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Editorial

Discussion must start in shared reality

U.S. Rep. Alex Mooney is well within his rights to defend his vote against the continuing resolution that prevented the government shutdown on Sept. 30. In fact, we appreciate his willingness to engage. However, if we are to have an honest discussion, we must have a shared understanding of reality. And, at the moment, we do not. Mooney says he voted for House appropriations bills for the Department of Defense, Department of Veterans Affairs, Department of Agriculture, the Department of Homeland Security and the Department of State. That is true. There is, however, a missing piece ...

Do something good and get something good

In Parking Authority partnership with Pantry Plus, 1 item = 1 forgiven ticket Every once in a while, karma is very direct: You do something good and immediately get something good in return. In this case, karma is being helped by the Morgantown Parking Authority, which will forgive expired meter tickets in exchange for eligible donations for Pantry Plus More. The donation drive runs from now until Nov. 9, and a full list of eligible items can be found at parkmpa.com. One item equals one forgiven ticket, up to two tickets; so, if you donate two or more items, you can have two ...

Congress must act before we careen off ‘child care cliff’

On Sept. 30, funding for the Child Care Stabilization Program ran out and experts warn that when the already-distributed dollars dry up, the nation will go careening off a “child care cliff.” The Century Foundation reports that more than 3 million children nationwide could lose access to child care, 70,000 child care programs are likely to close and families will lose $9 billion in earnings every year. Here in West Virginia, 23,231 children will lose access to child care, 604 centers will close, parents will lose $54 million in earnings as they cut work hours and 1,009 childcare ...

Hateful rhetoric, violence on the rise. Politicians aren’t helping

In the wake of Hamas’ attack on Israeli civilians and Israel’s counter-attack on Gaza, both antisemitism and Islamophobia are on the rise in the U.S. and abroad. Some pro-Palestine groups have unfairly laid the blame for Hamas’ attack at Israel’s feet, framing the slaughter of civilians as “anti-colonial” pushback; some individuals have gone so far as to chant antisemitic slogans at rallies, including “Gas the Jews,” or by holding up images of swastikas. On the reverse side, people who have shown support for Palestinians have been doxxed or fired from jobs. American ...

It’s no secret Jim Justice’s finances are a mess. They’ve been the subject of reporting  and court cases since before Justice became governor of West Virginia. And they’ve always come across as something between a drama and a tragedy: failing empires, shady deals and the “little guy” left hung out to dry. But lately they’ve seemed more like a farcical comedy. Take, for example, the recent court-ordered repossession of a Justice company helicopter as collateral for unpaid debts. Prologue: In May 2009, Justice sold the family’s coal assets in Bluestone Resources ...

City is right to want to expedite police hiring

The City of Morgantown has proposed some needed changes to the police hiring process. It doesn’t seem to be looking to cut corners, but rather to cut through some of the red tape. Under West Virginia Code, the city is required to have a three-member police civil service commission that sets procedures for hiring and promotion. In the current hiring process, a candidate must satisfy the commission through a number of exams and evaluations before being presented to the appointing officer (city manager) as eligible for hire. This includes a written exam, a physical agility test, an ...