Good morning, Athens.

Porchfest will return on May 18 in Athens’ Near East Side with over 40 bands scheduled to perform at more than 30 venues, including homes and local businesses.

The festival will feature food trucks, a kids zone and a Poochfest with early shows starting at 11 a.m. and a community kickoff at noon.

WOUB Culture launched a new film review column called Now Playing by Dr. Gordon Briggs that features his reviews for films at Athena Cinema.

His first review, published Tuesday, covers Sinners—a vampire film at 20 South Court Street—and future posts will offer historical context or explore related films.

Ohio University's Center for Community Engagement is accepting faculty applications for the Fall Community Engaged Scholars Program, a hybrid training that includes monthly in-person sessions on the Athens campus and self-guided online modules.

The program aims to integrate service-learning into course curricula — it offers OHIO Honors credit and $1,000 mini-grants — and faculty can register online for the opportunity.

The City of Athens plans to build a bicycle-pedestrian path along Columbus Road from near the Hugh White auto dealership to the New-To-You thrift store to link with a larger network, with most of the funding coming from the Ohio Department of Transportation and the city contributing up to $350,000 from its street fund. One council member said the plan wastes money and forces unsafe crossings — the council will vote on an ordinance to move ahead with the project.

The Athens County Board of Commissioners discussed a proposal to reorganize Athens Public Transit as a joint city–county effort—this change would offer access to extra funding sources.

The new plan could lead to shifts in how transit services are managed in Athens.

Athens City Council discussed improvements and clarified project spending after voters rejected the Municipal Income Tax on May 6.

Council members analyzed how to adjust budgets and priorities in response to the rejected tax (Issue 3).

Ohio Health unveiled the new Wellness on Wheels mobile clinic yesterday at OhioHealth O’Bleness Hospital.

The clinic will travel Southeast Ohio and offer primary care, women's health and prenatal care appointments, and it has two treatment areas (with multiple bathrooms and a waiting area).

Superhero 5k Run

9 a.m. – 12 p.m. — Richland Avenue Park — Family-friendly activities — Participate in a fun 5k with kids' obstacles and bounce houses.

Sunday Morning Meditation Session

2-3 p.m. — Serenity Roots Wellness and Yoga Center — No experience needed — Join the Athens KTC Buddhist Center for a calming meditation practice with options for instruction and discussion.

Joseph and His Ghost Live

7 PM – 1 AM — The Side Bar — $5 — Experience the eclectic sounds of indie rock from Joseph & His Ghost hailing from central and southeast Ohio.

3rd Annual Starbrick Music Festival

3 PM to 11 PM — Hocking College — Ticket prices starting at $12.51 — Enjoy a nostalgic mix of Country and Classic rock music from the 70s, 80s, and 90s.

UpCycle Fest 2025

12-5 p.m. — Community Makerspace — Free entry — Celebrate creativity and sustainability through art, fashion, and hands-on activities at this vibrant community festival.

2025 Junior Bobcat Basketball Camp

9 a.m. – 3 p.m. — Charles J. Ping Recreation Center — Registration required — Enhance basketball skills with expert coaching and fun activities over three days.