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Educational.
Entertaining.
Thought-provoking.
Those are among the words residents from around the Tri-State Area have used to describe the Herald-Star Speaker Series Presented by Eastern Gateway Community College.
Jeff Hatcher will deliver the next presentation in the series at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday in the auditorium at Indian Creek High School. He's an internationally known playwright and screenwriter who grew up in Steubenville and is a 1976 graduate of Wintersville High School.
He will be adding his name to the list of high-quality speakers who have appeared as part of the series since Nov. 14, 2012, when former Secret Service Agent Clint Hill and his co-author, Lisa McCubbin, delivered the first presentation.
A hallmark of the series is the wide range of topics the speakers have brought to town. Antonio and Jonna Mendez detailed their work as masters of disguise, work that was highlighted in the film "Argo." Richard Phillips told his thrilling tale of being captured by Somali pirates and rescued by Navy SEALs, a story that was dramatized in the film "Captain Phillips." Retired Air Force Col. Mark Tillman told about the drama of being in command of Air Force One on Sept. 11, 2001, and being tasked with protecting President George W. Bush in the wake of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.
Rebekah Gregory, meanwhile, described what it was like to be injured in the Boston Marathon bombings and her efforts to rehabilitate herself physically and mentally, and Mark "Oz" Geist talked about fighting for survival during the attacks on Benghazi. Jeanine Pirro, the legal expert and political commentator, brought her take-no-prisoners view of the world to town.
Michael Hayden offered perspectives that only can come from an Air Force general who served as the head of national intelligence. John Quinones asked his trademark simple question - What would you do? Matthew Charles offered a reminder of how important it can be to get a second chance.
And Eddie Olczyk talked about his career in the National Hockey League, his work as a commentator, his efforts as a thoroughbred handicapper and his fight against cancer.
The Herald-Star and The Weirton Daily Times have worked hard to bring top-quality speakers to town, a job that couldn't be accomplished without the help and continued support of sponsors. It's a list that includes Eastern Gateway Community College, the Franciscan University of Steubenville, Main Street Bank, the Gaslite, Em-Media, WTRF-TV, the Jefferson County Chamber of Commerce, the Indian Creek Local School District, Ferguson's House of Furniture, Steel Valley Regional Transit Authority and Rich and Shirley's Quick Print.
Special thanks to the Steubenville and Weirton Heights Rotary clubs and the Steubenville Kiwanis Club, whose donations made it possible for local high school students to attend the presentation at no charge.
General admission tickets remain available by contacting the newspaper office at (740) 283-4711 or at the door.
Join us, then, in welcoming Hatcher back to his hometown, and in thanking everyone involved for working hard to make sure the series continues. It's another example of things that make our region a great place to live.