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Opinion

We can’t ignore unemployment figures

Editorials

Employment rates continue to struggle all over the country. The approximately 7.2 million people in the U.S. unemployed during the last week of August pushed the nationwide average up 3.5% week-over-week heading into the Labor Day weekend. That added to the trend of a small overall increase in unemployment nationwide, over the past year, according to WalletHub. So, the personal finance company dug deeper and took a look at weekly claims on the state level. West Virginia was among those where unemployment claims were higher than they’d been in the previous week. Change in ...

Let’s not forget how to be adults

Editorials

Our region is blessed with many wonderful entertainment venues. They’re places to relax with members of our families and friends, spots where young and old should be able to take performances from top entertainers and enjoy a thrill ride. Sadly, nights at two of the most popular spots in the Tri-State Area have been disrupted during the past several weeks, incidents that have led to injuries and raised qustions about security measures and what makes some people behave so badly in public settings. Those incidents — which included a man being hit in the head with a beer can ...

Consider serving as a poll worker

Editorials

One of the most important jobs we as American citizens have is letting our voices be heard at the ballot box. In order for us to do that, we rely on the poll workers who help make each of those polling places operate without a hitch. Yet elections officials around the Ohio Valley are searching for more people to fill that crucial role. The need is significant in areas of West Virginia. Last year, then-West Virginia Secretary of State Mac Warner pleaded for more poll workers, as there were shortages in several counties, including in parts of the Northern Panhandle. Among the keys ...

A good man: Remembering Tim Armstead

Local Columns

West Virginia is a small state, and state government is not large, so the longer you cover certain politicians, the more chances you have to see the human side of the people you cover and even become friends. That’s the way it was with Tim Armstead, the late justice of the West Virginia Supreme Court of Appeals and the former minority leader who rose to become the first Republican speaker of the House of Delegates in nearly 83 years. I attended the visitation for Armstead last Tuesday in the chambers of the House of Delegates, not as a news reporter but as a friend. I have a ...

Life is based on certain once upon a times ...

Local Columns

Once upon a time ... there was a 19-year-old girl. One Friday, she decided to go to her local mall with her best friend. She didn’t know why, but there was something inside this girl that told her she had to get to the mall as quickly as possible. Again, she wasn’t sure why she had ...

Living united in the Upper Ohio Valley

Local Columns

The United Way of the Upper Ohio Valley kicked off its campaign this week with a couple of big events. Thursday evening saw the organization’s Jackpot Jubilee, with food, games, and more, at Wheeling Island Hotel-Casino-Racetrack. Then, during Saturday’s football game on the campus of West Liberty University, when the Hilltoppers take on the Seton Hill University (Pa.) Griffins, the United Way was set to be well represented, with the WL team running through a United Way sign, representatives taking part in the coin toss, with a 50/50 drawing and field goal contest planned as well ...