Local
The owner of the former McBee Systems property on East State Street — now home to QuidelOrtho — is suing the City of Athens and four local volunteer fire departments. The company says damages resulted from a training exercise conducted on its property, allegedly without its permission. (WOUB)
More than 300 Athens County residents have had EBT funds stolen in the past two months. (WOUB)
Athens County Children Services is asking voters to renew a levy to maintain the agency’s funding levels in the face of skyrocketing costs for placing children in foster care. (WOUB)
Ohio University students are concerned about access to mental healthcare offered by OU’s Counseling and Psychological Services, citing high staff turnover and months-long waits for appointments. (The Post)
The Ohio Department of Natural Resources plans to install an ADA accessible playground near the beach at Strouds Run State Park. (Ohio State Parks)
The Athena Cinema has reopened two theaters that had been closed for structural renovations since May 2023. (Ohio University)
State
Drug overdose deaths in Ohio have dropped sharply, in line with a national trend. Ohio was second nationwide in opioid overdose deaths in 2016 and 2017. (Statehouse News Bureau)
In an unprecedented move, Ohio is using taxpayer dollars to fund private, religious schools. Proponents of the decision hope this is a new frontier for private school vouchers while those opposing the law say it sets a dangerous precedent for the future of educational funding. (ProPublica)
Ohio Democratic lawmakers introduced a bill that would reform the structure of the Ohio Ballot Board, which approves language for ballot issues. The bill would diversify the parties represented on the board and would ban the appointment of lobbyists and politicians. (Ohio Capital Journal)
The fate of Ohio’s ban on healthcare for transgender youth is now in the hands of an appellate court. This decision will determine whether the ban, which restricts both medical care for transgender youth as well the ability of transgender youth to participate in sports, will remain in effect. (The Buckeye Flame)
According to his campaign staff, GOP vice presidential candidate J.D. Vance knew his statements about Haitian immigrants in Springfield were false, yet he continued to spread the lie as a campaign strategy. (Ohio Capital Journal)
Four of Ohio’s largest cities — Cincinnati, Cleveland, Columbus and Dayton — will use $10 million in funding from the 2022 Inflation Reduction Act to help reduce greenhouse gas emissions from commercial buildings. (Energy News Network)
