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Assisting Foster Children

There are nearly 6,000 children in foster care in West Virginia. Approximately one-third of them are between the ages of 13 and 17. These children are among our most vulnerable populations, and face challenges most of the rest of us are simply incapable of understanding. But they do have support. Initiatives from Fairmont State University, for example, offer opportunities for Mountain State students who have experienced foster care to earn a high school diploma and an associate degree simultaneously, through Middle College. The RISE (Resilience, Independence, Support, Empowerment) ...

Honor Red Cross During This Month

March is National Red Cross Month, the time of year where the Red Cross is recognized for the important work it does the entire year round. The American Red Cross was founded in 1881 by Clara Barton as a nonprofit humanitarian organization providing emergency assistance, disaster relief, and disaster preparedness education in throughout the United States. One of the most recent appearances in Ohio County came during last June’s fatal flash floods, when the Red Cross opened a pair of distribution centers ­—one in Valley Grove and one in Triadelphia ­­—to help those in need in ...

‘Sammy’s Law’ Important

A bipartisan group of lawmakers in Washington, D.C., has been working on ways to better protect kids online by giving parents the right to receive safety notifications through Federal Trade Commission-regulated third-party providers. Versions of Sammy’s Law, introduced in both the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives, are meant to help alert parents when their children are taking part in potentially risky interactions. U.S. Sen. Jon Husted, R-Ohio, has joined Sens. Mark Warner, D-Va., and Katie Britt, R-Ala.; along with U.S. Reps. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, D-Fla., and Buddy ...

Central Boys Hoops Were Simply Perfect

Not only did the Wheeling Central boys basketball team add to its rich history with another state championship, it was able to do something this past weekend that it hadn’t done since the Beach Boys’ “Surfin’ USA” topped the charts. The Maroon Knights went wire to wire with their winning, finishing with the program’s first undefeated season since 1963. The players’ parents weren’t around to see that one. Heck, some of their grandparents probably weren’t, either. That capped an extra-special season for Central, the team’s second consecutive state title and one that ...

Letting All Enjoy Movies

Easterseals Rehabilitation Center has long been a champion of inclusion in the Ohio Valley, and showed that again with its latest event. The organization once again hosted its fourth a “sensory-friendly” matinee for children and their families at Towngate Theater. “It’s a way for people who maybe wouldn’t feel comfortable in a theater setting or cinema setting like up at The Highlands, they can come here. There’s no expectation for kids to sit still and be quiet,” Easterseals marketing director Betsy Bethel-McFarland said. Multiple accommodations are made so ...

‘Raylee’s Law’ Must Return Next Year

While “Raylee’s Law” ­— which protects children from abuse ­—shamefully died on the West Virginia House of Delegates floor on the last night of session, it’s good to see some local legislators vowing that it won’t be the last the bill is heard of in Charleston. The bill stops children suspected of being abused at home from being removed from public school and homeschooled. By the time the House took up the bill and passed it, the state Senate had already adjourned for the year. That led to some fiery responses from Northern Panhandle legislators, namely Del. Shawn ...