Local
A ballot initiative to revamp Nelsonville’s city government appears unlikely to make the fall ballot, after the city appealed a court decision Athens City Councilmember Alan Swank proposed amending Athens City Code to include churches in a list of buildings cannabis and tobacco establishments must maintain 500 feet distance from. The council also discussed funding for the Athens Armory Solar Project. (The Post)
Despite Athens City Council’s concern with cannabis regulations, state rules will leave little room for new recreational marijuana dispensaries in Athens, with only a handful possible in the city. (WOUB)
A Nelsonville ballot initiative attempting to dissolve the city charter is pending a decision by Ohio’s Fourth District Court of Appeals. Supporters of the initiative question the city’s decision to appeal the initiative rather than send it to the board of elections. (WOUB)
- Indy context: The city has relied on a 2015 ordinance regarding a similar ballot initiative to say it didn’t need to send the issue to the board of elections.
Alexander Local School District will not include an income tax levy on the November ballot. The decision is the result of internal budget cuts and an inability to pass an income tax levy during the two most recent elections. (WOUB)
Invisible Ground will host a free tour of its eight immersive historical markers this Saturday, beginning at 10 a.m. at the Tablertown People of Color Museum. Participants will need to travel independently between the historical markers. (Invisible Ground)
The Ohio University Board of Trustees will consider changing the name of the College of Fine Arts following a donation from an Ohio University alumni. The board will also discuss the new AI-Enhanced Course Redesign Institute, which will help faculty explore uses of artificial intelligence in their courses. (Ohio University)
The Ohio University Student Farm provides students with greater access to fresh produce and experiential learning in agriculture. (Ohio University)
Regional
Former Hocking County Commissioner Jessica Dicken will avoid jail time by paying nearly $25,000 in restitution to three different groups. Dicken pled guilty in the Hocking County Common Pleas Court to two felony counts of fraud and theft and one misdemeanor of improper compensation. (Logan Daily News)
State
Rumpke Waste & Recycling opened a new recycling center in Columbus capable of processing 60 tons of waste per hour. Rumpke claims the center is the largest recycling center in North America. (The Columbus Dispatch)
- Indy context: Rumpke is currently the city of Athens’ trash provider, after the city severed its decades-old relationship with Athens-Hocking Recycling Centers, Inc. in 2023. AHRC is currently in the process of transferring its operations to a council of governments.
A Franklin County judge upheld the entirety of Ohio’s House Bill 68, resulting in a loss of gender affirming care for transgender youth across Ohio. The ACLU immediately appealed the decision. (The Buckeye Flame)
Since 2013, Ohio has sent $35.5 million to anti-abortion centers in the state. One state program directs funding to programs that “promote childbirth, rather than abortion” despite voters approving a 2023 ballot initiative that enshrined the right to abortion in the state constitution. (The Ohio Capital Journal)
