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An evening of honors

If you were the administrator of an organization that had served the area since 1944, a reasonable assumption might be that most people had a clear idea of what that group did. Irene Moore of the Jefferson Soil and Water Conservation District has, however, found that’s not always the case. “During the course of an average day or an average week in the district office, our staff answers phone calls which include ‘Can I pay my water bill?’ or “Can you test my drinking water?’ We listen to that anxious resident who has a fence line dispute with their neighbor, and we get ...

Guest column/We are faced with constant changes in our lives

Things change. People change. Faces change. I have heard that change is the only thing that is consistent in life. Changes may be bad, risky or negative. But they also can become good, healthy and positive again. I do not know how my supervisor at FRC is going to feel about this column, but being the sentimental person that I am … I am an introvert. I write much better than I speak. And I write from the heart. So, maybe Eloise will be OK with these words. In 1994, I was named editor of the social pages of the Salem News. When another agency in the county let go of their space ...

Guest column/Fracking, hunting don’t mix — lease should be denied

Many hunters are entering wooded areas in Ohio in search of deer, turkey and pheasants. Among the most popular places to hunt are Ohio’s public lands, especially parks and wildlife areas in the southeastern portion of the state. Among the top 10 counties for deer harvests in the 2022-23 season were: Coshocton (7,590), Tuscarawas (7,028), Muskingum (5,982), Guernsey (5,073) and Carroll (4,251). The Ohio Department of Natural Resources reported that “hunters from all 50 U.S. states purchased deer permits in Ohio for use in the 2022-23 seasons with Pennsylvania hunters topping the ...

Guest column/Freight rail bill would help Ohio jobs and security

In the world of partisan politics, it’s rare to prioritize environmental sustainability and economic and national security in a single bill, but that’s what a bill aimed at modernizing and upgrading our nation’s fleet of freight railcars has done. If implemented, the impacts will be felt here at home in Ohio, too. Known as the Freight RAILCAR Act, H.R. 838 is important legislation currently waiting for action in Congress that incentivizes private investment in the nation’s fleet of freight railcars, bringing fuel efficiency and increased sustainability to this vital industry. ...

History in the Hills: Witches of Cross Creek

My collection of tales, many of which I have written in these columns, can be described as our collected folklore. Folklore that I have always enjoyed collecting and reading about, are those dealing with spooky topics. Ghosts, witches, cautionary tales and the like, seem to interest me, not necessarily because I believe in the truthfulness of these topics, but for the mere fact that it is a window into the collected history and way of thinking of a location, or a group of people from a specific time period in the past. Looking at the folklore of the Italian immigrant in the past, for ...

Halloween numbers

If you haven’t had the chance to read it yet, make sure you look at the cover story of this week’s Valley Life section. In it, Community Editor Julie Stenger offers a look at how some area residents have gone all in on decorating for Halloween. It’s a phenomenon that has been picking up steam during the last several years, with more and more elaborate displays being found in a growing number of neighborhoods. But that should not be surprising. Americans will spend a projected $12.2 billion this Halloween, according to WalletHub. And, with the Washington, D.C.-based ...