Good morning, Montgomery County. A startling statistic emerges from our community: Dayton now leads the nation with a 5% vacant home rate, the highest among major U.S. metropolitan areas. Despite a generally strong real estate market, these empty properties have increased over 4% from pre-pandemic levels, creating ripple effects across neighborhoods where deferred maintenance and outdated features deter potential buyers unwilling to invest beyond already premium prices.
Meanwhile, Dayton's skies are increasingly patrolled from above, with police drone deployments soaring to 370 last year—a dramatic jump from just 11 in 2023. The department now operates 16 drones for everything from SWAT operations to crowd monitoring, while also upgrading downtown security cameras. This technological expansion comes as authorities respond to immediate safety concerns, including Sunday's reported Easter stabbing at an apartment complex on Scranton Street, where an investigation remains ongoing.
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70%
☕️ What's Brewing Locally
🏚️ Dayton's vacant homes crisis tops the nation at 5%. Despite a strong real estate market and rising home prices, the Ohio city has seen the highest vacancy rate in the U.S. at the end of 2024. Vacant properties increased by over 4% from pre-pandemic levels, the largest jump among 75 major metropolitan areas analyzed. Experts point to deferred maintenance and outdated features as key factors deterring potential buyers, who are reluctant to pay premium prices for homes requiring substantial additional investment. These empty properties threaten community stability by lowering property values and potentially increasing crime rates.
🚁 Dayton police drone use skyrocketed to 370 deployments last year. The department expanded its aerial surveillance capabilities with 16 drones supporting SWAT operations, searches, and crowd control—a dramatic increase from just 11 deployments in 2023. Downtown security cameras also received an upgrade, with 17 new cameras replacing aging equipment and three additional units installed. After discontinuing the Fusus program that allowed access to private security cameras, police transitioned to a comparable system through Flock, the company that already provides the city's license plate readers. Officials maintain these technological advances help protect public safety while ensuring accountability.
🔪 Dayton police rush to apartment complex after reported Easter Sunday stabbing. Officers and medics responded to the 500 block of Scranton Street around 1:47 p.m. following dispatch reports that a male was being stabbed. Details remain limited, with no confirmation of injuries or arrests at this time. The Montgomery County dispatch supervisor confirmed the investigation is ongoing, though additional information was not immediately available.
⚾ Baseball Scoreboard
The Vikings sailed past the Warriors 8-4 in Saturday's non-league showdown, leaving Lebanon to wonder what happened to their usual firepower. Miamisburg (5-7) heads to a rematch with Springboro next, while Lebanon (6-2) looks to bounce back against West Clermont on the horizon. Sometimes even Warriors need to retreat and regroup.
| Team | Opponent | Score |
|---|---|---|
Miamisburg (5-7) | ||
@ Lebanon | W 8-4 | |
Oakwood (9-2-1) | ||
@ Edgewood | W 8-5 |
🥎 Softball Scoreboard
Cedarville Indians showed no mercy to the Oakwood Lumberjacks, cruising to a commanding 15-3 victory in Saturday's non-league softball matchup. The win bumps Cedarville to 8-6 on the season, while the struggling Lumberjacks fall to 4-9 and will need to regroup before hosting Eaton next week.
| Team | Opponent | Score |
|---|---|---|
Chaminade Julienne Catholic (8-7) | ||
vs Northridge | W 19-7 | |
vs Northridge | W 20-0 | |
Centerville (4-5) | ||
@ Lancaster | L 7-2 | |
Oakwood (4-9) | ||
vs Cedarville | L 13-5 | |
vs Cedarville | L 15-3 |
🏡 Real Estate Reveals
Snazzy budget-friendly three-bedroom home: Home sweet home at $169,999: This charming 3-bedroom features fresh paint, updated kitchen with stainless appliances, modern bathroom, walk-in closet, and low-maintenance yard with 1-car garage.
Spacious ranch basement and deck: This $289,000 ranch home features three bedrooms and two full bathrooms on the first level, with an attached garage, full unfinished basement, and a nice deck off the breakfast area.
Pool paradise near downtown Dayton: Priced at $235,000, this 3-bedroom home offers a private pool oasis with recent updates, while remaining just a short drive from Downtown Dayton's arts, entertainment, and culinary scene.
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