High Points of the Valley (Graphic Illustration)

* What a wonderful collaboration between Belpre Girl Scout Troops, the City of Belpre Tree Commission and Mayor Susan Abdella, as the city celebrated the official opening of its Friendship Orchard last week. Fruit-bearing trees and bushes planted at the corner of Campbell Drive and Boulevard Drive can now provide fruit and berries for the community, but also support wildlife and pollinators. It is a beautiful, functional green space, funded by a grant from the Belpre Area Community Foundation. “The Girl Scouts did a fantastic job. This is more than just planting trees; it’s about teaching the next generation to care for our environment and understanding the importance of sustainability in our community,” said Tree Commission Chair Maxine Mobbs. We could all learn a thing or two from the teamwork that brought this project to life. Thank you, folks. And well done.

* Communities across the Mid-Ohio Valley struggle with stray and feral cat populations. But local and state organizations are working diligently to put a dent in the problem. Last week, the Save A Kitty Feral Cat Program teamed up with Rascal Unit to hold a spay and neuter clinic that helped 116 stray and feral cats. Save A Kitty founder Kandi Habeb said during the event, held at the Belpre Bingo Hall, the cats were spayed or neutered and vaccinated. Some also were treated for fleas and other parasites and given basic treatment for medical issues. Rascal Unit, based in Dublin, Ohio, provided the two mobile veterinary hospitals where the work took place. Habeb was correct to say the event had a “huge impact.” In fact, her organization reports it has spayed or neutered approximately 9,300 cats since 2004. That kind of effort might not be the whole solution (for goodness sake, folks, spay and neuter your own pets!) but it is an integral part