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Prioritize what we really need

While some are able to find numbers that show positive things happening for the economy, here in West Virginia, the reality is a little less pleasant. Some key indicators are downright disturbing. Workforce participation is steadily dropping. Unemployment is increasing. “These numbers are troubling,” said West Virginia Chamber of Commerce President Steve Roberts. “We’re seeing consistent signs of economic softening across several core industries. When the workforce is shrinking and job losses are sustained over time, we must treat it as a warning sign, and we must respond with ...

If you feel different, you drive different

“If you feel different, you drive different. Drive high, get a DUI.” That’s the theme of an effort by the U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to help local law enforcement be highly visible from now through Labor Day as they crack down on those taking the risk to drive impaired. Even in states such as Ohio where (despite lawmakers’ best efforts to subvert the voters’ will) adult-use cannabis is legal for recreational use, it is still illegal to drive under the influence. It doesn’t matter what substance is to blame. But, ...

Getting ready for football season

Our annual football edition will be included with your Wednesday newspaper, marking the return of local high school sports for 2025. The high school football season, which officially opens this week in Ohio and next week in West Virginia, will be the topic of many conversations and will occupy the hearts and minds of fans from all parts of the region for at least the next 10 weeks — and, hopefully, beyond. With all of that in mind, members of our local sports staff, led by Sports Editor Andrew Grimm, have spent much of the past several weeks conducting interviews, taking ...

Security measures being increased

It seems safety is on the minds of residents everywhere nowadays, whether you’re driving through your neighborhood or going on a lengthy journey. For many years, security measures have been established pretty much everywhere we go – many in response to major incidents and disasters – from airports, to hospitals, to even grocery stores. One of the more visible examples is when we visit our governmental offices, whether we’re greeted by a security guard watching a bank of monitors or made to walk through a scanning system. The City of Weirton is taking some new measures in an ...

Getting ready to go back to school

It’s just a matter of days until area schools open for the academic year. That can be a stressful time, and that’s why area school districts, churches, nonprofits and businesses work to find ways to improve the overall experience for everyone involved. A big help is the back-to-school rally. They’ve now become a rite of late summer, with just about all districts and several organizations across the region holding one. The formula is simple — each event is filled with activities for students and their families, ranging from food trucks and other vendors to face-painting and ...

Be what West Virginia needs

After what appears to have been a long process, the West Virginia Department of Health Facilities seems to have found success in selling some of its long-term care facilities for seniors. New York-based Marx Development Group plans to buy Hopemont Hospital in Preston County, Jackie Withrow Hospital in Raleigh County, John Manchin Sr. Health Care Center in Marion County, and Lakin Hospital in Mason County. Though the planned purchase price of $60 million may sound a bit low for four long-term care facilities, the cost savings to the state is expected to more than make up for it. ...