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Dogs in spotlight at Friendship Park

Dog lovers will be gathering this weekend at the Jefferson County Fairgrounds for the return of the Friendship Cluster All Breed Dog Show. The four-day event, which opens Friday, will include more than 500 canines representing more than 100 breeds and as young as 4 months. It will feature AKC all-breed shows, obedience competitions and rally trials, and will, organizers say, attract participants from around the country and beyond to Friendship Park in Smithfield. While competition is a big part of the show — championship points will be awarded — the event will offer the ...

Presentation will look to the future

Our area has a rich industrial past, from mills and mining to an extensive system of railroad tracks. Much has changed about the region during the last nearly 200 years, which brings up the interesting concept of how we can repurpose some of those areas while ensuring that their heritage will live on for future generations to appreciate. Rick Darke is among those people who are working to accomplish that at several sites, and he’ll be sharing a look at work he has done while offering a glimpse of what we can do in our region Thursday at Indian Creek High School. Presented by ...

Sunday Dinner a show of unity

It is always nice to see someone make an effort to make our communities more welcoming. The first installment of Sunday Dinner took place at All Saints Greek Orthodox Church in Weirton this week, and the hope is the program will grow and last for a long time to come. It’s a new ministry, started by the Rev. Matthew Moore, the church’s pastor, with a simple goal in mind — to bring people together while sharing a meal. There’s no effort to raise money or to spread a particular message. It’s just to provide a meal, and if you would like to eat — no matter your ...

More mental health professionals needed

While not every student looks forward to the start of another academic year, for some students the return to school means a return to better access to everything from food to behavioral health care. Regarding the latter, Ohio public schools are improving, as a report by the Statehouse News Bureau’s Ohio Newsroom says there has been a 20 percent increase in the number of schools offering behavioral health services over the past year. That is good news, as a 2022 survey showed approximately one-third of Buckeye State students say they have challenges with anxiety, and more than ...

More issues with FAFSA?

Remember the struggle last academic year as students and their families struggled to figure out the new “simplified” Free Application for Federal Student Aid? Well, the U.S. Department of Education is at it again, this time announcing a phased rollout for the 2025-26 form. That means it will be available to some students on Oct. 1, but not to everyone until Dec. 1. According to a report by the Ohio Capital Journal, this is an attempt to fix any issues that crop up while the first batch of students is working on the form. But, it means many other students will be two months behind ...

Residents have a right to know

Those who have been keeping an eye on the aftermath of last year’s Norfolk Southern derailment in East Palestine will know there is still enormous concern over what short- and long-term health consequences will result from the release of chemicals into the air, water and soil. Officials with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention revealed relatively quickly that some of their workers going door-to-door after the event got sick. But we are just learning they were not the only out-of-town workers to experience symptoms, and we are learning it because The Associated Press ...