Opinion

Readers' Views

Letters to the Editor June 9, 2022

125th anniversary celebration To the Editor: On Sunday, June 12, Christian Church of Fairmont is celebrating 125 years of serving the community for Christ. Back in 1897 when the Christian Church was started and then in 1905 moved into their first space at the Southeast Corner of Elm Street and Third Street. Flash forward to 1937 when we moved into the then Christian Science Church Building but now known as the Red Rock. Then to 1988 our church broke ground at our current location of 625 Johnson St. Over the 125 years there are story upon stories of our church relying on God and our ...

Make it harder for bad people to get into schools

Local Editorials June 1, 2022

“We also hear and see in the media too many unfortunate examples — whether it be a church, businesses, government buildings or even schools — where people are coming into those buildings and doing harm to others.” Former Marshall Public Schools District Superintendent Scott Monson made that comment at a 2019 board meeting during a discussion over approving funding security upgrades at two school sites. The “unfortunate examples” Monson was referring to three years ago are increasing across the nation. On May 24, evil struck the small community of Uvalde, Texas. A ...

Memorial Day speech for ages given at Gettysburg

Local Editorials May 30, 2022

To honor the people who have died defending freedom and liberty of we the people, we bring you “a few appropriate remarks” from President Abraham Lincoln at the dedication of Soldiers’ National Cemetery in Gettysburg: Four score and seven years ago, our fathers brought forth on this continent, a new nation, conceived in liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal. Now we are engaged in a great civil war, testing whether that nation or any nation so conceived and so dedicated, can long endure. We are met on a great battlefield of that war. We have ...

Et. Cetera

Local Editorials May 28, 2022

House burn provides training A recent controlled house burn provided training for some soon-to-be firefighters. The burn is not only required for new members to undergo as part of their training but provides training for other members as well. We’d like take this time to thank all of our local departments for the services they provide. Class takes students to new heights Fairmont High School’s Principles of Flight class continues to grow with interested students signing up for the elective course. What a great opportunity it is for our youth to explore aviation and get a chance ...

Readers' Views

Letters to the Editor May 26, 2022

Provide transparency on project To the Editor: I am a recently retired long-time resident and taxpayer of Fairmont. I have lived in this town for almost 60 years. At a recent City Council meeting, City Engineer, Troy Nemmers, presented information about the infrastructure issues and concerns facing Fairmont. He stated we have 75 miles of streets and 82 miles of waterlines with about 50 percent of the city’s utilities done in the 1950’s and 1960’s that are now 70 years old. Troy said slip-lining 1.5 miles or 2 percent of the 75 miles of streets would cost $247,000. If you look ...

Another mass shooting — this time in Texas

Local Editorials May 25, 2022

This editorial is written with a heavy heart — and sense of helplessness. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott announced Tuesday afternoon that a gunman had just killed 14 students and a teacher at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, about 85 miles west of San Antonio. We also learned many more injured students and another adult were rushed to hospitals. Dozens of parents are grieving now over the senseless loss of their young sons and daughters. This shooting comes on the heels of another mass shooting at a grocery store in Buffalo that left 10 Black shoppers dead. In this particular tragedy, ...