🌱 Marietta Hospitals Full, But Not With COVID + Herbicide Banned

Dan Casarella
Updated ·3 min read

Happy Thursday, Marietta! Here's what's happening today in town.

First, today's weather:

Very cold with periods of sun. High: 24 Low: 10.

Here are the top three stories in Marietta today:

  1. New data from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services indicates that the current hospital capacity in the Marietta area is close to its limits — but not necessarily due to COVID-19. Ohio state officials reported that over 96 percent of inpatient beds at Marietta Memorial Hospital are occupied, as are nearly 75 percent of beds at Selby General. Although the Omicron variant remains a public health risk, the percentage of inpatient beds being used by confirmed and suspected COVID-19 patients is just below 21 percent at Marietta Memorial. Selby General reported no COVID-19 inpatients. (Marietta Patch)

  2. The Environmental Protection Agency has announced a ban of two specific herbicides in 12 Ohio counties, including Washington. Because of changes in Endangered Species information, local growers can no longer use Enlist One and Enlist Duo for their soybean crops. Some in the agricultural community are concerned about the implications for their crops during an already difficult time for farmers, as Enlist herbicides were effective against certain crop diseases. “This really couldn’t happen at a worse time for growers in these counties,” wrote Mark Loux, Ohio State University Extension herbicide specialist. (Ohio’s County Journal)

  3. After heavy snow earlier this week, a new winter weather advisory is in effect for the Mid Ohio Valley through 7 a.m. today. Most areas can expect up to 3 inches of snow, according to the National Weather Service. Ashley Rittenhouse, public information officer for the Ohio Department of Transportation District 10 in Marietta, noted that the last snow event means there is “still material on the ground,” and road crews could be working around the clock to clear it all. (Marietta Times)

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Today in Marietta:

  • Girl's Night Cooking Class At Eagle Nutrition (5:30 PM)

  • Introduction to Weaving At BB2C Makerspace (6:00 PM)

From my notebook:

  • Washington County Sheriff Larry R Mincks has removed all snow emergency levels for Washington County at this time. (Facebook)

  • Every home in the United States of America is eligible to order four at-home COVID-⁠19 tests at no cost via the United States Postal Service website: special.usps.com/testkits (Facebook)

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That's it for today. I'll see you soon!

— Dan Casarella

About me: Dan Casarella is a writer, podcast producer, and small business development specialist who formerly worked in late-night television. He’s produced many talk segments, including with President Joe Biden, Kobe Bryant, and Chadwick Boseman. Dan studied Media Studies and Production at Temple University. He also enjoys running, painting, and the highs and lows of Philadelphia’s sports teams.

This article originally appeared on the Marietta Patch