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Letters to the Editor

Commission has low expectations

To the Editor, June 30th marked the end of the third year of the Hancock County Commission’s operation of the county animal shelter. The Commission promised to operate the shelter “better” than the previous shelter operator, a nonprofit which had operated the shelter for over 20 years. Three facts deserve repeating. First, the nonprofit had agreed to operate the animal shelter at a total expense to the taxpayer of $188,000 for fiscal year 2017. Second, the nonprofit had achieved a shelter animal death-rate of 5 percent. Third, believing the nonprofit would continue to ...

Politicians are being watched

To the Editor, I’m writing this letter about the red flag law. This is nothing more than a back door to gun confiscation and a way to go around the Second Amendment. I have heard nothing on how the politicians plan to stop the criminals who are committing the crimes. My wife and I are watching how the politicians stand on this issue. We are registered voters and vote in every election. The red flag law the Democrats are pushing states that if someone is getting a divorce and that person has guns, and the other person feels threatened for no reason other than just because they are ...

Thanks for a job well done

To the Editor, I want to thank all of those responsible for the recent repaving of the McKim Ridge Road – especially the taxpayers who paid for the work. There are numerous parties for which to give thanks in addition to the taxpayers, but none more important. The decision makers are to be thanked. The WVDOH employees played a major role in the ditching and patching prior to the repaving and oversight inspection during the paving and they all deserve praise, gratitude and thanks. The paving contractor, Shelly and Sands, provided high quality, efficient service, including all levels ...

Trump not a friend of democracy

To the Editor, If democracy ever needed a friend, it certainly is not President Trump. Lowering taxes, enacting tariffs and deregulating many safety measures designed to protect our health. Now we listen to a non-alcoholic president who should have a nip once in a while to chill out and quick mimicking a comic gone off the deep end with his disingenuous tweets. Lowering taxes: When Newt Gingrich and Sean Hannity brag about how Newt and former president Bill Clinton balanced the budget in 1998 through 2002, no one asks what were the tax rates. Check it out for yourself. You will ...

Speak out on utility expansion

To the Editor, “Build it and they will come,” was a feel good Hollywood fantasy, not reality. Yet, that is the rationale before Weirton council to expand our water and sewage treatment facilities. Presently, we utilize three-fourths of our water and sewage capacity which means we have 25 percent in reserve. But, it is being proposed that we double our existing water treatment facilities and triple our sewage treatment capacity. Why? On the word of three people — Mayor Miller; Mark Miller, development director; and Butch Mastrantoni, utilities head. They believe if we build it, ...

Celebrating summer events

To the Editor, The summer concerts at the Berkman Amphitheater have ended and the high school football season has begun so we can say that summer 2019 is in the books. For those of us at Historic Fort Steuben and the Steubenville Visitor Center, it has been a season to remember, both for the great events and for the weather challenges we faced (rescheduling four concerts!) The Fort Steuben Summer Concerts were successful because of the great staff and volunteers who helped organize and run them, the talented performers, the generous donations and comments from the audience and the ...