If national surveys are any indication, about half of the licensed drivers reading this editorial have either dialed a cell-phone call or sent a text message while driving. This, despite a mountain of research showing that texting, calling, and other forms of distracted driving now account for more traffic fatalities than drunken driving.
 It’s a pity to waste public energy to legislate common sense, and public money to uphold laws to enforce common sense, but when widespread failure to practice sensible driving is killing innocent people–including the children of adults who …

On Memorial Day weekend there was a mile-long backup at the Route 340 bridge and Harpers Ferry Gap. It’s a sign that people want to come here to enjoy the diversity of experiences we have to offer, from outdoor recreation to cultural attractions to races and gaming. It’s also a danger sign that we must deal with our most pressing infrastructure needs now, or risk devaluing our county as a place to live and visit.
The good news is that over the last several years we’ve done what a lot of …

We all want to be safe. Whether it is protection from contaminated water, cars with faulty brakes, guns in schools, or explosive gas in coal mines, we look to government to provide us a safe environment in which to live and work. This expectation of safety extends from the workplace, to the goods we consume at home and to the places where we have fun. It may be unpopular to say in this era of anti-government, tea-party activism, but there continues to be a role for government in ensuring …

The public marketplace of ideas is being buried under a barrage of distractions. Take the charges of voter fraud against County Commissioner Jim Surkamp for example. In a coincidence that Machiavelli would admire, a grand jury indicted Surkamp on the same day that early voting began for the upcoming primary elections. One has to wonder why the public prosecutor could not wait until after the primary elections. As a result the political discourse on the main issues of the day, growth, jobs, fiscal policy, have been lost.
Focusing on the circus …

The election primary season has arrived. Of particular interest are primary battles for County Commission, West Virginia Senate, House of Delegates and Board of Education. With several forums and debates already scheduled, we urge everyone to attend at least one to find where the candidates stand on issues important to you. Some of the events give you an opportunity to question the candidates directly.
Here are a few questions you might ask.
Delegate and Senate Races
Tort Reform. Banging the drum for tort reform has become almost cliché. But what do the candidates …

In January, the West Virginia Supreme Court voted 5-0 to hear The Shepherdstown Observer v. Maghan. We brought this case last year against the Jefferson County Clerk, Jennifer Maghan, after her office refused to release the names of the people who signed the petition calling for a referendum on the new zoning ordinance in the county. The Circuit Court sided with Maghan, arguing that any document prepared by a private citizen was not subject to a Freedom Of Information Act (FOIA) request. We think this would have a chilling effect …

As February began, Jefferson County was covered with a cozy blanket of snow. It was just enough of the white stuff for a little sledding and photo taking, but not nearly enough to elicit a complaint from even the most hardened humbugger—those people who refer to snow as bad weather.
Hunkering down indoors during a snowstorm is also a relaxing time for activities like a) looking at your utility bills and realizing how much money you’re spending on them, b) taking away your kids allowance in favor of family nights in …

Interest groups all around are jockeying for newsprintand news reels touting their perspectives on the outcomes of the on United Nations Global Climate Change Conference. Three of the most important outcomes are getting the least amount of attention. First, the world’s nations have agreed unequivocally that the Earth’s climate is changing, that the pace and scale of these changes are being caused by human activity, and that the re-sults will likely be catastrophic for many of the world’s inhab-itants and natural ecosystems. They also agreed that future accords on climate …

Remember Freakonomics, the 2005 book best-seller by Steven D Levitt and Stephen J Dubner? The University of Chicago economist and New York Times reporter debunked conventional wisdom by using the economist’s age-old tool of measuring incentive. What they uncovered surprised people, and, as is often the case with the truth, angered a lot of people. Among the truths they uncovered were that standardized testing incentivizes teachers to cheat and drug dealers are minimum-wage earners who with live their mommies.
For a couple of years now, we at The Observer have been …

Two years ago in these pages we expressed skepticism over a proposal to allow table gaming at Charles Town Racing & Slots. Our concern had little to do with the morality of gaming itself. We acknowledge the passionate positions on both sides, but gaming already exists in the county; that boat has now sailed.
There have been other issues raised by opponents of table games. One of these is traffic. For their parts, table-games boosters can’t credibly on one hand tout the tens of thousands of new tourists who will spend …