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Community Foundation continuing good work

Editorials

Thanks to the Community Foundation for the Ohio Valley, 11 Ohio Valley nonprofit organizations are getting a financial boost to continue the good work they do in the community. Those organizations shared in more than $70,000 in Community Impact Grants that the CFOV distributed this week. Organizations earning those grants included the Belmont County Court of Common Pleas Juvenile Division Probation Department, CASA for Children, Catholic Charities West Virginia, Childrens Home of Wheeling, Inc., City of Steubenville Parks and Recreation, Hancock and Brooke Young Professionals, Laughlin ...

Is West Virginia gambling on Hope?

Local Columns

Maybe I’m reading too much into it, but on first glance it sure seems like both the Senate and House Finance Committees are sending messages to Gov. Patrick Morrisey. Perhaps the message is this: You can have a 10% personal income tax cut, or you can have the Hope Scholarship educational voucher program, but to have one, you’re going to have to accept changes to the other. Morrisey’s general revenue budget proposal for fiscal year 2027 beginning July 1 is $5.493 billion, which is roughly 3.2% more than he proposed last year and the Legislature passed for the current fiscal ...

Project a step toward meeting housing needs

Local Columns

It’s no secret that Weirton, and for that matter much of our area, is in need of housing investment. Every comprehensive study or development plan of Weirton for the last 15 to 20 years has cited a lack of proper and available housing, not only for current residents but any potential future residents. Speaking with several local Realtors in recent years, many have cited the issue of either not having enough housing stock to market, or when they do have something it’s sold quickly (sometimes before they even have a chance to post it.) There have been some efforts in recent years, ...

Making sure program is used responsibly

Editorials

Members of the state House Finance Committee are working toward some important changes to safeguard taxpayer dollars, ahead of a planned “universal expansion” of the Hope Scholarship educational voucher program. Without many of the planned changes, the program will remain wide open to waste, fraud and abuse, as too many have taken advantage of the state’s failure to install guardrails earlier. The originating bill, which has not yet been numbered, would cap the annual Hope Scholarship award to eligible families at $5,250, with $250 going to the State Treasurer’s Office for ...

Chess not checkers

Letters to the Editor

To the Editor, The financial crisis facing Hancock County Schools did not happen overnight. It is the predictable result of rising costs, shrinking revenues, and hard decisions delayed. No teacher/employee thought the revenue that pays them would run out. I do not believe the Board of Education intended to pay people from a source that would run out. Hiring and spending decisions were made with good intentions — but produced bad results. Taxpayers assume that oversight boards fully understand the financial implications of their decisions. Some do, but some do not. The role of a ...

Caution where you step

Letters to the Editor

To the Editor, Over the past several months, the city of Weirton seems to be in some sort of financial difficulty. An old saying says, “if you do not know what lies ahead, on the path you’re walking, you could easily fall into an unseen hole.” Wanting to increase and upgrade the fire department by six additional members seems like a great idea, but only if there is sound reasoning and justification for increasing its size. I’m all for keeping the city protected, especially when it comes to fire protection, but can this increase be fully substantiated to a specific need? ...