Breaking News

Columnists

Reflections on Bondi Beach

When I go to synagogue, I always smile and wave at the armed police officers stationed outside. I want them to know they’re appreciated, but also, at some level, I guess it’s fair to say that I’m trying to ingratiate myself so that the cop will want to put his or her life on the line to save us if a gunman decides to open fire on or torch our congregation, as happened in Pittsburgh (2018), Poway (2019), Miami (2019), Monsey (2019), Halle, Germany (2019), Colleyville (2022), Jerusalem (2023), Djerba, Tunisia (2023), Berlin, Germany (2023), Yerevan, Armenia (2023), Rouen, France ...

Christmas potpourri

As we get close to the start of the new year, the 2026 legislative session, and the next election cycle, we’re seeing a lot of movement in the deck chairs. For example, Del. John Williams, D-Monongalia, will challenge state Sen. Mike Oliverio, R-Monongalia, in the 13th Senatorial District covering parts of Monongalia and Marion counties. Of course, both will have to make it through their respective party primaries, which is likely. But a contest between Williams and Oliverio will mean at least one of them will not be returning to the statehouse after the November 2026 ...

Building on Progress: My dedication to West Virginia continues

It has been the honor of my life to serve West Virginia as your United States Senator, fighting for the concerns of our communities and making sure the voices of West Virginians are heard loud and clear in Washington, D.C. As a lifelong native of the Mountain State, I know how diligent and determined the people of our state are, and they deserve representation that works as hard as they do. I’m proud to announce that I’m running for reelection in 2026 to continue my hard work on behalf of West Virginia in the U.S. Senate. With President Trump’s endorsement of my reelection, it ...

Why we are doubling down on West Virginia

You’ve likely seen the news that Antero Resources, already West Virginia’s largest natural gas producer, purchased the assets of another large producer in our state. When it closes, Antero’s production will total over four billion cubic feet of natural gas per day, representing nearly half of all natural gas produced in the state. Additionally, Antero will become the fourth largest independent natural gas operator in the United States as a result of this transaction. Every cubic foot of that production, all of it, will be from West Virginia. The same day Antero Resources ...

It appears MAGA is on the verge of a split

It would appear that MAGA is on the verge of a split. The unifying face within the movement is Donald Trump, who is behaving in ways befitting a corporate executive and not a Populist leader. Marjorie Taylor Greene, in an interview, described her beliefs as “America First” rather than MAGA. Too much preference for corporate bosses and the Epstein affair caused the split. Impatience with the feckless Mike Johnson, the Marionette Speaker of the House, drove both Greene and Nancy Mace out of the tent. Evidence of these divisions is rife. Steve Bannon seems confused by Trump’s ...

Counting our blessings

Irving Berlin’s “Counting Your Blessings” sung by Bing Crosby in “White Christmas” (1942) has been on my mind during this busy season. We are setting up our 100 Christmas Trees to celebrate 100 years since the Kump House was completed. There are many things that could go wrong with complicated events like this one planned for two Sundays, Dec. 21 and 28 from 1–3 p.m. at the historic Kump House across from Kroger in Elkins. Bing Crosby’s lyric “When I’m worried and I can’t sleep, I count my blessings instead of sheep” helps me when our task seems overwhelming. We ...