All information is current as of The Scoop’s production on Tuesday morning. Click the links for the most up-to-date information. The Athens County Independent believes the cited sources of information are reliable; however, these sources are responsible for the accuracy of their own reporting.
Submit news and information to info@athensindependent.com by noon on Mondays for inclusion in Tuesday’s issue of The Scoop.
Local
An effort to provide two secure sleeping units for the area’s unhoused population faced a major setback when the Athens County Commissioners decided to sell the proposed site behind Ohio Means Jobs on West Union Street. The Gathering Place organizers foresaw the two units opening in January 2025 but are now back at square one, despite a housing crisis in the region. (WOUB)
Athena Grand owners Rick Frame and Mike Little cited challenges such as the pandemic, changes in movie-watching habits and competition from the historic Athena Cinema on Court Street as reasons for their decision to close the theater on East State Street after nearly 20 years of business. (WOUB)
Contaminated water produced during oil and gas extraction may find purpose outside of those industries in part thanks to a $1.5 million grant from the U.S. Department of Energy to Ohio University, which will work to develop an economically feasible process to treat produced fracking water for recycling or reuse elsewhere, like in agriculture. (OU)
The civil rights lawsuit filed by a couple against the city of Nelsonville may settle soon, as both parties are discussing an agreement. The lawsuit alleges racial discrimination and wrongful termination. (The Logan Daily News)
- Indy context: Body cam footage released by the Independent showed former Nelsonville Police Chief Scott Fitch – now the Meigs County sheriff – making racially charged comments toward Black plaintiff Bobby Hunt prior to Hunt’s arrest. The video also showed Fitch put his hands on Hunt’s neck multiple times.
The Survivor Advocacy Outreach Program has named Madison Trace executive director; the organization says Trace has shown exceptional leadership and dedication since joining as director of operations in 2022. (SAOP)
- Indy context: Trace replaces Jen Seifert, who the SAOP board of directors terminated from her position earlier this year. Seifert’s termination came amid perceptions of a toxic work environment among the staff and concerns about mission drift.
State
Hundreds of acres in Salt Fork State Park will become subject to fracking after an Ohio commission decision, despite significant public opposition from those who say the practice will harm the environment and wildlife. The commission also approved bids for fracking in other areas. (The Columbus Dispatch)
ParkMobile agreed to a $32.8 million settlement to resolve a class-action lawsuit over a 2021 data breach that affected approximately 21 million users — including folks in Athens. (ClassAction.org)
Colleges and universities are a step closer to being able to directly compensate student-athletes amid legislative progress on a bill to update Ohio’s name, image, and likeness law. The bill aims to codify Gov. Mike DeWine’s recent executive order. (Ohio Capital Journal)
- Indy context: With the legislature’s lame-duck session near its end, the bill is pending introduction to the Ohio Senate. It was passed by the Ohio House.
The controversial proposed “Parents’ Bill of Rights” has been amended to include a mandate for schools to develop policies allowing release time for religious instruction. The bill, which also requires parental notification of any discussions about sexuality in Ohio schools, has faced significant opposition from LGBTQ+ advocates. (Buckeye Flame)
- Indy context: The bill is currently in an Ohio Senate Committee and may see further movement today and tomorrow.
The Ohio House passed a bill nearly doubling the state’s homestead exemption for older and disabled residents, expanding it to the first $50,000 of a home’s fair market value. The Senate now faces a time crunch to consider the measure – and have Gov. DeWine sign it into law – beforethe legislature adjourns this week. (Statehouse News Bureau)
