Anti-poverty effort good for everybody

Commentary

Perhaps more disturbingly askew than the distribution of wealth in the United States is most Americans' perception of the actual size of the gap between the rich and poor.

Churches, pantries lead in fight against poverty

While numerous government services offer a variety of support to those facing poverty in Athens County, churches and food pantries often stand at the forefront in the struggle to feed and otherwise help those in need to get through the month.

Is attacking poverty a political priority?

In the aftermath of U.S. Census figures released last week showing that one in seven Americans are living in poverty, local anti-poverty advocates are renewing their call on political leaders to help these Americans who are falling into despair.

Legislative candidates’ full answers to questions about poverty

In response to The Athens NEWS' series on poverty in Athens County, several questions about the issue were sent to various local politicians and candidates for office. Below are the questions along with their full responses.

Poverty: Usually it's not their fault

A common conception of poor people these days is that many citizens are "gaming the system" for various forms of assistance, too lazy or unmotivated to pick themselves up by the bootstraps and fend for themselves.

Educators and poverty advocates fight over the same pool of money

Policy advocates across the spectrum usually agree that the only way to alleviate generational poverty is to both promote education and provide direct assistance to struggling families. But often these two necessary components find themselves competing for the same money.

Center addresses deteriorating conditions in area

When the Nelsonville Community Center began giving away clothes and food and providing resources to those who need help in this area, most of the people who showed up at the door were those director Rhonda Bentley calls the "chronically poor."

Staffer to help address growing need for kinship childcare

After years of seeing the need for more help for family members who have been caring for the children of their relatives, Athens County Children Services has now created a Kinship Care caseworker position to provide consultation and assistance.

County leads state in people working, but still poor

Athens County truly is the “working poor” capital of Ohio. The latest available U.S. Census figures show that Athens has the highest percentage in the state of employed civilians working in service occupations and the lowest percentage of those employed in manufacturing. With service-industry jobs paying minimum wage or only slightly above it, the financial hardships of many living in this area are severe.

Grandparents pick up child-rearing burdens

Many taking low-wage jobs to care for their kids’ kids

This is the first article in a series focused on working people facing financial hardship in Athens County.

For most, the journey to Nine Fest seemed worth it

The journey to Saturday's Nine Fest begins with a man named Rick Cunningham. Rick is a bus driver from Grove City hired by "number-fest" impresario Dominic Petrozzi.

Famed photojournalist grandpa? Hey, now there's an app for that

Christina Baird may have been known for her family's legacy at the Ohio University School of Visual Communication when she entered the school's graduate program, but she will be remembered by the school as the first student to create an iPad application for the program's required graduation project.

Nine Festers enjoy the sun and music, without the mud

It was fest weekend in Athens County for sure – or correct that, music fest weekend. Nine Fest took place just west of Athens on Saturday, attracting thousands of Ohio University students and other music fans, while to the north, the eighth annual Nelsonville Music Festival also attracted large crowds for its second official day.

A-bomb survivor keynotes OU’s International Week

To kick off Ohio University's International Week, keynote speaker Koko Kondo gave an emotive and energetic address to a packed Baker University Center Ballroom Monday night.

Top Fox to speak at university

Rogers Ailes a 1962 OU grad

FOX News Chairman and CEO Roger Ailes will present "FOX News: Past, Present and Future," during a public lecture Monday, May 21, at Ohio University.

Scholarship fund in works for late OU alum, war photographer

Alumni and faculty of the School of Visual Communication (VisCom) at Ohio University are seeking monetary support to endow the Chris Hondros Scholarship Fund, which will honor the late alumnus and war photographer by supporting a graduate scholar in the school.

Student indicted for kicking cop in Palmer Street home during fest

An Ohio University student who is accused of having kicked an OU Police officer during the Palmer Fest block party April 28 has been indicted on a charge of felony assault.

Panelists give two cents on medical pot legalization

Event hosted at OU

Representatives from across the state came to Ohio University to discuss the logistics behind the legalization of medical marijuana in Ohio Tuesday evening.

Oak and Mill fests mellow down easy

State liquor agents arrest over 50, however

Country music blared at 9 a.m. from a house near the corner of Palmer and Mill street, recalling the crazy festivities of the recent "Palmer Fest."

Student Senate hopefuls debate

Student advocacy, senate disputes and Student Allocation Commission (SAC) regulation were among the issues addressed by Student Senate presidential hopefuls and their co-candidates during the second Student Senate debate May 9.

County’s new senator rallies troops at Dem dinner

Athens County's newest state senator gave a rousing shout-out to organized labor, and leveled a few crisp head-butts at the state's current Republican leadership, when he spoke to the Athens County Democratic Party at a fundraising dinner last week.

Congressional races heating up in two local districts

The latest budget squabbles in Washington have led to some of the first fireworks of the general election campaign for Ohio's 6^th and 15^th U.S. Congressional Districts.

Long-time animal advocate jumps into race for commission seat

A new candidate has entered the race for Athens County commissioner, with Anne Cornwell filing as an independent for the seat currently held by Democrat Mark Sullivan.

Athens law director wins shot at taking Stivers’ seat in Congress

Athens Law Director Pat Lang has won his bid for the Democratic nomination in the race for Ohio's 15^th U.S. Congressional District seat.

Chmiel and Adkins appear to have won their respective Dem primaries for county commissioner

In two hotly contested local primary battles, Charlie Adkins and Chris Chmiel appear to have come away as the victors, securing the Democratic nominations for Athens County commissioner in the November election.

In hard-fought county engineer race, Maiden crushes Stanley

In unofficial results, challenger beats incumbent, 83 to 17

For the first time in over 30 years, Athens County looks likely to see a new county engineer. Local civil engineer Jeff Maiden easily beat incumbent Archie Stanley in a bitterly fought Democratic primary battle for the nomination on November's ballot.

Romney squeaks out victory in Ohio primary

Santorum wins everywhere but the major urban areas

While the closely watched Republican presidential primary in Ohio was a nail-biter all evening Tuesday before Mitt Romney edged Rick Santorum in the final tally, Athens County's numbers in that race weren't close at all.

Candidate reports whopping anonymous donation

Campaign finance reports filed last week with the Athens County Board of Elections show that Jeff Maiden, who's trying to unseat incumbent Athens County Engineer Archie Stanley in the March 6 primary, has outspent Stanley on campaigning so far, but not by much.

Commission candidates grilled on the big issues

With such a large slate of candidates for Athens County commissioner, a candidates forum Tuesday night at the Athens Community Center saw very few fireworks, though the evening's conversation did touch upon some of the most controversial issues facing the county.

Engineer candidates take gloves off in forum

In most counties, a primary election race for county engineer wouldn't be that interesting or exciting; after all, how thrilling is a debate about asphalt, chip-and-seal, and load limits for bridges?

Glouster man bound over for May 2 beating death

A judge in Athens County Municipal Court last week found probable cause to believe that a Glouster man committed murder when he allegedly beat a Buchtel man to death in a May 2 incident.

Local residents take a walk on the disabilities side

Various community members and Ohio University officials learned the challenges of disabilities first-hand during an annual event sponsored by the Athens Commission on Disabilities Thursday.

City of Athens may try to tax frackers

The city of Athens is now considering its own severance tax for oil and gas companies in the hopes of using monies collected for a "clean-up" fund to be established in the city.

Highway Patrol still looking into ‘odd’ hit-and-run fatality Saturday

Despite persistent rumors, the Ohio State Highway Patrol has said it has found no evidence thus far of any foul play in the apparent hit-and-run death of a 57-year-old Glouster man.

Shade area man pleads guilty to computer 'sextortion'

A Shade man has pleaded guilty to computer crimes, according to federal prosecutors. Charles J. Estep, 28, whose address is in Meigs County, pleaded guilty earlier this month to breaking into the social media sites of a man and woman he knows, threatening the woman because of comments she had posted online, then obtaining sexually explicit photos of her and posting them on the Internet.

Shelter animal advocates ask for lower price tag on dog tags

If Athens County forces the Friends of Shelter Dogs pay license fees for each of the dogs it rescues, the group wants to get at least a discount. During a commissioners meeting Tuesday, the group made this request while bemoaning continuing struggles with the county.

Engineer decides against upping sick leave payout for retirees

The three Athens County Commissioners expressed satisfaction at the recent announcement by Athens County Engineer Archie Stanley that he will not change his department's sick-leave policy.

Is another oil and gas land-rush starting in Athens?

Another firm offers low up-front bonuses for local oil & gas rights

Based on recently released geological data from state experts, the price Athens County landowners believe they can get for oil-and-gas drilling leases has plunged dramatically in the last couple of months.

Property owners mulling options in wake of 3rd offer

Cunningham Energy trying to retain major acreage interest in Athens Co.

As the prospect of local landowners getting rich quick from oil-and-gas leases appears to evaporate, Athens County residents who have signed drilling leases with a West Virginia-based energy company, Cunningham Energy, LLC, have to decide whether to renew their options on much less lucrative terms.

Out of SEOEMS’ ashes springs ample legal wrangling

The drama surrounding the Southeast Ohio Emergency Medical Service didn't end when SEOEMS itself ended. In fact, the legal wrangling was apparently just beginning.

Komen reversal allows sighs of relief

GOP presidential candidates slam decision, citing Planned Parenthood and abortions

Women's health advocates in southeast and central Ohio are hoping that the flap over breast-screening grants to Planned Parenthood don't set back their cause.

Rep. Gibbs, in first 7 months, attacks regulation, taxes

U.S. Rep. Bob Gibbs displaced incumbent Zack Space in 2010 during the race for Ohio's 18th Congressional district seat. Now with seven months in office under his belt, Gibbs claims he's on his way t

Both area's congressmen vote for debt compromise

Both U.S. Rep. Bob Gibbs, R-Lakeville, and U.S. Rep. Bill Johnson, R-Marietta, voted in favor of the debt ceiling compromise that was signed by President Barack Obama on Tuesday, the deadline for the

Two local congressmen not budging on debt, taxes

As Washington careens toward the Aug. 2 deadline to raise the national debt ceiling and avoid an unprecedented default that could lower the United States' credit rating, this area's two members of Congress reiterated national Republican calls for deep spending cuts.

Tax myths and tall tales

Nine tax facts that hardly anyone knows

Editor's note: In this piece, prepared for members of the Association of Alternative Newsweeklies, Pulitzer Prize-winning columnist David Cay Johnston reviews nine tax myths that hardly anyone knows about, including the ideas that poor people don't pay taxes and that rich people are overtaxed.

New rep: Repealing ‘Obamacare’ a top priority

With the new Republican-controlled U.S. House of Representatives, lawmakers are looking to make good on campaign promises to “repeal and replace” the health-care reform legislation that Democrats passed in 2010.

Arizona is rushing toward wrong side of history

New America Media

Young people were not the only ones to take a powerful stance that week; several hundred indigenous peoples from throughout the world rallied at the Tucson Immigration Department Headquarters, protesting Arizona's new racial profiling law.

Fasting immigrants recall Arizona border odyssey

More than 40 other people, including teenagers and young students, joined Gonzalez in a 72-hour fast, an act of protest by immigrants here and in other parts of the country to call for an immigration overhaul. Along with their advocates, community leaders and elected officials, the immigrants ended their fast Saturday aternoon, June 5.

Space no, Wilson yes on health care