You are viewing the March 16, 2015 daily archives

Roads Closed Due to Flooding
Flooding has caused the closure of six county and state roads in Athens County, according to officials. The flooding accompanied a flood watch in Athens County, but the watch was cancelled at 2:30 p.m. The Athens County Emergency Management Agency released a statement saying Glenn Ebon Road (County Road 4) – between state Route 691… Read More

Charities Get Nearly $183K Left from Kasich Inauguration
By: Associated Press
Posted on:
Ohio’s First Lady says nearly $183,000 leftover from Gov. John Kasich’s inaugural fund have been donated to eight children’s charities. First Lady Karen Kasich announced Tuesday the money will be split among several groups focusing on after-school programs, nutrition and health. The governor’s committee raised nearly $1.2 million for his second inauguration. The January event… Read More

Developmental Disabilities Supt. Young Will Leave Job at End of Contract
Athens County Board of Developmental Disabilities Supt. Eric Young announced Tuesday afternoon that he will be leaving his post when his contract is up in 20 months. “At this point in my career it’s time for me to move on and do something else,” Young, who has been superintendent since 2010, told The Messenger. He… Read More

Ohio Turns Over Results of Dozens of Breath-Alcohol Tests
By: Associated Press
Posted on:
The Ohio Department of Health has turned over results from alcohol breath-test machines for more than 160 cases following an state Supreme Court ruling that allowed drunken driving defendants to challenge the accuracy of certain results. The court said last year that while Ohio law prohibits challenges of the general reliability of state-approved testing machines,… Read More

Report Shows Potential Impact of High Court Case on Health Care in Ohio
By: Associated Press
Posted on:
A new federal report shows that nearly 197,000 Ohioans could lose about $576 million in health insurance subsidies this year in a case before the U.S. Supreme Court. The figures released Tuesday by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services shows the potential impact of the case. It threatens the future of President Barack… Read More

West Virginia Lawmakers Pass Bill Letting People Drink Raw Milk
By: Associated Press
Posted on:
State lawmakers have cleared a bill letting people drink raw milk through animal herd sharing agreements. The House of Delegates voted 81-19 to approve the measure Tuesday. Senators narrowly passed the bill last month. The proposal wouldn’t allow retail sales of raw milk. Instead, it would require filling out a contract of ownership for milk-producing… Read More

Ohio House Attempts to Cut Down Lake Erie Algae
By: Associated Press
Posted on:
Lawmakers in the Ohio House have approved legislation that’s meant to cut down on the algae plaguing Lake Erie. The measure says farmers in much of northwestern Ohio will no longer be allowed to spread manure on frozen or rain-soaked farm fields. That practice is thought to contribute to the algae blooms that contaminated Toledo’s… Read More

Call The Midwife – Season Four
Season four begins Sunday, March 29 • 8 p.m. Inspired by the memoirs of Jennifer Worth, Call the Midwife follows the nurses, midwives and nuns from Nonnatus House, who visit the expectant mothers of Poplar, providing the poorest women with the best possible care. In Season 4, the community prepares to enter a new decade… Read More

OU Alumnus to Co-Produce “Star Wars: Rogue One”
John Swartz, a distinguished graduate of Ohio University’s School of Media Arts & Studies (formerly the School of Telecommunications), was recently announced as a co-producer of the first Star Wars stand-alone movie. Rogue One will be directed by Gareth Edwards (Monsters, Godzilla) and written by Oscar nominee Chris Weitz (Cinderella, About a Boy, Antz). The… Read More

Ohio Bill Would Require Defibrillator Training for Students
By: Associated Press
Posted on:
An Ohio proposal would require high school students to have basic training in how to use automated defibrillators and administer CPR. Schools could offer the instruction any time during the student’s high school tenure. It would first apply to those entering ninth grade on or after July 1, 2016. Defibrillators use electric shocks to jolt… Read More

Scam Calls Appear to Come from Cincinnati Area Code Number
By: Associated Press
Posted on:
Consumers in Ohio and other states are reporting scam calls appearing to come from the 513 area code in Cincinnati. Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine says his office has received more than 100 reports of such calls in Ohio and other states, including Georgia, Missouri, and South Dakota. Con artists apparently attempt to get credit… Read More

Study Says Youth in Rural Areas Have Higher Suicide Rate
By: Associated Press
Posted on:
A new Ohio State University study has found that adolescents and young adults living in rural areas are more likely to commit suicide than those in cities. The study analyzed suicides among people ages 10 to 24 between 1996 and 2010. Results show the adolescent and young adult suicide rate was almost twice as high… Read More

Weather Blamed for Increase in State Overtime Pay Last Year
By: Associated Press
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The state says last year’s severe winter weather is partly responsible for a small increase in the amount of annual overtime earned by state employees. The Department of Administrative Services says the Department of Transportation and the Department of Public Safety, which includes the highway patrol, had the biggest overtime increases over 2013. DAS said… Read More

West Virginia Pushes to Remove Straight Ticket Ballot Option
By: Associated Press
Posted on:
West Virginia lawmakers have approved a push to remove the option for voters to cast straight party-line ballots by checking one box. The Republican-led House of Delegates voted 87-13 to prohibit the practice earlier today. Only Democrats opposed the bill. The Senate cleared a similar proposal last month. Currently, voters in the Mountain State can… Read More

Athena Cinema to Take Part in National Evening of “Science on Screen”
The Athena Cinema will take part in the second annual National Evening of Science on Screen on Monday, March 16. Twenty-two independent theaters in cities across the country will participate in this event, which will feature a short introductory video, followed by a unique film and speaker presentation at each venue as part of its… Read More