Breaking News

Editorials

Take Care Of Childcare

While politicians continue to behave as though they think our priorities are socio-cultural issues and remaining as divided as possible, ordinary people are trying to survive in a world where the challenges are something more along the lines of “Do I have enough money to fill up the gas tank this week and still get groceries on Friday?” A recent poll commissioned by Groundwork Ohio and the First Five Years Fund showed childcare remains among the significant challenges for families attempting to keep their heads above water. “When families are talking about the cost of living, ...

Go Out And See All The Beauty Of West Virginia

Last month, Travel + Leisure released its list of the most naturally beautiful states in the country. While most of us here know West Virginia is unbeatable on that front, the Mountain State placed second in the rankings — behind only New Hampshire. “Researchers noted (West Virginia) was the only state in the top 10 to perform consistently well across all measured categories, thanks to its extensive forests, more than 6,600 miles of rivers, six national parks, and nearly 200 waterfalls,” the magazine said. Work done over the past decade or so has certainly gained the attention ...

Taking A Fall Adventure

It might not feel like it just yet, but fall is on its way. With the transition to colorful leaves and (for many of us) more comfortable weather comes yet another opportunity for Ohio to shine — especially for those who didn’t quite work the traveling bug out of their system over the summer. According to TourismOhio, the state offers “gold medal” leaf peeping opportunities, particularly at its 76 FREE state parks and Cuyahoga Valley National Park. "Everyone has their own idea of the perfect fall getaway, and that's what makes Ohio such a special place to visit," said State ...

Law Enforcement Deserves Our Praise

Many of us went to bed Thursday night expecting Friday morning to arrive without incident. For a few dozen local law enforcement officers, there was nothing routine about the hours in between. Shortly before midnight Thursday, a West Liberty police officer responded to a report of an armed man at an apartment complex. What followed was an all-night standoff involving West Liberty, the Ohio County Sheriff’s Department and the Wheeling Police Department. The armed man reportedly pointed a semi-automatic rifle at West Liberty Police Chief Tristan Painter. Later, after retreating into ...

Sad Ending for Hospital

It was of no surprise this past Wednesday when the final auction for the former East Ohio Regional Hospital property in Martins Ferry attracted no bidders. It now appears the site will be forfeited to the state of Ohio over past-due taxes. It is a seemingly sad final chapter for a hospital that served generations of Ohio Valley residents and once stood as one of Martins Ferry’s most important institutions. East Ohio first closed in 2019 after being purchased by Alecto Healthcare Services, the same company that acquired and then closed the Ohio Valley Medical Center. There was ...

With Recent Announcements, W.Va. Is Making This A Ballgame

A little more than a year ago, we wondered whether West Virginia was even going to show up for Gov. Patrick Morrisey’s proposed “economic backyard brawl.” It has. And the scoreboard is getting tighter. Last August, we put the score at 49-0 in favor of our neighbors. Pennsylvania was touting $90 billion in energy and artificial intelligence investment. Ohio and Kentucky were cutting taxes. Virginia already had hundreds of data centers, with more planned. West Virginia? We were still trying to find the playbook and figure out who was supposed to be on the field. By November ...