Featured News
Newark’s medical loan closet works to reduce one-off medical equipment purchases
Community members can visit in person or call to borrow assorted medical equipment, like a book from a library.
New Albany Company moves east to develop industrial park in western Muskingum County
The New Albany Company has extended its development arm beyond Franklin and Licking counties to Muskingum County. The company – which transformed the sleepy farming village into a major Columbus […]
Recurring flood damage in Alexandria area raises questions about jurisdiction and responsibility
Long-time residents along Raccoon Valley Road have seen an increase in flooding in the past few years but say local authorities aren’t addressing the problem.
Licking County Health Department has tested a record number of bats for rabies this year
The health department said of the 50 bats it has tested this year, zero have tested positive for the deadly virus.
Local News
Dawes Arboretum celebrates semiquincentennial with tree dedicated to the America 250-Ohio Commission
The arboretum has a long history of dedicating trees to historically significant people, including astronaut John Glenn, the Wright brothers, Jesse Owens and Jack Hanna.
Farmers raise concerns about long-term protection of water resources in wake of Ohio Chamber of Commerce study on data-center demand
A key finding in an Ohio Chamber of Commerce study of water and electricity resources available for data center growth in central and southwestern Ohio is that those corridors are […]
Westerman Inc expansion in Hebron will bring 135 new jobs to Licking County
Westerman will update an existing 100,000-square-foot warehouse and will begin hiring and training new staff, eyeing a manufacturing start date in April 2027.
Buxton Inn ‘Grand Reawakening’ on Sept. 23 celebrates historic hotel, benefits the Granville Historical Society
The smell of fresh varnish wafts through the formal bar as painters finish walnut table tops for the dining room. Landscapers scurry from one flower bed to another, while bricklayers […]
Things to Do in Licking County
Events
Kindness
‘Navigators’ launch into work helping unhoused people find housing and keep it
Licking County Foundation funds help five organizations hire people who can help clients navigate government and social service systems to address barriers to permanent housing, such as legal, medical and mental health issues, and to find homes.
‘There’s a lot of Brocks around here’: The complicated life and death of a loved one on the streets
Brock Lewis, a 34-year-old, lifelong Newark resident with unforgettable blue eyes, represents a population often overlooked – or looked at with disdain – by society. He was among three unhoused people who died on the streets of Newark this summer.
Annual Overdose Awareness Rally in Newark honors more than 300 lives lost to overdose
In Licking County, reported accidental overdose deaths totaled 24 in 2025, according to Licking County Coroner’s Office investigator Renee Rodgers. As of June 2026, 15 people have died from accidental overdoses in Licking County.
Substance use disorder community nurse Kari Franchini never gives up
A day in her job is filled with challenges and chaos, but also hope.
Arts & culture
Rain doesn’t stop Hebron celebration of community and pie
Hebron held its annual Pie Festival on Saturday, Sept. 12, and hosted pie eating competitions, baking contests and live music throughout the day.
‘Find the glass’ adventure helps people find joy all summer long while visiting the county’s attractions
Explore Licking County has hidden about 50 pieces of glass in parks around the community as part of a summerlong scavenger hunt.
Coshocton Flint Festival and Knap-In offers glimpse into ancient tool-making
The flint-knapping festival took place at Flint Ridge Ancient Quarries & Nature Preserve in Licking County for decades, starting in the late 1980s, but moved to the Coshocton County Fairgrounds in 2023.
TRP Docs: 2,000 Dresses
Jessica Tubbs has collected more than 2,000 formal dresses to loan out to people who need them for homecoming, prom or a princess party.
Sports & recreation
What’s it like atop a bucking bull? The rodeo finale at the Hartford Fair was a wild ride
The final night at the Hartford Fair was a show of endurance, skill and speed. It was big bulls and brave riders, fast horses and skillful speed doing turns about […]
After bike crash sidelined him from Pelotonia, Granville cyclist returns for 100-mile ride
A year after a bicycle crash left him unconscious, erased about 10 minutes from his memory, and prevented him from riding in Pelotonia, Granville resident Mike Rossetti returned to the […]
Proposed indoor-outdoor ‘PickleVille’ opening delayed; owner hopes for play in late fall
The Newark pickleball facility planned for near Main Street and Thornwood Drive initially was expected to open in spring 2026.
‘Average Joe’ track meet draws first-timers, star athletes and marathon runners to community competition
Granville’s first “Average Joe Adult Track Night” turned Denison’s outdoor track into a community gathering for runners, families, and local fitness groups.
World, nation & state
Assailant lunged at Democratic candidate for Ohio governor at fair, campaign says
Campaign officials say an armed assailant lunged at the Democratic candidate for Ohio governor, Amy Acton, during a campaign stop at the Canfield Fair, injuring several people.
JD and Usha Vance welcome a baby boy, the first child born to a sitting VP in more than 150 years
Vice President JD Vance and second lady Usha Vance have welcomed their fourth child.
DeWine vetoes bill requiring photo ID for mail voting in Ohio
The Republican governor issued an unusually lengthy statement explaining his decision. He said the requirement would pose an unwieldy challenge for voters without providing any real benefit.
The Supreme Court lets the Trump administration end legal protections for Haitians and Syrians
Immigration lawyers said the countries at issue remain unsafe for migrants to return and they argued that the administration ended the protections in an unlawfully hasty process tinged by racial animus.
Bright Spots
Community resources
The Reporting Project community resource calendar
This resource is filled with low- to no-barrier resources that community members can use to receive assistance with food, access to healthcare, veterans services and more.
Events
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Breakfast at the Main Place
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Breakfast at the Community Drop-In Center
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Free clinic of Licking County at the Community Drop-In Center
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Lunch at the Main Place
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Lunch at the Salvation Army
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Free clinic of Licking County
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Lunch at the Community Drop-In Center
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Dinner at the Salvation Army
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Dinner at the Champion’s Network
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