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It’s time to challenge the darkness of the world

Columns

It was several years ago we heard the sad news of a comedic genius death in the person of Robin Williams. I was talking to someone about Robin Williams, and they were telling me they remember him from TV, but they only saw the shows in re-runs. I told them that I was old enough to remember seeing it in its original season. Anyone who has been on the planet and watched TV or went to the movies, saw talk shows and news programs has seen Robin Williams. He was born in Chicago on July 21, 1951, studied theater at The Julliard School before taking his stand-up act to nightclubs. He ...

The spotted lanternfly invasion has begun

Columns

They’re here! The spotted lanternfly, aka Lycorma delicatula, is here in the Ohio Valley, with the Ohio Department of Gariculture reporting that the pest has been confirmed and is established in Belmont and Jefferson counties. They also have been reported in Harrison and Monroe counties, but the state doesn’t show them as confirmed in those areas — yet. Why should you care? These insects, native to Asia, are an invasive species. They multiple and spread quickly. I’ve seen them described as “great hitch-hikers,” making their way into cargo and onto vehicles that carry ...

Get educated and vote

Editorials

Tuesday was National Voter Registration Day. Wednesday was Constitution Day and Citizenship Day. In other words, it is a week during which Americans are asked to think a little harder about what our founders had in mind when they were signing the Constitution back in 1787, and whether we are holding up our end of the bargain. In 2004, the late U.S. Sen. Robert C. Byrd, D-W.Va., tacked on an amendment to the omnibus spending bill that modified the law so that during the federal observance of Constitution Day and Citizenship Day, publicly funded educational institutions and federal ...

Cheers & Jeers

Editorials

CHEERS to St. Clairsville City Council for opting to name a stretch of roadway in the city for retired police chief Martin Kendzora. JEERS to news that funding cuts in the “One Big Beautiful Bill” could lead to health care shortages in West Virginia and rural parts of other states, as Medicaid programs take a hit. CHEERS to the Sons and Daughters of Italy in Bellaire for staging yet another successful (and sold out) Italian cooking demonstration on Sunday. It seemed everyone present learned something new and enjoyed their meal. JEERS to the political violence that is costing ...

Improving kids’ oral health

Editorials

In the Buckeye State, particularly in rural or lower-income regions, not all kids are able to get regular care from a dentist. It’s a generations-old problem, but between 2022 and 2024 CareQuest Institute for Oral Health and Oral Health Ohio tried a pilot program to do something about it. Through Medical Oral Expanded Care, the project incorporated oral health checks into kids’ annual well child visits with their pediatricians, according to a report by the Statehouse News Bureau. The pilot involved more than 1,000 children. Rebekah Mathews, vice president of health ...

Ohio to handle its own maps

Editorials

Though the results of Ohio’s latest redistricting attempt have yet to be seen, state House Speaker Matt Huffman, R-Lima, should be commended for one thing: He says he will not give in to pressure from the White House to draw maps that meet the approval of President Donald Trump. “I’m most interested in what residents of the state of Ohio have to say,” Huffman said, according to the Ohio Capital Journal. “Of course, the President of the United States is an important person too, but there are 11 million+ people in the state of Ohio.” Sure, he’s already firing shots about ...