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Spreading the green around the valley

Local Columns

Growing up in the Ohio Valley, I don’t recall much of an emphasis placed on the idea of Earth Day in my youth. Perhaps it was because the observation was still in its own infancy, having been created in the 1970s and, at the time, those involved were focused primarily on governmental policies, such as the creation of the Environmental Protection Agency and the passage of various environmental laws, such as the Clean Air Act and the Clean Water Act. Myself a child of 1979 and raised in the 1980s and 1990s, I don’t remember too many instances of school or community activities ...

Fast work not always best work

Editorials

As efforts from Washington, D.C., to reduce the size of the federal government continue with a sense of urgency that has yielded mixed results, U.S. Sen. Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.Va., was right to urge U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to reverse course on a reduction in force effort that has affected the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health in Morgantown. “I believe in the president’s vision to right size our government, but I do not think eliminating the NIOSH coal programs and research will accomplish that goal,” ...

An anonymous Easter letter that required my response

Local Columns

Today, I am going to reply to a recent letter I received at work. Kind of like an Ann Landers thing ... minus the fact she is dead and this person never even asked for my opinion. So, in reality, it isn’t anything like an Ann Landers thing at all. To Whom it May Concern, I received your Easter card in the mail the other day. The Bible scripture you enclosed was nice to hear. We all need a reminder sometimes that God is with us always. The hand-written letter inside the card really did get my attention. Hence, the reason I am writing this column. I honestly hope you ...

History in the Hills: Opening of the Fort

Local Columns

This past Thursday was Take Your Child to Work Day. My twins were in school, but I was able to take my daughter, Stella, and son, Paulie, to work with me. We had a blast. We spent the morning doing office work at the visitor’s center, then spent time out in the Fort, opening up and getting ready for the day. My son has become quite the guide and was able to take me around a few buildings, explaining all of the history he could remember. I am looking forward to his help when we get busy with tours in the summer. I am sure he will volunteer! I am proud he can remember all the facts about ...

Small business the lifeblood of communities

Local Columns

The WV Entrepreneurship Ecosystem Annual Conference is coming up on Tuesday, April 29th. This year’s Conference is being held at the Butcher Center at Shepherd University in Shepherdstown, West Virgina. This daylong Conference is full of networking and learning opportunities for entrepreneurs and small business owners from throughout the state. The Conference features an incredible Exhibitor Showcase for entrepreneurs to engage and learn about the resources and insights that foster a thriving entrepreneurial environment in West Virginia. I am honored to attend the Conference this ...

Dispose of unused prescriptions

Editorials

The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration calls our country’s substance abuse epidemic “a clear and present public health, public safety and national security threat.” No one needs to tell those living in our region that. We see it every day. And most of us wonder whether there is anything WE can do about it. There is. Among the ways we can combat the problem is taking advantage of National Prescription Drug Take Back Day to remove unneeded medications from our homes, preventing the possibility they might fall into someone else’s hands. The DEA calls it a “measure of ...