 | Athens County |
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Good morning, Athens County. Fourteen percent — that's how much of Athens City Schools' operating budget hangs on a levy renewal that's been quietly doing its job for two decades. Now officials are asking voters to make it permanent, or face a financial reckoning that could hollow out classrooms within the decade. Meanwhile, Ohio University is composting 30,000+ pounds of food waste every week and somehow making it look easy — turning dining hall scraps into campus fertilizer one mini-bin at a time. On the privacy front, Athens is officially unplugging its license plate cameras, joining a growing statewide conversation about surveillance. Elsewhere this weekend, Global Dance Night kicks things off Thursday, followed by an art opening and a full-blown acrobatic circus. Local scores, fresh listings, and obituaries round out today's edition. ☕️ What's Brewing Locally  Athens City School District aims to make an income tax levy permanent 📚 An Ohio school district faces financial collapse without a critical levy renewal. Athens City School District is pushing to make a 20-year-old income tax levy permanent, as the $5 million it generates now covers nearly 14% of its operating budget. The district already faces declining enrollment and has cut one teacher per grade level over the past two years through attrition. A December 2025 state law has further upended funding forecasts, with the district projecting a potential $600,000 millage loss next year and exhausted cash reserves by 2030. Without the levy renewal, officials warn the district would run out of cash two years sooner, forcing more than $6 million in cuts within three to five years. Read more Athens police to drop use of Flock cameras 📷 Athens, Ohio is pulling the plug on license plate surveillance cameras. Following community privacy concerns, the Athens Police Department announced it will not renew its contract with Flock Safety when it expires in February 2027. Chief Nick Magruder called the cameras "useful tools" but cited public sentiment as the deciding factor, adding the department won't pursue automated license plate reader technology again. The move follows similar pauses by Columbus and Hamilton County, amid growing statewide scrutiny and proposed Ohio legislation to regulate the technology. Read more Ohio University works to make composting simple for students 🌱 Ohio University is turning dorm food scraps into campus fertilizer. The university's Cats' Compost program provides students with lidded mini-bins to collect food waste, which is dropped off at four campus locations and professionally composted. Since 2011, Ohio University has composted 30–35,000 pounds of food waste weekly from dining halls, and now aims to expand dorm participation from 50–80 students annually to 150–200. The broader goal is ambitious: divert 60% of the university's municipal waste from landfills by the end of 2026, reducing methane emissions from decomposing food. Read more 🏆 SCOREBOARD | Date | Sport | Matchup |
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| 10/8 | 🏐 G. Volleyball | Athens Bulldogs 3@ Alexander 1 | | 10/8 | 🏐 G. Volleyball | Federal Hocking Lancers 0vs Eastern 3 | | 10/6 | 🏐 G. Volleyball | Athens Bulldogs 3vs Wellston 0 | | 10/6 | 🏐 G. Volleyball | Federal Hocking Lancers 3@ Meigs 1 | | 10/6 | ⚽ G. Soccer | Athens Bulldogs 2vs Sheridan 3 |
🏡 Real Estate Reveals  Classic fixer upper near Athens — 50 S Plains Rd — $129,900 3 bed · 2 bath · Detached garage Tucked in the heart of The Plains and just a stroll from Athens High School, this charming 1920 two-story home boasts original wood trim, an arched doorway, and real equity-building potential for the right buyer!  Wooded eleven acres awaits your vision — Oh 689 — $70,000 11 acres · Wooded lot · Timber & mineral rights included Nestled in Albany, Ohio, this stunning 11-acre wooded retreat offers rolling terrain, abundant wildlife, and endless possibilities — from hunting and hiking to building your dream home among the trees! 🗓️ Happenings & Hoopla 💃 Oct. 09 - Global Dance Night 📍 The Athens Armory, Athens, OH · 🕒 7:00 PM Get ready to move your feet from every corner of the globe at Global Dance Night, happening October 9 at The Athens Armory in Athens, OH — a world of rhythm awaits! 🎨 Oct. 11 - Chris Monday Art Opening 📍 Casa Nueva, Athens, OH · 🕒 4:00 PM Kick off your October right at Casa Nueva in Athens! Join us October 11th for Chris Monday's art show opening, featuring live music by Charlie Touvell — a perfect blend of visual art and soulful sounds. 🎪 Oct. 13 - Cirque Kalabante Acrobatic Show 📍 Templeton-Blackburn Alumni Memorial Auditorium, Ohio University · 🕒 7:30 PM Get ready to be amazed as Cirque Kalabante brings jaw-dropping acrobatics and electrifying circus artistry to Templeton-Blackburn Alumni Memorial Auditorium at Ohio University on October 13! 🎵 Oct. 14 - Sprouting Melodies Music Class 📍 The Plains Public Library, The Plains, OH · 🕒 11:00 AM Little ones discover the joy of rhythm and song at Sprouting Melodies, an early childhood music class at The Plains Public Library on Oct. 14—a perfect way to nurture your tiny musician's love of music! 🎨 Oct. 20 - Adult Crafting Workshop 📍 Ohio Valley Museum Of Discovery, Athens, OH · 🕒 2:00 PM Unleash your inner artist at the Ohio Valley Museum of Discovery in Athens this Oct. 20! Join fellow adults for a fun-filled Crafternoon workshop where creativity takes center stage. 🎃 Oct. 24 - Halloween Night Market 📍 Athens Art Guild Headquarters, Athens, OH · 🕒 4:00 PM Get into the Halloween spirit at the Athens Art Guild's spooky Night Market on Oct. 24! Head to the Athens Art Guild Headquarters for a festive evening of creativity, community, and all things haunting. 🚵 Oct. 24 - Bailey's Dirt Fondo 📍 Baileys Trail System, Millfield, OH · 🕒 1:00 PM Grab your helmet and hit the trails at Bailey's Dirt Fondo, a mountain bike festival taking over the Baileys Trail System in Millfield, OH on October 24! Ride hard and celebrate with fellow cycling enthusiasts! 🎸 Oct. 24 - Angela Perley Acoustic Show 📍 Eclipse Company Store, The Plains, OH · 🕒 6:00 PM Catch Angela Perley's captivating acoustic sounds live at Eclipse Company Store in The Plains, OH on October 24! Settle in for an intimate evening of soulful music in this cozy local venue. 🌎 What Else Is Brewing Microsoft lost access to a major green-card program after the Trump administration accused it of abusing H-1B visa pathways. United States announced fresh sanctions on Iran’s shadow fleet, targeting vessels, buyers, and financial networks tied to petroleum exports. PepsiCo beat quarterly earnings and revenue expectations, giving investors a fizzy surprise despite ongoing pressure on consumer spending. Levi Strauss reported stronger quarterly revenue and raised its full-year outlook, suggesting denim demand hasn’t completely gone out of style. Crescent Energy agreed to buy Devon Energy’s Eagle Ford assets for $3.85 billion, adding roughly 68,000 barrels of daily production. Wolfspeed received conditional federal backing worth up to $1.5 billion to expand US silicon-carbide manufacturing. 💰 Financial Friday If your employer offers a matching contribution to a retirement plan, aim to contribute at least enough to capture the full match, as it’s effectively free money that compounds over time. 🙏 In Remembrance Marcos Loa With an outpouring of love and cherished memories, we express our deepest sorrow for the loss of our compassionate and dedicated Marcos Loa, who passed away on October 2, 2026. Born November 29, 1988, in Athens, Ohio with an extraordinary spirit, Marcos was a beacon of courage, illuminating the... Read full obituary |  |
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🍞 Daily Bread Crumb "Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice." — Philippians 4:4 God invites us to keep a joyful heart each day, trusting that His presence gives us reason to celebrate no matter what comes our way. |
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