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Take steps to keep your lungs healthy

With Halloween just behind us and Thanksgiving coming up in a couple of weeks, it might be easy to forget that November is Lung Cancer Awareness Month. You should not. Lung cancer, according to the American Cancer Society, is the second most common form of cancer, with only prostate cancer being more common in men and breast cancer more common in women. Estimates are that 226,650 new cases of lung cancer will be diagnosed this year (115,970 of which will be in women and 110,6800 in men) and, sadly, that there will be 124,730 deaths due to lung cancer this year (64,190 of which will ...

We all have a role in our family

Among the many other designations for November is National Family Caregivers Month — a time to recognize the role played by those who sometimes jeopardize their own long-term financial, physical and mental wellbeing to instead care for a loved one in need. According to data from AARP West Virginia, approximately 26% of Mountain State adults fall into the category of being a family caregiver. These people are often unpaid — and on their own — taking care of older parents, spouses and others for whom no one else has stepped up. In fact, AARP estimates there is approximately $3 ...

Focus on health a long-term concern

As Americans try to focus on upcoming holidays and rapidly approaching New Year’s resolutions, data accompanying this National Diabetes Awareness Month reminds that many of us have some work to do regarding our health. This is no time for nasty digs about SNAP and the health of those living in states with high numbers of people living both below the poverty line and in food deserts. In fact, where access to affordable, nutritious options is limited, health woes that go far beyond hunger are plentiful. It’s no surprise, then, that WalletHub’s “Most Overweight and Obese ...

A positive reminder ahead of the holidays

Interactions between residents and law enforcement aren’t always a positive experience, but, for years, Hancock County’s sheriff’s deputies have rallied each holiday season to showcase the better parts of those relationships. For almost 40 years, the Hancock County Deputy Sheriffs Association has organized a Shop With A Cop campaign, reaching out to the community for support in providing a brighter holiday for some of our residents who might otherwise not have such a merry Christmas. That tradition continues this year, let by Deputy Chance Weyand and Sgt. Hugh Tate. Donations ...

Seeing young people use their power

Imagine being 18 (or nearly 18) years old and having someone like the West Virginia Secretary of State tell you that, at least in one aspect, you are just as powerful as someone like Taylor Swift or the president of the United States. That’s what local students learned when Secretary Kris Warner visited Brooke High School and Oak Glen High School recently to encourage them to register to vote when they are eligible. “No one is any greater or less than anyone else. We’re all equal when we get to the ballot box,” Warner told the students gathered at their respective ...

A new chapter for animal shelter

It’s a new chapter at the Hancock County Animal Shelter. Following a contract signing Friday morning, operations at the shelter located near New Manchester will now be overseen by the Ohio-based non-profit Jefferson County Humane Society, which also oversees the Jefferson County Animal Shelter in Wintersville. There will be some changes as part of the transition. Humane Society managers will be working with existing animal shelter staff to review their operations, see what works and what improvements can be made, sharing ideas, and making upgrades to the shelter itself including ...