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Pats on the Back

- To the Rev. Mike Palmer and the volunteers working with him at Triadelphia United Methodist Church, for their latest project to help flood victims recover. The group will invite those whose homes were damaged by the flood to give them a list of construction items they need. The volunteers will then take the lists, figure a total estimated cost and start raising the funds to buy them. - To all of the fairs and festivals that have entertained the Ohio Valley this week. The Marshall County Fair, Grecian Fest and Upper Ohio Valley Italian Heritage Festival have all offered opportunities ...

Farmers, Families Have Earned Help

Understanding the strain economic uncertainty can put on both farmers and those vulnerable to food insecurity, U.S. Sen. Jim Justice, R-W.Va., has joined forces with Sen. Jack Reed, D-R.I., to introduce the Strengthening Local Food Security Act. The effort is meant to tackle a variety of challenges, including reinforcing the food supply chain, improving economic opportunities for farmers and other food producers, and improving access to local food in communities and in schools. It is being pitched as an amendment to tack on to the Agricultural Marketing Act of 1946. A permanent grant ...

988 Is Crucial Lifeline

It’s not a subject most people want to dwell on, but Ohioans are fortunate some did a great deal of thinking about how best to help those who are struggling and in crisis — perhaps even having thoughts of suicide. When the 988 Lifeline was established, it was meant to give those experiencing a mental health or addiction crisis somewhere to turn — somewhere to get much-needed support. Since its establishment in July 2022, it has received 592,294 contacts, according to a report by the Ohio Capital Journal. People can reach out through calls, chats or texts, according to the Ohio ...

The High Cost Of Healthcare In W.Va.

It’s hard to know where to start when it comes to tackling the many challenges that are holding back West Virginians. There’s a new metric, a new study nearly every day that shows us how very far we have to go. But it’s important to use that information to help us change things — to show us where “the way things have always been” has gotten us. Among the more recent studies was WalletHub’s “States Where People Spend the Most and Least on Health Care.” Mountain State residents who already know we are among the most unhealthy in the country can guess where we wind up ...

Remembering Jack Cera

We have reflected on the life of Bellaire’s own Jack Cera since his passing July 13, at age 69 after battling cancer for more than two years. A trusted public servant, Cera represented Eastern Ohio in the state House of Representatives from 1983-96 and again from 2011-20. During his time at the Statehouse, he served on many committees — especially those related to energy — and as Minority Whip for a year. More importantly, though, he was always willing to reach across the aisle. Cera knew that bipartisanship was a key to getting things done, and he never hesitated to listen to ...

Ohio County Literacy Gains Fantastic News

A recent study lauded West Virginia as a state making major gains in early childhood literacy ­—and pointed out Ohio County as one of the school districts that has led the charge. Upswing Labs, a research organization that studies how states are improving literacy, listed West Virginia among four states ­— joining South Carolina, Mississippi and Louisiana —that have improved third-grade proficiency rates by 3-4% over the last three years. Further into that study, the organization points out nine West Virginia counties that have seen the best gains among third-grade students ...