Breaking News

Local Columns

Is there a lack of freedom of the press?

The Governor’s Office owes West Virginia Watch Reporter Caity Coyne an apology for her treatment last week on Gov. Jim Justice’s weekly administration briefing. Coyne tried to ask Justice about whether administration officials and cabinet secretaries were under any type of gag order where they were required to seek permission from the Governor’s Office before speaking with the press. The question stemmed from an incident at the end of the meeting last Tuesday for the Legislative Oversight Committee on Regional Jail and Correctional Facility Authority, where Department of ...

Positive changes continue for our communities

One of the privileges of this job is often getting a view from within the sideline huddle, and sometimes even from within the locker room, of the various projects and efforts taking place to put our region onto its path for the future. I grew up in the Weirton area. I remember what it was like in the 1980s and 1990s. I’ve seen many of the shifts and changes with our business community, especially following the bankruptcy of Weirton Steel Corp. and the facility’s sales to the International Steel Group, then ArcelorMittal and now Cleveland Cliffs. I’ve watched as long-time ...

Special song captures true spirit of Christmas

Every Sunday, I post on the following page the sermon titles for various churches within the Ohio Valley. There are many. And still, dozens more exist. Needless to say, there are a lot of places where one can go to worship on Sunday mornings. I would like to request to anyone who may be reading this, that you please take my following request to the music director or pastor at your church, as I would be most grateful. It is my hope someone within the church will take into consideration including my all-time favorite song among their selections of Christmas hymns which are going ...

The community comes together when it matters

One of the many things I’ve always loved about this community is how we find ways to take care and look out for each other. It’s something I learned from an early age, as National Steel decided to leave Weirton with many of our local steelworkers losing their jobs prior to the ESOP agreements and all that followed. People rallied to help their neighbors in whatever way they could, even if it was something as seemingly minor as sharing a meal. For many years, the Weirton United Way served this community through fundraisers and other efforts to support the dozen or so local ...

Don’t miss the chance to make Christmas memories

With the holidays approaching, my attention turns to remembering Christmases past — those years when I still had my dad and my grandparents. When my children were small and the wonder of Christmas morning simply made life completely worth living. While Christmas is the day to celebrate and reflect upon the greatest miracle God ever presented us with — his son, Jesus, I have always found myself partial to Christmas Eve — my favorite day of the year. Perhaps it is the anticipation of Christmas morning or the array of foods everyone would take part in sharing at my mother’s ...

History in the Hills: Riding the rails of history

If you were to ask me what my favorite job was during my career, I would have a hard time giving an answer. Worst job? That’s easy, but best job, that’s tough. Certainly one of my most favorite jobs was working for the Carnegie Science Center in Pittsburgh. My wife and I both worked there and it was a time in our life when we had no children and no real responsibilities, so it was a time to be young and fun. My wife worked in the USS Requin, a cold war era submarine that was on its way to the pacific when World War II ended. She gave tours, greeted visitors and worked in ...