Opinion

GUEST COLUMN, Ashley Evdokimo, Townhall.com

Well, folks, it turns out the debauchery didn’t quite wrap up before the year did.

Last week, in a memorandum opinion issued Tuesday evening, U.S. District Judge Irene Berger (appointed by President Obama) granted a preliminary injunction sought by the International Association of Color Manufacturers (IACM), effectively blocking West Virginia from enforcing House Bill 2354. Legislation aimed at banning certain food dyes and additives deemed unsafe.

The law was straightforward in intent, if potentially controversial in execution. HB 2354 amended state code governing “adulterated food and drugs,” prohibiting a slate of synthetic additives commonly found in processed foods sold in West Virginia. Among them: Red Dye No. 3, Yellow Dye No. 5, Red Dye No. 40, Yellow Dye No. 6, Blue Dyes No. 1 and No. 2, Green Dye No. 3, as well as preservatives like butylated hydroxyanisole and propylparaben.

MY PERSPECTIVE, Gary Damron

In the familiar Christmas story, the spotlight often falls on shepherds, angels, and wise men. Yet tucked into Luke’s gospel are three verses representing a different kind of faithfulness. At the moment that Simeon was holding the infant Jesus in the Jerusalem temple, an aged woman stepped forward, gave thanks to God, and began telling everyone this was the Child who would bring redemption.

In one short passage (Luke 2:36-38), the author provides a remarkably detailed portrait of another character in the birth story of Jesus. Anna was the daughter of Phanuel from the tribe of Asher. That her father was named suggests that her family was known in Jerusalem.

GUEST COLUMN, J. Basil Dannebohm

As the calendar once again turns over, many of us find ourselves looking back on the last year, sometimes with regret. Though healthy reflection can be a good thing, it’s important to remember the lessons, not the disappointments. If we could erase all the mistakes of our past, we would lose the wisdom gained from our experiences. What’s done is done. It’s okay to look back, but never let the past stop you from moving forward.

This is also a time when people make resolutions for the year ahead. Some of us will resolve to lose weight, exercise more, or eat healthier. Others will commit to expanding their knowledge.

We live in an age where far too many people are so caught up in toning and shaping their bodies that they forget to tone and shape their character. One can go to the gym, hydrate, and eat a well-balanced diet, but if you ignore your mental and spiritual health there stands a good chance that next year around this time, you’ll still feel empty.

GUEST COLUMN, Joey Mattingly, University of Utah College of Pharmacy

As of this month, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has recorded more than 1,700 measles cases, the most in three decades. These cases stemmed from 45 reported outbreaks, a sharp increase from just 16 in 2024. Over 200 patients have been hospitalized and three have died.

The human toll of these outbreaks is significant  —  especially given that measles is entirely preventable when vaccination rates remain near the 95% threshold needed for herd immunity.

But beyond the devastating health consequences, the spread of measles creates an economic burden for patients, health insurance companies, and our government. My math suggests that a 1,500-case outbreak costs the United States anywhere from $16 million to $199 million in direct medical expenses, lost productivity, and public health spending.