A representative of the Grant County Sheriff’s Department appeared before the Grant County Commission last week to request funding for the purchase of a drone that would be used in law enforcement work. “We believe this drone would really assist us in our law enforcement work throughout the county as well as assist other law enforcement agencies in the area,” said GCSD captain Kirk Thorne. Thorne explained that the drone they were requesting funding for features a speaker, infrared camera, a spotlight, and a 500 times zoom feature.

Lou Pelliccioni Jr. visited Union Educational Complex last week to give a presentation on success and how to be a productive citizen to the students in grades 7-12. Pelliccioni is a former WVU athlete, successful businessman, longtime coach and author.

Lou Pelliccioni Jr., a former West Virginia University athlete, successful real estate developer, business owner and longtime coach visited Union Educational Complex last week to speak to students in Grades 7-12. During his visit, Pelliccioni used three sessions to speak to each group about the importance of reading, setting goals and being focused each and every day among a few topics.

The Grant County Commission received a letter last week from the governor’s office confirming that the county would be receiving a $25,000 grant from the Local Economic Development Assistance Grant to resurface the tennis and basketball courts at the Petersburg City Park. Commission president Kevin Hagerty explained that the grant came from a special request submitted by Delegate John Paul Hott II. “It was very nice to come in and receive this,” Hagerty said.

The Grant County School System has announced the official approval and launch of a Unified Sports program across its middle and high schools, marking a significant step toward fostering teamwork, respect, and collaboration among students of all abilities. Unified Sports, a Special Olympics initiative, brings together students with and without intellectual disabilities to compete on the same team. The program is designed to promote social inclusion through shared sports training and competition experiences, helping to break down stereotypes and build lasting friendships.

During his years on the air, Willard Earle became a trusted voice in the community - a voice that not only became a comforting daily sharer of community news but would be a source of necessary information for four days as the waters rose during the Flood of 1985. Earle was the broadcaster for WELD FM 101.7 and AM 690, sharing Community News, which invited nonprofits to send in upcoming events/fundraisers to be announced twice a day, The Trading Post (individuals or organizations could send items for sale, trade or give away), Pet Corner (which reported lost or found pets and pets for sale or to give away) and morning obituaries. Earle also broadcasted local sports from the nearby high schools, covering over 1,000 school games during his time on air.

Even on a cloudy night, it’s easy to be awestruck standing under a Grant County sky. The clouds may hide the stars, but nothing can dim what we have here — one of the darkest night skies on the entire eastern seaboard. Saturday night’s Dark Skies event at Dam Site 7 was a reminder of that. Though the weather kept telescopes capped, it didn’t stop the learning. Scientists Libby and Robert Strong of the SMART Center in Wheeling shared how Grant County has become a centerpiece in West Virginia’s growing Dark Sky Awareness movement — and why it matters more than most realize.

South Side Studios welcomed a new artist to their gallery earlier this year, bringing a little more color and beauty to the ever-growing Grant County art community. Visitors to the studio can now enjoy the work of Kristian Yeager, a local artist who specializes in abstract art, specifically pointillism. Pointillism is a painting technique that uses a series of tiny dots applied in patterns to create an image.

T h e  P e t e r s burg City Park will o n c e
again be t r a n sformed into a cozy Hallmark
scene as the Chamber of Commerce prepares to host its annual Hometown Christmas Celebration. Scheduled for
December 6 from 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m., this event is a combined effort between community partners, including the City
of Petersburg, the Convention and Visitors Bureau (CVB), and several local organizations such as the Lions Club.