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They Are Coming for Us — They Will Come for You Next

As frustrating as it might be to hear politics preached from the pulpit, even more troubling is to find politicians attempting to legislate religious adherence. “Montani Semper Liberi,” “Mountaineers are always free,” our State motto proclaims, hearkening back to our origins and the rejection of slavery at the time of the Civil War. Those founders of our State wrote carefully to protect the freedoms of all West Virginians with our Constitution. In Article Three, our “Bill of Rights,” they laid out a defense of religious liberty even more strongly worded than that in the U.S. ...

Marshall Memo: Homecomings, Musical Honors and Family and Child Care Training

The Moundsville High School Alumni Association is gearing up for its 11th Homecoming Celebration, scheduled for Labor Day weekend on Aug. 29-30. The association will hold a pivotal meeting on Tuesday, March 11, at 6 p.m. at the Presbyterian Church to finalize preparations for the much-anticipated event. During the meeting, members will focus on updating alumni addresses and preparing to mail out 3,500 invitations to graduates spanning multiple classes. The Homecoming Celebration promises to be a grand reunion, bringing together former students to celebrate their shared history and ...

Moving Mountains Made of Molehills

As your lone state government reporter here in Charleston, I have to cover both the House of Delegates and state Senate at the same time. Sometimes this means going to one chamber or the other. Sometimes that means having two computers open when two different committees are meeting at the same time. This also means I must prioritize the bills and resolutions I write about. I very rarely write about bills and resolutions that are not taken up by committees in the House and Senate. I joke that I’m the tyrannosaurus rex from Jurassic Park: I respond to movement. Because I do not have ...

Capito Focusing on W.Va. as Environment, Public Works Chair

After the American people made their voices heard in November, President Trump is now back in the White House with a Republican majority in both chambers of Congress. In this new Congress, my role has expanded. For the first time, I will serve as the senior-senator from West Virginia, the Chairman of the Senate Republican Policy Committee, and importantly, the chairman of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee. The Environment and Public Works Committee, or the EPW Committee as it is typically called, is tasked with developing policies to address the infrastructure, ...

Marshall Memo: JMHS Queen Candidates To Compete, Steel Drum Band to Perform

The annual John Marshall High School Queen of Queens Pageant will be held at 6 p.m. Thursday in the school’s Center for Performing Arts. The pageant will feature 10 senior girls competing for the crown and the honor of representing JMHS in the OVAC Queen of Queens Pageant in July. Interview, talent, and poise/presentation are the three categories in which the contestants will be scored. Participants include: Kendra Callahan, Morgan Carlin, Audrey Ferguson, Megan Gary, Sydney Gray, Laiken Jones, Abby Korngiver, Reagan Miller, Jadyn Parker and Mylie Scott. Pageant coordinator is ...

WVU’s R1 Research Ranking Great for State

We learned earlier this month that West Virginia University has been reaffirmed as an R1 university, the highest possible research ranking, by the American Council on Education and the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching. Achieving R1 is the benchmark for universities and colleges from across the country to be recognized for exceptional research activity. WVU is the only R1 institution in West Virginia. So, what does this mean? Our R1 classification reaffirms that we are among the best of the best when it comes to producing research and propelling students into ...