A MESSAGE FROM OUR CHAIR, JOHN HASELEY
More Good Works From Athens Dems
Amy Renner doesn’t have much free time. She’s a project manager at Third Sun, the mother of Astrid and Askel, the wife of Jason Hudson, and the Mayor of the Village of Chauncey.
When you talk to Amy, you find yourself wishing you lived in Chauncey. There are so many amazing things happening under her watch that it’s hard to imagine Chauncey’s future is not bright.
Three months into Amy’s first term, the Pandemic hit, and she had to balance taking care of two day-care-age kids, a job and being the new Mayor. But Amy approached the crisis as an opportunity to try new ways to get information out to Chauncey residents allowing them to share opinions and get more involved with their village.
Inspiring, tenacious and visionary are just a few words that come to mind in talking with Amy. Despite governing through the Pandemic, Amy has amassed an incredible record of accomplishment. Chauncey has a lot of talent and Amy is enlisting all the help she can get. And she’s committed to fixing things for the long run. Here are just a few things Amy, working alongside village residents and local leaders, has gotten done.
- Implemented Chauncey’s first-ever strategic planning process.
- Worked with Ric Wasserman, Chris Chmiel and the Athens Land Bank to purchase and remove environmental hazards at the old auto repair shop at the center of town.
- Secured a CDBG critical infrastructure grant to upgrade Chauncey’s sewer system and replace its 100-year-old clay tile sewer lines that village workers are constantly needing to repair.
- Passed flood plain ordinance and working with property owners to put Chauncey in compliance with the National Flood Insurance program which will increase the value and marketability of Chauncey homes.
- Secured a public works grant to pave city streets.
- Secured a Jobs Ohio grant to identify economic development tools Chauncey should utilize.
- Working with Lenny Eliason and Steve Patterson on the Outdoor Recreation Council of Appalachia, she made the Bailey’s trail an economic catalyst for the region.
As you pass through Chauncey, take a moment to check out all the great things happening and share in the pride that Amy and Chauncey residents are taking in their community.
UPCOMING EVENTS
Volunteers Needed For the Athens County Fair
The Fair is back in full swing this year and we need help staffing the Athens Dems tent from Monday, August 9 – Saturday, August 14 between 4:30-8:30 PM each day. For more information and to sign up for a shift, email Lisa Eliason.
Parade Lovers – Come March with the Dems!
Parade season is here and you can be part of the action by marching behind our banner and showing that the Dems celebrate all of our area communities! For more information and to volunteer, email Patrice Beard, our awesome Community Engagement chair.
- Nelsonville Parade of the Hills – August 21
- Line up on Poplar Street at 4 PM; parade begins at 6 PM and lasts about 1.5 hours
- Wear a blue or white shirt
- Office Holders & Candidates: If you plan to march, you must pay your $50 participation fee to Patrice no later than Sunday, August 1. This will ensure that your name is announced during the parade.
- Jacksonville Old Settlers Reunion Parade – September 6
- We are looking for a coordinator for this parade to fill in for Patrice. Please let her know if you can help!
- Look for parade details in the August newsletter.
Central and Executive Committee Meeting
Central and Executive Committee members, please mark this Wednesday, July 28, at 5:30 PM on your calendar. Watch your email for the Zoom link.
Lunch & Learn
Lunch & Learn is taking a break for the month of August, but will return in September every Wednesday from 12-1 PM. Have an idea for a speaker or topic? Contact Andrea Reik.
ATHENS CITY COUNCIL FUNDRAISER
Show your support for our Athens City Council At-Large candidates, Micah McCarey, Sarah Grace, and Ben Ziff, by joining us Thursday, August 5 from 4:00 – 6:00 PM at the Pigskin Bar and Grille in uptown Athens. Contribution levels are $25 for a Guest and $100 for a Host, paid at the door. It’s the perfect opportunity to meet our newest City Council members face to face! See you there!
VOTE VOTE VOTE!
August 3 Special Primary Election
Steve Stiver’s resignation provides us with an excellent opportunity to elect a Democrat to Ohio’s 15th Congressional District in the US House of Representatives! Here are the three ways that you can cast your vote for one of our Democratic Primary candidates, Greg Betts and Allison Russo:
1. Early In-Person Voting at the Athens County Board of Elections (BOE), 15 South Court St, Athens. Bring your government ID or other valid form of I.D. during these early voting hours:
- July 26-30 8:00 AM to 7:00 PM
- July 31 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM
- August 1 1:00 PM to 5:00 PM
- August 2 8:00 AM to 2:00 PM
2. Absentee Voting by Mail.
- REQUEST your absentee ballot before 12:00 PM on Saturday, July 31 in one of the following ways:
- complete an Absentee Ballot Application and mail it to the BOE, or
- mail a letter to the BOE to request a ballot application, or
- call the BOE at 740-592-3201 and request an absentee ballot.
- RETURN your absentee ballot in one of the following ways:
- mail your completed ballot in time for it to postmarked before Aug 3, or
- hand in your ballot at the BOE, or
- place your ballot in the secure drop box by 7:30 PM on Aug 3. NOTE: the only drop box for this election is located in the parking lot BEHIND the BOE. Unfortunately, vandals damaged the second drop box on Court Street, and the BOE is uncertain as to when it will be replaced.
- TRACK your ballot request as well as your returned ballot here.
3. Vote on Election Day, August 3
- Polls will be open from 6:30 AM to 7:30 PM. Check your polling location here.
Still have questions? You can find all voting-related information at the websites for the Athens County Board of Elections or the Ohio Secretary of State.
FAIR DISTRICTS – REPUBLICANS ARE STALLING
We are less than three months away from the deadline for Ohio to approve new state legislative districts, but the Ohio Redistricting Commission has yet to meet! Republican Governor DeWine has the SOLE authority to convene the commission to start holding planning meetings so they can hit the ground running once census data is released; yet he continues to do nothing. The work of the Commission will LITERALLY shape our state’s future when they redraw our Ohio House and Senate districts. This is a once in a decade opportunity for our state to have fair districts that truly represent the people of Ohio.
To learn more about the process Ohio is using and what actions you can take now, visit www.fairdistrictsohio.org. To show your support for fair districts with a yard sign, email Athens County League of Women Voters co-president Adriane Mohlenkamp to get one before they run out!
RECENT EVENTS
Clowning Around At The Coolville Founders Day Parade
July 10th was a beautiful day for our first parade since 2019. We passed out flags and made at least one new friend (see photo)! Thanks to Ric, Nancy, Patrice, Suzanne, Sara and everyone else who came out!
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Look Who Visited Our Athens Office!
Athens County Dems took the opportunity to welcome and talk with Greg Betts and Allison Russo at separate events held Friday, July 9 and Sunday July 11, respectively. The August 3 Special Primary Election will determine which of these candidates will vie for Ohio’s 15th Congressional District seat in November. Attendees found it refreshing to be able to meet in person again!
TALK LIKE A DEMOCRAT
I keep hearing that Critical Race Theory (CRT) is teaching our kiddoes to hate America, and teaches White children to hate themselves and to hate Black people. Is that true? I heard it was racist. What is it?
No. This rant about CRT by the Right is NOT true. Critical Race Theory has never been part of a K-12 curriculum. The purpose of CRT in research and higher education is to better understand why discrimination persists despite anti-discrimination policies and what to do about it. With this knowledge, policymakers can make informed decisions about strategies to bring all people together in harmony.
CRT states that our social institutions such as the criminal justice system, education system, labor and housing markets are embedded with racist laws, regulations, rules, and procedures that disadvantage people of color. It’s about understanding that our systems advantage me as a White person over others and choosing to work for fairness and justice for all.
Let’s watch this 5-minute Washington Post video that defines and explains Critical Race Theory.
Critical Race Theory (CRT) has been a framework used in academia since the 1970s. So, why is the Right alarmed about CRT now? Rather than talk about Biden’s Build America Plan and his American Families Plan that include kitchen table issues that most Americans – even Republicans – want like paid maternal leave, universal pre-k, and assistance paying for childcare and much more, the Republican leadership is distracting voters into hysteria about a manufactured fake issue.
Why are Republicans focused on CRT now? Watch this video clip from The ReidOut on MSNBC.
What can you do to fight back against this attack on free speech and anti-discrimination policies? Contact Jay Edwards who co-sponsored both of these bills (614-466-2158) to urge him to oppose Ohio House Bill 322 – “Regards the teaching of certain current events, race and sex” and House Bill 327 “Prohibit teaching, advocating, or promoting divisive concepts.” These bills are so vague that they open the door to an unprecedented infringement on freedom of speech and on schools’ rights to decide what to teach.
To learn more, see this article from the New York Times.
DONATE TO THE ACDP
We are so grateful to everyone who has financially supported the ACDP in the past. The fight to defend democracy and turn Ohio blue is far from over. If you have not donated recently to the ACDP, and have the means, please do so today