A male green darner, with its blue abdomen, holds on to the female while she deposits eggs

The Dragonflies of Spring

Ohio is home to something like 100 species of dragonflies, and to a large extent, they are creatures of summer. Both the abundance and the diversity of dragonflies peak in June and July. But a few species stretch those seasonal…

close up view of an opossum

Oh, oh, oh, opossum!

For most of us, the word “marsupial” brings to mind kangaroos and koalas—animals we might describe as cute, or even charismatic. But those adjectives probably are applied less often to our one local marsupial, the Virginia opossum, Dildelphis virginiana. With…

the number 30 filled with 30 faces of young professionals

CWPD Staff Receive National Recognition

The National Recreation and Park Association’s February issue of Parks & Recreation magazine released its annual 30 Under 30 list honoring top young park and recreation professionals who serve as everyday champions in their communities. Centerville-Washington Park District employees Alyssa…

Man in a yellow safety vest standing in front of a pile of honeysuckle

Shane Dawalt

Shane was born in Mississippi. In 1977 his parents settled in Ohio and he moved to the Centerville area in 1995. At the time, his hobbies were computers, electronics and driving in time-speed-distance road rallies. Anything but exercise! Then Shane…