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History in the Hills: The river to freedom

I have a great view from my office in the Hancock County Courthouse. Looking out my windows I can see the town of New Cumberland, the many mountains surrounding the valley and the mighty Ohio River. I have written a lot about the river in the past, from the early Native Americans who have lived here for thousands of years, to early settlers and industries that took advantage of the waterway for commerce. There is just so much history tied up in that waterway. For most of the history of human habitation here, the river has served three main purposes: As a source of food and water, as a ...

Leader of governor’s race up for debate

Last week, I had the pleasure of being invited by the Raleigh County Republican Executive Committee to come cover their debate, featuring the top four GOP candidates for governor of West Virginia at the beautiful Resort at Glade Springs. The event was interesting for several reasons. For one, it was a paid event, meaning one had to pay to be there unless specifically invited (such as media). Despite this, the ballroom we were in was packed and it was filled with people from all across the state who made the trek to Daniels right outside Beckley. The level of interest in the debate ...

Regulating cable television

At the Public Service Commission, we are often asked how cable television and internet services are regulated. These issues are often confused because some cable companies also provide internet service. The Public Service Commission does not regulate internet service at all. Those complaints must be filed with the attorney general’s office. Cable is a bit more complicated. State law says the cable television industry is not regulated as a utility. The main reason for this is because the service often crosses state lines, which means the federal government is its primary regulator. On ...

Getting a close look at local development

Thursday was a milestone day for Form Energy as the company raised the final steel beam for its initialy construction of Form Factory One. I want to thank Form Energy for including me in the day, and to help chronicle this phase in the development of the manufacturing facility. The hope continues that this project will be the first of many coming to Weirton in the next several years as our area continues its work to build for its future. It was interesting to watch the ceremony, because, quite frankly, it’s been such a rare occurrence in Hancock and Brooke counties. The last ...

My love for football I learned from my mom

When it comes to football, I must admit I have been a finicky follower. I remember how I loved the 1970s Pittsburgh Steelers. I mean how could you not? My mother taught me this. She is still passionate about her all-time favorite sports team and I have learned not to interfere by asking nuisance questions while they are playing. Honestly, I think this was the best football team there has ever been or ever will be. How can you go wrong with Terry Bradshaw as your quarterback? With players such as Franco Harris, Lynn Swann and John Stallworth? Rocky Bleier, Mike Webster, Jack ...

The possibilities of the road not taken

Despite all the culture war bills getting most of the attention over the last several weeks, the 2024 session has been very slow. That’s given me time to be nostalgic, thinking about the path that led me to this career in journalism. I’ve been listening to a podcast called “Finding Matt Drudge,” talking about Drudge’s impact on news reporting since breaking the story about the investigation into former President Bill Clinton’s relationship with a White House intern. The Drudge Report was revolutionary in the mid-to-late 1990s. Drudge showed that one person – not a news ...