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Letters to the Editor

Congress, Don’t Touch Benefits

Editor, News-Register: I am concerned about the fast-approaching federal “debt ceiling” crisis. For the first time in almost a century, Social Security checks might not go out next month. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy’s caucus is planning to hold a vote on a 320-page bill to indiscriminately slash federal spending. This bill includes a 22% cut for the Social Security Administration that would force office closures and longer wait times for benefits. They also plan to raise the retirement age to 70. Independent studies have shown that every year that the Social Security ...

Walking to Remove the Stigma

Editor, News-Register: On Sunday, April 30, 2023, Jerry’s Walk — Illuminating Suicide Awareness held its 7th annual suicide prevention Walk in St. Clairsville. The event is an opportunity to encourage an open conversation around suicide with a goal of removing the stigma attached to what is truly a public health crisis. That stigma results in silence that tragically causes so many who are suffering to avoid seeking the help they need and deserve. The Walk also allows those who have survived a loss to suicide to come together and offer each other support. Jerry’s Walk wishes ...

Just Who’s Writing This Letter?

Editor, News-Register: You might have heard about something called Artificial Intelligence, or AI for short. It’s a fancy way of talking about computers that can think and learn like people. You might already use some AI in your life, like Siri or Alexa. AI can be really helpful. It can do things for us quickly and make better choices by looking at a lot of information. But we also need to be careful. AI can sometimes make the same mistakes as people, like treating some groups unfairly or not understanding our feelings. And some people might use AI for bad things, like tricking ...

Vosvick Pillar of Our Community

Editor, News-Register: Milan Vosvick Jr. was a true pillar of the community in Elm Grove. He served for decades as the Scoutmaster for Troop 29 at Elm Grove United Methodist Church, and worked hard to make sure that anyone who wanted to participate in the troop’s activities, including summer trips through neighboring states, was able to do so regardless of their financial situation. I was fortunate enough to be a scout in that troop for several years from the mid-1990s to the early 2000s, and was always impressed by his passion for the role. I still remember him driving that old ...

Sound and Fury in Morgantown

Editor, News-Register: “Apple and Oranges.” “Generalities, generalities, generalities.” Put those two together and what do they describe? Basically, the arguments put forth in comparing WVU schedules of different times in sports (basketball and football in the main) and leaving out all of the variables of the times compared! Both sports have many variables that influence the results in their time periods! The current time period, which started a couple of years ago and has too little data at this point in time to allow any serious judgments as to its relativity to ...

Time for a Solution on Bridge

Editor, News-Register: I am quite curious to learn if any decision has been, or soon will be, made and implemented regarding the future of the Aetnaville Bridge, also known as the Georgia Street Bridge, which has connected Aetnaville, Ohio, with Wheeling Island, West Virginia, since its opening in 1891 and until its closure to vehicular traffic in 1988. The historic structure did however, remain open for pedestrian traffic crossing the Ohio River at that point until January 2016, when it was closed for safety concerns, as the structure had incurred significant structural ...