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Festival still thriving

If you look back at the last 40 years or so, you will come across a lot of events and festivals that have come and gone. And while the reasons why some have gone are varied, there remain some that have managed to survive the test of time. One that stands out is the annual Greek Fest put on by Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church in Steubenville. This year’s festival, which will run Wednesday through Friday, will be the 38th annual. Among the reasons it has been able to remain a staple of the early part of the summer season is the addition of new pieces that help keep the event ...

History in the Hills: Remembering D-Day

This past week marks the 80th anniversary of the D-Day invasions in Europe during World War II. On that day in June 1944, the world changed. The allies began the operation to take back Nazi-held Europe and liberate the many under their rule. My grandfathers were in the Army then, too, although they did not take part in the invasion. My grandfather, Joseph Carpini, was in England in June 1944 training and serving as a military policeman. He landed at Omaha Beach about a month or so after D-Day and saw firsthand the destruction and evidence of the great battles that took place in the ...

Father’s Day should have been more important

Next Sunday is Father’s Day. To be painfully honest, it has never been a day I thought too much about until, say, a week prior to its arrival. (Kind of like this column.) It is nothing like Mother’s Day. We know it is coming and always order our gifts and flowers well in advance. We actually buy her a card as soon as they become available in the aisles. Why is that? What makes Mother’s Day more meaningful than Father’s Day? I truly have no idea. But I will speculate that mothers usually don’t leave. Some do. But most stay for the duration. Now, in no way am I ...

An interesting report

It might have gotten lost on the pages of the May 24 edition, but included in a brief inside of that day’s paper was some good news. In that item, readers learned that Wintersville Police said that a 16-year-old girl who had been reported missing a couple of weeks earlier, had been found safe. And, while law enforcement officers and the family and friends who had been looking for Taryn Redfern were able to breathe a sigh of relief, another item that was released later that day showed that, sadly, it’s a situation that happens all too often across Ohio. In fact, according to the ...

Summer’s almost here

We’ve finally reached the Memorial Day weekend. And while it’s easy to think about the many things that are associated with the last weekend in May, we must always remember that the day itself has been set aside to remember the sacrifices of the men and women who have died while serving our country. No matter what your politics or where you stand on any particular issue, those sacrifices have been made — and, sadly, likely will continue to be made — to ensure we can hold onto the freedoms we should all be able to enjoy as Americans. Falling where it does on the calendar, ...

History in the Hills: We must never forget

This weekend is Memorial Day and ever since I began writing this column in 2019, I always make it a priority to write about this important national holiday. It truly cannot be overstated how important this day is to our nation and history. My grandfathers and many great uncles served in World War II, great-grandfathers served in World War I, some of my American relatives served in the Civil War and other ancestors served in the American Revolution, too, and thankfully none of them had to pay that ultimate sacrifice that is asked of so many who have served. Not too far from my house on ...