The Purple City should be proud of its politicians. We Americans know all too well just how ugly political contests can get. At the national level, we have long endured a great deal of mudslinging, name-calling, finger-pointing and empty promises. Such behavior has sometimes filtered down ...
Everyone knows that November is the time of year to be thankful. What we may not realize, though, is that there are multiple occasions throughout the month when it is appropriate to express our gratitude. Monday will be one of those days. Monday is Veterans Day — a federal holiday ...
When I write one of these articles, I try to look at you, the reader, and decide what I could say or share that would make your life a little better. Last week’s article was a little different. I wrote that article for you but also for me. I needed to listen to some of my own words. I ...
Ever watch a commercial for a vehicle with lots of semi-autonomous features (cameras and lasers to detect lane lines, automatic braking ... that kind of thing), and think to yourself, “Well, that’s great in a city, but how would those cars work out here?” It seems as though any system ...
Few methods of attracting people to a city’s downtown business district beat special events such as festivals and street fairs or entertainment. Steubenville City Council members understand that, but they also recognize that simply throwing downtown streets open to all comers is not ...
On Tuesday, it will once again be time for us to do our duty to our country and our communities. Tuesday is Election Day in Ohio. We will not be voting to select the most powerful person in the land, nor will we be choosing the voices that will speak for us in Washington, D.C., or Columbus. ...
November has arrived in rather frigid fashion and now it’s time for … trick or treat? Throughout much of the past week, social media and area streets and businesses were filled with people having heated debates over whether to “cancel Halloween” and reschedule trick or treat due to ...
Have you taken in some of the beautiful sights during this autumn season? Better hurry if not, the colorful leaves will be gone at the first sign of a strong wind. I love this time of year for other reasons as well. It is the beginning of the holiday season. Thanksgiving is a wonderful time ...
When my son was in high school, his soccer team had an undefeated regular season. I only remember them trailing once and that was briefly in the first half of one game. Everything went their way. They had no major injuries and really only one close game. They were clearly a very strong team. In ...
Driving in some areas of Wheeling can be frustrating during the annual Winter Festival of Lights at Oglebay Park. Long lines of cars and trucks exiting Interstate 70 and on sections of U.S. 40 and W.Va. 88 leading to the park are common during the event, especially in the early ...
The world is an uncertain place and, although we here in Eastern Ohio generally feel safe as we go about our daily lives, anything can happen at any time. That is why sessions such as the one held Wednesday at the Belmont County Emergency Management Agency headquarters are so important. ...
Bethesda lost a “ray” of sunshine last week with the death of a longtime resident and business owner. James William “Bill” Ray died Oct. 20 following a long battle against cancer. Bill was in Cartersville, Georgia, at the time of his passing, because his daughter, Marsha Massing, had ...
The Trump administration’s proposed methane rollbacks will cut essential safeguards to control volatile organic compounds and methane pollution from the oil and gas industry. These rollbacks would leave some infrastructure sites, including compressor stations and storage tanks located along ...
I remember one of the Sunday evening phone calls I had with my mother in Pittsburgh after “fracking” became a hot topic. Her comment was, “My gas bill is down $100 a month.” To a 90-year-old woman on a fixed income, that was a lot of money. In addition, her air and water were the ...
Why is it that so many government officials cannot seem to get it through their heads that the public’s business ought to be done in public if at all possible? Retreating behind a closed door - officials prefer the euphemism “executive session” - is never desirable. When closed meetings ...
It was good to hear last week that collection of child support payments in Ohio is better than in the past — up to nearly 70% of what is owed. But 70% is, well, nothing to brag about in Belmont County. There, the county Child Support Enforcement Agency has a 79.59% collection ...
The idea that if we just throw enough taxpayers’ money at a problem, it will go away was discredited years ago. Yet we continue to try that approach, probably wasting billions of dollars nationwide that could be put to better use. Ohio Treasurer Robert Sprague’s office may be trying ...
Some local volunteers are about to embark on a life-saving effort - and everyone who has the chance should take advantage of the opportunity. The Wolfhurst Volunteer Fire Department is working with the American Red Cross to help ensure area residents are protected from the hazard of ...
It will be interesting to see how Steubenville water Superintendent Jim Jenkins’ experiment works out. His approach to it gives him a good chance of succeeding. Steubenville’s water system is a train wreck that occurred years ago. As we have pointed out, municipal officials in the past ...
Things have gone from bad to worse in recent months for the city of St. Clairsville. It’s high time residents and city leaders started taking steps to mend the damage. Debate over whether to privatize the municipal water and wastewater treatment and distribution systems has divided the ...