Flo Harpold listens to American Legion Auxiliary District 11 President Jane Klug discuss her appreciation for the efforts of all the posts within the district BELPRE — The American Legion Auxiliary of Ohio District 11 gathered in Belpre for its annual Spring Conference local leaders and community supporters for a day of remembrance The organization is comprised of family members of veterans and promotes patriotism Ohio’s District 11 consists of posts in Washington two symbolic ceremonies were highlighted: the POW/MIA table and the Military Child’s Table the Military Child’s Table includes meaningful symbols such as a flowering plant These items represent the sacrifices made by military children and the moments sometimes missed due to their parents’ service Belpre Mayor Susan Abdella addressed the gathering expressing appreciation for the organization’s ongoing service Flo Harpold of American Legion Auxiliary Post 495 greets attendees at Saturday morning’s meeting “I am always honored to be among those who dedicate so much to our veterans,” Abdella said “Your commitment to honoring military families and supporting your communities is deeply valued.” Abdella highlighted several developments in Belpre park upgrades and the planned construction of a children’s hospital by Memorial Health System a 30-year Navy veteran and president of the Belpre Area Veterans shared the story behind the creation of the independent veterans group after the local American Legion post closed “We want to do whatever we can to help our veterans in the community and the community itself,” said Clark The Belpre Area Veterans have also been active in community service their fall drive collected 25 tubs of food and raised $1,500 while a more recent spring effort brought in 21 tubs and $1,100 American Legion Auxiliary District 11 President Jane Klug emphasized the importance of community-building and leadership development Klug used the metaphor of a pear tree to highlight the patience and support needed for organizational growth but it takes time for the roots to grow strong,” she said “Think of the community as the soil and us as the roots The event celebrated the achievements of the auxiliary posts based on several categories Some of the activities the posts engage in include: * Providing Halloween safety coloring books * Distributing anti-bullying and youth suicide prevention materials * Supporting local sports teams and school trips * Sponsoring youth in programs like Special Olympics * Over 2,000 hours of community service across nine units * Building Christmas stockings for veterans in nursing homes * Handing out free sack lunches to over 100 community children Gwen Sour can be reached at gsour@newsandsentinel.com | https://www.newsandsentinel.com | 519 Juliana St. BELPRE — The Belpre City School District is asking voters to approve a $45.7 million bond issue to construct a new addressing decades of infrastructure challenges and providing modern learning spaces “I think the bond issue should be fairly familiar at this point to the residents of Belpre,” Superintendent Jeff Greenley said “It’s the same configuration as prior levies It’s the same square footage.The idea is to construct one campus on the current Belpre High School site.” Greenley talked about the age of the current facilities including the Lawton building “The building was built in 1928 and will turn 100 years old soon,” Greenley said it would make it to 100 years – the same year sliced bread was invented.” Greenley talked about the mounting costs of maintaining the decades-old buildings “In the six years I’ve been here we’ve put air conditioning in at Lawton and the high school which cost well over a million dollars,” he said He said additional expenses included safety and security upgrades like camera installations and new door sensors He said the district is also dealing with the aging HVAC systems the HVAC went down in the fall,”Greenley said “They had to find or have a custom part made which cost us three to four school days.” Other significant repair expenses included: ¯ Replacing door locks and security systems ¯ Addressing structural issues in various school buildings “These repairs are resources that are not allocated for teaching and learning,” Greenley said “Every dollar spent on maintenance is a dollar taken away from what we’ve budgeted for academics.” Greenley said the proposed bond would fund a new facility with collaborative learning spaces the state of Ohio would contribute an additional $22 million to complete the elementary school portion “The elementary school would be paid for by the state of Ohio when that funding is available,” Greenley said He said the design has a forward-thinking approach “We’re building for students not just in 2025 but looking ahead to 2055,” Greenley said offered a candid perspective on why the upcoming school bond issue matters to students who have experienced the limitations of aging school infrastructure it was always kind of falling apart,” Morrison said “The cafeteria floor has come up in a lot of places and they’ve had to redo the lobby due to asbestos issues.” She also talked about the daily challenges of learning in the outdated high school facility “Our bathrooms have been pretty bad recently with piping problems and it’s expensive to fix that kind of stuff,” she said She said maintenance work can oftentimes interrupt the school day with construction sounds creating distractions during classes Morrison also said she has had classmates and family decide to go to a neighboring school district due to conditions and lack of support from the community “I have cousins who had to transfer out of Belpre schools because their parents didn’t feel the community was supporting the school,” Morrison said “It’s hurtful to students knowing your community isn’t showing up for you.” While Morrison said she knows she won’t be around to benefit from a new building She said the bond issue isn’t just about a building – it’s about investing in the community’s future and showing support for the next generation of students maybe families who had to move away can come back to Belpre schools,” Morrison said | https://www.mariettatimes.com | 740-373-2121 An Ohio.gov website belongs to an official government organization in the State of Ohio A lock or https:// means you've safely connected to the .gov website Share sensitive information only on official and personal information are protected by federal and state digital security standards Ohio)—Ohio Governor Mike DeWine joined healthcare and community leaders from southeast Ohio today for a groundbreaking ceremony to celebrate the beginning of construction on a new women and children’s hospital at Memorial Health System’s Belpre Medical Campus The facility will be southeast Ohio’s only women and children’s hospital “This is a welcome and needed addition for thousands of women and children across our Appalachian region,” said Governor DeWine “Expectant mothers with high-risk pregnancies or others in need of specialized healthcare supports will no longer be forced to travel an hour or more to get medical care in an unfamiliar place This new hospital will bring these lifesaving supports closer to home.” MEDIA: Download Governor Soundbites and B-roll Watch the Full Event (via Facebook) The state provided $30 million in support of the project through the FY2024-2025 State Operating Budget which was passed by the Ohio General Assembly and signed by Governor DeWine last year The funding was provided to Memorial Health System through the Ohio Department of Health (ODH) “The Ohio Department of Health is pleased to be able to provide this funding,” said ODH Director Bruce Vanderhoff “There is no doubt that this hospital will make a very real difference in the lives of many mothers and their children in this region.” $125 million women and children’s hospital will provide residents of southeast Ohio access to a wide range of specialized prenatal services mothers and babies in the region in need of specialized OBGYN or pediatric services may have to travel as much as 50-100 miles to receive adequate care over 200 expectant mothers facing high-risk pregnancies and the vast majority of infants requiring NICU care went outside of the service area to receive services The new facility will support a region where high-risk pregnancies are especially common the infant mortality rate in Ohio’s Appalachian region was more than 30% higher than the national rate the hospital system hopes to have 1,600 births at the new facility each year – doubling the annual number of births done by their obstetrics unit in recent years The hospital will also offer expanded mental health services to support mothers who experience postpartum depression The facility is currently scheduled to open in fall 2026 The Ohio Environmental Protection Agency (Ohio EPA) also helped make this groundbreaking possible The location for the new hospital has a 65-year industrial history including aluminum lamination operations and plastics manufacturing Ohio EPA worked closely with Memorial Health System and Sunday Creek Horizons to confirm that all hazardous materials in the soil had been removed "The Ohio EPA appreciates the vision of Memorial Health System in seeing the potential in this previously unusable industrial location," said Ohio EPA Director Anne Vogel "My teams worked closely with Memorial Health System to oversee removal of 116 tons of soil paving the way for this investment in the health of women and children throughout the region." Many supporters of the new hospital were on-hand for the groundbreaking ceremony which also included performances by the Belpre High School marching band the Red Wing Drill Team of Parkersburg High School and the Marietta High School Vocal Point acapella ensemble The new hospital is just the latest example of the state’s investment in Appalachia under the leadership of Governor DeWine Earlier this year, Governor DeWine and Lt. Governor Jon Husted announced the new Appalachian Children's Health Initiative an investment of more than $64 million to the Appalachian Children Coalition to support the creation or expansion of community- and school-based health clinics the launch of healthcare-focused workforce development programs The Appalachian Children’s Health Initiative is part of the larger $500 million Appalachian Community Grant Program providing new opportunities for public education offering access to community health services and spurring economic development within Ohio’s 32-county Appalachian region Advocacy Awards Back to School Booklists Books & Media Budgets & Funding Computer Science Design/Architecture Authors Illustrators Best Of Booklists Books Collections Media Reference Series Made Simple Advocacy Best Of Budgets & Funding Computer Science Classroom Curricula Design/Architecture Cover Story Career Advocacy Awards Back to School Booklists Books & Media Budgets & Funding Career Classroom & Curricula Advocacy Awards Books & Media Budgets & Funding Buildings Censorship Collections Cover Story Elementary Teens Tweens Books & Media Programs & Programming Diverse Books Tech 100 Scope Notes A Fuse #8 Production Good Comics for Kids Heavy Medal: A Mock Newbery Blog Neverending Search Politics in Practice Teen Librarian Toolbox The Classroom Bookshelf The Yarn COVID-19 Opinion Classroom Graphic Novels Ideas People Research Events & PD Job Zone Online Courses Master Classes SLJ Projects Privacy Policy Subscriber Services The SLJ reviews editors rounded up our reviews of the books lauded at the 2025 Youth Media Awards the reviews of the Pura Belpré Award and Honors winners and Me by Ismée Williams (text) & illus You did not sign in correctly or your account is temporarily disabled Passwords must include at least 8 characters Your password must include at least three of these elements: lower case letters The email you entered already exists. Please reset your password to gain access to your account Exclusive video library and multimedia content searchable archives of more than 300,000 reviews and thousands of articles This comment was removed because it violates Library Journal's comment policy We are currently offering this content for free Sign up now to activate your personal profile where you can save articles for future viewing We’ve noticed you are using a private browser LOG IN CREATE AN ACCOUNT SUBSCRIBE Most SLJ reviews are exclusive to subscribers you'll receive unlimited access to all reviews dating back to 2010 To access other site content, visit our homepage BELPRE — The Belpre Homecoming has announced its entertainment lineup for the 93rd edition of the festival this summer Homecoming Board President Amanda Wires said the festival committee puts its heart and soul in creating and manning the activities each year “We depend on sponsors and fundraising to make it all happen along with our volunteers This is a tradition that is important to the community that we are carrying on,” she said Thursday night entertainment will start at 8 p.m and feature “Country Best in Class,” a local tribute to Patsy Cline The show is being sponsored by the Belpre Woman’s Club Friday night has been a Homecoming success with tribute acts for many years and will continue with Taylor’s Story Saturday continues with the annual parade at 10 a.m and children’s activities throughout the day beginning at noon with a puppy pageant Saturday’s entertainment will feature new country artist Devin Henry at 8 p.m Henry is an Ohio native who is making a name for himself in the music industry After playing college football and completing nursing school he has remained in Columbus to pursue his passion for music in one of the fastest growing country music scenes As an independent artist Devin has shared bills with some of the biggest names in the industry on renowned stages and venues across the midwest Sunday will be sponsored again by Rockland Church with a worship service at 10:45 a.m followed by music from The Clark Family from Ohio Valley Opry at 11:30 a.m A full schedule and information on the car show, bike show, arts and crafts, pageants, event and vendor information can be found at www.belprehomecoming.com and the Facebook page BELPRE — The Castle will host a cemetery tour at Rockland Cemetery at 10 a.m Join the tour to learn about the connections between Belpre Ohio’s second oldest permanent settlement and several military veterans and their families Stories include: an early settler who lost a grandfather at Valley Forge and a husband shortly after his return from the Mexican War; a founder who died protecting the civilians at Belpre’s Farmer’s Castle during the Indian War; a woman who lost both a husband and stepson in the Civil War and a Marine killed in France just two weeks before the armistice Also being discussed are three World War II veterans killed in action: Navy seaman Howard McPeek in a Kamikaze attack at Okinawa Corporal Walter Gearhart – during a secret D-Day training exercise and Private Russell Dexter at the Battle of Hurtgen Forest will be a story of a Korean War casualty lost fighting in the sub-zero temperatures at Chosin Reservoir Tickets are $12 each and are available at https://www.mariettacastle.org/events or by calling 740-373-4180 Tours are available starting in April and many history-related events throughout the year Offer-ings include: local historical mock trials Co-Founder and former Chairman of the Board of Z-Medica Belpre's Chris Copen worked five innings of three-hit ball with eight walks and nine strikeouts during the Golden Eagles' 10-2 setback to Southern on Wednesday at Civitan Park BELPRE — Southern pitcher Brandon Laudermilt worked six innings of five-hit ball and allowed two runs and four walks while recording a dozen strikeouts here Wednesday at Civitan Park to help lead the Tornadoes to a season sweep of Belpre following a 10-2 triumph in a Tri-Valley Conference Hocking Division showdown which improved to 8-5 and had previously dealt the Golden Eagles a 7-4 setback needed just three hits to plate their first five runs against losing pitcher Chris Copen who worked five innings while allowing three singles with eight base on balls and nine punchouts Copen worked around a one-out walk to designated hitter Carson Reuter in the first as he managed to fan the side the Salem University-bound Laudermilt singled to center on a ball second baseman Chase Maze nearly got to and he moved up a base following Hunter Jarrell’s sacrifice 7 hitter Anthony Whobrey walked and Landon Smith followed with another sac bunt to put runners on second and third Laudermilt scored on a passed ball and it was 2-0 when Whobrey crossed on a double-steal with Kempell A leadoff base on balls to Reuter in the third resulted in a 3-0 lead for the visitors after he stole second and third and came home on Will Smith’s single to left Southern right-hander Brandon Laudermilt (4) who struck out a dozen while allowing five hits during his six innings of works in the Tornadoes' 10-2 victory Wednesday versus Belpre at Civitan Park meets with his infield of third baseman Hunter Jarrell (15) first baseman Will Smith (13) and second baseman Wyatt Smith (14) The Golden Eagles of head coach Nate Watson pushed across their only runs in the last of the third Center fielder and two-hole hitter Adrik McLaughlin singled back up the box and Copen followed with his second straight free pass Catcher and cleanup hitter Carson Moore then delivered a run-scoring single to right AJ Copen reached on a bunt single to load the bases but Laudermilt got Ryan Owens to pop up to catcher Gryphon Thomas before Chris Copen scored to make it 3-2 on first baseman Kurtis Lemon’s sacrifice fly to right Eight-hole hitter Blake Binegar had runners on first and second the Golden Eagles’ only other hits came via a two-out infield single by McLaughlin in the fourth and a leadoff knock to center by Lemon in the sixth Jarrell walked Chris Copen with one out in the seventh but finished off the five-hitter by getting Moore and AJ Copen to ground out two-run single to center in the fourth that McLaughlin nearly made a diving catch on as Whobrey and Smith both scored after reaching on free passes to make it 5-2 Belpre relief pitcher Carson Woodford got one out in the sixth before Owens finished off the final 1 2-3 frames Belpre center fielder Adrik McLaughlin takes a pitch before hitting a single to center in the third inning of the Golden Eagles' 10-2 setback to Southern on Wednesday at Civitan Park An outfield error got things going as Kempell reached to start the inning which was followed by a Zach Thomas bunt single Gryphon Thomas was plunked on an 0-2 pitch and Smith hit a two-run double to deep left before being replaced by pinch-runner Cooper Diddle Gryphon Thomas scored to make it 8-2 when Jarrell drew a bases-loaded free pass Southern returns to action next Wednesday at Gallia Academy while the Golden Eagles will try and snap a five-game slide with a 5 p.m “We’ve faced him just about every time when we square off against these guys and we know what we’re going to get with him He’s a heck of a pitcher and Southern’s got a great team and they are solid every time,” admitted coach Watson who got a diving web gem on the edge of the infield by shortstop AJ Copen to rob Reuter of a hit in the seventh “They were more solid than we were tonight a few passed balls and this is a whole different ball game but we can’t take anything away from Southern at all They were just better than we were tonight Waterford’s been playing some great baseball lately The first game was rained out and rescheduled for May 13 We know it’s going to be a dog fight when we go out there The guys just have to be ready for it.” Contact Jay Bennett at jbennett@newsandsentinel.com Belpre leadoff hitter Haiden Tabler hits a shot that went just wide of the first-base bag during the Golden Eagles' 10-2 setback to Southern on Wednesday at Civitan Park Belpre first baseman Kurtis Lemon makes a grab on a throw to first from pitcher Chris Copen during the Golden Eagles' 10-2 setback to Southern on Wednesday at Civitan Park Belpre's Chris Copen races home from third after a Kurtis Lemon sacrifice fly to right during the Golden Eagles' 10-2 setback to Southern on Wednesday at Civitan Park MORGANTOWN — Rich Rodriguez made a big splash in the transfer portal on Wednesday WHEELING — Parkersburg South took down University by a score of 5-1 in Wednesday’s Ohio Valley Athletic .. HUNTINGTON — Marshall football head coach Tony Gibson announced the addition of five new players to the 2025 .. BELPRE — A certain basket-bearing egg distributor will hop on over to Belpre Saturday after participating in this year’s Mid-Ohio Valley Easter Parade in Parkersburg The Easter Bunny will make appearances on both sides of the Ohio River this weekend as Belpre debuts its own holiday procession “We’ve never had one,” said Carrie Arnold director of the Belpre Christmas Lights Pageant and I have made a pledge to myself to do some more community service … My focus isn’t on the sash and crown or the title My focus is on becoming involved in the community.” Arnold said she’s gotten a great response for the inaugural Belpre Easter Parade with word spread largely through word of mouth and social media “There is always a great turnout for any of the parade events that we’ve been to,” she said “This is just something fun for the whole family.” The parade will assemble behind the football stadium at Belpre High School and travel up Washington Boulevard to Civitan Park About 35 vehicles have registered for the parade While the event Facebook page set a deadline of Sunday to register Arnold said groups that want to participate can still go there to fill out a registration form “If people are interested in participating “We hope to make this a tradition in the future.” Another potential tradition follows in Civitan Park with a Glow Easter Egg Hunt organized by the Belpre Church of the Nazarene Pastor Gary Webb said they had such a strong response — about 400 kids signed up — they had to close registration for this year’s event But they’re already thinking about ways to do it again next year with more kids “We’re trying to do new things to connect with a younger generation here in Belpre,” Webb said “We’re hoping to absolutely do it bigger and better next year and not have to cut off registration for it.” Arnold said one reason the Belpre parade is in the evening is so it didn’t interfere with the 15th annual Mid-Ohio Valley Easter Parade in downtown Parkersburg traveling from 19th Street down Market Street “The weather’s going to be nice so that is a big plus so people can decorate floats,” organizer Kiki Angelos said “We have a huge group of participants.” The grand marshal for this year’s parade is Belpre resident Zach Wigal who was named the United States Auto Club National Midget Rookie of the Year in 2024 Wigal started racing locally at age 7 and transitioned to full-size midgets in 2022 Also participating in the parade will be members of West Virginia University’s cheerleading squad “That is something that our town will really enjoy,” Angelos said There’s still time for groups to join in the festivities Registration begins at noon at 19th Street and Market Street (Meeting Updates - Photo Illustration - MetroCreativeConnection) BELPRE – Belpre City Council voted Monday to name Mayor Susan Abdella as the city’s representative to the Regional Income Tax Agency During Monday’s regular council meeting Abdella requested council name a delegate and alternate to the Regional Income Tax Agency annual meeting on June 18 in New Albany She said the city could attend the meeting but unless a delegate was approved by council council approved her as delegate and City Auditor Tina Nolan as an alternate delegate Regarding the wastewater treatment plant project Abdella said the city has interviewed four firms during the request for proposal process and will be finalizing its selection The city is looking into state and federal funding opportunities for this project and has completed the initial interviews and will be selecting a company to provide a scope and fee William “Bill” Van Pelt receives the ceremonial check for $1,000 from Artsbridge Executive Director Lindsey Dennis upon receiving the Janet Frazier Award for Excellence The award was established by Maestro Luke Frazier a graduate of Parkersburg South High School and creator of the American Pops Orchestra BELPRE — A Belpre High School teacher has received the Janet Frazier Award for Excellence presented by Artsbridge William “Bill” Van Pelt was awarded the first of two 2025 Janet Frazier Awards Van Pelt has excelled in rebuilding the Belpre High School Marching Band after the program was eliminated by the Belpre City Schools Board of Education in 2008 The award was created in 2015 by Maestro Luke Frazier and is one of two awards named after his grandmothers the other being the Donna Campbell Award for Excellence The Frazier Award is given to two fine arts teachers and the Campbell Award goes to two students Teachers receive $1,000 and the students receive $1,500 for the first semester of college Van Pelt graduated cum laude in 1992 from West Virginia University with a bachelor’s in music education He was a four-year member of WVU Marching Band He has 32 years of teaching experience in Washington County beginning his career in the Frontier Local School District where he taught general music and led the choir and band Van Pelt went to Belpre City Schools where he taught elementary general music in grades K-6 for 14 years before moving to Belpre High School where he rebuilt the marching band program The Pride of Belpre Marching Band has become one of the largest in the Mid-Ohio Valley The band has qualified for the Ohio Music Education Association State Marching Band Finals for the past four consecutive years the first time since 2001 Belpre High School has been in the finals Ohio Redwood Head Chef Bailey Null and owner Desiree Kerns watch on Monday as “America’s Best Restaurant” host Ashley Dawn tries the restaurant’s biggest dish BELPRE — The Ohio Redwood restaurant got a visit Monday from “America’s Best Restaurants,” a streaming show that will feature the locally owned Belpre eatery in an upcoming episode has owned the restaurant located at 2813 Washington Blvd said they were nominated by local patron Linda Lockhart daily specials and the “friendliest staff you ever met.” “I didn’t think it was real,” Kerns said The “America’s Best Restaurants” crew of videographer Nick Mammone and host Ashley Dawn spent three hours talking to Kerns and staff interviewing patrons about their favorite dish and even trying three signature dishes themselves Dawn said getting to speak with all the local residents is one of her favorite parts of the job “I really love being able to talk to restaurant owners and share their stories,” she said seeing new places and trying food is altogether incredibly rewarding.” Ohio Redwood Head Chef Bailey Null shows “America’s Best Restaurant” host Ashley Dawn how to prepare the Belpre restaurant’s signature ribs Null said the ribs spend hours baking in a secret blend of spices to get the flavor just right Head Chef Bailey Null prepared three meals for Dawn to sample: the restaurant’s signature ribs the three-egg western omelet and the Tall Boy Burger two slices of cheese and toppings that come with a steak knife to help keep it together “I’m really looking forward to seeing that Tall Boy Burger,” Dawn said “Because I feel like it’s just gonna be massive.” Kerns said it was a favorite among men but that she has a woman who regularly comes in and orders the towering burger “She doesn’t leave any on her plate,” Kerns said This is also true of the restaurant’s secret recipe for ribs “America’s Best Restaurant” videographer Nick Mammone takes pictures of three signature dishes at the Ohio Redwood Monday as the show was in town to film with the Belpre restaurant The dishes featured in the episode were the signature ribs “Those plates come back with just bones on them,” Kerns said Kerns said the restaurant’s pride extends beyond its menu as they help in the community by working with the Belpre High School Soccer club and even make hot chocolate for the band when they do caroling around the holidays It’s their way of giving back to the community that helped them survive during a rough time “We opened about six months before COVID and it was because of the community around us that we made it through that,” Kerns said She said the restaurant was also able to make it through the lockdown period because of its staff “I kept calling in and seeing when I was going to be able to come back to work,” Null said The Ohio Redwood’s Tall Boy Burger – consisting of four beef patties two slices of cheese and toppings – was one of three featured dishes Monday as “America’s Best Restaurant” was in town to feature the Belpre establishment Kerns said she was glad she got the chance to showcase her staff as well as the food they serve “Everybody under this roof has worked so hard “Everybody under this roof is pretty tight so just getting to show off every human here Another aspect of the restaurant Kerns said she was particularly proud of was the Military Room which is a tribute to her family’s military service “I’m very proud of the service in our family so getting to showcase that means the world.” Kerns said I just haven’t got a chance to get them yet.” Dawn said “America’s Best Restaurants” is always looking to bring local dining gems to the spotlight through a selection process that combines community input and on-site exploration “People can nominate restaurants through americasbestrestaurants.com,” Dawn said “Most nominations come from local food enthusiasts who love their community restaurants.” Ohio Redwood owner Desiree Kerns and “America’s Best Restaurant” host Ashley Dawn pose for a picture outside the restaurant Monday as the show was in town to feature the Belpre restaurant She said that the entire production typically takes eight to 12 weeks from filming to final edit. Viewers can catch the episode on the “America’s Best Restaurants” and Ohio Redwood Facebook pages, “America’s Best Restaurants” website and their YouTube channel at http://www.youtube.com/@AmericasBestRestaurants Douglass Huxley can be reached at dhuxley@newsandsentinel.com Maddie Smith and Elizabeth Blazosky pose for a picture Monday as a crew from “America’s Best Restaurants” was in town to feature the Belpre restaurant The Military Room at the Ohio Redwood restaurant in Belpre honors owner Desiree Kerns’ family members who served BELPRE — Belpre City Council approved three resolutions at its regular meeting Monday evening Council approved the second reading of a resolution authorizing the mayor to execute an agreement for management of the Belpre Senior Center The final reading will be held at a future council meeting Council also approved the second and third readings of a resolution authorizing the mayor to sign a contract with the Washington Soil and Water Conservation District to supply technical stormwater management assistance for the city of Belpre Council also approved all three readings of a resolution making the city’s old ambulance excess property and putting it out for auction Mayor Susan Abdella said she has started the Meet the Funders Program with the Appalachian Regional Commission and is working with them to present the wastewater treatment plant project in the most effective way The city has been collecting data and information for the Park Plan and is looking forward to the firm coming in the next month to present a model to the city to review During the last council meeting in January there was discussion about hiring a utility coordinator Abdella said Angela Cowan has been hired to fill that position and is working closely with the utility crews to get the city’s meters up and going “We have redirected the Well 2 meter project dollars to the purchase of the meters Well 2 will be on hold till we determine funding,” she added Sidewalks and Storm Sewer Committee will hold a committee meeting at 7 p.m 24 to discuss amendments to the city’s golf cart ordinance The Planning and Zoning Committee will meet at 6:30 p.m Wayne Towner can be reached at wtowner@newsandsentinel.com spoke Tuesday at the installation of a Peace Pole at Belpre’s Civitan Park He commended the students from the Belpre High School Chapter of the National Honor Society/Interact Club for being involved and helping with the project as the Rotary Club is laying the groundwork for a permanent Interact Club in Belpre City Schools BELPRE — Getting young people involved in community service was the focus of the installation of a “Peace Pole” at Civitan Park in Belpre The Belpre Rotary Club and members of the Belpre High School Chapter of the National Honor Society gathered at the park on Tuesday to highlight community service a commitment to peace and commemorate Earth Day explained the purpose of Rotary as a service organization to the communities it is in “There are a lot of us working to solve problems in our own communities and worldwide problems,” he said adding one of the focuses of Rotary International is peace “If you look at what is going on in the world right now the peace initiative is extremely important right now.” The pole installed by around a dozen students is 10 feet in length with 7-8 feet exposed above the ground and decorated with Belpre High School students’ handprints and messages of peace Around a dozen students with the Belpre High School Chapter of the National Honor Society/Interact Club install a Peace Pole at Civitan Park in Belpre on Tuesday It was the first project of the newly formed Interact Club at Belpre High School Totten talked about how a Rotary official from District 6690 the largest in the state of Ohio which includes Columbus and southwest Ohio told him that Belpre was one of four clubs in the district that did not have the designation of being a “Peacekeeper Club.” They wanted to come up with a project that would highlight their peacekeeping mission and they wanted to do something that involved students from Belpre High School “We knew we had to get the high school kids involved,” Totten said “We know we have some things going on in this community that involve you kids more than anything else “We know we have to change the mindset of everybody else in this community to support you kids The best way to do that is to give you projects where you can be seen out in the community engaging.” Students with the Belpre High School Chapter of the National Honor Society/Interact Club installed a Peace Pole at Civitan Park in Belpre on Tuesday The pole is 10 feet in length with 7-8 feet exposed above the ground and decorated with Belpre High School students’ handprints and messages of peace One of the ways to do that is to create the Interact Club which is Rotary for students between 12 and 18 years old Since it is late in the school year and there are official steps that have to be gone through the first version of the club is being done through and in conjunction with the Belpre High School chapter of the National Honor Society with the understanding that a formal club will be set up with its own adviser to officially begin in the 2025-26 school year said Belpre High School National Honor Society adviser Stacey White “We wanted to give the Rotary and Interact a foundation,” she said “We are going to get all of that officially started next year.” Belpre is a small community and they wanted to highlight the idea of people working together “I think there is a disconnect between the older generation and the younger generation so I really feel like getting the younger generation involved is a big step towards creating the peace we need,” White said “By having the faces of the young people who do care out there and who want to be involved I think it is important for them to be seen.” president of the Belpre High School National Honor Society chapter said it was important to show the community young people being involved as many believe young people are not engaged in their communities “We want to be out here and show the public students being involved and we want to help make things better,” she said “We are willing to work and be involved.” Belpre Mayor Susan Abdella commended everyone’s efforts to improve the city for its citizens and watching everyone coming together for the betterment of our community,” she said peace and make our community and our region so much better.” Belpre Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Karen Waller Deana and Marvin Clark at the Ribbon Cutting Ceremony for the new Ohio Valley Opry Theater in Belpre BELPRE — After entertaining audiences for the past 24 years at the Twin City Opera House in McConnelsville the Ohio Valley Opry will kick off its 25th season in a new town and a new venue this month are bringing the show to Belpre in a newly renovated theater on Washington Boulevard just behind the Celebration Center Church the Clarks started the Opry in McConnelsville after spending years on the road traveling and performing gospel and country music with their family band After putting on monthly shows for thousands of country and gospel music fans over the past quarter century the Clarks were able to fulfill a longtime dream by renovating a building on the property of the Celebration Center They will host their first event there on the 19th of April “After spending 24 years in McConnelsville we felt it was time to take the next step to reach more people The opportunity to expand came at just the right time when the Celebration Center Church offered us the use of their beautiful facility,” said Deana Clark Their support allows us to continue our mission of bringing wholesome high-quality live music to people of all ages.” The new sign for the Ohio Valley Opry is up on Washington Boulevard in Belpre The advantages of moving the show to Belpre include better parking better and larger restroom facilities and a location that has the opportunity to bring the show to a whole new audience “Belpre is the heart of the Ohio Valley and for years we have felt it would be a great location for our show welcoming and has the capacity for us to grow our show,” said Clark “More importantly the Celebration Center shares our vision of creating a place where families can come together and enjoy uplifting traditional Shortly after the 2024 season ended with an Opry Christmas show in early December Marvin began to work on the new facility with the help of friends the Opry has brought to their stage some of country music’s biggest stars including Grand Ole Opry members Connie Smith Country Music and Bluegrass Hall of Famer Ricky Skaggs and his band Kentucky Thunder have performed on the show several times over the past few years OVO fans have become fond of many of the local performers that are regulars on the show as well as the staff band Many national stars have used them on the show instead of bringing a band from Nashville Ohio Valley Opry owners Marvin and Deana Clark receive a proclamation from the office of Ohio State Representative Michael Rulli at their ribbon cutting ceremony last week in Belpre “The show will continue to feature the same high-caliber talent that fans of the show have come to love ranging from local favorites to nationally known performers,” Deana said The Opry has introduced local fans to several young and upcoming artists such as The French Family and Lauren Mascitti as well as featuring tribute shows to famous parents by the likes of Dion Pride (Charley) Georgette Jones (George) and Marty Haggard (Merle) While up to this point the Opry was limited to just one show per month having their own theater will allow for unlimited possibilities “We are excited to grow and in addition to our regular monthly shows we plan to add more performances including weekday matinees for motor coach tours and senior groups,” she said “We want the Opry to be more than a show; we want it to be an experience that brings people together.” executive director of the Belpre Area Chamber of Commerce said she’s happy to see the venue and show come to Belpre Ohio Valley Opry founders and owners Marvin and Deana Clark address the crowd gathered at the ribbon-cutting ceremony last week at their new theater in Belpre “The Belpre Area Chamber of Commerce is proud to welcome the Ohio Valley Opry to our community live music regularly in a beautiful venue right here in Belpre,” said Waller music lovers and our economic growth.” Guests can enjoy an on-site Opry gift shop featuring T-Shirts books and memorabilia as well as a concession area for refreshments during shows We believe in creating moments that people remember whether it’s a classic country ballad a toe-tapping bluegrass tune or a heartfelt gospel song,” Dean Clark said “We get to do all that while working hand-in-hand with a church that values the same things so it’s a blessing to have their partnership and we’re excited for what’s ahead.” Information about purchasing tickets and upcoming shows can be found online at ohiovalleyopry.com BELPRE — Belpre City Council approved several ordinances and resolutions at its regular meeting Monday evening Council passed the second and third readings of an ordinance authorizing the mayor to apply for accept and enter into a cooperative agreement for construction of the supervisory control and data system for the water and sewer departments between the city and the Ohio Water Development Authority and declaring an emergency The emergency declaration will allow the ordinance to go into effect immediately following the third reading Council also approved all three readings of a pair of resolutions approving supplemental appropriations and a resolution authorizing the safety-service director to enter into a salt contract with the Ohio Department of Transportation Mayor Susan Abdella said the city is working on backflow letters to go out to all citizens and businesses that are required to have backflow prevention devices and have them inspected annually There will be three specific backflow letters going out to those required to have a device Those with a swimming pool will receive a letter encouraging them to add a vacuum-type device so water and chemicals from the pool will not siphon back into the system Those that have devices and have failed to provide proof of the annual inspection will receive a letter giving them 30 days to comply The third letter is for those that have devices and are current reminding them to have the device tested this year The city has started interviewing companies for the construction of the wastewater treatment plant “We are looking into state and federal funding opportunities for this project We have completed the initial interviews and will be selecting a company to provide us a scope and fee,” she said MARIETTA — Riverview Credit Union (RCU) and Kraton Belpre Federal Credit Union (KBFCU) have announced their merger The merger combines the strength of two respected credit unions allowing KBFCU members greater access to a comprehensive portfolio of banking products according to a press release announcing the merger The National Credit Union Administration (NCUA) and the KBFCU members have approved this merger The combined $115 million cooperative is projected to serve an estimated 8,000 members through a network of four RCU branches (Belpre has been unanimously approved by the Boards of Directors of RCU and KBFCU RCU and KBFCU will continue to operate independently until the system integration process is completed on or before Sept The newly combined organization will operate as Riverview Credit Union Laura Nelson will remain as Chief Operating Officer and Erica Dodge as Chief Lending Officer to round out the management team we’re bringing together our resources to build a more robust financial partner for our members and local communities,” said Healy President and CEO of Riverview Credit Union “Our vision is to provide an exceptional digital banking experience and the innovative products and services our members expect This merger is about investing in our members’ futures ensuring we’re positioned to meet their needs today and tomorrow.” Chairman of the Board for Kraton Belpre Credit Union “This collaboration with Riverview Credit Union presents an incredible opportunity to expand the financial possibilities for our members particularly with more financial technology to the younger demographics We are so pleased to be on board with RCU as we know they will continue their exceptional service for our KBFCU members and local communities.” Riverview Credit Union’s Board of Directors will now include two representatives from KBFCU Share on FacebookShare on X (formerly Twitter)Share on PinterestShare on LinkedInBELPRE,OH the City of Belpre issued a fee towards residents water bills The fee of $6 would be going to Belpre’s Replacement Water Tank Project and Replacement Water Main Project “The city knew that we needed a new water tower and some new lines,“ said Susan Abdella Our system is really at capacity right now.” Belpre City Council and Mayor Abdella approved bids for the construction of these projects Mid-Atlantic Storage Systems and Stonegate Construction will be tasked with the construction of the two projects Mid-Atlantic Storage Systems will be constructing a 2.5 million gallon water tank located on top of the hill near Farson St Abdella said the reason for the replacement water tank is due to the two water tanks in town being under capacity “They are each hold 500,000 gallons of water,” Sbdell Currently the city uses on an average a day 800 to 1,000,000 gallons of water The EPA and the requirements state that a municipality should have 2 1/2 times their daily use This means if we’re using a million and we only store a million Abdella adds that the city needs new water mains to help with the supported lines across town “There’s a lot of places in town that has low water pressure There’s a lot of places that we can’t add new customers because we do not have the capacity to continue to add on.” The water tank project for the City of Belpre will cost $4,258,030 while the water main project will cost $1,295,664 Abdella strongly emphasizes that these projects will still fall under the budget the city has in place She added that the projects should be completed by either late 2025 or early into quarter one of 2026 “The new infrastructure’s critical for us to grow.b It’s critical for our future We’re trying to take the projects that were started several years ago and get them across the finish line.” See an error in our reporting? Send us an email by clicking here! (Photo Illustration - MetroCreativeConnection) BELPRE — Belpre High School Interact Club a new organization of Belpre High School students facilitated by Rotary Club of Belpre will install a “Peace Pole” in Belpre on Earth Day 2025 according to Rotary Club of Belpre President Jeff Totten near the intersection of Blennerhassett Avenue and Washington Boulevard at a special Rotary bench area near the top of the hill in the park with 7-8 feet exposed above ground and decorated with Belpre High School students’ handprints and messages of peace Belpre Rotary Club supplied funds for this project plus a budget for other projects including a beautification project chosen by the students for this year The club’s organization is modeled after the local Rotary Club’s activities He expects similar poles to be erected in visible locations around Belpre in the future with the support of the local Rotary Club Belpre High School Interact Club currently has 12 members and is recruiting additional members through efforts of students Jasmine Madison and Eric Sinnett The youth group is advised by Belpre High School instructor Stacey White and Totten designated as a “Peacekeepers Club” for its activities in promoting peace hopes that the student organization will provide assistance with the adult club’s projects in exchange for support of youth community service projects Totten found information about the “Peace Pole” project from another rotary district’s poles installed at a Rotary park Belpre Rotary is a part of Rotary District 6690 He predicts the idea will spread and can see poles installed at other locations with the mission of peace Belpre High School Interact Club and other chapters are part of Rotary International’s efforts to “bring together young people ages 12-18 to develop leadership skills while discovering the power of Service Above Self,” according to Rotary website information BELPRE — Belpre held their first ever Easter Day Parade Saturday with more than 40 participants “There were approximately 45 units in the parade and there was candy galore,” Carrie Arnold director of the Belpre Christmas Lights Pageant said “The Belpre Christmas Lights Pageant Royalty is trying to bring fun new activities to our city I believe the parade along with the Glow Egg Hunt will become a new tradition for us.” Arnold said Gary Webb and the Belpre Church of Nazarene hosted this year’s Glow Egg Hunt She said she couldn’t be happier with the results from both events The parade assembled behind the football stadium at Belpre High School and traveled up Washington Boulevard to Civitan Park where the Easter Bunny was waiting afterwards “The turnout for the first ever Easter parade in Belpre was fabulous,” Arnold said “There were big smiles on everyone’s faces from parade participants to everyone lining the streets to watch the parade.” the last Washington Countywide Democratic officeholder has been unseated and a Belpre City Schools levy rejected in the spring was renewed Incumbent Washington County Recorder Tracey Wright a Democrat running for a ninth term in office reelection lost to Republican Teresa Judson by a margin of 62.85% to 37.15% Washington County Republican Party Chairman Joe Derkin announced a little after 9 p.m Tuesday that Judson’s victory means there are no longer any Democrats holding countywide office in Washington County “It’s a very nice feeling to say there’s no more Democrats in county offices,” Judson said The renewal of the levy for Belpre City Schools passed Tuesday night by around 350 votes according to the unofficial count of the seven precincts in the district from Tuesday’s general election The levy failed earlier this year during the primary election Belpre Superintendent Jeff Greenley was appreciative of the support and passage of the levy “We are grateful to the residents of Belpre on both sides of the issue,” he said The renewal is for 10 years for 3.18 mills The levy “is the backbone” of the school budget With nearly 60% of precincts reporting Tuesday night four-year term representing Ohio’s 30th Senate District unofficial results from the Ohio Secretary of State’s office Chavez was leading Democrat Ari Faber with 69% of the nearly 150,000 votes counted as of 10 p.m owner of Reno Oil and Gas LLC and Chavez Well Service was appointed to the seat in December following the retirement of Sen an outreach director at an Athens nonprofit who has lived as a man for several years and was listed on the ballot under his deadname Iva Faber due to state law requiring candidates who have had a former name in the past five years to list it on election petitions who was at the Washington County Republican headquarters Tuesday night waiting for the election results said he planned to “represent everyone in the district.” wanted people to know what he stood for and “didn’t go negative at all.” Chavez said he ran into some issues during his campaign due to voices on the fringes but said politics should be “about a difference of opinions that we work through.” Chavez said he plans to “work very hard” just like he has done for the last year and is “excited to work on a full term” and help eastern and southeastern Ohio Republican Washington County Commissioner Kevin Ritter won the race for the Ohio House of Representatives’ 94th District seat compared to Democrat Wenda Sheard’s nearly 31% Derkin announced that The New York Times had declared Ritter the winner of his race “I never thought I would be happy to hear an announcement from The New York Times,” Ritter said Ritter thanked everyone in the room for their support * The Fearing Township replacement levy for fire and emergency services passed with 369 votes (76.88%) for the levy and 111 votes (23.12%) against * The additional tax levy for the village of Matamoras for current operating expenses failed with 184 votes (59.25%) against the levy and 126 (40.65%) for * The additional tax levy for Grandview Township for fire and EMS passed with 345 votes (52.19%) for and 316 (47.81%) against * The additional tax levy for maintaining and operating cemeteries in Wesley Township failed with 246 votes (60.89%) against and 158 (39.11%) for * The additional tax levy for maintaining and operating cemeteries in Salem Township passed with 297 votes (52.11%) for and 273 (47.89%) against * The local liquor option in Matamoras and Grandview Township for Par Mar Store 4 at 1300 State Route 7 wine and mixed beverages passed with 170 votes (54.31%) in support and 143 (45.69%) against The separate question of whether the business can sell alcohol on Sundays had a tie vote The city of Belpre is working on a comprehensive park plan with American Structurepoint Inc BELPRE — The city of Belpre is reviewing possible proposals for renovations at Civitan Park from American Structurepoint Inc. some of which include potential plans for a hotel The city of Belpre announced on its Facebook page Thursday that American Structurepoint Inc presented three options to it for upgrades renovations and possible additions to Civitan Park According to photos included on Belpre’s Facebook page one concept design proposed is called “balanced.” It includes re-striped parking; a rain garden and green space near the pond; an inclusive playground and restrooms near the high school fields; two mixed-use turf sports fields; a kayak launch; serenity gardens; and a hotel with parking near the east side of the park and Washington Boulevard behind some of the existing businesses Another proposed concept design is called “athletics.” It includes an overlook near the boat ramp; a floating barge on the waterfront; a rain garden and green space near the pond; re-striped parking areas; a mixed-use turf sports field a youth sports field; sports courts near the high school fields; a hotel with parking near the east side of the park on Washington Boulevard next to the existing businesses; and a restaurant toward the part of the park that touches Blennerhassett Avenue next to the proposed mixed-use turf sports field listens as a representative from American Structurepoint Inc talks about possible plans and renovations at Civitan Park … the committee is reviewing (American Structurepoint’s) recommendations and we hope to roll out the final plan at the start of 2025,” the Facebook post said The city is working on a comprehensive park plan with the company but right now the plan is in its infancy so “there’s really not a lot to tell.” A month ago the city held a day of focus groups with about 90 participating from different sporting groups community groups and anyone that touches the park She said the participants were from different age groups and demographics and the purpose of the focus groups was “to try to figure out what people wanted” at the park American Structurepoint took the data from the focus groups and started working on options for the park Pictured is one of the tentative plans for Civitan Park that American Structurepoint is proposing to the city of Belpre Abdella said the planning for the park is in its infancy so she does not have the different options from Structurepoint in her possession and she emphasized that what American Structurrpoint proposed in the options is tentative She said whatever the city decides to do with the park will be impacted by the city’s drinking water being located in the park and this will dictate what could possibly be put in the park She said the steering committee will start putting stuff together soon and she thinks it will be about another month before the plan for the park is available for the public to review The city of Belpre is looking at plans for the park because it is aging infrastructure and it is time for the city to “look at what the community needs” and “figure out how we bring more of our people back to the park.” Abdella said she does not have information about the cost of any options for the park or where the funding would come from and that the city needs to make sure whatever money is spent is spent on what citizens want Michelle Dillon can be reached at mdillon@newsandsentinel.com Share on FacebookShare on X (formerly Twitter)Share on PinterestShare on LinkedInBELPRE Ohio (WTAP) - Belpre Police are investigating an incident after reports of a suspicious van in Belpre Belpre Police said they received several calls regarding males in a silver van in the 2200 block of Hill Street going door to door claiming to be from Nordic Energy Officers say these people did not obtain a solicitors permit Belpre Police say they also received an additional call reporting an attempted abduction where the same silver van offered candy to a juvenile in the 1600 block of Hill Steet The van was gone when officers arrived on scene Belpre Police reported that after speaking with the juvenile no attempt to get the juvenile in their van was made but they will continue to patrol the area for the van If you have a door to door salesman come to your door and refuse to show their permit from the City of Belpre or see any other suspicious activity to please call Dispatch at 740-423-7631 or call 911 (Money Matters - Photo Illustration/MetroCreative) BELPRE — Belpre City Council approved increases in Belpre’s water and sewer rates Council unanimously approved the third readings of the water and sewer increases at a special meeting Tuesday evening residential customers inside Belpre city limits will have a base rate of $13.14 and an additional $2.32 for every 1,000 gallons used For residential customers outside Belpre city limits the rate will be $26.28 plus $4.64 per 1,000 gallons Commercial water customers inside Belpre city limits will have a base rate of $19.71 and an additional $3.48 every 1,000 gallons used Commercial customers outside Belpre city limits rate will have a base rate of $19.71 and an additional $3.48 per 1,000 gallons used Each water bill will also include the $4 and $2 water improvement charges previously passed by council residential customers inside Belpre city limits will pay $10.88 for every 1,000 gallons of flow Residential customers outside Belpre city limits will pay $21.76 for every 1,000 gallons of flow Commercial sewer customers inside Belpre city limits will pay $16.32 for every 1,000 gallons of flow Commercial customers outside Belpre city limits will pay $21.76 for every 1,000 gallons of flow A community meeting will be held later this week the engineering firm working on the city’s park improvement plan Thursday to accept more public input on the plan is joined by Ohio Valley Opry owners Marvin and Deanna Clark to cut the ribbon on their new theater at 1944 Washington Blvd The first show at the new venue will be Saturday fights off a double team from Fort Frye’s Aubrie Lang (24) and Ella Dowler (24) during Thursday’s Ohio Division VI regional semifinal Ohio — Emmie Duskey wasn’t about to end her high school basketball career without advancing past the Sweet 16 Fort Frye cleared the regional semifinal hurdle for the first time in the last four tries including a third attempt for the Cadet senior after defeating Belpre 52-35 in a Division VI battle between Washington County schools “The last three times we made it here we didn’t make it past this point – so we got over the hump this time and we get to play in the regional final,” Fort Frye coach Dan Liedtke said Duskey knocked down five 3-pointers and scored a game-high 24 points as the 20-4 Cadets secured the right to meet Harvest Prep (12-13) for a 7 p.m opening tip Saturday at Pickerington North At stake is the right to play in the state tournament Harvest Prep defeated Federal Hocking 71-56 Fort Frye’s Ella Dowler (32) waits to pass to an open teammate during Thursday’s Ohio Division VI regional semifinal “I’m so happy we made it finally in my senior year because I’m not ready to be done,” Duskey said Belpre coach Austin Cunningham led Belpre girls basketball to just its second district title Not one girl on the roster ever experienced a postseason win until this year The Golden Eagles end the campaign at 17-8 “This was kind of a new playground for us,” Cunningham said “We were getting our girls some experience out here and hopefully that fires us up for the offseason so we can make another run We put Belpre on the map a little bit.” A stifling defense in the first half turned out to be the difference as Fort Frye limited Belpre to four made shots from the field while building a 24-10 halftime lead Belpre’s Gracie Bills (22) is defended by Fort Frye’s Ella Dowler during Thursday’s Ohio Division VI regional semifinal the Golden Eagles offense fell into a rhythm stops on Fort Frye’s end were at a premium Consecutive 3-pointers from Duskey gave the Cadets their largest lead at 42-21 in the final minute of the third period the two teams traded buckets in the fourth period and Fort Frye maintained a 20-point cushion at 52-32 on Duskey’s final three of the game Following a bucket from Gracie Bills and a Julia Way free throw Fort Frye essentially killed a majority of the 2 ½ minutes left on the clock “We couldn’t make our (scoring) runs tonight,” Cunningham said “Fort Fye attacked a little better than us.” Ella Dowler also scored in double figures for Fort Frye As one of four sophomores in the starting lineup Dowler played like a seasoned veteran after making her presence felt at the outset with a pair of 3-pointers in the first quarter as part of her 17 points “I think because we were so excited to play nerves were not a problem,” Dowler said “Us sophomores have definitely matured a lot throughout the season especially with the help of our senior leader Emmie is just an amazing leader for us and has helped us get to our potential.” Classmate Ava Huffman added nine points to go with five assists Even though Aubrie Lang didn’t score at 5-foot-4 she pulled down a game-high eight rebounds and gave up seven inches as part of her defensive assignment on Belpre senior Haley Alloway we work on that all the time – our girls don’t know any different,” Liedtke said we did a really nice job on their good players.” who is set to attend Mount Union next season played her final high school game scoring a team-high 15 points Sophomore teammate Gracie Bills finished with 13 points despite picking up two fouls in the first two minutes of the game and Belpre coach Austin Cunningham talk prior to Thursday’s Ohio Division VI regional semifinal at Pickerington North “We were able to hold down their two bigs – we practiced a lot on that and knew that would be a determining factor Our whole team had to come together and do this together,” said Duskey who is considered the elder statesman of the six girls who play in the regular rotation “They make my job easier because then all the pressure is on me Bills did not pick up another personal foul the rest of the night She shared team rebounding honors with senior Larissa McDaniel with five “Haley’s been a great leader,” said Cunningham McDaniel is planning to play for Garrett College “Both those girls love basketball and they have done a lot for us They helped this program get to where we did,” Cunningham added There’s been a lot of change at Belpre in girls basketball We’re learning as a team as we go to year two.” Contact Kerry Patrick at kpatrick@newsandsentinel.com BELPRE — Federal Hocking’s Annamarie Montle nearly established three meet records here Friday night at the .. (Police Reports - Photo Illustration/MetroCreative) BELPRE — Two young Belpre children who ran away in the early morning hours Friday have returned home had run away sometime in the middle of the night Friday and the Belpre Police stated in a Facebook post the children returned home early Friday morning and are safe Myers said a motorist on State Route 7 saw the children and contacted Belpre Police but the children left before an officer got there Washington County Sheriff’s Office Major Brian Rhodes said the children were seen near the area of Clement Avenue and State Route 7 Belpre officers and Sheriff’s Office deputies conducted a search of the area and Belpre officers also knocked on doors in the area “Our drone team had been contacted and came down to assist,” Rhodes said He said he was notified of the drones being used at around 3:41 a.m Myers said the children returned home before their parents woke up He also said the mother saw Facebook posts about children being spotted near State Route 7 and asked her children if they had heard anything at school about children running away and one of the children told her it was them The woman called the Belpre Police about 10 a.m and a Belpre Police officer and a Sheriff’s Office deputy went to talk to the mother to verify they were home and safe “They’re fine,” Myers said of the boys Neither Myers nor Rhodes has information on why the children ran away or why they returned home or if there have been any referrals made to Washington County Children Services regarding the incident Michelle Dillon can be reached at mdillon@newsandesentinel.com BEVERLY — Ohio Valley Timber works to provide customers with a variety of needs from building and landscaping materials and more from locations in both Beverly and Belpre Ohio Valley Timber originally started in 2006 as a timber company working in West Virginia where it bought timber and cut it at its Adkins Timber Sawmill in Beverly “We sawed it into boards to sell to different companies,” Office Manager Stephanie Adkins said the business bought the property at 825 St “We started a retail store selling mulch “Eventually we added drainage products mulch and culverts at the Beverly location on St They consider both locations to be part of the same business and they will send their customers to either locations With two employees at the Belpre location and two at the Beverly location the company is always working to meet customers’ needs “We strive to be there to get what the customer needs,” Adkins said of loading materials for transport that customers purchase They are able to deliver firewood by dump truck or semi from the Beverly location “It is split and we are able to scoop it out of the pile and load it into whatever people need dump trailer or whatever they bring to put it in,” Adkins said As wood is debarked certain pieces are ground up to create a natural mulch brown and black mulch which are sold to landscapers and people who need mulch The natural mulch is $25 a yard and the colored mulch is $45 a yard The firewood is $28 a bucket (a Bobcat skid-steer loader bucket) The other products such as drainage products river rock and so on are for customers who need those products Straw could be used for bedding for livestock or reseeding a piece of ground The drainage products could be used by people building a house who need to put in drains around it or replace a culvert that has been damaged “There are a lot of people who come and get those types of items,” Adkins said of both individuals and contractors looking at doing these kinds of projects The business does offer special rates for contractors and landscaping businesses but tax exempt organizations can fill out a form and have the sales tax taken off They work to keep their prices competitive with many of the big box stores Ohio Valley Timber does a lot of work with local townships and churches selling products they need in bulk for various jobs “We have sold mulch to different church organizations for their properties,” Adkins said “The townships have bought culverts and stone to use on jobs they are doing for repairs and building new culverts and other jobs they are doing.” Schools have used their mulch for landscaping work to make their facilities to look nice They do a lot of business throughout Washington and Morgan counties in Ohio and around the area they have donated mulch and sawdust to a number of local fairs for livestock shows They have many local 4-H participants who come on and buy it for their animals so Adkins said they wanted to be able to help out during the fairs when the kids show their animals They are a business that serves the needs of their customers “We have a product that we sell and it is a pretty good business,” Adkins said “People come in from Parkersburg and can pick up items they can’t find anywhere else.” The Belpre location can be reached at 740-315-0122 It can be reached at 740-566-2133 or 740-984-2768 the last Washington County-wide Democratic officeholder was unseated and a Belpre City Schools renewal levy that failed in the March primary passed a Democrat running for reelection for a ninth term in office lost to Republican challenger Teresa Judson by a margin of 62.85% to 37.15% Tuesday at Republican headquarters in Marietta that Judson’s victory means there are no longer any Democrats holding county-wide office in Washington County “It’s a very nice feeling to say there’s no more Democrats in county offices,” Judson said Tuesday evening Belpre City Schools sought a renewal of a levy that originally failed by a margin of 63 votes The purpose of the levy is to provide for the emergency requirements of the school district in the sum of $825,000 and a levy of taxes to be made outside of the ten-mill limitation estimated by the county auditor to average 3.18 mills for each $1 of taxable value which amounts to $111 for each $100,000 of the county auditor’s appraised value Approval of the levy does not add to district residents’ property taxes and it is used to fund day-to-day operation expenses like utility costs technology and laptops for students and special education needs Belpre Superintendent Jeff Greenley was appreciative Tuesday night of the support and passage of the levy With 100% of precincts reporting Tuesday night Chavez beat Democratic challenger Ari Faber by a margin of 69.42% to 30.58% or 104,726 votes to 46,143 was appointed to the seat in December following the retirement of state Sen an outreach director at an Athens nonprofit who has lived as a man for several years and was listed on the ballot under his deadname due to state law requiring candidates who have had a former name in the past five years to list it on election petitions said he planned to “represent everyone in the district.” compared to Democrat Wenda Sheard’s 30.71% or 16,334 votes and write-in candidate and independent Andrea Neutzling’s .01% or 7 votes which will be addressed during the canvass process BELPRE — Belpre City Council approved several resolutions during its regular meeting Monday night Council approved the first reading of a resolution authorizing the mayor to enter into a contract with the Washington County Water and Soil Conservation District and a resolution entering into a contract for the management of the Belpre Senior Center Additional readings will be held at future council meetings on both resolutions council approved all three readings of a resolution seeking a ruling from the Washington County Auditor whether a parcel owned by the Belpre VFD Inc Council also approved all three readings of a resolution authorizing the mayor to apply for and accept a water supply revolving loan agreement for work on the city’s water system Mayor Susan Abdella said the new ambulance purchased by the city in collaboration with the City of Belpre EMS Inc She asked for and received a voice vote to allow the sale of the old ambulance It is being decommissioned and the city would like to find it a new home “We are in process of determining the price for sale purpose,” Abdella said She also asked for and received a voice vote to start the process to purchase two cruisers The city budgeted for two last year and purchased one “Now we have one totaled and are working with insurance companies to resolve the value of the car,” she said Abella said she recently met with Buckeye Hills to discuss the wide scope of the city’s projects and discussed funding opportunities and the timing of each The city is in the process of submitting road projects for 2028-2029 with the Ohio Department of Transportation The city has interviewed several qualified candidates for the position of Utility Coordinator and a decision will be made soon This position will be handling the water monitoring software working with backflow and EPA regulations as well as assisting the water dept with the monthly readings and billing Council also welcomed newly-appointed council member Erica Campbell to the at-large seat vacated earlier this year by the resignation of Nate Godfrey 23 by the Belpre Republican Central Committee She previously ran for the Second Ward seat in 2023 in a race which went to Councilman Rick Seebaugh UPS Store of Belpre staff members Michelle Carr and Teri Life assist Belpre Senior Center Director Bonnie McGowan with depositing her documents for transport to a shredder during last year's shredding event The public is welcome to bring shreddable items to the store BELPRE — Belpre Area Chamber of Commerce is partnering with The UPS Store in Belpre for “Business and Community Shredding Event” set for Wednesday “We invite everyone to ‘get their shredding done’ after they clean out files and cabinets in their homes offices and businesses,” said Karen Waller Store manager Alicia Watson invites participants to bring up to five bags and/or boxes of paper to be shredded Total cost for that amount will be $5 for non-chamber members and $2.50 for Belpre Area Chamber members Shredding is not done on-site but transported in secure bins to a central shredding location Shreddables can be brought to the store during the event hours Store staff will assist unloading the bags and boxes for shedding pick-up For more information call BACC office at 740-423-8934 or The UPS Store at 740-780-4119 The event is facilitated through the chamber’s Community Committee which works to use chamber resources to provide services to the community as a whole with focus on expanding and retaining businesses in the Mid-Ohio Valley (Graphic Illustration - MetroCreativeConnection) BELPRE — The Underground Railroad in Southeastern Ohio has been declared a permanent exhibit at the Farmers Castle Museum in Belpre by the Ohio Department of Development and Tourism The exhibit is operated by the Belpre Historical Society as a site on the Ohio Historical Underground Railroad Trail a new exhibit gateway featuring a photomural developed by a team of local graphic artists at 6 p.m (Police Reports - Photo Illustration - MetroCreativeConnection) BELPRE — The Belpre Police Department released the following reports Dec of Belpre was served a summons for arrest on the charge of assault of Williamstown was cited for no operator license of Parkersburg was cited for expired registration of Little Hocking was cited for driving with no headlights of Belpre was arrested and transported to the Washington County Jail on the charge of fugitive from justice out of West Virginia of Cutler was cited for expired registration of Parkersburg was cited for drug paraphernalia of Belpre was cited for expired registration of Belpre was arrested and transported to the Washington County Jail on warrants for receiving stolen property complicity and possession of drug paraphernalia of Marietta was cited for driving under suspension and expired registration of Parkersburg was cited for no operator license of Parkersburg was transported to the Washington County Jail for a warrant on the charge of aggravated menacing of Parkersburg was transported to the Washington County Jail for warrants on the charges of violating a protection order and aggravated menacing of Belpre was arrested and transported to the Washington County Jail on the charges of domestic violence and unlawful restraint of Belpre was cited for driving under suspension and having fictitious registration He was also arrested and transported to the Washington County Jail on the charge of probation violation of Walker was cited for driving under suspension was arrested and transported to the Washington County Jail on the charge of possession of schedule II controlled substance of Belpre was cited for disorderly conduct of Belpre was cited for driving under suspension of New Martinsville was cited for expired registration of Elizabeth was arrested and transported to the Washington County Jail on charges of obstructing official business possession of drug paraphernalia and no license plate light of Coolville was arrested and transported to the Washington County Jail on three felony drug warrants of Reedsville was cited for fictitious registration and expired operator license of Parkersburg was arrested and transported to the Washington County Jail on a warrant out of the Washington County Sheriff Office for the charge of failure to appear for driving under suspension of Belpre was arrested and transported to the Washington County Jail on the charge of domestic violence Voters at the junior fair building at the Washington County Fairgrounds cast their votes in Tuesday’s election The facility serves as the voting location for a large portion of Marietta You are using an outdated browser. Please upgrade your browser to improve your experience Ohio (WOUB) — The Waterford Wildcats (19-1 10-0 TVC-Hocking) traveled to Belpre to take on the Belpre Golden Eagles (13-7 7-3 TVC-Hocking) and found themselves in an aggressive match up Despite the Golden Eagles finding themselves leading after the first quarter the Wildcats surged ahead and took home a 44-34 win to close out conference play The frustrated Wildcats racked up five team fouls in the first quarter alone This aggressive effort from Belpre led by Gracie Bills paid off and the Golden Eagles found themselves ahead of Waterford 13-10 to wrap up the first quarter the Wildcats came out ready for revenge in the second quarter Ava Hurley ignited with energy and forced Belpre to foul on a break away Hurley made yet another layup and the Golden Eagles called a timeout Belpre couldn’t find a way to catch Waterford The Wildcats held the Golden Eagles to zero points in the second quarter and both teams headed to the locker room with the Wildcats leading 23-13 In the third quarter Waterford asserted dominance with senior superstar Kendall Sury finding a rhythm of her own Despite their tight defense and putting up shots the Golden Eagles couldn’t match the explosion of Sury She put up 15 points to launch the Wildcats to a 23-point lead to conclude the third quarter Belpre was forcing jump balls and hustling on defense in an attempt to catch up with the runaway Wildcats in the fourth quarter The Golden Eagles found a last-minute eruption of energy and cut the deficit to 10 points with the efforts of Gracie Bills and Julia Way Bills wrapped up the game with 15 points and 14 rebounds Waterford finished up the regular season undefeated in the conference Head Coach Jerry Close said he’s proud of the girls who came off the bench and stepped up due to sickness spreading around the team They are preparing to tip off with Williamstown this upcoming Saturday at 6 p.m works on replacing a bad strand of lights on a display recently at the committee’s workshop in Belpre The group has put out over 90% of their holiday displays which are expected to be lit up on the evening of Thanksgiving Day BELPRE — ‘Tis the season to light up the holidays again Volunteers have been busy setting up the Christmas lighting displays in Belpre for the annual Holiday Lights Festival at Howes Grove Park “Things have been shaping up really well as we have had good weather to do this in,” said Darien Lorentz of the Belpre Holiday Lights Committee “We have around 95% of the stuff up and we are right on schedule “We are looking forward to this season as we have made two to three new displays plus we have repaired a number of bad ones.” Volunteers were at the Belpre Holiday Lights workshop behind the city building on Tuesday as rain fell outside replacing light strands and getting the remaining lighting displays ready to put out in time for the Christmas season Karen Lott checks out a lighting display held by Matt Bremar at the Belpre Holiday Lights garage where volunteers are making final repairs and checks before putting out the remaining holiday lights displays around Belpre Some of the new displays include a number of snow people that will be put up at Howes Grove Park and a car-shaped display at Civitan Park The group started putting up the displays the second week of October “We have had good help and a lot of help from the city to get them up,” Lorentz said We are still making new displays that we are hoping to get out for this season before things start.” Everything will be ready to go and lit up on the evening of Thanksgiving Day “That’s so families who have relatives in will have the opportunity to see our displays up,” Lorentz said They are putting up around 160 displays with over 2 million lights throughout the town from a carousel at the center of Civitan Park to a number of displays lined up at Howes Grove Park The lighthouse display will return at the boat landing along the Ohio River checks a lighting display before volunteers take it out to set up in Belpre The holiday lights in Belpre will be lit up on the evening of Thanksgiving Day The Belpre Holiday Lights came about as a result of a number of larger communities around the area having holiday displays that people had to drive to in order to see A group of local people got interested in doing it locally so people don’t have to drive far to see a nice display “The community has been very supportive of it,” Lorentz said “We have people who come through every night it is up “We have a lot of repeat customers.” Christmas Eve is always a busy night as families bring out their children to entertain them get them sleepy so they can get them to bed early and prepare for the arrival of Santa Claus The lighting displays are made and maintained by a group of volunteers to noon at the garage behind the Belpre City Building throughout the year People can participate as their time allows “We are always looking for new help to come in and join us,” Lorentz said “We are open to new ideas from others who want to help “We have a nice area to do this in.” They have had around 10-12 people regularly working on the displays Karen Lott of Belpre came to the group this past October and has been helping get the displays in working order On Tuesday she was checking lights and helping to remove bad light strands to be replaced “I needed time away from the house to do something creative,” she said “I am here at least three days a week.” She is fascinated by how things work and figuring out why things aren’t working “I like figuring it out and fixing it,” Lott said “They have taught me how to fix it.” will be on the Ohio Lights Trail again this year with people coming in from as far as Pittsburgh to see the lights “We do this to provide joy to the community so they can go and see good displays without having to travel great distances,” Lorentz said “People are able to see them over and over “The community is really supportive and that makes us excited to do it When people enjoy things then you are excited to be able to provide it for them and do the work We always have a good time doing the projects.” The new DG Market in Belpre will open Saturday at 8 a.m BELPRE — Dollar General has opened its new DG Market at 2604 Washington Blvd The new DG Market store features an expanded selection of fresh meats brands and products that Dollar General carries the company plans to host a grand opening event Saturday at 8 a.m. which will include $10 complimentary gift cards to the first 50 adult customers and DG tote bags to the first 100 customers “We are excited to provide Belpre residents with our new DG Market format and look forward to welcoming customers to our new location,” said Matthew Simonsen Dollar General’s senior vice president of real estate and store development we believe the addition of our new Belpre store provides positive economic growth for the community through the creation of new jobs and career growth opportunities; increased accessibility to affordable products; the generation of tax revenue and access to Dollar General Literacy Foundation grants We strive to provide a pleasant shopping experience to customers and look forward to being a strong business partner and good neighbor.” To commemorate the opening of DG’s new location Dollar General also plans to donate 100 new books to a nearby elementary school to benefit students ranging from kindergarten to fifth grade Dollar General plans to create new jobs in the Belpre community as the store is expected to employ approximately 10-15 people, depending on the individual needs of the store. Individuals interested in joining the DG team may review available positions and apply online at www.dollargeneral.com/careers The company provides employees with competitive wages training and development programs and benefits including day-one telemedicine eligibility as well as health insurance coverage options paid parental leave and adoption assistance to eligible employees DG strives to be a good neighbor and is committed to the communities it proudly calls home evidenced by unwavering support of literacy and education initiatives through the Dollar General Literacy Foundation Finance News (Photo Illustration/MetroCreative) BELPRE — Work to improve Belpre’s water infrastructure is underway In a special meeting Wednesday evening Belpre City Council approved all three readings on a pair of ordinances awarding bids for a new water tank and new water lines in the city of Belpre The ordinances provided a conditional notice of award to Mid Atlantic Storage Systems Inc for different aspects of the projects to install a new 2.5 million gallon water storage tank and new water lines Mayor Susan Abdella said both bids came in under budget Councilman John Ambrozy confirmed the approved bids as $1,129,664 to Stonegate and $4,258,030 to Mid-Atlantic Abdella told council that pending approval from the EPA the projects should begin construction within two or three months with a projected completion by the end of 2025 or the first quarter of 2026 Members of the Belpre High School marching band make their way up Washington Boulevard playing Christmas music and festively arrayed during the Belpre Holiday Lights Parade Saturday Participants collected 472 canned good items to donate to families in the community according to the parade’s Facebook page BELPRE — The Belpre Area Veterans will be holding a food drive March 29 from 9 a.m.-1 p.m in the lot of the Wash-Rite Unlimited Express Wash storage building at 1004 Washington Blvd. Belpre (in the Kroger’s shopping center) All proceeds will be given to the Belpre Area Ministries Food Pantry Some of the commonly requested items are: saltine crackers Cash or checks (payable to BAM) are also welcome