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Maybe it’s just me, but … I wish I would’ve …

Maybe it’s just me, but I wish I would have traveled and seen the world. Or at least certain parts of it. But I ended up staying in my hometown ... the very place I was born. I think the farthest I have moved was across town to the other end of the Gem City several years ago before I had my third son. Somehow, I ended up back at the end of the block from the house where I was born. Funny how that happens, although it isn’t really comical. How does life pass us by so quickly? Before we realize it, more than half or most of our time is in the rear view mirror of life. And ...

History in the Hills: Snowy and frozen

We have had some cold weather here lately. I am not sure how it stacks up with cold weather here in the past, but it certainly gets your attention if you have to be out in it. We have had many cold days recently. At the Visitor Center in Steubenville over Christmas, this past season was especially cold, and on some of those nights, not many folks were out. So far, this new year, the weather has not quite let up just yet, either. I can deal with the cold, but the snow is another thing all together. As long as I don’t need to drive or go out in it, I am OK. Snow can be fun, too. The ...

It’s time to restart the clock in Charleston

Today is the day, when Gov. Jim Justice hands over the wheel of the ship of state to the new governor, Patrick Morrisey. It is a true changing of the guard. Justice spent the prior week handing out more checks, traveling on treacherous roadways due to the snow/ice storm, receiving a polite goodbye from lawmakers who seem very ready for the new Morrisey administration to take over, and giving one final closed virtual briefing to reporters. I predict that Justice’s legacy over the last eight years will be mixed. There are many good things to point to, several bad things that took up ...

Elevating the local voices in our pages

One of my ongoing endeavors with this newspaper is to try to find ways to encourage more public discourse. I know most people prefer to go to their social media platforms to express themselves, as it’s an immediate way to share one’s thoughts, whether on your personal timeline, through a community page or one offered by a local business or organization. But let’s not forget the more traditional means of such vocal outreach. We continue to offer a section each week for letters to the editor, providing an opportunity for residents to express their thoughts on the matters of ...

College project will have benefits for our region

I’ve been fielding some questions lately about why the state of West Virginia awarded the College of Joseph the Worker an economic enhancement grant. Some people think it is odd that we gave money to a college based in Steubenville to expand its operations into our state. I thought I’d take a moment to clarify the reasoning behind the grant. The College of Joseph the Worker is a very innovative institution. It is a college that offers a robust education in the Western intellectual tradition, with students earning a bachelor’s degree that focuses on the meaning of work, the duty ...

Are you as safe as Washington during a winter storm?

Washington, D.C., got nearly 10 inches of snow recently. That was more than enough to shut down the nation’s capital. Thankfully, all of D.C.’s lobbyists and politicos stayed safe at home. Their local utility, Pepco—which relies on natural gas and coal for roughly half of its power generation—supplied the electricity needed to keep everyone warm. But what about the rest of the country? Are they as safe as Washington? Not necessarily. The North American Electric Reliability Corp.—which oversees the reliability and security of America’s bulk power system—believes the ...