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Coronavirus

Salvation Army shelter locked down

The Salvation Army of Belmont County imposed a lockdown on itself after three people living in its homeless shelter tested positive for COVID-19. All 25 residents of the shelter in Bellaire are being quarantined, the agency said on its Facebook page. “On Monday, Jan. 4, 2021, we had our residents tested and we received the test results this afternoon. Three of our residents have come down with the virus. The other 22 residents have tested negative. All of our employees and volunteers have been or will be tested before they serve our community,” the Salvation Army said. Offices ...

Monroe ranks top in-state COVID-19 occurrence rate

Monroe County has the highest COVID-19 occurrence rate in the state due to its small population size and large number of current cases. According to the Ohio Department of Health’s latest statistics, the county is No. 1 in virus occurrence rate, having 137 new cases among 13,790 residents in the past two weeks, or an occurrence rate of 1,120.6 cases per 100,000. But while it is No. 1 in occurrence rate, Monroe County is one of only four Ohio counties that remain at Level 2, or orange, on the Ohio Public Health Advisory System’s color-coded risk assessment map. Ohio’s other 84 ...

Washington County vaccinations being organized

Staff Report Health departments in Washington County are organizing vaccinations, starting with the priority segments of society, officials said. The Washington County Health Department on Monday vaccinated first responders and health care workers at the Broughton Nature and Wildlife Education Area on Ohio 821 in Marietta. A hundred vaccinations were administered on Monday, according to Sherry Ellem, program manager for the Creating Healthy Communities program at the health department. Things went well on Monday, she said. “It was wonderful,” Ellem said. Recipients were ...

EVE Inc. offers mask advice to survivors of assault

Many would agree wearing a mask is not exactly comfortable, but for domestic and sexual assault survivors, it can trigger strong, negative emotions. EVE Inc., an organization in Marietta that helps men and women who may be in these situations, gave some tips for people who may have negative ...

Court adapts to pandemic, cases progress

Despite COVID restrictions, court cases are still moving forward at the Washington County Courthouse. Several cases, including those of Kendall Richards and Devin Lindsey, were completed this year, with others extending into the new year. “Ones that are more complicated are being continued,” said Washington County Prosecutor Nicole Coil. “A lot was not (completed) because trials ceased after March and we’ve had one trial since then. There hasn’t been much since COVID.” She said they’ve tried to keep cases moving forward and when possible, reach pleas, but all attorneys ...

Peoples Bank donates $100K to COVID-19 relief

From staff reports Peoples Bank President and CEO Chuck Sulerzyski presented a $100,000 matching gift Friday to the Memorial Health Foundation for Memorial Health System for COVID-19 relief. “The COVID-19 pandemic has surged in our region in the last several weeks. We are so lucky to ...