Nothing boosts business like an ad in the newspaper. With the possible exception of a controversy in the newspaper.

The storied New York Times published an item this week about how Abercrombie & Fitch, the youth-oriented clothing company, had stirred up a hornet's nest in wild, wonderful West Virginia.

At issue is a T-shirt being sold for $24.50 at Abercrombie & Fitch stores and on the company's Web site. The short-sleeved orange shirt bears on its front an outline of our southwest neighbor with the phrase "It's all relative in West Virginia."

It's a joke, son. It plays off the snide and wholly specious assertion that folks in the Mountain State have a tendency to hold their loved ones particularly close.

But West Virginia Gov. Bob Wise does not see the humor. According to Times reporter James Dao, the governor sent a letter to Abercrombie & Fitch's chairman, Michael Jeffries, this week decrying the "not-so-subtle play on the stereotype of West Virginia as a haven for incest."

Dao writes that Wise demanded that the company stop selling the shirt and destroy its entire stock of it.

"By selling and marketing this offensive item, your company is perpetuating an inaccurate portrayal of the people of this great state," Wise wrote.

Well, Abercrombie & Fitch sure is getting rid of the shirts. In fact, since news of the shirts was published, the company can't keep them on the shelves.

Apparently, the apparel corporation is selling the shirts like they're going out of style. Which they aren't. You can't even get one at the Web site. (When you try, you're told that the shirts are "backordered.")

Thomas D. Lennox, A&F's director of communications, told the Times that the company had no plans to stop selling the shirt, calling it a popular product. He issued a statement that said, "We love West Virginia."

"We love California, Florida, Connecticut, Hawaii and Nebraska, too," the statement said. "Abercrombie & Fitch was born and raised in the USA, and we honor all 50 states of the union."

Another of their T-shirts, for example, bears the saying "New Hampshire. 40 million squirrels can't be wrong." (That shirt is still available in bright yellow. 100% cotton. Muscle Fit. Imported. Sizes S, M, L, XL.)

You might be surprised to hear that Abercrombie & Fitch would pick on West Virginia, considering how close the state is to the company's headquarters in New Albany, Ohio. Why, they're only 130 miles away. That's just a couple hours by car. And it's a drive that Wise is considering making in order to discuss the issue with someone in charge of this outfit.

But Abercrombie & Fitch has no fear. The company boldly sells its T-shirts at five Pittsburgh-area outlets, and we're only 40 miles from West Virginia.

They're even selling the shirts at the company's store in Charleston, W.Va., less than a mile from the governor's office.

A store manager declined to say whether they planned to stop selling it. But you can bet no one is wearing one into the Capitol.

So they're just www.lendingtree.com?
They put all these super-smart executive types on the city's fiscal oversight board and got them together in a room to discuss how best to solve the city's massive money problem. And one of their suggestions is to refinance debt.

Plenty of time for some extra credit
Remember how relieved you were when the teacher decided to give you a little extra time before the big test or project was due? Well, that must be how supporters of Connelley Technical School and Adult Education Center feel after getting a two-month reprieve last night from public school officials who were about to vote to close it.