Breaking News

Opinion

Overreach

Editorials

“The President cannot decide major economic and political questions, or significantly alter the balance of power between the states and federal government, without clear authorization from Congress.” Those are the words of then-West Virginia Attorney General Patrick Morrisey back in 2021, when he was rightly continuing his fight against the illegal federal efforts and executive overreach of the Clean Power Plan. He was able to make his point because he understood then, “Thankfully, our Constitution stands in the way of (then-President Joe) Biden unilaterally pushing the country ...

West Virginia moving to offense in Backyard Brawl

Columnists

For too long, West Virginia has sat at the bottom of health, education, and economic rankings. Policymakers have spent decades trying to solve these problems, but frustratingly little progress has occurred. Action, not platitudes, is needed for true growth. If we want to truly move the needle, we must stop treating the symptoms and instead focus on the real disease: for too long, our state simply didn’t do enough to create an attractive enough investment and regulatory climate. That’s why I signed an Executive Order establishing an economic Backyard Brawl on my first day in office. ...

Loss of a Leader

Editorials

“He set an example of honesty, integrity, faith and service that was second to none. He was an example of leadership with grace, a man who had a deep faith in God, and loved his family with all of his heart.” Those words from State Senate President Randy E. Smith, R-Preston, must be close to what leapt to many West Virginians’ minds when they learned of the passing of State Supreme Court of Appeals Justice Tim Armstead Tuesday. Armstead was a state legislator for 20 years — minority leader from 2007 to 2014 and then Speaker of the House for four years as he very capably led ...

Return to campus

Columnists

There’s a certain magic in the air when students return to campus. Suddenly, Davis & Elkins College comes alive — footsteps echo across sidewalks, laughter spills from residence halls, and the familiar beehive of energy swirls through the mountains once more. The 121st academic year is underway, and students have traveled from across town, across the country, and even across the globe to begin—or continue—their journey. New friendships are forming, old ones are rekindling, and the campus feels whole again. I asked one of our resident assistants if he was glad to be back. ...

Statistics

Editorials

Politicians are abundant in putting their self-serving “spin” on issues, circumstances and new developments good and bad, and they’re not shy about voicing rosy predictions and making promises for if they are successful at the ballot box. People who follow politics closely recognize that, but so do many people who have what they consider to be “better things to do” than monitoring closely the issues on the political and governmental landscapes. But although statistics can be “shaped” to benefit one’s own viewpoints and advantage, it is “stats” as a whole, without ...

Avoid Scams

Editorials

Across the country, scammers continue to find success — particularly with older residents and their families — with a seemingly endless supply of techniques for separating people from their hard-earned money. Among the latest efforts is a scam in which a person receives a phone call, email or text that says they need to pay a fine, but that they should do so with Bitcoin, a gift card or other virtual currency. And yes, the wording is confusing and aggressive enough that people continue to fall for these scams in droves. In Ohio alone, between July 1, 2024, and June 30, 2025, ...