WOUB News and Culture

A lawsuit alleges zoning codes in Ironton discriminate against residents of group recovery homes A lawsuit against Ironton alleges that sections of its zoning code illegally discriminate against people in recovery from substance use.

The lawsuit was filed Friday in federal court by the owner of a group recovery home located in a residential neighborhood in the city.

Earlier this year, the city filed criminal charges against the owner, alleging the group home violates city zoning code.

Festivals to foliage: Southeast Ohio’s communities shape fall tourism to boost local economies Many businesses and communities in Southeast Ohio say the fall tourism season helps get them through the rest of the year.

Seasonal visitors help support local economies. When they come for the scenery, tourists spend on lodging and local restaurants. In Hocking and Guernsey counties, tourism makes up 15% and 10% of all jobs.

A judge blocks Gov. Mike DeWine's 'intoxicating' hemp ban in Ohio for two weeks A judge in Franklin County has for now blocked the short-term “intoxicating” hemp ban for products with psychoactive ingredients.

A judge in Franklin County has for now blocked Gov. Mike DeWine’s short-term “intoxicating” hemp ban for products with psychoactive ingredients, such as delta-8 THC and THC-A.

Athens County's treasurer clarifies the reasons to not again invest in Israeli bonds after a successful maturation were not political He notified Athens County Commissioners the decision to take money invested in Israeli bonds and reinvest domestically was a financial one.

Treasurer Taylor Sappington wrote in an email last week to the county commissioners that he wanted to give them a heads up on the reinvestment decision before they saw it in the quarterly update on investments.

Climate data show the past is no longer a good predictor when it comes to preparing for severe weather in Appalachia Evidence suggests weather in central Appalachia is getting more severe, particularly when it comes to rainfall and the risks of flooding.

July delivered close to 9 inches of rainfall in the Athens area, well above the normal amount in years past.

But does it make sense to talk about normal and use past weather patterns to help predict — and prepare for — the future?

Ohio University Football was unable to overcome a sloppy second half and lost to Ball State 20-14 The Ohio University Football team's offense struggled immensely in the second half and fell 20-14 to Ball State.

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Ohio University Football entered week two of Mid-American Conference play off a 35-20 win over Bowling Green. The Bobcats (4-2, 2-0 MAC) offense struggled immensely in the second half and fell 20-14 to Ball State (1-4, 0-1 MAC) for the first time since Nov. 14, 2012.

A post-apocalyptic version of southeast Ohio will be featured in an update to the Fallout 76 video game Bethesda announced it will add parts of Appalachian Ohio to the online video game Fallout 76 as part of the Burning Springs DLC.

If you’ve ever wondered what your hometown might look like as part of a nuclear wasteland, the popular video game series Fallout may soon give you the chance.

Ohio University Football overcomes Bowling Green - WOUB Public Media Ohio University Football opened MAC play by hosting Bowling Green. The Bobcats came out victorious 35-20 over the Falcons.

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As a defending conference champion, Ohio University Football expects to get the best effort from all of its opponents. And that was the case Saturday afternoon at Peden Stadium as Bowling Green rolled into Athens for Eddie George’s first Mid-American Conference game.

Ohio University Football hosts Bowling Green to open the 2025 MAC Schedule Ohio University Football starts the 2025 MAC season as the defending champion for the first time since 1969.

Mid-American Conference play is always delivers exciting results and coming into week five of the season there have already been a couple of MAC Football games. This week, both Ohio (2-2) and Bowling Green (2-2) will open their conference schedules against one another in Athens.

This new program makes Athens deputies better prepared to handle calls involving a mental health crisis The Peaceful Encounter Program has people with mental health disorders fill out a form and answer questions to help law enforcement.

This database, named the Peaceful Encounter Program, went live recently, and since then people have been signing up at a pretty steady clip.

Athens' law director says a zoning proposal to allow emergency housing shelters uptown is legally complex. The three planned shelters for Athens are part of The Gathering Place’s Conestoga Hut Project.

An opinion issued by the Athens city law director this week could complicate a zoning proposal to allow three temporary housing shelters in a North Congress Street parking lot.

November's election could result in competing claims over who are the rightful leaders of Nelsonville's government Nelsonville residents have no clarity when it comes to what form of government they will have starting next year or who will represent them.

A decision Wednesday by the Ohio Supreme Court leaves Nelsonville residents with no clarity when it comes to what form of government they will have starting next year or who will represent them.

Election confusion remains as the Ohio Supreme Court refuses Nelsonville's request to remove candidates from the ballot The Ohio Supreme Court has denied the city of Nelsonville’s request that certain candidates for office be removed from the ballot.

The Ohio Supreme Court has denied the city of Nelsonville’s request that certain candidates for office be removed from the ballot.

More than a dozen Athens residents gathered at a City Council meeting Monday night to discuss the proposed installment of three emergency housing shelters on a parking lot next to The Gathering Place, also known as the Conestoga Hut project.

Weird Al Yankovic talks biggest tour, key parodies, MTV debut Weird Al Yankovic talks MTV stardom, key parodies, band unity, and premiering originals on his arena-filling "Bigger & Weirder" Tour.

Yankovic’s Bigger & Weirder Tour features an expanded band and production accompanying him, taking him to venues like Blossom Music Center on Saturday, Columbus’ Palace Theatre on Sunday and Newport, KY’s MegaCorp Pavilion on September 16.

Ohio University makes 'significant' cuts to IT staff in a move to address rising expenses and realign operations Chris Ament, the chief information officer at Ohio University, says cuts were necessary because costs for software, services and personnel.

Ohio University has eliminated what was described as a significant number of information technology positions in a move to reduce expenses and realign operations.

The job eliminations and other changes were announced today in emails to IT staff.

@woubnews.bsky.social Athens, Ohio, is facing a significant budget deficit due to recent budget cuts, not just federally, but also statewide.

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Ohio University Football falls to Rutgers in week one as the Bobcats were unable to capitalize in the fourth quarter Ohio University Football (0-1) opened its 2025 season with a thrilling matchup with Rutgers University (1-0) on the road.

Ohio will have its opportunity to rebound next week in the team’s home opener against West Virginia.

Ohio University is sunsetting 11 programs and merging others to comply with SB 1 Ohio University on Tuesday announced the list of programs affected by the proposal submitted to the Ohio Department of Higher Education.

Ohio University reportedly submitted its proposal to suspend future entry into 11 academic programs and merge others to comply with Senate Bill 1.

It requires public universities to eliminate undergraduate degree programs that graduate fewer than five students a year over a three-year period.

Child care is critical to keeping parents at work. But Appalachian Ohio continues to lose more providers than it gains. Nearly all of Ohio’s Appalachian counties include child care deserts, according to data from the Center for American Progress.

Nearly all of Ohio’s Appalachian counties include child care deserts, according to the Center for American Progress.

The Corporation for Appalachian Development, said finding child care options like the Boys and Girls Club is rare for parents in southeast Ohio — especially during the summer.

WOUB has identified nearly $1 million in cuts this fiscal year to make up for the loss in federal funding WOUB's ’s NPR and PBS programming will be spared during the current fiscal year because content for the year has already been paid for.

More cuts will need to be made to carry the station through the following fiscal year, which starts on July 1.

The station’s NPR and PBS programming will be spared during the current fiscal year because content for the year has already been paid for after negotiations were made to lower the cost.

A Scioto County Commissioner and his wife have been indicted in an alleged kickback scheme involving the Southern Ohio Port Authority The Scioto County Grand Jury handed down indictments as part of an ongoing investigation into alleged bribes.

Commissioner Bryan Davis faces 13 felony counts as part of an ongoing investigation into alleged bribes and public contracts involving the Southern Ohio Port Authority and a Portsmouth-area business park.

Nelsonville City Council wants the Ohio Supreme Court to reconsider its dismissal of a request to remove candidates from the ballot The court dismissed the request from Nelsonville on Tuesday saying the council missed a filing deadline the day before.

Nelsonville City Council is asking the state Supreme Court to reconsider its decision to dismiss a request that the names of certain people running for city offices be removed from the ballot.

The court dismissed that request on Tuesday saying the council missed a filing deadline the day before.

A Washington County man has been convicted of a double murder following a cold-case investigation A Washington County jury found a Waterford man guilty of murdering a mother and her 17-month-old son three decades ago.

Following a two-week trial, a Washington County jury found a Waterford man guilty of murdering a mother and her 17-month-old son three decades ago.

Scott Hickman was convicted of four counts of aggravated murder and two counts of murder for the 1995 deaths of Kimberly Fulton and her son, Daniel.

Ohio's Supreme Court has dismissed the Nelsonville council's request to remove candidates from the ballot The Nelsonville City Council’s request that certain candidates for office be removed was dismissed Tuesday by the Ohio Supreme Court.

The Nelsonville City Council’s request that certain candidates for office be removed from the ballot was dismissed Tuesday by the Ohio Supreme Court.

The court did not address the merits of the request but said the city missed a filing deadline on Monday.

UPDATE (8/7/25 5:31 p.m.): The suspect has reportedly taken his own life after law enforcement attempted to get him to peacefully surrender.

UPDATE (8/7/25 5:16 p.m.): Negotiator says the suspect is still alive. Officers are going into the building in an attempt to reach them.

Officials say the victim was transported to Grand Medical Center in Columbus.

Her condition is unknown at this time but she is communicating.

UPDATE (8/7/25 4:35 p.m.): Law enforcement warned the suspect they will break his windows.

They are now firing at his windows at the time of this posting.

UPDATE (8/7/25 4 p.m.): Officers were seen entering the apartment complex. Magruder says they are attempting to sweep the building to get others out before breaching the unit with the suspected shooter inside.