As soon as they spotted the patrolman, the men fled up a side street and attempted to get a truck driver to help them flee. The truck driver stalled his engine and that gave Patrolman Dempsey time to open fire on the two men. A 21-year-old man named James Royal of St. Louis MO was wounded and his companion was killed. The companion was unidentified and estimated to be about 35 years old. A stray bullet struck a ten-year-old girl, Eleanor Fetz, who had the luck of walking in front of the bank at the time of the robbery.
Taken by surprise, the men inside did not get away with any money. One man was injured by Patrolman Dempsey’s bullets, but both men were able to flee.
The police security had been put in place a month prior in response to another robbery at the location. Five bandits armed with machine guns had robbed the bank of $33,000.
I-75 Construction Delayed Again
The construction taking place now is the first time this section of I-75 has been rebuilt down to the base since its construction in the 1950s. Decades of construction and reconstruction will need to be removed before constructing the new road to ensure quality and longevity.
The remaining work, which depends on the weather for progress, poses many challenges. Many important tasks cannot be performed during winter months, which adds to complications to adhering to the schedule.
Completion of the work was planned for Summer 2027, but with the complications and additional work required, the date will have to be reassessed as the project continues.
For more details about i-75 construction and delays, visit the ODOT website here: ODOT – Montgomery County: Construction Update
Terrorizing Catholics, Jews and Immigrants: The Ku Klux Klan in 1920s Dayton
Per the event website, the event is “a public humanities event featuring a public talk and roundtable on the Ku Klux Klan in 1920s Dayton and the state of the fight against hate in Ohio today. Keynote address by UD Historian and Religious Studies faculty member William Trollinger on the KKK in 1920’s Dayton and the University of Dayton’s response, followed by a roundtable of civil rights leaders from across the state, including Kelly Fishman of the ADL’s Cleveland Office, David Whitehead, VP of the Cincinnati NAACP and Fr. Satish Joseph of Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception. The discussion will be moderated by Natalie Hudson, Executive Director of the Human Rights Center at the University of Dayton. Reception to follow.
See the Facebook Event Page for additional information.
Nancy Cartwright Donates to Rosewood Arts Center
In a statement, Cartwright commented, “I am thrilled and deeply honored to contribute to this incredible art facility. I truly believe that the expansion and survival of our culture depend on our unwavering support for both art and artists. The Rosewood Arts Center stands as a beacon for bringing hope and inspiring greatness in others.”
Cartwright will also have a permanent association with Rosewood as it introduces “The Nancy Cartwright Painting and Drawing Studio.”
Upcoming Sara Kaushal Author Events
- Murder & Mayhem in Dayton and the Miami Valley Book Talk
August 29, 10 AM, Charles Lathrem Senior Center in Kettering - Dayton Ghosts & Legends Book Talk
September 24, 6 pm, Jamestown Library - Spooky Presentation
October 3, 330, Brookville Library - Huber Haunts Truck or Treat
October 6, 1-4, Thomas Cloud Park - Urban Legends Presentation
October 10, 11 AM, Vandalia Senior Center - Fairborn Halloween Festival
October 11-13 - Dayton Ghosts & Legends Book Talk
October 15, 7 pm Centerville Washington Township RecPlex - Urban Legends Presentation
October 19, noon, Dayton Metro Library Downtown - Dayton Ghosts & Legends Book Talk
October 23, 2 pm, St Leonard’s Community - Urban Legends Presentation
October 28, 6 pm Northmont Library
Another Titanic Voyage
“I want to show people worldwide that while the ocean is extremely powerful, it can be wonderful and enjoyable and really kind of life-changing if you go about it the right way,” Connor told reporters with the Wall Street Journal.
Conner told the Wall Street Journal he is confident the $20 million vessel, the Triton 4000/2 Abyssal Explorer, can make the voyage multiple times.
“Patrick has been thinking about and designing this for over a decade. But we didn’t have the materials and technology. You couldn’t have built this sub five years ago,” Connor told the publication.
“You know, what we need to do is build a sub that can dive to (Titanic-level depths) repeatedly and safely and demonstrate to the world that you guys can do that, and that Titan was a contraption,” Lahey told the Wall Street Journal.
Lahey was a critic who declared the OceanGate’s approach predatory. Many whistleblowers in the industry came forward with concerns over the sub’s ability to handle the voyage, as the company opted to skip many safety steps, including certification through the American Bureau of Shipping or Europe’s Det Norske Vertas.
Connor did not specify a date for when the voyage would take place.
The Lady Be Good

Excepts from co-pilot Robert F. Toner’s journal. Source: Lady Be Good.net
A long search for the remains returned eight of the nine crew members. One was located near the plane and seven were far north of the plane. Five of the crew had walked 78 miles before succumbing to the desert and one man had gone 109 miles. Additionally, the men had lived for eight days, which was miraculously longer than the two day survival expectation of men in those conditions. No trace of the ninth man was ever found.
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Local Author: Marshall Weiss
He was a past president of The American Jewish Press Association and helped establish the Jewish Scholastic Press Association for high school students. Marshall is the recipient of numerous first-place awards from the Ohio Society of Professional Journalists and Simon Rockower Awards given by the American Jewish Press Association. He received Religion News Association’s first-place Cassels Award for Excellence in Religion Reporting at Small Newspapers in 2017.
More Summer Events
- What: Dayton Celtic Festival
Date: July 26-28
Where: Riverscape MetroPark, 111 E Monument Avenue, Dayton - What: Demolition Derby
Date: July 29
Time: 7 pm
Where: Greene County Fairgrounds - What: All Ohio Balloon Fest
Date: August 8-10
Where: Union County Airport, 1500 Weaver Road Entrance, Marysville - What: Germanfest Picnic
Date: August 9-11
Where: 1400 E. 5th Street, Dayton - What: Taco and Nacho Fest
Date: August 24
Time: 3-10 pm
Where: 10400 Innovation Drive
Collins School
Thirty eight years later, Helen Bryson Brantley (great granddaughter to Samuel and Rebecca Collins) and her husband Virgil purchased the property to restore the schoolhouse, which had deteriorated and been vandalized. They rebuilt the pony sheds and privies on their foundations. Collins School was rededicated on August 30, 1986.
Two teachers were enlisted to research and organize a curriculum. Later that fall, students were invited to attend to experience a day of the 3 Rs; “readin’ ritin’ and rithmetic’” as it would have been experienced during the schools operating days. Today, roughly 2,400 students and adults experience Collins School each year. They learn citizenship, read from McGuffey Readers, practice writing on slates, and play period appropriate games in the school yard. Collins School is located in Xenia at 2804 West Enon Road.
Fun Fact: Sara and Bethany both went on field trips to Collins School when they were in elementary school!