Athens to consider single-use grocery bag fee

Thirty years ago, Athens was the first city in the state to introduce a curbside recycling program. Now, the city aims to start another environmental trend — at local retailers. The Athens City Council plans to have its first hearing on an ordinance instituting a disposable-bag checkout fee on May 23. The fee would be 10 cents per nonreusable bag — both paper and plastic — paid at the cash register. It would be the first city in Ohio to impose such a fee.