#harrison county

[middleland]

Skull Fork Round Barn (2) by George Neat

Via Flickr:

The only sixteen-sided barn in Ohio is located in Harrison County. Built between 1916 and 1921 by John Stewart & Sons, it is one of only three sixteen-sided barns left in the United States. This rare type of barn originated from the design of George Washington, our first president. The Freeport barn is 60 ft. high and 60 ft. across with a 12 ft. silo in the center.     

[coochiequeens]

Good news for Women’s sports!

Students who protested playing against transgender athlete can continue to compete, rules judge

Judge Thomas A. Bedell has granted a preliminary injuction, allowing the four students who sued the Harrison County Board of Education to co

By WDTV News Staff Published: May. 2, 2024

CLARKSBURG, W.Va (WDTV) - Judge Thomas A. Bedell has granted a preliminary injunction, allowing the four students who sued the Harrison County Board of Education to continue playing after their protest on April 18th.

The ruling came after more than three hours of testimony from school officials, a parent, and two of the five girls who participated in the protest.

Judge Bedell addressed the court to specify this hearing was not addressing the issue of transgender athletes in sports. Instead, it was focused on whether there was a violation of due process and if the school prohibited free speech.

Much of the plaintiffs’ case hinged on whether an unwritten rule could be enforced. According to Lincoln Middle School Track Coach Dawn Riestenberg, she adopted the “scratch rule” four years ago, one year after taking on coaching the team.

According to Riestenberg, if a student opted out of participating in an event voluntarily, they wouldn’t be allowed to compete in that same event at the next meet. Importantly, that rule was never written down, nor given to the student athletes in writing.

Instead, Riestenberg testified that she tells the student athletes of her scratch rule at the beginning of the season. The two students testifying disputed that claim.

A lawyer with the Harrison County Board of Education claimed that the students’ free speech rights were not infringed upon by following the scratch rule. Multiple people testified that there were other forms of protesting the issue of transgender athletes in sports throughout the season.

Riestenberg, LMS Principal Lori Scott, and a student all testified that multiple students wore “SWS” shirts -- short for “save women’s sports” -- at meets and were not reprimanded. They only reason, the BOE’s lawyer argued, that the students were not allowed to participate in the next meet was because they violated their coach’s scratch rule.

In the end, Judge Bedell said that both sides made good points, but was going to grant the plaintiff’s preliminary injunction motion.

That means the students will be allowed to compete in their next (and final) two matches of the season, regardless of whether they protest by violating Coach Riestenberg’s scratch rule.

All parties agreed that should the scratch rule want to be enforced in the future, it would need to be in writing.

Riestenberg and Scott committed to making that happen for next season.

Attorney General Patrick Morrisey issued the following response on Judge Bedell’s ruling.

“I want to say to these students and their parents: I have your backs. You saw unfairness and you expressed your disappointment and sacrificed your personal performances in a sport that you love; exercised your constitutionally protected freedom of speech and expression. These girls didn’t disrupt anything when they protested. They should be commended, not punished. We need to teach them that it is noble to stand firm in their beliefs and address their grievances within the protections guaranteed by our constitution. They need not to be silent. They have won by having their voices heard. So glad we were able to weigh in on behalf of these courageous young girls and that they are able to play.”

[drag-tween]

KARLEIGH WEBB:  Activists against trans athletes protest middle schooler

Becky Pepper-Jackson of West Virginia was affirmed in court, is a middle-school county champ, and was picked on by adults for being who she is

[americanbuildings]

Historic American Buildings Survey James Butters, Photographer April 22, 1936 REAR (NORTH ELEVATION) - Beauvoir, 200 West Beach Road, Biloxi, Harrison County, MS

[cleotalk]

Fixer upper at the intersection of Coppage Pike & Jacobs Lane, Harrison County

[magdalenafemme]

"my ancestors are scattered ash, and while there is a certain beauty in this, it isn't one i can stand before and bear witness."

-harrison county by jesse donaldson 

[middleland]

OH Scio - Abandoned House by Ken

[middleland]

This woman’s photo was taken in New Athens, Ohio in the late 1800s/early 1900s. It is such a great photo. Too bad it was cracked, but it cleaned up well. From my glass negative collection. by Robin Clark