This past week I attended the World Petrochemical Conference, virtually. Normally our Shale Crescent USA Team would have been in Houston, Texas, with our booth set up and networking with people from all over the world. The decision was made by IHSMarkit months ago in the middle of the ...
Has it really been a year since COVID-19 arrived here in the Ohio Valley? On the other hand, has it really only been a year? It’s still hard to believe how suddenly — and how completely — so many things changed last March. At The Times Leader, we had hosted a meet-the-candidate event ...
We’ve been through another flood. My heart goes out to people impacted. Cleaning up after one of these events is daunting. Having a house full of mud and water is unimaginable. In the middle of this tragedy we see some of the best in Americans, people stepping up to help their neighbors ...
The Ohio Department of Natural Resources must provide a public hearing on Powhatan Salt Company LLC’s permit applications to carve solution mining wells from the Salina salt formation along the Ohio River in Monroe County, Ohio. These wells will allow Powhatan’s sister company, ...
I don’t know about you, but I am ready for spring! The weather this past week gave us a glimpse of things to come. For at least a portion of five or six days, the sun shone brightly from a clear blue sky. The temperature outdoors wasn’t necessarily warm, but it was warm enough to provide ...
Lynnda and I got our second COVID vaccine shot two weeks ago. Like the first, the process at the Charleston Civic Center was efficient, taking about two hours with more people in line. It reminded me of the Space Mountain Ride line at Walt Disney World snaking all through the Civic Center. ...
Our country seems more divided along partisan lines than at any time I can remember. That’s why I was pleased to hear President Biden encourage bipartisanship in his inaugural address. I agree with his statement that, at “our historic moment of crisis and challenge ... unity is the path ...
Well, Mother Nature wasn’t as rough on us here in the Ohio Valley as forecasters predicted she might be over the past week. I, for one, can live with that. Sure, it’s been cold and snowy and we’ve had more than our fair share of ice in some parts of the area, but what else can we ...
In April of 1968 I was living in Cleveland, Ohio with my family. My father was the pastor of a medium size church and my mother was the church administrator. My father also worked as a U. S. Postman and my mother also worked for the Internal Revenue Service in downtown Cleveland. Our ...
This week I was talking to a friend in Houston, Texas. We are helping his company with a project in “The Crescent.” He was telling me how cold it is and how bad the roads are. Suddenly while on the call he lost power. He is worried about water pipes freezing. My wife has relatives in Dallas ...
A few days ago, I anticipated that the column I would write in this space for this week would be a light-hearted one, focusing on love. I thought we could all use a laugh or two about how Valentine’s Day might be the perfect occasion to be isolated at home with our spouse or significant ...
As we work to defeat and recover from this pandemic, we must avoid the mistakes of past economic recoveries, and build back better for all families, in all communities. In Ohio, we remember how after the last economic crisis in 2008 and 2009, the biggest corporations and the biggest cities on ...
Like Tom Brady, quarterback of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, or hate him, he is a champion. After this year’s Super Bowl win, Brady has won seven Super Bowls, more than any other team. The Pittsburgh Steelers and New England Patriots have won six. Brady’s vision going to Tampa was to ...
I am not looking forward to the next several days. I don’t complain about the weather very much. Despite the fact that the gray days of winter in Ohio can be somewhat disheartening, I know that rain and snow and the cycles of nature are all necessary to keep our world growing and ...
Editor’s note: Today we welcome a new columnist to our Sunday opinion pages — Barbara Ballint, executive director of the Belmont County Tourism Council. Who We Are The Belmont County Tourism office markets attractions and events in Belmont County. We promote the smallest of street fairs ...
COVID hit close to home last week. We learned our 28-year-old grandson contracted it. He lives out of state, and we haven’t seen him since the pandemic started. We communicate via phone and text. Even though he works from home, somehow, he picked up the virus. Fatigue along with the ...
When COVID-19 brought lockdowns to Eastern Ohio and sent many people home to do their jobs as best they could, I heard a lot of people say they were happy to be working in sweatpants. Over the months since that began last March, people in various industries have told me they were still ...
Mr. K is the oldest person on the Shale Crescent USA Executive Committee. His wisdom is always appreciated. Our focus is on creating jobs for the region. We sometimes get distracted and spend time on things that keep us from reaching our goals. Mr. K then steps in with, “Folks you are chasing ...
It’s strange how we can adapt to such big changes in such a short time. As I pulled up in front of my home a few days ago, a neighbor a few doors down was also pulling in to park. As I climbed out of my car, I raised my hand to greet her, not knowing how long she would remain in her car ...
We have been asked how changes in Washington will impact the Shale Crescent USA economic development and job creation initiative. We are moving forward with business as usual. Here is why: The Shale Crescent USA mission doesn’t change no matter who is President or regardless of state and ...