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Access Needed for All of Ohio

KFF Health News has published a report called “Dead Zone: Millions in U.S. Live in Places Where Doctors Don’t Practice and Telehealth Doesn’t Reach.” It’s an intriguing look at communities and counties where residents tend to have more health problems, fewer health professionals and insufficient access to broadband internet. Southeast Ohio has a significant number of these counties. “Compared with those in other regions, patients across the rural South, Appalachia, and remote West are most often unable to make a video call to their doctor or log into their patient ...

Time To Focus on Education in West Virginia

West Virginia lawmakers spent considerable time this past session discussing public education. Bills pertaining to weakening vaccination requirements, shifting oversight for the West Virginia Board of Education to the Legislature, mapping all schools to improve safety and more found their way to committee agendas. But no where in that mix was discussion on how to improve student achievement. That was a missed opportunity. Consider the updated 2024 NAEP scores presented earlier this year by the Urban Institute, which uses demographic information such as “gender, age, race or ...

Medicaid Cuts Would Hurt

Elected officials across the country are bracing for proposed cuts to Medicaid as the federal government looks to change the way it spends taxpayer dollars. In West Virginia, Republican U.S. Sen. Shelley Moore Capito is concerned enough that she has emphasized the need to root out fraud, institute a work requirement and include other accountability measures before any cuts. According to a report by The Commonwealth Fund, Ohio is among the five states that would see the greatest economic losses from cuts to Medicaid funding. California, New York, Texas and Pennsylvania are the others. ...

Charting a New Path To Push WVU Ahead

As West Virginia University President E. Gordon Gee winds down his tenure at the helm of the state’s flagship institution of higher learning (Gee this past weekend oversaw his final commencement ceremonies), it is clear incoming President Michael T. Benson does not intend to try to fill those big shoes — instead, he intends to lead WVU wearing his own. That is important if the university is to truly build on what Gee accomplished during his two stints at WVU (and also top roles at several other institutions) by focusing on what is next, rather than what was. No matter how painful ...

Remember: Boating Safely Is a Priority

Once National Police Week wraps up, law enforcement and other agencies will dive straight into National Safe Boating Week. In West Virginia, the Division of Natural Resources police are ready to remind those who can’t wait to hit the water this summer that they must do so safely. Administered by the U.S. Coast Guard, the weeklong initiative is meant to help boaters prioritize safety at all times. “We want everyone to enjoy our beautiful lakes and rivers, but that means wearing life jackets, staying sober and knowing the rules,” said WVDNR Director Brett McMillion. “Boating ...

An Early Endorsement

Ohio Republicans may have jumped the gun a bit with the endorsement of Vivek Ramaswamy for governor a year before the 2026 primary election. This move comes despite members of the State Central Committee not even knowing yet who might enter the race. Lt. Gov. Jim Tressel says he is considering a bid for governor. Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost has already made his intentions clear. Why the rush? We don’t know, of course. The meeting during which the decision was made happened behind closed doors. But just ahead of that meeting, Donald Trump Jr. leaned on committee ...