Category Columns

And Then Again………..by Tamara

…It’s been a difficult couple of weeks for us all   I lost my dear friend, Lynn Swan, unexpectedly and it doesn’t seem like I can stop thinking about her boys, Joe and Mike, who are dealing with the pain of the first Mother’s Day without…

And Then Again…….by Tamara

…….Early voting is but an infant in our long West Virginia history of elections. The first election was in 1863 and elections were held every year. That would be changed to every two years when we established a legislature with two-year terms. The first early…

And Then Again……..by Tamara

……Transparency is a word I never thought much of before until …. transparency was blocked as it has been in the West Virginia Board of Education’s takeover of Hancock County Schools. But, in all my years as a reporter or a legislator, I’ve never seen…

Patterson’s Perspective by Mark Patterson

It is the winter of 1973. Spurning Mr. Edwards’ social studies class (that’s what they called history then), I fake an early dismissal slip (actually, my wisdom tooth was fine, thank you) from that bastion of higher learning known as Oak Glen. Braving harsh elements,…

And Then Again

….I’ll admit to being focused on the State’s takeover of Hancock County’s school district.  To me, it was like a mystery.  The State knowing that Joe Campinelli wasn’t submitting reports using the state-mandated WVEIS system, not responding to e-mails about financial reports and not communicating…

Just My Opinion………..by Tamara

Hancock County Commission should do its due diligence before awarding opioid funds to Family Care Excellence and exercise extreme caution before handing out large sums of money. Commissioner Tommy Ogden exhibited common sense when he urged the Commission to take a closer look  at the…

Patterson’s Perspective by Mark Patterson

The Cleavers, we were not. For starters, mom never owned a pearl necklace and didn’t serve cold, frothy pitchers of milk. She drank. And not anything that came from a cow. I do think my dad had a cardigan sweater (no pipe), but the women…

Progress and Memories………..by Tamara

Every time I drive down Station Hill, the changing landscape makes me realize progress has come to our small town.  When Station Hill was but a brick road traversed by Model T’s, the landscape was pretty and the safety issue didn’t exist. That changed and Station…

And Then Again………by Tamara

(This week in 1978, Roberta Bunny, wife of the famous Easter Bunny, hopped into my column at the Hancock County Courier. Roberta and I touch base every few years to see how we each are doing. This year’s visit follows:) ….Easter nears and It’s that…