HAVE GOTTEN EVEN WORSE SINCE LAST WEEK, ACCORDING TO THE NEW DROUGHT MONITOR RELEASED THIS MORNING. PART OF THE MID-OHIO VALLEY AREA IS NOW IN EXCEPTIONAL DROUGHT, WHICH IS THE MOST SEVERE DROUGHT CATEGORY. THE NEW MAP FROM THE NATIONAL INTEGRATED DROUGHT INFORMATION SYSTEM ALSO SAYS THE AREA OF WEST VIRGINIA THAT IS IN EXTREME DROUGHT...WHICH IS ONE CATEGORY LOWER...HAS EXPANDED ALONG THE OHIO RIVER AS WELL AS FURTHER INTO THE MONONGAHELA NATIONAL FOREST. THE WHOLE STATE REMAINS UNDER A STATE OF EMERGENCY RELATED TO THE DROUGHT. CURRENTLY, 35-PERCENT OF THE STATE IS AT RISK FOR MAJOR CROP AND PASTURE LOSS, AND MANY FARMERS HAVE ALREADY SEEN THE EFFECTS.