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Bookends of this year’s reading list

I enjoy reading. I guess I wouldn’t be in this profession if I didn’t. When I was 5 years old, I told my dad he no longer had to read to me. From that point on, I slept with numerous books under my bed for convenience. I slept with a touch lamp on and didn’t sleep in the dark until I was nearly out of high school, not because I was afraid of the dark but because I’d often fall asleep reading. Growing up, I mostly read nonfiction, such as books about history. I recall borrowing the Time Life series on the American Civil War from then-Pleasants County Sheriff David Kelly (now ...

Remember the giving part of the season

You’ve, no doubt, been hearing the ringing of bells when going out into the community in the last week or so. No, it’s not Clarence giving you a sign he’s gotten his wings, but volunteers helping the Salvation Army as part of its annual kettle campaign. The Salvation Army’s efforts to raise money, purchase food and toys, and collect donations of the same, has become so interwoven with the holiday season that we typically anticipate hearing those bells ringing as we venture out to do our shopping beginning in mid November and lasting well into December. No matter the year, and ...

Capito Connect delivering broadband West Virginians deserve

When I talk with West Virginians, connectivity is a topic that comes up frequently. Whether you’re a small business owner looking to develop your online presence and reach a broader audience, or a teacher who needs to send a homework assignment to students who missed a class, broadband access is critical in today’s world. It keeps us connected, has the ability to break down barriers, and leads to significant economic growth. Today, I am proud to say that connection is closer than ever. Last week, the state’s Final Proposal under the Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment ...

Heartbreak should never happen to a child

Heartbreak. We all experience it, some of us more than others. But I suppose it just comes with the territory of being human. People break our hearts all the time, intentionally or unintentionally. Even certain circumstances can cause us pain. Life is never fair. But then again, no one ever said it would be. Sadness comes to everyone … eventually. It finds us no matter how hard we may try to escape it. We can lock our doors. Hide under the covers. Change our name. Move away. And still … it finds us. We all experience heartbreak. And yet, it should ...

Guest Opinion: Thanksgiving is a time for thanks

Thanksgiving is a time to reflect on gratitude, family, and, of course, food. As we approach the holiday, I couldn't help but reflect on just how far we’ve come. In the early 1600s, when the Pilgrims and native Americans gathered for what we now remember as the “First Thanksgiving,” refrigeration didn’t exist, nor did the electrical grid. They didn’t have a refrigerator humming quietly in the kitchen. There was no electric oven, no cranberry sauce, no containers of whipped cream waiting in the fridge. They hunted their food, smoked or dried it for preservation, and ...

We only need one governor at a time

Larry Pack has a good reputation as an accountant and businessman, having operated an assisted living company until selling it off a few years ago. He was an active member of the West Virginia House of Delegates. He continues to be a respected Republican National Committeeman. He moved on to serve as a senior advisor to former governor Jim Justice and easily slid into a vacancy as Department of Revenue secretary during Justice’s final year in office. Pack won election unopposed as state treasurer, taking office early in January so that former state treasurer Riley Moore could be ...