Politics Archives – Athens County Independent

Victor Laverde Laguna and his brother Gregory Laverde Laguna were met in the Athens County Court of Common Pleas Wednesday by a crowd of supporters.

Court dismisses cases against brothers detained by ICE

By Dani Kington ● Courts ● November 14, 2025

The cases were dismissed with prejudice, meaning the charges cannot be brought again by the state.

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A sign for Nelsonville City Hall, and the building's exterior.

Nelsonville City Council conducts business as usual — for now

By Shiloh Antonuccio ● Government and Politics ● November 13, 2025

The council continues to operate normally, as a puzzling future approaches.

Defense attorney Scott Petroff addresses Athens County Court of Common Pleas Judge Patrick Lang on behalf of Victor Laverde Laguna, who sits with his brother, Gregory Laverde Laguna.

County prosecutor declines to exonerate brothers detained by ICE

By Dani Kington ● Courts ● November 13, 2025

Gregory Laverde Laguna and Victor Laverde Laguna were brought to Athens County for a hearing in local criminal cases Wednesday.

Formerly detained OU professor has long history of Palestine action

By Haylee Leasure ● Politics ● October 23, 2025

Ohio University removed Tom Hayes from his course after Israeli forces detained him while he was trying to deliver aid to Gaza.

American flag bowl full of voting stickers

Write-in candidates file for general election (Updated)

By Keri Johnson ● Local elections ● August 28, 2025

The deadline to run in the general election as a write-in candidate was Monday.

OU jettisoned diversity division staff along with their programs

By Dani Kington ● Politics ● August 21, 2025

Unlike some other universities, Ohio University did not seek to reassign employees affected by the state-mandated closure of DEI programs.

A Passion Works sign reading “Good Trouble,” a phrase referring to non-violent civil disobedience, hangs in the New Leaf Marketplace storefront in Nelsonville.

Local nonprofit apparently fired longtime employee over Palestine activism

By Dani Kington ● Labor ● August 7, 2025

Nancy Epling was terminated from Passion Works over accusations of religious discrimination, apparently related to her activism against Israel’s war on Gaza.

Athens plastic bag ban is officially dead

By Dani Kington ● Courts ● August 6, 2025

Given the political make-up of the Republican-dominated Ohio Supreme Court, Athens will not appeal a court decision that blocked the city from implementing a ban on single-use plastic bags.

The Athens Planned Parenthood clinic, located in a brick building.

Planned Parenthood Medicaid funding cuts would be big hit to Athens clinic

By Dani Kington ● Politics ● July 31, 2025

A quarter of Athens Planned Parenthood patients rely on Medicaid coverage for their visits.

Athens vendors may continue providing plastic bags after city loses legal fight

By Dani Kington ● Environment ● July 24, 2025

The Fourth District Court of Appeals upheld a lower court’s decision that the city’s bag ban is unconstitutional. The city is considering whether to appeal to the Ohio Supreme Court.