What is under Hoppy’s Christmas tree?

I’m off this week, so no commentaries and Dave Wilson will be filling in on Talkline. But, if you like, have some fun with this question: “What should Hoppy find under the tree on Christmas morning?” I look forward to reading your comments! Sincerely, Hop  

Remember Pearl Harbor… and Lt. Jim Downing

Five years ago, Ray Chavez, the oldest U.S. military survivor of the December 7, 1941, attack on Pearl Harbor, passed away at age 106. His death reminded me of Jim Downing, who at 104 was the second oldest Pearl Harbor survivor. I interviewed the retired Navy Lt. when he came to Morgantown in November, 2017

Words of advice on words

Merriam-Webster Dictionary has released its list of the words that defined 2023. At the top of the list was “authentic.” The dictionary’s website said “authentic” saw a substantial increase in 2023, driven by stories and conversations about AI, celebrity culture, identity and social media. I don’t know if we have a word of the year

The political left’s uphill battle in West Virginia

Joe Manchin’s decision not to run for re-election to the United States Senate has cleared the way for other Democrats to get in the race. One of the entries is Zach Shrewsbury,* a Marine Corps veteran who leans to the far left of the political spectrum. When I asked him on Talkline Monday if he

Two Jefferson County Commissioners show up for work… but only after a judge’s order

The Jefferson County Commission met last Thursday afternoon. Normally, the mere fact of having a meeting would not be newsworthy. However, it was in this instance because just having a quorum finally ended a stubborn and ill-conceived protest by Republican Commissioners Tricia Jackson and Jennifer Krouse. It is not as though Jackson and Krouse wanted

Former Southern Regional Jail officers charged in inmates death

On February 28, 2022, 37-year-old Quantez Burks was brought to the Southern Regional Jail near Beckley on a charge of wanton endangerment. The following day, he was dead. A private autopsy determined Burks died of a heart attack after sustaining a severe beating. The story from correctional officers at the jail was that the injuries

PAC attacks Jim Justice

The Club for Growth political action committee has kicked off its effort to try to help Representative Alex Mooney catch up to Governor Jim Justice in the race for the Republican nomination for U.S. Senate. The conservative, pro-business PAC is spending $1.2 million to air an advertisement on TV and digital media called “Proof.”  The

The ‘dirty’ job to green job myth

The number of coal mining jobs continues to decline. According to S&P Global Market Intelligence, nationally there were about 90,000 coal miners in 2012, but that number has fallen to below 50,000 over the last decade. The number of miners in West Virginia has fallen from 23,000 to fewer than 12,000 during the same period.

New weight loss drugs are promising, and expensive

West Virginia has a weight problem. Forty-one percent of state residents are clinically obese, which is defined as having a body mass index (BMI) of greater than 30.  (18.5 to 24.9 is considered normal.) And West Virginians are not alone. The national obesity rate has increased 37 percent since 2004, while the youth obesity rate

Neal Brown earns his keep

The biggest question going into the WVU football season was whether head coach Neal Brown would be able to keep his job. His record through four years was below .500 (22-25) and three of his four seasons ended with losing records. Yet there was this consistent desire by the University’s Director of Athletics to find

JFK: May 29, 1917-November 22, 1963

  For West Virginians old enough to remember, today is a tragic anniversary. It was on this day, November 22, 1963, that President John F. Kennedy was assassinated in Dallas. Kennedy is more closely associated with West Virginia than any other President because of his famous 1960 campaign here. The young Senator from Massachusetts with

We are losing an important voice in our communities

The pace at which community newspapers are going out of business is increasing. Axios reports, “The decline of local newspapers accelerated so rapidly in 2023 that analysts now believe the U.S. will have lost one-third of the newspapers it had as of 2005 by the end of next year—rather than 2025 as originally predicted.” Axios

The Great Middle will be difficult to corral

Joe Manchin’s plans to travel the country to see if he can tap into the great middle of America that is fed up with the extreme politics of both parties will be an interesting exercise. Polls indicate there is a large portion of Americans who think, as Manchin does, that they no longer fit in

Thank you, Coach Nehlen

West Virginia University is honoring former head football coach Don Nehlen this weekend. There is a reception for him tonight and tomorrow his name will be placed along with other Mountaineer greats on the Diversified Energy Terrace. This is an appropriate honor for the individual who, more than anyone, is the patriarch of the modern

Another Warner prepares to run for statewide office

The contest for the Republican nomination for West Virginia Secretary of State is getting even more crowded, and that is because a Warner is getting into the race. No, not Mac Warner. The current two-term Secretary of State is not running for re-election. Instead, he is running for the Republican nomination for Governor. This candidate

Justice’s enviable poll numbers

Another poll, and another indication that Republican Governor Jim Justice is the dominant frontrunner in the race with Representative Alex Mooney for the Republican nomination for the U.S. Senate seat. That seat comes open in 2024 now that Senator Joe Manchin has announced he is not running for re-election. This independent poll of likely West

Jefferson County prosecutor files to remove absent commissioners from office

Jefferson County Commission business has been at a standstill for the last two months because two commissioners—Tricia Jackson and Jennifer Krouse—refuse to go to the meetings. Their absences mean the remaining two commissioners—Steve Stolipher and Jane Tabb—cannot conduct meetings because they lack a quorum. The issue is a vacancy on the commission and President Stolipher’s

Joe Manchin’s quest

Joe Manchin is looking for something. The Democratic Senator from West Virginia said he is going to travel around the country in search of the Great Middle, which he says is missing from divisive and tribal Washington politics. “I know our country isn’t nearly as divided as Washington wants you to believe,” he said last

Eight quick takes on Joe Manchin’s announcement

Eight quick takes on U.S. Sen. Joe Manchin’s announcement that he is not running for re-election: Why isn’t he running for re-election?  Manchin’s nature is to try to work together to achieve goals and he is famously fed up with the increasingly polarized politics in Washington. He believes the country is being pulled apart by

WV First Foundation begins the long, hard struggle to combat the state’s opioid crisis

The members of the West Virginia First Foundation gathered for the first time this week in Charleston, and newly elected chairman Matt Harvey said it was evident the board has serious work ahead. Harvey, who serves as prosecuting attorney for Jefferson County, said on Talkline this week that ensuring hundreds of millions of dollars in