A poll worker rolls a cart full of ballots into the Athens County Board of Elections office Nov. 7, 2023.
Tanner Ingle sews tags on the inside of sweatshirts on March 24, 2023, in Passion Works Studio on 20 E. State St., Athens, Ohio. The Sweatshirts are donations from the UpCycle Ohio Thrift Store.
Soocan Palsa meditates during a Qigong workshop on Feb. 14, 2023, at the Athens Public LIbrary on 30 Home St., Athens, Ohio. Qigong is an ancient Chinese practice that helps to awaken inner power, reduce stress, and connect to the universe for emotional well-being.
Alex Cogley makes a hotdog for a customer while his ten-month-old daughter, Aurora, sits in a children's backpack carrier, Oct. 23, 2023.
Joey Tyler, poses for a portrait outside the Par Mar store she works at on 50 N. Court St., Athens, Ohio, Nov. 1, 2023. Tyler has been working at the store for two days and hopes that she will save up enough money to start classes at Ohio University in the spring or next fall. “I want to be a realtor, so I’m thinking I’ll either go into communications or business.”
Will Wright poses for a portrait in the back of his company truck on Court Street, Athens, Ohio, Oct. 26, 2023. Wright grew up in Albany, Ohio, and joined the army straight out of high school. “I wanted to go into the police force after I got out of the military, but their wage here in Athens is just not enough.” A friend recommended the FedEx job to Wright, who then applied and was hired shortly after. “I don’t mind the job. It could be worse, honestly."
Jo Merkle and Phil Berry, owners of Beads & Things on 8 N. Shafer St., Athens, Ohio, discuss the pattern for a necklace Jo is working on while the store is empty of customers on Sept. 15, 2023. The necklace is for a very close friend of Jo and Phil and the two are trying to incorporate numbers associated with religious luck into the jewelry's pattern. "The necklace is a joint design. He (the friend) picked the colors, and I picked the pattern. It works best when it’s a joint project," said Jo.
