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This page offers blog posts, news articles and events surrounding Athens County economic and community development efforts. Select the News & Events tabs to the right to view all postings.
Waste Water Improvement for Rural Communities
The original story can be found here in the Athens Messenger By GRACE WARNER For The Messenger LOGAN — The United States Department of Agriculture announced earlier this month it would make a $1.2 billion investment to help improve rural water infrastructure for Americans in 46 states. Here in Southeast Ohio, the communities of Nelsonville, […]
Read MoreCommissioners Pursue Grant to Help Renovate Nelsonville’s Mechem Building
The original story can be found here in the Athens Messenger By STEVE ROBB Messenger staff journalist Hocking College plans to renovate the Mechem Building in Nelsonville for use by the Hocking College Innovation Gateway program, and the Athens County Commissioners want to get a grant to help. Messenger file photo Note: This story appears […]
Read MoreCommissioners to Hold Injection Well Meeting
The original story can be found here in the Athens Messenger By STEVE ROBB Messenger staff journalist This file photo from 2014 shows a public meeting held by the Athens County Commissioners that allowed residents to comment on a pending injection well permit. A similar meeting is planned for Dec. 18 for another injection well […]
Read MoreNelsonville to get Federal Water Infrastructure $$
The original story can be found here in the Athens News The U.S. Department of Agriculture is investing $1.2 billion to help rebuild and improve rural water infrastructure for 936,000 rural Americans living in 46 states, including Ohio, Assistant to the Secretary for Rural Development Anne Hazlett announced in a news release on Wednesday. Some […]
Read MoreAthens Signs Agreement with DriveOhio
The original story can be found here in the Athens Messenger By Heather Willard Messenger Staff Journalist The city of Athens may become a test site for a self-driving vehicle program.File photo by John Halley Athens officials have noted interest in DriveOhio since it was first announced in January, and recently signed an agreement to […]
Read MoreMenards Official: Athens Store Likely to Open in 2020
Local Lowe’s store, meanwhile, not on list of closings By Kayla Beard The original story can be found here in the Athens News Stock photo of a Menards store Menards’ long-awaited arrival in Athens is inching closer, as the company recently applied for state building permits and released a tentative date for construction to begin. […]
Read MoreLocal Program Offers Free Learning, Job Training – Here’s How to Get Involved
The original story can be found here in the Athens Messenger Note: This story appears in the Sunday, Dec. 2 newspaper on Page A1. The best-kept secret in Athens County offers adults here a free chance to learn, get a GED, gain job skills and even attend college. Organizers want to spread the word about […]
Read MoreLand Bank Gets State Funds to Address Blighted Properties
Click here for the original story found in the Athens News All things appear to be going according to plan for the Athens County Land Reutilization Corporation, known as the Land Bank. At its monthly meeting Monday, the Land Bank Board updated the public on the agency’s progress, including two projects that were recently approved […]
Read MoreNew Seed Fund at OU to Encourage Student Entrepreneurs
Click here for the original story in the Athens News Ohio University’s Center for Entrepreneurship, a partnership between the College of Business and the Voinovich School of Leadership and Public Affairs, will launch the Bobcat Seed Fund this month to provide grants up to $3,000 to support promising ideas and ventures proposed by Ohio University […]
Read MoreMayor Patterson to represent Ohio in nationwide organization
Click here for the original story in the Athens Messenger By Heather Willard Messenger Staff Journalist Steve Patterson first started attending National League of Cities conferences back in 2015, when he was a city councilman running for Athens mayor. Now, just three years later, Patterson has become the only official from Ohio on […]
Read MoreGoodwill Activities Center Opens
Click here for the original story found in the Athens News Nov 11, 2018 Workers on Monday mount the sign at the new Goodwill Industries store on Columbus Road in Athens. A ribbon-cutting ceremony took place on Wednesday, the same day the store opened. Terry Smith Goodwill’s Athens Activities and Training Center opens today (Monday) […]
Read MoreOHIO’s new CoLab in Alden Library officially opens, creating a space for collaboration and innovation
Click here for the original story in the Ohio University Compass From Staff Reports (L to R) Executive Vice President and Provost Chaden Djalali, President M. Duane Nellis, National Trustee David Pidwell and Board of Trustees Chair David Scholl participate in the ribbon cutting of OHIO’s new CoLab. Photographer: Stephen Zenner/Ohio University Libraries Ohio […]
Read MoreAthens County Sends Proposed Lodging Tax Collection Agreement to Airbnb
By STEVE ROBB Messenger staff journalist Note: This story appears in the Thursday, Nov. 8 newspaper on Page A3. Click here for the original story. A proposed agreement calling for Airbnb to collect Athens County’s 3 percent transient lodging tax was approved Tuesday by the county commissioners and has been submitted to the company for […]
Read MoreCommunity assessment under way for Athens and OU
Click here for the original story in the Athens News Athens Mayor Steve Patterson and City Council President Chis Knisely are urging residents in the “45701” area code (the Athens area) who don’t work for Ohio University to take part in a community assessment “to understand the quality of the relationship between the city […]
Read MoreState announces plans for new Hocking Hills Lodge
Click here for the original story in the Athens Messenger By Grace Warner For The Messenger On Wednesday, the Ohio Department of Natural Resources shared that the new Hocking Hills State Park Lodge will have overnight stay options. This is the artist rendering of the proposed new lodge. LOGAN — The Ohio Department of […]
Read MoreAdvantage Capital Invests in Ohio-Based RXQ Compounding, LLC
Click here for the original story in InvestorPoint ST. LOUIS RXQ looks to create as many as 100 jobs in rural Ohio, highlighting significant economic impact of the Ohio Rural Business Growth Program Advantage Capital today announced a nearly $3.6 million investment in RXQ Compounding, LLC, an FDA-approved outsourcing facility that manufactures medical formularies and […]
Read MoreAthens business receives $5,000 national award for green home products
Click here for the original story in the Athens Messenger Nature’s Magic of Athens was one of two small businesses that recently received a $5,000 People & Planet Award from Green America, in recognition of the business “being committed to bettering the environment and society.” According to a press release, Nature’s Magic offers plant-based, non-toxic […]
Read MoreNew economic grants to help local groups, create jobs in region
Click here for the original story in the Athens Messenger From staff reports Among millions of dollars announced this month for various projects in Appalachia, one such program based at Ohio University has received $750,000 of grant funding. The Appalachian Regional Commission, a federal agency representing Ohio and 12 other states, is providing this […]
Read MoreRed Bull distribution warehouse planned for Albany
Click here for the original story in the Athens Messenger By STEVE ROBB Messenger staff journalist ALBANY — Construction is expected to begin soon on a 10,000-square-foot warehouse from which Red Bull, an energy drink, will be distributed in Southeastern Ohio. The site is on Carpenter Road and is within the village of Albany. […]
Read MoreAthens County Business Survey
Would you mind taking a few minutes to fill out the Athens County Business Climate Survey? It should only take 5-10 minutes and will help inform the Athens County Economic Development Council and the Athens Area Chamber of Commerce of the met and unmet needs of our local business community. This survey is anonymous; however, […]
Read MoreCounty asked to join special improvement district
Click here for the original story in the Athens Messenger By STEVE ROBB Messenger staff journalist The Athens County Commissioners have been asked to join the special improvement district that Mayor Steve Patterson is pursuing for uptown Athens. Patterson met with the commissioners on Tuesday. The district would be a way of funding such […]
Read MorePopulation Growth Seen As A Key Driver Of Ohio’s Future Economic Success
Ohio has succeeded in creating jobs, but continues to lag behind other states in key indicators of economic growth, according to a report released Tuesday. The report produced by Montrose Development Advisors noted the world is moving away from traditional manufacturing that for decades bolstered the state’s economy and toward new types of businesses. It was intended […]
Read MoreWith NYTimes writer present, local biz owners tell of community involvement
Click here for the original story in the Athens Messenger By ABBEY MARSHALL For The Messenger Throughout the Appalachian region, local citizens and businesses work to make their own differences in the community. Several Athens entrepreneurs were lauded at a local panel Sept. 27 moderated by David Brooks, a New York Times columnist and regular […]
Read MoreLand bank moves ahead cautiously on Eagles building
Click here for the original story in the Athens Messenger By Larry Di Giovanni Messenger Staff Journalist NELSONVILLE — Members of the Athens County land bank voted Wednesday to move ahead on plans to acquire the historic Fraternal Order of Eagles Lodge No. 39 in Nelsonville, despite expressions of concern about the building’s crumbling […]
Read MoreFarmers Market continues to look toward future
Click here for the original story in the Athens News By Kayla Beard Athens Community Center ‘campus’ under consideration for possible new market site; no timeline set yet The East Side dog park, shown here, has been discussed in the past as a possible new site for the Athens Farmers Market. It’s unclear whether it’s […]
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