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We need clarity on the mission

“We are a family, 6,000-plus strong,” said Maj. Gen. James Seward, adjutant general of the West Virginia National Guard. “And so, when we lose one of our family members, I can tell you that every guardsman I’ve talked to is grieving.” In the case of Spc. Sarah Beckstrom, the family of those grieving her death extends across the Mountain State, as does those praying for the recovery of Staff Sgt. Andrew Wolfe, who was also shot during an attack in Washington, D.C., last Wednesday. But the initial shock of that horrific event has rightly evolved to include a desire to know as ...

Department of Ed fails in what is ‘professional’

U.S. Department of Education officials missed the mark badly when they decided, purportedly in a revision that is part of the Big Beautiful Bill, to eliminate nursing, physical therapy, public health and other fields from those graduate study fields in which students are able to borrow loans up to the cost of their degree. Those programs are not, in the opinion of bureaucrats in Washington, D.C., “professional.” In fact, only the following fields are now defined as professional programs, according to the Education Department: pharmacy, dentistry, veterinary medicine, chiropractic, ...

It’s better to give than to receive

You’ve made it through Black Friday, Small Business Saturday, Artists Sunday and Cyber Monday. It’s a long series of days on which businesses big and small and even some individuals are hoping you’ll be spending some (or all) of your holiday shopping budget with them. Now we have reached Giving Tuesday, a day organizers say “unleashes the power of radical generosity around the world.” Sure, there’s a financial component to this, too. Those who have the resources should, indeed, take advantage of today to give what they are able to nonprofits that support the most ...

Anti-opioid bill is a necessary measure

While the acronym might have been a bit of a stretch, the Non-Opioids Prevent Addiction in the Nation (NOPAIN) for Veterans Act is still a long-overdue piece of legislation, introduced in recent weeks by U.S. Sens. Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.Va., and Jeanne Shaheen, D-N.H. Given all this country — and particularly our region — has been through because of the substance abuse epidemic, it is a bit of a surprise no one has worked toward such a measure for those who have served. This one would expand veteran access to non-opioid alternatives by creating pathways for Food and Drug ...

Stay safe while shopping

The rush for holiday shopping has officially begun. It is a shorter shopping season this year for those who have waited until after Thanksgiving to begin their gift buying. The constant running that surrounds the holiday season means shoppers need to practice common sense and have an awareness of their surroundings in order to make sure they have a safe experience, whether they are at a store or shopping online. Thieves look for the opportunities the season brings. They know store security and police are busy keeping track of people who might be trying to shoplift or work some other ...

Happy shopping

Traditional activities celebrated with family and friends always have made the holiday season special. That includes the time-honored shopping sprees of Black Friday, the day after Thanksgiving. At one time it was said to be a day that could make or break the holiday season for merchants, as well as shoppers who were eager to snag a particular gift at a very special price. It involved weeks of planning, getting out of bed before the crack of dawn and waiting outside a store until the doors were finally open. It’s a model that is changing, however, as evolving technology has led ...