Opinion Archives - Morgan Messenger https://www.morganmessenger.com/category/opinion/ Founded in 1893 by S.S. Buzzerd Thu, 04 Jun 2026 14:46:53 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=7.1.3 https://www.morganmessenger.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/fav-150x150.jpg Opinion Archives - Morgan Messenger https://www.morganmessenger.com/category/opinion/ 32 32 Editorial: A Chance for Renewal https://www.morganmessenger.com/2026/06/04/editorial-a-chance-for-renewal/ Thu, 04 Jun 2026 14:46:53 +0000 https://www.morganmessenger.com/?p=41342 Unfortunately, more and more Americans are suffering daily setbacks. Multiple pressures are piling onto people – high grocery prices, very high fuel prices, more restrictions on social benefits, job losses to technology, high interest rates, very limited affordable housing options and unaffordable medical care costs. The average person’s paycheck has[Read More...]

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]]> Unfortunately, more and more Americans are suffering daily setbacks. Multiple pressures are piling onto people – high grocery prices, very high fuel prices, more restrictions on social benefits, job losses to technology, high interest rates, very limited affordable housing options and unaffordable medical care costs.

The average person’s paycheck has not risen to cover the higher costs of daily necessities, and our taxes remain in place.

All this is happening while billions of our tax…

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]]> Editorial: Support the school excess levy https://www.morganmessenger.com/2026/04/28/editorial-support-the-school-excess-levy/ Tue, 28 Apr 2026 18:56:34 +0000 https://www.morganmessenger.com/?p=40700 Since the start of the special school levy, The Morgan Messenger has supported Morgan County’s School Excess Levy – the locally-approved tax that adds dollars to the better functioning of the Morgan County school system. Now, more than ever before, these local dollars from us ensure that students have what[Read More...]

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]]> Since the start of the special school levy, The Morgan Messenger has supported Morgan County’s School Excess Levy – the locally-approved tax that adds dollars to the better functioning of the Morgan County school system.

Now, more than ever before, these local dollars from us ensure that students have what they need to succeed in their public education. The excess levy accounts for around 18% of Morgan County Schools annual budget.

We used to talk…

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]]> OPINION: Betting on innovation & evolution https://www.morganmessenger.com/2025/08/12/opinion-betting-on-innovation-evolution/ Tue, 12 Aug 2025 19:24:47 +0000 https://www.morganmessenger.com/?p=35549 When Ford Motor Company, a keystone of American business, says they’re investing in something, people sit up and take notice. That’s why their announcement on Monday — that they’d be investing nearly $2 billion in outfitting a Kentucky assembly plant to manufacture electric vehicles — is a powerful statement about[Read More...]

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]]> When Ford Motor Company, a keystone of American business, says they’re investing in something, people sit up and take notice.

That’s why their announcement on Monday — that they’d be investing nearly $2 billion in outfitting a Kentucky assembly plant to manufacture electric vehicles — is a powerful statement about the future.

The Ford Louisville plant has been producing gasoline-powered vehicles for 70 years, and the American auto company will point its future toward, well,…

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]]> OPINION: Carelessness can cost lives https://www.morganmessenger.com/2025/03/25/opinion-carelessness-can-cost-lives/ Tue, 25 Mar 2025 19:12:48 +0000 https://www.morganmessenger.com/?p=32878 It was revealed on Monday that a national magazine editor was mistakenly included in a text exchange among top Trump intelligence staff as they traded details about airstrike plans against Yemen rebels. The airstrikes began two hours later and continued into Tuesday morning, killing at least two people. The editor[Read More...]

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]]> It was revealed on Monday that a national magazine editor was mistakenly included in a text exchange among top Trump intelligence staff as they traded details about airstrike plans against Yemen rebels. The airstrikes began two hours later and continued into Tuesday morning, killing at least two people.

The editor said he thought the text thread was a hoax at first, or meant to bait him into reporting false information. Luckily, he protected the details…

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]]> Op Ed: First Amendment watch: Access denied https://www.morganmessenger.com/2025/02/18/op-ed-first-amendment-watch-access-denied/ Tue, 18 Feb 2025 21:02:27 +0000 https://www.morganmessenger.com/?p=32017 The National Newspaper Association is concerned about recent reporting regarding certain journalists being barred from the Oval Office because of style issues regarding the name change to “Gulf of America.” This news coupled with the removal of mainstream media outlets from the Pentagon earlier this month and the lack of[Read More...]

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]]> The National Newspaper Association is concerned about recent reporting regarding certain journalists being barred from the Oval Office because of style issues regarding the name change to “Gulf of America.”

This news coupled with the removal of mainstream media outlets from the Pentagon earlier this month and the lack of information coming from other vital departments like the CDC point to a troubling trend for journalists trying to cover the new administration.

Limiting access as…

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]]> Opinion: West Virginia’s CON laws hurt rural health care — it’s time to repeal them https://www.morganmessenger.com/2025/02/03/opinion-west-virginias-con-laws-hurt-rural-health-care-its-time-to-repeal-them/ Mon, 03 Feb 2025 11:01:05 +0000 https://www.morganmessenger.com/2025/02/03/opinion-west-virginias-con-laws-hurt-rural-health-care-its-time-to-repeal-them/ By Jaimie Cavanaugh, attorney, Pacific Legal Foundation In a recent column, state Delegate Scot Heckert argues that West Virginia’s Certificate of Need (CON) program is needed to protect health care services in rural communities. Unfortunately, his defense ignores clear evidence that these outdated laws reduce access to care and increase patient[Read More...]

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]]> By Jaimie Cavanaugh, attorney, Pacific Legal Foundation

In a recent column, state Delegate Scot Heckert argues that West Virginia’s Certificate of Need (CON) program is needed to protect health care services in rural communities. Unfortunately, his defense ignores clear evidence that these outdated laws reduce access to care and increase patient costs.

Health care CON laws make it difficult or impossible to open new facilities or offer new services, as existing providers use these…

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]]> OPINION: The need to ensure a fair Backyard Brawl in health care https://www.morganmessenger.com/2025/01/28/opinion-the-need-to-ensure-a-fair-backyard-brawl-in-health-care/ Tue, 28 Jan 2025 17:58:24 +0000 https://www.morganmessenger.com/2025/01/28/opinion-the-need-to-ensure-a-fair-backyard-brawl-in-health-care/ By Delegate Scot C. Heckert, R-Wood Governor Morrisey has launched a campaign to ensure West Virginia is on equal footing with our surrounding states when it comes to state regulation. The goal is to support economic development and remove unnecessary regulations. Everyone supports that effort, and we applaud the Governor[Read More...]

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]]> By Delegate Scot C. Heckert, R-Wood

Governor Morrisey has launched a campaign to ensure West Virginia is on equal footing with our surrounding states when it comes to state regulation. The goal is to support economic development and remove unnecessary regulations. Everyone supports that effort, and we applaud the Governor for his bold actions. As we launch our Backyard Brawl, we also need to ensure we do not eliminate needed programs that help support communities…

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]]> West Virginia’s journey of progress: Reflecting on the past, embracing the future https://www.morganmessenger.com/2025/01/03/west-virginias-journey-of-progress-reflecting-on-the-past-embracing-the-future/ Fri, 03 Jan 2025 17:20:21 +0000 https://www.morganmessenger.com/2025/01/03/west-virginias-journey-of-progress-reflecting-on-the-past-embracing-the-future/ By Senate President/Lieutenant Governor Craig P. Blair  As I spent time reflecting during the holidays, I thought a great deal about how we never know what roads life will lead us down. When I was just a small business owner spending my days driving throughout the Eastern Panhandle, I didn’t realize then that[Read More...]

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]]> By Senate President/Lieutenant Governor Craig P. Blair 

As I spent time reflecting during the holidays, I thought a great deal about how we never know what roads life will lead us down. When I was just a small business owner spending my days driving throughout the Eastern Panhandle, I didn’t realize then that the voices of Hoppy Kercheval, Don Marsh, and Stephen Reed would inspire me. They’d light a fire in me that  would lead me to take a…

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]]> Editorial: Local is the heart of the season https://www.morganmessenger.com/2024/11/26/editorial-local-is-the-heart-of-the-season/ Tue, 26 Nov 2024 18:39:58 +0000 https://www.morganmessenger.com/?p=30154 The shopping for Christmas and other holidays has already begun, bringing the thrill of the search and the fun of soaking in the brightness and sparkle of the season. This weekend, make a special effort to bring some of your dollars and your Christmas spirit to local shops. Each year,[Read More...]

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]]> The shopping for Christmas and other holidays has already begun, bringing the thrill of the search and the fun of soaking in the brightness and sparkle of the season.

This weekend, make a special effort to bring some of your dollars and your Christmas spirit to local shops. Each year, we promote the wonders and delights of shopping with our hometown merchants during the holidays. And each year, when we put it into practice, we’re…

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]]> Opinion: West Virginia elections are the best run in America https://www.morganmessenger.com/2024/10/25/opinion-west-virginia-elections-are-the-best-run-in-america/ Fri, 25 Oct 2024 14:22:31 +0000 https://www.morganmessenger.com/2024/10/25/opinion-west-virginia-elections-are-the-best-run-in-america/ By Diana Cromley, president of WVACo, the WV Association of Counties I’m a West Virginia County Clerk, the County Clerk from Mason County, to be exact.  For 31 years, I along with my staff have coordinated the free and fair elections in Mason County, all races from President on down to[Read More...]

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]]> By Diana Cromley, president of WVACo, the WV Association of Counties

I’m a West Virginia County Clerk, the County Clerk from Mason County, to be exact.  For 31 years, I along with my staff have coordinated the free and fair elections in Mason County, all races from President on down to the Mason County School Board. We take great pride in this duty (one of several duties performed by West Virginia’s County Clerks) as it speaks…

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