Editorials

Safety of Children Must Come First

Remember back in June 2022, when West Virginia lawmakers contracted with McChrystal Group for a thorough assessment of what was then the state Department of Health and Human Resources? The group was supposed to come up with a strategic plan for the agency, and was paid $1.08 million to do so. But then, the legislature didn’t like what McChrystal presented as a plan of action for DHHR. “Our recommendation steers towards keeping a single DHHR with a sub-structure, with the goal being — at the lowest cost and quickest efficiency — getting good results for the citizens of West ...

Choosing Wrong Path for Schools

For a group so fond of dragging out terms such as “nanny state” and “overreach” when the mood suits them, it should be more of a surprise when some members of the West Virginia Legislature push measures meant to claw control of local decision-making back for themselves. But members of the Legislature have attempted such maneuvers often enough that it is no longer a surprise — just a head-shaking disappointment particularly for those who hold conservative values of smaller, less intrusive government dear. Neither the state Constitution nor previous West Virginia Supreme Court ...

‘SMART’ Approach to Educating Youth

Since 2010, youngsters in Wheeling have been enthralled with giant telescopes, larger-than-life dinosaurs, petrified insects and more at the SMART Centre Market science center. The center, now located in the 1400 block of Main Street in downtown Wheeling in the former Goodwin Drug location, continues to enthrall young minds with, well ... science. It’s wonderful work that’s been done for 15 years now by the team of Robert and Elizabeth Strong, and given their investment in Wheeling and its residents — particularly youth — it won’t be ending anytime soon. “We always ...

Vote Yes on Ohio Issue 2

Off-year spring ballots can be full of significant decisions for voters — often the kind that affect us in ways that hit closer to home. In Ohio, voters will be asked in May to decide on Issue 2 — renewing and increasing the state spending cap for its public works projects. Since 1987, Buckeye State voters have renewed the Local Public Infrastructure Bond Amendment three times, and more than 19,000 grants and loans have been funded for projects all over the state. The program allows municipalities, counties, townships and other governmental entities to apply for money that lets ...

Some Observations About Streetscape

So here we are. As businesses on Market Street in Wheeling continue to struggle to survive the ongoing Downtown Streetscape project, and as motorists are forced to traverse a road that perhaps is the worst in our region at this time, we learn, to no one’s surprise, that the project is delayed — again. What initially had been planned for a November 2024 completion — as in five months ago — is now, at best, likely a November 2025 completion. That means another questionable summer season for those business hanging on (Market Street is set to be paved in July). That means several ...

Grading Legislature

When it comes to the recently completed 60-day legislative session, if the only goal was to potentially bring data centers to West Virginia that are powered by microgrids, then perhaps lawmakers should get an A. Other than that — and let’s be clear, data centers and microgrids might create property tax revenue but they do nothing for jobs — the Legislature has little to show from this session that will help Gov. Patrick Morrisey in his quest to win an economic backyard brawl with West Virginia’s neighboring states. At best, they get a D. Morrisey this past week did tout that ...