Breaking News

Local Columns

Help us help you file case comments

The Public Service Commission has a process so you can file comments on any case pending before the Commission. We welcome all comments and encourage you to file your viewpoint in any case in which you have an interest. It is your right and is seen by us as a barometer of public thinking. If you go to our webpage at www.psc.state.wv.us, you will see a yellow field on the left. Go to the fifth choice down and click the “submit a comment” button. The resulting screen will give you a choice. The first is to file a general comment, which is at the top. The second choice is a ...

Working with President Trump to secure coal’s future

America needs coal. For generations, our nation has tapped into coal’s unparalleled benefits as an affordable and reliable energy source to power us to greatness. Coal miners continue to fuel everything from the cutting-edge manufacturing jobs and data centers of the future to the lights over our kitchen tables. As attorneys general from Kentucky and West Virginia who proudly represent coal country, we are grateful to President Trump for taking bold steps to protect America’s bright, coal-powered future. At the White House, President Trump recently signed four executive ...

The Credit Card Competition Act is a win for West Virginia

Small business owners in West Virginia are eager for Congress to pass legislation with positive, tangible effects on our economy. Sen. Justice is no stranger to serving the people of West Virginia, and as he pivots from his strong tenure as governor to the halls of Congress alongside Sen. Shelley More Capito, I hope they’ll both work to lower costs by tackling the out-of-control credit card swipe fees that continue burdening small businesses and consumers. Swipe fees are no joke, especially when you consider they cost the average household in nearly $1,200 per year. That’s ...

How will you express your thanks this Easter?

I could not possibly let this Sunday go by without telling all of you, who continue to read this little section of the newspaper, that I hope your Easter will be a beautiful one. And why shouldn’t it be? It’s spring. Everything is once again in bloom. For some reason, nature appears prettier on this particular day. As if everything is brand new. Like everything is going to be alright. Easter just gives us that feeling –– like the world is a little more beautiful today than on any other day of the year. Yes, this holiday does bring up a few depressing, personal reminders ...

Thoughts on the 2025 legislative session

The 2025 regular session of the West Virginia Legislature is finally done, wrapping up midnight Saturday after 60 days of floor sessions, committee meetings and debates. I get asked a lot during a session about whether I think a session was good or productive. This year I was asked for letter grades in regard to specific public policy items and how the Legislature did. I kind of regret having done that. Honestly, only you, the public, can decide whether your lawmakers adequately addressed the issues you are concerned about and voted for these people to solve. The entire 100-member ...

The annual look back at the prior year

I’ll most likely be spending a good portion of this weekend, and a few additional nights over the coming week, at the office putting in some longer hours than usual. The time has come, once again, for the West Virginia Press Association’s Better Newspaper Contest, and I, unfortunately, am nowhere near as complete with gathering our entries as I would like. Compiling these entries typically involves a full review of every newspaper published in the previous year. I will admit, it has become a little easier over the years, as we can go through digital copies of the newspapers, ...