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A driving tour of ‘Bonnie Belmont’

I have always been an avid reader — probably not a surprise, given my vocation. These days, though, most of the reading that I do is for work, not for pleasure. There was a recent exception to that pattern, however, when I had the rare opportunity to read a book that is unique in two ways — it focuses on the region that I call home, and it was written by a friend of mine. “The Bonnie Belmont Underground Railroad Driving Tour” is a guide to an important chapter in the history of our local region that marries the past with modern technology. Angela Feenerty, president of the ...

Making memories in our own backyards

Spring is a wonderful time to explore Belmont County! Don’t miss a chance to get outside and enjoy the wonder of spring — when nature comes back alive! It’s when blooming flowers, green meadows, chirping birds and sunshine fill our souls with joy. And just like those spring flowers, events will start popping up all around the county, too! From community events to museum re-openings to wildflower walks, now is the time to embrace the change of the season and start exploring right here in our own backyard in Friendly. Beautiful. Belmont County. On Saturday, April 29 from 11 a.m. ...

Problem or opportunity? Depends on your attitude

A challenging week. Another tragic school shooting, the Russia-Ukraine war rages on, U.S.-China tensions high, storms blew through our area damaging property and knocking out power. A newly released Wall Street Journal poll found patriotism, religious faith, having children and other priorities defining our national character for generations have changed since 1998. Those saying patriotism is “very important” fell from 70% in the Journal’s 1998 poll to 38%. Only 39% said religion was “very important” compared to 62% in 1998. Those saying money was “very important” ...

Spring — a magical time of the year

This is a magical time of year for me — and in more ways than one. Every spring, I feel restored and revived when the days become longer and the temperatures begin to rise. I love getting outdoors to see the signs of spring — whether I take a walk around the neighborhood or a drive across the county, I really enjoy spotting those first buds and blossoms, as well as the orange breast of a robin or the flash or blue or red in a tree’s branches as a blue jay or cardinal hops about. Even the muddy muck that comes with heavy spring rain doesn’t get me down. I simply step around it ...

Thinking globally during a visit to India

Imagine a country the same size as the USA with four times the population. That nation would be India. In 2022 India had over 1.4 billion people. A lot of mouths to feed. Shale Crescent USA’s president, Nathan Lord, just returned from India where he spoke at the India Chemical Conference 2023 in Mumbai (formerly Bombay). Mumbai has a population of approximately 12.5 million people. It is one of the most densely populated cities in the world with over 73,000 people per square mile. India is a country of extremes and diversity. Nathan saw this first hand. The conference was held at a ...

Standing up for Ohio Workers against unfair foreign competition

Our trade remedy laws are critical to protecting Ohio businesses and their workers from foreign competitors who cheat the rules and cheat Ohioans out of work. And we have taken important steps to reform those trade enforcement laws over the last few years. My original Leveling the Playing Field Act – which passed in 2015 – gave American businesses new tools to fight back against unfair trade practices and it worked - leading to key wins for Ohio companies in major trade cases. But China and our other competitors are not going to give up. They are constantly finding new ways to ...