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Income

West Virginia stands alone among the states for a host of positive reasons. But a recent Urban Institute study shows we stand alone for a distressing reason: We are the only state in the country for which inflation-adjusted median household income has DECREASED since 1970. “Over this period,” the study reads, “Utah households’ incomes gained the most, with the median income rising 78 percent, or $40,820. The states with the next largest increases–Colorado, New Hampshire, California, Arizona, and Virginia–all experienced more than 60 percent growth in median household ...

Debate

COVID-19, beyond sickening many millions of people in this country and, in fact, worldwide, as well as exacting a heavy death toll, greatly ramped up a broad debate about the safety of vaccines, including those developed to try to end the pandemic. That safety debate continues today, despite the successes and knowledge that have emanated from medical science’s battle against the coronavirus. Recent years seem to have verified that as long as mankind exists, some skepticism about vaccine safety will continue to walk side by side with the complete confidence that others hold in ...

Sub-Zero

The several inches of snow that have hit our local region will come and go. The absolutely frigid temperatures coming with that snow will linger for a while — and that could spell big trouble for homeowners. Our area has experienced multiple days already this year, complete with cold nights featuring near-zero or sub-zero temperatures. That is definitely not good news for homes with exposed pipes. When water freezes, it expands. If it expands too much, it can burst through those pipes and create a catastrophe, especially with the inclement weather.  AAA has some tips for ...

Investment

Governments have only a limited number of ways to support private businesses — large or small. Whether we like it or not, spending taxpayer money is one of them. The question becomes whether the return is larger than the investment — whether that money is being spent prudently. So, one can understand one of the objections to state House Bill 4004, to create the Recharge West Virginia program, from a few who wondered whether it was a good use of taxpayer dollars to support private businesses by incentivizing them to upskill existing employees. (It is harder to understand those who ...

Sad Smiles

Mountain State residents grew up knowing there were certain jokes that would be made at their expense once a person from another state found out they were West Virginians. Some variation on the “but you’re wearing shoes!” or “but you look like you have all your teeth!” was not uncommon. And we laughed it off. But the reality is West Virginia HAS struggled for generations — and still does struggle — with making dental health a priority. That’s backed up by a recent WalletHub study, “2026’s States with the Best and Worst Dental Health,” in which West Virginia ranks ...

Impact

Black History Month 2026 offers a chance to look at the impact Black Americans have made on our lives, and a special chance to reflect on an event that has been a part of the nation’s calendar for 100 years. “A Century of Black History Commemoration” is the theme that has been selected this year by the Association for the Study of African American Life and History, the founders of Black History Month. It’s a wide-ranging topic, and one that puts the focus on how the commemoration of Black history has evolved during the past 100 years, and the impact it has had on the status of ...