Two years ago, it was announced that the Lawrence County Commission, working with then-Ohio Rep. Ryan Smith, R-93, had secured $1 million in appropriations from the Ohio Legislature for the purpose of building a new facility for the Sybene-Chesapeake Senior Center.

The location, set for the Lawrence County Fairgrounds, would be an improvement for the current center, which is currently housed in a small trailer at the Chesapeake Community Center.

This week, it was announced that progress has been made on the approval process and groundbreaking could take place next year.

The senior center has about 50 members and had provided a strong sense of community for those who attend its activities, but the small size of their current building has limited what they can offer.

A new home for the center is welcome news for both its members and the county.