You are viewing the "Steve Robb | Athens Messenger" Archives
Investigation Into Alleged Chix 4 A Cure Theft Continues
By: Steve Robb | Athens Messenger
Posted on:
Authorities searched the North Carolina office, car and home of a former Glouster woman accused of stealing from the Trimble Twp. nonprofit Chix 4 a Cure, a cancer organization. Michelle Lowery-Rowan, who works at the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill, was arrested Wednesday at her office by university police with assistance from the Athens… Read More
Fed Hock Schools Challenging Tax Values of Businesses
By: Steve Robb | Athens Messenger
Posted on:
STEWART — Federal Hocking Local School District is challenging the values set for tax purposes on properties owned by three companies. Complaints were filed by the school district against K&H Partners, Go Mart Inc. and Southeast Ohio Holdings LLC, which owns Athens Mini Storage. If Federal Hocking is successful in getting the tax values increased,… Read More
First Same-Sex Marriage License Issued in Athens County
By: Steve Robb | Athens Messenger
Posted on:
“Happy, but kind of shocked,” is how Paul Jones of Athens described his reaction when the U.S. Supreme Court ruled Friday that same-sex marriage is legal in Ohio and all other states. “Can I change my Facebook status to ‘engaged?’” Jones recalled his partner of nearly 20 years, Jeremy Webster, asking as they watched CNN…. Read More
Erickson To Get 14K Per Month As Special Adviser
By: Steve Robb | Athens Messenger
Posted on:
Former Hocking College president Ron Erickson will continue to be paid his regular base salary during the time he serves as special adviser to the chairman of the college’s board of trustees, according to an agreement between Erickson and the board. Erickson, who resigned last week, will be paid $14,167 per month as special adviser…. Read More
Doctors Hospital Nelsonville Will Stop Admitting Patients Next Month
By: Steve Robb | Athens Messenger
Posted on:
Doctors Hospital Nelsonville will officially stop admitting patients effective Oct. 15, according to OhioHealth spokesman Mark Hopkins. The announcement does not come as a surprise, as OhioHealth had announced this summer that inpatient services would cease before the end of this year as the hospital moves toward eventual closing. Hopkins said there has not been… Read More
Attempt Made To Add Medical Lab To Negligence Case
By: Steve Robb | Athens Messenger
Posted on:
Permission is being sought to add Athens Medical Laboratory to a medical negligence case pending in Franklin County Common Pleas Court. In March, Danny Metts of Athens filed a lawsuit on behalf of his young son, Bradley Metts, who has suffered severe medical issues that the lawsuit claims resulted from negligence. Named as defendants are… Read More
Monarch Butterfly Way Station Planned for Nelsonville
By: Steve Robb | Athens Messenger
Posted on:
What started essentially as a beautification project has undergone a metamorphosis into a plan to establish a monarch butterfly way station in Nelsonville. Earlier this year, residents Miki and Jay Brooks bought a former greenhouse property in Nelsonville, located between Jackson and Canal Streets, and recently had the old greenhouse buildings demolished. “It was an… Read More
Electricity Suppliers Submit Proposals For Aggregation Program
By: Steve Robb | Athens Messenger
Posted on:
The Southeast Ohio Public Energy Council, the organization pursuing electric aggregation for the city of Athens and Athens County, is currently reviewing proposals from electricity suppliers. Five companies responded to a request for proposals sent out by the energy council. Electric aggregation is a process by which residential and small business customers pool together… Read More
Man Convicted Of Killing OU Student Seeks Sentence Reduction
By: Steve Robb | Athens Messenger
Posted on:
A Glouster man who has spent 30 years in prison for the slaying of an Ohio University student has applied for commutation of his sentence. Everett Wayne Marks, 59, filed the request July 24, according to a spokesman for the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction. The Messenger was unable Friday to obtain a copy… Read More
Decision On Well Permit Will Be Appealed
By: Steve Robb | Athens Messenger
Posted on:
Athens County Fracking Action Network will appeal Thursday’s decision by the Ohio Oil & Gas Commission that threw out a case related to a Troy Twp. injection well, according to ACFAN’s attorney. “We will be filing that appeal as soon as we can,” said attorney Richard Sahli. He said it will be filed in Franklin… Read More
Athens’ Own Soap Opera, Where Reality Met The Unreal
By: Steve Robb | Athens Messenger
Posted on:
This month marks the 30th anniversary of the beginning of a saga that included the kidnapping of an Athens orphan and the wrongful conviction of a local man, Alan Starr, on charges of kidnapping the youth and murdering the woman who cared for the teenager. Well, not really. That was just part of the very-convoluted… Read More
Fresco With TV History Donated To Athens County
By: Steve Robb | Athens Messenger
Posted on:
A clue to the origins of a painting recently donated to the Athens County Commissioners can be seen in the downtown Athens street scene it depicts. Rather than traditional painted lines, a crosswalk shown in the picture is composed of the numbers “45701.” Besides being the ZIP code of Athens, 45701 also was the name… Read More
Courtroom Disinfected As A Precaution
By: Steve Robb | Athens Messenger
Posted on:
An Athens County courtroom was disinfected Thursday morning because of concern that a defendant in court that day might have an antibiotic-resistant infection. Common Pleas Judge George McCarthy indicated the action was taken as a precaution. The defendant was in court to be arraigned on charges of receiving stolen property. McCarthy said that when the… Read More
Moquin Sentenced To Prison In Bone-Theft Case
By: Steve Robb | Athens Messenger
Posted on:
An Athens man who pleaded guilty to charges related to the theft and sale of human bones has been sentenced to 15 months in federal prison. Weston Moquin, 29, pleaded guilty in January to charges of interstate transportation of stolen goods and theft from a program receiving federal funds. The theft occurred from Ohio University…. Read More
Moquin Sentenced To Prison In Bone-Theft Case
By: Steve Robb | Athens Messenger
Posted on:
An Athens man who pleaded guilty to charges related to the theft and sale of human bones has been sentenced to 15 months in federal prison. Weston Moquin, 29, pleaded guilty in January to charges of interstate transportation of stolen goods and theft from a program receiving federal funds. The theft occurred from Ohio University…. Read More
Athens Company Has Equipment Aboard Space Station
By: Steve Robb | Athens Messenger
Posted on:
When the company SpaceX launched an unmanned rocket last month to deliver equipment to the International Space Station, the payload included a product manufactured in Athens. On board was a GLACIER refrigerator equipped with two cryocoolers made at Sunpower Inc.’s facility on East State Street. For those who like to know the meaning of the… Read More
Alexander Student Wins Google Art Competition On State Level
By: Steve Robb | Athens Messenger
Posted on:
When seventh-grader Emi Olin of Athens picked up her first crayon as a toddler it was the start of an interest in drawing that has now led to her being named the Ohio winner of the "Doodle 4 Google" contest, with a shot at the national title. Olin's accomplishments will be celebrated at an assembly… Read More
Assisted Living Facility Coming To Albany
By: Steve Robb | Athens Messenger
Posted on:
An assisted living facility is slated to open within the next few weeks at the former location of Russell Nursing Home in Albany. The Close to Home assisted living facility will be owned by Sharon Hartwig and Charles Kunkel of Ashland, Ky., who already have two Close to Home facilites in Ironton, one in Middletown… Read More
Kelly Claims Money Discovered Missing From Sheriff’s Office
By: Steve Robb | Athens Messenger
Posted on:
Athens County Sheriff Patrick Kelly is claiming that more than $35,000 has been discovered missing at the sheriff’s office, and he’s implying that at least some of it was taken before he was sheriff. Kelly — who by law will retain the title of sheriff even while suspended from office — mentioned the missing money… Read More
State Says Holzer Qualifies for Tax Exemption
By: Steve Robb | Athens Messenger
Posted on:
The Ohio Department of Taxation has determined that Holzer Clinic of Athens qualifies for a property tax exemption, but school districts have an opportunity to present evidence to the contrary. It is unclear whether such evidence will be offered. Federal Hocking Local Schools and Tri-County Career Center had earlier objected when Holzer filed for tax-exempt… Read More
Local Group Asks Court To Order ODNR To Provide Records
By: Steve Robb | Athens Messenger
Posted on:
An environmental group that is contesting an Athens County injection well permit has asked a court to order the Ohio Department of Natural Resources to provide public records the group requested two months ago. Athens County Fracking Action Network filed the lawsuit Wednesday in Franklin County Common Pleas Court, accusing ODNR of violating Ohio’s public… Read More
State Says Holzer Qualifies for Tax Exemption
By: Steve Robb | Athens Messenger
Posted on:
The Ohio Department of Taxation has determined that Holzer Clinic of Athens qualifies for a property tax exemption, but school districts have an opportunity to present evidence to the contrary. It is unclear whether such evidence will be offered. Federal Hocking Local Schools and Tri-County Career Center had earlier objected when Holzer filed for tax-exempt… Read More
Some Athens Area Schools Getting Panic-Button Radio Systems
By: Steve Robb | Athens Messenger
Posted on:
Some schools in Athens County are getting a radio system that will work like a panic button to summon law enforcement and other assistance in a crisis. “It’s just another added measure of security,” said Supt. Jeff Cullum of Alexander Local Schools, which received grant funding for radios. Alexander Local was awarded $4,000 from the… Read More
Sheriff Obtains Attorney For Criminal Case
By: Steve Robb | Athens Messenger
Posted on:
Athens County Sheriff Patrick Kelly has obtained an attorney to represent him at an upcoming hearing in the criminal case in which Kelly faces a 25-count indictment. Meanwhile, another name has surfaced as a possible appointee as sheriff if Kelly is suspended from office while the criminal case is pending. Columbus attorney Bradley Koffel filed… Read More
State Seeks Dismissal Of Injection Well Appeal
By: Steve Robb | Athens Messenger
Posted on:
A motion to dismiss has been filed in the appeal of an Athens County injection well permit. On Monday, the Ohio Attorney General's Office asked the Ohio Oil & Gas Commission to dismiss the appeal of a drilling permit that was issued for the K&H Partners injection well in Troy Twp. The appeal was filed with… Read More