Masking Questions: How Pandemic Health Measures Became Politicized
Health officials and researchers say the science is clear: face masks can help reduce the spread of the coronavirus. Yet in the Ohio Valley, not all elected officials are in agreement on whether to mandate measures such as the use of face masks in public places. In April, Republican Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine initially announced […]
Overdose Incidents Rose Sharply Around Ohio Valley During Pandemic
Emergency response data from across the Ohio Valley show sharp increases in suspected drug overdoses since March, when health measures including school and business closures and stay-at-home orders increased social isolation. For public health officials, it’s a grim reminder that another epidemic is ongoing and possibly worsening during the isolation associated with the coronavirus pandemic. […]
Coal Towns Were Counting On Tourism For New Jobs. Then Coronavirus Hit.
On a recent sunny weekday, Bill Currey proudly walks among 30 neatly stacked, brightly colored plastic kayaks. Birds chirp merrily, and the soothing sounds of the meandering Coal River permeate the background — nature’s version of a white noise machine. For the tanned Currey, who also owns an industrial real estate company, being here, on […]
These Three Factors Are Driving Many COVID-19 Outbreaks In Rural Communities
As the economies of the Ohio Valley gradually reopen from the pandemic closures, state officials are still reporting hundreds of coronavirus cases each day in the region. In Kentucky, coronavirus cases are again on the rise, with a week-long average of daily cases approaching the highest level yet. Public health officials are concerned about a […]
Appalachian Program Feeds Families As The Pandemic Economy Places More In Need
It’s a sweltering hot Monday in Whitesburg, Kentucky, and the kitchen at Community Agricultural Nutritional Enterprises, or CANE, is buzzing with activity. In an industrial kitchen that was once a high school cafeteria, Brandon Fleming is chopping onions and sliding them into a massive aluminum tray of beans. Once the beans are in the oven, […]
Questions And Anxiety Mount Over COVID-19 Workplace Safety As More Businesses Reopen
Gail Fleck is a school cafeteria worker in the greater Cincinnati area and lives with her 90-year-old father. She loves her job because she gets to work with kids. But she is worried she won’t be able to keep her dad safe if her work exposes her to the coronavirus and she unknowingly brings it […]
Another 100K Unemployed In Ohio Valley; US Jobless Total Tops 40M
As some businesses in the Ohio Valley reopen and welcome back both customers and employees the region continues reporting high levels of unemployment claims. At least 100,863 people in Kentucky, Ohio, and West Virginia joined those seeking help during the economic downturn caused by the coronavirus pandemic. Kentucky, Ohio and West Virginia are making progress […]
A Pandemic Voter Guide For Kentucky’s Primary Election
Kentucky’s primary was moved to June 23 from its original date on May 19 due to safety concerns related to the coronavirus pandemic. For the primary, the state has also expanded to all registered voters the option of absentee voting, which was previously only allowed for a few reasons, such as military deployment, disability, or […]
Economists Grapple With Pandemic’s Effects As Ohio Valley Officials Brace For A Fiscal Blow
Kentucky’s state budget officials told lawmakers Friday that general fund receipts may decline by 495 million dollars next fiscal year. It’s just the latest example of the unprecedented financial hardships ahead for the Ohio Valley’s state and local governments due to the coronavirus pandemic. More than 38 million Americans have applied for unemployment insurance in […]
Another 99,000 Join Unemployed In Ohio Valley As U.S. Jobless Total Tops 38M
The U.S. Department of Labor reported close to 99,000 additional unemployment insurance claims in the last week from Kentucky, Ohio and West Virginia, as state unemployment offices worked their way through a backlog of millions of claims filed since the coronavirus pandemic forced business closures beginning in March. For the week ending May 16, Kentucky […]
States across the Ohio Valley are postponing their primary election dates and, in some cases, expanding voting by mail. Tell us what you'd like to know about voting safely during the pandemic.
