Keeping the dream alive

January 17, 2026

On Monday, Americans of all races and religions mark the observance of the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday. We think there can be no better way to remember his legacy than by offering the text of the speech he delivered on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C., on Aug. 28, 1963: Five score years ago, a great American, in whose symbolic shadow we stand, signed the Emancipation Proclamation. This momentous decree came as a great beacon light of hope to millions of Negro slaves who had been seared in the flames of withering injustice. It came as a joyous daybreak to end the ...

The true cost of tobacco use

January 16, 2026

The start of “political season” in many states brings with it a host of studies and reports filled with data that could inform legislative decision-making. Among them is another WalletHub study: “The Real Cost of Smoking by State (2026.)” In West Virginia, it may come as a surprise to learn, the lifetime cost of smoking is among the lowest in the country. The Mountain State ranks 38th for both out-of-pocket costs at $153,300 and financial opportunity costs at $2,685,329 over a smoker’s lifetime. It won’t surprise anyone who knows how Duke University got its name to know ...

Working our way from the back

January 15, 2026

As West Virginia lawmakers kick off this year’s legislative session with talk of kitchen table issues and “Jobs First — Opportunity Everywhere,” a recent report by WalletHub suggests they will have to do a lot of work to turn that focus into success. If the aim is to turn the Mountain State into the kind of place where people want to stay to raise their families, they’ll be working from (as usual) nearly the back of the pack. In WalletHub’s “Best and Worst States to Raise a Family 2026,” West Virginia ranked nearly last. Only New Mexico prevented it from being the ...

Questions continue with Hancock Schools

January 14, 2026

The next couple of weeks could very well determine much of the future for Hancock County Schools. A meeting held Tuesday between local officials and the West Virginia Department of Education included discussion as to whether the district will receive an advancement of funds to meet payroll; an issue Superintendent Dan Enich said was the result of a late drawdown of $475,000. On Jan. 26, the school board – and anyone else attending the board’s regular meeting – are scheduled to hear from Jeff Davis (not the former Hancock County commissioner) of Educational Consultants LLC, who ...

Protect yourself this tax season

January 13, 2026

As “political season” ramps up, election filings begin, tax preparation is underway, and any number of 2026 tasks come to mind at the start of the year, state officials are warning residents to beware of phishing campaigns and other cyber crimes in which deceptive website addresses and other techniques lead people to believe they are dealing with a state agency when they are not. Generally, the goal is to gain login credentials or other personal information — maybe even money. Criminals do so by creating web addresses that LOOK as though they came from state agencies, or send ...

Xylazine a danger in the Ohio Valley

January 12, 2026

It is breathtaking to watch the manner in which the substance abuse epidemic in our region continues to evolve. Just last month, officials in Gallia County, Ohio, warned a growing danger has reared its head — Xylazine. The powerful veterinary sedative, which is, of course, not intended for human use at all, has been found in the region; sometimes mixed with fentanyl and other opioids. This is a drug meant for large animals such as horses. There is no safe dosage of “tranq” for humans. In fact, overdosing is all too easy. The Gallia County Health Department says symptoms of an ...