Since I have four-wheel drive, I decided to venture out to take pictures after the snowflakes settled and the sun came out.

Veterans Memorial Bridge

It’s not often that an entire town comes to a halt and due to the heavy snow even the trains stopped running.

Train bridge and snow covered railroad tracks

Market Street Bridge

There wasn’t much happening on the river either and the Market Street Bridge is still closed for repairs.

Ohio River looking across to West Virginia

Downtown was deserted and St Peter Church had about five cars for 4 o’clock Mass.

Historic North 4th Street and St Peter Church

This 19 room turn of the century house looked like a beautiful old-fashioned post card and houses the Jefferson County Historical Association and Museum.

Jefferson County Historical Assn and Museum

The snow covered city steps by Welsley Avenue  lead up to Pleasant Heights.

The setting sun peered through the snow covered trees on Franklin Avenue across from University Boulevard. 

I guess we can be thankful we haven’t had a bad winter like this for a long time — and everything looks a lot prettier blanketed in snow.

Over 150 people attended the fifth annual Faith in the Future Prayer Breakfast held Friday morning at The Rose by Clara’s Catering on Lovers Lane to pray for improved economic conditions in Jefferson County.

Rev. Dr. Philip Makari, pastor of the Starkdale Presbyterian Church in Steubenville, spoke on the Biblical call to “thanks-living.”  Makari based his message on a verse in First Thessalonians: “Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances.” He said true thanksgiving is a lifestyle not an attitude.

Rev. Dr. Philip Makari

Fr. Dennis Gang, TOR gives the blessing

The Rev. Dennis Gang of the Franciscan University of Steubenville, prayed for workers in various economic segments of the community.  He asked members of each segment to stand while he gave the blessing.

Faith in the Future began five years ago when Bishop R. Daniel Conlon of the Catholic Diocese of Steubenville organized a group of clergy and lay people to pray for the local economy.  After the first prayer meeting, Bishop Conlon said they decided the group needed to continue to pray on a regular basis.

Tracy McManamon assumed the position of chairman and organized the first prayer breakfast.  He said he never thought it would last five years.

L-R Chairman Tracy McManamon & Bishop R. Daniel Conlon

Faith in the Future is an inter faith community concerned for the spiritual and the temporal needs of Jefferson County.  They strive to create a climate of economic development through prayer, leadership, encouragement and teamwork.

They meet once a month alternating between a Mass in a Catholic church and a prayer service in a Protestant church in various locations throughout Jefferson County.

I have attended all but one of the prayer breakfasts and have attended services at numerous churches.  It is exciting to see answered prayer and signs of hope even though our local economy is still suffering.  There are numerous businesses opening in downtown Steubenville and throughout Jefferson County.   I encourage you to shop local and attend a Faith in the Future service.

For more information email prayer@faithinthefuture.net or call 740-282-4275.

Garrett Guest House

 

 

L-R Scott Dressel & Vance Posey

About 75 people toured the homes that were decorated for Christmas, as owners Scott Dressel and Vance Posey were on hand to chat with visitors and answer questions.

Garrett House living & dining rooms

As I entered the Garrett Guest House, its beauty overwhelmed me and it was hard to imagine that the property was once condemned.

kitchen & fireplace

Garrett house master bedroom suite

The master bedroom suite has a king size bed, a marble fireplace, a walk-in closet, and a Jacuzzi bath.

H. G. Garrett originally owned the home in 1871 and he owned the Union Savings Institution building where the first telegraph office was located.

Westfall House

Built Circa 1870, the Westfall house had a number of prominent residents including J.M. Freeman, of the terra cotta works c. 1885; C.A. Freeman, secretary of the Central Sewer Pipe Co. c. 1902;  H.D. Westfall, vice-president of LaBelle Iron Works c. 1915; and C.D. Simeral, publisher of the Herald Star c. 1929.

Westfall house living & dining rooms

As I toured the Westfall house, I ran into my friend Gwynne Griesinger, who lives a few doors down from there.  She said she remembered playing in the house as a child when Lucy and Jay Fisher, who worked at Weirton Steel, owned the house.

I am glad I was able to attend the Bayberry House grand opening and see these beautifully restored Victorian homes.  Dressel said there are ten other homes currently being restored by other individuals in the Historic North Fourth Street district.

Let us be thankful that there are people living in the Ohio Valley who are spending their time and hard earned money to restore these homes to preserve a part of our history.  They are also helping our local ecomomy.

Bayberry House Bed and Breakfast offers tours every Sunday afternoon promptly at 2:00 p.m.  Call 740-632-2899 to schedule a tour.  For more information visit: www.bayberryproperties.com

Earlier today I decided to take a drive down the river to visit the movie set hoping to get close enough to take some pictures.

Great Stone Viaduct & train bridge connect to cross Ohio River

If you’ve ever driven past Bellaire on State Route 7 you have seen the massive Great Stone Viaduct.  It was built in 1870 as an Ohio approach to the railroad bridge span that connects Ohio to West Virginia. 

Sandstone piers & Ohio Historical Marker

I can see why the movie producers decided to use this location to shoot the train scene.  It is quite impressive. 

Downtown Bellaire, Ohio

When I arrived I found people watching in front of their stores, others just trying to get around town, and the film crew making sure people didn’t cross the barriers. 

blue & red engines - the real trains

I met the mailman who said his family watched the filming from their house and saw Denzel Washington throwing a football around. 

I also met a man who showed me the pictures he took of the fake train lookalikes they made to blow up.  I later found the real trains across town.  

curved section of the rr track

The movie, directed by Tony Scott, stars Denzel Washington as a veteran train engineer, Chris Pine as a young conductor, and Rosario Dawson as the train dispatcher. 

It’s a race against time as they chase a runaway freight train filled with toxic chemicals before it derails on a curved track and destroys the town.

It was fun seeing how many people are involved in making a movie.  Many of the local residents played extras in the film.

With all the bad news we hear daily and the economic problems we have in the Ohio Valley, the filming of the movie “Unstoppable” seems to have lifted the burden for a little while.  It has given the residents of Bellaire some joy and some happy memories too.

tearing down the set

Filming will take place all next week in  Martins Ferry, Ohio.  Then they are off to film in various locations in the Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania area.

When Hollywood comes to film in our area, it can only help our local economies.  Go see “Unstoppable” when it comes out.  And who knows — you may see someone you know.

Bill Demjan, from American Legion Post 33, was Master of Ceremony and Bob Spear, Chaplain of Post 33, gave the invocation.   Tom Graham, Jefferson County Commissioner led the National Anthem and sang “I’m Proud to be an American,” by Lee Greenwood.

L- R Bill Demjan, Master of Ceremony, Post 33 & Matz Malone, 1st Vice Post 275

Bob Spear, Chaplain Post 33

L- R Captain Ed Long, Bob Spear, Mayor Mucci & Tom Graham

Guest speaker Captain Ed Long of the Salvation Army spoke about service to others.  A Viet Nam veteran, Long served with Mike Co. 3^rd Bat. 1^st Marines and was awarded two purple hearts.  For nearly 30 years he served on the Wheeling Police Department and was chief of police for five of those years.  

L-R Rose Angelica & Linda Lancia

Rose Angelica and Linda Lancia played “Amazing Grace,” and various veteran and civic groups participated in the Placement of the Wreaths. 

Honor Guard Members

The Honor Guard Members  saluted the veterans while Angelica and Lancia played “Taps.”   We were  reminded of the sacrifice of all of our veterans as Old Glory flew at half-staff in honor of the fallen at Fort Hood, Texas.

Representing American Legion Post 33, Post 274, Post 275, and AMVETS Post 275 were:  Robert Blackwell, Jim Cook, Bill Hill, Joe Holliday, Larry Kenezovich, Tony Miller, Ben Turnbaugh, and Dan Wilson.

Seven years ago, what began with four Marine Corps veterans getting together every Wednesday morning for breakfast has turned into quite a large group. 

Marine Corps Veterans

I had the honor to meet some of our Ohio Valley Marine Corps Veterans at Lancelot’s Restaurant in Wintersville, Ohio as they celebrated the 234^th Birthday of the United States Marine Corps.

Happy 234th Birthday as Sgt. Martin Cervantes cuts the cake as George Wilson watches

 

 

 

 

 

 

Traditionally, Marines celebrate the birthday of the Corps by attending formal birthday pageants or a simple cake cutting ceremony.

L-R Leonard Ellis, Ray Simmons, Fred Rogers, WWII veterans, Battle of Iwo Jima

L- R Sgt. Martin Cervantes, Jim McClain, & Cpl. Andrew Marrari

 

 

 

 

 

 

The first piece of cake is always served to the oldest Marine present and Leonard Ellis, a decorated Marine veteran of WWII had the honors

The second piece of cake was served to the youngest member present, Cpl. Andrew Marrari, a member of Kilo Company 25^th Marines, 4^th Marine Division, Moundsville, West Virginia.  Jim McClain was the guest of honor at the Marine Corps ball in Moundsville last Saturday where he was presented a plaque by Sgt. Cervantes and Cpl. Marrari who honored him for his service in the Battle of Iwo Jima.

A third piece of cake, though not tradition, was presented to Navy Lt. Commander Ryan Starkey, who accepted it on behalf of his grandfather, WWII Iwo Jima veteran Howard Clutter, who passed away this past June.

Veteran George Wilson, who organized the birthday celebration, proposed a toast with Jarhead Red, a wine made by Marines for Marines.

 

 

 

 

The owners of Lancelot’s Restaurant graciously covered the cost of the breakfast for all in attendance.

May we always remember the sacrifice of our heroic veterans and thank them for their service to our country.  Semper Fi…(Always Faithful) to you civilians.

A historical replica of the Niña and the Pinta are visiting the Steubenville Marina this week as they retrace the first voyage of Christopher Columbus in 1492. 

Both The Niña and the Pinta, caravel Portuguese ships, tour together as a sailing museum to educate school children as they travel the world.  From the great turnout I saw when I visited the ships there were quite a few interested adults as well.

I happened to be there when a group of students from Franciscan University of Steubenville listened to First Mate Victor explain what life was like on board the Niña and the Pinta. 

The Niña Flag

In December of 1991, the Niña left the banks of the Rio Uno in Valenca, Brazil, and has sailed around the world 18 times and has been through the Panama Canal 10 times.

The Pinta, recently built in Brazil, is an authentic reproduction of Christopher Columbus’ ship, launched on February 25th, 2005, in Valenca, Brazil.

The Pinta Flag

For more information on how these incredible ships were built and the schedule of ports they visit, the website is: www.thenina.com

The exhibition is comprised of 142 plasticized panels of photographs and historical descriptions that present the principal Eucharistic Miracles that have occurred throughout the ages in various countries of the world.

The accounts range from well known visions such as Our Lady of Guadalupe to lesser-known ones such as the Eucharistic miracle that occurred in 1412 in Herentals, Belgium.  

A variety of miracles, including healings and visions, have been attributed to Eucharistic adoration.

The exhibition has visited more than one thousand parishes in Italy as well as other countries and has been translated into numerous languages.

I would encourage anyone to attend one of these events when they are in your area. 

The Real Presence Association, Inc. presents the exhibit and is dedicated to spreading Eucharistic Adoration around the globe. For more information please visit:  www.therealpresence.org

Rabbit and Chip bringing the canon in his truck

Chip arrived at the barbeque with his good friend, Robert (Rabbit) Lewicki, and a three-quarter replica of a Union Civil War Ordinance Rifle Canon used by the Northern Army during the Civil War.

My cousins, Dennis and Ron Marini, were visiting from out of state and helped Chip unload the canon as the neighbors gathered around to see what all the fuss was about. 

L-R Dennis, Ron, and Chip unloading the canon

Chip makes his own ammunition out of gunpowder and he loaded the canon as each of us took turns setting it off.  He even loaded the canon with a few corncobs.

Rabbit watches as Chip loads the canon

Soon we had more neighbors and friends arriving to take their turn to set  it off.

Dennis setting it off between his legs

Jeff & Carla Hayes

For the past five years, I have attended this neighborhood block party and enjoyed music by bands from all over the Ohio Valley.

It all began in 2004 when Jeff, who is a musician, organized a block party to meet his new neighbors.  He said he wanted to have fun and listen to live music with some of his musician friends.  He never intended it to continue, but neighbor Chuck Rahi offered to help him and the next year Pig-A-Palooza began.

Neighbors Nora and Ron Black also help Jeff and his incredibly organized wife Carla make the large event come off without a hitch.  Well, there was one slight hitch Saturday morning when Ron was roasting 30 chickens and a 125-pound pig over an open fire. 

Nora & Ron Black

He was basting the pig with a sauce Jeff had made with just a little too much butter. Flames shot up and singed his hair and his arm but Ron just poured a little beer over it and kept on cooking.

Chuck Rahi & Mr. Pig

Everyone has a good time and friends and neighbors bring food to share. 

friends having fun

New American Groove - top L-R Justin Rector, & John Whorton, bottom L-R Jonathan Banco, & Mark Gray

Some of the musicians who perform donate their time to give back to their fans.

“New American Groove,”  “Mark and Curt,” and “The Jimmy Lay Band,” are returning bands.  New to Pig-A-Palooza this year were “Page One Project,” “Mongo and Buck,” and the ever popular and my favorite, “The Toys” who closed the show. 

The Toys - top L-R Carlo Vohl, Jeff Hayes, & Dino Giovannone, bottom L-R Johnny DiCarlo, Bruce, Virtue, & Josh Cochran

Jeff was a member of the original “Toys” in 1981 and a former member of  “The Jimmy Lay Band.”  After “The Toys” reunited in 2005 to raise money for musician Rick Treglia, and again in 2007 for drummer John Peck, they decided to continue playing together. 

Page One Project - top L-R Curt Lehman, & Jeff Hayes, bottom L-R Tim Malone, & Danny Page

Jeff is also a member of “Musicians for a Musician,” a group of four musicians who devote their time and energy to raise money for local musician’s medical expenses.

Pig-A-Palooza 2009 was a great success and if people keep asking for it, there just might be a Pig-A-Palooza 2010.