Local Columns

Coal Will Continue To Drive W.Va.’s Economy

Throughout our state’s 160-year history, the coal industry has been a major driver behind West Virginia’s economy, and billions of dollars of new investment will ensure that similar benefits are generated for the next 160 years. Despite all the hype you hear about a zero-carbon economy and transitioning to renewable, or intermittent energy forms, West Virginia’s metallurgical and thermal coals will continue to drive our economy while remaining a stable component of our state and nation’s energy mix. John Deskins the state’s leading economist and director of West Virginia ...

Permitting Reform Will Boost U.S. Economy, Energy Security

Unbalanced trade agreements, lack of redundancy and reliance on foreign energy markets brought many of our industrial sectors to a screeching halt when supply chains bottlenecked due to COVID-19 restrictions. The pandemic highlighted several flaws within the U.S. economy that resulted in unnecessary hardship for millions of Americans. As we seek to prevent future crises, events such as these often provide valuable lessons, especially for industry and government entities alike. We already see many of our U.S. companies making the necessary changes to avoid these mistakes in the future, ...

Appalachian Natural Gas Key to Energy Security

While not a Presidential election year, 2024 hopefuls are spending the summer of 2023 promoting policy solutions to win the hearts and minds of Americans across the country. Energy — and our country’s strategic advantage as the world’s largest natural gas and oil producer — remains a focal point on both sides of the political aisle. Why? Because access to energy is directly tied to human progress and economic well-being. Against the Independence Day backdrop, we celebrate the freedoms made possible by our energy abundance in America and our ability to share it with the ...

Higher Education Needs To Adapt

I won’t rehash what I wrote about over the weekend on West Virginia University’s financial issues. Needless to say, fixing WVU’s issues by restoring its state funding to fiscal year 2013 levels doesn’t appear to be the solution. Declining student enrollment for more than a decade, a growing budget, near-annual raises of tuition for in-state and out-of-state students and a severely bloated bureaucracy have all created a perfect storm. State funding is one factor, but I’ve yet to see any evidence-based studies about how restoring state funding to pre-Earl Ray Tomblin levels ...

Broadband Breakthrough Will Connect West Virginia

Reliable broadband connection is something that impacts nearly all aspects of our daily lives. Think about it. We rely on internet connectivity to communicate with our family and friends, to access emergency services, to obtain information, to bank, and to conduct business. Also, as we experienced first-hand during the pandemic, internet is an essential aspect of our participation in the workforce and the education of our children. Connectivity has been a challenge for West Virginia. Being the only state entirely encompassed in Appalachia and recognized across the world for our ...

Marshall Memo: Working ‘9 to 5’ at the Strand; Junior Golf; and Model Schools

The Strand Theatre Preservation Society of Moundsville will be holding a live theater attraction with its musical production of 9 to 5!, set to run July 28 and 29 at 7 p.m. and July 30 at 2 p.m. Tickets are on sale at Frame & Fortunes on Jefferson Avenue in Moundsville and online at www.strandtheatrewv.com/events. Cast members include Jamie Faulkiner (Violet Newstead), Alexa Jasinski (Doralee Rhodes), Mandy McGovern (Judy Bernly), Hayden Heiserman (Franklin Hart, Jr..), Rose Cunningham (Roz Keith), Ethan Casey (Joe), Evan Oslund (Dwayne), Roman Hulver (Josh), Shannan Stout (Missy ...