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Partnerships lifting all West Virginians

Across the Mountain State, United Way organizations provide resources and support for those who are vulnerable and in need. In a state like ours, that means there are a LOT of people who rely on them. But the United Way doesn’t do its work without good partners. Last week, the Highmark West Virginia Charitable Fund for Health proved itself just that by giving a total of $102,000 to United Ways across the state. “We are delighted to contribute to the important work of United Way organizations across the Mountain State, helping them to create positive change in the lives of ...

Keep Halloween safe and happy

As children prepare to make their annual costumed trek through most parts of the Tri-State Area on Thursday evening, we ask parents to make safety a priority this Halloween. Following some common-sense rules will ensure a safe and happy Halloween for everyone. Parents should always accompany young children or make sure an adult or responsible teenager is with them when going door to door. Local police and law enforcement agencies will be patrolling, but they can’t be everywhere. Youngsters should be reminded of a few rules before they go out trick-or-treating. Make sure they ...

FEMA deadline fast approaching

Area residents whose properties were damaged as a result of widespread storms April 11 and 12 have only a few days remaining if they want to apply for assistance from the Federal Emergency Management Agency. The federal agency, which obviously has its hands full this year, has a deadline of Nov. 2 for residents and businesses in Hancock, Brooke, Ohio, Marshall, Wetzel, Wood, Roane and Kanawha counties affected by those storms. The deadline had been extended once. It’s doubtful it will happen again. Locally, those April storms resulted in high water which flooded some communities, ...

Be responsible, keep children safe

Local drivers are, for the most part, back in the habit of obeying safety laws regarding school buses on the roads. But, whether it is during the National School Bus Safety Week as observed in recent days or any other time of year, it is important to remind ourselves not only of the rules but why they are so necessary. According to the U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the danger is not just for those still riding on a bus. Between 2013 and 2022 there were 1.5 times more fatalities among pedestrians than occupants of buses — 169 ...

Still waiting on broadband projects in West Virginia

When most West Virginians think about being on top of things and getting the job done, they aren’t thinking about paperwork. But in Washington, D.C., we appear to be developing a reputation for just that. “All of the folks at the Department of Commerce who talk to me about our state say ‘wow, you guys are really ahead of the curve. You guys are really getting it done’ in terms of applications and paperwork,” U.S. Sen. Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.Va., said at the start of the 2024 West Virginia Broadband Summit in Charleston. That’s great. But getting a jump on all that ...

Much work still to do at WVU

The search for West Virginia University President E. Gordon Gee’s successor is officially underway. The committee tasked with finding the university’s next president has issued a 52-page leadership profile highlighting the post and just what the university is seeking in its 27th leader. Consider this list of attributes included in the profile: “Deep and abiding commitment to student success.” “A track record of transparent decision-making that inspires trust ... and reflects on-the-ground experience.” “Commitment to WVU’s values with emphasis on academic freedom ...