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 Athens City-County Health Department Aug. 15 reported last week that more mosquitoes are testing positive for West Nile Virus locally. The department is treating affected areas, checking for standing water and monitoring mosquito populations. It asks locals to dump standing water where it collects. (Athens City-County Health Department)
- Indy context: The health department runs a program to monitor mosquito-borne diseases like the West Nile and Zika viruses and eliminate mosquitoes that carry illnesses.
Hocking College, Stuart Brooks and Betty Young donated new ceramic star brick emblems for the west and east ends of the City of Nelsonville. (City of Nelsonville)
Local awards
- Three Ohio University students, nine alumni and two faculty members were granted awards and fellowships through U.S. State Department-run programs, including Critical Language Scholarships and Fulbright. The programs are designed to encourage international educational and cultural exchange. (Ohio University)
- The Ohio EPA awarded two Ohio University students scholarships to study environmental science and engineering. Funding for these scholarships comes from civil penalties collected for air and water pollution violations in Ohio. (Ohio Environmental Protection Agency)
Regional
The Ohio Association of Community Action Agencies’ new report on poverty and resource “deserts” found that Vinton County has one of Ohio’s highest poverty rates and the state’s lowest life expectancy — 12 years less than wealthy Delaware County’s. (Statehouse News Bureau)
State
Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost on Friday certified two separate constitutional amendment proposals put forth by advocacy organization Ohio Equal Rights. One would remove a state constitutional rule that prohibits same-sex marriage, and the other would prohibit discrimination by state and local governments based on race, sex, pregnancy status, sexual orientation, disability, or other attributes. (Ohio Capital Journal)
Ohioans are at risk of major health insurance cost hikes in 2026 if enhanced federal subsidies under the Affordable Care Act expire as scheduled. Without action from Congress, over 100,000 Ohioans could completely lose coverage. Ohio’s Republican senators haven’t committed to supporting an extension. (Ohio Capital Journal)
State bills introduced:
- Two House Republicans have proposed a bill that would allow the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services to track job seekers who fail to show up to scheduled interviews. (Statehouse News Bureau)
- Senate Democrats have introduced a bill to raise minimum wage to $15 per hour by 2029. The state’s minimum wage is currently $10.70 per hour for non-tipped employees and $5.35 per hour for tipped employees; federal minimum wage is $7.25 per hour. (Ohio Capital Journal)
- Raw milk would becomeavailablefor sale if a new bill introduced by a pair of Ohio Republican lawmakers were to pass. (Ohio Capital Journal)
