You are viewing the December 21, 2017 daily archives

House Passes Bill To Avert Government Shutdown
By: Miles Parks | NPR
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The stopgap spending bill would keep the government open until mid-January and extend funding for the Children’s Health Insurance Program through March. The Senate is expected to take it up tonight.

Ohio Football Looks to Finish Record-Breaking Campaign Strong in Bahamas
By: Russ Heltman
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13 years ago, Frank Solich brought a pedigree of consistency to Ohio Football (8-4, 5-3). Almost 100 wins and nine bowl trips later, the only thing looming over his coaching legacy is the Bobcats record in December. 2-10 That represents Solich’s head-scratching postseason record during his time in Athens, something he hopes to turnaround when… Read More

Life Expectancy Drops Again As Opioid Deaths Surge In U.S.
By: Rob Stein | NPR
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The opioid epidemic caused U.S. life expectancy to fall for the second year in a row, marking the first time that’s happened since the early 1960s. Death rates also continued to rise.

State Casino Official Fired for Harassment
By: Associated Press
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COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) – Records obtained by The Associated Press show a state gaming agent’s sexual harassment complaint against her supervisor led Ohio casino regulators to a larger pattern of intimidation and the man’s firing. Records show Columbus-based deputy enforcement director Mark Leatherman lost his job in May. A termination letter obtained through a public-records… Read More

Top Tunes ’17: Brian Koscho
Who can believe it? Another year has come and gone, leaving but memories of records beloved past! This is an installment in an ongoing holiday season series for WOUB, in which some of the area’s favorite music nerds share what moved them, musically, in the year 2017. Brian Koscho lives in Athens with his wife Sherri,… Read More

Ohio Child Advocates: Opioid Crisis Straining Foster Care
By: Associated Press
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COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) – Child advocates say the opioid crisis is overwhelming Ohio’s foster care system as more and more children are removed from the homes of drug-addicted parents. The Public Children Services Association of Ohio says more than 15,500 children are now in foster care, up from about 12,600 four years ago. The agency… Read More

West Virginia Jobless Rate Increases to 5.3 Percent
By: Associated Press
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CHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP) – West Virginia’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate increased two-tenths of a percentage point to 5.3 percent in November. WorkForce West Virginia says the number of unemployed residents increased by 100 last month to 39,900 and total nonfarm payroll employment dropped by 1,000. Employment gains included 800 in construction, 600 in educational and… Read More

West Virginia Lawmaker Backs Free IDs for the Homeless
By: Associated Press
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KEYSER, W.Va. (AP) – A West Virginia lawmaker says he’ll reintroduce legislation in January to help homeless people get identification documents needed to get jobs or apply for public benefits. Delegate Gary Howell, House Committee on Government Organization chairman, says it would require the Division of Motor Vehicles to provide them for free to people… Read More

Coroner Tracks Even More Overdose Deaths for Columbus Area
By: Associated Press
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COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) – The coroner serving the greater Columbus area says overdose deaths blamed largely on opioids topped the total for all of last year after only nine months. Franklin County Coroner Dr. Anahi Ortiz said Wednesday the county in central Ohio saw 383 overdose deaths through September. The county saw 353 overdose deaths… Read More

West Virginia Loses More Than 12K Residents Over Past Year
By: Associated Press
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CHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP) – Census estimates show West Virginia’s population shrank for the fifth straight year in 2017. According to estimates released Wednesday, West Virginia was among eight states to lose population. As of July 1, the state’s population was estimated at 1,815,857, down 12,780 from a revised estimate of 1,828,637 the same time a… Read More

North Carolina Woman Accused Of Stealing From Cancer Fund
By: WOUB Staff Writer
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A woman in North Carolina is awaiting extradition back to Ohio after allegedly stealing from a Trimble Township organization raising money for cancer awareness. Michelle Lowery-Rowan, 46, formerly of Glouster, was arrested by the University of North Carolina Police Department on Wednesday afternoon, according to a press release by the Athens County Prosecutor’s Office. Lowery-Rowan… Read More