Morning Briefing | Cedarville mourns student in D.C. plane crash

A student at Cedarville University was one of the people who died on board the American Airlines flight that crashed with a helicopter in Washington, D.C. on Wednesday.

In today’s Morning Briefing, we hear from the University president about the student, who was on her way back to campus from her home in Wichita, Kansas. We also take you for a look inside the newly renovated Dayton Convention Center.

If you have thoughts or feedback on this newsletter or other news tips, please let me know at Greg.Lynch@coxinc.com.

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The newsletter should take about 4 minutes, 21 seconds to read.

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Cedarville University mourns loss of student in D.C. plane crash

Cedarville University students, faculty and staff mourned the loss of student Grace Maxwell as part of the university’s regular chapel service Friday morning.

• About Maxwell: She was a junior, studying at the College of Engineering with a biomedical engineering minor. The Wichita, Kansas native was also part of the creative writing club and the student radio station and was preparing to go on a mission trip to London.

• What her friends said: “We had game nights every Sunday at 5 p.m., and she was always the first person there,” friend and hallmate Riley Blair said. “She could just play games with us for hours if we let her. She loved it so much, and that’s one of my favorite memories of her.”

• What the university president said: “We grieve, and we’re sad, and we don’t know why a young, bright, shining star was taken from us way too soon,” Thomas White said. “But we know there’s a God that will make all things new. So we grieve, but not as ones without hope.”

• Background: Maxwell was among 60 passengers and four crew members aboard the Wichita-to-D.C. flight, operated by PSA for American Airlines. All of them died, as did the three people in the Army helicopter that crashed into the plane. The crash remains under investigation.

$45M Dayton Convention Center overhaul getting attention from events: What comes next?

An overhaul of the Dayton Convention Center is a couple of months away from completion.

• Status update: About 90% of the convention center’s renovation work is complete, and the entire project should be finished by April.

• Outdoor features: The facility’s facade has been transformed with a new plaza and outdoor greenspace by the front door. Above the entrance is a new terrace, which serves as a gathering place.

• New inside: All 22 of the facility’s meeting rooms and ballrooms have been renovated, and so has the 672-seat theater on the third floor. The facility has new furniture, fixtures, carpet, escalators, elevators, coolers, freezers, kitchen equipment and seats.

• Events booked: The new and improved facility has about 85 events already booked for this year, and the goal is to host about 200 events annually by 2027.

• What they are saying: “The Dayton Convention Center’s resurgence is historical and is a critical economic driver for the region,” said Pam Plageman, executive director and CEO of the Montgomery County Convention Facilities Authority. “This $45 million investment positions the (convention center) to be in a highly competitive position in the marketplace.”

• Future plans: The center is working to bring in a food and beverage business, and the Convention Facilities Authority is exploring possibly expanding the convention center upwards sometime down the line.

What to know today

• One big takeaway: Local agencies that have helped resettle hundreds of refugees in the Dayton region in recent years say an executive order halting U.S. refugee programs could hinder their efforts to reunite families.

• Tip of the day: How to preserve your bone health with exercise and healthy eating.

• Big move of the day: Ohio’s government announced more than $5 million in grants this week to fund efforts to help companies find and retain good workers.

• Dayton eats: The Butter Café, near the University of Dayton, is hosting a community “pay what you can” meal every Sunday in February.

• Quote of the day: “Development is key, and we won’t ever get away from that. But it’s sure a lot more fun when you’re winning.” - Vince Harrison Jr., Dayton Dragons manager, on his outlook for the 2025 season.

• Happening today: Jubie’s Creamery is celebrating Ice Cream for Breakfast Day this morning by opening its Fairborn and Troy stores before regular operating hours.

• Things to do: Ohayocon has stood as one of the state’s largest anime conventions since its creation in 2001. This weekend, the event turns 25 and will take place in a new location — the Dayton Convention Center.

• Dayton history: The Boonshoft Museum of Discovery can trace its roots back to 1893.

• Photo of the day: Here’s a look at construction progress of the Dayton Arcade’s North Arcade in downtown Dayton. The North Arcade includes the Third Street and Gibbons Buildings, a second phase of development that will include a marketplace retail environment and a 93-room Hilton Garden Inn, projected to open in the first quarter of this year.