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Affordable child care

For many families, finding affordable child care is one of the bigger obstacles to being able to be full participants in the workforce. Sometimes it just makes more sense for a parent to stay home with the kids than to go out into a job that perhaps doesn’t even cover the costs of child care. With the launch of Ohio’s Child Care Cred Program, funding is now available for a program that helps split the child care burden. “Ensuring a stable workforce for Ohio’s growing economy encourages us to support our working families,” said state Sen. Tim Schaffer, R-Lancaster. “By ...

Cheers & Jeers

CHEERS to the Barnesville Pumpkin Festival Committee for all of its hard work throughout the year to bring the annual event to the streets of the village. JEERS to news that the spotted lanterfly has established itself in the local area. The nuisance insect is known to present a danger to a variety of plants, so when you see them, stomp on them and help curb their numbers. CHEERS to WVU Medicine for opening a new rapid care center in Martins Ferry, just across Fourth Street from the currently closed East Ohio Regional Hospital. The city needs health care options. JEERS to ongoing ...

Safety paramount with guns

A person does not have to be a gun safety reform extremist to understand there are simply certain rules a person must follow in their own home (or for themselves, if they have carry permits) if they are to be responsible gun owners. Sadly, it is all too common for us to read of tragedies that resulted from irresponsible gun ownership, and get a reminder to do the right thing. On Monday, a 3-year-old boy in Columbus died after unintentionally shooting himself with a handgun that had allegedly been brought to the apartment where he and his mother lived. WBNS reported the victim’s ...

Farmers deserve praise

Farmers earn a lot of respect from those who understand how much they do for the rest of us. It’s easy for us to think about the food and other products they provide, as well as the contributions farm families make to our communities. But it’s not always top of mind to think about their stewardship of this land we all share. The Ohio Department of Agriculture recognizes it, though, and each year hands out Conservation Farm Family Awards. Among those honored for 2025 were the Brad and Matilda Miller family for their 400-acre farm on which there are 150 head of Blonde D’DAquitaine ...

More reason to be on guard

If you consider yourself to be a carnivore, you have yet another reason to be vigilant about avoiding ticks. Earlier this month, the West Virginia Department of Health reported multiple cases of the tick-borne Alpha-gal Syndrome, which can cause a variety of symptoms as a result of allergies to meat and meat products caused by the disease. This one is carried by lone star ticks — larger than deer ticks and with white spots on their backs. Worry over the disease is severe enough that the WVDH issued an advisory Sept. 11, making AGS a reportable condition in the Mountain ...

Pumpkin Festival returns

It may seem hard to believe, but the Barnesville Pumpkin Festival returns to the village’s streets this week. As we reported on the front page of today’s newspaper, the 61st annual rendition of this Belmont County tradition opens on Thursday and continues through next Sunday. True pumpkin enthusiasts will join in the action a day earlier, participating in or watching the Giant Pumpkin Weigh-Off on Wednesday evening. Records — both state and national — are set at that event year after year. If you want to start celebrating even earlier, you can turn out at 3 p.m. Sunday, Sept. ...