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Cheers & Jeers

Editorials

CHEERS to all those involved in making the Belmont County Fair the annual attraction that it is, with livestock shows, carnival rides, food vendors, games and fun for everyone. JEERS to word that the village of Yorkville’s ambulance is in need of costly repairs and that the community must rely on neighboring responders in emergencies. CHEERS to the St. Clairsville Police Department for dedicating its new headquarters in honor of Mayor Kathryn Thalman in recognition of all she does for the city. JEERS to reports in communities across the region that young people who are riding ...

Improving driver safety

Editorials

Get ready. At the end of this month, Ohio drivers aged 18, 19 and 20 years old will be required to take an approved driver training course and complete 50 hours of driving practice supervised by a licensed adult to get their driver’s license. This is training that is already in effect for those 16 or 17 years old, but it may come as a surprise to older new drivers unfamiliar with the “Class D” training, which must be completed before a driving test can be scheduled. Formal driver training used to be standard procedure for most high school students in the Buckeye State, but ...

Encouraging sportsmanship

Editorials

The pageantry and excitement of high school football has returned, and we again are reminded about the special place the game holds in the hearts of residents from across the Ohio Valley. With the new school year and season underway, it’s good to take a moment and remember that high school athletics offer valuable learning opportunities. Participants learn about the importance of setting goals and working to reach them, as well as the sacrifices that will be required along the way. Athletes learn about accountability and are taught to show pride in themselves, their teams, their ...

Labor built best of America

Editorials

On this Labor Day weekend, many of us may be thinking of a quick retreat into summer vacation mode during the three-day break. It is a time to celebrate the return of college football and the promise of cooler temperatures. There will be festivals, parades, good food cooked outdoors for perhaps one of the last times this year and a general sense of not only celebration, but transition. Despite most public school boards’ best efforts, THIS is the traditional end of summer. And the break it offers is so appreciated because the people Labor Day is meant to honor have worked hard. ...

Don’t let fear stand in the way of your success

Columns

In high school, I rarely got turned down for a date. I wasn’t good looking, didn’t have a flashy fast car, (Had to borrow my Dad’s station wagon) and didn’t have a lot of money. My secret was simple. I didn’t ask. I was afraid of rejection. Worse, I was afraid of being laughed at and becoming part of a big joke among the girls at school like …”Do you know who asked me out?” It was really all about my own self image, which was poor at that time when it came to dating. I didn’t have a sister to guide me. I am the oldest of 5 brothers. There was no good reason to ...

Failure

Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, Everything is going to hell in a handbasket, a doctor my wife used to work for frequently observed. Well, that’s an apt observation for Trump’s second administration. CONSIDER INFLATION: The price for everything is way up from when Biden handed over the reins to Trump. Food prices are up over 15 percent, beer is up 20 percent. The price for school clothes is out of sight. Forget about buying a new car or even fixing the old car — you can’t afford it. CONSIDER TARIFFS: Tariffs are fuel for inflation. Why in the world are we beating down a great ally like ...