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Editorial

Justice’s nonsense veto of research funds for RNI

Gov. Jim Justice often says and does nonsensical things. But his veto of research dollars for WVU’s Rockefeller Neuroscience Institute reaches a whole new level of ludicrousness. HB 5014 would have given $2 million to RNI to support ongoing ultrasound research, specifically to treat eating disorders and post-traumatic stress. It also included another $4 million for supporting hospital grants and research programs. RNI has already made incredible strides in expanding the medical uses for ultrasound technology. Under Dr. Ali Rezai, ultrasound has been used to treat tremors, to ...

Grassroots protest got band facility back on campus

To past, present and future Pride marching band members, the 2019 announcement that money was being raised for a dedicated band practice facility sounded like a dream come true. Renderings used to promote the fundraiser showed a full-size artificial turf field, a storage building for instruments and uniforms and a covered pavilion for practice sessions in the rain. Possibly the best part: It was going to be on campus — located at the former Hawley Field in Evansdale. And that’s how the project was sold to donors for roughly four years: An on-campus practice facility with ...

We need Bartlett House

Last week’s dip into freezing nighttime temperatures was a stark reminder of how important shelter is for our unhoused population — and it happened to coincide with a series of disappointing announcements from Bartlett House. As things currently stand, Bartlett House plans to close its triage shelter at Hazel’s House of Hope by June 30, because it did not receive the $166,000 it expected. At the same time it was announced Bartlett House would not get its funding for the year from the West Virginia Coalition to End Homelessness, news broke that the new Rainbow House would ...

Scandal at WVSP Academy worse than originally thought

It’s hard to imagine, but the scandal surrounding the West Virginia State Police Academy in Institute has gotten even worse. The academy made headlines in 2023 when someone sent a letter to several state officials and lawmakers, detailing how cameras had been hidden in the women’s locker room and shower facilities and videos and photos had been taken of female cadets — including minors who attended the Junior Trooper academy. It was later revealed that a letter outlining the incident was sent to Gov. Jim Justice’s office roughly six months earlier, but that letter was never ...

New traffic lights at University Town Centre will be worth every penny

The Town of Granville and other University Town Centre stakeholders got a little sticker shock when the price tag for two new traffic light systems came in over double the original estimate. The initial price tag was expected to be around $600,000 to $700,000. The official estimate is over $1.5 million. Looking back, the original numbers do seem low. A little researching shows it’s not uncommon for traffic lights and their installations to cost as much as $500,000 for one intersection — and the UTC project is looking at two intersections, each consisting of at least five lanes ...

Editorial Encore: Sunshine Week has ended but our work never does

EDITOR'S NOTE: This editorial has been adapted from one that originally published March 19, 2023. Sunshine Week — a celebration of access to public, particularly government, information — ended last week. Most years, we would have highlighted Sunshine Week either before it started or while it was going on. However, we were so busy doing the work of illuminating government activity that we didn’t have the time to celebrate the work. Sunshine Week is structured around Freedom of Information Day, which falls on or near James Madison’s March 16 birthday. (Of the Founding ...