News Blogs

To protect and serve - food

By Matt Cudahy | Oct. 1, 2014

The Ohio University Police Department’s goal Tuesday night was to serve and protect — and then serve again. Serve food, that is.

Students claim McDavis was ‘hostile’ during office hours

By Alisa Warren | Oct. 1, 2014

Students gathered to discuss the “excessive compensation” of Ohio University administration Tuesday afternoon during the open office hours of President Roderick McDavis.

County coroner resigns following six years of service

By Alex MacLeod | Oct. 1, 2014

Athens County Coroner Harold Thompson resigned with two years left on his term, leaving Athens Medical Associates physician Carl Ortman to fill the position.

Marzec nominates students for university committees

By Maygan Beeler | Oct. 1, 2014

Student Senate President Megan Marzec has just submitted her nominations for student representatives on several university committees.

Payment plan comes with a price

By Maria DeVito | Oct. 1, 2014

Students have to pay a little extra to be on a payment plan. It's not unusual and not very expensive, but administrators can't say exactly where the money goes since all funds are pooled into one university-wide pot.

Senate to vote to limit Student SpeakOUt time

By Maygan Beeler | Oct. 1, 2014

While Ohio University Student Senate claims to be pushing an agenda of openness, senate will vote on a resolution Wednesday night that will limit the amount of time students can speak to their elected representatives.

Amesville tightens bonds, looks to future after floods

Amesville deadzone for cell service in county

By Heather Hare | Oct. 1, 2014

Amesville residents lack access to cell phone or internet service, but some say that it allows the community to focus on more pressing issues

Missing Hocking College student found dead

By Samuel Howard | Sep. 30, 2014

Charles Cane was found dead in Columbus.

Zainab Kandeh, new senate treasurer

By Alisa Warren | Sep. 29, 2014

New Student Senate treasurer hopes to change access to student money.

Century long bond to add millions to university’s pile of debt

By Dina Berliner | Sep. 29, 2014

Ohio University is set to take out a bond worth $250 million in order to fund deferred maintenance projects for the next 100 years.

New app aims to help smooth roommate relations

By Bret Jamerson | Sep. 29, 2014

Ever have to harass your roommate every month to pay the utility bill?Or maybe you, with a group of friends, bought a couch for your dorm and can’t remember who owes who how much.The creators of the smartphone app Yabber would argue that with their product, issues like that will be a thing of the past.Chief Executive Jonathan Miller and Chief Technology Officer Sean Thielen, the co-founders of the company University Niche who were college roommates, came up with the idea from innocent conversations. The pair said they knew firsthand how much life can be easier when all relationships at home are healthy.“From talking with our friends who live together, we learned that a lot of them wanted an easier and more efficient way to stay in touch with each other,” Miller said.The app acts as a private timeline for roommates to stay in touch, split expenses and pay bills. Miller said the prompts in the app include everyday reminders, such as “Jonathan spent $60 on groceries, you owe him $20,” to “Chase is going to the beach,” to scheduled recurring events like “tomorrow is trash day.” Users can link a debit card to send and receive money from roommates for shared expenses.“We want people to enjoy living with roommates and strived to make this experience even better,” Thielen said. “We’re not trying to reinvent group chatting. Rather we are making a unique platform designed specifically for roommates.”Yabber, free to download from Apple’s App Store, adds up all expenses and automatically figures out how much you owe your roommates and how much they owe you. The app is coming soon to Android-powered devices, Miller said, adding that the company is currently raising money for and talking to several venture capital firms about future updates.The app’s creators say it is more convenient and less intrusive than texting apps and allows roommates to publish what they are doing just by pressing an icon. Roommates can then interact with these icons in intuitive ways such as “ Chase wants to go too,” “Sean has seen this,” or “Jonathan has taken care of it” — and with one tap roommates can pay each other back for expenses.Adam Arnett, a junior studying civil engineering said he sees value in the app.“Often times my roommates and I can’t remember who owes who and how much,” Arnett said. “After looking at the app I am going to make my roommates use it, too.”Dustin Hamon, a junior studying screenwriting and production said he doesn’t see why it should be a necessity in his lifestyle the app as redundant that tries to fix something that works perfectly fine.“My roommates and I use a system that works for us and communicating face to face is more convenient to me. I don’t see why we can’t just text each other.”

OU Scanner keeps students updated on Athens happenings

By Will Gibbs | Sep. 29, 2014

It’s no surprise when popular Twitter accounts come and go. But flourishing successors do not always rise in their place.

Move over to Schoonover on schedule

By DANIELLE YOUNG | Sep. 29, 2014

Moving the five schools in the Scripps College of Communication to Schoonover Center is on schedule, officials say.

Halloween parking: ticketed, but not towed

By Maria DeVito | Sep. 29, 2014

Bobcats and their guests won’t have to worry about losing their cars during the Halloween block party — at least to Ohio University’s Transportation and Parking Services.