Critics will say that Lawrence County lacks many things but a variety of options for quality health care certainly isn’t one of them.

The entire Tri-State has grown into a hub of medical services with Lawrence County positioned right in the middle of it. There are five hospitals within a 45 minute drive from just about anywhere in the county and more than a dozen clinics, urgent cares, family physicians and other feeder offices for those and other hospitals.

This fact was bolstered even further earlier this week when it was announced that the Ironton- Lawrence County Community Action Organization received approximately $650,000 in federal funding that will be used for expanding services in the Village of Proctorville and Aid Township.

Couple that with the CAO’s continued partnership with St. Mary’s Medical Center, an organization that is putting the finishing touches on a stand-alone emergency room facility that will also offer much more, and you have another strong component.

And that isn’t to overlook the presence od a relatively new King’s Daughters Medical Center facility and offices for Our Lady of Bellefonte Hospital.

Health care options are a key component when it comes to determining quality of life for a region and marketing a community to potential economic developers.

This is something that we must tout as a legitimate strength that will pay dividends now and down the road.