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After weeks of consideration, Athensâ Democratic Mayor Steve Patterson decided not to run for Congress in the upcoming special election, citing uncertainty in the future Ohioâs solidly Republican 15th district after redistricting and reapportionment.
He reached the decision following many conversations with Ohio politicos, people considering campaigns for the seat, and past 15th district candidates â including Rick Neal and Joel Newby, both Democrats who lost their respective 2018 and 2020 races by fairly wide margins against outgoing Republican Rep. Steve Stivers, who s stepping down May 16 for a top lobbying job.
âIt was an honor to really take a deep dive and consider it strongly,â Patterson, whoâs served as Athensâ mayor since 2016, said in an interview. âThatâs not to say I wouldnât consider running in the future sometime for a higher office, but itâs just not in the cards this time around.â
Athens County Prosecutor Keller Blackburn and Ohio University Police Department Chief Andrew Powers on Wednesday both testified before the Ohio Senate Workforce and Higher Education Committee in support of revived anti-hazing legislation, or Collinâs Law.
Both men, whose offices worked together closely in investigating the 2018 hazing-related death of Collin Wiant, an OU student who the bill is named after, argued it provides robust reforms to current hazing laws seen by the two as inadequate. The newly proposed measure would increase the penalty for hazing, currently a fourth-degree misdemeanor, to a felony if adopted.
âThrough my prosecution of those involved in the events leading up to Collin Wiantâs death, I know first-hand of the problems associated with Ohioâs current hazing law,â Blackburn, whoâs worked closely with Wiantâs mother in lobbying the legislature to amend hazing laws, said in a letter to the committee. âThe definition is to