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Life of the Party

Local Columns

Political prognosticators are always trying to find meaning in off-year elections. And while I think there are some indicators one can glean from Tuesday’s elections, it would be a mistake to read the tea leaves too closely. Last Tuesday saw a person with links to the Democratic Socialists of America — Zohran Mamdani — win election as mayor of New York City over former Democratic New York governor Andrew Cuomo. Former Democratic congresswoman Abigail Spanberger, a known moderate and former CIA case officer, won her election for governor of Virginia. There are other elections ...

Protect Working Kids

Editorials

Gov. Mike DeWine has legislation on his desk that should not be difficult to reject. State Senate Bill 50 would allow 14- and 15-year-olds to work until 9 p.m. during the school year. According to a report by the Cincinnati Enquirer, the law would require permission from a parent or legal guardian and a work permit from a school, but it would allow students (some of whom could be in the eighth grade, based on their age) to work 18 hours a week or three hours a day during the school year, and 40 hours a week when school is not in session. The most surface-level reason to reject the ...

Get Into the Holiday Spirit in the Valley

Editorials

The Halloween decorations are back in the basement around the Ohio Valley, making way for the holiday splendor that will soon adorn all corners of the region. The valley is now getting into the spirit of the holidays and there are plenty of places around where those wanting some Yuletide joy can enjoy some. The annual Festival of Trees will be open 11 a.m.-7 p.m. through Nov. 15 at the Pine Room at Oglebay Park Resort. Trains and trees will be on display daily and there will be several events throughout the week, the proceeds of which will go to Wheeling Health Right. And, of course, ...

Considering AI’s Rapid Growth: Two Years Later

Letters to the Editor

Editor, News-Register: I’d previously written on this subject in April 2023, when I sent a letter written with the help of an early chat program. Two years later, the technology has moved much faster than most people expected. Since then, the biggest advances have been in how well these systems can handle long projects, understand images and speech, and connect to everyday tools. Programs can now generate documents, charts, or lesson plans with few errors, and can take direction from voice or uploaded files instead of just typed text. By the end of 2026, we’ll likely see AI ...

It’s Time for Residents To Simply Get More Radical

Letters to the Editor

Editor, News-Register: Radical isn’t a dirty word, depending on what you are radical for. Are you the kind broadcasting a pathology of hate? The venom of war? Or striving for mutual respect and community care? I’ll say this: only one is worth fighting for. We aren’t angry enough defending those at the margins. Nor organized enough. And guess what? It’s costing us our democracy. The only antidote: Grow a spine. Radical means conviction. That you care unapologetically about an issue. Say it for all to hear. Wear opinions like a badge of honor. The word comes ...

Residential Electric Bills Just Keep Increasing

Letters to the Editor

Editor, News-Register: I don’t know what changed with the electric company, but my bill seems to go up no matter how careful I am. I’ve switched to LED bulbs, unplugged the coffee maker, and even stopped using the porch light except on holidays. Still, every month, it’s a few dollars higher. If prices keep rising, maybe they could start a “quiet hours” program where everyone agrees not to use electricity at the same time. That ought to make it cheaper somehow — or at least simpler to see what’s going wrong. I know energy costs are complicated, but the only thing I ...