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Simplifying the process

Pursuing a higher education is a financially daunting task for many students. Yes, there are lot of avenues for getting financial assistance, but the process seems complicated — sometimes to the point of leading students and their families to give up. Certainly the federal government hasn’t helped in recent years with its gyrations regarding the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, but there are plenty of people willing to help students navigate the system. West Virginia FAFSA Day is Feb. 6. It is a partnership of the West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission, the ...

Impossible is what we do best

A “golden age,” one in which the United States of America can aim even higher than the moon, was proclaimed Monday during President Donald J. Trump’s inauguration speech. And while Elon Musk may have thrown his hands in the air to cheer the goal to “pursue our manifest destiny into the stars,” and “plant the stars and stripes on the planet Mars,” ordinary Americans were more likely to find a common reason to cheer in Trump’s promise to seek a broad government effort to reduce inflation and reduce prices. Though he must be careful to avoid the executive overreach that ...

Let us make this country the Promised Land

Monday may be the official celebration of Martin Luther King Jr. Day in the U.S., but Jan. 15 marked the 96th anniversary of his birth. Though King wasn’t yet 40 years old when he was gunned down in Memphis, he and others of his era inspired generations to continue the fight for civil rights, for change, for us to be the best version of ourselves. And each year, on the official holiday honoring his legacy, we are reminded of how very far we have to go. The National Constitution Center says Martin Luther King Jr. Day “honors the total legacy of King; focuses on the issue of ...

There is beauty in the ice

Marietta residents are fond of tradition all year long, but one annual event brings much-needed sparkle to an otherwise dreary time of year. Tomorrow in downtown Marietta, the ninth annual Glenwood Community Ice Festival will be hosted by Main Street Marietta. What a wonderful way to showcase the community and its history, all the wonderful reasons to visit, and especially the talents of Tyson Whistler of Whistler Ice Works, who this year will produce 19 ice sculptures to be displayed throughout the commercial district. He’s got big plans. “This is the ninth year of putting ice ...

Smoking costs money and lives

As mid-January tests New Year’s resolutions across the region, many may be weakening in their resolve. Certainly that must include some who vowed this is the year to give up smoking. To add a little incentive to the effort, WalletHub took a look at the true cost of tobacco use. The dollar amounts are eye-opening for the 46 million people in the U.S. who still use tobacco. Total lifetime cost per smoker in West Virginia was estimated to be $3,210,116. In Ohio, $3,538,844. Think about that for a moment — particularly given that those who live in rural areas and have lower incomes ...

Time to rethink priorities with Ohio jobs

Ohio leadership has for quite some time been promising improvements in employment opportunities for Buckeye State residents. Lofty goals such as having a large employer within commuting distance of every Ohioan gave us reason to hope. What we got — in droves — are data centers, which don’t check many of the boxes when it comes to benefitting residents. Policy Matters Ohio, a progressive watchdog organization, took a look at all those data centers and what they mean for the state. There are more questions than answers. According to a report by the Ohio Capital Journal, data ...