COLUMBUS, Ohio — Today: Mostly to partly cloudy & very cold. Low 24. Winds: W 8-12 mph.
Tonight: Another frigid night in Central Ohio. Low 11. Winds: Light & variable.
Tomorrow: Turning sunny & a little warmer but seasonable. High 38. Winds: SE 7-11 mph.
Sunday: Off & on rain with a mix late. High 43. Winds: SW 5-10 mph.
Weather discussion: It’ll be frigid with sub-0 wind chills as you head out today. Some sun will take hold through the afternoon but it’ll stay cold with wind chills in the teens when we’re at our warmest even though the actual temperature will hit the mid-20s. Tonight will be clear & frigid again but it won’t be as windy so that’ll be nice. Saturday is looking sunny to partly cloudy with seasonable highs. Some rain rolls in through Sunday as we hit the low 40s. We’ll start out with some sun next week & Tuesday but highs will be back into the mid to upper 20s. We’ll be seasonable, if not a tad above average by midweek & beyond.
January 7, 2022
COLUMBUS, Ohio — Below are the current snow emergencies in central Ohio as of Jan. 6, 2022.
Level 1
Fairfield County, Guernsey County, Hocking County, Jackson County, Muskingum County, Pickaway County, Pike County, Ross County, Scioto County
Level 2
Athens County, Coshocton County, Vinton County, Washington County
Level 3
None
___
WHAT THE LEVELS MEAN
Level 1 Snow Emergency: Roadways are hazardous with blowing and drifting snow. Roads are also icy; drive carefully.
Level 2 Snow Emergency: Roadways are hazardous with blowing and drifting snow. Only those who believe it is necessary to drive should be out on the roadways. Contact your employer to see if you should report to work.
Level 3 Snow Emergency: All roadways are closed to non-emergency personnel. No one else should be out during these conditions unless it is absolutely necessary to travel. All employees should contact their employers to see if they should report to work. Those traveling on the roadways may be subject to arrest.
The cold has been visiting northwest Ohio for the last few days. It will be a little warmer this weekend, but light rain is in the forecast early Sunday morning.
Jan 7, 2022
TOLEDO, Ohio — Another frigid day is on tap, highs only reaching the lower 20s and a wind chill barely reaching the teens.
Additionally, a band of light lake effect snow will try to reach northwest Ohio today and could lead to light grassy accumulations.
A cold start to Saturday will end with highs eventually climbing slight above freezing. Our next system arrives as light rain showers are expected overnight into early Sunday.
Most of Sunday will be dry as temperatures drop once again heading into early next week.
Temperatures early next week will plunge into the deep freeze for a few days. Highs on Monday will struggle to reach the low 20s. No winter storms are expected through at least the end of next week.
CLEVELAND — After a warmer than normal December, January *so far* has been delivering winter weather to the fullest. It's been a bitter day in the 20s across NE Ohio, and we do it all over again tomorrow with a little add twist. Cue lake-effect!
Winter weather advisories are already posted and highlight the day tomorrow as snow looks to fire on up for our primary snowbelt especially during the morning commute. If you have plans to travel on 90 tomorrow, please travel with caution.
The following counties are under the advisory until 1 a.m. Saturday:
Ashtabula, Cuyahoga, Geauga, and Lake
Looking forward to the weekend, conditions look to flip again and we're back on the up and up. Sunshine even joins us for the first half of the weekend while temperatures shoot back into the upper-30s. As for Sunday, temperatures remain mild (to start), but another weather maker enters the picture.
Another potent front enters the picture dropping temperatures back into the 20s come Monday.
Cincinnati - Clouds are moving out of the Tri-State already and this will lead to a mostly sunny forecast for the rest of the day. The problem continues to be the cold air as highs only climb to 23 with a wind chill at 12 this afternoon.
Tonight is cold again with a low of 13 degrees under a clear sky.
Temperatures jump back to seasonal levels on Saturday with a high of 41 degrees. The sky will be mostly sunny which makes for a nice January day.
Warmer air continues to move into the Ohio Valley on Sunday. A cold front is moving through as well during the day and it will bring rain in for Sunday morning. Highs will be in the mid 40s. But one thing we are watching are the falling temperatures as this system exits in the early afternoon hours. It's possible that we could see a wintry mix if not a quick snow chance.
The state has seen a surge in coronavirus cases over the past month, although the numbers may be starting to plateau.
WKYC - Cleveland January 7, 2022
Click headline to view ODH Conference
COLUMBUS, Ohio — Officials from the Ohio Department of Health are set to give an update on the state of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Dr. Bruce Vanderhoff, the agency's director, will lead the press conference beginning at 10 a.m. He is expected to be joined by Dr. Robert Wyllie of the Cleveland Clinic, Dr. Andy Thomas of the Ohio State University's Wexner Medical Center, and Maj. Gen. John C. Harris Jr. from the Ohio National Guard.
Ohio has seen a surge in coronavirus cases over the past month, although the numbers may be starting to plateau. Still, hospitalization levels remain at their highest point since the pandemic began, and The New York Times reports the state was second in the nation for COVID deaths during the previous week.
Last month, DeWine authorized the activation of 2,300 guard members in response to a rising number of COVID-19 hospitalizations in the state.
WKYC - Cleveland January 6, 2022
COLUMBUS, Ohio — Governor Mike DeWine visited the Defense Supply Center in Columbus Thursday as Ohio National Guard members report for duty amid a surge of COVID-19 hospitalizations.
Last month, DeWine authorized the activation of 2,300 guard members in response to a rising number of COVID-19 hospitalizations in the state. So far, roughly 100 guard members have deployed to central Ohio hospitals, including Mount Carmel East and The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center.
According to Maj. General John C. Harris, adjunct general with the Ohio National Guard, the second wave of the mobilization process is now underway, bringing on the support of an additional 1,250 guard members.
State health officials have said the National Guard’s assistance will help alleviate larger hospitals that are currently understaffed and expand capacity. That could mean anything from providing patient transport, to bedside assistance and cleaning services.
"All of us depend on our hospitals to protect us, and now the National Guard is involved in protecting our hospitals and enabling them to continue to protect all of us," said DeWine.
Currently, National Guard members are establishing COVID-19 testing sites to help ease the strain on hospital staff members.
The additional help comes after a recent spike in COVID-19 cases. Ohio health officials reported an additional 19,750 cases on Wednesday.
There are also rising concerns over the omicron variant, which Dr. Mysheika Roberts with Columbus Public Health says appears much more contagious than the delta variant. Despite this, health officials say omicron is not sending anywhere near the number of vaccinated people to the hospital.
According to Roberts, one person with the delta variant can spread it to as many as seven people. However, someone with omicron can spread it to as many as 10 people. You can keep track of daily cases in Ohio by clicking here.
The Toledo-Lucas County Health Department, ProMedica and Mercy Health are teaming up to provide PCR tests to the public.
WTOL - Toledo January 7, 2022
MAUMEE, Ohio — As COVID-19 cases continue to surge throughout the state, a mass testing site is up and running to serve northwest Ohio.
The Lucas County Recreation Center in Maumee is booking appointments for Sunday and next week, as all Friday appointments have been booked. Getting an appointment is required to receive a test and can be booked here.
Appointments will be available between 7 a.m. and 3 p.m. on Sunday through next Friday, Jan. 14. The Toledo-Lucas County Health Department, ProMedica and Mercy Health teamed up to establish the testing site.
Health Commissioner Eric Zgodzinski explained the procedure for scheduling a test and receiving results:
Tiffin, Ohio — Seneca County General Health District and Seneca County Emergency Management Agency (EMA) are combining resources and efforts to make it easier for Seneca County residents to get free Abbott BinaxNOW COVID-19 Antigen Home Tests.
Rather than residents needing to call or visit multiple locations, the free rapid at-home tests will be distributed Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. through 4 p.m., at the Seneca County EMA office, 126 Hopewell Avenue, Tiffin, as long as supplies last.
Free rapid tests can also be obtained through public libraries, especially during evening and weekend hours, although their supplies are very limited too.
“We are trying to stretch our limited supply of free tests as far as we possibly can,” notes Health Commissioner Anne Goon. “Our top priority is to get tests into the hands of residents with COVID-19 symptoms who need to get tested now. This will allow them to immediately isolate and reduce the spread of COVID-19 to others.”
A COVID-19 antigen test identifies if an individual is currently infected, and they are most accurate when used by symptomatic persons.
Two versions of the BinaxNOW COVID-19 Antigen Home Test may be available, depending on what is shipped to the Health District by the Ohio Department of Health.
A “proctored” version for those needing formal proof of their test results for travel or their employer): This test is done at home under the direct visual supervision of a telehealth provider (so a laptop, tablet, or smart phone is required). There is 1 test in a box.
An “unproctored” version for those not needing formal proof of their test results: This test is also done at home without the assistance of a telehealth provider. There are 2 tests per box. The test kits contain instructions on how to perform the test, and videos can also be found online.
If you have questions, contact the Seneca County General Health District at (419) 447-3691.
"I think the plan is that we're gonna have to make that decision almost on a day-to-day basis," said Polly Gerken, the president of the board of education.
WTOL - Toledo January 6, 2021
TOLEDO, Ohio — Toledo Public Schools board members are asking for the community's trust and patience as they maneuver through a new semester and yet another COVID-19 spike.
The school district is still not sure what will happen next week after classes were canceled this week.
That leaves some big decisions lingering within TPS.
"At this moment we're hoping everyone is going to be in school on Monday. I think the plan is that we're gonna have to make that decision almost on a day-to-day basis. On a building to building basis," said Polly Gerken, the President of the Toledo Public Schools Board of Education.
Gerken says they have been making every effort to keep kids in class.
Earlier this week TPS had to cancel a return to school after the winter break because of COVID cases and the impact on staff.
"We think the best way for students to learn is for them to be in-person, at school, learning. So we really want to have everything possible for us to have our students in the buildings learning," said James Gant, TPS Deputy Superintendent.
Although more than 80 percent of the staff is vaccinated, 35 were isolated and 1 was in quarantine last week.
"It's the fact that if too many adults are suffering from COVID and need to isolate for 5 days or more, then sometimes those just don't happen in the same place, at the same time and we just literally cannot physically open a building," said Gerken.
If cases persist, some buildings or classes would have to go virtual, even though that is not the top choice.
"The key is we want students here. This is the best place to educate so there's a lot of hesitation about it. We want to be in front of them teaching. Everybody supports that. So there's absolutely hesitation with going virtual," said Gant.
But Gerken says they've done it before, and should have no problem doing it again since every student already has a chrome book.
She understands parents don't want to take that route.
"We already know the collective trauma that our families have endured as well as our staff from a year of isolation," said Gerken. "A year of missed opportunities for socialization and now we're playing a lot of catch up, getting kids re-engaged in learning in-person as it is."
Gerken says she apologizes in advance for when communication isn't as quick as most would like, but she says parents can always contact them if they have any questions.
Whether it be through social media or just calling directly at 419-671-0001.
It's possible to get both the flu and coronavirus at the same time. But health experts say you can get your flu and COVID vaccines at the same time.
10TV / Associated Press January 7, 2022
How do I know if I have a cold, the flu or COVID-19?
Experts say testing is the best way to determine what you have since symptoms of the illnesses can overlap.
The viruses that cause colds, the flu and COVID-19 are spread the same way — through droplets from the nose and mouth of infected people. And they can all be spread before a person realizes they're infected.
The time varies for when someone with any of the illnesses will start feeling sick. Some people infected with the coronavirus don't experience any symptoms, but it's still possible for them to spread it.
Cough, fever, tiredness and muscle aches are common to both the flu and COVID-19, says Kristen Coleman, as assistant research professor at the University of Maryland School of Public Health. Symptoms specific to COVID-19 include the loss of taste or smell.
Common colds, meanwhile, tend to be milder with symptoms including a stuffy nose and sore throat. Fevers are more common with the flu.
Despite some false portrayals online, the viruses have not merged to create a new illness. But it’s possible to get the flu and COVID-19 at the same time, which some are calling “flurona.”
“A co-infection of any kind can be severe or worsen your symptoms altogether,” says Coleman. “If influenza cases continue to rise, we can expect to see more of these types of viral co-infections in the coming weeks or months.”
With many similar symptoms caused by the three virus types, testing remains the best option to determine which one you may have. At-home tests for flu aren't as widely available as those for COVID-19, but some pharmacies offer testing for both viruses at the same time, Coleman notes. This can help doctors prescribe the right treatment.
Laboratories might also be able to screen samples for various respiratory viruses, including common cold viruses. But most do not have the capacity to routinely do this, especially during a COVID-19 surge, Coleman says.
Getting vaccinated helps reduce the spread of the viruses. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says it is safe to get a flu and COVID-19 shot or booster at the same time.
CINCINNATI — A surge in COVID-19 cases is forcing local restaurants to adapt yet again.
For Carl’s Deli owner Anne McManus, the recent omicron surge is concerning. She said she is doing everything she can to stay open, including wearing masks and asking customers to do the same. The deli is focused on making sure no one gets sick, especially for an already short-staffed business.
"It's a big concern of mine that my employees stay healthy,” McManus said. “Because without them, I can't do it by myself."
Like many businesses, McManus said Carl’s Deli has faced hardships throughout the pandemic. They recently changed their hours back to what they were before the pandemic, thinking things were looking up.
"Disappointed that COVID has popped up again,” McManus said. "The most important thing is that we take it one day at a time — do what's within our power. I am doing everything I can to keep the doors open.”
John Barker, president of the Ohio Restaurant Association, said the industry is on a roller coaster. He said business picked up after vaccinations became available. However, things recently took a turn.
"You know, it seemed like things were gonna be OK, at least that's what we thought,” Barker said. “Then, sadly, we're dealing with a whole new wave with omicron. This is really pinching the industry again.”
According to the association, Ohio has lost 3,150 restaurants since the pandemic began. Barker said they are hoping to not lose any more and hoping to see a decrease in COVID cases.
"There's so many people who are testing positive with COVID that restaurants are short-handed just like any other business right now,” Barker said. “ If you have normally 50 employees, you probably have five or 10 people tested positive. It puts a lot of pressure on [restaurants] then, because some of them are still sitting on a lot of debt from 2020 — a lot of bills that didn't get paid.”
Carl’s Deli remains hopeful.
"I believe we will prevail,” McManus said. “As long as we continue to mask up, sanitize and encourage our customers to support us.”
NEW RICHMOND, Ohio — More than 100 Clermont County residents are suing the owner of the former Walter C. Beckjord coal plant, claiming that open dumping of coal ash is threatening to cause an environmental catastrophe.
“The biggest thing that affects the general public is to try to get the contamination cleaned up,” said attorney Dave Altman, who represents the nonprofit citizen group, Neighbors Opposed to Pit Expansion, or NOPE, in their lawsuit.
Altman filed the lawsuit against the owner of the former Beckjord site, Missouri-based Commercial Liability Partners and subsidiary New Richmond Development Corp., on Dec. 21 in U.S. District Court in Cincinnati. It asks for damages, civil penalties and an order forcing the company to stop alleged open dumping of toxic coal ash.
Residents and local leaders are very concerned about the six million cubic yards of coal fly ash that are stored in unlined man-made pits, also known as ponds, perched along the Ohio River, which is a source of drinking water for more than 5 million people. The ponds are in the river’s floodplain and directly upgradient from county public drinking water wells which serve 130,000 people.
“The drinking water supply is a great concern,” Altman said. “When there are unlined ponds, and they have nothing to contain what’s in them… the river will go up inside and scour out the contamination and carry it outward back into the river or push it into the groundwater inland.”
A by-product of burning coal, the U.S. EPA states on its website that fly ash contains contaminants such as mercury and arsenic.
Coal ash exposure causes higher risk of cancer in the skin, liver, bladder, and lungs, as well as neurological and psychiatric effects, cardiovascular impacts, damage to blood vessels, and anemia. It also threatens plant and animal wildlife, causing elevated selenium levels in migratory birds, wetland vegetative damage, fish kills, fish and amphibian deformities, and plant toxicity, according to the lawsuit.
Neighbors sued CLP for the first time in 2019, claiming it violated a 1986 agreement to inform the public about contaminated waste disposal. Both suits are now pending before U.S. District Court Judge Michael Barrett.
Built in the 1950s as a coal-burning giant, the Beckjord plant pumped electricity to hundreds of thousands of homes and businesses across Southwest Ohio.
Duke Energy closed Beckjord in 2014 and sold the 1400-acre site to CLP four years later. CLP is now demolishing the plant and cleaning up the site, with tentative plans to build a port terminal.
“We remain in full compliance with all regulation at the site. Our policy is not to comment on pending litigation, and we will address the allegations of NOPE's attorneys in the context of the lawsuit,” according to a CLP spokesman.
But the lawsuit claims that no agency is actively regulating coal ash at the Beckjord site.
Ohio is one of only a few states to exempt coal ash as a solid waste. That means the Ohio EPA has no authority to regulate how it is transported or stored in unlined leaking ponds along the Ohio River, according to the lawsuit.
But federal law is enforceable, Altman said.
“It’s time to cure, if we prove our case, the years of lack of regulation,” Altman said. “And to come clean with the public that the Ohio EPA never had the authority to directly regulate this fly ash. Therefore, it wasn’t regulated, and the public didn’t know that.”
Altman wants CLP to remove the coal ash from leaking, unlined pits and move it to a lined sanitary landfill.
CLP’s contractors are relocating coal ash from the oldest unlined pond on site, Pond A, to another unlined pond further south, Pond C, worrying many residents.
“Control them ash pits they got down there. They’ve been moving those ash pits,” said Judy Hurst, who grew up on the floodplain close to Beckjord. She now lives a few miles away in Clermontville.
“Some days down here, when I’ve been here, when you go down (Route) 52 you have to roll your windows up because the smoke, whatever that is, it’s all over,” Hurst said in an interview with WCPO last year.
The I-Team reported on dust clouds rising from coal ash ponds on the southern edge of the Beckjord site during the summer of 2020, as neighbors complained to the Ohio EPA.
Also during the summer of 2020, an environmental consultant for Clermont County questioned whether the CLP’s groundwater monitoring plan is adequate.
Clermont County residents also worry about a dam breach which could flood the Ohio River with toxic coal ash. If that happened, more than 30 homes would be flooded under 6 feet of coal ash in under 15 minutes, according to the lawsuit.
“The inundation maps in Beckjord’s Emergency Action Plan show that a breach of ash ponds B, C, or Cx would flood homes and result in ash entering the Ohio River. These river-related threatening conditions continue and, in fact, are being exacerbated by CLP defendants’ ongoing coal ash disposal and management practices,” according to the lawsuit.
This lawsuit could have wide-reaching implications for more than 60 older coal power plant sites nationwide, and a few locally such as Tanner’s Creek Generating Station in Lawrenceburg, Ind., and the Muskingum River plant in Southeast Ohio.
Utility companies closed these older plants, which are known as legacy sites, before the U.S. EPA created rules to regulate coal ash in 2015, leaving them largely exempt for years.
A federal appeals court ruled in 2018 that the EPA could not leave these legacy coal plant sites unregulated. The EPA is in the preliminary stage of trying to create new rules.
But Altman believes that minimum federal standards regulating coal ash do apply to these old sites, because cleanup companies are unearthing old coal ash and moving it from one pit to another, as at Beckjord.
“If you want any prayer to get this area cleaned up, now is the time to come forward and prove the case,” Altman said. “Because you can’t undo this later on; it’s going to be very, very hard once contamination has spread even further … This is the right moment.”
