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West Virginians deserve to hear from candidates

Early last week, it appeared there would be at least one debate between the candidates hoping to become West Virginia’s next governor. Just as quickly as it had been announced, though, it was announced the debate, to be hosted by WOWK-TV, had been canceled. In addition to Democrat Steve Williams and Republican Patrick Morrisey, this year’s gubernatorial race also includes S. Marshall Wilson representing the Constitution Party, Mountain Party candidate Chase Linko-Looper and Libertarian Erika Elier Kolenich. All were invited to the WOWK debate, which, the station said, would have ...

A different view to help our students

As our state’s population decreases, so does the number of students in our schools. Declining enrollment, in turn, is creating challenges for our school districts. Some boards of education are facing the bitter reality that it is time to close cherished facilities. But the Thomas B. Fordham Institute put together a study that may offer guidance on that front. According to a report by West Virginia Public Broadcasting, the study suggests schools that have been identified by the state as low-performing should be considered first for closure. “We know from research that if you close ...

Continue fight on overdose deaths

Something is happening to the numbers on overdose deaths in the Tri-State Area and across the country — and the change is a welcomed one. According to preliminary data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Buckeye State in 2023 experienced its first significant decrease in overdose deaths since 2017. Dennis Cauchon, founder and president of Harm Reduction Ohio, told the Statehouse News Bureau he’d been watching the data and by early 2024 realized these were more than just incremental changes. “When I realized it wasn’t a quirk, it made me cry, because every ...

How many more incidents will it take?

Lawmakers who still think it is more important to protect “personal freedoms” for homeschooling parents than it is to protect the children being kept at home got another wake-up call this week. Fortunately — this time — the children involved in this case are still alive to speak for themselves. An 8-year-old girl escaped a home in the South Hills area of Charleston and was found at a neighbor’s home. She was wearing handcuffs and made allegations of abuse and neglect, according to a report by WCHS. Charleston Police investigators have confirmed the girl, two teenaged boys ...

Fighting against our own battle of the bulge

West Virginia comes in last or very near the bottom in all kinds of significant categories. It’s been that way for so long, it’s almost a running joke. And when the state is at the top of a list, it’s usually for something like leading the nation in overdose deaths. Now, research from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows the state is leading in another category: Obesity. The CDC says obesity is increasing across the country. All U.S. states and territories have obesity rates higher than 20 percent. But in the Mountain State, an astounding 41.2 percent of ...

Bow hunt benefits the community

Each year, Weirton plays host to a controlled bow hunt within the city limits, organized through the efforts of the Weirton Police Department with assistance from the West Virginia Department of Natural Resources and others. The main purpose of this hunt, the history of which spans well over two decades, is to help provide some control to the local deer population, and, in turn, protect both the deer and residents from the effects of overpopulation. That includes the spread of disease, the potential of vehicle crashes and damage to private property. In recent years, though, the hunt ...