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
Robert Collins, 63, of Glouster, was found guilty last week on 21-counts related to the sexual assault of children. Sentencing will take place Tuesday in Athens. (Athens County Prosecutor’s Office)
A new flood model is under development to help predict flooding in Athens County. The model will help guide future development and emergency planning and will be created over the next year using updated topography, rainfall and stream data. (Athens Messenger)
Bloom Cannabis announced the opening of a new dispensary in Athens at 9 W. Stimson Ave., its seventh location in Ohio. The store will serve both medical and adult-use customers. (PR Newswire)
Regional
A judge dismissed the Gavin Power Plant’s lawsuit against the EPA over coal ash disposal rules, siding with the agency’s interpretation of federal regulations. The ruling could require the plant to take further steps to address toxic waste contamination in southeast Ohio. (Statehouse News Bureau)
Centrus Energy announced plans to expand its uranium enrichment plant in Piketon, Ohio, intended to support advanced nuclear reactor development. (The Columbus Dispatch)
Marietta City Council held an emergency meeting last week to advance a resolution to form an ad hoc task force to study fracking waste injection wells in response to concerns over a well that would be drilled within two miles of the well field for the city’s drinking water. The resolution drew rebuke from the council president, who framed it as an attempt to delay a measure authorizing city litigation against the ODNR over the well. (The Parkersburg News and Sentinel)
- Indy context: The well in question has been permitted but not yet drilled. The ODNR Division of Oil and Gas Resources Management approved the permit to drill under outdated, less strict rules, because the initial application for the well came before the rules changed. The well is owned by a company with ties to a sitting state senator.
State
Medicaid cuts and new work requirements are expected to impose financial strain on rural and safety-net hospitals that serve primarily poor patients, according to a new analysis from the Commonwealth Fund. (Ohio Capital Journal)
Ohio Republicans quickly introduced measures in both chambers to honor Charlie Kirk, including a bill declaring Oct. 14 as “Charlie Kirk Memorial Day.” (State Newshouse Bureau)
Ohio ranks eighth in the nation for the highest property tax rates, according to a new report from the state’s leading school funding expert and a Republican former state budget director. Residents paid $16.7 billion in 2024; Ohio’s property tax rate is 1.31%, surpassing states like New York and California. (Statehouse News Bureau)
Ohio will receive almost $105 million in federal funding to support existing charter schools as well as launch new ones. The money will be released over five years. (Statehouse News Bureau)
Some Ohio farmers preparing for fall harvest report concerns about their bottom line after tariff and trade changes, as well as this year’s heavy rains, followed by drought. (Statehouse News Bureau)
Two Republican lawmakers have introduced a bill that would impose a 24-hour waiting period before an abortion; the current waiting period law is still blocked in court and under review by the state’s House Health Committee. (State Newshouse Bureau)
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