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Gabrielle Otto, left, and Jeremiah Wallace show off their awards for finishing first and second, respectively, in the Bellaire Middle School Spelling Bee on Wednesday evening. Both advance to the 2025-26 Belmont County Spelling Bee, scheduled for 7 p.m. Feb. 12 at the ECO Center on the campus of Ohio University Eastern, St. Clairsville. The county bee is sponsored by The Times Leader, Belmont Savings Bank, Wilson Furniture, Wilson Funeral Homes, LED Transportations, Uniglobe Ohio Valley Travel, East Central Ohio Educational Service Center and the Martins Ferry Elks.