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Letters to the Editor

Letter: Trump still using liar’s playbook

“I cannot tell a lie,” young George Washington told his father when asked if he’d cut down a cherry tree. Ever since, Americans have opted to think their first president was a model of truth. Most of us have had the notion that our presidents were honest, even referring to Abraham Lincoln as Honest Abe. For the most part, we have felt that our presidents were basically above board. Until, that is, President Donald Trump came along and proved that Americans could embrace a president who lies morning, noon and night — on social media, in interviews, in the White House, on the ...

Letter: Service disconnection may have been caused by brine

The Aug. 27 article titled “Knox Energy disconnects service for 43 customers in Belpre area” neglected to note that dozens of Wilson Energy production wells now spew toxic, radioactive wastewater (aka brine) that has migrated from injection wells – instead of natural gas and oil. The number of local production wells destroyed by brine penetration has increased in the past few years. As owner Bob Wilson stated, "conditions have worsened." The fractured geology of Washington County is not suitable for the high-pressure and ever increasing volume of brine that is being pumped into ...

Marietta’s gas aggregation

I was doing an annual review of my natural gas bills recently and came across some interesting facts that I suspect very few Marietta residents know. In 2024, the City of Marietta entered into a municipal natural gas aggregation agreement with Eastern Power and Gas that was supposed to provide residents with a fixed price of $3.85 per MCF. Eastern subsequently told the city it could no longer perform under that contract. In March 2025, Marietta City Council approved an amendment that ultimately replaced our fixed-price protection with a variable rate tied to Enbridge's monthly Standard ...

Elks National Americanism Essay Contest 2026

Building on the success of last year, Marietta Elks Lodge #477 is proud to offer all Washington County students in grades 5,6,7 and 8 the opportunity to compete in the 2026 Elks National Americanism Essay Contest. We are more excited than ever to invite you to participate this year, as last year several of our Lodge’s local winners took first place at the District Level, competed at the State level for all of Ohio, and we are proud to have our first ever National First Place Winner, in the 5th grade Division. This year, the topic for the essays will be “Explain a Constitutional ...

Questions regarding data center in Waterford Township

The Washington County Commissioners signed a NDA re: a data center in Waterford Township. I did not sign an NDA so I am going to share some information as well as my opinions, concerns and questions. Hashworks Powered Land Waterford LLC has assembled 449 acres of former farmland from two owners: Douglas McCutcheon (Waterford Township Trustee) and Eric Bauerbach. Mr. McCutcheon’s 275.1 acres were purchased for $20,000,000 while Mr. Bauerbach’s 173.9 acres sold for $8,796,760. Another parcel of land has been purchased by Hashworks for $1,113,500.00. These prices are certainly not ...

Activate America

At a time when civic participation feels more important than ever, we each have a role to play in strengthening our democracy. Voting is one of the most direct and powerful ways individuals can make their voices heard, yet many eligible voters remain disengaged or unsure how to participate. If you are wondering how to make a tangible difference in getting Democrats elected to office, I encourage you to look into Activate America. Activate America (https://www.activateamerica.vote/) is a dedicated organization that empowers volunteers to reach out directly to voters in crucial swing ...