The Indy Bulletin Board: Athens County Events, Announcements, Public Meetings, & Local News Roundup 6/26–6/30

Local news roundup

Note: The Athens County Independent is not responsible for errors in other outlets’ coverage. 

The Athens City School District will ask voters to approve a new 2.06-mill tax levy to fund construction of a new Athens High School building where the current high school’s parking lots are located. The new rate would be 73% higher than the current levy, which will expire in December 2024. The district has about $6 million of the $27.3 million it needs to match state funding for the project. (Athens Messenger)

A local couple is renovating the 119-year-old Chauncey School to house a microbrewery and a restaurant to be led by a former chef at Restaurant Salaam in Athens. The business is one of many that Chauncey Mayor Amy Renner hopes will launch in the village to serve visitors to the Baileys Trail System. (WOUB)

Two Ohio University physicists were among a team of researchers that for the first time have detected baryon acoustic oscillations — sound waves generated by the expansion of the newborn universe. These oscillations give scientists new insights into what the universe looked like in its earliest stages. (Ohio University)

Ohio University fall freshman enrollment for 2023 is tracking above last year’s record-breaking incoming class of 4,441 students. Enrollment had declined for several years before rebounding last year. (WOUB)

The Ohio House of Representatives passed House Bill 68, which would bar doctors from providing gender-affirming care to transgender youth and prohibit transgender women from competing in sports at Ohio schools at any level, both public or private. A federal judge recently struck down a similar law in Arkansas. The body also passed House Bill 8, which would require public schools to notify parents if their child is transgender or of any instruction containing “sexuality content.” Opponents of the bills say it targets LGBTQ students, contributing to a 20% rate of attempted suicide among transgender and nonbinary youth. (Ohio Capital Journal)

The FBI recommends that former Ohio House Speaker Larry Householder be sentenced to 16 to 20 years in prison for his role in “one of the largest public corruption conspiracies in Ohio history.” Householder and former Ohio GOP leader Matt Borges were convicted on multiple charges in March. They will be sentenced on June 29 and June 30, respectively. (News5 Cleveland)

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Events

• Pints for a Purpose. 4—8 p.m. Wednesday, June 28. Join the Athens County Independent team at Devil’s Kettle Brewing, 97 Columbus Rd. Come grab a drink, mix and mingle with your neighbors, say hi to Indy staff and let us know what you need from local media!⁠ $1 from every pint sold ALL DAY supports the Indy.
• True Pigments Truetown Groundbreaking. 10 a.m.—12 p.m. Thursday, June 29. Hosted by Rural Action to celebrate their social enterprise turning pollution to paint on Truetown Road in Millfield.
• Classics & Cocktails: Dazed and Confused. 7–9:30 p.m. Friday, June 30. Presented by the Athena Cinema on the roof of the Athens Parking Garage, 15 E. Washington St. $8 admission, drink prices vary.
• Exhibit: “Quilt National 2023.” Open through Sept. 11 at the Dairy Barn Arts Center, 8000 Dairy Lane, Athens.

Have an event to promote? Add it to our online Calendar!

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Announcements

City of Athens

• Construction
  • Dairy Lane sewer and water line project: Construction begins June 26. Local traffic only on Dairy Lane between Richland Avenue and the Summit at Coates Run driveway; detours marked for through traffic. The project contractor will use some parking spaces at The Ridges trailhead near the Ohio University Compost Facility. Expected completion: Sewer portion, fall 2023; entire project, 2024. 
  • College Green tunnel rehabilitation: East Union Street is closed between North College Street and East Green Drive. Detour is marked. Expected completion: Mid-August.
• Requests for Bids/Proposals
  • 2023 street improvements: Probable cost for base bid: $402,095.Contract documents and specifications: jadine@ci.athens.oh.us. Bids will be opened and read aloud at 2 p.m. July 6 at the Athens City Building, 8 E. Washington St. 
  • Public artwork: The Athens Municipal Arts Commission is accepting proposals for up to seven pieces of art for a new public outdoor sculpture walk near the new Athens Fire Department building on Stimson Avenue. Allocation: $7,500 per artist. Deadline: 5 p.m. Aug. 1. More information

Athens County Engineer

• Culvert replacement: Hooper Ridge Road (CR 36)
• Brush trimming: Bucks Lake Road (CR 44), Chase Road (CR 69), Wolfe Bennett Road (CR 73), and Ladd Ridge Road (CR 76)
• Leveling: Hogue Hollow Road (CR 47)

ODOT projects in Athens County: 

• CONTINUING
  • The SR 7 north ramp to US 50 West is closed until July 15. Detour: SR 144 to SR 329 to US 50.
  • Resurfacing on SR 13 from SR 550 to the Perry County line and on SR 329 from SR 13 to Shell Hill. Traffic is being maintained by flaggers. Estimated completion: July 15.
  • All of SR 143 is being resurfaced. Expected completion: Aug. 1.
  • SR 681 from US 50 to the Meigs County line is being resurfaced. Expected completion: Aug. 1. 
  • SR 78 is being resurfaced between Trimble Twp. Rd. 675 and the Morgan County line. Traffic maintained by flaggers. Expected completion: Aug. 15.
  • Resurfacing on US 33 between Elm Rock Rd. (York Twp Rd 36) and SR 550. Traffic will be maintained by flaggers. Expected completion: Sept. 1.
  • Landslide repair on SR 329 between US 50 and New England Road (CR). Temporary traffic signals in place. Estimated completion: Oct. 1.
  • Lane closures on US 50 between Harmony Road (CR 24) and Della Drive (CR 52) for sign upgrades. Expected completion: Oct. 1.
  • Lane closures and changes to traffic patterns at the US 33/US 50 interchange. Expected completion: November 2023. Lane closure on US 50 between Della Drive and River Road and between Vanderhoof Road and SR 144 for resurfacing. Expected completion: Nov. 1.

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Public meetings

Meeting schedule is based on meeting notices published by public bodies and on regular meeting schedules of community organizations. Meeting information may change after this is posted. Check our website for the most up-to-date information.

Monday, 6/26:

12 p.m.: Hocking Athens Perry Community Action Board of Trustees’ Executive Committee has a regular bimonthly meeting at Hocking Athens Perry Community Action, 3 Cardaras Drive, Glouster. In-person only. Agenda

4 p.m.: Athens County Children Service Board has a regular monthly meeting at 14 Stonybrook Drive, Athens. In-person only.

6 p.m.: Athens-Hocking-Vinton Alcohol, Drug Addiction and Mental Health (317) Board has a regular monthly meeting at the Athens-Hocking-Vinton Alcohol, Drug Addiction and Mental Health Services (317) Board, 7990 Dairy Lane, Athens, and over Zoom. Agenda

7 p.m.: Athens City Council has a special session and Committee of the Whole meeting at the Athens City Building, 8 E. Washington St., 3rd floor, Athens, and over livestream. Agenda

Tuesday, 6/27:

9 a.m.: Athens County Budget Commission has a regular weekly meeting at the Athens County Courthouse, 15 S. Court St., 1st floor annex, auditor’s conference room, Athens. In-person only.

9:30 a.m.: Athens County Board of County Commissioners has a regular weekly meeting at the Athens County Courthouse, 15 S. Court St., 2nd floor annex, commissioners’ conference room, Athens, and over Zoom. Agenda

5:30 p.m.: Athens Township Board of Trustees has a regular biweekly meeting at the Athens Township Hall, 313 W. Union St., Athens. In-person only. Agenda

6 p.m.: Athens County Board of Developmental Disabilities has a regular monthly meeting at the Beacon School, 801 W. Union St., Athens. In-person only. Board Packet

Wednesday, 6/28:

9 a.m.: Corrections Commission of Southeast Ohio has a regular monthly meeting at the Southeast Ohio Regional Jail, 16678 Wolfe Bennett Rd., Nelsonville. In-person only.

10 a.m.: Buckeye Hills Regional Council Regional Advisory Council on Aging has a meeting at the Buckeye Hills Regional Council, 1400 Pike St., Marietta. In-person only. Notice

6 p.m.: Athens-Meigs Educational Service Center Governing Board has a regular biweekly meeting at the Athens-Meigs Educational Service Center, 21 Birge Drive, Chauncey. In-person only.

6:30 p.m.: Federal Valley Resource Center Board has a regular monthly meeting at the Federal Valley Resource Center, 8225 OH-329, Stewart. In-person only.

Thursday, 6/29:

No public meetings

Friday, 6/30:

No public meetings