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Starting to see the ballots take shape

While the 2026 primary election won’t be truly observed for another five months, the reality is the election season will get fully under way in just about four weeks. We’ve already heard from a few individuals who have filed pre-candidacy paperwork, but the official filing period for the 2026 election cycle in West Virginia is scheduled from Jan. 12 to Jan. 31. There are other deadlines for write-in candidates, as well as those seeking certain offices as a non-partisan candidate. All of that information can be found through the West Virginia Secretary of State’s Office, which ...

Remain vigilant against scammers during the holidays

As West Virginia’s chief business registration and licensing official, it is the Secretary of State’s responsibility to license non-profits and charities that operate and solicit donations in West Virginia. We keep a list of approved charitable organizations and fundraisers readily available on our website at the following link: https://erls.wvsos.gov/OnlineCharitiesSearch/Search The holiday season is a time of joy, generosity, and togetherness. Families gather, communities celebrate, and people extend kindness to others. Unfortunately, this spirit of goodwill also creates ...

Let there be light

The holiday season should be a time for reflection. We have much to be thankful for at this time of year. But sometimes we forget. First of all, I would like to wish you all a very merry Christmas and a prosperous new year. I think back on all the sacrifices our ancestors made to get us to where we are today. What a hardy bunch they were. This was especially true in our state, where access to the land was never easy. Many families came down the Ohio River from the Pittsburgh area. My family eventually settled in the Ohio River town of St. Marys. Or else, they hacked their way ...

Tell businesses to procure their own electricity –– it will build a stronger economy and protect West Virginians’ pockets

The cold days of winter have barely set in, and electricity is already one of the biggest concerns in West Virginia. At kitchen tables, in campaign speeches, and at national energy forums, people are asking the same questions: How do we keep power affordable? reliable? All while demand grows? At local hearings, residents are worried about rising bills. At economic-development meetings, leaders are debating how to power energy-hungry data centers. And just the other week in Charleston, energy experts at the West Virginia Energy Summit outlined a stark reality: demand is climbing, costs ...

Continuing to smile … the mask we all wear

It’s Sunday morning. The coffee is brewing. The newspaper is spread out on the kitchen table. And maybe, just maybe, you have somehow found a way to manage a moment of peace before the week’s anxieties begin. But in this one, single moment … let us be honest. How many of you reading this right now, are sitting there knowing how tomorrow you will once again be forced to wear the disguise of a smile on your face? Because just beneath the surface, your entire world feels as if it is a house of cards ready to crumble at any moment? For those of you who understand, I want ...

A stocking filled with old-fashioned penny candy

The wonderful Nutcracker Village in downtown Steubenville continues to evoke a feeling of joy, goodwill and generosity experienced during this holiday season, like Christmastime, which is part of the festive traditions, Tchaikovsky’s dance of the sugar plum fairy, a kindness, and spending time with loved ones. This cavalier Toy Soldier world of the Mouse king is cultivated by decorating, listening to Dean Martin sing “White Christmas” and a Sunday School Choral performing, baking fresh ginger bread cookies, and general positive cinnamon in the air feelings, giving a new ...