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The merry-go-round that won’t end

Here we go again, the merry-go-round that simply will not end. If it seems like I’ve written a whole column on the efforts by some to eliminate West Virginia’s certificate of need law, I did back in March. Remember, I got to shoehorn in a Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan reference. But supporters and detractors of CON repeal were back at it last week. Once again, many health care services are required to apply for a certificate of need from the state, which can approve or reject it based on many factors, such as the availability of similar services in the region. Gov. Patrick ...

Musk, DOGE and the fiscal path forward

On Wednesday evening, the world’s wealthiest man announced that his sojourn in the nation’s capital is almost over. “As my scheduled time as a Special Government Employee comes to an end, I would like to thank President (Donald Trump) for the opportunity to reduce wasteful spending,” Elon Musk posted to X, the social media platform he owns. While Musk was quick to add that “the (Department of Government Efficiency) mission will only strengthen over time as it becomes a way of life throughout the government,” Musk’s departure will represent the effective end of DOGE as we ...

Trump and Putin

“I’m not happy with what Putin is doing. He’s killing a lot of people, and I don’t know what the hell happened to Putin,” said Donald Trump on Truth Social over the holiday weekend. “I’ve always had a very good relationship with Vladimir Putin of Russia, but something has happened to him. He has gone absolutely CRAZY! He is needlessly killing a lot of people, and I’m not just talking about soldiers. Missiles and drones are being shot into cities in Ukraine, for no reason whatsoever.” Trump is not the only president who has stressed the importance of personal ...

Life isn’t fair or easy, but forgiveness helps us go forward

Life is not always fair. I know people who are or have been in difficult situations. Often forgiveness and love help them in navigating life. That means self-forgiveness, too. I listened to a person share that they can forgive others much easier than they can forgive themselves. This reminds me of a picture of a boxing ring with only one person in it. The person is taking a pummeling, but they are beating themselves up. Not that each of us should not own our piece of a situation, but I find people can be hard on themselves.   When I was 31, I entered therapy for the first time. I was ...

Life isn’t fair or easy, but forgiveness helps us go forward

Hello from Barbour County. Congratulations to the Philip Barbour graduating class of 2025. May you accomplish all of your dreams! Today, May 31, Belington Public Library will be having a cake walk and pulled pork dinner at the Asbury United Methodist Church. The kitchen will open at 4 p.m. and the cake walk begins at 5 p.m. The last day of school for Barbour County students will be June 3. I hope everyone has a great and safe summer. Belington will be having their citywide yard sale on June 7 from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Stop by the many sales and see what treasures you can ...

‘Poverty is not a crime’ in WV

In April Governor Morrisey cut funding for several childcare programs from the budget proposed by the WV Legislature. Now the Governor plans to revisit childcare issues, and he promises to bring “transparency and accountability” to the Foster Care Crisis. It may be too little too late, but these are problems that impact many children in West Virginians, and they will cause lasting harm. The whole idea that poor children should be taken away from parents in poverty is baffling to me. The fact is that many families are separated because parents cannot pay their bills or keep ...