ERIC AYRES Staff Writer
Photo by Eric Ayres
American Legion Post 89 at 15th and Jacobs streets was recognized by the city of Wheeling this past week for the tremendous efforts put forth to improve its image and status in the community.
WHEELING The date of April 20 may mean different things to a lot of different people, but in the city of Wheeling this year, April 20 was celebrated as “American Legion Post 89 Day.”
Members of Wheeling City Council made that proclamation last week, marking the four-year anniversary since the Legion post on the corner of 15th and Jacob streets entered into what amounted to a consent decree with the city of Wheeling to basically turn things around or get shut down.
File photo
WHEELING Mayor Glenn Elliott took the floor of the Wheeling City Council meeting Tuesday the first session to be held in person since last fall and called out members of the West Virginia Legislature pushing for the elimination of municipal use fees.
Members of Wheeling City Council, which for the greater part of the past year has met virtually because of the COVID-19 pandemic, returned to council chambers Tuesday for the first time this year, and in fact, for the first time in many months.
While remarks from council members were relatively sparse, the mayor spoke at length in opposition of the recent effort in Charleston to eliminate municipal user fees. The city of Wheeling approved a $2 weekly user fee for people who work in the city in 2019, and the fee was implemented last year with the intention of raising funds for new headquarters for Wheeling’s police and fire departments, as well as funds for important infrastructure projects throughout the city.
Feb 3, 2021
File photo
Wheeling Police Chief Shawn Schwertfeger, seen here holding a past press conference, told city council Tuesday that he would like a roster of 83 to 85 officers for his department.
WHEELING Members of Wheeling City Council met with Wheeling Police Chief Shawn Schwertfeger Tuesday to discuss the needs of the Wheeling Police Department, especially staffing. Schwertfeger said he could use more.
This has been an ongoing conversation among city leaders in recent months, and Tuesday’s discussion comes in the wake of the release of the Wheeling Police Department’s annual year-end crime statistics. During 2020, the crime data analysis showed a slight increase in serious crimes in the city over the previous year’s figures.
Staff Writer
WHEELING City leaders are taking a united stand to support those in the community who are victimized and exploited, adopting legislation proclaiming January as both Stalking Awareness Month and Human Trafficking Awareness Month.
Members of Wheeling City Council recently adopted the two proclamations on a virtual meeting with several representatives from area support groups in attendance during the meeting, including officials from the Upper Ohio Valley Sexual Assault Help Center, the Harmony House and both the YWCA Wheeling and its Survivors of Trafficking Empowerment Program.
According to one proclamation, 7.5 million people are stalked in a one-year period in the United States, and the majority of victims are stalked by someone they know. Many Stalking victims lose time from work and experience serious psychological distress and lost productivity at a much higher rate than the general population, the action stated.
Staff Writer
WHEELING – Efforts of life-saving personnel in the city of Wheeling were bolstered this week with the purchase of needed equipment for fire and emergency medical service crews totaling more than $550,000.
Members of Wheeling City Council this week finalized three pieces of legislation this week to authorize buying various fire and EMS equipment, including two new ambulances.
“These purchases are much needed to the Wheeling Fire Department,” Fire Chief Larry Helms said. “Ambulances are the most used vehicles in our fleet, with more than 60 percent of our calls for service being medical related.”
Council approved the purchase of two 2021 Ford E-450 Type 1 ambulances, with the purchase to be charged to the city’s Project Fund. City leaders also authorized the $70,510 purchase of three Lifepacks 15V4 monitors, defibrillators and accessories from Stryker Medical of Chicago for use by the fire department, as well as a $22,180 purchase of Fire Dex coats and pant