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Columns/Opinion

Hopefully, wait is over: Official’s visit signals roads in Preston at least on radar

For many, waiting is always the hardest part. But by most government standards, state Department of Secretary Tom Smith was working at a blistering pace last week in Preston County. That is, it only took him about four months to accept an invitation to tour Preston County’s roads. However, the backstory to this “historic” visit is enough to make one ask, “What took you so long?” This issue began years ago with the deterioration of state roads in our region, especially in Preston and Monongalia counties. But the backstory to Smith’s visit here began with the creation of ...

WVU’s aim should be steady: Why was university intent on accommodating Campus Carry bill rather than defeating it?

No, we did not think this — our third take on this legislation — would be the charm for defeating HB 2519. But it might help install a backbone in WVU to reject such bills as the so-called Campus Self-Defense Act. On Wednesday, HB 2519, was moved to the inactive calendar, effectively killing it on Crossover Day (the 50th day of the 60-day session) in the Legislature, the last day to move a bill from one chamber to another. Our newspaper was on the record about this bill weeks ago. We did not support it — with or without exemptions. But despite WVU claiming not to support this ...

Response swift as the wind: Utilities, DOH, first responders restore power, access, safety across state quickly

You didn’t need to wet your finger and hold it in the air to know which way the wind was blowing from Sunday into Monday. It was blowing down trees, power lines, signage and just about anything else it wanted to. The weather system that passed through here then was packing almost continuous sustained winds of 15 mph to 40 mph with gusts 55 mph or highter. Records showed gusts of 88 mph and 83 mph at and near Snowshoe in Pocahontas County on Sunday. In nearby Tucker County, Canaan Heights saw gusts of 74 mph. Wheeling hit 63 mph, Martinsburg 66 mph, Elkins 59 mph and Charleston 54 ...

In a season of change, West Virginia finds itself with the right attitude

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. -- Not to get into a whole lot of detail about this, but the games we love to watch today have all changed. The NFL is all about quarterbacks and passing, and defense is no longer the standard to winning championships. Professional baseball has been taken over by ...

A governor for all his companies: Justice’s pleas of fiscal woes in lawsuit to beleaguered state falls on deaf ears

So what the heck was Gov. Jim Justice doing at the Governor’s Mansion last week? It’s not like he lives there or anything, despite the state Constitution requiring him to do so. Though he has remained all but invisible at the state’s seat of government since his Jan. 9 State of the State Address, he was there Friday. Yes, he was also there last week to quell the uproar over the failed education reform bill and to lobby for his own “clean” pay raise bill for teachers and others. But he had far more to say and apparently has had far more to do with he and his family’s ...

Hub for change in community: Former Ramada site offers options for homeless, social services center

One proverb goes, the secret of getting ahead is getting started. That might best describe the news last week of plans for the former Ramada Inn hotel on Scott Avenue. For now, what we know is that WVU Medicine hopes to operate the site as a central hub for nonprofit social and homeless services — rent free. The former hotel came to WVU Medicine by way of the Hazel Ruby McQuain Charitable Trust. Clearly, this gift to the community of a 30,000 square-foot building and a10-acre lot, along with a commercial kitchen that can serve 1,500 meals a day, has great potential. Centralizing ...