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Ohio State Fair an iconic event

Other states may have well-known state fair attractions — North America’s largest traveling Ferris Wheel in Wisconsin, or Big Tex in Texas, for example — but there’s nothing that matches Ohio’s most famous attraction. Sculpting has already begun on the 2024 butter cow, in addition to a butter calf and other sculptures to be unveiled. There’s more to the fair than that, though. This year’s fair runs Wednesday through Aug. 4 at the Ohio Expo Center and State Fair Grounds in Columbus. It has been showcasing the best of Ohio agriculture and providing entertainment for ...

OVAC game a sign football is back

If you are a fan of high school football, Saturday will certainly serve as a preview of what’s coming during the next few weeks. When the top graduated seniors from Ohio take on their counterparts from West Virginia in the Ohio Valley Athletic Conference’s Rudy Mumley Charity All-Star Football Game, it will start the clocking ticking toward the third week in August and the opening of the 2024 high school football season. Of course, there will be bragging rights on the line in Wheeling Island Stadium when the 78th game in a series that dates back to 1940 gets underway at 7:15 ...

House Bill 230 has many benefits

House Bill 230 is now on its way to the Ohio Senate, and lawmakers should give careful consideration to the measure, which would, among other things, authorize law enforcement to collect saliva from those suspected of driving under the influence of drugs. The saliva would be used in a rapid test that would help an officer determine next steps — similar to the manner in which a Breathalyzer is used for checking blood alcohol levels. “They can do a swab of your mouth, test your saliva, and get an immediate result to know if you’re under the influence of drugs or not,” said state ...

Weirton Hall will welcome new class

It is always worth taking the time to recognize the efforts of those who put themselves forward in an effort to shape the success of a community. The Weirton Hall of Fame has announced the 12 individuals set to become part of the 2024 induction class. They will be honored with a service Aug. 17 at the Millsop Community Center. Congratulations are in order to those who have been selected, and the hope is they can serve as an example for current and future generations of Weirton residents. Of the 20 nominees, the city’s hall of fame committee chose the following for the Class ...

Remember: We are all Americans

In the moments following the assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump Saturday, there was horror and confusion. Trump emerged defiant from the pile of Secret Service members who rushed to protect him, but as the nation breathed a sigh of relief we learned the attack had, indeed, been deadly. Corey Comperatore, a former fire chief who was attending the Butler, Pa., rally with his family, had dived in front of his wife and daughter to protect them from the bullets. He died for them. Meanwhile, Trump was able to let the nation know he was injured but “fine” after the ...

Some troubling numbers for Ohio

Numbers tell a story, and a recent batch of Buckeye State numbers should be raising some eyebrows. The Ohio Department of Job and Family Services says initial and continued unemployment claims increased in the last week of June. In fact, initial claims increased by 725 from the previous week, for a total of 5,879 initial unemployment claims files. Continued claims for that week were at their highest level in two months — the eight-week average is 39,377 continued claims filed. Meanwhile, Ohio’s unemployment rate for May was higher than the national average, at 4.2 percent; and ...