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John McCabe: A Wakeup Call We Can't Afford To Miss

Local Columns

Here’s a figure that should concern every single person that cares about children and their futures: for the 2026 school year, 84.5% of all West Virginia public school students are classified as “needy” by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. That’s an alarming statistic. And it doesn’t get any better when viewed in the context of our local region. Consider: Ohio County has 85% of its students identified as “needy,” Marshall County has 83%, Brooke County is at 85%, Tyler County stands at 88%, Hancock County reaches 74%, and Wetzel County sits at an astonishing 100%. Taken ...

Nailers Find A Good Fit With New Affiliates

Editorials

No one should be surprised at how quickly the Wheeling Nailers were able to find a new NHL affiliate. It was less than a month between the Pittsburgh Penguins announcing it was ending its 29-year partnership with the Nailers and the Columbus Blue Jackets announcing earlier this week that they and the AHL Cleveland Monsters would become the new affiliates for the longstanding ECHL franchise in Wheeling. Location was a big selling point for everyone involved. Sure, the Penguins were less than an hour away from the Nailers, but the AHL Wilkes-Barre team was five and a half hours away. ...

Johnny Haught: 'Independent' Is No Longer A Bad Word In Politics

Local Columns

Independent is no longer a bad word. Sit back and I'll tell you a tale of a perfect candidate for the House of Delegates in West Virginia trying to overcome the establishment on both sides of the political aisle working against him. A family man, a union leader, an understanding ear in a political world that seems detached from the cares and concerns of the actual electorate, and a true son of Appalachia. Dave Cantrell is running for House District 3 in the Northern Panhandle of our great state. While those of us that live in the Northern Panhandle know this all too well, as Cantrell ...

The McLure Hotel Deserves A New Chapter To Its Story

Editorials

There seems to be some light at the end of the tunnel in the saga of whether the McLure Hotel could open its doors again. At a Wednesday court hearing, an attorney for McLure Hotel owner FA Management Corp., headed by Fran Garey, told Municipal Court Judge Jeffrey Miller that there was a potential buyer for the property, the purchase process was underway and a closing date was set for Sept. 4. The potential buyer’s name wasn’t divulged publicly at the hearing, but the revelation brought the McLure a step closer to reopening. Its doors have been closed since November 2024, when ...

National Night Out An Important Event

Editorials

When many people have interactions with local law enforcement, it may not be under the best of circumstances. It could come with a speeding ticket, a car accident or, heaven forbid, something worse. So it’s good when officers have the opportunity to interact with the public under rosier conditions, like they were able to do Tuesday night with the National Night Out. All across the country, law enforcement agencies used that night to meet with the public, show them what they do and how they do it, and give them a better understanding of how officers go about their days. “It’s ...

Plenty Of Fun Events Throughout The Ohio Valley

Editorials

Never let it be said that there’s nothing to do around the Ohio Valley. What we saw just last weekend is proof enough of that. Here’s what Ohio Valley residents were able to enjoy over three days: Friday night offered Fun Fest Friday at Wheeling Park. On Saturday, the park hosted the annual Wheeling Arts Festival, which brought artists in multiple mediums together to display their work. Saturday also featured the ribbon cutting for the new disc golf course at Oglebay Park Resort, that both locals and resort guests can enjoy right now. And polka aficionados braved raindrops ...