Breaking News

Columnists

Pepperoni Roll Pop-up

We never really know what creative ideas may pop up to help make learning activities available to more local students at Kump Education Center. The “Pepperoni Roll Pop-up” this Saturday was Laura Santmyer’s idea to help local students who might not have funding to pay full tuition for Spanish Camp. Pepperoni rolls from Gino’s Pizza will be on sale, Saturday from 11 am to 2 pm in the old IGA parking lot. This parking lot now serves the Randolph County Commission Annex where early voting has been taking place. The pepperoni roll lunches will include two sides, a cookie, and a ...

How to Close the Game

Donald Trump declares that the United States "has all the cards" in its dispute with Iran. However, it begs the question of just how Trump is playing them. For a man who holds a superior hand, he seems ever so eager to announce his advantage. Despite nearly 10 weeks of his "quasi-war" with Iran, Trump is doing nothing to close the game. Richard Nixon offered insight into what negotiations should look like when he addressed Southern delegates at the Republican convention on Aug. 7, 1968. In some cases, particularly with the "madman theory" Trump shares with Nixon, a preference for ...

No more Mr. Nice Guy

“No more Mr. Nice Guy,” Donald Trump declared while trying to persuade Iran to agree to peace terms favorable to the United States. But this style of public diplomacy adds to the confusion about the state of American-Iranian negotiations. One minute, Iran agrees to “open” the Strait of Hormuz; the next, the United States tries its hand at blockading the Strait. This is a test of whether the United States desires peace. Certainly, it mirrors the negotiating style during the Vietnam War. Lyndon Johnson would float the idea of “unconditional discussions” while pursuing ...

Kind leaders bring comfort in a time of confusion.

When I read and listen to the news these days, I realize that we are living in a confusing time that is much like the period before the Great Depression. Economic, medical and political issues were as difficult to sort through then as they are now. The “lost generation” came home from World War I, there had been a pandemic, and energy, technology and transportation were changing the economy. As Volunteer Director of Kump Education Center, I have learned a good deal about ways President F.D. Roosevelt and Governor H.G. Kump dealt with the situation when they were inaugurated March ...

Clean water for WV is a congressional priority

Spring in West Virginia is truly “almost heaven.” Life comes back to our forests, wildflowers scatter across the mountains, and spring rains send cold water rushing through our mountain streams and rivers. Unfortunately, many West Virginians don’t have reliable access to that clean, cold water when they turn on their taps. Indeed, some West Virginians’ water is so filthy that it is not fit for drinking. In some cases, the water even causes blistering when used for bathing. This is completely unacceptable and should not be happening in the United States of America. That is ...

Ceasefire arrangement

The ceasefire in the Iran War was arranged partly through maneuvers rooted in past American diplomatic efforts. One involved Pakistan as a conduit to Tehran and Beijing. Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner traveled a well-trod path, as Henry Kissinger did in 1971, using Pakistan as a lever to backchannel the People's Republic of China. For his part, Donald Trump essentially followed Richard Nixon's detente strategy. He also tended to use the "madman theory," which RN thought might convince the North Vietnamese to come to a settlement. Trump's methods were far louder than Nixon's, who ...