Third time is a charm?? I guess that is the case here where Jedediah L. Velas twice attempted to surrender himself to Ohio County Prosecutor Scott Smith after learning Monday he likely would be indicted on murder charges in the death of his girlfriend's 4-year-old daughter.

So what went wrong? According to Wheeling Attorney Martin Sheehan on Monday Velas was named in a multi-count Ohio County grand jury indictment charging him with murder and after the grand jury was dismissed Velas' bond was set at $250,000; that is when Velas's efforts to get arrested began.

His first attempt was on January 14th where he went to surrender and the Ohio County Prosecutor Scott Smith and was told "to contact him in the morning and that immediate surrender was not needed." Then on January 15th Velas returned and met with Mr. Smith and attempted to get a copy of the indictment and was unable to get one from Mr. Smith or the clerk's office. At that point Velas was told to go to the Stat Police Barracks and wait to be arrested. Velas went to the state Police barracks where he was told to leave. Velas even left a phone number for him to be contacted. It was not until 4 p.m. that day before the proper warrant was issued by the court for Velas' arrest, at which time he returned again to the State Police barracks and was arrested.

Regardless of the fact that a child was involved and the accused is presumed innocent until proven guilty I would have to say that Velas is not a flight risk and will probably be out of the Northern Regional Jail by sometime next week. If nothing else I have to give him credit for doing the right thing. This is a case where the possibility of a crime could have easily become a man hunt as well. Velas could have easily fled and not been heard from again in a very long time.

This is a murder case involving the death of a child and should have been handled immediately. The families, both the Velas' and the girlfriend's family, have enough to deal with without having the justice system screw up.

A few Months ago we did an interview with Mrs. Sharon Campbell, the Interim Head of School at Mount De Chantal Visitation Academy in Wheeling. She was very excited about the future of the Mount which is exactly why the closing came as quite a surprise to us.

Mount De Chantal has cited many reasons why it will be closing its doors but obviously the biggest reason for closing is the high cost of keeping the school open. The cost of sending your daughter to this private learning institute is a bit steep but the cost is certainly offset by the rich education these young girls receive and the pride you see in their eye when they achieve results from their efforts. Mount De Chantal has lasted 160 years and hundreds of woman from the U.S. and around the world have studied at the institution. It would be a shame to see this institute close it doors and apparently many parents feel the same. A group of more than 100 parents came together and formed the Mount De Chantal Parents Association to help keep the doors open. The Mount De Chantal Parents Association will hold a public meeting concerning the future of the school this coming Wednesday. The meeting will start at 6 p.m. at the school.

What can be done to help save Mount De Chantal? Come up with some ideas and share them here. Maybe with a little luck, some brainstorming and a financial miracle the Mount and its rich heritage can keep its doors open in Wheeling and continue to produce some of the brightest minds in the Ohio Valley.

Recently I had the privileged of obtaining some interesting information concerning the Wheeling Skate Park from an anonymous source.

This source met with City of Wheeling Public Works Director Rusty Jebbia and several others recently at the skate park and the subject of lighting came up. A business in Wheeling had expressed interest in donating some used lights but before the city could respond in the affirmative, the lights were donated to Ohio County Schools. Rusty subsequently contacted Ohio County School's superintendant Larry Miller with an offer to transport the lights from their current location to where ever Miller wanted them.....in exchange for sharing a couple of the lights for use at the skate park.

To quote Rusty: "I heard words come out of Larry Miller's mouth that I never thought I'd hear".

Miller went on and on to Rusty about how he thought the money the city had spent on the skate park was the biggest waste of taxpayer money he'd ever heard of. Miller was apparently unimpressed when Rusty pointed out how much use the park is getting on a regular basis, that there were over 800 people at the grand opening and that even on cold winter days, there are a significant number of youth using the park, getting lots of exercise! Suffice it to say Ohio County schools won't be sharing any of the lights that were DONATED to them.

And then.......it was found out several officials from Oglebay Park were down looking at the skate park last week and when asked, half jokingly, if they were considering building a skate park at Oglebay, the response was "no way.....we don't want those kids up at our park".

Astounding........and truly sad and unfortunate that this is the mentality of some of the key leaders of our fair city....

Now what really bugs me is the comment "no way.....we don't want those kids up at our park". This come from representative of Oglebay Park. If memory serves me right sections of Oglebay Park was originally intended for children. One part of the park, the Good Zoo, was dedicated to the memory of a seven-year-old boy named Phillip Mayer Good, who loved nature.

Now what exactly did these "representatives" mean by that statement? Our they saying there is something wrong with these children or that their appearance and characteristics are not a suitable image for the Park? Apparently they have standards to uphold and not all children our welcome at the park. I for one hold a membership at the Good Zoo and after these comments; I certainly will NOT be renewing my membership.

Of course the comments made by the superintendent our disturbing as well. Why would someone who is suppose to look out for the best interest of the children of Ohio County at least form an educational standpoint say such a thing. With West Virginia having one of the highest obesity rates among children in the United States you would thing that someone in his position would be ecstatic over seeing our youth out exercising instead of sitting around in from of a TV playing video games.

The City of Wheeling has applied for it and Weirton has turned it down. So just what exactly is home rule for city government? In a nutshell it gives city government MORE power. While the residents of Weirton were smart enough to voice there opinion over it and get the notion out of city Council's head, the Residents of Wheeling could be in a for one hell of a ride. The biggest fear the residents of Weirton had over this was that it would scare away new business. Now if that was the biggest fear, which is legitimate, would that not be a concern for Wheeling? After all businesses in Wheeling are dropping like flies, city government has don very little to offer incentives to business leaving for the Highlands to stay or offer any incentives for business to move into Wheeling. Oh yeah there was that Schedule Star Company, but that was a lot of Fluff, although it is a "local Company which was actually based in New Jersey" it was learned that Schedule Star was actually bought out for a Hefty Sum of money. That is a whole other BS story we may get to later. But back to the point here, home rule is just going to make the Wheeling City council, which does very little in the first pace for businesses or the city for that matter, more powerful. To do what? Side note here: Great they are taking initiative to possible tear down a city block? Hmm for what though? You think there are interested parties out there to come in and purchase these vacant lots and build on them IN Wheeling?

Down in Huntington there seems to be some concern: here is an excerpt form the Herald Dispatch

HUNTINGTON -- State lawmakers who already have seen Huntington's home rule plan are giving positive reviews, but are leery of the five-year pilot program that would allow the city to enact its proposals.

Both Del. Kelli Sobonya, R-Cabell, and Sen. Bob Plymale, D-Wayne, say there are concerns that the program is unconstitutional.

Morgantown officials, who made the strongest push for the bill's passage during the legislative session earlier this year, are now saying they will not submit a proposal to the state panel that will decide which city or cities get to participate.

"The general argument is that the Legislature is giving up its authority (to the panel) and that the program is outside of the framework of the constitution," Sobonya said. "Of course, it's not unconstitutional until a court says it is." Huntington City Councilman Cal Kent, who wrote part of the city's home rule plan, said he also has heard concerns about the pilot program. "This could get thrown into court for the next two years, but we just aren't willing to throw in the towel when we have an opportunity to make our case," he said.

Sobonya voted against the pilot program as did all other Cabell County delegates except for Jim Morgan. Plymale and Cabell Sen. Evan Jenkins voted for the pilot program.

Sobonya said she opposed the program because it is too broad and was introduced late in the session. She said it would be better if the proposals in the city's plan were introduced as individual bills during the 2008 legislative session, which begins in January.

Asked if Sobonya would be willing to sponsor any of those bills, she said, "The jury's still out for me. I was just given the plan last week, so I need more time to look through it. I think the city definitely needs more flexibility in the way they collect delinquent fees, but I am definitely not a proponent of increasing or creating new taxes. If their plan is revenue neutral and will eliminate regressive taxes, then I'm willing to listen."

Plymale said it's time that the Legislature look at comprehensive legislation giving municipalities alternative taxing measures. He said he's willing to sponsor such legislation, but the Cabell delegation needs guidance from the city.

"The initiative needs to come from the mayor and council, and it needs to be supported on both sides," he said. "We have gone over some home rule elements in the past in regard to pensions, but when we did that at the council's request, we found out later that it wasn't supported by the mayor's office."

Personally I hope if Wheeling gets selected as part of this Pilot programs, the residents of Wheeling have the good sense to remove ALL members of City council and reelect a group of people that have some common sense and the best interest of Wheeling at Heart. There are several members on council that have been there way to long and have become complacent and need replaced. One of the biggest campaigns I look forward to is the second ward council race this year. Charles Ballouz announced his intention to run for Wheeling City Council, 2nd Ward and I think that is one that is LONG overdue. Good luck and with any luck he gets elected and helps Wheeling rather than hinders it.

article and interview by: Jean Israel

With all of the school tragedies and issues surrounding our public schools these days sometimes you have to sit back and wonder what the best and safest options are for your child? Yesterday I met with a very nice woman who heads a school with a different approach to learning for girls.

Mrs. Sharon Campbell, the Interim Head of School at Mount De Chantal Visitation Academy in Wheeling gave me a bit of information about the school and also some really interesting information on the difference in the way that boys vs. girls learn.

Mount De Chantal was established FIFTEEN YEARS before the formation of the state of West Virginia! The Academy was founded in 1848, and in 1865 the academy was transferred to a newly constructed building which is still to this day the main building on the campus. (I have to add that this is a magnificent building. Walking into the main building and seeing all of the original Victorian styling was breathtaking.) After the move to the new site, the school, originally named Wheeling Female Academy, was renamed Mount De Chantal to honor Saint Jane Frances Fremyot de Chantal, former co-founder with Saint Francis de Sales or the Order of the Visitation in Annecy, France in 1610.

Mount De Chantal has students from not only the Ohio Valley, and not only all over the country, but these girls come from all over the world! Approximately half of Mount De Chantal's students live on campus and the rest commute to school, but all of them share the same happiness and pride in having the ability to be a part of this wonderful learning community.

Mrs. Campbell discussed with me the way in which girls and boys do not learn the same way and scientific research has shown this to be true. According to scientific studies, the brain develops differently depending upon gender and is just simply "wired differently". Certain areas of the female brain develop at different times than that of the male. For instance, in a girl's brain, the language areas develop earlier than the areas used for geometry or spatial relations. That being stated, a female student may believe she is "no good" in math, when in reality, the areas of her brain that would comprehend that subject have simply not fully developed yet. The opposite would be true for a boy having problems in a language course taught too early for his development. (http://www.whygendermatters.com/#1 )

Mount De Chantal has recognized the difference in learning for girls and boys and feels that due to those things, teaching one curriculum for both together would not be beneficial and could actually be very detrimental to a student's overall feeling of accomplishment and self worth. Mount De Chantal takes girls and teaches them in the way that a girl's brain develops, therefore, the ability for the student to learn is greatly enhanced and these girls have the capability and self- confidence to enter the adult world well educated and ready to make a difference in society.

Right now there are eight Sisters at Mount De Chantal, several of whom actually went through school at the Academy, left to go to college and then came back to dedicate their lives to their faith and to helping other girls grow into intelligent and independent women.

At this time Mount De Chantal is getting ready for an Estate Sale Auction. People from all around the area who strongly support the Academy have donated SO MANY things for this auction to help the school raise money. Today there is a free walk through where silent bids can be made on items and then on Saturday the auction is going to be held. The auction will have hors devours and refreshments and many, many things to bid on! This is a great way to take a look at the Academy and support a system that works for so many young girls! If you have the time, I encourage you to stop in at Mount De Chantal and have a look for yourselves...this is a very beautiful campus and an academy that truly makes a difference!

Finally, I want to thank Mrs. Campbell for her time in helping me to be able to put this article together and I want to wish her and everyone at Mount De Chantal much luck with the auction and a very happy holiday season. Here's wishing you another 160 years of success!

Apparently the shareholders and powers that be have learned NOTHING from Weirton Steel. It's is now official Wheeling-Pittsburgh stockholders and Esmark board of Directors approved a Wheeling-Pittsburgh Steel and Esmark merger. Right now I am sure all the employees at Wheeling-Pittsburgh Steel are just thrilled with the deal thinking job security and profits and more business and all sorts of other wild delusions. Before everybody gets together and throws a party, lets take a step back and look at Weirton Steel, what is going on there now? How many employees lost their job or are "laid off permanently"? What is shutting down? Oh yeah the HOT MILL.

People think for Christ sake, this merger is the death knoll ringing for so many employees. I give it 6 – 9 months and watch and see – cut back will be flying, the unemployment line will grow and those that get axed will be bitching and whining the whole way to the unemployment line on how they got screwed. We have seen it time and time again and this will be no exception. More high paying jobs are going to get slashed in the Ohio Valley due to this merger.

I am sure Esmark will offer buy outs and incentives and blah blah blah, but it boils down to this... how long will buyouts and incentives last? Not LONG that's for sure and then what? How long will it be before Esmark screws the pension and Health Care benefits for the retirees? How long will it be before Wheeling Pitt gets shut down or at least portions of it? How long before Wheeling Pitt goes on the Market for sale? Its going to be just another downward economic spiral for the Ohio Valley and the steel industry here. You know the steel industry is about gone, the coal mining industry in the eastern panhandle is about shot and that is going to leave what? Well retail will certainly not survive, at least not the smaller mom and pop stores, small businesses that rely on the employees of the steel mills will certainly feel the crunch and probably close up shop. That leaves what? Hmm tourism and gambling – sure great industries but how does that help the ones that are getting the axe? It does not. What will that do to the cities that rely on the taxes collected form Wheeling Pitt and the employees who have homes and taxable assets? It's a lot of questions that just keep on trickling down and it just does not hurt the employees of Wheeling Pitt, it hurts everybody. History repeats itself once again in the Ohio Valley.

Did I call it or did I call it. I said that it would not take long for the tunnels to cause problems for motorists and Jeff Porreca from Martins Ferry is the perfect case in point. Last Tuesday he was driving through the tunnels when something fell from the Tunnel ceiling and smacked right into his windshield cracking it. The cost for this little mishap, $500 and who is he trying to get to foot the bill, The State of Ohio. Now if memory serves me correctly this is EXACTLY what I said would happen. A motorist would get by a tile (in this case it was a piece of "debris) and the lawsuits would start flying.

This is just the first incident in what I am sure will be a long line of accidents involving falling debris in the tunnel. Let's just hope any incidents in the future do not involve serious injury.

The saddest part about all this is the fact it is being rushed open over MONEY. The bottom line of certain tourist attractions is what is fueling this. If and when someone gets seriously injured I trust that those that forced the opening of the tunnels are remorseful and mend their ways. WOW that's like wishing for peace on Earth and goodwill towards men at Christmas, NOT going to happen. The almighty dollar is the root of so many evils and those that are reaping the rewards of the tunnels being opened will not even realize what they have caused. This is an embarrassment.

I truly hope that no one gets injured during this holiday season due the greed and lack of planning by those that just want to make a buck no matter what the cost and that cost could be a life. I urge anyone who reads this to hesitate before considering traveling the tunnels to your destination this holiday season and beyond to March when the tunnel is suppose to shut back down for completion of the repairs. If you do decide to, do at your own risk and consider yourself warned.

What did I say! What did I SAY! Yes I did I say that there was no way the tunnels were safe to drive though and the gaping 3 foot hole in the road proves it. Saturday afternoon one lane of the East Bound tunnels was closed because a 3 foot hole was discovered in the road. As usual there is no time frame as to when it will be fixed but my guess it should take at least maybe in the neighborhood of 10 months or so. Yes that was sarcasm, but can you blame me. Look at the past 10 months and the misery created during this tunnel calamity.

Granted I said it will be tiles that fall on to motorist not a 3 foot hole in the road, but give it time it will get worse.

After 10 months and not a thing to really show for it, the East bound tunnels are REALLY open right now. I drove through them last night and was absolutely shocked what 5.7 million dollars worth of work looks like. Paved roads? I think the road in the tunnel was in better condition before they started working. As far as the tile are concerned, which seemed to be the main reason for the entire project to get pushed back by 5 months plus, here are tiles missing all over the place and some are still covered by patching cement and in some place the bare tunnel walls can be seen. At the west end of the tunnel it's not even done at all, NO TILES!

Now we know how much money was wasted on this project, but how safe is it really? Dustin Neely, engineer with the West Virginia Division of Highways, said "I guess the main thing is that it is open and it is safe". Okay anytime a public official starts of a statement with "I guess" that sets of warning bells all over the place to me. "I guess" tells me either the tunnels are not as safe as the WVDOH would like it to be and were just pushed to have them open for the holidays or he is just disgusted with the project as a whole and thinks it's ridiculous that politics came into play over public safety.

While I may agree with the fact that the Wheeling Economy has suffered greatly over the closing of the tunnel, the fact remains that city and state officials knew it would impact the local economy and should have put plans in place to help the businesses as well. The city probably figured with more traffic flowing through downtown Wheeling as a result of the detour people had to take, it would actually increase business. Obviously that was a poor assumption. Businesses have suffered and some have even moved up to the Highland, which in my opinion was a great choice. The city did very little to ease the burden of this ordeal on the businesses. They could have offered tax breaks, incentives or even co op advertising in conjunction with the City of Wheeling. This could have been budgeted in to the overall expense of the work being done. I am sure there are many more ideas and possibilities available that could have been offered by the city to all the businesses in Wheeling that were affected. Maybe this will be a consideration when it closes down in spring again to finish the job, then of course we all get to look forward to the West Bound Lane of the Tunnel to close and go through the whole process again. I hope they have learned from their mistake the first time around.

Tourism and now gambling is supposed to help the city draw more people and potential customers for local businesses. What does the city have to really offer now? How many businesses are moving from to the Highlands because that is where the people are? Projects like this have caused many people to not bother with Wheeling any more. If our city officials continue to make bad calls like this, the old saying commonly heard around the valley "Last one out please turn out the lights" may just hold some truth for Wheeling in the not so distant future.