Originally published Aug. 23, 2024

BELMONT COUNTY, Ohio – Traffic was backed up again along I-470 westbound late Friday morning into the afternoon from the 70/470 split past the 214 on-ramp.

ODOT says a contractor is doing repair work along the shoulders and median along 470 today, and traffic should only be effected one day, Friday.

Originally published Aug. 23, 2024

ST. CLAIRSVILLE, Ohio – A four-legged friend at the Belmont County Sheriff’s Office is celebrating a special occasion Friday.

August 23 marks therapy dog Jersey’s sixth birthday, and her handler, Jen Yuhase, says the 90-pound St. Bernard makes a positive impression on the people she meets.

Yuhase trained Jersey, who started off as her pet, with the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office as a therapy dog. She mainly works at the Belmont County Courthouse where she comforts both children and adults alike.

Yuhase explained that Jersey has helped children, adults facing divorce and even people being sentenced to jail to take a moment and collect their thoughts. They can pet Jersey and talk to her, and Yuhase says Jersey intuitively knows when someone needs help.

Jersey has a superpower. She has a presence that calms people down.

Jen Yuhase, Belmont County Sheriff’s Office. Jersey’s handler

Yuhase recounted a recent interaction Jersey had with an autistic boy. The boy’s mother saw Jersey and said her son did not like animals, but the boy instantly bonded with Jersey and sat beside her to pet her.

Besides being an employee of the Belmont County Sheriff’s Office and Jersey’s handler, Yuhase fosters dogs in need of homes.

Originally published Aug. 22, 2024

BRIDGEPORT, Ohio – Traffic remains snarled in the Bridgeport area following ODOT’s closure of the Blaine Hill Bridge, but another ODOT project there is compounding the congestion.

Morgan Eibel, Regional Public Information Officer for ODOT, told River News Network earlier this month that culvert work on Route 40 east of the bridge is part of the traffic issue.

Even the ODOT Project Engineer, who lives in Bridgeport, experiences the traffic problem on his way to and from work, and is trying to find a solution.

Regarding Bridgeport, our Project Engineer and the contractor have worked to try and program the signals to allow traffic flow to the best of their ability. Our Project Engineer lives in Bridgeport and experiences this traffic daily when going to and from work. He is extremely familiar with the back ups and again is doing his best to try to alleviate the situation.

Lauren Borell, Public Information Officer, ODOT District 11

Earlier this month, ODOT checked timing on temporary traffic lights there and found no problems. They said vehicles were crossing the double yellow line and not actuating the signal.

ODOT said some adjustments were made to the detection zone and revised timing installed in the controller to increase the max green time on mainline.

Traffic is backed up approximately one mile at times, especially in mid-afternoon and evening. Residents tell River News Network that cars are blocking their driveways and they are concerned whether emergency vehicles can navigate the traffic snarl.

River News Network journalists witnessed traffic backed up from the I-70 interchange to the Comcast building in Brookside this week.

Originally published Aug. 8, 2024

BELMONT COUNTY, Ohio – The American Legion Post 632 building in Glencoe was destroyed in a fire in February 2023, but its members are moving forward with plans to find a new place to call their permanent home.

Glencoe American Legion members Marissa Eikleberry and William Russell asked Belmont County Commissioners on Wednesday why their group was denied a $300 payment for American flags placed on veterans’ graves at the Glencoe-Warnock Cemetery.

Eikleberry told commissioners that the Neffs American Legion had ordered the flags for Glencoe but were allegedly told that Glencoe could not be paid the $300 since they did not have a building.

Jerry Echemann, Vice President of the Board of Commissioners, told Eikleberry the board would look into the payment matter.

Eikleberry says the Glencoe American Legion is fighting to make a comeback and has raised $41,000 so far for a building fund. She says the group tried to purchase a firehouse for their new home but was blocked by some members of the Glencoe Economic Committee.

The Glencoe American Legion is holding meetings at the Glencoe Senior Center until it finds a permanent home. The legion also has a women’s auxiliary group.

Originally published Aug. 21, 2024

BELMONT COUNTY, Ohio – Belmont County property owners may have sticker shock when they see their next tax bills, which could increase by up to 20 percent. But residents have a chance to dispute their property value and perhaps lower their tax bill.

River News Network looked into the property tax increase in an exclusive interview with

Belmont County Auditor Cindi Henry.

Henry explained that Belmont County is not increasing your taxes. The increase comes from a statewide re-evaluation of property values across the state of Ohio which occurs every six years.

Belmont County hired property appraisal teams which have been doing valuations across the county. They check for things like exterior home improvements including decks, garages and buildings that can increase a property’s value. Appraisers took photos of properties and aerial surveys were also completed in seasons where there were no leaves on the trees that would obstruct views.

Henry said not all property owners were cooperative. Some workers were met with shotguns and other people refused to open property gates.

Henry said the state tax system is overly complicated, but Ohio determines what counties can do.

It’s extremely convoluted. We have to do what they tell us to do.

Cindi Henry, Belmont County Auditor

Residents in all 88 Ohio counties are subject to the complex and pricey tax system. The state does not do property re-evaluations all at once. Instead, they are staggered by groups of counties.

Henry said Belmont County residents do have recourse if they disagree with their property values, though.

Property owners can schedule an informal hearing with the auditor’s staff at the Belmont County Courthouse. Henry strongly encourages residents to take advantage of the informal hearing.

The Belmont County Auditor’s office is mailing bright yellow cards later this week to residents to let them know about the informal hearing process. Residents can call for an appointment or scan the QR code on the card to schedule an appointment online.

Henry said the appointments will be scheduled at times most convenient for property owners, including after regular business hours and on Saturdays. Informal hearings will be held this summer and into the fall.

It’s important for residents to address any questions they have on their property values now since increased values could affect their mortgages if they are escrowed by the lender, says Carly Stephen, Real Estate Manager for the Belmont County Auditor’s office.

The values could also change tax bills, and the auditor’s office wants residents to have a chance to review and question the amounts, Stephen said.

Henry explained if residents are not satisfied with the outcome of the informal hearing, they can go to the next level and request a “BTA” hearing from the state in Columbus. She said in some cases, property owners can have tax overages reimbursed or applied to the next tax bill.

Henry said the auditor’s office has been revamped since she came onboard three years ago. One of their biggest improvements was a new website that breaks down where your taxes go to the penny.

You can see your updated property value on the auditor’s site here.

The site also shows how much of your tax money goes to levies, which can be substantial.

Follow River News Network online and on Facebook for more details on the new Belmont County auditor’s website and how much of your tax money goes to levies.

BELMONT COUNTY, Ohio – Property taxes are rising by 20 percent in Belmont County but other parts of the state are seeing increases up to 50 percent, according to Belmont County Auditor Cindi Henry.

Belmont County property taxes could increase by 20 percent

The increases are part of a state-mandated property revaluation system that requires counties to reassess property values every six years.

Henry says the tax system is broken and her office has no control over the increases.

We have to do something to fix our fractured tax system, and I have no control over it. The state dictates what we do.

Belmont County Auditor Cindi Henry

Henry said in addition to the six-year state review, her office does also does a triannual review to check for property upgrades. Villages and cities also report upgrades or property changes to the auditor’s office.

She said new software the auditor’s office now uses makes the revaluation process easier for her staff and property owners. She has also found procedural and other errors that have now been fixed.

We have uncovered so much with our new software.

Belmont County Auditor Cindi Henry

Henry explained that auditor’s office staff is allowed to step on a resident’s property to complete an assessment but they do not enter backyards or inside homes. They take a photo of the front of the house which can be seen online but Henry said property owners can request that photos not be posted.

Henry said the auditor’s office has been revamped since she came onboard three years ago. One of their biggest improvements was a new website that breaks down where your taxes go to the penny.

ST. CLAIRSVILLE, Ohio – With the impending closure of the AMC Classic Mall 11 Movie Theatre at the Ohio Valley Mall, movie fans are asking if their favorite films will ever return to the shopping center.

Joe Bell, Director of Corporate Communications for Cafaro Company, owners of the Ohio Valley Mall, has good news for theatre patrons. Bell says the mall leasing office is looking for a better entertainment operation to take AMC’s place.

Our leasing office is always looking for a better operation to provide the quality entertainment our guests expect.

Joe Bell, Director of Corporate Communications for Cafaro Company

Bell says movies have played at Ohio Valley Mall theatres since the mall opened in 1978.

He says the AMC closure is not indicative of an industry-wide trend in shuttering theatres or fewer people going out to the movies due to the popularity of streaming. Rather, AMC was having issues.

The AMC chain has been having some difficulties.

Joe Bell, Director of Corporate Communications for Cafaro Company

AMC Entertainment Holdings, Inc. (AMC) “is the largest movie exhibition company in the United States, the largest in Europe and the largest throughout the world with approximately 900 theatres and 10,000 screens across the globe,” according to their website.

Despite its size, published reports say the company has financial difficulties and has closed multiple theatres across the U.S. this year.

The AMC theatre at the Ohio Valley Mall is closing Sunday, September 8.

Originally published Sept. 6, 2024

HARRISON COUNTY, Ohio – Residents in one Harrison County town are taking their concerns over a potentially dangerous traffic situation to the streets by putting up their own warning signs.

There are two hand-painted signs along U.S. Route 250 in Georgetown in Short Creek Township warning truck drivers to slow down before someone gets killed.

Georgetown sits at the bottom of two hills along U.S. 250 and there are some sharp curves along the roadway. Navigating this stretch of highway can be difficult and speeding increases the chances for an accident.

The speed limit through Georgetown in 35 miles per hour.

River News Network contacted the Harrison County Sheriff’s Office and the Ohio Highway Patrol St. Clairsville Post about the speed limit. The sheriff’s office referred us to the Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT). The Ohio Highway Patrol did not respond.

Lauren Borell, Public Information Officer for ODOT District 11 tells River News Network that ODOT is aware of the speeding issue and will add additional speed limit and curve warning signs along the highway.

ODOT is aware of the concerns regarding the speed limit not being followed along this section of U.S. Route 250. ODOT will be installing additional speed limit signage to indicate the speed zone more clearly.

Additionally, we will evaluate the curve warning signage to ensure that it effectively delineates the curves through this section of roadway.

Lauren Borell, Public Information Officer for ODOT District 11

Borell adds that the Ohio State Highway Patrol has also been informed of the residents’ concerns through this section of U.S. Route 250.

Originally published

WHEELING, W.Va. – It’s anchors away this week at Wheeling’s Heritage Port with the arrival of Navy ship the USS List-325.

The USS List-325 docked in Wheeling Thursday and all hands will be on deck through Tuesday to welcome visitors aboard to tour the ship, which is the last fully operational World War II Landing Ship Tank (LST).

Ken Rupp, Cruise Director and Watch Captain, says the ship travels the eastern U.S. rivers and waterways each summer as a functional museum educating the public about the roles of LST ships in World War II, the Korean War and the Vietnam War.

The ship was commissioned in 1943 and was used in the invasion of Sicily. Rupp says the ship remained with the the U.S. Navy until the early 1960s when it was sold to the the Greek Navy. It returned to the United States in the early 2000s and became a museum ship.

He explained that the USS List-325 is a flat-bottomed ship that rises 3 feet at its front, making it suitable for navigating shallower waters like the Ohio River in addition to the ocean. Rupp says ships that are solely ocean-going vessels have v-shaped bottoms.

Rupp says the ship is based in Evansville, Indiana and has traveled the Ohio, Mississippi and Illinois Rivers plus inland lakes and waterways in the east including ones in Nashville and Chatanooga.

The USS List-325 sets sail each summer with a crew of around 45 volunteers who sleep and eat on board while sailing at a pace of 8 to 10 miles per hour. The volunteers are dressed in red shirts and are happy to guide visitors on the tour when they dock and answer questions.

Visitors can see the tank deck where 20 Sherman tanks were housed. You can also climb the steps to the mess deck and galley and see the anti-aircraft guns. There are also bunks made of fabric stacked from floor to ceiling where the sailors slept.

Rupp says it takes about 45 to 90 minutes to tour the ship and see its exhibits but there is no time limit and some people stay a few hours.

Rupp explained that a non-profit group, U.S. Memorial Ship, Inc. owns the USS List-325.

The ship will be docked at Wheeling’s Heritage Port from now through Tuesday, September 10 and open for tours from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission is $15 for adults, $7 for children and free for children age 6 and under.

For more information on the USS List-325, visit the ship’s website

Originally published Aug. 5, 2024

BELMONT COUNTY, Ohio – The cleanup of the 13,000 tons of oil field waste, including radioactive waste, is underway at the Austin Master facility in Martins Ferry.

Karina Cheung, ODNR Spokesperson, tells River News Network that the agency began phase one of the cleanup Tuesday, July 23. A contractor who has a state contract is now working at the site, she says. This first phase of the cleanup should take approximately three weeks.

The ODNR contractor will remove the waste from Martins Ferry and ship it by truck for disposal in landfills in Pennsylvania, Cheung explained.

The waste from the first phase of the clean up will be transported by truck and lawfully disposed in residual waste landfills in Pennsylvania. 

Karina Cheung, ODNR Spokesperson

The Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) Division of Oil & Gas Resources Management is accepting bids for the second phase of the waste removal and for restoration of the site, Cheung says. Approximately 20 contractors attended a pre-bid walkthrough for this additional contract July 23.

Cheung says once the second contract is finalized, the additional work must be completed within 9 months of that contract. 

The second phase of the clean up may consist of shipments of waste by truck and or rail.

Check the River News Network website or follow us on Facebook for updates to this and other local News That Matters.