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Stop playing games with our schools

U.S. senators who put pressure on the Trump administration and the U.S. Department of Education were joined by millions of Americans in a sigh of relief when the remaining $5 billion in federal education funding the government was withholding from states and local school districts was released last week. Those entities should have received their funding — which had already been approved as part of the fiscal year 2025 continuing resolution in March — July 1. But instead of much needed financial support, they got nearly a month of worry. U.S. Sens. Jim Justice and Shelley Moore ...

Take part in the process

New Cumberland Council will be holding its final vote Monday on proposed increases to the city’s water and sewer rates. A public hearing will be held as part of council’s regular meeting, set to begin at 5 p.m. Monday, with the agenda also to include the second – and last vote – on the rate increases. We aren’t taking a stance on whether the rates should be increased. Unfortunately, that often is the only option for a community in order to make improvements to their utility system, or cover the costs of operations. We are, though, encouraging residents to let city council ...

Don’t wait to get children vaccinated

Despite the irresponsible “political” noise surrounding the matter, vaccines remain an important step for parents to take in keeping their children as healthy and safe as possible. For those with children old enough to enter school, state law — West Virginia Code 16-3-4 to be exact — continues to require “a child entering school or a state-regulated child care center in this state must be immunized against chickenpox, hepatitis-b, measles, meningitis, mumps, diphtheria, polio, rubella, tetanus and whooping cough.” The start of another school year is creeping up on us more ...

Support farmers and vulnerable families

Understanding the strain economic uncertainty can put on both farmers and those vulnerable to food insecurity, U.S. Sen. Jim Justice, R-W.Va., has joined forces with Sen. Jack Reed, D-R.I., to introduce the Strengthening Local Food Security Act. The effort is meant to tackle a variety of challenges, including reinforcing the food supply chain, improving economic opportunities for farmers and other food producers, and improving access to local food in communities and in schools. It is being pitched as an amendment to tack on to the Agricultural Marketing Act of 1946. A permanent grant ...

Already falling behind in the brawl?

Since the start of his term, Gov. Patrick Morrisey has promoted an “Economic Backyard Brawl” between West Virginia and its neighboring states. The mission, he said, is to make the Mountain State “the most attractive state to live, work, learn, play and run a business.” He likely didn’t expect one of those neighboring states to take the opening kickoff and run it back 90 yards for a touchdown. President Donald Trump recently visited Pittsburgh to announce more than $90 billion in new investments in energy and artificial intelligence in Pennsylvania. Nearly two dozen ...

Getting ready for the school year

Ohio and West Virginia are preparing to welcome back-to-school shoppers with sales tax holidays. And while residents of both states have become accustomed to that yearly break as they prepare to send their children back to the classrooms, Ohioans will see one big change: This year’s tax holiday has been expanded, and will run from midnight Aug. 1 through 11:59 p.m. Aug. 14. That’s two weeks for families to take advantage of tax-free purchases — made in-person or online — of eligible items up to $500. West Virginians, meanwhile, will get their sales tax holiday from midnight ...