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Keeping the dream alive

Editorials

On Monday, Americans of all races and religions mark the observance of the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday. We think there can be no better way to remember his legacy than by offering the text of the speech he delivered on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C., on Aug. 28, 1963: Five score years ago, a great American, in whose symbolic shadow we stand, signed the Emancipation Proclamation. This momentous decree came as a great beacon light of hope to millions of Negro slaves who had been seared in the flames of withering injustice. It came as a joyous daybreak to end the ...

Full effects of school decision yet to come

Local Columns

There was, no doubt, shock following the decision Friday morning of the West Virginia Board of Education to take over control of the Hancock County Schools system. There have been many questions since October, when financial issues were made public, as to the future of the local school district. It began with the seemingly sudden termination of the former finance director, with the board then contracting with a financial consultant to help review the budgets of the current and previous fiscal years. As revealed during Friday’s state meeting, though, problems were known in ...

PSC at forefront of promoting broadband growth

Local Columns

One of the major issues the Public Service Commission has grappled with in recent years involves our effort to support the expansion in this state of high-speed internet service, commonly called broadband. Because of the mountainous terrain of the state, broadband is often accessed through provider service lines strung on utility poles. Our Commission regulates those poles and what can be attached to them. It is estimated that the state has more than 2.5 million poles, mostly owned by the two major power companies, but also by telephone carriers like Frontier. We have been tasked ...

Stability, stewardship, and public trust

Letters to the Editor

To the Editor, I have been preparing to start the next chapter of my public service, and I wanted to take a moment to share what is on my mind and why I remain energized to continue this work. Serving as Hancock County Commissioner has been both an honor and a responsibility I take seriously. As I reflect on the work accomplished during my term, I want to begin with a simple message to the public: thank you for trusting me with this job. County government is not abstract. It is detailed, procedural, and consequential. Decisions made at the commission affect taxes, services, ...

History in the Hills: A ride back in time

Local Columns

I started my previous article about one of my favorite Woody Allen movies, “Radio Days.” While that is in fact my favorite, I also like a newer film of Allen’s called “Midnight in Paris.” This film debuted in 2011 and is about a man who visits Paris with his fiancée and falls in love with the city, but longs for the Paris of the past. He gets his wish because, while walking in the city at midnight, he is picked up by an antique car of the 1920s that takes him back in time. While in the 1920s, he meets all the movers and shakers of that time, like Ernest Hemingway, Scott and ...

The true cost of tobacco use

Editorials

The start of “political season” in many states brings with it a host of studies and reports filled with data that could inform legislative decision-making. Among them is another WalletHub study: “The Real Cost of Smoking by State (2026.)” In West Virginia, it may come as a surprise to learn, the lifetime cost of smoking is among the lowest in the country. The Mountain State ranks 38th for both out-of-pocket costs at $153,300 and financial opportunity costs at $2,685,329 over a smoker’s lifetime. It won’t surprise anyone who knows how Duke University got its name to know ...