Local
A 35-year-old Coolville man was sentenced to a mandatory prison term of 20 years to life after he was convicted on 10 counts of rape for assaulting a child over a five year period beginning when she was 9 years old. (Athens County Prosecutor’s Office)
Athens County Food Rescue recently delivered 4,400 pounds of milk and food to the Bishopville Food Pantry. The organization also picked up and delivered another 4,400 pounds of food to additional locations, including The Gathering Place and United Campus Ministry in Athens, as well as the Feed My Sheep Food Pantry in Torch. (Athens Food Rescue)
Retired judges Tom Hodson and Gayle William–Byers are the hosts of “Next Witness … Please,” a new podcast on WOUB Public Media that will demystify the legal principles behind high-profile court cases. (WOUB Public Media)
OhioHealth O’Bleness Hospital awarded 20 scholarships totaling nearly $21,000 to nurses and healthcare workers during National Nurses Week in early May. (OhioHealth O’Bleness Hospital)
The 2025 Ohio University Black Alumni Reunion is scheduled for April 10–13. The triennial event will bring over 1,000 alumni and friends to Athens. (Ohio University)
State
In a letter to state university presidents, Ohio Attorney General David Yost claimed that arrested pro-Palestine protesters may have committed felonies by wearing masks under a 1953 Ohio law originally aimed at the Ku Klux Klan; the law refers specifically to “white caps, masks or other disguise.” (Ohio Capital Journal)
Ohio has been hit by 50 tornadoes so far in 2024, 2.5 times higher than the yearly average. The annual average number of tornadoes in the state has nearly doubled since the 1990s, part of an eastward shift in Tornado Alley due to climate change. (10 WBNS)
Lawmakers held the first hearing for legislation that would set minimum nurse-to-patient ratios in healthcare facilities. Proponents say the measure would improve patient safety; opponents, including hospital associations, say it would drive up costs and deepen the nursing shortage. (Ohio Capital Journal)
Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine has signed a new law that closes the state’s spousal rape loophole. Spouses were previously exempted from rape charges. (Ohio Capital Journal)
