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A lesson in losing it all and still having faith

Another week has passed. Yet, my run of unfortunate circumstances continues. I may be breaking a record. Sadly. The arm is still in excruciating pain. Broken, not mending. My Shayley is hopefully in heaven running alongside my grandparents, my daddy and some of the best friends my life has ever known. My financial situation sucks. (And that was putting it mildly.) But God doesn’t drop money in one’s lap. So I don’t foresee any assistance in that situation. And as I reflect on the things I might lose, I need to pause from feeling sorry for myself and take inventory of what I ...

The curious case of Caiden Cowger

When writing about lobbyists in my column last summer, I wrote about Caiden Cowger, a Republican political operative and the president of the Family Policy Council of West Virginia. While Cowger’s predecessor at the Family Policy Council, Allen Whitt, was a registered lobbyist with the West Virginia Ethics Commission, Cowger has never registered as a lobbyist. As such, he also provides no expenditure reports to the Ethics Commission. Yet, Cowger actively lobbies on specific issues directly to lawmakers during legislative sessions and has acted almost as an unpaid staffer for ...

Remember the importance of poll workers

We’re under the two-month mark leading up to West Virginia’s primary election, and while there is much attention on the various candidates set to appear on the ballot, there is something else just as important we should consider. In order for the election to be as successful as we have seen in the past, there is a need for poll workers. These men and women are those willing to step forward to register each voter as they come into each polling location, making certain voters are at the appropriate place and assisting them in the event they are not. They answer any questions and ...

Time to fix household leaks

A simple household leak can cost you a lot of money. Most are simple to fix once you locate them, but leaks can be sneaky. The Public Service Commission of West Virginia is participating in Fix a Leak Week, March 18-24 by encouraging everyone to be vigilant in finding and repairing leaks in household plumbing fixtures. Did you know that across America, homes waste more than a trillion gallons of water every year? That is shocking. The average home loses almost 10,000 gallons of water per year to simple leaks. That is the amount of water it takes to wash 300 loads of laundry. And every ...

To whom it may concern, I have to say good-bye

To whom it may concern, I am looking for a “sibling” for my 10-month-old husky, Mia. Some people believe I am crazy for wanting to get another puppy. My home already offers shelter and love to three teenage boys and the recent addition of a dog not quite 1. But I believe there is always room for another dog. A playmate for Mia and another being in which to love. I know the perfect one is out there and I’m hoping we will be led in their direction. To whom it may concern, Today I drove to your home. Although I cannot remember your name — if you even gave it to me at all, I ...

History in the Hills: Recollections of an historian

Some people, it seems, are just born with natural abilities. Some are naturally athletic, some are artistic and some are good at math, among other subjects. I, however, did not get those attributes. What I did get is the ability to learn and retain historical facts. For whatever reason, this comes easy to me, and I find myself being able to remember names, places and dates — you know, all the boring stuff one tends not to remember from their history classes. I am barely able to remember what I did last weekend, but ask me the date of the passage of the U.S. Constitution, and I can ...