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Nelsonville officials hope to boost event attendance with Designated Outdoor Refreshment Area
By: Ayden Crowley
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NELSONVILLE, Ohio (WOUB) – Nelsonville officials want to allow people to drink alcohol outside in the town square to drive more customers to local businesses. The city’s Planning and Development Committee plans to propose a Designated Outdoor Refreshment Area, or DORA. This allows for communities to create an area where the open carry of alcohol… Read More

Nelsonville City Council appoints new member to fill vacant seat
By: Ayden Crowley
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NELSONVILLE, Ohio (WOUB) – The seat of an ousted former council member was filled at Nelsonville’s City Council meeting Monday. Douglas Childs was unanimously appointed to the council after a short interview by council members. The council seat became vacant after the city removed former council member Greg Smith for the fourth time in February…. Read More

Two people are arrested after the investigation into a Nelsonville man’s death concludes
By: WOUB News Team
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NELSONVILLE, Ohio (WOUB) – The Athens County prosecutor has filed charges against two people in connection to the 2021 death of a man that sparked a long and extensive search after his disappearance. Bryan Kyle Bridgeman, 30, disappeared from his home in Nelsonville on June 4, 2021, after ostensibly going out to buy a video… Read More

The city of Nelsonville and an ousted council member are in negotiations to resolve multiple legal actions
By: Ayden Crowley
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NELSONVILLE, Ohio (WOUB) – A former Nelsonville City Council member who was kicked off the council four times is still fighting his removal through six legal actions he filed against the city. Greg Smith is seeking vindication: He wants the court to agree he was wrongfully removed each time, he wants the city to pay… Read More

Police officer who killed Nelsonville man enters plea and loses badge
By: David Forster
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ATHENS, Ohio (WOUB) — A police officer who shot and killed a Nelsonville man last summer made a plea deal under which he avoided jail time but will never again be able to work as a law enforcement officer in Ohio. Cecil Morrison was charged Monday with negligent homicide in the death of Michael Whitmer…. Read More

Nelsonville man is sentenced for the fatal shooting of a young boy
By: WOUB News Team
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ATHENS, Ohio (WOUB) — A Nelsonville man was sentenced Tuesday to four years in prison in connection with the shooting death of a young boy. Donald Platt, 37, was found guilty last month on charges of involuntary manslaughter and endangering children. In March 2021, Platt left a loaded and unsecured firearm in his home that… Read More

Nelsonville auditor Taylor Sappington jumps into race for state auditor
By: Andy Chow | Statehouse News Bureau
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COLUMBUS, Ohio (Statehouse News Bureau) — With just days before the filing deadline, the Democrats officially have someone running for Ohio Auditor in this year’s primary. Nelsonville city auditor Taylor Sappington has made a name for himself dealing with issues in his Appalachian community. Sappington said he set out to balance the books and take… Read More

Nelsonville Remains A City After Successfully Completing Its Own Population Count
By: Aaron PayneBy: Benjamin Schwartz
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NELSONVILLE, Ohio (WOUB) — Nelsonville kept its status as a city, and the state funding that comes with it, after a local recount of the population found 5,373 residents live there. It is enough to keep them above the 5,000 dividing line that separates a city from a village under state law. Secretary of State… Read More

The OUtlet – October 7, 2021
By: Taylor Burnette
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This week on the OUtlet, Ohio University athletes are now able to partner with local businesses, and many have been taking advantage of the opportunity, and the city of Nelsonville works to hold on to its status as a city. WOUB Digital · The OUtlet – October 7, 2021

The OUtlet – September 30, 2021
By: Taylor Burnette
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This week on the OUtlet, DJ B-Funk talks about the cancellation of the Halloween block party, and Nelsonville fights to hold on to its classification as a city. These stories and more, right here: WOUB Digital · The OUtlet – September 30, 2021
![A mural painted on the side of Adventure Pro Outdoors is seen in Nelsonville , Ohio, on Saturday, July 17, 2021. [Joseph Scheller | WOUB]](https://woub.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/071721_FriendsOfTheDogShelters_0276-scaled-e1632868259776-900x422.jpg)
Nelsonville Is Challenging Its New Census Count Under An Obscure State Law
By: David Forster
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ATHENS, Ohio (WOUB) — The city of Nelsonville isn’t happy with the results of the 2020 Census, so it’s going to do its own count. The new Census numbers show the city lost 780 residents since 2010, and its population is now 4,612 — or at least it was when the count was done last year…. Read More
![Volunteers at the Radical Times Thursday Night Dinner grand opening pass a plate down the assembly line in Nelsonville, Ohio, on Thursday, Aug. 5, 2021. [Joseph Scheller | WOUB]](https://woub.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/080521_RadicalTimes_129-scaled-e1628795476576-900x422.jpg)
Nelsonville Organization Brings Community To The Dinner Table
By: Theo Peck-Suzuki
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NELSONVILLE, Ohio (WOUB) — Dottie Fromal first had the idea for the Thursday Night Community Dinner when she was working at the Hive, a childcare center in Nelsonville. She met many children there who ate dinner alone each night, and decided they needed more human contact. To that end, she and her close friend Lori… Read More

Nelsonville City Council Member Sues Fellow Council Members Over Removal Votes
By: David Forster
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NELSONVILLE, Ohio (WOUB) — A Nelsonville City Council member is suing his fellow council members in federal court over efforts to remove him from office. Greg Smith alleges in a lawsuit filed Tuesday that the council’s actions violated multiple constitutional rights, including his right to due process and free speech. WOUB reached out to members… Read More

Program At Hocking College Helping People Experiencing Homelessness
By: Lexi Lepof
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NELSONVILLE, Ohio (WOUB) – Elizabeth Cook has dealt with substance use her whole life. Her parents both struggled with addiction. Cook’s own substance use disorder began when she was 12 which led to her dropping out of high school. She went on to face legal trouble while trying to protect her younger sister who was… Read More

Program At Hocking College Helping People Experiencing Homelessness
By: Lexi Lepof
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NELSONVILLE, Ohio (WOUB) – Elizabeth Cook has dealt with substance use her whole life. Her parents both struggled with addiction. Cook’s own substance use disorder began when she was 12 which led to her dropping out of high school. She went on to face legal trouble while trying to protect her younger sister who was… Read More


Nelsonville Teen Admits To Shooting Death Of Another Boy
By: WOUB News TeamBy: WOUB Staff reports
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ATHENS, Ohio (WOUB) — A 14-year-old Nelsonville boy admitted in court Tuesday that he killed another boy while playing with a gun. Meanwhile, the boy’s father, Donald Platt, 37, was indicted Tuesday on charges of involuntary manslaughter, endangering children and tampering with evidence. The accused boy was charged Friday with reckless homicide in connection with… Read More

Nelsonville Teen Charged With Homicide Over Shooting Death Of Young Boy
By: WOUB News Team
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ATHENS, Ohio (WOUB) — A 14-year-old Nelsonville boy was charged with reckless homicide Friday in connection with the shooting death of another boy. The boy is accused of causing the death of 11-year-old Eli Spangler by playing with a firearm. (WOUB is not naming the accused boy because of his age and because his case… Read More

Nelsonville Firefighter Dies After Collapsing At Scene Of Fire
By: WOUB News Team
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ATHENS, Ohio (WOUB) — A Nelsonville firefighter is dead after collapsing at the scene of a structure fire. Senior firefighter Jeff Armes was among the Nelsonville Division of Fire crew that responded to a call on Pleasantview Avenue at 5:04 p.m. Sunday. Armes collapsed while working on the scene, according to a release from the division…. Read More

Former Nelsonville Deputy Auditor Sentenced To Prison For Embezzlement
By: WOUB News Team
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ATHENS, Ohio (WOUB) — Nelsonville’s former deputy auditor was sentenced Monday to nearly five years in prison for stealing money from the city for several years while in office. Stephanie Wilson, 47, was also ordered to pay back the more than $200,000 she stole. She had previously pleaded guilty to multiple charges connected with the… Read More

Former Nelsonville Deputy Auditor Indicted On Additional Theft And Corruption Charges
By: WOUB News Team
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ATHENS, Ohio (WOUB) – The former deputy auditor in Nelsonville pleaded not guilty to new felony charges related to theft while in office after previously pleading guilty to similar charges. Stephanie Wilson, 47, of Stewart, was arraigned Thursday in Athens County Common Pleas Court after being indicted on a felony charge of engaging in a pattern… Read More

Nelsonville-York School Board Approves Phased Back-To-School Plan For Fall
By: Michelle Rotuno-Johnson
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NELSONVILLE, Ohio (WOUB) — Nelsonville-York School District board members approved a phased back-to-school plan at the board’s August meeting on Wednesday. Superintendent Rick Edwards said the district worked with the Athens City-County Health Department and a public health specialist to navigate the process of returning to school during the COVID-19 pandemic. Edwards explained students will… Read More

New Wastewater Treatment Plant Construction Underway in Nelsonville
By: Michelle Rotuno-Johnson
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NELSONVILLE, Ohio (WOUB) — The city of Nelsonville received help for a project to improve its water system. The Appalachian Regional Commission has awarded a $250,000 grant to the city of Nelsonville for a new wastewater treatment plant. This brings the total funding to more than $16.5 million for a project that will operate as… Read More

Salon And Barbershop Owners Look Forward To Seeing Customers Again, Even If From Behind A Mask
By: Michelle Rotuno-Johnson
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ATHENS, Ohio (WOUB) — Everyone who steps into Smart Barber Shop receives a hearty hello from owner Dave Smart, whose grin shines right through his face mask. Last Friday, Smart reopened his shop on West Washington Street in Athens. It was closed for about two months under orders from the state of Ohio to slow… Read More

Prosecutor: Others Could Be Implicated in Nelsonville Mismanagement Case
By: WOUB News Team
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ATHENS, Ohio — An investigation into financial mismanagement in Nelsonville may not end at the indictment of a deputy auditor, according to the Athens County Prosecutor. Stephanie Wilson, of Stewart, is reportedly cooperating with investigators as they dig deeper into the city’s practices. “I’m not sure whether other people will be criminally charged for it,” Athens… Read More