Southeast Ohio magazine

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Southeast Ohio magazine

Southeast Ohio Magazine brings you stories about people, places and life in this 21-county region.

Twitter: twitter.com/SEOhioMagazine
Instagram: instagram.com/seohiomagazine/
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/southeast-ohio-magazine

12/05/2023

In downtown Waverly, a church towers over South Market Street. A weathered plaque above the door reads: “Deutsche Evangelische Kirche” and below this, “1859”. A side entrance is stamped with striking letters that hark back to old German calligraphy. What was once a place of worship now goes by a new moniker: The Pike Heritage Museum.

The Pike Heritage Foundation, started in 1983, celebrates its 40th anniversary this year. Its board members, all of whom have a knack for local history, dedicate their time to teaching people about Pike County’s past. Talley Pratt, one of the board members, says the group is mainly focused on preparing for the anniversary by engaging with the community during annual events like the Pike County Fair, the Beaver Oktoberfest, and the Jingle Bell Parade in Waverly.

To learn more about the history of Waverly and the Pike Heritage Foundation, click the link in our bio!

Photo credits: Jack Knudson

12/04/2023

The first Monday of the month means a brand new post!

This week we’re featuring Cameron Robertson, SEO’s web editor.

Cameron is a senior majoring in journalism, minoring in sports administartion, and receving a social media certifcate. When he’s not writing, you can find Cameron working out at the gym, hanging out with his friends, or watching movies.

Cam is most excited to work alongside such a talented team to help tell stories from around Southeast Ohio.

12/01/2023

It’s a flashback within a flashback!

This fall issue of SEO takes a look at Athens in the 50s from a 70s point of view.

For more SEO content, click the link in our bio to check out our website!

11/30/2023

Wife-and-husband duo Shauna and Todd McCoy founded the original Donut Distillery in Nashville, Tennessee, in 2017. Later, in June 2022, Portsmouth became home to the business’ first franchise location, co-owned by Mike Scott and Nate Hinze.

After COVID-19 eliminated his previous business ownership, Scott was introduced to Donut Distillery through Hinze. Hinze told Scott about the ingenious enterprise owned by his family member, and the two teamed up to become franchisees.

With the city being rebuilt and remodeled, having the restaurant in their hometown felt right. In the past, downtown Portsmouth did not have many local restaurants, so Donut Distillery’s opening was welcomed.

Click the link in our bio to read all about the Donut Distillery!

Photo credits: Jesse Jarrold-Grapes

11/29/2023

We’re pulling back the curtain for this week’s look behind the scenes of SEO.

Check out our digital editor-in-chief Katie Millard looking through old editions of Southeast Ohio Magazine!

These archived issues make up our flashback Friday content each week. For more stories, click the link in our bio to go to the SEO website.

11/28/2023

By day, Chris Nevil works as a financial planner, an adjunct professor and president of the Southeastern Ohio Rainbow Alliance (SEORA).

On certain evenings and weekends, however, Nevil transforms into Kazma Knights, a glamorous and sassy drag queen hosting events across Southeast Ohio.

For more, click the link in our bio to read SEO’s exclusive interview with Chris!

Photo credits: Liz Partsch

11/27/2023

This week, the spotlight is on our multimedia director, Owen McDermott!

Owen is a senior studying journalism with a minor in marketing and a specialization in sociology.

When he’s not writing, you can find Owen recording multimedia content for The Post and spending as much time with his friends as possible.

11/24/2023

In honor of the holiday spirit, we’re flashing back to an SEO issue all about community!

For more stories, click the link in our bio to scroll through the SEO website!

11/23/2023

For artist Scott Hagan, barns are another available canvas. Having grown up drawing, Hagan took on painting during high school. At age 19, he decided he wanted more of a challenge.

“I just was starting to figure out that I liked painting things that were on the bigger scale,” Hagan says. “The biggest thing I could find to challenge myself was the side of [my] dad’s barn there.”

Now, he is known as “Barn Artist.”

To learn and see more of Hagan’s work, click the link in our bio!

Photo credits: Carrie Legg

11/22/2023

Most people imagine a distillery as a grand operation filled with loads of heavy machinery on a wide expanse of land.

But that’s not always the case—one exists in Logan in the back of a restaurant. At the end of a long hallway lies a simple room with a rack of barrels and a few machines that home one of the smallest—but also one of the best—distilleries you’ll ever find.

Staff members Molly Wilson, Owen McDermott and Bennett Snyder got an exclusive tour of the Motherwell distillery from head distiller, Vince Crisler. And of course, followed by a taste test of some of the distiller's infused beverages.

To find out more about Motherwell, stay tuned for SEO's winter issue coming soon!

11/21/2023

The General James M. Gavin Power Plant is the largest coal-fired power plant in Ohio. With the capacity to produce 2,600 megawatts of electricity, it has been operational for over 40 years after being commissioned in 1974. The Gavin Plant has a notorious history of polluting, that has included a $20 million buyout of a multitude of homes where Cheshire residents lived.

Today, in Gallia County, the village of Cheshire is home to around 120 people — a shell of what it used to be. A once lively town, now without a heartbeat, as Scotty Lucas, a resident of the village since 1955, and former mayor, says.

Lucas, 90, has witnessed how the village has transformed over decades. He also happens to share his backyard with the catalyst for his community’s change: the General James M. Gavin Power Plant.

Click the link in our bio to read more on Scotty Lucas and the General James M. Gavin Power Plant!

Photo credits: Joe Timmerman and Tre Spencer

11/20/2023

This week we’re featuring our social media editor, Katy Snodgrass!

Katy is a senior majoring in journalism with a specialization in psychology and she's receiving a social media certificate.

When she’s not writing, you can find Katy coaching preschoolers at Global Gymnastics or curled up at home watching a true crime documentary.

Katy is looking forward to learning as much as possible in her new role and to creating another amazing issue of SEO!

11/17/2023

In the fall of 1980, SEO focused on what activism looked like in the new decade.

For more stories head over to the SEO website by clicking the link in our bio!

11/16/2023

Anyone who stumbles upon the Athens Community Center on a Saturday morning will be greeted by a bustling vendor-filled parking lot teeming with chatter, artisans and the smell of fresh produce wafting through the tents.

Though the Athens Farmer’s Market may be a hub for farmers, it is not always feasible for community members to access the market, let alone to eat healthy, local foods. One out of six people struggle with hunger in the Southeast Ohio region, according to Hocking-Athens-Perry Community Action (HAPCAP). For children, that margin rises to every one out of four.

To increase the access to fresh and local produce, several non-profit organizations have joined forces to help residents in southeastern Ohio. The Appalachian Accessible Food Network (AAFN) is a collaborative partnership between Rural Action, Community Food Initiatives (CFI) and the Appalachian Center for Economic Networks (ACEnet).

To learn more, click the link in our bio!

Photo credits: Joe Timmerman

11/15/2023

SEO team members Ethan Bloomfield and PJ Marolt went to Jackson City Schools on October 2nd and met with Debby Crabtree in the school’s central office.

Crabtree has worked part-time since retirement and is the director of special projects for the district.

To find out more, stay tuned for our winter issue!

11/14/2023

For those accustomed to a traditional play setting where attendees enter, lights dim and audience engagement is discouraged, ABC Players’ sensory-friendly show, Animal Tales, is not that experience.

“Animal Tales” utilizes several distinct elements to make it more enjoyable for those with sensory-processing disorders or other developmental disabilities, including colorful masks and puppets. Audience engagement is heavily encouraged as the cast invites the audience to sing, dance and ad-lib for the duration of the show.

The performance area is wheelchair-accessible and includes space for movement and other activities like coloring. Mats line the floor of the space with easy accessibility to doors and restrooms. These amenities allow for vocalizations and movement without the social pressure of a neurotypical audience.

Read all about Animal Tales by clicking the link in our bio!

Photo credits: Jesse Jarrold-Grapes

11/13/2023

For this week's post we’re showing off our new Talking Points editor, Savannah Dawson!

Savannah is a senior studying Journalism News and Information and Italian Studies. When she is not writing, you can find Savannah horseback riding, watching Formula 1 or football, and spending time with her friends and family.

Savannah is most looking forward to wrapping up her final semester by working on this edition of Southeast Ohio magazine.

11/10/2023

From special bundles of joy to delicious boxes of chocolate, SEO’s 2003 issue was nothing but sweet!

For even more SEO content, click the link in our bio to check out our website!

11/09/2023

Kari Gunter-Seymour has seen firsthand how poetry enriches Southeast Ohio. Gunter-Seymour is the third and current Poet Laureate of Ohio, selected in 2020 by Ohio Governor Mike DeWine. Now serving her second term, she has only one year left in this position. Still, she has plenty of responsibilities, and her goals remain ambitious.

Even as new events and trips are packed into her already busy schedule, she continues to enjoy her time as poet laureate, making the most out of the opportunity. She lights up when she recalls the people she has worked with so far whether it is a seasoned poet or a group of young students who are just getting their first taste of art.

To learn more about Kari and her role as Poet Laureate, click the link in our bio!

Photo credits: Carrie Legg

11/08/2023

For this week’s behind the scenes, we’re taking a look at reporter Katy Snodgrass’ trip to Wolf Run State Park!

Katy captured the beautiful scenery and weather while investigating for her story on state park fracking.

Stay tuned for SEO’s winter issue to learn more!

11/07/2023

Friends, family and, of course, deep-fried hamburgers are what keep Deep-Cut Tavern regulars coming back for more. The signature dish is made from fresh, local hamburger meat that is crusted with a secret spice and breading blend. It is then deep fried and perfectly dressed in locally grown tomatoes and finished with lettuce, onion, cheese and a fluffy bun. People from all over Ohio flock to Guernsey County to catch a bite of this flavorful creation.

The tiny yellow tavern is located on East Pike Road, which cuts between mountains on either side, earning its name “Deep-Cut Tavern.”

To learn more about Deep Cut's history, their regulars and their traditions, click the link in our bio!

Photo credit: Jesse Jarrold-Grapes

11/06/2023

We’re featuring our new Design Director, Lena Kalantzis, for this week’s post!

Lena is a senior studying journalism, a path they chose because of a lifelong passion for reading and writing.

When not working for SEO, you can find Lena knitting or crocheting with their cat, Maxine, or fulfilling their RA duties for Ohio U’s LGBTQIA+ housing.

11/03/2023

Cockfighting, ventriloquists, and exiles. Oh my!

Check out the interesting hot button issues from 1986.

For more stories, click the link in our bio to head over to SEO’s website!

11/02/2023

Ohio’s Project DAWN ensures that everyone has access to the op**te antagonist Naloxone, commonly known as NARCAN, and provides Ohioans with a new outlook on addiction, recovery and rehabilitation.

Michaela Sumner, public information officer at Ohio Department of Health, says that many Ohioans and their families have been impacted by the opioid epidemic and that the program is designed to give them hope.

“Many Ohioans lose their own life, or the life of a loved one, to unintentional drug overdose every year,” Sumner says. “Having Naloxone available can reverse an overdose and give the person who overdosed the ability to enter into treatment and recovery.”

For more about Project DAWN and its benefits, check out our story of the week at the link in our bio!

Photo credit: Carlie Reese

11/01/2023

SEO team member Olivia Justus had the opportunity to visit with Phoenix, the Marrietta Police Department's new therapy dog in training!

Phoenix is a 3-month-old Bernedoodle who loves treats and hanging out with the kids in Marrietta schools.

To find out more about Phoenix, stay tuned for SEO's new issue coming soon!

10/31/2023

For over 50 years, Tootles Pumpkin Inn has been a hotspot of Pickaway County. Located in downtown Circleville, Tootles is an eccentric dive bar that brings spirit, light-hearted engagement, and a welcoming atmosphere to the town.

Tootles regular, Timberly Sayre, says she believes the Inn is different from other local establishments.

“In some other bars, you’re going to have club-like settings or you’re going to have a little bit of chaos,” Sayre says. “To me, this is a place to unwind, so I think that definitely sets it aside from most other bars that we have locally.”

To find out more about Tootles, click the link in our bio to read our story of the week!

Photo credits: Carrie Legg

10/30/2023

This week’s post is all about PJ Marolt, our new photo editor!

PJ is a senior studying journalism with specializations in creative writing and political science.

He is proud to present hopefully the best issue of Southeast Ohio Magazine yet and represent his origins of Perry County in good faith for his final semester.

10/27/2023

Take a look at SEO’s winter 1979 edition predicting the future of Athens!

Some things never change though, like trying to find a good parking spot.

For more stories, head over to the SEO website.

10/26/2023

Liz Guilkey, Stockport Mill Inn’s kitchen manager, stands next to two glass-paneled doors on a long wrap-around deck, one of them opened slightly, as she waits by the entrance of Stockport Mill Inn. The parking lot sits empty as they clean and prepare for the surge of the weekend.

After a friendly greeting, Guilkey walks through the cozy lobby and turns left into a spacious dining room, filled with large round tables surrounded by bright red chairs. In the dining room is another woman, waiting to say hello. A wide grin on her face spreads from corner to corner as she introduces herself: “Hi, I am Dottie,” she says.

Dottie Singer is the owner of Stockport Mill Inn and despite her small stature, her bright personality shines.

To learn more about Liz, Dottie and the Stockport Inn, click the link in our bio to read our story of the week!

Photo credit: Liz Parstch

10/25/2023

In 2015, Mark Ponchak planted his first lavender plant on a whim. Eight years later, what started as a quirky experiment grew into a robust lavender operation featuring over 800 plants across Southeast Ohio.

SEO reporter Cameron Robertson explored Bellavenue Manor gift shop in McConnelsville and caught up with owners Mark Ponchak and Nick Jenior.

Stay tuned for our next issue to learn more about Ponchak and Jenior's journey to their success!

10/24/2023

For years, Southeast Ohio has been a hub for fossil fuel jobs that the industry claims employ millions. With the rise of coal mining in the 19th century and the fracking boom of the 2000s, the industry presents its latest push: plastic production.

Now, petrochemicals have their sights on a new destination in Appalachia: Belmont County, located in southeastern Ohio, to accompany an existing plant in Beaver County, Pennsylvania.

Read more about the plastic plant coming to Southeast Ohio by following the link in our bio to the story of the week!

Photo credits: Liz Parstch

10/23/2023

For today's post we're showing off our digital editor-in-chief, Katie Millard!

Katie is a senior majoring in journalism, minoring in history, and pursuing a social media certificate.

When she’s not working for SEO, Katie enjoys spending time with her friends, exploring Athens or working as Editor-in-Chief of The Post.

10/20/2023

Happy

Take a look at SEO’s Spring 1984 issue all about the women of Athens!

Make sure to head over to our Instagram page for more pictures and check out the SEO website for more content!

10/19/2023

With 16 years in the books for Marietta Pioneers Men’s Basketball coach, Jon VanderWal, and the rest of the team, the season ends with a 17-11 finish and a loss in the Ohio Athletic Conference championship to Mount Union, a team who just lost the Division III NCAA National championship.

While this was a disappointing finish considering what could have been, it is just one more in a long string of impressive seasons by the Pioneers. This is due, in large part, to the team’s head coach.

Want to read more about coach VanderWal? Click the link in our bio to read the story of the week!

Photo credits: Carrie Legg

10/18/2023

Welcome back to some more exclusive SEO behind the scene content!

Two of our reporters, Danielle Smith and Max Wolter, visited the 200 year old ferry in Sisterville, WV.

Stay tuned to learn all about Captain Bo Hause and the ferry’s long history in the next issue!

10/17/2023

The Women of Appalachia Project (WOAP) and its biannual fine arts exhibition communicates the soul of Appalachian femininity through the power of art. The exhibition is made up of various mediums, from paintings to sculptures, and even includes multimedia work.

“The artists had to be women-identifying who had a personal connection or some kind of tie to the Appalachian area,” says Dairy Barn Exhibition Director Keri Anne Wolfe. “Their work [also] had to be made in the past two years.”

To read more about the WOAP in today's story of the week, click the link in our bio!

10/16/2023

Welcome back to another

This week we’re featuring our Behind the Bite editor, Logan Humphrey!

Logan is a senior studying journalism and minoring in English. She is interested in creative writing, film reviews and culture writing.

Logan is most looking forward to collaborating with her fellow journalism classmates to create a wonderful Winter/Spring issue of SEO!

10/13/2023

Happy Friday the 13th everyone! 🎃

This week we’re showing off the Fall 1979 edition of SEO! Featuring a few different stories from the time.

Make sure to check us out on Instagram for more throwbacks and more fun content!

10/12/2023

Who’s ready to put on some blue jeans and get saddled up for the ride of a lifetime?

Check out Audrianna Wilde’s piece on Ben’s Happy Trails Riding Stable and Campground from SEO’s last issue!

https://issuu.com/southeastohiomagazine/docs/issuu_seo_sumfall2023/4

10/11/2023

For some midweek motivation, here’s a bet the scene look at Bennett Snyder’s visit with Josh O’Dell 🏹

Make sure to check out our exclusive video in reels of O’Dell shooting a LifeSaver mint out of thin air!

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Videos

Phoenix the therapy dog in training loves to munch on her treats! For more about Phoenix, stay tuned for the new issue of SEO.

The Women of Appalachia Project (WOAP) and its biannual fine arts exhibition communicates the soul of Appalachian femininity through the power of art. The exhibition is made up of various mediums, from paintings to sculptures, and even includes multimedia work. “The artists had to be women-identifying who had a personal connection or some kind of tie to the Appalachian area,” says Dairy Barn Exhibition Director Keri Anne Wolfe. “Their work [also] had to be made in the past two years.” To read more about the WOAP in today's story of the week, click the link in our bio!

Who’s ready to put on some blue jeans and get saddled up for the ride of a lifetime? Check out Audrianna Wilde’s piece on Ben’s Happy Trails Riding Stable and Campground from SEO’s last issue! https://issuu.com/southeastohiomagazine/docs/issuu_seo_sumfall2023/4

Check out SEO’s behind the scene look at our visit with O’Dell on Facebook and Instagram!

Southeast Ohio Talks: Pumpkin the Cat

Southeast Ohio Talks: Athens’ local celebrity Pumpkin the Cat 😺🎤 A sneak preview at one of the stars of our upcoming Spring issue! Stay tuned for all things Southeast Ohio! #SEOMagazine #AthensOH #Pumpkinthecat

The 1.3 Percent

Bags to Benches

Jackie O’s

The Legendary Al Oliver

Shriver’s Pharamacy

Hungry Buffalo

🚨 It seems like a perfect Tuesday for a tease 🚨 Watch Ally Lanasa and Jessica Costello share a story about the Blessing Boxes in Southeast Ohio and how you can get involved! Photo Credits 📸: Connor Kurek Video Credits 🎥: Jessica Costello & Brenna Schoen

🎃Happy Halloween Southeast Ohio! 🎃 What better way to celebrate than to learn a little bit more about Clay Haus, located in Somerset. Known for its German cuisine, some spooky guests could be joining you while endulging. Take a listen... if you dare 👻 Video Credits 📹: Alie Skowronski Editing 💻: Brenna Schoen

🚨 There’s really no way you can get enough of Charlie. This Therapy Dog has been able to touch the lives of hundreds of kids. 🚨 Photo Credits 📸: @connorkurek

🚨 What better way to start off your week than to see some of the amazing stories that we have?!🚨 Sustainable logging is integral to one family’s business. Caudill Chipping is an example of a logging company in the region that is led by master loggers, a certification from the Ohio Forestry Association that sets regulations for the industry. Video Credits 🎥: Brenna Schoen