Editorials

Keep Voting Rolls Correct

While some states are fighting back against U.S. Justice Department requests for access to their voter registration lists and other elections information, Ohio has begun the four-year process of ensuring voter rolls here are as clean as they can be. Among the states that have received requests from the federal government so far, Minnesota, New Hampshire and Wisconsin have simply said “no.” Officials there say they have questions about the legality of the requests and how the information will be used. After all, state (and, really, county) elections officials are responsible for ...

Considering Future of Public Schools

It’s August, which means it’s back-to-school season. As the new school year nears (remember to slow down and watch for students getting on those big yellow buses with the stop sign sticking out the side), it’s worthwhile to consider the future of our public schools — particularly as West Virginia’s workforce ages and we continue to struggle to compete against our neighboring states. Consider these enrollment trends from the West Virginia Department of Education: ∫ In the 2017-18 school year, West Virginia enrolled 270,613 public school students. For the 2024-25 school ...

Don’t Leave Money on the Table

It’s hard to rationalize how many of our West Virginia friends and neighbors left millions of dollars unclaimed last year by not paying their personal property taxes on time. They have a chance to rectify that in the coming months by paying taxes on their vehicles and some other items by Oct. 1. Doing so may make them eligible for a credit on their 2025 taxes, due in April of next year. It’s really simple. First, make sure your personal property is properly registered with the county assessor. And then, when you get that tax bill in the mail, pay it prior to the penalty period ...

Help Students Get Ready for School

As the school year is about to begin around the Ohio Valley, students and parents throughout the region are gathering what those kids need for that first day. Sadly, not every family will be able to afford them. Struggling valley families will do the best they can to make sure their students will be ready, but any of a number of circumstances will be hurdles in their way. Compounding problems this year is the June 14 floods in Ohio County that left dozens of homes destroyed and many families without even the basic necessities, much less the tools for school. Luckily, there are plenty ...

Defending Against Hate

Last week, Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost announced the appointment of the state’s newest solicitor general — the person who serves as the state’s lead attorney for appeals in state and federal court. He has chosen Mathura Sridharan, an Ohio native who has been deputy solicitor general since 2021. “Mathura is a relentless defender of Ohioans, a champion of federalism and legal force to be reckoned with in a courtroom,” Yost said. “Her brilliant legal mind and masterful understanding of constitutional law make her the obvious choice to lead the team as Ohio’s solicitor ...

Make Public Schools An Attractive Option

As if our county boards of education did not have enough to worry about, a recent report by The Reason Foundation suggests a trend may present big challenges for West Virginia public schools. In a look at public school enrollment across the country, the foundation said West Virginia was one of only four states with public school enrollment that decreased by more than 5% between fiscal years 2020 and 2024. Certainly, the COVID-19 pandemic had something to do with that, but the Mountain State has not bounced back. At the beginning of FY2020, West Virginia had 263,485 students enrolled ...