The 23rd of June is not a good weather day for W.Va.

June 23rd marks the most tragic weather day in West Virginia........twice.

Enough About the Reflecting Pool

Listen to “Enough About the Reflecting Pool” on Spreaker. America is hurting. The evidence is abundant and easily accessible in today’s connected world. Open Google or your preferred digital purveyor and the statistics come with ease and are hard to ignore: The national debt exceeds $39 trillion and is barreling toward $40 trillion, with deficit

Not Even M&M’s Safe from MAHA

Listen to “Not Even M&M’s Safe from MAHA” on Spreaker. The MAHA movement is making a mess of one of America’s most iconic candies: M&M’s. Thanks a lot, RFK Jr. The Wall Street Journal reported Thursday that Mars is preparing to launch a version of M&M’s made without artificial dyes. The product will hit Amazon

All Country Roads Led to Omaha

West Virginia University fans were big winners in Omaha. The Mountaineer baseball team’s historic season came to an end Wednesday. It’s a sad end to an electrifying season that saw West Virginia earn its first appearance in the College World Series. And West Virginia fans showed up in every possible way. Mountaineer followers have always

Looking for Uplifting?

America has challenges. So does West Virginia. The burdens of life, politics and the daily news cycle take a toll on all of us. One of the best antidotes is inspiration. You can find some of that Wednesday. Talkline will originate from the campus of West Virginia Wesleyan College in Buckhannon. Fifteen remarkable young people

Thoughts from the High School Baseball Tournament

On Saturday, four state champions were crowned in high school baseball, concluding the 2026 Baseball State Tournament that included several “firsts.” Some of which were overwhelming successes, while the jury is still out on some others. This was the first tournament to be played at Jack Cook Field on the campus of Marshall University, and,

Left Wastes No Time Bashing Musk, Capitalism

Listen to “Left Wastes No Time Bashing Musk, Capitalism” on Spreaker. SpaceX went public Friday. In the process, Elon Musk became the first trillionaire in history — maybe not as wealthy as King Solomon, but certainly on his way. The IPO priced shares at around $135. The stock opened at $150 and climbed as high

Senator Rose’s MARL Argument Doesn’t Add Up

Listen to “Senator Rose’s MARL Argument Doesn’t Add Up” on Spreaker. Buckle up. Today’s commentary is a bit longer than normal because this issue is more complicated than usual. It’s worth the extra time.  State Senator and Chairman of the Senate Energy, Industry and Mining Committee Chris Rose is no fan of the proposed MARL

The joy, verve and poetry of WVU baseball

In the endearing baseball movie Bull Durham, the character Annie Savoy says when the team gets on a hot streak, “For one extraordinary June and July, the Durham Bulls began playing baseball with joy and verve and poetry.” And so it is now for the West Virginia University baseball team. The Mountaineers are riding a

Politics May Prevent Relief at the Pump

Listen to “Politics May Prevent Relief at the Pump” on Spreaker. State Treasurer Larry Pack wants to temporarily pause West Virginia’s gasoline tax. The 35 cent excise motorists pay on every gallon funds the construction, maintenance, and repair of the roads they drive on every day. A sensible, equitable tax linked directly to the need.

West Virginia connections to the NBA finals

Before Game 4 of the NBA Finals tips off tomorrow night and the growing possibility that former Mountaineer guard Deuce McBride is about to become an NBA Champion, as a member of the New York Knicks, I thought it might a good time to take a quick look at the relationship between West Virginia natives,

Washington Tells Moore ‘No;’ We Should Believe It

Listen to “Washington Tells Moore ‘No.’ We Should Believe It” on Spreaker. West Virginia is familiar with the country doctor — the one with a warm bedside manner, a reassuring smile, and a genuine investment in the patient. There is much value in that. But sometimes comfort becomes a liability. What we need now isn’t

WVU Baseball Is Giving West Virginia Something We Need

Listen to “WVU Baseball Is Giving West Virginia Something We Need” on Spreaker. Society feels burdened these days – heavier than ever. War overseas. Prices rising faster than paychecks. Divisions over nearly every issue imaginable. And here at home in West Virginia, we’re often cast as the underdog — always fighting for our place, our

How to bring college sports back from the brink

College sports are a mess. The House v. NCAA settlement cleared the way for college athletes to be paid for their labor, name, image and likeness. That was long overdue.  However, the unintended consequences created a landscape of unlimited transfers, pay-for-play, unenforceable rules and a toothless NCAA. We are rapidly headed toward the untenable paradigm

‘Trust in Trump?’

Listen to “‘Trust in Trump?’” on Spreaker. Monday night, the White House posted a graphic on Facebook: President Trump seated behind the Resolute Desk in the Oval Office. Blue suit, red tie, gold cufflinks, American flag lapel pin. The president sits confidently, arms stretched forward across the desk. The graphic carried a simple message: “It

The myth of local control

Data centers have evolved into a hot-button topic across West Virginia, particularly regarding the impact such centers could have on the communities in which they are located. “Local Control” or a lack thereof has become a rallying cry of sorts for community members who believe their voices are being ignored because of provisions in legislation

Back from Vacation, Back to West Virginia

Listen to “Back From Vacation” on Spreaker. Some thoughts post-vacation… Personal experience has shown me that when you love what you do, returning from vacation is far easier than when you don’t. And re-entering the opinion space feels incomplete without a review of what transpired while away. “BPJ” won an event at the state track

Counties grapple with rising jail costs

Crime is expensive. Counties across West Virginia already know this as they contend with a growing number of inmates and the expanding costs to house them in the state’s regional jails. An analysis released in January by the West Virginia Center on Budget and Policy predicted that counties could expect to pay $8.4 million more

We need more West Virginians

As a lifelong West Virginian, I try hard to be optimistic about our state and its future. However, that hopefulness frequently bumps up against data, and the latest U.S. Census figures are illustrative of one of West Virginia’s most consistent challenges: population decline. West Virginia Center on Budget and Policy Senior Policy Analyst Sean O’Leary

America 250 Reminds Me of ‘Lusty’ John

Listen to “America 250 Reminds Me of ‘Lusty’ John” on Spreaker. America is approaching 250 years old — a quarter of a millennium. Still young compared to many nations, still engaged in the great experiment of self-governance. As July 4 approaches, Americans will rightly remember Washington, Adams, Jefferson and the rest of that rebellious gang