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Stop the hate

If it seems as though in recent years the atmosphere has become more charged with hate and division — perhaps even to the point of being dangerous — you’re not imagining things. Hate crimes are on the rise. To examine one category, the Federal Bureau of Investigation reports anti-Jewish hate crimes increased by 63% between 2023 and 2024. It seems as though the trend is not letting up. Earlier this month, an Applebee’s Neighborhood Grill and Bar in Miamisburg, Ohio, had to shut down for part of a weekend after it was tagged with anti-semitic graffiti, according to a report by ...

Exercise your right to vote

It may not seem as if there is an election in Ohio this Tuesday, but there is, and while the ballots may look small they are just as important for many of our communities. This weekend marks the final days of in-person early voting in Ohio, with the polls officially opening Tuesday morning. Locally, much of the action will be focused on races in Steubenville and Toronto, along with the statewide effort to renew the ballot issues known as Issue 2. Steubenville voters are being asked to select their next mayor from between Republicans Kimberly Hahn and Ralph A. Petrella. No ...

Ending the power drain in Ohio

Ohio lawmakers finally acted in concert to rid Ohioans of a nearly $400,000 a day burden when they voted to end the subsidies for two outdated and unprofitable coal-fired power plants — one of which is in Indiana. The Ohio Valley Electric Corp. plants had been getting bailed out by a “legacy generation rider” in the infamous House Bill 6, back in 2019. For some, subsidies in HB 6 for coal-fired plants were deemed worse than those for nuclear plants, as the 1950s-era coal-fired plants were producing electricity that wasn’t needed, and are significant polluters. “It was an ...

The Red Cross is here to help

Our region is no stranger to natural disasters and other emergencies. And, as federal officials tell states more frequently that they are on their own after flooding and catastrophic storms, the assistance we can expect is changing. But while states such as West Virginia, Arkansas and Washington are figuring out how they will fend for themselves, residents know one thing is not changing. The Red Cross will be there to help. The American Red Cross depends on people helping people — mostly volunteers willing to do the work, lend a hand, and be there when someone else is in need. And ...

The freedom to practice our faith

Americans of all faiths will gather Thursday to participate in the annual National Day of Prayer. Held on the first Thursday of May, the event has been set aside as a day to ask for God’s help for our communities, our states and our nation. The annual commemoration has been held nationally since 1952, with local events in our area being held for many decades. Local observances are set for several locations. They will begin at 8:30 a.m. in Wintersville, outside of the village’s Municipal Building at 200 Grove St. Then, at noon, Weirton residents will gather in front of the ...

A home run for youth baseball

Oftentimes, it takes a community to get things done. No better example of this was in the launch of this year’s season of the Wellsburg Baseball and Softball Association, which was in danger of not being able to have a season at all after the discovery of missing funds – allegedly the result of embezzlement by a former league official. When word got out, the community came together, with parents and coaches reaching out to area residents and business owners for support. Donations came in with the hope of refilling the league’s coffers before it was time for the youthful ...