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History in the Hills: Books about the area

This Sunday, Oct. 15 at 2 p.m., I have the pleasure of speaking at the Hancock County Historical Museum in New Cumberland about my book “Historic Tales of the Upper Ohio Valley.” The museum is housed in the Marshall House, which is a great survivor in our county. The building was built in 1887 by W.Va. Sen. Oliver S. Marshall. His home is a fine example of Queen Anne architecture and late 19th century domestic life in the county. Certainly, this family was well-to-do, and the finishes in the home reflect that. The home, in my opinion, was born from the earth of Hancock County. The ...

Guest column/Protect Ohio’s parents: Vote ‘hell no’ on Issue 1

As a father of three young women doing my best along with my wife, Lauren, to raise them amid today’s mixed-up culture, there is so much to be concerned about. What messages are they getting about the world outside from the shows they watch? What will it be like when they are old enough to date? And what will it take to raise up smart, courageous, independent women? Until recently, one thing we didn’t worry so much about was whether underage girls could be secretly convinced to get abortions or even sex change operations without their parents even knowing. But if the radical ...

Make your vote count

If you haven’t had a chance to do so yet, you owe it to yourself to read he story written by Linda Harris that appeared on Page 1A of today’s edition. That’s especially true if you live in Jefferson County and are planning to vote in the Nov. 7 election. She had the chance to meet with Bob Gale, director of the county’s board of elections, and discuss the process that needs to be followed if one of the races that will appear on your ballot includes a write-in candidate. That’s important, because that’s the case in numerous communities this year. That includes the ...

Guest column/It’s time for us to put a stop to human trafficking

A couple of weeks ago, Operation Buyer’s Remorse stamped “Not in Ohio” on 160 persons across Ohio who were arrested in connection with human trafficking. Law enforcement officers are reiterating that they are committed to helping victims of human trafficking if those persons will just reach out. In this operation, 104 victims were referred to services that can help them. Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost advised, “You are contributing to trafficking when you are putting money down for sex. Don’t buy sex in Ohio.” A Lake County police lieutenant, Harry Harpster, emphasized, ...

Guest column/Manufacturing month spotlight’s Ohio progress

Across the nation, Friday marked the celebration of Manufacturing Day. In Ohio, Gov. Mike DeWine has designated October as Manufacturing Month. From Cleveland to Cincinnati, from Marietta to Montpelier, our state’s No. 1 industry is preparing to inspire the next generation to make their careers in manufacturing. Ohio today finds its storied manufacturing sector more relevant than ever. We are the nation’s third-largest manufacturing state in terms of jobs and payroll, and Ohio manufacturers just set another record of $134 billion in annual economic output. As reshoring and ...

Guest column/Ohio tourism important

In 2022, Ohio’s tourism industry generated $53 billion in visitor spending, the state’s highest ever. Even with this record-setting year, we need to continue to grow this industry due to Ohio’s robust economic growth setting it on pace to have more jobs than people in the state to fill them. Investing and putting focus on economic development related to Ohio’s travel and tourism efforts are a great way to help grow the population and fill open jobs. The Ohio Chamber recently released its Blueprint for Ohio’s Economic Future, a report that analyzes Ohio’s economic outlook ...