NBA champs? It’s the New York Knicks… finally!

June 20, 2026

It has been 53 "short years" or "just" 19,698 days (May 10, 1973) since the New York Knicks were NBA champions. Richard Nixon was president, dealing with the Watergate scandal at the time. The Paris Peace Accord all but ended the Vietnam War as major combat troops were exiting the region. Baseball legend Jackie Robinson, the man who integrated sports, had died just seven months prior. Spiro Agnew became the first vice president to plead guilty to a criminal offense and resigned, with Congressman Gerald Ford being selected as Nixon's new vice president. I was in my sophomore year of ...

Ohio still faces education issues

March 2, 2026

Despite Ohio policymakers’ continued effort to meddle with education — at all levels — a recent study suggests there has been limited success on a national scale. “Most and Least Educated States in America (2026)” by WalletHub doesn’t even place the Buckeye State in the top half of states. We are 35th. That’s not a good look for a state that has worked diligently to attract large employers looking for a well-educated and well-trained workforce. Ohio is 36th for educational attainment, though 19th for the quality of education. Further, it was bundled into the worst ...

Fitness questions surround region

February 28, 2026

All that technology we drag around with us all the time is giving researchers data that provides insight into everything from our travel to fitness. If you have a habit of checking your health and fitness data through a smart watch and app, you are not the only one keeping track. Data from participants, provided by Apple, helped researchers produce the Apple Heart and Movement Study. “The heart is an incredible organ, working tirelessly every second of every day,” the report says. “Understanding how various heart metrics reflect your overall well-being can empower you to lead a ...

Restaurant week spotlights the food

February 27, 2026

Area residents should take the opportunity to pick up a meal or two next week from a local restaurant. Weirton Restaurant Week officially begins Sunday, with more than 20 local restaurants set to take part with offers of special, limited-time menu items and discounts for all to enjoy. For the second year, the observance has been organized by the Top of West Virginia Convention and Visitors Bureau and the Weirton Area Chamber of Commerce as a way to highlight some of the many locally owned restaurants and eateries we have available in the Weirton area, and also to encourage ...

Rail safety bill on right track

February 26, 2026

More than three years after a disastrous derailment in East Palestine, Congress has continued to sit on its hands rather than upset its friends in the railroad industry by implementing desperately needed rail safety reform. Well, most of Congress, anyway. A few have repeatedly tried to push change. Most recently, a bipartisan group that includes U.S. Sen. Jon Husted, R-Ohio, has introduced the Railway Safety Act of 2026. “Three years ago, many Ohioans understandably lost faith in the safety and reliability of our nation’s railways after the accident in East Palestine. Since ...

Maz remembered as humble legend

February 25, 2026

It has been said to “never meet your heroes.” Those who met Ohio Valley legend and Pittsburgh Pirates Hall of Famer Bill Mazeroski during his 89 years on this earth will tell you that isn’t true. Wheeling born and Tiltonsville raised, Mazeroski reached the supreme heights of his sport, his walk-off home run in Game 7 of the 1960 World Series forever etching him into baseball lore. Yet he never abandoned his local roots. He anchored himself with them, returning to the valley countless times for fundraisers, charity events and personal visits. If you had something for him to sign, ...