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Odds and ends to wrap up the month

Local Columns

Just a few thoughts to end out the week, and the month, as we all try to do whatever we can to take our minds of the ongoing frigid temperatures. •••••• It came down to the last few days, but many of the races set to go on our local ballots have started to fill up. As of Friday morning, there were four candidates for three seats on the Brooke County school board and two candidates for Brooke Commission. Three (Two Republicans and one Democrat) have stepped up for the Hancock County Commission race, with eight now vying for one of the three seats on the Hancock County ...

Having to say goodbye never gets easier

Local Columns

There is a silence unlike any other when a certain heartbeat stops. It is a specific kind of quiet. One that seems to settle into the floorboards. And it remains a part of our home forever. It is a quiet so heavy that it feels as if it has its very own weight to it. How can air feel so heavy? We tell ourselves when we bring them home — those tumbling little balls of fur who trip over their own paws — that we are ready for the end. We tell ourselves that we understand the math. We convince ourselves that we realize there is not a lot of time when it comes to the life ...

Trains are beautiful, but respect the tracks

Local Columns

Here are words you would rarely put together: railroad safety and the Public Service Commission of West Virginia. Yet, when it comes to keeping rails safe and clear in the Mountain State, those duties fall to our Commission. And the center of that work is Operation Lifesaver. For more than three decades, the PSC has been a partner of Operation Lifesaver, a national nonprofit focused on rail safety education. Together with us, they raise safety awareness and strive to reduce accidents at rail crossings. That dedication starts at the top. The head of our railroad division was ...

History in the Hills: A look back at WW I

Local Columns

I am very proud of all my children, especially my oldest son, Paulie. He is smart, compassionate and is growing into a fine young man. What’s gratifying to me, though, is that he is developing a genuine love for history. As a child of two historians, he has always been exposed to our past, either through TV shows, books, trips to historic sites or the constant chatter from my wife and I about what we remember from the past and how things have changed. He likes to tease us when we start a story with the phrase “well, back in my day …” A huge part of his interest in so many ...

Get out and support small business

Editorials

Been stuck in the house for a while? Made one last run at the big box store before the snow, ice and frigid temperatures hit and haven’t spent an extra dime since? One day, we will be through this arctic spell. We’ll need to venture out and do a little shopping. Maybe we’ll just be ready to eat at a restaurant after having gone through everything in the pantry at home. When that time comes, consider spending your money with a smaller, locally owned establishment. Those who have either been forced to close or have seen VERY little traffic because of this weather may be in ...

Working to uplift all West Virginians

Editorials

How many of us regularly see social media posts and advertorials touting something along the lines of the top hidden gems to retire to in West Virginia? They’re everywhere. And most seem to be aimed at luring non-West Virginians to a few select locations after their retirement. But what if you already live here? What is the retirement landscape like, then? Well, according to WalletHub’s “2026’s Best and Worst States to Retire,” the Mountain State is fourth worst in the nation. There is one almost-bright spot. Our state ranks 18th for affordability and fifth for adjusted ...