NEW RICHMOND, Ohio — After days of heavy rain and severe storms caused some of the worst flooding in years across the Tri-State, the Ohio River has finally receded, and recovery efforts are now underway in communities like New Richmond, just east of Cincinnati.

What You Need To Know

  • The Ohio River has now receded and cleanup efforts are underway in communities like New Richmond

  • Nearly 100 homes and businesses were impacted by the flooding

  • Green Kayak Grille & Pub has reopened its doors and helping serve cleanup crews 
  • American Regulators USA is one of the crews helping in the cleanup efforts

On Front Street, where floodwaters were knee-deep only a week ago, business owners and volunteers are now focused on cleaning up mud, debris and water damage left behind.

“It was already a rough calendar year,” said Becca Light, owner of the Green Kayak Grille & Pub, a local restaurant at the corner of Front Street. “Being shut down for five days, plus the mess of the flood — the challenge is to get your business back up.”

Despite the flooding, Light said they managed to avoid major losses. “We lost no product. It’s just the mud damage and the water damage,” she said.

The Green Kayak has since reopened and is now serving more than customers — it’s feeding first responders and volunteers working throughout the village.

“The first night that it was really bad, we knew there were a whole slew of people up at the high school and the command center,” Light said. “All the first responders had been working around the clock, and we knew they had to be hungry.”

Among the organizations assisting in cleanup is American Regulators USA, a volunteer nonprofit that responds to natural disasters. Crews are helping remove debris, drywall, and insulation from nearly 100 affected homes and businesses in the area.

“There’s a lot of debris that needs to come out of these structures, and it needs to be set at the curb,” said Mark Fouts, board president of American Regulators. “When we do a muck out, we are removing that drywall and insulation to help slow and stop that growth of mold.”

Village Administrator Kathryn Bailey said in a Friday press conference that officials have reached out to about 95% of those impacted by the flooding and will continue assessing the community’s needs in the coming days.

Light encouraged the community to show up and support local businesses as they recover. “These aren’t chains. These aren’t big corporations,” she said. “Shop local, eat local, hang out local, and really help these businesses get back up and afloat — so to speak.”

Cleanup is expected to continue for several more days. American Regulators USA operates solely on donations, and to find out more on how to support their efforts, click here.