I’ve been spending a lot of time lately amid groups of people — good, smart people — who all, in the context of their own organizations, board, committees or businesses, want to DO something about the challenges affecting our communities, our region, our state and our nation. This is not ...

The new tax filing season is upon us. Are you ready? Is the IRS ready? Tax reform is upon us and the upcoming 2019 filing season, changed by the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA), may affect 90 percent of all filers. This is how it may affect you: The new withholding Form W-4 instructions and ...

Benjamin Franta, a former research fellow at the Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs at the Harvard Kennedy School of Government, and doctoral candidate at Stanford University where his focus is on the history of climate science and politics, recently wrote a piece for The ...

Yes! It is time even if you are not ready to change from the nice warm days to the cool, rainy and foggy mornings. Like it or not, fall has finally arrived and if you drive around town, you will see all the beautiful colored mums and seasonal pumpkins of all various sizes. We now will no ...

In a world of one click giving and mobile app philanthropy, is United Way even relevant? For decades, United Ways across the country have stood tall on the accomplishment of being the non profit that topped the list for most money raised. Year after year, United Ways have collected billions ...

Last week I was the guest on the student run radio station at the University of Colorado. They wanted to know about energy in general and oil and natural gas in particular. They are very concerned with the environment because they live in it. The show was focused on rock climbing. They know ...

Thursday, Oct. 4 from 5:30-8 p.m. Amazing Chamber Chase Bicentennial Park, Downtown Parkersburg Last call for teams and sponsors for this year’s The Amazing Chamber Chase, a team scavenger hunt in Downtown Parkersburg, complete with clues, selfies and fun activities. 2017 was our inaugural ...

There are several new science fiction books out now. First from vlogger Hank Green is “An Absolutely Remarkable Thing.” April May is returning home from her job one night in New York City when she sees what looks like a giant robot in the middle of the street. At first ready to write it ...

You may have noticed that my USPS mailing address has changed from West Virginia to North Carolina. We relocated back in August, primarily to be closer to our three grandchildren, and all is well. Last week, however, Hurricane Florence gave us quite a scare. Fortunately, we are 267 air miles ...

Did you get — or do you already have — a Washington County Public Library card? That card can now help you access online learning offered through Lynda.com. I was curious about the banner announcement displayed on the Washington County Public Library’s webpage, so I went exploring. ...

Tyler Warner is using football to share the Gospel. Warner, a Parkersburg High School and Marshall University graduate, is recruiting coordinator in the Athletes in Action (AIA) Football Department and captain of camps at its sports complex. AIA, with world headquarters in Xenia, Ohio, is a ...

Wouldn’t take twenty dollars Some “waggish” students at Yale College, a few years since, were regaling themselves one evening at the “Tuntine,” when an old farmer from the country entered the room (supposing it was the bar room) and inquired if he could obtain lodging. The young ...

“The lion don’t leave the Serengeti.” *** Fame. Glory. Tendons. Achilles was born the son of a mortal-father and a goddess-mother. When your momma’ is a goddess…much is expected of you. He was prophesied to be special. A hero even. Although glory was in his forecast, so was ...

Most of us have been in line at the grocery store, wishing people ahead of us would get moving, I suspect. Can’t they tell we’re in a real hurry? But we don’t push ahead of them. The rules are that we wait our turns. We follow them and other rules of daily life, because, if too many ...

We now have dates for the trials on the remaining justices of the West Virginia Supreme Court of Appeals — including a date for one justice who already resigned — but not before the impeachment managers for the House of Delegates confused everyone. The morning of Sept. 11 I was given a tip ...

I would like to share with each of you a place that I had recently visited for mainly for one reason. It was not about seeking out the unknown but rather it was to see a table. Let me explain. I always like listening about history just as much as I do about the paranormal. So when someone ...

During last week’s Addiction Action Summit at West Virginia University at Parkersburg, one woman spoke out with incredible bravery — and in the face of active opposition to what she had to say. Rebecca Burke has been in recovery for more than two months after having struggled with ...

West Virginia Republicans have led the way in passing legislation that promotes responsible development of our natural gas industry, and our state is beginning to reap the benefits. The Lord has blessed our state by placing an abundant supply of natural gas beneath our feet, and we’re only ...

It was a late summer/early fall day, many people were starting the day by sending their kids off to school and getting ready for work. I know for us, it was our annual vacation to Greece and on that particular day we were on the island of Santorini. It was a beautiful morning, we were swimming ...

Home cooks can take a tour of the Mediterranean with “Catalan Food” by Daniel Olivella. In this debut cookbook, Olivella, a born and raised Catalonian before moving to the United States, shares his culture and heritage through photos and recipes. Recipes are divided into seven chapters: ...