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Marshall Memo: West Virginia at 161; Mr. and Ms. Monarch; Personnel Changes

A lot of fun activities took place in Marshall County this past Thursday to mark West Virginia’s 161st birthday. Those stopping at the Cockayne Farmstead celebration took in several free events. There were different demonstrations such as those dealing in skills such as woodworking, blacksmithing, spinning and knitting. Kids also had the opportunity to make lanterns to take home. Others stopped by the Marshall County History Building on 13th Street to check out some of the “cool new displays.’’ Of course, the Moundsville Library was another attraction where visitors spent ...

‘Big Pharma’ Trying To Scare Supporters of 340B Pharmacies

Last month, I lost my primary election to continue representing the voters of West Virginia’s 15th Senate district. Normally, this is not something I would seek to draw attention to — no one likes losing. And normally, it’s not something that Americans across the country should be expected to pay attention to. But my defeat and the reasons for it are being egregiously mischaracterized by Washington, D.C., special interests posing as defenders of hard-working conservative voters in the Mountain State. The reasons I lost are evident to anyone on the ground here in West Virginia. ...

Making Matters Worse

Just when it seems the West Virginia Department of Human Services and the Governor’s Office can’t handle the situation surrounding the death of 14-year-old Boone County girl Kyneddi Miller any worse, something happens that makes me shake my head. I’m no lawyer, but to paraphrase comedian Lewis Black, I know how to read. While not being a lawyer, I am a former state government communications professional (four years for the Senate, one and a half years for the Secretary of State’s Office). I say that in order to say this: DoHS could have kept these issues from continuing to be a ...

Take Time To Show Appreciation for Dad on Father’s Day

Is it Father’s Day again? It seems like it was Mother’s Day just a few weeks ago. I know Father’s Day does not get as much notice as Mother’s Day but it is a holiday! Maybe it’s just in my mind. Father’s Day is the day my kids when they were young used to ask me for money to buy me a present. This Father’s Day is special due to the events playing out in the national news. This week it is said for the first time, a child of the president was convicted of a crime, while their father was President of the United States. I have no judgement or opinion on the event. It is ...

Marshall Memo: A West Virginia Day Scavenger Hunt; and Events

The Mound Museum and Marshall County Public Library will sponsor a Scavenger Hunt on West Virginia Day —Thursday, June 20. Those who plan to participate will need to pick up their map from the Mound that will show the places to visit. Once there, read the sign for the information to answer the clues. Once they have completed all the 11 locations, they are to go to the library on the main floor, where the staff at the desk will check over the answers, and kids will receive a prize. On June 18th at the Moundsville-Marshall County library, a program “Dinosaurs with Carnegie Science ...

Don’t Blame Homeschooling for Tragedy in Boone County

The recent tragedy of Kyneddi Miller in Boone County is a heartbreaking and grievous tragedy that should never have occurred. It is imperative to identify the true causes of this failure, rectify them if possible, and demand accountability. Sadly, instead of taking responsibility for the failures that resulted in this death, leaders are resorting to blame-shifting and scapegoating homeschooling laws rather than addressing the real causes. In the case of Kyneddi Miller, we know that she had stopped attending public school for two years before a notice of intent to homeschool was ...