Your WYSO Evening News Update for May 18, 2022, with Jerry Kenny:
- DPS food pantry
(WYSO) — Dayton Public School officials held a grand opening for a new food pantry today. Edison Elementary is now the first school in the district to have a pantry that’s available for students and their families.
- Biodigester asks for lawsuit dismissal
(Dayton Daily News) — A local company running a biodigester and the State of Ohio are asking a US District Court to throw out a lawsuit filed against them by the City of Fairborn and Bath Township. The suit says the biodigester facility east of Fairborn operated by Renergy violates state and national air pollution laws. The State of Ohio had already filed a similar lawsuit against the facility, but that suit was settled. The State EPA and Renergy argue that the settlement negates the suit by Fairborn and Bath Township. Trustees in Bath Township say that in spite of the settlement with the state, the facility still emits excessive amounts of ammonia. Residents living near the facility on Herr Road have complained for years about odors from the biodigester.
- Invasive worm spotted in Ohio
(Columbus Dispatch) — An invasive species of worms has been spotted in Ohio. The Ohio State University Extension in Trumbull County says a resident spotted a Hammerhead worm on their lawn. They have also been spotted in Darke County. The Worm can be up to a foot long and has a crescent-shaped head, similar to a hammerhead shark. The worms eat snails, slugs, and earthworms. They do produce a neurotoxin to help them eat their prey, which can cause irritation if touched with bare hands. You should not cut the worm in half because they can reproduce asexually into two worms. Instead, the OSU Extension recommends using salt or rubbing alcohol to kill the worm.
- COVID-19 Treatments
(Ideastream) — Although Ohio's COVID-19 rates are staying relatively low, state health officials would like people to know there are treatments available to avoid severe reactions or hospitalization. In a press conference Wednesday, OhioHealth's Dr. Joe Gastaldo said those treatment options are monoclonal antibodies and antiviral medications. "They are really for anybody, regardless of their vaccination status, who has a high-risk conditions," Dr, Gastaldo said. "When you look at the collection of high-risk conditions, there are things on there we are all very familiar with, like diabetes, heart disease, lung disease, liver disease, kidney disease." Physical inactivity, neurological conditions, disabilities, and substance abuse disorders can also make a person higher risk and eligible for one of these treatments. Ohio Department of Health's Dr. Bruce Vanderhoff says you should talk to your doctor about what treatment might be right for you. There is a short window of time that a person can take the treatments, and an Ideastream Public Media report found some eligible people weren't being prescribed the medications because providers weren't familiar with them.
