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The people picked Trump. Now to deliver solutions for all

Today, we celebrate the strength of our democracy. In record numbers, Americans from every corner of this country cast their ballots, showing up and making their voices heard. This turnout reaffirms a commitment to our democratic ideals that we can all be proud of. Our heartfelt thanks go out to the poll workers who worked tirelessly to ensure this election was safe, fair, and accessible. They exemplify the spirit of service that sustains our democracy. I also extend my congratulations to President Trump on his victory. He is our President, and I am committed to supporting him in ...

West Virginia knows how to fight against opioid abuse

West Virginia is no stranger to a tough battle, a hard fight, or a difficult task. That’s the Mountaineer spirit that defines us, our culture and history, and most recently, the ongoing battle with substance abuse and addiction that is devastating this great state. In April 2015, I hosted an opioid summit in the Eastern Panhandle. At that time, we were just learning how bad the situation was and starting to devise strategies to address the problem. We’ve learned a lot since that summit, particularly when it comes to what works and what doesn’t. We’ve learned that the most ...

Making changes in the state’s capital

Last week, Governor-Elect Patrick Morrisey provide the press and public a sneak peak of sorts on his transition plans for the next two months as he prepares to move into the Governor’s Mansion on Kanawha Boulevard East in Charleston. That’s an interesting sentence to read again: a governor who is actually going to reside in Charleston as constitutionally required and live in the Governor’s Mansion. What a thought! Morrisey spoke to media at an open, in-person press conference – again, it’s amazing to write that – announcing his seven-person transition team, two ...

Voters sound alarm on rising energy costs

American voters soundly rejected Bidenflation at the ballot box on Nov. 5. In an ABC exit poll, 67 percent of Americans said the economy is in “bad shape.” That shouldn’t be too surprising, though, since inflation is wiping out many family budgets. In fact, a half-gallon of milk now sells for as much as $10 in parts of the United States. But what’s driving all of this budget-busting inflation? And what to do about it? Much of the problem stems from higher energy costs. CBS News reports that the price of electricity in the U.S. has jumped 28.5 percent since 2019. In some ...

A look at the election by the numbers

I think I’ve finally caught up on my sleep following the general election, and can mentally handle taking a look back to offer some analysis. I won’t go into great detail on the results as far as who won the races, except to say there were some I was glad to see and others resulted in disappointment. Yes, I’m a journalist, and work to be as impartial as possible in my reporting, but I’m also a voter. Like all of you, I do have certain hopes when casting my ballot. At the end of the day, though, I have to deal with most of the individuals who will be taking their oaths of ...

Facing off against the challenges of progress

West Virginia has approximately 500 water and sewer utilities. The Public Service Commission of West Virginia is often asked to examine the operations of these essential systems and to determine whether the public is being provided safe and reliable service. The Commission gets requests regarding systems that can no longer function safely. In some cases, managers of a system determine they need help. They tell the Commission someone else must run their operations. Sometimes systems need help, but won’t admit it. Concern for public health caused the Legislature to pass a law in 2020 ...