I used to live in Belpre and Parkersburg. I grew up there and worked at a local plant. I wanted to say I think building a port along the river is a great idea.With Charleston, and South Charleston dredging to expand their port to be the largest on the East Coast, there will be a lot more ...

Electing Congresswoman Shelley Moore Capito to the U.S. Senate would be a valuable step toward replacing the current blockade of important legislation by Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid and tackling the unresolved issues that have developed under the Administration of President Obama. A ...

It continually amazes me to watch and listen as so many people refuse to open their eyes and think for themselves when it comes to what is happening to our schools. Jim Mullen and I have, perhaps, disagreed from time to time on tactics, but I don't think anyone who knows him believes for a ...

On June 19, 2014, my wife and I were leaving town to attend the West Virginia State Folk in Glenville. As we were leaving our residence in Vienna we were setting our alarm system and mistakenly pushed the panic button on the alarm. Within seconds the alarm company called to check on us; we ...

In a recent column (July 4) Representative Bill Johnson complains that under President Obama gasoline went from $1.84 on the day of his inauguration to $3.68 today. What he does not mention is that in the summer before President Obama took office, while George W. Bush was president, a gallon of ...

Once again, The News and others are playing a blame game in regards to poverty levels in West Virginia and criticizing educators at all levels for societal factors which West Virginia Department of Education, local and state boards of education have no control of in regards to federal ...

I enjoyed reading about the Butcher Bend 4-H campgrounds. Our first camp, 1934, Mt. Zion club went to Province Grove, next year to Camp Barbe, then Butcher Bend.We had 4-H at PHS and I was in the Mingo Tribe until I graduated in 1942. I have my 1936-1937 Wood County club book. Mable Jones was ...

As a retired educator, I found Jim Mullen's July 7 article very disturbing. His use of innuendo and his lack of factual data to back up his assertions were a disservice to the hard-working teachers and administrators of Wood County Schools, not to mention Wood County students.First, does Mr. ...

The Fourth of July celebration was marred by the images in Murrieta, Calif., of people shouting and carrying signs of hate. I thought this was the land of the free, the home of the brave. Have many forgotten the words of Emma Lazarus which are inscribed at the base of the Statue of ...

Are you confused about the Mideast? Like most Americans, do you think the president has done a bad job, but don't have a clue as to why you think so? Let me help sort things out.First, look at a globe and see if you can find Syria, Iraq and Iran. If you can't, then relax in the peaceful ...

There are truly wonderful and honest people in our area! I lost an item at the Marietta Walmart store in the parking lot. When I noticed it was gone, I went back to see if it was there. Imagine my surprise to receive a package in the mail a few weeks later with the item in it. It had an address ...

I want to thank Mayor Randy Rapp of Vienna for his kindness and thoughtfulness in resolving a water issue on fourth Avenue with great haste and concern for his people. His efforts are to be commended and brought to the attention of the people of Vienna.I want to thank him for his concern and ...

Every year the Mid-Ohio Valley Friends (Quakers) engage people at the Multi-Cultural Festival in discussion about important issues. This year we focused on immigration and wish to report on what we heard from around 150 MOV residents.We asked festival-goers where their ancestors came from. ...

The Declaration of Independence is the greatest document ever written about government because it established the first form of government based upon "the laws of nature and nature's God."The Declaration makes plain that the rights of man come not from other men, but from the mind of God. Said ...

After 10 years in downtown Marietta, Barking Dog Books and Art LLC is closing its bricks-and-mortar retail operation and moving. Our last day at 212 Putnam St. in Marietta will be Saturday, July 12.Whether you came in every week, every month, or just once or twice a year while passing through, ...

When John D. Rockefeller began his political career he campaigned against mountaintop removal and other excesses of coal mining. To succeed in politics he quickly reversed his policy and invested in coal companies. Soon such adaptation may not be necessary.MSNBC reported that there are half as ...

I am Bette Crimmel Creasey Morris, and I love dogs. I know many of you may know this, but some may not. God spelled backward is dog, and I believe this is meant to be.I firmly believe God gave us the dog to be our best friend (next to Him) to take the raw edges off of life. I am 85 years ...

This weekend we celebrate the 238th birthday of the document declaring us a sovereign nation with the right to life, liberty, and pursuit of happiness. Yet we deny those very same rights each and everyday to 3,228 (one every 27 seconds) of the tiniest and most vulnerable of American citizens - ...

There has been one constant in the 20 places I have lived, which bears out Christ's verity - "The poor shall always be with us."As I wend my way to a downtown church, I sometimes pass the poor who are unkempt, attired in black, tattooed, malnourished, with similar appearing family and friends - ...

I would like to thank everyone who made the 21st annual Cincinnati Reds Legends Youth Baseball Clinic a very special occasion. So many good people from our community worked hard at this year's event. An event is only as good as the people behind it, and we were richly blessed with a special ...