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Cheering Champions Of Our Children

Editorials

The children of the Ohio Valley are among our most precious resources, if not the most precious. Their safety is paramount. And during April’s Family Strengthening and Child Abuse Prevention Month, the Ohio County Family Resource Network has honored four individuals for their work caring for those children. The Deborah Doleski Allen Champion of Children awards recently were handed out with four members of the community being lauded for their endeavors in supporting children. “This team is just a partial representation of the dedicated service providers and community members all ...

Early Voting Is An Option

Editorials

Election day is not the only day on the calendar on which you, as a voter, can have your voice heard. Early voting in West Virginia begins Wednesday and is set to take place at local courthouses from April 29 through May 9. Early polls will be open during regular business hours on weekdays during that time, and from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, May 2, and Saturday, May 9. Let’s face it, with busy lives in a fast-paced world, not everyone will have the time to stand in line on Election Day to cast a ballot. Early voting periods give us the freedom to drop in to the courthouses when ...

Helping West Virginia Students Reach Their Potential

Editorials

Gov. Patrick Morrisey chose Wood County this past week for a ceremonial signing of House Bill 5438, which is meant to improve instructional programs and technology; and teacher and leader induction and professional growth. Among the highlights of the bill is the LETRS initiative. Language Essentials for Teachers of Reading and Spelling should support our teachers in improving student literacy outcomes. That’s a big deal in a state that perpetually struggles with bottom-of-the-barrel performance when compared with other states. “Our state needs to rise in those rankings,” ...

Seeing Green

Local Columns

If you read my weekend story about the spending by five independent expenditure groups and political action committees, then I assume you’re as shellshocked as I am. Quite frankly, I have never seen this amount of money spent in midterm statehouse races in my life. We're talking more than $1.6 million in the span of roughly 30-40 days. This isn't even including the direct spending by the candidates themselves. I can't speak for other parts of the state. But I can tell you here in Charleston where I live, I have mostly received mailers for GOP candidates in the 8th Senatorial ...

Outsiders Buying Elections, West Virginia Families Paying For It

Local Columns

West Virginians already carry one of the heaviest economic burdens in America. Fewer of us work than in almost any other state. Those who do work, earn wages that lag the rest of the country, electric bills among the highest in the region, and the most expensive private health insurance costs in the nation. For 84 years, single-party rule from Charleston made all of that worse. But when conservatives took control of the state legislature in 2014, something changed. Real reforms took hold. Our economy grew. People began moving to West Virginia for jobs, not away from it. Lawsuit abuse ...

Clean Water For West Virginians Is A Congressional Priority

Local Columns

Spring in West Virginia is truly “almost heaven.” Life comes back to our forests, wildflowers scatter across the mountains, and spring rains send cold water rushing through our mountain streams and rivers. Unfortunately, many West Virginians don’t have reliable access to that clean, cold water when they turn on their taps. Indeed, some West Virginians’ water is so filthy that it is not fit for drinking. In some cases, the water even causes blistering when used for bathing. This is completely unacceptable and should not be happening in the United States of America. That is why ...