration featured food, beverages and live musical entertainment prior to the fireworks show launched over the Great Miami River from nearby Deeds Point MetroPark that started promptly at 10PM.

More photos below the break:

A/V: Kaku Closes WSU's Presidential Lecture Series

Theoretical physicist Dr. Michio Kaku speaking to the Wright State University's Ervin J. Nutter Center audience on Wednesday night.

FAIRBORN, OH -- In the final scheduled event of the Wright State University 2013-14 Presidential Lecture series, renowned theoretical physicist Dr. Michio Kaku provided his personal observations on today's scientific trends and discoveries at the school's Ervin J. Nutter Center on Wednesday evening. After welcoming remarks by Dr. Susan Carrafiello, director of the university's honors program and an introduction by Dr. David R. Hopkins, president of the university, Dr. Kaku delivered an 80-minute presentation entitled "The Future of the Mind" to an assembled audience estimated at over 1,000 people. This visit was on the heels of a speaking and book signing event held on Tuesday in Kansas City, Missouri.

A/V: "How I Got Over" Exhibit at Wilberforce Museum

The "How I Got Over" exhibit's three core themes--spirituality, protest and celebration--prominently stand outside the National Afro-American Museum and Cultural Center's John E. Fleming Gallery.

After nearly a 30-month long facility rehabilitation, the National Afro-American Museum and Cultural Center reopened in late January to the general public and is currently featuring an exhibit of mixed media art in the John E. Fleming Gallery.  Entitled "How I Got Over", this 73-item display of paintings, sculpture, carvings and fabric from 48 different artists was inspired by renowned gospel singer Mahalia Jackson's inspired vocal performance of that song at the August 1963 March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom, delivered immediately before the Reverend Martin Luther King Jr.'s "I Have a Dream" speech.  The works of four artists--Richmond Barthé, Elizabeth Catlett, Hayward Dinsmore, and Clementine Hunter--are featured among the 5,200 square feet of available exhibition space.

A/V: Black Aviation History On Display at Air Force's Museum

A sign for Red Tails, Silver Wings, a visiting display of Tuskegee Airmen-inspired paintings by artist Chris Hopkins, sits outside the Hall of Honor at the National Museum of the United States Air Force near Dayton, Ohio.

February marks our nation's observance of Black History Month, a period set aside annually to reflect upon the contributions made by African-Americans to the country's endeavors during its 237-year existence. Many communities across the nation hold celebrations to highlight the exploits of local individuals or organizations and Dayton's own National Museum of the United States Air Force is currently hosting an art display honoring that group's role in US aviation history through the end of the month.