It was reported during the 1990s that the people of the Upper Ohio Valley would have to experience a change from being an industrial region to a service industry, but no one told anyone it would mean the addition of a second job to survive.
Free trade agreements with foreign nations, the evolution of the internet, and political attacks on organized labor have resulted in lower wagers and higher profit margins for big-box retailers and national chain restaurants in the last 10 years. Unemployment in the country today is low, and the stock market, although turbulent, remains strong overall.
Those worldwide corporations, however, do not do business here in the valley area, but the decade began with former state senator Andy McKenzie as the mayor of Wheeling. He was intent on adding economic development to a downtown that had been stagnant and decaying for two decades, and McKenzie and his council were successful with transforming the district with loft apartments, the demolition of most of the 1100 block, and the construction of the new Health Plan headquarters.
The structure, located where G.C. Murphy’s did business for years, represents the first privately funded new building in the downtown since the mid-1980s, when the Boury Center opened at 1233 Main St.
Despite the progress, Wheeling voters chose a different direction with the election of a new mayor and five new council representatives. Attorney Glenn Elliott was selected as mayor, and Chad Thalman (Ward 1), Brian Wilson (Ward 3), Wendy Scatterday (Ward 4), Ty Thorngate (Ward 5), and Dave Palmer (Ward 6) won their ward races. Ken Imer from Ward 2 was the only incumbent returned to office, and he won by only one vote.
The municipal election in Wheeling was not the only significant story since 2010 here in the Upper Ohio Valley, and following is a listing of some of top tales told.
Drugs and Murder
Illegal narcotics have caused great grief across the country, and that includes here in the Northern Panhandle and in East Ohio. The number of overdoses tremendously increased over the past 10 years, and hundreds of lives were lost as a result.
Violence accompanied the drugs, too, and a pair of connected murders took place in Wheeling. On Oct. 9, 2015, Lemroy Coleman was shot, killed, and found in an East Wheeling alley, and Dallas Acoff finally pled guilty to attempted murder this year after years of litigation.
Live Nation Kills Jamboree in the Hills
It had been a tradition since the late 1970s, but in November 2018 company officials announced that the 2019 four-day festival would not take place near Morristown. Those officials used the term, “hiatus” at the time, but Chris Dutton, co-founder of the new Blame My Roots Festival, was notified that JITH is dead and gone for good. Dutton began announcing the lineup for the 2020 Blame My Roots Festival a little more than a month ago, and Neal McCoy will be one of the headliners this July.
The Evolution of the Ohio Valley Mall
Consumers in the past four decades have seen stores come and go at the Ohio Valley Mall, but over the last 10 years a continued commitment has been made on the part of the Caffaro Co. While all of the original anchor stores have closed, Boscov’s Department Store opened three years ago where J.C. Penney was, a Dunham Sports and a four-story Hampton Inn have replaced the Kmart, and Michael’s Crafts currently occupies the former L.S. Good. Sears, the first store to open at the mall in 1977, closed this past year, and how the company will fill the space is an unknown at this time.
Nailers Nearly Claim Kelly Cup
The members of Wheeling’s minor-league hockey team did not know if the Nailers would qualify for the ECHL’s postseason with only two games left on the schedule, but two wins and an incredible playoff run later, they found themselves facing the Allen Americans for the league championship.
The beat Florida, 4-2, and then Reading, 4-3, and the Nailers defeated South Carolina in the semifinals in seven games. Unfortunately, Wheeling failed in the finals, losing to the Americans, 4-2.
Gas. Oil. A Cracker?
For more than a decade the gas and oil industries have operated in the Upper Ohio Valley, and over the last 10 years, the activity has grown at a tremendous pace in East Ohio and the Northern Panhandle. Hydraulic fracking and pipeline installations have allowed for record-setting production of gas and oil in both states.
And, since 2015, local residents have awaited word on a proposed petrochemical “cracker” plant in Belmont County, a facility that many believe will be an industrial resurrection for a Rust Belt region.
Bannergate at Brooke High
It was October 2017, and seniors at Brooke High School were intent on inspiring spirit for a game against Perry High, a predominantly black school in Pittsburgh.
The banner read, “Trump Perry.” It was patriotic week at the high school, and it was intended to reference winning as well as the president, but many on the other side of the field viewed it differently. In fact, it was called racist, drawing an apology from the former superintendent in Brooke County but energizing a few Bruins to defend their real intentions. The controversy attracted national attention, too, with Student Body President Ashley Eby appearing on CNN so she could explain the confusion.
The Streetscape Debate
It is a project that was initially proposed in 2015 after an established agreement between the former mayor and the former governor of West Virginia, Earl Ray Tomlin. However, nearly five years later, the design has not been finalized, and the funding is not yet in place, and that’s because a pair of federal grants were denied and because of a debate about two-way streets.
Mayor Elliott was a stubborn supporter for changing Main and Market streets from one-way to two-way, but citizens created petitions, and downtown businesses urged the Wheeling Area Chamber of Commerce to denounce the alteration. When a letter was sent to the city, the proposal was abandoned, and local citizens are hoping for at least paving, sidewalk repair, and upgrading the ADA access ramps will take place beginning this year.
Roll Red Roll?
The city of Steubenville was in the national news for all the wrong reasons beginning in August 2012, when, at a teenage drinking party, a 16-year-old girl from Weirton was transported to the party, undressed, photographed, and violated. Two players on Steubenville’s Big Red football team, Trent Mays and Ma’lik Richmond, were charged after social media photos were discovered on Twitter and another platform.
National TV networks covered the support rallies that took place in front of the Jefferson County Courthouse, where Mays and Richmond were being tried as juveniles, and Anonymous member Deric Lostutter hacked into the team website and recovered materials he later released. The two students were found guility, and Richmond was sentenced to one year and Mays to two years. Richmond was released in January 2014, and Mays was free in January 2015. In March 2017, Lostutter was sentenced two years in federal prison.
Profits before Players?
Robert Nutting became the owner of the Pittsburgh Pirates on Jan. 12, 2007, after his father became involved with an ownership group that retained the franchise for Pittsburgh in 1996, but his tenure as chairman of the board has drawn widespread criticism from media outlets and fans alike. Since 2010, the Pirates have posted only four winning seasons and three postseason appearances while traded-away players have competed for world championships.
The fan base has reacted, too, by not buying tickets for games at PNC Park, a venue often voted as the best in big-league baseball, during seasons of misery. In 2019, Pittsburgh recorded a 69-93 record and attracted only 1.49 million fans, the second lowest total since a 57-105 campaign in 2010. But during the three playoff seasons between 2013-15, the Pirates draw more than 7 million fans to the stands, including an all-time high 2.498 million during the club’s 98-64 season.
Should Be National News
Here are a few hints: It began in 1979, continued this past March to make it 40 in a row, and by all accounts, it’s a national record but not national news.
What is it?
Of course, it’s the streak owned by the Wheeling Park Speech and Debate team in the West Virginia Championships that take place each winter. Fran Schoolcraft was the faculty adviser when the dynasty was born, and Bill Cornforth has been successful with guiding the students to the title each year since. The string of victories have been celebrated by many of today’s parents who were champions during their high school days, and again when their children have achieved the same during the last decade.
