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Poll workers are important

No matter your political leanings, everyone can agree the Nov. 5 general election is an unusually important one for our communities, states and country. There are calls from all sides to ensure this is a fair, legal, accurate election in which there is no room for doubt when the results are tallied. But who makes that happen? Poll workers and state/local elections officials. Theirs is an enormously important job. But, in the Mountain State anyway, there are not enough poll workers. Last week, West Virginia Secretary of State Mac Warner issued a plea. Poll worker recruitment efforts ...

Nursing program showing success

One of the reasons for West Virginia’s challenges in ensuring everyone has access to affordable, quality health care has been the shortage in health care workers. Nurses are in incredibly short supply. But two years ago, the Nursing Workforce Expansion Program was launched. Now, officials are celebrating its early successes. Between 2022 and 2023 there was a nearly 15% increase in the number of registered nurses graduating with associate degrees. The 676 graduates from that year represent a record number of nursing graduates in the Mountain State. Funded projects for the program ...

Newspapers still hold importance

There are as many reasons to read a daily newspaper as there are readers. Some are looking to see how their favorite high school sports team is doing. Others want to know what’s happening in their local schools. Many are looking to learn more about the people and events that shape their cities, villages townships and counties. Some are interested in crossword puzzles and word games. And yes, some always will turn to the obituaries first. Some are looking to learn more about events happening at area churches and with local clubs and organizations. Some enjoy reading ...

Planning for state’s future responsibly

As state lawmakers prepare to consider a 5% personal income tax cut, they are not wrong to be asking for long-term forecasts that will better help them make the decision. Of course our elected officials should be doing all they can to ensure taxpayers are able to keep more of their hard-earned money. They must not do so irresponsibly. State Senate Finance Committee Chairman Eric Tarr, R-Putnam, said he had not seen a long-term tax revenue and expenditure forecast in years. The State Budget Office says the last publicly available six-year forecast was provided Jan. 8, 2020. Gov. Jim ...

Wellsburg Applefest still golden after 45 years

A tradition that has brought residents of the Tri-State Area together for nearly 50 years will be renewed this weekend. It’s the 45th Wellsburg Applefest, which will run Friday through Sunday along Charles Street and the Wellsburg Town Square. The festival celebrates the town’s connection with the Grimes Golden apple, which was discovered in 1832 on a farm owned by Thomas Grimes that was located along Washington Pike. Seeds for the apple, which is related to the Golden Delicious, West Virginia’s state fruit, were first planted, legend has it, by Johnny “Appleseed” Chapman. ...

Helping others with the Red Cross

Many Ohio Valley residents think first of blood drives when they think of the American Red Cross — and that is one of the organization’s vital functions. But it is also a lifeline for those in need after emergencies and disasters. Volunteers from all over the country will be headed to those regions devastated by Hurricane Helene. Among them will be American Red Cross of the Ohio River Valley volunteers Chip Pickering of Parkersburg and Seth Kenefick of Steubenville. Pickering is a shelter coordinator. Kenefick is a disaster program specialist. They both have been working for days ...