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  • Public Safety
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    Busted! 07/07/25 New Arrests in Portsmouth, Ohio – Scioto County Mugshots

    MONSTROUS: School Workers Hit with 1,188 Abuse Charges in Shocking Special Ed Scandal

    Rehab

    🚨 Rehab Ruckus: Former Client Fights Staff Over Suboxone in Scioto County Facility Dispute 

    Busted Arrests Portsmouth Scioto County Mugshots

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    🔥 Chaos at the Camp: Tent Torched, Chickens Loose, and Trash Everywhere at Doyle’s Landing 

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    🚨 Sidewalks, Snipers, and Sleeping Bags: Homeless Crisis Takes Over Portsmouth in a Single Day 

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    🐾 Porch Prisoners: Loose Dog Bites Woman After Trapping Man Inside His Home  

    Jailhouse Jackpot: Scioto County Keeps $1.5 Million for Major Jail Upgrades

    Accidental Shooting: Man is Airlifted 

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    Troubled Bad Youth Kids

    8-Year-Old Tries to Stab Mother in Mental Health Emergency 

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    🚗 Birthday Bash Turns into Backwoods Nightmare: Car Crash, Threats, and Birthday Drama! 🎉💥 

    🚨 Gunfire & Getaways: Center Street Turns Into Crime Scene After Wild Evening Shooting 

    🚨 “Pulled Out of the Ceiling!” — Deputies Snag Fugitive Eric Carr After Bizarre Hideout at Lucasville Apartment 

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    🚔 Buzzed and Busted: Don’t Let the Fourth of July End in Handcuffs or Heartbreak 

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    🚓 Kindness on Call: Deputy Steps In to Help Troubled Man at West Portsmouth Super Quick 💙 

    “I’m the One Who Stays” — Man Arrested for Toddler’s Death Posted Haunting Fatherhood Tribute Just One Day After Changing His Name 

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    🥎 Softball Showdown! Grown-Up Drama Explodes Into Week-Long Police Saga 💥 

    First Responders Use Axe to Break Through and Save Disoriented Man

  • Lawrence County
  • Politics
    Cathy Coleman

    Remembering Scioto County Commissioner Cathy Coleman

    somc 2

    🏥 Scioto County Approves Hospital Tax to Keep Medicaid Dollars Local 

    No Kings

    Scioto Dems Snort at “Well-Funded” No Kings Protest Claim

    Cathy Coleman

    Cathy Coleman Still Fighting: Family Shuts Down Hospice Rumors, Says Recovery Still Underway

    County May Tap Opioid Settlement Funds to Finish MARCS Tower Project 

    Cathy Coleman

    ‘Small Steps, Big Faith’: Commissioner Cathy Coleman Edges Closer to Recovery 

    Cathy Coleman

    ‘Praise God!’: Commissioner Cathy Coleman Shows Remarkable Progress After Harrowing Weeks

    Cathy Coleman

    Cautious Hope and Harsh Realities: New Details Emerge on Commissioner Cathy Coleman’s Condition 

    Scioto County Commissioners Cancel This Week’s Meeting 

    Robert Horton

    Sudden Twist: Horton Court Dates Scrapped Ahead of Trial 

    Cathy Coleman

    ‘A Sign of Hope’: Commissioner Cathy Coleman Shows Small Improvements Amid Ongoing Critical Condition 

    Recorder Gary Jenkins

    Scioto County Recorder Gary Jenkins Unveils New Office Website 

    Staggering 236 Recovery Houses in Area — and the Fight for Reform Faces Pushback 

    Cathy Coleman

    Community Urged to Pray For Cathy Coleman as Family Faces Devastating Update 

    Scottie Powell

    Commissioner Scottie Powell on Trans Sanctuary Resolution: “Symbolic, Not Substantive” 

    Cathy Coleman

    Update from the Scioto County Commissioners on Commissioner Cathy Coleman 

    What Did Portsmouth’s LGBTQ+ Sanctuary Resolution Really Say? 

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    Portsmouth Rejects LGBTQ+ Sanctuary City Status in Heated Council Vote 

    Cathy Coleman

    It’s a Miracle! – Scioto County Rallies Around Commissioner Cathy Coleman After Medical Crisis Turnaround 

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    Scioto County Rallies in Prayer for Commissioner Cathy Coleman After Tragic Crash 

  • Feel Good

    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

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

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    Cops Rescue Lost Man 

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    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

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    Man Says He’s Trapped in Armory 

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    Good Neighbor and Officer to the Rescue 

    Portsmouth Flood Wall Stars

    Meet the New Flood Wall Stars! 

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    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

    The Best Freshwater Fish To Catch This Summer

    The Best Freshwater Fish To Catch This Summer

    A man approaching the bowling lane with a red bowling ball as his three friends in the background cheer him on.

    How Bowling Can Improve Your Mental Health

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    Lost Kid Calls Cops for Help 

    Backyard camping

    Backyard Adventure: Unforgettable Family Camping

    Sunshine or Snowflakes: Which Season Wins America’s Heart?

  • Obituaries
    Barbara Williams

    Karen Sue Peyton, 85 of South Webster

    Cathy Elaine Coleman

    Cathy Elaine Coleman, 71 of West Portsmouth

    Everett William Cook

    Everett William Cook, age 62 of Portsmouth

    Kim Gutierrez

    Kim Isabella Guttierrez 74 of Portsmouth

    Jeanne Szura

    Jeanne Szura 95 of Cary NC

    Barbara Williams

    Nancy Anne Sheets 92 of Portsmouth

    James Vernon Hicks Jr

    James Vernon Hicks Jr. 71 of Portsmouth

    Sonya Stapleton

    Sonya Lee Stapleton 66 of Portsmouth

    Roy Cunningham

    Roy Cunningham, 82 of Portsmouth

    Patricia Ann Thurman

    Patricia Ann Thurman, 65 of West Portsmouth

    Ann Bartlett Truitt

     Ann Bartlett Truitt, 92 of Waverly

     Cornel Cave

     Cornel Cave, 69 of Portsmouth

    Mahala Dawn Pelfrey

    Mahala Dawn Pelfrey, 49 of Lucasville

    Nancy Ackerman-Nash, 71 of Granbury

    Nancy Ackerman-Nash, 71 of Granbury

    Denver Eugene Raike

    Denver Eugene Raike, 87 of Wheelersburg

    Robin Gail Ramsey, 63 of West Portsmouth

    Geneva Mullins 78 of New Boston

    Willard Fenton

    Willard Fenton, 86, of South Webster

    Richard Lewis

    Richard Lewis, 75 of McDermott

    Judy Gayle (Wells) Scifres

    Judy Gayle Scifres, 74 of South Shore,

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No Captain, No Course: Scioto County Calls for Bold New Vision After Economic Scandal 

Cyn Mackley by Cyn Mackley
3 months ago
in Economy
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Scioto County is at a crossroads—and local leaders say it’s time to grab the wheel and steer economic development back on track. 

At Thursday’s Commissioners Meeting, Commissioner Bryan Davis didn’t mince words.
“Our economic development has been nonexistent for two months,” he said. “I know SOPA is reorganizing, but we don’t have a ship or a captain. I feel like we need to develop a plan.” 

The county’s economic growth has been stalled in the wake of the Robert Horton scandal that rocked the Southern Ohio Port Authority (SOPA) and shook public trust. With no economic development director and SOPA only beginning to pick up the pieces after nearly a year of dormancy, the path forward remains uncertain. 

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Commissioner Scottie Powell echoed the concern.
“I wish I had an update,” he said at the March 27 meeting. “It’s a tough proposition when there’s still potentially other things coming down the road. The last thing we want to do is build a system around something that could fall apart because of new news. That gives me pause.” 

Still, Powell is hopeful. He’s been researching what economic development looks like in other counties and thinking about how Scioto County might create a model that’s built to last.
“A lot of organizations are willing to move forward,” he said. “I’ve been spending this time researching what it could and should look like.” 

At Thursday’s meeting, Davis called on Powell and fellow Commissioner Cathy Coleman to share their visions for the future. He stressed the urgency of the moment, noting regional economic concerns like the closing of the Pixelle paper mill in Ross County.
“Now is not the time to retract on economic development. We need to make sure we have someone at the helm,” Davis said. “Yes, we work with regional partners, but we can’t depend on them to do what we should do for ourselves.” 

He also expressed concerns about the county operating on a “barebones” structure and called for teamwork to address internal loss control issues. 

Powell suggested holding a summit to “reimagine what economic development looks like in Scioto County,” bringing all the key stakeholders to the table.
“How do we pull in Shawnee State, the Technical School, and Community Action?” he asked. “We’re going to get another shot at this. What should it look like?” 

Powell acknowledged that SOPA’s reputation has taken a hit and questioned whether it should continue to be the county’s economic engine.
“Throwing things back together the way they were won’t restore public confidence,” he said. “There’s no value in reliving the past.” 

He floated the idea of either a public meeting or smaller, private discussions with stakeholders.
“When the cameras are on, people tend to pull their comments. I’m open to both,” he said. 

Commissioner Cathy Coleman was on board with the idea of a summit.
“I like the idea of getting different opinions,” she said. “Would we host the meeting? It has to start somewhere.” 

Davis agreed, but emphasized that action must follow discussion.
“I’m fully in support of gaining input from the community. But at the end of the day, we have to lead,” he said. “We gotta move fast. There are companies looking to invest in our community right now, and we gotta lead that charge. SOPA is not able to do that right now. They are working hard to get things rolling. We do have two seats to fill on the board.” 

The Scandal That Stalled Growth 

The Robert Horton corruption case sent shockwaves through Scioto County and brought economic development to a grinding halt. Horton, the county’s former economic development director and SOPA head, was indicted on 15 counts on Valentine’s Day. His wife, Lioubov Horton, faces 12 charges of her own. 

The list of charges reads like a true crime headline: 

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  • Theft in office 
  • Aggravated theft 
  • Money laundering 
  • Bribery 
  • Tampering with public records 

Prosecutors say the couple and three unnamed co-conspirators created a fake business to siphon funds from SOPA and the Minford Emergency Ambulance Service. Horton allegedly funneled bribes through his wife, disguised as commission payments, and later instructed businesses to destroy evidence when the Ohio State Auditor began digging. 

The fallout has left a leadership vacuum and a serious trust deficit—one that Scioto County officials now hope to overcome with transparency, collaboration, and a long-term vision for sustainable growth. 

Next Steps: A Summit for Solutions?
Will a county-wide summit lead to a bold new strategy—or more delays? The commissioners seem aligned on one thing: the time for waiting is over. 

“We gotta move fast,” Davis said. “It’s time to lead.” 

Tags: Bryan DavisCathy ColemanCommunity ActionCrimedifferentFeaturedMinfordNewsletterOhioRoss CountyScioto CountyScottie PowellSouthern Ohio
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