Ideas

September 14, 2019

“You think your pain and your heartbreak are unprecedented in the history of the world, but then you read. It was books that taught me that the things that tormented me most were the very things that connected ...

Warwood Farmers Market: More Than Just Tomatoes and Potatoes

Matthew Rafa

September 8, 2019

If you through Warwood on a Tuesday afternoon, you might notice a gathering of canopies, food trucks and people. The green signs waving in the wind announce Farmers Market Open; however, in Warwood, a farmers m...

THE GRIFFITH FILES: When Wheeling Put On a Big Show to Celebrate Its Bicentennial

Gerry Griffith

September 7, 2019

Fifty years ago, I was a defender of Wheeling’s Fort Henry in the last battle of the Revolutionary War; a Union soldier guarding a prisoner of war camp during America’s Civil War; one of a dozen or so jubilant ...

ECHOES … Of That First Day at the Mount — and Beyond

Anne Hazlett Foreman

August 31, 2019

It is said that moments of trauma or great joy are etched in our minds forever and, like Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome (PTSD), can come back as vivid memories unexpected and unwelcome in their timing and inten...

BILL HOGAN’S MUSINGS: Poppa’s One, Two, Three

August 24, 2019

Driving through Wheeling Park, I noticed a sign — “Bandstand” — and followed it to the top of the hill. I haven’t been up there in decades. The last time was for a party we had there when the rails around the b...

Vineyard at 40: Still a ‘Rock and Roll Church’

August 23, 2019

The naked ladies were a bit of a stretch, but if there were ever a church that could cope with Art Nouveau statues in its “sanctuary,” the Vineyard would be it. “We Photoshopped Hawaiian shirts on them,” lea...

Building a Stronger Community — One Gnome at a Time

Kelly Strautmann

August 17, 2019

There is a place in Wheeling where you can meet new friends and be creative. Where a beautiful resident tortoiseshell cat named Reese will greet you and make you feel welcome. It’s a place where owners Beth ...

EARL’S CAPERS WITH KIDS: Cherished Camping Adventures

August 10, 2019

Earl’s note: This is the third of a short series about things to do with kids. The activities described in the series are inexpensive and fun outdoor things that anyone can do with children. Today, we...

PHYLosophy: Taking Stock of a Great Man

August 3, 2019

Iusually heard his friendly, booming voice before I saw him. He’d stop by the front two desks in the newsroom at The Intelligencer and Wheeling News-Register, first to visit with Linda Comins and Betsy Bethel-M...

PETROCHEMICALS AND THE OHIO VALLEY: Part 2 — Health Effects of Cracker Plants

Laura Jackson Roberts

August 2, 2019

Editor’s note: On July 16, the Ohio County Public Library hosted two experts at its Lunch with Books series. Dr. Matthew Mehalik, Ph.D., and Dr. Ned Ketyer, M.D., spoke to a crowd of over 100 about the environm...

THE GRIFFITH FILES: Growing Up on Big Wheeling Creek in Elm Grove

Gerry Griffith

July 27, 2019

"Stay away from the creek.” ... In the Elm Grove neighborhoods along Big Wheeling Creek in the early 1960s, no parental directive was ignored more often. The wide, often-muddy tributary with its rocks, crawd...

PETROCHEMICALS AND THE OHIO VALLEY: Part 1 — Environmental Effects of Cracker Plants

Laura Jackson Roberts

July 26, 2019

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Editor's note: On July 16, the Ohio County Public Library hosted two experts at its Lunch with Books series. Dr. Matthew Mehalik, Ph.D., and Dr. Ned Ketyer, M.D., spoke to a crowd of over 100 about the environm...

EARL’S CAPERS WITH KIDS: Adventures in Geocaching

July 13, 2019

Earl’s note: This is the second of a short series about things to do with kids. The activities described in the series are inexpensive and fun outdoor things that anyone can do with children. The next story in ...

Will Charter Schools Land in Ohio County?

July 12, 2019

Editor's note: As this story was in final production, the West Virginia Education Association (teachers union) launched a lawsuit that challenges the constitutionality of the new state law that authorizes chart...

Harshman’s Poem Celebrates ‘Wheeling at 250’

Marc Harshman

July 9, 2019

Editor's note: "Wheeling at 250" was commissioned by the Wheeling 250 committee. The poem, written by Marc Harshman, West Virginia's poet laureate, was premiered at the Wheeling Symphony Orchestra's concert on...

BILL HOGAN’S MUSINGS: A Binge and a Spree

July 7, 2019

I have lived in two universes; they overlap or maybe coincide. It's a paradoxical thing I don’t understand and don’t try. The first was a straight line sort of thing — a loving family, schools, university, Mili...

EARL’S CAPERS WITH KIDS: No Worms Needed

July 6, 2019

Earl’s note: This is the first of a short series about things to do with kids. The activities described in the series are inexpensive and fun outdoor things that anyone can do with children. The next story in t...

THE GRIFFITH FILES: How Mom, Zane Gray, the Beverly Hillbillies and the Revolutionary War Inspired a Lifetime of Reading

Gerry Griffith

June 29, 2019

I was a child television junky in 1963, well-versed in the classics like Bonanza, Gunsmoke, Car 54: Where Are You?, Ben Casey, The Red Skelton Show, Hawaiian Eye, Wagon Train, Dr. Kildare, Rawhide, Route 66, th...

ECHOES … Of Guns and Rose — Tales of Summer Vacations Long Ago

Anne Hazlett Foreman

June 22, 2019

There is no place hotter in August than Vicksburg, Mississippi. It was just one of many of our destinations during most summers when I was young. My father ’s spin on summer fun was narrow and pointed. Pointed ...

We Need a Mouse-Ke-Do-Over: Surviving the Worst Vacation Ever

Cassie Bendel

June 15, 2019

I don’t know what came over me, but I really wanted to hug that mouse. In the fall of 2013, my family took what can easily be described as the worst vacation of all time. I’m sure there are worse stories, bu...

IN SEARCH OF THIRD PLACES: The Ohio County Public Library

Phil Gable

June 12, 2019

Author’s note: In his work, The Great Good Place, urban sociologist Ray Oldenburg coined the term “third place” to define public social settings where locals regularly gather in safety for conversation, connect...

Cyber Safety — Avoiding Scams and Malware Attacks

June 9, 2019

This story is designed to help you to stay safe in the digital world. As you will see, the story consists of three sections. The first section deals with malware, such as computer viruses, adware, etc. The s...

Roberts Ruminates: Horrible Creatures

Laura Jackson Roberts

June 8, 2019

I’ve got a lot of critters in my house. They’re all rescues. Our collie mix came from Marshall County Animal Shelter. We found the tortie cat at Ohio County and the tabby under a bush. Our German shepherd was f...

Into the Woods: Spring Traditions in Ohio County

June 2, 2019

March rains and April showers bring ramps and morels before they bring May flowers. When we see those patches of green in the woods as we drive the country roads in mid to late April, we know that spring is jus...

IN SEARCH OF THIRD PLACES: An Introduction

Phil Gable

June 1, 2019

Author’s note: In his work, The Great Good Place, urban sociologist Ray Oldenburg coined the term “third place” to define public social settings where locals regularly gather in safety for conversation, connect...

With So Much to See and Do, Wheeling Punches Above Its Weight Class

Wheeling Heritage Staff

May 27, 2019

To use a sports analogy, Wheeling punches above its weight class. For a city of only 27,000, Wheeling boasts a tremendous number of high-quality cultural institutions and tourism attractions. Not many look like...

AN ESSAY FOR THE DAY: A Gathering of Heroes

Colin McNickle

May 25, 2019

It was about as poignant a moment as one could imagine. The National World War II Memorial. On the National Mall. On the Saturday before this Memorial Day weekend in 2011. The site is perfectly framed at ...

DOWNTOWN DO-OVER: Bringing Buildings Back From the Brink

May 22, 2019

Editor’s note: The Downtown Do-Over series is taking a close look at the ongoing revival of Wheeling’s city center. In today’s story, Weelunk looks at what it actually takes to restore historic structures. View...

BILL HOGAN’S MUSINGS: The Flicks

May 18, 2019

I was fortunate to attend a noon talk at our library recently, about the old movie theaters in West Virginia. It brought back so many memories of when I was a kid in the 1930s and ’40s when going to a movie on ...

Raise Your Hand, Join the Group, Plant a Seed

May 17, 2019

A seed is planted; a flower grows. A paintbrush is dipped into a bucket; a mural appears. A hand is raised; a project is born. Alex Weld, project manager for Wheeling Heritage, is hoping that her new venture...

POSTSCRIPTS FROM THE EDGE(WOOD): The 21st Century Marriage Saver

Christina Fisanick

May 11, 2019

When Hazlett and Irene (Miller) Cochran built what would later become my Edgwood home in 1926, marriage looked quite a bit different than it does today. By this time, Margaret Sanger had won her lawsuit in N...

WHEELING@WORK: Wendy Scatterday Born Into Leadership

May 7, 2019

Editor’s note: Our series, “Wheeling@Work,” is an effort to provide readers with insight and information into our city government, highlighting the personalities, programs and processes at work within the City ...

AS I SEE IT: Animal Instincts

May 4, 2019

Work responsibilities, aging parents, motherhood, menopause — I don't know about you, but for me, midlife can be stressful at times. When my world gets overwhelming, and I need to stop and take a moment to rela...

A VIEW FROM THE MOON: SMART-Center Turns 25 — 50 Years Ago (Part 1)

April 30, 2019

In elementary school, I labored under the common misconception that persists with most youngsters unabated to this day. I thought that “Science” is the accumulation of random facts and figures about a field of ...

It’s Time to Enter Weelunk’s Haiku Contest

April 23, 2019

Editor's note: April is National Poetry Month, inaugurated in 1996 by the Academy of American Poets. What better way to celebrate than by writing your own poetry! And for some inspiration, visit the Ohio County...

The Adventures of a First-Time 5K Runner (She Did It for the Kids)

Jennifer Kellner-Muscar

April 21, 2019

“Sometimes it isn’t about doing it well, it is simply about doing it." — Jennifer Kellner-Muscar Two years ago, at the age of 39, I ran my first 5K. I came in dead last. Here’s how it happened. Je...

What We Lost at Wheeling Jesuit University

Kelly Strautmann

April 14, 2019

Author’s note: It was impossible for me to write a piece on WJU objectively, so I did a deep dive into my personal experience. I believe the courses of study left at WJU for the upcoming year are no less import...

#ChooseWV: Campaign Focus Is Pride of Place

March 27, 2019

If you film it, they will come. Calling stray Mountaineers home and attracting prospective ones here might not be quite that simple, but the team behind #ChooseWV figures an inspiring video sure can’t hurt. ...

A VIEW FROM THE MOON: Practice Makes Perfect — 50th Anniversary of Apollo 9

March 18, 2019

As the rocket blurred into the clouds, I watched the joyful exuberance of the hundreds of kids around me all still spellbound by the launch of Apollo 9. As I kept turning, this view was quickly replaced as th...

BILL HOGAN’S MUSINGS: On Being Irish

March 17, 2019

I am Irish, I guess, because I don’t know what else to be. I am half German, but being German never came easy to me. We are a melancholy lot; I am. That is why we sing and laugh so much, because we are so ve...

How to Keep Your Kids Safe Online

March 4, 2019

Editor's note: This is the first of a couple of Weelunk stories Earl Nicodemus is planning regarding cyber safety. The next one will be about cyber security for adults. The chances of your child being harmed...

AS I SEE IT: The Devastating Diagnosis of Dementia

March 2, 2019

Mom’s dance with the devil named dementia began around 2004. Dementia is a cunning fellow when he first appears — a forgotten word or two, a misplaced set of keys, a question repeated once too often — all these...

A VIEW FROM THE MOON: Big Idea — The Fractional Gravity Experiment (Part 3)

February 27, 2019

(Editor’s note: In the last two weeks, we read about the Big Idea (Part 1) and Big Idea (Part 2). Today, Robert E. Strong wraps things up. Did his "Big Idea" make the cut? Read on ... ) For over third of a c...

What Does ‘Heritage’ Mean to You? Wheeling Heritage Wants to Know

February 21, 2019

The word “heritage” means different things to different people, and Wheeling Heritage wants to know how heritage plays a role in the lives of Ohio Valley residents. Now through March 15, Wheeling Heritage is...

A VIEW FROM THE MOON: Big Idea — The Fractional Gravity Experiment (Part 2)

February 19, 2019

(Editor's note: Last week we read about the Big Idea (Part 1). Today, Robert E. Strong recaps that article and moves on to Part 2.) As a recap from Big Idea: The Fractional Gravity Experiment (Part 1): ...

Wheeling Nailers Provide Fast-Paced Fun

NIck Musgrave

February 17, 2019

While our warehouses and factories stand in testament to our tradition of hard work, the crowd at WesBanco Arena is living, breathing (and yelling) proof that Wheeling plays hard, too. Currently in its 27th ...

BILL HOGAN’S MUSINGS: Building Good Neighbors

February 16, 2019

Editor's note: The IDEAS page is our place for public opinion, a place where a person can express what concerns them about present-day Wheeling or the world. However, there is one major caveat. The author must ...

A VIEW FROM THE MOON: Big Idea — The Fractional Gravity Experiment (Part 1)

February 12, 2019

It is always amazing to me how a single small event can alter trajectories that appear to be set firmly on a specific course. Perhaps our perceived life’s course is an illusion. The idea that we are set on a ce...

EARL’S GARDEN NOTES: A February Primer