Editorials

Income Tax Cuts Must Be Sensible

Though Gov. Patrick Morrisey may have had the weight of Americans for Tax Reform President Grover Norquist behind him on his recent visit to Parkersburg, the reality is unchanged: Lawmakers have already put in place a mechanism to reduce what West Virginians pay in income tax, and the state did not meet markers to trigger another cut as recently as August. Despite that, Morrisey has gone from pitching a 5% to 10% income tax cut to going all-in at 10%. “West Virginians deserve to keep more of what they earn,” Morrisey said. “We tightened the budget, made tough choices, and put ...

Stop Silly Debates and Get to Work

This weekend puts the West Virginia Legislature nearly three weeks into its 2026 session. Both the House of Delegates and Senate have brought several bills to the floor of their respective chambers. The House has already passed multiple bills in the “Jobs First — Opportunity Everywhere” platform it touted before the session even began. One updated the state’s financial support for industrial access roads, doubling it from $3 million to $6 million. Another increased the caps on microgrants for the West Virginia Business Ready Sites program. Were those earth-shaking advances? ...

Pats on the Back

- To everyone involved with the VEX Robotics Gateway to the West tournament that filled the Highlands Sports Complex this weekend. In a short period of time, this has turned into one of the marquee robotics events in the region, if not the nation. It’s a wonderful showcase of what Ohio County can do. - To all the city, county and state employees who have spent days clearing the roads around the Ohio Valley after last weekend’s storm dumped inches of snow on us and left sub-zero temperatures in its wake. Thank you for all that you do. - To all the WVU Medicine nurses who were ...

Buying Local Helps All of Us

Been stuck in the house for a while? Made one last run at the big box store before the snow, ice and frigid temperatures hit and haven’t spent an extra dime since? One day, we will be through this arctic spell. We’ll need to venture out and do a little shopping. Maybe we’ll just be ready to eat at a restaurant after having gone through everything in the pantry at home. When that time comes, consider spending your money with a smaller, locally owned establishment. Those who have either been forced to close or have seen VERY little traffic because of this weather may be in ...

Helping Ohio State Parks

Ohioans know full well our parks and public lands are national treasures in need of a little polishing. The list of repairs and deferred maintenance is only growing. And, though workers and administrators do their best, time and the elements do take their toll. It makes sense, then, that U.S. Sen. Jon Husted, R-Ohio, joined Sens. Angus King, I-Maine, and Steve Daines, R-Mont., in supporting the America the Beautiful Act to boost and reauthorize the Legacy Restoration Fund that could help address those challenges. But the backlog stretches far beyond Ohio. According to Husted’s ...

Make W.Va. Better For Our Retirees

How many of us regularly see social media posts and advertorials touting something along the lines of the top hidden gems to retire to in West Virginia? They’re everywhere. And most seem to be aimed at luring non-West Virginians to a few select locations after their retirement. But what if you already live here? What is the retirement landscape like, then? Well, according to WalletHub’s “2026’s Best and Worst States to Retire,” the Mountain State is fourth worst in the nation. There is one almost-bright spot. Our state ranks 18th for affordability and fifth for adjusted ...