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Scioto County Daily News
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  • Public Safety
    Scioto County Grand Jury Indictments

    20 New Scioto County Grand Jury Indictments

    Busted Arrests Portsmouth Scioto County Mugshots

    Busted! 06/12/25 New Arrests in Portsmouth, Ohio – Scioto County Mugshots

    BAD BEHAVIOR

    Neighbor Accuses Boy of Torturing Cats

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    Police Investigate Multiple Reports of Sexual Assault 

    SCDN File Photo

    Fired and Flustered: Man Refuses to Leave Tim Hortons After Getting the Boot 

    Hot Wheels: Truck Catches Fire—Twice—After Driver Tries to Restart It 

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    Buck-Naked and Breaking Point: Wild Morning at Four Keys Inn 

    Busted Arrests Portsmouth Scioto County Mugshots

    Busted! 06/11/25 New Arrests in Portsmouth, Ohio – Scioto County Mugshots

    Sheriff sticker

    Busy Day for First Responders in Scioto County: EMS Runs High, Crime Stays Steady 

    Donald Sharp

    From Park Panic to Aldi Alley: Donald Sharp Arrested Again 

    Midnight Madness: Cops Respond to Back-to-Back Assaults at PMHA Properties 

    Portsmouth Kroger

    KROGER CHAOS! Shoplifting, Warrants & Methadone Mayhem

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    Gunfire, Stick Fights, and a Royal Rumble Leave Cops Scrambling 

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    PUFF PUFF PASS… THE BUCK! Pot Complaint at Tracy Park Highlights Sticky Rules Around Public Toking 

    Tammy Harmon

    Threats and Felonies: Woman Busted for Witness Intimidation 

    Busted Arrests Portsmouth Scioto County Mugshots

    Busted! 06/10/25 New Arrests in Portsmouth, Ohio – Scioto County Mugshots

    “Next Time, I Won’t Call Police” 

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    🚓 From Disturbance to Compassion: Portsmouth Police Step Up to Help Woman in Need 

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    🚨 SCAM ALERT: Fake Cop Wants Your Cash – Don’t Fall for It! 🚨 

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    Domestic Disputes, Prowlers, and Pileups: Busy Sunday for Scioto County First Responders 

  • Lawrence County
  • Politics
    Cathy Coleman

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

    ‘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 

    ‘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 

    Cathy Coleman

    It’s a Miracle! – Scioto County Rallies Around Commissioner Cathy Coleman After Medical Crisis Turnaround 

    Scioto County Rallies in Prayer for Commissioner Cathy Coleman After Tragic Crash 

    Risky Business? City Wants to Sell $4.5 Million in Bonds

    Portsmouth LGBT Sanctuary City Proposal Scrapped – New Resolution Coming

    Portsmouth Council Takes First Step Toward Homelessness Task Force 

    Scioto County Commissioners Cancel Without Explanation 

    Davis Ready for Flying Cars: Scioto Commissioner Eyes Future of Air Mobility at County Airport 

  • 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?

    good cops

    Cops Rescue Lost Man 

    good cops

    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

    good cops

    Man Says He’s Trapped in Armory 

    Good Samaritan 2

    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

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    Lost Kid Calls Cops for Help 

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    Backyard Adventure: Unforgettable Family Camping

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

  • Obituaries
    Jerome Tomasheski

    Jerome Tomasheski 65 of McDermott

    Fredrick Grant Salisbury

    Fredrick Grant Salisbury, 82 of Stockdale

    Barbara Williams

    Janet Ruth Nance, 100 of Portsmouth

    Roy Harold Arthur Sr.

    Roy Harold Arthur Sr., 83 of Friendship

    Barbara Williams

    Julie Kay Johnson, 50 of Portsmouth

    Lloyd Logan

    Lloyd Logan, 98 of South Shore

    William McGinnis

    William McGinnis, Jr., 84, of Wheelersburg

    Harvey A. Ruel

    Harvey A. Ruel, 75 of Portsmouth

    Patricia A. Lewis

    Patricia A. Lewis, 72 of West Portsmouth

    Martha Byers Yost

    Martha Byers Yost, 84, of Portsmouth

    Patricia Ann Burchett

    Patricia Ann Burchett, 83 of Hillsboro

    Constance V. McQuay

    Constance V. McQuay, 89, of Waverly

    Jerry Paul Igaz

    Jerry Paul Igaz Sr. 55, of West Portsmouth

    Barbara Williams

    Lori Smith, 56 of McDermott

    Tina Marie Gollihue

    Tina Marie Gollihue, 61 of Franklin Furnace,

    Nichole Leigh Blanton

    Nichole Leigh Blanton, 41 of Portsmouth

    Deborah Sue Ratliff Bell

    Deborah Sue Ratliff Bell, 66 of Portsmouth

    Brenda K. Bentley

    Brenda K. Bentley 75 of West Portsmouth

    Rex Fitzgerald

    Rex Fitzgerald, 67 of Portsmouth

    Diana Lynn Redden

    Diana Lynn Redden, 57 of Vanceburg

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Help For Addicts During COVID-19

Cyn Mackley by Cyn Mackley
5 years ago
in Public Safety
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Help is available for addicts during the Coronavirus shutdown. That’s the one thing everyone wants to make clear.  Addicts and recovering addicts are especially vulnerable during the COVID-19 pandemic. 

As we talked about in part 1 of this series, not only does drug use damage your lungs and cause breathing issues, it leaves people in dangerous living situations. Many addicts are anything but safe at home during the shelter in place orders.  Even those in recovery face a threat from not being able to attend meetings or have face to face interactions with counselors.

Scioto County Commissioner Bryan Davis acknowledged the situation, “The risks are higher for them. They really are. And that’s unfortunate.”   Davis said he’d actually been discussing the issue earlier in the day.

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Janet Ruth Nance, 100 of Portsmouth

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I spoke with Jay Hash who runs the Hopesource drug and alcohol treatment facility in Portsmouth. He said the Coronavirus shutdown has changed things. “Admissions have slowed down considerably.”

Hash said that many of the people who normally refer addicts to treatment, like probation officers and social workers, are working from home. In some cases that slows the process of getting the right forms filled out. In other cases, they miss signs that someone is struggling that they might be able to detect during an in-person meeting.

He said Hopesource is still open for business but with some changes. “We are still doing full services, almost all of it is not face-to-face. But the drug and alcohol testing must be done in person.”

Hash explained the precautions Hopesource is taking to fight COVID-19. “We’re taking in a patient today. We’re doing all the Coronavirus screening, taking temp and making sure he’s doesn’t have symptoms. Hasn’t traveled. All of that contact has been by phone. He will eventually come in after a significant screening. That’s good. We have other admissions planned.”

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Once patients join the program, Hash said almost all counseling is being done via Zoom teleconference.

Yesterday, Ohio’s head of Mental Health and Addiction Services, Lori Criss urged Ohioans with addiction to continue seeking help online. “You can connect with friends and meetings online. They are effective. We urge you to use them.  If you have a family member that’s recovering from drug or alcohol, I urge you to reach out to them. These are potentially life-threatening illnesses.”

Hash agrees and says finding help online has never been easier. “A lot of us go to 12-step meetings. I’m part of a private group that had 17 members, we’ve grown from 17 to 417. We’ve tried to incorporate a speaker meeting on Facebook attended by anywhere between 100 and 250 people and recorded so members of the group can view on their own time. The other platform is Zoom. It’s cool, like looking at the Brady Bunch. But if you Google Zoom AA meetings you can find one about any hour on the hour. Just click and your in a 12-step AA or NA meeting.  Community Action is also offering online counseling services.

Hash says that there’s actually been a rise in participation in meetings. He thinks that’s because transportation is often an issues for addicts. Especially those that live in rural areas. “The virtual methods may likely stick around.”

Hash says our area may be ahead of the game when it comes to taking care of addicts during the COVID-19. While many experts worry that hospitalize might stigmatize addicts and not prioritize their treatment for Coronavirus, Hash says, “Locally, our hospital are very much on board with recovery and seeing addiciton as a disease.”

He also says that Scioto County EMA helped prepare rehab facilities for the crisis. “They had a meeting with everybody. They had a meeting for providers and heard our feedback. Infectious disease, FEMA, Portsmouth City Health Department. They were all there.”

Hash says SOMC has stayed in regular contact with addiction service providers. “They’re doing a great job. They’ve been very helpful for us in giving us guidance on COVID-19 and what to do.”

Still, he’s worried.  “I’m really concerned about the death rates from addiction and property crime. The people who normally interface with people in active addiction aren’t seeing them face-to-face.  These medical problems may increase.”

Tags: Bryan DavisCoronavirusHealthPortsmouth OhioScioto County
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