Elected office is a special calling

January 10, 2026

All across the Ohio Valley, we’ve seen new faces in elected offices swear their oaths to their new offices, beginning their new journeys in their new roles as elected officials. First, let us thank you. To be an elected official is a special task to take on. It’s a calling. Praise is slow to be given. Questions and criticism come much quicker. With this role comes a responsibility that only those who hold office understand. You are the voice of the people, their representative in the governmental process. They depend upon you to make the decisions that make their lives better ...

Help those struggling

January 9, 2026

Winter can be a tough time for those struggling with fragile mental health and other challenges. But for some, the struggle is more than seasonal — and can be deadly. Ohio’s Suicide Prevention Foundation notes adult men in particular experience disproportionately high suicide rates. For some counties, the need for support is even more profound. So, a two-year initiative will partner with local organizations to reduce the suicide rates for adult men in Clark, Cuyahoga, Hamilton, Lorain, Lucas, Mahoning Marion, Montgomery, Richland and Summit counties. Projects will focus on ...

Be on watch for Xylazine

January 7, 2026

It is breathtaking to watch the manner in which the substance abuse epidemic in our region continues to evolve. Just last month, officials in Gallia County, Ohio, warned a growing danger has reared its head — Xylazine. The powerful veterinary sedative, which is, of course, not intended for human use at all, has been found in the region; sometimes mixed with fentanyl and other opioids. This is a drug meant for large animals such as horses. There is no safe dosage of “tranq” for humans. In fact, overdosing is all too easy. The Gallia County Health Department says symptoms of an ...

Don’t forget your flu shots

January 6, 2026

A new variant of the flu virus has been affecting people all over the world, and serving as a reminder to get your flu shot. According to an Associated Press report, that variant is known as “subclade K” and led to early outbreaks in the United Kingdom, Japan and Canada. In the United State, while flu season typically begins in December, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recently reported high or very high levels of illness in more than half the states. The CDC estimated there have been at least 7.5 million illnesses, 81,000 hospitalizations and 3,100 deaths from flu ...

Give blood in the New Year

January 5, 2026

If your New Year’s resolutions included finding small ways to do good more frequently, the American Red Cross has some ideas for you. You — yes, you — are needed, right now. A glance at the organization’s website reveals an alert that there is an “EMERGENCY NEED for type O blood” because winter weather has caused a decline in donations. There’s even a pitch that if you donate by Jan. 4, you will receive a Red Cross long-sleeved t-shirt; and if you give blood before Jan. 31, you can earn points to be used toward rewards. Local opportunities to give blood include ...

Protecting Ohio waters

January 2, 2026

Ohio’s Environmental Protection Agency has extended the public comment period to Jan. 16 as it considers fast-tracking a general wastewater permit for new data centers in the Buckeye State. Right now, the state EPA’s draft permit includes “a lowering of water quality of various waters of the state associated with granting coverage under this permit necessary to accommodate important social and economic development in the state of Ohio.” But among the questions such a statement raises are WHY it is necessary. WCMH spoke to water quality advocate Amy Swank, of Dublin, who said ...