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Where’s action on redistricting?

If watching Congress has not been enough to make you wonder whether elected officials worry about doing any real work, or remember who they serve, Ohio lawmakers seem eager to answer with “No, not really.” They missed their first deadline for congressional redistricting on Tuesday, according to a report by the Ohio Capital Journal. Despite Buckeye State voters demanding action when they passed a constitutional amendment in 2018, members of the General Assembly appear to have decided they’d rather not bother to work together to pass a bipartisan map in the allotted time. They ...

Enjoy autumn at Applefest

A tradition that has brought residents of the Tri-State Area together for nearly 50 years will be renewed this weekend. It’s the 45th Wellsburg Applefest, which will run Friday through Sunday along several blocks of Charles Street and the Wellsburg Town Square. The festival celebrates the town’s connection with the Golden Grimes apple, which was discovered in 1832 on a farm owned by Thomas Grimes that was located along Washington Pike. Seeds for the apple, which is related to the Golden Delicious, West Virginia’s state fruit, were first planted, legend has it, by Johnny ...

Vigilance needed to fight trafficking

In naming its latest statewide human trafficking operation, the Ohio Attorney General’s Organized Crime Investigations Commission chose Operation Next Door as a way to bring home the message that the people committing these crimes are not distant strangers. They may, indeed, live right next door. With the help of more than 100 law enforcement agencies, 135 people were arrested for seeking to buy sex — some of them from minors, according to state Attorney General Dave Yost’s office. Included in those 135 people was a 45-year-old man from Weirton. In total, 103 were arrested ...

Ohio’s parks tops across the nation

When you hear Ohioans brag about the state’s natural beauty and recreational opportunities, it might sound like hyperbole to hear we are the best. But an award from the American Academy for Park and Recreation Administration and the National Recreation and Park Association backs that up. Ohio won the 2025 National Gold Medal Award for Excellence in Park and Recreation Management. “Our state parks protect Ohio’s natural resources while providing incredible opportunities for people to explore, learn and connect with nature,” said Gov. Mike DeWine. “From protecting natural ...

Weirton parks face challenges

For years now, the Weirton Board of Parks and Recreation has warned of the need to renovate Starvaggi Memorial Pool in order for it to continue for generations to come. The proverbial can was kicked down the road by various city administrations, most of whom cited a lack of funding or simply not feeling the project was a priority. Finally, some officials took the need seriously enough to pledge approximately $1 million, and the efforts to come up with a design began. Parks officials had hoped the renovations could begin this summer, so much so that they initially decided to go ...

Coal is still a vital part of energy mix

As the U.S. Senate considers codifying the reestablishment of the National Coal Council, lawmakers have an opportunity. U.S. Rep. Michael Rulli’s bill drew support from enough Democrats in the House of Representatives that it is now moving to the Senate, which will consider whether it is necessary to back up the executive order that, among other things, called for reinstating the group that provides guidance on the future of coal technologies and markets. And Rulli, a Republican from Salem whose 6th Congressional District includes our area, is right. It is important for those ...