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Opinion

Madonna faced difficult decision

Editorials

Our region received another hard dose of reality last week when it was learned that officials at Weirton Madonna High School made the decision to suspend the school’s football team for the coming season. It was a decision that — for now — ends a long tradition of successful seasons at the school. Fans have cheered the Blue Dons on to six West Virginia Class A state championships (in 1968, 1971, 1972, 1987, 2009 and 2013;) the Catholic state title in 1975; and 11 Ohio Valley Athletic Conference Class A championships (in 1962, 1967, 1969, 1975, 1987, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2012, 2013 ...

Martin festival was a success

Letters to the Editor

To the editor: On behalf of the Dean Martin Festival Committee and the Dean Martin Association, we extend our deepest gratitude for your support of the 2025 Dean Martin Hometown Festival. Your participation, partnership and presence helped make this year’s celebration one of the most memorable yet. To our dedicated city leaders — thank you for your continued support and collaboration. Your commitment to honoring Dean Martin’s legacy and to the cultural vitality of Steubenville has been instrumental in making this festival a proud tradition that draws visitors from near and ...

Celebrations can carry some risk

Editorials

The Fourth of July is a time traditionally shared with family picnics and get-togethers. Many of those celebrations will be accompanied by a few bangs, booms and splashes of color and sparks. And, while we hope everyone will have a good time, we ask, once again, that you leave the fireworks to the professionals. Summer, especially the weeks that surround the Independence Day holiday, offers the promise of relaxing, care-free enjoyment, but this time of year can be dangerous. According to the Consumer Product Safety Commission, there were an estimated 14,700 fireworks-related ...

Working to improve safety of school buses

Editorials

House Bill 3 made its way to the Ohio Senate after having encountered no naysayers during the House of Representatives vote June 11. It seems unlikely there will be much resistance in the state Senate, either, as the School Bus Safety Act includes some important ways to keep students and drivers safer. Most drivers know the rules regarding driving safely when school buses are on the road. Too many ignore them anyway. According to the National Safety Council, between 2013 and 2022 there were 1,082 fatalities and approximately 132,000 injuries as a result of school-bus related crashes. ...

Working to keep region’s skin safe

Editorials

As we’ve all been surviving under the rays of the hot summer sun in recent days, one organization has been working to offer extra protection for area residents who are spending their days outdoors. The Hancock County Family Support Center, a division of the Brooke Hancock Family Resource Network, has installed portable sunscreen stations at five area parks. Throughout much of the year, visitors to Chester City Park, Clarke Field in Newell and New Cumberland City Park, as well as Marland Heights Park and Starvaggi Memorial Park in Weirton, will be able to find the yellow, ...

Caution needed as heat builds

Editorials

Along with the arrival of astronomical summer — which happened at 10:42 p.m. Friday — has come a brutal heat wave, a stretch of extreme weather that means we all should be aware of the potential for severe health risks. According to the National Weather Service in Pittsburgh, the Tri-State Area will be under a heat advisory or an extreme heat warning through Wednesday. While the air temperature is expected to reach into the 90s, the heat index likely will be climbing into the 100s. That extreme heat and high humidity can lead to serious health issues. More people in this ...