Regional news

Northwest Ohio – Wildlife District Two

State Wildlife Officer Ethan Bingham, assigned to Williams County, received a call from the Williams County Sheriff’s Office about a common loon in a yard. Officer Bingham captured the loon, which appeared to be healthy and unharmed. Loons need a large body of water to take off and fly. The loon was transported to Lake La Su An Wildlife Area, where it was released on a lake.

State Wildlife Officer Eric VonAlmen, assigned to Wood County, observed four individuals fishing below the dam at Mary Jane Thurston State Park. After fishing, the anglers left behind the trash they had accumulated as they prepared to leave. Two individuals placed plastic bait containers into the river, and a trash bag was thrown into the weeds. All four suspects received a summons for stream litter, and each paid a $150 fine.

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The State of Ohio has announced that two years after its debut, the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline is a proven safety net for thousands of Ohioans each month who face emotional distress or thoughts of suicide.

Since its launch on July 16, 2022, the service has grown steadily. In that time, Ohio’s 19 call centers – the most of any state in the nation – have responded to nearly 340,000 calls, texts, and chats: an average of more than 14,000 contacts each month.

Ohio 988’s average speed-to-answer rate is 25 seconds, compared to 36 seconds nationally, and since its launch, the average amount of calls rolling over to the national 988 network is just 2%, reflecting a workforce capacity that allows the vast majority of calls from Ohioans to be answered in-state, by individuals with knowledge of local resources that can make a difference in a crisis.

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