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These Nobel-prize-winning economists have a timely lesson for Congress

We live in arguably the most innovative and prosperous era in human history. My lifetime alone has seen numerous technological leaps that past generations could never have dreamed of, including the moon landing, the birth of the internet, and now the rise of artificial intelligence. But this pace of transformation is historically the exception, not the rule — and it may not continue much longer if the infringer lobby gets its way. That’s the lesson to be drawn from last year’s Nobel Prize in economics, which was awarded to Joel Mokyr, Philippe Aghion and Peter Howitt for ...

Sometimes letting go makes us stronger

There’s a specific kind of silence that settles over a house once your children have grown and moved on. It is a sound I am still trying to get used to. It is not the peaceful silence of a nap time, nor is it the soft, late-night quiet of a household that is finally at rest. No. This is a far heavier silence than any I have ever known. This is an echoing stillness that makes you realize just how much of your identity was wrapped up in the beautiful, chaotic noise of being needed. Once in a while, that stillness becomes so great that it seems as if it stretches clear down the ...

Suiting up for the 2026 legislative session

Finally, it is 2026 and things will begin ramping up from here as the new 60-day legislative session kicks off next week with the gaveling in of the House of Delegates and state Senate, and Gov. Patrick Morrisey’s second State of the State address. The West Virginia Press Association’s annual Legislative Lookahead is this Friday at the Culture Center in Charleston. The event serves as the kickoff for those in print, TV, radio, and non-profit news preparing for their statehouse coverage. Reporters will hear from legislative majority and minority leadership, executive branch ...

Looking forward into the new year

As we kick off the new year, I took a look back at my first column of 2025 in which I attempted to set a few goals – both personally and professionally – to carry me through the last 365 days. The bad news...I still have the same headshot photo this column has featured for probably the last 15 years. There were discussions to get something updated, but various schedule conflicts and other things came about and it quickly was forgotten. More people have commented on the continued use of the old photograph, especially since I’ve had my increasingly graying beard to accompany the ...

It’s time for West Virginia’s second quarter

As December 2025 draws to a close, we find ourselves at a historic milestone. One fourth of the 21st Century is now behind us. For many, the last 25 years have flown by, as it inevitably does, but with a speed that’s hard to fathom. Even so, the years in West Virginia have been marked by progress. At the dawn of this millennium, West Virginia faced what many called “insurmountable” financial hurdles. Our state had massive unfunded liabilities in retirement plans maintained for schoolteachers and other state retirees. We were, quite literally, mortgaging our future to pay for our ...

Electric power demand, coal and natural gas should rise in 2026

The Public Service Commission of West Virginia hopes, on behalf of its staff, that you have a healthy and prosperous new year in 2026. We here are hopeful for a robust economy in the new year, with an influx of business developments and population to help expand the Mountain State economy. Some of our chief concerns, of course, include energy development and ensuring that electric power is available at prices we can afford in this new year. So far, the outlook looks robust, particularly for the production and usage of coal and natural gas. The U.S. Energy Information ...