You are viewing the August 7, 2013 daily archives

Ohio Volleyball Receives Team Academic Award For 2012-13 Year
By: Seth Austin
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For the fourth consecutive season, the Ohio Bobcats’ volleyball team was awarded with an American Volleyball Coaches Association Team Academic Award Wednesday for its efforts over the 2012-13 academic year. Ohio had a cumulative GPA of 3.36 for the year. It was one of 130 Division-I schools to receive the honor. After the season, three… Read More

Athens Community Music Fest Celebrates 15 Years
By: Bryan Gibson
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The 15th annual Athens Community Music Festival is scheduled for Saturday, Aug. 10, featuring more than 30 local acts at six uptown venues.
Fest organizer Scott Winland talks about what it takes to put it all together and how area musicians will be rocking out for a good cause this weekend.

New Report On Impact Of New Media On Court System
By: Chris Davey
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An increasing number of courts are implementing rules to control the use of new media like Facebook and Twitter in the courtroom, according to a survey released today by the Conference of Court Public Information Officers. The 2013 CCPIO New Media Survey contains the results of a national survey of judges and court personnel conducted… Read More

Caps To PACs In WV Ruled Unconstitutional
By: Associated Press
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A federal judge says West Virginia's cap on contributions to political action committees is unconstitutional. U.S. District Judge Thomas Johnston cited the U.S. Supreme Court ruling that found campaign contributions by corporations are protected speech under the First Amendment. Johnston's ruling came in a lawsuit filed by Stay the Course West Virginia and two of… Read More

Severe Thunderstorm Watch For Portions Of The Region
By: Atish Baidya
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The National Weather Service has issued a thunderstorm watch for parts of the region until 10 p.m. Wednesday. According the NWS Belmont Carroll, Columbiana, Coshocton, Guernsey, Harrison, Jefferson and Tuscarawas counties are under the watch. The primary threat from the system are wind gusts up to 60 miles per hour and large hail up to… Read More

Payday Lenders Skirt Law Banning The Practice
By: Associated Press
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Payday lenders targeted by Ohio legislation that banned short-term, high-cost loans five years ago are skirting that crackdown by offering high-interest loans under other laws. Some of the hundreds of storefront lending operations closed but others have exploited loopholes and provided loans under laws not written for such businesses. Payday lenders say their services are… Read More

Afternoon Audio Update for August 7
A young girl was hit by a car on East State Street late this morning. Some eastern Kentuckians are opposed to having an addiction recovery center near their homes. West Virginia Governor Earl Ray Tomblin hopes to double last year's commitment in this year's "Day to Serve."

Kentucky Officials Oppose Addiction Recovery Center
By: Associated Press
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Officials in Boyd County are vowing to do everything they can to stop a planned addiction recover center. The Independent reports the action came Tuesday following an hour-long meeting in which residents near the proposed location vocally opposed the Recovery Kentucky center citing concerns about safety and property values. Officials proposing the Recovery Kentucky center… Read More

Toddler Dies After Being Hit By Car
By: Atish Baidya, Megan Moseley, Susan Tebben | The Athens Messenger
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UPDATE 2:56 p.m. A three-year-old girl was killed Wednesday morning after she ran out into traffic on East State Street. Athens Police say Sophia Sheets was struck by a vehicle just before 11:30 a.m. when she ran into traffic from a grassy area along the road. Athens Police identified the driver of the vehicle as Linda… Read More

Ariel Castro’s House Demolished
By: Associated Press
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The Cleveland house where three women were held captive and raped over a decade has been demolished. The house was torn down as part of a plea deal that spared Ariel Castro a possible death sentence. He was sentenced last week to life in prison plus 1,000 years. One of the women imprisoned there, Michelle… Read More

Updated Revenue Figures For Ohio’s Casinos To Be Released
By: Associated Press
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The latest revenue numbers for Ohio’s four casinos are expected to show whether the facilities’ summer slump continued in July. The revenue totals for last month will be released Wednesday by the Ohio Casino Control Commission. The Horseshoe Cincinnati was down the most in June at 10 percent and was hurt by lower revenue from… Read More

ABC Players Announce 2013-2014 Season
Mystery, family fun, and classic British comedy are on the playbill for the Athenian Berean Community Players' 2013/2014 season. Death by Chocolate, directed by Cecilia Rinaldi and sponsored by the Hocking Valley Bank, will run from Oct. 31 to Nov. 3, 2013. In this dark (chocolate) whodunit, Coco Purvis offers a tantalizing case to Nick… Read More

Child Advocacy Centers Partner With State To Help Human Trafficking Victims
By: Associated Press
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The state is partnering with children's advocacy centers across Ohio to help young victims of human trafficking. State officials say the Ohio Network of Children's Advocacy Centers will get more than $523,000 in state funding over the next two years to respond to the needs of human trafficking victims and their families. Ohio's Department of… Read More

Food Stamp Benefits To Decrease In November
By: Associated Press
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About 1.8 million Ohioans who get food stamps will see a reduction in benefits when a federal program expires in November. And a new report says that will be devastating to the people who use the program. In 2009, as part of the economic-stimulus law, federal food assistance increased maximum monthly benefits for food-stamp recipients…. Read More

Hocking Valley Bank Celebrates 50th Anniversary With A Dress Down Day To Honor WOUB
In 1963, two venerable Athens institutions – a local community bank and a public television station – got their starts. Now, 50 years later, Hocking Valley Bank and WOUB-TV are both still going strong, continuing to make valuable contributions to the Athens County area and beyond. To recognize this milestone for both organizations, Hocking Valley… Read More

Morning Audio Update For Aug. 7
By: Megan Moseley
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Issues spark over Nelsonville-York School District's armed school resource officer. Around 1,100 marijuana plants were eradicated in southern Ohio. More in your morning update.

Sheriff’s Office Releases Photograph Of Albany General Store Robbery Suspect
By: Megan Moseley, WOUB Contributing Writer
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The Athens County Sheriff's Office has released an image of a suspect in a store robbery. The Sheriff's Office says it all happened around 10:30 Sunday night at a local gas station in Albany. Investigators say a white man with a bandana over his face entered the gas station with a gun and demanded money…. Read More

Johnson Road Closes For Repairs
By: WOUB Contributing Writer
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Athens County Road 7 (Johnson) will close Thursday morning, and remain closed for about a week, so that repairs can be made. County Engineer Jeff Maiden said crumbling pavement will be fixed, including recontructing part of the road. The road provides access to Athens High School, and Maiden said he wants to get the work… Read More

New Information Surfaces In McArthur Wrongful Foreclosure Case
By: Tyler Buchanan | The Athens Messenger
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More details surrounding the widely-circulated McArthur wrongful foreclosure case continue to emerge, as a police report detailing the Wellston bank's mistake may call into question some of the homeowner's initial claims. In addition, Vinton County Prosecutor Trecia Kimes-Brown has declined to pursue any criminal charges against the bank for their actions. Katie Barnett, of McArthur,… Read More

County Commissioners Say N-Y Has To Pay Full Cost For Resource Officer
By: Steve Robb - Athens Messenger staff reporter
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Hiring a school resource officer for Nelsonville-York School District ran into a hitch Tuesday when the county commissioners raised questions about the proposed contract. The plan is for the sheriff’s office to hire Duane Covert of Nelsonville for the position, with the school district paying Covert’s salary — $24,303, including wages, Medicare, PERS and workman’s… Read More

WV Man Goes To Prison For Selling Painkillers And Firearms
By: Associated Press
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A Cabell County man has been sentenced to 3 ½ years in prison for illegally selling prescription painkillers and firearms. The government says Kenneth Lee Sergent, 41, of Huntington entered guilty pleas in May to being a felon in possession of a firearm and distribution of oxycodone. This week, he was sentenced in U.S. District… Read More