In July, the Clermont County Chamber of Commerce recognized Clermont County Public Health and Emergency Management Agency (EMA) for their response
to the Covid-19 Pandemic. Both agencies have worked tirelessly to address the needs of residents, public safety partners, and local communities.
The year started with encouraging news as vaccines were administered to healthcare workers and public safety partners. With the high demand and low vaccine supply, EMA established a call center to answer questions and get residents registered for the vaccine waitlist. The first public vaccine clinic for residents 80 and older was on Jan. 21. As the vaccine supply increased and eligibility expanded, Public Health partnered with UC Clermont College to open a mass vaccination site. The new site could accommodate up to 750 people per day.
To expand access, Public Health and EMA worked to identify community-based vaccine locations to make it more convenient for residents to get vaccinated throughout the county. Some of these locations included fire stations, community buildings, schools, and private businesses.
To date, Clermont County Public Health has vaccinated more than 39,446 individuals ranging in age from 5 to 102.
| Jan. | Feb. | Mar. | Apr. | May. | June. | July. | Aug. | Sep. | Oct. | Nov. | Dec. | Total as of 10.31.21 |
| 2,556 | 4,475 | 11,184 | 14,164 | 4,253 | 1,329 | 231 | 267 | 215 | 772 | 39,446 |
Public Health and EMA continue to lead the effort to respond to and recover Covid-19. These agencies continue to coordinate resources and share information with local public safety partners as well as provide support to individuals and families in isolation/quarantine. To date, EMA has worked with the United Way and local food panties to provide more than 105 food deliveries to individuals and families during their isolation/quarantine periods. Vaccinations will continue to be available for all eligible individuals through Clermont County Public Health.
Detective Bill Brewer
BATAVIA, Ohio (Feb. 6, 2019) – All Clermont County courts and many county offices will be closed Friday, Feb. 8, to allow employees to attend, view or participate in services for Sheriff’s Detective Bill Brewer, who lost his life in the line of duty on Feb. 2.
CLOSED
Sheriff’s Office: Administrative offices close at noon Thursday and all day Friday.
Common Pleas Court: Closes at 2 p.m. Thursday and all day Friday. This also includes Probation, Law Library, and Court Services.
Juvenile Court/Probate Court: Closes at 2 p.m. Thursday and all day Friday.
Prosecutor’s Office: Closes at 2 p.m. Thursday and all day Friday.
Domestic Relations Court: Closes at 2 p.m. Thursday and all day Friday. All hearings will be scheduled to the next available time.
Board of County Commissioners’ office, and departments including Water Resources Administration Building, Building Inspection, Permit Central, Job & Family Services, OhioMeansJobs/Clermont County, and Department of Community & Economic Development: Closed Friday.
Municipal Court: Closed Friday. Those who have an arraignment scheduled for Friday will be sent a new court date. They can also check the Clermontclerk.org website for updated information.
Common Pleas Clerk’s Office, Domestic Relations Clerk and all auto title offices: Closed Friday.
Public Defender’s Office: Closed Friday.
Auditor’s Office: Closed Friday.
Recorder’s Office: Closed Friday.
Engineer’s Office: Closed Friday.
Public Health: Closed Friday.
Coroner’s Office: Closed Friday; on call at 513.543.0129.
OPEN
Some county offices will be open, including the Treasurer’s Office, which is accepting payments for first-half property taxes, which are due Feb. 13. The Municipal Clerk of Court Office will be open Friday. The Board of Elections office will be open Friday.
Bus service in Clermont County, including Dial-A-Ride, will operate normally.
The county website, www.clermontcountyohio.gov, has separate pages for each county office, including how to contact them. Check there if you have questions on whether an office is open or closed.
Services for Detective Brewer are as follows:
Family and friends are invited to a public visitation from 4-8 p.m., Thursday, Feb. 7, at Mount Carmel Christian Church, 4110 Bach Buxton Rd, Batavia, OH 45103, under the direction of E.C. Nurre Funeral Home in Amelia. Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. Friday at the church. Interment will follow at Pierce Township Cemetery.
BATAVIA, Ohio – Interested in learning more about county government? Have you ever seen a K-9 team in action? Do you want to find out more about the county’s Opiate Task Force? If so, please join us in April during National County Government Month.
Clermont County will hold several open houses and activities during the month.
The public is invited and is asked to register at https://clermontcountyohio.gov//national-county-government-month or call Kathleen Williams at 513.732.7597, or email her at kwilliams@clermontcountyohio.gov.
Saturday, April 7
Celebrate the outdoors at Sycamore Park
10 a.m.-noon: Nest Fest at Sycamore Park. Learn how to identify bird eggs and nests, use your “owl eyes” for our egg hunt and meet birds of prey up close thanks to our friends at RAPTOR Inc.
Address: 4082 SR 132, Batavia
Meet your new pet
1-2 p.m.: Meet the folks at the Clermont Animal CARE Humane Society animal shelter, 4025 Filager Road, Batavia. The new managers of the animal shelter will talk about their philosophy and initiatives. You can also meet the dogs and cats available for adoption.
Address: 4025 Filager Road, Batavia
Thursday, April 12
Celebrating successes in the opiate epidemic fight
2-3:30 p.m.: Join Clermont County’s Opiate Task Force as it celebrates Ohio’s ‘A Week of Appreciation,’ Batavia Township Community Center. Learn more about the task force’s accomplishments, initiatives and resources as it thanks those who have been on the front lines of fighting this epidemic. Light refreshments.
Address: Batavia Township Community Center, 1535 Clough Pike, Batavia
Saturday, April 14
Rendezvous on the River
10 a.m. – 4 p.m.: Help the Clermont County Park District celebrate spring and National County Government Month with the season-opening event at Chilo Lock 34 Park. We’ll have food, fun and special guests on every floor of the Visitors Center from noon to 3 p.m. Enjoy the playground, hike the trails and watch the mighty Ohio River from the boat ramp or the observation deck all day long.
Address: 521 County Park Road, Chilo (off U.S. 52)
Thursday, April 19
Ensuring public health
2-3 p.m.: Public Health is more than just flu shots. Visit your Public Health officials at the Clermont County Public Health Nursing Division to see what it takes to protect the health of Clermont County and its residents.
Birth certificates, flu shots, septic system inspections, plumbing permits, restaurant inspections, WIC, free car seats for needy families, and reducing drug overdoses in the community are just a few of the things that Public Health does. Stop by for an open house and talk to your public health department.
Address: 2400 Clermont Center Drive, Suite 200, Batavia
Enforcing laws & protecting citizens
6 p.m.-7:30 p.m.: Tour the Sheriff’s Office. See the Crime Lab. In the parking lot, see a demonstration by the K-9 unit, and the Special Response Team – including a robot used in dangerous situations.
Address: 4470 SR 222, Batavia – please park in adjacent Municipal Court parking lot
Saturday, April 21
Spring Litter Clean-Up
This annual volunteer event is held in communities throughout Clermont County. Appreciate our county’s beauty? Volunteer to be part of this countywide event – whether in cities, townships and villages, along the Little Miami and East Fork, or at East Fork State Park. Find out more information here: https://www.springlittercleanup.com/. #GreenClermont
Tuesday, April 24
Protecting our water & environment
10-11:30 a.m.: Tour the Bob McEwen Water Treatment Plant and learn how water from Harsha Lake becomes drinking water. And learn more about how we are protecting our watershed from the Office of Environmental Quality and Soil & Water Conservation District. #GreenClermont
Address: 3960 Greenbriar Road, Batavia
Disability awareness
4-6 p.m.: Learn about services offered by the Clermont County Board of Developmental Disabilities, as well as other agencies in the Tri-State area that serve children and adults with disabilities. Members of the Clermont County Voices self-advocacy group will be available to give facility tours and answer questions about the challenges they have faced in their everyday lives.
Address: 2040 US Highway 50, Batavia
#LeadingTheWay
#CountiesMatter
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Batavia, OH (June 20, 2017)
Thanks to a $12,000 grant, Clermont County Public Health will be conducting mosquito surveys throughout the county and working to decrease the mosquito population this summer. The money for the grant comes from the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency’s Mosquito Control Grant. The Mosquito Control Grant Program provides money to public agencies to minimize the potential for an outbreak of mosquito-borne viruses like Zika, West Nile, and La Crosse Encephalitis.
The grant provides a summer intern to set mosquito traps at four locations throughout Clermont County. Two locations are along the Ohio River, one is along the Little Miami River, and the fourth location will move throughout the county.
All mosquitos trapped will be sent to an Ohio Department of Health laboratory to identify the species and see if they are carrying, or are capable of transmitting West Nile Virus, Zika, or La Crosse Encephalitis. “Only certain types of mosquitos can transmit Zika or West Nile,” said Health Commissioner Julianne Nesbit.
According to the Ohio Department of Health, there were 17 human cases of West Nile Virus in Ohio in 2016. Two of those were in Clermont County.
“We don’t have the existing resources to be able to provide mosquito control in the county, so this grant will allow us to provide a valuable service to our residents,” said Nesbit. “If we respond to a nuisance complaint, our staff members will be able to work with landowners to reduce potential mosquito breeding sites on their property.”
Mosquitos lay their eggs in stagnant water and will use bird baths, buckets, or other containers that hold water as their breeding sites. “If you don’t give them any places to lay eggs, you won’t have as many mosquitos to worry about,” said Nesbit.
The best way to prevent the spread of these diseases is to wear insect repellant, or long sleeves and pants, and to eliminate standing water on your property,” said Nesbit.
For more information on mosquitos, visit www.ccphohio.org.
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Attached photo: Kate Woods, a summer intern with Clermont County Public Health checks a mosquito trap.
Clermont County Public Health (CCPH) is dedicated to the mission of striving to improve Clermont County by preventing disease, promoting health, and protecting the environment. For more information, visit http://www.ccphohio.org or call 513-732-7499.
BATAVIA, Ohio (Aug. 11, 2016) – A Clermont County woman was recently bitten by a bat that was discovered in her home. The bat was captured and brought to Clermont County Public Health to be tested. An Ohio Department of Health laboratory tested the bat and found it had rabies. The woman is undergoing treatment and should be fine.
The last time rabies was found in Clermont County was in 2013 when it was also discovered in a bat. Rabies can be carried and spread by a number of wild animals, but bats and raccoons make up the majority of rabies cases in Ohio. In 2015, there were 24 confirmed rabies cases in the state.
The rabies virus is spread through the saliva of an infected animal and affects the central nervous system. Once infected, the virus will almost always cause death. However, human rabies cases in the United States are extremely rare because of pet vaccinations and anti-rabies treatment.
The large majority of animal bite cases investigated by Clermont County Public Health each year are from domestic dogs or cats. In 2015, Clermont County Public Health investigated 331 animal bite reports, of which 97 percent were dogs and cats. “In these cases the biting animal is typically quarantined for 10 days after which it is evaluated for rabies,” said Rob Perry, director of environmental health. “If it is a wild animal and can be safely captured, it is humanely euthanized and sent to the Ohio Department of Health lab for testing.”
In cases where the biting animal cannot be captured for quarantine or testing, the bite victim is referred to their physician to be evaluated for post-exposure rabies treatment. If warranted, rabies treatment should begin as soon as reasonably possible after a bite to maximize effectiveness. Treatment can be initiated through any hospital emergency room.
Because of their nocturnal lifestyle, and the fact that they fly, physical encounters with bats are rare. However, Perry warns that “bats that are seen during the day or are unable to fly are more likely to be rabid.” Even though bat encounters with people do happen, pets are still more likely to be exposed or bitten by a bat, or other wild animal, so keeping your pet current on its rabies vaccinations is important.
If a bat is found in your home, careful evaluation for possible exposure should be done. Because a bat bite may be so small that it could go undetected, rabies treatment should be considered if the bat was found in a room with a sleeping person, an unattended child who is not able to describe what happened, or a room with an individual under the influence of alcohol or drugs or with other sensory or mental impairment.
“Contact with any wild animal should be avoided,” said Perry. “However, if a bat does enter your home and must be caught, protect yourself by wearing thick leather gloves, and try to trap the bat in a large jar or container, to transport.” For more information on rabies visit www.ccphohio.org
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For more information:
Keith Robinson, Communications Coordinator at Clermont Public Health, 513.732.7717 or ktrobinson@clermontcountyohio.gov
ABOUT CLERMONT PUBLIC HEALTH: CCPH is a local government agency that provides public and environmental services, nursing services and education to Clermont County residents. For more information, visit http://www.ccphohio.org or call 513.732.7499.
BATAVIA, Ohio (Feb. 24, 2016) – Clermont County Public Health is now offering smoking cessation classes to Clermont County residents. The classes will be led by a public health nurse and certified tobacco cessation specialist, and take place at the Nursing Division of Clermont County Public Health, 2400 Clermont Center Drive in Batavia.
As a result of the Community Health Improvement Plan that Clermont County Public Health conducted in 2014, tobacco use was identified as one of the top four public health concerns in Clermont County. In a community survey, 27 percent of Clermont County adults reported being smokers, compared to 23 percent of adults in Ohio (source: Ohio Department of Health), and only 17 percent of adults nationwide (source: Centers for Disease Control). “Our goal is to reduce tobacco use among residents by six percent by 2019,” said Clermont County Public Health Commissioner Julianne Nesbit.
The cessation counseling sessions will be tailored to meet the needs of each individual. Each patient will meet with the cessation specialist for an initial consultation to develop a specialized plan for quitting tobacco. The consultation will include a survey to determine how nicotine dependent each person is. The cessation counseling sessions will be billed to the individual’s insurance provider, meaning there will be no out-of-pocket expenses for the classes.
All classes will take place at Clermont County Public Health’s Nursing Division, located at 2400 Clermont Center Drive, suite 200, in Batavia. To schedule an appointment, citizens can call Clermont County Public Health at 513-735-8400. ##########
BATAVIA, Ohio (Oct. 8, 2015) — The newest segment of the Williamsburg to Batavia Hike/Bike Trail will open with a ribbon-cutting at 2:30 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 15. With this segment, the trail is now 6 miles long.
The trail, which will be 15 miles long when completed, is a combination of shared roadways and paved paths. It runs from Williamsburg to the East Fork State Park Campground and now to Zagar Road in Batavia Township.
According to Chris Clingman, Director of the Clermont County Park District, “This newest segment of trail is reusing the roadbed of old Zagar Road, which was abandoned during the creation of Harsha Lake and East Fork State Park. Clermont County Engineer Pat Manger’s staff prepared the old roadbed for paving.” From Zagar Road, cyclists can connect to UC East and Clermont County YMCA via Curliss Lane and James E. Sauls Sr. Drive, he said.
The newest segment of the trail was funded by a $50,000 grant to Clermont County Public Health from Interact for Health through its Physical Activities Environment Grant Program. The grant was designed to help complete trail linkages and to provide opportunities for underserved portions of the Tristate population to have access to areas for physical activity. “This adds a location for no-cost physical activity, which is one of the main objectives of the county’s Community Health Improvement Plan,” said Clermont County Health Commissioner Julianne Nesbit.
To date, approximately $1.18 million has been raised for the bike trail through grants and fund-raising. Funding has come from federal Transportation Enhancement Grants, state capital project grants, townships and villages, as well as private sector donors including Peoples Bank (formerly National Bank & Trust), Dualite Corp., Duke Energy, and United Dairy Farmers. An annual winter fundraiser has contributed from $6,000 to $10,000 per year.
“As each section of the Williamsburg-Batavia Hike/Bike Trail is funded and built we celebrate the collaboration and cooperation that is moving along with this awesome project, “ said Mary Ann Lefker, Mayor of Williamsburg.
“The Village of Williamsburg has already seen the benefits of having this trail connected to our village. Our goal is to keep the trail moving forward towards Batavia and, as research has shown, that may only be the beginning of the connectivity to other trails throughout the region.”
Batavia Township trustees are also excited about progress on the bike trail.
“We realize the value to the residents of our community this trail provides as it connects the Villages of Batavia and Williamsburg to East Fork State Park,” said Randy Perry, Chairman of the Board of Trustees. “While benefits have already been realized, the completed trail will be well worth the efforts of the many partners that have thus far joined in the effort to create this trail.”
Park District Director Clingman noted that “where most trails are relatively flat, this trail is like taking a ride down an old country road. It takes you past fields, through woods, up and down hills, across creeks to some of the most scenic spots in Clermont County.
“Along the route there is an overlook of the East Fork River Valley, a wetland with observation deck, overlook of Harsha Lake, and a view of small waterfalls in Cain Run Creek, “ he added.
The trail is administered by the Clermont County Park District. Other partners include:
Village of Williamsburg, Village of Batavia, Williamsburg Township, Batavia Township; U.S. Army Corps of Engineers; Ohio Department of Natural Resources; Clermont County Engineer; Clermont County Public Health; Clermont County Water Resources Department; Clermont County Commissioners; OKI Regional Council of Governments; UC Clermont, and the Clermont Family YMCA.
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On the web:
http://www.clermontparks.org/wbbiketrail.aspx
BATAVIA, Ohio (Sept. 11, 2015) – Local public health officials have issued a recreational public health advisory for the Ohio River as a result of microcystin levels tested in river water samples. Microcystin is a toxic chemical produced by cyanobacteria, often called blue-green algae. Some species of blue-green algae cause harmful algal blooms (HABs) which produce toxins like microcystin, which can make people and pets sick, depending upon the amount and type of exposure.
An advisory means toxin levels exceed the recommended threshold. Swimming or wading is not recommended for the elderly or very young and people with compromised immune systems.
Multiple state and local organizations including Clermont County Public Health, Cincinnati Health Department, Northern Kentucky Health Department,Hamilton County Public Health, Ohio EPA, Greater Cincinnati Water Works, Kentucky Division of Water, and Ohio River Valley Water Sanitation Commission – are continuously monitoring and analyzing the presence of algae in the Greater Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky portion of the Ohio River.
Last weekend, health officials urged residents to use caution when swimming or doing other recreational water activities as weather conditions were favorable for HABs to bloom in the Ohio River.
HAB toxins can cause a rash, hives, diarrhea, vomiting, abdominal pain and more severe symptoms at elevated levels of exposure. Seek immediate medical attention if you become sick after recreating on the Ohio River.
For tips to avoid becoming ill from contact with blue-green algae, visit the Clermont Public Health website at http://www.clermonthealthdistrict.org/.
