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Being proactive on workers’ compensation

West Virginia employers may be getting a little good news for next year, as the National Council on Compensation Insurance has filed a proposed workers’ compensation loss cost decrease of 13.5%, to begin Jan. 1. The change, pitched by the state’s rating and statistical agent, would mean another possible $20 million kept in the coffers of Mountain State employers. In fact, it would mean 21 years in a row of decreases since the state workers’ comp program was privatized. That’s more than half a billion dollars in savings to employers compared with workers’ comp levels before ...

Using our money wisely, properly

The story is becoming too familiar. Lawmakers who support spending cuts, then call for their reversal. Lawmakers who want to eliminate fraud, waste and abuse, just not in the program that is politically beneficial to them. U.S. Sen. Jim Justice, R-W.Va., has joined several Senate colleagues in a letter that seeks the disbursement of already-approved Community Development Financial Institutions funds. To be fair, some of the federal actions seem designed to force elected officials to beg for the help they pledged to their constituents. In this case, $324 million from the fund was ...

Considering future of public schools

It’s August, which means it’s back-to-school season. As the new school year nears (remember to slow down and watch for students getting on those big yellow buses with the stop sign sticking out the side), it’s worthwhile to consider the future of our public schools — particularly as West Virginia’s workforce ages and we continue to struggle to compete against our neighboring states. Consider these enrollment trends from the West Virginia Department of Education: In the 2017-18 school year, West Virginia enrolled 270,613 public school students. For the 2024-25 school year, ...

Lawmakers must act on railroad safety

With Congress on its August break, there are a number of important things not getting done. A couple of recent incidents in West Virginia remind us rail safety reform continues to be one of them. Last month, a minor train derailment in downtown Parkersburg closed a street, and had residents asking questions about the contents of the tanks that were leaning. Belpre Industrial Parkersburg Railroad officials responded quickly with information (the tanks were safely sealed and empty), and a crew to get the train back on track. There were no injuries. On Aug. 3, the St. Albans Fire ...

Can enrollment numbers be reversed?

As if our county boards of education did not have enough to worry about, a recent report by The Reason Foundation suggests a trend may present big challenges for West Virginia public schools. In a look at public school enrollment across the country, the foundation said West Virginia was one of only four states with public school enrollment that decreased by more than 5% between fiscal years 2020 and 2024. Certainly, the COVID-19 pandemic had something to do with that, but the Mountain State has not bounced back. At the beginning of FY2020, West Virginia had 263,485 students enrolled ...

Annual 5K race a community tradition

For 29 years, the Marland Heights 5K Classic has been a competitive race, a community event and a yearly milestone as the summer season begins to wind down. It brings together athletes of all levels, as well as families and more who set off along the course through the Marland Heights area of the city. This year’s race is set for tonight at Marland Heights Park, and whether you are a seasoned runner, a beginner or just someone who wants to get in a bit of a walk, we hope you will take part. There is still time to register. Just show up prior to the beginning of the races tonight. ...