Breaking News

Editorials

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 ...

Finishing the trail an important step

At more than one local government meeting in recent weeks, the topic of completing the paving on the Panhandle Recreational Trail has been brought up by area residents. The Weirton Board of Parks and Recreation started the paving about two years ago, following several years of fundraising efforts. Contributions came from local governmental entities, as well as charitable non-profit organizations and the West Virginia Department of Transportation. Even with those funds, the project hasn’t been completed and approximately 1.25 miles remains with a layer of crushed rock. The trail, ...

POWERing up Appalachia

Appalachian Regional Commission officials earlier this week announced $68.2 million in awards to 65 projects through its Partnerships for Opportunity and Workforce and Economic Revitalization (anything to come up with a snappy acronym) initiative. Though not all of the commission’s efforts are home runs, POWER appears to be rooted in addressing a real need for our region. “ARC’s POWER initiative supports coal-impacted communities’ preparation for the next phase of Appalachia’s economy, while ensuring that residents have a say in the course of their own futures,” said ARC ...

Becoming more energy efficient

Not everyone in Appalachia has been encouraged to think of energy efficiency in a positive light. Too often, we get told the pursuit of energy efficiency is a progressive, liberal, big-government ploy to get us to turn our backs on our way of life. Of course, the reality is quite different. “Energy efficiency doesn’t just help save the planet – it also helps save you money by lowering the amount of electricity, gas, oil or other types of energy you need to consume,” said WalletHub analyst Chip Lupo. “While there are some steps you can take to become more energy-efficient on ...

Work for our children’s best interest

Most West Virginia public schools are making slow improvement in the categories that put 49 of 55 counties “on watch” last year. Despite that, there are still 41 “on watch” for not meeting one or more in a long list of standards “We’re charged as a state with providing a thorough and efficient education to our West Virginia children,” said Alexandra Criner, director of the Office of Accountability. But meeting that charge has been an excruciatingly slow process in a state dogged by chronic attendance problems, challenges to operational effectiveness, staffing shortages, ...