Abigail Bottar
Reporter/ProducerExpertise: Audio reporting, Akron politics, rail safety
Education: Kent State University - Bachelor of Arts, political science
Favorite spot in Northeast Ohio: Downtown Kent
Experience:
Abigail Bottar covers Akron, Canton, Kent and the surrounding areas for Ideastream Public Media. She started in public radio as a news intern at WKSU. Her reporting on the train derailment in East Palestine has appeared nationally and internationally on the BBC, NPR, “Morning Edition,” “Up First,” “Here and Now,” MSNBC, “Living on Earth” and Vox’s “Today, Explained.”
Highlights:
- 2022, Best Spot News Coverage, Ohio Associated Press Media Editors
- Guest on the “Sound of Ideas” and panelist on the “Sound of Ideas Reporters Roundtable”
Why trust Ideastream Public Media?
The mission of Ideastream Public Media is to be a trustworthy and dynamic multimedia source for illuminating the world around us. Our highest priority is providing news and information that is reliable and accurate, that is gathered with integrity and professional care and that is presented with precision and respect for the intelligence of our audiences. We are transparent about how we discover and verify the facts we present and strive to make our decision-making process clear to the public. We disclose relationships, such as with partners or funders, that might appear, but will never, influence our coverage.
-
East Palestine residents and residents of other areas impacted by petrochemical pollution installed a monument to mark the one year anniversary of the train derailment.
-
In the wake of the train derailment, some East Palestine residents founded the Unity Council for the East Palestine Train Derailment to advocate for themselves.
-
One year after a Norfolk Southern train derailed in East Palestine, Ohio, some residents are still trying to piece their lives back together while others just want to move on.
-
One year after the train derailment in East Palestine, Congress still has not acted on legislation that would increase safety requirements for railways.
-
Peninsula currently uses septic systems, which Summit County Public Health and the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency say are leaking E. coli into the Cuyahoga River.
-
It's been one year since a Norfolk Southern train carrying toxic chemicals derailed in East Palestine. Since then, Norfolk Southern has been cleaning and remediating the effected areas, but some residents still think the town is unsafe to live in.
-
Portage County District Library is unveiling its new Brimfield branch Saturday. The library previously operated a Brimfield location but had to shut it down in 2011 due to dwindling state funding, according to library officials.
-
Mark Stewart will succeed current CEO Richard J. Kramer, who is retiring at the end of the month, according to Goodyear. Stewart takes the helm Jan. 29.
-
Rep. Tavia Galonski resigned Jan. 3 to enter the screening process to be appointed clerk of courts, according to the Ohio House Democratic Caucus.
-
Summit County Prosecutor Sherri Bevan Walsh's retirement is effective Feb. 16, 2024, according to her office. Walsh is undergoing heart surgery later this month to combat the effects of heart failure related to contracting COVID-19.