In your evening news update for August 2, 2022:
- Montgomery County voter turnout for special election is, as expected, low
(WYSO) Today was election day for the state’s second primary this year.—which is unusual. On the ballot were state congressional races and state party committee appointments. Even though today's turnout was low, election officials said they are expecting a robust turnout for the general election in November, so today is a good way for people to practice getting to the polls.
- Ohio Consumers' Counsel accuses local utility of charging customers unlawfully
(WYSO) The Ohio Consumers’ Counsel has accused Dayton electric utility AES Ohio, formerly DP&L, of unlawfully charging its customers. The OCC said in recent court filings that AES charged customers so called "stability charges" without the permission of the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio—the state commission that decides how much electric or natural gas companies can charge customers. The consumers council is now asking AES to refund its customers for alleged unlawful charges that occured from August of last year until this June. The OCC alleges AES Ohio unlawfully collected close to sixty million dollars in total from customers during that period. AES Ohio said they disagree with the allegations and that they followed PUCO regulations.
ACLU asks court to take action on transfer agreements
(Statehouse New Bureau) The American Civil Liberties Union of Ohio, the ACLU Reproductive Freedom Project and Planned Parenthood Federation of America is asking a court to rule in their favor in a seven-year-old lawsuit over a state law that requires abortion clinics to have a written transfer agreement with local hospitals. Under this law, the state requires health clinics that provide abortion to either have a contract with a local hospital, or obtain a variance from that requirement. But the lawsuit, first filed seven years ago, says the Ohio Department of Health interprets this requirement in an arbitrary, unpredictable, and constantly changing way.- County Line road construction project starts tomorrow
(WYSO) Parts of County Line road in Beavercreek and Kettering are being expanded from three to five lanes. The construction work starts tomorrow Wednesday, August 3rd. The paving project is expected to last ten days depending on the weather. The expansion will happen from Vale Drive to Dorothy Lane. City governments in Beavercreek and Kettering said development in the County Line Road area has created the demand for additional lanes to accommodate traffic. They said the expansion will also make it easier for drivers to access Interstate 675. The anticipated investment in the County Line Road project is more than $4 million.
