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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 ...

Celebrating Year 7

We are now in June, which means I’m beginning my seventh year as your state government reporter in Charleston. And it continues to be a fun, wild ride. I remain thankful to Ogden Newspapers and its many daily and weekly newspapers here in West Virginia and bordering states that run my news stories and this weekly column. I’m also thankful for other newspapers in the state that run my articles, including the Clarksburg Exponent-Telegram/The State Journal and the Beckley Register-Herald. The newspaper industry has encountered many challenges over the last 25 years. The internet has ...

Marshall Memo: Glass Show, Outer Space and Personnel Changes

Several matters dealing with the Marshall County Board of Education were approved at the board’s recent meeting. They were: - Personnel Resignations: Megan Pontus, Advisor, National Technical Society at John Marshall High School. August Hanson, assistant Golf Coach at JMHS. Neil McCormick, Assistant Boys’ Basketball Coach at JMHS. Bryan Berger, Middle School Golf Advisor and Assistant Baseball Coach at Sherrard Middle. Kylee Benson, Assistant Volleyball Coach at JMHS. Ayla Greer, Technology Facilitator at Center McMechen Lisa Bowers, Assistant Volleyball Coach (MS) at ...