Ohio authorities remind fairgoers of hygiene, safety needs

REYNOLDSBURG, Ohio (AP) — As Ohio’s fair season begins, authorities are urging people to use good hygiene to protect themselves from viruses and other illnesses while visiting livestock exhibits.

The agriculture and health departments issued the reminder with millions of people expected to attend any of the 94 county and independent fairs, starting this week in Paulding County in northwest Ohio.

Among suggestions: always wash hands after touching any animal; don’t eat, drink or put anything in your mouth while in animal areas; leave strollers outside; and carry small children in animal areas.

They say older adults, pregnant women, young children and people with weakened immune systems are at particular risk.

Flu, salmonella and other illnesses are concerns. Veterinarians will monitor fair animals.

The Ohio State Fair in Columbus runs July 25-Aug. 5.

Clark State will offer bachelor’s degree starting next year

SPRINGFIELD, Ohio (AP) — A community college in western Ohio will offer its first four-year degree starting next year.

Clark State Community College in Springfield announced recently that it has received state approval to offer a bachelor’s degree in manufacturing technology management.

Clark State President Jo Alice Blondin says the program will allow people currently working in the manufacturing industry to learn new skills and prepare for advancement.

Dean of Business and Applied Technology Aimee Belanger-Haas tells the Springfield News-Sun that employers have already committed to sending about 100 workers to the program in its first few years.

The school had to revise its original proposal for the program after the Ohio Department of Higher Education noted concerns that it could be too similar to degrees offered at other schools.

Cincinnati officials again focus on teen’s minivan death

CINCINNATI (AP) — City officials are continuing their efforts to review and correct the failed response to a 16-year-old student who died trapped in a minivan parked near his school.

The city council’s Law & Public Safety committee Monday will focus on timetables for changes and answers to questions raised by Kyle Plush’s parents. Ron Plush found his son dead nearly after six hours after the first of two 911 calls by Kyle on April 10.

Since the last committee meeting, a civilian was chosen to replace a police captain overseeing the city’s 911 center.

A coroner said Kyle died of asphyxiation because his chest was being compressed.

The city plans an independent review of the response, and to upgrade equipment, increase training and improve ways to hone in on 911 callers’ locations.

Report shows record number of drug overdose deaths in county

CLEVELAND (AP) — A medical examiner has reported a record number of fatal drug overdoses for a northeast Ohio county.

The preliminary report released Monday by Cuyahoga County Medical Examiner Thomas Gilson shows the total number of overdose deaths in the county that includes Cleveland rose to 727 in 2017. That compares with 666 overdose deaths the previous year. The total number of fatal overdoses includes deaths from prescription drugs as well as from other drugs.

But Gilson noted the rate of increase in overdose deaths did slow from 80 percent between 2015 and 2016 to 9 percent between 2016 and 2017.

He says some factors that apparently contributed to a slower rate included a decrease in carfentanil and the increased availability of the anti-overdose drug naloxone, addiction treatment and prevention education.