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A Positive Move Forward

Editorials

An Ohio state law has already made a positive impact locally, on the Belmont County Board of Developmental Disabilities. Martins Ferry resident Hannah Patterson was named to the board, becoming the first person with a lived experience to be a member of the board. Ohio law now requires that appointing authorities include at least one person with a developmental disability when making initial appointments or filling vacancies on county boards. Patterson, who has cerebral palsy, said her place on the county board of developmental disabilities is an important move. “I feel it is ...

Warner Protecting West Virginia Voters

Editorials

As West Virginia state officials have been doing for several years now, Secretary of State Kris Warner pushed back against federal overreach this week when he announced the Mountain State “will not volunteer the release of personally identifying information of every registered West Virginian to the U.S. Department of Justice. Warner said the Department of Justice has sent requests to almost every state seeking registered voters’ information such as ID numbers, Social Security numbers and other identifying information. His office was having none of it. “West Virginians entrust ...

Quick Work Shown To Resolve Windsor Manor Situation

Editorials

There was good news for Windsor Manor Apartments residents last week, as the condemnation order that had been slapped on the building had been lifted after what was called an “aggressive pest control effort” was completed. The apartments had been issued the order by the City of Wheeling in January after inspections uncovered infestations of roaches and bed bugs. The complex then had one month to get the pest situation under control. “Management was very responsive and communicative with our building officials,” said Brenda J. Delbert, director of Building and Planning for the ...

It’s All Downhill From Here

Local Columns

Thursday marked day 30, the halfway mark of the 60-day annual legislative session. It’s all downhill from now to midnight on Saturday, March 14, when the regular session adjourns sine die. At the beginning of the session, I had a hard time predicting whether this session would be a flurry of action or be slow, but it appears slow and steady wins the race. That’s not terribly surprising given that this is a midterm election year. Lawmakers want to do enough to look like they’re doing something, while also not doing things to avoid rocking the boat. The House of Delegates has ...

Why Stability in Health Care Policy Is Critical

Local Columns

As West Virginia Hospital Day at the Legislature was held February 12, hospitals are navigating a period of unprecedented federal uncertainty and rapid policy change. In this environment, we value the efforts of West Virginia policymakers to prioritize stability in state healthcare policy. WVHA’s focus is clear: protecting access to care, containing costs, strengthening our workforce, and ensuring hospitals remain essential economic pillars in communities across West Virginia. West Virginia hospitals have a shared goal with Governor Morrisey and the Legislature of advancing economic ...

America Beat Winter Storm Not on Hope, But Natural Gas

Local Columns

Winter Storm Fern reinforced a basic reality of the electric grid: when temperatures drop and demand spikes, reliable, dispatchable energy matters. During one of the coldest January spells in decades, natural gas met and exceeded that test, helping ensure families could keep their homes warm and their lights on. As Fern pushed energy systems across most of the continental United States to their limits, natural gas output increased by roughly 14 percent in a single week. While other energy sources struggled to perform due to weather conditions, natural gas continued to provide heat and ...