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To effect change, we must have information

It can be easy to under-estimate the legislative work done through the interim committee process when we’re not under the microscope and in the thick of the regular session. These committees are made up of both Senators and Delegates, and their purviews are different from the regular session committees. This is really our time to dig deep and study the issues we hope to address during our limited 60 days of lawmaking. West Virginia Secretary of Health Facilities Michael Caruso and others arranged visits to state-owned psychiatric facilities last year for lawmakers and our staff. It ...

Getting a better understanding of what’s in your AEP electricity bill

I would like to explain to you today how to understand your electric bill from Appalachian Power and Wheeling Power. When you open your bill, your eyes are going to be drawn to that colorful bullseye on the left column, about half-way down the page. Like the statistics box that stays on the TV when you watch a ball game, this circle gives you the full and simple breakdown on your bill. So, I’d like you to focus on that blue bullseye. Take a look at the center of the circle. It is divided into a black top and a white bottom. In the white lower-half is the amount of money you ...

There is nothing better than being with family

I realize that I have written some rather depressing columns during the last several weeks. Believe me, it was certainly not my intention. And I apologize if anyone is sick and tired of reading about my weekly problems. I usually just sit down at the computer a few hours before deadline and write. For the most part, I don’t even know what I am going to talk about. I usually don’t even realize what is coming out of the keyboard. My fingers just fly across the keys while my brain is focusing on something else entirely. It’s as if I am reading it for the first time, too, ...

Manchin’s fight to protect jobs must continue

When Senator Joe Manchin discovered that a rogue federal agency could kill more than 900 jobs in West Virginia, he knew that he had to take action. The fate of those 900 workers at the Cleveland-Cliffs tin mill facility in Weirton rested in the hands of a little-known agency with far too much power: the International Trade Commission (ITC). Despite its small size, the agency wields significant authority, issuing rulings on trade and patent disputes, imposing penalties on alleged violators, and overriding rulings from other state and federal government bodies. The unfortunate truth is ...

Mooney: Stark contrasts in U.S. Senate primary

As May approaches, West Virginians have a choice to make as they decide who they want to represent their interests and values in the United States Senate. The choice is between me, conservative fighter Alex Mooney and Gov. Jim Justice. Can voters really trust Democrat-turned-Republican Jim Justice? Jim Justice can’t be trusted because has a proven track record of supporting liberal policies. In 2020, he promised to sign into law the The Fairness Act, legislation that provides special privileges to transgender persons and strips West Virginians of their religious freedoms. The bill ...

Be careful and patient during bridge work

Last week was the return of something I’m sure most (hopefully all) of our area residents was dreading...the return of maintenance work on the Veterans Memorial Bridge. We knew crews would return at some point. After all, those large, orange construction barrels were left in the far eastbound lane through the winter season. The Veterans Memorial Bridge first opened in 1990. It’s understandable maintenance must happen from time to time in order to keep such a span operational, but this is now an annual thing. When warmer weather comes around, we now expect to see the flowers ...