10/29/2026
President Donald Trump campaigned last night for US Senator Jon Husted and Gubernatorial Candidate Vivek Ramaswamy at Ohio University-Chillicothe. The President talked about his elimination of illegal alien crossings at the border, a record low crime rate, a record economy with lower taxes, more jobs and higher income. The President also mentioned local manufacturer Kenworth Truck and the recent Ohio investments, which included SoftBank's $33 billion investment in Pike County for a natural gas power plant. Trump says continuing the majority of Republicans in Congress is essential for keeping the country moving in the direction of economic success. The President spoke about the war in Iran, saying it was necessary to prevent them from getting a nuclear weapon, and that Iran had been fighting America in an undeclared war since 1979. Several thousand people appeared for the rally with only room for approximately 1,000-2,000 to get inside, and the rest watching outside on a giant screen. A few protestors were escorted out of the rally near the beginning of the almost 90 minute rally.
Athens 2nd Ward City Councilman John Staser is facing a misdemeanor charge that he allegedly assaulted a man at the Ohio University Inn on October 3rd. The "Athens County Independent" is reporting that the police complaint alleges Staser approached a man and “pushed him, verbally confronted him and struck him multiple times. Staser entered a not guilty plea October 8th and the investigation is ongoing. His case is set for a pre-trial hearing November 10th.
Waverly City Schools Board of Education has recently learned that the district income tax levy appearing on the November 3rd ballot does not match the proposal approved by the school board and the Ohio Department of Taxation as submitted to the Pike County Board of Elections. The Board of Education submitted a five-year, 0.5% income tax. However, the ballot incorrectly identifies the proposal as an earned income tax, which is a smaller range of income and would generate less revenue than the tax originally proposed. At this point, the school has no other option than to run the issue as it currently stands. The District says even though approval will not completely cover the district's needs, it would still help if voters approve it. Over the past year, Waverly City Schools have made more than $1.6 million in budget cuts.
