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Sometimes miracles are found on a 12-lane Texas highway

Local Columns

I have a large canvas print on the living room wall that reads: “When life gets too hard to stand … kneel.” I believe in those words. More than you can imagine. Don’t tell me that God doesn’t exist, for I have seen too much, felt too much and lived too much to believe otherwise. I have seen miracles, the kind that show up in the middle of a Monday afternoon when you are knee-deep in housework and worry. The kind that whisper, “I am here,” when the world around you has completely fallen apart. We live in a world that is quick to explain things away. ...

Efforts to see more of the Mountain State

Local Columns

As some of our long-time readers may remember, one of the things I enjoy doing in those rare moments of free time I find is to visit our state parks. Whether it’s setting out on a trail or two, eating at a restaurant where one is available, taking in a new activity or adventure, or just finding a nice spot and sitting down to soak in the quiet view, each of West Virginia’s state parks has something unique to offer which should meet just about everyone’s preferences. In recent weeks, I’ve been able to take day trips with the family to a couple of our parks just to get a few ...

History in the Hills: Some hard times

Local Columns

My dear wife is a great cook. She works hard to provide wonderful nutritious meals to us every day regardless of how tired she is, how much work she did that day or despite the natural fact that sometimes our kids are less than excited about finishing their peas and carrots. She has sometimes made our pantry stretch between trips to the grocery store. We try to make do with what we have and do our best not to waste anything. In the summer we have a garden and, as a result, can much of our produce; we make maple syrup from maple sap in the early spring; in the fall we make apple sauce ...

The vital role of West Virginia’s Notaries Public

Local Columns

In an age where identity theft, fraud, and misinformation are increasingly prevalent, the role of the Notary Public has never been more critical. Often working quietly behind the scenes, Notaries serve as impartial witnesses to the signing of important documents, helping to deter fraud and ensure the integrity of our legal and civic processes by verifying the identities of individuals who sign documents. In West Virginia, more than 35,000 commissioned Notaries Public are performing this essential function every day, each one a guardian of trust in our communities. Notaries are woven ...

Take steps to keep your lungs healthy

Editorials

With Halloween just behind us and Thanksgiving coming up in a couple of weeks, it might be easy to forget that November is Lung Cancer Awareness Month. You should not. Lung cancer, according to the American Cancer Society, is the second most common form of cancer, with only prostate cancer being more common in men and breast cancer more common in women. Estimates are that 226,650 new cases of lung cancer will be diagnosed this year (115,970 of which will be in women and 110,6800 in men) and, sadly, that there will be 124,730 deaths due to lung cancer this year (64,190 of which will ...

We all have a role in our family

Editorials

Among the many other designations for November is National Family Caregivers Month — a time to recognize the role played by those who sometimes jeopardize their own long-term financial, physical and mental wellbeing to instead care for a loved one in need. According to data from AARP West Virginia, approximately 26% of Mountain State adults fall into the category of being a family caregiver. These people are often unpaid — and on their own — taking care of older parents, spouses and others for whom no one else has stepped up. In fact, AARP estimates there is approximately $3 ...