U.S. Sen. Bernie Moreno displays renderings of features of the proposed U.S. Space Academy that Ohio leaders are hoping the Trump administration establishes at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base. The proposal was announced during the Ohio Defense and Aerospace Forum on Monday, Sept. 21 at Wright State University, which would be connected to the Space Academy.
Staff writer Greg Lynch here, bringing you the website version of our Morning Briefing newsletter, packed with all the important local news you need to start your day, from our hardworking news team. We send this to readers that have signed up for it every morning, including on weekends. Would you like to have my Morning Briefing newsletter sent to your inbox every morning? It is completely free, and you can click here to sign-up.
Thank goodness we are having a dry morning. The rain over the last couple of days caused all sorts of flooding issues around the region.
Now that we have our umbrellas put away, let’s get to today’s news.
🚀 Space Academy: The crucial next steps in securing the new U.S. Space Academy at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base could happen in the next three to five weeks.
Forum held: A consortium of state and federal government and business leaders held an Ohio Defense and Aerospace Forum Monday at Wright State to unveil their proposal for the Space Academy.
The objective: To create an “elite military academy” that would train cadets to serve in the nation’s newest military branch, the U.S. Space Force. At full capacity, the academy would educate some 5,000 students.
The vision: Officials want to place the $300 million academy on Area B, in close proximity to the Air Force Research Laboratory and the 711th Human Performance Wing, two missions that have (with their predecessors) been involved in the training of astronauts.
What they are saying: “I think the only place that Space Academy belongs is Dayton, Ohio, and Wright-Patterson Air Force Base,” U.S. Sen. Bernie Moreno (R-Ohio) said in an exclusive interview with the Dayton Daily News. “I met with the president twice about this in the Oval, so we’re very confident.”
Photos: Proposal for Space Academy at Wright-Patt announced at aerospace, defense forum.
Related: Part of WPAFB could be renamed after Trump: 7 things to know about proposed Space Academy.
⚖️ Caleb Flynn trial: The second day of testimony in the murder trial for Caleb Flynn, a Tipp City man accused of fatally shooting his wife and staging the scene to look like a home invasion, included testimony from several witnesses.
Caleb Flynn, in court the morning of September 21, 2026 (photo: Court TV via YouTube)
Admonishment from judge: The day started with Judge Jeannine Pratt telling those in the courtroom to refrain from talking or getting up until court is adjourned. There was an issue on Friday, when she was trying to give the jury instructions before breaking for the weekend.
Ohio BCI agent: Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation agent David Hammond was the first witness Monday. When asked about the possibility that someone had broken into the house, he said there was no evidence the door had been forced open or kicked open and that compared to other burglaries he’s investigated, the damage was not consistent. “My conclusion was this was a homicide staged to look like a burglary,” he said.
Caleb Flynn’s emotions: When crime scene photos of Ashley Flynn were shown on screens in the courtroom, Flynn mostly kept his eyes forward, but he also cried at times, dabbing his eyes.
Tipp City detective: Detective Adam Bernard of the Tipp City Police Department took the stand following an afternoon break. He testified that he went to nine houses to canvass neighbors and said he learned nothing relevant to the investigation. He also was among a group who searched a park, bike path and a wooded area but nothing was found in their search for a gun.
Continuing coverage: The Dayton Daily News will have a reporter in the courtroom each day of the trial for regular updates of key testimony and events, gavel to gavel. Follow our coverage at DaytonDailyNews.com.
🗞️MORE LOCAL NEWS
• The University of Dayton plans to use a $1.4 million grant from the Gates Foundation to build AI tools as a way of improving local public schools.
• LifeCare Alliance, which recently took over the Meals on Wheels contract for Montgomery, Miami, Greene and Darke counties, is now delivering hot meals to its members.
• New Lebanon Village Council was unable to fill a vacant seat after four rounds of voting ended without any of the five applicants receiving the required majority.
🛍️LIFE
• For more than five decades, the Dayton Art Institute’s annual, weekend-long Oktoberfest event has been a pinnacle fall celebration in the region.
The Dayton Art Institute will host its annual Oktoberfest celebration on the museum grounds from Friday, Sept. 25, through Sunday, Sept. 27.
• Review: Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse and Wine Bar shows how a steak should be prepared.
• Four Winds Indigenous Fashion Show will return for a second year of showcasing the culture, fashion, flavor and heritage of the Native American community on Friday, Nov. 6 at the Dayton Arcade.
đźš“CRIME & PUBLIC SAFETY
• Several students on a bus to Weisenborn Jr. High School were not hurt after another car collided with the bus taking them to school, Monday.
• Police detained two people in connection to a deadly shooting that killed one and injured a second person in Riverside on Sunday evening, Sept. 20.
• A man who was shot by a Dayton police officer after he reportedly fled from a crash will not serve time in prison.
🏅SPORTS
• The Wright State Raiders will start the 2026-27 basketball season against Air Force on Nov. 2, in the second edition of the Stars, Stripes and Flight Classic.
• Ask Hal: Who hit the longest home run in the StatCast era?
• We’ve opened the voting for our Dayton Daily News Athlete of the Week contest. Vote here.
🗺️NATION & WORLD
• CNN, MS NOW and Politico on Monday sued President Donald Trump’s administration after they were barred from covering the White House, saying the selective ban was “a blatant violation” of the First Amendment.
• Hundreds of flights have been canceled in the U.S. Northeast due to technical problems at a key regional air traffic control center.
• The operator of 314 Wendy’s locations in the U.S., including some in Ohio, has filed for bankruptcy protection.
Have a great rest of your Tuesday!
-Staff Writer – Greg Lynch