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Much of the attention the last couple of weeks has been focused on the East Palestine community as a result of the train derailment and chemical spills and other related news and activity.
This issue has a lot of moving parts to it, and conditions can change at a moment. Despite the thoughts on some of those in the echo chambers of social media, many local news outlets, and even some national organizations, have been providing coverage since the day after (if not the actual night of) the incident.
That's not going to stop. It also doesn't mean that's all we're paying attention to.
There are some things we come across in our work which might not rise to a full story or we're just not able to get to it immediately given limited time and staffing.
This week, I thought I would look back at a few of those comments or observations.
In business news: There's been a rumor for a while of another business coming to the shopping plaza on Three Springs Drive. (We can't really call it the Kmart Plaza anymore) During Monday's Weirton Council meeting, city Code Official Matt Burskey announced he had received plans for a Pet Supplies Plus to go into a space next to Big Lots.
A new business means more investment into the community. It also means more traffic on Three Springs Drive, which continues to see interest.
I noticed people marking sections of sidewalk with orange paint along Cove Road in recent days. That usually indicates some type of work is coming to the area. I'm not saying it's related to any paving of that stretch of road, but that project went out to bid months ago, and city officials have been told it was coming. Fingers crossed the state (which is charged with maintaining Cove Road) finally follows through.
A couple of tidbits from Thursday morning's meeting of the Weirton Board of Parks and Recreation. This year's Easter Egg Hunt is being scheduled for April 8 at 11 a.m. on the Edwin J. Bowman Field. They are continuing to look for sponsors to support this annual event for our local youth, and, as with many things, candy has gotten more expensive. This always attracts a massive group of kids and is a lot of fun.
In addition, plans are moving forward for the inaugural William Curenton Spring Open Pickleball Tournament, currently planned for March 26 at the Millsop Community Center. This has been in the works for quite some time as pickleball has been growing as a recreational sport in our area. Naming it in honor of Curenton, who has been an advocate of local recreation for well over 30 years, is a well-deserved gesture. We'll have more information on this in the coming weeks.
Apparently, the COVID-19 updates from the state DHHR are switching from daily to weekly. We'll still be able to check county numbers through the website, but that should mean one less email each day for those of us who receive them.
The Weirton Police Department has had an officer stationed on the West Virginia side of the Veterans Memorial Bridge at various times lately. That should serve as an added deterrent for those who try to speed through the already tight lanes created by the construction zone currently in effect there.
Several area officials, including representatives of the City of Weirton, were in Charleston this past week as part of a gathering for the West Virginia Municipal League. The League provides an opportunity for government officials from across the state to network, share ideas and learn from each other. Being in Charleston, it also gives them a chance to possibly meet with some of our state officials to discuss ongoing issues and hopes for their communities. This particular meeting taking place while the Legislature is in session, I'm sure, provided some lobbying time on several avenues.
Enjoy your weekend.
(Howell, a resident of Colliers, is managing editor of The Weirton Daily Times, and can be contacted at chowell@weirtondailytimes.com or followed on Twitter @CHowellWDT)