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Christmas will not be Christmas this year

We blinked, and now, it is Christmas. Although in my house, we are doing something a little different this year for the holiday. We aren’t having it. What I mean is that yes, we will be celebrating Christmas on Wednesday because, well because it’s Christmas. How can you not acknowledge Dec. 25 as the day in which Jesus was born? It’s the most precious moment there has ever been or ever will be, and no truer words will ever be said. But what I mean to say is that we will not be doing the whole Christmas-tradition thing we have always done before. And I am honestly ...

History in the Hills: Merry Christmas

I can’t believe that Christmas is right around the corner. These past few months have just raced by. It seems that as I get older, time moves even faster. Probably it has to do with having an active family. My son is in basketball and my daughter just finished dancing in the Nutcracker ballet through her studio. Each one of those activities requires a large time commitment. I don’t know how my wife manages to get everything done that needs to be completed before the holidays in addition to taking care of the kids and navigating these extra activities. From baking cookies, ...

Kicking off the year with a state park

Long-time readers of this column may recall previous commentaries about my interest in West Virginia’s state park system, especially may years-long quest into the Very Important Parks Person program. I still have nine parks to visit before receiving my patch, and, hopefully, that’s something I can get back into in the coming year. West Virginia’s state parks are as varied as the state’s geographical regions. Some are small, with a few trails and recreational offerings, perfect for an afternoon picnic or day visit, while others are established with connections to the state’s ...

Electric magic!

Could anything be more important to us, or less thought of, than the supply of electricity we use everywhere and every day? Electricity transformed humankind. It lengthened our days for both leisure and work. It has made it infinitely easier to prepare food, while making food so much tastier. It warms us and cools us. It allowed for truly miraculous progress in medicine, science, and exploration. It revolutionized engineering and made the computer, telephones, television, and airplanes possible. It has allowed us to reach for the stars and beyond. It expanded our ability to obtain an ...

A column specifically meant for our mothers

Today is my mother’s birthday. Now, to all of you who may be reading this sentence, that probably doesn’t mean a thing. But to me, those five words mean everything. Most of us know the importance of having a mom. They are the ones who brought us into this world. They are usually the ones who fed us whenever we cried, changed us because we could not do the job ourselves and rocked us to sleep, singing quiet whispers in our ear. They are the reason we are here, the reason we made it through all of those nights when we were sick, the times we had colic or chickenpox, ...

The special legislative session that wasn’t

Either as a reporter or a staff member, I have been under the golden dome of the State Capitol Building for going on 15 years in January. I have seen many things, but I have never seen the confusion that was caused last week for one day over how to call a special session in December following the November election but prior to the start of the new legislative session. It seems simple in concept: The governor has the authority to call lawmakers into special session (called an extraordinary session in the state Constitution, because it is outside the traditional 60-day regular ...