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Editorial

Reconsider Alt 3 bridge

Alternative 1 is the overall better choice Even though all the buzz around the new bridge that will connect Morgantown Industrial Park to the interstates has revolved around Alternative 3, the ink hasn’t yet dried on the paper to make it official. Which means there’s still time to consider Alternative 1, instead, as we await word on the Harmony Grove interchange. Alternative 3 has a lot of local governmental support, which is why it has become the de facto route in conversation. In this one, the bridge would connect the south end of the MIP to U.S. 119/Grafton Road in the less ...

Not removing kids is not the answer

The Center on Budget and Policy recently released its report on the state of foster care in West Virginia. It draws two main conclusions: Parental rights are terminated more frequently and in less time than the national average, showing that West Virginia is too quick to separate families; and the most common reasons for removal were neglect and substance use, both of which are related to poverty, therefore the state doesn’t do enough to support families. We agree with the latter, but we disagree with the former. On the issue of terminating parental rights, the CBP relies on a ...

CPS death spiral

We were all horrified by the discovery of two teenagers locked in a shed in Sissonville early this month. It quickly became clear that the home had been reported to both police officers and Child Protective Services multiple times over several months. The cops responded a few times but didn’t find anything that would require them to take action. It appears that CPS never responded at all. Unfortunately, the Department of Health and Human Resources has provided unsatisfactory answers. Initially, it avoided questions by saying it couldn’t share information about children. Of ...

Morgantown must find a warming shelter before winter

While we applaud Bartlett House for adding beds to its shelter for the winter, we are disappointed that no one has stepped up to provide a warming shelter for the cold months. We understand that Hazel’s House of Hope may not have been the best fit for the warming shelter, though it did an admirable job last year. We’re surprised, though, that none of the organizations and churches that previously hosted warming shelters have volunteered again, given that Hazel’s House is no longer an option. The City of Morgantown has allocated $30,000 for a cold weather shelter this year, ...

PEIA sticker shock

People covered by PEIA are looking at another increase for the coming fiscal year — 10%-13% depending on certain individual factors. This, after the 24.2% increase plus the $147 per month spousal surcharge approved in March for FY 2024. According to the West Virginia Chamber of Commerce, prior to the spring increases, a family earning $50,000 per year paid about $1,262 per month in PEIA premiums, while a similar family on private insurance paid about $1,949 per month. The 24% increase means that PEIA-covered family is paying roughly $1,564 this year; an additional 10% increase will ...

WVU must regain, then maintain, the trust it has broken

There was nothing new in the disparate State of the University addresses given by WVU’s President Gordon Gee and by the West Virginia United Students’ Union on Monday. The stark division between the two outlooks made one thing clear: West Virginia University has badly damaged — if not completely broken — the trust of its students, faculty and staff, as well as the trust of the wider community and alumni. Trust is a fragile thing. While it can be built fairly easily, it is harder to maintain and extremely difficult to rebuild once broken. No matter how many times the ...