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Scioto County Daily News
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  • Public Safety
    Busted Arrests Portsmouth Scioto County Mugshots

    Busted! 07/10/25 New Arrests in Portsmouth, Ohio – Scioto County Mugshots

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    Grand Theft Camry! Stolen Car Tracked and Recovered in Late-Night Chase Across Portsmouth 

    Pitchfork Panic: Officers Step In to Help Elderly Woman in Mental Health Crisis 

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    ATV OUTLAW! Late-Night Chase Through South Webster Ends in Tumble, Arrest, and a Ride to the ER

    “I Want Him Dead!” Family Horror as Daughter and Boyfriend Allegedly Plot Poisoning Under Mom’s Roof

    dog animal cruelty

    🔥 Hot Car Horror at Walmart! Dog Rescued Just in Time — Owner Charged with Animal Cruelty 🐶🚨 

    Grave Concerns in Clay Township: Woman Upset Over Burial on Family Land — But Is It Legal? 

    Busted Arrests Portsmouth Scioto County Mugshots

    Busted! 07/09/25 New Arrests in Portsmouth, Ohio – Scioto County Mugshots

    🚨 “Something’s Not Right”: Man Reports Disturbing Discovery on Family Tablet 

    🚨 CPS Visit Sparks Trouble at Robinson Avenue Apartment — One Arrested as Tensions Rise 

    handcuffs jail arrest

    🚨 From Park Threats to Busted Windows: Homeless Man Arrested Twice in 24 Hours — Then Released Again 

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    🚓 Monday Madness: 63 Calls Flood Scioto County on July 7 

    🏊‍♂️⚾ Pool Panic & Ballfield Blow-Up! Two Wild Incidents Rock Wheelersburg Rec Spots in One Day 🚨 

    Scioto County Grand Jury Indictments

    14 New Scioto County Grand Jury Indictments

    Busted Arrests Portsmouth Scioto County Mugshots

    Busted! 07/08/25 New Arrests in Portsmouth, Ohio – Scioto County Mugshots

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    Scioto County First Responders Handle 144 Calls 

    South Webster Couple Indicted in Shocking Domestic Violence Double-Whammy  

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    🎇 Drunken Dad Crashes 4th of July Bash: Partygoers Save Kids From Disaster! 🚨 

    Busted Arrests Portsmouth Scioto County Mugshots

    Busted! 07/07/25 New Arrests in Portsmouth, Ohio – Scioto County Mugshots

    MONSTROUS: School Workers Hit with 1,188 Abuse Charges in Shocking Special Ed Scandal

  • Lawrence County
  • Politics
    Cathy Coleman

    Scioto County Mourns Commissioner Cathy Coleman 

    🚨TRIAL TWIST! Horton Corruption Case on Ice—For Now 

    Cathy Coleman

    Remembering Scioto County Commissioner Cathy Coleman

    somc 2

    🏥 Scioto County Approves Hospital Tax to Keep Medicaid Dollars Local 

    No Kings

    Scioto Dems Snort at “Well-Funded” No Kings Protest Claim

    Cathy Coleman

    Cathy Coleman Still Fighting: Family Shuts Down Hospice Rumors, Says Recovery Still Underway

    County May Tap Opioid Settlement Funds to Finish MARCS Tower Project 

    Cathy Coleman

    ‘Small Steps, Big Faith’: Commissioner Cathy Coleman Edges Closer to Recovery 

    Cathy Coleman

    ‘Praise God!’: Commissioner Cathy Coleman Shows Remarkable Progress After Harrowing Weeks

    Cathy Coleman

    Cautious Hope and Harsh Realities: New Details Emerge on Commissioner Cathy Coleman’s Condition 

    Scioto County Commissioners Cancel This Week’s Meeting 

    Robert Horton

    Sudden Twist: Horton Court Dates Scrapped Ahead of Trial 

    Cathy Coleman

    ‘A Sign of Hope’: Commissioner Cathy Coleman Shows Small Improvements Amid Ongoing Critical Condition 

    Recorder Gary Jenkins

    Scioto County Recorder Gary Jenkins Unveils New Office Website 

    Staggering 236 Recovery Houses in Area — and the Fight for Reform Faces Pushback 

    Cathy Coleman

    Community Urged to Pray For Cathy Coleman as Family Faces Devastating Update 

    Scottie Powell

    Commissioner Scottie Powell on Trans Sanctuary Resolution: “Symbolic, Not Substantive” 

    Cathy Coleman

    Update from the Scioto County Commissioners on Commissioner Cathy Coleman 

    What Did Portsmouth’s LGBTQ+ Sanctuary Resolution Really Say? 

    Portsmouth Rehab

    Portsmouth Rejects LGBTQ+ Sanctuary City Status in Heated Council Vote 

  • Feel Good

    BREAKING: Commissioners Make Shocking Decision—Halloween to Remain on Halloween 

    Escape to the Hills: A Summer Reading List Set in Appalachia 

    Scioto County Champs: Lady Trojans and Word Wizards Bring Home the Gold 

    “I Held Those Keys Tight” — One Man’s Harrowing Journey from Addiction to Hope 

    Three girls in quinceañera dresses stand beside one another. The one in middle has a gold dress while the other two wear pink.

    Tips for Selecting the Color of a Quinceañera Dress

    The Day the Streak Ended: Lakers’ 1987 Record Broken

    An angler standing at the edge of a lake just after sunset with three fishing rods resting on the ground next to him.

    Night Fishing: Who Is It for and How Do You Start?

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    Cops Rescue Lost Man 

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    Kid Misses Bus, Deputy to the Rescue 

    A group of people stands outside with their arms in the air. They hold their hands together, making a pyramid shape.

    Hidden Gems: Community Strategies for Mental Wellness

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    Man Says He’s Trapped in Armory 

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    Good Neighbor and Officer to the Rescue 

    Portsmouth Flood Wall Stars

    Meet the New Flood Wall Stars! 

    A bearded man is sitting on the floor and comforting his dog in a wheelchair. The dog has his ears pinned back.

    Training Tips To Help Your Dog Get Used to Their Wheelchair

    U.S. housing market

    Tips for Making Your New House Feel Like a Home

    The Best Freshwater Fish To Catch This Summer

    The Best Freshwater Fish To Catch This Summer

    A man approaching the bowling lane with a red bowling ball as his three friends in the background cheer him on.

    How Bowling Can Improve Your Mental Health

    good cops

    Lost Kid Calls Cops for Help 

    Backyard camping

    Backyard Adventure: Unforgettable Family Camping

    Sunshine or Snowflakes: Which Season Wins America’s Heart?

  • Obituaries
    Ted Birkhimer

    Ted Birkhimer, 79 of Portsmouth

    Charles Adkins

    Charles Adkins, 70 of South Shore,

    Christine Elizabeth Danner 84

    Jessica Marie Swick, 31, of Lexington, KY

    Jessica Marie Swick, 31 of Lexington, KY

    Sharon Kay Hannah, 68 of Portsmouth

    Kathy Sturgell, 70 of Waverly

    Kathy Sturgell, 70 of Waverly

    Barbara Williams

    Karen Sue Peyton, 85 of South Webster

    Cathy Elaine Coleman

    Cathy Elaine Coleman, 71 of West Portsmouth

    Everett William Cook

    Everett William Cook, age 62 of Portsmouth

    Kim Gutierrez

    Kim Isabella Guttierrez 74 of Portsmouth

    Jeanne Szura

    Jeanne Szura 95 of Cary NC

    Barbara Williams

    Nancy Anne Sheets 92 of Portsmouth

    James Vernon Hicks Jr

    James Vernon Hicks Jr. 71 of Portsmouth

    Sonya Stapleton

    Sonya Lee Stapleton 66 of Portsmouth

    Roy Cunningham

    Roy Cunningham, 82 of Portsmouth

    Patricia Ann Thurman

    Patricia Ann Thurman, 65 of West Portsmouth

    Ann Bartlett Truitt

     Ann Bartlett Truitt, 92 of Waverly

     Cornel Cave

     Cornel Cave, 69 of Portsmouth

    Mahala Dawn Pelfrey

    Mahala Dawn Pelfrey, 49 of Lucasville

    Nancy Ackerman-Nash, 71 of Granbury

    Nancy Ackerman-Nash, 71 of Granbury

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5 Crises Local Government Must Address in 2024 

Cyn Mackley by Cyn Mackley
2 years ago
in Opinion
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We’ve covered a lot of wonderful things in Scioto County in 2023. There are hopeful signs of growth everywhere. Our area could lead the way as a center of recreation, an innovator in game development, and more. But there are serious unaddressed problems that threaten all that. While everyone agrees these problems exist, no one wants to shoulder the blame, and it seems like every official you speak with says they have no power even to begin fixing it.  

Let’s break down some of the issues we’ve explored in 2023 and what needs to happen in 2024. 

Repeat offenders 

We’ve covered individuals who have violated probation and parole dozens of times only to be released almost immediately. Many eventually end up committing a crime serious enough to take a trip back to prison, but oftentimes that’s only for a few months.  

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Frequently, these individuals list their address as homeless, and some of their behavior indicates they could be mentally ill. Law enforcement points to the courts, the courts point to the state, and the state isn’t that great at answering questions. It’s not enough to say the system doesn’t work. Listen up, legislators, judges, and law enforcement – the system is you. And the system is us as citizens as well.  

Ohio’s big plan to focus on community control and the least restrictive methods of supervision possible sounded like a great idea on paper. In reality, it’s a hot mess, and the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Corrections needs to reassess that policy to focus on public safety.  

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Children in Foster Care 

Scioto County has an $8 million bill to care for kids in foster care and it is straining the county budget and overwhelming the agencies in charge of looking after kids. 

Many have suggested a children’s home as a solution, but the cost to build and maintain such a facility would probably add up to more than the $8 million the county is spending now and getting any type of state or federal funding would be about impossible. The main issue is that many of the children in foster care have serious mental and emotional issues that require specialized treatment.  

A quick look at the number of police reports filed from a facility like that in Lawrence County shows that the problems that run rampant in foster homes also happen in children’s homes. The issue again may be a state emphasis on an unrealistic policy. The idea that family reunification is the priority sounds great on paper. However, in reality, it leads to children spending years in foster care, many passing out of the prime ages for adoption. These children also accumulate more trauma as they are shuffled in and out of dangerous situations and become more difficult to place. 

It’s time to shift the priority to the health and safety of children and society as a whole.  

Rehab Realities 

Does the area need fewer drug treatment facilities? More drug treatment facilities? A different kind of drug treatment facility? 

Who knows? The necessary information to make that decision doesn’t seem to be available to the local government. There’s a general perception that the large number of rehab facilities in the area bring trouble as well as treatment with them. The larger item that is overlooked is Sobriety Houses. These do not fall under the city’s moratorium as they do not offer treatment. They are holding centers for people in treatment.

Troubled individuals are brought into the community, far from family support, and many say they are turned loose without any place to go, adding to the problem of homelessness and placing a strain on police, hospital, and EMS facilities.  

Portsmouth City Council has requested hard data to see how many of these patients end up jail, at homeless shelters, or transported to the hospital. They’ve asked why shouldn’t this type of care be spread throughout the state so people can get treatment close to home. They deserve answers from both the rehab facilities and other agencies.  

Homeless Camps 

Local law enforcement has become so used to homeless camps that they don’t even seem to notice them. People living outside under overpasses or behind buildings is so common that nobody tells them to move until a citizen or a business complains.  

Numerous homeless people are also living in dangerous abandoned houses and empty buildings, making them more dangerous by setting fires. These individuals also pose a public health risk by going to the bathroom in these buildings, near local businesses, and in the parks. These individuals often harass citizens for money and sometimes turn violent.  

The county is in a bit of an economic boom. Actually, in much better shape than it was 20 or 30 years ago when we didn’t see activity like this. Most of these individuals are not just people who happen to be down on their luck. They tend to be people who will not comply with the rules for homeless shelter or receiving public housing and, despite what many officials insist, many of them are on probation or parole and many do seem to be runaway rehab patients if you go by the information they give police.  

Why do we tolerate this public health hazard? Sources tell us that local government is afraid to crack down because they don’t want to be hit with lawsuits and the visuals of rousting these individuals might not look so good.   Again, it’s time to get real and figure out who these people are. How many are people who could benefit from a hand up and how many are convicts, chronically mentally ill people, and relapsed addicts that have been abandoned by the agencies who are supposed to supervise them? 

Mental Illness Crisis 

Scioto County needs a local in-patient mental health facility that offers long-term care and both in-patient and out-patient treatment for the mentally ill. 

Everybody seems to agree on that, but the state and federal governments. It’s time for local officials to drive that point home.  

There are dozens, if hundreds, of chronically mentally ill people living on the streets. They scream, run into traffic, rip off their clothes, start fires in empty houses, and then get hauled into jail only to be immediately released.  

They rack up dozens of arrests and no real treatment. Occasionally, one gets shipped off for a short stay in Athens and gets a bit better, only to come back to town and end up living behind a dumpster.  

Local law enforcement responds to at least a dozen mental health situations a day, many of them involving suicidal children. So, a children’s mental health center is needed as well.  

And yes, all of these problems are connected. The lack of mental health and effective addiction treatment leads to homelessness and repeat offenders, and some of that stems from kids who’ve never had a stable home. One great big crisis that needs to be attacked on several fronts.  

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