Local Columns

Suiting Up for the Session

Finally, it is 2026 and things will begin ramping up from here as the new 60-day legislative session kicks off next week with the gaveling in of the House of Delegates and state Senate, and Gov. Patrick Morrisey’s second State of the State address. The West Virginia Press Association’s annual Legislative Lookahead is this Friday at the Culture Center in Charleston. The event serves as the kickoff for those in print, TV, radio, and non-profit news preparing for their statehouse coverage. Reporters will hear from legislative majority and minority leadership, executive branch ...

By Embracing Growth, West Virginia Comes Out a Winner

As a proud West Virginian who is completing his second year as the leader of our state’s Manufacturing Association, I am looking forward to what our collective future holds. West Virginia is now home to billions (with a “B”) of dollars of investment in manufacturing that will come to fruition in the near future. In addition, we can anticipate future investments that will follow this growth in manufacturing as these new West Virginia companies will be making steel and titanium, which are the necessary building blocks for airplanes, automobiles, and essential infrastructure to ...

Responsible Data Center Development a Win for West Virginia

Some argue that data centers are incompatible with conservation. I understand that instinct. Large facilities, heavy use of energy, and deep community footprints can raise legitimate questions. But turning away from an entire segment of the modern economy will not protect West Virginia’s environment, nor will it keep our young people here or help us fund the conservation priorities we care about. Instead, West Virginia can build a model that shows the country what responsible development looks like. We have the chance to align growth with stewardship. We can protect forests, ...

With Foundation Set, It’s Time for West Virginia’s Second Quarter

As December 2025 draws to a close, we find ourselves at a historic milestone. One fourth of the 21st Century is now behind us. For many, the last 25 years have flown by, as it inevitably does, but with a speed that’s hard to fathom. Even so, the years in West Virginia have been marked by progress. At the dawn of this millennium, West Virginia faced what many called “insurmountable” financial hurdles. Our state had massive unfunded liabilities in retirement plans maintained for schoolteachers and other state retirees. We were, quite literally, mortgaging our future to pay for ...

Reading Between the Lines of Year-End Piece

Steven Allen Adams’ December 27 article reports on three big things in a very casual tone, and none of them are comforting for West Virginians. Here’s what’s not being said: Power changed hands, but priorities didn’t Yes, there are new titles and shuffled chairs, but the people running West Virginia and representing it in Washington are all long-time insiders. The article celebrates positions and rank, not results. What’s not being said: Despite seniority, committee assignments, and “influence,” there is little evidence that everyday problems such as affordability, ...

It Is Now Time To Power Up West Virginia’s Future

Nearly a century ago, our grandparents built the transmission lines that lit up West Virginia’s farms, homes, and towns. Their grit and vision pulled us out of the dark and gave us the foundation for a thriving state. Today, we face a new challenge: those same transmission lines are aging, overloaded, and breaking down. They simply weren’t built for the demands of modern life. The result? More outages, higher costs, and missed opportunities for West Virginia families and businesses. If we don’t act, things will only get worse. But if we step up, just as our grandparents did, we ...