Local
After nearly twenty years in operation, the Athena Grand in Athens will close permanently after the multiplex’s last day of business on Jan. 5, 2025. (WOUB)
Additionally, Sol Island Bar & Grill announced it will close on Dec. 22 after a dozen years in business. (Facebook)
Ohio faces a severe nursing shortage — accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic — that threatens patient care and the well-being of healthcare workers. Despite passed and proposed legislation to better protect healthcare workers, 9,000 registered nurse positions remain unfilled across the state. Ohio University is expanding its nursing education programs and partnering with healthcare providers to address the crisis. (Ohio University)
The Athens City Board of Education rejected the city’s $50,000 offer to purchase a portion of the old West Elementary site to build affordable housing duplexes. Board members expressed concerns about devaluation and inhibiting potential future uses for the site. Last year, the board spent $900,000 to convert a portion of the empty property into athletic fields for middle schoolers. (WOUB)
State
Utility costs for Ohio renters could increase if newly proposed House Bill 93 passes, which will require municipalities to collect unpaid utility bills directly from tenants. That data is not typically collected. Usually, landlords are left to cover bills left unpaid by renters. Many municipalities oppose the legislation on grounds that it would increase bureaucracy and violate the state constitution’s Home Rule provision. (WOUB)
Ohio Senate President Matt Huffman is the Republican Party’s pick for House Speaker. Huffman, who is running unopposed, will face the final vote in 2025. Huffman has served as a senator for four years and supports private school vouchers, higher education reforms, tax cuts, Second Amendment protections, and abortion restrictions. (Ohio Capital Journal)
State lawmakers held a hearing to discuss modernizing Ohio’s outdated HIV laws, which were put in place before medicine and science developed understanding of the virus. Currently, it is a fourth-degree felony for those with HIV to sell or donate their blood or blood plasma knowing it could be transfused into another person. (Buckeye Flame)
Ohio lawmakers are considering a ban on delta-8 THC. The marijuana and health care industries support the ban, while retailers oppose it; both are lobbying heavily. (Statehouse News Bureau)
A group called Ohio Equal Rights is working to introduce a constitutional amendment to protect Ohioans from discrimination based on factors like gender, age and sexual orientation. (Statehouse News Bureau)
