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For a moment, I believed God sent me a dog

So, about two weeks ago, I was minding my own business, getting ready for work and not paying much attention to anything else. When all of a sudden I notice that my male cat, Mr. Kitty, is going crazy. (I didn’t name him.) He is clawing and scratching at the glass on my back door. His hair is standing on end and he is hissing like there is a snake loose somewhere in the house. I had never seen him act this way in the 12 or so years I have had him. He got my attention. So, I have a quick look outside to see what is causing him such disdain. Through my dining room ...

Taking in the view from the age of 42

Today’s column is going to be a hodgepodge of things, because I turned 42 on Thursday and my mind has been in reminiscing mode. I was 22 in the summer of 2004. I was a college dropout from Ohio Valley University for more than a year at that point. I was living on the campus of Parkersburg Bible College with my friend (and now Rev. Stephen Kuntzman, who officiated my wedding in 2016). I attended church at Spreading Truth Ministries and played bass guitar and sang in the worship band. At that point, I assumed the likelihood of a journalism career was quite remote. I was donating ...

Funding an investment in our infrastructure

A little over a week ago, news arrived that a package of $87.5 million was being allotted to the West Virginia Division of Highways with the aim of replacing the Market Street Bridge. The funding, coming from the federal Bridge Investment Program which was included in the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, was initially announced by U.S. Sen. Shelley Moore Capito, with releases from Sen. Sherrod Brown and Sen. Joe Manchin coming later in the day. For months, we have had to deal with the uncertain future of the Market Street Bridge as the DOH decided to close it to traffic in ...

Facilitate, not stifle, free speech and voice concerns about election integrity

Silencing election integrity advocates does not increase voter confidence. The attempted assassination of former President Trump crystalizes the extreme political division within our country. The temperature must be lowered, but that will only begin to be accomplished by an open dialogue. On July 12th, the nation’s secretaries of state concluded our final national conference prior to the 2024 election. With our country as divided as it’s been in 150 years and with concern over election integrity being at its peak, the National Association of Secretaries of State (NASS) failed to ...

History in the Hills: A ride down memory lane

My trips on County Road in Hancock County recently have been difficult. I think most folks who have to drive toward New Cumberland in the past few weeks have encountered the folks cutting trees along Route 2. Although it’s important to do, the delays have been inconvenient. I am amazed, though, how the tree cutters can use their equipment to cut such high trees with such precision. Waiting in the traffic along the road has given me time to think about the history of that particular stretch of pavement. I consider that stretch from the intersection of Pennsylvania Avenue and County Road ...

All about the Benjamins in West Virginia

Elections are never over until they are over. As the old saying goes, the only poll that matters is the poll voters take on Election Day. But fundraising is important. Sure, an argument can be made that there is too much money in politics. I have never really subscribed to that. If that panhandler is allowed to sit outside my car window at the local stoplight and that be protected by the 1st Amendment, then money donated to political candidates should be every bit as protected. The only thing I ask is that I have full transparency in who donates. I enjoy going through campaign ...