State legislators are the elected representatives of the people of West Virginia. Our system of government - as well as the sentiments of most Mountain State residents - dictate that lawmakers have the final say in most questions of public policy.That ought to be enough for legislators to ...
As we dig out from snow and ice that fell over the weekend, it's anticlimatic to hear what the rodent in Punxsutawney and his ilk in Marion, Ohio, and French Creek, W.Va. said at dawn today.For it's a wintry Groundhog Day we find ourselves in and the predictions by two-footed meteorologists ...
The story that leads off our 2015 Progress Edition contains a quote from Pat Ford that helps to put our area's changing economy into perspective:"Who would have thought energy would be driving our agenda to the magnitude it is today?" asks Ford, the executive director of the Business ...
Despite two weeks of stories about deflated footballs, we know all will be forgiven sometime around 6:30 p.m. Sunday when Super Bowl XLIX kicks off.Because not even the over-hyped "controversy" of the moment will detract from a game that has been in the making since the draft took place last ...
Most West Virginians do not worry much about "joint and several liability." It is part of the jargon of lawyers and judges that, to the layman, can seem impenetrable.But think of the idea this way: Assume the water pipes in your house and a neighbor's freeze and burst. The resulting flood of ...
Our area was divided last year when the health boards in both Hancock and Brooke counties opted to expand their respective counties' smoking bans. Del. Pat McGeehan has proposed a bill which would take that ability away, giving it instead to the members of a county's board of ...
The issue of deflated footballs used in part of the AFC Championship Game 10 days ago, wherein the New England Patriots trounced the Indianapolis Colts 45-7 on a cold, wet night near Boston, is the perfect end to a flawed NFL season.Sports reporters and columnists of every stripe and, yes, ...
The Weirton United Way is closing in on its $260,000 goal, with one final campaign event scheduled for this weekend.The organization, which assists 14 member agencies in our area, stands at approximately 84 percent - or $218,044.35 - of the goal. There is still time to help reach that mark, ...
There may be more room than apparent for West Virginia state agencies to control spending, even with mid-year corrections of the type Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin has ordered for the past couple of years. That is because some the agencies' budgets contain far more slots than will be used for ...
Some level of regulations on businesses is necessary to safeguard West Virginians. Few people would argue against workers' compensation rules, for example.But who needs to be protected from a gift shop owner who wants to sell a few bottles of local wine?Big businesses often have large staffs of ...
This Sunday is the day for all area brides-to-be, or those just looking for ideas, to have some fun with family and friends while scoping out the latest wedding fashions and flare.The fifth-annual Sparkling Moments Bridal Show will get under way at 11:30 a.m. Sunday and continue until 3 p.m. at ...
Early education and child care programs in the Northern Panhandle received a helping hand this week thanks to approximately $5 million in federal funds - to be divided among the next five years - to assist Northern Panhandle Head Start and some of its partner programs.The funding, beginning ...
There's a powerful addition to the American Defenders of Bataan and Corregidor Museum at the Brooke County Public Library.Area residents have the opportunity to see an early draft of the script for the film "Unbroken," which tells the story of Louis Zamperini. While the actual draft copy will ...
If the national pundits are correct, President Obama was merely trying to set a tone for the 2016 election with his 2015 State of the Union address.It was one of great dreams and proposals that won't have a chance of survival, from tax hikes on the richest Americans to statistical citations ...
As we begin the seventh year of Barack Obama's presidency, we find a president who remains consistent in never failing to use a situation to make a crisis to provide backing for an attempt to extend government's reach.His cybersecurity measure, floated in the wake of the Sony hacking incident, ...
The major task Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin and West Virginia legislators expect to tackle later this year - closing a $195 million gap in next year's budget - may not be the full extent of their challenge. Ensuring that, in effect, the gap does not grow after the spending year starts will be at least ...
Whether West Virginia merits the label of "judicial hellhole" is a topic that can prompt fierce arguments among business people and attorneys, liberals and conservatives.But the fact is that we have the reputation of a system of laws and courts that is unfriendly to businesses. Changing that ...
Our representatives in Charleston were being proactive prior to the start of this year's legislative session, and we must applaud their beginning efforts.In an effort to learn more about the needs of our area, and the interests of its citizens, a series of town hall meetings was held throughout ...
There are many opportunities for our residents to get involved with their communities. One such way is to run for public office, where residents have the chance to shape the direction of their hometown.Several of our local communities have municipal elections scheduled for this spring, and ...
Legislators, no matter their party affiliation, will need to work together in order for West Virginia to move forward.That was the tone struck by Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin Wednesday night during West Virginia's State of the State Address.Noting the changes in leadership, with a Democratic governor ...