You are viewing the June 17, 2014 daily archives

Fire Destroys Albany Home, Family Cat Saved
By: Rachel Bailey
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The first sign of trouble was the cat's disappearance. Tom Medley, the father of homeowner Triston, says his son's indoor housecat ran into the woods right before Triston's wife left around 3:30 Monday afternoon. The family was planning to stay at Tom's for the evening with their son. An hour later, he says the beautiful… Read More

State Wants Replacement Of Contractor Responsible For Spills At Site Leak
By: Associated Press
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Regulators are pushing Freedom Industries to oust the contractor responsible for spills last week at the site of a January leak into the state's biggest drinking water supply. State Department of Environmental Protection Secretary Randy Huffman said Tuesday he wants Civil & Environmental Consultants gone. The Pittsburgh contractor heads site cleanup. Stormwater from a Freedom… Read More

Ohio Elections Chief Sets New Early Voting Hours
By: Associated Press
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Ohio's elections chief has issued new early voting hours for the final days before Election Day following a federal judge's order last week. Voters in the battleground state will get a total of 18 hours to vote in person on the Saturday, Sunday and Monday before presidential primaries and presidential and gubernatorial general elections. Secretary… Read More

Federal Appeals Court To Weigh Gay Marriage Cases
By: Associated Press
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A federal appeals court has scheduled oral arguments in gay marriage fights in Ohio, Michigan, Kentucky and Tennessee. Though each case is unique, they all deal with whether statewide gay marriage bans violate the Constitution. The Cincinnati-based 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals will hear arguments Aug. 6 on whether to uphold gay marriage victories… Read More

Nearly 9 in 10 Ohio 3rd-Graders Meet Reading Goals
By: Associated Press
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The state says nearly nine of 10 Ohio third-graders met new reading targets and can move onto the fourth grade after follow-up testing. Students can be held back if they don't meet the literacy goals under the state's new Third Grade Reading Guarantee. The Department of Education said Tuesday more than 110,000 third-graders or 88… Read More

Snapshot: A Love Story Interrupted By Invasion
Thursday, July 3 • 10 p.m. A true story of daughter’s journey through a landscape of years, memories and realities. Her journey initiated by the question “what do I know about war?” The answers are lying in an album of faded photos of her absent father, who left for the Vietnam War before she was born. She creates… Read More

Online Payment Of Real Estate Taxes Coming
By: Steve Robb - Athens Messenger staff reporter
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If all goes as planned, Athens County property owners will be able to pay their real estate tax bills online beginning next month. “We are getting very, very close to going online with our webpage,” County Treasurer Bill Bias said. Taxpayers should be getting their second-half tax bills the first week of July, and Bias… Read More

Former Wee Cats Coach Pleads Guilty To Theft
By: Joe Higgins | Athens Messenger
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The former cheerleading coach of Trimble Local Schools and the youth organization known as Wee Cats has pleaded guilty to an allegation of theft. Christa Shutts, 30, of Jacksonville, appeared in Athens County Common Pleas Court on Monday and pleaded guilty to a bill of information charging a fifth-degree felony of theft. Shutts is accused… Read More

Ohio Teacher Loses Position Over Facebook Posts
By: Associated Press
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A northeastern Ohio school teacher has lost his job following Facebook posts the school board said were racist and derogatory. Akron city schools administrators say David Spondike posted the comments on his Facebook page after witnessing teenagers urinating near his front yard. The Akron Beacon Journal reports the school board on Monday accepted a referee's… Read More

Quick Look: Chaos In Iraq
ISIS, the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria took over several major cities in Northern Iraq including Mosul and Tikrit. As Iraq threatens to break apart from sectarian conflict the US considers talks with Iran. WOUB's Julia Rabe reports.

OUL Theatre Students Act Out Crisis Situations To Help Local Law Enforcement
By: Cheri Russo
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photo provided Last week, students from the Ohio University Lancaster Theatre program helped community law enforcement officials prepare for crisis situations. The students used their acting skills to depict crisis scenarios during Fairfield County’s Crisis Intervention Training (CIT), put on by the Fairfield County Alcohol, Drug Addiction and Mental Health Board (ADAMH). “The situations varied,”… Read More

Judgeship Race Was Close, But Not Campaign Spending
By: Steve Robb-Athens Messenger staff journalist
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Post-primary campaign finance reports again showed Pat Lang outspending Todd Grace in the race for Athens County Common Pleas Count judge. As the Messenger previously reported, Lang, who won the Democratic nomination by a four-vote margin, also listed higher spending than Grace in finance reports filed before the election. Friday was the deadline for filing… Read More

Military Higher Ed And Protection Bill Signed By Kasich
By: Associated Press
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Ohio Gov. John Kasich has signed a bill aimed at improving military veterans' and service members' access to higher education and jobs. It's also intended to help prevent military identity fraud and theft. The legislation signed Monday provides more uniform standards for awarding credit for military experience by Ohio's public colleges and state boards issuing… Read More

Relay For Life Aims To Raise $30k For Cancer Research
By: Sara Brumfield | Athens Messenger
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Cancer doesn’t take a holiday, but those who are working to beat the disease will be celebrating at the Athens County Relay for Life this weekend at Alexander High School.The team for this year’s American Cancer Society fundraiser is “Cancer doesn’t take a holiday, so neither will we.” To celebrate the theme, participants will be… Read More

Alleged Murderer Has Psychiatric Evaluation Ordered
By: Susan Tebben | The Athens Messenger
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A McArthur man charged with the murder of a Vinton County woman will undergo a psychiatric evaluation before his case continues. Richard "Moose" Puckett, 45, was set to have a case management hearing in Vinton County Common Pleas Court on June 11, but the hearing was postponed on the decision that Puckett would undergo the… Read More