Opinion

Don Gadd Mayor of Byesville Senior Alert: I have received several calls this past week about seniors getting calls asking for their social security card information. Subsequent questions lead into bank account information. First of all, the Social...  Read Story.

"There's gold in them thar hills!" That's about nutty to say, but believe it or not people around here are getting gold fever, black gold that is. And, it's almost insane the way it affects a community and the way it thinks. ...  Read Story.

Don Gadd Mayor of Byesville In a few months, it will be 13 years since our first great flood here in Byesville. With that event and the macro burst we had five weeks later, it seemed like for some reason we were smitten. I am reminded of this because...  Read Story.

Don Gadd Mayor of Byesville One thing I have never been accused of is being a sycophant. Been called a lot of things and took some abuse because I felt it was my job and it's not about me. It's about what is good for the village. I represent the office...  Read Story.

One word you will here and read about a lot this year is draconian. It is a set of severe laws or regulations. It has its origin in ancient Greece as it is named after Draco -- the giver of laws. I bring this up because it...  Read Story.

I get a big charge out of telling my grandson, "No work at the number four mine this morning," when there is a school closing. He thinks I am kind of crazy when I do that, but he knows the reason why I do it. It's kind of an...  Read Story.

As we slip into the second decade of the 21st century, I have spent a lot of time over the past months thinking of the last decade and its accomplishments. As much needed done, the village has been very fortunate to have...  Read Story.

Don Gadd Mayor of Byesville I have been chided by some of my more conservative friends over my recent article commending the President for looking and acting presidential in recent matters. By the same token, my left coast buddy is still scratching his...  Read Story.

As I reflected on the past year, I mentally was thinking of this article. We are now into the second decade of the 21st century. Wow. When I was a kid I thought about the year 2000 and how very old I would be. Seems like...  Read Story.

Talks are to begin this month with the sheriff over the cost of the deputy that will be servicing Byesville next year. Our current one year contract is due to expire in May and we will have to get some numbers from the...  Read Story.

Thanksgiving is upon us once again. It seems like we just finished that last piece of turkey and cranberry sauce. Christmas will be upon us before we know it. I ask myself if this is what our parents used to talk about time flying...  Read Story.

Like most, I work hard to make a living. Since February I have put over 33,000 miles on my car. Most are aware that a new strike is in the making in West Virginia and Pennsylvania in the gas business. It is called the Marcellus shale and believe it or not I have seen people get $7,000 per acre paid up for a 10-year lease. It doesn't take long to figure out that if you have a couple of hundred acres you can retire...  Read Story.

I don't want to write a caustic response to the letter and shenanigans of a couple of weeks ago. I feel I don't want to use this valuable column as a bully pulpit for my agenda. Although, it is useful for the back-stories I was writing about a couple of weeks ago. If I hadn't wrote the article, I believe things wouldn't have been much different than they turned out. Except you, the public, wouldn't have known what was going on. You would have had small snippets in the paper and questions to...  Read Story.

Don Gadd Mayor of Byesville I really appreciate the ability to write this column each week, as I feel it gives me the opportunity to be closer and more transparent to all those that live within the village. Many times I used to get asked just what was...  Read Story.

Before I start getting the phone calls on why I didn't pave the rest of the alley alongside of the Assembly of God church, let me assure those that I have every intention of doing so. But, it will be only after we get some...  Read Story.

We became great grandparents this week. Caleb James was born into this world and mother and child are doing just fine. Being the 21st century, I took a picture of him and sent it on to my mother-in-law asking her how it felt to be a great-great grandma. I am 53 and much too young to have that many generations in the family. Teaches me for marrying an older woman (54). The rumor about Toyota has surfaced again. About every third week or so, I get a call to confirm or deny that they are locating in the old LDM building. To the best of my knowledge, there is nothing being planned in that building other than storage at this...  Read Story.

The "K" stays with Meadowbrook. The "K" being the Kasper award. It's nothing more than an old lunch bucket but it meant everything to the Colts last Friday night. It was probably the most exciting ball game I have seen in...  Read Story.

I know a new restroom in the park doesn't sound all that exciting. But if you have used the park in the past, it's a long walk from the pavilions to use them. So, I was excited when the idea was brought up again. One area we...  Read Story.

It is entering the last half of the summer again. Where did it go? Seems like I have been so busy during the week and my wife has kept me busy most weekends. Nothing to complain about, but I have seen several this past week...  Read Story.

This past weekend makes me proud to be an American. Whatever our differences or anxieties, it always seems people come out and have fun on July 4. As it was a weekend this time, the fun extended two to three days. I have had many comments on the Byesville fireworks Friday night. Most said it was much more than they expected and since it was in the park this time; they were able to set in their yards and watch the display. My hat goes off to Jay and the park people for all their hard...  Read Story.