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More bad news on the climate

A study published in the journal Nature Communications this past week suggests part of the Atlantic Ocean’s most important circulation system is on the verge of collapse. Scientists have been keeping a wary eye on the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation for years, noting that as sea temperatures rise, the system is becoming slower and less resilient. The AMOC carries warm salt water from the tropics north to the North Atlantic, then carries colder, less salty water south along the ocean floor. The general consensus among the scientific community is that, as more Arctic ...

AI can have a place in news, but it will never be a journalist

How will the news and journalism industries handle generative artificial intelligence? That’s the kind of broad and long-ranging question that it’s too soon to answer, mostly because we’re just seeing the tip of the iceberg when it comes to what AI can do. Google recently approached several large news organizations, including The New York Times, The Washington Post and The Wall Street Journal’s owner, News Corp, about using a “tool” Google has been calling Genesis. The generative AI (artificial intelligence that can create “new” written or visual content) is ...

Congrats to Corey DeHaas, North’s new principal

We would like to congratulate Corey DeHaas on being named North Elementary’s new principal, and we wish him luck. DeHaas was previously an assistant principal at South Middle School and at Mountainview Elementary before that. In total, he’s been with Monongalia County Schools for roughly 12 years.  He has been at North Elementary in an interim role as its top administrator since February.   DeHaas seems to be a good fit for the school, and the Board of Education was smart to promote him. Having the interim principal become the official principal allows for the ...

PACE Place could be a game-changer

Independence. It’s something that far too many of us take for granted, particularly as adults: The ability to have our own space and privacy; to choose our own décor; to pick what we make (or order) for dinner. Many adults with disabilities would like to have that kind of independence, but because they still require some level of assistance, they are often left with few choices. Many still live with family members, such as parents; some live in assisted living facilities or nursing homes, which tend to be geared toward senior citizens. But for a young adult (and by ...

SCOTUS ethics bill all bark and no bite

Last week, the U.S. Senate Judiciary committee passed the Supreme Court Ethics, Recusal, and Transparency Act of 2023. The fact the bill passed out of committee is considered a huge success, but commentators speculate it’s unlikely to go any further. Democrats hail the bill as a much-needed reform measure considering the public’s declining trust in the Supreme Court — and the revelations about Justices Thomas and Alito accepting luxury trips and other gifts and Sotomayor prodding colleges and libraries to buy her books. Republicans decry the bill as “harassing and ...

Even inmates have rights under the First Amendment

Last week, Charleston-based U.S. District Court Judge Joseph Goodwin rightfully ruled in favor of an atheist inmate who said he had been subjected to faith-based programs in violation of his First Amendment rights. We’re surprised someone hadn’t sued sooner. Andrew Miller filed a lawsuit against Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation officials in April 2023.  Miller says when he became incarcerated in 2021, he was enrolled in the federally funded Residential Substance Use Treatment (RSAT) program, because he had been receiving secular recovery services prior to his ...