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A inspiration to reach for the stars

Many residents of the Tri-State Area, especially those who live in West Virginia, already know what a treasure the late Katherine Johnson was, and how important she and her colleagues were to the successes the United States had at the beginning of the space race. The White Sulphur Springs native and West Virginia State University graduate was among those who were known as human computers by the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics and then the National Aeronautics and Space Administration. Their work helped put a man on the moon. Though Johnson had already received the ...

Put safety first while enjoying homecoming

Homecoming celebrations for area high schools have begun. The festivities give students the opportunity to get out and enjoy themselves during this time of year, joining friends, family and alumni as they cheer on their team hopefully to victory, getting dressed up and dancing the night away. But they also should remember to do all of these things as safely as possible. There is certain to be lots of fanfare surrounding all of these events, but precautions must be taken. As during any time when students are out on their own, they must make certain to be careful if they are ...

Threats a danger to election process

“This must stop, period.” The National Association of Secretaries of State followed that comment on the “disturbing trend” of threats to elections officials and workers and a second apparent assassination attempt on Donald Trump by saying “Our democracy has no place for political violence, threats or intimidation of any kind.” There shouldn’t be any place for those things, but they are, sadly, nothing new. Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose’s office was among the 15 elections offices across the country that received suspicious packages this week. The packages ...

We must do better for young offenders

Members of a working group tasked with helping the Ohio Department of Youth Services understand how best to work with younger offenders, reported something that may seem obvious to most. “The younger the kids are, generally the worse they do in a secure congregate environment,” the group’s report said. Therefore, the group recommended children under age 14 should not be placed in one of Ohio’s three juvenile prisons, according to a report by WOUB-TV in Athens. The group recommended alternative placement for those 13 and under, and that non-violent, first-time offenders ...

Credit card debt a growing issue

When finances get tight, some households turn to credit cards to get by. It’s not an ideal solution, and can lead to bigger problems down the road, but sometimes feels like the only way. According to WalletHub, the collective credit card debt of the United States is approximately $1.28 trillion — and $109 billion of that came from 2023 alone. But some regions are faring better than others, the Washington, D.C.-based personal financial website reports. “Some parts of the country are racking up credit card debt at an alarming rate,” financial writer Adam McCann reported in ...

Constitution remains vital

Some 237 years ago, a contingent representing the states of the newly independent United States of America gathered in Philadelphia. There to reform the Articles of Confederation, they came up with this familiar grouping of words, “We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.” That carefully worded ...