Treatment access remains important

January 15, 2026

With increasing talk about a growing sense of anxiety and fragile mental wellbeing, it makes sense that some Ohioans are seeking needed mental health care. For most of them, finding timely care is a challenge. Health Policy Institute of Ohio says 75 of the state’s 88 counties are mental health shortage areas, according to a report by the Ohio Capital Journal. “We also did some focus groups with parents and caregivers of children needing mental health services and just asked about their experiences and some of them talked about wait lists two years long to get into a certain ...

Hancock schools facing questions

January 14, 2026

The next couple of weeks could very well determine much of the future for Hancock County Schools. A meeting held Tuesday between local officials and the West Virginia Department of Education included discussion as to whether the district will receive an advancement of funds to meet payroll; an issue Superintendent Dan Enich said was the result of a late drawdown of $475,000. On Jan. 26, members of the school board — and anyone else attending the board’s regular meeting — are scheduled to hear from Jeff Davis (not the former Hancock County commissioner) of Educational ...

Take steps to keep information safe

January 13, 2026

As political season ramps up, election filings begin, tax preparation is underway and any number of 2026 tasks come to mind at the start of the year, residents are reminded to beware of phishing campaigns and other cyber crimes in which deceptive website addresses and other techniques lead people to believe they are dealing with a state agency when they are not. Generally, the goal is to gain login credentials or other personal information — maybe even money. Criminals do so by creating web addresses that look as though they came from state agencies, or send e-mails from ...

Act would help working families

January 12, 2026

Working families who are supported by federal benefits can sometimes find themselves in a difficult spot when a potential promotion or raise at work is not cause for celebration, but sparks worries about falling off the benefits cliff. Those receiving federal public assistance can see a complete loss of federal resources after even a small increase in income. But the Upward Mobility Act, introduced by U.S. Sen. Jon Husted, R-Ohio, is meant to change that. Better still, it would help streamline some of the bureaucracy that feeds off such programs. It would create a five-year pilot ...

Support for those who are struggling

January 10, 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 ...

Need for blood remains critical

January 9, 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 give blood before Jan. 31, you can earn points to be used toward rewards. Local opportunities to give blood include from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Thursday at the Jefferson County JVS in Bloomingdale; from 11 ...