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Donald Trump — The Destructive Child

Letters to the Editor

Donald Trump has paid $2 billion of our tax money for contractors to stop building wind-power stations off our coasts. While energy prices explode, like bombs in the unplanned, unnecessary Iran war, Trump canceled new, non-polluting energy sources. Destruction with no plan. Now, as the climate crisis reaches irreversible proportions, Trump increases our dependence on oil-based energy. Is he purposely destroying our air and our climate? We won't know for sure because he closed down four major atmosphere observatories that were measuring CO2 pollution. The White House ...

Bishop Mark Brennan Oversaw Diocese’s Restoration

Editorials

Mark E. Brennan’s resignation earlier this month as bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Wheeling-Charleston marks the close of a chapter defined not by style, but instead substance. When Brennan arrived as the diocese’s ninth bishop in 2019, he inherited a church in turmoil. The fallout from the tenure of former bishop Michael J. Bransfield had shaken confidence among parishioners and the broader community alike. The assignment before Brennan, then 72, was clear — and daunting: restore trust. He approached that in a way that now seems almost understated, but was exactly ...

National Hospital Week: Healing Happens Here: Hospitals Save Lives, Communities Thrive

Local Columns

Each year, National Hospital Week offers an opportunity to recognize the vital role hospitals play in our daily lives. From May 10–16, we celebrate a simple but powerful truth: healing happens here. In West Virginia, our hospitals do more than treat illness—they save lives and help communities thrive. Hospitals are the backbone of communities across the Mountain State for one fundamental reason: they show up. No matter the hour, and no matter the need, hospitals are there. In a state defined by close-knit communities and rural landscapes, that reliability isn’t just ...

May 12 Primary Election Is About an End to Status Quo in West Virginia

Local Columns

When West Virginia Republicans head to the polls Tuesday, the choice could not be clearer: maintain the status quo that has stranded our state at the bottom of national rankings, or elect bold leaders who will put West Virginia first. We witnessed this exact dynamic on the national stage when President Donald J. Trump rode down the golden escalator. He uprooted the old guard, defeated the establishment, and replaced RINOs with America First champions. That is the battle we are fighting right now in West Virginia. The dividing line is stark. Do we want politicians who tolerate higher ...

Tallying the True Cost of Being a Mother in 2026

Local Columns

In 1962 a group called, “The Limeliters,” released a new song on their album. A few months later,” Pete Seeger the writer of the song, put it on his album as well. It was not until 1965 that a folk-rock band named The Byrds made the song famous. The song was entitled “Turn! Turn! Turn!” It is said to have rocketed to the top on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and gained worldwide popularity. The listeners seemed to enjoy the lyrics. The lyrics go something like this, "To everything, turn, turn, turn, there is a season, turn, turn, turn, and a time to every purpose under heaven. A ...

Incoming Bishop Evelio Menjivar-Ayala Brings Spirit of Service to Role

Editorials

The appointment of the Most Rev. Evelio Menjivar-Ayala as the 10th bishop of the Diocese of Wheeling-Charleston is a moment of significance not only for West Virginia Catholics, but for the broader communities the diocese serves. Menjivar, 56, comes to West Virginia after serving as auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of Washington. His installation Mass is set for July 2 at the Cathedral of St. Joseph in Wheeling. Born in El Salvador, he immigrated to the United States in 1990 and became the nation’s first Salvadoran bishop when appointed in Washington. What stood out in his ...