News

ICMS Sycamore Stars launches full after-school programming

Community September 16, 2026

MINGO JUNCTION — The Sycamore Youth Center is launching its full ICMS Sycamore Stars programming at Indian Creek Middle School, providing students in grades five through eight with free after-school academic support, enrichment activities and opportunities to explore new interests. Sycamore Stars meets Monday through Thursday from 2:05 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. at Indian Creek Middle School. Tutoring has already been underway during the new school year, with the expanded schedule of enrichment programming now beginning. Sycamore staff members met Monday to prepare for the launch and discuss ...

Steubenville utilities face financial squeeze as projects mount

Local News September 16, 2026

STEUBENVILLE — Utilities Director Jim Jenkins warned council Tuesday the days when they could kick the can down the road to avoid hiking water and wastewater rates are long past. Jenkins said without a significant influx of revenue, wastewater could slide into the danger zone, while the water department’s fiscal recovery is fragile. Both departments have a long list of improvements that must be made, including upgrades needed to comply with environmental mandates and consent decrees. He said the 3% rate increases and $1-per-service infrastructure fees taking effect in October are ...

West Virginia lawmakers and regulators push to protect aging coal plants

Local News September 16, 2026

CHARLESTON – Lawmakers, state regulators and utilities are trying to ensure West Virginia’s aging coal-fired power plants continue to provide base-load energy into the regional energy grid. The Joint Committee on Energy and Public Works heard from officials with the Office of Energy, the ...

Local News September 16, 2026

WELLSBURG – Brooke County commissioners continue to receive requests for a share of the county's opioid settlement appropriations, receiving three more applications in recent days. Commissioners, during their meeting Tuesday, also heard from representatives of one of the groups which ...

Praise, concerns pour in from West Virginia for repeal of power plant emissions rules

Local News September 16, 2026

CHARLESTON – West Virginia’s political leaders were quick to praise a move by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to roll back Biden-era rules limiting emissions by electric power plants in the state and across the nation, though advocates for clean air warned about the health ...

Ohio colleges fare poorly in free speech report

Local News September 16, 2026

Thirteen Ohio colleges and universities are in the 2027 College Free Speech Rankings, but Ohio’s average grade for free speech is D-, no better or worse than the national average, according to the non-profit organization that compiles the list, Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression. The Ohio school with the best ranking overall is Wright State, which is ranked in the top 25th nationally in part because of strong administrative support, which indicates students “trust administrators to defend speech,” according to FIRE. In contrast, the University of Dayton is ranked ...