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
Advocates for low-income southeast Ohioans have expressed worry that the House of Representatives’ version of the domestic policy bill now moving through Congress — dubbed “One Big, Beautiful Bill” by Republicans — will result locally in lost Medicaid and SNAP coverage and economic damage. (WOUB)
Executive director of the Athens County Convention and Visitors Bureau Boone Troyer warned a proposed state budget amendment could have drastic consequences for the bureau, causing it to lose three employees instantly. The amendment would redirect funding that convention and visitors’ bureaus receive to promote tourism to local infrastructure and other services affected by the tourism industry. (Statehouse News Bureau)
Regional
Through a civil lawsuit, Hocking County seeks to recoup more than $39,000 in salary that former county commissioner Jessica Dicken received while suspended from office. In 2023, a Hocking County grand jury indicted Dicken on seven criminal counts related to fraud, following an investigation by the Ohio Auditor’s office. (Logan Daily News)
Rep. Don Jones (R-95) resigned from the Ohio House of Representatives because he accepted an appointment from President Donald Trump to serve as state executive director for the Ohio Farm Service Agency. The 95th district includes portions of Athens County, along with several other counties in the region; a House panel will seek applications from district residents to fill Jones’ seat. (Ohio House of Representatives)
The Ohio Department of Natural Resources halted fracking at a wellpad in Noble County because of an increase in earthquakes nearby. Fracking, an oil and gas extraction process common in southeast Ohio, causes earthquakes because of the high volumes of fluid injected underground at high pressures. (The Ohio Newsroom)
State
A new specialized Ohio license plate will promote 988, the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. A portion from each purchase will benefit the Ohio Suicide Prevention Foundation. The organization’s executive director said Ohio loses five people to suicide every day. (Statehouse News Bureau)
Extremism experts say theft or vandalism of Pride flags and other LGBTQ+ symbols across Ohio marks a shifting trend seen elsewhere around the country. Ohio offers no protections from hate crimes based on gender identity or sexual orientation. (The Buckeye Flame)
Republicans in the Ohio House and Senate plan to impose new restrictions on recreational cannabis use, claiming that voters didn’t realize the implications of legalizing marijuana in the state. Opponents say the GOP is thwarting the wishes of voters who approved cannabis access in a statewide issue in 2023. (Ohio Capital Journal)
Opponents of a measure that would place restrictions on foreign ownership of land spoke before an Ohio Senate committee last week, claiming the legislation violates constitutional and statutory provisions and codifies racism. Sponsors say the measure is needed to keep military installations and critical infrastructure at least 25 miles away from land owned by foreign governments, particularly China. (Ohio Capital Journal)
