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Opinion

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 ...

Working our way from the back

Editorials

As West Virginia lawmakers kick off this year’s legislative session with talk of kitchen table issues and “Jobs First — Opportunity Everywhere,” a recent report by WalletHub suggests they will have to do a lot of work to turn that focus into success. If the aim is to turn the Mountain State into the kind of place where people want to stay to raise their families, they’ll be working from (as usual) nearly the back of the pack. In WalletHub’s “Best and Worst States to Raise a Family 2026,” West Virginia ranked nearly last. Only New Mexico prevented it from being the ...

Questions continue with Hancock Schools

Editorials

The next couple of weeks could very well determine much of the future for Hancock County Schools. A meeting held Tuesday between local officials and the West Virginia Department of Education included discussion as to whether the district will receive an advancement of funds to meet payroll; an issue Superintendent Dan Enich said was the result of a late drawdown of $475,000. On Jan. 26, the school board – and anyone else attending the board’s regular meeting – are scheduled to hear from Jeff Davis (not the former Hancock County commissioner) of Educational Consultants LLC, who ...

The 2026 election candidate filing period is officially open

Local Columns

With the start of the new year, the 2026 election cycle is just around the corner. The May 12th Primary Election is now 4 months away, beginning with the candidate filing period on January 12th. For just over two weeks, West Virginians seeking their party’s nomination to the General Election must file certificates of announcement to officially become candidates. Elections are the voices of the people. Elected officials make decisions at the national, state, and local levels that affect our daily lives, future, and our next generations. Perhaps some of the most important decisions we ...