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Political forum a chance to learn

If you are looking to learn more about local political races and issues that will appear on the Nov. 5 ballot, you’ll have a great opportunity to do just that Monday in the auditorium at Steubenville High School. That’s when members of the Ohio Valley Business and Professional Women’s Club will sponsor their annual political forum. Doors for the event will open at 6 p.m., when candidates and their surrogates, as well as representatives from groups that have placed issues on the ballot, will be on hand for an informal meet-and-greet session. Then, at 6:30 p.m., the action ...

Applefest a staple of area’s autumn

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 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 “Appleseed” ...

Our area joins in volunteer effort

Many area residents think first of blood drives when they think of the American Red Cross — and that is one of the organization’s vital functions. But it also is a lifeline for those in need after emergencies and disasters. Volunteers from all over the country will be headed to those regions devastated by Hurricane Helene. Among them will be American Red Cross of the Ohio River Valley volunteers Seth Kenefick of Steubenville and Chip Pickering of Parkersburg. Kenefick is a disaster program specialist. Pickering is a shelter coordinator. They both have been working for days ...

State candidates should debate

Early last week, it appeared there would be at least one debate between the candidates hoping to become West Virginia’s next governor. Just as quickly as it had been announced, though, it was learned the debate, which was to have been hosted by WOWK-TV in Charleston, had been canceled. In addition to Democrat Steve Williams and Republican Patrick Morrisey, this year’s gubernatorial race includes S. Marshall Wilson of the Constitution Party, Chase Linko-Looper of the Mountain Party and Erika Elier Kolenich of the Libertarian Party. All were invited to the WOWK debate, which, the ...

Keep fighting for railroad safety

In Ohio alone, residents received two reminders last week that rail safety reform is still desperately needed. On Wednesday a federal judge approved a $600 million class-action settlement for those affected by the Norfolk Southern derailment in East Palestine in February 2023. A day before, residents of Whitewater Township, in Hamilton County, not too far from Cincinnati, received an evacuation order after styrene began leaking from a Central Railroad of Indiana railcar. Styrene, which is toxic and flammable, is carried in tank cars. A pressure release valve on the tank began to ...

Mingo levy, tax deserve ‘yes’ votes

Residents of Mingo Junction have faced a lot of issues during the last several months. Officials have had to contend with issues surrounding their safety forces, the reality that they have to pay $351,278.06 in delinquent property taxes dating back five decades and the discovery that they had been collecting income tax payments on a levy that the village failed to seek renewal for in 2021 and was allowed to expire in 2022. It’s against that backdrop that the village is asking voters to approve two issues on the Nov. 5 ballot — a 1 percent, five-year additional income tax that ...