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Scioto County Daily News
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  • Public Safety
    SCDN File Photo

    Teen’s Tall Tale Unravels: Bizarre 911 Call Leads Deputies to Franklin Furnace 

    Good Samaritan 2

    Good Neighbor Nabs Wanted Man: Deputies Bust Suspicious Visitor at Vacant Home 

    Man Missing for 24 Hours Found on Stranger’s Porch

    DRUNK SON FIRES GUN AT DAD IN LATE-NIGHT DOMESTIC MELTDOWN  

    “Someone Out There Got Away With It” 

    Busted Arrests Portsmouth Scioto County Mugshots

    Busted! 07/23/25 New Arrests in Portsmouth, Ohio – Scioto County Mugshots

    Sheriff night 1

    Stranger on the Porch: Midnight Door Jiggle Lands Minford Woman in Jail 

    body found

    Double Tragedy Strikes Portsmouth as Two Found Dead Just Hours Apart 

    Portsmouth Boy Punches Dog In Stomach

    🐾 DOG DRAMA AT THE POUND! 

    chase police chase

    High-Speed Chase Ends in the Woods — Suspect Now Tied to Another Stolen Car at Speedway 

    Ryan Joseph Miller

    “Didn’t Take the Hint!” – Man Busted After Allegedly Trying to Kick In Door in South Webster 

    Elder Safety

    🚨 “Mom Needs Protection” — West Portsmouth Man Busted for Violating Protective Order Meant to Shield Elderly Mother 

    Busted Arrests Portsmouth Scioto County Mugshots

    Busted! 07/22/25 New Arrests in Portsmouth, Ohio – Scioto County Mugshots

    super mom

    The Gallia Street Incident — One Mom’s Love Shines Through 

    🚨 ‘She Hits Us With Sticks’ — Brave Girls Speak Out About Alleged Abuse 

    Forgotten Firepower: Loaded Gun Left in Rental Car Prompts Police Response 

    🚨 Banned, Busted, and Back Again: Homeless Crisis on Full Display at Local Businesses 

    Suspect arrested

    🎭 Busted on the Tracy Park Stage — Again! Homeless Man Arrested for Trespassing Amid Trash and Tallboys 

    Sheriff night 1

    Busted Before Breakfast! Deputies Catch Underage Duo Out at 4:30 A.M. in Wheelersburg 

    Weed, Whacks & Whoppers: Family Feud Ends in Pot Bust 

  • Lawrence County
  • Politics

    Who Will Carry Cathy’s Torch? GOP to Choose Coleman’s Replacement July 29 

    Cathy Coleman

    Commissioners Back Senior Housing Project Championed by Late Commissioner Cathy Coleman 

    “Bad and Quirky” Lucasville House Targeted for Demolition as County Cracks Down on Blighted Properties 

    ‘A Great Addition to Heaven’: Commissioners Honor Cathy Coleman, Reflect on Her Legacy and Who Might Carry It Forward 

    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 

  • Feel Good
    A family of two parents and a young boy and girl are playing laser tag with vests and laser blasters in an arena.

    What Activities To Offer at a Family Fun Center

    Shawnee State University SSU

    Shawnee State University Joins New Athletic Conference, Adds Football to Lineup 

    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

    good cops

    Lost Kid Calls Cops for Help 

  • Obituaries
    James L. Slone, 86, of South Webster

    James L. Slone, 86 of South Webster

    Gary Lee Meade,70 of West Portsmouth

    Lilly Ann Elliott

    Lilly Ann Elliott, 53 of Portsmouth

    James D. Hannah

    James D. Hannah, 60 of Greenup

    obit-infant-small

    Bristol Rafalowski, 3, of Wheelersburg

    Walter Logan

    Walter Logan 56 of Portsmouth

    Paul H. Parker

    Paul H. Parker 85 of Portsmouth

    Ralph Burton Speck

    Ralph Burton Speck, 90 of West Portsmouth

    Barbara Williams

    Betty Lou Little Mullins, 91 of Franklin Furnace

    Shirley Ann Wheeler

    Shirley Ann Wheeler, 88, of Minford

    Betty Lou Ratliff

    Betty Lou Ratliff, 82 of South Shore

    Katherine Kay Bates

    Katherine Kay Bates, 76, formerly of Sciotoville

    Carl D. Cook

    Carl D. “Pork” Cook, 64 of South Webster

    Rachele Lynne McLaughlin, 44 of Minford

    Carol Lorraine Schmid

    Carol Lorraine (Meenach) Schmid 88 of Wheelersburg

    Darrell Kevin Lore

    Darrell Kevin Lore, age 69 of Portsmouth

    Helen Waughtel

    Helen F. Waughtel, 84 of Portsmouth

    Victoria Jane Lucas

    Victoria Jane Lucas, 73 of Portsmouth

    Wayne Pace

    Wayne Franklin Pace, 43 of Wheelersburg

    Yani Marcellus White

    Yani Marcellus White, 28 of Portsmouth

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Pandemic Lockdown Living

Melissa Martin by Melissa Martin
5 years ago
in Feel Good
Pandemic Lockdown Living
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Pandemic Lockdown Living

The world is reopening and I need to return to social norms and hygiene habits prior to COVID-19. Life after lockdown requires diligence to return to previous routines and schedules.

First, I want to make a confession and come clean—soapy clean. Daily bathing during the shutdown didn’t happen until May when the weather warmed. No commute to the office allowed for less showering. My hubby and I stocked up on food and hunkered down with no visitors and no outings. Why on earth should a human shower every day if she’s not going anywhere to be exposed to the virus?

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James L. Slone, 86 of South Webster

Man Missing for 24 Hours Found on Stranger’s Porch

DRUNK SON FIRES GUN AT DAD IN LATE-NIGHT DOMESTIC MELTDOWN  

Shaving took a dive during the quarantine—including the tiny hairs under my nose and above my top lip. And the rogue hair that lives on the edge of my chin. Back to the razor. Argh!

“I’ve been so lonely!” my deodorant cried. Sorry armpits, but I didn’t need my antiperspirant during the pandemic isolation.

Yoga pants, I love you, but wearing you to the office is taboo. We’ll still be together on the weekends. Slouchy clothes, don’t be jealous of formal attire. Back to wearing a bra in public places. My pajamas retired themselves because I put too many daytime miles on them.

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The days of wearing a ballcap to hide my gray hair are over. It’s been cut, colored, and styled by my hairdresser. Woo hoo! What a relief. And just who dubbed hair salons a non-essential business? Probably, a bald guy or Miley Cyrus.

Yes, I became hooked on YouTube gardening videos. So much so—that I planted asparagus. By the way, it takes 3 years to harvest the first crop of this green vegetable. Who knew?

Don’t judge me. I binge-watched all the episodes of the Schitt’s Creek series. I took a vacation from the news in June. And I slacked on cleaning the house.

Bad habit. I allowed my 120-pound canine to lounge on the end of the couch. My rationale—it’s an old ratty sofa that needs replacing. But, the problem will be keeping her off a new couch. Ugh.

I thought about baking a cake, but my spouse laughed so hard he almost wet his pants. It’s been boocoo years since I homemade a yummy treat. The feeling soon passed. My new cooking title is “Crockpot Queen.” Not to be confused with a crackpot.

I saved money by not wearing makeup during the lockdown. My perfume took a sabbatical as well. Looking good and smelling good is back in style as the world reopens. Body odor outside the home is a no-no.

But, I reworked my flower beds, planted a pollinator paradise for butterflies, bees, and beneficial bugs, and repainted my watering cans and pots. And scooped the dog poo from the backyard. I planted extra tomato and green pepper plants in order to donate to local food pantries. The sunflower seeds will be harvested and stored to feed winter birds.

I’m wondering, is this what retirement will look like for me? Hmmm.

Pandemic Lockdown Living: Melissa Martin, Ph.D., is an author, columnist, educator, and therapist. She lives in Scioto County.

Tags: ChildrenCoronavirusFamilyFeaturedfunHealth
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