For most Americans, I have little doubt—even for those who have bothered thinking about it at all — there is little or no connection between the decline of the humanities from many of our universities and the increasingly violent divisions between right and left, red and blue and liberal and…
This year Christmas came early to ÂÒÂ×ÄÚÉä. Not just in the recesses of the dollar store aisles where the trappings push up against Halloween and Thanksgiving. It also came with the public celebration of the West Virginia tree for the U.S. Capitol when it passed through town along with a p…
People engage me in conversation from time to time as a consequence of occasionally writing op-eds.
This editorial was originally published in The New York Times and distributed by The Associated Press.
The teacher shortage is real — and has been growing over the past decade. While shortages vary across schools, districts, regions, grades and subject matter, they are most severe in schools that serve larger numbers of students from low-income families and students of color and in subjects l…
Government safety net programs are meant to help West Virginians, not put people and families in debt.
She was the monster that no one saw coming. That is how federal Judge Thomas Kleeh described Reta Mays as he sentenced her to life in prison in May 2021.
There’s a reason we say that West Virginia is “almost Heaven.†Our state’s wild and wonderful mountains and hollows are what make it special, and it’s why so many people are proud to call it home.
If I am striking up a conversation with a stranger or a new acquaintance and they ask me what I want to do, I somewhat regrettably say I want to be a politician. The next question is often a little sheepish but, regardless of how it’s stated, I always know what it will be.
For West Virginians old enough to remember, Wednesday was a tragic anniversary. It was on that day, Nov. 22, 1963, that President John F. Kennedy was assassinated in Dallas.
On this yearly day of giving thanks, every American has plenty of reason to be grateful. Simply being a citizen of the world’s richest, freest nation gives Americans advantages that are the envy of the world.
Last week, British bestselling author Simon Winchester wondered aloud whether we have too much information — so much so that it impedes our thinking.
Only 11 days are designated as federal holidays in the United States. (Twelve if you count Inauguration Day, which occurs every four years.)
As a result of West Virginia University cutting 28 majors and more than 140 faculty positions, the university’s reputation is severely, perhaps irrevocably, tarnished.
The pace at which community newspapers are going out of business is increasing. Axios reports, “The decline of local newspapers accelerated so rapidly in 2023 that analysts now believe the U.S. will have lost one-third of the newspapers it had as of 2005 by the end of next year — rather than…
Over the past 50 years, food has become more accessible than ever. Yet, Americans are experiencing the worst health outcomes of any high-income nation.
This editorial was originally published in the Parkersburg News and Sentinel and was distributed by The Associated Press.
It would appear homeless and low-income food provider Manna Meal’s decision to shut down its longtime location at ÂÒÂ×ÄÚÉä’s St. John’s Episcopal Church has cost the organization two strong community servants.
In what’s become a tradition, I again present an interesting Thanksgiving story you may share to avoid talking about politics with weird Uncle Emmitt. At least I think it’s interesting. Here goes.
Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., has finally tipped his hat and told us he is not running for reelection in 2024. Given the political climate in West Virginia, that is no surprise. He knows he can’t beat the Republicans in this state anymore, so he is looking for loftier positions and greener past…
Joe Manchin’s plans to travel the country to see if he can tap into the great middle of America that is fed up with the extreme politics of both parties will be an interesting exercise. Polls indicate there is a large portion of Americans who think, as Sen. Manchin, D-W.Va., does, that they …
West Virginia’s natural wonders have so much to offer: hunting, fishing, boating, hiking and biking, to name a few. For 20 years, Conservation Legacy has cared for our natural lands, leading local stewardship programs working in preservation, restoration and community development.
Food banks are facing a food crisis. A majority of the more than 200 food banks in the Feeding America network serving every county in the country, which Mountaineer Food Bank is part of, have reported steady or increased demand for food since June 2021.
“Now and Then,†the Beatles final song, not only inspired me but also made me cry. I love the song and really love the official video, especially the fade-out of their iconic bow.
For decades, the Republican Party’s elected officials have told us that theirs is the party of fiscal responsibility. Perhaps that once was accurate. But times and circumstances have changed, if revelations about the personal finances of Republican leaders Jim Justice, Donald Trump and House…
The contest for the Republican nomination for West Virginia Secretary of State is getting even more crowded, and that is because a Warner is getting into the race.
When I was a child, my parents would sometimes drop me off at Ms. Almond’s house while they went to work. To this day, one of my oldest and most vivid memories is sitting on Ms. Almond’s floor, in a circle of other little kids, eating graham crackers, singing songs like “Make New Friends, bu…
Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., said this week he’d consider a third-party presidential run on a centrist ticket representing “the radical middle†of U.S. politics, if it will save the nation. It’s worth pondering just what he means by that, beyond the self-acknowledged oxymoron of the term “radi…
I was at the register, getting ready to check out at a favorite grocery store. In the past, I would play a game I called “Guess how much?â€
This editorial was originally published in The Washington Post and was distributed by The Associated Press.
Last month, Derek Hudson walked out of ÂÒÂ×ÄÚÉä’s Bream SHOP to find a distraught man yelling that his bike had been stolen from the sidewalk. The man paced back and forth, on the verge of tears. The handful of people outside Bream SHOP averted their eyes and avoided engaging with him.
Another poll, and another indication that Gov. Jim Justice is the dominant front-runner in the race with Rep. Alex Mooney, R-W.Va., for the Republican nomination for the U.S. Senate seat. That seat comes open in 2024, now that Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., has announced that he is not running f…
I’ve covered, directed coverage of and critiqued Sen. Joe Manchin’s career for a long time, dating back to his days as governor. So, when Manchin, D-W.Va., announced last week that he wouldn’t seek reelection (although he might be eying another office), it seemed some kind of retrospective l…
Veterans Day is a deserved tribute to those who fought loyally in various wars. Many of them returned disabled or victimized with Agent Orange (much of it made in West Virginia in Kanawha Valley chemical plants) and other ailments that shortened their life spans significantly. They did not q…
Manna Meal, which had, until last week, operated for years out of St. John’s Episcopal Church, provides a vital source of food and respite for ÂÒÂ×ÄÚÉä’s homeless and low-income population. Sacred Heart Grade School has, for decades, provided one of the best elementary school educations on…
“Why are you talking about HIV in Appalachia?â€
Jefferson County Commission business has been at a standstill for the past two months because two commissioners — Tricia Jackson and Jennifer Krouse — refuse to go to the meetings. Their absences mean the remaining two commissioners — Steve Stolipher and Jane Tabb — cannot conduct meetings b…
