Dysfunction in the people’s business

February 24, 2026

The recent ordinance concerning the potential dissolution of the Hancock County Parks Board is further evidence of ongoing dysfunction in local government. On Feb. 12, commissioners voted 2-1 on the first reading of the ordinance which would get rid of the board as it is, replacing it instead with a form which would allow local residents or organizations to apply directly to county commissioners for a share of the county’s hotel and motel tax revenue to put on events. The vote was followed last week by a “work session” held at 8:30 a.m. Friday in which the issues of the ...

Community Foundation continuing good work

February 23, 2026

Thanks to the Community Foundation for the Ohio Valley, 11 Ohio Valley nonprofit organizations are getting a financial boost to continue the good work they do in the community. Those organizations shared in more than $70,000 in Community Impact Grants that the CFOV distributed this week. Organizations earning those grants included the Belmont County Court of Common Pleas Juvenile Division Probation Department, CASA for Children, Catholic Charities West Virginia, Childrens Home of Wheeling, Inc., City of Steubenville Parks and Recreation, Hancock and Brooke Young Professionals, Laughlin ...

Making sure program is used responsibly

February 21, 2026

Members of the state House Finance Committee are working toward some important changes to safeguard taxpayer dollars, ahead of a planned “universal expansion” of the Hope Scholarship educational voucher program. Without many of the planned changes, the program will remain wide open to waste, fraud and abuse, as too many have taken advantage of the state’s failure to install guardrails earlier. The originating bill, which has not yet been numbered, would cap the annual Hope Scholarship award to eligible families at $5,250, with $250 going to the State Treasurer’s Office for ...

Keeping the focus on job creation

February 20, 2026

Though the usual suspects have tried again this year to get a few bizarre socio-cultural bills in front of lawmakers, the majority have displayed an impressive dedication to the goal set at the beginning of the session: put Jobs First — Opportunity Everywhere. In fact Senate Bill 1, the Small Business Growth Act, made its way to the governor’s desk unusually quickly. In a nutshell, the act establishes the West Virginia First Small Business Growth Program, with specialized growth funds collecting capital from investors to provide financing to eligible small businesses that ...

Go vote, let your voice be heard this election

February 19, 2026

If you’re beginning to feel as though the stakes in this year’s elections are unusually high, you are not alone. Even a cursory glance at newspaper opinion pages or social media feeds will tell you there are strong feelings on many important issues — and plenty of people believe they must weigh in on the candidates who might address those issues. Here’s the problem. When it really counts — Election Day — those opinion pieces or social media posts will not move the needle. Your vote will; and primary elections are closer than you might think. According to the West Virginia ...

Honor Weirton’s dedicated residents

February 18, 2026

When one looks at the names of those who have been enshrined in the Weirton Hall of Fame since its founding in 2008, they get the sense of the history and dedication behind the community we have today. From the city’s namesake, E.T. Weir, to the city’s first mayor, Thomas Millsop, to longtime community volunteers like Nick Tranto, Deb Witkowski, Dr. J.K. Luthra, Pam Makricosta and Jim Pauchnik, to businesspeople such as Vanessa Beaver, George Kondik, educators like Tracy Ohalek, David Reitter and Louis Kuntupis, and many more, each has left a lasting impression on the city, whether ...