The United States of America owes an immeasurable debt to our veterans of the armed forces. These men and women gave their lives or risked their lives defending our freedom. Veterans Day is the day of the year that we thank and honor those brave veterans for their service...obviously we owe them much more than one day of thanks. However, with national focus on Veteran's Day, it is a perfect time to draw awareness to the high suicide rates amongst our veterans. Read more
Overdoses are down in the overdose capital of Huntington, WV. According to The Herald Dispatch " So far, Cabell County has seen less overdoses in each individual month of 2018 compared to the same months in 2017. October 2018's total 76 overdoses, for example, are far less than the 139 overdoses reported in October 2017." Read more
West Virginia faces a stark choice in the Manchin-Morrisey race.Joe Manchin is the last Democrat holding Federal office in our state; his defeat would leave John Perdue the de facto leader of the state’s Democrats, and end a 50 year political dynasty begun by his uncle.
Carol Miller doesn't need our endorsement—she has the NRA, WVCDL, the Farm Bureau, and several pro-life organizations including WVFL, and perhaps more importantly, the endorsement of the X-factor in WV politics, President Trump—but she has it anyway.
Rail Passengers Association President and CEO Jim Mathews has called on Amtrak management in an open-letter to take passenger rail in the U.S. into the 21st Century and lead surface transportation policy. Read more
Per the most recent Gallup poll results, Congress’ approval rating is at a whopping 16 percent. That’s the lowest it’s been since July 2016, when it hit 13 percent. Read more
Carol Miller doesn't need our endorsement—she has the NRA, WVCDL, the Farm Bureau, and several pro-life organizations including WVFL, and perhaps more importantly, the endorsement of the X-factor in WV politics, President Trump—but she has it anyway. Read more
Charleston, W.Va.—Secretary of State Mac Warner initiated an 8-week program called “Project Election Protection” to educate the public on election security, proper conduct during the election and illegal campaign activities. This project is designed to provide our voters with the greatest confidence in the integrity of our election processes and final results.Read more
Andrew Gillum is the Democrat candidate for Governor of the Sunshine State. (My home away from home for the past 30-something years.) Running as a Democrat he espouses the usual tax and spend rhetoric mixed with socialism that has become the party norm for Democrats. Gillum's platform is the usual empty promises laced with generalities and feel good nonsense. Why is Gillum's election important to anyone outside of Florida? The 2020 Constitutionally mandated census. Read more
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Marshall University’s Amicus Curiae Lecture Series has postponed the Oct. 23 lecture, “After Populism,” by Dr. Jan-Werner Mueller of Princeton University.Read more
Yes, President Donald Trump has, indeed, divided America. But not in a bad way.
The “Trump Factor”, which employs many successful attributes, is exacerbated by an unapologetic approach by the president to put “America first” in every decision he makes. This lack of “political correctness” has exposed a growing dichotomy of ideology in our nation and driven people into their metaphorical corners. Read more
We are truly living in a new world. Society is changing everyday. For argument's sake, we are going to establish that addiction is a disease. This is not a column stating if it is or why....this is about the ramifications of "Socially Accepted Addiction"(SAA).Read more
Brave soul, 'twere well if all the same would say, And artists aim their patron's wish t'obey. What signifies a wart, or e'en a scar? Leave both, skilled hand, and paint us as we are.
The Blue Light flickered. The Die Hard Battery just stalled. Can Kenmore's days be numbered. Sears is filing for bankruptcy.
Another piece of my childhood slides into oblivion. I remember my brother and I spending hours flipping through Sears Christmas catalogues preparing our lists to Santa. I recall Icees at Kmart and flipping through the album section for the latest rock releases. Read more
My frantic search of the Sunday paper was in vain. No TV Guide. My world was crushed. It did not fall out. It was not forgotten to be put in. My local paper, The Herald- Dispatch decided I did not need it.Read more
While working on the geriatric floor of the mental health hospital I work in, I discovered an AC/DC "Highway to Hell" CD. A few days later I witnessed an older patient in a Black Sabbath t-shirt. Read more
AJ Dawg just doesn't understand....."Discrimination" she growls. I agree with her. Who would not want to rent to a cute little Shih Tzu like AJ Dawg? I mean....everyone wants to stop and pet her as we walk down the street.....BUT....few want to rent to her. Read more
Although I spent many years away from her, the River City of Huntington, WV is my home town. I spent parts of my boyhood there, but my Father’s moves pulled me far afield and I also grew up in Ohio, Virginia, and California. After High School, I became a Navy sailor, and, as one would expect, saw even more of the world and country. These travels give me a somewhat different perspective on my hometown than those who spend their entire lives hanging their hats on a hook in Huntington. Read more
“Cry havoc and let slip the dogs of war!” The military order “Havoc”, was a signal given to the English military forces in the Middle Ages directing the troops (in Shakespeare’s colloquialism “the dogs of war”) to pillage and create chaos. Read more
Nearly everyone knows comedian Bill Cosby. He entered our homes through our TV screens, through parental advice books and standup specials. But, although he was a loving, charming man on TV, rape allegations have been circling him for decades. Throughout his trial, evidence was presented to prove these allegations well and truly founded, and that these women did actually experience date rape and sexual assault. And, although the memes on the internet make it commonplace to joke about Bill’s drugging the Kool-Aid or giving someone a pudding pop, what these women endured was no laughing matter. Read more
An opioid drug crisis, a decaying city infrastructure, fomenting liberal policies, a withering level of pride for the city of Huntington, and a “less than prominent” presence on the national stage for its inadequacies – Welcome to Huntington, WV. Read more
As a Conservative, I adhere to the principle that nothing is free: TANSTAAFL (There aint no such thing as a free lunch). But I am aware that everybody loves a bargain, and lots of people want free stuff. Having stated my principle regarding “free stuff” in advance by way of fair warning, here is some “free advice and wisdom. Do with it as you will. May it serve you better than your degree in Pre-Columbian-Art from Columbia and your $ 150,000 student loan debt. Read more
When considering the greater good for the state of West Virginia, abortion should be freely available [but] extremely rare. Reducing the number of women choosing abortion requires workable solutions. They would include comprehensive sex education and free, available contraception in all schools. The need for a prescription for a "morning after" pill could be eliminated. Medical clinics throughout the state could provide contraceptive and abortion services.Read more
Huntington Mayor Steve Williams has been a staunch supporter of The Cabell Huntington Health Department's needle exchange program. He considers it one of the major forces in his response to the drug epidemic. But as many Huntington citizens are growing weary of free needles being handed out to drug users, one has to wonder if his devotion to the program will hurt any re-election plans has he looks toward being the first Huntington mayor to win three terms as mayor.
There are some essential elements to every Progressive idea or program. These are worth bearing in mind as you vote for or against Santa Claus at the ballot box. Senator Marco Rubio s latest proposal on a Paid Family Leave Act, paid for by government, provides an excellent opportunity to review a few of these.
Huntington is fighting the "demand" side of the drug epidemic this fall and is kicking off the battle in September which is National Recovery Month. The area is getting a much needed boost with the addition of 16 detox beds. Presteria's Crisis Stabilization Unit opened in Guyandotte and will be lined up with Huntington's Quick Response Team. Read more
During the past two years, I’ve written often about the so-called “Deep State” within our nation’s capital. This suspected syndicate of clandestine individuals wielding ominous power, possibly even elected by the American people, sanction an ideology antithetical to the peace and prosperity of our nation’s citizens. Read more
.jpg "GATORCHOPPIN ON... Raising Awareness of the high-rate of suicides amongst veterans")
.jpg "GATORCHOPPIN ON ... Overdoses are down locally...is it a sign things are better?")
.jpg "GATORCHOPPIN ON... When Amazon and Robots take over...where will we work?")
.jpg "GATORCHOPPIN ON... And the Nursing Home Will Rock")
.jpg "GATORCHOPPIN ON... How can even a landlord say no to AJ Dawg?")
.png "Sarah Thacker: Bill Cosby’s Verdict: Racist, Cruel or Just?")
.jpg "Mark Caserta: Has “The Swamp” come to Huntington, West Virginia?")
