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‘Hotel Berry’ production celebrates local history of Black social entrepreneurship, empowers Black theater creatives
The upcoming theatrical production Hotel Berry, opening November 17, explores an integral part of Athens and Southeast Ohio’s Black history: the famed Berry Hotel and the couple who created and ran it, Edward and Martha “Mattie” Berry. The play, commissioned by Ohio University’s Tantrum Theater, focuses on the Berrys and on Eliza Davison and Andrew…
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Enjoy spectacular fall color right here in Athens County
The sunny days and cool nights of autumn set Ohio’s forests ablaze with color. The show should be spectacular this year, says David Parrott, the Ohio Department of Natural Resources’ fall color forecaster. “This year, except for a few areas in northern Ohio, we’ve seen above-average precipitation through most of the state,” Parrott said in…
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OU union protest in photos
Members of AFSCME Local 1699 rallied at the Alumni Gate on the Ohio University campus Sept. 23. The union drew attention to working conditions since the university laid off hundreds of custodians, cooks and other support personnel in 2020. Click the photos below to view our captioned photo gallery of the protest.
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Water politics and bad blood fuel Coolville dissolution vote
After years of sometimes-acrimonious debate, Coolville residents will vote next month on an existential issue: whether the village should continue to exist. Residents in favor of dissolution have cited poor village services and high utility bills and claimed that village officials are incompetent and corrupt. Opponents say that those behind the dissolution push are spreading…
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Athens sidewalk improvement continues, residents struggle with safety
Elena Caple was injured walking in Athens for the first time in 2020. Coming home from CVS–recently purchased lotion in one hand, her phone in the other–Caple felt her ankle crumple on top of the “cracked and broken” service road that leads to the bike path. It happened again that year: Caple was walking down…
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The state of Hocking College in six graphs
Many concerned over the administration of Hocking College amid recent controversy point to declines in staffing and enrollment, which they attribute to mismanagement. One place these concerns arise is “4 the LOVE of Hocking College,” a private Facebook group comprising more than 100 current and former college employees organizing to overhaul the current college administration,…
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Ohio University may face trial in suit related to former officer’s rape of minor
A judge recently denied Ohio University’s motion for summary judgment in a case related to a former OU police officer’s repeated sexual abuse of a minor in 2005-06. The survivor’s lawyer says the case will likely head to trial in November. In an affidavit, plaintiff Alison Arocho alleges former OU Police Department Officer Robert A.…
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Local News Roundup
Learn more about the November election Ohio voters will consider whether or not judges should speculate about threats to public safety when considering bail — which is, constitutionally, only supposed to revolve around showing up to the next court date. Local research has shown that bail reform would “mitigate negative health outcomes” of jail time.…
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Supreme Court rules in favor of Tanya Conrath’s challenge to Jay Edwards
The Ohio Supreme Court ruled on Tuesday that Athens attorney and businesswoman Tanya Conrath should be listed on the ballot as the Democratic challenger to State Rep. Jay Edwards.
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Republican, independent challenge Eliason for county commissioner
Athens County Commissioner Lenny Eliason will see two challengers in this year’s election: Republican Alex Burcher and independent Bill Hayes. Athens resident Eliason, 67, was first elected to the county’s Board of Commissioners in 1998. Composed of Eliason and fellow Democrats Chris Chmiel and Charlie Adkins, the county’s Board of Commissioners has remained unchanged since…
