INNformer

11/10/2025

Traffic and Weather
Nov. 10, 2025 9:35 a.m.

Good Morning! Today is MONDAY, November 10, 2025 and it’s the Marine Corps Birthday, National Vanilla Cupcake Day and because it debuted on this day in 1969, Sesame Street Day.

If you club or intentional not-for-profit is having an event coming up next month now would be a good time to let us know. We need time to place the event in our calendar, print the papers and get them out the door to our readers.

Also, we have some advertising space opening up for our December edition. For rates email [email protected].

On this day in 1775 the Second Continental formed the Continental Marines, precursor to the United States Marine Corps.

In 1801, the first law to ban dueling in Kentucky was introduced. Formally challenging someone to take the ten paces was such a problem that even today the following oath is given by elected officials in that state:

“I, being a citizen of the state, have not fought a duel with deadly weapons within the state nor out of it, nor have I sent or accepted a challenge to fight a duel with deadly weapons, nor have I acted as a second in carrying a challenge nor aided or assisted any person thus offending, so help me God.”

I guess there is a reason why politicians were more polite back then.

And in 1871, Henry Morton Stanley, a newspaper reporter with the New York Herald was sent into the wilds of Africa to find the famous missionary and explorer, David Livingstone, who was missing for some time.

Upon finding Livingstone, Stanley reportedly uttered the immortal phrase, “Dr. Livingstone, I presume.”

Weather:
Occasional snow showers today, no real accumulation, highs in the upper 30s. Tonight, partly cloudy with lows in the mid 20s. For tomorrow, Veterans Day, cloudy with highs in the upper 30s.

Global warming returns on Wednesday with highs in the mid-50s.

Traffic:

No major problems despite this morning’s blizzard.

Currently, at our Downtown Sistersville News Command Center its 32 degrees under mostly cloudy skies.

A reminder that this is cold and flu season. Wash your hands frequently.

Send a message to learn more

11/10/2025

Special Weather Statement
Until Mon 7:00 am EST

Affected Area
Tyler County
Description
Light snow will increase in coverage Monday morning and through the evening. This will result in light accumulations. The first snow of the season is usually the most impactful for drivers. Slick spots will likely develop on roadways, especially bridges and overpasses.

Motorists should exercise caution. Plan extra time for the Monday morning and evening commutes.

Send a message to learn more

11/03/2025

Tyler County Family Resource Network

Attention Tyler County SNAP Recipients:

Mountaineer Food Bank is sending food boxes to our community! The West Virginia National Guard notified us this afternoon that they will deliver them to Sistersville Baptist Church and the Tyler County Senior Center in Middlebourne.

Date: Monday, November 3, 2025

Pickup Time: 12:00 PM (noon)
These are the same traffic patterns used during the Mountaineer Food Bank Mobile Pantry events, so regular recipients should be familiar

Traffic Patterns:
• Middlebourne Pickup: Please come in on Park Ave
• Sistersville Pickup: Turn by the Wells Inn and continue straight down to line up on Riverside Drive.

Important Rules:
• You must be a Tyler County SNAP recipient.
• One box per car/family (contains shelf stable food items only)
• No deliveries.
We're grateful to Mountaineer Food Bank and the West Virginia National Guard for helping provide food support to our community. 😊

Send a message to learn more

11/02/2025

Weather and Traffic
November 2, 2025 10 a.m.

Good Morning! Today is SUNDAY, November 2, 2025 and it’s time to roll those clocks back an hour. And while you are at it, go change the batteries in your smoke detector.

Today is National Deviled Egg Day, All Souls Day and Broadcast Traffic Professionals Day. I am certainly not a broadcast professional but here it goes: New Martinsville is still annoying!

Tyler County has exactly one permanent traffic light, New Martinsville must have gotten a heck of a deal from Traffic Lights are Us. Take the Sistersville Ferry and avoid them all!

The latest issue of the INNformer is just about all out. I still have to brave the traffic lights and drop at Reisbecks and the Post Office in N.M. and that will be later today- AFTER I head up to Galaxy in Middlebourne (no traffic lights) for the Tyler County Sheriff’s Shop with a Cop pulled- pork fundraiser.

While at one of the supermarkets I am going to buy a bunch of canned goods and donate them to one of the local food banks. As we all now by now, SNAP has been paused and many of our good neighbors are going to be relying on food banks in order to eat. Please help out by buying some non-perishable goods and dropping them off.

As my father used to say, “there except for the grace of God, go I.”

On this date in 1783 Gen. George Washington issues his farewell address to the Continental Army, which disbanded the following day, following the end of the Revolutionary War and the signing of the Treaty of Paris. A small number of detachments were retained to guard key locations but the rest of the troops went home.

In 1907 financier J.P.Morgan locked 40 bankers in a room until they joined him and pledged to help shore up the banking system that was being decimated by the three week old Panic of 1907.

The Panic was triggered by a failed attempt to corner the market on stock of the United Copper Company. When the stock collapsed depositors of the banks who had lent money to the scheme suffered runs, where they withdrew all of their money, forcing them into liquidation, which cascaded down the food chain to smaller banks that owed them money.

Remember that scene in It’s a Wonderful Life? That’s what often happened back before FDIC insurance guaranteed bank accounts. When a bank failed depositors would often be able to recover pennies on the dollar- if they were lucky.

The aftermath of the Panic helped lead to the creation of the Federal Reserve.

In 1920 Westinghouse’s KDKA began broadcasting with the results of the presidential and local election returns.

Weather:
Today will be cloudy with a slight chance of showers in the afternoon. Highs in the lower 60s. Tonight, cloudy, low in the upper 30s. For tomorrow, partly cloudy, highs in the lower 60s.

Traffic:
The Sistersville Ferry is OPEN!

Currently at our Downtown Sistersville News Command Center its 42 degrees.

Send a message to learn more

11/01/2025

Weather and Traffic
November 1, 2025 8:45 a.m.

Good Morning! Today is Saturday, the first of November, in the Year of Our Lord two thousand and Twenty-Five. Today is All Saints Day and the start of the two-day Day of the Dead. While Halloween is supposed to be the scary one, "Dia de los Mu***os" is supposed to be when the vale between this life and the after is supposed to be the thinnest.

It’s also “World I am a Poor Shot Day,” also known as World Vegan Day, National Cook for your Pets Day (reminder- cook FOR your pet, not cook your pet day), National Calzone Day and National Deep Fried Clams Day.

The rest of the INNformer will be delivered in Wetzel County today. I tried but didn’t want to deliver after dark on Halloween. Better be safe then see if the little urchins like to egg cars.

On this day in 1765 the Stamp Act went into effect in the American colonies. This direct tax enacted by the British Parliament caused widespread resentment in the colonies as it required special stamped paper to be used in newspapers, pamphlet, playing cards and all commercial and legal papers.

The purpose was to raise money for the British military operations in America, which really got under the skin of everyone as it came after the defeat of the French in the final French and Indian War (1754-1763) and Pontiac’s Rebellion (1763-64). Prior to those conflicts, London had largely ignored colonial defense and during the French and Indian War the colonies provided the bulk of the manpower. Now that the French threat was over, the British decided to garrison the colonies.

In 1802 delegates in Ohio met in Chillicothe to form a state constitutional convention. Ohio was admitted into the Union on March 1, 1803.

In 1870 the US Weather Bureau began operation in 24 locations and in 1946 the first NBA game was played between the New York Knickerbockers and the Toronto Huskies. The Knicks beat the Huskies 68-66.

Weather:
Partly cloudy today and a little windy, high in the lower 60s. Winds WSW 5 to 10 mph. Tonight, cloudy, low around 40. For Sunday, morning sun, afternoon cloudy. High in the mid 60s.

Traffic:
Watch for trick-or-treaters as it was moved to today in several towns and the Sistersville Ferry is OPEN until 6 p.m.

If you are planning on going to Sardis’ Welcome to the Holiday’s craft show take the ferry!

Currently at our Downtown Sistersville News Command Center it is 38 degrees under mostly cloudy skies.

Send a message to learn more

10/31/2025

Weather and Traffic
October 31, 2025 8 a.m.

Good Morning! Today is Friday, October 31 in the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand and Twenty-Five and it’s Halloween- although for some strange reason, several towns have trick-or-treating moved to different days.

And yes, I was raised a Halloween purist. It didn’t matter if it was raining so hard that the Andrea Gail would sink or so cold that the shaving cream can that we all were armed with would freeze, the door-to-door extortion for candy in my youth was conducted on October 31.

Hold a sec, be right back, I have to open my office door and yell “get off my lawn!”

The postman is looking confused.

It’s also National Knock Knock Joke day. I’ll go first:
Knock Knock?
Whose there?
Ah
Ah who?
American Werewolves in London.

The latest issue of the INNformer is out for distribution. I will try to get the rest all out today but I may end up finishing the eastern part of Wetzel County on Saturday.

In 1517 Martin Luther posted his 95 theses to the door of the church in Wittenberg, German, condemning the excess and corruption of the Roman Catholic Church, sparking the Protestant Reformation and the divide of the church, which continues to this day.

On this day in 1756 the famous lecher Gaicomo Casanova escaped from prison in Venice by climbing onto the roof.

Born into a family of actors in1725, Casanova originally planed on being a Canon Lawyer, one who specializes in the laws of the Church, but soon discovered that he would rather break them. He led an itinerant life as a gambler, violinist, confidential trickster and conned various aristocratic suckers as an alchemist.

He also convinced French authorities to establish the ultimate con, a state lottery, as a source of revenue.

The most notorious aspect of Casanova's career are his many sexual affairs with women, stretching from his early adolescence to his old age, which he described in great detail in his autobiography.

In 1776 Britain’s King George III gave his first address after the Declaration of Independence to the Parliament in London. In it he condemned colonial rebels: “For daring and desperate is the spirit of those leaders, whose object has always been dominion and power, that they have now openly renounced all allegiance to the crown, and all political connection with this country.”

In the address, he also announced British victory over Gen. George Washington during the disastrous Battle of Long Island.

Later it was said that Britain’s General William Howe, commander of the ground forces, and his brother Admiral Richard Howe, let the colonial forces retreat instead of capturing their officers with the hope that the defeat would push them into negotiations to end the rebellion.

Weather:
Today will be warmer and cloudy. Highs in the mid 50s. Tonight, cloudy with a low around 40.

For tomorrow, partly cloudy, highs in the lower 60s.

Traffic:
The Sistersville Ferry is OPEN until 6 p.m. While trick-or-treating in Sistersville has been moved to November 4, the ferry will be giving out bags of treats and have live music between noon and 4 p.m. TODAY! You can walk onto the ferry and ride across and back for only a dollar (if you get off then its another buck to come back. Cars and motor cycles are still only $5 each way.

Expect delays on the New Martinsville Bridge as they do something and it’s down to one lane. Take the ferry, avoid the annoyance.

And watch out for the kids as some places will be celebrating Halloween today!

Currently at our Downtown Sistersville News Command Center it is 46 degrees under cloudy skies.

10/30/2025

Traffic and Weather
Thursday, Oct. 30, 2025 10:25 a.m.

Good Morning! Today is Thursday, October 30, 2025 and it’s National Checklist Day (check), National Candy Corn Day (check), National Treat Your Pet Day (when you have huskies, that’s everyday-or else, so check) and National Text Your Ex Day (Oh, HELL no).

The latest issue of the INNFormer starts going out for distribution today.

Due to a scary weather forecast for Thursday, Oct. 30 several towns have changed their Trick or Treat schedule. As of right now:

PADEN CITY: Saturday, Nov. 1, 6 p.m.- 8 p.m.
PINE GROVE: Saturday, Nov. 1, 5 p.m.- 7 p.m.
MIDDLEBOURNE: Saturday, Nov. 1, 6 p.m.- 7 p.m.
NEW MARTINSVILLE: Saturday, Nov. 1, 6 p.m.- 7:30 p.m.
SISTERSVILLE: Tuesday, Nov. 4. The delay is because that’s when the band is available.

LEWISVILLE: Friday, Oct. 31 5:30 p.m.- 6:30 p.m.
Hotdogs, clips and drinks at Community Center 4:30 p.m.- 5:30 p.m. with costume judging at 5 p.m.
WOODSFIELD: Friday, Oct.31 5 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. Parade has also been rescheduled to Oct.31. Parade registration 6 p.m. with parade at 7 p.m.

On this day one Colonial war ended and another began. In 1697 the Nine Years War, known in North America as King Williams’s War, officially came to an end and in 1739 the War of Jenkin’s Ear, between Great Britain and Spain began.

Throughout history, the Europeans liked to fight and their North American colonies were always dragged into it. When Britain fought the French, the Atlantic colonies, both French and English, got to take shots at each other. When Captain Jenkins lipped back to a Spanish official, who sliced off his ear in return, the southern colonies got to see some action.

And in 1930 Orson Wells’ War of the World radio pay premiered with the factitious invasion of New Jersey by Martians. It set off, according to the New York Times the next day, panic from people fleeing their homes trying to escape the carnage.

But did it? It was suggested that the newspaper coverage was an attempt by the print media to discredit radio news broadcasts by pointing out that often you couldn’t tell fact from fiction in a medium where there isn’t a physical record. Newspapers print on paper and can sit around for decades. A radio station’s broadcast is gone out into the either as soon as it leaves the radio station’s antenna

And with the internet, it’s the worst of both worlds. You can post false information and then change it and no-one will ever know.... And yes, I am procrastinating before I go start delivering the 637 pounds of newsprint sitting in the back of my be**er.

Weather:
Chilly and wet today. Off and on rain. High in the upper 40s with showers tonight, low 39.

Tomorrow, cloudy with highs in the lower 50s.

Traffic:
Sistersville Ferry is scheduled to run today until 6 p.m. It’s well worth the $5 to avoid being annoyed in New Martinsville.

Currently at our Downtown Sistersville News Command Center it is 48 degrees and gloomy.

10/25/2025

Weather and Traffic
Saturday, October 25, 2025 10:39 a.m.

Good Morning! Today is Saturday, October 25 and it’s still 2025. It’s also National Greasy Foods Day, World Pasta Day, Hug a Sheep Day, National Pitbull Awareness Day and ...

It’s National Chucky Day.

Are you a farmer? In next week’s issue we have a local meat processor that is starting to advertise with us!

You can also advertise with us. Affordable rates, send to [email protected] for information.

On this day in 1760 King George III, the last king to reign over our region of the United States, ascended the throne in London. Georgie wasn’t the last monarch to control land in what is now US territory. That would probably be Christian X, king of Denmark. The US Virgin Islands were transferred from Danish control in 1917.

King George was never a well man, suffering from mental illness, in one form or another, his entire life and his infliction likely led to the missteps that led to the evolution.

In 1812, the USS United States, under the command of Stephen Decatur, defeated the British frigate HMS Macedonian in battle off the Azores and returned to New York with HMS Macedonian as a prize. It was the first time that a British warship was captured and brought into a US harbor.

Two years earlier, while both ships were Norfolk, Captain John S. Carden, captain of the Macedonian wagered Captain Decatur a beaver hat that his vessel would take the United States if the two should ever meet in battle.

And in 1930 the first regularly scheduled transcontinental air service between New York and Los Angeles took off. The flight, on an eight passenger Fokker F-10, produced up the river in Glen Dale, took 36 hours and made ten stops.

Weather:
Partly cloudy early with skies becoming overcast. High in the upper 50s. For tonight, partly cloudy with lows in the mid 30s.

For tomorrow, sunny, high in the low to mid 60s.

Traffic:
Sistersville Ferry is OPEN today until 6 p.m.

Currently, at our Downtown Sistersville News Command Center, it’s 44 degrees under hazy skies

10/23/2025

Weather and Traffic, kind of brief
October 23, 2025 10:20 a.m.

Good Morning! It's Thursday, October 23, 2025 and I've kind of have a lot of work to do.

Weather:
Kind of chilly.

Traffic:
New Martinsville, kind of annoying.

Sistersville Ferry:
OPEN! (Kind of ferrying?)

10/21/2025

Weather and Traffic
October 21, 2025 9:40 a.m.

Good Morning! Today is Tuesday, October 21, in the Year of Our Lord Two thousand and Twenty-Five. It’s American Frog Day, National Apple Day and, in the United Kingdom, Everyone Writes Day.

Obviously, we don’t do that last one here. Normally I would expand on the why we don’t have an Everyone Writes Day but my coffee hasn’t kicked in yet and I probably wouldn’t be able to refrain from sharing my well known opinion on why many were never taught the difference between to, too and two.

Besides, I have too much writing to do or I would be tempted to say a thing, or two.

Buy advertising! The more ads we have, the more writing I have to do and the less time I have to procrastinate! Email [email protected] (One “n: in the email) for our latest rate card. We reach more people and we are cheaper! What a deal!

And if your club or intentional not-for-profit is having an event coming up in November or December please get the information to us as soon as possible so we can get it in the paper.

On this day in 1797 the USS Constitution was launched in Boston. The 44-gun frigate earned her nickname, Old Ironsides, during the War of 1812 when an American sailor observed that British cannon balls were bouncing off her oak sides.

Also, on this day in 1805, the pivotal Battle of Trafalgar was fought off the Spanish coast when British Admiral Lord Horatio Nelson engaged a numerically superior French and Spanish fleet, destroying 19 out of 33 ships without losing a single vessel.

During the course of the fighting, Nelson, who massaged “England expects that every man will do his duty” at the beginning of the fight, was shot by a French sniper. As he lay dying on the deck of his flagship HMS Victory his last words were “Now I am satisfied. Thank God I have done my duty.”

What does the HMS Victory and the USS Constitution have in common? They are both still in commission in their respective navies. HMS Victory, launched in 1765, being the oldest commissioned warship in the world and USS Constitution being second oldest.

Weather:
Cooler today, with rain showers moving in this afternoon. High in the low 60s. Cloudy tonight with overnight lows in the lower 40s. For tomorrow, cloudy, with highs in the mid 50s.

Traffic:
If you are traveling out the Short Line in Wetzel County you may experience delays just before Reader as the Department of Highways is supposed to be working on that absolutely horrid stretch of embarrassment. If you have been out there recently then you know what I am talking about.

And New Martinsville is still annoying.

Currently at our Downtown Sistersville News Command Center it is 45 degrees under hazy skies. When news happens it better be later in the day after the caffeine kicks in.

10/20/2025

Tonight!

10/19/2025

Special Weather Statement
Issued: 7:57 AM Oct. 19, 2025 – National Weather Service
Showers will be accompanied by strong, gusty winds today as a cold
front approaches. Southwest winds will be sustained at 10 to 20
mph with occasional gusts of 30 to 40 mph. The strongest winds
will likely occur during the afternoon hours.

Strong winds can blow around loose and unsecured objects. Ensure
that all outdoor decorations, furniture, and other objects are
secure today.