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Water, Sewer Rate Increase Will Be a Hardship for Many

Everyone needs clean water. There’s no debate there. And if you live in Wheeling, we all understand the desire to have the water pollution control plant in Center Wheeling smell … well, like anything but what it usually smells like, particularly given its proximity to some businesses and homes. But those necessities come with an increasing price, as city residents learned earlier this month when Wheeling City Council’s public utilities committee proposed a combined 38% increase on water and sewer bills for residents. That means the average household using between 4,000 and 4,999 ...

Moving Forward on Clay School Demolition

It’s good to see work beginning to move on asbestos abatement at the former Clay School in East Wheeling. The giant eyesore has stood empty and crumbling for far too long, and first abating and then demolishing the site will go a long way toward improving the neighborhood’s appearance. But as with everything, the details are what matters. City taxpayers will bear a portion of the estimated $13 million demolition cost. The West Virginia Dilapidated Properties Program will assist in the demolition, but that program only has $30 million available statewide — which means city ...

Guidance Needed on BEAD Grants

Remember the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021, which Congress passed to provide “additional relief to address the continued impact of COVID-19 on the economy, public health, state and local governments, individuals and businesses?” Remember how a lot of that almost $2 trillion ended up getting spent? Sure, plenty of it fit the definition of what most expected public “COVID money” would fund. Some of it went toward swimming pools, event centers and any number of other use-it-or-lose-it projects that had us scratching our heads. It was all perfectly legal, and adhered to the ...

Armstead A Good Justice, Good Man

“He set an example of honesty, integrity, faith and service that was second to none. He was an example of leadership with grace, a man who had a deep faith in God, and loved his family with all of his heart.” Those words from State Senate President Randy E. Smith, R-Preston, must be close to what leapt to many West Virginians’ minds when they learned of the passing of State Supreme Court of Appeals Justice Tim Armstead Tuesday. Armstead was a state legislator for 20 years — minority leader from 2007 to 2014 and then Speaker of the House for four years as he very capably led ...

Safety Progress Derailed

Those hoping for railroad companies to move on their own toward improved safety for their workers and the communities through which their trains run will have to wait a bit longer. More than two and a half years since a Norfolk Southern derailment in East Palestine, not one of the larger freight railroads in the country has signed on to the Confidential Close Call Reporting System, a voluntary federal program that was meant to reduce rail hazards and prevent accidents. According to a report by the Associated Press, BNSF and Norfolk Southern did attempt partial trials, but have not ...

School Board Hosts Debate Done Right

The Ohio County Board of Education offered a perfect example Monday evening of how debate over a controversial subject could — and should — be done. At its latest meeting, the board discussed whether to allow Lifewise Academy to transport students off campus during school hours for a Christian education course. Groups representing both sides of the argument were in attendance. Some touted Lifewise as a program that helped students perform better at school in both behavior and academics. Others decried the insertion of religion into public schools, as well as voice concerns about ...