Little did I know last week that a simple story about employment numbers would cause so much consternation in the world of social media. That’s exactly what happened last Monday when Gov. Jim Justice and Steve Roberts, president of the West Virginia Chamber of Commerce, touted an increase ...

People either love leftovers or hate them. Sometimes I’m not sure which category I belong to, which side of the fence I’m leaning on. After we had our early Thanksgiving dinner last Sunday, and I gave it some thought as we were cleaning up, I’m still not entirely sure. Maybe I’m ...

We have made it through Black Friday and Small Business Saturday, and will experience Cyber Monday (because, of course, that is a thing) tomorrow. The Christmas shopping season is in full swing, with only a few weeks remaining until the big day (or days if you have to split up time in order ...

Have you ever been to a place that was dark and dangerous and you couldn’t wait to get out of there? As believers in Christ, sometimes we find ourselves in a place spiritually where there seems to be darkness all around, with no light to be seen. We are either dead spiritually, or we are ...

At the Visitor Center, we are often asked what is special about the Upper Ohio Valley, and the answer is undoubtedly the community. We have been through a lot in this community over the years, but we stick together. That is one of the biggest reasons my wife and I came back, after all. An ...

The 2020 races for the state Senate and House of Delegates have gotten more interesting due to the announcements by several senior lawmakers that they won’t seek re-election. House Minority Leader Tim Miley, D-Harrison, and House Judiciary Committee Chairman John Shott, R-Mercer, announced ...

Given that our daughter has to work on Thanksgiving day, we’re having a little early holiday dinner today so we can have some feasting and gratitude time together. And that just goes to show you that you can stuff yourself and be thankful any old day of the year, whether it’s the official ...

As this column is being written, I’m listening to the rain pounding on the roof of our building with the knowledge it is supposed to turn to snow at some point overnight. Snow is another reminder that we are quickly approaching the holiday season. Weirton’s Light the Night was postponed ...

Some of the traditional markers that have offered a clear sign that the holiday shopping season has started are quickly fading. It wasn’t that long ago that Black Friday — the day after Thanksgiving — was the primary beacon that showed us it was time to get serious about our holiday ...

Many of us know the story of the Grinch who tried to steal Christmas from an unsuspecting village. However, there are real-life scammers who want to take advantage of increased consumer activity around the holidays, steal identities and ruin what ought to be an enjoyable time of year. While ...

I love a good Chinese auction, and I have occasion to be in the midst of many of them in my newspaper-related outings and adventures. Nearly any group or organization having a fundraiser these days has a Chinese auction. And that, of course, would be in addition to having the ...

In my career, I’ve had the fortune of meeting many in our community who take on the task of making a difference. Big or small, there are those whose actions leave a lasting imprint on our lives. Whether they are teachers, coaches, charitable volunteers, emergency responders, clergy or a ...

(Deuteronomy 17:18-20 18) When he takes the throne of his kingdom, he is to write for himself on a scroll a copy of this law, taken from that of the Levitical priests. 19) It is to be with him, and he is to read it all the days of his life so that he may learn to revere the LORD his God and ...

Veterans Day is a time to remember and honor all those who have served in our military. Those who have said yes to service and have given of their time and energy to protect our country deserve our heartfelt thanks! Truly it is due to their sacrifices that we have the nation we live in today. ...

Can we extrapolate any lessons for West Virginia from the recent elections in Kentucky? Yes and no. According to unofficial election results, incumbent Republican Kentucky Gov. Matt Bevin lost re-election to state Attorney General Andy Beshear in a close race. Beshear had 49.2 percent of the ...

It’s an important post-7 p.m. question in our household. What are we gonna’ snack on? We’re in settle-down mode, parked on the couch or in the recliners, mastering the art of watching television with our eyes closed, but we awaken long enough to talk serious stuff, to engage in ...

The newest class of Leadership Ohio Valley kicked off its program year this weekend, as you’ll probably have noted by reading today’s newspaper. Leadership Ohio Valley is offered through the Weirton Area Chamber of Commerce, under the auspices of its Education Committee. As always, for ...

West Virginia is one of the most patriotic states in this great nation. During my time in the U.S. Senate, it has been my greatest honor to serve those who have served, and celebrate Veterans and all they have given for our freedom. Whenever I travel across our state and speak at schools and ...

Teachers were able to play off news a few weeks ago showing a major problem with teacher absenteeism as “teacher bashing” before leading up to the 2020 election. I’m unsure how they explain away the most recent national reading and math scores. According to test scores from the 2019 ...

Some things you just have to live with. This reality of life occurred to me when weird weather prompted a change in Halloween trick-or-treating in many communities, including Richmond. Instead of Halloween candy collecting being on Thursday, Oct. 31, from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., it’s been ...