Smoking Makes a Comeback in the Pandemic
By Cara Murez
HealthDay Reporter
TUESDAY, March 16, 2021 (HealthDay News) Katie Rodgers was just 15 years old when she started smoking, and in her early 20s when it became a more significant habit.
Rodgers found quitting tough, but she managed to kick the habit at age 33 during a global pandemic because she knew that smoking would increase her anxiety and put her at higher risk of becoming seriously ill from COVID-19.
Her achievement was unusual at a time when cigarette purchases have risen slightly in the United States and requests for smoking cessation services have dramatically dropped.
The Beacon
BY YANEEK SMITH, BEACON CONTRIBUTOR
OAK HARBOR The Port Clinton and Oak Harbor girls swim teams showed why they are two of the best in the area as both teams saw plenty of swimmers both individually and on relays qualify for the district tournament.
The Redskins had six first-place finishes, five of which were individual efforts.
Kami Periat had two first-place finishes, winning the 50 freestyle in 24.20 seconds, good for a pool record, and finishing first in the 100 butterfly in 59.28. Carlie Blaesing won the 200 individual medley (2:19.20) and was second in the 100 free (55.33), Alexa Taylor was first in the 500 free (5:48.81) and Gabbi Porter took first 100 breaststroke (1:12.26). The 200 medley relay team of Porter, Periat, Blaesing and Alyssa Diaz took first in 1:54.06.
The Beacon
BY YANEEK SMITH, BEACON CONTRIBUTOR
OAK HARBOR For the third year in a row, the Port Clinton girls swim team is the champion of the Sandusky Bay Conference Lake Division.
The Redskins won the meet in convincing fashion and set a number of records along the way, finishing with 291 points, well ahead of Sandusky, which was second with 156 points, followed by Perkins (126), Tiffin Columbian (48), Vermilion (23) and Norwalk (12).
It is the fourth league championship for the program under the leadership of Danny Diaz.
“I was super excited. This was the third year in a row that we won (the championship),” said Diaz, now in his 21st season coaching the team. “We set a few Lake Division meet records, and I was extremely pleased.”