Nov 21, 2025 3 min read

Miss: It is disgraceful that a property in one of Washington’s main business districts – which happens to be directly across the street from the city’s high school – has become a dumping ground for all manner of junk and trash, including a beat-up truck. Despite multiple citations, the owner of “Hauling and That,” the business at 308 Jefferson Ave., has allowed old furniture, tires and bags of unwanted items to pile up in full view of passersby and visitors to the city as well as create a haven for unwanted pests and vermin. “It’s horrible for the city,” Mayor Jojo Burgess told the newspaper. “We are doing everything legally we can to get that out of there. It’s a long process. It doesn’t happen overnight.” The business began operating mid-summer and soon became a problem in August, the mayor said. In response, the city’s code enforcement officer filed numerous citations ranging from nuisance vehicles to violations involving solid waste collection against the owner of the business as well as the property owner. We hope that a hearing on the citations next week – and the threat of hefty fines – spurs a swift cleanup to eliminate the eyesore. “He said it will be cleaned up,” Burgess said. “We’ll see if that’s the case.”

Hit: The Salvation Army’s annual Red Kettle Campaign is in full swing, and donations are even more important this year, given the delay in funding for rent and utility assistance and SNAP benefits due to the shutdown of the federal government. “It is so important that we get this funding so we’ll be able to assist more people in the community,” said Lt. Thomas Perez, commanding officer and pastor of the Salvation Army’s Washington location, who hopes the organization can raise at least $70,000 this year. “We did it last year; we hope we can do it again this year,” he told the newspaper. Perez said the Washington branch will have people ringing bells at the Walmart and Sam’s Club at Trinity Point, the Giant Eagle at Strabane Square, the Hobby Lobby on Old Mill Boulevard, the Shop ‘n’ Save on Beau Street, Lone Pine Market on Lone Pine Road, and Interstate Foodland on West Chestnut Street. Salvation Army programs include relief for those in need of food, shelter and help recovering from natural disasters. Anyone interested in becoming a bell ringer for their local Salvation Army can sign up at registertoring.com.

Hit: First responders face higher rates of depression, anxiety and burnout compared to the general population. One in 4 first responders suffers from depression, 34% are at risk of suicide, 30% to 40% suffer from substance or alcohol abuse, and police and firefighters are more likely to die by suicide than die in the line of duty. In response, Healing Bridges has formed a “Responders First Initiative,” a committee that is working to create a Critical Incident Stress Management (CISM) team for Washington County. CISM teams are made up of volunteers that include trained peers – active or retired first responders who have a first-hand understanding of what their fellow first responders go through – and trained mental health professionals. They help first responders manage and recover from the stress of their jobs. “The weight of our jobs can be crushing,” said Deputy Elizabeth Davidson of the Washington County Sheriff’s Office, who is part of the Responders First Initiative. “What we want to do is find a way for first responders to get through this and make it less heavy.”