Now that we find ourselves somewhere around March 83rd, after having spent the last several weeks in quarantine, I’ve started to ponder what the world is going to be like once we’re “released back into the wild” — as I’ve come to call it.   I think it’s safe to say that there’s little chance…

What follows is a series of observations and ramblings. You have been warned.   If only there were something for us to discuss – some paradigm-shifting, traumatizing event that we’re all experiencing together. Oh yes, that’s right, working from home, quarantined (stuck?) with our families. I’m afraid you’ll have to forgive me, as I’m a…

Yesterday our Executive Director sent a letter to Governor Justice pleading with him to immediately and indefinitely suspend Certificate of Need laws in response to the COVID-19 crisis facing West Virginia. Maybe you’ve never heard of Certificate of Need (CON) laws, but, in a nutshell, these laws require healthcare providers to obtain permission from the…

Lately, it seems like everyone has a story, or a picture posted on their social media account of the cobwebs and a “LIMIT: 2” sign inhabiting the store shelves where hand sanitizer, disinfectant spray or wipes, or toilet paper used to live. After leaving the store empty-handed, maybe you thought you’d try your luck ordering…

“It’s a ’good ol’ boy’s’ club here! Always has been and always will be!” This was one of the first things people told me when I moved to Charleston from my small hometown in Kentucky. My starry-eyed enthusiasm for moving to a big city in a new state wavered when I looked around and began…

This year's West Virginia School Choice Week was a blast! We had nearly 700 students, parents, teachers, and school administrators come out to celebrate education freedom in the Mountain State with us!   Due to the busy schedule of the legislature, Senator Patricia Rucker came out early to get the festivities started. The students from…

Does West Virginia have time to wait? No, it does not. Will it wait? Yes, I’m afraid it must. As most West Virginians know, the state’s economy, education system, and demographics are not healthy. Are they better than a few years ago? Certainly. However, West Virginia is not in a place where it has the…

If you’re like most people, you make resolutions at the beginning of every year – lose weight, read more books, travel someplace new, finish a degree, etc. A new year is a chance at a fresh start – it’s an easy marker on the calendar that allows you to push the reset button. But, if…

Friends, Christmas is less than a week away! Hopefully, you’ve finished all your shopping. If not… I wish you luck this weekend out with fellow procrastinators.   With the spirit of gift-giving in the air, there are two key ways to think about the gifts you pick out for friends and family: efficiency and signaling.…

“People need to be a valued member of something larger than themselves.” Chris Arnade, author, Dignity.   When I heard Mr. Arnade say this, I immediately though, “How many West Virginians feel as though they are a valued member of something larger?” I have no hard evidence, but I wager comparatively few. The quote, taken…