Afroman breaks it down
Written by Hannah Campbell, Photos by Ashley Beach Adams County’s great entertainer talks fame, fortune and front doors. Unlike many rap artists, Joseph Foreman, better known as Grammy-nominated artist Afroman, prefers a laid-back lifestyle rather than the hustle and bustle of a major city, such as L.A. He wanted somewhere where he could work, worship […]
Read MoreWhere the wild things live
Written and Photos by Anna Millar Concealed by the winding roads of Pedro, Ohio, is Barker Farm Zoo, an exotic oasis meant to share experiences with animals and wildlife education throughout the state. Kate Barker and her husband began the farm in 2016 with Daniel, their dromedary camel and first exotic addition. Since then, Barker […]
Read MoreBellaire restores Great Stone Viaduct
Written by Donovan Hunt, Photos by Jessica Stelzer. The Great Stone Viaduct has stood tall for over 150 years, connecting Bellaire, Ohio, to Benwood, West Virginia, over the Ohio River by rail. Construction on the bridge began in 1870, five years after the Civil War, and each arch is supported by 37 ring stones representing […]
Read MoreLloyd’s Pizzeria dishes out savory food and family fun
Written by Juliana Colant, Photos by Hannah Campbell. Pizza photo from Photo from: https://www.lloyds-pizzeria.com/. Lloyd’s Pizzeria finds its home in Waverly, Ohio. The city has a population of over 4,100 people, according to the latest U.S. census figures. When a pizza craving hits, there are about eight pizza shops in town to choose from, from […]
Read MorePure Prairie League Band rocks on
Written by Max Abbatiello, Photos by Jessica Stelzer The terms “longevity” and “stability” don’t necessarily apply to bands. In fact, the average life expectancy of any band is seven years, according to film director and DJ Don Letts. Rarely does a rock band manage to stay alive for more than a decade. Even rock legends, […]
Read MoreCherokee Valley Bison Ranch’s a-grazing
Written by Alex Ifft, Photos by Zach Vogeler From the brink of extinction to a remarkable resurgence, the history of bison is a testament to time. Bison faced annihilation in the early 19th century. However, thanks to the dedication of conservationists as well as help from farmers and ranchers, their numbers have rebounded. As years […]
Read MoreSoutheast Ohio’s newest farmers turn their passions into full time jobs
Written by Donovan Hunt, Photos by Ashley Beach Julie Sharp has dreamed of starting a farm for many years and about 18 months ago, she made her dream a reality, but some of the hardest lessons have come from as she says her dreams hitting reality. One day, Sharp had nearly finished bush-hogging her pasture […]
Read MoreVinton County’s delicious Air Show’s Chicken Tradition
Written and photos by Zach Vogeler The Vinton County Air Show is one of the most popular and successful events of its kind in the heart of Ohio. It dates to the 1970s and attracts around 5,000 attendees annually. During the one-day event, cars crowd the grassy parking lot, lawn chairs dot the viewing area […]
Read MoreRandall Crossen Sr.’s Service to Safety
Written by Cole Patterson, Photos by Jessica Stelzer The year was 1975 when Randall Crossen Sr. first experienced the heat of firefighting. It was his father who took him to just off state Route 681, past county Route 69, where a brush fire broke out because of a woman burning trash. “He’s just one of […]
Read MoreLogan hopes to heal its lake
Written by Zach Zimmerman, Photos by Jamie Miller With overgrown vegetation, sediment buildup and a broken dam valve, Lake Logan is ill. Bud Simpson, a columnist for the Logan Daily News, wrote about Lake Logan as it nears its 70th birthday and describes it as having “never seen a doctor.” “It is paying the price […]
Read MoreThe famous mineral springs of Adams County
Written and photos by Lillian Barry In 1840, just south of present-day Peebles, Charles Matheny stumbled upon a spring that winded through Peach Mountain, dipped his hands into its waters, and drank. What he found would prove to be invaluable — Matheny believed he had discovered medicinal gold. Matheny’s Medicine According to Mineral Springs: Adams […]
Read MoreSoutheast Ohio dog shelters adapt to overcrowding issues
Written by Trinity Trimble, Photos by Hannah Campbell and Trinity Trimble Dog shelters around Ohio are coping with an increasing number of shelter dogs. Shelters are accepting fewer surrenders, getting help from rescues, building new facilities, increasing advertising, and, in the worst cases, euthanizing dogs. Accepting Fewer Surrenders Some shelters are choosing not to take […]
Read MoreMonroe Kids Got Talent starts careers, one kid at a time
Written by Arielle Lyons, Photos by Jessica Stelzer Adalynn “Addy” McGuire is a 13-year-old self-taught singer. This time last year, she hoisted a trophy declaring her the winner of Monroe Kids Got Talent, an annual event that showcases young local talent between the ages of 5 and 20. Now, she was onstage again, wearing a […]
Read MorePawpaws for all
Written and Photos by Jamie Miller “The flavor of the pawpaw sells itself,” says Chris Chmiel of Integration Acres. An overcast afternoon lit the farmer’s pawpaw trees. Small buds decorated trees, alongside pink, white and green ribbons. The plants were treated to an unusually warm day in February. Chmiel smiled when speaking about his produce. […]
Read MoreIn pursuit of leather things
Written and Photos by Anna Millar – Nearly 13 years ago, Aaron and Erin Buckley set out to start their own leather-working business. Aaron had been stuck inside due to a motorcycle injury and was looking for something to occupy his time, he says. It all began at a local shoe repair shop, where Aaron […]
Read MoreThe Six Spirits of Logan: A look inside Motherwell Distillery
Written and Photos by Cameron Robertson Most people imagine a distillery as a grand operation filled with loads of heavy machinery on a wide expanse of land. But that’s not always the case—one exists in Logan in the back of a restaurant. At the end of a long hallway lies a simple room with a […]
Read More46 years gone: What happened to Joanna Jenkins?
By Maddie Harden [Click here to access the interactive timeline] Joanna Jenkins was last seen at the Bridge Inn in Oak Hill on Nov. 1, 1977, her missing person poster reports. Jenkins has been missing for 46 years. The only official information available on her case is her description— 23-years-old, five feet tall, blonde, blue-eyed, […]
Read MoreThe “Arrow Sniper” of Jackson County
By Bennett Snyder, Photos by Owen McDermott By Bennett Snyder, Photos by Owen McDermott Broken arrows and targets scattered across the range show evidence of an arrow sniper at work. Elsa, a German Shepherd guards Josh O’Dell’s workspace. While at first glance she appears as a fierce presence, she is a true sweetheart; petting her […]
Read MoreOhio School Districts Split on Merits of Consolidation
By Ethan Bloomfield, Photos by PJ Marolt Elementary school students in the Jackson City School District wake up on a Monday morning and make their way to school by bus, by car or on foot by 8:55. Whether Northview, Westview or Southview, each student reports to an elementary school built with their generation’s needs in […]
Read MoreExploring the roots, impact of bluegrass in Southeast Ohio
By Katie Millard, Photos by Lena Kalantzis Fiddles and banjos underscore Southeast Ohio, with a surprising history connected to the region. Coal and soot fell from stomping boots as miners, factory workers and families were swept up in rising fiddles and train-whistle harmonies. After long shifts, the blue-collar workers who made Southern Ohio often relaxed […]
Read MoreIntroducing Marietta’s two newest K-9’s
By Olivia Justus, Photos by Lena Kalantzis A ball of brown and black fuzz flies through the open door, tripping over her leash. Phoenix’s tongue flops out of her mouth as she jumps on the entire news staff. Minutes later, a coat black as the night sky charges up the staircase with his large body […]
Read MoreOne commission’s decision brings fracking to Ohio state parks
By Katy Snodgrass, Photos provided by Randi Podlaknik Outside the Ohio Statehouse, a hush falls over the unruly crowd. A buzz of anticipation looms in the cold, rainy October air. Protestors shivering in raincoats and hiding under umbrellas wait for boisterous speeches to commence. The crowd listens patiently to a slew of speakers, a litany […]
Read MoreBrooke Miller offers doula services for mothers in Southeast Ohio
By Savannah Dawson, Photos by Milton Lindsay As maternal mortality rates rise across the U.S., Brooke Miller works to make birth comforting and empowering. In addition to her work as a mother of three and an intervention specialist at Zane Trace Elementary School, Brooke Miller has a third job. In her work as a doula, […]
Read MoreAralyn’s Alliance Rocks shows support during Aralyn Slack’s Illness
By Olivia Justus, Photos provided by Terri Crothers Terri Crothers slowly pushes the kayak into Brush Creek in Adams County. She hops on and ventures into the waters in search of 15 to 20 pounds of rocks to paint. Each rock is handpicked, hand washed and sanitized before Crothers brushes her first stroke of paint. […]
Read MoreAmanda Cox’s Chocolate Shop brings creativity to Cambridge
Written and Photos by Danielle Smith Since childhood, chocolate has represented love and togetherness for Amanda Cox. From an early age she began making chocolate around holidays with her mother and grandmother. She originally made buckeye nuts with her family, a treat now carried in her store Nothing But Chocolate. Cox started her chocolate career […]
Read MoreBusiness is Blooming: The story of McConnelsville’s lavender shop
Written and Photos by Cam Robertson In 2015, Mark Ponchak planted his first lavender plant on a whim. Eight years later, what started as a quirky experiment grew into a robust lavender operation featuring over 800 plants. A box of old mail—that conveniently had some lavender enclosed— inspired Ponchak to plant his first plot of […]
Read MoreMidway Speedway tracks improvements and racing culture
Written and Photos by PJ Marolt Start your Engines Massive vibrations shake the ground. Green-layered hills span the looming spotlights. Hundreds of people pepper the landscape, spread across the stands and the track. Red clay rains from the infield, covering fans too close to the fence, in search of a closer look of the ⅜-mile […]
Read MoreSisterville’s 200-year old Ferry service
By Max Wolter, Photos by Danielle Smith Driving down State Route 7 along the West Virginia border, I pass a riverside restaurant and pull into a gravel driveway leading to the water. As I get out of the car, I spot the Sistersville Ferry across the Ohio River. The boat creeps away from the dock […]
Read MoreWayne National Forest changes its name to Buckeye National Forest
Written and Photos by Henry Jost In August, the U.S. Department of Agriculture announced a proposal to rename Ohio’s only national forest, Wayne National Forest. It could soon be called Buckeye National Forest. After requests from American Indian Tribes and local community members, the USDA announced a proposal to change the name of Wayne National […]
Read MoreThe Price of Plastic
Petrochemical Industry Looks to Expand in Appalachia Written and photos by Liz Parstch For years, Southeast Ohio has been a hub for fossil fuel jobs that the industry claims employ millions. With the rise of coal mining in the 19th century and the fracking boom of the 2000s, the industry presents its latest push: plastic […]
Read MoreTootles Pumpkin Inn provides live music and a spooky good time
By Kate Mauer, Photos by Carrie Legg
Read MorePioneer Progress: The Story of Marietta Basketball’s Jon Vanderwal
By Joe Collins, Photos by Carrie Legg With 16 years in the books for Marietta Pioneers Men’s Basketball coach, Jon VanderWal, and the rest of the team, the season ends with a 17-11 finish and a loss in the Ohio Athletic Conference championship to Mount Union, a team who just lost the Division III NCAA National championship. […]
Read MoreBen’s Happy Trails Riding Stable and Campground: A Story of Horses and a Home
By Audrianna Wilde, Photo by Carrie Legg
Read MoreStockport Mill Inn: Morgan County’s historic waterside getaway
Written and photo by Liz Partsch
This historic inn offers a touch of nature and escape from reality alongside the Muskingum River
Deep-Cut Tavern serves up burgers, french fries and friendship
Friends, family and, of course, deep-fried hamburgers are what keep Deep-Cut Tavern regulars coming back for more. The signature dish is made from fresh, local hamburger meat that is crusted with a secret spice and breading blend. It is then deep fried and perfectly dressed in locally grown tomatoes and finished with lettuce, onion, cheese […]
Read MoreA new DAWN for addiction recovery
In Your Neighborhood / Summer 2023 Issue Addiction Recovery in Southeast Ohio Ohio’s Project DAWN ensures that everyone has access to the opiate antagonist Naloxone, commonly known as NARCAN, and provides Ohioans with a new outlook on addiction, recovery and rehabilitation. Coordinated by the Ohio Department of Health (ODH), Project DAWN is a program designed […]
Read MoreOhio Poet Laureate is rooted in poetic justice
Gunter-Seymour speaks of her career as a gift she attributes to her family, but her journey to embracing poetry wasn’t a straight shot.
Read MoreABC Players offers a new sensory-friendly shift to theater
“You had teenagers who were walking up and down the aisle making vocalizations. You had someone … groaning during all of the dialogue, and as soon as the music and dancing started, he was just excited and watching,” Korpi says.
Read MoreFood networks unite to provide food to Southeast Ohio communities
By Anna Birk, Photo by Joe Timmerman
Read MoreCleaning Up Coal
By Joe Timmerman and Tre Spencer
The future of coal in a small village along the Ohio River looks bleak as the General James M. Gavin Power Plant contaminates groundwater with coal ash.
Read MoreRhythm of the Knight
Written by Lauren Serge, Photos by Liz Parstch By day, Chris Nevil works as a financial planner, an adjunct professor and president of the Southeastern Ohio Rainbow Alliance (SEORA). On certain evenings and weekends, however, Nevil transforms into Kazma Knights, a glamorous and sassy drag queen hosting events across Southeast Ohio. When did you first […]
Read MorePike Heritage Foundation’s timeless pursuits
By Jack Knudson, Photos by Carrie Legg
Read MoreZane Trace, Ohio’s Lost Highway
By Jordan Ellis
(Photo provided by: Guernsey County Historical Society),
Photos by Jordan Ellis // Video by: Jordan Ellis