ODOT updates road projects in county

The Ohio Department of Transportation has released a traffic advisory for road construction and major maintenance projects along the state and federal highway system within Lawrence County.

All work will take place during daytime, business hours Monday through Friday unless otherwise indicated.

 County Road 1 (Old U.S. 52) is closed between the 9.32 and 9.48-mile markers for a dual bridge replacement project. The project site is located just south of U.S. 52 and its junction with County Road 144 (Charley Creek Road) at Sybene. Throughout construction, traffic will be detoured into the village via Township Road 276 (Sandusky Road), and all traffic will be maintained within the community. The scheduled completion date is Oct. 29.

State Route 7 is now open in two lanes near the 4.50-mile marker, between Chesapeake and State Route 243 at Bradrick, following a slip repair project. Although crews have minor finishing work to complete, there should be little impact to traffic, and traffic will be maintained by flaggers as needed.

A pavement repair and preventive maintenance project is under way on State Route 141, between State Route 217 and State Route 775. Traffic is being maintained in one lane with the use of flaggers when crews are at work. The scheduled completion date for all work is Sept. 1.

Construction for a bridge repair and resurfacing project on U.S. Route 52 continues, and contractors will be completing paving operations from the state Route 650 exit at Hanging Rock to the eastern corporation limit of Coal Grove. Traffic is reduced to one, 11.5-foot lane in each direction. The scheduled completion date for all work is Sept. 10.

As part of the resurfacing project on U.S. 52, two lanes of northbound traffic on the 13th Street Bridge will be reduced to one lane to mitigate traffic flow from two, left-turn lanes to a single, westbound lane onto U.S. 52. The inside left-turn lane and the (eastbound) right-turn lane from the bridge to U.S. 52 will remain open. The lane restrictions are anticipated to be in effect through mid-August.

Drivers needed for Meals on Wheels

RUSSELL, Ky. — Our Lady of Bellefonte Hospital’s (OLBH) Healthy Community Services program is in need of volunteers to drive HCS’s new Meals on Wheels routes serving South Ashland, Catlettsburg and Burnaugh and additional volunteers are needed for the existing Summit route.

“Meals on Wheels exists to provide for those who have food needs they can not meet without the assistance of a delivered meal,” Mary Ellen Conley, OLBH Senior Services coordinator, said.

“We’ve been happy to meet the demand for meals with our new routes, but the demand for those meals currently outweighs the number of volunteers we have in those areas.

“This is why anyone interested in volunteering would indeed be doing a great service for their neighbors and I know they would find the experience rewarding. Many of our clients would not be able to stay in their own homes without the assistance this program provides.”

Volunteer drivers are asked to drive during lunch hours only one day a month for about two hours. Drivers use their own vehicles and fuel.

Food for the new routes in South Ashland, Catlettsburg and Burnaugh is prepared by Mary’s Kitchen and meals are available for $4. Clients meeting poverty level guidelines may receive assistance with meal costs.

Those unable to prepare their own meals, who have no caregiver to provide meals, who can no longer drive or who are not eligible for other food delivery programs may be qualified to receive Meals on Wheels delivery.

To learn more about becoming a client or to volunteer, call (606)-833-3398 or toll-free at 1-877-827-7012.

OLBH assists with meals being delivered five days a week to elderly or disabled people with food being prepared by a variety of vendors and delivered by volunteers.

Celiac Awareness event to be Aug. 30

HUNTINGTON, WV – Walkers can help raise awareness and funds for celiac disease at the 3rd Annual Making Tracks for Celiac Awareness Walk on Sunday, Aug. 30. Registration begins at 1 p.m. and the walk steps off at 2 p.m.

The event offers free entertainment beginning at 3 p.m. that includes inflatables for children and a poker walk with prizes. Proceeds from the event will be used to offer free screening opportunities to high-risk patients, provide doctors with educational materials, provide care packages to newly diagnosed patients and expand the celiac disease awareness campaign.

For more information or to register, please visit www.orgsites.com/wv/wvgig.

Celiac disease is an autoimmune disease affecting 1 in 133 Americans. Celiac affects the small intestine when wheat, barley or rye are consumed. Most of the symptoms associated with celiac disease are non-specific and may include anemia, chronic fatigue, osteoporosis and other symptoms.

Patients with autoimmune diseases, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) or other syndromes are at a high risk for celiac disease.