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The way grandparents love their grandchildren

As a grandmother, I feel it is my job, my duty, to share all of the precious moments I get to experience with my grandson. I mean, that is what grandparents do, right? We brag. We boast. We embellish. We show photos to anyone who will glance at them. I can remember long before cell phones were invented. People would pull their wallet out of their back pocket or purse and open it up to reveal an extremely long strand of plastic coverings. As the photos unfolded, the viewer would silently sigh, emit a plastic smile and await their fate. Having to look at people they ...

History in the Hills: Digging in the past

Here in our area, we have been known for many different industries over the centuries. Some of the earliest industries we have been noted for are agriculture, woolen products, glass, pottery, oil and iron products, among others. Industries that thrived here have had their day of prominence in our history, such as the woolen industry, as an example. There were so many woolen factories in Steubenville at one time, they called the city Jeans Town because of all the clothes being made here. This industry was big in the first half of the 19th century, and by the Civil War, only a few ...

A slow news week in the state capital

Last week was a slow news week when it comes to my specific beat of West Virginia state government news. Reporters who cover the same beat had similar opinions when I talked to them. There are weeks when it is not uncommon for me to write as many as 15 stories per week or sometimes four stories in one day. I certainly don’t mind a busy week, but last week was mostly quiet. Sure, there was the Gas and Oil Association of West Virginia’s summer meeting at the Greenbrier Resort at the beginning of last week, which saw many state elected officials address the group and talk about West ...

Guest column: Celebrating those who help keep elections safe, secure, and fair

West Virginia is a place where people know their neighbors, and that’s exactly what makes local elections work. When voters walk into a polling place and see a familiar face, a teacher, a pastor, a coach, a neighbor, a parent, it builds trust in the system. It reminds folks that elections aren’t run by distant bureaucrats; they’re managed by people right here in our own communities. We West Virginians pride ourselves on being a state full of hard-working, community-minded people. From the southern coal fields to the beautiful river views of the northern panhandle, Mountaineers ...

More growth for our recreation trails?

It’s only been a few months since the paving was completed on the West Virginia portion of the Panhandle Trail; a project which truly has been years in the making. Now, it looks as if additional improvements are in the works for the trail, which travels between Weirton and Carnegie, Pa. As we reported in our Thursday edition, the City of Weirton – with work from the Weirton Board of Parks and Recreation and the city’s Planning and Development Department – is planning to apply for a Transportation Alternatives Program grant through the West Virginia Department of ...

Guest column: State missing the energy and tech opportunity, again

West Virginia stands at a critical crossroads when it comes to combining energy production and technological innovation. Our access to abundant natural gas reserves as well as a skilled work force allows our state to stand ready to meet America’s energy needs, further artificial intelligence (AI) development, and help future technological advancements. What we cannot let happen is watch as our neighbors, Ohio and Pennsylvania, harness these opportunities as we stand idly by. Seeing these states announce multiple, lifechanging, investments should serve as a wake-up call to seize our ...