Another apparently mentally ill person jumped the White House fence last week. This time, 23-year-old Dominic Adesanya was taken down relatively quickly by two police dogs, but he still managed to get over the fence.Not only was he able to jump the same fence Omar Gonzalez jumped more than a ...

Truancy officers have made an enormous difference for Wood County students in recent years, but their job is an ongoing one, and requires continued help from policymakers and parents or guardians. Wood County Schools Attendance and Home Services says there was an overall drop of 27 percent in ...

UP: To the American Heart Association for its Mission: Lifeline program that will teach students in 27 public and parochial middle and high schools in Wood County how to perform cardiopulmonary resuscitation. The program, which the American Heart Association hopes will expand to all schools in ...

Nurses and doctors are not interchangeable. That seems fairly clear. But a group of advanced practice registered nurses wants West Virginia lawmakers to make changes that would blur the differences between the two.The West Virginia Nurses Association Advanced Practice Congress would like ...

When Stacy DeCicco spoke to the Parkersburg Rotary Club this week, she made a point that surely raised more than a few eyebrows. The percentage of families living at or below the poverty line in Wood County is 34.9 percent-quite a bit higher than the state average of 27.5 percent.And, while she ...

On both national issues and those of direct concern to East Ohio communities, U.S. Rep. Bill Johnson, R-Ohio, has been a leader. Keeping him in the House of Representatives is good, old-fashioned common sense.Johnson has served our region in Congress for nearly four years. After being elected ...

When John Kasich took the reins as governor of Ohio in January 2011, the state was a mess. Far from being able to do anything meaningful to improve the state - and address rampant unemployment - state leaders could not even get their own house in order. Among the first priorities of the new ...

The Nov. 4 election is of critical importance to all Americans - and in some ways, especially so to residents of our area who will be electing someone new to represent them in Congress. Local voters want someone upon whom they can count.Two men, Alex Mooney of Charles Town and Nick Casey of ...

West Virginians need a U.S. senator who will fight for us without regard to political interests. For years, Rep. Shelley Capito has been doing that for part of our state. On Election Day, voters should send her to the Senate to stand up for all of us.On two major issues - President Barack ...

Voters in our area of West Virginia, the First Congressional District, have had reason to be grateful for our good judgment in sending David McKinley to the House of Representatives.Since early 2011, McKinley has served our region courageously and capably. He has fought hard to safeguard West ...

West Virginia's most at-risk kids are getting a little extra support from a federal waiver that will allow the state to implement a Safe at Home program designed to enhance the state's child welfare system. The idea is to reduce the number of children receiving services in out-of-home care ...

Ohio residents have more evidence to back up warnings about increased identity theft in the state. According to the state Department of Taxation, there has been an 18-times increase in the number of income-tax filings fraudulently seeking refunds this year. Crooks tried to get $180 million out ...

By now, most drivers understand it can be as dangerous to drive distracted as it is to drive under the influence. States and municipalities have enacted varying levels of rules against using a handheld cell phone or texting while driving. But while those two activities are certainly a detriment ...

Today marks the deadline for registering to vote in West Virginia for the Nov. 4 general election. Early voting will then begin Oct. 22.Here in Wood County, early voting can take place at the Judge Black Annex at 315 Market St., Parkersburg; the Williamstown City Building at 100 W. 5th St., ...

When West Virginians lament the lack of good jobs to keep young people in the state, they may be missing a piece of the puzzle. According to U.S. Rep. David McKinley, R-W.Va., he is hearing from more and more employers who would love to be able to do some hiring.But he spoke with one in the ...

Belpre residents should take pride in the accolades received during the America in Bloom symposium recently.Belpre received the only Outstanding Achievement award presented to any of the 31 communities participating, and was recognized with a Community Involvement award that was a nod to the ...

UP: To the approximately 450 special athletes from 24 West Virginia counties in Parkersburg for the 2014 Special Olympics West Virginia Fall Games. The competitive spirit of these special athletes is only overshadowed by the joy they take in participating. Accompanying the Special Olympics ...

Next week, Parkersburg Mayor Bob Newell will host a meeting in which the executive director of Drug Free Clubs of America plans to discuss a program that could do a great deal of good for Wood County. In exchange for voluntary submission to random drug testing, students could receive discounts ...

Signs going up around Parkersburg have sparked some debate about the best ways to help those who sometimes seek money at busy intersections. The signs read "Please do not contribute to the drug & alcohol problem by giving to panhandlers." While it may be difficult to temper the urge to ...

Parkersburg and Vienna were granted home rule this week, and while changes will not be evident immediately, the results could be significant for citizens and city government alike.Though it will likely be several months before shoppers in either municipality notice an additional 1 percent sales ...