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Letters to the Editor

Union families betrayed

Just a few more days and it will be Labor Day. For many, it is just another long weekend for hot dogs, hamburgers, boating, swimming and many other activities before cooler weather prevails. But for union members, true dedicated union members, it is more. It is a time to reflect on what it means to be a union member. For my union, the United Steelworkers, and many other unions it means it is a shield, a voice, a force that ensures no worker left behind. Unions fight for fair wages and benefits, safe working conditions, dignity and respect. That fight wasn’t just for ourselves but ...

Is our drinking water safe from fracking brine?

At a special meeting on July 29, the Marietta City Council heard testimony from experts on the risks of expanding a brine injection facility by DeepRock Disposal Solutions LLC, located just outside of Marietta. The chamber was filled beyond capacity with residents voicing concern. The planned expansion is designed to take in more fracking brine and “other” waste from West Virginia and Pennsylvania, where injection permits supposedly cannot be obtained as easily. Fracking brine comes from the drilling of natural gas wells in shale layers. It is a residue that must be treated or ...

Memories of Japan after war

The article on the opinion page Marietta Times Aug. 6, 2025, (Truman made the right decision to drop the bomb), brought back memories to me. As a young 18-year-old man in the U.S. Navy in the early spring of 1959, I boarded a U.S. Navy ship in Long Beach, Calif., that would take me to Sasebo, Japan. From there, I would travel to a U.S. airbase in Japan and fly to Okinawa to join my Seabee battalion. As best as I can remember, the trip across the ocean to Japan took two weeks or more. I was only in Sasebo for a couple of days when I was given orders and a ticket to board a train that ...

Critical need for tree watering

Combined lack of rainfall and excessive temperatures leave recently planted trees stressed for survival. Any trees planted in the past three years chances of survival are increased by those willing to insure young trees get five gallons of water per week. The late Marilyn Ortt always reminded the community members of the young trees’ needs during hot, dry periods. Trees cool or community, provide oxygen, shade, habitat among dozens of other necessary features for our survival. Trees, children, animals and drinking water depend upon responsible people for their survival. ...

Thank you from Oak Grove Volunteer Fire Department

The Oak Grove Volunteer Fire Department would like to sincerely thank everyone who came out to support our Annual Ice Cream Social on August 2. We had a record-breaking turnout this year, and the beautiful weather made it all the more special. Our members work hard behind the scenes to make this event enjoyable, but the success of the social wouldn’t be possible without the incredible support from our friends, fellow fire service members, and the entire Oak Grove community. We are especially grateful to the businesses and individuals who donated—whether it was baked goods, ...

No to injection wells

I attended the Marietta City Council meeting on July 29. The chamber was full and overflowing with concerned citizens. The topic of the meeting was the intended drilling of several brine injection wells within a couple of miles of the city’s aquifers. The proponents Deep Rock was represented by a lawyer, a note taker and several “experts.” They were all telling how safe the wells would be. The wells would be deep in solid rock with several casings and cement. They claimed that there would be zero chance of the brine containing over 100 chemicals, some are radioactive, finding its ...