Latest news with #Ritchey
Yahoo
03-04-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Alzheimer's Association offers social programs for early dementia
DAYTON, Ohio (WDTN) – Two social engagement programs for people with early-stage dementia and their care partners will be available this April. The Miami Valley Chapter of the Alzheimer's Association is running these programs. Englewood Memory Café Thursday, April 17, from noon to 1 p.m. Marion's Piazza at 404 W. National Rd., Englewood. Call (800) 272-3900 to register. Springfield Memory Café Tuesday, April 29, from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. COhatch 101 S. Fountain Ave., Springfield. Call (937) 525-3074 to RSVP. Save a life: Donate blood at local drives this April The program director for the Alzheimer's Association Miami Valley and Greater Cincinnati Chapters, Dayna Ritchey, encouraged people facing Alzheimer's to continue to enjoy life. 'A diagnosis of Alzheimer's or a related dementia is likely not the life path one envisions,' said Ritchey. 'The best way to face this disease is to continue to enjoy life. Early-stage social engagement programs offer a fun, meaningful and comfortable way for people in the early stage of the disease to connect with like individuals and care partners.' Social engagement events are believed to support brain health and may reduce the risk of depression. Activities at these events include games and music. How does winter weather affect people with Alzheimer's? 'Our social engagement programs provide a welcoming place for people with Alzheimer's or dementia and their care partners,' continued Ritchey. 'Connecting with people who understand what those with dementia are going through may provide the support, encouragement and inspiration necessary to move beyond a diagnosis.' According to the association's 2024 Alzheimer's Disease Facts and Figures, over 414,000 caregivers in Ohio provide 624 million hours of unpaid care annually. The total value of this remarkable care is $11.4 billion. To access education materials and free support resources, visit here. For phone-based help, call Miami Valley Chapter at (937) 291-3332 or the 24/7 Helpline at (800) 272-3900. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
28-03-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
MS auto group braces for tariffs on imported vehicles, parts
MEMPHIS, Tenn. — A Southaven auto group is preparing for tariffs on imported vehicles and automotive parts that could go into effect on April 3. The Trump administration announced tariffs affecting imported vehicles and automotive parts could go into effect at the beginning of April. A tariff is a tax imposed by a government on imported goods and services. Trump places 25% tariff on imported autos, expecting to raise $100 billion in tax revenues In response to the possible tax, an auto group is taking immediate action to protect its customers from unexpected costs. 'Well, my first reaction was dismay and my follow-up reaction was uncertainty,' said Kent Ritchey, owner of Landers Auto Group. Ritchey has been in the auto business for more than 50 years, and when he heard about the tariffs for foreign cars and parts, it reminded him of COVID-19. MATA deputy CEO fired after investigation into spending 'It was a mad scramble. It's kinda like the days that COVID hit. You don't know what's going to happen and you don't know how you are going to face it,' said Ritchey. He said that he is staying focused on being proactive rather than reactive by ordering extra car parts over the last 30 days. The company said in a press release they are also in line to get additional vehicles without any added cost with a promise to offer pre-tariff pricing on anything already in stock or on order. 'Calm employees down, calm customers down that's a normal reaction in any industry right now,' said Ritchey. 'We are positively optimistic.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
07-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Big Country cotton industry faces closures amid shrinking profits, labor shortages + more
COLORADO CITY, Texas () – A multitude of factors is forcing many cotton gins across the Big Country and surrounding areas to scale back production, with some at risk of shutting down entirely. The vast cotton fields are one of the defining features of the West Texas landscape, but those in the cotton industry are facing particularly tough times. Producers Coop Gin in Colorado City, a staple since the 1930s, has seen a steady decline in production in recent years. Gin manager Ray Ritchey highlights some of the challenges contributing to this downturn. 'With lower prices, farmers are having a hard time putting anything together and making a profit. That escalated with the drought and topped that off. We had well over several weeks of above 100-degree temperature. We're in the processing end of it, and if you don't have it, you don't process it,' Ritchey shared. Big Country agriculture facing weather and legislative concerns in 2025 However, Colorado City isn't alone in feeling the effects. During a recent address to the Abilene Kiwanis Club, Taylor County Extension Agent Steve Estes discussed how some cotton gins in the northwest part of the Big Country are adopting creative strategies just to stay open. 'These three came together and pooled some of their employees and they worked between the three, and they would gin cotton in one for a while and then they get caught up, and they would shut that gym down and go to another gin and run it for a little while. These are things that we had never seen before,' Estes explained. Drought and falling prices aren't the only challenges rural cotton farmers face. A growing number of farmers are seeing their operations decline as employees leave for opportunities in other sectors. Oil and gas companies, as well as wind farms, are drawing younger generations away from cotton fields and into the oil patch. Climate change & the future of cotton production in West Texas While some government assistance, such as a Small Business Administration Loan (SBA), can help farmers and farm-related businesses keep their doors open, Ray Ritchey says the stress factor is increased when there is no product to help pay back the loan. 'This area has been declared a disaster area back in '22, and it did make us eligible for SBA loans. Still, with that being said, it's harder to buy yourself out of debt with just no volume,' Ritchey said. The National Cotton Council estimates that in the 1890s, nearly 900 U.S. cotton mills operated. Today, that number has fallen to around 100. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
05-03-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Local law enforcement learn how to better serve adults with Alzheimer's
Local police officers went through a special training to help them better interact with people who have dementia. [DOWNLOAD: Free WHIO-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] Police officers interact with a lot of people on the job, and it may be difficult for them to identify someone with an illness. 'A lot of times our first responders don't know what they're dealing with or working with,' Dayna Ritchey, program director with the Alzheimer's Association said. In 2022 Ohio Governor Mike DeWine signed a law requiring training all across the Buckeye State. TRENDING STORIES: Driver who caused deadly school bus crash wants conviction thrown out, says trial wasn't fair Dozens of faculty, staff positions at University of Dayton eliminated Oregon District restaurant announces closure Ritchey said nearly 2,000 people in Ohio are living with Alzheimer's and 60 percent of them will wander. 'They could become aggressive or violent, unfortunately,' Ritchey said. 'They might transport a person with dementia to jail, which can actually just escalate things more.' She said when officers search for someone with Alzheimer's, to search smart, not loud. A loud voice could scare someone away. She said the training gave officers new ways to safely look for someone with Alzheimer's, sometimes using a dog to track the scent. 'Their procedures are to record a more common voice for the person of the closest family member, calling them and using that to help find their loved one,' Ritchey said. More information about the Alzheimer's Association can be found here. [SIGN UP: WHIO-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter]
