Local Columns

Where the Buck Stops

I was very pleased last Monday to hear Gov. Patrick Morrisey say that the decision to leave behind a volunteer contingent of West Virginia National Guard members was his. “I made the decision to have the word come down that we would ask the people if they wanted to volunteer,” Morrisey said during his first press conference with West Virginia media since the shooting on Nov. 26 of two Guard members during their Washington, D.C., deployment by an Afghan national, one of whom died. I was pleased because the weekend after the shooting, a number of social media posts were made on the ...

Restoring a Government That Helps, Not Hurts: On Hunger, Housing and Health Care for the Holidays

Housing. Hunger. Healthcare. Across West Virginia and the country, a survival crisis is hitting us right at the winter holiday season. And instead of helping alleviate it, our government is making it worse. That must stop. This split between a government that helps versus a government that hurts is on full display in Morgantown and Wheeling. Morgantown is trying to help by opening an emergency winter-weather survival shelter. Wheeling, by contrast, is evicting more than 70 people from a city-established homeless camp, even though local shelters are already full and ...

Congress Must Strengthen Health Benefits for All

Congress is finally getting back to work after the government shutdown, and it’s critical that lawmakers act on legislation to address the most significant financial burden facing West Virginia families: health care. Both parties agree this issue demands attention. With health care once again at the forefront of the national conversation, and with leaders searching for common ground, Congress should start by passing the Strengthening Benefits Plan Act of 2025. Few Americans realize that billions of hard-earned dollars are currently locked away in overfunded 401(h) accounts, sitting ...

I enjoy reading. I guess I wouldn’t be in this profession if I didn’t. When I was 5 years old, I told my dad he no longer had to read to me. From that point on, I slept with numerous books under my bed for convenience. I slept with a touch lamp on and didn’t sleep in the dark until I was nearly out of high school, not because I was afraid of the dark but because I’d often fall asleep reading. Growing up, I mostly read nonfiction, such as books about history. I recall borrowing the Time Life series on the American Civil War from then-Pleasants County Sheriff David Kelly (now ...

Capito Connect Delivers for All West Virginians

Whether you’re a small business owner looking to develop your online presence and reach a broader audience, or a teacher who needs to send a homework assignment to students who missed a class, broadband access is critical in today’s world. It keeps us connected, has the ability to break down barriers, and leads to significant economic growth. Today, I am proud to say that connection is closer than ever. Last week, the state’s Final Proposal under the Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment (BEAD) program was approved, clearing the way for roughly 73,650 unserved and underserved ...

It’s Time To Chart West Virginia’s Path Forward

Policies are not just words on paper — they are the driving force behind the reality you experience. They’re the framework that helps shape the trajectory of your life, and those you love. Policies are the difference between whether you have a job created or lost, a bridge built or delayed, a population that is growing or shrinking and a community that thrives or fades. If you live, work or raise a family in West Virginia, you are personally invested in the outcomes of our state’s policy. And that’s exactly what the West Virginia Chamber of Commerce advocates for every day. ...