Exactly one month ago, on Dec. 17, the Butler Eagle observed a phenomenon and an opportunity — if we could clamp the lid on drug-overdose deaths for the final three weeks of 2018, Butler County could cut in half the record 92 overdose deaths in the year before.

At the time it seemed like a perfectly attainable goal. Combined, the 40 confirmed deaths and 6 pending cases added up to 46 — half of the 92 deaths notched in 2017. We noted then that the pending cases included the man and woman found dead Dec. 11 in a downtown apartment. Forensic tests have moved them from the pending category to confirmed.

A week ago, we were discouraged to learn that the numbers had risen: 45 overdose deaths confirmed, three pending. That would add up to 48. Don’t lose faith yet, our friends at the coroner’s office advised us. Until they are confirmed, pending cases are called “pending” for a reason.

As it turns out, they were correct. Two of the final three pending cases were not confirmed overdose deaths, which leaves Butler County with a final confirmed 2018 total of 46.

That’s exactly half the 92 recorded in 2017. It’s 38 fewer than the 74 deaths in 2016; and just one fewer than the 47 overdose deaths recorded in 2015.

A month ago we acknowledged, and still do, that 46 overdose deaths is a lot of dead people. It’s a lot of broken hearts and wasted potential. It’s a lot of traumatized first-responders, medical and nursing staff and clinical psychologists who lost patients; a lot of nonviolent offenders to be let down by the criminal justice system; a lot of clergy people trying to present a loving God to inconsolable relatives. A lot of sons and daughters — loved ones who suffered and died too young.

It’s a sad thought by every measure and in every context except one — 46 is exactly half the number of fatalities recorded in 2017. And it is by this one measure alone that Butler — city and county — derives some satisfaction and hope for our future and trust in the path we’re on to recovery.

“This is something we can hope and pray for — wouldn’t it be something if Butler could actually do this, cut in half its overdose fatality rate in just one year?” reads the Dec. 17 editorial. “For this to happen, it would mean that we can’t have another fatality before New Year’s Day. That sounds like such a long way off, but consider: today is Dec. 17. It’s only 14 days until Dec. 31. That’s just two weeks.”

Yes, we know. It’s shameful — undignified — that we resorted to making a rallying point out of such issues. So let’s do it again.

There’s no reason Butler County cannot cut in half its overdose deaths again. That would give us a target of 23 deaths in 2019. Let’s be the city and county that rediscovers hope 2019.

We can do this. Let’s see if we can keep the momentum.