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Child Care Is Vitally Important To Economic Development

Local Columns

Childcare sits at the crossroads of economic growth, community stability, early childhood education, and family well‑being. Reliable and available daycare is not a convenience for many working parents. And affordable daycare in all 55 counties has become a major issue that affects economic and community development throughout the state. When families cannot access affordable, quality childcare, businesses lose workers, communities lose productivity, and children lose crucial early‑development opportunities. West Virginia, like much of the nation, faces profound childcare ...

Dental Health Is Crucial for West Virginia

Editorials

Mountain State residents grew up knowing there were certain jokes that would be made at their expense once a person from another state found out they were West Virginians. Some variation on the “but you’re wearing shoes!” or “but you look like you have all your teeth!” was not uncommon. And we laughed it off. But the reality is West Virginia HAS struggled for generations — and still does struggle — with making dental health a priority. That’s backed up by a recent WalletHub study, “2026’s States with the Best and Worst Dental Health,” in which West Virginia ranks ...

Testing Kits Are a Good Idea

Editorials

Worried parents often warn their children — of any age — to be wary when they go out to bars and restaurants. Generations of bar patrons have received admonitions from friends and family “Keep your eye on your drink! Be careful!” Despite those warnings, too many continue to fall victim to drugged drinks each year. According to a report by WTVG, state Sens. Louis Blessing III, R-Colerain Township, and Bill DeMora, D-Columbus, cited data that 1 in 13 college-aged people suspect they have been drugged at some point. They brought up the numbers as part of their introduction of ...

Change In Hancock Co.

Editorials

Hancock County School administrators and board members are learning the consequences of poor leadership ­—mainly the transformation from decision-makers to spectators. At this week’s Hancock County Board of Education meeting, new superintendent Walt Saunders informed both the audience and the board about how meetings will run for the foreseeable future. The board will hold meetings, but all decisions will come not from the board, but from the West Virginia Department of Education. Such is reality after the state department took over Hancock County Schools due to gross ...

Inclusion On Ice A Fantastic Event

Editorials

This Sunday, Ohio Valley residents of all ability levels will get the opportunity to enjoy an afternoon of ice skating. Inclusion on Ice returns for its fourth year from 1-4 p.m. at the Wheeling Park Ice Rink. It’s a day that gives children and adults alike the chance to take to the ice in an inclusive environment. The event was the brainchild of David George, who enlisted the help of Easterseals, Augusta Levy Behavioral Services and the Wheeling Nailers. “As each year has gone by, we have seen an increase in the number of participants attend our event from different age ...

Black History Month Is a Time To Reflect

Editorials

Black History Month 2026 offers a chance to look at the impact Black Americans have made on our lives, and a special chance to reflect on an event that has been a part of the nation’s calendar for 100 years. “A Century of Black History Commemoration” is the theme that has been selected this year by the Association for the Study of African American Life and History, the founders of Black History Month. It’s a wide-ranging topic, and one that puts the focus on how the commemoration of Black history has evolved during the past 100 years, and the impact it has had on the status of ...