Note: All information is current as of The Scoop’s production on Tuesday morning. Click the links for the most up-to-date information.
UPDATED Nelsonville 911 service changes: Effective May 30, the nonemergency number for the Nelsonville Police Department (740-753-1736) will ring into a phone tree with options for callers. Call 911 for emergencies.
- Press 1 to request a police response or to file a report.
- Press 2 to ask questions about city operations or events or to make a code complaint.
- Press 3 to ask questions about the Mayor’s Court or to pay fines.
- Press 4 to request a copy of a police report, ask questions about police records or to leave a message for an individual officer.
- Press 5 to inquire about property that has been confiscated or found.
Food bank distribution: The SE Ohio Foodbank will distribute food at its offices at 1005 CIC Drive in Logan from 10 a.m. to noon Friday, May 31. Fresh produce and other food items will be available for residents of Athens, Gallia, Hocking, Jackson, Lawrence, Meigs, Morgan, Perry, Vinton, and Washington counties who qualify for state benefits or with incomes under 200% of Federal Poverty Guidelines. Photo I.D. and proof of residency no more than 60 days old is required. Pre-registration is not required.
Tire recycling: Saturday, June 1, Federal Hocking High School, 8461 SR 144, Stewart. 9 a.m.–1 p.m. or until trailer is full. Limit 10 tires per vehicle. $0.50/tire, $4/on rim.
Video contest: Athens ReThink Plastics is hosting a contest for a video to accompany its “Say No to a Plastic Bag” jingle. The contest is open to all ages and includes cash prizes of up to $200. Deadline to submit is Saturday, June 1.
Pride Month Guide: The Buckeye Flame’s 2024 LGBTQ+ Pride Guide compiles over 100 Pride events throughout Ohio, including several events in Athens County. Pride Month is celebrated in June.
Honor rolls
- Alexander Junior/Senior High School honor roll, fourth quarter
Volunteers wanted
- Nelsonville Music Festival has a few spots left for volunteers at the 2024 festival. Volunteers work three four-hour shifts over the weekend, including one late-night shift (beginning at 6:30 p.m.). In return, volunteers receive a weekend pass for the festival, a t-shirt and free parking and can stay in the volunteer campground for $20.
Athens City Council recent ordinances
- 0-37-24: Amends FY24 budget to allocate from the unappropriated balance $40,000 for soccer netting; $1,253.63 to Luchs’ Trust Fund (650, TC. 600), for transfer to Cemetery Fund (210), and closing the fund line; and $63,000 to Capital Improvements Fund, 580.580, TC. 600, for transfer to the Transportation Assistance Fund (614).
- 0-38-24: Amends Ordinance 03-21, so that deposits of revenue from the Transient Guest Tax revenue into the General and Tourism funds begin Jan. 1, 2018, instead of Jan. 1, 2021, and removes the original collection period end date of Dec. 31, 2023.
- 0-39-24: Amends Ordinance 27-24 so it cuts $66,500 from the Community Court Fund (235, T.C. 100) instead of the DUI Court Fund (237, T.C. 100).
- 0-41-24: Authorizes the mayor to apply for 2024 Community Development Block Grants.
- 0-42-24: Authorizes the service-safety director to contract with Go2IT Group to upgrade and install equipment for the City Network Upgrade (Project #369) at a cost of $250,000 from the unappropriated balance of the FY24 budget.
Traffic advisories
Dowler Ridge Road (CR 3) is closed today between the intersections with Beckler Road (Waterloo Twp. 260) and Carbondale Road (CR 1) as contractors bore the road to prepare for a future project. The road should be open by 5 p.m. today
Nelsonville
- Burr Oak Boulevard between East Canal Street and Hillside Drive remains closed until 8 p.m. Friday, May 31, for a water line replacement project.
Ohio Department of Transportation:
- Chauncey sanitary sewer project: Begins June 3; SR 13 closed from SR 682 to West Bailey Road. Detour is SR 682 to U.S. 33 west to SR 78 to SR 685 to SR 13. Estimated completion: July 3
- U.S. 50 traffic signal replacement: U.S. 50 at Washington Road/Meadowbrook Road in Albany. Short-term lane closures with flaggers. Under way. Expected completion: Nov. 1.
- U.S. 50 resurfacing
- Della Drive to River Road. Lane closures in both directions; periodic ramp closures. Expected completion: Aug. 15.
- East State Street: Begins in June; traffic maintained by flaggers. Expected completion: Aug. 15.
- U.S. 33 bridge deck repair: From the U.S. 33 North/U.S. 50 East split near Stimson Avenue to the U.S. 50 West ramp to U.S. 33 North. Expected completion: May 29.
- SR 690 resurfacing: Between U.S. 50 and SR 550. Short-term lane closures with flaggers. Expected completion: July 31.
- Hockhocking Adena Bikeway resurfacing: Closed from the Currier Street lot (Athens) to Loop Road (Nelsonville). Expected completion: June 14.
- South Green Drive pedestrian safety improvements: Begins May 13. 10-foot lane restriction. Expected completion: Aug. 5.
Law enforcement
Athens County Sheriff, May 23
- Albany: Juvenile complaint, Broad Street. Upon arrival, deputies located a small child running in and out of traffic and refusing to listen to her parents’ demands. Deputies caught the child and returned her to the parents. The juvenile was later transported to O’Bleness for medical treatment.
- Albany: Vandalism complaint, Mill Street. Upon arrival a female advised her vehicle was scratched while parked at her residence. A report was taken and an investigation is pending at this time.
- Athens: Report of an unconscious male sitting in his vehicle on Campbell Road. Deputies made contact with the male, who identified himself as Joe Tritipo. Tritipo was placed under arrest on a warrant out of Meigs County.
- Chauncey: Threat report, Lexington Avenue. A report was taken and the individual did not wish to proceed with charges.
- Coolville: Wildlife report, Calaway Ridge Road. Deer lying in the yard for several hours; it was determined the deer was attempting to give birth. ODNR advised leaving the deer alone.
- Coolville: Theft complaint, Cincinnati Ridge Road. Deputies spoke with the complainant on the phone and a report was taken.
- Glouster: Mental health report, Trimble Township. Male may have been experiencing a mental health episode. After making contact with the subject and family members on scene, deputies found no signs of a mental or medical emergency or of criminal activity.
- Glouster: Stolen U Haul trailer recovered on High Street.
- Glouster: Breaking and entering complaint, Burr Oak Road. A report was taken and an investigation is pending at this time.
- Hockingport: Possible OVI/medical, Ketchum’s Store. The subject left the scene before the arrival of first responders.
- Millfield: Incident report, SR 13. Young child standing by the highway. Deputies patrolled the area but did not locate any children.
- Millfield: Suspicious person complaint, Hilltop Cemetery. Deputies made contact with a female and found everything to be okay.
- Nelsonville: Suspicious activity, Whitmore Road. A report was taken and the individual was advised of the steps to take moving forward.
- The Plains: Domestic violence complaint, Carol Lane. Deputies spoke with one party and are attempting to locate the other. No violence or threats of violence were reported.
- The Plains: Agency assist, SR 682. Athens County Children Services home inspection.
- The Plains: Agency assist, North Plains Road. Upset client left her home. Once contact was made with the client she agreed to go back to her home with the case worker.
