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Guard against scams

Across the country, scammers continue to find success with a seemingly endless supply of techniques for separating people from their hard-earned money. Among the latest efforts is a scam in which a person receives a phone call, e-mail or text that says they need to pay a fine, but that they should do so with Bitcoin, a gift card or other virtual currency. And yes, the wording is confusing and aggressive enough that people continue to fall for these scams in droves. In Ohio alone, between July 1, 2024, and June 30, counties received 16,741 maltreatment referrals related to financial ...

Cheers & Jeers

CHEERS to Barnesville leaders for arranging a planing and paving schedule for many streets in the community. A smoother ride through the village will benefit residents and visitors alike. JEERS to news that Ohio received a grade of ‘F’ when it comes to free speech in its institutions of higher education. Free speech is key to our way of life. CHEERS to the Belmont County Board of Commissioners for taking their show on the road and meeting with residents in a town hall setting in Martins Ferry. The evening meeting made them more accessible. JEERS to the fact that a bomb threat ...

Get informed about vaccines

Changes in guidance out of Washington, D.C., have left many confused about the accessibility of COVID booster shots this fall. There are questions about eligibility, insurance, and even where a patient can get the vaccine. Axios tried to unravel the mystery and found states falling into three categories (they used one pharmacy chain, CVS, as the test): unavailable, available without a prescription and prescription required for specific age groups. In West Virginia, a prescription is required. In Ohio, the shots are available without a prescription, but those under age 65 MAY need to ...

A call to action for the hungry

September is the start of many things: fthe school year for some, spooky season if you ask the right people. … But this is also Hunger Action Month. Note the difference between this “month” designation and many others. This is not just about awareness; this is about action to “provide nutritious food to neighbors facing hunger,” as Feeding America puts it. The idea is to come together with food banks and volunteers in communities “to build a nation where everyone has the food and support they need.” But that doesn’t happen if YOU don’t take action. How? Donate, ...

Serving Ohioans best interests

As the most obvious economic development in Ohio is data centers and server farms — necessary, but not exactly providing a lot of jobs while they place a greater burden on our energy infrastructure — lawmakers are looking for new ways to make sure those hungry facilities get all the electricity they need. The growing demand is creating the possibility of energy shortages, prompting lawmakers to come up with energy efficiency and energy generation ideas. “Until we get new baseload built, there is still not enough energy,” state Rep. Roy Klopfenstein, R-Haviland, told the ...

Working the polls Nov. 4

One of the most important jobs we as American citizens have is letting our voices be heard at the ballot box. In order for us to do that, we rely on the poll workers who help make each of those polling places operate without a hitch. Yet elections officials around the Ohio Valley are searching for more people to fill that crucial role. Eberle Ferrell, director of the Belmont County Board of Elections, recently said she is looking for more poll workers in her county, especially Democrats, as each polling place needs bipartisan representation among its workforce. Among the keys ...