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Craig Howell: Fall is getting into full 'Swingo' in West Virginia

Local Columns

I guess one of West Virginia Tourism's latest marketing campaigns has done well, as Swingo is has launched for a second season. For those uninitiated into the movement, Swingo is a combination game and travel effort, originally launched in the spring, and aimed at residents and visitors traveling throughout West Virginia to “check in” at some of the sites of our Almost Heaven swings. You sign up through the state Tourism website to get a link sent to your smartphone, typically through email, and that helps to generate a Bingo-styled “card.” From there, you are tasked with ...

Craig Howell: Local media still important for our communities

Local Columns

Wednesday afternoon, I had the opportunity to assist in presenting before the Brooke County Area Chamber of Commerce for a discussion about the benefits of media, with a particular focus on what we can do for the business community. It's not something I'm used to. In fact, I typically dread public speaking (and, quite frankly, spent most of the morning feeling nausious), but it was a good experience with a good conversation about the pros and cons when it comes to the various mixture of local media available in our region. It also gave me some time to reflect on the ever-changing ...

Craig Howell: Getting ready for those autumnal celebrations

Local Columns

The abundance of back-to-school events in the last couple of weeks is a fierce reminder that the summer months soon will be coming to an end. Realistically, of course, we have almost 40 days before the switch in seasons is official, but the signs are already here. Communities are getting ready for the start of the school year, as mentioned, with events to provide our local youth with school supplies, resources, and other materials to prepare for their first day back to classes. It's certainly a far cry from when I was a kid, and the preparation was essentially going to the school ...

Michael Barone: The long rise of the new Democratic Party

Local Columns

Can I claim to have predicted, way back in 1988, the result of Michigan's fiercely contested Democratic primary for U.S. senator this week? The developments that have made Abdul El-Sayed -- who lost the 2018 gubernatorial primary to Gov. Gretchen Whitmer (D-Mich.) by 20 percentage points -- a winner over Rep. Haley Stevens were visible in the 1988 contest for Michigan's delegates to the Democratic National Convention, in which Jesse Jackson ran far ahead of eventual nominee Michael Dukakis by a 24-percentage-point margin. Let's flash back 38 years to see what I mean. Then, as a ...

Michael Barone: The long rise of the new Democratic Party

Editorials

Can I claim to have predicted, way back in 1988, the result of Michigan's fiercely contested Democratic primary for U.S. senator this week? The developments that have made Abdul El-Sayed -- who lost the 2018 gubernatorial primary to Gov. Gretchen Whitmer (D-Mich.) by 20 percentage points -- a winner over Rep. Haley Stevens were visible in the 1988 contest for Michigan's delegates to the Democratic National Convention, in which Jesse Jackson ran far ahead of eventual nominee Michael Dukakis by a 24-percentage-point margin. Let's flash back 38 years to see what I mean. Then, as a member ...

Craig Howell: Ready to celebrate Weirton's honored citizens

Local Columns

It is the contributions of the residents of a city or town – those who are willing to step forward to provide leadership, guidance, and support for others – which helps to make it a community. In Weirton, many of those who have made such contributions are honored annually through induction into the Weirton Hall of Fame. Established by action of Weirton Council in 2008, the Hall of Fame enshrines the names of those honored citizens – past and present – who have made a lasting impact which often is felt for generations. This year's class was announced in May, and will be ...