Teghan Simonton

Managing Editor

Joint effort

Greene County split on recreational marijuana

One thing is for sure: the culture around marijuana has changed. That’s according to John, a Greene County resident and regular recreational user of cannabis, whose full name is being withheld for his privacy. When he was growing up in the late 60s, with Led Zeppelin and Lynyrd Skynyrd playing on the radio, smoking marijuana … Continue reading

PHEAA future remains unclear

While state lawmakers negotiate the future of funding the Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency, they’re addressing a national issue, said Matthew Stokan, director of financial aid.  “The problem of higher education, not just in this state, but across the country, is what they call a financial aid gap,” said Stokan.  As the cost of education … Continue reading

Report finds coal ash damaging water

Unsafe levels of several toxins have been found in the region's groundwater

In Greene County, the coal industry is omnipresent, said Veronica Coptis, executive director for the Center for Coalfield Justice. Whether it’s the mining plant over the horizon or the coal ash site around every other road bend, Coptis said residents here have gotten used to living amongst the production. So, when the Environmental Integrity Project … Continue reading

WU reflects on admissions scandal

Prestigious universities under investigation after bribery

As someone who works in admissions, the scandalous events of the last few weeks just don’t feel real, said Jacqueline Palko, director of Admissions. Especially since there are celebrities involved — it’s like we’re all watching a movie, she said. “It didn’t really feel like it was a real thing, that people actually do,” she … Continue reading

Wabtec CEO speaks at 169th Charter Day service

What makes each Charter Day unique, said Waynesburg University President Douglas Lee, is the variety of speakers that visit each year to connect with the campus community. “The uniqueness of Charter Day lies in the array of guests that we have that are the speakers,” Lee said. “And this year, we have a really exceptional … Continue reading

Report discusses coal ash emissions

The Environmental Integrity Project, a national nonprofit environmental research group, released a report about the effects of coal production on the long-term health of a landscape. Focusing on coal ash, a toxic waste product of coal procuction, EIP obtained and analyzed all groundwater monitoring data from coal pants and coal ash disposal sites. From this … Continue reading

Greene County Sheriff dies at 35

Greene County Sheriff Brian Tennant died two days ago, Feb. 27, at age 35. Tennant was sworn into office for the first time in January 2014, and just recently began his second term. Early reports of Tennant’s death said he was battling a long illness and died while receiving treatment at UPMC Shadyside hospital in … Continue reading

A Different College Town

University and community operate on ‘different planes’

Aside from the roaring big rig trucks that pass through High Street periodically, Waynesburg could be considered a quiet town, with a population of less than 4,000 and most shops closing by 8 p.m. The region has been sustained by the coal and natural gas industries for the past three decades; still, Greene County is … Continue reading

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