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Editor, News-Register:
The recent charges filed against the person responsible for the illegal election mailers are a big and necessary step forward -- not just for accountability, but for Wheeling's continued growth as a community that does things the right way.
We've made some incredible progress lately -- investing in our streets, public safety buildings, health facility developments, and more. But real progress also means reconsidering how we engage with our government and how we govern ourselves. That includes cleaning up our politics.
Let me be clear: shady, behind-the-scenes tactics -- whether dark money, anonymous attack ads, or other kinds of illegal electioneering -- have no place in our Friendly City. These kinds of actions don't just break laws, they break trust. And nothing matters more to a democracy than trust in our elections. Would things have turned out differently in the mayoral race without those mailers? That's not the question we need to be asking.
As I've said before, and as the other candidates have echoed, Mayor Magruder was elected by the people. Now it's our responsibility to support his leadership and keep working together to build the best Wheeling possible.
A heartfelt thank you to the law enforcement teams who handled this case with such care, and to the local officials and attorneys who stayed focused and determined over these past seven months. You've done your job -- and done it well. I also want to thank the reporters who kept our community informed. A special shout-out to The Wheeling Free Press and Mr. Hudson, whose dedication to independent, investigative journalism really made a difference in helping bring the facts to light.
I've stayed quieter since the election -- not out of retreat, but to rest, reflect, and give space for the new administration to find its footing. And I think they've done just that.
So, in the spirit of moving forward, I'll share something that's been true throughout my time in public service:
Challenges make us stronger.
That's not just a nice quote, it's a fact I've lived, and one we all know in Wheeling. Whether it's economic hardship, addiction, homelessness, or even a pandemic -- we face our challenges head-on. We don't back down. We rise to meet them. That's our superpower.
It's what I love most about this city. And it's why I'm proud to continue being part of its future.
We're moving forward -- together. And even on the hardest days, we prove again and again that strength lives in Wheeling, resilience lives in Wheeling -- and now, accountability lives here, too.
Rosemary Ketchum
Wheeling