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A chance to enjoy being an American

We ask everyone to take a moment during the next couple of days and remember that, despite whatever differences we have, there are few nations in the world where citizens are able to gather to celebrate the freedoms residents of the United States of America too often take for granted. It’s an important thought as our nation prepares to celebrate its 249th birthday on Friday. The Fourth of July is a true national holiday, one that is celebrated from the smallest township to the largest city. It’s a day of picnics, family gatherings, parades and summer fun, all played out against ...

Making a difference for workers in Ohio

Ohioans expect state government to do all in its power to leave as much of their hard-earned money in individuals’ and businesses’ pockets as possible. At least one agency — the state Bureau of Workers’ Compensation — continues to be recognized for its efforts to do so. In its biennial study of the workers’ compensation premium rates in all 50 states and Washington, D.C., the Oregon Department of Consumer and Business Services has once again ranked the Buckeye State fifth lowest in the country. (In case you’re wondering, Oregon was 14th lowest.) In addition to ...

Great places for road trips

A stretch of suffocatingly hot weather may have made it tempting to just stay indoors as much as possible, but a recent study reminds us Ohio has a great deal to offer outside. The best part is, it just takes a switch from the air conditioning in your house to the air conditioning in your car to go enjoy it. WalletHub’s 2025’s Best and Worst States for Summer Road Trips placed the Buckeye State at an impressive third in the country. The idea for this particular group of researchers was to find road trips that were fun and budget-friendly, which is a bonus for all of us. We ...

Madonna faced difficult decision

Our region received another hard dose of reality last week when it was learned that officials at Weirton Madonna High School made the decision to suspend the school’s football team for the coming season. It was a decision that — for now — ends a long tradition of successful seasons at the school. Fans have cheered the Blue Dons on to six West Virginia Class A state championships (in 1968, 1971, 1972, 1987, 2009 and 2013;) the Catholic state title in 1975; and 11 Ohio Valley Athletic Conference Class A championships (in 1962, 1967, 1969, 1975, 1987, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2012, 2013 ...

Celebrations can carry some risk

The Fourth of July is a time traditionally shared with family picnics and get-togethers. Many of those celebrations will be accompanied by a few bangs, booms and splashes of color and sparks. And, while we hope everyone will have a good time, we ask, once again, that you leave the fireworks to the professionals. Summer, especially the weeks that surround the Independence Day holiday, offers the promise of relaxing, care-free enjoyment, but this time of year can be dangerous. According to the Consumer Product Safety Commission, there were an estimated 14,700 fireworks-related ...

Working to improve safety of school buses

House Bill 3 made its way to the Ohio Senate after having encountered no naysayers during the House of Representatives vote June 11. It seems unlikely there will be much resistance in the state Senate, either, as the School Bus Safety Act includes some important ways to keep students and drivers safer. Most drivers know the rules regarding driving safely when school buses are on the road. Too many ignore them anyway. According to the National Safety Council, between 2013 and 2022 there were 1,082 fatalities and approximately 132,000 injuries as a result of school-bus related crashes. ...