Noted Ohio Historian Remembered: A Personal Reflection
Barnesville Area News writer Bruce Yarnall reflects on the life and friendship of noted Ohio historian, Dr. Lorle Porter.
Arts & Culture
State Theater Hosts Winter Frost Gala 2025
On a nippy December evening, the State Theater Company once again transformed the Barnesville Elks’ ballroom into an enchanted site for dining, dancing and socializing.
Grant Will Help Add Black Horse Inn and Captina to National Underground Railroad Network
Kristina Estle, manger of the Underground Railroad Museum that will move from Flushing to Morristown this fall, announces a successful grant application to research and submit Morristown’s Black Horse and the site of the free Captina African American Community in Somerset Township south of Barnesville to the National Park Service’s National Underground Railroad Network to Freedom sites.
Santa Mike Wraps up a Busy Year!
For the past several years, Santa Mike has filled the role of Barnesville’s Santa during Christmas in the Ville activities. He flips the switch at Oglebay Park’s Festival of Lights and makes appearances throughout the Ohio Valley region and the the states of Ohio, Pennsylvania and West Virginia.
Black Horse Inn Story Shared at Tourism Meeting
Veteran community activists and historic preservation advocates Pam McCort and John Rataiczak were recently keynote speakers for the winter meeting of the regional tourism group Appalachian Ohio that took place at the Belmont Hills Country Club.
Appalachian Ohio Tourism Group Met in Belmont County
Appalachian Ohio, a 32-county tourism networking group focused on promoting the many natural and man made resources of the state’s “hill country”, met at Belmont Hills Country Club early last month.
Pennyroyal Opera House Hosts ‘The Wayfarers’
The first performance of 2026 at Fairview’s Pennyroyal Opera House will feature the Wayfarers. The program is scheduled for January 9.
Winter Programs at Bethesda Public Library
Three regular programs offered to youngsters will continue January through April – Storytime, Toddler Tales and Home School Huddle.
Area Venues Participate in America 250-Ohio Movie Presentations
Several area venues will participate in a statewide program in 2026 as Ohio marks the nation’s 250th anniversary. Movies with connections to the state will be presented once each in Barnesville, Cadiz, Caldwell, Martins Ferry, Morristown and Woodsfield.
A Novel Bunch Book Club at Bethesda Public Library
The Bethesda Public Library “A Novel Bunch Book Club” will discus “The In-Between: Unforgettable Encounters During Life’s Final Moments” by Hadley Vlahos, RN at 3 p.m. January 12th. Call 740- 484-4532 for more information or to request a copy.