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More than enough—Why mental health access must be a West Virginia priority

In West Virginia, we pride ourselves on resilience. We rally for our neighbors, we lift up our communities and we carry our burdens with grit and grace. But when it comes to mental health, resilience alone isn’t enough. Access to care, support and hope must be part of the story, too. This May, as we recognize Mental Health Awareness Month, NAMI is proud to launch the “More Than Enough” campaign, a message of hope, inclusion and empowerment. It’s a simple but powerful idea: no matter where you are on your mental health journey, no matter what you look like or what you’re going ...

Please, remember your mother next Sunday

This week, I would like to use this small section of your Sunday paper to remind you that next week will be Mother’s Day. We blinked. And now, it is already mid-May. The month in which we are supposed to pay tribute to the woman whose every breath has been dedicated to our well being. She is given one day of the year to be recognized and appreciated for the millions of little things and hundreds of big things she has done for you since that moment you took your very first breath. So, what do you give someone like that? Has there ever been a gift designed that could equal what ...

Learning some new tools of the trade

I had the great pleasure to go to the Media Innovation Center at West Virginia University last week and attend an enlightening presentation on the use of AI (artificial intelligence) in new reporting. You hear a lot today about artificial intelligence, or AI. Just about every digital product or electronic device advertises some AI feature. There are AI-generated news stories now, AI-generated images, videos, and even podcasts. AI has the same problem that many different phrases have in that it has become an empty bag one can put whatever they want into it. Ask five people what AI is ...

Spreading the green around the valley

Growing up in the Ohio Valley, I don’t recall much of an emphasis placed on the idea of Earth Day in my youth. Perhaps it was because the observation was still in its own infancy, having been created in the 1970s and, at the time, those involved were focused primarily on governmental policies, such as the creation of the Environmental Protection Agency and the passage of various environmental laws, such as the Clean Air Act and the Clean Water Act. Myself a child of 1979 and raised in the 1980s and 1990s, I don’t remember too many instances of school or community activities ...

Small business the lifeblood of communities

The WV Entrepreneurship Ecosystem Annual Conference is coming up on Tuesday, April 29th. This year’s Conference is being held at the Butcher Center at Shepherd University in Shepherdstown, West Virgina. This daylong Conference is full of networking and learning opportunities for entrepreneurs and small business owners from throughout the state. The Conference features an incredible Exhibitor Showcase for entrepreneurs to engage and learn about the resources and insights that foster a thriving entrepreneurial environment in West Virginia. I am honored to attend the Conference this ...

An anonymous Easter letter that required my response

Today, I am going to reply to a recent letter I received at work. Kind of like an Ann Landers thing ... minus the fact she is dead and this person never even asked for my opinion. So, in reality, it isn’t anything like an Ann Landers thing at all. To Whom it May Concern, I received your Easter card in the mail the other day. The Bible scripture you enclosed was nice to hear. We all need a reminder sometimes that God is with us always. The hand-written letter inside the card really did get my attention. Hence, the reason I am writing this column. I honestly hope you ...