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Becoming the life of the political party

Political prognosticators are always trying to find meaning in off-year elections. And while I think there are some indicators one can glean from Tuesday’s elections, it would be a mistake to read the tea leaves too closely. Last Tuesday saw a person with links to Democratic Socialists of America - Zohran Mamdani – win election as mayor of New York City over former Democratic New York governor Andrew Cuomo. Former Democratic congresswoman Abigail Spanberger, a known moderate and former CIA case officer, won her election for governor of Virginia. There are other elections where ...

Efforts to see more of the Mountain State

As some of our long-time readers may remember, one of the things I enjoy doing in those rare moments of free time I find is to visit our state parks. Whether it’s setting out on a trail or two, eating at a restaurant where one is available, taking in a new activity or adventure, or just finding a nice spot and sitting down to soak in the quiet view, each of West Virginia’s state parks has something unique to offer which should meet just about everyone’s preferences. In recent weeks, I’ve been able to take day trips with the family to a couple of our parks just to get a few ...

The vital role of West Virginia’s Notaries Public

In an age where identity theft, fraud, and misinformation are increasingly prevalent, the role of the Notary Public has never been more critical. Often working quietly behind the scenes, Notaries serve as impartial witnesses to the signing of important documents, helping to deter fraud and ensure the integrity of our legal and civic processes by verifying the identities of individuals who sign documents. In West Virginia, more than 35,000 commissioned Notaries Public are performing this essential function every day, each one a guardian of trust in our communities. Notaries are woven ...

America’s Coal Industry: Still powering the nation, worth defending

For more than a century, America’s coal industry has powered our homes, forged our steel, and fueled our prosperity. It has been the backbone of industrial growth and a symbol of American strength, self-reliance, and hard work. Even today — after nearly two decades of relentless political and regulatory assault — coal remains one of this nation’s most valuable resources, sustaining hundreds of thousands of jobs and keeping electricity affordable and reliable for millions of families. Coal mining and the industries that depend directly on it employ more than 400,000 Americans. ...

Sometimes miracles are found on a 12-lane Texas highway

I have a large canvas print on the living room wall that reads: “When life gets too hard to stand … kneel.” I believe in those words. More than you can imagine. Don’t tell me that God doesn’t exist, for I have seen too much, felt too much and lived too much to believe otherwise. I have seen miracles, the kind that show up in the middle of a Monday afternoon when you are knee-deep in housework and worry. The kind that whisper, “I am here,” when the world around you has completely fallen apart. We live in a world that is quick to explain things away. ...

History in the Hills: Some hard times

My dear wife is a great cook. She works hard to provide wonderful nutritious meals to us every day regardless of how tired she is, how much work she did that day or despite the natural fact that sometimes our kids are less than excited about finishing their peas and carrots. She has sometimes made our pantry stretch between trips to the grocery store. We try to make do with what we have and do our best not to waste anything. In the summer we have a garden and, as a result, can much of our produce; we make maple syrup from maple sap in the early spring; in the fall we make apple sauce ...