This summer in Athens was at times exciting and tragic, including visits from presidential candidates, a fatal shooting and the return of an Athens institution.
Here are some of the biggest headlines to hit Athens after Ohio University’s spring term ended:
Candidates come to visit
It didn’t take long after students left town for the presidential race to pass through Athens.
Speaking to a crowd of about 300 people at Jackie O’s Taproom and Brewery in May, Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton focused on revitalizing Appalachia by protecting the health and livelihood of steel and coal workers and creating jobs in the region.
Clinton promised that if elected, Jackie O’s would be served in the White House.
Republican candidate Donald Trump, who was in the state this summer for the Republican National Convention, never made his way down to Athens, but he did visit OU’s Eastern Campus late in June.
Trump’s speech also was geared in part to the coal mining community of St. Clairsville.
The Ohio stop came after a visit to Wheeling, West Virginia, where, according to Trump, he met with “a lot of miners that Hillary Clinton says she’s going to put out of business.”
Crime, courts and a shooting
Markel Morrison, a 22-year-old former OU student, was fatally shot at River Park apartments near South Green in May by a still-unidentified shooter.
Authorities allege Morrison was trying to settle a drug debt and tried to enter to one of the apartments.
After the murder, John Michael Fults-Ganey, a 21-year-old OU student who allegedly drove Morrison to River Park, drove himself to a bar before turning himself in to the police for his involvement in the events leading to Morrison's shooting. He was taken to Southeastern Regional Jail, where he has been set with a bond of $1 million.
A grand jury formally indicted Fults-Ganey in July and charged him with one count of involuntary manslaughter and one count of conspiracy in connection to Morrison’s death.
He was not charged as the shooter or accused of being present at the time of the shooting.
He was then sentenced to three years in prison after he pleaded guilty to those charges at the Athens County Common Pleas Court.
In an unrelated trial, James D. Howard, a former OU hockey player and student, pleaded guilty to charges of burglary and tampering with records in June.
On March 21, Howard allegedly assaulted a Bird Arena employee before dropping all his classes and heading to Logan to buy a firearm.
The store owner would not sell him a firearm and claimed Howard’s behavior seemed strange. Law enforcement later found a rifle in his car.
On April 6, Howard pleaded not guilty to both counts, as well as aggravated burglary and having weapons under disability, a charge given because he possessed a firearm after he was previously involuntarily admitted to a mental health facility.
Pat Kelly
As he serves his seven-year sentence in prison, former Athens County Sheriff Pat Kelly continues to fight for release.
The Athens County Court of Common Pleas convicted Kelly of 18 counts on Feb. 12, 2015 after a three week trial, according to a previous Post report. Kelly was found guilty of one count of perjury, one count of failure to keep a cashbook, thirteen counts of theft in office, three counts of theft and one count of engaging in a pattern of corrupt activity.
He is scheduled to appear before the Fourth District Court of Appeals on November 3, after his appellate hearing was rescheduled from July 21, according to a previous Post report.
Kelly filed for appeal on April 9, 2015, according to a previous Post report. In the appeal, Kelly’s attorney argued the Athens County Common Pleas Court had convicted Kelly with insufficient evidence to prove Kelly guilty of theft, perjury, failure to maintain a cashbook and engaging in a pattern of corrupt activity.
Debates in council
A plan to charge Athens residents for using non-reusable bags at retailers caused some contention at Athens City Council meetings early this summer.
Councilwoman Jennifer Cochran, D-At Large, posed an idea in May to charge shoppers an extra 10 cents for every bag they consume — including both paper and plastic bags.
But the plan has yet to appear in a proposed ordinance, much less go up for a vote.
The idea, though well-received by most council members, received backlash from some Athens residents.
At one council meeting, Abe Alassaf, a former Republican candidate to replace state Rep. Debbie Phillips, D-Albany, accused council of limiting consumers’ choices and freedoms and vowed to “work within every parameter of the law to undermine” Cochran and prevent her from serving another term.
Council President Chris Knisely reprimanded Alassaf, and said she was “highly offended” by his comments and he was out of line.
Cochran, ultimately, set the idea aside after a few weeks, and said she had to work on some of the details.
The return of The Union
The summer began with the reopening of The Union Bar and Grill, an establishment that is known for its live entertainment.
The Athens staple was destroyed in a fire November 2014 that also caused severe damage to many shops and bars along the block.
The bar, complete with furnishings made from wood salvaged from the fire, a new patio and new windows, held its opening weekend May 25 (a Wednesday) to May 28.
“We’re The Union,” owner Eric Gunn said shortly before the reopening. “(The) weekend starts on Wednesday, especially in the summertime.”
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