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Going after the empty buildings

The City of Weirton is taking another step in its efforts to address blight and encourage new development in the city, although we imagine not everyone will be happy with this approach. As part of its regular meeting earlier this month, Weirton Council unanimously approved the first reading of an ordinance to establish a vacant building registration program. There are those who have acquired a vast number of buildings in our community over the years, and, for whatever reason, have left them to rot and decay, with no maintenance or improvements, and with no occupancy. Some live in ...

Get your home ready for the cold

While there has been some uncertainty as to how much snow the Ohio Valley might get from this weekend’s storm, one thing is for sure — it’s going to get cold. Very, very cold. Forecasts have low temperatures in the teens over the weekend and single digits or even negative numbers throughout much of next week. Local residents can stay indoors, bundle up and turn on a heater to keep from freezing. Their water pipes can’t. A burst water pipe in weather like what is coming this weekend can be a nightmare, and forecasts are predicting conditions that create a perfect incubator for ...

Infrastructure updates will help build state

West Virginians know our state is full of pieces of land that would make fantastic locations for new employers to build … except you can’t get there from here. Infrastructure isn’t our strong suit, and site readiness efforts are often about not just utilities and maybe even having a pad poured, but building roads for potential industrial sites. Lawmakers this week demonstrated they understand that, and are serious about working toward jobs first and improving opportunity everywhere, with a committee substitute for House Bill 4007. The bill, which proposes updates to the ...

Continue promoting our diamond in the rough

Frontieras North America’s announcement that it has closed on 183 acres in Mason County with a plan to build an $850 million coal reformation facility appears to be wonderful news for those communities. It’s a big project that, if all goes as planned, could result in 2,000 construction jobs and 200 permanent jobs. Gov. Patrick Morrisey says many of those jobs are expected to be more than $100,000 per year. Company officials say the construction could begin later this year and the plant could be up and running by the middle of 2028. Those same officials also claim the project will ...

Questions hang over Hancock County

It’s a new chapter for Hancock County Schools, and it’s one to which we won’t be seeing an end anytime soon. A decision made Friday morning put the local school district – currently with two high schools, two middle schools, three elementary schools and a tech and career center – fully under the control of the state. The superintendent and assistant superintendent were relieved of their positions, and the Hancock County Board of Education is, for all intents and purposes, powerless. While board meetings will continue, the reality is that those five individuals now are ...

Let’s be honest about what state needs

If Gov. Patrick Morrisey is looking for a West Virginia comeback, it’s a good indication he understands the struggle has been overwhelming for far too long and hope is still hard to come by for too many Mountain State residents. But during his State of the State address Wednesday, Morrisey was determined to focus on “a West Virginia we can be proud of,” for our children and grandchildren. As he rightly pointed out, that means being honest about the fact that many in our state are still struggling to make ends meet. They are dealing with “sky-rocketing grocery bills, crushing ...