Local
Athens County is under a flood watch; flooding and strong storms possible through today and tonight. (National Weather Service)
- More: Preparedness resources
Serah Bellar has moved to dismiss her parents from a lawsuit over familial sexual abuse she suffered as a minor, leaving Dove Outreach, a Waverly church, as the sole defendant in the case. Bellar says the church facilitated the sexual abuse she suffered from ages 5 to 12. (Logan Daily News)
- Indy context: Athens County and former sheriff’s deputy Jimmy Childs reached a settlement with Bellar last summer. Bellar accused Childs of suppressing multiple reports she made to him about the abuse because he was friends with her parents.
Athens-Hocking Recycling Centers warns that if the city of Athens does not join a proposed council of governments, the organization could be forced to close its sorting facility, jeopardizing its ability to provide curbside recycling services in both counties. (Athens-Hocking Recycling Centers)
- Indy context: Logan and Amesville have signed on to the COG, which would absorb AHRC’s operations. The 40-year-old entity was thrown into crisis when the city of Athens contracted with Rumpke Waste & Recycling for waste hauling instead of AHRC.
Cherry blossoms are an annual reminder of the beauty of spring and the relationship between Ohio University and Chubu University in Japan. (The Post)
Three Ohio University faculty members won individual excellence awards from the Ohio Arts Council: Merri Biechler for a play about Bigfoot; Eric LeMay for a memoir excerpt on cancer diagnosis and parenting; and Robert McClure for a music composition, “bloom.” (Ohio University)
The 51st Athens International Film + Video Festival will take place April 8–14, featuring more than 215 films from over 50 countries. (Ohio University)
OU’s 6th annual Music Industry Summit will take place April 9–10, with all day programming on campus featuring industry experts and leading artists, such as Jason Isbell and Earl Sweatshirt. The event is free, with registration open to anyone. Some events require separate registration, and evening performances have ticket charges. (Ohio University)
Athens County Public Libraries are sponsoring free fares on Athens Public Transit and On-Demand Transit April 8–12 to celebrate National Library Week. (Athens County Public LIbraries)
Community Food Initiatives will begin its Annual Seed Giveaway Monday, April 8, at all Athens County Public Library branches. Seeds are free and available to any community member while supplies last. (Community Food Initiatives)
Regional
Baby boomers are increasingly retiring to southern Appalachia instead of Florida, as the region grows as a recreational and retirement hub. (Business Insider)
Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost is taking action against Austin Master Services to stop its storage of excess brine and drilling waste in Martins Ferry, Ohio. Yost says the company’s illegal practices have the potential to create “a big environmental disaster.” (Ohio Attorney General’s Office)
- Indy context: The state action came after Austin Master Services failed to comply with corrective actions requested by the Ohio Department of Natural Resources Division of Oil and Gas. The division’s efforts to regulate brine storage in Athens County, meanwhile, have been stymied as another state body considers an appeal brought by the fracking waste injection company, K&H Partners.
State
The American Civil Liberties Union of Ohio has filed a lawsuit over Ohio House BIll 68. The lawsuit asks the court for a temporary restraining order to block the law’s ban on gender affirming healthcare for transgender youth before it takes effect later this month. (Buckeye Flame)
- Indy context: Here’s how the bill will impact Athens County healthcare and schools, if the court allows it to take effect.
Another recent lawsuit brought by the ACLU of Ohio challenges several state laws restricting abortion, which the organization says now violate the state constitution. Ohio voters passed a constitutional amendment to enshrine abortion access last fall. (Statehouse News Bureau)
Recreational marijuana sales are on track to start in Ohio by the third quarter of this year, with the rulemaking process moving quickly. Lawmakers’ efforts to change the recreational marijuana law as passed by voters have stalled amid legislative dysfunction. (Statehouse News Bureau)
Following a $1.5 million fine against CVS pharmacies, the Ohio Board of Pharmacy is set to implement new rules on May 1, intended to prevent understaffing. (Ohio Capital Journal)
Four environmental groups have filed a court order to challenge an Ohio judge’s order that declined to review the state’s decision to allow oil and gas drilling under state parks and wildlife areas. (Energy News Network)
