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100 Christmas trees for 100 years

Columnists

Kump Education Center invites the public for a Kump House Centennial Celebration to enjoy a diverse collection of 100 Christmas trees on Sunday, Dec. 21 and Sunday, Dec. 28 from 1-3 p.m. at 401 Randolph Avenue, across from the Elkins Kroger store. Children may take turns talking with Santa in the living room before Christmas. Everyone is welcome to enjoy the trees, sample tasty treats, and watch a magical toy train. Our amazing arboretum includes trees made of candy, ceramics, cloth, foil, glass, metal, paper, plastic and painted wood as well as traditional evergreens and holly ...

Threat of Mamdani

Columnists

Zohran Mamdani’s victory in the New York City mayoral race on affordability has shaken Republicans and Democrats alike. All now scramble to make sense of it. President Donald Trump pronounces “affordability” and “groceries” as if they are esoteric words with some special meaning. Democrats, late to endorsing Mamdani, have now rediscovered the working class. Wonders never cease. Trump has been hit particularly hard. Not only did he give a half-hearted endorsement of Andrew Cuomo, but he also denounced Mamdani as a “communist.” However, during his meeting with the ...

Authenticity and vulnerability

Columnists

Authentic and vulnerable are two words I am hearing often when I ask people what they like about the person they report to and the people in the top leadership roles. My experience is that these words are mentioned more today than in the past. While they do not mean the same thing, together they are critical in developing relationships. They are vital for self-awareness and building trust.  A couple of quick definitions: Authenticity is being genuine and aligned with your values and beliefs. Vulnerability is the behavior of being open to others. When coaching executives, I find ...

Remembering Pearl Harbor

Editorials

Eighty-four years have passed since the morning the world changed in a matter of minutes. On Dec. 7, 1941, as Americans awoke to an ordinary Sunday, Japanese aircraft descended on Pearl Harbor with a ferocity that stunned a nation that believed oceans still offered protection. By the time the attack ended, 2,403 Americans were dead and the United States had been forced into a global conflict it had hoped to avoid. Each anniversary prompts us to remember the fallen. But at 84 years, Pearl Harbor is also becoming something else — a test of whether we remain capable of learning from the ...

Problems

Editorials

As the investigation unfolds into the attack on two West Virginia National Guard members in Washington, D.C., last month, Americans are getting a glimpse into some cracks in the system that MUST be addressed. Among them is the need to explore better mental health and community support programs for veterans and refugees. Suspect Rahmanullah Lakanwal has been described as a person who was radicalized after he came to the U.S. A volunteer who worked with him and other Afghan refugees said they believed that Lakanwal suffered a mental health crisis after years of likely suffering from ...

Peacemaker in progress

Columnists

Donald Trump has billed himself as a “peacemaker,” boasting that he has stopped a number of potential disputes. He has a solid achievement in the Middle East, but it is still a work in progress. The toughest of his initiatives regards the war between Ukraine and Russia. It has been a rocky road, made even more difficult by the machinations of the “deep state.” Those who helped to design policy during both the Biden and the first Trump administration are bound and determined to thwart a new course on Ukraine. Trump clearly wants to end the war, and in his view, the best way ...