What Had Happened Was: A podcast for Dayton

It is only February, but boy has 2021 been a year.  Dayton Daily News crime reporter Parker Perry and investigative reporter Josh Sweigart break down the Miami Valley's connections to the Capitol invasion with “What Had Happened Was" host Amelia Robinson.  Bar co-owner Jessica Watkins and her friend Donovan Crowl, both Champaign County residents, face federal conspiracy and other charges for allegedly working with an Oath Keepers member and others to storm the Capitol on Jan. 6.  Sweigart and Parker explain what they've learned about the pair, their alleged motives, the charges they face and the possible defense strategies.  Were Crowl and Watkins in Washington that day to help as has been claimed?  What may have inspired them? What do Ohio militia members have to say and why do experts consider them a growing threat in this state and beyond? Subscribe to the Dayton Daily News to support local journalism.  ABOUT THE PODCAST “What Had Happened Was” is a podcast for Dayton, powered by Dayton.com. You won't believe the stories that come from right here. Host Amelia Robinson shares the best tales from the Gem City, Land of Funk and Birthplace of Aviation: Dayton, Ohio. This podcast is brought to you by CoxNext WHERE TO LISTEN & SUBSCRIBE Listen to each show below or get the latest episodes delivered directly to you. Find the What Had Happened Was podcast and subscribe on Apple Podcast (iTunes), Google Play, Stitcher and other services. If you like what you hear, rate this podcast.

Are they safe and how do we know? Are they effective? When will you be able to get it? What Had Happened Was host Amelia Robinson asked a panel of local health and vaccine experts reader questions as part of Dayton Daily News Community Conversations: What You Need to Know About the Vaccines?" She was joined by Jim Bebbington, the newspaper's editor-in-chief, and vaccine reporter Jordan Laird. Panelists were: Dr. Mamle Anim, chief medical officer for Five Rivers Health Centers. Sheryl Harris Wynn, Greene County Public Health accreditation coordinator, planning chief for the pandemic response and vaccination planning team leader. Dr. Robert W. Frenck Jr., professor of pediatrics at Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, director of the Gamble Center for Vaccine Research and the immunization program medical director of the Ohio Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics. Vicky Knisley-Henry, a health educator for Miami County Public Health. Dr. Thomas Hirt, PriMED Centerville Family Practice physician.

The players have changed, but the murder and mystery sounds the same.  “What Had Happened Was” podcast host Amelia Robinson chatted with Woodland Cemetery's Angie Hoschouer about three of the most shocking cases in Dayton's history. All are new to the cemetery's History, Mystery, Murder and Mayhem Tour. Due to the coronavirus pandemic, the tours are only virtual or self-guided this year.  Angie explains the fate of Mary “Mamie” Hagerty who was gunned down by a jealous yal Albert “Roy” Fowler on Harshman Street, 10-year-old Eliza "Leila" Mead of the famous Mead family, who died after being fed only water and beef tea, and Officer Thomas J. McFadden, a Civil War veteran killed during a bayonet shootout at a Louisville house party.  In addition to all that, Angie explains the evidence of the Spanish Flu's famous curve and what it can teach us about today.  Find our more about the History, Mystery, Murder and Mayhem Tour at https://woodlandcemetery.org.    

It is one thing to talk about a cause. It's is another to starve yourself for it. For the latest “What Had Happened Was” podcast episode, Dayton native Tony Hall, a former U.S. Congressman and the United States Ambassador to the United Nations Agencies for Food and Agriculture, spoke to Amelia Robinson about his hunger strike and ongoing work to end hunger worldwide. The three-time Nobel Peace Prize nominee also told stories about his father, former Dayton Mayor Dave Hall, football, the hate he received after asking Congress to apologize for slavery, Mother Teresa, praying with a Republican, the need for unity and the toxic political climate. ABOUT THE PODCAST “What Had Happened Was” is a podcast for Dayton, powered by Dayton.com. You won't believe the stories that come from right here. Host Amelia Robinson shares the best tales from the Gem City, Land of Funk and Birthplace of Aviation: Dayton, Ohio. This podcast is brought to you by CoxNext WHERE TO LISTEN & SUBSCRIBE Listen to each show below or get the latest episodes delivered directly to you. Find the What Had Happened Was podcast and subscribe on Apple Podcast (iTunes), Google Play, Stitcher and other services. If you like what you hear, rate this podcast.

When life is your stage you will find a way to perform.   Actress Felicia Chappelle chatted with “What Had Happened Was” host Amelia Robinson about her brother Dave Chappelle and what his local comedy shows have meant, growing up in Yellow Springs and DC, art, Prince nesting dolls, never being spanked, travel and her new podcast Faces on the Train. Follow her on Instagram: @womenworkwonders.

Grief does not care if you wear a badge. In the season kickoff of the "What Had Happened Was" podcast, Amelia Robinson chatted with Richard S. Biehl, the chief of Dayton’s police department.   Among other things, they discussed the grief that brought the community together after the Oregon District mass shooting, why “why” is so important to so many, what yoga did for his deep depression, the link between the 2001 Cincinnati riots and protests in Dayton following the death of George Floyd, police reform and  the impact his former interracial relationship had on his career.  The 'What Had Happened Was' podcast is a project of Dayton.com sponsored Dayton Daily News.

Times they are a-changin’. “What Had Happened Was” podcast host Amelia Robinson sat down virtually with Dayton Daily News reporters Sarah Franks and Cory Frolik. As part of this episode, they dive into what happened during protests in Dayton sparked by the slaying of George Floyd by Minneapolis police. The three discuss what they heard, saw and felt on the frontline of the protests and what it might mean to police reform in Dayton. This episode contains audio recorded during Dayton protests that may not be appropriate for all audiences.

Times they are a-changin’. “What Had Happened Was” podcast host Amelia Robinson sat down virtually with Dayton Daily News reporters Sarah Franks and Cory Frolik. As part of this episode, they dive into what happened during protests in Dayton sparked by the slaying of George Floyd by Minneapolis police. The three discuss what they heard, saw and felt on the frontline of the protests and what it might mean to police reform in Dayton. This episode contains audio recorded during Dayton protests that may not be appropriate for all audiences.

Some conversations must be had even if they are uncomfortable. What Had Happened Was podcast host Amelia Robinson moderated the first of Dayton Daily News Courageous Conversations: Relations Between Dayton’s Black Community and Police. The virtual town hall meeting came in the wake of protests here and around the nation following the May 25 police killing of George Floyd, a black man, in Minneapolis. Panelists included: • Dayton Police Chief Richard Biehl • Shenise Turner Sloss of Neighborhoods Over Politics, a training and advocacy organization • Rev. Joshua Ward, Omega Baptist Church • Lawrence Burnley, University of Dayton’s vice president for diversity and inclusion • Springboro Police Chief Jeff Kruithoff • Dayton City Commissioner Jeff Mims • Dayton born activist Zakiya Sankara-Jabar of Brightbeam, a nonprofit network of education activists •Marc DeWitt, Sinclair Community College and Community Police Council >> MORE: https://www.daytondailynews.com/news/local-govt--politics/panel-police-relation-problems-reflect-larger-issues/HoeX4vMBpwCiqDDZaOQC1L/

A Skyhawk helped develop the national strategy credited with slowing the spread of coronavirus. Dr. Rajeev Venkayya, a 1985 Fairborn High School grad, was the director for biodefense under President George W. Bush. He helped lead a team of doctors and researchers that developed the pandemic response policy that has Americans practicing social distancing today. Venkayya, the principal author of the National Strategy for Pandemic Influenza, discussed the coronavirus pandemic and the extreme action taken to slow it with “What Had Happened Was” host Amelia Robinson. “The types of things that are being done now are very similar to what we envisioned in 2007, but they go much further than we expected at the time. We did envision at the time that we would have a situation in which everybody in a community was being encouraged to just stay at home. Everybody,” he said. Now the president of the global vaccine business unit for the Japan-based pharmaceutical company Takeda, the physician is championing a global cause that may see plasma used to save the lives of people battling the coronavirus. More information can be found at CoVIg-19PlasmaAlliance.org.

Laura Bischoff, the Dayton Daily News’ award-winning Statehouse reporter, has been to nearly every press conference given by Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine, Ohio Health Director Dr. Amy Acton and Lt. Gov. Jon Husted concerning the coronavirus pandemic. In this special episode of the What Had Happened Was podcast, she explains how the governor plans to reopen the state and how he doesn’t, coronavirus testing, why more Ohioans are at high risk than you may think and why she was booed in the press room.

“The 56-year-old woman” who died of coronavirus in Springfield on April 8 was more than that description expresses. She was Angela Faith White, the woman who loved Sara White and her sisters like no one else could. In this special episode of the What Had Happened Was podcast, Sara White, a 31-year-old Miami Twp. resident, explains how the virus that’s causing havoc around the globe ravaged her mother’s body right here in the Miami Valley. Sara explains why warnings about the virus should not be taken lightly and why her mother was one of the most unlikely people to contract COVID-19. Read article Amelia Robinson wrote about Sara White's experience: https://www.dayton.com/news/this-virus-monster-miami-twp-woman-mom-devastating-death-from-coronavirus/SeXG4pXaUif0RGDCUzsTPM/ Find out more about Sara White Leukemia & Lymphoma Society fundraiser: https://pages.lls.org/mwoy/soh/dayton20/swhite

You may not recognize the name, but a ‘Spanish Lady” killed more than 50 million people in 1918 and 1919. An estimated 500 to 675 of those people lived in or near the Gem City. Dayton Daily News and Dayton.com photographer and reporter Lisa Powell with the help of colleague Laura Bishoff and local historians uncovered a little known story of how the Spanish Flu shut down Dayton. In this special episode, Lisa and “What Had Happened Was” host Amelia Robinson dish about the Grim Reaper, pestilent houses, the Vicks Vapor Rub shortage, the media blackout and why one solider probably had his fill of cold, soft boiled eggs. Spanish flu has been compared to the coronavirus pandemic. More on Dayton during the Spanish Flu: *** Coronavirus: Social distancing a lesson learned from Spanish flu pandemic https://www.daytondailynews.com/news/local/coronavirus-social-distancing-lesson-learned-from-spanish-flu-pandemic/L5NM4pYQnrBCdECy9soNZL/ *** Photos: Newspaper articles offer glimpse at Dayton history during the 1918 Spanish flu https://www.daytondailynews.com/news/local/images-newspaper-articles-offer-glimpse-dayton-history-during-the-1918-spanish-flu/fJMbJhUZGBgzcN0JGGsF2O/ *** Archdeacon: When sports is no longer a diversion https://www.daytondailynews.com/sports/archdeacon-when-sports-longer-diversion/WFkFVmko8wIrDCCeF9wxwM/

Don’t believe in the power of people? You will after listening to “What Had Happened Was” podcast host Amelia Robinson’s chat with Dayton social healer, community activist and sociologist Amaha Sellassie of Sinclair Community College. The pair recorded this episode long before the coronavirus crisis drove people into their homes and threatened our very society, but it is a message that the community needs now. Amelia and Amaha, a leading force behind the Gem City Market, the West Dayton Strong campaign and other community initiatives, talk about strength that helped Dayton through the tragedies of 2019 - the tornadoes, the mass shooting, the KKK rally, etc. - and which will surely be needed in the coming days. Amaha explains the Above Ground Railroad, redlining impact on this city and why he believes in the power of people even when times are tough.

These are scary and unprecedented times, but knowledge is still power. In this special episode of the “What Had Happened Was” podcast, host Amelia Robinson chats with Dr. Randy Marriott, an ER physician and EMS Center of Excellence medical director for Premier Health, which includes Miami Valley Hospital. Dr. Marriott answers your questions about COVID-19, also known as coronavirus, and gives an update on what’s going on in the ER right now. He explains how you can help doctors, nurses and other staff members before the crisis intensifies. Marriott explains the gag-worthy reasons administering the coronavirus test is a risk to healthcare workers and why it is a test you don't want to take unless you absolutely have to. The doctor explains when you should go to the ER and why you should stay away if at all possible and why groups of 10, or more might be one too many. Amelia asks Marriott about gloves, masks and if you can give the coronavirus to your dog.

Put plainly, Jean Johnson doesn’t remember her daughter is her “daughter.”  Deb Wiltshire certainly remembers all the love her mom gave her before  Alzheimer’s Disease assaulted her mind.  As coronavirus cases began to grow in the state, Ohio Governor Mike DeWine closed schools, prohibited mass gatherings of more than 100, and banned visitors at nursing homes and state psychiatric hospitals. Deb hasn't seen Jean since. She is among the thousands upon thousands of family member cut off from relatives now in nursing home. "What Had Happened Was" host Amelia Robinson chatted with Deb about Jean for this special episode. Find Amelia's article about Deb and other family members in her same situation on Dayton.com at http://bit.ly/DaytoncomforJean.

In this special episode, "Dayton Daily News" statehouse reporter Laura Bischoff explains the unprecedented steps Ohio Governor Mike DeWine just took due to the nation's coronavirus emergency. She and "What Had Happened Was" host Amelia Robinson discuss the closing of bars and restaurants, reasons behind the governor's actions and when students can expect to be back in school. Watch for additional updates on this crisis.

As the lyrics go, “breaking up is hard to do.” That’s as true with newsrooms as it is with relationships. Thankfully, not all breakups leave you sobbing in the corner with a Teddy bear. “What Had Happened Was” podcast host Amelia Robinson sat down with Jana Collier, the freshly minted publisher of a newspaper and website group that includes Dayton.com, Dayton Daily News, the Springfield News Sun and the Journal News. They talk about the shocking twists and turns that preceded the newspaper’s split from WHIO Radio, WHIO-TV and the rest of Cox Media Group. In this episode, the pair talk about the future of the Dayton Daily News now that it is back in the hands of the Cox family, journalism, Jana’s not-so-secret secret obsession and pop-star dreams, why Daytonians really ought to love Dayton and telling the community’s stories through a year that saw the Klan, a mass shooting and 15 tornadoes come to the region. The What Had Happened Was podcast is a product of Dayton.com recorded and edited in the DATV studios.

As Executive Director Michael Roediger and Eric Brockman, the museums communications manager, explain, women with baller moves gave birth to the 100-year-old beauty at 456 Belmonte Park N. The men tell “What Had Happened Was” host Amelia Robinson about the socialite who dropped a cool $2 million for the museum’s current building, the director who secured the Monet, the origins of DAI’s Art Ball and Oktoberfest, inclusion and the museum’s next 100 years.

Megan Stalter is not a nurse. This is probably a good thing given she doesn’t like the sight of blood and a series of chiropractor videos gave her wicked nightmares. The proud Daytonian, a Wayne High grad, told “What Had Happened Was” host Amelia Robinson how she studied everything from nursing to teaching before deciding to pursue her real dream: comedy. Megan, a “National Lampoon Radio Hour” podcast cast member, wants to do it all. Others comedians on the sketch comedy podcast include Cole Escola, Jo Firestone,  Brett Davis , Alex English, Maeve Higgins and  guest stars Rachel Dratch, Amy Sedaris, Chris Gethard, Julie Klausner and Jordan Klepper.Megan Megan and Amelia about Pee-Wee Herman, Megan basically being ejected from a Dayton improv class, the woes of the Interwebs and why Megan says she lives in a sitcom. What Had Happened Was” is a podcast for Dayton, powered by Dayton.com and recorded in the WHIO Radio studios. You won't believe the stories that come from right here. Host Amelia Robinson shares the best tales from the Gem City, Land of Funk and Birthplace of Aviation: Dayton, Ohio. This podcast is brought to you by Cox Digital Marketing and is sponsored by Premier Health.

All hell had just broken loose the last time McCall Vrydaghs appeared on the “What Had Happened Was” podcast with Amelia Robinson. This time around, McCall, WHIO’s chief meteorologist, and Kirstie Zontini, her co-host on the “Cloudy with the Chance of Podcast,” join Amelia for a crossover episode that could raise the barometric pressure. They touch on everything from a baby chef who wants what she wants, weather women power and badass tattoos. These weather warriors were even able to explain the difference between "weather" and "climate" in a way that Amelia, a bonafide math-phobic word gal, could understand. They chat about the year that was and its impact on Dayton’s future. Listen to the latest episode of Cloudy with a Chance of Podcast for the first part of McCall and Kirstie’s chat with Amelia: https://cmg-newspaper.streamguys1.com/Dayton/20200102095746-WhathadHappened.mp3 “What Had Happened Was” is a podcast for Dayton, powered by Dayton.com and recorded in the WHIO Radio studios. You won't believe the stories that come from right here. Host Amelia Robinson shares the best tales from the Gem City, Land of Funk and Birthplace of Aviation: Dayton, Ohio. This podcast is brought to you by Cox Digital Marketing and is sponsored by Premier Health.

Dayton was hit square in the jaw over and over again in 2019, but no matter how hard the blow, the Gem City stood up together. Community members share stories of struggle, survival and strength in this special episode of the “What Had Happened Was" podcast. Dayton-area residents were invited to the Dayton Metro Library a few weeks ago to tell stories related to the terrifying Memorial Day tornadoes, Oregon District mass shooting and community unifying events that include a KKK rally. They told podcast host Amelia Robinson and Dayton Daily News reporter Cornelius Frolik tales of courage, generosity and personal pain. Participants range from a video game obsessed pre-teen who lost everything in the tornadoes to a football coach who rushed to pick his son up from the Oregon District after nine people were murdered. This episode is part of the Dayton Strong Storytelling Sessions. Additional stories will be shared as part of a WHIO-TV special. Link to story about Latesa Williamson's youth poetry program: http://bit.ly/33kqotW

This is second episode of a two part series about Dayton's strength. The Gem City was hit square in the jaw over and over again in 2019, but no matter how hard the blow, the Gem City stood up together. Community members share stories of struggle, survival and strength in this special episode of the “What Had Happened Was" podcast. Dayton-area residents were invited to the Dayton Metro Library a few weeks ago to tell stories related to the terrifying Memorial Day tornadoes, Oregon District mass shooting and community unifying events that include a KKK rally. They told podcast host Amelia Robinson and Dayton Daily News reporter Cornelius Frolik tales of courage, generosity and personal pain. Participants range from a video game obsessed pre-teen who lost everything in the tornadoes to a football coach who rushed to pick his son up from the Oregon District after nine people were murdered. This episode is part of the Dayton Strong Storytelling Sessions. Additional stories will be shared as part of a WHIO-TV special.

Trespassing and damaging property are crimes, but the punishment is rarely death. “What Had Happened Was” host Amelia Robinson and Dayton Daily News reporter Cornelius Frolik dive deep into one of the most controversial Dayton cases of 2019. Property owner Victor Santana was just indicted on murder charges for allegedly fatally shooting Javier Harrison and Devin Henderson in their backs on Aug. 28. Prosecutors say the 17 year olds and a friend were smoking marijuana in Santana’s detached garage before shots rang out. The case is expected to be the first local test of Ohio new self-defense law. During this episode, Cory, a Pittsburgh native, also explains why he loves the Gem City and covering city hall. He and Amelia discuss the rigors of sharing stories about the tornadoes, Oregon District shooting and the community’s grit. The What Had Happened Was podcast is sponsored by Premier health and recorded in the WHIO Radio studios.

Dion Green knows far too personally how hurtful 2019 has been to Dayton. The Northridge resident’s house was hit hard by the worst of the 15 Memorial Day tornadoes that rocked the Dayton area. Weeks later, Dion and his family took an even deeper blow when what started as a beautiful night in the Oregon District turned into a nightmare. Dion’s dad and right-hand man Derrick Fudge died in his arms in the heart of Dayton on Aug. 4. The massacre that claimed nine lives was the worst mass shooting in Ohio’s history. It and the tornado are among a string or traumas to hit the Dayton area, including the recent killing of Dayton police Det. Jorge Del Rio. Dion and “What Had Happened Was” host Amelia Robinson talk about the impact the tragedies have had, but this episode is also about hope. Dion shares the adversities he has faced, the forgiveness he’s extended and the faith that has helped him through a very dark year. The What Had Happened Was podcast is sponsored by Premier health and recorded in the WHIO Radio studios.

The twist and turns of Brooke Skylar Richardson’s trial are explored in this bonus episode of the "What Had Happened Was" podcast. Lauren Pack has covered some of the most talked about court cases in the Miami Valley. One of the biggest was that of former cheerleader Brooke Skylar Richardson. Richardson was on trial on charges she murdered her infant daughter after concealing her pregnancy and the child’s birth and death. This special episode was produced by WHIO Radio’s Jeremy Ratliff and features journalists Lauren Pack, Jim Bebbington and Kyle Nagel.

Nylons aren’t just nylons. No sir. No ma’am. In the proper hands and when placed over a camera lens, they can transport an audience back to old Hollywood. At least that's what Ms. Demure hopes you think. What Had Happened Was host Amelia Robinson chats with Miss Demure, the outrageously unique and totally sincere host of DATV’s “Harper’s Bazzaroworld presents The Ms.Demure Show.” They dish about Pride, dating and not dating, forgiveness, acceptance, old Hollywood, the Legendary Misty Knight and Tina Hightower. Hightower is set to receive the first-ever Legendary Misty Knight Legacy Award at 7 p.m. Friday, Nov. 8. The What Had Happened Was podcast is sponsored by Premier Health and recorded in the WHIO Radio studios.

As the old saying goes, everyone has a story. Some of those stories just happen to involve MURDER. Angie Hoschouer of Woodland Cemetery and Arboretum returns to the “What Had Happened Was” podcast to share shocking tales of Dayton murders pulled right from the Gem City’s distant past. Angie shares the tragic story behind the "Bessie Little Bridge," a mother murderer that ended up in a place worse than jail and the mom who gave her daughter one fatal whack and didn't live to tell about it. But this episode is not all about creeps, ghosts and supposed ghouls. Angie tells America about famed former slave Jordan Anderson and how he left a legacy of defiance with the help of one of Dayton’s most well-known citizens.

He is Dayton’s other Dave (the other one is Chappelle), and you’ve probably seen his truck. “What Had Happened Was” host Amelia Robinson sat down with David Hurwitz, the dude wearing overalls behind the over-the-top book truck often parked near Blind Bob's or elsewhere in Dayton’s Oregon District. The community activist, artist and retired educator is a key organizer of the Dayton Dia de Los Muertos (Day of the Dead) celebration and Deeds Park Dog Park, among other things.. This one-of-a-kind spirit is one of Amelia’s favorite Daytonians and is full of surprises, as you are about to find out. They chat about Dave’s country "Jew upbringing" (one of his favorite terms), how he went to the love of his life’s wedding… as a guest, his passion for overalls, Shamalama Dingdong and his eccentric squad of do-gooder friends. "The What Had Happened" podcast is a project of Dayton.com and WHIO Radio.

Few people would blame Mike Turner if his heart were full of rage. His only child - his best friend in the entire world - was gunned down during the Dayton mass shooting. In the days since, Mike has been angry, but he refuses to let hate rule the day. Instead Mike is spreading a message of love and conversation. Through #Loganhugs, the retired car salesman with a big heart hopes to remind people that tomorrow is not promised and love and a simple hug are very powerful things. Mike explains why he leaves messages on napkins in restaurants and why he hugged hundreds of people at the recent Gem City Shine concert hosted by comedian Dave Chappelle. Mike and What Had Happened Was host Amelia Robinson talk about Logan and the legacy he has left behind. Cox Media Group Ohio, including WHIO, Dayton Daily News and Dayton.com, has partnered with the Dayton Foundation in the Dayton Oregon District Tragedy Fund. The fund allows individuals to make charitable contributions to help the families directly affected by this terrible tragedy. For more information about the Dayton Foundation, go to DaytonFoundation.org. To make a $10 donation, text “Dayton” to 20222. Information about the Dayton Foundation’s Tornado Relief Fund can also be found on daytonfoundation.org) and The Foodbank (thefoodbankdayton.org).

Somehow saying 2019 has been a hell of a year in Dayton is an understatement. There was a water crisis, an FBI investigation and then a Klan rally followed days later by 15 tornadoes. As the city climbed back to its feet, it was punched in the gut by extreme trauma when a 24-year-old opened fire in the Oregon District, killing nine and causing more than 30 others to be injured. The city’s strength has been tested, but as Dayton Mayor Nan tells What Had Happened Was host Amelia Robinson, the Gem City is far from broken. They talk about the tragedies, the community’s spirit, Dave Chappelle, gun control, national news, why a Hoosier became a Buckeye and what Nan has in store next. The episode was recorded the day after Chappelle hosted the Gem City Shine block party in the Oregon District and brought in Chance the Rapper, Kanye West, Jon Stewart and other celebrities. Cox Media Group Ohio, including WHIO, Dayton Daily News and Dayton.com, has partnered with the Dayton Foundation in the Dayton Oregon District Tragedy Fund. The fund allows individuals to make charitable contributions to help the families directly affected by this terrible tragedy. For more information about the Dayton Foundation, go to DaytonFoundation.org. To make a $10 donation, text “Dayton” to 20222. Information about the Dayton Foundation’s Tornado Relief Fund can also be found on daytonfoundation.org) and The Foodbank (thefoodbankdayton.org).

Culture in the Gem City is changing and Steve Bognar and Julia Reichert are documenting it on film. The region’s most acclaimed filmmakers will host the theatrical premiere of their latest work “American Factory” at the Victoria Theatre. Before that, they sat down for a chat with “What Had Happened Was” host Amelia Robinson. Julia and Steve, both groundbreaking artists in their own right, discuss American Factory, the Obamas, being wined and dined by Netflix, what brought them together as filmmakers and life partners and their very different upbringings. The public is invited to a free screening of Steve Bognar and Julia Reichert’s “American Factory” at 7 p.m. Monday, Aug. 19 at the Victoria Theatre, 138 N. Main St. in downtown Dayton. Visit www.gofobo.com/AmericanFactoryGA for tickets. Indiewire.com called “American Factory” “an eye-popping look at the differences between American and Chinese workers” and a top contender for a 2020 Oscar. The award-winning film follows the creation of the Chinese-owned automotive glass-factory in the same building that had once housed a General Motors assembly operation in Moraine. Steve and Julia, a Yellow Springs couple together more than 30 years, received an Academy Award nomination in the “Best Documentary (short subject)” category for their 2009 HBO film “The Last Truck” about the closing of that very same GM plant in Moraine. Cox Media Group Ohio, including WHIO, Dayton Daily News and Dayton.com, has partnered with the Dayton Foundation in the Dayton Oregon District Tragedy Fund. The fund allows individuals to make charitable contributions to help the families directly affected by this terrible tragedy. For more information about the Dayton Foundation, go to DaytonFoundation.org.

The loud pops and bangs that filled the air in Dayton’s Oregon District early Sunday, Aug. 4 were sadly not made by fireworks. It was the sound of Dayton joining the sisterhood of cities rocked by mass shootings. A 24-year-old man with a semi-automatic pistol that police say was modified to act like a rifle, murdered nine people enjoying what was a beautiful night out on the town. What Had Happened Was host Amelia Robinson and her husband Anthony Shoemaker heard the gun blast from their home and were among the first journalists on the shocking scene. WHIO TV reporters Molly Koweek and Monica Castro rushed to the entertainment district known for its independent restaurants, bars and shops. They were able to get some of the first reports and have continue to cover the horrific crime. Amelia talks to Molly and Monica, who despite being just a few years into their news careers, have covered mass shootings in the past. NOTE: This episode includes first person accounts. Cox Media Group Ohio, including WHIO, Dayton Daily News and Dayton.com, has partnered with the Dayton Foundation in the Dayton Oregon District Tragedy Fund. The fund allows individuals to make charitable contributions to help the families directly affected by this terrible tragedy. For more information about the Dayton Foundation, go to DaytonFoundation.org.

Keith Harrison knows more than most about "riding high" and having to "let it whip." The Grammy Award-winning artist tells “What Had Happened Was” host Amelia Robinson about his life as a member of the funk bands Faze-O, Dazz Band and Heatwave. The Jefferson High School grad breaks down how much money he never earned from the hit song “Riding High,” and where he thinks all those millions went. Keith says he’s experienced band infighting, jealousy and a whole lot of fun during his long career in the music industry. Keith describes being dazzled by Clarence "Satch" Satchell from the Ohio Players and his fish bowl table and explains why he used cocaine, heroin and nearly every other drug in the book before giving it all up. He won a Best R&B Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocal Grammy Award with the Dazz Band for 1982’s "Let It Whip” and penned “Let It All Blow.” Keith will play at the Levitt Pavilion at Dave Hall Plaza in downtown Dayton 7 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 3. The concert follows a festival celebrating The Dayton Sister Cities Committee’s 50th anniversary with Oiso, Japan. The Dayton area was hit 15 tornadoes on Memorial Day. Want to help the community recover? The Dayton Foundation’s Tornado Relief Fund (daytonfoundation.org) and The Foodbank (thefoodbankdayton.org) are accepting financial donations.

Wu Tang is definitely for the children when your folks own the bar. What Had Happened Was podcast host Amelia Robinson spoke with Barrel House owners Sara and Gus Stathes about ferrets, Tinder, Dayton, beer, jerks and Wu Tang Wednesday. Ellie, Sara’s 9-year-old daughter and the Barrel House’s unofficial mascot, was their to represent all things Taylor Swift and to keep things moving. Sara dishes about what it is like to be a boss lady in the male dominated beer world. She and Gus, her new husband, shared the trials and triumphs they have faced their first year owning one of downtown Dayton’s liveliest hangouts. The What Had Happened Was podcast is a product of Dayton.com sponsored by Cox Digital Marketing. The Dayton area was hit 15 tornadoes on Memorial Day. Want to help the community recover? The Dayton Foundation’s Tornado Relief Fund (daytonfoundation.org) and The Foodbank (thefoodbankdayton.org) are accepting financial donations.

Few could blame Roger “Dean” Gillispie if he were angry. He was in prison 20 years for raping and kidnapping three women in the Dayton area despite no physical evidence of his guilt. That means Dean spent his 20s, 30s and most of his 40s “sleeping with one eye open” and defending himself in some of the Ohio’s toughest prisons. Exonerated with the help of the Ohio Innocence Project, Dean now lives in his childhood bedroom. He never married and has no children. The dreams he was working towards as young man never materialized. Despite it all, Dean says he is not wallowing in the past. Instead, he is spreading awareness of wrongful convictions and the need for prison reform. He told “What Had Happened Was” host Amelia Robinson how the legal battle and his long stint in prison impacted his life and the lives of his family members. The Dayton area was hit 15 tornadoes on Memorial Day. Want to help the community recover? The Dayton Foundation’s Tornado Relief Fund (daytonfoundation.org) and The Foodbank (thefoodbankdayton.org) are accepting financial donations.

WHIO Chief Meteorologist McCall Vrydaghs used passion and scientific knowledge to inform Dayton area residents when 15 tornadoes - including a monstrous one - assaulted the community on Memorial Day. She talks to “What Had Happened Was” host Amelia Robinson. Want to help Dayton area residents impacted by the Memorial Day tornadoes? Donate to The Foodbank of Dayton (thefoodbankdayton.org) or the Dayton Foundation’s Greater Dayton Relief Fund (daytonfoundation.org).

There’s are few things better than a punk rock geek who loves babies. “What Had Happened Was” host Amelia Robinson talks to Dayton.com geek culture correspondent about the twisty road that lead him to becoming a baby nurse, trivia host and Dayton's unofficial geek king. There is even D&D chatter and sex ed talk in this episode featuring trivia questions that begins with 'd' words and ends in 't' words. BTW, Geek Gala is planned for June 8 at Blind Bob's. Prepare to let your geek flag fly.

When one door slams, another one opens. Karen Korn found a career in marijuana when she walked through that open door. Karen tells "What Had Happened Was" host Amelia Robinson how being booted out of a job propelled her and her business partner Audra Sparks to open Leaf Medic, an online school for medical marijuana professionals. The state-approved company also offers consultations to medical marijuana patients.

You can take the Sodapop out of Dayton, but you can’t take Dayton out of the Sodapop. “What Had Happened Was” host Amelia Robinson talked with actor, director and game show host Rob Lowe about his years growing up in the Gem City, where he started his acting career. Lowe plans to present a Dayton-centric version of “Rob Lowe: Stories I Only Tell My Friends: LIVE!” at 4 p.m. Sunday, June 2 at the Schuster Center, 1 W. Second St. in Dayton. He's been a Hollywood mainstay since his breakout role as Sodapop Curtis in Francis Ford Coppola's big-screen adaptation of S. E. Hinton's “The Outsiders. Known for his role on “Parks and Recreation” and a long list of films that include “St. Elmo’s Fire,” “Behind the Candlelabra,” “Wayne’s World” and “How to be a Latin Lover,” Lowe starred along with fellow Daytonians Martin Sheen and Allison Janney on NBC’s “The West Wing.” He shares stories about his childhood in Oakwood and Dayton’s Five Oaks neighborhood, his dreams of pie from his grandfather's restaurant, his love of Ohio and how he was in the audience for Allison Janney’s stage debut. The What Had Happened Was podcast is a product of Dayton.com and sponsored by Cox Digital Marketing.

Podcasters talking about how to podcast... “What Had Happened Was” host Amelia Robinson talked with Tony Peters of DATV and the Icon Fetch podcast and Juliet Fromholt, the host of WYSO’s Kaleidoscope and Alpha Rhythms, live at Dayton Podfest 2019. Tony and Juliet teach podcasting and shared tips, tricks and stories of not fan girl-ing and boy-ing out with Amelia and the audience at Brightside Music and Event Venue in downtown Dayton. Dayton Podfest was hosted by the Gem City Podcast.

Nina West is trying to nab $100,000 on the current season of "RuPaul’s Drag Race" on VH1, but the crazy creative Columbus-based drag star and activist has already raised more than $2 million for Ohio charities. West, the stage name of actor Andrew Levitt, tells “What Had Happened Was” host Amelia Robinson why she kept it real on the reality competition show and why she’ll never complain about how she’s been depicted. They dish about why being from the Buckeye State does not require eating corn on the front porch or waiting for planes to drop rations. The What Had Happened Was podcast is sponsored by Cox Digital Marketing. Find more information about the show on Dayton.com: https://on.dayton.com/2OXZDbM

“What Had Happened Was” host Amelia Robinson chats with Fran DeWine, the Buckeye State’s first lady. They chat about the boy who knocked on Fran’s door when she was just 12 and eventually stole her heart. They dish about pie, ice cream and how Fran hopes to help Ohio children have better lives.

“What Had Happened Was” host Amelia Robinson sits down with former Dayton Daily News and Cincinnati Enquirer reporter Janice Hisle, the author of the new book “Submerged, Ryan Widmer, his drowned bride and the justice system.” Janice covered nearly every aspect of Ryan Widmer’s three trials on charges he drowned his young wife Sarah in the bathtub of their Warren County home. She tells Amelia how pig brains, a supposed confession and porn played a role in this tragic, real life murder mystery.

Wright State graduate Hannah Beachler did all of Dayton proud when she became the first black woman to win the Best Production Design Academy Award for her work creating Wakanda for Marvel's “Black Panther.” And she looked fly doing it. In honor of Hannah’s accomplishment, we opened the vault and pulled out the talk “What Had Happened Was” host Amelia Robinson had with Hannah just before she was inducted in to the Dayton Region Walk of Fame last year. Hannah tells us what it took to make her dreams come true.

Amaya Sexton has Betty White dreams. The JLo-loving, corn country native was vote Best Dayton Drag Queen in Dayton.com’s Best of Dayton Contest. She sat down with “What Had Happened Was” host Amelia Robinson. Amaya talks about the Sextons - her drag family - , chicken wings, channeling Beyoncé and being a trans woman on Facebook. Sexton, Miss Masque 2018, has 10 years in the drag game and plans to be the Betty White of her profession. MORE: https://on.dayton.com/2TyYDc5

“What Had Happened Was” host Amelia Robinson sits down with award-winning Dayton Daily News journalist Laura Bischoff whose political and statehouse stories have lead to federal investigations and exposed corruption, deceit and even murder. Laura’s reporting on children as young as 14 marrying in Ohio is credited with sparking the recent change in state law. Amelia and Laura discuss some of the most outrageous stories Laura has covered and why she loves her job despite the divisive political climate.

What Had Happened Was” host Amelia Robinson and Todd Hollst, the host of WHIO’s “The Sunday Edge,” reveal the winners of Dayton.com’s Best of Dayton. Expect some surprise guests and surprised winners. Nearly 100,000 nominations were submitted and more than a half million voters were cast in the annual contest that rewards the people, places, businesses and things that make Dayton such a special place. Categories include best burger, best bar bathroom, best celebrity, best museum, best pizza, best realtor, best artist and best Asian food. See the complete list of winners here: https://www.dayton.com/lifestyles/and-the-best-dayton-awards/VEIGxeBt0VRsbkKvLa4w9M/

The tables are turned on this latest edition of the What Had Happened Was podcast, as TROY LIMING asks the hard-hitting questions, and Amelia Robinson gives the answers.

When the smoked cleared, the only witnesses left alive were dogs and babies. “What Had Happened Was” host Amelia Robinson sat down with Will Garbe, an investigative reporter for the Dayton Daily News and WHIO-TV, for an unusual episode of the podcast. Will has been reporting on the Pike County murders for two years and recently returned from a hunting trip there with local residents. He and Amelia discuss what is known and what investigators think they know about the case in which eight members of a family where murdered in four different locations on the same night. Ohio Attorney General Mike Dewine, the state’s next governor, recently announced charges against four members of a Pike County. Investigators say the Wagners - a husband, his wife and two adult sons - gunned down, Christopher Rhoden Jr.; Christopher Rhoden Sr., Clarence "Frankie" Rhoden; Dana Lynn Rhoden; Gary Rhoden; Hanna May Rhoden; Hannah Hazel Gilley and Kenneth Rhoden. The shocking case has seen several twists and turns. As Will explains in the podcast, things are now just getting started. There have been rumors about a drug cartel, arrested grandmothers and an alleged custody dispute in this tragic case.

Anyone can kill. That’s one of the lessons Doyle Burke, a retired Dayton homicide detective, said he took from his 30-year career with the city’s police department. Burke, now the Warren County coroner’s chief investigator, sat down with “What Had Happened Was” host Amelia Robinson to talk about some of the cold-blooded murder he and his team helped bring to justice. They are among the most notorious killers this city has even seen: child killer Jolynn Ritchie, the Christmas killers, the Dayton mom who microwaved her own infant, a triple axe murder and a supposed Satan worshiper who preyed upon Dayton’s elderly. Burke dives deep into some of the 800 murders he’s investigated in his new book “Death As a Living: An Inside Look into the World of Death Investigation.” He wrote the book with Lou Grieco, a longtime Dayton Daily News courts, crime and public safety reporter. Pre-orders of the book (paperback, $14.99 or Ebook, $8.99) are being taken at www.inkshares.com/books/death-as-a-living. Nearly 1,000 copies have already been sold. Doyle tells Amelia why a 16-year-old girl was the hardest person he ever interviewed, why a judge told him to lie in court and how he tricked the media to read a child killer.