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Enjoy our local fireworks displays

We ask everyone to take a moment during the next couple of days and remember that, despite whatever differences we have, there are few nations in the world where citizens are able to gather to celebrate the freedoms residents of the United States of America too often take for granted. It’s an important thought as our nation prepares to celebrate its 249th birthday on Friday. The Fourth of July is a true national holiday, one that is celebrated from the smallest township to the largest city. It’s a day of picnics, family gatherings, parades and summer fun, all played out against ...

Keep pressure on for broadband funds

Despite a pause in March, progress has restarted with some of the broadband expansion projects on which 10 West Virginia counties had been waiting. Money from the American Rescue Plan Act will go to CityNet, Comcast, Digital Connections Inc., Spruce Knob Seneca Rocks Telephone and Micrologic — $34 million for Calhoun, Doddridge, Gilmer, Lewis, Jackson, Mason, Putnam, Preston, Pendleton and Grant counties. A big deal, right? But it is just the start of what was meant to be a much larger effort in West Virginia. West Virginia was awarded $1.2 billion through the Broadband Equity, ...

Great places for road trips

A stretch of suffocatingly hot weather may have made it tempting to just stay indoors as much as possible, but a recent study reminds us West Virginia and surrounding states have a great deal to offer outside. The best part is, it just takes a switch from the air conditioning in your house to the air conditioning in your car to go enjoy it. WalletHub’s 2025’s Best and Worst States for Summer Road Trips placed the Buckeye State at an impressive third in the country. The idea for this particular group of researchers was to find road trips that were fun and budget-friendly, which is a ...

Carry on that Blue Don spirit

Our region received another hard dose of reality last week when it was learned that officials at Weirton Madonna High School made the decision to suspend the school’s football team for the coming season. It was a decision that — for now — ends a long tradition of successful seasons at the school. Fans have cheered the Blue Dons on to six West Virginia Class A state championships (in 1968, 1971, 1972, 1987, 2009 and 2013;) the Catholic state title in 1975; and 11 Ohio Valley Athletic Conference Class A championships (in 1962, 1967, 1969, 1975, 1987, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2012, 2013 ...

Enjoy the holiday fireworks safely

The Fourth of July is a time traditionally shared with family picnics and get-togethers. Many of those celebrations will be accompanied by a few bangs, booms and splashes of color and sparks. And, while we hope everyone will have a good time, we ask, once again, that you leave the fireworks to the professionals. Summer, especially the weeks that surround the Independence Day holiday, offers the promise of relaxing, care-free enjoyment, but this time of year can be dangerous. According to the Consumer Product Safety Commission, there were an estimated 14,700 fireworks-related ...

Ruby a diamond for West Virginia

During this week’s legislative interim meetings, lawmakers got a glimpse at the drive — and success — of Chelsea Ruby, who was reappointed as cabinet secretary for the Department of Tourism by Gov. Patrick Morrisey after having already served in that capacity for eight years under Gov. Jim Justice. During those years, Ruby has guided the department through changes in the tourism industry and state government’s approach to it as a priority. “I will say that the mission of the Department of Tourism has changed over the years,” Ruby said. “You’ve seen over the last eight ...