Taking Exit 10 towards the Highlands, I lumber through three traffic lights as the most insane motorists this side of the Mississippi River frantically switch lanes sans turning signals to reach Cabela’s, Chick-fil-A, Walmart, or some other cookie-cutter big-box store. Ever-mindful of the driver in front of me lest I pick up a charge with Enterprise, I proceed with caution.

Tucked behind Best Buy and adjacent to Hobby Lobby’s sits a single-wide trailer and a barbed wire fence. Here lies the Ohio County Solid Waste Authority, a governing body created by the state Legislature to oversee the efficient and proper disposal of solid waste in the county. The fenced in recycling center may be unwelcoming at first, but the trailer doubling as its headquarters, meeting location, and staff room sees soon-to-bloom tulips flush with green.

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I’ve been here before. From June 2024 through March 2025, I was employed by the Authority and served as their Community Relations Coordinator and the Recording Secretary for their Board of Directors. I worked with county schools to effectuate a recycling program, attended community events to promote the Authority, helped recyclers at the center, drafted organizational documents, and wrote meeting minutes. That was then, and this is now.

Now, I’m here for a highly unusual Special Meeting called by the Board of Directors – a Board and Authority that is required by law to follow the state’s Open Governmental Meetings Act. That law says governing bodies such as the Ohio County Solid Waste Authority can create their own rules for notifying the public of a meeting, and the Authority’s rules state they’ll publish notices at the City-County building in downtown Wheeling three days prior to a meeting.

But there was no meeting notice posted on Wednesday, April 8. There wasn’t one on Friday, either, which would suffice their “three (3) days” deadline to notify meetings listed in their bylaws. There wasn’t a notice posted on Saturday, or Monday – the day of the meeting – either. Despite that lack of public notice, I was made aware of the meeting. A screenshot of the agenda stated it started at 9:30 a.m.

I’m entering the trailer for the first time around 9:28 a.m. Its millennial gray walls, while cliche, create a bright and inviting atmosphere. Inside are Executive Director Rebecca Friend and David Neff, Logistics Coordinator. I offer a “hi” and get one in return. Some small talk ensues, but it’s awkward. “Where is everyone,” I think to myself. Then I get a buzz on my phone. The message says that, as of the day prior, the meeting had moved to 10:00 a.m. “Weird, that doesn’t appear to be proper, state-mandated public notification,” I ponder.

Hanging out in one of the four chairs set out for the public, I scroll my emails and type up a few responses. Ten minutes to the hour Robert Luchetti, Jr. enters the room. He’s the Board’s Vice Chair. I’m not sure if he recognizes me, but he offers a “hello.”

Quickly, he retreats to a backroom with Friend and asks if she has spoken with Randy Russell, the Ohio County Administrator. “Yes,” Friend replies curtly. Luchetti continues to say something to the effect of Russell believing the Board should continue with its meeting. Then, silence. A rough, rushed sound is heard that appears to me to be a marker on a white board. One can only assume what was written, but chatter about the meeting ended with that.

As 10:00 a.m. approaches, other Board members enter. Mitchell Haddad compliments my pale yellow nail polish. Earl Forman, chair of the Board, is next. Then Dr. Vincent DeGeorge. And last, Erin Cuffaro, who offers me a warm smile. All the players are here.

Before the meeting starts, DeGeorge distributes a letter he says is from his attorney. This meeting is really about him. Every part of the special meeting’s agenda is directed - implicitly or explicitly - at him. From what he says, the letter is calling for deescalation, seeking to cancel the meeting before it can begin.

“I’m offering my silence to this Board, I’m offering to resign so that this Board stops [the] sham retaliatory efforts against me for doing my due diligence as a Board member,” DeGeorge said. “So you’re willing to resign,” Luchetti quipped. DeGeorge said he had done so repeatedly.

The letter further stated that if the meeting was not cancelled, it could see the organization face legal consequences.

“Are you suing [the Ohio County Solid Waste Authority],” chimed Friend.

In my experience as a former employee, she effectively runs the voluntary Board. Every document that finds its way in front of the Board is authored by her, or sometimes by me during my tenure. She created the agendas, confirmed meeting minutes during my tenure and now, presumably, writes them herself, and emails the Board when meetings are to occur.

“No,” DeGeorge replied. “I am trying to avoid consequences to [the Ohio County Solid Waste Authority].”

DeGeorge claimed the meeting in-and-of-itself is escalatory. “Is he wrong?” On the agenda is his censure – a rare rebuke by a governing or legislative body that expresses dissatisfaction with a member’s conduct – a plainly escalatory action by definition.

Arguments continued. Board members talked over one another, all but devolving into a shouting match. Accusations swirled.

Luchetti said that “no one’s been so obstructive and so completely regardless [sic] of parliamentary procedure” than DeGeorge.

Really? What part of Robert’s Rules of Order – the standard guide for parliamentary procedure – allows for a governing body’s quorum to fail to notify a public meeting? Which part allows said governing body to change the time of its already questionably-legal meeting the day before, without notice? Where in Robert’s Rules of Order does it say a quorum of a governing body can discuss matters of the public outside of a gavelled-in meeting?

Forman finally strikes a wooden mallet against the table, signifying the start of business.

Quickly, the Board gets to work on an agenda including documents with such legalistic and wordy titles as “Addendum: Enforcement of Board Governing Procedures” and “Board Response for the Official Record Regarding Previously Distributed Mischaracterizations of OCSWA Governance and Operations,” as well as the “Formal Censure Resolution Regarding Conduct of Board Member Dr. Vincent DeGeorge.”

DeGeorge claims that this meeting is retaliation for his calls for the organization to create a budget–and he’s probably not wrong. After reviewing recent Board meetings, DeGeorge has continuously advocated for the Ohio County Solid Waste Authority to create a budget. These calls regularly cause arguments during Board meetings.

While it’s not required by law for a solid waste authority to have a budget, one would be forgiven for assuming an organization utilizing public funds in the form of legislatively-mandated landfill tipping fees, and local, state, and federal grants, would be required to have one. Even farmer’s markets operate on a budget. Not the Ohio County Solid Waste Authority, though.

The organization even took the dubious action to table any discussion of a budget.

Wait, isn’t this the same organization obsessed with Robert’s Rules of Order?

During the meeting, Robert’s Rules of Order was called upon as if it were a holy book. Luchetti, Haddad, and Forman regularly conjured the idea of Robert’s Rules – specifically, their allegations that DeGeorge had failed to follow the parliamentary procedure – as a defense for the meeting and DeGeorge’s censure.

The action of the Board to table discussion of a budget is not a real action; the action is not based on anything Henry Martyn Robert wrote in his rulebook. You can’t table a discussion. When a motion is presented to the Board – or any governing body, for that matter – you can table said motion, but tabling discussion is meaningless – it’s unenforceable nonsense.

Throughout the meeting, Board members continued to fight over each other.

Members raised their voices, talked over each other, huffed, puffed, made side-comments, and generally acted in a blowhard-y manner. They interrupted each other, spoke on the same motion more than once, engaged in personal attacks, and made several frivolous points of order – almost exclusively by Haddad – to silence their opposition that were neither points of order – a specific tool in Robert’s Rules to flag a specific concern of rules being broken – nor were they properly ruled on by the chair, Forman, as ‘well taken’ or ‘not well taken.’

Were Robert to have been in one of three other chairs left for the public (in a county of 42,425), he would have shuddered at his name being used as a cudgel against one and not all.

No matter. The wordy documents and the censure were eventually adopted 4-1, with DeGeorge voting ‘Nay’ each time.

At the end of the meeting, Board members hung around as though some stone was left unturned.

“Congratulations,” DeGeorge quipped as Forman adjourned the meeting. “I don’t know that any of this is a celebratory thing,” Friend said, having sat silent for most of the Board meeting.

“We operate in accordance with state code and our operational government,” Luchetti said.

Do they? Again, this meeting was not, to my knowledge and experience, properly notified to the public. And the organization effectively concedes that point, too, as they’re holding a ‘re-do’ of the meeting on Friday, April 17, after having been made aware of – and denying – the lack of proper notice. Do they operate in accordance with state code?

“But see how you don’t say you operate according to the standard of best practices,” DeGeorge replied. “Because you know you don’t.”

“We don’t have to,” rushed Luchetti. “We do not have to use standard best practices.”

Maybe so, but what is the harm of operating on standard best practices? Such practices allow a governing body to be accountable and ethical.

“Where are these practices documented,” Luchetti asked DeGeorge.

“In the Ohio County Solid Waste Authority Board training, Ms. Vickers [sp?] states these standards…” DeGeorge says, as other Board members chime in, muddying the recording.

Forman, who had been fairly reserved throughout the meeting, now speaks after its conclusion.

“Dr. DeGeorge, you have an interesting way of, you speak truth only as you see it, and if anyone else sees it differently it’s not right,” Forman said. “That is a false and misleading way of presenting an idea and I personally find it offensive and reject it.”

Haddad, who wasn’t shy about his contempt for DeGeorge through numerous false points of order, speaks again.

“This is not an argument about a budget, it is an argument about arrogance,” Haddad said. “You cannot allege malfeasance and then not expect the people you allege the malfeasance against to come with receipts and say you’re literally the only person that says this.”

Haddad continues, “And you keep saying it to anyone you can get the attention of, whether they want to hear it or not.”

“I would say it’s a Board member’s obligation to raise red flags when they arise,” DeGeorge responded.

“So now it’s time to close ranks and move forward,” Luchetti said.

And, with that, we were done. Before I left the meeting, I was asked by Luchetti if I would be “kind enough to share that with us, we’d appreciate that.” With all due respect to Luchetti, who seems like an honorable man, I chose not to share this story with the Board before its publication.

With the meeting over, I retreated back to my rented car. I sat with myself in the air conditioning for a moment. Never in my three years of reporting on governing bodies have I experienced a meeting so vitriolic, so ideologically inconsistent, so controlled by ego and some invisible force that felt so peculiar. In many ways, this was a first.

I drove down to the City-County building once more. I wanted to triple-check that no notice was posted, and since only myself and DeGeorge left the meeting – leaving the rest of the Board in quorum, obfuscated from the public – I thought maybe, just maybe, I had missed something at the City-County building.

Nope. There was no meeting notice, just as there wasn’t a notice in the days or hours before.

I emailed the Board and the Authority’s Executive Director with a list of questions for them to respond to, including asking if the organization believes it is in their and the public’s best interest to not have a budget, what the Authority’s grants and tipping fees were, and whether they acknowledged that their April 13 meeting was improperly notified.

DeGeorge was the only member of the Board to respond to that request.

He stated he did not “think it is in the public’s or this [B]oard’s best interest to operate without a budget.”

In response to the question regarding the Authority’s tipping fees and grants, DeGeorge said, “As a [B]oard member I do not know our annual income from tipping fees or grants, though I want to know that, because that annual information is not collected and compiled in an organizational budget. As a Board member we simply need to have that basic financial information (annual income, expenses, etc) so that we can make informed financial decisions. This is a primary reason I advocate for an organizational budget.”

DeGeorge says that, as of the last meeting, he recalls the organization’s Certificate of Deposit account having “nearly $110,000” and the organization’s operational account having $50,000.

“One cannot responsibly manage hundreds of thousands of dollars in public funds without a budget; it is fiscally irresponsible,” DeGeorge continued. “Instead of working to address [several red flags that have been raised], [the Ohio County Solid Waste Authority] is making extraordinary efforts to ignore the issues, and silence, remove, and retaliate against me. This has plunged the [B]oard into dysfunction and legal jeopardy.”

You have likely noticed that Wheeling Free Press has been fairly dead over the last few months. The last story I published was on Oct. 27, 2025, and prior to that it had been over a month since a story went live. Until now, I haven’t spoken on this absence.

Let’s be real for a moment: writing Wheeling Free Press is challenging. For one, I’m just one person. A person who has to work a “real” job when I’m not working on stories for the publication. As of January of this year, I now have two jobs which I absolutely love, but which take up 40 hours of my week. I know a 40-hour workweek is normal in our country (when it really shouldn’t be), but writing stories takes time, and using my time outside of those 40 hours to write severely takes away from the other hours in my week which could, or sometimes should, be used to spend time with friends, go to events in my community, clean my house, do my laundry, cook dinner, or sleep.

Another reason I have taken the last six months off of writing, and connected to the first reason, is burnout. I had been regularly publishing multiple stories a week, with each story taking a few hours to research, attend meetings, fact-check, write, edit, publish, and advertise. Doing that over and over, combined with the need to work a “real” job to pay my bills, took its toll on me mentally and physically. That toll was originally planned for a month, then it was “I’ll start writing again in the new year,” and now it’s been expanded to “I’ll do what I want!”

The third, and maybe most important, reason why I stopped writing is a bit more personal. Last summer I sued the City of Wheeling. This is all public knowledge and easily accessible, but my legal team has requested I not write about it until the case moves forward (and if my attorney happens to be reading this, what’s the old saying? It’s easier to ask for forgiveness rather than permission? Well, here I am asking for forgiveness). There are several Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests that I have filed with the city over the past few years that have either been rejected, not responded to, or completely ignored. Getting your FOIA rejected sucks, but it happens. That’s not specifically why I’m suing. It’s more so due to the FOIAs which were never responded to who wholly ignored – no notification of receipt, no documents, no rejections…nothing. We filed our suit and waited, and waited, and waited. (If you have any experience dealing with Wheeling City Solicitor, you’ll understand the waiting). When the city finally responded, rather than accepting or denying responsibility, the city chose to devolve into personal attacks against me. They claimed Wheeling Free Press was a “bastardization of the profession of a journalist,” accused me of filing a burdensome amount of FOIA requests, and said I was using city staff to write my stories. It was nasty and unnecessary, and quite frankly it hurt! It felt bad reading powerful people say such bad things about me. As a human, I am allowed to have emotions and be affected by the things that are said or done to me. So, I took my ball and went home!

But I’m coming back to play again…

Six months has been long enough, don’t you think? While I’ve been gone, countless numbers of people have asked for me to return. And, local governments and quasi-governments have continued their work without any semblance of a free press following their business. That ends now!

Slowly, step-by-step, I will begin attending meetings, filing FOIAs, investigating, writing, and, yes, publishing stories once again. It won’t be all at once, I can promise you that. I used to play the trumpet and considered myself fairly good at it when I did. I haven’t played in five or more years. I can’t just pick up my trumpet tomorrow and play Joseph Haydn’s Trumpet Concerto in E-flat Major with the Wheeling Symphony Orchestra!!! Similarly, I can’t just pick up my audio recorder and publish story after story after story!

With all this being said, I am happy to be back and I look forward to writing again! I hope you’ll continue to support me as I do!

With much love and gratitude,

Justice Hudson

Editor of Wheeling Free Press

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Councilor Connie Cain, Ward 3, prompted the vote during her remarks at an Oct. 21 city council meeting. “It is my opinion that providing…an outdoor area during freezing temperatures is not in the public’s best interest,” Cain said of the issue. “[The camp] does not further the health and safety of those in the city.”

Cain argued that a “small number of people” remain at the camp during the winter months, and alleged that this number was “within the number of [shelter] beds” available within the city.

During discussion on the impromptu motion, Mayor Denny Magruder described the camp as a failure. Other members echoed this idea and claimed their action to close the camp came from compassion.

“No one should be sleeping in a tent during winter,” Councilor Tony Assaro, Ward 1, said.

In a more pointed speech, Councilor Ben Seidler, Ward 2, called the camp a “special spot of hell,” before saying there was “no more excuses about ‘we can’t get a bed’ … that problem has been solved.”

Problem solved? Service providers say otherwise…

Councilors continued to argue that there were enough beds in Wheeling for people experiencing homelessness. Cain stated that, on a recent visit to the Life Hub – a low-barrier shelter operating in downtown Wheeling – just 25 people were utilizing services out of a total capacity of 50. Her claim appears to be spurious, though.

Organizers at the Life Hub have begun to regularly update the number of beds available at the shelter. As of Monday, Oct. 27, all female beds were full, just five of 37 male beds were available, and four “specialty beds for illness and law-enforcement drop-offs” were available.

Service providers have routinely told this reporter that the Life Hub has been at-or-near capacity for several months now.

Along with the Life Hub, Northwood Health Systems and the Young Women’s Christian Association (YWCA) also offer emergency shelters.

Lori Jones, executive director of YWCA, told this reporter that her organization’s shelter in downtown Wheeling was “full and [has] been full for months.” The YWCA houses women and children who are victims of domestic violence and/or human-trafficking, or who are experiencing homelessness or are in addiction recovery.

Citing the closure of two shelters 25 miles north in Steubenville, Ohio, earlier this month, Jones said the timing of Wheeling’s decision to close its exempted camp on Dec. 1 “could not be worse.” When asked how her organization planned to meet people’s needs after the camp closes, Jones said “I don’t know what the answer is, but thinking that nonprofits can always pick up the pieces without support is not the answer.”

While this reporter was unable to get a comment from Northwood Health Systems, other service providers have said that the organization’s shelter has just three available beds at this time.

‘Where do they want us to go?’

Wheeling Free Press has previously reported on similar camp evictions that have occurred in recent years. During one poignant example in 2023, people experiencing homelessness told this reporter they were hurt. “Where do they want us to go?” was a common question asked. Two years later, the city still does not have a clear answer.

Despite continued claims by city leaders that there are enough shelter beds in Wheeling to house every person experiencing homelessness, service providers – the people in charge of daily intake at the city’s three shelters – say that is not true.

With just a handful of beds available for the alleged dozens of people at the exempted camp, and the imminent closure of the one place where people with no other option can go and sleep, where does the city expect people to go? Right now it’s not clear, but city leaders should make their position – one based in fact – known.

Other top headlines from the meeting include councilors' approval for the city to spend $500,000 on new vehicles and equipment for the Wheeling Police Department — an “annual” purchase exacerbated by the need for more K9 vehicles — and discussions on replacing high-pressure sodium streetlights throughout the city with modern, and more expensive, LED lights.

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Staggering sewer bonds move forward…

Councilors unanimously approved a resolution Tuesday that would allow the city to reimburse itself the costs it has incurred to improve the city’s sewer and water systems in the event that some $80 million in bonds for ongoing work are approved. It’s unclear how far back the reimbursements could stretch. A request for clarification to the city clerk was not returned at the time of publication.

In July, members of the city council unanimously adopted an ordinance seeking $6,000,000 in bonds to fund future sewer and water system improvements. Now, the total for the projected bonds has ballooned to not more than $80 million, a dramatic increase being attributed to a recent report showing over $60 million of work needed to modernize the vital utilities.

Wheeling, like many cities in the United States, combines its sewer and stormwater systems into one combined system destined for the wastewater treatment plant. This system is prone to overflowing during even minor rain events, according to the city’s Water Pollution Control Division, releasing untreated sewage into area streams, creeks and the Ohio River.

For several years now, the city has taken periods of infrastructure rebuilding — like that of the downtown Streetscape project — to modernize its sewer system, separating stormwater from legitimate wastewater, in an effort to relieve pressure on its dated wastewater treatment plant. .

If approved, the $80 million bonds would straddle the city with debt for decades, but the benefits likely outweigh the costs. The city has proposed increasing sewer and water rates by 38%. For a sewer customer using a standard 4,000 gallons per month, this would see bills rise from $42.76 per month to $57.62. In return, improvements to the system could see less polluted waterways and an upgraded treatment plant that, hopefully, reduces smell in the area.

While councilors gave their approval for reimbursing the city from the bonds, it has yet to adopt an ordinance authorizing the bonds to be issued. That process will take until at least October to complete and requires three readings of the ordinance.

Wheeling Police Department to get $500k in new vehicles, equipment…

The Wheeling Police Department will receive a slew of new vehicles and equipment after councilors adopted a handful of ordinances approving the purchase.

Before voting on the matter, Councilor Connie Cain, Ward 3, asked city officials how many vehicles the department currently had — a number Chief of Police Shawn Schwertfeger estimated at 70 to 75, including motorcycles, trikes, UTVs, etc.

City Manager Robert Herron added to the chief’s comments, saying that the purchase of new vehicles is annual, included in the city’s budget, and allows for a program that sees officers take cruisers home with them.

“Several years ago, city council made a significant investment in the police department vehicle area in instituting a take-home cruiser program,” Herron explained. “Part of that investment was to make sure that we maintained the annual replacement of vehicles…that have timed out to keep that program going and to not have to go through a significant investment of acquiring 20 or 30 cars like we did to begin with.”

Herron further explained that this year’s cost for new cruisers was “a little bit higher than normal” because of the department’s need for new K9-equipped vehicles.

The routine investment in vehicles comes as the city’s police department has continued to see its budget increase year-over-year, and as the department has received hundreds of thousands of dollars from state and local apportioned opioid settlement funds.

Streetlight replacements continues to loom over council…

Over the last few months, streetlights have been a subplot for members of city council.

Councilor Ben Seidler, Ward 2, has frequently called on American Electric Power, or AEP, to ramp up its replacement of burned out streetlights in his ward. Now, it appears as though work will move forward at a faster pace.

The city manager informed Seidler and other members of the council that AEP had completed an audit of lights on Wheeling Island with results pending, but that the company plans to repair 44 fixtures along Zane and Virginia streets. Seidler further pushed for more work to be done throughout the city, but Herron explained the cost of replacing lights is significant.

Many streetlights throughout Wheeling are high-pressure sodium lamps. These lights are relatively easy to maintain and replace, but Herron says AEP has had issues acquiring parts in recent years. AEP’s solution is to replace burnt out and broken lamps with LED streetlights, but that too has its drawbacks.

LED lights have been impacted by a West Virginia Public Service Commission-approved tariff, increasing their cost for communities across the state. Currently, high-pressure sodium lights cost the city $6.50 each per month, while LED lights are approximated by Herron to cost $15-17 per month. Still, AEP has chosen to move forward with the change to LED.

Ordinances Passed; Ordinances Proposed

Councilors unanimously adopted a handful of ordinances and resolutions during their meeting Tuesday, including:

1. $22,500 to James White Construction Co. of Weirton, W.Va. for valve replacement at the Grandview water station;

2. $27,500 to Centrisys of Kenosha, Wis. for rental services for a wastewater treatment plant centrifuge damaged during the April 2024 floods;

3. $27,504.85 to Jim Shorkey Auto Group of Irwin, Penn. and charged to a West Virginia First Foundation grant for the purchase of a 2026 Trailblazer LS for the Wheeling Police Department’s Crisis Response Unit;

4. $22,506.02 to Colossus, Inc. of Chicago for the purchase of an annual subscription for “caliber mobile software” for the police department;

5. $284,871 to Jim Shorkey Auto Group of Irwin, Penn. for four 2023 Dodge Charger Pursuit vehicles and three 2025 Ford Police Interceptor Utility vehicles for the police department;

6. $133,006.55 to Bearcom of Dallas for equipment to outfit police department vehicles;

7. $33,350.01 to Motorola Solutions of Coraopolis, Penn. for police department cruiser radios;

8. $38,506 to Northside Chysler[sic] Dodge Jeep Ram of Summersville, W.Va. for the purchase of a 2024 Dodge Durango for the police department;

9. An ordinance vacating and abandoning portions of an alley adjacent to 52 Elmwood Place;

10. A resolution approving invoices related to the cleanup and remediation of 58 19th Street; and,

11. A resolution authorizing the city to reimburse itself for already completed sewer and water system projects from yet-to-be issued bonds issued by the city.

At their next meeting on Tuesday, Sept. 16, councilors will hear the second reading of their proposed $80 million in bonds for sewer and water system improvements.

While supporters argued that the released time for religious instruction would not intrude on student’s time in the classroom, opponents argued the program would be disruptive and possibly alienate students whose families choose not to participate.

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Ultimately, after hours of debate, just two Board members — Molly Aderholt and Bernie Albertini — voted to support moving forward with the program.

What is released time for religious instruction?

Released time for religious instruction, or RTRI, is a program that allows public school districts to excuse students, with a guardian’s written permission, from part of the school day to allow them to attend religious classes off campus. Programs vary by school district in the amount of time a student is off campus and the type of religious instruction offered.

One objection opponents have to RTRI is that they believe it violates the constitution’s Establishment Clause, which requires the separation of church and state. In the 1950s, parents in New York City made that same argument against their school board’s released time for religious instruction programs.

In 1952, that case — Zorach v. Clauson — came before the Supreme Court of the United States where the justices decided 6-to-3 that RTRI programs did not violate the constitution because they were voluntary, received no public funds, and classes were held off of public school campuses.

Laws regarding RTRI vary from state-to-state. W. Va. Code §18-8-1(j) gives sole authority of approving requests for released time for religious instruction to school boards.

Who’s behind the push for RTRI in Ohio County?

Lifewise Academy, an Ohio-based nonprofit religious institution, has made headlines across the nation as it seeks to expand its standardized RTRI program. The organization describes itself as “unapologetically, unswervingly gospel centered” and teaches students to be “ambassadors for the king of the universe.”

At the time of reporting, Lifewise Academy operates in over 600 public school districts across 30 states.

In a video posted to the organization’s website, Lifewise Academy is described as a “plug-and-play” program that provides “bible education to public school students during school hours.” The organization relies on parents of school districts and host churches in the area to advocate for and host an RTRI program, while Lifewise Academy assists in funding the construction or renovation of spaces, acquiring religious educational materials, and paying teachers.

While programs vary across partnering school districts in design, length of time out of the classroom, and number of days per week, most models see students leave public school campus for roughly one hour per day during “specials classes” like art, music, gym, independent study, or library time. Other school districts release students during their lunch period, as was being proposed for Ohio County.

Lifewise Academy has received millions of dollars from The Heritage Foundation, a right-wing think tank based in Washington, D.C. The Heritage Foundation has played a significant role in shaping current-day conservative politics, including its lead role in crafting Project 2025, a plan that advocates for appointing ideologically aligned civil servants, restricting access to abortion, and opposing LGBTQ+ rights, among other issues.

How the community reacted…

Over 20 people signed up to address the Board as they considered allowing RTRI programs at Ohio County Schools; however, community members were made to wait until the end of the meeting — and after the vote — to present their arguments for or against the initiative.

Before the vote, one member of the local Lifewise Academy steering committee and two religious leaders in the area spoke.

Wheeling Middle School teacher Trisha Cronin, representing Lifewise Academy, spoke in favor of released time for religious instruction. She said she was “delighted” when she learned that over 300 people from Ohio County had allegedly signed a petition in support of RTRI.

“There are many positive impacts to implementing Lifewise,” Cronin said. She claimed a “national consulting firm” observed a 7% increase in school attendance for schools that had Lifewise Academy programs. “Program directors report that students rarely miss the day that Lifewise takes place because it is their favorite day of the week.”

Rabbi Joshua Lief, who leads the congregation at Temple Shalom in Wheeling, rose in opposition of the program. Lief argued that there are many ways for the faith community to support their neighborhood schools, but queried if it was necessary to pull children from schools to further that support.

“I agree wholeheartedly with those who made the presentation [about Lifewise Academy] that faith is worthwhile, and inspiring our children is crucial,” Lief said. “I am very concerned, however, particularly from a religious minority, we are not a homogenous community…there, at minimum, would be a division between those who left and came back and those who hadn’t left.”

Board members speak out…

For the Board’s part, members were themselves divided on support for RTRI.

Molly Aderholt, who has served on the Board for eight years, said it was “unfortunate to see…misinformation online” as a result of the RTRI discussion, clarifying that no public funds would be spent on the program. Aderholt further argued that the debate centered on RTRI, not Lifewise Academy specifically; and, in her view, a trial run for released time for religious instruction in the county would be worthwhile.

Anne Hercules, one of the newest members of the Board, spoke of her time at the public school in Warwood. While there, Hercules recalled times when she and other classmates would, during the school day, walk to the nearby Corpus Christi Parish for religious instruction. “I don’t feel that school time is a time to do this,” Hercules argued. “It’s very disruptive.”

Superintendent Miller weighed in on the debate despite not having a vote on the Board. In her statement, Miller said she “[respects] all of our parent’s rights and what our parents do,” but argued her main job was academic accountability and the health and wellbeing of students. She argued that the time outside of the classroom could negatively impact teacher’s ability to meet classroom standards as leaving and returning to class can be disruptive.

Where we go from here…

While opponents of Lifewise Academy and RTRI may take Monday’s vote as a win, it’s unclear how long-lasting their victory will be.

For one, the Supreme Court has declared released time for religious instruction constitutional, and state law allows parents to request RTRI from their school boards. Lifewise Academy, another organization or church, or a group of parents could again file with the Board to revisit the issue.

Secondly, the state Legislature and its Republican supermajority could easily change state law mandating RTRI in each district. In fact, Republican Sen. Patricia Rucker, who represents the state’s 16th Senatorial district, introduced a bill during the 2025 session that would have done just that. The proposed bill, if adopted and signed into law, would have compelled each district to adopt released time for religious instruction allowing students to leave campus for up to five hours per week.

While the bill ultimately died in committee, it could be brought back next year. And, with Gov. Patrick Morrisey’s propensity to challenge state and county boards of education in the name of “religious freedom,” the bill could see better traction than it had in 2025.

Freelance journalist Niamh Coomey assisted in the making of this story by attending the Board meeting in person, as well as taking notes and photographing the event.

On Aug. 18, the woman posted a statement to social media writing that she worked on the upper body of Shrewsbury during a massage when he “reached out and groped my thigh.” She says she froze in the moment before moving her leg away and continuing the massage. The woman further reports that Shrewsbury grabbed her “three more times” during the course of the massage.

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“As a licensed therapist providing a professional service, he had no right to touch me the way he did,” the woman wrote. “As a woman, he also had no right to touch me the way he did.”

The woman’s statement continued, saying that she contacted Shrewsbury days after the incident to express her concerns with the encounter. In response, she says Shrewsbury "oscillated between apologizing for ‘making me uncomfortable’ and excusing his behavior as ‘I’m just a flirty guy, I didn’t mean anything by it,’ and ‘I just needed something to grab onto since the massage was so good.’”

“I told myself it ‘wasn’t that bad,’ and [Shrewsbury] has ‘other good qualities,’” the woman wrote, “but the truth is, if a man in power is willing to grope a woman providing a professional service, his other good qualities don’t mean much.”

The massage therapist said it took her time to reflect on the experience before coming forward, but says she did so in hopes of encouraging others to speak out, adding, “I know my story about Zach is not the only one like it.”

Shortly after making her post, Shrewsbury responded on his personal Facebook page, seeming to admit to the accusations and apologizing for the way he made her feel.

“During the [massage] session, I reflexively grabbed her pants / leg when she hit a sore spot in my back,” Shrewsbury wrote. “She later shared with me that not only did that action make her uncomfortable, but some of my words also came across as flirtatious.”

Shrewsbury continued, writing that he was “truly sorry for making her feel uncomfortable,” and that he apologized to the woman twice wherein she “accepted my apology both times, but has brought it up as an issue again.”

While some rushed to support Shrewsbury after his post, others pushed back writing that his apology did not properly address the concerns raised by the accuser.

“In your first paragraph, you take no accountability, you deflect responsibility and try to make it seem like SHE [sic] did something that caused you to ‘react,’” one commenter wrote. “When in reality, YOU [sic] did something wrong…this is textbook deflection.”

Another person echoed concerns regarding accountability, writing “What is being discussed in the post is disappointing [but] seeing your attempt at cleaning it up is downright shameful. Instead of taking real accountability for the line you’ve crossed[,] the screenshots [from the accuser’s post] and full story show your campaign is and seemingly will always be your major concern.”

Wheeling Free Press reached out to the woman for further comment. She declined, saying she had nothing to add to her original statement at this time.

Wheeling Free Press also reached out to the Shrewsbury for Senate campaign for further comment. In response, Jennifer Holdsworth, a spokesperson for the campaign, relayed a message from Shrewsbury. In it, Shrewsbury again stated the intentions behind his actions did not erase their impact on the woman, and that he was taking that impact “seriously.”

“While I never meant to make the massage therapist uncomfortable, I understand that my inadvertent action did so nonetheless, and for that I am truly sorry,” the statement reads. “I appreciate all the support I have received, and I look forward to continuing my campaign’s important work. Together we will focus on making sure every West Virginian has the representation they deserve.”

Shrewsbury ran in the 2024 Democratic primary for the U.S. Senate, seeking to fill the seat of outgoing Sen. Joe Manchin. Shrewsbury ultimately lost that race to former Wheeling mayor Glenn Elliott. Last month, Shrewsbury announced he would once again run to become the Democratic nominee for the U.S. Senate.

On Thursday, Aug. 21, the West Virginia Democratic Party released a statement appearing to acknowledge the accusations against Shrewsbury without naming him. The statement stated that “serious allegations of inappropriate behavior” should not be “ignored or dismissed.”

“Anyone seeking the public’s trust should demonstrate respect and accountability in both words and actions,” the unsigned release reads. “Ultimately, candidates are responsible for their decisions, but anyone seeking public office must remain accountable to the people they hope to serve.”

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A handful of original propositions saw their first reading Tuesday night, too, including nearly $500,000 in requests for new vehicles and equipment for the Wheeling Police Department. To be considered at the body’s Sept. 2 meeting, the funds come as the city’s police department has received a significant amount of funding through disbursements from the state’s opioid settlement fund.

Sewer improvements, proposed rate increases…

As Wheeling works to modernize its water and sewer systems, councilors approved funding for new projects seeking to clean current components of the wastewater treatment plant and prepare for the design phase to install a new centrifuge. Three of the approved ordinances regarding sewer projects revolve around the city’s wastewater treatment plant – a site that treats sewer and stormwater from across the county and neighboring communities in Brooke, Marshall and Washington County, Pennsylvania.

One ordinance will see $382,640 spent with Verdantas Engineering, formerly CT Consultants, of Wheeling for wastewater treatment sludge and dewatering services at the plant, as well as centrifuge designs. This project seeks to remedy the ongoing costs of renting a centrifuge – a recurring cost to the city since April 2024 when the old centrifuge was damaged after back-to-back floods heavily damaged the plant.

Two more ordinances seek to clean the plant’s anaerobic digester – an important part of the wastewater treatment process that uses microorganisms to break down organic matter – and perform inspections, repairs and replacements as needed. These contracts total $332,250 with Mobile Solid Solutions of Somerset, Penn. and $1,330,630 with Grae-Con Construction, Inc. of Steubenville, Ohio.

City Manager Robert Herron said Tuesday that these cleanings typically occur every 10 to 15 years and should help reduce odors in the area – a frequent complaint from residents and travelers in the Center Market neighborhood – as well as prepare the plant for further remodeling efforts in the coming years.

The upfront cost of this work will be charged to the city’s Water Pollution Control Division and sewer bonds, but the debt incurred will be paid off in part by sewer customers. Members of the Public Works Committee heard a proposal to raise rates by 38%, which, reported by The Intelligencer, would see a $42.76 bill for 4,000 gallons of use rise to $57.62.

On top of funds approved for the wastewater treatment plant, a $947,500 contract with Savage Construction Co. of Wheeling was approved for stormwater and sewer improvements in the Greenwood area of Wheeling. The project is the latest in a slew of improvements made throughout the city to outdated combined sewer and stormwater systems.

Police seek $500,000 for new vehicles, equipment…

Councilors heard their first reading of several ordinances from the Wheeling Police Department seeking funds to purchase new vehicles and equipment to outfit them.

One ordinance requests nearly $285,000 for the purchase of four 2023 Dodge Charger Pursuit vehicles and three 2025 Ford Police Interceptor Utility vehicles, while another requests $38,506 for one 2024 Dodge Durango. As well, two ordinances, $133,000 ordinance for equipment and $33,350 for police cruiser radios, are being proposed to outfit new cruisers.

Yet another ordinance on the docket for council’s next meeting seeks approval for the use of $27,500 from a West Virginia First Foundation grant for the purchase of a vehicle for the department’s Crisis Response Unit.

These requests by the police for new vehicles come as the department has been awarded a significant portion of the city’s first disbursement of opioid settlement funds, as well as receiving nearly $500,000 from the state West Virginia First Foundation earlier this year.

Councilors will vote on requests for new police vehicles and equipment at their Sept. 2 meeting.

Housing in the headlights…

For several months, Fulton resident Carlee Dittmar has approached councilors during the public comment portion of meetings asking for “landlord checks” to occur throughout the city. In her various statements to members, Dittmar has listed several safety concerns brought to her by tenants in her community, including broken stairways, mold, inaccessible mailboxes and other issues she says landlords in the area were not addressing.

At a recent meeting, Dittmar alleged these issues have led to disabled tenants being trapped in their apartment and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development stopped payment of housing assistance to one woman after issues at her property were not addressed by the property owner.

Now, one councilor appears interested in making changes.

Councilor Ben Seidler, the ward representative for Fulton, among other neighborhoods, asked the city manager and legal department to look into making changes to current city law regarding code enforcement. As it stands, a request made by a tenant to code enforcers to inspect a property relies on landlord approval before entering the property.

“We certainly don’t want to make it painful for landlords if a tenant is just trying to get a free one, but there are certainly a number of complaints we’ve seen over the recent years that has been a point of contention, and these folks really do have a right to safe housing,” Seidler said Tuesday. “I can invite anybody I want over to my house to watch the Super Bowl – it doesn’t make sense to me from a legal perspective why we can’t invite code enforcement in if that were to happen.”

Seidler further urged tenants involved in disputes with their landlords to reach out to Legal Aid of West Virginia to help assess their needs and pursue legal remedy if necessary. As well, those wishing to make a complaint to the city’s code enforcement department can do so at wheelingwv.gov/311.

Ordinances and resolutions adopted…

Councilors adopted a dozen ordinances and resolutions at their Tuesday meeting, including:

1. $17,400 in American Rescue Plan Act, or ARPA, funds to Edgco. Inc. of Lansing, Ohio for the emergency demolition of 113 Ohio Street;

2. $117,358.13 with USI Insurance Services, LLC. of Virginia Beach, Va. for the city’s excess liability workers’ compensation policy;

3. $20,057.92 with Glessner, Wharton & Andrews Insurance, LLC. of Wheeling for cybersecurity insurance;

4. $27,000 with Centrisys of Kenosha, Wis. for the rental of a centrifuge for the wastewater treatment plant;

5. $947,500 in ARPA funds to Savage Construction Co. of Wheeling for Greenwood stormwater and sewer improvements;

6. $382,640 to Verdantas Engineering of Wheeling for wastewater treatment sludge and dewatering services and centrifuge design;

7. $32,899 with Cast and Baker Corp. of Canonsburg, Penn. for 11th Street paving;

8. $165,000 to the Greater Wheeling Sports and Entertainment Authority for WesBanco Arena concrete stair and landing replacements;

9. $322,250 to Mobile Solid Solutions of Somerset, Penn. for anaerobic digester cleaning, inspection, repair and valve replacement at the wastewater treatment plant;

10. $1,330,630 to Grae-Con Construction Inc. of Steubenville, Ohio for anaerobic digester cleaning, inspection, repair and valve replacement at the wastewater treatment plant;

11. A resolution entering into a lease agreement with the Degasperis family for use of a small grass lot at a cost of $1 per month; and,

12. A resolution revising the fiscal year 2025-26 general fund budget reflecting an mislabeled fund for the Arts and Cultural Commission.

Councilors will meet on Tuesday, Sept. 2 at 5:30 p.m. for their next council meeting.

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“Do we need another coffee place?”

That ‘devil’s advocate’ question was posited by Commissioner Howard Monroe to Bob Gage, a franchisee seeking to open the new coffee drive-through location. Monroe offered that question not from his own concerns, but in a preemptive strike to potential naysayers of the deal. Of course, Gage answered, “Yes you do. Absolutely.” And why would he say anything different? He’s a business owner seeking approval for a new business.

The problem here is that the question is valid despite its tongue-in-cheek delivery.

7 Brew is seeking to be placed at 841 National Road, where the former Spic & Span Dry Cleaners building once stood. Its neighbor is another new-to-Wheeling business, Dunkin’ Donuts – another establishment selling coffee. A few doors down you’ll find two more cookie-cutter companies selling coffee: Tim Hortons and Sheetz. That’s a lot of coffee for a roughly 1,000 foot stretch of road well-known for its traffic congestion during peak coffee hours.

Fast food chains often open near each other, or cluster, throughout the United States; and, to many people’s surprise, it typically does not decrease business for other businesses. Despite that, there has to be an upper limit to this idea. At what point does coffee become so saturated in one area that one, or more, businesses pack up shop? It’s hard to say, but four businesses next to each other offering incredibly similar services may soon reach that upper limit.

That’s reason #1 why that area probably does not need another “coffee place,” over-saturation.

Locally-owned vs. out-of-state business…

Now listen, we at Wheeling Free Press are not anti-business, but we always prefer locally-owned over corporate-owned stores sprawled throughout the country. I’m biased, sure, but coffee from Table 304 or Mugshots or Wheeling Coffee Shoppe will always taste better than Starbucks or Dunkin Donuts. And there’s a real economic reason for that preference, too. Chain stores originating outside of Wheeling can often have a lower economic output for the area than a locally-owned business. Hear me out, now.

Our friends at Table 304 live in the area and opened their shop in downtown Wheeling. Not only do they pay taxes on their business, but the revenue they earn is spent in Wheeling, too, when they go to the store, source local, get their cars fixed, go out to dinner, pay their mortgage, or invest in new properties around town. The money recirculates through the economy because they live and work here.

Chain stores, on the other hand, are often owned by people out-of-state. Mr. Gage, who is seeking to open the 7 Brew location, is listed on LinkedIn as living in Franklin, Tenn. Most of his profits will go to Franklin, not Wheeling. The location will have local staff, sure, but with potentially non-local owners and a low probability that they’ll be sourcing local for products, the economic output of their store is significantly decreased as compared to locally-owned.

Now consider the effect it may have on my, and your, cherished local coffee shops. At what point does a concentrated area of chain coffee shops – often sold cheaper due to the mass-produced supplies shipped nationally to 7 Brew’s hundreds of stores – impact the sales of, say, locally-owned Wheeling Coffee Shoppe? At what point do we see the Walmart-effect play out again, where a large corporation makes it more and more expensive for a mom and pop shop to operate. Is Wheeling better off if this happens?

Sure, Wheeling wants to see more businesses open. That’s not a bad thing. Did any local businesses look at the property to open their own business? Probably not. We’re not arguing (yet) that a chain store is inherently bad for the area, but we are adding context to the supposed economic output of a chain store and proposing a real-world consequence of a chain store snuffing out a locally-owned one.

That being said, this is reason #2 why that area probably does not need another “coffee place.”

Car-centricity and poor (st)road planning…

If you’ve made it this far, congrats! We’ve come to something I care deeply about and is the main reason I believe we “don’t need another coffee place.” It’s not an issue with 7 Brew specifically, but an issue with unimaginative “planning” authorities in the United States and their unending desire to bring every business you can find in every other town to theirs: STROADS.

What is a stroad? Great question!

Stroads are the worst combination of two types of right-of-ways. They take a road – a wider thoroughfare with faster speed limits to get people from Point A to Point B quickly – and combine it with a street – a smaller, slower thoroughfare often in neighborhoods with many entrances and exits – resulting in a road design that would make any compassionate urban planner cringe. What you get is a fast moving road with car-centric businesses lining it, each with their own entrances and exits, causing massive headaches, congestion, and unending possibilities for crashes.

National (St)Road from Mount Dechantal to Route 88 is the worst of American road design. It’s a dangerous four-lane stroad with a middle turning lane that most people don’t use correctly. Traffic lights pander to a handful of entrances and exits – out of roughly 30 in the short 1,000 foot stretch – while leaving the majority of businesses to their, and the driver’s, own devices. If you’re from Wheeling and have driven that stroad between the hours of 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., you know how crazy it can be. Cars weaving in and out of traffic trying to avoid slowing down for someone entering a business’s parking lot. This car cuts across three lanes to merge into traffic, that car almost misses their turn but slams on their breaks in the knick of time. It’s the Wild West of car-craziness, and that’s not to mention the odd pedestrian trying to navigate the mess while thousands of pounds of metal zoom by you.

There is no planning involved in this type of stroad. Instead, it shows simply a desire to fill more and more space with businesses rather than taking a step back and considering the overall safety of the road for motorists and pedestrians alike. That type of chaos should be unwelcome anywhere, especially in that area of Woodsdale where four schools and dozens of homes share the same space. Our city streets aren’t rural highway exits. Let’s stop treating them as such!

This is the third, and final, reason for why that area probably does not need another “coffee place.”

Conclusion…

Well, that’s been a journey. Hopefully not a journey as chaotic as driving 1,000 feet on National Road in Woodsdale at 5:00 p.m., but a journey no less. Let’s wrap this up in a little ribbon.

First, this is not an indictment of the Planning Commission. I imagine the body, tired from the outrage and vitriol they received when they pumped the brakes on a 24/7 carwash in a residential neighborhood (the horrors! Common-sense urban planning!), did not want to pick another fight so soon. And, it’s not this Planning Commission’s fault for the many years it took to make that stretch of National Road the way it is. So, if you’re on the commission and you made it this far, hi! This isn’t criticism of you specifically!

Second, Commissioner Monroe’s question of “do we really need another coffee place” should be treated as a genuine question. Because of the over-saturation of coffee shops in the area, the economic output of a chain store compared to a locally-owned store (and the potential that enough corporate competition could see a local store close), and the absolute nightmare that is that stretch of road due to its many, many conflict points, we argue that, no, we do not need another “coffee place” in that area.

Third, 7 Brew will be built whether I, or you, or anyone other than the city itself has a problem with it. Wheeling’s leaders are desperate for new businesses to open. Obviously. They need the increased tax revenue as the population continues to decline (but appears to be leveling off). I’m not convinced the city would turn down much of anything.

A business-friendly city is a successful city, but it’s important that success is locally-felt and supports the folks that call Wheeling home. I’m not sure 7 Brew will achieve the results the city hopes it will, and I’m further unsure it will see locally-felt success, but, at the end of the day I’m just a two-bit reporter with a lot of free time. Take this opinion or leave it!

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Magruder offers his praise to various people, organizations…

During his report to council, Mayor Denny Magruder levied high praise on several people and organizations around the city for their work and achievements over the last few weeks.

The Wheeling Arts and Cultural Commission — a council nominated, voluntary board committed to supporting and promoting Wheeling’s arts and cultural communities — was recognized by the mayor for its third consecutive Arts Fest. Hosted earlier this month at Wheeling Park, the festival saw dozens of artists, creatives, writers, and community organizations table. The event also featured several musicians and food trucks.

Ohio Valley native Bruce Wheeler was acknowledged for the 24th annual Heritage Music BluesFest, which took place at Heritage Port over the weekend. Wheeler announced during the event that Waterfront Productions, a project by Waterfront Hall owner Dan Mileson, had purchased the festival and would organize it in 2026.

Magruder congratulated city staff and councilors who, during the West Virginia Municipal League’s 2025 conference in Morgantown, received an ‘All-Star Community Award.’ The award recognized the city’s support for its Love Your Neighborhood Mini Grant Program, an initiative adopted last year by council that earmarks funds to neighborhood-led projects. The funds have been used for community gardens and a welcome sign, among other beautification projects.

Roads to prosperity…

A theme now for many years, councilors heard of further paving projects throughout the city during their meeting. As well, changes to existing intersections were adopted at Tuesday’s meeting.

City Manager Robert Herron informed the council that paving on 12th Street between Main and Water streets would begin Aug. 25. The project was not originally included in the downtown streetscape project, but was added last year by a vote of council. As the streetscape project nears another year, completion is inching closer with many of the cross streets paved and half of Market Street resurfaced. Still, the city is likely to deal with several more months of work.

Herron also spoke briefly of an ordinance that saw its first reading Tuesday that could see 11th Street paved. The $32,899 contract with Cast and Baker of Canonsburg, Penn. seeks to resurface the small, one-block street where the federal courthouse and new Market Street parking structure is located. Herron described the work as the “final piece” to the multi-million dollar parking garage that has, since opening, sat with its three retail spaces vacant.

Councilors approved several traffic rules that could catch some residents by surprise.

Drivers heading west on Northern Parkway will no longer be able to turn right on red onto Route 2, a convenient link between the city’s North Park and Warwood neighborhoods. A new stop sign and no parking zone will be established at the corner of Walden Avenue and Knox Lane in the Woodsdale neighborhood. A four-way stop intersection and crosswalks will be installed at the intersection of 17th and Wood streets, near the soon-to-open Wheeling Fire Department Headquarters. And, a loading zone from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. will be established at 950 Main Street in front of the Bridge Tavern, restricting parking in the area during those times.

Ordinances Passed; Ordinances Proposed…

Councilors adopted a handful of ordinances and resolutions Tuesday, and heard the first readings of ordinance that they will consider at their next meeting. Ordinances and resolutions approved by councilors include:

1. $48,350 of American Rescue Plan Act, or ARPA, funds to James White Construction Co. of Weirton for Duquesne Avenue and Valley View Avenue sanitary sewer extensions;

2. $40,642.56 to Foster + Freeman of Ashburn, Va. for “evidence collection equipment” for the Wheeling Police Department, charged to the 2024 Justice Assistance Grant, or JAG, program;

3. $29,531.35 to American Solutions for Business of Chicago, Ill. for “e-citation systems,” charged to the Governor’s Highway Safety Grant program.

4. Four ordinances related to traffic rules as described above; and,

5. A resolution authorizing the city to accept the terms and conditions of a contract to maintain the Region 4 Highway Safety Program in the northern panhandle. The grant totals no more than $308,500.

Other ordinances proposed Tuesday that will be voted on at the next city council meeting include a contract expending $17,400 in ARPA funds for the emergency demolition of 113 Ohio Street, Greenwood sewer improvements also charged to ARPA, and the transfer of $165,000 to the Greater Wheeling Sports and Entertainment Authority for “concreate [sic]” stair and landing replacement in at WesBanco Arena, among others.

Councilors will meet again on Tuesday, Aug. 19.

Sen. Sanders, a two-time Democratic candidate for President of the United States, has for years campaigned on social progressivism, raising the minimum wage, advocating for his single-payer ‘Medicare for All’ proposal, and expanding labor rights and protections. While his ideas have changed little since he rose to national prominence in 2015, excitement behind his visit to the Friendly City remained high.

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Prior to his headlining event, several speakers from the region spoke of their work in the Mountain State and their desire to see their perceived problems addressed at a local, state and national level.

Morgantown Deputy Mayor Brian Butcher, former state Delegate Danielle Walker and Democratic candidate for the U.S. Senate Zach Shrewsbury touched on issues of rising housing cost, stagnating wages, a lack of funding for infrastructure and healthcare, and a bemoaning of corruption in, and the exploitation of, West Virginia.

Taking a more local approach, Amy Jo Hutchinson, an activist from Triadelphia, spoke of her community’s efforts to recover in the aftermath of devastating floods that destroyed dozens of homes and killed nine people on June 14, and the 38 days it took for the federal government to approve a federal disaster declaration for the area.

“Our community came and filled in the gaps like we always do here in West Virginia when hell and high water breaks loose,” Hutchinson said. “The longer [recovery] goes on, the more determined we become because it’s a very bitter pill to swallow to realize that the people representing you literally don’t give a damn if you live or die.”

With a crowd energized by the previous four speakers, Sen. Sanders took the stage to raucous cheers and applause. Known for his support for a single-payer healthcare system, the senator began his remarks by criticizing the Republican-controlled Congress for their adoption of a budget bill that could result in millions losing their health insurance.

“When you throw 15 million people off of their healthcare…you know what happens when people can’t go to a doctor when they need to,” Sanders asked. “They die. A study came out from Yale and the University of Pennsylvania estimating that up to 50,000 people a year will die unnecessarily because of Trump’s ‘Big Beautiful Bill.’”

Sen. Sanders went on to call out what he said was a “religion [of] greed” from the wealthy in the country, contrasting their experience with the 60% of Americans who live paycheck to paycheck.

“The bottom line is that in the richest country in the history of the world, millions of our people are struggling just to survive and are experiencing enormous stress,” Sanders said. “Now, what our job is is to profoundly take on the ideology of the corporate world and oligarchs.”

Wrapping up his remarks, Sen. Sanders called on West Virginians to resist the “old demagogic trick of trying to divide us” and fight for a new future. “Our job is to bring our people together around an agenda that works for all of us,” Sanders said. “So, West Virginia, this a working class state. Let’s start electing people who represent the working class, not the billionaires.”

Opinion: What Sanders’ tour means for West Virginia…

Before the senator came to Wheeling, many Republican elected officials mocked the stop saying Sanders would struggle to fill seats, that his policies are not supported by West Virginians, and that Sanders himself was part of the ‘oligarchy’ he proposed fighting.

After the event, Sanders-opponents then claimed attendees were bussed in from out-of-state to fluff numbers and that the crowd did not represent the people of West Virginia. This cycle repeated as the senator continued his West Virginia tour in Lenore and Charleston.

An unabashed, self-avowed ‘democratic socialist’ is an easy target for conservatives, especially one who himself has an estimated net worth of around $3 million. That’s more money that most West Virginians will ever see, but it’s a similar net worth to Sen. Shelley Moore Capito ($3.07 million), and pales in comparison to Rep. Carol Miller ($16.6 million) and Sen. Jim Justice ($1.1 billion), as reported by the Dominion Post.

Sen. Sanders’ ‘Fighting Oligarchy’ tour isn’t arguing that no American should have wealth, but that the wealthy should not hold as much power and influence as they do. Whether you agree with that or not, it’s an important distinction when considering the critique.

Another point to consider is that Sen. Sanders did what no member of the West Virginia Congressional delegation seems willing to do: talk directly to a public gathering of constituents. It’s hard to find any instance of a West Virginia representative holding a town hall, public forum, or rally in the state since the COVID-19 pandemic. And this year, with the start of the 119th Congress, has seen not one of these public events. Whether town halls are productive or not is a debate that can be had, but constituents want to hear from their leaders. So, when a member of Congress – especially one of high notoriety like Sen. Sanders – chooses to come to West Virginia, of course people will turn out to listen, whether they agree or not.

Whether the senator’s ‘Fighting Oligarchy’ stops in West Virginia will make any difference is unclear. At the end of the day, Sen. Sanders does align with a party that has been out of favor in the state for years now.

Still – and despite that fact – a welcomed change that could come from this moment is threefold: (1) more involvement in local and state politics, (2) more access to the people we elect to represent us, and (3) more conversations about the issues that all of us, no matter our political stride, face in an ever-expensive America.

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On June 14, several inches of rain fell over Ohio County in the matter of minutes, causing Little Wheeling Creek to rapidly jump its banks. The water stretched from hillside-to-hillside in the parts of the holler where Valley Grove and Triadelphia sit. Nine people lost their lives in the storm, with three of the deceased found 40 miles south in the Ohio River.

The next day, on June 15, another heavy rainstorm struck Fairmont in Marion County. The storm stalled over the county and, in a parallel to Ohio County the night before, dumped inches of water in the matter of minutes. One apartment building saw its facade fail while other homes saw significant damage from the rising waters.

President Donald Trump announced his decision to sign the declaration on the president’s social media platform Truth Social. “It is my Great Honor to grant $11.7 Million Dollars to the beautiful State of West Virginia, for severe tornados and flooding that impacted their incredible people in June,” the president wrote.

At no point was the decision to sign the declaration certain in Ohio County. Coming 38 days after the floods, survivors of the flood expressed their dismay at what appeared to be more immediate care given to the July floods in Texas’s Hill Country and Ruidoso, New Mexico. In those two instances, declarations were made within days of the initial event.

Gov. Patrick Morrisey submitted a formal request for a major disaster declaration and emergency declaration on June 20, and the state’s Congressional delegation signed on to a letter calling for swift adoption. Speaking to reporters last week, however, Sen. Shelley Moore Capito said the White House did not receive the request until July 3.

Over the last month, a grassroots campaign coordinated largely by flood survivors urged constituents to call their representatives at the state and federal level day-after-day to push for the declaration’s adoption. Those efforts appear to have worked.

While questions about the declaration’s timing, and how the $11.7 million will be split between the two counties, remain, help from the Federal Emergency Management Agency, or FEMA, is on the way.

For local governments, the agency’s Public Assistance Program is available to help offset costs related to response and recovery efforts. For those impacted by the floods, FEMA’s Individual Assistance Program can help cover the costs of emergency repairs to homes, private bridges, private roads, temporary housing, transportation, moving and storage, funeral expenses, uninsured and underinsured personal property losses, as well as expenses for medical, dental, legal, and childcare services.

Residents should first file claims with their insurance providers. Afterwards, they can apply for assistance in one of the following ways:

• Visit www.DisasterAssistance.gov

• Call FEMA’s helpline at 1-800-621-FEMA (3362). Lines are open from 7:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. seven days a week.

• Download the FEMA mobile app from your phone’s app store.

When applying, residents should have the following information ready:

• Social security number

• Address of damaged residence

• Description of damage and losses

• Current mailing address and phone number

• Insurance information, if available

• Total household annual income

Additional information can be found on FEMA’s landing page for this disaster declaration and at emd.wv.gov.

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Budget carryover could lead to city pay raise, community development specialist…

During a Finance Committee meeting, City Manager Robert Herron told committee members that the city ended the 2024-25 fiscal year with just over $374,000 in unspent, unencumbered funds to use for the 2025-26 fiscal year. He went on to say that the city budget was headed towards a “tighter situation” as federal and state funding appears to dry up.

While Herron admitted the six-figure carryover was not much to work with, he had two recommendations for the finance committee: use the funds to give a 2.5% pay raise to city employees and re-authorize funds for a now-inactive economic development specialist.

The across-the-board pay raise is estimated to cost $481,000 while the economic development specialist is estimated to cost $102,000 over ten months, including benefits and a base salary of $90,000. Combined, the two expenses total $583,000. That’s roughly $209,000 greater than the $374,000 cash carryover reported by Herron.

Herron and Finance Director Nathan Greene defended the proposal and its budgetary impacts. Greene said he was confident the city could make up the difference in funds in part due to reduced vacancies at the city’s police and fire departments reducing the burden of overtime pay.

Members of the finance committee and city council went on to defend the economic development specialist citing several projects, including the 1400 block of Market Street, the proposed WVU Medicine cancer center, filling retail space at the city’s Market Street parking structure and inventorying city property. “The time is ripe for us to really go head first into economic development,” Magruder said of the recommendation.

The finance committee unanimously approved Herron’s recommendations, sending the proposal to the full city council for their consideration at a later date.

Millions in bonds for stormwater, sewer projects approved…

Councilors unanimously approved an ordinance authorizing the city to issue up to $6,000,000 in bonds to cover the cost of “design, acquisition and construction of improvements and extensions to the sewerage portion of the existing public combined waterworks and sewerage system.” This comes as Wheeling has spent the last decade replacing and separating historic stormwater and sewer lines.

Currently, Wheeling – like many other cities in the United States – operates a combined stormwater and sewer system. This sees residential and commercial liquid waste flow through the same pipes as rain water and sent to the city’s wastewater treatment plant. While standard in many parts of the country, this system often leads the system to overcharge during rain events, causing untreated sewage to flow into area streams, creeks and the Ohio River.

While the $6,000,000 bonds are significant for a city operating on a $40.2 million budget, the city manager later clarified that it’s but a drop in the bucket compared to the total need. According to Herron, completing all water projects could cost $20 million. For sewer, the estimated cost jumps to $45 million.

Three sewer projects are included in the bond package approved by councilors.

Streetscape paving moving forward…

As the downtown Streetscape project nears its third year of progress, Herron says completion could come soon.

Beginning July 28, repairs will be made to manhole covers and other infrastructure access points that may have been damaged, or need to be raised, prior to paving. Afterwards, half of Market Street will be milled and paved allowing traffic to continue flowing during the project. During this phase, 10th, 12th and 14th streets will be paved as well. The work is estimated to take three or four weeks during the month of August.

Herron further stated that the Streetscape project will include a portion of 16th Street from Main Street to Chapline Street, as well as portions of Eoff and Chapline streets leading to Route 2. These routes, owned by the state and maintained by the Division of Highways, have been in disrepair for many years. This portion of the paving project should be completed later this fall.

The bioswales installed during the Streetscape project could see more regular maintenance soon. Herron said the city was looking into a private contractor who would weed beds twice a month. So far, many of the swales have seen plants jump their curbs as a hot, humid and wet summer aids in their rapid growth.

Ordinances passed; Ordinances proposed…

With a slim agenda, councilors had just a handful of ordinances and resolutions to consider at their Tuesday meeting. These include:

1. $6,000,000 in bonds for stormwater and sewer projects, as previously discussed;

2. $16,000 with Edgco, Inc. of Lansing, Ohio for “emergency interceptor” repair work behind the 19th Hole;

3. $35,499 with Cast and Baker Corp. of Cannonsburg, Pa. for emergency pavement repair to Monroe Avenue;

4. Two resolutions authorizing revisions to the coal severance budget and general fund for fiscal year 2025-26; and,

5. A resolution changing the next city council date from August 5 to August 12.

At their next meeting, councilors will consider a range of traffic rules, including a no right on red from Route 2 to Northern Parkway, a no parking zone and the installation of a stop sign on the corner of Walden Avenue and Knox Lane, adding a four-way stop sign to the intersection of 17th and Wood streets and adding a loading zone in front of 950 Market Street.

As well, a $48,250 ordinance extending sanitary sewers in Valley View and $40,642 ordinance for evidence collection equipment for the police department will be voted on.

The Wheeling City Council will hold its next regular business meeting on Tuesday, August 12.

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Recapping year one of this council…

Wheeling’s City Council comprises representatives from the city’s six wards and an at-large elected mayor. Having been elected on May 14, 2024, the group began their four-year terms on July 1, 2024. Now, one year on, here’s a look back at the last year.

The year began with a rocky start as green-to-politics Mayor Denny Magruder worked to learn the ropes of how to run a city council meeting. As the mayor came up to speed, the city’s administration remained committed to completing their own vision for Wheeling.

This term, councilors continued efforts to demolish dilapidated buildings across the city, approving several plans to see dozens of former homes and businesses flattened. The historic Clay School, a city-owned property that has long been fought over, finally saw action as this council approved its demolition to make way for a proposed recreation center in East Wheeling. The body has also approved more stormwater and sewer improvement projects and road paving contacts.

Councilors weren’t free from controversy either, much like their predecessors. A “Pedestrian and Vehicle Safety” ordinance, copied in large part from a similar ordinance adopted in Monongalia County, was fast tracked. The law seeks to penalize people soliciting donations from motorists, commonly known as panhandling, but it’s unclear how the measure has been enacted.

Other topics that have loomed large over councilors were the disbursement of state opioid settlement funds, expensive repairs to the city’s flood-damaged wastewater treatment plant, the adoption of a Private Outdoor Designated Area, or PODA, ordinance and recent flash floods that ravaged parts of Wheeling and Ohio County.

Throughout the last year, Wheeling Free Press has tracked each member's attendance to ensure the city’s wards saw consistent representation throughout the year. Councilors Tony Assaro and Connie Cain were the only representatives to attend every single meeting over the last twelve months, while Vice Mayor Jerry Sklavounakis, Councilor Dave Palmer and Mayor Denny Magruder missed just one meeting. Councilor Ty Thorngate missed four of 24 meetings and Councilor Ben Seidler missed five, giving the men attendance rates of 83% and 79%, respectively.

Other top headlines…

A town councilor from Triadelphia was recognized by Councilor Assaro and asked that Wheeling, who provides the water his community relies on, to help cover the cost of his municipality and constituent’s water bills which have skyrocketed after the June 14 floods. There may be issues with that arrangement as former attempts made by Wheeling to assist in the payment of Triadelphia’s water bill saw the state Public Service Commission step in and reverse course.

Questions swirled Tuesday as former state Senator Owens Brown called out what he said was a lack of support from the city for the area’s Juneteenth celebration. City Manager Robert Herron responded, saying his office allocated $600 for the project. An organizer with the Wheeling Juneteenth Committee pushed back, saying the “money was never sent or spent.”

The Private Outdoor Designated Area, or PODA, was changed just months after its original adoption. PODA allows participating bars to sell alcohol from members of the public to carry outside of the establishment in a defined area. Councilor Thorngate, who originally pushed for the ordinance’s adoption, offered an amendment Tuesday to push Friday start times from 12 p.m. to 10 a.m. The ordinance was adopted unanimously.

The Elm Run stormwater management project is 33% through the design phase. The project re-entered the council’s imagination after a second round of floods last June saw Elm Run overrun with water. City Manager Herron lauded $521,000 in Congressionally-apportioned funds for the project.

Ordinances passed; Ordinances proposed…

Councilors adopted several ordinances and resolutions at their recent meeting, including:

1. $27,000 to Centrisys of Kenosha, Wis. for the rental of a centrifuge at the wastewater treatment plant. This has been a monthly expenditure after the April 2024 floods;

2. $70,000 to the Wheeling Symphony Orchestra for the city’s share of a fireworks display;

3. $253,184 to Polydyne, Inc. of Riceboro, Ga. for “polymer” for the Water Pollution Control Division, or WPCD;

4. $150,150 to Bonded Chemical of Columbus, Ohio for sodium hypochlorite for WPCD;

5. $46,250 to PVS Nolwood of Weirton for sodium bisulfite for WPCD;

6. $16,500 with the Northern Panhandle Conservation District based in McMechen. The funds are for the operation and maintenance of Wheeling Creek structures for fiscal year 2026;

7. $36,021 and $44,508 with Mid-Atlantic Storage Systems, Inc. of Washington Court House, Ohio for water tank maintenance;

8. $34,800 to Waller Corporation of Washington, Penn. extending a contract to include an exterior door and concrete pad for the Wheeling Police Department’s soon-to-be sally port entrance;

9. $21,630 to Safeware, Inc. of Lanham, Md. for helmets, face shields and helmet bags for the Wheeling Police Department;

10. An amendment to Article 903/09 of the city’s code related to PODA;

11. A resolution approving the fiscal year 2025-26 Community Development Block Grant and Home Investment Partnerships Programs; and,

12. A resolution approving amendments to the fiscal year 2025-26 general fund budget.

At their next meeting, councilors will consider three ordinances. The largest among them is the proposed issuance of bonds not more than $6,000,000 for the “design, acquisition and construction of improvements and extensions to the sewerage portion of the existing public combined waterworks and sewerage system and temporarily financing of the cost thereof.” The bonds come as the city continues its years-long push to modernize its stormwater and sewer systems.

City Council will meet again on Tuesday, July 15.

State and local officials responded swiftly to the flooding event.

With the town of Triadelphia and village of Valley Grove seeing the brunt of devastation, and Triadelphia’s volunteer fire department itself being inundated by the waters, the city of Wheeling stepped up to assist their neighbors. Beginning the night of June 14 and continuing through the days after, Wheeling’s first responders assisted with dozens of swiftwater rescues and monitored streams, creeks and the Ohio River in search for the missing and injured. Ohio County authorities, including the sheriff’s office and county emergency management agency, assisted efforts, too, helping coordinate the response. Other authorities from Brooke and Marshall counties, Belmont County, Ohio and Washington County, Penn. sent crews, too.

For the state’s part, Gov. Patrick Morrisey came to Wheeling on June 15 where he announced a state of emergency declaration activating the state National Guard, state police, West Virginia Emergency Management Division, Division of Highways and the Department of Natural Resources to support the county. The state also launched a disaster survey saying the information would help in establishing the criteria needed for a federal disaster declaration, and local authorities and volunteers swarmed the impacted areas to ensure the surveys were completed.

Throughout all of this, authorities leading the rescue-turned-recovery mission said that the federal government was aware of the destruction. The state’s Congressional delegation penned a letter to President Donald Trump on June 20 – the same day as the state’s 162nd birthday – urging he “carefully review” a request made by Morrisey the same day requesting a Major Disaster Declaration and an Emergency Declaration. Now approaching three weeks since that request was made, no word has yet come on when, or if, those declarations will be approved.

Why does Ohio County need these federal disaster declarations, anyways? FEMA.

After a natural disaster occurs, the Federal Emergency Management Agency can conduct a preliminary damage assessment at the request of a state’s governor. That is occurring now in Ohio County, but that assessment does not provide crucial funds to those who need it most. The agency’s Individual Assistance Program, which puts funds in the pockets of victims and survivors who need to repair or rebuild their homes, or relocate entirely, is only unlocked when a federal disaster declaration is made by the president. FEMA’s Public Assistance Program is vital, too, unlocking funds for municipalities. These funds are critical for places like Triadelphia who experienced significant infrastructure damage and where a councilor estimates 15-20% of the town’s population will be unable to return home, further reducing the town’s ability to pay for its own recovery. Again, this program is only made available through a federal disaster declaration. To say less, a federal disaster declaration would provide the funds no municipality in West Virginia could offer to help those who need it most.

So, will the declaration ever come? It’s hard to say…

It’s hard to say because Mr. Trump has taken sharp aim at FEMA for years, ramping up those attacks after retaking the White House and assuming office on Jan. 20. Earlier this month and just days before the June 14 floods, Trump said he planned to phase the agency out. “We want to wean off of FEMA, and we want to bring it down to the state level,” Trump said June 10 from the Oval Office. “A governor should be able to handle it and, frankly, if they can’t handle it, the aftermath, then maybe they shouldn’t be governor.”

I wonder what Mr. Morrisey, who is a fervent supporter of the president, thinks of this comment in hindsight? Maybe a governor from a state like California could cover the cost fully as that state already pays more to the government that it receives, but West Virginia is wholly reliant on its federal government to provide the resources it needs for its largely poor, elderly and sick populace. If federal financial support is cancelled in West Virginia, state financial ruin would not be far around the bend.

When southern West Virginia experienced its own devastating floods in February of this year, state leaders requested disaster aid for the 14 most-affected counties. Despite the request, FEMA denied individual assistance to seven counties leaving local and state officials to foot the bill if they could. In response to this gut-punch, Morrisey said he would seek an appeal, but said he was grateful for the Trump Administration and “their strong support for southern West Virginia's recovery following the February floods.” I wonder if those from the denied counties are so thankful?

Trump’s administration has, since taking office, declined or altered other federal disaster declarations, too. These include a request from Arkansas after devastating tornadoes killed three and injured 32, one from Washington state after a powerful windstorm that knocked out power to 150,000 households, and an aid extension request from North Carolina after last year’s Hurricane Helene decimated the western parts of that state. The president has ultimate discretion and decision making authority to issue a federal disaster declaration, but it’s clear more scrutiny has been placed on these requests.

Despite Trump’s adverse stance towards FEMA, he is still willing to unleash its awesome power.

On July 4, flash flooding hit Hill Country in Texas. Several inches of rain fell on the area as a storm stalled above Kerr County. The Guadalupe River rose 26 feet in just 45 minutes, a wall of water so immense that most people in its path had little, if any, time to react. At the time of publication, 89 are people confirmed dead including 27 children, with several more missing. The damage is still being assessed, but preliminary reports show that it to be massive and widespread.

President Trump acted swiftly in approving a major disaster declaration for Texas. The move was necessary and the quick adoption appreciated, but it begs the question: Will Ohio County ever see its own disaster declaration accepted? Don’t get me wrong, I am not trying to compare these two events. The death toll in Texas is ten times higher than in Ohio County. And I’m not trying to belittle that community’s need for the sake of my own.

Two things can be true at once: Texas, reeling from this horrific storm, deserves to see federal aid, and West Virginia, reeling from its own natural disaster, does too. The federal government exists as an entity above all states. From those states, the federal government takes significant taxes from each and is tasked with spending those funds appropriately. An appropriate use is assisting in a community’s recovery efforts after Mother Nature strikes.

Ohio County needs federal aid. Without it, the harm done and trauma inflicted will be exacerbated. Without aid from Washington, the people of Ohio County will spend more time in unsafe situations waiting for help, they will spend more time cleaning up and rebuilding and they will spend more time draining their wallets setting up a concerning reality that when – not if – the next storm comes, there will be even less of a cushion for them to rely on. GoFundMe pages and mutual aid can only go so far without the help of the richest country on Earth.

We should continue to call our representatives in the state Legislature and in the governor’s mansion and urge them to push for a federal disaster declaration. We should continue to call our Congressional delegation and urge them to tell the president, “approve the major disaster declaration now.” Each day that goes by and a declaration is not approved, we should call again and ask “if not now, when?” And if the declaration never comes, the people of West Virginia should sincerely consider what happens when the next storm hits. How can our state, already facing austerity amid alleged budget shortfalls, fund its own recovery? How can we possibly recover from ever-increasing emergencies without the assistance of our federal government?

Community Corner is a Wheeling Free Press project dedicated to providing a space for our community to have their voices heard. If you would like to submit a story for our consideration, please email it to editor@wheelingfreepress.com.

Juneteenth is a centuries-long tradition commemorating the same day in 1865 when enslaved people living in Texas were freed over two years after President Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation. Celebrations marking the “true” end of slavery have been held to varying degrees since 1865.

In 2021, President Joe Biden signed into law a bill making Juneteenth a federal holiday. And, in West Virginia, former Gov. Jim Justice extended the day off to state employees from 2021 to 2024. For Wheeling’s part, former Mayor Glenn Elliott similarly made proclamations honoring Juneteenth in the city and offered city resources to aid in the area’s Juneteenth celebration.

That changed with new administrations on the local and state levels.

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Gov. Patrick Morrisey declined to offer state employees the day off for Juneteenth citing “continued fiscal challenges.” Instead, he offered a quiet proclamation ceremony. In Wheeling, Mayor Denny Magruder notably skipped out on making his own proclamation despite appearing pretty candid with his use of the ceremonial power in previous meetings. Still, city offices were effectively closed June 19, but work on flood relief after the June 14 flash floods continued.

Ultimately, the Juneteenth memorial set to take place on June 19 on Heritage Port was cancelled. In a statement published to Facebook by organizer Ron Scott, Jr., the Wheeling Juneteenth Committee asked hopeful attendees to spend the day volunteering for flood relief. A separate celebration on the history of Black music was held that same day at the Capitol Theatre.

Questions remain about the city’s support prior to the memorial’s cancellation.

Owens Brown, the first African American man to serve in the West Virginia Senate, took to the podium during the recent council meeting to express his concerns. While speakers are typically given just three minutes to address the body, councilors took the unprecedented approach to adjourn the meeting and allow Brown to continue speaking after his time expired.

Brown emphasized that Black history is American history citing the thousands of Black men who fought in the Continental Army during the American Revolution and the hundreds of thousands who sided with Union forces during the American Civil War.

“There is an attempt to erase Black history in this country, but Black history is American history,” Brown said. “And the thing is, this here is coming from the top down to erase Black history.”

Brown pointed to what he sees as a discrepancy between support for Juneteenth and Independence Day. Noting the council’s unanimous approval of a $70,000 ordinance to pay for a portion of a fireworks display at Heritage Port for the July 4 holiday and its alleged lack of support for Juneteenth, Brown said some in the community felt slighted.

“For whatever reason, under the new mayor and city council, there seemed to be an indifference to the Juneteenth holiday even though it is a federal holiday,” Brown said. “As an African American, I took this indifference as an insult. It caused me to look at this administration with doubt in its desire to build better community relations.”

City Manager Robert Herron responded to Brown’s concerns saying, “The city of Wheeling was a sponsor for the first time this year at the festival.” Herron later told this reporter that the city offered $650 from the city manager’s budget for the event and emphasized that the city has financially contributed to other festivals, including the Pride festival in mid-June.

Councilor Connie Cain, the first African American woman elected to city council, added that the city’s Arts and Cultural Commission, an advisory board that receives funding from the city and whose members are nominated by the mayor and confirmed by the council, was prepared to offer financial support to the event as well as coordinate the use of the city stage, but that she was told the event was cancelled.

Ron Scott, Jr. responded to the comments made by Herron telling Wheeling Free Press, “I asked [Herron] for the $600 because we needed it to [pick up] the trash, clean up, and restroom maintenance. The money was never sent or spent.” As far as stage sponsorship goes, Scott said he was not aware of any agreement by the city to cover the “$2600 fee for the stage.”

The Arts and Cultural Commission did approve a $1,000 request made by the Wheeling Juneteenth Committee to help cover the cost of performers, but this reporter was unable to find any evidence regarding the commission sponsoring a stage.

Wheeling provides Triadelphia – and other Ohio County municipalities – with its drinking water supply. Triadelphia manages payments from its citizens and ultimately pays Wheeling for the service.

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Triadelphia was severely impacted by the June 14 flash floods. Of the nine people confirmed dead as a result of the floods, seven were Triadelphia residents. Among the massive property damage, the town’s water system experienced significant damage leading it to depressurize and cause leaks throughout the town.

Water usage increased significantly after the system was repaired as residents and town officials used the water to clear properties and drainage systems of mud and debris.

“It wasn’t a flood. A flood’s a couple feet of water. What we had was a natural disaster,” said Tom Hoffman, a town councilor representing Triadelphia, to members of Wheeling’s City Council. “It was a devastating, life-changing event that I hope we never see again.”

While the full breadth of the devastation is still being evaluated, Hoffman says town officials estimate between 15-20% of Triadelphia’s population will be unable to return as their homes are a total loss. This flight of citizens is likely to lead to lower tax collections further impacting the town’s ability to pay its water debt after the storm.

Hoffman also said water bills will strain his town’s already tired population.

“One resident who doesn’t have a home anymore, their water bill will be $1800,” Hoffman said. “[The residents] don’t have a home to go to and [Triadelphia is] not financially able to foot the bill for that. We’re at your mercy to help us with this water bill.”

City Manager Robert Herron responded to Hoffman, offering the councilor a meeting to discuss ways to move forward. Herron also noted that a previous attempt by Wheeling to forgive Triadelphia’s water debt was halted by the state’s Public Service Commission, the regulatory agency tasked with overseeing utilities in West Virginia.

“There have been previous cases where I’ve been involved where we made adjustments [to water bills], there have been issues where the Public Service Commission has stepped in and one of those involved Triadelphia,” Herron said.

Hoffman acknowledged Wheeling’s prior attempts to help Triadelphia, saying, “You took care of the bill sort of to speak [sic] and then later on the Public Service [Commission] decided that [Wheeling] couldn’t do that and [Wheeling] had to re-bill [Triadelphia].” Despite that, Hoffman asked that the municipalities jointly appeal “to [the Public Service Commission’s] good heart” and ask that Wheeling be allowed to assist Triadelphia in covering its water bill obligation.

This is a Wheeling Free Press original production.

I want to thank Barbara for trusting this writer, Justice, to tell her story. It’s a harrowing story, but one with laughs and memories along the way. Barbara, I sincerely hope recovery comes as soon as possible. I am so sorry for all you’ve been through and all you’ve lost. Again, thank you. I hope this does you proud.

If you want to donate to support Barbara’s recovery efforts, you can do so on the GoFundMe fundraiser organized by her daughter, Beth.

Barbara is not alone in needing more help. Please consider donating and volunteering to help those affected by the June 14 floods recover. Visit ovflood.org to find out how and visit OV Mutual Aid to offer your services. The road to recovery is not a sprint, it’s a marathon.

The intro song used in the production of this story are “Sleeping Cat” by Purple Cat and Mujo. The outro song is a mix of “Sleeping Cat” and the vocalization of Barbara Hartlieb as she sings along to a recording of her mother singing with the Wheeling Steel orchestra.

The background image shows Barbara embracing Nathan Heckman, an Ohio Valley Mutual Aid coordinator who has called Barbara every day since the flood. This was the first time Nathan and Barbara ever met despite days of talking over the phone and numerous teams sent by Nathan to Barbara’s house.

Wheeling Free Press is an independent media organization. To support our work, subscribe for free at www.wheelingfreepress.com.

Sandra Parsons is the ninth victim of the catastrophic flooding event that saw four inches of rain fall on the communities of Valley Grove, Triadelphia and parts of Wheeling. She is also the third person whose remains were recovered from the Ohio River nearly 40 miles south of Wheeling.

The victims of the June 14 floods are Michael Bokanovich, 73, of Triadelphia, Travis Creighton, 19, of Triadelphia, Lisa McMasters, 59, of Triadelphia, Sandra Parson, 83, of Triadelphia, Jesse Pearson, 43, of Triadelphia, WV, Kyleigh Minch Shotton, 26, of Triadelphia, Parker Shotton, 3, of Triadelphia, Connie Veronis, 71, of Moundsville, and Michael Veronis, 74, of Moundsville.

Flash floods strike Ohio County again…

For the second time in as many weeks, flash floods have impacted parts of Ohio County.

In the evening of June 26, inches of rain fell within a short period of time overwhelming drainage systems and causing streets and streams to flood. Some areas affected by the June 14 floods, like Triadelphia, Elm Grove and Woodsdale, again saw water inundate their basement, while other areas spared last week’s devastation were impacted.

The Wheeling neighborhoods of Dimmydale, Edgwood, Elm Grove, Elm Terrace, South Wheeling and Warwood saw flooding, with areas experiencing inches of standing water at one point. The town of Bethlehem also flooded.

As fast as the waters came, they receded, but authorities warn debris remains on the roadways. The Wheeling Police Department has specifically called for drivers to be cautious if they plan to travel on 29th Street, Elm Street, East Bethlehem Boulevard and National Road from Woodsdale to Elm Grove.

While this round of flooding does not appear to be as devastating, some of the people who survived that event saw inches of water return to their homes as they continue to work on removing mud and debris from June 14.

This is a developing story.

Saturday the 14th was like any other Saturday in June. Muggy from previous rains, but with the sun shining bright, the people of Ohio County were out passing footballs, swimming in their pools, grilling hotdogs and hamburgers, drinking ice-cold beers, and preparing for the next day's father’s day celebrations. It was like any other Saturday in June…until it wasn’t.

As evening approached night and the sun began to set, the devil himself swirled above our heads and conjured up a show only he would enjoy. Dark, ominous clouds pushed east as they jumped the river with a target set for the hills. In thirty odd minutes, four odd inches of rain poured on the already-saturated hills and hollers of Ohio County. The rains were heavy and swift, but, worse, they were specific and targeted in their attack.

Valley Grove, Triadelphia, Elm Grove, and the hills that surround these crick communities saw the brunt of devastation. In a flash, eight people perished and one more remains missing. Dozens of families had their entire house and all their belongings washed right down the crick. Many more kept their belongings in their homes, but those bits and pieces of their existence were left muddied and soiled, battered and bruised, and buried in inches and feet of mud and debris.

Daylight broke Sunday and the survivors of the flood saw in the morning light their lives laid bare. The people from communities untouched by the wrath of the waters rose with the sun to see that devastation, too, behind their phone screens, computers and tvs; and, at the same speed of the prior night’s rains, the people jumped to the frontlines to offer their assistance.

While first responders continued their searches and rescues, the citizens began their recovery and relief. One volunteer quickly snowballed into an avalanche of support to help those most in need. Braving the heat and humidity, the mud and mold, and the debris and devastation, volunteers came from across the county, state and nation to serve this community. A young man from New York City, a local state Senator, a pipeliner from Pennsylvania, an Ohio County teacher, two friends from Chattanooga, a North Carolinian who dealt with Hurricane Helene last year, a Wheeling intensive care nurse on her day off, a man from Milton, a woman whose own basement was full of mud and debris: they came as they were ready to serve.

As we meet here nine days after the floods, an immense amount of work remains despite the efforts of countless volunteers. Some of the jobs are easy — cleaning and sanitizing homes visited by other groups — while other jobs still require the removal of mud, water and debris, and the demolition of soaked and soggy baseboards, carpets and walls. In many regards, we are still on step one of the recovery. Despite the challenges, the job will get done by the grace of god and the grace of volunteers.

President John F. Kennedy once said, “the sun does not always shine in West Virginia, but the people always do.” The sun didn’t shine on the people of Ohio County on June 14, but the people — our people — will always shine. Adversity is all this state has known; but, as a lifelong West Virginian, I know of no problem that can’t be solved by a West Virginian. While this particular problem is a mountain today, there will come a time when we will shave it down to a molehill. There will come a time when the sun shines again in West Virginia.

OHIO COUNTY, W. Va. – Eight people are confirmed dead and one remains missing after flash floods Saturday saw area streams and creeks rapidly jump their banks, devastating the towns of Triadelphia and Valley Grove, as well as parts of Wheeling.

Devastating loss of life…

The death toll from Saturday’s violent ‘unicorn’ floods has steadily increased day-after-day.

Eight people are now confirmed dead including a Moundsville couple found 40 miles south of Wheeling in the Ohio River, a 26-year-old mother and her 3-year-old daughter, and the body of an unidentified male found at the confluence of Big Wheeling Creek and the Ohio River.

The victims of the floods are Michael Veronis, 74, of Moundsville, Connie Veronis, 71, of Moundsville, Michael Bokanovich, 73, of Triadelphia, Lisa McMasters, 59, of Triadelphia, Kyleigh Minch Shotton, 26, of Triadelphia, Parker Shotton, 3, of Triadelphia, Travis Creighton, 19, of Triadelphia, and an unidentified male.

The Ohio County Sheriff’s Office confirmed Thursday that 83-year-old Sandra Kay Parsons of Triadelphia remains missing at this time. Anyone with information on Parsons’ whereabouts or wellbeing are urged to call 911. If you believe your loved one is missing, call (304) 234-3656.

Recovery continues for a fifth straight day…

The Wheeling Fire Department and other agencies have continued to search Little Wheeling Creek, Big Wheeling Creek and the Ohio River for flood victims. Drone mapping, kayak teams, dive teams, canine units and river boats are being utilized at this time.

With rain falling over the last few days, authorities have quickly mobilized to remove vehicles and other large debris from waterways in an effort to prevent further flooding. As of 3:00 p.m. Thursday, authorities say they have removed approximately 70 vehicles from area creeks with more awaiting extrication.

Preliminary damage reports indicate at least two dozen homes were completely destroyed by the floods. A further 120 sustained severe damage. Assessments are ongoing throughout the affected areas to catalog damage in anticipation of a potential federal disaster declaration.

Those impacted by the floods are being asked to document all damage prior to clean up efforts. Authorities are further urging people to fill out a disaster survey to aid in the damage assessment. Volunteers began door-to-door canvassing today with paper copies of the surveys to assist people who cannot fill out the virtual forms. Those seeking further help with surveys are asked to call 211.

Donations are still being requested as cleanup efforts continue. Items like buckets, mops, squeegees, shovels, cleaning supplies, dehumidifiers, work boots, gloves, masks and more are highly encouraged. Donations can be delivered to the McDonough Center at 316 Washington Avenue, GUNTRY West Virginia at 45 Caliber Drive or Ohio Valley Mutual Aid at 144 Kruger Street. Bulk donations can be delivered to WesBanco Arena at 2–14th Street.

Those seeking to receive donations can pick supplies up with Ohio Valley Mutual Aid at 144 Kruger Street, Triadelphia Methodist Church at 4377 National Road or the Valley Grove Volunteer Fire Department at 355 Firehouse Lane.

Residents and businesses are asked to place flood-damaged debris on the roadside to be picked up by area operations and sanitation departments. A drop-off location for debris has been established at The Highlands between Cabela’s and Hobby Lobby daily from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Only those affected by the floods are permitted to dump here.

Road closure updates…

Roads are slowly beginning to reopen as recovery efforts continue.

Battle Run Road and Stewards Road remain closed at this time. GC&P Road is closed at the intersection with WV Route 88, and Warden Run Road traffic is restricted between WV Route 88 and Boggs Run Road. Peters Run Road is passable from US Route 40 to Stewarts Hill.

National Road between Triadelphia and Valley Grove is open to local traffic only.

Dixon Run Road, McGraw’s Run Road, Atkinson Crossing and Point Run Road are passable, but authorities say to use caution when driving.

This is a developing story. In the meantime, Wheeling Free Press encourages their readers to donate what they can to any of the following organizations.