The Ohio Valley Current launches with a mission to keep local news close to home
Oct 22, 2026
STEUBENVILLE — Local journalism is finding a new way forward, and a new digital publication is working to make sure the stories that matter to the Upper Ohio Valley continue to be told.
The Ohio Valley Current has officially launched, bringing a new source of locally focused news and community coverage to readers in Steubenville, Weirton and surrounding communities in Ohio and West Virginia.
Founded by veteran journalist Stephanie Elverd, The Current is built around a straightforward mission: deliver meaningful local journalism that informs residents, holds public officials accountable and highlights the people, organizations and businesses that shape the region.
In an era when newspapers are shrinking, newsrooms are consolidating and communities are increasingly competing for attention in a crowded media landscape, The Current aims to put local coverage at the center of its work.
“Local journalism matters because the decisions being made in our communities affect our everyday lives,” Elverd said. “People deserve to know what is happening in their schools, their local governments, their neighborhoods and the places where they work and do business. Those stories deserve attention, and the people who live here deserve to have them told.”
The Current will focus on the issues and events that directly affect residents across the Upper Ohio Valley, including local government, education, public safety, business, sports and community life.
The coverage area includes Steubenville and surrounding Jefferson County communities in Ohio, along with Weirton and neighboring communities in West Virginia. The digital publication intends to build its coverage around the needs and interests of the people who call the region home.
For Elverd, the launch represents a commitment to the idea that local news does not have to disappear simply because the traditional business model for delivering it has changed.
“Print may be dying, but that makes the digital delivery of local news all the more crucial,” she said. “Communities still need reliable, locally focused journalism. The format may change, but the need for accurate reporting, accountability and coverage of the issues that affect people’s everyday lives has not gone away.”
The Current is a digital-first publication, allowing news and information to reach readers online without waiting for the next print edition. Its website will remain free to access, with no paywall standing between readers and local reporting.
For Elverd, keeping the website free is about more than attracting readers. It reflects her belief in journalism's role in a functioning community.
“At the end of the day, journalism is a public service,” she said. “People should be able to access the news that affects their lives without having to pay to find out what is happening in their own communities. The website will remain free, and there will be no paywall between our readers and the local news they need.”
Readers who want a more direct way to keep up with the news will have another option beginning Nov. 1, when The Current officially launches its paid daily newsletter, Currently.
The newsletter will deliver headlines straight to subscribers' email inboxes, making it easier to keep up with the latest developments across the region. At $5 per month — less than 17 cents a day — Currently will offer readers a convenient way to have local headlines delivered directly to them.
The newsletter is an optional service. Readers will continue to be able to visit The Ohio Valley Current's website and read its news coverage for free.
Along with readers, The Current is counting on the communities it covers to help build a stronger local news resource. Residents, organizations, schools, teams and community groups are encouraged to submit news tips, announcements, sports results, accomplishments and upcoming events for publication.
The digital publication also is building its community calendar as a resource for residents looking for things to do and opportunities to participate in activities across the region. Community members can help make that calendar more useful by sharing information about fundraisers, festivals, meetings, performances, school activities and other events.
Elverd said community participation will help The Current reflect the breadth of life across the Upper Ohio Valley, including stories and events that might otherwise go unnoticed.
“A local news outlet cannot be everywhere at once, and the community has an important role to play in helping us know what is happening,” she said. “If a team has an accomplishment to share, an organization is holding an event or someone is doing something positive in the community, we want to hear about it. This is your community, and we want to help tell its story.”
Along with reporting on major developments, The Current will cover the everyday moments that give communities their character — from high school athletics and local events to small-business news, community initiatives and the people working to make a difference.
Elverd brings decades of experience in print journalism, including reporting, editing, headline writing and newspaper production. Her work has included local government coverage and reporting on issues affecting the Ohio Valley.
That experience informs the digital publication’s emphasis on original reporting, careful editing and a strong connection to the communities it serves.
“The Ohio Valley has stories worth telling,” Elverd said. “There are people doing important work, businesses investing in their communities, students and athletes accomplishing great things, and decisions being made that will shape our future. Those stories should not be overlooked simply because they happen outside a major metropolitan area.”
As The Ohio Valley Current begins building its audience, community support will play an important role in sustaining its work. The digital publication plans to work with local businesses and community partners while maintaining its commitment to providing free news coverage for readers.
The goal is to create a sustainable digital news operation that serves readers while giving businesses and organizations opportunities to reach the communities they serve.
For Elverd, the launch is about more than creating another website. It is about reinforcing the importance of paying attention to what happens close to home.
“Local journalism is not just about reporting what happened yesterday,” she said. “It is about understanding why it matters, asking what happens next and making sure the people affected have the information they need. That is the kind of journalism we want The Current to deliver.”
As The Ohio Valley Current establishes itself, its mission will remain focused on the region and the people who make it what it is.
“If it matters to you, it matters to The Current,” Elverd said.
The Ohio Valley Current has officially launched, bringing a new source of locally focused news and community coverage to readers in Steubenville, Weirton and surrounding communities in Ohio and West Virginia.
Founded by veteran journalist Stephanie Elverd, The Current is built around a straightforward mission: deliver meaningful local journalism that informs residents, holds public officials accountable and highlights the people, organizations and businesses that shape the region.
In an era when newspapers are shrinking, newsrooms are consolidating and communities are increasingly competing for attention in a crowded media landscape, The Current aims to put local coverage at the center of its work.
“Local journalism matters because the decisions being made in our communities affect our everyday lives,” Elverd said. “People deserve to know what is happening in their schools, their local governments, their neighborhoods and the places where they work and do business. Those stories deserve attention, and the people who live here deserve to have them told.”
The Current will focus on the issues and events that directly affect residents across the Upper Ohio Valley, including local government, education, public safety, business, sports and community life.
The coverage area includes Steubenville and surrounding Jefferson County communities in Ohio, along with Weirton and neighboring communities in West Virginia. The digital publication intends to build its coverage around the needs and interests of the people who call the region home.
For Elverd, the launch represents a commitment to the idea that local news does not have to disappear simply because the traditional business model for delivering it has changed.
“Print may be dying, but that makes the digital delivery of local news all the more crucial,” she said. “Communities still need reliable, locally focused journalism. The format may change, but the need for accurate reporting, accountability and coverage of the issues that affect people’s everyday lives has not gone away.”
The Current is a digital-first publication, allowing news and information to reach readers online without waiting for the next print edition. Its website will remain free to access, with no paywall standing between readers and local reporting.
For Elverd, keeping the website free is about more than attracting readers. It reflects her belief in journalism's role in a functioning community.
“At the end of the day, journalism is a public service,” she said. “People should be able to access the news that affects their lives without having to pay to find out what is happening in their own communities. The website will remain free, and there will be no paywall between our readers and the local news they need.”
Readers who want a more direct way to keep up with the news will have another option beginning Nov. 1, when The Current officially launches its paid daily newsletter, Currently.
The newsletter will deliver headlines straight to subscribers' email inboxes, making it easier to keep up with the latest developments across the region. At $5 per month — less than 17 cents a day — Currently will offer readers a convenient way to have local headlines delivered directly to them.
The newsletter is an optional service. Readers will continue to be able to visit The Ohio Valley Current's website and read its news coverage for free.
Along with readers, The Current is counting on the communities it covers to help build a stronger local news resource. Residents, organizations, schools, teams and community groups are encouraged to submit news tips, announcements, sports results, accomplishments and upcoming events for publication.
The digital publication also is building its community calendar as a resource for residents looking for things to do and opportunities to participate in activities across the region. Community members can help make that calendar more useful by sharing information about fundraisers, festivals, meetings, performances, school activities and other events.
Elverd said community participation will help The Current reflect the breadth of life across the Upper Ohio Valley, including stories and events that might otherwise go unnoticed.
“A local news outlet cannot be everywhere at once, and the community has an important role to play in helping us know what is happening,” she said. “If a team has an accomplishment to share, an organization is holding an event or someone is doing something positive in the community, we want to hear about it. This is your community, and we want to help tell its story.”
Along with reporting on major developments, The Current will cover the everyday moments that give communities their character — from high school athletics and local events to small-business news, community initiatives and the people working to make a difference.
Elverd brings decades of experience in print journalism, including reporting, editing, headline writing and newspaper production. Her work has included local government coverage and reporting on issues affecting the Ohio Valley.
That experience informs the digital publication’s emphasis on original reporting, careful editing and a strong connection to the communities it serves.
“The Ohio Valley has stories worth telling,” Elverd said. “There are people doing important work, businesses investing in their communities, students and athletes accomplishing great things, and decisions being made that will shape our future. Those stories should not be overlooked simply because they happen outside a major metropolitan area.”
As The Ohio Valley Current begins building its audience, community support will play an important role in sustaining its work. The digital publication plans to work with local businesses and community partners while maintaining its commitment to providing free news coverage for readers.
The goal is to create a sustainable digital news operation that serves readers while giving businesses and organizations opportunities to reach the communities they serve.
For Elverd, the launch is about more than creating another website. It is about reinforcing the importance of paying attention to what happens close to home.
“Local journalism is not just about reporting what happened yesterday,” she said. “It is about understanding why it matters, asking what happens next and making sure the people affected have the information they need. That is the kind of journalism we want The Current to deliver.”
As The Ohio Valley Current establishes itself, its mission will remain focused on the region and the people who make it what it is.
“If it matters to you, it matters to The Current,” Elverd said.
