Event planned as NARI numbers rise

NEWARK - A local event aimed at residents caught in the crosshairs of the addiction fight is scheduled for next week as the numbers of people using Newark's Addiction Recovery Initiative continue to climb.

The second annual Fed Up rally will be held Aug. 31 at the Canal Market District in downtown Newark. The event is put on the by the Fed Up local chapter and is seeking to raise awareness about overdose deaths tied to opioids and heroin.

One of the speakers at the event will be Newark Police Chief Barry Connell, whose NARI program was initiated in mid-June.

Connell said, as of Tuesday, 28 people have sought treatment through the program. NARI allows Licking County residents to come to the police department, at 39 S. Fourth St., and ask for help with an addiction and be set up with treatment through local providers.

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Four people came into the station Monday seeking help, Connell said. He said there was no common denominator and no event that he was aware of which would trigger the influx.

News coverage of increases in overdoses in cities around Ohio such as Cincinnati and Akron may have played a role, but it isn't clear.

In 2015, there were 29 unintentional drug overdoses in Licking County, according to a preliminary report from the Ohio Department of Health. In mid-June, Connell said Newark police were averaging about a call a day for something overdose related.

The organizers of the Fed Up rally hope to honor the lives of those who lost their battle with addiction and educate those who have a loved one with drug abuse issues. The event is being held Aug. 31, which is International Overdose Awareness Day.

Along with Connell, a mother and advocate for addiction will be speaking, as well as Brenda and Mark Stewart from The Addicts Parents United.

If you go:

When: 4 to 7 p.m. Aug. 31

Where: Canal Market District

What: Fed Up Rally, including candle lighting and balloon release