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Editorial

WVU walkout a good start, but it will take more

On Monday, WVU students staged a walkout and protest in objection to the preliminary recommendations that call for cutting 32 majors and 169 faculty positions. We are proud of all the people — especially the students — who showed up outside the Mountainlair and on the Rec Center fields. It takes courage to show up — in person, no less — to protest for something you believe in. And hundreds of students, staff, faculty and community members showed up. We admire the bravery, passion and dedication they demonstrated. We fear, however, they’re efforts will be for ...

Gee should ask for help from W.Va. Legislature

It’s an open secret that the majority of the West Virginia Legislature dislikes Morgantown — and everything related to it. (“Dislike” borders on understatement, but “hates” seemed too strong a word.) Which may be why West Virginia University President Gordon Gee is reluctant to ask it for help as the university faces a financial crisis. But knowing the answer will be “no” shouldn’t stop Gee from asking anyway. Yes, there are undoubtably “structural” problems, to paraphrase Gee, that contributed to the predicament. And the university administration should own ...

Build streamlined immigration, not a useless border wall

Political campaign season is starting to ramp up (not that it ever really ended), so we’re going to hear a lot more about illegal immigration and the border wall. Already, the national Republican Party has started running ads proclaiming the only way to fix America’s immigration “crisis” is to finish the border wall. We can see why politicians like that idea: It’s something physical, tangible, that they can present to their constituents and say, “Look what I did.” Practical (and effective) immigration policy is nebulous; good policy is not as visual and grand — and ...

Morrisey all about ‘states’ rights’ — unless it’s Calif.

West Virginia Attorney General Patrick Morrisey seems to thoroughly enjoy wasting taxpayer money by jumping on the most frivolous bandwagons. This time around, he’s joined 15 other state attorneys general to urge Congress to pass the Ending Agricultural Trade Suppression (EATS) Act, which is a direct response to California’s Proposition 12.  For context, California voters passed Prop 12 in 2018. The law partially bans “inhumane” production of pigs, eggs and veal and the sale of inhumanely produced pigs, eggs and veal within the state of California. It would require ...

Young people sue over climate change. Good for them

Young people are finally learning how to play the game — and how to win. In Montana, 16 people between the ages of 5 and 22 just successfully sued the state’s Legislature for prioritizing fossil fuels over clean energy, thereby violating the young people’s right to “a clean and healthful environment.” In her ruling for Held v. State of Montana, Judge Kathy Seeley wrote, the plaintiffs “have a fundamental constitutional right to a clean and healthful environment, which includes climate as part of the environmental life-support system.” It’s an impressive win for ...

Mon Commission should help out Star City VFD

It was already a blow to the community when the Star City Volunteer Fire Department had to retire its EMS. We don’t want to imagine how devastating it could be to lose the entire fire department. Unfortunately, that’s a future we may have to contemplate, since the Star City VFD is more than $600,000 in debt. Which is why the volunteer department has asked the Monongalia County Commission for help — help that we think the commission should provide. Right now, the Mon County Commission and the West Virginia Auditor’s office are sorting through the VFD’s books, and we ...