Local Columns

March for Freedom Is Not Forgotten This Memorial Day

Sometimes on one of those late spring days when Memorial Day comes, you can almost see them, marching, marching onward, the legion of the forgotten dead. In the soft stillness and solitude of a country graveyard in the evening hush, occasionally you can hear the muffled beat of a drum as the endless ranks of that forgotten legion slip by, file after file, in ghostly procession never ending. They materialize, these war dead whom we honor Memorial Day, somehow, when the eye wanders idly across old grave markers to halt at a small obelisk with worn carvings making the words almost ...

Honoring the Fallen This Day

As a career Naval Officer and West Virginia Congressional candidate, when I think of Memorial Day, I’m reminded of a line from Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address: “It is for us the living, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced.” We seem to lose sight of this concept quickly, America. It’s easy enough to post a meme about honoring “those who gave all,” reminding folks about the history of the day, and to ruminate on the sacrifices made by generations of uniformed personnel. Even easier is leaning into our ...

To Your Health

I usually publish my annual Memorial Day column around this time, but with all the action in Charleston last week, I’d be remiss if I didn’t talk about some of that. If you’re looking at the number of bills Gov. Jim Justice introduced for last week’s special session and the number of bills that passed, it could be said the special session was a success. We won’t go through all 15 bills that passed. Frankly, it was the drama around one bill that caused the most issues and nearly caused the special session to end without returning more than $188 million to two state ...

Why Are We Paying Higher Utility Rates in W.Va.?

All sorts of things can trigger a rate increase request from a utility and approval of increased rates by the Public Service Commission of West Virginia. The primary factors driving utility rate filings are the cost of operations and the cost to provide utility service. Key elements include maintenance of the utility’s lines, such as the transmission and distribution wires used by electric utilities and the pipelines used by gas, water, and sewer utilities. The costs to produce or purchase what they sell are major components of their revenue requirements. Utilities also are required to ...

Manchin, Capito Must Seize Opportunity To Help W.Va. Kids

At a time of so much division and gridlock, lawmakers in Washington recently surprised Americans with some good news. The U.S. House of Representatives passed legislation to expand the Child Tax Credit and badly needed tax relief for small businesses through the Tax Relief for American Families and Workers Act of 2024. This bipartisan deal is worth celebrating. It could help millions of children living near the poverty line while also boosting our economy. Crucially, it does all this without adding to the budget deficit. However, the legislation is stalled in the U.S. Senate. I ...

Marshall Memo: Cameron Flags; Memorial Day; and the Roller Derby

This past Monday, Jim and Christy Rogers were awarded the Chapel of Four Chaplains Award for their dedicated service toward military veterans in Cameron. The Rogers, who live near Cameron, organized the “Field of Flags" that has increased yearly, reaching 1,366 flags this year. The award recognizes individuals who go above and beyond in their service to veterans and the community. The flags will be on display at Veteran’s Park in downtown Cameron through June 2. This is the eighth year for the Field of Flags. While the Rogers and some 50 others are responsible for placing ...