Breaking News

Local Columns

It’s probably all going to get worse

I decided to make a little detour after leaving the Hancock County Commission meeting Thursday afternoon, driving down to River Avenue in New Cumberland for a quick stop at the Arthur Watson Overlook. Driving to and from work each day, I get a bit of a view of the Ohio River while crossing the Veterans Memorial Bridge, but, as I make every effort to be diligent and pay attention to traffic patterns and surrounding vehicles, it only amounts to a quick glance. Visiting downtown New Cumberland is one of the few places really available to get a good look at what’s going on with our ...

Freedom also means freedom from

In America, the concept of freedom is sacrosanct. We wear it like a badge of honor, invoking it in defense of our choices, our beliefs, and our very way of life. Yet, too often, our conversations about freedom focus only on what we are free to do, ignoring an equally critical dimension: what we are free from. True freedom, as envisioned by the framers of the Constitution, is not just the ability to exercise our rights but also the assurance that we are protected from forces that would strip those rights away. Freedom From Disease The Preamble to the Constitution promises to “promote ...

Budget planning

I would like to suggest a way today to help you pay utility bills. Planning how to stretch your dollars might not be exciting, but it makes loads of sense. When I plan how I’m going to spend my money, I eliminate as many unknowns as possible. Most utilities are willing to help in your planning, too. They will offer you what they call a budget billing plan. These plans aim to smooth out billings during higher-cost months to make bills easier to handle. If your home has a gas furnace, then you expect higher gas bills in the winter. If your home is air conditioned, then you might ...

We need those three minutes and 51 seconds

We all have that song. That one song where even if we are having one of our worst days, it can suddenly turn around and become better in just a heartbeat. You unexpectedly hear it come on the radio … and for those few moments, for that brief instant, we are all right again. Every single one of us has that song. There’s just something about it that brings us a joy like no other song ever could. Perhaps it is an oldie, one that takes you back to a time when you were young and living your best life possible. Maybe there is a classical piece that makes you close your eyes ...

Executive authority has its privilege

I praised Gov. Patrick Morrisey in a recent column for his candidness regarding future issues with the general revenue budget. I once again have to praise Morrisey for laying more of his cards out on the table. Morrisey held a press conference Thursday providing an update on the general revenue budget for fiscal year 2026 beginning in July. That’s the budget Morrisey will present to lawmakers on Feb. 12. According to Morrisey’s new revenue team, they are projecting a $400 million hole in the FY26 budget as of Morrisey’s first day in office last Monday – around $100 million ...

Politics shouldn’t affect disaster recovery

Our nation has faced numerous natural disasters in the last couple of years. From tornadoes, to floods, to hurrianes, to wildfires, there isn’t much of the country that hasn’t been touched in one way or another, with millions of Americans affected as a result. One of the things I’ve noticed over the years is the capability of the American people to typically come together in our times of need. In 2023, four fires burned more than 17,000 acres of the island of Maui in Hawaii. More than 100 people lost their lives, and hundreds more lost their homes or their businesses. In ...