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
Ohio University was featured on national news regarding its cuts to diversity, equity and inclusion programming and the impact of those cuts on its students and staff. (PBS NewsHour)
- Indy context: OU has announced the official closure of the Pride Center, Women’s Center and Multicultural Center to comply with a recent state law banning DEI programs.
The Ohio Department of Transportation will begin work on its $247 million project to widen U.S. 33 in Athens and Meigs counties on the two-lane portions of the highway. (Athens Messenger)
A wet spring may protect Southeast Ohio from potential droughts this summer, following last year’s extremely dry summer. (Athens Messenger)
An Athens Middle School student was among four Southeast Ohio students who competed in the State Science Fair after winning top honors at the Ohio Academy of Science annual Regional Science Day held at Ohio University in partnership with AEP Ohio. (Ohio University)
Regional
An 18-year-old Amish man is facing charges for a murder in March of a 28-year-old Amish woman in Meigs County. (WCHS)
Area school districts are concerned about a bill in the Ohio House of Representatives that would place caps on school districts’ cash reserves. (WOUB)
State
Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost has approved language for a proposed ballot initiative that would abolish property taxes through a constitutional amendment. Critics worry about impacts on public services; proponents believe it would impact government spending and lessen the burden of increasing taxes on property owners. (Ohio Capital Journal)
- Indy context: Members of the Ohio County Auditors Association, including Athens County Auditor Jill Davidson, recently described the group’s proposals for property tax reform during a public meeting in Athens.
The Ohio Senate has passed a bill to limit students’ cell phone use in K-12 schools. Gov. Mike DeWine has voiced support for the legislation. (Statehouse News Bureau)
Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost has suspended his gubernatorial campaign. (Statehouse News Bureau)
Rural Ohio libraries are sounding the alarm about cuts to funding from federal and state governments. Federal funds make up a third of the state’s library funding. (The Ohio Newsroom)
The proposed biennial state budget includes a trigger clause that would “immediately discontinue all medical assistance” to Ohioans covered by expanded Medicare if the federal government cuts Medicaid funding. (Ideastream)
Gov. DeWine signed an energy bill that will end public subsidies for two Ohio Valley Electric Corporation plants in August. The subsidies were part of House Bill 6, the subject of a $60 million bribery scandal. The bill also accelerates state review of energy generation projects, possibly a boon for data centers. (Statehouse News Bureau)
