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Editorial

Whose road is it?

Frustration can be a powerful motivating force — if directed correctly.  And there’s a lot of frustration over the disastrous state of roads in and around Morgantown. We frequently receive letters to the editor complaining about road conditions. Social media practically thrums with all the pent-up frustration from drivers who are fed up with crumbling asphalt and holes so deep they can swallow a tire whole.  That frustration is rightfully directed at elected officials who have repeatedly promised to “fix the roads” and seemingly never deliver. So while we highly ...

WVU scores with new hire; misses gender layup

We’d like to welcome Mark Kellogg and his family to Morgantown. We hope they feel that country roads have indeed brought them home.  Kellogg comes to us after coaching the Stephen F. Austin women’s basketball team for eight years. Under his guidance, the Lumberjacks averaged 24 victories per season and played in two NCAA tournaments. This past season, his team finished 27-7 and advanced to the second round of the Women’s National Invitation Tournament. If you’d like to read more about Kellogg and his future among the Mountaineers, visit the sports pages.   We are ...

Coopers Rock overlook closure may have an end date — hopefully sooner than later

West Virginia is blessed with the beauty of nature’s bounty. From the rolling hills, to the plunging gorges, to the rushing rivers and placid lakes, the Mountain State is home to gorgeous vistas and breathtaking views. But nowhere is that beauty quite so accessible as it is at the Coopers Rock scenic overlook.  Unfortunately, the bridge leading to the overlook was unexpectedly closed almost two weeks ago for “structural repairs.” At the time of the bridge’s closure, West Virginia State Parks said it would be closed “until further notice.”   “Further ...

DOH, WVU should help pay for flood study

It’s hard to forget the images of cars stranded on a flooded Patteson Drive as people sat on vehicle roofs, rain pouring down and brackish water racing past.   The historic summer 2021 storms caused the stormwater systems connected to Popenoe Run and Burroughs Run to be overwhelmed, leading to unsafe conditions and extensive property damage.  (Popenoe Run goes from east of Shorty Anderson’s Auto Repair, all the way through Evansdale and Star City to the Monongahela River, while Burroughs Run flows primarily through underground culverts.)   Impacted residents ...

Editorial Encore: You can actually file your taxes for free. Here’s how

EDITOR'S NOTE: Today’s editorial has been adapted from the perennial “free tax filing” editorial we run each year. The information has been updated. And just like that, it’s tax season again. Commercials are airing for various tax services — talking about write-offs and deductions and credits and other gibberish — and the sign-spinners dressed like the Statue of Liberty are wiggling for warmth on the sidewalk outside Suburban Plaza. And many tax preparation companies are promising that you can file your taxes for free.    If you scoffed that there is no such ...

Legislature hobbled PFAS Protection Act

In September 2022, we editorialized on the U.S. Geological Survey report on the presence of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in West Virginia’s water, which found 37 of 279 water intake sites across the state had levels higher than the EPA’s drinking water health advisory.   Back then, we told you how “PFAS” is an umbrella term that encapsulates many related chemicals that are used in a variety of industries and products, from pots and pans (think “non-stick”) to clothes to carpets and rugs to food wrappers and even fire extinguisher foam. It’s believed ...