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Living Democracy: Three ways to vote

Absentee – Ohio’s Secretary of State is sending every registered Ohioan an absentee ballot application. I got mine! If you want to vote absentee by mail, you must fill out the application and send it to the Washington County Board of Elections. The address is on the application. Wait for your ballot to come, fill it out and mail it to the Washington County Board of Elections as soon as possible. Your ballot must be received by 7:30 p.m. on Election Day, Nov. 3, 2026. Vote Early in Person – Go to the Washington County Board of Elections at 204 Davis Ave. Marietta, Oct. 6 through ...

Industry, lawmakers not protecting Washington County

This is in response to the article “Ohio Oil and Gas Association opposes proposed moratorium” published in the Sept. 19 edition of your newspaper. There are multiple misleading statements made by the Ohio Oil and Gas Association (OOGA), as well as Rep. Kevin Ritter, which should be clarified for readers. OOGA President Rob Brundrett stated, "The path forward is to allow Ohio’s regulatory process to work as designed while protecting the conventional production …” The regulatory process that Brundrett is referring to is the woefully inadequate and fundamentally flawed oversight ...

Cracking the Code: Be not afraid

We have a vent on the floor for heat and air conditioning between our kitchen and dining area. When our daughter Dannielle, her husband, and golden retriever Arnie come to visit, Arnie won’t walk across the vent. He is afraid. Arnie is so afraid he won’t even cross the vent to get a treat. If we cover the vent with a rug he will walk over it. Arnie is a dog. He doesn’t understand why he has nothing to fear. Sadly, many times we aren’t much different from Arnie the retriever when we allow our fear to hold us back from achieving our dreams or doing what is right and good for ...

Backyard Gardener: Fall asters for autumn color

Hello, Mid-Ohio Valley farmers and gardeners. What a week as the rain continues here in the valley. Many places have received over 4 inches since last Saturday, and numerous areas experienced flooding. Hopefully we get a break and have some dry weather ahead for harvesting crops and working in the garden. This week, I want to discuss fall asters. I know, the chrysanthemum is the go-to flower for fall and with good reason. However, we need some variety in plants and colors. Look no further than the fall aster. Fall asters can be a great addition to flower beds and gardens. When we ...

The Way I See It: Fall is upon us, have a nice trip

Since it is now fall, I thought it would be a good time to talk about falling. Leaves are not the only thing that can hit the ground — so can clumsy people. I should know, I have been hitting the ground for years. I have been tripping over things my whole life, sometimes on a national ...

MOV Climate Corner: Are we prepared?

2026 brought a summer of flash floods. We all remember the devastation inflicted on parts of West Virginia in July and August. Last month, as some areas began recovering while others were inundated, Charlise Robinson used this column to point out the need for more flood resilience in the state. More recent news has shown us more widespread devastation, and we in our river towns must face the question: are we ready for the next flood? In mid-August, heavy rains and flash floods brought much of southern and central Ohio to a standstill, destroying homes and disrupting lives. In Indiana, ...