Local Columns

Candidates Jockey for ‘Poll’ Position

I feel like I’ve been writing a lot about polling this summer, especially about polling of the Republican race for West Virginia’s next governor, but events last week are causing me to write once again. The West Virginia Chamber of Commerce, WV MetroNews and Research America chief pollster Rex Repass have taken a beating after a data mistake caused them to release a poll showing Attorney General Patrick Morrisey down further than he actually was. The annual West Virginia Poll released on Sept. 1 had Morrisey down 23% compared to 32% for House Judiciary Committee Chairman Moore ...

WVU, Gee Making Right Changes To Move Ahead

There are a couple of consistencies in life: One is that change is constant, and the second is that people — in this situation, some members of the WVU Faculty — are generally afraid of change. If you add rampant misinformation spread around the internet into the mix, it creates a bit of a perfect storm, much like what we see happening in Morgantown right now with West Virginia University. Since the university announced that it was making necessary changes to modernize its educational delivery — which, yes, includes cutting departments and majors that may no longer be serving a ...

Marshall Memo: New Home After 89 Years; Bus Service; and Mobile Food

Things have changed! After nearly 89 years in Marshall County, I have moved to another West Virginia county—Putnam. The move was delayed a month due to a couple of mishaps. I spent some two months at the Moundsville Heath Care Center to regain my mobility. The facility has been a part of Moundsville for 45 years. It has a 125 resident capacity and since it operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year it has a large number of employees. There are those who need long-term care while others stay on a short-term basis for physical rehabilitation. Those recovering from ...

W.Va Takes Care of Business at Summit

Attending the West Virginia Chamber of Commerce’s Annual Meeting and Business Summit is always an interesting place to be leading up to a major election. The event always brings out candidates and current office holders for statewide and legislative seats, either trying to drum up more money for their campaigns, potential endorsements, or just being seen and networking. The summit puts lawmakers and officials face-to-face with industry leaders From all accounts, this year’s Chamber summit was the biggest crowd yet, or at least the biggest crowd post-COVID. There seemed to be a ...

U.S. Leading by Values at Home and Abroad

We just returned from a bipartisan and bicameral Congressional Delegation comprised of all-women members to the Indo-Pacific, with stops specifically in Australia and New Zealand. The trip had a dual mission. The first: to discuss national and global security and energy in the Indo-Pacific region. The second: to explore issues related to the empowerment of women and girls, the status of women in sports and building on current momentum in that space. To do both in a week is certainly a tall order, as the two are seemingly disconnected. But we would argue these goals are very much ...

Marshall Memo: WWII Weekend; Looking Out for Kids; and a Departure

The second annual World War II Weekend will take place at John Marshall High School on Sept. 9-10. There will be a number of events to see and do. Those attending will be able to check out the World War II Camp to learn from re-enactors what a soldier would have experienced during the war. There will be re-enactors showing armored tank division, parachutes, infantry regiments, and the signal corp. Attendees will also be able to visit with Cat Gardiner to lean about what people that stayed on the home from did to support the war effort. Visitors can step into her recreated 1940s house ...