Editorial Encore: We don’t all observe Memorial Day the same way

May 29, 2022

EDITOR'S NOTE: Today’s editorial has been adapted from a previous year’s musings on Memorial Day. Two years into a pandemic, some still can’t observe Memorial Day the way they usually would; others have found ways to make their Memorial Day traditions work. Some will hold somber remembrances, some will gather for cook-outs and fun. Lately, we’ve seen a lot of pushback against the commercialization of Memorial Day and joyful celebrations on a national day of mourning. Which is certainly fair. For those who lost a loved one to war, Memorial Day has a special poignancy and ...

Will the cycle end?

May 28, 2022

Another mass shooting. Another school shooting. Another senseless tragedy. What is there left for us to say that someone else hasn’t already said? Thirty-one people, including more than a dozen children, can be gunned down in less than two weeks, and yet nothing will change. America is well-practiced in offering the symbolic “thoughts and prayers” — so overused now that the once sincere condolences ring hollow — and then doing nothing. Well, not exactly nothing. There will be heated debates, occasionally bordering on vicious arguments, about how to stop the next ...

A few words of wisdom for the Classes of 2022

May 27, 2022

West Virginia University sent off its graduates a couple weeks ago, and this weekend, area high schools will be sending off their graduates with much pomp and circumstance. So we have some words for them: Life is a journey with many destinations. Each milestone is a stepping stone to the next phase. Some phases last longer than others. Some are more pleasant than others. Some phases end with a bang, while others transition so seamlessly you don’t even realize you’re onto the next part of your journey. For high school and college graduates alike, leaving school is your first ...

Mooney continues to rack up more ethics violations

May 26, 2022

Rep. Alex Mooney now faces new allegations of unethical behavior. This, after an investigation into alleged misuse of his campaign funds was launched last summer. To recap, in August 2021, the watchdog group Office of Congressional Ethics looked into the possibility Mooney had used campaign funds to pay for vacations to West Virginia resorts and for eating out (to the tune of $3,475). It also examined over $40,000 in expenditures it says Mooney failed to properly disclose, according to CQ Roll Call, which reviewed the OCE’s report. Mooney did eventually reimburse his campaign for a ...

The new approach to nuclear power

May 25, 2022

Now that the West Virginia Legislature lifted the moratorium on nuclear energy in the Mountain State, we’ve been hearing a lot about the alternate energy form. You may remember that early this month, Rep. David McKinley paid a visit to Harrison County to oversee the signing of a deal between X-Energy and Amstead Graphite Materials. X-Energy has a Department of Energy contract to build a nuclear reactor in Washington State, but it won’t use rods. Instead, it will use “pebbles,” and West Virginia’s Amstead Graphite will provide material for the pebbles’ protective coating. ...

Discussing inflation? Don’t forget greed

May 24, 2022

“Companies are paying higher wages, spending more for materials and absorbing record freight costs, pushing up economic inflation gauges. They are also reporting some of their best profitability in years.” The above quote comes from the article “What Does Inflation Mean for American Businesses? For Some, Bigger Profits,” published in The Wall Street Journal in November 2021. The inflation rate has steadily increased since then — and so have corporate profits. While most conservative economists and commentators are quick to blame inflation on demand outpacing supply, supply ...