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Enjoying the fun of the Brooke County Fair

County fairs offer something for just about everyone. And, if you are in need of another reminder of that, you need look no farther than Brooke Hills Park in Wellsburg. That’s where the Brooke County Fair will be held. Set to run today through Sunday, the annual event will feature a wide variety of food, games and entertainment. The weekend will include presentations of Native American culture and lumberjack skills, drag races for all-terrain vehicles and dirt bikes and plenty of music. Agriculture will play a part, with contests built around home-grown produce and home-made baked ...

Remember the actions of true patriots

Nineteen committed people can change the world. That is the frightening reality that we learned 24 years ago today, after Americans and the world watched as civilian airliners were used as piloted cruise missiles to rain terror in New York and Washington, D.C., and on the people who fought back aboard an airliner that crashed into a peaceful farm field east of Pittsburgh. Sept. 11, 2001, is receding in time, but not in effect. The world has accepted wars, seemingly without end. It has accepted that madmen bent on using violence as a political statement will forever be with us. ...

We can’t ignore unemployment figures

Employment rates continue to struggle all over the country. The approximately 7.2 million people in the U.S. unemployed during the last week of August pushed the nationwide average up 3.5% week-over-week heading into the Labor Day weekend. That added to the trend of a small overall increase in unemployment nationwide, over the past year, according to WalletHub. So, the personal finance company dug deeper and took a look at weekly claims on the state level. West Virginia was among those where unemployment claims were higher than they’d been in the previous week. Change in ...

Let’s not forget how to be adults

Our region is blessed with many wonderful entertainment venues. They’re places to relax with members of our families and friends, spots where young and old should be able to take performances from top entertainers and enjoy a thrill ride. Sadly, nights at two of the most popular spots in the Tri-State Area have been disrupted during the past several weeks, incidents that have led to injuries and raised qustions about security measures and what makes some people behave so badly in public settings. Those incidents — which included a man being hit in the head with a beer can ...

Consider serving as a poll worker

One of the most important jobs we as American citizens have is letting our voices be heard at the ballot box. In order for us to do that, we rely on the poll workers who help make each of those polling places operate without a hitch. Yet elections officials around the Ohio Valley are searching for more people to fill that crucial role. The need is significant in areas of West Virginia. Last year, then-West Virginia Secretary of State Mac Warner pleaded for more poll workers, as there were shortages in several counties, including in parts of the Northern Panhandle. Among the keys ...

Taking action against hunger

September is the start of many things: football season, the school year for some, spooky season if you ask the right people … But this is also Hunger Action Month. Note the difference between this “month” designation and many others. This is not just about awareness; this is about action to “provide nutritious food to neighbors facing hunger,” as Feeding America puts it. The idea is to come together with food banks and volunteers in communities “to build a nation where everyone has the food and support they need.” But that doesn’t happen if YOU don’t take ...