Staff Writer
T-L Photo/ROBERT A. DEFRANK
Belmont County Deputy Health Commissioner Robert Sproul reports on COVID-19 cases and vaccinations. The work of contact-tracing those who may have been in contact with infected people will soon be taken over by the state.
ST. CLAIRSVILLE The Belmont County Health Department is receiving some state aid in contact tracing, which should free up staff for other duties.
Belmont County Deputy Health Commissioner Robert Sproul said Tuesday he had spoken with the state health department on details of contact tracing going forward. Residents who have been in contact with a person who has tested positive for COVID-19 will now be notified by a communications company. Public Consulting Group is contracting with the Ohio Department of Health to do contact tracing, Sproul said in a text message.
Staff Writer
Photo Provided
MARTINS FERRY Police Chief John McFarland hands out free box lunches to members of the Belmont County Staying Clean Club in St. Clairsville.
MARTINS FERRY The Belmont County Staying Clean Club is celebrating another year of encouraging local students to stay off drugs.
Club organizers, including Martins Ferry Police Chief John McFarland, are rewarding participating students about 1,200 children in grades 7-12 with free boxed lunches from Chick-fil-A and sweet treats from Jack’s Snacks at their respective schools.
The club’s Facebook page has posted numerous photos of students receiving their treats handed out by McFarland during the past few days.
Times Leader Staff Writer
ST. CLAIRSVILLE With demand for COVID-19 vaccination declining in Belmont County, the health department’s weekly shot clinic at the Ohio Valley Mall is expected to end May 20.
After that, Belmont County Deputy Health Commissioner Robert Sproul said, health department staff likely will continue to set up clinics around Belmont County by request.
“We’re going to try and go around the community,” Sproul said. “We’re going to try to reach out to different communities and different locations, so that way we can be in the community with the shot, so they wouldn’t have to drive to our place. If Bethesda wanted, we would find some place in Bethesda to sit down and give the shots and come back in 28 days and do the second shot.”
From Staff Reports
Three of the Northern Panhandle’s four counties found themselves in the safest category Monday on the state’s COVID-19 alert map.
Hancock, Brooke and Ohio counties all were green on the Department of Health and Human Resources alert map. Meanwhile, Marshall County was orange, the second-highest-risk category.
Hancock County had an infection rate of 13.39 cases per 100,000 residents and a percent positivity of 2.99. Brooke County had an infection rate of 14.33 cases per 100,000 residents and a percent positivity of 2.90.
Ohio County had an infection rate of 17.25 cases per 100,000 residents and a percent positivity of 2.63. Marshall County had an infection rate of 25.27 cases per 100,000 residents and a percent positivity of 5.06.
rselak@tribtoday.com
Staff file photo / R. Michael Semple
Anthony Cafaro Jr., co-president of the Cafaro Company, left, and Jim Boscov, chairman and CEO of Boscovâs, appeared at a January 2020 event at the Eastwood Mall to announce the Reading, Pa.-based retailer will open a store at the retail complex in Niles. The store is scheduled to open in October.
WARREN Known for its extravagant store grand openings, Boscov’s will open its Eastwood Mall location Oct. 7 with a three-day event that includes charitable giving, entertainment, family activities and fireworks.
Opening of the store the largest single store at the retail center at more than 180,000 square feet was delayed a year due to challenges brought on the viral outbreak.