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Ohio Valley Economists Weigh In On Biden’s Recovery Plan
By: Alana Watson | Ohio Valley ReSource
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BOWLING GREEN, Ky. (OVR) — The COVID-19 pandemic is continuing to cripple the economy in the Ohio Valley and President Joe Biden and Congressional Democrats are pursuing his plan for economic recovery. Biden’s economic priorities include raising the minimum wage to $15 an hour, forgiving student loan debt, and undoing some Trump-era tax cuts. But Biden’s… Read More

Ohio Valley Natural Gas Counties Get Small Piece Of National Economic Pie
By: Alana Watson | Ohio Valley ReSource
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BOWLING GREEN, Ky. (OVR) — An analysis of natural gas production in the Ohio Valley finds that the biggest gas producing counties in the region suffered economically over the past decade compared to the rest of the country, although natural gas production was high. The report released Wednesday by the Ohio River Valley Institute, a nonprofit… Read More

Watchdog Report Finds Over-Prescription Of Opioids For Some Medicaid Patients
By: Alana Watson | Ohio Valley ReSource
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(Ohio Valley ReSource) — A report from a federal oversight agency shows that over 4,000 patients in the Ohio Valley received high amounts of opioids in 2018 through Medicaid, potentially putting hundreds at risk of addiction and overdose. The Office of Inspector General for the Department of Health and Human Services focused the report on six Appalachian… Read More

Report Shows Personal Income Declined Sharply In Ohio Valley July – Sept.
By: Alana Watson | Ohio Valley ReSource
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(Ohio Valley ReSource) — A new federal report shows that West Virginia and Kentucky saw the country’s sharpest declines in personal income last quarter as some forms of federal support during the pandemic expired. The U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis says personal income decreased in every state in the third quarter of 2020, which includes… Read More

Despite Voting Restoration Thousands Are Still Disenfranchised In The Ohio Valley
By: Alana Watson | Ohio Valley ReSource
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BOWLING GREEN, Ky. (OVR) — After more than a decade, Kentucky resident Guy Hamilton-Smith voted this year for the first time in the state. Even though he didn’t vote in person because of the COVID-19 pandemic, sending his ballot through the mail was still an emotional moment. “Not being able to vote for many years was… Read More

“Diseases Of Despair” Deaths Drop Slightly But Still Higher In Appalachia
By: Alana Watson | Ohio Valley ReSource
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BOWLING GREEN, Ky. (OVR) — New research shows that deaths due to the mix of substance use disorder and suicides known as “diseases of despair” declined slightly in 2018. But the mortality rates throughout the Ohio Valley and Appalachian region are still higher than the national average. A report from the Appalachian Regional Commission found that overall… Read More

Last-Minute Voting Questions In The Election Home Stretch
By: Alana Watson | Ohio Valley ReSource
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BOWLING GREEN, Ky. (OVR) — The conclusion of this most unusual general election is only a few days away. On Tuesday, November 3, people will make their way to polls, if they haven’t done so already, to cast their ballots. Due to the coronavirus pandemic, election officials have expanded voting options for those who are… Read More

ARC Investing Over 15 Million In Ohio Valley Economic Projects
By: Alana Watson | Ohio Valley ReSource
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BOWLING GREEN, Ky. (OVR) — The Appalachian Regional Commission is investing another $43.3 million in communities affected by the downturn of the coal industry. The latest POWER grants from the ARC will support 51 projects in coal-dependent communities, including over $15 million for 20 projects in the Ohio Valley. The investments are going towards projects that will support broadband expansion,… Read More

A Pandemic Voter’s Guide For Ohio
By: Alana Watson | Ohio Valley ReSource
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ATHENS, Ohio (OVR) — The coronavirus pandemic has forced elections officials to expand options for voters in November’s general election. This means you will have more ways to vote, including mail-in ballots and early in-person voting. But it also means many people have questions about how to vote. Here are answers to some common questions… Read More

Ohio Valley Election Officials Prepare For Unprecedented Pandemic Election
By: Alana Watson | Ohio Valley ReSource
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BOWLING GREEN, Ky. (OVR) — Governors, Secretaries of State, and other state and local election officials throughout the Ohio Valley are preparing for an unprecedented election during a global pandemic. The COVID-19 pandemic has forced local governments to change practices that have been the same for decades, and to do so in a highly charged political… Read More