Bygone Comebacks: Drive-In Movies Alex Panas September 16, 2020 Editor’s note: Have you noticed lately that bits of the past are creeping into the present? We’re gardening more, going to drive-in movies, spending time with nature, putting jigsaw puzzles together. We are fin...
Osiris Shriners and Monument Place: A Storied Saga of Service Ellen Brafford McCroskey September 15, 2020 Now home to the Osiris Shrine, the magnificent stone mansion at 91 Kruger (Cruger) St. in Wheeling was once home to Wheeling socialite Lydia Boggs Shepherd Cruger from the time it was built in 1798 until the ti...
Skating Through a Pandemic: New Hobby Offers Joy and Community During COVID Miranda Tharp September 14, 2020 Skating Through a Pandemic Before 2020 came, I vowed to take on roller skating as a hobby. Growing up, I spent a lot of weekends at the local roller rink in Moundsville, WV. At the age of eight, my mom threw m...
Drag Culture Is About Family Rosemary Ketchum September 11, 2020 “You’re born naked and the rest is drag.” — Ru Paul Definition: A drag queen or king is a person, who uses drag clothing and makeup to imitate and often exaggerate female or male gender signifiers and gender...
Men of Change Help 400 Students with Back-to-School Giveaway. Weelunk Staff September 10, 2020 As children from across the Ohio Valley head back to the classroom, Men of Change hosted a drive-thru school supplies giveaway in Wheeling to help families in need of extra assistance. Men of Change, a group of...
BYGONE COMEBACKS: Picking Up the (Puzzle) Pieces During COVID-19 Kelly Strautmann September 9, 2020 Editor’s note: Have you noticed lately that bits of the past are creeping into the present? We’re gardening more, going to drive-in movies, spending time with nature, putting jigsaw puzzles together. We are fin...
Petition Back Story: Park Grad Says Racism Affects All Nora Edinger September 8, 2020 Editor’s note: In an ongoing commitment to discussing race and community, today’s Weelunk post offers the story behind an anti-racism petition drive organized by 2018 Wheeling Park High School grad Hinal Pujara...
Connecting a Large Community — Clientele Presents: Appalachian Sound and Color Kyle Knox September 7, 2020 Clientele Presents: Appalachian Sound and Color is a new podcast by Will Wallace, Logan Schmitt and Corey Knollinger. They’re all local creative young people with a love for Appalachia and the city they call home — Wheeling.
Ice Cream, You Scream … Summertime Treats on the Move Rich Wooding September 4, 2020 Youngstown, Ohio, the early 1920s: Harry Burt starts freezing wooden sticks inside chocolate-covered ice cream bars so you could eat the product without using utensils. Soon thereafter, he hit the road, selling...
Come Along on a Virtual Garden Tour Phyllis Sigal September 2, 2020 Gardening -- whether for aesthetics, for vegetables or for medicinals -- goes back thousands of years. This year, in the time of the coronavirus, gardening has seen a resurgence, offering a healthy dose of beau...
‘Orchidelirium’ Reflects Adelaide Stifel’s Scientific and Artistic Talents Linda Comins August 31, 2020 The title of Oglebay Institute’s current exhibit -- “Orchidelirium” -- suggests Victorian mania, but its true inspiration draws upon a steadying influence of scientific knowledge and artistic sensibility. Th...
Wheeling Trails Lead Cyclists to Adventure, Friendship and Fun Jessica Broverman August 26, 2020 You can ask any avid bicycle rider, “What is it that makes riding a bicycle enjoyable?” And a cyclist will tell you it is relaxing, exciting and stress relieving. One of the best aspects of the activity is y...
Quarantine Comics and Cartoons Natalie Kovacs August 21, 2020 At Weelunk, we’re all about keeping you connected to your community. Since that looks a little different right now, we’re bringing you ways to engage while staying safe and healthy. We hope Weelunk ca...
Local Restaurants Get Creative With Takeout Melissa Rebholz August 18, 2020 When restaurant dining rooms were shuttered this past spring to slow the spread of COVID-19, area businesses had to think outside of the box to keep producing and selling food. With stay-at-home orders in place...
The Caring City: Wheeling’s Longstanding and Successful Social Services Organizations Kelly Strautmann August 14, 2020 Wheeling may be considered small, but its community outreach is the opposite. Few small towns can boast they have as many longstanding, successful nonprofit social service organizations as Wheeling. Wheeling...
She Bought the House ‘Because It Felt Like Home’ Betsy Sweeny August 12, 2020 I’ve spent a lot of time thinking about home lately. First, because I’m stuck in mine, and mostly, because I bought one. Well, sort of. I bought a house because it felt like home. It is a unique time to be t...
BYGONE COMEBACKS: Creating an Old-Fashioned Summer With the Help of Mother Nature Megan Huff August 11, 2020 Editor’s note: Have you noticed lately that bits of the past are creeping into the present? We’re gardening more, going to drive-in movies, spending time with nature, putting jigsaw puzzles together. We are fin...
Unity in Diversity: Black Lives Matter Movements Take Shape in Ohio Valley Nora Edinger August 10, 2020 Editor’s note: In an ongoing commitment to sharing Wheeling’s stories in their diversity, here’s an overview of recent community responses to the Black Lives Matter movement. If you are involved with other loca...
Ginger Margaritas: From Snow-Tipped Mountains to You Matt Welsch August 7, 2020 Margaritas conjure up images of sun-soaked beaches, fancy glasses, and froth-tipped waves. My favorite margarita, on the other hand, was first consumed not on a wooden dock, but on a wooden deck surrounded by s...
Chef Finds Bounty at Local Farmers’ Markets Melissa Rebholz August 4, 2020 As a chef and a relatively new resident of Wheeling, I was so excited when the farmers’ markets began to open up for the season. I immediately wanted to make a project out of attending them all. Besides grow...
BYGONE COMEBACKS: Bakers Baking Up New Traditions Jennifer Materkoski August 3, 2020 Editor’s note: Have you noticed lately that bits of the past are creeping into the present? We’re gardening more, going to drive-in movies, spending time with nature, putting jigsaw puzzles together. We are fin...
HILLS AND HOLLOWS: Raising a Pint to West Virginia’s Moonshine Heritage Kyle Knox July 31, 2020 In the deep woods, along the cool creek (pronounced crick), the moon rises over the sugar maples, locusts, elms and sycamores of West Virginia and bounces off the copper twisting tubes of a still. That’s when a...
BYGONE COMEBACKS: COVID Revives Sew Much History Nora Edinger July 29, 2020 Editor’s note: Have you noticed lately that bits of the past are creeping into the present? We’re gardening more, going to drive-in movies, spending time with nature, putting jigsaw puzzles together. We are fin...
LIKE NIGHT AND DAY: Funeral Director Finds ‘Pocket’ of Community in Roller Derby Cassie Bendel July 28, 2020 Editor’s note: People aren't always defined by their day jobs. There are plenty who have quite fascinating second jobs or pastimes. Our series, Like Night and Day, shines the spotlight on those who are finding ...
City of Wheeling CARES About Small Businesses Nora Edinger July 27, 2020 Does a hairstylist working on her own qualify for a new round of federal assistance to small businesses? Can a corner store get reimbursed for more than $3,000 spent on plexiglass shields, disposable gloves and...
BYGONE COMEBACKS: The Magic of a Creek Jessica Broverman July 22, 2020 Editor’s note: Have you noticed lately that bits of the past are creeping into the present? We’re gardening more, going to drive-in movies, spending time with nature, putting jigsaw puzzles together. We are fin...
‘Stretched to Their Limits’: Foundation Comes to Aid of Health Departments Ellen Brafford McCroskey July 21, 2020 When the COVID-19 pandemic hit our area in March, no one was prepared for what was to come. No one could have predicted the shortfall of personal protective equipment, tests and other supplies that healthcare a...
Master Gardeners Make a Difference in Community Earl Nicodemus July 17, 2020 Did you like to play in the dirt when you were a little girl or boy? Do you still like to play in the dirt? If so, then you are a good candidate for the Master Gardener program. The Master Gardener pro...
Reuben Rouse: ‘Raised on Love’ Nora Edinger July 15, 2020 Editor’s note: Weelunk is committed to sharing the city’s diverse stories, including those that combat systemic racism. Today’s post features Reuben Rouse, a Wheeling man whose dedication to full-on fatherhood ...
Bottled Treasure: Discovery Leads to Investigation Alex Warren July 14, 2020 The Stratford Springs Bottling Company may have been closed for over 50 years, but their glass bottles can still be found. One Wheeling family discovered a massive collection in their own backyard.
April 1865: A Burst of Historic Events Barb Pirhalla July 13, 2020 April 1865, was a month long remembered in history. Richmond, Virginia, fell; April 9, Gen. Robert E. Lee surrendered to Gen. U.S. Grant; April 15, President Abraham Lincoln was assassinated; April 26, John Wil...
Positive and Progressive: Wheeling Makes Social Change Happen Ellen Brafford McCroskey July 10, 2020 Wheeling has received national attention after voting in West Virginia’s first openly transgender elected official, Rosemary Ketchum. Now, we reflect on the significance of recent steps taken by the city to be more inclusive.
The Monastery Rebuilds: A Look Inside Mount Carmel’s Changing Walls and Beating Heart Cassie Bendel July 8, 2020 On just about every corner in Wheeling, you’ll find something that reminds you of a time that came before you. Drive around long enough and your mind will start to ask, what wonders wait behind the façade? What...
Talking With Elders: ‘The Closest Thing to Time Travel’ Phyllis Sigal July 7, 2020 We can learn a lot from our elders; that’s something we’ve always heard. Wheeling Park High School social studies teacher Ryan Stanton decided to put that into practice with his students during the pandemic....
McCarthy-Wheeling Connection Explored in a New Book Stacey Miller Sacco July 4, 2020 On Feb. 9, 1950, Sen. Joseph McCarthy arrived in Wheeling to give a speech at the annual Republican Lincoln Day Dinner celebration at the McLure Hotel. But which speech? He had two in hand that day.&nb...
Mount Wood Overlook: A Community Treasure Ellen Brafford McCroskey July 3, 2020 If you have driven up Mount Wood Road to bypass the recent interstate construction project, you’ve likely noticed the unique property. It appears to be the foundation of a castle-like structure, mysteriously le...
Villamagna’s Epic ‘Shrine for a Mill Rat’ Finds Forever Home at the Library Seán Duffy July 1, 2020 Public libraries exist to provide free and equal access to resources, helping people to pursue knowledge and inspiration. And “Shrine for a Mill Rat,” the new permanent exhibit (courtesy artist Robert Villamagn...
Time Travel From Home With Historic Postcards Alex Warren June 30, 2020 Summer usually means beach vacations and traveling to exciting new destinations. This year, amid the COVID-19 pandemic, travel has been drastically affected. While it may not be advisable to fly off to far-away...
Fishing for the Perfect Social Distancing Activity? Laura Jackson Roberts June 29, 2020 If there’s one activity that seems to fit our current situation and its social requirements perfectly, it’s fishing. You’re outside, you’re in your own space, and nature has you in its stress-relieving clutches...
The Road From Small Town to Published Author: Two Marshall County Natives Release Books Kelly Strautmann June 27, 2020 Author’s note: It was a pleasure to write about two people from my small hometown — a younger schoolmate and friend, and my own brother. Cameron, West Virginia, a tiny town about 30 miles south of Whee...
Wheeling Heritage Trail: From Railroad to Walking Trail Alex Warren June 26, 2020 Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, getting out of the house for fresh air has become a necessity and, of course, Wheeling Heritage Trail has become a popular spot for walking, running and biking. This newfound p...
The West Virginia Snakes Club and its Historic Location Ellen Brafford McCroskey June 24, 2020 First of all, where in the world did the name “West Virginia Snakes Club” come from? And is “Snake” singular or plural? Although most people today refer to it as the Snake Club, the sign on the building at 923 ...
Through the COVID-19 Lens: Photographers Find Creative Ways to Keep Clicking Jennifer Materkoski June 23, 2020 Social distancing and other effects of Covid-19 have disrupted life as we knew it — especially the seasons of graduations, weddings and summer sports. And though we haven’t been able to gather as we did in t...
The Refreshing French 75: Best of Both Worlds Matt Welsch June 22, 2020 Summertime is finally here, and with it brings lemonade on the back porch or maybe a nice gin and tonic. But what if you could have the best of both worlds? Well, my friends, you can. And it’s called the French...
A RIVER RUNS THROUGH IT: A Tale of Two Capitals Taylor Abbott June 20, 2020 Editor's note: Throughout Wheeling's history, one aspect has remained a constant — the Ohio River. From the birthplace of the first western-style steamboat to laying claim to the Ohio River's first suspension b...
Pandemic Mask Battle Is Nothing New Fred Connors June 19, 2020 West Virginians slipping out of COVID-19 exile are ripping a page out of history concerning face coverings. During the 1918 Spanish flu pandemic, people resisted wearing masks in public, which prompted many ...
Speakers, Performers and More Part of Virtual Juneteenth Celebration on Friday Phyllis Sigal June 18, 2020 Resilience. Endurance. Commitment. That’s what we’re seeing in the Ohio Valley — as is proven by the fact that a Juneteenth celebration is taking place. Even if it is being held virtually this year. The Y...
WEEAsked: Owens Brown, President of the West Virginia NAACP Ellen Brafford McCroskey June 17, 2020 George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor. These three are the latest to be sacrificed for the inequities of our society. Their senseless deaths reflect our failures —failure to learn, failure to change, fail...
Art in the Time of Coronavirus Phyllis Sigal June 16, 2020 Whether their work documents the period or adds commentary or levity, five Wheeling artists who are creating art throughout this COVID-19 time report the same ends to their artistic means. Peace. Artists ...
DOWNTOWN DO-OVER: Connors ‘Cornering’ the Market Nora Edinger June 15, 2020 Editor’s note: In this occasional series, Weelunk has looked at downtown’s re-development — from the biggest catalysts to block-by-block changes. In today’s post, we tighten the focus further to one re-develope...
