The Indy Bulletin Board: Athens County Public Meetings & Local News Roundup 3/20–3/25

Local news roundup

“This Court finds that Plaintiff injected herself into the one controversy, that is, applying and being hired as the Council Clerk while her father was on Council.” Former Nelsonville City Council Clerk Andrea Thompson-Hashman’s defamation lawsuit against the Nelsonville CrackHeads Facebook page was dismissed by Athens County Judge George McCarthy. (Case Western Reserve University First Amendment Clinic)

United Campus Ministry remembers Rev. Jan Griesinger, who led UCM and was active in queer and women’s rights issues in Athens County for decades. A memorial will be held on April 2. (UCM)

“I really just refuse to participate in anything that takes you down that negative route.” A profile of Hocking College President Betty Young and her controversial tenure. (Columbus Dispatch, subscribers only)

Striking Ohio University employees have twice rejected contract proposals from OU administration, according to union members who spoke to the Athens Messenger anonymously (Athens Messenger)

Coincidentally, state lawmakers have proposed blocking all public university employees from striking, ever. The same bill would do away with required DEI training and courses and prevent state universities from partnering with institutions in China. (Ohio Capital Journal, Columbus Dispatch)

OU is down to two candidates to replace outgoing president Hugh Sherman: Avinandan “Avi” Mukherjee, Marshall University provost and senior vice president for academic affairs, and Lori Stewart Gonzalez, executive vice president and provost at the University of Louisville. (The Post)

Candidate Susana Rivera-Mills withdrew from consideration shortly after speaking with students and staff on campus during a forum. Days later, she was named as the new president of Aurora University, near Chicago. It may have been a moment of déjà vu; in November 2022, she withdrew from consideration to become president at Florida Gulf Coast University after being named a finalist, deciding to stay at Ball State University in Indiana.  (The Post, Aurora University, Eagle Media)

Armed white supremacists descended on a drag storytime event at a public park outside of Akron, leading to “a series of melee involving pepper spray, the violent use of a flag pole as a weapon and a protester who unnerved witnesses when he pointed a gun at a crowd.” Later statements showed the gun sprays pepper spray, not bullets. (Akron Beacon Journal)

The Ohio State Teachers Retirement System reportedly lost between $27 and $40 million in the failure of Silicon Valley Bank last week. (Ohio Capital Journal)

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Obituaries

Public meetings

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

Monday, 3/20:

4 p.m.: Athens County Children Services Board has a regular monthly meeting at the Ohio Child Welfare Training Program Southeast Ohio Regional Training Center, 2099 E. State St., suite A, Athens. In-person only. Agenda

5 p.m.: Athens County Veteran Service Commission has a regular biweekly meeting at OhioMeansJobs – Athens County, 510 W. Union St., Athens. In-person only.

5:30 p.m.: Chauncey Village Council Parks and Recreation Committee has a meeting at the Chauncey Village Hall, 42 Converse St., Chauncey. In-person only.

6 p.m.: York Township Board of Trustees has a regular monthly meeting at the York Township Fire Department, 15255 Twp-36, Nelsonville. In-person only.

7 p.m.: Athens City Council has a regular biweekly meeting at the Athens City Building, 8 E. Washington St., 3rd floor, Athens, and over livestream.

Tuesday, 3/21:

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 Commission has a regular weekly meeting at the Athens County Courthouse, 15 S. Court St., 2nd floor annex, commissioners’ conference room, Athens, and over Zoom. 

3 p.m.: Athens Metropolitan Housing Authority Board of Commissioners has a regular monthly meeting at the Prisley-Wells Commissioner Building, 10 Hope Drive, Athens. In-person only.

5:15 p.m.: United Campus Ministry Board has a regular monthly meeting at United Campus Ministry, 18 N. College St., basement, Athens. In-person only.

6 p.m.: Athens Township Zoning Commission has a regular monthly meeting at The Plains Public Library, 14 S. Plains Rd., The Plains. In-person only.

6 p.m.: Federal Hocking Board of Education has a regular monthly meeting at the Coolville Elementary School, 26461 Main St., Coolville. In-person only.

5:30 p.m.: Tri-County Career Center Board of Education has a regular monthly meeting preceded by a Policy Meeting at the Tri-County Career Center, 15676 OH-691, room 108/Pierce Room, Nelsonville. In-person only. Agenda

7 p.m.: Sunday Creek Valley Water District Board of Directors has a regular monthly meeting at the Sunday Creek Valley Water District, 15945 2nd St., Millfield. In-person only.

Wednesday, 3/22:

9 a.m.: Corrections Commission of Southeast Ohio has a regular monthly meeting at the Southeast Ohio Regional Jail, 16677 Riverside Drive, Nelsonville. In-person only.

4:30 p.m.: Athens County Public Libraries Board of Trustees has a regular monthly meeting at the Nelsonville Public Library, 95 W. Washington St., large meeting room, Nelsonville. In-person only.

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.

Thursday, 3/23:

1 p.m.: Outdoor Recreation Council of Appalachia has a regular monthly meeting at the Baileys Trail System mountain bike rental office, 23 Main St., Chauncey. In-person only. Agenda

3 p.m.: Athens County Tax Incentive Review Council has a regular annual meeting at the Ohio University Innovation Center, 340 W. State St., room 103, Athens. In-person only. Agenda

5:30 p.m.: Jacksonville Village Council has a regular monthly meeting at the Jacksonville Fire Station, 34 S. 6th St., Jacksonville. In-person only.

6:30 p.m.: Athens City School District Board of Education has a regular monthly meeting at the Athens City School District, 21 Birge Drive, Chauncey. In-person only.

7 p.m.: League of Women Voters of Athens County Board has a regular monthly meeting over Zoom by request. Agenda

7 p.m.: Trimble Township Board of Trustees has a regular monthly meeting at the Trimble Township Building, 14 Town St., Glouster. In-person only.

Friday, 3/24:

2 p.m.: Ohio University is hosting the third of three town hall meetings about the future of development at The Ridges, formerly known as the Athens Lunatic Asylum, at The Ridges, 118 Ridges Circle, building 14, room 170, Athens. In-person only. Notice

• Read more: What to know about Ohio University’s plans for The Ridges

Saturday, 3/25:

8 a.m.: Troy Township Board of Trustees has a regular monthly meeting at the Troy Township Office, 25600 Brimstone Rd., Coolville. In-person only.

11:30 a.m.: Age-Friendly Athens County has a community discussion at the Wells Public Library, 5200 Washington Rd., Albany. In-person only.