Martins Ferry city leaders have some big decisions to make in the near future. Early this month, bricks, mortar and other chinks of the city building’s facade came tumbling to the ground. This sort of thing has happened in the past, and officials should only expect the issues to get worse ...

Making it as easy as possible for registered voters to cast ballots in the Nov. 3 election ought to be the name of this year’s game for both Democrats and Republicans. One means of doing that has been suggested by Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose. He sought state Controlling Board ...

Knowledge really is power. These days, it also can be a step toward safety. Give Bethany College officials and professors credit for helping us all add to the information we can use to fight back against the COVID-19 epidemic. Bethany has launched a virtual lecture series on the ...

Like many other public bodies in our area, Steubenville City Council has not really been meeting during the past few months. Because of COVID-19, they and other city officials — including those in St. Clairsville, as well as several boards of education — have been connecting ...

Time is running out. Our opportunity to step up and be counted has nearly expired, and each of us should make sure that we don not miss the chance. The U.S. Census Bureau is conducting its traditional 10-year count of the American population. The tabulating has been going on for months, ...

Despite all the changes we have experienced over the past several months, the time of year has arrived when students are heading back to school. Classes may be somewhat unconventional. Some districts are welcoming all their students back at once to attend classes five days a week. Others are ...

College life is not what it used to be for many higher education students. They enjoy housing amenities the likes of which parents and grandparents could never even have dreamed. This fall, that becomes even more true for a few dozen local students. A total of 35 West Liberty University ...

There’s not much about life in Eastern Ohio that can be considered “normal” right now, so it likely is a relief to families who participate in 4-H and farming that a portion of the Belmont County Fair is set to go ahead in spite of the pandemic. Gov. Mike DeWine a few weeks ago ordered ...

It is virtually certain that the COVID-19 epidemic has been a death sentence for some small businesses. Months of economic activity slowdowns, combined with the reluctance of some customers to visit retail outlets, restaurants and other businesses, have been hard on entrepreneurs with ...

Belmont County welcomed an important visitor last week, recognizing that his presence was a positive sign for things to come. New Deputy Energy Secretary Mark W. Menezes chose the proposed ethane cracker plant site at Dilles Bottom for his first official visit in that capacity. He said his ...

Law enforcement officials in our area have been reminded once again of the hazards of the hot pursuit. Their reaction should be to take another look at policies regarding such action — and ensuring the rules are followed. Last Friday afternoon, local and federal authorities in ...

Like it or not, we are facing an uphill battle against an invisible enemy. Being angry about the new coronavirus won’t stop it. Denying the reality of the situation won’t change it. Resenting the precautions that can help slow its spread won’t make them unnecessary. That is why we, as a ...

Since nearly the beginning of the COVID-19 epidemic in our region, we have suggested that public health officials should provide localized information about the disease. Knowledge about precisely where it is prevalent would give local residents more power to avoid becoming infected. In ...

St. Clairsville is not the only area community where some residents find raw sewage backing up into their homes during heavy rainstorms. Unfortunately, no one seems to have a good, permanent solution to the problem. But two members of St. Clairsville City Council, Terra Butler and Perry ...

Even though the coronavirus pandemic continues to rage across America, some policies that were put in place a few months ago to ease the burden of financial hardships resulting from the outbreak are expiring. The state of Ohio in March asked municipalities and utility companies to refrain ...

Dealing with a contaminant in Bridgeport’s water system appears to be a relatively simple matter — for now. But until the source of the problem is identified, it could remain a headache for village officials and residents. Last week, village officials were notified that tests ...

It is always refreshing to see groups of people working together for the common good. That appears to be what has happened in Martins Ferry in recent months. There, city leaders have worked long and hard to help attract a buyer for East Ohio Regional Hospital — and to make it possible for ...

Daelim Chemical USA’s withdrawal from partnership in the proposal Belmont County ethane cracker plant came as stunning, disappointing news this week. As we reported, Daelim executives have pulled out of a partnership with PTT Global Chemical USA to build the plant, near the Ohio River in ...

No one can say precisely what schools, public and private, will be like when they open for the fall semester. For that matter, predicting when individual school systems will reopen remains a guessing game. Right now, a lot is still up in the air. In Ohio, Gov. Mike DeWine has mapped out ...

Kindness and consideration for others are things we all could use a little bit more of these days. After all, it’s frustrating that we must cover our faces in the heat and be careful where we go and with whom we get together. But, these steps are necessary to help slow the spread of ...