Huntington, Cabell County Rolled the Dice

Huntington and Cabell County gambled. The communities that have been deeply impacted by the opioid crisis wanted to hold the drug companies responsible. Yes, they wanted money—a lot of it—to help remediate the damage done by the epidemic, but they also wanted a reckoning. They hoped a public trial would accomplish both, and they went

The New Face of College Football

It is getting harder to love college football. That has been my sport of choice for years… watching and listening to games, covering it, and riding the highs of lows of being a fan of WVU, my alma mater. I am admittedly a member of an older generation of fan, one that valued rivalries and

John Adams’ Independence Day Mistake

(Editor’s note:  This is a commentary I wrote a few years ago and post every year on Independence Day.) John Adams’s letter to his wife Abigail was filled with enthusiasm, but also carried a tone of foreboding.  It was July 1776 and revolution was in the air among the delegates at the meeting of the

Supreme Court Checks the Power of the EPA on Draconian Carbon Rule

Seven years ago, President Barack Obama tried, and failed, to get Congress to pass the Clean Power Plan. The proposal included regulations that would have shut down coal-fired power plants to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Obama then took an alternate route. His administration’s EPA pushed ahead with the regulations, claiming that a little-used section of

Woody Williams: The Best of the Greatest Generation

(Hershel “Woody” Williams: 1923-2022) The battle for Iwo Jima was a seminal event of WWII.  American forces were fighting their way closer to Japan, but Japanese fighter planes taking off from the Pacific island were intercepting American bombers. According to the WWII National Museum, “The U.S. determined that Iwo Jima must be captured.”  A U.S.

The Long Road Ahead for West Virginia Democrats

New West Virginia Democratic Party Chairman Mike Pushkin has his work cut out for him, and he knows it. “It’s about work ethic and we’re going to have people who want to show up and work and get that message out that we are the real party of West Virginia values,” Pushkin said on Talkline

Abortion Confusion in West Virginia

West Virginia public policy makers need a sense of urgency on abortion. Last week’s U.S. Supreme Court decision overturning Roe v. Wade and sending the abortion question back to the states has created legal confusion in the Mountain State. The state’s only abortion clinic, Women’s Health Center of West Virginia in Charleston, announced shortly after

No More Roe, So Now What?

The U.S. Supreme Court decision overturning Roe v. Wade has triggered this question in West Virginia: Now what? The answers vary, but here are some observations and possibilities: First, and most importantly, regardless of where you stand on the issue, abortions are no longer available in West Virginia. The state’s only abortion provider, the Women’s

Biden’s Bungled Energy Policies

U.S. Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm met Thursday with executives from the big oil companies over high gas prices.  Afterward, her office said she challenged the executives to “deliver solutions to ensure (a) secure, affordable supply” of fuel. Oil executives are not foolish. They played it straight by issuing a generic statement about working with policy

Patricia Coffman Kercheval, August 19, 1927-June 13, 2022

My mother died Monday morning, June 13… and I was relieved. That sounds awful, and perhaps it is, but the death of a loved one, especially someone suffering from dementia, can hit you like that. My mother was diagnosed four years ago after her increasing confusion about everyday activities became more pronounced. She sold her

Temporary Hiatus

Folks, my commentary is on temporary hiatus.  It will return Thursday, June 23rd. My best, Hop

Improved Gun Safety Starts With Red Flag Laws

It is extremely difficult for disparate parties to find agreement on gun control. However, if there is one fundamental belief common to all sides it is that individuals intent on hurting themselves or others should not have access to guns, learn more from Elevated Gunworks posts at their online shop. That is easier said than

Gas Tax Holiday Resurfaces

Last March, Governor Justice dismissed the idea of a gas tax holiday. Justice said the Democratic proposal to temporarily suspend the state’s 35.7-cents-per-gallon tax to give motorists a break on their fuel bills was a gimmick. “This is nothing but a political stunt, designed to get their names in the headlines and make me look

The Thin Blue Line is Stretched by Violence

Last Friday, Nicholas County Sheriff’s Deputy Tom Baker was shot and killed, and Deputy Josh Ellison was wounded when they responded to a domestic dispute complaint in the Birch River area. One suspect is dead, and another is in custody. As State Police conduct their investigation into the Nicholas County shooting, the murder trial of

Manchin Open To Assault Weapons Ban

Senator Joe Manchin, who once famously fired a bullet into a cap-and-trade climate bill in a political ad, has been moved by the latest gun tragedies to at least keep an open mind about President Biden’s proposal to ban “assault-style” weapons. “I have to be open to a discussion,” Manchin told me. The Democratic Senator

To Arm, or Not to Arm, School Teachers

The murders of 19 students and two teachers in Uvalde, Texas, has renewed the debate over whether to arm schoolteachers. At least 28 states, including Texas, already allow teachers or staff to arm themselves, and neighboring Ohio is about to join that list. The Ohio legislature this week passed and sent to Governor Mike DeWine

Jobs, But No Takers

The arrival of Summer in West Virginia typically means an increase in available jobs for warm weather industries such as construction and hospitality. However, employers in those fields, as well as businesses in many other sectors of the state’s economy, cannot find workers to fill positions. “We continue to hear that it is nearly impossible

Energy-Rich U.S. Faces Electricity Shortages

One of the many benefits of life in the United States is that there is plenty of energy, meaning you will always have all the electricity you need… except when you don’t. The North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC), the non-profit regulatory authority responsible for the grid, has released its 2022 Summer Reliability Assessment and

The Other Firearm Mortality Crisis

Earlier this month, Jeremiah Ellis was shot and killed while sitting on a blanket in his grandmother’s apartment in suburban Chicago, just two days after his 9th birthday. Cook County authorities say the boy was shot 11 times. Police have arrested three individuals for what authorities believe was a targeted attack, intended for adults in

Our Eternal Debt

Imagine a debt that can never be fully repaid, an obligation that is so great it’s nearly incomprehensible. Each of us who enjoys the myriad benefits of living in this great country and acknowledges the sacrifice that made it possible must come to terms with that debt. No time is more appropriate for that than