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Let us remember the true meaning of the day

Many people left work Friday looking forward to their “three-day weekend.” Perhaps they were excited at the thought of not having to go to work tomorrow. And still get paid. Maybe they consider Monday to be the unofficial start of summer and are saying goodbye to cold weather. At least for a little while. Some are waiting in anticipation to attend a parade or that annual cookout and drinks with close friends or neighbors. Others will be content having a family barbecue or picnic in the backyard. And should the sun appear, many will probably take advantage by visiting ...

Working to help others

The Ohio Valley Health Center represents a perfect example of how most people think nonprofit agencies should work. You really hope that you, a member of your family or someone close to you never has to use the services it provides, but it’s reassuring to know they are available should they be needed. Sitting near the intersection of South Fourth and Fourth streets in downtown Steubenville, the clinic has been serving the needs of the area’s uninsured and underserved residents, regardless of their ability to pay, for 18 years. And while its location has changed a couple of ...

Guest column/Assessing mental health resources in rural Ohio

At U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development, we are committed to ensuring people, no matter where they live, have access to health care by expanding high-speed internet and partnering with local medical providers to bring telehealth services to rural communities across the nation. And we know that access to mental and behavioral health care can exponentially increase quality of life for people everywhere. May is Mental Health Awareness Month and the USDA and the Biden administration are committed to ensuring that even those living in the most remote areas of the country have ...

Special election nears

There’s a special election coming up in about a month. And, if you live in our part of Ohio, the hope is you will put in the effort it takes to make your voice heard. The only item that will be on the ballot in the June 11 vote will be to determine whether state Sen. Michael Rulli, a Republican from Salem, or Michael Kripchak, a Democrat from Youngstown, will fill the unexpired term of former U.S. Rep. Bill Johnson in the state’s 6th Congressional District. It will help to bring a sense of closure to a process that began in November when Johnson, a Republican from Marietta, ...

History in the Hills: Remembering low water

A few weeks ago, the Ohio River flooded. In the first few days of April the creeks, springs and waterways in our valley were spilling their banks. Kings Creek escaped its course and easily overtook the roads. It reminded me of the flooding of the early 2000s along the creek, but the one that hit Kings Creek the hardest was the flood of 1912, which wiped out almost every bridge on the waterway. Each was a covered bridge and after that flood, there was no longer that type of structure over Kings Creek. In April, water rushed through our valleys and emptied into the river, which crested ...

Guest column/Don’t let Congress widen the digital divide

Nearly a third of Americans who don’t have broadband say the reason is because it costs too much — and unfortunately, Congress is prepared to let that figure rise dramatically. Lawmakers have yet to renew funding for the federal government’s Affordable Connectivity Program, or ACP, which is being rolled back as of today and will fully come to an end in coming weeks unless Congress takes action. Through the ACP, more than 23 million households have received either reduced bills or effectively free internet service. The shutdown of the ACP will hurt communities of color the ...