Breaking News

Local Columns

Marshall Memo: Sherrard Middle Makes It Three in a Row at History Bowl

Sherrard Middle School made it three championships in a row in the West Virginia History Bowl as Team No. 2 defeated Mountain View Middle School to take home this year’s state title. Coached by Dan Gatts and Jeff Stephens, this year’s team consisted of Chase Fromhart, Connor Fromhart, Emily Gatts and Chloe Pickett. Emily Gatts was named the tournament’s MVP and earned an additional $300. Overall, the four top winners of the first-place team each received a trophy and $500 to celebrate the achievement. The team began its journey to The Cultural Center in Charleston by ...

Understanding Your Monthly American Electric Power Bill

I would like to explain to you how to understand your electric bill from Appalachian Power and Wheeling Power. When you open your bill, your eyes are going to be drawn to that colorful bullseye on the left column, about half-way down the page. Like the statistics box that stays on the television when you watch a ball game, this circle gives you the full and simple breakdown on your bill. So, I’d like you to focus on that blue bullseye. Take a look at the center of the circle. It is divided into a black top and a white bottom. In the white lower-half is the amount of money you ...

EPA Rules Short-Circuit Nation’s Power Grid

On April 25, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency launched a blitz of regulations targeting the nation’s fossil-fuel power plants. In the center of the EPA’s crosshairs is America’s coal fleet, which remains a workhorse source of power across the country — and the leading source of electricity in more than a dozen states. EPA’s suite of rules — anchored by a series of unachievable and exorbitantly expensive technology mandates — will force the closure of the nation’s existing coal plants nearly overnight. They’ll also make it all but impossible to build new ...

Primary Election Season Entering Home Stretch

I had a wonderful vacation and cruise of the Caribbean, but after being back to work as of last week, part of me wishes I was still at sea. If I took a drink every time a candidate said “woke” or “radical,” I’d have alcohol poisoning. The plus side is we’re 16 days out from the May 14 primary. Early in-person voting in West Virginia begins Wednesday and continues until Saturday, May 11, excluding Sundays at county courthouses and other designated polling locations. If we can just get through the next couple weeks, our mailboxes and airwaves should return to normal for a few ...

Supporting Ohio County Schools Levy the Right Choice

Historically, the Ohio County community has always shown support for our students. A levy, whether excess or bond, has consistently passed. May 14, 2024, aims to hold true, and Ohio County Schools hopes to see the excess levy pass. The passage of the excess levy doesn’t increase taxes for Ohio County citizens, but it does have the potential to drastically alter the future of the county’s schools. The levy supports the daily functioning of our school system. With the yearly funding it allots, we are able to provide innovation in our county that is highly regarded in this region. ...

College Campuses Should Not Become Bastions of Hate

As a graduate of a major American university where pro-Palestinian protests and anti-Semitic rhetoric have taken place, I feel compelled to make known how repugnant I find the expressions of antisemitism on many college campuses. I abhor just as much expressions of anti-Moslem sentiment and violence, such as the injuries suffered by a Palestinian student, a student at my alma mater. The Hamas-Israeli war has elicited strong feelings from many people — but strong feelings are not an excuse for using hateful and stereotypical language about Jews and Moslems. While some students and ...