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 law director issued an opinion that could complicate the Gathering Place’s proposed Conestoga Hut Project pilot program, an emergency shelter program proposed for uptown Athens. The opinion focuses on complications that could arise from proposed zoning changes to support the project. (WOUB)
Joe Burrow had a successful surgery to address a toe injury. He is expected to miss at least three months of his role as the Cincinnati Bengals quarterback. (ESPN)
The City of Athens has been awarded a prestigious designation through a national program that recognizes local governments for advancing solar energy adoption. Athens is the first city in Ohio to earn the designation, and is among the first 10 communities to receive it nationally. (Sustainable Ohio Public Energy Council)
The City of Athens unveiled a new AI chatbot, Benny the Brick, prompting a negative social media response. (The New Political)
Regional
The newly established Hocking County land bank had an inaugural meeting last week. The land bank intends to return abandoned properties to productive use. (Logan Daily News)
The Logan Zoning Board of Appeals approved a permit for a facility to house and train young adults aging out of state foster care. (Logan Daily News)
The African American Community Fund announced its 2025 grant awards to Black-led and Black-serving organizations throughout Appalachian Ohio. Among them are the Birth Circle in Athens County, which is launching an International Families Connection Circle. (Foundation for Appalachian Ohio)
An annual park golf tournament in the Hocking Hills earlier this month drew visitors to the region. (WOUB)
State
A Republican Ohio House member from Portsmouth introduced a bill to more tightly regulate addiction recovery homes. Opponents fear the bill could reduce access to the services such homes provide. (Signal Ohio)
TourismOhio launched the Ohio Corn Maze Trail, promoting 46 corn mazes across the state, including four in southeast Ohio. (TourismOhio)
The ACLU of Ohio sued The Ohio State University for expelling a Palestinian social media influencer for his videos about Israel and Palestine. The ACLU argues the university expelled the student for “pure political speech,” which sets a dangerous precedent. (Ohio Capital Journal)
Three teachers’ unions in Ohio are suing the state over legislative changes that they say unfairly cut teachers out of the board that oversees the use of their retirement funds. (Statehouse News Bureau)
Ohio Republican lawmakers have introduced a bill to seek harsher penalties for political violence, classifying it as a hate crime. The bill would allow prosecutors to seek the death penalty in homicide cases. The bill also establishes other hate crime classifications, including for “biological sex,” defined in the bill as excluding gender identity. (Statehouse News Bureau)
Ohio unveiled a new AI chatbot app that allows users to anonymously report “suspicious activity,” which the state says will help it address crime and terrorism. (Statehouse News Bureau)
