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Government needs to SNAP out of it

November legislative interim meetings began Sunday at Pipestem Resort State Park near Hinton in Summers County, continuing today and wrapping up Tuesday. This is the second time lawmakers have traveled for interims, with the Legislature holding interim meetings at Stonewall Resort near Roanoke in Lewis County. It’s part of the Legislature’s efforts to travel to different parts of the state and learn more about the unique regions in West Virginia. While West Virginia is unfortunately stereotyped as one image of the hillbilly, we know that our communities are vastly different and ...

Remember the giving in the upcoming season

Well, Halloween is (mostly) over, with some of our communities still scheduling their trick-or-treating this weekend. Now, we turn toward the holiday season that is Thanksgiving, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, Yule, the Winter Solstice, Christmas, and New Year’s, among many others around the world. There was some criticism a couple of weeks back when crews from the City of Weirton began the process of putting up the community Christmas trees in the city’s north end and in front of the Millsop Community Center. Consider, though, they have limited manpower to put up the trees, as well as the ...

Guest Opinion: Powering America’s future from West Virginia

West Virginia has always been an energy state. From the coal that built our nation to the natural gas fueling the industries of tomorrow, our state has provided the reliable energy America needs to prosper. Today, we stand at another pivotal moment as FirstEnergy’s Mon Power and Potomac Edison propose the construction of a new 1,200-megawatt natural gas power plant. This project is about more than electricity — it’s about securing our energy future, creating good jobs, and ensuring West Virginia continues to lead America forward. The energy demands of the 21st century are ...

Guest Opinion: The free market works – even in energy

Who wants higher electricity rates? Ask just about anyone and they’ll agree that energy prices have risen. They’re not wrong. In recent weeks there has been significant attention in the Mountain State on what is driving those costs. The question has no doubt arisen from people seeing their electricity bills steadily rise, especially since the beginning of the COVID-19 Pandemic five years ago. A review of data from the U.S. Energy Information Administration shows that electricity rates have risen for most states. For example: • West Virginia: +27.71% • Ohio: +30.11% • ...

Guest Opinion: Standing together to fight hunger in West Virginia

As West Virginians, we take pride in caring for one another, especially in challenging times. With the federal government shutdown creating uncertainty and potential delays in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits, many families are facing difficult questions about how they will put food on the table in the coming weeks. While SNAP benefits fall wholly under the purview of the West Virginia Department of Human Services, Governor Morrisey, and his staff, the West Virginia Department of Agriculture (WVDA) stand ready to assist in any way possible. Our department ...

The calendar is whispering … ‘pay attention’

Well, I blinked. And already it is the first weekend of November. I’m still wondering where September went. One minute we were having cookouts, cutting grass, swimming, going on picnics. Now, those days have been replaced with brisk mornings, early sunsets and shoppers browsing the aisles for that perfect Christmas gift. That’s the funny thing about time. It doesn’t ask our permission. It doesn’t wait for us to catch up. It just keeps steadily moving. Time just keeps ticking, like those hands on an old kitchen clock. Fast and steady. Never stopping ...