What would we think if people went about relieving themselves and leaving their waste behind in our public parks, beaches and even on our personal and private lands? Or, to tone it down a bit and make it more realistic, what would we think about people letting their animals defecate in the same ...

Winter is a hard time for many in the Mid-Ohio Valley, due to the cost of heat bills rising. Programs in this area set in place to help families with the rising cost of these bills have not been revised since the 1970s. Working families making minimum wage or people on Social Security do not ...

The newspaper recently announced that Mr. David Barton will be the keynote speaker for the 2014 annual Republican dinner on Sept.18. Conservatives know Mr. Barton as a big tea party leader, Glenn Beck's sidekick, and a professor at The Glenn Beck University. But many of us know David Barton for ...

In the Ohio House of Representatives 94th District, Washington County resident Yolan Dennis, a Republican, will bring fresh positive ideas in her challenge to Athens County incumbent Democrat Debbie Phillips. The 94th district in Washington County consists of Marietta's First, Second, and Forth ...

This letter is in response to the ridiculous editorial in Thursday's paper. I am so glad that you all and your Republican paper can make the decision for the UMW.This organization determines that Natalie Tennant is their candidate with good cause. She will fight to bring resolve on the coal ...

I am truly amazed that the city of Parkersburg removed all the parking meters on Second Street to install a new bicycle path. Those meters were full Monday through Friday every week. I guess the city doesn't need the extra revenue since they are charging all of us who work in the city a user ...

Believe it or not, I knew law enforcement officers, men and women, who detested writing tickets; they wanted to work cases. However, to their chagrin, they often saw fellow officers who were intent on writing tickets advance faster in the ranks. Also, some officers told me they disliked being ...

Your Sunday paper of Aug. 31 had a great front-page story or booster shot for maybe jobs in fracking, etc. Luckily, that balloon was torpedoed by two fine letters on the editorial page. Sometimes a higher power wins - hooray!Eugene A. DiClementeParkersburg

On Aug. 29, 48 severely neglected animals were removed from a Marietta home where they had been living in their own filth. Deplorable.Also removed from the home were two children who had also been forced to live in and around the excrement of 48 sick animals. Deplorable. Disgusting. ...

Until Darwin, humans were thought to be rational animals - created in the image and likeness of God. Before Darwin, it was thought that each person possessed powers that no other animal possessed in any degree. Consequently, it was believed that each person could think and do what no other ...

Provisions need to be made to protect parents against false abuse reports made to Child Protective Services. Right now anyone can call in and report abuse without consequence. I know of several instances where the same person made repeated reports of abuse and all were found to be false.Filing ...

The News and Sentinel ran an interesting "Our Opinion" editorial on Aug. 21 about where West Virginia is headed. The writer noted that West Virginia has lost 85 percent of its coal industry jobs in 50 years. We went from 130,000 high paying coal jobs to 20,000. We also learned the biggest ...

In a recent letter to the editor, Bryan Waller talked about the Postal Service and how it is past its time. I say, he needs to do his research. First of all, USPS receives no tax dollars, and hasn't since the 1970s. They are required to prefund retiree healthcare, a payment of $5 billion ...

I am writing regarding the letter about the person responsible for the breakings and enterings in Belpre, saying that 10 years was too harsh of a punishment. I am tired of people using drugs as an excuse for permission to rob, steal and to violate other people.Doing drugs is a choice not an ...

My husband and I went to the film "Moving Mountains" based on a book by Penny Loeb telling the story of a woman, Trish Bragg, and her community's struggle for justice from big coal in 1994 when her neighbor's well went dry. After years of hard work, fighting a billion dollar coal company and ...

Every day, children in our community are exposed to secondhand smoke in their own homes. The Healthy Community Coalition of Wood County believes that if parents learn the facts about secondhand smoke and its health effects on children, they'll do the right thing and take their smoking ...

Although my family does not live inside the limits of the city of Parkersburg, I do have some family members paying this fee and one is employed in Pettyville. Why is that considered Parkersburg?My family likes to boat and launch at the Corning boat ramp, and since this user fee went into ...

I am writing with amazement and frustration at the irresponsible liberties The News and Sentinel took on the Thursday, Aug. 21, opinion page. In the bottom left corner is a satirical cartoon of a black man with a look demonstrating any range of emotion from fear to confusion, wearing a T-shirt ...

Suicide is taking the lives of too many people. After hearing of the death of Robin Williams, I feel that our community needs to come together and give care for people who need support or someone to talk to.I don't think we have enough group therapy in our area. There are too many people that ...

In the community there are many recreational leagues for cheerleading and football. These leagues are solely based on donations and fundraising. These programs are run by volunteers from the community. This helps the kids learn the fundamentals of football and cheerleading.Also, it helps kids ...