<select id="sections">
    <option>Opinion</option>
    <option>News</option>
    <option>Section</option>
    <option>Blah</option>
</select>

---------------------------

var selectEl = document.getElementById('sections');
selectEl.addEventListener('change', function (evt) {
    var section = selectEl.options[selectEl.selectedIndex].value;

    .... do something
});