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Growth Tops Needs for the Ohio Valley

Editorials

As the calendar turns to 2026 in the Ohio Valley, it’s fitting that we all look to the future. What is it that this region needs in the new year? What will push it into a better place? There’s a short, but important answer: growth. It’s not growth in any one specific area. It’s growth in every area — population, economics, you name it. For decades, the Ohio Valley has been shrinking with no real evidence of an upturn. Take Wheeling, for example. The 2000 census had The Friendly City at 31,419 residents. In 2010, that total dropped to 28,486, and then to 27,062 in 2020. ...

By Embracing Growth, West Virginia Comes Out a Winner

Local Columns

As a proud West Virginian who is completing his second year as the leader of our state’s Manufacturing Association, I am looking forward to what our collective future holds. West Virginia is now home to billions (with a “B”) of dollars of investment in manufacturing that will come to fruition in the near future. In addition, we can anticipate future investments that will follow this growth in manufacturing as these new West Virginia companies will be making steel and titanium, which are the necessary building blocks for airplanes, automobiles, and essential infrastructure to ...

Responsible Data Center Development a Win for West Virginia

Local Columns

Some argue that data centers are incompatible with conservation. I understand that instinct. Large facilities, heavy use of energy, and deep community footprints can raise legitimate questions. But turning away from an entire segment of the modern economy will not protect West Virginia’s environment, nor will it keep our young people here or help us fund the conservation priorities we care about. Instead, West Virginia can build a model that shows the country what responsible development looks like. We have the chance to align growth with stewardship. We can protect forests, ...

With Foundation Set, It’s Time for West Virginia's Second Quarter

Local Columns

As December 2025 draws to a close, we find ourselves at a historic milestone. One fourth of the 21st Century is now behind us. For many, the last 25 years have flown by, as it inevitably does, but with a speed that’s hard to fathom. Even so, the years in West Virginia have been marked by progress. At the dawn of this millennium, West Virginia faced what many called “insurmountable” financial hurdles. Our state had massive unfunded liabilities in retirement plans maintained for schoolteachers and other state retirees. We were, quite literally, mortgaging our future to pay for ...

Reading Between the Lines of Year-End Piece

Local Columns

Steven Allen Adams’ December 27 article reports on three big things in a very casual tone, and none of them are comforting for West Virginians. Here’s what’s not being said: Power changed hands, but priorities didn’t Yes, there are new titles and shuffled chairs, but the people running West Virginia and representing it in Washington are all long-time insiders. The article celebrates positions and rank, not results. What’s not being said: Despite seniority, committee assignments, and “influence,” there is little evidence that everyday problems such as affordability, ...

Remain Sober, Focused Behind the Wheel

Editorials

Winter can make driving more challenging anyway in our region, but West Virginia Department of Transportation officials suggest drivers are also having a hard time navigating worksites and the presence of non-civilian vehicles. Between Dec. 12 and 19, the department reported five separate accidents in which civilian motorists were at fault when they hit DOT vehicles. “If you’ve been out in the last couple of weeks you’ve seen the traffic, you’ve seen the congestion. If you couple that with any kind of impaired driving, reckless driving, speeding, or distracted driving, it ...