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Crafting a vision for West Virginia energy

During the winter meeting of the National Governors Association, Gov. Patrick Morrisey showed his continued willingness to stand up for a “future for coal.” He spoke to Fox News Digital, saying he is “very hopeful” on coal partly because of what he believes is an impending information technology arms race with China. “And we have to catch up to what they’re doing in terms of the Chinese use of coal and many, many different types of fuel sources, because we can’t let them get ahead of us as they’re building capacity in AI, superintelligence, robotics and advanced ...

Lift the veil of secrecy at WVU

It was somewhat of a shock on Friday (Feb. 21) when Coastal Carolina University — in Conway, S.C. — announced that West Virginia University’s next president would be Michael Benson. This happened a day after WVU’s Board of Governors, in a self-imposed cone of silence as it sought a new leader to replace departing president E. Gordon Gee, announced it had chosen its finalist — but failed to disclose the candidate. Benson, who was Coastal Carolina’s president officially until this weekend, has accepted the job. He appears to be an excellent fit for both WVU and Morgantown, ...

Better assessments needed

It should take no time at all for a proposed bill by the West Virginia Association of School Administrators to find a sponsor. After all, state lawmakers have become acutely, sometimes tragically, aware in recent years of the cracks in our home- and micro-school monitoring through which some children can slip. Tracking homeschool students and monitoring their academic growth is essential — both to ensure they are receiving the education they deserve and keep an eye on their safety. “Regrettably, the level of reporting is an insufficient check and balance to ensure the safety and ...

Have your pets spayed or neutered

It’s a proven fact — spaying and neutering are effective, and humane, ways to save the lives of animals. These procedures are among many important responsibilities that come with owning a dog or cat. So along with providing a safe, warm home, food and water and daily exercise, we ask that animal owners please have their animals spayed or neutered to help stave off pet overpopulation problems. This also is the plea made on World Spay Day — it’s Tuesday — to remind pet owners of their obligations. The most recent estimates compiled by the American Veterinary Medical ...

Getting poison off our streets

In the last week, local law enforcement agencies have announced the arrest of 10 individuals as part of various investigations into the trafficking of drugs in the Tri-State Area. On Feb. 11, the Hancock-Brooke-Weirton Drug Task Force initiated a search warrant at a house on Gardner Avenue in Weirton, which resulted in the arrests of five suspects – three from Steubenville, one from Weirton, and one from Baltimore, Md. - as well as the seizure of cash and various illegal substances. The operation was announced two days later by Weirton Police. A similar operation took place ...

Use our tools to save lives

Those living in Appalachia have long been accustomed to the idea there are greater risks to our health here than in many other regions. New research from the American College of Surgeons confirms that, while cancer diagnoses and deaths are decreasing in Appalachia, the numbers are still significantly higher here than in other parts of the U.S. And where are we at greatest risk? The central subregion — a small part of southern Ohio, Kentucky, Tennessee, West Virginia and Virginia — has the highest rates of cancer incidents and deaths among the larger Appalachian region. “The ...