News

Memorial Health Foundation grants $5,000 for Pleasants County disaster relief

Business August 8, 2026

ST. MARYS – Following the severe storm event last month, Memorial Health Foundation approved an emergency grant to help the citizens of St. Marys, Sistersville, Newport, New Matamoras and surrounding communities. On July 21, disaster struck the cluster of small, rural towns when twin tornados touched ground. The strong winds and heavy rain not only collapsed roofs, twisted radio towers, and shattered windows, but also flipped mobile homes, mowed down trees and tore the West Virginia welcome sign from the historic Carpenter Bridge. A total of $5,000 from Memorial Health Foundation ...

National attention turns to Washington County injection well debate

Local News August 8, 2026

MARIETTA ‌— ‌Injection ‌wells have become a national flashpoint following an article in the New York Times, which references events in and around Marietta. In Washington County, the argument is still fueled by one hard fact the state has already verified: oil and gas wastewater ...

Parkersburg dismissed as defendant in lawsuits over fatal 2023 fire

Local News August 8, 2026

PARKERSBURG – The City of Parkersburg has been dismissed from two lawsuits stemming from a fatal fire at a downtown building that had been the subject of litigation over efforts to inspect the property prior to the 2023 blaze. The cases are proceeding against organizations and one ...

The Rest of the Story: Kabourek on moving past controversy to lead WVU’s strategic reinvention

Local News August 8, 2026

MORGANTOWN – Chris Kabourek, new chief financial officer for West Virginia University, understands he brings with him baggage from his previous role at The Ohio State University. But 60 days into his tenure, Kabourek said he is ready to look forward and not backward. WVU President Michael Benson announced in April that Kabourek would join his administration as CFO effective June 1. Kabourek has nearly 30 years of experience in higher education finance and administration, including serving as interim president and senior vice president and chief financial officer at the University of ...

Actions speak louder than words

Local Columns August 8, 2026

Those who work in emergency services sometimes wish they could forget what they’ve seen. One snowy day, my squad was called to meet a police cruiser out on the highway. When we pulled up to the cruiser, the officer told us that he had a young patient who “has a problem with [their] feet.” The child got out of the police car and limped toward our ambulance. Seeing the pain, I picked up the child and almost threw them because their weight was nothing like what I expected in someone that tall. When we removed the child’s shoes in the ambulance, the smell and the blackened feet told ...

Belpre Homecoming kicked off Thursday

Local News August 7, 2026

The 94th Annual Belpre Homecoming kicked off Thursday evening with music, food and free ride night. Hundreds of people filled Civitan Park to enjoy the opening of the annual Belpre Homecoming event, an event that Belpre Homecoming Treasurer Jamie McCormick said he hoped was going to let ...