• Meet Our Team
  • Advertise on SCDN
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Contact Us
Monday, September 1
Scioto County Daily News
  • Login
  • Register
Subscribe For $1/week
  • Public Safety
    Pike County

    Woman Dies, Child Injured in Wreck

    Busted Arrests Portsmouth Scioto County Mugshots

    Busted! 09/01/25 New Arrests in Portsmouth, Ohio – Scioto County Mugshots

    🚨 Michigan Avenue Family Crisis Highlights Ongoing Struggles to Protect Children 

    West Portsmouth Shooting

    Gunfire Panic at Trailer Park: Deputies Swarm Shots Fired Call 

    🏈 Locker Room Bullying Turns Violent — Mom Demands Justice  

    Police Officer Killed After Golf Cart Hit by Young Driver 

    Portsmouth

    Who Stole the Democrats’ Seat? Exclusive NEW Details on Portsmouth’s Missing Bench 

    Gun Scare at Mound Park: Call Leads Police on Evening Hunt 

    SCDN File Photo

    From Classroom to Courtroom? Portsmouth Parents Call Police Over School Clashes 

    DUI Driver Arrested After Wreck at Elementary School

    🚨 From Crash Site to Cell Block: Woman Busted for OVI in Portsmouth 

    Fired Trucker Takes Company Rig on Wild Ride Across State Lines  

    Dog on chain outside

    🐾 Price of a Pup Tag Set to Climb — Scioto County to Raise Dog License Fees Amid Worsening Shelter Crisis 

    Family & First Responders Save the Day in Wheelersburg Scare  

    Busted Arrests Portsmouth Scioto County Mugshots

    Busted! 08/28/25 New Arrests in Portsmouth, Ohio – Scioto County Mugshots

    Timmy’s Terror: Loose Pit Bull Sparks Dogfight, Death Threats, and Arrest 

    Police Activity

    Midnight Round-Up: Wanted Locals Learn the Hard Way

    Joseph Coby Portsmouth SWAT

    🚨 SWAT Roll-Out Over Missed Court Date: When Skipping Court Goes Too Far 

    Suspect arrested

    Suspect Busted at Mike’s Auto Sales: Drugs, Damage & a Rap Sheet a Mile Long 

    good cops

    Across Two States, First Responders Race to Protect Woman and Child Near Greenup Dam

    police car from the back seat

    Drunk, Armed & on a Lawn Mower: Lucasville Man Arrested After Wild Claim 

  • Lawrence County
  • Politics
    Scioto County Commissioner Bryan Davis

    Bryan Davis Arraignment Set, New Judge Assigned 

    Bryan Davis

    Why Commissioner Davis Staying in Office Raises Big Problems 

    Scottie Powell

    Powell Calls on Commissioner Davis to Resign 

    Scioto County Bryan Davis Scandal

    🗓 Timeline of a Scandal: How Scioto County’s Economic Development Crisis Unfolded 

    Bryan Davis

    Commissioner Bryan Davis and Wife Indicted in Scioto Scandal 

    Joey Sandlin

    Joey Sandlin Announces Inauguration Ceremony  

    Erie Canal Lock 50

    After Nearly a Decade of Talk, Scioto County Moves Closer to Restoring Historic Lock 50 

    Portsmouth City Council 2023

    Portsmouth City Council Considers More Cash for Lawsuit Defense 

    West Virginia SNAP

    🚨No More Free Pop? West Virginia Bans Soda from SNAP—Should Ohio Be Next?🚨 

    We Don’t Do Roads!: Scioto Commissioners Clarify Who’s Really in Charge of Road Repairs 

    “I’m Not Here to Replace Cathy”: New Commissioner Merit Smith Says He’ll Lead with Life Experience 

    Merit Smith

    Merit Smith Chosen to Fill Late Commissioner Cathy Coleman’s Seat 

    Scottie Powell

    “Run on Vision, Not Attacks”: Powell Offers Advice to Candidates Vying for Cathy Coleman’s Seat 

    🌿 Bamboo Gets Fast-Tracked at City Hall — But the Homeless Crisis? Still Stuck in Neutral 

    Who Will Carry Cathy’s Torch? GOP to Choose Coleman’s Replacement July 29 

    Cathy Coleman

    Commissioners Back Senior Housing Project Championed by Late Commissioner Cathy Coleman 

    “Bad and Quirky” Lucasville House Targeted for Demolition as County Cracks Down on Blighted Properties 

    ‘A Great Addition to Heaven’: Commissioners Honor Cathy Coleman, Reflect on Her Legacy and Who Might Carry It Forward 

    Cathy Coleman

    Scioto County Mourns Commissioner Cathy Coleman 

    🚨TRIAL TWIST! Horton Corruption Case on Ice—For Now 

  • Feel Good
    A man sitting in a vehicle is handing over an ID card to a female police officer standing by his window.

    Tips for Staying Calm During Police Encounters

    Cyn Mackley

    Cyn Mackley Channels Haunted Appalachia

    A group of friends stand around a table, smiling, laughing, and drinking. There are plates of food on the table.

    Creative Ways To Host Outdoor Events This Summer

    A family of two parents and a young boy and girl are playing laser tag with vests and laser blasters in an arena.

    What Activities To Offer at a Family Fun Center

    Shawnee State University SSU

    Shawnee State University Joins New Athletic Conference, Adds Football to Lineup 

    BREAKING: Commissioners Make Shocking Decision—Halloween to Remain on Halloween 

    Escape to the Hills: A Summer Reading List Set in Appalachia 

    Scioto County Champs: Lady Trojans and Word Wizards Bring Home the Gold 

    “I Held Those Keys Tight” — One Man’s Harrowing Journey from Addiction to Hope 

    Three girls in quinceañera dresses stand beside one another. The one in middle has a gold dress while the other two wear pink.

    Tips for Selecting the Color of a Quinceañera Dress

    The Day the Streak Ended: Lakers’ 1987 Record Broken

    An angler standing at the edge of a lake just after sunset with three fishing rods resting on the ground next to him.

    Night Fishing: Who Is It for and How Do You Start?

    good cops

    Cops Rescue Lost Man 

    good cops

    Kid Misses Bus, Deputy to the Rescue 

    A group of people stands outside with their arms in the air. They hold their hands together, making a pyramid shape.

    Hidden Gems: Community Strategies for Mental Wellness

    good cops

    Man Says He’s Trapped in Armory 

    Good Samaritan 2

    Good Neighbor and Officer to the Rescue 

    Portsmouth Flood Wall Stars

    Meet the New Flood Wall Stars! 

    A bearded man is sitting on the floor and comforting his dog in a wheelchair. The dog has his ears pinned back.

    Training Tips To Help Your Dog Get Used to Their Wheelchair

    U.S. housing market

    Tips for Making Your New House Feel Like a Home

  • Obituaries
    Janet Forbes

    Janet Forbes, 88 of South Shore

    Robert David Dean

    Robert David Dean, 75 of Piketon

    John Kenneth Kellerman, Jr

    John Kenneth Kellerman, Jr., 67 of Portsmouth

    Blenda Sue Forester Fitch

    Blenda Sue Forester Fitch, 76 of Waverly

    Barbara Williams

    Charlotte Pollitt, 79, of Piketon

    Ms. Shannon Renee Wyatt

    Ms. Shannon Renee Wyatt, 46 of Charleston

    James Collins

    James Collins 82 0f Portsmouth

    Rick L. Newsome 57 of Wheelersburg

    Anthony Carl White

    Anthony Carl White, 67 of Stout

    Samantha Kay Carver-Lattimore

    Samantha Kay Carver-Lattimore 42 of Portsmouth,

     Mildred Jean Sullivan

     Mildred Jean Sullivan, 81 of Portsmouth

    William McGinnis

    Jonathon Robert Chanti, 69 of Gallipolis

    Harold Richard Smith, Jr. , 45, of Waverly

    Barbara Williams

    Betty Jane Bowman, 83 of Portsmouth

    Kay Kelly

     Kay Kelly, 73 of Portsmouth

      Jeffrey Paul Steele

      Jeffrey Paul Steele, 49 of Portsmouth

    Zackery Hatfield

    Zackery Hatfield, 42 of Lexington

    Anthony Wayne

    Anthony Wayne Payne, 48 of Portsmouth

    James M. Lewis

    James M. Lewis, of Stout

    Barbara Williams

    Laura Frances Benner, 89 of Lucasville

  • More News
    • All News
    • Arts & Entertainment
    • Education
    • Economy
    • Food & Drinks
    • Local Business
    • National
    • Opinion
    • Regional
    • Strange But True
    • Trending
No Result
View All Result
Scioto County Daily News
No Result
View All Result
  • Login
  • Register
Scioto County Daily News
No Result
View All Result

“It’s a Witch Hunt” – Davis Speaks Out on Horton Investigation 

Cyn Mackley by Cyn Mackley
11 months ago
in Politics
Bryan Davis
ShareTweetEmail

“Not everything that comes out of a grand jury is factual. In my personal opinion, it’s a witch hunt.”  Scioto County Commissioner Bryan Davis says there are multiple reasons that Robert Horton still has his position with SOPA despite a state investigation.  

Even though Robert Horton is currently suspended with pay from his job as Scioto County’s Economic Development Director while the State Auditor investigates criminal allegations, he’s still the Director of the Southern Ohio Port Authority. That has a lot of people asking why he’s not suspended from that very important position as well.  

Scioto County Commissioners maintain there’s not much they can do because the Port Authority is a separate entity from the county.  However, WNXT’s Bill Shope put the commissioners on the hot seat during Thursday’s meeting by pointing out that the two agencies have the same phone number and contact email address. 

RELATED POSTS

Woman Dies, Child Injured in Wreck

🚨 Michigan Avenue Family Crisis Highlights Ongoing Struggles to Protect Children 

Gunfire Panic at Trailer Park: Deputies Swarm Shots Fired Call 

Please Support This Local Business

Commissioner Bryan Davis said, “Economic development utilizes multiple tools in order to accomplish a job.” Davis likened it to a toolbox where you have multiple types of screwdrivers in your toolbox. He said there was money available for development that you could only get from certain agencies like Jobs Ohio and JEDISO. He said the Southern Ohio Port Authority (SOPA) was another tool in that toolbox. “Port authorities have the ability to exercise functions other agencies cannot.”  He said that port authorities can do things like buy building materials tax-free.  “So if you have a private entity and the port authority is the construction manager, then they can provide the ability for a company to build tax-free. That’s what happened with PureCycle. It’s a tool.” 

(See our reporting on Purecycle here: Scioto County Residents Concerned: Experts Have Doubts About PureCycle)

Davis said that when commissioners set up the board seven years ago, they changed the way things worked. “They are definitely symbiotic beings. They work in the same space. They complement each other. About 90% of what economic development is doing right now is SOPA-related.  I can understand why there would be confusion.” 

When asked if Horton’s suspension carried any real weight due to the fact he was continuing to head  SOPA, Davis replied. “What everyone needs to understand, the Board of Scioto County Commissioners cannot interfere with the workings of the Southern Ohio Port Authority. They are a separate board governed by its members.”   

Davis said that the commission is only involved in appointing members to SOPA. That is the end of our jurisdiction. We can remove members for malfeasance but that has not been considered.  You have an employee who has been put on a leave of absence. To my knowledge, he has not been indicted. Not everything that comes out of a grand jury is factual. A lot of times there are things that have been leaked.” 

He said that the amount of information that had been leaked about the investigation was egregious and that, in his opinion, “It’s a witch hunt. He’s been exposed to egregious acts by people who would love to destroy economic development in Scioto County.  We’re talking about a man who has brought millions and millions of dollars to the county and throwing that way. I, for one, do not want to see the work of the county suspended in any way.”  

Davis called the investigation a distraction from important economic development work. He said the commissioners hadn’t heard anything about the investigation in weeks.  He said the Attorney General’s Officer appeared to have pulled out of the investigation. “It’s my understanding the State Auditor’s Office doesn’t know where they went. They apparently called no joy and walked away. There’s a lot of things I could say that I probably shouldn’t. say. My concern is our economic development efforts are being severely hampered.” 

Get caught up on our previous reporting on this crucial issue.

County Commissioners “Fully Cooperating” with Investigators After Search Warrants Served 

Commissioners Skip Meeting, Investigation Continues 

Commissioners Don’t Know What Search Warrants Are About Either 

Commissioners Grapple With “Clearly Criminal” Economic Development Investigations 

“We’re Not Lawyers” – Commissioners Respond to Shocking Horton Revelations 

 

Tags: County CommissionersFeaturedNewsletterScioto County
Please Support This Local Business

TRENDING NOW

Busted Arrests Portsmouth Scioto County Mugshots

Busted! 08/22/25 New Arrests in Portsmouth, Ohio – Scioto County Mugshots

August 22, 2025
body

Missing Person Call Erupts Into Threats, Taser Standoff, and Dead Body! 

August 23, 2025
Eric A Froe

🚨 Repeat Trespasser Back Behind Bars — But For How Long?

August 23, 2025
Scioto County Grand Jury Indictments

14 New Scioto County Grand Jury Indictments

August 21, 2025

💥🚬 Boom on the Block: Cigarette + Oxygen = Disaster in Portsmouth Home 

August 23, 2025

ABOUT US

We are a grassroots team of local journalists on a mission to give our community up-to-the-second news and events for Southern Ohio, Northern Kentucky, and Western West Virginia. We believe progress inspires change and we believe our reporting has become the front-lines of Portsmouth, Ohio's comeback.

CATEGORIES

  • Arts & Entertainment
  • Casino
  • Economy
  • Education
  • Feel Good
  • Food & Drink
  • Local Business
  • National
  • Obituaries
  • Ohio
  • Opinion
  • Politics
  • Public Safety
  • Regional
  • Strange But True
  • Video

AREAS SERVED

  • Portsmouth
  • Wheelersburg
  • Minford
  • Waverly
  • Friendship
  • Ironton
  • West Union
  • Piketon
  • Coal Grove
  • South Point
  • Vanceburg
  • Grayson
  • South Shore
  • Greenup
  • Raceland
  • Ashland

SITE SEARCH

No Result
View All Result
  • About Us
  • Advertise
  • Contact Us
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Service

© 2025 Scioto County Daily News. All Rights Reserved.

No Result
View All Result
  • Login
  • Sign Up
  • Home
  • Trending
  • Public Safety
  • Lawrence County
  • Obituaries
  • Politics
  • Education
  • Feel Good
  • All News
  • About Us
    • Meet Our Team
    • FAQ
    • Contact Us
    • Advertise on SCDN
  • Legal
    • Privacy Policy
    • Terms of Service

© 2025 Scioto County Daily News. All Rights Reserved.

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password? Sign Up

Create New Account!

Fill the forms below to register

All fields are required. Log In

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In
No Result
View All Result
  • Login
  • Sign Up
  • Home
  • Trending
  • Public Safety
  • Lawrence County
  • Obituaries
  • Politics
  • Education
  • Feel Good
  • All News
  • About Us
    • Meet Our Team
    • FAQ
    • Contact Us
    • Advertise on SCDN
  • Legal
    • Privacy Policy
    • Terms of Service

© 2025 Scioto County Daily News. All Rights Reserved.