By Stephen H. Cowles

Contributing Writer

STEUBENVILLE, OH — Cathy Davison is doing battle against rumor.

A former official with Franklin-Southampton Economic Development Inc. and Town of Murfreesboro Administrator, Davison is the city manager in Steubenville, Ohio, where the nation is focused on the alleged August rape of a 16-year-old girl by two high school football players.

Davison, who was the small business development manager for FSEDI from 2004 to 2007 before taking the Murfreesboro job from where left nearly three years ago to take the manager’s job in Steubenville, created a blog to dispel half truths about an alleged cover-up in connection with the arrest of Ma’lik Richmond and Trent Mays, both 16.

“Some of it is social media, rumors of the case not being handled properly,” said Davison, who has been in Steubenville since March 2010.

Hackers are claiming there’s been a cover-up in the case and that more people should be called into question.

“This is part of being a public servant,” Davison said. “Responding (to make sure) the right information gets out. The city wanted to respond only with facts. It’s important to disseminate the most accurate information in regards to the case, and do away with rumors.”

A Michigan native, she created www.steubenvillefacts.org. It includes a timeline of the case, facts about the city’s police and a promise of transparency.

The case has been a challenge.

“It’s stressful,” said Davison. “We’re a full-service city with other operations going on. But we’ve a good team to work with and we’re doing well.”