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Some things to chew on

Just some things: • Summer is winding down and the football season is ramping up, but there are several other constants that seem to hold everything together — among those is food. Whether it’s a Fourth of July or Labor Day picnic or a late-October tailgate or a Super Bowl bash, you can be sure that there will be a lot to eat and drink. One of the favorites at any get-together — or a snack that can be enjoyed at any time — is the humble potato chip. We like to eat them — a lot. In fact, according to the Smithsonian Magazine, Americans will eat about 1.85 billion ...

Guest column/Another view about a potential Dollar General

Some Steubenville residents are irate about the prospect of the construction of a Dollar General on the old Grant School lot on South Fourth Street. They claim that downtown doesn’t need a Dollar Store there, because there are other discount stores just blocks away. They argue that the town’s citizens would be better served by a town square. This vision of an idyllic, walkable downtown is appealing, but rests on ignorance both of the expenses and logistics of urban infrastructure, and the serious challenges community residents face. As someone who has worked and interacted with ...

Guest column/Carbon capture can be an economic accelerator

I recently became aware of a series of community workshops held in Cadiz and Wintersville by Tenaska. The topic was carbon capture and storage and the truths about the technology and impacts to communities. These sessions were well attended by inquiring local citizens, as well as some folks not from Jefferson or Harrison counties. And so why would some fella from Houston care? I graduated from Wintersville High School in 1973 and was raised on Meadowbrook Drive, went to Carnegie-Mellon University in Pittsburgh and have spent the last 45-plus years in the energy markets, both ...

Guest column/Ohio’s community college offering opportunities

The back-to-school season is here, along with all the anticipation and the memories it brings. For the 200,000-plus Ohioans served by our state’s community colleges, back to school means new opportunities, and many options to support the journey. Students might be taking classes at the community college campus, online or at work. They could be earning an industry-recognized credential, an associate degree or even a bachelor’s degree in an applied field. Back-to-school for the youngest college students happens in high school, where earning college credit and even an associate ...

‘Please, don’t take these beautiful things that I’ve got’

Ever since I mentioned how my grandson sings Benson Boone’s “Beautiful Things” last week, I’ve noticed just how often he goes around the house singing it to himself. It is adorable. Again, he doesn’t talk really. But he does sing that song. He loves that song. And I love how he loves it. I love that song, too. Except, I love that song for a completely different reason. And not just because it is a “catchy tune.” I may not have the greatest taste in clothing, makeup, food, cars, men. That list goes on and on. But I do think I have excellent taste in ...

Election season heats up

With the Jefferson County Fair wrapping up this weekend and area schools scheduled to open for the coming year during the next week or so comes the annual realization that the fall campaign season is just around the corner. This year’s election will not have the interest that the 2024 vote had or the 2026 vote likely will have, but, in may ways, it is even more important. That’s because it’s an off-year election where many of the available positions are those that have the greatest impact on our day-to-day lives. According to the Jefferson County Board of Elections, each of ...