Community News

Teen Space WILMINGTON, Ohio (March 4, 2026)—Because of January weather advisories, the Wilmington Public Library’s Friends of the Library’s (FOL) first meeting of 2026 was delayed until February, when the volunteer group discussed special events planned for the calendar year and recent donation requests. Among the Wilmington Public Library (WPL) projects the FOL supported financially in 2025 were furnishings for the new teen space (pictured) on the second floor, as well as eq

Ken Lydy "Kids get a really good experience working with outside professionals in the theatre world," stated Ken Lydy, Director of Theatre at Wilmington High School (WHS), located at 3oo Richardson Place in Wilmington. Lydy, along with Timothy Larrick (Music Director), Amy Filip (Choreographer), Gina Sheldon (Vocal Coach), Tara Lydy (Costumer), and Matthew Spradlin (Orchestra Conductor) work with high school students to show three plays per year. This winter, Wilmington High

Noah Dell & Dustin Pearce Noah Dell, President of Champion Bridge Co. (now doing business as Champion Steel Works), joins the podcast to share about the company's 150 year legacy. Noah returned to Wilmington after college and is the 2nd generation owner of the business after his father acquisition in 2016 through an employee stock program. Champion moved away from bridge building in the 1930s due to the rise of concrete bridges and has since focused primarily on structural st

WILMINGTON, Ohio (March 4, 2026)— As an artist, Mary Beth Thorngren finds inspiration in the realm of dreams and the subconscious. Her work often features dream imagery in which she transforms fleeting thoughts and emotions into tangible creations. Thorngren specializes in utilizing found objects, “breathing new life” into materials that might otherwise be overlooked. Wilmington College will present an exhibit of Thorngren’s drawings, paintings, and assemblage sculptures, tit

"It's really an opportunity to open the doors to these local businesses and get [people] in there... It brings traffic into these businesses, " stated Elizabeth Huber, Co-founder of the Clinton County Literacy Foundation (CCLF) and organizer of the Read Across Clinton County event. According to Huber, the CCLF began with four libraries in local laundromats, and was called the "Laundromat Libraries." Their goal was to give children an opportunity to do something while "sitting

WILMINGTON, Ohio (March 2, 2026)—Wilmington City Schools officially opened Kindergarten registration for the 2026-27 school year at their kick-off exploration event on February 28th at Holmes Elementary. During Kindergarten Exploration, families picked up their information packet and received assistance with kindergarten registration. Kids had a Signing Day photo opportunity with Huffy, received a free book, and had hands-on “Taste of Kindergarten” classroom activities. Paren

Tokyo is a playful, energetic cat. He loves to play with balls and feather sticks. Tokyo needs a home with another cat or a person who can give him a lot of attention. His adoption fee is $40! Meet Tokyo and his friends by visiting pawshumane.weebly.com

Ron Jones WILMINGTON, Ohio (February 17, 2026)— In observance of Black History Month, Wilmington College will present the American Dialogue Theatre’s production of “The Movement: 50 Years of Love and Struggle” on Feb. 24, at 7 p.m., in the McCoy Room of the Kelly Center. The event is free of charge. “The Movement” is a visual chronicle that highlights many of the political, cultural, and social markers of the 50 years since the passing of the Voting Rights Act of 1965. This t

Latasha Ruddle Going from 'I didn't think this was possible' to 'This is possible' [is inspiring]... As the athlete, [you] can be part of a basketball team... [and] as the mom, you know that there's opportunities for your family members to be a part of the community and to flourish and grow and feel connected," said Latasha Ruddle, Special Olympics Coordinator and Community Integration Coordinator at the Clinton County Board of Developmental Disabilities (CCBDD), located at 1

Caitlin Mefford and Kristin Ondulick "There is a ton of talent in Wilmington... One of the things that I'm most proud of is bringing in other [local] vendors... trying to—for lack of a better description—be the Etsy of Wilmington," stated Kristin Ondulick, 4th-generation owner of Swindler & Sons Florist, along with her sister, Caitlin Mefford. Swindler & Sons, located at 321 West Locust Street, was started over 100 years ago by Kristin and Caitlin's great-grandfather, Irvin

Mayor Jennifer Moody On February 10, 2026, the Wilmington Charter Public Steering Committee will host its 6th quarterly meeting since 2024 at the Murphy Theatre, located at 50 W Main Street. There will be a Q&A led by Wilmington College Director of Individual Giving, Sydney Murtland, with guest speakers from the City of Mt. Healthy, Ohio, including Mayor Jennifer Moody, City Manager Scott Bauer, and members of their city council. The committee shared that while they typically

WILMINGTON, Ohio (February 9, 2026)—Wilmington City Schools is expanding its efforts to recruit additional bus drivers to support reliable transportation for students and families. Recent retirements have created openings on the transportation team, and the district is taking proactive steps to build capacity. “Transportation plays a critical role in our school day, and we’ve made significant progress in improving bus service across the district,” said Superintendent Tim Dett

WILMINGTON, Ohio (February 9, 2026)— As the United States marks its 250th anniversary this year, the Wilmington Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 6710 is recognizing not only the nation’s history this year, but the men and women currently serving to defend it. Each year, approximately a dozen Clinton County residents take an oath to support and defend the Constitution by entering military service. Years later, many return home to begin the next chapter of their lives. Military se

On February 5, 2026, Kettering Health partnered with Just a Pair of Shoes and the Cincinnati Bengals to donate shoes to children at Denver Place Elementary. The event featured an appearance by the Ben Gals and Who Dey, the football team's mascot. According to Aimee Fahey, Vice President of Patient Care and Chief Nursing Officer at Kettering Health, the event's goal was to promote health, give children the proper "gear" to be physically active, and boost confidence. She stated

Steve Cukovecki, (RIGHT), assistant professor of sport management, displays a Super Bowl program and shares experiences with several of the students going to Super Bowl VX this week. They are, from the left, Camden Morgan, Gavan Hunter, Logan Lovins, and Addison Sparks. WILMINGTON, Ohio (February 4, 2026)—Unlike the Bengals, Steelers, Lions, and 27 other National Football League teams, a dozen Wilmington College students are going to the Super Bowl. They won’t be viewing this