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Editorial

W.Va.’s Complicated Picture on Children

Data is a tricky thing.Sometimes it can present a complicated picture. That is the case with two WalletHub studies, one on “2024’s Best and Worst States to Have a Baby,” the other on “2024’s States with the Best and Worst Early Education Systems.”For the latter, West Virginia is sixth-best in the country. Wonderful.For the former, we are a wretched 45th.For the study on babies, WalletHub looked at 31 measures of cost, health care accessibility and baby-friendliness.West Virginia was 21st for cost, 38th for health care, 30th for baby-friendliness and 48th for family ...

Should W.Va. look at closing its low-performing schools?

As our state’s population decreases, so does the number of students in our public schools.Declining enrollment, in turn, is creating challenges for our school districts.Some boards of education are facing the bitter reality that it is time to close cherished facilities.But the Thomas B. Fordham Institute put together a study that may offer public education policymakers some needed guidance on that front.According to a report by West Virginia Public Broadcasting, the study suggests schools that have been identified by the state as low-performing should be considered first for ...

A managed homeless camp should be Morgantown’s priority

Morgantown’s ban on homeless camping in the city is done. Yes, we realize a petition has been filed calling for City Council the ban to be overturned, but it’s uncertain that will happen. Putting the matter before voters also likely won’t lead to a change.The bigger issue now for city leaders is this: the homeless are still here, many of whom are finding places to stay, either in shelters or on the streets. What’s the long-term plan to deal with Morgantown’s homeless population?Looking to the city’s north could yield some possible answers.In Wheeling, a homeless camping ban ...

Morgantown City Council not serving residents with vote

We’re certain members of Morgantown City Council opposed to allowing residents to have a say in changing the municipal election cycle to coincide with the county-wide schedule truly believe they are doing it for the right reasons.In truth, outside of wasting your tax dollars every two years by sticking to an unnecessary election calendar, all these members are doing is serving themselves.Consider: Under the current election schedule, which sees half of City Council up for re-election every other April in odd years, voter turnout is abysmal. In April 2023, fewer than 1,700 city ...

Tackling obesity in Mountain State

West Virginia comes in last or very near the bottom in all kinds of significant categories. It’s been that way for so long, it’s almost become a running joke. And when we’re on top, it’s usually for something like leading the nation in overdose deaths.Now, U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention research shows we are leading in another category: obesity.The CDC says obesity is increasing across the country. All U.S. states and territories have obesity rates higher than 20%. But in the Mountain State, an astounding 41% of adults are obese.According to Dr. Alyson Goodman, ...

Nurses critical for health care

One of the reasons for West Virginia’s challenges in ensuring everyone has access to affordable, quality healthcare has been the shortage in healthcare workers.Nurses, for example, are in incredibly short supply.But two years ago, the Nursing Workforce Expansion Program was launched. Now, officials are celebrating its early successes.Between 2022 and 2023 there was a nearly 15% increase in the number of registered nurses graduating with associates degrees.The 676 graduates from that year represent a record number of nursing graduates in the Mountain State.Funded projects for the ...