Though it may not have been their intention, West Virginia lawmakers sent a clear message to West Virginians and those looking in during this year’s legislative session: Education is not a priority — unless we’re talking about being able to control it from Charleston. As the session ...

West Virginians are sometimes numb to the wonders that surround us in this incredible state. When we seek adventure, we don’t often turn to our own backyards — we go to beaches or explore other regions. But people from across the country understand the beauty and adventure that awaits in ...

Many of the area’s eyes have been on the ongoing construction of a new bridge which will span the Ohio River between Wellsburg and Brilliant. The Wellsburg Kiwanis has found a way to not only celebrate this local infrastructural investment but also preserve this time in our area’s history ...

West Virginia Secretary of State Mac Warner was correct to pull a bill which went before the Legislature during the recent session that would have changed voting rules in West Virginia. While most of the changes sought in the legislation seemed to make sense, at least two raised eyebrows and ...

Do you know someone who has received a liver, a heart or, maybe, a cornea implant? Chances are you do, as organ donations in the United States continue to grow, with at least 39,035 performed during the past year. However, thousands and thousands more await transplants — more than 100,000 ...

Karen “Sue” Simonetti, by many accounts, was well-known and well-liked throughout the Northern Panhandle and much of the state of West Virginia. Simonetti died last week at the age of 75, leaving a vacancy in Wellsburg’s government, but, more importantly, in the hearts and minds of the ...

Most of us think of infrastructure as something physical: bridges, roads, pipelines, power lines and the like. President Joe Biden says he wants to expand that dictionary definition to include workers, families and people — and therefore to include schools and housing, for example. That ...

For the last couple of years, Weirton officials have been making plans for the expansion of the city’s utility plants, all in an effort to increase treatment capacity in anticipation of future development in the community. Plans call for the water treatment plant to go from its current 4 ...

Facebook and other social media giants have demonstrated rather handily they can control the content that appears on their platforms when they choose. It is absurd, then, for the likes of Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg to pretend he can do nothing about the continued use of his platform to shill ...

Lawmakers know they have tough choices to make when it is time to cut spending. They are supposed to look for fraud, waste, incompetence, redundancy and all the items for which there is no explanation other than “that’s the way it’s always been.” Instead, state senators who approved a ...

Some 2,000 years ago, an itinerant preacher in the Middle East was crucified for, as his executioners put it, claiming to be a king. There was no immediate worldwide news coverage of the event. There were no live images beamed to televisions, tablets and cell phones around the world, no ...

As we enter the early days of spring, West Virginia residents may turn to cleaning up their yards or larger properties. Winter takes its toll. On a larger scale, it is time to think about this year’s West Virginia Make It Shine Statewide Cleanup, which has been pushed back to May 1-15 to give ...

The Hissam family has been involved with the Chester Volunteer Fire Department since its founding. That includes the department’s current chief, John Hissam, who recently celebrated 50 years of service with the Hancock County community’s fire service. This makes him the longest serving ...

The start of the baseball season is a magical time. It’s fitting that the game returns in the spring, the season of beginnings. Opening Day brings with it a time of optimism, as fans in cities across the country — and Canada — are certain that their team will get to the playoffs, and ...

Postmaster General Louis DeJoy has an interesting plan for fixing the struggling U.S. Postal Service: lower expectations. In discussing an expected $160 billion loss for the agency over the next decade, DeJoy said he plans to slow mail delivery standards and cut hours at some post ...

We regularly forget the lessons we learned as children from the tortoise and the hare. Slow and steady wins the race. But politicians have been rewarded for ideas that are big, exciting — and immediate. Instant gratification makes a better impression with voters than having to play the long ...

Spring is a season of hope and renewal, and our community will have the chance to experience both during the next several weeks thanks to the return of the Great Steubenville Eggsibition. The event, which will feature 32 Easter eggs that have been hand-painted by local artists, will open its ...

They are simple activities, but they bring a sense of joy to children and adults each year. And while Easter egg hunts always serve as a marker for the season of renewal and as a way to welcome spring, they are taking on a different significance this year. They are indicators that our lives ...

Making it more difficult for people to learn about potentially serious problems — such as losing one’s home — ought to be the very last thing on the minds of West Virginia legislators. Yet every year, some in Charleston introduce legislation that would effectively do just that. Consider ...

As a result of good budgeting, and a little luck, the City of Weirton will be able to have more streets paved this year than originally planned. During a work session held March 17, Public Works Director Rod Rosnick informed council the cost for the planned list of streets to be paved, which ...