Local Columns

Marshall Memo: Municipal Building Set for Completion Later This Year

The Marshall County Family Resource Network will hold its general membership meeting online at 11 a.m. Tuesday, Jan. 14. Meetings are held quarterly on the second Tuesday of the first month of each quarter. This is a great way to learn about activities and programs going on in the community. Please reach out to the FRN at 304-845-3300 for a meeting link. Currently, the FRN is in the process of completing annual updates to its Resource Guide. If your organization is currently listed in the guide, please review the name, phone number, and service category to make sure the information ...

Appalachian Power’s Proposal Harms Ratepayers, Solar Owners

In the face of customer complaints about rising costs, Appalachian Power recently defended its proposed rate increase. As expected, the company assured readers that it prioritizes customer care. But at the same time, its proposal directly limits all customers’ ability to benefit from solar panels on their own rooftops. Currently, customers with rooftop solar receive fair credit for any excess energy their systems produce, aka Net Energy Metering. Now, AEP is asking the Public Service Commission to approve a dramatic cut to this credit rate. In doing so, AEP is attempting to undermine ...

Musical Chairs

Some people continue to be upset that Gov. Jim Justice is waiting until Governor-Elect Patrick Morrisey’s inauguration on Monday, Jan. 13, to resign and take is place in the U.S. Senate to avoid having a total of four governors (two of those being senate presidents acting as governor) in a 10-day span. However, there is at least two good reasons for the delay. First of all, it allowed former state treasurer Riley Moore to take his U.S. House of Representatives seat Friday when Congress returned from recess. While both the House and U.S. Senate have narrow GOP majorities for the new ...

Opioid Funds Must Go to Treatment, Not Punishment

They heard it when the City of Wheeling announced they were considering awarding Opioid Settlement Funds to the police and fire department before applications were even announced publicly. “We are not against the police; we support you. But there needs to be an application process, to ensure fairness and merited awards, and protect against even the appearance of favoritism. Because this selective fast-tracking creates unnecessary animosity between our community and the police.” They heard it when they were literally handed “A Roadmap for Opioid Settlement Funds” at City ...

Marshall Memo: The Strand; City Leaders; and Local School History

Moundsville’s historic Strand Theatre is continuing its ongoing efforts to host enriching programs for people of all ages by announcing the registration for this winter’s children’s acting classes. Classes will be held on Saturdays at the theater. They will commence on Feb. 1 and conclude on March 15. These classes will be divided into three distinct levels, catering to children from kindergarten to high school. Level 1, designed for kindergarteners to third graders, will meet from 9-9:55 a.m. Level 2, suitable for grades 4 to 8, will meet from 10-10:55 a.m. Level 3, for grades 9 ...

Mission Accomplished at Secretary of State’s Office

I have thoroughly enjoyed my tenure as Secretary of State. I love serving with the office’s professional staff, our hard-working county clerks, and our dedicated legislature. It has been the highlight of my career to serve the wonderful people of West Virginia for the last eight years. Before being elected in 2016, I served five years with the U.S. Department of State in Afghanistan and 23 years in the U.S. Army assigned to military hotspots all over the world. I can assure you, there is no place like home in West Virginia! At West Point and in the Army, I learned the value of ...