Local news roundup
Note: The Athens County Independent shares news from other outlets and organizations that we understand to be reliable. However, the organizations cited are responsible for the accuracy of their own reporting and announcements.
Athens County home values have increased about 20% over the past three years — meaning higher taxes for homeowners. (WOUB)
Construction is underway on Memorial Health Systems’s medical campus on Columbus Road in Athens. The facility’s 13-room emergency department is expected to open in spring 2024, with the rest of the facility projected to open in the summer. (Athens Messenger)
The city of Athens broke ground last week on a more than $7 million project to convert the Athens Armory into a coworking space. (WOUB)
Athens City Council is considering increasing parking meter fees, though some council members raised concerns about the impact on service workers. (The New Political)
The Ohio University Board of Trustees began weighing whether to convert salaried employees to hourly to avoid paying higher wages, as a result of possible changes coming to the Fair Labor Standards Act. (The Post)
OU held a formal investiture ceremony for its new president, Lori Stewart Gonzalez. Gonzalez is the first woman to hold the position in OU’s 219-year history. (The New Political)
The Smiling Skull in Athens lost its liquor license but is appealing the decision. (The New Political)
The Hocking County Commissioners unanimously approved the Southeast Ohio Classical Academy’s pursuit of tax exempt bonds through the Public Finance Authority. The charter school plans to open in Hocking County, and the recent decision by the commissioners will save SOCA about $200,000. (Logan Daily News)
- Indy context: SOCA has close links to conservative and evangelical Christian organizations.
The Hocking County Commissioners also recently declined the Outdoor Recreation Council of Appalachia’s invitation to join the group. ORCA encouraged Hocking County to help “sustainably and intentionally” plan for regional tourism industry development. One commissioner explained that he voted no because he felt ORCA was trying to use the county’s resources for its own benefit and that the county would have insufficient power over ORCA’s direction. (Logan Daily News)
- Indy context: ORCA launched in Athens County and has coordinated the development of the Baileys Trail System locally.
Stuart’s Opera House is bringing horror and comedy to Nelsonville with its production of Little Shop of Horrors. (WOUB)
How would Ohio’s Issue 1 change access to abortion? What would legalizing recreational marijuana through Issue 2 look like? Check out Signal Cleveland’s FAQs on Issue 1 and Issue 2.
Ohio workers are making less per hour now than they did in 2019, and less than workers in other midwestern states. (Signal Cleveland)
Advocates for a recently discredited method of teaching reading are suing Gov. Mike DeWine and the State of Ohio to block the requirement that primary schools’ reading curricula use the science of reading. (Ohio Capital Journal)
Events
- Eclipse Company Store Trivia Night: 7–9 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 24, Eclipse Company Store, 11309 Jackson Drive, The Plains
- Donkey Coffee Designated Space—Spoken Word: 9–11 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 24, Donkey Coffee, 17 W. Washington St., Athens
- Jazz Night at Rhapsody: 6–8 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 25, Rhapsody, 18 Public Square, Nelsonville
- Paint & Pour Series at Stuart’s Opera House: 7–9 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 25, Stuart’s Opera House, 52 Public Square, Nelsonville
- Donkey Coffee Open Stage: 8–10:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 26, Donkey Coffee, 17 West Washington Street, Athens
- Stuart’s Opera House Presents: Little Shop of Horrors: 7:30–10:30 p.m. Friday–Saturday, Oct. 27–28, 2–5 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 29, Stuart’s Opera House, 52 Public Square, Nelsonville
- Cannabis Museum Tea Party: 6–8 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 28, Cannabis Museum. 16050 Canaanville Rd., Athens
- Scottish Country Dance Class Series: 2–4 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 29, Athens Community Center, 701 E. State St., Athens
Have an event to promote? Add it to our online Calendar!
Halloween events
See our full list of events for more seasonal fun.
- Ohio University RHA-lloween: 5:30–7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 24, South Green, Ohio University Campus, Athens
- Trunk or Treat at the Laurels of Athens: 5–7 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 25, Laurels of Athens, 70 Columbus Circle, Athens.
- Ohio University RHA-lloween: 5:30–7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 25, East Green, Ohio University Campus, Athens.
- Third Annual Trunk or Treat at Kimes: 6:30–7:45 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 25, Kimes Nursing & Rehabilitation Center, 75 Kimes Lane, Athens.
- Trunk or Treat: 5 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 26, Hickory Creek of Athens, 57 E. 4th St., The Plains.
- Halloween Rooftop Double Feature: Ghostbusters and The Exorcist: 7–11:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 26, Athens City Parking Garage, 15 E. Washington St., Athens
- Albany trick or treat: 6–7 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 26.
- Albany Fairgrounds trunk-or-treat: 6–7:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 26, 5201 Washington Rd., Albany.
- Market on State trunk-or-treat: 5:30–7:30 p.m. Friday, Oct. 27, 1002 E. State St., Athens. (The Independent will be there!)
- Nelsonville trick or treat: 6:30–7:30 p.m. Friday, Oct. 27.
- Glouster trick or treat: 3–4 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 28.
- Chauncey trick or treat: 5:30–7 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 28.
- Alexander Youth Baseball & Softball League trunk or treat: 6 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 28, ball fields, Meadowbrook Road, Albany. Outdoor Halloween movie to follow.
- Athens Elk Lodge trunk or treat: 5–6 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 28, Athens Elks Lodge #973, 600 W. Union St., Athens.
- Athens Uptown Business Association trick or treat: 2:30–4:30 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 28, Court, West State, Washington and Union streets, Athens.
- Vore Ridge/Salem Road trick or treat: 2–4 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 29.
Announcements
Note: All information is current as of the Bulletin Board’s production on Monday morning. Click the links to find the most up-to-date information.
- Nov. 7 general election: Absentee and early in-person voting is underway. More information is available via the Ohio Secretary of State. Check out the Independent’s interactive voters guide, featuring nonpartisan analysis from the League of Women Voters of Athens County and video of LWV-sponsored candidate forums.
- Change in bus schedules: Effective Oct. 30, Athens Public Transit Line 7, running to Albany and Nelsonville, will adjust stop times by 15 minutes. This will allow riders a direct connection to Line 3 and Line 6, increasing access to Chauncey, The Plains, and East State Street.
- Dairy Lane traffic restriction: Waterline installation will begin Monday, Oct. 23, starting near the Richland Avenue intersection. Local traffic only between Richland Avenue and the Summit at Coates Run driveway.
- Street closure: Kontner Street will be closed to traffic with no on-street parking 8 a.m.–5 p.m. Oct. 23–26 for water line replacement. Local traffic, school buses and emergency vehicles only.
- Sanitary sewer smoke test: The village will conduct a smoke test of sanitary sewer lines starting at 8:30 a.m. on Saturday, Oct. 28, and Sunday, Oct. 29. Smoke should not enter your building unless there is a defect or you have drains that are dry. Property owners are advised to slowly pour a gallon of water into each floor drain and other seldom-used drains. If smoke does enter your home, there is strong reason to suspect that sewer gases are entering your building – open windows and doors and evacuate immediately, then notify the work crew. If anyone in your home has respiratory problems and is immobile, notify the village at 740-6098-6127.
- Road closures
- Oakdale Road (CR 31), 0.10 miles south of the Perry County line for a bridge replacement. Expected completion: Nov. 9.
ODOT projects in Athens County
- NEW East State Street resurfacing: One lane of East State Street is closed at Della Drive. Traffic is being maintained with signals. Estimated completion: Nov. 3.
- US 33/US 50 interchange: Expected project completion: November.
- US 50 between Della Drive and River Road and between Vanderhoof Road and SR 144; expected completion Nov. 1.
Public meetings
Note: Schedule is based on meeting notices published by public bodies and on regular meeting schedules of community organizations. This schedule may change after the Bulletin Board is posted — check our website for the most up-to-date information.
All meetings are in-person only unless otherwise noted.
Monday, Oct. 23
11 a.m.: Hocking Athens Perry Community Action Board, Hocking Athens Perry Community Action, 3 Cardaras Drive, Glouster.
6 p.m.: Athens-Hocking-Vinton Alcohol, Drug Addiction and Mental Health (317) Board, Athens-Hocking-Vinton Alcohol, Drug Addiction and Mental Health Board, 7990 Dairy Lane, Athens, and over Zoom.
7 p.m.: Nelsonville City Council, Nelsonville City Hall, 211 Lake Hope Drive, Nelsonville, and over livestream. Agenda
Tuesday, Oct. 24
9 a.m.: Athens County Budget Commission, Athens County Courthouse, 15 S. Court St., 1st floor annex, auditor’s conference room, Athens.
9:30 a.m.: Athens County Board of County Commissioners, Athens County Courthouse, 15 S. Court St., 2nd floor annex, commissioners’ conference room, Athens, and over Zoom. Agenda
4 p.m.: Athens County Children Services Board, Athens County Children Services, 14 Stonybrook Drive, Athens.
5:30 p.m.: Athens Township Trustees, Athens Township Hall, 313 W. Union St., Athens. Agenda
6 p.m.: Tri-County Career Center Board of Education, special meeting regarding reemployment of Superintendent Connie Altier, Tri-County Career Center room 108, 15676 SR 691, Nelsonville.
Wednesday, Oct. 25
10 a.m. Buckeye Hills Regional Advisory Council, Buckeye Hills Regional Council, 1400 Pike St., Marietta.
2 p.m. Local Emergency Planning Committee, Athens County Emergency Medical Services, 21 Kenny Drive, Athens.
6 p.m.: Athens-Meigs Educational Service Center Governing Board, Athens-Meigs Educational Service Center, 21 Birge Drive, Chauncey.
6:30 p.m.: Federal Valley Resource Center Board, Federal Valley Resource Center, 8225 SR 329, Stewart.
Thursday, Oct. 26
5:30 p.m.: Jacksonville Village Council, Jacksonville Fire Station, 34 6th St., Jacksonville.
7 p.m.: Trimble Township Board of Trustees, Trimble Township Building, 14 Town St., Glouster.
Friday, Oct. 27
No public meetings
Monday, Oct. 30
1 p.m.: Buckeye Hills Regional Council Broadband Committee, Buckeye Hills Regional Council, 1400 Pike St., Marietta.
