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Opinion

In full swing

Columnists

The new age of interventionism is now in full swing. Donald Trump’s actions in Venezuela reinforced a trend that has been growing since the attack on the World Trade Center. Before that, you had the Iraqis’ invasion of Kuwait, America’s response, and George H.W. Bush’s intervention in Panama in 1989. Under Bill Clinton, you saw the dubious war that fractured Yugoslavia. During the 1990s and early 2000s, the United States relentlessly tried to make the Russian Federation a supplicant nation. Russia was plunged into chaos, leading President Boris Yeltsin to appoint Vladimir Putin ...

‘Halftime’ between semesters

Columnists

The pine tree branches outside my window are heavy with falling snow, and the wind feels cold even from the warmth of the house. Writing this column a few days ahead of its distribution, the holiday break has provided both solace and perspective as we prepare for the upcoming spring semester at Davis & Elkins College. The calendar turns to a new year, often synonymous with fresh starts and resolutions. However, if I may borrow a sports analogy, for those of us in higher education, the pause at the end of the calendar year is less a brand-new game and more of a “halftime.” With the ...

Impact

Editorials

Gov. Patrick Morrisey is right to note West Virginians are “feeling the impact of inflation,” as he pointed out Monday. “People know that groceries cost more. Gas has (cost) more. Utilities have (cost) more,” he said. It is easy, then, to understand why he wants to find a way to do something about that by speeding up the state’s path to already approved cuts, and is proposing reducing the state’s personal income tax rates by between 5% and 10%. It’s exciting talk, but once lawmakers dig into the idea, they will likely have to pump the brakes. Revenue from the personal ...

Letter to the Editor

Letters to the Editor

Most people may assume that the West Virginia State Board of Education’s decision to accept the closure of Harman School on December 10, 2025, concluded the matter. That is not necessarily the case. There is an appeal process in contesting the State BOE’s decision. A formal appeal must be made within 30 days of the State BOE decision. Rarely is that process pursued as it takes a great deal of time and effort to prepare a serious appeal. An appeal is being submitted on behalf of Harman. Members of the Harman community, along with many Randolph County residents, have formally ...

Our brains can change — and so can we

Columnists

Have you ever heard or read a word that’s either new to you or that you’ve not encountered, and suddenly it starts cropping up everywhere? This is true for me with the word neuroplasticity.  It describes the brain’s ability to change and adapt by forming new neural connections and reorganizing existing ones in response to experiences, learning, or injury. It is the process of allowing new skills and/or changes in skills and abilities, as well as the opportunity to change dysfunctional patterns of thinking and behavior. This means that the brain is not a “fixed” organ and ...

Scams

Editorials

As “political season” ramps up, election filings begin, tax preparation is underway, and any number of 2026 tasks come to mind at the start of the year, state officials are warning residents to beware of phishing campaigns and other cyber crimes in which deceptive website addresses and other techniques lead people to believe they are dealing with a state agency when they are not. Generally, the goal is to gain login credentials or other personal information — maybe even money. Criminals do so by creating web addresses that LOOK as though they came from state agencies, or send ...