Decreasing numbers of children receiving important vaccinations before entering public school have become such a problem the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is trying to get a handle on the numbers. That is proving difficult, as there is no real mechanism for tracking vaccinations ...
No federal program protecting natural areas and assisting local and state recreation projects has had the reach and the importance of the Land and Water Conservation Fund. Thousands of individual initiatives— some probably affecting you and your family directly — have been assisted by the ...
Bullies, whether they are young people or adults, are cowards at heart. That is why their victims often are those they perceive to have few friends. When there’s no one to stand up for you, you are an easy target. Fourteen high school students from our area have been recognized for having ...
“Spent time behind bars” does not look very good on a job resume. “Certified landscaper with experience” does. Like most villages and cities in our area, St. Clairsville sometimes can use help with community improvement projects. The city got some recently, from the Belmont ...
If they can escape justice for 20 years after sexually assaulting someone, rapists in Ohio are home free. Their victims are not. A statute of limitations in the Buckeye State bars prosecutions for rape more than 20 years after the offense was committed. Even if police and prosecutors know with ...
We all like to think, “It can’t happen here” -- but we’d better think again. I have heard about several recent incidents in local parking lots and on neighborhood streets that are somewhat scary. Vehicles that were accidentally left unlocked have been rifled through, and one of my ...
Spring is a wonderful time in Ohio — but it can change from beautiful to deadly before you know it. Buckeye State residents were fortunate last week. At least 18 tornadoes touched down in western Ohio on Monday, the National Weather Service confirmed, but no fatalities were reported. That ...
As teenagers, many of us look forward to being freed from our bonds to our alma maters. But as we age and grow wiser, some of us become sentimental about our old schools and do what we can to help. Alumni play a big role in advancing the missions of high schools and colleges. They contribute ...
“Dr. Jelly Paws,” some Ohio State University athletes called him. It was a reference to the late Dr. Richard Strauss’ habit of groping their genitals and engaging in other forms of sexual abuse. Dozens of OSU officials, both inside the athletic department and in university ...
This weekend marks the unofficial start of summer for residents of Eastern Ohio and for people across the nation. It is a time to get away from work and to enjoy some fun with family and friends. While Memorial Day itself is a somber occasion established to honor those who have died in ...
Just slightly more than a decade ago, Belmont County officials became fed up with overcrowding at the county jail. Built in 1996, it had 84 beds, which at the time seemed sufficient. But in 2008, the jail was expanded to 144 beds. Within five years, even that was not enough. Belmont County ...
The Ohio State Highway Patrol is on a mission this month to encourage drivers to wear their safety belts. Troopers use the catchy phrase “Click It or Ticket” to remind motorists that a fine awaits those who fail to buckle up. If you do not use your seat belt, though, a traffic ticket ...
Had more attention been paid to Belmont County resident Shania Wells after charges related to mistreatment of animals were handled in 2017, some animals’ lives might have been saved. But can such a tragedy be avoided in the future? That remains to be seen. Wells was sentenced to 90 days ...
Spring is in full swing here in Eastern Ohio, and people all around us are enjoying the warm temperatures, blue skies and blooming flowers. We cannot, however, allow such things to distract us when we are behind the wheel of a vehicle. Regardless of how pretty the countryside around us may ...
If you are a homeowner, you probably expect the roof over your head to last for more than 11 years. Martins Ferry Board of Education members have the same opinion. Roofs on some Martins Ferry school buildings constructed about 11 years ago began leaking not long after the structures were ...
The St. Clairsville Area Chamber of Commerce honored several of its members last week, recognizing them for their contributions to the community as a whole. During its annual dinner, the chamber handed out awards in five categories: Business of the Year — Belmont Savings Bank; Community ...
At least three unwelcome guests came to our community last week, but local law enforcement had a welcoming committee ready to greet them and show them to their quarters. Three residents of Coshocton — a small city of about 11,000 people located east of Columbus and north of Zanesville - ...
Michael Cohen, President Donald Trump’s former personal attorney, is making a sleazy attempt to save his own skin by pandering to Democrats in Congress. They should turn him down flat. Cohen was caught red-handed in a variety of misdeeds by federal investigators. Last year, he pleaded ...
In the wake of numerous store closings, some positive changes are coming to the Ohio Valley Mall in St. Clairsville. One new addition to the retail site may seem like an odd fit at first glance. Rather than being a restaurant or a store, it is a health care center. The new Belmont County ...
Groans and gripes about the condition of many area roads are heard frequently. But when a school bus driver worries aloud about them, it is time for someone to do something about the problem. It happened last week during a Martins Ferry City Council meeting. Councilman Bruce Shrodes, who ...