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Election season’s here

With the Jefferson County Fair wrapping up its 153rd season this weekend, it’s time to look ahead to some interesting things that are on the horizon. If you have children or are involved in education, the third week in August means it’s time to go back to school. If you’re a football fan, it means that the return of high school football is, in Ohio, right around the corner. And, if you are interested in local government, the end of the county fair always has stood as the unofficial start of the election season. While the presidential campaigns of Donald Trump and Kamala ...

Guest column/We are finding the pathway to civil discourse lies within us

With less than 100 days remaining before Election Day, our nation finds itself in an unprecedented moment, where the breathtaking pace of recent occurrences have heightened an already tense and divisive political atmosphere. It’s a lot and it feels overwhelming. It has raised the temperature of an already very heated presidential campaign, with each side slinging political bombs against the other, and in turn, instigating a titanic flood of hate-filled political rhetoric across the massive spectrum of social media. We sure seem to be divided right now. It’s so pervasive that it can ...

History in the Hills: Appreciating our museums

When I was young, I pretty much knew what I wanted to be when I grew up. Those who have been reading this column during the nearly five years I have been writing it will not be surprised that I knew I wanted to work with history, specifically in museums. I remember as a child getting really into the Titanic, before the movie came out. For a birthday gift one year, my parents got me a box with replica Titanic artifacts, like a menu, brochures, post cards, etc., and one day I set up a “museum” using these objects. I practiced showing my parents around while explaining the exhibits I ...

Great addition to school

For City Manager Jim Mavromatis, there’s a simple explanation about what the opening of the Pugliese STEM Academy means for the community. “It certainly helps the downtown because of the increase in students,” Mavromatis said last Sunday, shortly after the ribbon was cut to dedicate the addition to Steubenville High School. “The No. 1 thing that this does for our community, is that this is what brings people in. I transferred nine times when I was with the federal government, and the first thing we always asked is what are the schools like. “This is what people look at ...

Guest column/Broadband expansion’s achievements, remaining hurdles

Between 2019 and 2021, the number of Ohioans working from home tripled, demonstrating the vital function of high-speed internet services like broadband in Ohio’s workforce. Additionally, remote learning, telemedicine and other online programs continue to thrive well after the pandemic. A 2022 analysis by Ohio State University, however, indicates that more than 1.4 million Ohioans continue to lack residential access to fast, reliable high-speed internet service. The Ohio Chamber of Commerce has long advocated for broadband expansion. We highlighted Ohio’s access challenges and how ...

This week, God decided to send me another dog

*Woof. *Woof *Woof *Woof *Woof. Translation ... “Hi. My name is Remmy.” You know, it would take a really long time if Remmy was to continue writing this column. So, I informed him I would just translate what he has to say in order to save a lot of time. And ink. Thank you for being my guest columnist this week, Remmy. You’re a good boy. “Miss Julie said she will include my picture. Had I known, I would have brushed my fur. Anyway, she says she speaks dog. Most people just hear me say, ‘woof.’ Very loudly. She hears something else entirely. For that, I am ...