The 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals upheld laws Thursday concerning same-sex marriage bans in Ohio and three other states in a 2-1 ruling, giving momentum to a possible U.S. Supreme Court decision in the future.
Turnout at the polls in Athens County has been dismally low, and figures from Tuesday’s election show that this year was no different.
Students and anonymous users of Yik Yak and Unseen rejoice, police aren't creeping on your posts — yet.
While voters throughout Ohio were at work to give Republicans additional four-year terms in statewide offices — including Gov. John Kasich’s victory over Democrat Ed FitzGerald — those in Athens County and City also had to scrutinize a number of measures to increase taxes.Those residents passed all eight ballot issues in Tuesday’s midterm election, six of which raised taxes in some manner. Issue 154.18 percent of Athens County voters passed continued funding for the tuberculosis board for five years, starting in 2016. The Athens County Tuberculosis Board has been granted a 0.3 mill renewal levy. The levy was measured at about $160,000 a year, costing a $100,000 household $5 a year in property taxes. Issue 264.75 percent of Athens County voters passed the library levy. The library levy will raise $900,000 in funds for Athens County Public Libraries over the next five years. This tax costs $100,000 households about $35 annually in property taxes. Issue 473.94 percent of Athens County voters opted to pass the senior citizens levy that will help fund the Meals-On-Wheels program. The senior citizen levy continues the roughly .25 mill levy for the next five years. This levy costs $100,000 households $7.88 in property taxes annually. The levy will generate $230,000 for senior nutrition services in Athens County. Issue 571.62 percent of Athens County voters opted to pass the Athens County Emergency Medical Services levy. The EMS levy is a 1 mill replacement levy that will generate $900,000 annually. Those funds will help values of property taxes, fuel, supplies and vehicles that haven’t been touched since 2011, The Post previously reported. The levy will cost $100,000 households $35 a year in property taxes. Issue 658.79 percent of Athens County voters opted to pass the Developmental Disability levy. Issue 6 will provide the Athens County Board of Developmental Disabilities $1.3 million per year, costing $100,000 households $52.50 in property taxes a year. Issue 778.28 percent of Athens city residents voted in favor of approving the Athens City Bill of Rights.Issue 7 bans hydraulic fracturing for natural gas in Athens city limits. Issue 868.78 percent of Athens voted in favor of the city of Athens’ Department of Arts, Parks and Recreation income tax levy.Issue 8 provides funding for the renovation of Athens city parks. This levy replaces the current one, resulting in a 0.1 percent income tax increase. The tax increase will be instated for the next 20 years. Issue 962.11 percent of Athens residents flocking to the 3rd Ward’s 4th precinct polling station voted in favor of allowing Sunday alcohol sales at Busy Day Market, 30 W. Stimson Avenue. jf311013@ohio.edu@Fair3Julia
The dog shelter is facing a slow period in business but workers continue to look on the bright side.
Athens County Commissioners are concerned about the safety of elderly folks in Athens County
Stivers took 66.15 percent of the total amongst more than 190,000 voters who cast ballots in the district, compared to Wharton’s 33.85 percent. In the 12-county district, Athens County was the only one that voted in Wharton’s favor — with 62.72 percent of the countywide vote.
Incumbent State Rep. Debbie Phillips, D-Albany, looked across Court Street toward the Athens County Board of Elections just as cars carrying loads of ballots bearing her name rolled in Tuesday night.“I love election night,” she said. “I really enjoy the process. I like being able to go out and talk to people and hear their concerns.”Later that night, those same ballots would declare her the winner of a tight race for 94th District State Representative. She was re-elected by fewer› than 200 votes.Of the 28,436 votes cast across the four-county district, Phillips reeled in 14,315, to Washington County Republican Yolan Dennis’ 14,121.Phillips spent her day travelling Southeast Ohio talking to voters, before ending her night at the Pigskin Bar and Grille.“It felt good,” said Amy Lipka, Phillips’ campaign manager. “I think people have been really positive.”Meanwhile, Dennis, a nurse from Warren Township, met with fellow Republicans at the Republican headquarters in Marietta.After preliminary results showed a small difference in votes for Phillips and Dennis, Athens County Democratic Party Chair Alan Trout said Phillips losing would be “an absolute catastrophe for Southeast Ohio.”Dennis said at about 10:30 p.m. she wasn’t ready to concede the election quite yet.“We’ve worked really hard,” she said. “I have no regrets. I’m just really glad for the people who have been there supporting me.”She said she hasn’t decided whether she’ll run again in the next election, but she wants to keep in touch with voters in the district. Phillips will be in a House committee meeting in Columbus at the Ohio Statehouse Wednesday morning.“We have a lot of work to do,” she said. “For me, it’s a chance to continue.”Phillips earns $78,668 annually as Assistant Minority Leader in the Ohio House, but Dennis would’ve made about $60,500. @wtperkinswp198712@ohio.edu
Standing in the brightly-lit office on Court Street in her white tennis shoes and jeans Tuesday night, Jill Thompson’s life, as always, was overwhelmed by numbers.
Christmas came early for Athens County Common Pleas Court Judge George P. McCarthy Tuesday night.
Check back throughout Tuesday night for results as we get them.
Local law enforcement officers had some messy situations to deal with in the last week.
The Athens County Board of Elections has a slew of polling locations in Athens for students.
Students and anonymous users of Yik Yak and Unseen rejoice, police aren’t on creeping on your posts — yet.
At Ohio University, police officers are no longer inaccessible uniforms on bikes and in cars. Now, they’re just a tweet away.
Proposed changes to the Garbage and Rubbish Ordinance have cleared all the procedural hurdles it needs to be adopted this week, but the councilwoman who introduced and authored the legislation has said that might not happen.
There’s a graveyard of lost phones, keys and IDs floating around Uptown, awaiting their owner’s return to the bars.
Officials on the ground worked to restore power Saturday morning and into the afternoon.
Goblins, ghouls and some choo-choo trains gathered at the Athens Community Center for another candy-filled evening
A new report by the Government Accountability Office shows Ohio isn’t testing for chemicals before they enter hydraulic fracturing injection wells.
Solutions by The State News