All information is current as of The Scoop’s production on Tuesday morning. Click the links for the most up-to-date information. The Athens County Independent believes the cited sources of information are reliable; however, these sources are responsible for the accuracy of their own reporting.
Submit news and information to info@athensindependent.com by noon on Mondays for inclusion in Tuesday’s issue of The Scoop
Local
The entire WOUB NewsWatch staff has been nationally recognized for Best All-Around Television Newscast by the Society of Professional Journalists. The award, which honors the best collegiate journalism, was for a broadcast that aired in September 2024. Additionally, four individual Ohio University students received accolades in various categories for their work in the WOUB Public Media newsroom. (WOUB)
The Ohio Auditor of State officially placed the Trimble Local School District under a state of fiscal emergency, following an analysis which showed the district’s operating deficit at nearly $3 million. (Ohio Auditor of State)
- Indy context: Two weeks ago, the district’s board of education approved more than 20 layoffs. Stay tuned for our ongoing coverage of this story.
Regional
Following a recent presidential action, the U.S. Department of Energy has announced 16 federal sites identified for data center construction and artificial intelligence infrastructure, including the Portsmouth Gaseous Diffusion Plant. (DOE)
A group of Hocking County residents are suing a Florida company that owns one of the posh homes in their Green Township neighborhood, claiming that the company is violating the subdivision’s ban on short-term rentals. The plaintiffs say that the rental’s customers increase noise and traffic in the area. (The Logan Daily News)
Scioto County’s lawsuit seeking a greater share of the state’s opioid settlement funding is stalled in the U.S. District Court of Northern Ohio, which is handling numerous similar suits. Scioto County had Ohio’s highest opioid overdose death rate from 2015 to 2020. (WOSU Public Media)
The Trump administration’s job cuts at the Department of Veterans Affairs included seven positions at the Chillicothe VA Medical Center. Veterans and staff alike worry that services at the center will decline — and, again, that the facility could be shuttered permanently. (The Ohio Newsroom)
State
Last summer’s historic drought, followed by heavy rain from Hurricane Helene, devastated Ohio crops. Experts warn that such combinations — which will likely be more common due to climate change — could deteriorate soil health and devastate the state’s agricultural sector. (Inside Climate News)
- Indy context: The U.S. Drought Monitor map released last Thursday showed much of Southeast Ohio — including Athens County — as “abnormally dry.” A new map will be released on Thursday, which will reflect the weekend rain that caused widespread flooding around the region.
A deadly illness affecting deer has been found in over 20 deer in northern Ohio, raising concerns about its possible spread statewide. While no cases of Chronic Wasting Disease have been reported in southeastern Ohio yet, local hunters and residents are urged to stay alert and follow wildlife guidelines. (WOUB)
- Indy context: The 2022 hunting season saw an outbreak of a different deer disease in Athens County, epizootic hemorrhagic disease.
This weekend marks the start of Ohio’s 2025 spring wild turkey hunting seasons, beginning with youth-only on April 12 and 13. In Athens County, the regular season opens April 19 and runs through May 18. Dates are set to align with regional turkey nesting patterns to promote sustainable hunting opportunities across the state. (Ohio Department of Natural Resources)
Despite inclement weather, thousands of protesters gathered at the Ohio Statehouse in Columbus as part of the nationwide “Hands Off” demonstrations opposing President Donald Trump’s administration and policies. This event was among over 50 held across Ohio and more than 1,400 nationwide. (Ohio Capital Journal)
- Indy context: More than 1,000 protesters took part in a protest on East State Street in Athens.
The Ohio House’s proposed two-year budget would eliminate and significantly reduce funding for programs aimed at reducing homelessness and increasing access to affordable housing. Once it passes the House, the proposed budget moves forward to the Senate for consideration. (Ohio Capital Journal)
House Republicans also introduced a budget amendment that would cap school district cash reserves at 25% and require districts to refund excess funds to taxpayers. Leaders of public school advocacy groups say that would cost districts up to $5.1 billion. (The Statehouse News Bureau)
Also in the Ohio House budget: drastic cuts to funding for public libraries. (Ohio Capital Journal)Indy context: Athens County Public Libraries Director Nick Tepe spoke out against the cuts in a recent editorial, encouraging residents to ask the legislature to restore the Public Library Fund to the governor’s proposed 1.75% of general revenue.
