Ohio uncovers more alleged Medicaid fraud payments

September 3, 2026

A northeast Ohio behavioral health agency received $1.2 million in improper Medicaid payments, Ohio’s auditor said. The state wants $1.4 million in repayment, adding interest, from New Destiny Treatment Center in Summit County, Auditor Keith Faber said. New Destiny was paid $11.5 million from Jan. 1, 2021, through Dec. 31, 2023, for substance abuse disorder, mental health and other services, Faber said. “Issues identified in Tuesday’s compliance audit included missing documentation to support reimbursements and instances where treatment plans did not match services that were ...

Neighbors helping neighbors

September 2, 2026

ST. CLAIRSVILLE — An area business is looking to help other small businesses get seen. Willow Creek Group LLC founder Blake Porterfield created a web application that provides a free online audit showing how businesses perform online and what people see when they search for those ...

Ohio development office under scrutiny from feds

September 2, 2026

A federal agency issued a scathing report on the use of federal funds by the Ohio Department of Development, questioning $20 million in costs and identifying $5 million that could be “put to better use.” The funds were allocated by The National Institute of Standards and Technology in the Department of Commerce, which oversees the Hollings Manufacturing Extension Partnership MEP centers “provide manufacturers with services and access to resources to enhance growth, improve productivity, and expand capacity,” according to the federal government. The federal audit concluded that ...

Postal Service work to comply with Trump’s executive order is rushed, sloppy, whistleblower contends

September 2, 2026

The U.S. Postal Service is poised to launch a hastily built, error-riddled computer system that could jeopardize the process of mail voting relied upon by one-third of all voters, according to a whistleblower statement released Tuesday by Democratic Sen. Richard Blumenthal. The effort is part ...

BELMONT COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE

September 2, 2026

— 11:26 p.m., a deputy reported a suspicious vehicle parked at a residence on Morristown-Flushing Road in Flushing with its door open. The owner was notified and advised that everything was OK. — 10:53 p.m., units searched for a man in distress with mental health issues on Old Winding Hill Road in Bellaire. Rapid tracking showed the man's vehicle traveling on Interstate 470 into West Virginia. Information was transferred to officials in Ohio County. — 8:34 p.m., security at Sheetz on Addie Way in St. Clairsville called about a verbal disturbance in the parking lot. A female in a ...

Local briefs

September 2, 2026

State Route 151 to close for culvert replacement HARRISON COUNTY — State Route 151 will be closed Sept. 8-11 for a culvert replacement project 1.5 miles west of Scio, according to the Ohio Department of Transportation. The closure will be just west of State Route 332. Motorists will be detoured on State Route 212 west to State Route 164 north, then State Route 164 north to State Route 332 south and back to State Route 151. The detour will be reversed for motorists traveling in the opposite direction. The project is scheduled to be completed Sept. 11. For more information, contact ...