(Chillicothe) – Effective Wednesday, September 15, Adena Health System is rescheduling its elective surgical procedures for a later date that require an overnight stay in the hospital through next week. This temporary change is being made out of an abundance of caution due to a significant increase in COVID-19 hospitalizations and record-high patient volumes.
Adena leadership is making this decision in order to continue providing safe, high-quality care to the influx of patients requiring hospitalization due to both COVID-19 and unrelated serious medical issues.
“We have carefully evaluated different avenues where we can make operational adjustments that will be best for the short term to relieve some of the pressure off of our hospital inpatient census, provide needed beds and give support to providers and caregivers,” said Adena President and CEO Jeff Graham. “Taking these steps will allow us to care for our patients and staff in the optimal way. This is a thoughtful approach to make sure those patients who don’t need to be in the hospital right away are not.”
The number of community members hospitalized at Adena’s four hospitals as a result of COVID-19 has continued to rise. COVID hospitalizations for Adena stood at a high mark of 74 this morning, with 55 of those patients being unvaccinated. In addition, inpatient census for Adena Regional Medical Center today was over 200 hospitalizations across all medical conditions, which strains hospital capacity.
“These adjustments and what is going on with high patient volumes is not just with Adena,” Graham added. “Similar operational adjustments in order to provide the best care possible are happening all over. What has been great about our organization is being able to handle situations as we’ve done so well over the past 19 months and this is just another situation that we need to address.”
Adena will continually monitor this fluid surge and will resume elective surgeries requiring a hospital stay as the situation improves. Adena is working closely with its medical group to ensure that patient care is prioritized as best as possible. Affected patients will be contacted by Adena to work through rescheduling and help answer any questions.
Adena, and other health care organizations across the region and beyond, continue to strongly urge everyone to get vaccinated. The COVID-19 vaccine is free and readily available. The vaccines are our best defense against further spread of the virus and effective in preventing serious illness and death. The Delta variant spreads faster than earlier forms of the virus that causes COVID-19, so getting vaccinated is the most important thing you can do to protect yourself and others.
(Hillsboro) — The annual Highland County-wide curfew will commence Friday, October 1st, 2021 for all persons under the age of 18 years. The curfew will run through October 31st, 2021 and require all persons under the age of 18 years to be off the streets and in their homes by 10pm, Monday through Thursday and by midnight Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
Judge Kevin Greer of the Highland County Common Pleas/Juvenile Division says- “The curfew does not apply where children are accompanied by parents, legal guardians or custodians. Exception is also made for children attending church, school or employment activities. Enforcement will be handled by all law enforcement agencies, including the sheriff’s department, city or village police and juvenile probations officers.”
Judge Greer added- “Noting the court has no authority to set Beggar’s Night and strictly as a convenience to law enforcement, it is suggested each city, village and organization, should they elect to have Beggar’s Night, set the same on the last Thursday in October between 6pm-8pm.”
The legacy that became a nationally known restaurant chain, returns to its roots, “down on the farm” for it’s 50th anniversary Bob Evans Farm Festival, October 8th-10th.
The October festival, located at 10854 State Route 588 Rio Grande, will be have hours of Friday 9am-5pm, Saturday 9am-6:30pm and Sunday 9am–5pm.
Tickets are $5 per person at the gate for entry, and kids five and under are free. Amusement ride tickets will be $5 for ages 12 and under, $10 for
$5 for ages 12 & under and $10 for those age 13 & older.
Miami Trace won the FAC Girls Golf Match at Hillsboro Elks on Monday evening as they carded a 198.
Chillicothe finished 2nd with a 218, McClain recorded a 233, Hillsboro came in with a 240, and Jackson rounded out the evening with a 264. Washington was unable to field a complete team.
Sharing match medalist honors were Miami Trace senior duo of Libby Aleshire and Alyssa Butler as they each fired a 47.
(Chillicothe) — In light of the continued spread of COVID in our area, consultation with our local health district, and yesterdays release from our local hospitals, The Scioto Society will be requiring guests at Haunted Mountain to wear masks throughout the facility this fall.
“We will be requiring people to mask up when they’re out and about in the facility. This means anywhere that they are not seated for the show or in the restaurant area. Once people are seated for the performance, or if they choose to visit the restaurant for a refreshment and sit down, they can take them off. We are not taking political stand on this issue, we are simply following the guidelines and advice from the most respected people in the health field right now. We have a responsibility to provide the safest environment that we’re able to, while doing everything possible to ensure that live performances can continue not only in our venue, but around the region and the state. I have a great respect for our audience and am confident that while this may be a small imposition to some, they will all join us in this effort to be sure anyone who wants to come to the theatre may do so in a safe way.” said CEO, Brandon Smith
The company had already put several protocols in place for the fall run including limiting audience to 1/3 capacity.
A special Constitution Day event will be held at OU-Chillicothe’s Bennett Hall Auditorium on Friday, September 17th. The free event runs between 10:30am to noon and can be attended in-person or by Virtual Live Streaming on Microsoft Teams: https://bit.ly/3hilIOc
Dr. John O’Keefe will lead the session, along with special guest speakers.
The guest speakers will be Patricia Vegas (Pro Bono Coordinator) and Joshua Goodwin (Managing Attorney) from Southeastern Ohio Legal Services. Their lecture will be “Access to Justice in your Community”.
O’Keefe is an associate professor of history at Ohio University-Chillicothe and received his Ph.D. from George Washington University. He is the author of Stranger Citizens: Migrant Influence and National Power in the Early American Republic (Cornell University Press, 2021.)
His work focuses on the role of migrants in the United States and shaping of the rights of citizenship, and their intersections with racial and national identity. He has written articles on U.S. Diplomatic History for the web site of the Office of the Historian at the U.S. Department of State. He has also worked on an exhibition, HIV and AIDS 30 Years Ago at the Smithsonian National Museum of American History, which was on exhibition in 2011..
