#457SEO

Mayor Steve Patterson joins the WOUB News Team first in this episode of #457SEO to talk about leading the seat of Athens County and how important infrastructure is to developing in southeast Ohio.

The team also gets the chance to talk to one of Athens County’s interesting residents. Jan Grisinger has been an advocate for women’s and gay rights for decades. She has created and nurtured organizations working to make an impact both nationally and locally. The team is particularly interested in her work with the Susan B. Anthony Memorial Unrest Home Womyn's Land Trust in Athens County that she co-founded.

Listen on Soundcloud, Stitcher, Apple Podcasts, Google Play, NPR One and woub.org/listen.

Leave us a review and let us know what you want to hear in future episodes.

On this episode of #457SEO, State Representative Jay Edwards talks with us about getting his feet wet at the Statehouse, and how he’s making sure Southeast Ohio gets heard by the entire state.

Plus, we have a discussion about the best ways for Southeast Ohio to make the best of their piece of the state budget.

Brewers and enthusiasts descend on Athens once a year for Ohio Brew Week.

This year the festival runs from July 14-22. And the WOUB News team wanted to put out a bonus episode of #457SEO to help celebrate.

WOUB Culture reporter Emily Votaw spoke with Brew Week’s director Brandon Thompson about this year’s events and what he sees on the horizon for the festival.

The craft beer industry is unique in the #457SEO. Director of Brewing Operations at Jackie O’s Brad Clark joins the podcast to talk about how the area has influenced their work for over a decade and how all the breweries in southeast Ohio are making this a can’t-miss destination for beer enthusiasts.

Let us know how we’re doing by leaving a review. You may get a shout out at the end of the next episode.

Having internet access is one thing, having consistent internet access that allows you to telecommute or your child to download homework is something totally different. But those differences don’t mean much to the millions in the Ohio Valley’s unserved and under-connected communities. Whether it be the terrain, the distance between homes, the lack of funds, etc., diagnosing the problem is easy - implementing a productive solution… not so much.

On this episode of #457SEO Liz Shaw of the Citizens Connectivity Council explains how you can “cast your hook” and help shape actual broadband solutions that could help you and your neighbors thrive throughout the #457SEO.

And to paraphrase Mrs. Shaw: If you plan to catch fish with your fishing pole but never put your hook in the water, well… 👀

Ohio Valley ReSoucre Nicole Erwin recently did a story titled “Nuclear Option: Officials Hope Old Facility Can Fuel Growth” about how officials in Kentucky are looking to the future of their site in the Paducah/Portsmouth Project for economic development. In this episode of #457SEO, the WOUB News team tried to find out what was going on at the Portsmouth site.

Joel Bradburne with Department of Energy at the Portsmouth site talks about the history of the old Gaseous Diffusion Plant and where the deactivation process is now.

Stephanie Howe with the Voinovich School of Leadership and Public Affairs at Ohio University joins the podcast to talk about the PORTS Future project. Grant money from the DOE is helping the four-county community around the Portsmouth site shape its future. They hope it can be a driver for economic development in the area.

WOUB Culture Emily Votaw is back to talk about Atish’s new favorite band, a rocking lawyer, and an area poet that’s gaining national recognition.

Let us know how we’re doing by leaving a review. You may get a shout out at the end of the next episode.

Tyler Buchanan has been covering the years-long story of Vinton County’s attempt to get a single grocery store within its borders. He sits down with the WOUB news team for this episode of #457SEO to talk about how this is a quintessential story of southeast Ohio. (You can read his reporting on the saga in the Vinton County Courier.)

Chris Riddle is back to talk about his latest Amazing Adventures at this year’s Nelsonville Music Festival, what it was like to work a “normal shift” and his paddling past.

Athens County Commission President Lenny Eliason joins the WOUB news team for this episode of #457SEO. He talks about infrastructure and education being two of the keys to building up one of the poorest counties in the state.

WOUB Culture reporter Emily Votaw is back to help you get ready for this year’s Nelsonville Music Festival, which runs June 1-4. She introduces us to Margaret Glaspy and Parquet Courts, two of the acts that will be taking the stage this year.

The WOUB news team talks with John Molinaro, President, CEO of the Appalachian Partnership for Economic Growth in this episode.

APEG is a non-profit organization that partners in several initiatives designed to create jobs and advance the region’s economy, according to its website.

Molinaro shares how they are working outside of the box to encourage job growth in the 457SEO.

Ohio Valley ReSource reporter Mary Meehan also joins the news team to talk about a recent story she filed about food insecurity in Appalachia.

What programs are working to connect those in need with nutritious, local food.

This podcast is the longest one we’ve ever produced… It’s also the first one to include our Public Opinion segment. The whole point of our work is to introduce listeners to information and viewpoints that are distinctly about improving the quality of life for southeast Ohioans. <— So, yeah, we’re trying a few things, and letting people express their grievances and present their solutions. We'll see how it goes…

In this episode:

•Local dairy farmer and head entremanure (his term) of Laurel Valley Creamery, Nick Nolan, joins Aaron Payne, Susan Tebben, Atish Baidya, and Allison Hunter to talk politics, the demise of local agriculture, and his expectations from public media. He gives it to us straight – no chaser.

•Former State Representative, Debbie Phillips, discusses ways she’s working toward this region’s economic development to help combat the “diseases of despair & hopelessness” that are, among other things, killing middle-aged white males.

•New work from Water Witches (they’ll record a custom song for you in their coven! 👀) & Jake Eddy, the teen who expanded his Bluegrass roots by making a record on his smart phone .ake Eddy’s “Smart, Phone!”

#457SEO is a place for stories, information, and observations about our Southeast Ohio communities; it is produced by the WOUB News team from the Telemix Studio at WOUB Public Media in Athens, Ohio.

In this episode of #457SEO: Facing the reality that opiate addiction treatment centers need for some measures of the Affordable Care Act to stay as is — if they’re going to continue to save lives.

And joining us at the table, a Southeast Ohio native who is tired of feeling as if this region is constantly overlooked and overburdened by state lawmakers.

Meigs County Commissioner Randy Smith shares is concerns, frustrations, and attempted solutions now that his area has to find a way to make up the $480,000 deficit proposed in Gov. Kasich’s budget.

#457SEO is a place for stories, information, and observations about our Southeast Ohio communities.