Opinion

Keep Our Kids Safe When Dealing With Artificial Intelligence

Editorials

As much as technological advances can help us, there are always possible dangers as well, as Ohio County Schools and law enforcement officials recently discussed. The Wheeling Police Department will soon put together a video educating parents and students about the risks in artificial intelligence image manipulation. It is getting much easier to take existing photos and videos and mold them into whatever the user wishes — and that sometimes can lead to trouble. Wheeling Park High School Assistant Principal Jack Doyle told the story of someone who took a photo of two girls standing ...

Get Out and Vote, Ohio

Editorials

Tomorrow, Ohioans that have not already voted will head to the polls for the Nov. 4 general election. According to the Ohio Secretary of State’s office, as of late last week there had been 61,308 absentee ballots returned and 98,382 early in-person ballots cast. Nearly 160,000 people had already weighed in on the candidates and issues. But at about this time last year there were 8.2 million registered voters in the Buckeye State, and 71.71% of them turned out to vote. Admittedly, that one was a bit more of a headline-grabber — but it was certainly no more important than the ...

Locals Stepping Up To Help the Hungry

Editorials

As the federal government continues to drag its feet in reopening — and thus restarting the funding on crucial programs like SNAP and Head Start ­— neighbors are helping neighbors here in the Ohio Valley. One local organization and a local grocery store have stepped up to assist those in need as SNAP benefits have halted. Grow Ohio Valley and its downtown grocery and food hub, The Public Market, will be providing food boxes in November to those experiencing the temporary loss of food assistance benefits. Meanwhile, Neely’s Grocery in Wheeling will offer 10% discounts on ...

Learning Experience?

Local Columns

November legislative interim meetings began Sunday at Pipestem Resort State Park near Hinton in Summers County, continuing today and wrapping up Tuesday. This is the second time lawmakers have traveled for interims, with the Legislature holding interim meetings at Stonewall Resort near Roanoke in Lewis County. It’s part of the Legislature’s efforts to travel to different parts of the state and learn more about the unique regions in West Virginia. While West Virginia is unfortunately stereotyped as one image of the hillbilly, we know that our communities are vastly different and ...

Time To Decide Future of Suspension Bridge

Editorials

The Wheeling Suspension Bridge’s fate has quite literally hung in the balance for the past six years. Now, as the most significant renovation of downtown in decades draws to a close, it’s time for the bridge’s future to be revealed. Leaders in Charleston must make a clear, final determination about how this historic span will fit into the city’s skyline — either as a traffic artery or an historic walking span. The installation of removable bollards at each end of the 176-year-old bridge has reignited discussion about its future. Those obstructions —meant to impede vehicles ...

Prioritize Infrastructure

Editorials

For years, city officials have lamented the deteriorating condition of the sidewalks along Wheeling Hill, where crumbling concrete have made the stretch along National Road unsafe for pedestrians. The problem is not new — it’s been studied, debated, and deferred for more than 20 years. But while proposals have come and gone, the reality remains: The city’s failure to prioritize infrastructure spending there has left one of its main thoroughfares — a link between downtown and Fulton — in embarrassing disrepair. City leaders now find themselves exploring, once again, whether the ...