Breaking News

Editorials

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 ...

Building the future of the Ohio Valley

The skilled trades aren’t just a great outlet for Ohio Valley residents to find good, solid jobs. They’re an integral part of the fabric of our community. They’re the people who literally build our future from the ground up. The more members of that profession, the better it is for the valley, so it is wonderful to see the Appalachian Regional Commission and Ironworkers Local 549 come together for a $3.5 million expansion of the local’s training facilities. As announced this past week, the ARC is supplying a $1.75 million construction grant and the Local 549 is providing ...

Make use of early voting period

While the general election is in a couple of weeks, voters in West Virginia will be able to begin casting their votes this week. Our state has offered an in-person early voting period for several years, providing voters who may not be able to make it to the polls on the dedicated election day an avenue to still cast their votes for their preferred candidates. The in-person early voting period for the general election begins Wednesday, with registered voters able to visit their county courthouses every weekday and Saturday through Nov. 2. Much of the attention, of course, has been ...