Although Independence Day had passed, a meeting between two demonstrations in Athens made sparks fly the following afternoon on Court Street. A Black Lives Matter protest formed in response to a Defend the Police rally scheduled Sunday at noon. In the sweltering July sun and a blistering heat, the Defend the Police rally gathered outside the Athens County Clerk of …

Ohio University will eliminate 81 university positions because of the budget crisis and financial challenges brought on by the novel coronavirus pandemic, according to a Tuesday press release. Ohio U expects to rehire 23 of the positions as a result of divisional reorganizations in the College of Arts and Sciences.  The Ohio U Board of Trustees approved civil service reform …

Dominic Detwiler is a senior at Ohio University, studying sociology through the Honors Tutorial College.  I am a senior here at Ohio University, and I support Ohio U’s classified employees in their efforts to unionize and ask that President Duane Nellis and Ohio U voluntarily recognize their union. These workers have put in the work and come together.  The university …

City Councilmember Pat McGee gave a speech Friday about the nature of justice at Athens’ Arts West. City Councilmember, longtime student defense lawyer and part-time alchemist Pat McGee spoke about justice and performed medieval songs on a harp Friday at Arts West, the Athens community arts facility. The speech — titled “The Alchemy of Justice” — was part of The …

Opinion writer Maddie Kramer argues that while Bernie Sanders has some great ideas, his divisiveness endangers Democrat’s hopes of winning the presidency, and he should step aside in favor of a young, fresh challenger. Sen. Bernie Sanders made waves in 2016, shaking up the Democrat party with ideas of socialism and a very progressive platform. The independent from Vermont announced …

Improperly stored vaccines caused infections in Kentucky, Ohio, and Indiana, but the issue in Ohio is not as widespread as it has initially been reported. Improperly stored vaccines are causing infections among business employees in Kentucky, Ohio, and Indiana, but the issue in Ohio is now under control according to health officials. The Kentucky Department of Public Health said in …

After a Ohio Supreme Court ruling of 5-2 in favor of the Cincinnati Reds, the team will not pay taxes on merchandise bought to resell.

Happy Thanksgiving! How much do you know about this national holiday? Take this quiz to find out: 

Opinion writer Madeline Kramer claims Michigan’s move to legalize recreational marijuana will provide a model for other Midwestern states to follow. Michiganders voted “Yes” on Proposal 1 during this year’s election, making recreational marijuana legal for adults age 21 years or older. The proposal passed by a wide margin, making it clear that Michigan is ready to take their current …

This is the sixth installment in The New Political’s Athens scandals quiz series. Take last week’s quiz about the Roger E. Ailes newsroom name here. This week, you’ll be tested on your knowledge of the scandal concerning newly-elected city council member Sarah Grace and her payment of PTO taxes. 

On Monday, Michael Mayberry, an organizer of the Baker Center sit-in, was found not guilty of criminal trespassing. Mayberry is one of 70 individuals whom Athens law enforcement arrested on Feb. 1 at a Baker sit-in protest. He was the first to go to bench trial, which is trial by judge, not jury. In Ohio, criminal trespassing is a fourth-degree …

Editor’s Note: The opinions expressed in this column are that of the author and Ohio University Students for Liberty. They do not reflect those of The New Political or its editorial team. ________________________________________________________________________________ By Conor Fogarty This week, an additional 400 American military personnel, mostly in special forces, went overseas to Syria in an effort to wrest control of Raqqa …

The International Women’s Day Festival took place this Sunday, celebrating Women’s history and empowerment. It welcomed vendors, performances and speeches from many influential members of the community, including Mayor Steve Patterson, who labelled the month of March as International Women’s Month. Bukky Shaba was one of the events hosts. She is a graduate student at Ohio University and an international …

By the numbers: Candidates who have rejected WH communications job: 2 Sanders-Cruz debate ratings: 2.46 million Obama executive orders revoked by Trump: 0 Gorsuch speaks out against Trump’s comments on fellow Judge In case you forgot, Trump lashed out against Judge Robart after he put a nationwide stay on the administration’s immigration order. Trump took to Twitter calling him a …