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Biden speaks in Marietta
Photo by Rachel Lane
Vice presidential candidate Sen. Joe Biden speaks in front of the Ohio National Guard Armory in Marietta.
October 15, 2008
MARIETTA — Marietta’s no different from California, Delaware or Butte, Mont. — as the middle class goes, so goes America.
That was the message Tuesday night from Democratic vice presidential candidate Joe Biden, who hammered his opponent, John McCain, for economic policies Biden said too closely resembled President Bush’s.
“There’s nothing John McCain’s proposing that would make any fundamental change in (economic) policy from what was going on the last eight years with John McCain’s support,” Biden said.
» Full Story
Crowd gathers to hear VP hopeful
October 15, 2008
MARIETTA — About 3,500 area residents chanted, cheered and listened to Sen. Joe Biden, D-Del., speak Tuesday evening.
» Full Story
Local firefighters mixed on state fireworks tax plan
October 15, 2008
CHARLESTON — As state officials consider using taxes on fireworks to fund a volunteer firefighters’ pension, local firefighters have mixed reactions to the possibilities.
» Full Story
Batteries Direct wins export award
October 15, 2008
CHARLESTON — A Parkersburg business has been commended for its presence in the international market.
Batteries Direct Inc.
» Full Story
Top Headline Poll
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Roger Adkins
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Experience Old-Fashioned Barbering
Thu, October 9, 2008 @ 10:55PM
For me, going to the barber has always been a crap-shoot. Sometimes, I'm happy with the results. Many times, I've felt they were mediocre at best. That's why I've never settled on a single shop and tend to visit the barber infrequently. I usually bounce around from shop to shop, trying to find someone who is really exceptional and never really succeeding. This past week, I decided to get a haircut. I headed to the one barbershop where I've had some success in the past. Much to my chagrin, the barber wasn't in. This has been the case the past several times I've stopped by for a haircut. I checked my fall-back spot. Same deal. No one was there. The sign on the door said "be back in an hour." I don't think so. On a whim, I decided to visit the Broadway Barbershop. A co-worker had mentioned the establishment to me previously. He had done a story on the business and was quite impressed. Anyway, he was impressed enough to become a regular customer.
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Jolene Craig
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Over, for now
Thu, October 2, 2008 @ 9:55AM
Last night's premiere of the second season of "Pushing Daisies" marked the end of my excitement over the new television season. I will gladly say I was not at all disappointed by the few shows I watch regularly. "House" has kept me on my toes with the new private investigator. "Grey's Anatomy" has me actually kind of liking Izzie again. Last night, "Pushing Daisies" proved it didn't lose any of the charm or twisted view of death after the writer's strike last year. Ahh, the unrequited love between Chuck and the Pie Maker. And who didn't love Olive's outbursts? The episode just wet my appetite for more next week. Also, I'm sick of politics and that just makes me all the more upset "Grey's" won't be on tonight because of the Vice Presidential Debate. I hope the show makes up for it next week.
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Rachel Lane
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And it continues to bounce
Tue, October 14, 2008 @ 4:25PM
After weeks of dramatic drops, bouncing up only to end down, the stock market made a historical jump yesterday, up about 950 points. This morning, the upswing continued with a 500 point gain before falling around the lunch breaks. This year, the market has dropped about 2,500 points. I'm pretty sure this afternoon's drop is a result of people selling in hopes of limiting their yearly loss by taking their money and running. At least they listened to the experts and did not take their money out of the market last week. Oh, and the dollar dropped compared to the Euro but gained compared to the yen. In other news, locally, gasoline dropped about 75 cents in a week. Part of the drop I attribute to the season - fewer people traveling means less need for gasoline. The rest of the drop I attribute to politics.
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Jess Mancini
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Give it a break
Sat, October 11, 2008 @ 3:38PM
I like West Virginia Sen. Robert C. Byrd, but that doesn't make him off limits. Byrd was in Scott Depot Friday where he and other elected officials including Gov. Joe Manchin and Rep. Shelley Capito, R-W.Va., participated in the opening of U.S. 35. Byrd according to press reports used the festivities to disparage Republican presidential candidate John McCain. This was a celebration to open a highway, not a campaign rally. The senator's remarks were inappropriate.
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Amy Mendenhall
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Predator: South China Sea
Mon, October 13, 2008 @ 9:19AM
The hunters become the hunted in the latest Predator book, "South China Sea" by Jeff Vandermeer. When a pirate ship stumbles upon another ship of horrors, there is indication that a monster has been unleashed in the China sea. This terror follows over to a remote jungle island stocked with every kind of animal to hunt, where a motley crew has come to play - an arms dealer, an ex-wrestler, KGB agents, a TV host, a pirate, a rock star and a billionaire. All have come to hunt and for secret reasons all of their own. But animals are found blown up, fences cut, and members of the army that takes care of the island go missing, and it appears that whatever was on board the pirate ship has come to this remote island for some hunting of its own. And its not just the animals... Another great addition of to the Predator series, this book combines action and thrills in one taunt package. "South China Sea" is published by Dark Horse. It is $6.99 and 347 pages long.
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Jody Murphy
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Outrage I say! Outrage!
Mon, October 13, 2008 @ 10:00AM
National, civic and in this case, state outrage sure seems to be the rage. The latest? West Virginian's outrage over WVU fans portrayal in the movie "The Express: The Ernie Davis story." Mountaineers far and wide are up in arms because WVU fans (from 1959) are portrayed as harsh racists in the film when Syracuse, led by Davis, makes a trip to Morgantown for a game. Such treatment never happened, according to just about any and everyone who attended or played in the game, that actually occured a year later, and is still around to talk about it. Long time sports writer Mickey Furfari and several former WVU and Syracuse players, all agree the incidents directed at Davis during the movie never happened. The portrayal has led to all sorts of outrage, including from Gov. Joe Manchin, a former WVU player. Look, I get it. I do. We are NOT - NOT! - a state of stump-jumpin' rednecks who hate all things not white or christian.
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Dave Payne
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Restoring the American Chestnut
Mon, October 13, 2008 @ 9:33AM
I remember when I was a Boy Scout spending my first year at Camp Dilly's Mills, I took a forestry class from an older Scout - one of the campás full-time staff - everybody called "Lurch" because of his stature and rumbling voice. He took us deep in the forest and told us what the forests looked like 300 years ago. It's hard for a young West Virginia boy to imagine such a place, a landscape covered with giant trees and ankle-deep chestnuts on the forest floor. He had us all stand together - there were about 20 of us - in what appeared to be a patch of black earth. "What you are standing in," Lurch said, "are all that remains of the American Chestnut tree." I inspected the earth at my feet. It wasn't exactly dirt but the final, decomposing remains of a once-mighty tree. There were four billion towering American chestnut trees in Appalachia 100 years ago.
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Art Smith
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Take a trip in a time machine
Thu, October 9, 2008 @ 11:13PM
The web is constantly changing. What looked cutting edge not so long ago now looks decades out of date and overly simple. Google has been in existence for ten years. To celebrate that mark, the biggest search engine on the planet has made the oldest index of the web that they have available to the public. The unique feature allows Internet users to look back at how the web looked in 2001. The view in the rear view mirror is not perfect, images are sometimes missing and the lings will generally not work correctly. The link can however provide a fascinating view into the past. Drawing on a long running project that makes digital copies of web pages before they vanish, the site put the web of the past at your fingertips. Use the link at right to take a step back in times
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Jim Smith
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Points go to Biden handlers
Wed, October 15, 2008 @ 9:21AM
Say what you will ... unlike Sarah Palin, Joe Biden's handlers know how to throw a rally. When Biden stopped in Marietta Tuesday evening it wasn't just to use the facilities or get a bottle of apple cider, which was the case Sunday afternoon when Sarah Palin gave the area a passing glance. Biden had a well-publicized, well-coordinated and well-attended rally in a prominent downtown Marietta location where an estimated 4,000 people could see and hear him share his reasons he believes he and Barack Obama should be elected in November. Planning and appearance points go to Biden, making Palin's stop look even more pathetic!
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